T B E J^ 
 
 Tver of Life, 
 
 iT"^ ^T ^ -^ ^C E EDI NG out of the 
 
 Throne of G O D 
 
 And of the 4^3-^- /y 
 
 LAMB. 
 
 A S E l&^O N preached ^ ynmediately 
 before the Sacrament "dfthe^^EoKti^ff '^:- 
 
 Supper 2it Dunftrmlinep July 6th 
 
 ^735' • '' 
 
 IBy the KereretS-MS". Ralph E ^ sk ine Mi- 
 nifter of the 6olpeI thjRr^, ^ 
 
 
 Printed by Tbo, Lumifden and Jo. Rohmfo?^ 
 for 7a7iies Seugp Book, feller in 2)mfimltnt 
 
 M.DCCXXXVI> 
 
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 Mt, ///>^'i^ 
 
 ^j ..* ^^v 
 
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The River of Life! 
 
 Rev. xxii. I. 
 
 'And he /hewed me a pire . 
 
 Water of Ltfe^ clear as Cryjidi 
 proceeding out of the Throne of Gody 
 and of we Lamb. 
 
 T the laft Sacramental Aftioa 
 that fell to my Share here, I 
 took Occafion to fpeak of 
 our Lord Jefus Chrilt as the 
 Lamb in the Midft of the 
 Throne, i^eu. vii. 17. And 
 now I would fpeak a little 
 (as the Lord may allill) of the great Bleffings 
 that proceed from that Throne, to the everla- 
 fting Salvation, and Confolation of all the Re- 
 deemed. Some underftand all that is faid in the 
 two laft Chapters of this Book, of the State of 
 the Church even here on Earth, in the Glory 
 of the latter Days ^ Others view it as a Repre- 
 
 A 2 {^Xi" 
 
 5CS^?^^ 
 
('4 ) 
 
 ^rfed and triumphant State of 
 eaven. I reckon it fafeft to 
 f thefe, and apprehend it takes 
 State of the Church, and the 
 eof, commenced in Time here, 
 te through Eternity hereafter. 
 State begins here, fince Grace is 
 ^ of Glory, and Glory the Perfedi- 
 Now^this happy State is defcribed 
 JTfibAto the earthly Patadife, thatwa^ 
 le Sin of the firft Adatriy as another, a 
 Sradife reftor'd by the Righteoufnefs of 
 nd Adam. - ■ f 
 
 this Verfe you fee a Revelation made to 
 n of the River of Paradife ; and by this Ri- 
 ver I uhderftand the Spirit, and all Ipiritual 
 Blcilings : For To I find the Spjrit frequently in 
 Scripture reprefented, as a River, or a flood of 
 Water, If a. xliv. 3. I "Scl/l fohrWare^ on him 
 that is thirjly^ and Floods upon the dry 'Ground. 
 What is that ^ Ev^en my Spirit ^ and my "Blef- 
 £lng ; as it is explained in the Words immediately 
 following. But then, you have the Quality of 
 this River; it is a fnre River of Water of Life y 
 clear as Cry pal. All the Streams of earthly 
 Comforts are muddy and polluted, and pollu- 
 ting ; but thefe are pure, clear, healing and re- 
 frefhing, giving Life, and preferving Life for 
 ever tpxhem that drink thereof. You have the 
 Rife olf this River, or whence it flows and pro-; 
 ceeds, namely, 0-ut of the throne of God ^ and 
 vf the Lamh. The Spirit, and all the Bleffings 
 and Comforts of Grace and Glory, proceed froni 
 a God in Chriii. As'the. Spirit, with Reference 
 iO his perfonal Property, proceeds from the Fa- 
 ther 
 
( ? ) 
 
 ther and the Son ; lo, with Reference to hiS 
 Office in the OEconomy of RedeiTiption, he; 
 as a Spirit of all Grace and Coinfoft, procqed^ 
 like a pure Cryftnl River out of we Tbron'^. if 
 God and of the Lamb \ The Spirit^ and all ipN 
 ritual Bleffings^ being from God, through rhe 
 Mediation of the Lamb. But' I Ihail fuiUier 
 explain the Words upon the following Doctrine. 
 
 Obferve, ^hat the living Spirit of God, 
 communicati7ig all the Skffings of ever- 
 laftif2g Life, gracloz'Jly here, and ^lori- 
 onfly hereafter, proceeds like a pure Cry- 
 flal River out of the 'Throne of God and 
 of the Lamb. 
 
 And here I fhall^ as the Lord may pleafe to, 
 aflift, (i.) Offer feme Remarks for clearing 
 and confirming the Dodrine. (2.) Notice the 
 Property and Quality of the Water of this Ri- 
 ver. (5.) Shew what may be imported in its 
 being faid to proceed out of the Throne of God 
 and offhe Lamb. (4.) Whence it is, or the 
 Reafon -why this River of Life is faid to pro- 
 ceed out of the Throne of God and of the 
 Lamb. ( 5.) Deduce fome Inferences for the Ap- 
 plication. 
 
 Firfiy Some Remarks for clearing and Confir- 
 ming the Dodlrine. * ' \, 
 
 1. Remark. That Communion with God in 
 Chrift in his Bleffings and Comforts at his Table, 
 whether above or below, is by the Spirit : For, 
 as through Chrift ixe have Accefs to the Father 
 by one Spirit^ Eph. ii. 18. To all the Bleffings. 
 
 and 
 
( 5 ) 
 
 and Comforts of the new Covenant are com* 
 municated from the Father, through the Son, by 
 the Holy Ghoft : And hence we enjoy the Grace 
 of the Lord Jefus Chrift, and the Love of God 
 through him, in the Communion of the Holy 
 Ghoft, 2 Cor. xiii. 14. 
 
 2. Remark. That all fpiritual Bleffings thus 
 communicated are everlafting. They are the 
 Bleffings of everlafting Life, begun in Grace 
 here, and confummate in Glory hereafter. God 
 himfelf, the prime and principal Bleffing, is the 
 everlalting God, and the everlafting Light, the 
 everlafting Life, the everlafting Heaven and Hap- 
 plnefs of his People. And ail the Streams of 
 Bleffings that flow from this Fountain of living 
 Waters are everlafting. For Example, Is Peace 
 a Stream of this River? Rom. v. i. Seing ju- 
 ftified by Faith y *we have l^eace ivith God. This 
 Peace is everlafting : And hence departed Saints 
 are faid to enter into Teace whenever they die, 
 Jfa. Ivii. 2. Peace here enters into them, and 
 there they enter into Peace. Is Pardon of Sin a 
 Stream of this River ? Yea, nve have Redempti* 
 on through h'n Shod, even the Forgivenefs of 
 Sin, Eph. i. 7. and this Pardon is everlafting : 
 And hence 'tis faid of the Inhabitants of Hea- 
 ven, 1'he People that dixell there (hall he for- 
 given their hiiquity, Ifa. xxxiii. laft. Here they 
 are pardoned, and there the Pardon is length- 
 ned out to Eternity. Is Sandification and Holi- 
 nefs a Stream ? Yea, beholding his Glory /we are 
 changed into the fame Image. Well^ ft is an 
 everlafting Bleffing, for in Heaven it is per- 
 h^td.y I John \\u 2. We Jball be like him, for 
 ii'e fiall fee him as he is. Again, Is the L\(e 
 
 - of 
 
^ 7 ) 
 
 of Comfort here a Stream ? Yea^ we joy in God 
 throu^ Chrift. This BlefTing is everla{ting, 
 and therefore called everlajli72g Confolatmiy 
 2The{r. ii. i6. And hence the Comforter is laid 
 to abide in us for ever, John xiv. i5. Even when 
 the fenfible Comfort is withdrawn, yet the Com- 
 forter abideth for ever. Again, Is the begun 
 Life of Communion with God a Stream of this 
 River of the Water of Life? What is this Fel- 
 lowfliip with the Father and the Son but the Be- 
 ginning of everlailing Communion ? In a 
 Word, Is Grace a Stream of this River of the 
 Water of Life ? What is a Life of Grace here, 
 but the Beginning of the Life of Glory, which 
 is everlafting, and commenced whenever the 
 Soul believes in Chrift? He that helieveth on 
 tbe Son hath everlajling Life. T'his is Life 
 etemali to hnoiv thee the only true God, and 
 Jefus Chrift nvhom thou haft fent. Thus you 
 may fee what I mean by the Bleflings of evcr- 
 iafting Life, to be enjoyed gracioufly here, and 
 glorioufly hereafter, called the Water of Life in 
 the Text. And fo far I have here defignedly 
 prevented myfelf the NecefEty of explaining 
 much further this Water of Life, or the Streams 
 of this River. 
 
 3. Remark is, That the Spirit of God, as the 
 great Blefling of the Covenant, and all the other 
 fpiritual Bleffings of everiafting Life, are compa- 
 red frequently to Water in Scripture, ^ohn iv. 
 14. and 10. V. compared. There Chrifl is faid to 
 give us livtng Water : And again. The Water 
 that I (hall give him that drinketh it, €)ailhe 
 in him a Well cf Water fpri?2ging uf to ever- 
 iafting Ltfi. And, John vil 37. Jf any Man 
 
 thirft. 
 
thirftl let him come to me and drink. He that 
 believer h 012 me, as the Scripture hath Jhid 
 om of his Selly, out of his very Heart and Soul* 
 ^all flow Rivers of liviitg Water, This he 
 fpeaks of the Spirit. But I infift not upon all 
 the loftances I might offer ; only the Spirit and 
 his Influences, Graces, Comforts and Bieffings, 
 raay be on many Accounts compared to Water. 
 I in/ift not upon the Parallel ; only, as Water 
 fs for quenching of Third, wafhing oft Stains, 
 cooling of Heats, healing of Wounds, foftnmg 
 of hard Earth, and frudifying of ijarren Earth * 
 fo the Spirit, in his various Influence^ and Ope- 
 rations, is of manifold fuch like Ufe to the Souls 
 of all his People. 
 
 4. Remark I offer is. That this River of Wa- 
 ter of Life, that waters the Church militant and 
 triumphant with all fpiritual. and everlafling 
 Blefllngs, proceeds out of the Thrbne of GocJ 
 and of the Lamb : I mean, the Spirit proceeds 
 from the Father and the Son. Not only doth 
 he fo, as ht\% the Third Perfon of the glorious 
 Trinity, and that by an eternal and ineffable 
 Proceffion.; but aifo, as he is clothed with the 
 peculiar and glorious OfHce of applying thepur- 
 cliafed Redemption, He comes forth from the 
 Father and the Son by a voluntary Subordination. 
 This is plain , from fevera I Scriptures, particular- 
 ly J'ohn xiv. 16. 1 ''joill pray the Father, and 
 he Jball give you another. Comforter, that he 
 may abide with you for ever, even the Spirit of 
 ^rinh. John xv. q.6 When the Comforter is 
 come 3 whom I 'oiiU fend unto yozi from the Fa^ 
 ther, which proccedeth from the Father, he 
 jkalltefiify of ms. John xiv. 2C>. Sut the Com- 
 forter, 
 
\ > ) 
 
 forter^ nsihlch is the Holy Ghofly whom the Fa^ 
 thh will fend in my 'Name, he Jhall teach you 
 all "things. And again^ John xvL 7. Jf I go 
 not a'way, the Cofnforter ivill not come ; but if 
 I depart, I 'will fend himtinto yozi. And when 
 he IS come, he "jojU convince the World of Sin, 
 Righteotifnefs and Judgment. He will guide 
 you into all Truth. He fhall glorify \?ney for 
 he Jball receive of mine, and fhall fiew it unto* 
 you. Whence then fhall we have a good Com- 
 munJon this Day ? whence fhall we have the 
 Spirit, or any fpiritual Bleffing and Comfort ? 
 It is from the Throne of God and of the 
 Lamb ; It is from the Father and the Son. 
 This Water is from God, through the Media- 
 tion of the Lamb. 
 
 The Sec072d Thing propofed was. To notice 
 the Qualities of this great Bleffing, comprehen- 
 ding all other Bleflings of everlafting Life. The 
 Text calls it a pure River of the Water of 
 Life, clear as Cryftal : Where the Water is 
 defcribed four Ways, namely, from the Plenty, 
 the Purity, the Vertue and the Splendor of it. 
 
 iji, 'Tis defcribed from the 'Flefity, and there- 
 fore called a River. This is that River, Tfal. 
 xlvi. 4. the Streams whereof make glad the 
 City of God. No Pleafures are like thefe that 
 flow from the Spirit of God. The Fruit of the 
 Spirit is Teace and Joy : But here it is only 
 the Streams of this River that we enjoy, but in 
 Heaven the River itfelf will be enjoy'd. The 
 Holy Spirit is a River, not a Ciflern, to ftww 
 his infinite Plentitude and Fulnefs, and the great 
 Abundance of heavenly Bleffings that flow from 
 B him. 
 
him. Our Lord Je'fus hath received ©f this Ri- 
 ver above Meafure, and yet the River is as full 
 as ever. Ail Believers, in all Ages froitt the Be- 
 ginning of the World, Thoufands, and Teh 
 Thoufands, have drawn out of it ; yet it is (liJJ 
 an overflowing River. O let us bring all our 
 empty E ackets here 1 for there is enough here 
 for eve. y Son of Adam^ if he would come ; e- 
 nough for Time, and enough for Ecernity : The 
 River is flowing by our Door ; O may we draw 
 Water out of this Well of Salvation. 
 
 2///y, It is defer ibed from its Purity y it is a 
 fure River, The Spirit of God is a pure and 
 holy Spirit, and all his Ble flings and Comforts 
 are pure and holy, purifying and fandifying 
 Bleffings. A Pool or a ftanding Water may be 
 impure ; but a River, tho' it ftiould run through 
 a Jothfom Ditch, will carry away the Pollution 
 of it : No Man's Heart, be it never fo polluted 
 like a ftinking Ditch, but, if a Stream of this 
 River be let into it, and have a free Paflage, it 
 will carry away all the Filth and Pollution there- 
 of. And why is it faid of Heaven, Rev. xxi. 
 lafl:, in the Verfe preceeding our Text, That 
 there [ball in nowife enter into it any Thiiig 
 that defileth ? Becaufe there is the River ever 
 running. Here we have only the Screams run- 
 ning fometimes, but there is the Rivar itfelf, the 
 pure River, continually running. O let impure 
 polluted Souls come now to the Streams of this 
 pure and purifying River, as they are running 
 from Chrift in a Gofpeldifpenfation, and never 
 reft till they win to th^^ River of perfe6t Purity. 
 
 ^dly^ It is defcribed from the qttickning Ver^ 
 tue of it ; It is a pure River of Water of Zife^ 
 
 This 
 
( ri ) 
 
 This River of Water is the living Spirit of God; 
 the Spirit of Life, that quickens ^^hom hewiJl: 
 He harh Life in'himlelf, and by him dead Souis 
 are quickned, and made to Jive for ever. All 
 earthly elementary Waters have a Beginning j 
 but this River, the Spirit of God, is from Ever- 
 lafting to EverlaiUng, v^ ithout Beginning and 
 without End. Other Rivers are fed by Springs 
 and Fountains ; but this River of the Spirit is 
 himfelf the Fountain ot living Waters, as well 
 as a River. This River proceeds from Gud, 
 and yet the River is God himfelf ^ For there are 
 'Three that hear Record in Heaven^ the Father y 
 the Word, and the Spirit y and thefe Three are 
 One. Tho* God hath provided a Chanel of Or* 
 dinances to convey fome of the Water of this 
 River to us, for quickning and refrefhing us ; 
 yet the River cannot be circumfcribed or limited 
 as it is in itfelf. O let dead Souls conceive Hope 
 of Life ; here is the living and Life-giving Spirit 
 of God, to give the Life of Grace, the Life of 
 Peace and Pardon, the Life of Holinefs and San- 
 d:ification, the Life of Joy and Con{<jlation, 
 the Life of Communion and Fellowfhip with 
 God, which are all the Beginning and Com- 
 mencement of everlafting Life, as I have already 
 IhewU 
 
 ^thly. This River of Water is defcribed from 
 the Sright72efs, Spleiidor and Glory of it. 'Tis 
 clear as Cryflal This I. think may point out 
 fcoth the Pleafure and the Perfpicuity of the Ri- 
 ver. What a pleafant River is the Spirit, in the 
 everlaftingFlow of his Influences and Comforts \ 
 How fweetly do the Redeem^'d drink of this Ri- 
 ver of Pleafure! ^fal. xxxvi. 8. In the "Fre- 
 B a fence 
 
( " ) 
 
 fence of God there is Iitlnefs^ of Joy, and ^lea- 
 firei for evermore, Pial. xvi. laft. And what a 
 perlpicuous River is that of the Spirit, clear as 
 Cryftal^ The Spirit, as a Spirit of Wifdom 
 and Revelation in the Knowledge of Chrift, 
 makes dear Difcoveries as a Cryftal Glafs, or a 
 Cryflaline tranfparent River. It is by the Spi- 
 rit we behold, as in a Glafsy the Glory of thQ 
 Lord, 2 Cor. iii. laft. It is the Spirit that glori- 
 fieth Chrift, by fhewing the Things ot Chrift : 
 He giveth clear Diicoveries of the Glory of 
 Chrift, and the Glory of God's Perfections in 
 him. The Spirit of Life is the Spirit of Light, 
 that giveth the fiducial Vifion here, and thebea^ 
 tifical Vifion hereafter. 
 
 The Third Thing propofed was. To fhew 
 what may be imported in this Rjyer being faid to 
 froceed ^ out of the T'hrone of God and of the 
 Lamb. 
 
 I. le imports. That God and the Lamb have 
 but one and the fame Throne, from whence the 
 River of the Spirit and all fpiritual Blellings do 
 proceed. Here are good News to us this Day, 
 when we are to commemorate the Suft'erings of 
 the Lamb of God ; That, as the Lamb that was 
 flain upon the Crofs is now fitting upon rhe 
 Throne, fo God and the Lamb have not two 
 Thrones, but one and the fame Throne. The 
 Throne of God is the Throne of the Lamb, 
 and the Throne of the Lamb is the Throne of 
 God, Rev, iii. 21, &c. 7 am fet down ivith my 
 Father if? his 'Throne, He is the Lamb in the 
 Md(l of the Throne of God : But of this I have • 
 formerly treated. * 
 
 >. It 
 
(, ^3 ) 
 
 2. It, imports, That God and the Lamb have 
 but one and the fame Spirit. The River pro- 
 ceeds from the Throne of God and of the Lamb. 
 The bpirit of God is the Spirit of the Lamb, 
 and the Spirit of the Lamb is the Spirit of God. 
 Happy they that have the Spirit of Chrift in 
 them, for the Spirit of Chrift is the Spirit of 
 God. He is the Spirit both of the Father and 
 of the Son. All Things that the Father hath 
 are mtne^ ^^)sChn{{, yohnx'vl 15. And parti- 
 calarly the Father^s Spirit is the Son's ; Hence it 
 is faid. Gal. iv. 6. Secavfe ye are Sons, God 
 hath fent forth the Spirit of his Son into your 
 Hearts^crying, Abba, Father. This River proceeds 
 not out of the Throne of God, or the Father's 
 Throne only; but out of theThrone of the Lamb 
 alfo, the Son's Throne. The Spirit of Life, for 
 quickning dead Souls unto everlaiting Life, pro- 
 ceeds not out of the Throne of God as an ab- 
 folute God, but as a God in Chrift ; and there- 
 fore is faid to proceed oin of the T'hrone of God 
 and of the Lamb. 
 
 3. It imports. That the Fulnefs of the God- 
 head that is in Chrift is a communicative Ful- 
 nefs ; and hence the River is faid to ifTue from 
 the T'hrone of God and of the Lamb. The ever- 
 lafting Spring of the River is svithin the Throne 
 of God, where the Lamb fits : And the Lamb is 
 anointed with the Spirit above Meafure ; for the 
 Father giveth not the Spirit by Meafure unto 
 him^ John iii. 34, And this Ocean of Divine 
 Fulnefs that is in him is not fhur up within the 
 Throne, but proceeds like a River out of it, 
 that we out of his Fulnefs may receive, and 
 Grace for Grace, ^^ohn i, 16. This Communi- 
 
 catioa 
 
( H ) 
 
 cation is free, as free as the Run of a Stream out 
 of a Spring. And as the River proceeds freely ouc 
 of the Throne, fo we may as freely come and 
 drink of the Water of Life that runs out towards 
 vs. But again it imports, 
 
 4. That the giving out of the Spirit, and of 
 all fpiritual Bleflings, is a Part of the Royalty 
 of Chrid, and the truit of his mounting the 
 Throne of Heaven after he had finifhed his 
 Work upon Earth : Ar^d hence, ^i&e;i 7:?^ a- 
 fcended up on High^ leading Captivity captive^ 
 he received Gifts for Men, even jor the Rebels 
 lious, Pfal. Ixviii, 18. The giving out of th? 
 Spirit in the moll plentiful Manner was deferred 
 till the Lamb that was flain fhould be in the 
 Midft of the Throne. John vii. 59. *tis faid, > 
 the Hoiy <jhoft was 720t yet given^ becaufe that, 
 jFefus was not yet glorified : But, whenever he 
 is glorified, then the River in a plentiful Man- 
 ner was to proceed out of the Throne of God 
 and of the Lamb. If I go not away, the Com* 
 fcrter will not come ; but if I depart y I wiU 
 fend him tmto you. W henever I am glorified 
 upon the Throne, then I will fliew the River 
 of the Water of Life proceeding out of the 
 Throne. The giving then of the Spirit of, 
 Life is a Part of the Mediator's Royalty. Chrift, 
 as <3i King, hath the giving of the Spirit ; this 
 belongs to his Admjniilration, as the Lamb now 
 upon the Throne: Hence fays Chriil, Johf^ 
 xiv. 16. T'he Father willfend him in my Name^ 
 even in my Name and Aurhority.,as the crown'd 
 King of Zion ; and, John xvi. 7. J will fend 
 him. Thus God and the Lamb agree from the 
 Imperial Throne, to fcnd from thence the Ri- 
 ver, 
 
( ^5 ) . 
 
 ver, the Spirit of Life^ as an Evidence of the 
 Mediatot's Exaltation, and of his glorious King- 
 dom and Royalty. Our Lord Jefus Chrift 
 fwayshis Sceptre of Grace, and eretts and main- 
 tains his Kingdom, by fending forth his Spirit. 
 The Lamb was facrificed to purchafe, and is en- 
 throned to give the Spirit ; and O but the Spi- 
 rit is a Royal Bleffing 1 As Chrift is a Prieft u- 
 pon the Throne, fo thefe that fhare of his 
 Spirit are a Royal Priefthood ; and, having the 
 Spirit, they are Kings and Priefts to their 
 God. Let us wait this Day about the Throne 
 for this glorious Fruit and Effed of his Royal 
 Bounty. . 
 
 The Fourth Thing propofed was. To fhew 
 whence it is that this River of Life, for quick- 
 ning dead Souls to everlafting Wky proceeds ottf 
 of the Tlorone of God and of the Lamb, 
 
 I. It is to fhew. That as the Grace of God 
 towards Sinners is reigning Grace, enthroned 
 Grace ; fo it reigns through the Righteoufnefs of 
 Chfift to eternal Life, Rojn. v. laft. And that 
 no Life, do (piritual Life, by the Word and Spi- 
 rit of God, is to be expe<5ted, but as it runs in 
 this Chanel. No Life by the Law or Covenant 
 of Works is now to be expected. God and A* 
 dam are now feparate, and the Chanel of the 
 Communication of Life, or of living Waters, by 
 his Covenant with the firft Adam, is clean cut 
 off : But, behold, God and the Lamb are joined 
 together in an everlafting Covenant, and fit to- 
 gether on an everlafting Throne. The Fulnefs 
 of the Godhead is gone in to the Jecond Adam, 
 the Fulnefs of the Spirit of Life is given to the 
 
 Lamb 
 
Lamb above Meafure, John iii. 54. And now 
 the Lamb, being the Lord our Righteoufnefs y is ' 
 exalted to the Father's Throne 3 a Throne en«^ 
 riched with the River of I^ife. Grace reigns onjf 
 that Throne, through the Righteoufnefs of 
 Chrift, to the Communication of all the Blef. 
 lings of everlafting Life. Mercy vents through 
 the Blood of Chrift, through the Blood of the 
 Lamb, once hanging upon the Crols, and now ' 
 reigning upon the Throne. 
 
 z. This River of Life is difcovered as proceed- 
 ing out of the Throne of God and of the 
 Lamb, to fhew the diftind; OEconomy of the 
 glorious Trinity in this Bufinefs of our Redemp- 
 tion, and of the eternal Salvation of loft Sin- 
 ners. God the Father, the firft Perfon in the 
 Order, of Subfidence, fits upon the Throne of 
 his fovereign Grace ; God the Son, the Lamb 
 that was the Purchafer of Life on the Crois, is 
 made the Adminidrator thereof upon the 
 Throne ; God the Holy Ghoil, proceeding 
 from the Father and the Son, is the great Ap- 
 plier, bringing home the Bleflings purchafed to 
 all the Redeemed in a perpetual Flow of Divine 
 Communications : And hence all the Store of 
 Divine Things and Bleflings that the Spirit com- 
 municates are faid to be the Things of God the 
 Father, and Chrift the Son, difcovered and dif- 
 penfed by the Holy Ghofl, John xwi. 14, 15. 
 He Il3 all glorify me, for he fi all receive of mine 
 and fueijo it nnto yoit. All things that the 
 Father hath are mi Jze ; therefore faid I ^He fh all 
 take of mine and fbew it unto you. And hence 
 alfo Believers are faid to receive the Spirit which 
 is of God, that they may know the "things that 
 
 an 
 
( 77 > 
 
 are freely given them of God, i Cor. ii. i2, 
 Thus we fee the diftindt OEconomy of each 
 Perfon of the glorious Trinity in this Matter^ 
 Father^ Son and Holy Ghoft^ One God in 
 Three Perfons; and how we are equally indebted 
 to each of them for the Benefit ot Redemption, 
 3i This River of Life is difcovered as pro- 
 ceeding out of the Throne of God and of the 
 Lamb, to fliew the efTential Unity and glorious 
 Harmony of the ever-blefled Trinity, botwith- 
 flanding of their perfonal Diftindion ; accor- 
 ding to I yo^n V. 7. 2^^ere are Three that hear 
 Record in Heaveny the Father, the Word^ and 
 the HolyGhoJl, andthefe ^hree are Or,e. And 
 this eflential tJnity or natural Onenels 1%^ t 
 think, pointed out in our Text, where the 
 Throne oeing called the Throne of God and of 
 the Lamb, declares what Chrift himfelf decla- 
 red, John X. 30. i" and my Father are One^ 
 And if the Spirit were not the Fountain of li- 
 ving Water, equally and eflentially One with 
 the Father and the Son, how could he proceed 
 like a River out of the Throne of God arid of 
 the Lamb ? So that, as in this clear Glafs of the 
 Gofpel we fee the diftind OEconoiriy of the 
 glorious Trinity in the Work of Redemption, 
 and their perfonal Diftindion, fo we may fee 
 their eflential Unity or natural Onenefs ; neCe 
 I'hreeare One God, &c. And in the fame Light 
 we fee their glorious Harmony in our Redem- 
 ption-work. As it is laid of the Three that 
 ifear Witnefi on Earthy the Spirit^ the Water 
 and the Slood^ that they agree in One ; fo we 
 may fay of the Three that hear Witnefi ifi 
 Heaven^ that^ ^s thefe "three m Om^ One lii 
 C Na- 
 
( ^8 ) 
 
 Nature ,• To they agree in one, in one great and 
 glorious Work and Defign towards the Salva- 
 tion of poor Sinners. There is a perfeft Har- 
 mony and Agreement between God and the 
 Lamb upon the fame Throne : And how doth 
 the Spirit harmonize and agree with the Father 
 and the Son proceeding out of the Throne of 
 God and of the Lamb like a pure Cryftai Ri- 
 ver ? and thus Ihewing, that everlafting Life is 
 from God in Chrill, by the Spirit. Again, ano- 
 ther Reafon.is, 
 
 4. To Ihew the excellent Firmnefs and Stebi- 
 lity of the New-Covenant Blefllngs, and on 
 what a fure Ground and Bottom the eternal 
 Life and Happinefs of the Church militant and 
 triumphant h built. Thefe Bleffings are equally 
 fecured with the Throne of God and of the 
 Lamb, and the perpetual Flow of the River of 
 the Water of Life that proceeds therefrom. 
 The everlafting Life of the Redeemed is fome- 
 Avay interwoven with the perfbnal Properties of 
 the glorious Trinity : For as the Spirit,perfon al- 
 ly confidered, proceeds from the Father and the 
 Son; fo he proceeds communicatively out of the 
 Throne of God and of the Lamb, to water all 
 the Redeemed, as an everflowing and overflow- 
 ing River of everlafting Life. A glorious Tri- 
 nity may be leen in every fpiritual Blefling : 
 Hence may a Believer fay. This Pardon, for Ex- 
 ample, is a Divine Bleffing, it comes from the 
 Throne of God ; it is a purchafed Blefling, it 
 is from the Throne of the Lamb ; it is a feai'd 
 Blefling, by |he Spirit, as a River running from 
 the Throne of God and of the Lamb, lo as 
 the Happinefs of the Redeemed cannot faiJ^ nor 
 
 the - 
 
( ^9 ) 
 
 the River ceafe to runout to their everlafting 
 Life,.iJo more than God can ceafe to be God, 
 Father, Son, and HoJy Ghofl, One everlafting 
 .God, in Three Perlbns. The Stream of Grace 
 here, and Glory hereafter, proceeds from a Foun- 
 ''tain that can never be drained j here they will 
 dripk, and bathe, and fwim for ever. The 
 Throne of God will flill be the Throne of the 
 tamb, he will fliJl be a God in Chrift : And 
 the Throne of the Lamb will flill be the Throne 
 of God ; for to him the Father fays, T'hy 
 throne, O God^ is for ever and^ver : And the 
 Throne of God and of the Lamb will flill be a 
 Throne whence the everlafting Spirit will pro- 
 ceed like a pure Cryftal River ; for he will ne- 
 ver ceafe to be a free Spirit, a free Fountain of 
 living Waters. O glorious and blefled Security ! 
 
 The Fifth Thing propofed was. To deduce 
 fome Inferences for the Application. Is it JTo that 
 the living Spirit of God, communicating all the 
 BlefSngs ofeverlafting Life gracioufly here, and 
 glorioufly hereafter, proceeds like a pure Cry- 
 ftal River out of the Throne of God and of the 
 Lamb ? Then, 
 
 I/?, Hence fee the Harmony between the 
 Church militant and triumphant ; they drink of 
 the fame River; Only here we have but Drops, 
 but there they have the Ocean, and drink.at the 
 Fountain-head ; The utmoft here is a Staying 
 us with Flagons,. but there the Redeemed fwim 
 in the River of Life. The Saints in Glory, as 
 well as Believers on Earth, hold their Title un- 
 to everlafting Life of Chrift: Their everlafting 
 Happinefs is grounded upon the Blood of the 
 • C 2 Lamb, 
 
( 55 ) 
 
 lamb, and flows from the Throne of God and 
 of the I-amb. thrift will be the Glafs, even in 
 Heaven/ wherein the Glory of God will be feen 
 through the pure River of the Water of Life 
 clear as Cryftal. 
 
 ^dly^ Hen^e fee the Happinefs of every Belie- 
 ve that hath got but one faving Drop of this 
 River poured out upon his Heart ; for this Spi- 
 rit of God and of the Lamb will be in him a 
 Well of Water [printing up to enerU^ing Life, 
 John iv. 14. and that becaufe this Water pro- 
 ceeds from the Throne of God and of the Lamb. 
 It i^ a Royal Bleffing from the Divine Throne, 
 and the ^pleffings of the Throne are the beft 
 BleflSngs. Many are content with the Bleflings 
 of the JFootftooL and hunt only after thele, 
 faying, Who iKill fijezv us any earthly Good ? 
 But, blefTed are thefe that cannot be fatisfied 
 with any Thing lefs than Throne- bleflings; 
 JLordJift then up the Light of thy Countenance 
 upon me : ^hen Jball I have more Gladnefs 
 than the wicked World, in the Ttme that their 
 dorn and Wine increaje, Ffal. iv. 6. O fee 
 what a Royal Gift it is to get the Spirit; Chrifl 
 0fce7ided up 0^1 High, a^id led Captivity captive, 
 ^nd received Gifts for Men. 
 
 3^^, tience fee the Glory of God, Father, 
 Son, and Holy Ghoft, fiiining in the Work of 
 Redemption through Jefus, and in the Way of 
 pur Salvation through hi$ Blood and Righteouf- 
 iiels„ Here, as in a Glafs, we may fee the Glo- 
 ry pf God the Father fitting on the fame Throne 
 VYJth Chriftjj that is, appearing as a God 
 in Chrjft; ;he Glory' of Chrift the Son^ our 
 |icd?ernferj cxaltecj to j^he Father^ Throne, af-^ 
 
 ter 
 
( iT ) 
 
 ter he had finiihcd his Work ,• and the Glory 
 of the Holy Ghoft in his Breathings and Blef- 
 iings^ and Graces and Comforts, proceeding like 
 a pure CryftaJ River out of the Throne 
 of God and of the Lamb : And alfo the Glory 
 of all the Divine Attributes, their Honour is fe- 
 cured in this Throne of Grace, from whence 
 Grace and Mercy vents, to the Credit and Ho- 
 nour of Juftice and Truth, through the Juftice- 
 fatisfying Blood of the Lamb ; therefore it is 
 faid, ytiftice and Judgmmt afe the Habitation 
 qJ his Throne, 
 
 ^thly. Hence fee how glorious the Gofpel is, 
 and how powerful, while it is the Chanel where- 
 in the Spirit of Life, the River of the Water of 
 Life runs from the Throne of God and of the 
 Lamb ; Gal. iii. 2. Received ye the Spirit by the 
 Works of the La^vo^ or by the Hearing of Faith ? 
 It is by the Hearing of Faith ; and hence the 
 Spirit and the Word are put together in a Pro- 
 mife to Chrift, and in him to all his Seed, JJa, 
 lix. laft. T'his is my Covenant '^ith thenty faitb 
 the Lord, My Spirit which is upon thee, and 
 my Words which 1 have put in thy Mouth, 
 Jball not depart om of thy Mouth, nor out of 
 the Mouth of thy Seed, nor out of the Mouth of 
 thy Seed's Seed, faith the Lord, from henceforth 
 and for ever. This River of Life for quickning 
 dead Souls runs always in the Chanel of the 
 Word of Grace and Promife, and the Gofpel is 
 the Miniftration of the Spirit in the Hands of 
 his fent Servants ,• and this ought to be highly 
 prized by all that are Followers of the Lamb, 
 and would enjoy the Witnefs of his Spirit from 
 the Thione. Th^rc ^r^ indeed, in gur Day, 
 
 many 
 
 ^al 
 
^ 
 
 C ^ ) 
 
 many that are but Minitiers of the Letter, thefe 
 ought to be diicouraged and difcountenanced ; 
 but there are feme evidently Minifters of the 
 New Teftament, not of the Letter, but of the 
 Spirit, thefe ought to be highly encouraged and 
 countenanced; for, tho' r^^ Letter ktlls^tbe 
 Spirit gives Life, z Cor. iii. 6, It is dangerous 
 to defert a Minillry wherein the Spirit of Life 
 runs ,• this were to run away from the River 
 that proceeds out of the Throne of God and of 
 the Lamb. This, by the By, may Ihew us a 
 Rule for our Condu^ in this Day of Divifion., 
 when many of the Lord's own Children are 
 ready to run to fome dangerous Extremes with 
 Reference to their countenancing this or the 
 other Minifler. Why, if they are Minifters of 
 the Letter, that have nothing of a Gofpel-fpi- 
 rit, or of the Spirit of Faith or Faithfulnels in 
 preaching or managing ; and, if this be evident, 
 why not? let us teflify duly againft them : But, if 
 we have to do with Minifters of the Spirit, let us 
 remember that fome of thefe are appointed of 
 God for fuch a Work, and fome for another 
 Work ; and fome of them have a greater Mea- 
 Hire of the Spirit of Faith and Zeal than others, 
 and fome of^ them have a lefTer Meafure given 
 them of God, according to the Work he hath 
 for them : But, if they have any Meafure of a 
 Gofpel-fpirit, and of the Spirit of Faith and 
 Faithfulnefs in their Station, tho' they come 
 not up to the fame Meafure and Degree with 
 others, nor be fet upon the very fame Groujnd, 
 beware of flighring and defpifing them ; for the 
 great River of the City of God runs out in 
 many Streams, fome greater and fome leiTer, 
 
 and 
 
( 23 ) 
 
 and to dcfplfe the kaft Stream is to defpife the 
 River ; He that defpifeth you defpifeth hw. 
 
 ^thly. Hence fee what it is that would make 
 good and happy Days in the Church militant, 
 namely, the running out of this River more plen- 
 tifully, Ifa, xxxii. 14, 15, 16 y 17. Until 
 
 the Spirit he poured upon tis from on high^ and 
 the Wildernefs he a fruitful Field, Sec. O 
 when may we expe<3: fuch a Day 1 Indeed, fuch 
 is the univerfal Corruption of Church and State, 
 and fuch hath been our Perjury, Covenant- 
 breaking and Blood-fhed, unrepented of,- and 
 fuch is the Profanity, Error and Blafphemy of 
 the Day we live in, that in all Appearance, be- 
 fore the happy Day of the Outpouring of the 
 Spirit, we may cxped: a terrible Day of the 
 Outpouring of Flood, w^herein our Land ihaH 
 be turn'd into a Field of Blood, and our Streets 
 to Rivers of Blood. Our National bloody Sins 
 are crying for bloody Vengeance, and many fee 
 it hailing on. But O what is it that will wafh 
 away Scotland's bloody Guilt and bloody Gore 
 at once 1 What but a Flood from Heaven, even 
 a Flow of the pure River, clear as Cryilal, 
 proceeding out of the Throne of God and. of 
 the Lamb 1 Whatever fad Days may come be- 
 fore it, yet this is the happy Day you ought 
 to feek, for Zion's Sake, and for the Sake of 
 rifmg Generations in Scotland^ and of future 
 Ages. CT ;■ 
 
 Cthly^ Hence fee what would make a heart- 
 fom Communion- folemnity among us this Day^ 
 amidfl all the lad Signs of the Times, namely, 
 the running down of this River. And fee at the 
 fame^ Time what Ground we have to expeA 
 
 this 
 
( '4 ) 
 
 this River of Life to run out ; The Ground 
 of Hope is, becaufe the Lamb is enthroned. 
 The Time was that the Spirit, the Holv Gholi, 
 was not given plentifully, becaufe yefus 'was 
 not yet glorified, John vii. 39. But now Jefus 
 is glorified, the Lamb is fitting on his Father^s 
 Throne ; therefore we may ikdk and expect 
 that the Spirit may be poured out. Let Faith 
 ad, for Supplies of this Water, upon Ch rift's 
 Exaltation to the Father's Right-hand to give 
 Repentanctf and Remiffion of Sins i exalted to 
 give the Spirit of Faith and Repentance, to give 
 the Spirit of Holinefs and Comfort ; exalted to 
 the well-water'^d Throne, to let out the River 
 plentifully. Again, 
 
 ^thlyy To raife our Hope and Expedation, 
 Jet us from thisDodrine fee, that the Throne of 
 God and of the Lamb is no penurious Throne, 
 that hath little to fpare : As in our Father's 
 Houfe there is Bread enough and to fpare, fo 
 about our Father's Throne, the Throne of God 
 and of the Lamb, there is Water enough and to 
 fpare, the pure River of the Water of Life 
 fully and freely proceeding out of it. The feven 
 Spirits are faid to be before the Throne, Rev. i. 4, 
 that is,the one eternal Spirit of God, as a River 
 flowing out in all his various Streams of Gifts^ 
 Graces, Influences, Operations, Breathings^ 
 Bleffings and Comforts ; This River is before 
 the Throne. Which fays, by the By, that it is 
 good to go boldly and frequently to the Throne 
 of Grace ^ for this quickniag River of the Wa- 
 ter of Life being before it, whenever we begin 
 to go to that Throne, the quickning River will 
 meet us by the Way ; and whenever our Feet 
 
 touch 
 
V 2j J 
 
 touch the River, then, like a Flood, it will 
 carry us off our own Feet, and bear us up to- 
 wards the Throiie, as the Water did the Ark to 
 the Top o( Jrarat._ 
 
 %thly. Hence fee how we may attain Commu- 
 nion with God at a Communion-table, and how 
 we are t;o go there : You ought to go with as 
 great Awe and Reverence as if you were going 
 to the Throne of God, for his Throne is at the; 
 Head of the T^ble. But then, how fhall we go 
 to the Throne of God, who is ah infinitely ho- 
 ly and juftGod, whereas ^e are guilty, guilty 
 Sinners ? Why, we cannot go to the Throne 
 of God but through Jefus Chrift ; and through 
 him we ought to go boldly, becaufe it is not on- 
 ly the Ttirone of God, but of the Lamb, by 
 v^hofe Blood we have Boldnefs to enter into 
 the Holieft. But again, if you think. How 
 ihall we go thus to the Throne of God and of 
 the Lamb, having no Life or Power to do any 
 Thing ? Why, indeed we cannot win to ic 
 but as it were fwimming in the River that is be- 
 fore the Throne, the River of the Spirit^'s In- 
 fluences and Graces, that proceeds out of the 
 Thfonfe of God and of the Lamb. That which 
 brings us to the Throne muft proceed out of the 
 Throne ; therefore we are to go believingly and 
 dependently, being ftrong only in the Grace 
 that is in Chrift jefus, the Grace that is in 
 the Throne of Grace to be freely communicate 
 from it. 
 
 pr^/y. Hence we may fee the Marks and Gha- 
 
 rafters of right and worthy Communicants. 
 
 They are fuch as have got a Difcovery of what 
 
 is here fliewed unto John : He (he'wed me a ptir^ ' 
 
 D Rit 
 
 .ft 
 
( V<5 ) 
 
 River of Wate}" of Life yclear as Crystal, proceed- 
 ing out of iheTbrone of God and of the Lamb. I 
 do not mean, that every true Believer gets fuch 
 an extraordinary Difcovery as John here got the 
 Revelation of; but there is fomething of the 
 Myftery thereof in fome Degree that I think 
 every Believer gets fome View of^ particularly in 
 thefe three Things, by which you may examine 
 yourfelf. 
 
 I. Have you ever got a View of the Throne 
 of God, I mean of Cod himfelf, in his infinite 
 Holinefs and Juftice ? For God fits upon the 
 Throne of his Holinefs, Juftice, and other glo- 
 rious Attributes; and to fee the Throne of God, 
 is to fee and know him to be Majefty jffelf ; for 
 a Throne points out Majefty. Have you ever 
 apprehended the Majefty of his Holinefs and Ju- 
 ftice, and that the Throne of Iniquity cannot 
 have Fellowfhip with him ; that he is of purer 
 Eyes than to behold Iniquity ; that he is a God 
 that ixill by no Means clear the Guilty ? And 
 hath ever the View of this made you tremble 
 and quake, arid fear left you fhould never have 
 Fellowfhip with him, becaufe you are nothing 
 but a Mafs of Sin and Guilt ? 
 
 2. Have you ever, upon the Back of this, 
 got a View of the Throne of God as the 
 Throne of the Lamb, fo as the terrible Majefty 
 of the Throne hath been allay'd by the Appre- 
 henfion of Divine Mercy, venting through the 
 Blood of the Lamb that was flain ; flain virtu- 
 ally from tSe Foundation of the World, flain 
 a6i:ually on the Crofs at Jerufalem^ and now 
 fitting glorioufly upon his Father's Throne ? In 
 this Light have you feen infinite Holinefs ho- 
 
 noured 
 
( a? ) 
 
 noured and vindicated by the Obedience of the 
 Lamb, and infinite Juftice pleafed and fatisfied 
 by the Death and Blood of the Lamb ? and 
 hath the View of this turned the Throne of 
 God ^om a terrible to an amiable Throne in 
 your Eye ? The Throne of God and of the 
 Lamb is nothing elfe but a God in Chrift recon- 
 ciling the World to himfelf^ a God declaring 
 iimfelf well pleafed in Jefus Chrift. Hath the 
 View of this turned yonr Fear to Hope^ and 
 your Terror to Triumph ? 
 
 3. Have you ever hereupon feen and fek^ to 
 your Experience, living Waters proceeding from 
 the Throne of God and of the Lamb ? Have 
 you feen the Fulnels of the Spirit to be in Chrift, 
 as anointed therewith above Meafure ? And 
 have you ever found this living Water gufhing 
 from the Throne as it were in a fweet Flood of 
 Influences ? when you was pouring out your 
 Heart before the Lord, he was pouring out this 
 Flood upon you, and making you as it were 
 fwim in this River. Belie^^er, know you not 
 fomething left or more about this "i Well, what 
 was the Quality of the Water which you was 
 then baptized with ? May be you came to the 
 Throne empty and deftitute, and dry Ground ; 
 but,before you went away,you was filled as with 
 the Fulnels of a River gufhing out upon you. 
 May be you came to the Throne very dead" and 
 lifelefs, faying, O is it poflibie that thefe 
 dry Bones can live ? but your Soul was 
 quickned and brought ro Life and Livelinefs, fo 
 as you found the Rivfr to be indeed a River 
 of the Water of Life, of Life to your dead 
 Soul, May bp you came polluted and unclean, 
 P a cry- 
 
 
( 28 ) 
 
 frying out, Behold, lam vile ; Will ever fucFii 
 a vile pealt have Accels to God^ or be waihen 
 froin fuch Stains ? yet, behold, you found your 
 Soul furrounded with purifying Waters, with 
 the pure River of the Water of Life, infomuch 
 that perhaps at that-Time, tho'it. was a Miftake, 
 yet you joyfully imagined, that all Pollution, 
 Corruption and Impurity was wafhen away 
 with the happy Flood that fweetly overwhelmed 
 you, and drowned all your Lulls : Was not the 
 River then in your View as a pure and purify- 
 ing River ? Again, May be you came to the 
 Throne under many Doubts and Fears, and 
 dark Clouds J but, fay you, before I went away; 
 I got a clear View of the Mercy of God in 
 Chrift, a clear View of his everlafting Love, 
 a clear View of the Door of Hope open to me ; 
 or at leall, that there was Hope In Ifrael even 
 for me. You thus found the pure River of the 
 Water of Life to be clear as Cryltal^ when a 
 Gulh of that Water was able tp clear your Eye 
 when it was dim, to clear your Mind when it 
 was dark and confufed, to clear your Coafcience 
 when it was black with Guilt : The Streams of 
 the River clear as Cryflal, running through your 
 Heart, made all clear before it. Have you ever 
 got any View and Experience of thefe Things 
 in fome Meafure, however fmall the Degree be ? 
 then you have the Mark and Character of fuch as 
 have a Right to the Communion-table : But, if 
 you never got a View of the Throne of God, or 
 of the Majefly of God, fo as to fear his Wrath 
 becaufe of your Sinfulnefs j and if you never 
 got a View of the Throne of the Lamb, or of 
 the Mercy of God in Chrift, fo as to hope in 
 
 his 
 
( 29 ) 
 
 his Mercy 5 as venting through the 'Blood of the 
 Lamb ; and if you never felt any Drop of this 
 pure River of the Water of Life, clear as Cry- 
 fhl, proceeding out of that Throne ; if you 
 never found one Gufh of that River of the Spi- 
 rit's Influences, either filling your empty Soul, 
 quickning your dead Soul, purifying your poU 
 luted Soul, or clearing your dark Mind ; then 
 furely you have no Right to the Communion- 
 table, as being a Stranger to Communion and 
 Fellowfhip with God in Chrift by the Spirit. 
 
 It may be fome poor weak Believer will tell 
 me. Sir, I think indeed I'm no utter Stranger to 
 what you have been faying : There' was fuch a 
 Time, and fgch a Time, wherein I thought I 
 got a View of thefe Things ; but, alas, all is now 
 gone ! the Throne of God and of the L?.mb is 
 out of View, and the Gufh of Influences from 
 the Throne, that I was watered with, is all dried 
 up, and I'm nothing but a Piece of parched 
 Ground. Well, it may be fo, but here is good 
 News ; The Throne of God and of the Lamb is 
 to the fore, the pure River of the Water of 
 Life is ilill to the fore, and the Throne of .God 
 and of the Lamb is ftill the Fountain of living 
 Waters, that can never be dried up or drain'd, 
 but is as full as ever : Therefore wait about the 
 Throne for the Pouring out of the Spirit, as 
 Waters 7tf on the tbirfty, and Floods upon the 
 dry Ground. 
 
 lothly^ Hence fee the Duty of all that hear 
 
 this Golpel, namely, to come and take of the 
 
 Water of Life freely ; to come to Chrift, and 
 
 drink of the River that proceeds out of the 
 
 Throne. This Inference is drawn from this Do- 
 
 (3:rine, ^ 
 .net 
 
 reveal 
 
. ( ^^ ) 
 
 firine, in the 17th Verfe of the fame Chapter; 
 ^I'he Spirit and the Sride fay. Come--, and let 
 tim that heareth fay^ Come ^ an A let htm that 
 is athirfl come ; and whofoever <wiU, let hini 
 take of the Water of Life freely. Ifa. Iv. i.' 
 HOi every one that thirfteth^ come to the Waters, 
 John vii. 37. On the great Day of the Feaji^ 
 Jejus flood and cried ^ If any Man thirfl, let 
 him erne mito me and drink : For he that he" 
 lieveth on me, out of his Belly y out of his 
 Heart and Bowels, fhall fioiJO Rivers of living 
 Water. This he Ipeaks of the Spirit, which 
 they that believe on him Ihould receive. 
 
 He who (fhen flood and cried in this Manner 
 before he afcended to the Throne, he appointed 
 us to be Criers in his Name, with this Encou* 
 ragement, Lo, I am with you always to the 
 JEnd of the U'orld. Indeed, if it were not for 
 this Encouragement, in vain would we cry to 
 you ; but O regard the Cry of the Son of God, 
 faying,' If any Man thirfly let him come to me 
 and dri7ik of this pure River of livijig Water, 
 I cannot offer you the Sacrampt fafely, till I 
 offer Chrift to you,' the Subftance of it i and 
 you cannot take the Sacrament honeilly, till 
 you accept of the Offer, other wife you^ll eat 
 and drink unworthily. Let me therefore prefs 
 this Exhortation on you, before I cl)fe, with a 
 few Confiderations ; and O look up for Power 
 to accompany them. I fhall go no further than 
 my Text and Context. 
 
 (i.) Confider the Authority by which you 
 are called to come to Chrift and drink of thefe 
 living Waters. It h 2i Divine Authority ; the 
 
 rders are iflued from the Throne of God, 
 
 %'John 
 
V . 5* / 
 
 I John ill. 25. ^hh h his Commandment , that 
 ye jboiild believe ^oii the Name of his Son Jeftis 
 Chrifi. Are Orders from an earthly Throne 
 to lie regarded^ -coming in the Name and Autho- 
 rity of the Prince ? O what infinitely more Re- 
 gard is to be had to the Throne of God I to the 
 Divine Authority ! If a poor Man only were 
 calling you to come to Chrift, you might fafely 
 fit the Call, and lay. By what Authority do you 
 tbefe Things? But all the Authority of the 
 Throne of God and of the Lamb is here inter- 
 pofed, and you cannot fit the Call without 
 trampling on the Authority of God. 
 
 (2,) Confider the Glory of that Jcfus, who 
 invites you to come to him and Ihare of this li- 
 ving Water, and drink of this pure Cryilal 
 River. O that, in this clear Stream of the Spi- 
 rit's Illumination, you could fee the Glory of 
 Chrift, who fays^ He jhall glorify yne \ There 
 is a twofold Glory of Chriil here j He prefents, 
 xfty His Imperial Throne j %dlyy His glorious 
 Mediatorial Fulnefs. His glorious Throne s 
 How glorious foever the Throne of God is, fo 
 glorious is the Throne of the Lamb ; for here 
 you fee the Throne of the Lamb is the Throne 
 of God : For tho^ he be the Lamb that was (lain, 
 yet he is God equal with the Father, and thinks 
 it no Robbery to be equal isoith God j and the 
 Father thinks it no Difparagement to him to fet 
 the Lamb in the Midft of his Throne. O glorious 
 Jefus I His Blood was the Blood of God : His 
 Righteoufnefs the Righteoufhefs of God : His 
 Wildom is the Wifdom of God : His Power is 
 the Power of God \ and his Throne is the 
 Throne of Qod. Angels and Archangels wor- 
 
 ihip 
 
 -<thex 
 reveal 
 
V 3^ ; 
 
 fliip with Reverence before hisThrone. His glori- 
 ous Fulnefs is here alfo prefented,^// theFtilnefs of 
 the Godhead is in him j all the Father's Fulnefs 
 is in him, and all the Spirit's Fulnefs is in him* 
 TheFuJnefs of the Spirit that ever any mere Crea- 
 ture had, is but like the Fulnefs of a Veflel ,• but 
 the Fulnels of the Spirit that is in Chrift, the 
 Lamb of God^ is the Fulnefs of a Fountain : 
 And hence it is that the Spirit, and all fpiritual 
 Bleffings, proceed like a pure River of Water 
 of Life out of the Throne of God and of the 
 Lamb. 
 
 (3.) Confider the Qualities of thefe Waters 
 which Jefbs calls you to come to him for. They 
 are fuch as, whatever be your fad natural State, 
 or ycur miferable prefent Cafe, there is iuitable 
 Relief prefented therein, i. Are you deftitute 
 and empty of all Good, empty of all Grace ? O 
 let that be no Hindrance, but a Reafon to move 
 you to come to Chrift, and look to the Lamb 
 that is on the Father^'s Throne j for here is a full 
 Fountain, a flowing River : He calls you not to 
 Gome and give, but to come and take what you 
 need. O bring all your empty Buckets here ; 
 this River comprehends no leis than God himfelf 
 and all his Perfections, Chrift himfelf and all his 
 Fulnefs, the Spirit himfelf and all his Graces, 
 Bleffings and Comforts. 2. Are you dead in Law, 
 and dead in Sin, dead in State, and Heart and 
 Frame ? Let that be no Hindrance, but a Reafon 
 to move you to come to Jefus for a Drink of this 
 River, becaufe it is the River of the Water of 
 Life. Chrift's great Complaint is, Tou 'will not 
 come to me^ that yot^ might have Life \ The 
 Life of Abfglution from the Sentence of the Law 
 
 con- 
 
( 17 ) . ' 
 
 can he no aftive vrhhout a paflive Gathering, c. 44J 
 
 tfo Mdn can tome to me^ exceft the Fathef which hath, 
 fent me draw him. Both thcfe are exprcfs'd by th© 
 Spoufe in one W«rd, Draiv me^ ive will rtm f^ef thefm 
 Thepaflive Gathering is God's drawing Sinners tb 
 Chrift, the aftive Gathering is their Running to hiitt 
 vhen drawn. This is fnch a' neceflary Diftinfiion^ 
 that it muft be taken along y/ith the Whole of ouo 
 Difcourfe upon ^his SubjeS; wherein we muft con- 
 jGder this Gathering fonietimes in an adive,and fomc* 
 times in a paflive Senfe, becaufe the one cannot bo. 
 without the other. When irreftible Power is put fortb^ 
 there muft be a Gathering, Pfai, ex. 3. ^y Peoplt^ 
 jhallbe willing in thi Day cf tby Power \ and w her a 
 there is fach a Gathering, it is a Fruit of that Ex- 
 erting of Divine Power in its Irtefiftible Efficacy^ 
 Hence I offer a 
 
 %d Remark, Thatin this Gathering of the People 
 lo5W/(>i&, there are certain Gatherers employed. Tha 
 grea^and glorious Gatherer is God himfelf, vrhen ha 
 draws Sinners to himfelf with the Cords of Love an<i 
 Bands of a Man, that is, in a powerful, irreflftiblft 
 Manner ; and yet not vioienting the Willj as Armini-^, 
 «»/ dream, bat with loving and rational Arguments^ 
 conquering, carrying, captivating and overpowering 
 the whole Soul. God the Father, Son, and HolyGhoft, 
 are employed in this Gathering- work ;It is done by 
 the Care of the, Father, by rhe Pait\S of the Son, and 
 by the Power of the Holy Ghoft; It 1§ done bj 
 the Motion of the Father, by the Moyeh of the Son, 
 and by the Might of the etetoal Spirit, (iod the Fa* 
 ther is the Gatherer, Epb, i. 10. Re is fakJ to gather 
 into one all Things by Chrift. Chrift himfelf, to 
 "whom the Gathering is, is alfo the Gatherer, Joha 
 xi. 51. where it is faid of hkh, that he would gather 
 together into bne the Children of G<jdthat were fcat- 
 tered abroad. And that the Holy Ghoft is the imme- 
 diate Gatherer, is plain, in that as the Father Tends 
 the Soato gather, foth^ Sdn fends the Spirit togathec 
 the People to him : Hence the Spirit i$ faid to reveal 
 
 fi)uift> (9 Ifiify of C^'i^' ^^ glonff Chrift^ to in- 
 
 ^ ,■■■■■ 
 
.( «8 ) 
 
 ^ite the People to Chtil^^Rev, xxii. iT.ttfs Spirlf^ 
 iUffi the Bridi fay^ Come : And he not only fays it er»» 
 ,^ernally to the Ear by his Word, but internally to th» 
 tSoul by his common Motions, and efiicacioufly to th« 
 Heart by his irrefiftible Operation ; like that Word 
 fcy which the World was made, when God faid, Le^ 
 $here he Lights and there was Light; fo, when th« 
 Spirit fays, Let there be Faith, there is Faith. Hence, 
 Jie that is called the Spirit of Faiths i Cor. iv. 19. is 
 4ilfo the Spirit of Power y 1 Tim. i. 7* For he both be- 
 gins and carries on the Work of Faith with Power, 
 ^nd fo powerfully draws. Sinners to Chriff, and efFec- 
 jtually gathers the People to Shihh, The . principal 
 •Xiatberers then are the bleifed Perfons of the glorious 
 vTrinitv : The Father does it, thro* the Son, by the 
 4^oly vhoft. Thi$ adorableThtHte in One work to each 
 .Other's H^nd.There are fubordinate Gatherers,whic)l 
 pod does employ ; particularly Minifters of the Gof* 
 pel, whofegreateft Work lies in. winning Souls, and 
 .gathering People to Chrift, therefore called. Workeri 
 ■f^igether/ivjih Go(fy 1 Cor. yi. i. Their main Bufinef* 
 is to found the Trumpet* and gather the People to 
 ^hilob ; They are to preach Chrilt, to proclaimChrift, 
 Xo oSct ChMyto invite Sinners to Chrift, and thaft 
 ^Isall they can do : They may caft down ihe Gofpe.l 
 .N«t, but they will catch nothing, unlefs the Lord 
 liimfelf gather in the Fifli ; Except the Lord build th» 
 ptyy the Builders build in vain. The Gofpel is then th« 
 Power of God to Salvation, that is, his Organical 
 I'ower, the Jnftrument of his Powers when it is the 
 Miniftration of the Spirit; ^^^ by Strength nor by 
 Mighty butbi my Spirit^ faith the Lord, Seek then, that 
 hi? Pow er may accompany the Word, otherwife it 
 ^ill not be a gathering Word^ Now, as Minifters are 
 the fubordinate Gatherers under Heaven's Influence 
 l^y Office ; fo may private Chriftians, whofe Souls 
 fre gathered to Chrift : They may be Gatherers in 
 .iheir Station, not indeed by Office minitterially and 
 Authoritativelr. But by privateAdmonition and Coun- 
 TO <;iiar|t^ti:vely»Thpf1PiC^ors| bj <bfir Frecepc and 
 
(19) 
 
 ^Example, may be the Inftruments of gathering their" 
 Children toChrift, Matters their Servants^ and pri- 
 vate Chriftians their Neighbours : And happy theff 
 that thro* Grace are thus employed, whether as Mini* 
 Iters or Chriftians ! for they are wife ; He that win^ 
 netb Sojilsy is <wi/e. And they flat be wife f Dan. xii ^.J, 
 or as it may be read, they that be Teachers, J2)<«//jbi»# 
 aj the kri^htnefs of the Firmament ; and they that turn ma^ 
 »y to Right eotifnefs as the Stars for ever and dV«r. Bu| the» 
 again. 
 
 The ^d Remark I offer is^ That«chere are certain 
 Airths from whence the Gathering of the People U 
 made. Whence are they gathered, may you fay \ 
 Why, this is to be confidered both in point of Place^ 
 and in Point of State. Firji^ In Point of Place, whenc# 
 is the Gathering to Shiloh, and frorp what Airth I, 
 Why, even from every Airth, Lukf iiii. 29^ ^bef 
 fjall come from the Ea(iy and from the fVefi^ and from thi 
 l^orthj and from the South, and {ball fit 4ownlnib€ King*- 
 dom ofGcd, This Gathering to 5(^</o^, confidered even 
 literally and extenfively, will be from all the font 
 Airths, and from all the four Corners of the Earthy 
 from Europe^ Afia^ 'Africa^ and America, Hence it is 
 faid of Chrift's Dominion, Pfah IxxH. 8. that he fhall 
 have it from Sea t§ Sea, and from the River to the Ends 
 of the Earth ; and not only* the large Continent, bur 
 the littJe Ifles are included, v, 10, 11. 'Tbg Kings of 
 iTarJbip and the Ifles Jhall bring PrefentSy and the Kingt 
 $f Sheba and Seba Jhall offer Gifts : Tea, all Kings fbxll 
 fall down before him, 'and all Nationf^all ferve him, Yoii 
 have all the four Airths mervtiof^d, Ifa. xliii. 5, i. 
 I ivilt bring thy Seed from the Eap, and gather thee fr^mf 
 the Weji \ and <wlllfay to the North, Give up ; and to th* 
 South, Keep not back : Bring my Sons frorn far, and mf 
 Daughters from the Ends of the Earth, When the Ifles 
 and Ends of the Earth are fo much mentioned, ©- 
 ven the outmoft Ends of the Earth, to be ChriftV 
 Poffeflion ; we may therein fee and winder at th** 
 Grace of God, that in his Coufnfel of-pj^ conce^n- 
 
 9g th« Garh^rin^ of the People t9 Skdiji^^ he hai 
 C ^ ^ 
 
tt View to our far away Northern Ifles among the 
 fcft, even Britain and Ireland, Scotland and Zetland* 
 yifhen God will count the *People that were ?ga- 
 |hered to Sbilohj it will be faid even of poor re- 
 inote Sc6tland, *this Man and that Man was born there', 
 japd O that the Number were increafed, and a great- 
 er Gatherirg-time would come than ever hath been! 
 O for a gathering Power, a Day of Power! How- 
 ever, it is from all Airths that the Gathering of the 
 Teople fhall be to Chrift : It is not confined in one 
 yiace ; to him fhall the Gathering be, frbm Afia in 
 the Eaft, and from America -in the Weft, from Africa 
 in the South, and from Europe in the North, not 
 forgetting the Europian Ifles in the Midft of the 
 JNorthern Seas. Secondly, In Point of State. Whence 
 is the Gathering of the People to Shiloh, and from 
 if lat Airthj from what State and Condition are 
 they to be gathered ? Here let me allude to the 
 lour Elements, Water, Fire, Earth, and Air, out of 
 ^hich they are gathered, i/. Some are gathered 
 as it were out of the Water, and fifh*d out of the 
 Flood ; and hence, as Minifters in gathering Souls 
 are called Fifhers of Men, and the Gofpel the Fifh- 
 net caft into the Sea, for gathering of every Kind, 
 Mattb, xiii. 47. 'fo they are gathered out of the Sea 
 of a troublefome tempeftuous World, out of theWa- 
 terand Floods of Sin and Mifery, where they are 
 fwimming. When the Lord gathers People to himfelf, 
 he muft nlh them, and gather them out of many Wa- 
 ters and great Depths, even out of the Depth of Secu- 
 rity, out of the Depth of Senfuality, where they, were 
 fwimming pl^afantly, yet dangeroufly, ready to fwim 
 in to the dead Sea of everlaftirig Deftrudion. No- 
 » thing but the Hand of God could reachj to the Bot- 
 tom of the Depth whence the Lord does gather his 
 £le£^. ^dly. Some are gathered as it were out of the 
 Fire, Zech, iii. 2. Is not this a Brand f lucked out of the 
 tire "i There is a Fire of Luft and Lewdnefs that lome 
 arc burning in ; For Wickednefs burns as the Fire, Ifa. ix. 
 
 i9. afid t^ be gathered out of the Torrid Zone, and 
 
 brought 
 
f 21 ) 
 
 bronsht to a temperate Climate,!, a great Matter; 
 Oat of this F".e they maft begatheredfthat are ga- 
 thered onto ShM. There is the Fireof God's Wraih. 
 " a'k"* =°'?[f jog f"e, wherein they ate in ut- 
 moft Danger *f being confiSmed for ever ; but whea 
 the Lord g«he" the People, he puts his Hand asit' 
 
 Brands out of the Burning, jrf/,. Again they are ga- 
 te r,h^«'' ^"'^' °" °f theDuft and Dung 
 
 the Heart is fo fet upon earthly Thinjrs, that the* 
 
 ?re Duft a'i'd'V"""!'''^ Cla^.andfoverei lit? 
 the Duft . and from thence they muft be gathered. 
 
 i/<i. Ivii 
 
 Uadhim^lfi. O thekindneTnfrT • T'?"'* 
 Sofils o« of fuch a Pickle" Yef?n™: '" e«hering 
 
 II. yet out the verv Duno^ ^^^. i. i . 9> ^"» 
 pie to Shilob ; Such^Wreime nf^ ^"''l' ""^ ^^°- 
 walhen,&c/ He gather? hi.4»^°"' -". ^^ "' 
 dirty Mire. Let lone pren^J^P r'°* ""' ■"»* 
 and'let. lime fticfc and'^e flh i'n the «• ' ''r""'^"' 
 defpair, for he is merciful InH^ Mire; Let nona 
 jhe^erV Dung. WhTn'^t^l.^'^^^'i-^^^^f-n' 
 Ditch, into which a Sheen w,.fi(^ P*" ''^ * 
 fays, he pulled it out, thi^ foul f r^-""^ "'*'""'» 
 own Hand J for which he w.. I ""'^j^.'"?. ^i* his 
 and commended ^slil Zw,.T'^t''^\^ '^'<''«''» 
 King of />«/ is yL t'nder 'h?' ^"', '*'^" 'he 
 filth^y Ditches ofSin, i:,o" hfcVhL°."^ ^""^^ '" 
 
 *i:h MS.arc:Le,a„d'-;^'tl;L";L^rH^S 
 
• . ( «3 ) 
 
 Blood, /^thfyi Agiin, they are gathiered oat of the Air, 
 in a Manner ;. while the Prince of the Power of th4 
 Air is flyi^g'away with them, they are gathered out 
 of his CLiws, Some that are Satan's Captires, they are 
 frying in the Air as it were, with the Wings of Pride 
 and Vanity, exalting themfelves above all that is tai- 
 led God. They learn o^Luciferto be proud and lofty, 
 looking down upon others as if they were the Dreg» 
 and Offscourings of the Earth : "When God gathers any* 
 fucb,h€ hath^them to bring down from loftyElements, 
 and airy Vanities, that he may humble them under 
 lijs mighty Hanli, and make them Itnop, to Shihh, O- 
 thers are, as it were, building Cafiles in the Air : 
 Such are thete, who being ignorant of God's Righ- 
 teoufnefs, and going about to eftablifb their own 
 Righteoufnefgj will not fubmit totheRighteoufnefs 
 of God, I^om. X. 5» This is a high and lofty Building; 
 "but it is like a Caftle in the Air hating no Founda^- 
 On, bpt the high and airy Imagination of th^Cp t^at 
 1}uild it ; which the Lord will bring down, when he 
 gathers them out .of their Heights and Altitudes, as 
 you fee he does, i Cor* x. 5. Ithe Weapons ef our War^ 
 fare are not carnal^ hut mighty through God^ to the pulting 
 down efjirong Holds y caflhg 'down Imaginations ^ and everf 
 %)igh *Thing, that exalts it felf againft the Knowledge of 
 Godf and hinging in to Captivity every "Thought to the Obe-* 
 dience of C/>»7/?/*There you fee high Things, high 
 Thoughts, high Imaginations, all high and airy Buili 
 dings exa'ted againft Chrift, and his Righteoufnefs j 
 vea, ftrong Holds, fuch as nothing but the mighty 
 Power of God can pull down : Such are all the falfe 
 Hopes, and legal Dreams of poor Sinners. They hop^ 
 they will mend, before they die • They'll turn a 
 new Leaf, and live a new Life, and fo pay their own 
 I)ebt, and do their own Bufinefs themfelves ; Thu# 
 they build in the Air a Refuge of Lies, which the 
 Hail muft fweep away. And indeed- God raifes ^ 
 Storm in the Air, that he may gather his Remnant 
 from thence. As in a dangerous Storm, the Mariner 
 Y^ill caft Silk and Sattin over Board, and the moft 
 
 valuabis 
 
i 23 ) 
 
 .valuable Things, lather than perifli ; even fo Ood 
 ^aifes a Storm of Convi&ion in rhe Man's Gon(cien(?e, 
 that threatens, everlafting Shipwreck, that he may 
 caft away bis Carnal Confidence, and legal Rightfe- 
 oufnefs; that what Things were Gain to him, thef* 
 he may count Lofs for Chrift. Thus, I/ay, there ara 
 fome Airths from whence they are gathered : And 
 this leads me to another Remarks 
 
 Fourthlyy That there are federal Things fuppofeJ| 
 and imported in thisGarbering of the k'eople to Sbi~ 
 
 ' fob. To mention fome of thefe, ly?, It fuppofes Stray 
 ing, and imports Con verlion. It fuppofes Straying ; 
 and indeed the «atural State is a Straying* and wan- 
 dering State. The Man is wandering away from God^ 
 -wandering from his Oommandmentj, wandering in » 
 
 •Wildernefs, wandering he knows not where awavj 
 
 ■ for the Devil hdodwinks him ; The God of thisWorlcl 
 hath blinded/ the Minds of them that believe not* 
 And fo they wander in the Dark, in the DarknelV 
 of Ignorance, Unbelief, Error^Delufion, and Confu* 
 (ion ; and yet in the Darknels of deep Security, nevec 
 imagining but that they are in the- right enou^jh^ 
 Way, tho' it be the Way to Hell, thinking that Goci 
 is altogether like unto themfelves, and approves theic 
 Way, and allows them in all thefe Things where-* 
 
 ■ in they allow themfelves. Hence it is impoflible lo 
 bring them off from theirwiSarnal Thoughts, and wic- 
 ked "Ways where they are wandering, unlefs God 
 himfelf gather them by his Converting Grace. This 
 Gathering imports Converfion, wherein God fayg 
 with PowerXas he made the World with an omni- 
 potent LET IT BE, fo here) Let the Wicked forfake his 
 W^y, Ifa. Iv. 7, 8. And the unrighteous Matt bis Thwghts^ 
 and let hirh return to the Lord, But this Power of Gdlj, 
 whereby he converts Sinners, rides in the Chariot <^ 
 Grace, faying, as it TqUoWs, Vltba'Os Mercy on him^ 
 
 .1 will ainndavtly parddp. And here is the Gord of 
 Love and Mercy, with which he Jraws. The Craf- 
 pel of Gi-ace is the Power of God to Salvation, th© 
 
 ^^wer oJF God to Oiaverfion ; ■w4thout the faith 
 
( 54 ) 
 
 and Apprehenfion of this Mercy, there is no Oof- 
 pel-repenting, nor Ketnrn, no effeQual Gonverfion; 
 Let him returriy for I wilt abundantly pardon. There 
 is the Motive, which muft be viewed, before any 
 can be moved thereby. But when this Mercy of 
 God in Chrift, in multiplying Pardon, where Sin 
 hath been multiplied, is once viewed, then the 
 Soul is melted and moved. What is there Mercy 
 for the like of me, Pardon for the like of rne, and 
 abundant Pardon, where Sin h;ith fo abounded ? 
 Owill i, for great Sins, i^et great Pardons, and for 
 a Multitude of Sins, a Multitude of Pardons? Will 
 the Mountains of Mercy overtop and cover all the 
 Mt>untains of my Sins ? O, fays God chis, even to 
 wicked me ? This makes all my Bowels melt, and 
 all my Bones to fay, who is like unto the Lord ? 
 Thus he gathers Jn Convc^fion, faying, Wicked Man, 
 turn, for 1 ^^il' abundantly pardon : And O that is a 
 powerful FOR ; like^ Loadftone, that hath a draw- 
 ing Vertue upon the hard Steel, fo will this draw 
 the hard Heart, and diflolve it. This For is backed 
 with another. For my 'Thoughts are not your Thought s^ 
 nor my Ways yoptr Ways ; ql.d. With Refpe£l: to th& 
 proud fecure Sinner, do you think that I am altoge- 
 ther like unto your felf,and that 1 approve of your 
 Ways, as if they were my .Ways, and your Thoughts, 
 •as if they were my Thoughts ? Becaufe you allow 
 your felf in that Way, you think I allow you alfo ; 
 and your Thoughts is that you fhall have Peace, tho' 
 you Walk after the Imagination of your own Heart: 
 Nay, my Thoughts are not your Thoughts. Or,with 
 . Refpeft to the felf-righteous Sinner, what are your 
 Thoughti ? You think that your Way is a very good 
 Way, and fo that it is God's Way: And you think 
 that God will accept of you, becaufe you fay you do 
 your beft, and do as well as you can, and no Body 
 can fay black is your Eye ; you are a good Neigh- 
 bour, you are honeft in your Dealings : And fo yoit 
 think you are every Way right ; and that God 
 thinks 9s well. of you, as you do of your felf; and 
 
 th4t 
 
C 2? ) 
 
 liat hii Thbupiits are your Thonghts, and that 
 your Way that you are walking in is bis Way r 
 Nay, fays he. My Thoughts are not your Thoughts, 
 neither my Ways your Ways ; for as the Hesvens 
 are above the Earth, fo are my Thonghts and WrySi 
 above your Thoughts and Ways. O do not meai'ure 
 God's Thoughts and Wjys by your fintui or felfifti 
 Thoughts and Ways : If you would not riin inta 
 a Miftake, Man» Woman, look to th© Clouds, a«d 
 fee how far they are above the Earth ; yea, look 
 to the Heavens, and fee how far they ar« above the 
 Clouds ; yea, look ro the God thnt made the H«aven$, 
 and fee how far he is exalted above the Heavens : 
 And if tlie Heavens be fo f;ir above you, that you 
 cannot re^ch them, or meafure tbem/O how far i» 
 God above yout f at you fliould attempt to mea- 
 fure his Thoughts and Ways by yours! Or, sgarn, 
 v/irh Refpeft-to the humbled Sinner, thrit is like to 
 be moved and melted with riie View of Mercy, but 
 yet is tempted to doubt and deny it, faying, O my 
 Thoughts are, that God will never have Mercy oa 
 the like of me, fuch a God provqking Sihner ; and t 
 fear God's Thoughts are the fame with n^ire : Nay 
 My Thoughts are not your Thotights, fays God ^ 
 look to the Heavens Man, look to the Heavens Wo- 
 man, look to the J^eavens Lafs. look to the Heavens 
 Lad ; for as the Heavens are above the Earth, fo 
 are my Ways of Grace, and Thonghts of Mercy, a^ 
 bove your Thoughts and Ways: YourThoughtiare, 
 that I have no Way to fhew Mercy on you ; and 
 therefore, that my Thoughts are to ruine and de- 
 ftroy you : But I have found a Raifom, througK 
 •^hieh my Mercy do^s make way and Vent to the 
 Credit of Juftice; therefore- my Thoughts ard 
 Thoughts of Peace, and not of Evil. Judge not my 
 Thoughrs then by the Standard of yours, but rathei* 
 mike the Height of the Heavens above the Earth to 
 be the Standard whereby to judge of rhe Height of 
 tnj Mercy, for overtopping all your Sins ^^';^h abun- 
 dant Pardon ; therefore turn : Here is the F^y^ th# 
 fbreefold For or Motive, npon which Turning br 
 
( i6 ) 
 
 ^onverfion is urged* This Gathering;, I fay, fup* 
 pofes Straying, and imports Converfion. 
 
 tdly. It fuppofes Scattering, and imports Conven- 
 tion^Johr XI. 52. It is a Gathering together into one 
 the Children of God that were fcatteredAbroad.The 
 natural Stare is a fcattered State ; and God's Rem- 
 nant, whom he hath amind to gather, are not*only 
 fcattered here and therethrough the Earth, but be- 
 fore the Lord gather them, they are like dead and 
 dry Bones fcattered about the Urave's Mouthj ?faL 
 cxli. 7. They arc dead in Trefpafles and Sins, dead 
 fpiritually, under the Power of Sin ; dead legally, 
 undertheSentCRCC of Death andDamnation ; and not 
 only dead Bones, but dry Bones, no Sap of Grace or 
 Goodnefs in them : And «ot only fo, but fcattered 
 Eones ; Howfhall thefedry Bones live, or thefe fcat- 
 tered Bones be gathered together ? You fee this re- 
 prefented,^;;:^^, xxxvii.jTheSpirit of Life muft come, 
 and gather together the Bones, and make them live ; 
 and then, and not til) then, are the fcattered Souls 
 conveencd, and gathered to Chrift. Then the fcat- 
 tereii Though^,that were fcattered among the Stuff 
 of the."World,are gathered toChrift, everyThought 
 being brought in Captivity to the Obedience of 
 Chrift. Then the fcitteied Affections, that were loft 
 among the Luftsof the Fleih, tTie Luftsof the Eye, 
 and the Pride of Life, are gathered and conveened 
 together unto Chrift, as the proper Centre. O then- 
 there is a Convention of Hearts, that were fcatte- 
 red among other Objefts, My Son^give me thy Heart. 
 Then there is a Convention of Defires, to him that 
 is the Defire of all Nations ; a Convention of De- 
 lights to him who is the Delight of God andAngels. 
 Infteadofthe. Defires of theFlefb, and th« De- 
 lights of Senfe, the Defire of their Souls comes to 
 be towards him,and theRemembrance of his Name, 
 faying, i^'^^om have I'm Heaven hut Ithee 1 &c. O, are 
 there not here dead and dry Bones fcattered about- 
 
 ' the/ Mouth of the Grave, dead and dry Hearts and 
 Affe£iions fcattered about the Mouth of Hell ? O, 
 
 ^' hat Netd of a Gathering ? 5^^^> 
 
( ^7 ) . . 
 
 • ^Myjt fuppofes Reje^ion, and importsKeceptiao . 
 The naturaJ SutQ is a Srate,wherein the Man is ra - 
 je£^ed ofGodjforiaken of God; he hath forfaken God, 
 and God hath forfaken him. But when God jrather* 
 the People to Shiloh, he receives them into Favour^ 
 If a liv. 7. For a [mall Moment have I forfahen thee^ hut 
 €Li it h great Mercy will I gather thae ] chat is,/ vjittlovc 
 thee freely^ and receive theegracioufly. 
 
 r^thly^ It fuppofes Separation, and imports Union. 
 The natural State is a State ofSeparation fromGod, 
 wherein the Man is like the Prodigal in a far Coun"- 
 try, far from Goil, and far from Chrift,and far from 
 Gr;<ce ; Aliens from tlfe Commonwealth of//*"/tJ,and 
 Strangers to the Covenant of Promife, having no 
 Hope> and without God in the World, Eph, ii. 12. 
 "There is an infinite moral Diftance, as well as natu- 
 ral, betwixt God and them. The Wall of Separa- 
 tion is fuch,as none but God can pull do^n ; which 
 he muft do, when he gathers the People to ShiUh . 
 And he>€e,ifl gathering Sinners, he not only preach* 
 esFeaceto them that are afar oft, lvit,inChriftJefu«, 
 they tii3t; were afar off, are^made nigh by the Blood 
 ofChrid; They that were feparate from God, and 
 without a Head, fince the ^tH' Adam felt, arc g?.the- 
 led together to God, under a new Head, the fecond 
 Adam, and unite to him, Epb. i. 10. It is called, A 
 Gathering together into onq, aU things in Chril^. 
 They are thus unite to God, and One among them- 
 feives in Chrift. This Union is by the Bond of th» 
 Holy Spirit, and Inftrumentalicy of Saving-Faith ; 
 And the gathered Soul becomes One Building-with 
 Chrift, wnereof Chrift is the Foundation ; one Tem- 
 ple, one Bcdy,one Spirit ; He that is joined to the L»rd, 
 is one Spirit, 
 
 ')thly^ It fuppofes Rebellion, and imports Sub- 
 je£tion, Reconciliation, and Obedience. The natu- 
 ral State is a State of Rebellion,Alienation aodEu- 
 mity : Before People are gathered to Sbihb^ they 
 are gathered under the Standard of the Devil, and 
 carrying on a Rebellion ngainft Heaven : eve|-y Maa 
 and V/om^n is a Rebel. The carn«J Mind is Enmity 
 
^gainfl: God : Fjrery Thoupiht ot every Man is ^ Re* 
 bel againft God ; every !m iginarion of the Thought 
 of rhe Heart 15 evil, and evil conrinuaily. Now,whefi 
 God gathers People, he brings themij^ Subjeftion 
 to his Son ; as they are unite to'him as 'their Head, 
 fo they are fubjeci tp him as their King; This Sub- 
 jection and Obedience is imported in the Original 
 Word, as I told in the Explication. The gatheredPeo- 
 ■pie are brought Jto fay, ^Otner Lords befides Thee 
 iave had Domi^aovqiPtTs,; But now, by Thee only 
 ■will we make mention of tHyiWa^p^; ,as the ^ewf 
 {aid, We have ooKing hmCe/ar^U) they are brought 
 to fay, We have no King but Shihh, no Lord but the 
 l,prd Jefus, Rebellion ii rnrned to Sabjeaionand O- 
 bcdi&nce, an^^'their Alie- o atruty and Love. 
 
 In a Word, 6th^.y Il\k *!''>i^^k^E^^Wrailljon or Lo- 
 iing, nnd' imports R^ora t^lJSff^ecovery. The 
 natural State isaloii ihte ;. We are loit in the Rub- 
 bifh of the Pall of Adam ; we are lort privately in 
 that v/e are not what we were, in a §t;ite of Inno- 
 cence and Uprightnefs, nor in a State of Friendlhip 
 ;>nd Fellowlhip wirh God, nor in a State of Power, 
 Strength and Ability to do God's Will ; we have 
 forfeit all this by our Sin and Fall, Ram, iii. 2^. 
 - Ali have Jlrined r4id come port of the Glory of God, We are 
 loft pofitively, in that v»e are that which we fhould 
 |iot be, even filthy Sinners, and guilty Criminals : 
 jilchy,and fo are Children of Difobedience, Eph. n, 
 3. Guilty, and fo are called Cliildren of" Wrath, £^p^. 
 ii. 5. Our Bodies and alltbeir Members are corrup- 
 ted, which is called the Filthinefs of the Flelh : our 
 Souls and all theirFaculties are corrupted, this is the 
 Filthinefs of the' Spirit : Being filthy and guiltySin- 
 ners, we are pofitively loft. We are loft judicially, 
 as being under a Sentence of Death,, and under the 
 Curfe of the Law, Gal. iii. 10. The Law faith,X^^e 
 Soul tl At Jifineth pall die. We are loft meritorioufly, 
 in that our Sins deferve Death, which is the Wages 
 oCSin, Rom. vi. lafi. And no Wonder ; for it is a 
 Violatioii of God's holy, juft, and good Law, U^m, 
 
• ( =9 ) 
 
 yli. II. It i^ a Contrariety and Conrradif^TOrt to 
 (God*s holy, jurt and good Nature. Hrh.'i. ij In a 
 Word^we are loft in l^oint of Power s.hl >\1»iHrytQ 
 fave and recover our felves, loft as to all Capacity ia 
 tbe Creature co help us : We are by Nitur^ without 
 Strength, Rof7t. v. 6. We are not rubje<a to the Lavf 
 of God, neither indeed can be, Rom. vn'u 7. "We can- 
 not know or difcern the Things of God, yej, they are 
 Fooliilinefs to the natural Man. i Cor, ii. 14. far It^fs 
 can we be by any Atonement fatisfy God for oar Of- 
 fences ; therefore the Redemption of the Soul is preciomSf 
 and cenfethfcr ever : Thus we are every Way ioih 
 
 Now, ps this is the loft State fuppo{ed,fo this Gs- 
 theria^ of loft Souls imports the Son of Man his com- 
 ing; to feek and fave that which was loft, Luke xix. 
 10. While yet the Sinner is ftout-heartrd, and far 
 fromRighteoufnefs, unwilling to be fav-d and gathe- 
 red, like* thefe, Mat, ^viii. 57. Jeruf^leyn^ Jstufalem^ 
 how fijten 'iuould I hdve fathered ycu^ but you KVould riot\ 
 He makes Enquiry after the.n by Uis Word, by hit 
 Roii,by his Spirit, Saying as to Adam^ when he made 
 Enquiry after hira, Adam v/here art chou ? M^n, 
 Woman, where art, thou hiding chy felf T 1 am come 
 to feek, and fave^ and gather you. AnJ as he feeks 
 them out by his Word, fo he finds them out by hii 
 Spirit, and reftores them to a State of Salvation. 
 Thus he gathers them preparatively by the Law^ for- 
 mally and immediately by the Gtifpel, meritorioufly 
 by his Blood, procuratively by his IntercelHon, ccca- 
 fionally by Ins Providence, and etteajaliy by hjv 
 Spirit; drawing them with. his Grace, covering then-. 
 ■with his Righteonlnefs, quickning, faTtciifymg and 
 fealing them to the Day of Redemption, bur iio\% 
 he gathers, may come to be more particularly fhov.r 
 upon the Fourth Head. Only fo much for rhc. Kc 
 marks I promifed anent ihe Nature aad Irnporr o' 
 fhis Gathering. 
 
 SECONl> ' 
 
'( ?° ) 
 
 Second head. 
 
 The Second genera! Head propofed, was, To fhew 
 ivbo are the People of whom it is faid,The Gathering 
 of the People fhall be to him. Why, in general, by 
 the People you're to underftand the Gentilesy R§m, 
 XV. II. and therefore her« is a Door of Faith open to 
 tls,to g«ther in by it unto«Sr^i/o/>: For the Promife 
 is to us, whofe Forefathers were as black and blinded 
 pagans as any in the \Vorld ; To us is the Word of 
 this Salvation ffe^nt, that the gathering of the People 
 {hall be toShihh. And here is Encouragement to us 
 to gather into him by Faith ; here is a Foundation of 
 Faith for all the People that hear this Gofpel ; God 
 fays. TheXjathering of "the People fhall be to Chrift 
 the Meffias, infomuch that whoever of all the People 
 fhall he perfwaded to gather in undei hisWings, they 
 fhall be welcomed to hina, and, faved by him. Why, 
 faysQne, It may be I'm none of the People here 
 meant, nx>ne of%the Hied that fhall be effectually ga- 
 thered ; and therefore my Attemptrng to come to him 
 n»a,y be vain* In Anfwer hereunto^ you would con- 
 fider, that there are two diftincfQueftions here, name- 
 ly, 1. Whom hedefigns.in his Decree ? 2. Wliom he 
 defines in his Word to be the Perfons that fhall ga- 
 ther ? And we would confider which of the.'e efpe- 
 cially ispropofed in the Gofpel for our EncouMge- 
 ment in gathennt^ unto Sb Hob. As to the Fir/}, Wh(^m 
 he defigns in his Decree to be gathered? Tiiele are 
 indeed the Ele6i:,.who are faid to be^^hofen in Chrifi: 
 bofore the Foun.iaticrn of the World, Epb. i- 4. They 
 are faid to be predeftinate; 2udwhc?n be did pYcdefi'f 
 nateythem be alfo called^ Rom. viii. 50- They are faid 
 to be given to Chrifi ; and, All that the Father hath 
 plvennie^^ail come to ?7?e,' John yi. 57. ^ni^AU that are 
 \rdair2ed to eternal Life^ ^oail belie've^ A£f$ xiii. 48. The 
 'Hle£iion fliail obtain, Rom. xi. 7. Aod indeed, if God 
 had not in his eternal Purpofe defigned to gather 
 feme, none at all would be gathered. Now,! think 
 it isoWervabie, that in all thwfe Places, >vhcru God's 
 
 DcriilBT 
 
( 3X ) 
 
 pefign of gathering the Ele£t to him is mentioned, 
 it is readily brought in either as an Encouragement ! 
 to them that are gathered, that they may have the 
 Comfort of their Ble£ti#n from Eternity ; or as an 
 Encouragement to Minifters that are Gatherers^ that 
 
 ^ they may knoTV their Labour fhaJi not be uithoui; 
 Succefs ; or elfe as a Check and a Blow to tbefe that 
 are final-Rcjefters of Chrift, and refufeto begathe- 
 red to him : But never is it brought in for a Difcou- 
 rageraent to any People in the \V"orld (o gather un- 
 to 5^/7^^? ; hence tothe J^e^^vs, that obftinately and 
 finally rejected Chrift, he fays, j^hn vi. 3^,' 57. y» 
 will not come ; but kibw to»yourConfufion, that all 
 that the Father hath given me, fliall come. But that 
 none may be hereupon difcouraged, he fays, whofo- 
 ever comes, he will in noways caft^out , Where, as 
 he Ihuts the Door upon final RejeO^ers, fo he openi 
 the Door to all Comers, that they may flock^in to 
 him ; and the rather becaufe it is impoffible they can 
 know their EleSion of God, till oncethey come and 
 gather to Chrift. It is Devilifh Reafoning therefore 
 to fay, I know not iff be an Eleft, and therefore 
 I need not come to Chriit ; for it is Divin* 
 Reafoning rather to fay, I know not my Ele£l:ion, 
 therefore I'll come to him that I may know it, fince 
 it cannot poffibly be known other ways. Ele£iion it- 
 in Chrift, Epb, i. 4. ^e Mre'chofen in him; and thtrefore 
 out of Chrift it cannot be feen. But, If I b« nor e- 
 
 '-le£led, fay you, I will not get Grace to come. In- 
 'deed if you hare no Will to come, you hafc no 
 
 - Grace to come ; and if you hare no Will to come, 
 
 whom can you blame for yourEnmity but your felref, • 
 
 that will not come to Chrift? Will you complaia yon 
 
 have not Grace to come, and yet rejefi the Gofpel of 
 
 Grace, that only can make you willing ? O then, iVby 
 
 i «;/// yoH die, Boufe of If r a el ? But, Sir, Is it not true, 
 ' that all will not be i gathered, and therefore may. 
 be not me ? Well, but ii it not as true, that manT 
 ftiall be gathered, aad therefore why not you ? U 
 
 there 
 
( 3i ) 
 
 thttt any ifrirant Claiife in the Gofpel, excluding' 
 you from gathering to Shibh ameng the reft? Non- 
 -Electioii can be no Hinderance to you, if a lying 
 Devil and deceitful Heart do not make it fo ; for it 
 is a Secret you're not concerned with ; It is a 
 fecret Thin* that belongs to God, Deut, xxi?;. 29» ^ 
 Your Buiinefs is to notice, .what belongs to you, 
 namely, what Warrant you. have from the Word for 
 your Gathering unto Shiloh. When the Gofpel-Call 
 i»among'your Hands, it belongs not to you to de- 
 mur upon thatQuedion, Whtm he deji^ns in his De' 
 tree t Biit it belongs to you to anfvver to your Name 
 in the ad Queftion, namely, ^^«w hed/'Jl^?is in his 
 iVcrd to be the Per/on s that fhould p^aiher^ and Jh all be 
 gathered-, to ^yhiloh ? And that all may prefs them- 
 felves in upon him, without Fear of Preluroing when 
 they are gathering to him, they are defined by the 
 moil general Terms, namely, the People, Ti? himjhall 
 the gathering of the People be. And that none m.iy have 
 any Reafon to rhink that they are caft out, but that 
 all and every one *may be encouraged to venture 
 their perifhing Souls uponChrift, I fhall fhow what 
 Sort of People are here meant. 
 
 , (i.) It is a Gathering of Pagan People and Heath- 
 ens that if here meznt, Shiloh jh all come^ and the ga- . 
 ihering of the People to him ; accordingly Chrift came, 
 that the Gentiles might be gathered^ and might glo- 
 rify God for his Mercy ; he came to the J-ews for 
 the Gpod of the Gentiles, fee Rem, xr. 8, 9, 10, 11, 
 < 12. And now for accomplifhing of thefe Piomifes, he 
 allows us to preach among you Gentiles the unfeavch- 
 Mhle Riches ofChrift. This is a Part of the Myftery of 
 Godlinefs, Chrift preached among the Gentiles, I 
 ^im. iii. 16. It was a Myftery eo the Jews and pri- 
 mitive Chriftians, when Chrift was firft preached 
 amorg the Gentiles, Rom. xi. 17, 18. "Why, the 
 Gentiles were the Uncircumcifion, they were abo- 
 minable Ootcafis, whole very entering in,to the 
 Tcnrtple vva$ enough to pollute it. They were Strao- 
 •rs aod AUeos ; But now Goi declares in the Goff^e)^ 
 
 That 
 
^," 
 
 ( 33 ) 
 
 That he will juftlfx the UncircumcIGon thro* Faith, 
 'Bom. iii. go. And the Scripture fore fee ing^that God 
 >vduid juftify the Heathen thro' Faith, preached the 
 Golpel before to Abrahamt faying. In thee pall alj Na^ 
 tionsbe bleffed. Gal. iii. i8. The Gentiles here meaoc 
 ■were called Dogs, and the Jews were called the Chil- 
 dren J hence faid Chrift to the Wom^n of Canaan^ 
 when trying her, It is 770t meet to take the Cbildrens 
 Bread, andcafi it to Dogs, Without avsBagSy Rev. xxif, 
 15. but fuch Dogs have been gathered, i Ctr. vi. 9, 
 10, II. Such were ffme of yott, 8cc. Thus the Peopla 
 that may and fliall be gathered are defined, they are ',, 
 Gentiles, Uncircumcifed, Heathens, Dogs • and if thac 
 be a Defcripcionofyou, Man, Woman, then the Pro- 
 mife concerns you, and you*re called to embrace it 
 •with Aj)plication. 
 
 Ca.) It is a Gathering oi gracelefs arid ungodly Peo-» 
 pie that is here meant. Tho'he makes them Gracious 
 and Godly when once he hath gathered them ; yet, 
 before they be gathered, and while he is feeking to 
 gather them to himfelf, they are Gracelefs and tJn- 
 .godly, Mayk ii. 17. / came not ta call the Righteous hu^ 
 Sinners to Repentance : And indeed if he would except 
 Sinners, he would except all Mankind, and tall none 
 at all, for all have finned ; therefore fay aor,^ you'fo 
 a Sinner, and therefore cannot be of that Numbei'-tgr 
 -whom this Word of Grace belongs ; for if you ; be -a 
 finful Creature oi Adam\ Family, we are charged to 
 hold out the Word of Salvation to you, Go preach tW, 
 Gofpel to every Creature^ Mark xvi. I 5. 
 
 C9.) It is a Gathering of the moft finful People that 
 ever were, that's here meant. Chrift (fay you) may 
 gather Sinners, but none fo gra/s as me : Therefore £ 
 tell you, that even the grrjlfeft of Sinners are included 
 in this G/i/j&m;?^ ; hence the ftout hearted People arej,, 
 encouraged to come to him, Ija. xlvi. 12, 13. Heark-' 
 en, ye jiout-hearted, and far from Right eoiifnefs^ I bring 
 neary &c. Hearken to Vi% Reafonin^,."g^rf. i. 18. "Tho* 
 jour Sins he as Scarlet ^ &c. Why fays ne 'thus, but that 
 i^Ie gr^atefi and moft guilty Sinner may not be dif^ j 
 E coitragei 
 
 7. 
 
I. 84 j 
 
 fomaged from gatherhgn about the Throne of in- 
 finite Grace ? Hence^ neither the cruel Maffacres and 
 curfed Sorcery ofManajfehy nor the Blafphemy and 
 Perfecution of Vauly did exclude them from oitaining 
 Mercy and h^in^ gathered to Shibh ; yea, the ^ews 
 that murthered the Lord o^Glory, fee then* both 
 called and <Sonv«rted, ABs ii. 41. 
 
 (4,) It is a Gathering of difeafed People that? is 
 here meant, AXark ii. 17. When Shiloh comes, it is to 
 gather the Sick and Difeafed about him tor healing 
 tkem, 'They that be whole need not the Phyfician, but 
 they that are fick : Multitudes ^^^^^ygi about him to 
 touch him, and, as many as touched him, were m;ide 
 ■whole. All that are fick are called to come to him, 
 and all that want the^Phyfician. We need not un'der- 
 ftand it of thefe that are fenfibly fick and fee their 
 Need, inch only will indeed come ; but it is true 
 without a Figure, ^hat all that are really fick, andfiand 
 in need of a Fhyfician, ought to come. Now, what is your 
 Difeafe, Man, Woman ? For the Phyfician is come 
 ' here to gather all difeafed Folk about his Hand, that 
 ' he may get the Glory of healing them. Is Darknef* 
 and Ignorance your Difeafe ? Behold, Shiloh is cojne 
 to be a Light to lighten the Gentiles, Is Deadnefs your 
 Difeafe? "Behold, He is come to give Lifey and to give it 
 more abundantly. Is Blindnefs your Difeafe? He is 
 gome to open the Eyes of the Blind, Is Hardnefs of Heart 
 your Difeafe 1 He is come to take away tbe Heart of 
 itone, and give the Heart of Flefh. Whatever be the 
 Difeafe, let the Gathering of difeafed People be to 
 liim. If your Difeafe be Unbelief, fo as you cannot 
 for your Life elicite on Aft of Faith, He hath the 
 Spirit of Faith to give for curing that. If your Dif- 
 eafe be Impenitency, foas you cannot repent of one 
 Sin, He hath the Spirit of Repentance to give for 
 curing of that. If your Difeafe be Enmity and 
 Hatred againft God and Chrift, He hath the Spirit 
 of Love to give for curing that. If your Difeaf« 
 be Carnality, fo as your Toughts and Affedions are 
 jwrnal and flelhly> He hath the Spirit of Holinefs tQ 
 
( IS ) 
 
 give for curing that. If your Difeafe be V/eakaefs, 
 that you cannot think, yon cannot aft, you cinnot 
 pray, he hath the Spirit of Power to give for curing 
 that. If your Difeafe be Error and Delufion, as well 
 as Dimnefs and Confufion, he hath the Spirit of 
 Truth to give, to lead you into all Truth. If youc 
 Difeafe be Security, fearing nothing, but deeping 
 in the Arms of the Devil, deftitute of all Grace, hlled 
 -with all Atheifra and Blafphemy, and fuch Uncon- 
 cerned nefs and Indifference, that no Arguments ia 
 the World can awaken you ; Behold, Shlloh is come, 
 v/hois theRefurreftionand theLife, having the Spi- 
 rit of all Grace to give, t[a, xlii, i. Behold my Servant, 
 gcc, •/ have put my Spirit upon him^ &c. There is one 
 Difeafe, called the unpardonable Sin, which th« 
 Man that is under would never fo much as wiHi t<J 
 be cured of, abftrafting from that, I know no Difeafe 
 excluded out of the Mediator's Commiflion. What- 
 ever be the Difeafe then, of which you would wifli 
 En's need to be cured, if you be among the Number 
 of difeafed People, that is the People of which th© 
 Gathering muft be to Shiloh. 
 
 f 5.) k is a Gathering of diftrafted People and mad 
 Fools. This is fct forth in the Parable of the Prodi- 
 gal, who played the Fool and Mad-man, till he came 
 to himfeU, and came home to his Father, who, not- 
 withdanding of his former Madnefs and Folly, kind- 
 ly received and entertained him, hulie xv. fromf. 17. 
 What is all the People in the World but a Company 
 of mad Fools, and befide themfelves, feeding upon 
 Swines Husks, fenfual Pleafures, and lying Vanities? 
 Yet of fuch People is the gathering to Shiloh. There- 
 fore, O Sinner, do not exclude your felf from tht 
 Benefits of this Promife,tho* you have been carrying 
 like One that hath been out ot his Wits all your Days, 
 Some in the World are called Wits, and think them- 
 felvesfo^who yet are mad and out of their Wits, fo 
 long as they do not think of gatbering to SbiJoh^ iff 
 whom are hid all the ^reafures $f IViJdom ani KutW'- 
 Udge^ and ^i^j *>/ Qod is made ffnt0 m Wi[dQm» 
 
 R t (^.) It 
 
( 3^ ) 
 
 {6,) It is a Gathering ot impiifoned People that is 
 here meant ; for Shilohis come to proclaim Liberty to 
 the Captives y and the Opening of the Prifon to them that 
 Are ieundy Ifa. Ixt. i, Now, what Sort of 4 Prifon are 
 you in, Man ? This "Word of Salvation is to you. 
 'Xurnye to your firong Hold , ye Vrijoners of Hope, Zech. 
 ix. 12. The People that are to he gathered toShiloh^ 
 are defigned Prifoners ; and ii Prifoner be your Name 
 and Defign^ition, be it never fuch a deep, dark and 
 dreadful Prifon, here is a Door of Hope for you. Is 
 your Prifon-door barr'd and bolted, fo as no Man 
 not Angel can open ? Behold, he proclaims the Open- 
 ing of the Prifon to them that are hound. When he in 
 the Gofpel-proclamation is faying,Open Prifon doors, 
 open,.open ; O take hold of his Strength, and invite 
 ills Power to.be put forth^ and you fhall find aJl the 
 Bars lb all be broken to Pieces. To give him Em- 
 ployment to open your Prifon, is one of the Ways 
 of gathering to: him. Do you look upon your felf 
 asa Prifoner in the furtheft Nock, hidden in the 
 deeneft and darkeft Hole of the Prifon ? Behold the 
 gatheringHand of him that can fave to the uttermoft, 
 can reach to the fartheft Nook of the Prifon, and 
 bring you forth, fo as your Name fhall be called 
 bought out and Found outy Ifal 'Ixii. laj}. But, on this 
 Subjefl-, fee my Notes on Ifa, xlii. 6. Now, if the 
 People t&he gathered to Shihh be of that Sort, if it 
 be a Gathering^of Pagans to make them Chriftians, 
 a Gathering of gracelefs People to make them graci- 
 ous, a Gathering of great Sinners to make them great 
 Saints, a Gathering of difeafed People that they may 
 be made whole, .a Gathering of Fools and Mad-men 
 that they may be made wife, a Gathering of Prifoners 
 that they may be made free ; if this be the Defigna- 
 tionofthefe People of whom the Gathering ihall 
 be to Shihh, O then, is your Name and Defignation 
 touched at here ? What hinders but you put in 
 for a Share of this gathering Grace ? By what Chufe 
 are you excluded, if you be one of the People here 
 Hientioned, Man, Woman? And why will you ex- 
 
 m elude 
 
'( 37 ) , 
 
 elude your f^lves from coming to Chrlft rThe Gof- 
 pel excludes you rot, for ir n ^mes yrou in a Manner; 
 and yoB fhould anfwer to your Na:ne, faying. Lord, 
 here I am: I find Vm^ mentioned ^mong thefe of 
 v^'hom the Gathering IhaU be to Shihb; therefore, 
 behold I come to him, let my Soul and Ml its I^a- 
 culties be centred on him. ^. '^ *- 
 
 But, in cafe you , think that I have raifs'd yo»r 
 Name, 1 mutt tell you, that all that are called by the 
 Gofpel of Chrift are allo\ved to gather under his 
 Wings, and it is by the free univerfal Cil". pven to 
 all the People to whom'the Golpel comes : ft is by 
 this, that God gathers all his Chofen iq.fOAChrift; 
 and the Promife, given forth indefinitely to aU the 
 People, is a Ground of Encouragement to them all> 
 to come to Shiloh by Faith : Trerefrre fays the A- 
 poftLe to chem whom he was calling- :o come to Chrift 
 whom they had crucified, AHs ii. 59. 'J^^e Prom/fe is 
 t» you and to your Children^ ar?dto all them that arc afar 
 off, even to as many as the Lord our Cod JhallcalL And 
 here, as all that are a far off are called, famore par- 
 ticularly there a're two Sorts of People called, that 
 feme do not dreim to be fo, namely, i. They that 
 exclude themfelves. 2. They that are excluded by 
 Men, they are included in the Call. 
 
 ifi. They that exclude themfelves; and you'll find, 
 they aie mofl: particularly called, who are moft ready 
 to exclude themfelves. They that are weary andhea- 
 v'y laden, under a Senfe of Sin, and Apprehenfion of 
 God's Wrath, are ready to exclude themfelves ; there- 
 fore they are particularly called. Come unto mc^ all jq 
 that are iveary and heavy laden^find I ivlll give you Refi. 
 Matth. xi. 2 8# I do not confine the Senfe of thefe 
 "Words indeed to the humbled and convinced ; for 1 
 think that even thefe that are wearying themfelves 
 in purfuing Vanities, and living contentedly under a 
 heavy Load of Sin or Guilt, or wearying themfelves 
 with a Load of legal and unprofitable Service, are cal- 
 led alfo by that Text to come to Chrift, in whom 
 I alone they can , find that Reft and Satisfaction 
 , "which 'they are vainly feeking in dther Thinp;s. 
 
Now, tho I judge It would ftraicen the Gofpel-call 
 there, to confine it only to the firft Senfe; yetj reck- 
 on the firft to be fo much imported, that feeinWuch 
 Ferfons as find a Load of Sin and Wrath upon them 
 are readieft to exclude themfelves, therefore they 
 are exprefly called. Thus again, they that fee them- 
 felves deftitute of all good Qualifications, having 
 no Money nor Money-worth, nothing but Poverty 
 and Want and Worthelefsnefs ; thefe are ready to ex- 
 clude themfelves, as being broken and loft ; there- 
 fore they are particularly encouraged, as Ezek, xxxiv, 
 \6. Again, 
 
 zdly^ They that are excluded by Men ; yea, whom 
 Miniftersare ready to exclude, yet the Call reaches 
 them. Men are ready to exclude from the Call of 
 the Gofpel, fuch as refufe the Call, and pour Con- 
 tempt upon it, viz. Mockers a^d Scorners ; yet«we 
 find fuch are called, Vrov. i. 22, 23. Men are ready 
 to exclude from the Call of the Gofpel, or the Invita- 
 tion to come and gather unto Shiiohy fuch as are not 
 fenfible of the Want of him, and think themfelves 
 happy enough without him. Men exclude unfenfible 
 Sinners, that have no thrifty Defire afrerChrift, but 
 are fatisfying themfelves with other Things: Yet 
 thefe are particularly called, as you may fee, in thefe 
 Two PafTages, Ifa» I v. I, 2. Ho^ every one that thirfieth^ 
 Sec. Now, you may notice, that the Thirfting here 
 is nodefirable Quality, it was a Thirfting for tha^ 
 •which did not falisty,and aLabouring for that which 
 was not Bread ; and yet they are invited to come to 
 him, as to One that hath a Variety of Supply, Water 
 to refrefh, Wine to cherifh, Milk to nouriih ; and all 
 offered freely, without Money and without Price : 
 So that here, even thefe' that are thirfting after their 
 Lufts, and after ^}^Q World, and unfatisfying Vanities, 
 are called. See alfo, Rev. iii. l8. ^l cotsnfel thee to buy of 
 me Gold tried in the Fire that thou mayeji be richy <white 
 Eaimenty 8cc. But who are they that are thus called? 
 Even thefe, that, in the preceeding Verfe, faid they 
 were rich, and increafed with Goods, and (lood in 
 Ne^d of aothjrg ; even xhefe jbat had do Senfe of 
 
 I their 
 
( 3^ > 
 
 their Need of Chrift : True, thefe that do not fe« 
 their Need will not come ; but v/hether they fee it 
 or not, they are.called and obliged to come. Now, 
 Men are ready to exclude from the Call thefe that 
 are unhumbled, unfenfible Sinaers, that are not con- 
 vinced of their Sin and Mifery ; but becaufe God's 
 free and gracious Call can effeftually work upob un- 
 fenfible, ftupid, brucifh Sinners, a»well as upon th». 
 Objeds that we reckon moft prepared ; therefor© 
 Sinners want of Senfe,and due Conviftion, is brought 
 in as a Reafon why they are called to come ta 
 Chrift : / counfel thee to buy of me tried Gold, zuhite Rai" 
 ment, Eye-fahe j why, Becaufe thou fayeft, I ant 
 rich, &c. and knoweft not that thou art wretched,^ 
 miferable, po^r, blind and naked. Let none think 
 ^then, becaufe they do not fee 'their wretched an^ 
 undone State without Chrift, and therefore- they ara 
 not concerned with this Call: Nay, therefore you 
 are concerned, fays the Spirit of God; and you may 
 objeci what you will, but you will not get it put by 
 you. Shift thisCall as you will, it will rife up in Judg- 
 ment againft yon, if you do not anfwer it. If you are 
 an unfenfible Sinner, not knowing that you are poor 
 and miferable, thinking that you are rich enough al- 
 ready, and does not fee that you are wretched, blind 
 and naked, you have the more Need to come to 
 Chrift, that he may give you Eye-falve, that you 
 may fee your Mifery without him, and^your Reme- 
 dy in him. Thus we are warranted to open theMouth 
 of the Gofpel-Net: And I hope, by this Time you 
 may fee, chat you are all concerned with this Call. 
 And, what do you think we intend by this univerfal 
 Call ? Why, there is One of Two Things will fol- 
 low j either, to the Glory of God's Juftice we get_yo» 
 all left inexcufable ;• or to the Glory of his Mercy, 
 we get you all gathered into Chrift; and if there 
 be fome of both Sorts, then both thefe Ends are 
 reached. But, O to fee the laft efpecially, even a 
 Happy Gathering of the^eople to Shiloh ! Thus you fe0 
 >^ho are the People, of whom it i» h'^j the Ga- 
 
 - thgiiag 
 
( 40 ) 
 
 tlierihg fiiall be to the Meffias. None are excluded, 
 all are invited, and warranted to aflfemble to him • 
 and when God fays, Ito bimpaJl the Gathering of tht 
 People bey all the People fhould fay Amen. 
 
 THIRD HEAD. 
 The 'Third Thing propofed, was,To fliew to whom 
 Ihall the Gathering of the People be ; or, what is 
 the gathering Place, and where is the Gathering to 
 be. Here we may inquire, jfi. What Place there is 
 in Chrift for the People to gather to ? zdly. In what 
 Kefpeft the Gathering of the People is to him 1 
 
 Bfji, AVhac Place there is in Chrift for the People 
 to gather unto : Chrift is the Temple to which we 
 ought to refort; he is the only Refuge and Sanau- 
 ary of poor miferable Souls, and there is Room esr 
 nough in this Temple dn^ San^uary for all that 
 Ihall gather in to it. In general, the very Perfon 
 of Chrift is the gathering Place, the meeting Place, 
 to which People fhould gather : They that come , 
 to Chrift, are to clofe with his Perfon, and then they 
 are interefted in all his Purchafe ; hence the many 
 Calls to come to him, to receive him, to reft oa 
 him, t^ truft in him, to flee to him, and fo to God 
 in him,fqir a God in Chrift, is the Throne of Grace, ,^ 
 to which the Gathering of the People fhould be> H^et. " 
 iv, 16. Let us come boldly j Sec. More particularly, 
 there is a fixfold Place orChamber in the Lord Jefus 
 that I fhall mention, for the gathering of the People 
 into, (i.) There is the Chamber ©f his Right eot^fnefs : 
 No Doubt this is one of the Chambers ^fpoken of 
 Song i. 4.- 'TheKifJg hath brought me into his Chambers; 
 zndlfa. XX vi. 20. Comcj my People j enter into^ your 
 Chambers^ and hide yourfelfy till the Indignation be overpaft. . 
 Indeed there is no elcaping of divine "Wrath and i 
 Indignation, but by gathering in to this Chamber 
 of Chrift's Righteoufnefs. It is one of the moft 
 fplendid and well adorned Chambers that ever was; 
 for it is hung with the red a^d white hangings 
 V'hich JGod himfelf wrought ; I mean, with the fait 
 and T^'hite Obedience, and the ted bloody Suffering 
 
■*r 
 
 ( 4? J 
 
 and SatisfaSlon of the Son cf God, guilty Sinneri caa- 
 not be laved, viithout a Law fulfiilinj.^Juftice fa- 
 tisfying Righteoufnefs, but when they gather in to 
 this Chamber, they are abfolutely fafe. and may fay. 
 Surely in the Lord have I Righteoufnefs Mnd Strength, Ifa. 
 xlv. 24. The Lord/is well pleafedfoy his Righteoufnefs Sake; 
 mfomuch, that none can lay any Thing to theif 
 Charge, Rem. viii. 33. They may laugh at all Chat%^ 
 lenges, while they Ihut their Chamber Door upoa'- 
 .themfelves : They are then chambred like No^h in the 
 Ark, which waspiiched within and without, Genj 
 vi. 14. fo as no Drop of Water could come in^Co, 
 here. (2.) There is the Chamber of his Nama, fot • 
 the gathering of the People into, Prov. xv'ni, 10. 'Tho 
 Name of the Lord is a flrong Touer^ to which the Riglte- 
 ous run and are fafe. He is the Strength as .well as tho 
 Righteoufnefs of ffrael; and to this Chamber, ia 
 which there is. everlalfing Strength, we ought to 
 throng. Many I Clofet there is in this Chamber : If 
 we fbould mention all his Titles, ail his Offices, ^\i 
 liisRelatlonSjallhis divineAttributes and P^rfeftionst 
 "Which belong to his Name, there would be no End pf 
 telling; but every one of them, and any one 
 of them, is a fit Piacefor gatherifig to : Hvery Corner 
 of this Chamber is perfumed, infomuch that none are 
 gathered into it, bur :hey are tavifhed with the fweec 
 Smell thereof, BeC'wfe cf the Savour tf thy good Ointment^ 
 thyName is as Oivtment poured forth : His Name is Chrifi 
 the Anointed^ and every Name he hath is an anointed 
 I*{ame ; He is an anointed Jefus, an anointed Surety, 
 an anointed King : And \vhen any of his Names are 
 cleared up, and opened, it is like the Opening of a 
 Box of Oinment; it is like theOpening of a Chamber- 
 Door, full of all ravifhing Perfumes (5.) Ther« is the 
 Chamber of his Bcfcm^ for the gathering of the Peo- 
 ple unto, Ifa. xl. II. He gathers them with his Arms, 
 and carries them in his Bofom, his kind and merci- 
 ful Bofom and Bowels, which yea^n tow rds Sinners, 
 yer. xxxi. 20. This is a large Chamber, .j-tw. v. 11, 
 The Lord is very pitiful and of tender Meicy ; tha 
 B Oii- 
 
CTfiginal i5 UoW ff'jr^ffl^oi. He is of large Sowels, o* 
 full of Qpwels; there is Place enough in theie BoweU 
 ot infinite Mercy for Sinners to gather in into ; and 
 this Chamber of his Bofora is ftanding open for all 
 Comers; The Chantber-Door of his Heart is open^ 
 that tile Gathering of the People ma^ be in to it ; 
 and as it is a largeChamber, that can contain you all^ 
 heing as broad and wide as the infinite Mercy of a 
 Cod ifi Chrift, fo it is a warm Chamber : O it is a 
 warm and heartfome Chamber, to get in to the Heart 
 and Bofom of Chrift. They that gather in there, will 
 lit at the warmFirefide of God's Love and Grace ii* 
 Chrift; their Hearts are warmed, and made to burn 
 within them» Luke xxiv. ^. Did. not our Hearts burn 
 qvitbin usy when he talked tvith us by the Way^ and ope- 
 ned to us the Scriptures ? While *he was opening the 
 Scriprttre, he was ftirring up^be Fire; they werb . 
 itt the Chartiber of his warm*eart ami Bofom, and 
 It made him to have a warm Heart too ; fnrely^ Be- 
 liever, you know what. a fweet Chamber that is. (4.) 
 There is ftie Chamber of his Fuhefs^ to which the 
 Catherine of the People fhould be This is a Cham- 
 ber, that comprehends all the reft of the Chambers 
 within it ; but becaufe it is (0 notable and glorious^ 
 we name it among the reft, it is the beft furniCh'd 
 Chamber that ever you heard tell of, for all the 
 f ulnefs of th^ Godhead is in ir. It pleafed the Father, 
 that in hijn fhol?Id all FuJnefs dwell. Col, i. i$>. 6c ii>. 
 9, 10. In him ckvells aU the Fuhefs of the Gcdhead 
 iodily, and ye are complete in him. To this Chamber 
 Ihould all poor Beggars and Dvyonr Sinners, that 
 have loft their Stock in the firft Adam, gather toge- 
 ther, that out of his Fulr^efs they may receive Grace 
 lor Grace, John i. 16. In this Chamber are hid all the 
 Treafuresof WifJom and Knowledge, all ' the Trea- ' 
 fures of Grace and Glory, all the Treafures ot God's 
 Perfections, and ail the Treafures of the Spirit's Gra- 
 cei : Your great Want is the Want of God ; and you 
 may find him in this Chamber: Your next want is the 
 'W<i9^ df Grace ; And tvhaiever Grace you waot, be ic 
 
 Faith, 
 
( 43 ) . 
 
 Fdith, Repentance, Love, or whatever elfe, it it ly 
 ing treafu;ed up in this Chamber : if yon want Par- 
 fion, Purity, Happinefs, Holinefs, all the Stock of 
 Riches that you can imagine, to make you up for 
 ever and ever, is treafured up in this Chamber ; and 
 behold the Chamber-Door is open to you all, while 
 we preach among you Gentiles the unfearchable 
 Riches of Chrift : Let every Soul here be Tike Beg- 
 gars gathering about this Door. (5.) There is th^ 
 Chamber of his CcL'^w^Tw/, to which the Gathering 
 of the People fhouid be ; when God gathers People 
 into it, he is faid to fhew them his Covenant, Pfal, 
 XXV. 14. and in (hewing his Covenant, he fhews fome 
 divin&aecrets to them. When tlie People gather in 
 to this Chamber, they are faid to take hold of his 
 Covenant, ^^. Ivi. 4, 1^. This Chamber is remarkable, 
 for the Wells that ar# in the Midft of ir. There is 
 both a Well for wafhing, and a Well for drinking ; 
 and both are open, that the People may gather to- 
 gether to them. The Well for wafhing, is the Blood 
 ol the Covenant ; and that is the Fountain open for 
 Sin ai)d for U ncle'annefs, Zefi&. xiii, i. It is juft the 
 boundlefs bottomlefs Sea of the Redeemer's Blood, 
 which cleanfes from all Sin ! This Fountain is open, 
 {hat all guilty filthy polluted People may gather to it, 
 and be wafhen. The Well for drinking is not only 
 thiit lame blood of Chrift, which is Drink indeed, 
 but aU the BleflSngs of the Covenant, and all the 
 Promifesof the Covenant; to all or every one oi 
 which, People (honld gather, and draw Water out 
 ot thefe Weils of Salvation with Joy, [fa. xii. 5. Here 
 is the Well of Water fpringing up to everlafting Life, 
 John iv. 14. and all the People are invited to gather 
 to it ; Whofoever will, let him come, and take of the 
 Water of Life freely, Rev.xxu, 17. In this Chamber 
 there is the beft of Cheer, Bread enough, and to fpare, 
 all fpiritual Bieffings of heavenly Places in Chrift 
 Jefus ; and this Chamber, and all the Cheer that 
 ja in it,whereof Chrift himfelf is the Al!. it is dedicate, 
 of God for the Ufe of the People, that rheirQatheritig 
 may be to it, Ifa, xlii. 6. /*// give thee for a Coven dwi 
 
. ( 44 ) 
 
 ^the People. ((J.) There is the Chamber of his Talacg^ 
 for the Gathering of the People into : By !ais Palace, 
 I mean, his Church ; and by his Church, I mean^ 
 both his Church, militant on Earth, and triumphant 
 in Heaven. 
 
 As iOf the Church Militant, that is the Palace of 
 the great King;, ?fal, x\v. 1 5. there he defires to dwell 
 V/al. Ixviii. 16. U is his Houfe, where he would 
 have the Gathering of the People to be ; therefore 
 he ca\\s it a Houfe of Prayer for all People , Ifa. Ivi. 7, 
 and all are to flee unto ir, I/a. ii. 2. The Ordinances 
 and Provifions of Chrift'sHoufe are in a peculiarMan- 
 ner for the Entertainment of the People, and the 
 Stewards of the Honfe have a fpecial Coramiffiqn to 
 invite all Sorts of Sinners even thefe that have play- 
 ed the Prodigal and the Fool in the Way of Sin, to 
 come in to it, Fro-v. ix. 5. Whofo is fimpU^ let him turn 
 in hither : lis for him that hatt) no TJnderflandivg^ Wif- 
 dom fays to him, Come eat of my Bready and drink of 
 the Wtne which I have mingled. Luke xiv. 21 • Go quick- 
 iy (fays the M after of the Houfe) to the Streets and 
 "Lanes of the City^ and bring in hither the Pcor, the Blind, 
 the Maimed ai'.d, the Halt ; yea^ go to the High-'X-aySy v. 
 25. and Hedges, and compel them to- come in^ that rrfy 
 Houfe may hefllsd. U is a Pity indeed that ever the 
 People fhould be difcouraged from gathering in to 
 the Lord's Houfe, while the Provifions of the Houfe 
 ate mixed with unwholefome Food of corrupt or er- 
 ToneousPo£lrine ; while fhe Stewards of the Houfe 
 do tarn it to a Den of Thieves and Robbers, rob- . 
 "bing the People of their Chriftian Privileges; and 
 -while the Servants of the Houfe do fall by the Ears, 
 and begin to fmice their Fellow-fervants,becaufe the 
 Lord of the Houfe is away, and delays his Coining; 
 •while, in a Word, the DoQ^rine, Worfhip, Difeipline 
 and Government of the Houfe is out of Order, and in 
 great Confufidn, nofgarnifh'd like the Palace of the 
 creat King. This indeed is Matter of Lamentation, 
 and will be fo, till the King o( Zion, the Matter of 
 ♦he Houfe himfelt come by the Power of his 
 
 Spirit, 
 
( 45 ) 
 
 Spirit, aindfet Matters right ; And, as the Pro|)htt. 
 
 fays, Ha^. ii.^7. / ^vlUjij.xke all^ N.xthns, and the Defire 
 of all Nations (hili come ; fo, before the Lord comes 
 in a glorious Manner 'to his Houfe, we h.ive Reafon 
 to expe£t he v/ii give the Houfe a terrible Shake, 
 and makaic trembie. But in the mean Time, let not 
 the Diforders of the Houfe hinder the Githering of 
 the People to it: for at bdl to the lower Cham- 
 bers of our 'King's Palace will never be fo clean as 
 the upperChimber in the higherHoufe. TheChurch 
 militant will never be in a ftate of Perfe^ion here ; 
 only ftuiy vou to keep ay the cleineft and beft Side 
 of the Honie, like fick People betaking themfelves 
 to the pureft Air. Bin withal, let never your Gathe- 
 ring ro Lis Houfe i»r»Ordinances content yop, without 
 the Prefence of the Matter of the Houfe, and the 
 Xord of Ordinances, fo as you may have it to fay, 
 that not only you zvas brought to the Binquetin^-houfey 
 l^ut alfo, hii Btnner §ver you was Love, 
 
 As to zhe Chiucii triumphant* that is his glorious 
 Palace, his higher Houfe, of which Chrift fays,*7^/jw 
 xiv. 2. /« wy Father's Houfe there is many Maj^jions^ 
 thither all tiiat have been gathered gracioufly, will be 
 gathered glorioufly, ivitb Gladnefs and Rejoicing will 
 th'-y be byouyht* and jh-iU enter into the King's Palace ^ 
 Pfal. xlv. 15. This IS, by Way ofEminency, the Ivo- 
 ry FaJaces, wliere all his Garmvjts fmiU of Aloes ^ 
 Myrrhe andCaJJla, where the .People gathered to him, 
 will be like him, fir they Jh til fee him as he ir: Wher^ 
 they will be for ever wirh him, i^ wh^fs Prsfej%:e is 
 . Fulnefs of ^oy^ and at his rif^ht Hind Pfeajitres for' ever- 
 more : Ashe zlyat drin.'cs of ^hob Ocean, tho* his 
 Third be never fo great and inf^itiable, yer leaves it 
 as full and flowing is ever ; fo thefe char iJrink of 
 the Ocein of thefe heavenly Pleafures, will find 
 the Fulnefs of Joy never ebbing, bur ever flowing 
 thro' all Eternity. Chrl.'f himtelf v,'il} be the Heiveu 
 of Heaven, and the very Temple, wiierein tiie hap- 
 py People will b^ gathered together. R^v. xki.. ::r 
 / fvM Tio Tetrrpls therg : But the Lord God .ibjiir^U. a-:. 
 
( 4^ ) . ■ 
 
 Jhe Lamh art the Temple of it. If the Lamb be the 
 Temple there, then the gatherinj^ of the People 
 there muft be to him. Thus you fee, what Placff 
 there js in Chrift, and what Chambers for the ga- 
 theriigofrhe People to. 
 
 The/er^«£^Queftion,upon this Head, was to fhow 
 in what Refped the gjathering of the People is to 
 him, or in what Capacity. The Scripture is very 
 copious, and elegant in fecting forth the various 
 Refpetis, wherein this gathering of the- People to 
 Shilob may take Place ; and that, for conveying a 
 due'Apprehenfion thereof to our Soui$, it isfet forth 
 by what takesPlace/ometimes among rational Crea- 
 tures, among Senfitives, amr.ng Vegetables and a- 
 mong inanimate Things ; and it is not for ivfought, 
 that the Scripture is To copious .this Way,* that our 
 Faith may have Room and Liberty to ad upon 
 Chrilt, in whacevef Refpe<S: he ij reprefented. 
 
 \jiy From Rationals; while \le 7iev/ Political c^ 
 Oecono.mical Aftairs among Men, or whatever Sta- 
 tioi? or Relation they are faici to be in, or A£iion$ 
 they are f iid to perform, by thefe we will find chi$ 
 Matter reprefented unto us. Hence our gathering 
 to Shiloh is like the fathering of Scholars to ^ 
 Teacher, or ot Difciplesto a Mafter, that we may 
 be taugntofhim; and he is therefore (failed the 
 Non-luch Teacner,yo6 3^»_22. Wtx} teacheth like him % 
 Man's teaching reacheth the Ear, but his teaching 
 reacheth the Heart : Man's teaching may work upon 
 theCapacity,whereitis,bpt his teaching can work 4 
 Capacity where it is not. O Jet dll the People ga- 
 ther to his Schopl, who is the great Prophet, &c. 
 Again, it is like a gathering of purfued lVlalela6tors 
 to a Refuge : ft is a Flying for Refuge to the Hopefet 
 lepre us^ Heb. vi. 18. To gather to him, is to fay 
 by J^'aith, with David^ I flee to thee to hide me, to 
 hide me with thy Wings, with thy Blood, with thy 
 Righteoufnefs, from the Wrath of God, and from 
 theCurft of the Law, Again, it is like the gathering 
 of Rebels to a Sovereign, caftingdown their Arms, I 
 and owning himito be their ohly iawfulKing&Liege- 
 r. ' Lord ; 
 
 Ml 
 
(47 ) 
 
 tend: Gatliered Souls put che Crown upon King J^ 
 fus his Head, faying, OrW Lords have bad Lomiv'.on^^ 
 ver us ; but now, O let the Khg of Olory c§me bi I 
 F[aL xxiv. 7. Let him reign, Sf^. It is like the gatne- 
 ling of Wanderers to the right Way Home. I am the 
 iVayjC^ys Chnft. It is like the gathering of weary 
 Travellers to an Inn, or weiry Labourers to a refting 
 Place: Com^ome, all ye that are weary y and 1 ''d^ill 
 give you Refi. li is a gathering of Gucfts to a Feaftj 
 Matth. xxii. 10. and of Strangers, to their Home- ihac 
 they may be no more Strangers and Foreigners ^ hut Fello'W 
 citizens <wtth the Saints ^ and of the Houfhold _ ofGod^ fiph* 
 ii. 19. BeforeaMan come to Chrift, he is Abroad irt 
 a far Country ; but when ever he comes to Chriftf 
 he is at Hbme. ft is a gathering of Chiluren to a Fa- 
 ther, to be^i^/^i^j 4 Father pities ^is Children, PhU 
 ciii. 15. It is :* gathering of Bri^thren to their eUer 
 Brother, ^^fsfeph^ Brethren did to their younger, thac 
 they might be Tapplied by him, and live upon him. 
 It is a gatheiing of Beggars to a Store-hotife, thaC 
 they may be inriched ; Of Captivesto a Redeemer, 
 that they may be liberate ; of Debitors to d Security^ 
 that they m.iy be ranfomed ; Be Surety for thy Servant 
 forQocd ;.of Lepers to a Laver, that they miy be 
 cleanfed i puree me with Byfop, &:, It is a gatherings 
 as broken Merchants, ro a free Market : W'bita ga- 
 thering of People wril be to a Fair or Market ? But 
 they are. nor all Buyers that come to Markets, fat 
 lefs that come to the Market of Ordinances ; how- 
 ever the Market is free^ we may buy -n'lthout Money 
 and without Price. The Wares are precious, fr/p^G^/<^» 
 whits Raiment, Eye-fahe, ^nd the Pearl of great Pyfce. AM 
 Things are Nothing to this Pearl; and 'therefore^ 
 when we fell our All to buy this Pearl, yet we gee 
 irfor Nothing. Right gathering toChrift, is to come 
 to his Market, and take all his Wares for Nothing. 
 It is a gathering of Member;? to an Head ; for he is 
 the Head of the Body the Churchy Col. i. I'g. From 
 the Head is derived to the Body all the Light, Life, 
 Beauty, Motion, Sympathy j Protection, Provifion, 
 
 Supply 
 
( '48 ) 
 
 Supply of Goody and Prevention of Evil. It i§ a ga- 
 thering "of fugitive Servants to their Mafters ; of Cli- 
 ents to an Advocate to plead their Caule. It is a ga- 
 thering of drowning Mem to an Ark, to ^ave their 
 ■Lives ; and a gathering of Patients to a Phyfician, to 
 • heal their Difeafes. Lord, fays the gathered Soul, 
 .my Difeafe is mortal and incurable ; i'li die of this 
 Difeafe, if thou do not-fheal me. Well, {%ys Chrift, 
 this Sicknefs is not unto Death ; I can cure the Dif- 
 eafe of Death it felfj fpiriiual Death. Lord, fays a- 
 Bother, my Difeafe is a lingring Dife-ife, it is an 
 Hart and Lamenefs, that If cannot fo much as come 
 to tl»e Phyfician for Healing, and I am like to go 
 halting to the Grave, under a ce/tain Sore, that no 
 Body knows of. Is that your Difeafe, Woman ? 
 Mind that Word, Mic iv. 6. Vltkealher that halteth ; 
 and be encouraged ftill to be about the PhvJitian's 
 Hands. 
 
 « zdly. From Senfitives, this Gathering of the People 
 to Sh'thh is reprefented in Scripture in the following 
 Kefpe£ts. This Gathering to Shiloh is like the Ga- 
 thering of Sheep to a Shepherd, i Pet, z. ialf. Xe 
 were AS Sbee^ ivithopit a Shepherd, hat now are ye retur- 
 ned to the Sbeepherd and B'lfop of your Souls. Other Sheep 
 4 have, that are not of this Fold, fays Chrjll ; thefe. aljo 
 I mufi bring. He muft gather them, and they mult 
 be gathered,*according to his P.romife, Ezek. xxxiv. 
 II. I a. Ifa. xl. II, O wandering Sheep, here is the 
 Fold. It is like the Gathering of Doves to their Win- 
 dows, //^. Ix. 8. Who are thefe that fly ps a Cloud, 
 as Doves to their Windows? The Wounds of Chrilf, 
 the Holes of the Rock of Ages, the Promifes fealed 
 with his filood, and all hisOffices, are the Windows; 
 and to gather to him, is to fly to thefe Windows, 
 and make your Neft in the Rock. It is like the Ga- 
 thering of Fiihes into a Net, Mat. xiii 47. The 
 Kingdom of Heaven, or the Gofpei, is likened unto 
 a Net caft into the Sea, gatnering o^ every Kind. O 
 when the Gofpel-net is fpre^d. do nor fwim jway: It 
 may be yourThoughisare futimming in the Air,when 
 
t 49 ) 
 
 tiiey (hculd be gathered about the Moiitli ©f tliQ 
 Net. Sometimct it is likened to the Gathering of 
 Chickens under the Wings of a Hen, Mat. xxiii«i37« 
 huke xiii. 34. O ^erufalem, Jerufaleniy how often lo^uld 
 I have gathered ydu as a Hen gathe^h her Chickens utf 
 der her fVin^iy but ye would not \ O the Wings of his 
 Grace, the Wings of Righteoufnefs, the Wings o£ 
 his Merit, the Wings of his Mercy are ftretched ! 
 If we will not be gathered, the filly Chickens will 
 witnefs againft us ; tor they gather at the Clock of 
 the Hen unier her Wings. Again, it is like the ga- 
 . thering of Eagles to their Pray, Mat, w'u. 28. 
 Where the Carcaf» is, thither will the Eagles he gathe" 
 red together ; And, Luke x-^iu J^f . Where the Body is^ 
 thither will the Eagles be gathered togstker. Whither 
 fbruld the Eagles go, but to the Prey? And, 
 thither Ihould the Soul go, but to Chrift, who 
 hath the Words of eternal Life ? Chrift's Flefh and 
 Blood is the Carcafe, "W^hi^h, like hungry Eagles,wa 
 fhoiild be gathering unto ; for his Flefi is Meat irt" 
 de»dy and his Blood is Drink indeed. 
 
 ^dly^ From Vegetables, this gathering of the Peo- 
 ple td Shihb is reprcfented, in the following Ref- 
 peSs ; It is like the gathering of Wheat into a 
 Barn, Mat, iii. 11. He will gather his Wheat into his 
 Garner, Mat. xiii. 30* Gather the Wheat into myBan ; 
 God- will not lofe a'Grain of his Wheat; he will not 
 enly gather it to the Barn to be keept, but theOra- 
 nery to be purified. It islike theGathering of Grafts 
 into a Branch, yohn xv. 5. I am the Wine fe are tbs 
 Branches^ &*c. When God gathers Souls to himfelf, 
 be takes a Branch of the old Adam^ cuts it off 
 from the old . Slock, and ingrafts it into Chrift, 
 from whom, as the everlaftifig Root, it derire« 
 all the Sap of Grace, all the Fruits of Righteonf- 
 » nefs. Ii is like the Gathering of Plants into a 
 Garden, or a Vineyard, Ifa v. •/, The Vineyard of the 
 ^Lord of Hofts is the Houfe of Ifrae!^ and the Men of Ju^ 
 dah hispleafant Plant : And thefe, whom he effefltu- 
 ^lly gath'^Hi Id to hit Garden^ are called Tree« o£ 
 G - Kigh. 
 
B^ighteoufoefs, the Planting ofthe Lord, that he 
 ' <nay begloriiied : To be gathered unto Chrift, is 
 to be planted in his Houfe* ft is like the gathering 
 o€ Fruit into a Basket^ or of Flowers and Lilliesfor 
 ^leafore and Entertainment, 5ow^fvi. 2. My Beloved 
 is gone do<]a}n tohli^ardtijjy to g^thevL'tllies ; having ga- 
 thered them into his Garden, and planted them,and 
 fufFered them to grow thro' his Grace, till they be 
 fipe, he gathers them to himfelf, and picks them^ 
 pne by one to put them in his Bofom. But again, 
 
 4iff ^, From inanimate Things, this Gathering of 
 ihei^eople to Chrift is reprefented, in the following 
 , Kefpe£is. It is a Gathering of VelTels to an Harr 
 bour'; for, before the Soul be brought in to Chrift, 
 it is like a Ship tofled in a Tempeft, and tumbling 
 in the fwelling Waves, like the Ship in which the 
 Dilciples were, when the Sea was tempeftuous, and 
 Chrift dame walking on the Sea, towards them ; but 
 vrhen they are gathered in to Chrift, then they are 
 at Anchor in a fafe Harbour, Heb, vi, \^. Which Hope 
 v;e have y as an Anchor fuve atjd Jiedfap^ entrlng luithn 
 the Vail^ ivhither the Fore-runner is for us entered. It is 
 A piercing, entring Anchor ; for, as an Anchor will 
 rot hold a Ship firm and faft, if it only ly on the 
 Gxound, and do not pierce deep into it ; fo Faith 
 "Will not eftablifh the Heart, ifit do not enter in to 
 Chrift, as it were, and pierce the Vail ; . but when 
 once -it enters here, then the Soul is at a faf« Har- 
 bf)ur, and a fure Anchor both. Again, this Gathe- 
 ring ofthe People to Shi/oh is like the (fathering of 
 Stones to a Building, iPet. ii. 4. 'To <whotn coming as 19 
 a living Stoney difallowed indeed of Men^ but chofin of 
 God and precious ; ye alfo^ as lively Stonesy are built up a 
 fpiritu^l Houfe. We are by Nature hard Stones, fenfe- 
 lefs Stones, ftupid, inflexible, dull, heavy Stones;, 
 having an Heart of Scone, -Ezek, xxxvi. 26. but God 
 |;aneven of thefe Stones raife up Children to Abra - 
 ham^ Mat. 'in. 8. Luke iii, 9. And what does God 
 condefcend ro do, when he cortes to gather Sin- 
 aers? Behold, he comes co gather Scones ! and he 
 
 fends 
 
( 51 O 
 
 fends us rfiat are Minifters out to gather Stonet :: 
 It was a Sin for the Man to gather Stones on the ' 
 Sabbath Day; but it wohM be no Sin, but a good 
 Sabbath Work for us, if we were gathering StOnes 
 this Day, to bring them to the Chief Corner* 
 •Stonet the lure Foundation, as Chrift is called, I 
 Pet ii. 6. //<?. xxviii. i^.^^his istbe Stenevjhich the 
 Builders rejected ; but the fame is beceme the Head tf 
 the Corner. What we tranflate the chief Corner Stone, 
 famd tranflate it the higheft ^and fome the loweft Stone s 
 But it is baft to reconcile both, and make him both 
 the Higheft and Loweft, reaching from the firft to 
 the laft ; becaufe his Name is Alpha znd Omega y the 
 firft and the laft, ; and becaufe he is the Stone, that 
 reaches from Earth to Heaven, from the Church 
 militant to the Church triumphant ; he is the 
 Corner-Stone to bring both Sides of the Building 
 together, ^ews and Gentiles into one Temple : And^ 
 another Foitndation can no Man lay, fays the Apoftle, 
 than that is laid, which is Chrift ; to this Foundation 
 fhould the Stones be gathered. $ohmcn{zySy Eccf» 
 ill. 5. There is a 'Time to caft away St ones y and a Timi 
 to gather Sto/tes. together. In AUulion to this, may I 
 fay. What Sort of Time is.thrs ? It hath long bee« 
 a Time of cafting away Stones, many are like caftr 
 away Stones if) the Field or Defert of Nature, har4 
 and dead Stones ; they never gather to the liAring^ 
 Temple, by all the gathering Means and Ordinances 
 that ever they enjoyed : They look like Stoneg 
 ready to be caft aw^jy to Hell, to be Fewel of God's 
 Wrath ; becaufe the Fire of his Love and Grace, 
 manifejed in the Gofpel, could never melt them* 
 O it hath been thus a Time of cafting away Stones ; 
 when it is not a gathering Time, it is a rejeSing 
 Time. But O Ihall we t>ow expe£i a Time of ga- 
 thering Stones together ! O cry for a Day of Power, 
 a gathering Day, a gathering Time to ^Scotland again, 
 a gathering Time to your felves ; even God's Han4 
 of Power, for gathering Stones together to Chrift tha 
 q V f ouft- 
 
 ssaBsaona 
 
( Si ) 
 
 Foundation ; and; fo, for •gathering the People to 
 
 Sbihh. 
 
 F Q U R T H H E A D. 
 
 Th% TourthThing propofed, was, to fpeak of the 
 Manner of this Gatheiring of the People to Shihb. 
 That which I intend under this Head, diftinCl from 
 the former, is, to enquire, i/, Into the Means of 
 this Gathering ; idlji, The Qualities thereof. Firji, 
 A« to the Means thereof, or by what Means the Ga- 
 thering to ^Shiloh is brought about. By whaf Means^ 
 fay yoa, does God gather the People, or are the Peo- 
 ple fathered to Chtift ? We have Warrant from 
 Scripture to fpeak of thefe Six gathering Means. 
 (i.) A gathering Hedge and Inclofure ; I mean, the 
 Hedge of Providence, by which he gathers People' 
 occanonally,as Sheep within an Inclofure are gathe- 
 red together^ that they may not get Leave to ftray. 
 This is the thor»y Hedge of Affli^ion,* whereby 
 the Lord (lops the finful Carreer of theft, whom 
 he hath amind to gather in to himfelf, Ho/* ii. 6. Be- 
 f)old I will hed^e up thy Way with 'TbornSy and make A 
 fV all that Jbejhall not fndh^r Paths, Thus Manaffeh 
 was catched among the Thorns, t Chro, xxxiii. ii. 
 And to this Purpofe, fays David] It was good for ma 
 that I was aftli^ed ; for before I was affli^ed, I went 
 aftray, PfaL cxix. 67. Thus fome Affliction or other 
 tnany Time is made Ufe of, as the occafional Mean 
 of gathering ftraying Souls to Chrift,or fome alarm- 
 ing Providence, as that which Paul met with, A5ts 
 ix. and the Jiylor, ASis xvi, when the Foundation 
 of the Prifon was fhaken with an Earthquake: Bat 
 this leads me to another Mean. (1.) There -if a ga- 
 thering 3torm and Tempeft, with Thunde? and 
 tight»ing from Mount Si^aiy whereby an Earth- 
 quake is raifed in the Confcignce, or-rather a Heart- 
 quake in the Soul. By this Mean of Law-Terrori 
 and Convi<S^Ions, according to the Meafure wherein 
 it ifdifpenfed, he gathers the People preparatively, 
 as. by the former occafionaliy. This Difpenfation 
 i$ calltd a '^empefi^ Heb. xii. iSi accompanied with 
 _ . ^iack- 
 
c 13 ) : ^ 
 
 Blackneff and Darknefs J and burning fire: And as Z 
 blowing Storm, or beating Tempeft, makes a Maa 
 fain to betake himfelf to a Houfe for Shelter ; So the 
 Stoim of legal ConviOiion and Hiimiligtion makes 
 People fain to gather unto 5Moi&. Hence the La^ is 
 faid to be our Schodlmafter, to fchool us to CJirift, as 
 the Word there fig •; figs, G4/. iif. 24. By the Law is 
 jhe Knowledge oi Sin, and the Convi£tion of Wrath; 
 andwhife theStorm of Law-Threatnings,Law-Curfes, 
 Law-Vengeance is beating and battering on theSoul, 
 it is fain to cry out, Whit fhall 1 do to be faved^ And 
 where {hall I go to be fheltred 1 Under this Difpen^ 
 fation there are Two Things that the Snul rees,whei^ 
 the Law comes with Force, namely, the Spirititality 
 pf the Command, and the Severity of the Thre.it Aing. 
 The Spirituality of the Precept difcovered mikes the 
 Man cry, O I'm unclean, unclean. The Severity of 
 the Threarning difcovered makes him cry out, O I'm 
 undone, undone. O the infinite Holinefs of God in 
 the Precept can never be gratified by any Obedience 
 of mine, for Tm a finful Beaft. O the infinite Juftica 
 of God in the T^hreatning can never be fatisfied by 
 any Suffering of mine, for I'm a finite "Worm ; if there 
 be not another Shift for me, I'm ioft and gone for " 
 ever. Thus, Rom. yii.9. the Soul that was alive with- 
 out rhe Law once, now when the Commandment 
 comes, Sin revives, and ft dies, fi?'^. (3 ) As the ga- 
 thering Inclofure of Providence is the occafional 
 -Mean, and the gathering Storm and Tempelt of Law- . 
 Convi6iion is the preparative Mean, fo the gathering 
 Trumpet of rhe Gofpel is the more immediate Mean. 
 ' The Gofpel is the great gathering Engine of infinite 
 Wifdom ; for Faith comes by hearing of the joyful 
 Sound of this Trumpet, which is like the Trumpet 
 of the Jubilee of old, Lev. xxv. 9. There is the joyful 
 Sound of Gofpel-Revelations, and good News, That , 
 Chriftcame to fave Sinners : O, when this Sound of. j 
 the Silver Trumpet reaches not only the Ear, but the 
 Heart of the Sinner, that by the Law hath got th'e 
 K-noyUdgeand Coivi^ion of Sin and Mifery,wbat 1 
 
. . ( 54 ) 
 
 joyful Sound is it, ihar now he hears ofthe Remedy 
 ior him; that Juftice isfatisfipd, Life ispurchafed. 
 Death is deiiroyed, Wrath is appeafed, and the Law 
 is magnified, and God reconciled in Chrift ? Many a 
 gathering Sound comes through t^isGofpel-Trumpet: 
 There is a Sound of Gathering Calls, {ayingy Believe 
 in the Lord Jefus Chrift arfd thou {halt he faved ; 'This is 
 l)ls Commandment i that ye believe : A Sound of gather- 
 ing Invitations, faying, Come to me^ all ye that 
 4ire weary and heavy laden: A Sound of gather- 
 ing Proclamations, faying, Ho, ho, every one that 
 ihirfiethy c0me,&cc. A Sound of gathering' Expo(!ula- 
 cions, faying, Why will ye die ? joined withComplaints, 
 Xe will not come, to mcy that ye might have Life ; A Sound 
 of gatheringCounfels, izyingyl counfel thee to buy of me 
 Gold, 6cc. A Sound of gathering Increaties and Obteft- 
 2ki\ov\%^{zs'\Vi^t^e befeech you in God's Name, and pray 
 yon in Chrift's Steady be ye reconciled te God, And, Finally ^ 
 A Sound of gathering Mu(ick,and charming Melody; 
 end as Children gather ro the Sound of a Pipe, fo the 
 Lord Jefus complains, Mit. xi. 17. when People do 
 not joyfully gather at the Sound thereof. We have 
 piped unto you, and ym h^ve not danced ; yea, fnch are 
 compared to deaf Adders, that (lop their Hars at the 
 Voice of the Charmer, rho* charming never fo cun- 
 ingly,P/^/. Iviii, 5. O wh;^ melodious Mufick in the 
 World,is*ro fweet as to hear theSound of Gofpel-Pro- 
 inifes.of Pardon to the Guilty, Purity to the Filthy, 
 and Pity to themiferable Soul ! This Trumpet hatha 
 Sound of Peace, aSound of Grace, a Sound of Mercy, a 
 Sound of Glory toGod in theHigheft,and of Good-will 
 towards Men ; A certain Sound, in Oppofiiion to all 
 the legalTrumpeterSjfoundingforthLife andSalvation, 
 <iepending upon uncertain Conditions and Qualifica- 
 tions on our Part : But, as fays the Apoftle, i Cor» 
 xiv. 8. If the Trumpet give an uncetiain Sounds I'jho go- 
 0th forth to the Battle ? There is no Heart to go forth 
 to the Battle of the Lord, upon fuch an uncertain 
 Sound : But when the Trumpet gives a certain Sound 
 Qf Viftorjr, Pcicej Lif« Salvation, an J all, to be had 
 
 only, 
 
( 55 ) 
 
 .only, and wholly, and treely for nothing, in and 
 through Jefusphrift, then who would not go forth/ 
 under the Standard of this Captain of Salvation, at 
 the Sound of this Golden Trumpet ? C4.) There it 
 the gathering Wind of the Spirit. B&fidQs the gather- 
 ing Inclofure of Providence as ths occafional Mean^ 
 the gathering Tempeft of the^aw as the preparatory 
 Mean, and the gathering Trumpet of the Gofpel Sf 
 the immediate Mean ; There mutt be a gathering 
 Wind of the Spirit, which is the efficacious Mean ; 
 the former Means cannot be effeftual without this, 
 tho' the gathering Trumpet of the Gofpel, and thi 
 gathering Wind of the Spirit are moft nearly relat- 
 ed to each other, for it is the Gofpel only that i* 
 the Minirtration of the Spirit, 2 Cor. iii. 8. Itisthij 
 Wind, of which the Lord Jefus (pe^ks, John iii. 8. 
 which blo>^s where it lifteth, and is thegreat Effi- 
 cient of Regeneration and Aggregation unto Chrift. 
 It is this Wind that gathers dead Sinners out of 
 their Grave of Spiritual Death, Ezek. xxxvii. 9, 
 Come from the four Winds Breathy and breathe^ &c. 
 It is this mighty Wind that blows down the ftrong 
 H.^lds qfSatan, and cafts down Imaginations, S^c. 
 gathering the Thoughts like Captives to him, 2 
 C<*. X. 5. It is this Windthat makes the Spices of 
 the Believer's Girden to flow out ; for this gathe- 
 ring Wind brings a gathering Rain with it» Pfal. 
 Ixxii. 6, S, Aiv^kty Nii'th Wmdy come thou ^fiutb^ 
 blow upon my Garden, &t. Song iv. lafl. O if is a 
 happy Wind> that can drive a finking Veflel to a 
 fafe Harbour, and gather perifhing Sinners into a Sa- 
 viour ] But where is this Wind to Be had, fay youl 
 W^hy, ir is in God's Hand ; *cis fald with Refpeil 
 to his Kingdom of Providence, That he hatb gathe- 
 red the Witids in bis Ft/fy Frov, xxx. 4. and it is true, 
 with Refpe£t to his Kingdom of Grace* this blefled 
 Wind i», as xt v/ere, gathered in bis Fid ; and what 
 a Man hath gathered in his Fift, he can eafily dif- 
 tfibute*T>f it, by opening his Hand; fo our God 
 •jn eaAly didribucs of the Spirit : This Wind is 
 
 io 
 
Kis F ift, and he hath no more ado, but to openi 
 fai$ Fift. O look to him, and cry tohim, to caft a 
 Gale of this Wind out of his Fift, a Handful of the • 
 gathering Motions of the Spirit, a Handful of the 
 gathering Infiucncesof this heavenly Wind, a Gale 
 of his gathering Opeiations. (5.) I may add, tho' it 
 be very fib to the former, yet it is what may give n» 
 inother diftinftView of the Lord's Way of gather- 
 ing People ; Befides the gathering Wind, there is a 
 gathering Sun : I allude to PfaL civ. 5,2, where it is 
 laid of the young Lions, "The Sun arifeSy and they ^a^ 
 ther themfetves togeihef to their Dens ; a}jd Man goeth 
 forth to his Work and Labour : As the Riling of the Sun 
 makes the Beads gather to their Dens, a'nd Men ga- 
 ther to thei/ Work; fo f he Riling of the Sun of 
 Kighteoufnefs, rn the Manifeiiation of the favour 
 of God in Ghrifl, nakes the Lions of Hell gather 
 to their Dens, in a Manner, and Men to gather to 
 their Work ; I mean to gather to Chrift by Faith, 
 for this is the Wor^ o* God, that )e believe in his 
 Son, ^hooi he hath fent. If is promifed that Men 
 iball go forth when the Sun riles, MaU iv. 2. 'The 
 Sun of Right toufnefsjh all arife, and ye pall go forth and 
 grozv up as Cahef in the Stall, Indeed they that go 
 forth, to meet the rifing Sun by Faith, ihey will 
 fcrow up inall the Graces and Fruits of the Spirit of 
 HoUnefs : However, I fay, it is the Rifing ot the Sun 
 of Righteoufnefs, and Shining in his Gloiy that 
 makes Sinners gather to him by Faith, yohnuu li. 
 He manifefted forth his Glory, and then his Difciple* 
 believed in him. The Difplays of his Glory *are his 
 gathering Arms, Ifa, xlv. 11. He gathers with his 
 Arm«, even the Arms of his Grace and Mercy, yea 
 the Difplays of his glorious Grace are his mi itary 
 Arms, whereby he fubdues them and gathers them 
 into his Camp, Pfal. xlv. 3, 4, 5. (d.) In a Subordi- 
 nation to all thefe gathering Means, there is a gathe- 
 ring Fan, Matth. iii. 12. Lithe ni, if. Jits fan is i» 
 bis Heady and he will thorozvly purge his Fhovy an^ 
 father his Wheat into his Gamer, The Devil hath 
 his Fan, wbere>vith he feek» tQ winnow God*» 
 
 People 
 
( 51 > 
 
 People as Wheat, iu Order to fepa/ate them froKi 
 Chrift, and from one another; but Chrift hath his 
 JFan, wherewith he will winnow bis Church and Peo° 
 pie, in order to gather them to himfelf, and to one 
 another in him. By the fan of his "Word, and the 
 Fan of his Rod, he purges the Floor of his Church: 
 It is his threfhing Floor, and fometimes he muft take 
 the Flail of his Doctrine and threfh upon his People^ 
 to feparate the Chaff of Error from the Grains of 
 Truth, and the Sound from the Erroneous. Sometimes 
 he muft take t\iQ Flail of Difcipiine, and fevere Judg- 
 t/'^nrs. Reds and Calamities^ to purge his Floor, and 
 gather the Wheat from the Chaff. Tho' the great 
 Day of Judgment will be the great Day offeparat* 
 ing the Precious from the Vile, and gathering of his 
 Saints, yet there are trying Days in this World, 
 "wherein confiderable Difcoveries are made, and the 
 Lord's fcattered and divided Sheep are gathered to- 
 gether to be more unite to one another id the Lord. 
 It isneceflary fometimes, that the Lord take his Faii 
 in his Hand, for purging his Fioor ; when it is fou1| 
 it needs to be fweept with a Befom: The Floor of his 
 Houfe is fometimes very foul ; and as when one 1 weeps 
 a Honfe, if there be Drofs and Dirt in it, and alfo 
 Cold, and Diamonds, and Jewels lying hid among the 
 Duft, all may be fweept to. the Door together ; but 
 the Jewels being foori miftf^ are gathered again from 
 among the Filth : So, when the Befom of publick 
 Judgments and Calamities come, the Godly, as well 
 as the wicked, may be all fweept to the Door toge- 
 ther, and (haie of the fame outward Strokes ; buC 
 God in due Time will gather his Jewels to his Ca- 
 binet, Mai. iii. 1 7. 'They Jball be mine in the Day <when I 
 make up my Je^eU, So much concerning the various 
 Means of gathering. 
 
 Thefecond Qjaef^ion upon thisfiead, was, to fpeak 
 
 of the Qualities of this Gathering of the People to 
 
 ShiJob J and here the Qualities of this Gathering may 
 
 beconfidered, either pajji:,elyy fhewing how his Power 
 
 ii exerted j or uHivehy (hewing how their Faith 
 
 H li 
 
( J8 ) 
 
 is cxercifed : Or, i/?. The Qualities of God's Gathe- 
 ling the People to Shiloh, idly. The Qualities of the 
 Peoples Gathering to him, under his Conduft, Influ- 
 ence and Afliftance. Now of both thefe particularly. 
 I. PaJJively, The Qualities of God's Gathering the 
 People toChrill,or how his powerful Grace is ex- 
 erted, when in a Day of his Power, he makes them 
 -willing, and gathers th^m. I/?, His gathering Power 
 is exerted congruoufly> and agreeably to the rational 
 Nature, Hof. xi. 4. He draws with the Bands of 
 luovey and the Cords of a Alan, What is that ? He e- 
 ven brings them over by rational Arguments up< (^ 
 the Judgment, and powerful Perfwafion uppn the 
 Will; While the Minds, of Men are blinded with 
 Ignorance, their AflFe£lions are bent upon their Lufts; 
 but now the Underftandins; being cleared, the Affec- 
 tions are captivated, the Man is bound with invin- 
 cible Realon ; and fo he gathers Souls in a Way 
 congruous to the rational Nature, zdly, His gather- 
 ing Power is exerted affectionately and lovingly, 
 Viof, ii. 14. IwlU allure her^ and bring her to the Wilder- 
 vefs^ &c. ril, as it were, beguile her, and fpeak to 
 her Heart, as the Hebrew fignlfies : I'll perfwade 
 her, that there is more Reafon to yield to my In« 
 treaties, than to the Devil's Sophiftry. The Lord 
 fweetly draws up the Lock of the Heart, and wins 
 in upon the AflFe£lions, Jer, xxx. 3. I have loved thee 
 with an everlajiinghove^ and with loving Kindnefs have 
 Indrawn thee : As a Man puts on his beft Robes on 
 his Wedding-Day, fo Chrift intheDay of Efpoufals, 
 •when he would gather the Eyes of the People to 
 look to kirn, and their AfFeCtions to centre or him, 
 he puts on his Robes of Glory and Grace, dothet 
 himfelf with a Garment of Safvati on, with an allu- 
 ring Attire, when he courts Sinners. ^^Z/)*, His ga- 
 thering Power is exerted efficacioufly ; he comes 
 •with that Argument of Omnipotence, whereby he 
 commanded Light to fhins out of Darknefs ; by that 
 fame Argument whereby he commanded the Dead 
 io arif^; dg«s he conquer and captivate the Soul ; 
 
 by 
 
( S9 ) 
 
 by that fame Argument whereby Chrift himfelf was 
 raifed,Ef^. i. 19, 20. rill there be no Power to refift,no 
 Strength of Corruption left to oppofe. The infinite 
 Bounty of God, th6 infinite Beaiity of Chrift, and the 
 infinite Power of the Holy Ghoft, all concur to gain 
 the Soul, with infinite ravifhing Sweetnefs : Almigh*^ 
 ty Love kills the mighty Enmity ; and how can he 
 be refilled i Compel them to come w, &c. Before Gon- 
 verfion, the Sinner is unwilling, and he cannot come 
 to Chrift, becaufe he will not ; but in Converfion, 
 the Man is made willing, and fo he cannot refift, be? 
 caufe he will not; theWill is gi'inQdy^Thy Feople Jball ba 
 willing./^thfyyHis gathering Power and Grace is" exerted 
 feafonabiy,for he fpeaks a Word inSeafon to them,//^. 
 1. 4. "ithe Lord hath given me the 'Tongue of tho Learned ^ 
 tofpeak a Word inSeafon to him that is lueary, A Word 
 of Power comes at a particular Seafon, at God's fet 
 Hour; and People are never gathered till that Hour 
 come. The How cemes when the Dead jhall hear, 6cc» 
 O happy Hour, fays one, wherein the Word and 
 Ordinances are impregnated with almighty Efficacyl 
 When the Minifter finds himfelf in a better Frame 
 than ordinary, he is ready to think, that bleffed 
 Hour is come ; but he may be oft miftaken. However, 
 the CounfelcfGodfia/idsfure, the Lord knows who4irehis; 
 therefore we muft preach in Faith,and pray in Faith, 
 and wait in Hope, and water in Hope, till the ac- 
 cepted Time come, the happy Hour ; and when ic 
 comes, it will Ije an Hour never to be forgotten, a fig- 
 nal Time, on which Eternity depends ; Befides it 
 is feafonable with Refpe£l to the Soul that is ga- 
 thered, it comes at the Nick of Tin>e, when is is in 
 the Extremity of Diftrefs, QPc Hence, ^thfy, This 
 gathering Grace ismanifefted rurprifingly,it is freigh- 
 ted with preventing Mercy : Herein God anticipate* 
 the Current of the carnal Affefiions ; when the Soul 
 is running poft to Hell, God flops his Carreer, as he 
 did that ot Fauly A3s ix. every Sinner that is con- 
 vettedi is gathered befide his proper natural Incen- 
 Hi tionf 
 
( 60 ) 
 
 tion: Little does the Man forefee what i&God'sDefign, 
 in bringing him to fuch a Plice, to hearfuch a Ser- 
 mon, to live under fuch a Miniftry ; even as little 
 as Saul thought of finding a Kingdom,when he went 
 out to feek his Father's AfTes. Some have co.ne to 
 hear the Word, in a very cuftomarycarelefs Manner, 
 mot knowing where elfe to fpend an Hour ; when lo, 
 on a fudden, an Arrow ofConviflion hath been fhot 
 into their Confciences, and awakned them to feek 
 God. His gathering Grace both in the Beginning 
 and Progrefs thereof, is (Hll exerted in luch a 
 Manner, as fweetly furprifes the Soul, SotJgv'u 12. 
 Or e<ver I was aivare^ my Soul made me like the Chart' 
 ots of Amminadib : When I was expei^ing, that my 
 Soul fhould be gathered among the Damned, O 
 Grace Hepped in, and gathered me to Sh'iloh. 6thlyy 
 iThis gathering Power is exerted fovereignly, there 
 is mucl» Sovereignty manifefted, both over the ga- 
 tbering Means and the gathered Soul: Over the ga- 
 thering Means, fuch as the Word and Ordina^ices; if 
 isr.ot every W^ord char does the Bufinei;*: How ma- 
 ny great Sermons, and fpiritual Difcourfes have you 
 heard, O Believer, and yet never a Word reached 
 your Heart, till the Lord fent it with Power ? Hence 
 the Word that kills one, quickens another ; the Word 
 'that is unfavoury to one, is fweet to another ; the 
 Word that is grilling to one, is gaining to another % 
 the Word that hardens one, fofrens another. Alfo, 
 over the gathered Soul, many Hundreds are gathered 
 together at a Time, yet perhaps, but one or two are 
 touched, and reached by the Word : The Minlfter 
 is fpeaking to the Heart of chefe, but only to the 
 Ears of all the K eft. O is God finding you out by 
 his Word, and gathering you ? He is Sovereign,/?ow. 
 ix. I 5. Shelving Mercy on whom he will, 6cc. Jthly^ This 
 gathering Grace is exerted particularly, for he calls his 
 Sheep-by T^ame, John x. 5. and leads them out ; As 
 by the Law', the Sinner is convinced particularly 
 nouartthe Jl^an^ the finful Man, the guilty Man; 
 lo by the Gofpel, he is tailed patiicularly. 
 
(61) 
 
 I have eaJled the hj Namcy \(z. xlii. !• and xtv, 4,, 
 Whar is offered indefinitely and generally to all, is 
 carried Home particularly to the Soul : It comes to 
 be as particular, as if God werq fpeaking to none 
 other in all the Congregation. Chrift came to fave 
 Sinners, and to feek loft Souls, and p irticularly I am 
 come for you Mm, you AWoman ; Rife for the Mafier 
 calls you. O, fays phe Soul, it is me th.it God is fpeak- 
 ing to, there is good News for me/ Stbfy, This ga- 
 thering Power is exerted fuccefsfally : The Lord 
 comes to gather, and the People are gathered ; he 
 draws, and they run, and run in to the Ark ; 'The 
 Name of the Lord is afirong ToMsr^ the Righteous run in'^ 
 to ity andarefafe: The Soul runs, not only to ir, 
 but in to it, fo as to be found inChri-l,. i-'eople may 
 be gathered to Chrift, in a Manner, and ySt not ga- 
 thered fuccesfully, unlefs gaihereJ in to him ', as ia 
 the Days of Noahj when the Deluge of Water came 
 upon the World, many miglit gather to the Ark, 
 and hing about the Sides of it, and climb upon ic 
 for Shelter ; but the Wives at Uft walhed them a- 
 way. None came toit with Suceefs, nor were faved, 
 but fuchas wan in to the Ark ; fo, unlefs you wir» 
 in to Chrift, be united to him, implanted in him, 
 as a Branch to the Stock, fo as to derive Life from 
 him, and grow up in him ; if you be rot thus found 
 in hira, you cannot be fived byhim,tho* in fever al 
 y^efpefts you may lean upon him, and grip ro him : 
 They gather to him with Suceefs, that get in to him. 
 P happy they, that are gathered to him, fo as to 
 win him ! Phil. iii. S. He that wins fucceeds, '4nd 
 much Winning, much Suceefs ; and they may laugh 
 that ivin ; for they win all, who win-Chrift : They 
 win his Perfon for their Husband, they win his Pur- 
 chafe for their Jointure, his Covenant for the«rChar- 
 ter, his Spirit for their Counfeller, his Righteoufnefs 
 for their Robe, his Grace for their Ornajnent, his 
 Glory for their Crown, and all his Fulnefs for their 
 Supply ; they may live upon their Winning for e- 
 ver, ^tbly. This gathering Power is exerted irrever- 
 fibly, yet gradually ; when God gathers Siqners tp 
 
 Child 
 
( 62 ) 
 
 Chrift,he gathers them irreverfibly ; For the Gifts and 
 Calling of God are nvhleAt Repentance \ he never leaves 
 drawing of them, and gathering them Co him, till 
 he hath gathered them all about his Throne in Glo- 
 ry : His gathering Grace works a lading Imprefllonji 
 and abiding EfFeit on them ; the Seed of God re- 
 mains in them. Many hundred Sermons you have 
 heardv and all thefe excellent Truths evanifh, and 
 flip off from your Memory, as Water falling on a 
 Rock : But O, fays the Believer, tho* I forget much, 
 yet 1 think I'll never forget fuch a Word, that came 
 to my Soul with a Glance of glorious Majefty in it, 
 and filled all th^ Powers of my Soul with a divine 
 feraphick Finlargement : / "-jjUI never fovget thy Pre- 
 ceptSy for by them thou haji q-uickned me, Chrift having 
 begun to gather, goes ori wichfihe Soul conftantly, 
 till the Bufiefs be done and ended ; 7or he waits to 
 legraciotiSy Ifa. xxx. iS. He wiU nor rake a Refufal, 
 oor defift for an ill Anfwer ; and v/hatcver Interrup- 
 tion may be after the l.iyin^ rhe Foundation, yet he 
 carries on the good Work : Icis not altogether ftopt, 
 as ic is with others, that may be under fome com- 
 mon Operations of the Spirir, the Lo;d may leave 
 them, and never return /but here he renews his 
 Vifits, and'gradually advances hi.v gathering Work : 
 For his going forth is prepared as the Mormng^ Hof. vi. 5. 
 and he comes to them, as the Rain^ as the latter and 
 former Rain upon the EaHh, which makes the Fruits 
 of the Ground graduillv to Tpring up. A luddea 
 Work is feldom a found Work Jays one. However, 
 his ordinary Way of gathering is by various De- 
 crees • he eives them how a Pull and then a I ulj, 
 here a little, and there a little, lothly. This ga- 
 thering Power is exerted remarkably ; "ence^bf 
 Soul cin fay, Once 1 was blind, now I fee. Tho the 
 Kinedom of Heaven comes not with outward Ob- 
 servations, yet either in the Beginning, or P;ogre S, 
 or bo"rrtis remarkable, difcernible, and fenMy 
 felt, by the Soul that is wrought upon ^ni gathe- 
 ed: H« hears the Voice of the great Shepherd,^ 
 
( «3 ) 
 
 he fees his Glory, he feels his Power, Sometimes 
 'tis remarkable, in the very Beginning ; like a Mart 
 born blind, and come to Age, and "getting his Eyes 
 fuddenly opened, he cannot but know the Tinie : In 
 others it is not fo remarkable, till the Progrefs theieof 
 make it fo ; like Rain dropping from a Houfe-Top 
 on a Flint-5tone, that by conftant Dropping makes 
 a Holtow in the Stone; when it began to make the 
 Hollow at firft, is hard to tell, but that it is made, 
 is remarkably evident : Even fo here, by the con- 
 ftant Dropping of the Rain of the Spirit's Influen- 
 ces, from Time to Time, there is an Hollow made 
 in the Heart ; the Man is gjadnally emptied of Sin^ 
 and Self- rlghteoufnefs; and Nothing can fill that 
 Hollow, but a God in Chrift : When it began at flrft, 
 he cannot tell ; but now it is remarkable, if Grace 
 be in any Meafure exerci fed; Thus you fee the 
 Qualities of God's Gathering People, yet after all, 
 we are not capable to give an exaii Account of the 
 outgoings of this mighty gathering Grace; many 
 feel it, who cannot tell the particular Manner there* 
 of ; for the Wind bloweth' where it Ufieth^ and we hear 
 the Sound thereof ^ hut know not whenct it cometb^ tt9r 
 fvhither itgoetb. 
 
 Preached 2it oAirth^ Jans 19th, aotb» 
 and 2iftj 172$. 
 
 zdlydUively viewed, the Qualities of this Gather- 
 ing, that is, of the Peoples Gathering to Sbilob ; or 
 the Way how Faith is exercifed, or how theSoul aQs, 
 when it is prevailed upon to come to the Lord Jefus, 
 'and fo to be gathered unto Shihh, In general, it is 
 byFaith that they gather to him ; and hencethis Ga- 
 thering to Shiloh is fo frequently called a Coming to 
 him, and believing on h\m,trufiing and ftaying our felves 
 upon him. In this Gathering unto Shiloh, the Soul 
 afts believingly ; and all the other Qualities of this 
 Gathering are reducible cochis^ and are fo man/ 
 
 Ways, 
 
• . _ K ^4 ; 
 
 VTiys, v/herein Faith 2.6ts, in coming and gatfierin|; 
 to Chrift ; or how, being aSed they aQ. : And here 
 is Matter for^Triai ; particularly then, 
 
 (i.) In thisa£^ive Gathering unto Shitohf People 
 :^re made to 2^ fpmtuailyy for it is a fpiritual Gather- 
 ing, unJer the ConduQ: of the Spirit of God, as a 
 Spirit of Faith, making theSoal to gather under the 
 Wings of Chrift the Mefjias, It is «ot by natural 
 Might, but by the Power of the Divine Spirit, that 
 Sinners gather i« a Saviour : Not by might, nor by 
 Power, out by my Spirit, faith the Lord ; even the 
 exceeding Greatnefs of hh Almighty Power ^ Eph. i. t^^. 
 There is a fpiritual internal Principle, from which 
 the Man a£is, in his Gathering to Shiloh, even the 
 Spirit of God as the main, and the new Heart as the 
 fubordinate Principle of Faith in the Man. It is 
 nottheSpirit*s working extrinfically upon the Man ; 
 Hypocrites. may have the Spirit working on them ex- 
 trinfically, to the ProduSion of great Affe£tions and 
 Inlargement, Avhilethey are not laVingly gathered : 
 But this fpiritual Afit is from a fpiritual Principle, 
 Tvhereof the Spirit oi God within is the Spring. The 
 former is but a natural Afting by fome external Ob- 
 je8:s, it is like a Pool fed by Water from the Clouds ; 
 the other is like a W<11 fed by a Spring within. 
 
 Queft, How fh all I know the Difference betwixt 
 thefe two, w?:. the Spirit's Working on me by his 
 common Motions, and his Working in me as a living 
 Principle ? Why, the common Motions of the Spi- 
 rit, externally moving the AffeGions, differ from the 
 faving Operations ot the Spirit internally elevating 
 the Soul to a God in Chtift, as a Land-flood differs 
 from a living Spring ; The Land-flood is maintained 
 externally by tneClouds,the living Fountain is main* 
 tained internally by its own Spring: Thus the Hypo- 
 crite'* Frances and AfiFeSions ate maintained only by 
 cxternalMeani 6cObje£l8,fuch as the tiiiieable Voice 
 of the Miniftei ; fo Ezehel was to his Hearers as a 
 very loyely Seng of one that hath a pleafant Voice, 
 sndcan play v^ell on an lafirument; £^«^, xxxiii. ^2» 
 
( 65 ) 
 
 and when the external Objeft or Excitement is over» 
 then their Frame and Affeftion falls, becaufe the only 
 Thing that maintained it is gone : Whereas, in the 
 fpiritual Ading of the Soul that is gathering to Sbilob^ 
 the* Faith comes by Hearing externally, yet the fpi- 
 rit of God being received by the Hearing ofFaith^ 
 this internal Principle of fpiritual Life does many 
 Times animate the Soul to fpiritual Work, when-all 
 external Obje£ls and Operations fail; and this may 
 be known, juft as a Spring-well is known by the Bub* 
 bling upof the Water. Thus is the Spirit's Inhabitati- 
 on known by the Adings of the Graces of the Spirit, 
 fuch as Faith, Love, Repentance, Joy in the Lord, 
 and the like. 
 
 C2.) In gathering to Sj^iloh^ People are made to a8: 
 Knowingly and j^udichnjly, under the Influences of th« 
 Spirit, as a Spirit of Light ; and to ad as in a Matter 
 of the greateft Concern, with Judgment and Under- 
 ftanding, faying, as yohn vi. 68. l^o <wh§m flyall ivego? 
 'Thou haft the i^ords of eternal Life. We belie-ve and art 
 fure that thou art C hrifi the 'Son of the living God. Many 
 gather together in a confufed Way, and know not 
 wherefore they meet together ; but this gathering 
 includes Knowledge and faving fpiritual Illuminati- 
 on : "They that know thy Name^ will ^ut their 'Truft in 
 thee, Pfal. ix. 10. They that know him, will gather 
 to him; theremuftbea Seeing of the Son, before 
 there can be a Believing in him, or Gathes^iug to him' 
 Many, inftead of gathering to Chrift, rhey gather to 
 an Idol of their own Fancy; when they hear of Chrift, 
 their idolatrous carnal Mind reprefents a carnal I- 
 mage of Chrift in their own Brain : As ihofe, Bof. 
 
 •xiii. 2. that are (aid to have made Idols according 
 to their own U nd erftanding, Co many in their own 
 Imagination form an Idea of Chrift ; and this Idea or 
 Image of Chrift, that they have in their own Mind, 
 
 IS all that they have for Chrift. But, O Sirs, when 
 Chrift IS externally revealed in theGofpel, there rouft 
 
 be>a marvellous Light difcovering him .n Mmfelf. 
 
 making him known, tho* not perfeaiy,yet reiHy aad 
 
 truly at he 11; not noly as he is Mao, bur as God-Mao, 
 
 BBIlilHMHiMlfli 
 
( 66 ^ 
 
 having all tlic Folnels of the Godhead in him, and 
 all the Glory of God appearing in his Face, 2 Cor. iv*. 
 6»Xo as the Soal cannot bat cleave and adhere to him. 
 A painted Sun will neither give Light nor Heat, bnt 
 the real Sun gives both : So a painred Image and Re- 
 prefentation of Chrift in the Imagination gives no fpi- 
 fitual Light, Hear,nor communicates any transform- 
 ing Vertue ; but the true Sun of Righteoufnefs arif- 
 ethwith Healing under his Wings. It is true, this 
 Light is not without Mills and Smoke, fent forth from 
 the bottomlefs Pit, to darken all ; but yet there is 
 fuch a dear Difcovery of theMan's Inability, of God's 
 gracious offer, andChrift's Good-will and Mind to the 
 bargain, as determines the Soul to its Duty. 
 
 C%») In gathering toShihb^ People are made to a3: 
 Fiducially. This is connected with the former, P/al, 
 ix. 10 They that know thy Name ^ will put their Trufi irt 
 tbee. This I call an A£iing fiducialJy, that is, with 
 a believing Perfwafion and partilpular Application : 
 The good News, that Shiloh is come, that Jefus Chrift 
 is come to fave Sinners, even the Chief of Sinners, 
 as received as a faithful faying, and fo with believ- 
 ing Perfwafion, and as worthy oi all Acceptation^ 
 and fo with particular Application. Perfwafion with 
 Application mxxil be in the Nature of Faith, accord- 
 ing to the Meafure and Degree of Faith. I^ it be 
 weak Faith) it is^ a weak Perfwafion ; if ftrong Faith, 
 a ftrong Perfwafion ; And it is not a natural Perfwa- 
 fion, a Man perfwading.himfelf that all fhall be 
 well with him, and fo no more of it; nay, it is fuper- 
 ftatural and comes of God, which natural carnal 
 Perfwafion does notj GaL v. 8. This Perfwafion comes 
 not of him that calleth you, intimating that right 
 Perfwafion comes of God ; WkQlhzioi Abraham, Bom. 
 iv. 20, 21. He ft angered not at the "Promt fe of God through 
 IJnhetief^ but was firong in the Faith, ii'^if^g Glory to God^ 
 being fully per f waded y that be that hadpromifedwas able 
 $9 perjorm. And like that of the Old Teilament Belie- 
 IFerj, Heb, xi. 13. who rectived not the Promijes by Feel' 
 ^ii:^^* y ^^^^' ^ut bowf Why, chcj were per- 
 
 fwaije4 
 
( «7 ) 
 
 fwaded of them, and embraced them. Bat here thm 
 is a twofold Perfwafion that o\ight to be carcfuHf 
 diftinguiflied, and the Confounding whereof occa- 
 fions many Miftakes and Mifreprefentations ; namely, 
 a Fiducial Perfwafion, and an Evidential Perfwahon. 
 The Former is the AfTurance of Faith, and in the Na- 
 ture of it ; the Other is the Affuranceof Senfe, and 
 confequential to Faith, and is not properly Fa>^h at, 
 all, but Senfe. Now this fidaciil Perfwafion ditters 
 from evidential, in four ^efpeas. i. they differ in 
 their AHs, By fiducial Perfwafipn.ith^ Man receives 
 and refts upon Chrift, and trunrTnhita for Sa v^tien 
 to himfelf, believing and expefiting this S^*^*"?? 
 according to the Promifeof the Gofpel, and asChnlt 
 is offered and exhibite to him therein : But by evi- 
 dential Perfwafion, the Man knows and feeis that he 
 hath received Chrift. The Former every Behevcf 
 hath when he afts Faith ; the Latter many Believers 
 want even when th^y a£i Faith, becaufe, ^^o*.^"^3^ 
 may be confcious that they are afting upon Chrift ior 
 Salvation, yet they may not be confcious of the Q^*' 
 lity of the Aa, if it is faving or not. 2. They diftet 
 in their Order, We firft believe by a fiducial Perfwa- 
 fion, before we can be fure by an evidential ^^'^^' 
 fion ; the one is the Caufe, and the other the Effea; 
 the Perfwafion that is in Faith, is like the Heat ift 
 the Fire ; the Perfwafion that is after Faith, is "^e 
 Heat in the Room, that is the Effea of the former : 
 And, becaufe Aflurance (that is commonly fo called^ 
 pamely, the Affurance ofSett/e) is the EffeS of Faith ; 
 This will not prove, that there is no Afliirance in 
 Faith, no more than Heat in the Room will prove, 
 that there i« no Heat in the Fire ; for the contrary 
 is rather evident. 5. They diflfer in their OhjeH^ and 
 Grounds : Th^ Obj^a and Ground of fiducial Per- 
 fwafion, or of the Aflqrance of Faith, i» ^\F!1° "* 
 the Man, and looks to the Word and Promife of God, 
 f he Blood and Righteoufnefs of Chrift, the Truth 
 and Faithfulnefi of God : Bur,theObiea and Fonn- 
 dacioQ of evidential Perfwafion. or of t^^ Aflu- 
 
( 68 ) 
 
 fancc of Senfe, is within the Man, and looks to tlflj 
 Work of God within ; fuch as Graces» Attainments 
 and Experiences* As there is a greai Difference be- 
 twixt a Man's being perfwaded, that he hach fuch a 
 Sum of Money, becaufe he hath it upon Bond, or 
 good Security ; and his being perfwaded thereof, be- 
 caufe he hath it in his Hand, in his Chell or Coffers ; 
 !o here, by the Perfwafion of Faith, the Man is per- 
 fwaded of Salvation thro' Chrift, becaufe he hath it 
 upon Bond, namely, God's Promife fealed with 
 Chrift's Blood, which is good Security : But the 
 Ground of the Perfwafion of Senfe, is the Man's hav- 
 ing it in his Hand, or fo much of it, which is not 
 Faith, but Senfe. 4. They differ in their EffeBs ; the 
 Effeftof Faith,or tiducial Perfwafion, is Juibfication; 
 the Effe& of Senfe, or evidential Perlwafion, is Con- 
 folation : A Manis not juliified by his evidential Per- 
 fwafion, or by knowing^nd feeling that Chrift is his; 
 but he is juftifiei by his fiducial Perfwafion, by his 
 fiducial Knowledge, whereby he receives and relis 
 upon Chrift as his, and trufts in him for Salvation to 
 himfelf : By this hducial Knowledge, I fay, is juftifi- 
 cation, I/a. liii. 11. By his Knozukdge pall my righteous 
 Servant jufiifie many. Now, if tbefe two were careful- 
 ly diftinguiftied, and that People confidered, that it 
 is the former, namely fiducial Perfwafion, that we 
 put into the Nature of Faith, as elTenrial to it, not 
 the latter, namely evidential Perfwafion, which is 
 confequential to it ; it would prevent many Miftakes, 
 and Mifreprefentarions on this Head ;as if fome pla- 
 ced Affuarnce foin the Nature of Faith, as that none 
 were to be reckoned Believers, but fuch as have this 
 full evidential Perfwafion, and Affurance of Senfe, 
 which is a grofsMifapprehenfion of Matters, and flows 
 from the confounding of this twofold Perfwafion, 
 which differ as much as Faith and Senfe.- Affuranco 
 of Faith Cirries in ir the Perfwafion of the Faithful- 
 fiefs of God in the Promife ; the Affurance of Senfe 
 * carries in it a Perfwafion of the Reality of Grace in 
 the Heart : By the one vre fee wiih our £yes, as it 
 
 fi'ere 
 
wc?e ; by the other we ha.tJie with our Hands the 
 Word of Life; The one, to wi:, Faith is began Vifion, 
 the other, to wit, Senfe is begun Fruition .• Aflurance 
 X)f Faith is eUentia! coFiich, the Affarance of Senfe 
 is confequeniial to it, and not always in, or with it. 
 And hence we {ay, wlrli Refpefl: to this evidential 
 Aflu ranee and Perfwafion, as out ConfeJJion hath it, 
 'That it does not [o belor,^; to the EJfence of Faitby hut that 
 a true Believer w/?y lua t lona^^ and conjliB with manj 
 Difficulties before he he Partaker of it ; namely, of that 
 AfTurance, that is gr'nin Jed upon the inward Evidence 
 of Grace, and Telinnony of the Spirit, which is the 
 AfTurance of Senfe there 'poken ofl^But theAffurance 
 of Faith, -which is founded upon the divine Truth 
 of the Promife of Salvation, and upon the Word of 
 God without us, as the Obje£l thereof, this muft be 
 as eifentidi to Faith, as Seeing is effsntial to the Eye .• 
 And y *!: this will not fay, that the Believer hath al- 
 ways even this hduci.il Perfwafion, unlefs his Faith 
 be in Exercile : For, as i: is in the Nature of the 
 Eye to fee, tho'che Man that hath Eyes, is fome- 
 times fleeping, or winking, or dim»fighted ; fo it is 
 in the Nature of Faith, to be perfwaded of the Fa- 
 voucand Good-will of God in Chrift, as revealed in 
 the Word of Grsce, tho'he, that hath this Faith, is 
 fometimes doubting, fometimes Faith is not exercif- 
 ed, fometitnes the bye of Faith is dimmed with the 
 Duft of Corruption a.:\d Unbelief. It is with Faich, 
 as with other Graces.- As fome have a true Love to 
 Chrift, yet dare not fay they love, becaufe they 
 have fo much Enmity remaining : They have true 
 Grace, but dare not fay they have it, becaufe they 
 have fomuch Sin and Corruption ; but their doubt- 
 ing of their Love and Grace doss not infer, that they 
 have no Love, no Grace ; fo fonie have this fiducial 
 Perfwafion, and Affurance of Faith, who yet dare 
 not fay they have it, becaufe they have fo much Un- 
 belief and fo many Doubts : But as L^ve is oppofics 
 to Enmity, and Grace oppofire to Corruption, tho' 
 they are in the fame Subject ; fo is Faith oppofite to 
 
 Doubt- 
 
( 70 ) 
 
 Doubting, in its very Nfature, even tho' Faith and 
 Doubting may be in the fame Believer, as Light and 
 Darknefs in the fame Air ; yet their Natures are op- 
 pofite to one another. As this fiducial Aft of Gather- 
 ing to Shikh imports a believing Perfwafion, fo alfo 
 a particular /Application. In the offer of the Gofpel, 
 {Salvation is particularly held forth to every one, fay- 
 ing, '^he Vrom'tfe is to you ; to you is the Word of this Sal- 
 vation fern ^ phejrefore in Gathering to Ghrift, People 
 are JO lay hold on Salvation to themfelves, particu- 
 larly •• Chrifi came to fame Sinners j ofivhom^ays Faith, 
 I am the chief-, Mercy is held out to me, and I lay 
 Hold on it as held out to me : As when the Law 
 comes with Power, ;t fays not only in the general. 
 All have finned j but if comes in particular, faying, Xati 
 ^ave finned ; and makes you fay, I am the Many the 
 linful Man, the guilty Man, the condemned Man ! So 
 vrhen the Gofpel posies with Power, it (yeaks tp 
 the Perfon particularly, faying, Not only, C^rf/? '^^"^e 
 iofavefinners j })ut, Here is a Saviour for you. : And the 
 iSoul is made to fay, / am concerned '^r? this* The Gof- 
 pel offers Life and Salvation to the poo^r 5o^l parti-s 
 cularly, and he is commanded to believe fprSalvatir 
 on particularly, and the ^(!an believes with parncu- 
 lar Application. Thus a certain Divine iUuftrate^it : 
 As the (ad Sentence of the Law, generally and inde- 
 finitely held forth in the Scripture, is particularly 
 applyed for his ConviQion and Condemnation • fp 
 the precious Promife of the Gofpel, gene*"ally and 
 indefinitely held forth to all dinners, that heaj the 
 Gofpel, is particularly applied forSalvationjand with- 
 out this particular Application, there is no effe^ual 
 Gathering to Shihh : When Gofpel-light Ihines into 
 the Heart of the awakened Sinner, it applies the Pro- 
 mife particularly to it felf, as it did formerly apply 
 the Threatnings of the Law particularly ; and as 
 from the Law it did particularly condemn it felf ; f» 
 now from the Gofpel, it does by Faith particularly 
 abfolve ic Telfi or rather find it felf abfolved from the 
 
JLaw-Sentcnce, in its being helped of make particu- 
 lar Amplication to the Gofpel-Promifes. 
 
 Again, (4.) In gathering ofbhiloby the People that 
 are brought to him are made to zGt evangelic ally ^ or to 
 believe, in a Gofjpel-Manner, to receive and reft upon 
 him, as he is offered to osin the GofpeJ. There isa 
 Gofpel-Ground on which the People do gather : Lcr 
 gal Faith a£ls, upon a legal Ground, Ibch as inherent 
 Strength, and natural Righteoufnefs ; but true Faith 
 afts upon the Ground of a borrowed Strength, and an 
 imputed Righteoufnefs of another, faying. Surely in 
 ti^ Lord only have I Righteoufnefs and Strength ^ Ifa. xlv. 
 24. This Gathering to Sbihh is a Self- renouncing 
 Buiinefs, ftripping the Man of his own Righteoufnefs, 
 of his own Strength, taking him intireW off his own 
 Bottom ; they that are gathered toChrift, are gathe-r 
 red out of thcmfclves. There is a Gofpel-Role alfb, 
 whereby they gather, in a Suitablenefs to the Gofpel- 
 Offer and Difpenfation, i Cor. xv. 11. 5a we preachy 
 and [0 ye believed. Faith anfwers the Gofpel-Call, 
 as the Imprefs upon»the Wax does anfwer the Engra* 
 vings of the Seal , foGhrift offers himfelf, and fo Sin- 
 ners gather to him, and believe in him for Wifdom, 
 KighteoufnefsjSan&ificationand Redemption. Hence 
 again, there is a Gofpel-Order, wherein the Gather- 
 ing of the People is to him ; the Soul, in coming to 
 him, receives firft the Perfon, and then the Portion; 
 even as God gives Chrift, and then with him ail 
 things, Z?oOT. viii. 32. The People gather to him, in 
 a Day of Power, Firfi^ as a Jefus> and then, as a Lord; 
 Kr/?, for Judification, and then, for San^iification. 
 Legal Adventures invert this Gofpel-Order, leeking 
 Sandification firft, that upon that Bottom it may 
 build its Juftification ; feeking Righteoufnefs, as it 
 were by the ^orkscfthe Law, Rom. ix, 51. And how- 
 ever conf ufed and indiftind the true Believer's Faith 
 may be, in nis firft Believing, yet repeated A&$ of 
 •Faith may afterwards make it more and more e- 
 vident to him, that right Believing is in the torefaid 
 Cdfpel-Ofder. Thereisa Gofpel-Warraofiwpon which 
 
 this 
 
( 72 ) 
 
 this Gathering proceeds : They that gathei'-W Shilcb 
 ka warantably, upon the Warrant of an objeQive 
 Sufficiency ; there is a fufficient Chrift prefented .• 
 O the Sufficiency of his Perfon, being God-Man in 
 one Perfon-; the Sufficiency of his Offices and Com- 
 miffion, being fealed of God to be a Surety a Savi 
 cur a Prophet, Prieft and King; the Suffic'iency of 
 his Kighteoufnefs, his Doing and Dying, his Obe- 
 dience and Satisfaaion ; the Sufficiency of his Pow- 
 er, as being able to fa- e to the uttermoft • the Suffi- 
 ciency of his Will, while heprodaims his Good-will 
 towards Men ; and that God is in Chrift, reconciling 
 the World to himfelf ! They g.nher up^n the w ^f 
 IT V.^'rFl'"^ ^ofpel-Cfpenf^tion of Grace 
 throughChrift ,n the external Revelation of the 
 Word, where the IleS are not charaOerized more 
 than others but Life and Salvation through Chrift 
 held out to Sinners "f Mankind, without Diftinaion 
 of Nanon, Sr,te or Condit on ; and fo in an indf 
 finite U ay. 1 hus run all the Promifes, except thefe 
 that are niade to Believers, cr fuch a's havTcrace 
 already ; to them indeed the Promifes are definite! 
 fo alio they are definite to the Elea, i„ the Decree 
 
 (LZ^^h::.:' '"A" "'"T^ Difpenfation of the 
 WM they are indefinite and eenenl r,„,„» x„ 
 you belongs the Covenants and the p'.J-/ I' ^ 
 4. and as the Promife is indefinite foth^r •■?•"• ""' 
 verfal, whether by Exhortarions Inv.'.r ' r"""'' 
 ties, Counfels. or Co^mandsrin' 'irertint": 
 come and receive Chrift, and all h;. /"""^y^^^^*, ^^ 
 freely, ,/a.W. ,. and upon thefe GofJ"^. 1""^' 
 .he People gather to hlU. in a w:Z ^^v. ole 
 Covenant, and all the Promifes of it [Jlluf^!h 
 to all the People that they may la he to if 7v, 
 give .h^frra Co.er.„, of td fJuf^^^'J^ ^'^Jj^ 
 we are aid, to recu.e the Pr.,„,r, hroJ^Ji^^G^f 
 ni. .4. tote perfivadedof,k,m, ^„d ernbrLtZt' HpK 
 
 a TheA 
 
( 73 ) 
 
 ^ Tlieff. 1. TO. Ghrift cannof be reCAived, feat It h9 
 
 isoflFered ; he is not offered to Us, bucin 3 W«r « 
 Promife, a Teftimony : Hence the fubfhncj^l At' p€ 
 Faith being an AiTcnc, there molt be a Wotd, Promile, 
 or Teftimony, for Faith's immediate Objeft, wherem 
 ve fee and receive Chrift : JfaM)n vcuid fee bis 
 Shadow in a Glafs, he firft looks to the Glafs. a»d 
 through it fees his ov n Shadow or Ttnage ; the G\aft 
 is the immediate Obje£i, to which hu iight is dire6- 
 ed ; fo, in order ro our feeing of Chrft. the GUfa 
 of the Gofpel-promife is fet before us. Thus a dif- 
 played Covenant ofGr «e, as fta« iling faft inChrift, 
 ieems to be the Warrant for the Gathering of the 
 People to SbiUb, mentionedj jfer. I. 5. Come tnd let 
 94s join our jelves to the Lordy in a perpetual CotemifJ (fays 
 our KQa.d\ng) th.ttjhall not be forpotf^n : 1 know this 
 is viewedj by fome, in another Stnf«, with Reference 
 to our covenanting ■ but I think the original Read- 
 ing that others notice is very pleafant and evangeli- 
 cal, for it may be read, Come and let us jiin •wfehe^ 
 io the Lord f thi perpetunl Ct^enant Jball not h f^r^^tten^ 
 ^. d. Come and let us gather togetber untp SbiUk ; 
 ■why, the everlaftir.g Covenant, that ftjr-^'s faft itk 
 him, who is the All of the Covenant, fh'jfl sever . 
 be forgotten .• And fo it m^y be lev ed, as an tncou-. 
 xagement of Faith, and Region '^or r;he G^rhering of 
 the People to himj behold he is given for a Cove- 
 nant of the People, and this perpetual Covenant 
 Ihail not be forgotten .-Thus they^ are made to a£t 
 evangelically. 
 
 ( 5') In gathering to ShihJb, the People that are 
 brought to him are made to a£i cordially ^nd fpontane- 
 oufly, with Heart and Will ; yea, with a Thoufand 
 Good-Wills ; take my Heart, lays the Man, in the 
 Day of Power, take it, and a 'Tloufand BleJJlngs with it, 
 it is true, there is no Gathering, na Appfoaching 
 to him, without a Draught of Omnipotency ; yet 
 there is no Violence in it, no Force or.Compulfion, 
 but when Power comes, it takes away the Backward- 
 HSfsaad Unwillingnefs, P/4/. ex. 3.2^jr People JijaUU 
 K • mllfffg 
 
(( m ) 
 
 mftirt^* Wever did a Mariner draw neaf tp a Shofe- 
 witn betrer Will, after Shipwreck, than the Soul- 
 comes to Ghrift, in the Day of Power ; the Perfoii 
 being dTav/n, yields neceffarily and -willingly both^< 
 DtnW me, we will run after Thee ; Vrawme^ there 
 is the Almig;hry Power exerted, in its irrefiftibte O- 
 petation •, W-e <will mn^ there is the voluntary Moti-- 
 on of the Soul : So that this Gathering does not de-^ 
 ftroy, bur eftabiilli the Liberty of the Will of the 
 rational Agen-t. Reafon is not hoodwinked, the Per- 
 fon approaches to a God in Chrift, upon tbe moft 
 rational Grounds, feeing and apprehending his Mifery 
 while far from God, arid the Happinefs of Nearnefs 
 to him in Chrift. And this Gathering is as cordial 
 as it is voluntary; as theWill is inclined, fo the Heart 
 is inflamed. Hypocrites may gather to Ordinances,- 
 and gather toaCommunion-Tabie with the outwari 
 Man ; they may draw near to God with the Mouth j~ 
 and honoariim with the Lip, while the Heart is far 
 removed from him.* This issvhat God complains of,- 
 ^heW Heart is far from me ','QntVihzl Ao I regar'da 
 Gathering of dead Corpfes about my Table and Or- 
 dinances, a Gathering of Bodies, while there is no 
 fathering of Hearts? But irt this gracious Gathering, 
 the Language of the Soul is, O many a Time 1 have 
 given my Heart away to the Devil ; I gave my Heart 
 and A&£Uon$away to luxk^s ; I gave my Heart away 
 to the World ; and now, fhalll give Cnrift lefs than 
 I gave them ? It will be a Miracle if he accept 6f?t^' 
 after ray manifold Deparmres ; but O if Ihad as many 
 Souh as (had Sins, I would give them to hiin JO if 
 I could believe in him wichthe whole Heart, pray 
 to tiim with the whole Heart, ferve him with the 
 •whole Heart ; and that all my Affe£iions, that have 
 been itruggling among the Creatures, may be gathe- 
 red to him, ^iiti centres! iniiim ! Yea in the Day of 
 Power, a Man finds himfeif fo willingly and freeljr 
 to come to Chrift, that he lis rolled upon hhn, asif 
 he were carried on a Wave of the Sea, or rather in 
 a Chariot paved with Love ; Formerly he found He- 
 . ^ licving 
 
W I II 1,1 I 
 
 ( 75 .) 
 
 Hevirg hard, yea, that it wasimpoffible fcJr him to 
 come to Chrift; bnt now he finds it irap< llible *' him 
 to ftay away fromChrift . Believing is fo fweer ato ealy 
 Chen, that, as if he had Wings, he flees for Retugl to 
 the Hope fet before him, Heb.vi. i8. Tho* as a great 
 Divine (wt. Dr. Ozve?i) e-x^ieiies it. Faith isinth© 
 Underftanding, in Refpeft of its Being and Subfift- 
 ence ; yet it is in the Will and Heart, in Refpect of 
 itseffedual Working : As to its Eflence, it lies ia 
 Affent, l)ut the faving Quality of this Affent is, that 
 itis cordial; and it is not true Faith, if it be not a 
 cordial Aflent to God's Teftimony cq/icerning Chrift. 
 And indeed there is a great Difference betwixt a dea4 
 Aflent, and a cordial hearty Affent to any Truth* 
 Sup^ofe (fays one) you were in a foreign Land, and 
 that you got a fure Account, that the i'urks hd\e got 
 a Vf fiory ower the Perjla?2s ; and at the fame Tira« 
 you hear, that your beloved Spoufe is recovered of a 
 dargsrous Difeafe, that all your Famihy isveii, and 
 your Affairs profper : There is a great Difference bd- 
 twixt [he Way of .iffenting to thefe Two ; yon believe 
 the former, but it hath no Impreflion on your Heart, 
 it is only a naked, heartlefs, unconcerned Affent; bat 
 you would believe theoiher cordially and gladly, be- 
 caufe you are much concerned therein : Hence you 
 v^'ould welcome the Meffenger. Thus the Gofpei is 
 not only a faithful Saying, but worthy of al' Accep- 
 tation ; and in gathering to Chrift, in the Day of "Pow- 
 er, the Soul a£ts cordially. 
 
 (6.) In this Gathering of the People to ShiUh, they 
 are made to ^Qchumhly and reverentially. The Maa 
 comes with a What am Ij and ivhat is my Father's Houfe 1 
 Beheld I am vile, and if the Lord fhall nave Mercy 
 on me, it is well ; Grace fhall have the Glory ; but 
 if not, 1 may even preach this Righteoufnefs in f^ell^ 
 and declare he never wronged me^ he,is a juft God. 
 O the Soul aSs humbly in the Day of powerful Ga- 
 thering, F?:^^. xvi. 65. That thoH mayeft remember j and 
 ht confounded^ and TJever of en thy Mouthy hecxufe oj thy 
 Shame^ when I urn ^acifed towards tbeCi fn aU fhdi 
 K. 2. tk00 
 
i 76 ) 
 
 thdu haft done, O but a Soul convinced of its owa 
 Unworthinefs, and Defert of Hell, and that fcarce 
 can expeft any Thing buc utter Damnation; how 
 does the firft Drawing of Mercy melt and humble it ! 
 Q whence is this to fuch a Worm as I ! He ftands 
 behind Chrift weepings and wafhing his Feet with 
 Tears. When one of the firft Works of the Spirit in 
 Converfion, is» to give the Soul a Light in its Hand, 
 to go down to the dark Cellars of his Heart, artd make 
 Dilboveries, fo as he iVands am-ized, trembling at the 
 Sight of himfelf ; and the next Work of the Spirit, 
 is, to lead him to the lightfome Chamber of the 
 King of Glory, to bring him from Darknefs to Light ; 
 O how is he melted with a Senfe of Mercy, and 
 humbled with a Senfe of his own monftrous Vilenefs! 
 l^ow mine Eyes fe9 thee, luherefore I abhor my felf. O 
 in fuch a Day, the Man fees his Heart vile, his Lips 
 vile, hisPraSice vile, his Righteoufnefs vile and 
 filthy Rags ;he fees in his Bofom, as it were, an Hell 
 of Devils and unclear Spirits ; that when he thinks 
 pn himfelf, it makes him lothe and fcunner, as it were, 
 like a Man ready to bock or vomit, when he fees 
 fome filthy r?afty Thing, efpedally among his Meat ; 
 pr as a Mip'sFJefh w^jl creep, when he fees fome 
 filthy venemqas Toad or Viper : So it is with thefe, 
 that fte rhemieives in the Lord's Light, in the Day 
 of their Gathering to Shiloh. They that were never 
 humb'ed, were never gathered ; and they that have 
 been deeply humbled, ^laye cpme toGpdwith Ropes 
 ^bout their Necks, .iS worthy to be caft over the 
 Gibbet, and han^^ed over the Fire of Qod's everla(l- 
 ing Vengeance ; rhey have been humbled to theDuft, 
 yea humbled to Nothing before the Lord, and to a 
 thoufand tirpes lefs and worfe than Nothing ; y^a 
 they cannoL fee fuch vile Mongers ajnong all the 
 Devils in Hell as tl^emfelves; the;, come therefore 
 with Hutniliry, Reverence and godly Fear. 
 
 (7.) 'h this Githering of the People to Shilo.h, un- 
 der the Influ n:e of gathering Power and Grace, they 
 are made to att kcldl^^ (ho* humbly, Heto iv. lafi^ 
 ■■*"•■•■ tss 
 
( 77 ) 
 
 t,9t US come hoUly to the 'Throne of Grace, Heb. r. 19,^ 
 We have Boldnefs to enter into the HoOefi by the Blood of 
 jfefus, Eph. iii. 12. Inwhom we have B»ldnefs^ and iccefs 
 with Confdenccy by the Faith of him. Here is the B )Id- 
 nefs of Faith, in Oppofition to the Boldnefs of Pre- 
 fumpcion. Bold Faith comes walking on a Sea of 
 Blood, Of rather^ upon the red and white Pave- 
 ment of the aOrive and paflive Obedience of Chrift^ 
 This Boldnefs of Faith's Approach to a God in Chrift 
 is remarkable for feveral Things: It is remarkable 
 for the Vebemency^ that is fometimes in it ; O how 
 vehemently does the foul act, when it is laying 
 Siege to Heaven, by the Prayer of Faith, and im- 
 portunate Supplication, crying, Lord^ I believe ^ help my 
 Unbeliefs Lord, increafe my Faith ; Lord, give a 
 Drink of the Water of the- Well of BetlU^-^em. O for a 
 Drop of the precious Blood of the Lamb. O Man, 
 "Woman, y/here are the Bed-fides, and fecret Cor- 
 ners that can bear Witnefs to your Befiegmg Hea- 
 ven with your vehe.nent Cries ? Ir is remarkable 
 for the Violevce thatisin it; 'the Kingdom of Heaven 
 fuffers Violence t and the Violent take it by Force. The 
 ManaSs, as it were, violently ; Iflperip, [ perijb; 
 at Chrift I muft be. ft zcts in a Manner wilfully ; 
 'Tho' hejlay me i yet will I trufi in him \ I will not let thee 
 gOy except thou blefsme. The Soul, as it were, violently 
 cafts it felf upon the free Grace and Faitlifulnefs of 
 God, in thegreateft Diftrefs ; and here it lies, as it 
 were, at Anchor in fucii ftormy Days, Heb. vi. Clofe, 
 it is remarkable for the Confidence that is in it : It 
 hath the Confidence to gjve God a Teftimonial, as 
 it were ; when Faith is a6ied, not only does God 
 give the Man a Tefti nonial, He^^. xi. 5, ^. Enechhad 
 this Tejlimony^ that be phafed God ; but without Faitb 
 ft is impojfible to pleafe him ; but what is yet more 
 ftrange, fjaith nototily ;^ets .1 Teftimonial from God, 
 but gives a Teftimonial to him,y^^» iii. ^i. He that 
 tath received his 'Tefiimoni^ haihfet to his Seal that God 
 is irne. Here is the Confidence and Aflurance of 
 faith ; it afts ppon an iafaiiible Teiiimooy, the. 
 
 Di? 
 
( 78 ) 
 
 JDivine Veracity and Faithfulnefs ; a ^htis fahh the 
 Lf ^ is the firm Foundition, upon which Faith is 
 jbuilt. It is 3 deceiving the Record of God ; and 
 all AQ:s of Faith ^vithouc tliis, are bnta» fo many 
 Arrows Ihot at random in the open Air. Many a 
 confident Addr;;rs does Faith make , it ventures to 
 go as far ben, a-; t^e Holy of Holies ^ by the blood of j^e' 
 fus ; Ic ventures the Soul upon the Blood of the Son 
 of God, anJ upon the Promife of a God in Chrift : 
 Here is the Boldnefs of Faith. To gather in to 
 Shilchj ard believe in him, is in tffeft to fay, I ad» 
 venture my Soul upon Nothing in the World, but 
 upon the Promife of a God, that I have provoked, 
 and been an Enemy to all my Days; I have nothing, 
 but the Word of this God ; and yet I muft adven- 
 ture upon it, even my everJafting ALL, It is an ad- 
 venturing A£t, like Pf^cT upon the boifterous Water, 
 v/ith this in his Mouth and Heart, M^fter fave me^ 
 Te.venture upon the Promile of a provoked God, 
 and to Relieve him to be a God in Chrift reconciled 
 according to his Word, upon Account of the Ran- 
 lom he hath found out, and the Propitiation he 
 hath fet furth ; here is the Boidnefs of -^aith. 
 And again, it is remarkable for its Refoluienefs ; the 
 I*erfon, like the Woman with the bloody Iffue, pref- 
 fes refclutely throughCroudsof Devils*andLafts,and, 
 V?ith an irrefiftable intenienefgof Soul,forces aPafiage 
 thro' all Obftru£tions, to get a Touch of the Sceptre 
 of King Jsfus : We are called to come witbfttU Ajfu- 
 rance ofFaithy with an holy Refolution and Courage, 
 "When a poor ts^jnhlir.g Roman approached theFm- 
 peror AugufiuSy be v^as in fome Fear ; Whftt^ fays 
 the Emperor, take you me for an Elephant that will 
 tear you ? So \ve fiiould come with Boldnefs to 
 Ghrilt. He encoiirages the v/orft of Sinners; he 
 hath given his Word for it, which is firm as the 
 Pillars of Heaven and Earth, and ftable like Moun- 
 tains of Brafs, that him that comethhe will in nowife 
 caf out : When he comes at firft, he will not cail 
 him ottt ; When he €ome« again afterwards, he will 
 
 oot 
 
i^SiSP 
 
 ( 79 ) 
 
 cot caft Iiim out ; he will not caft out the vileft ani 
 n.»ft defperate Sinner that comes; he will not caft 
 him out of his Favour now, he will not caft 
 him out of Heaven at laft : No, no, He will m m* 
 iv'tfe cafi him out. We may gather to Shiloh^ and com*. 
 V, ith the greateft Boldneis ; and welcome, welcome^ 
 welcome fhali we be for ever. In a Word, this Bold-- 
 nefs is remarkable for the Solemnity th^x. is in it, it is 
 a folemn Gathering; r The People, that gather to 
 Sbilohy come to hiri with a BebaU, Jer. iii. zt. Be" 
 hold, we come unto thee ; fcr tkoa art the Lord our Godm 
 The'Heart goes out with fome kind of Erainency and 
 Solemnity : Behold we cojne \ let Heaven and Earth be 
 "WitnefTes ; we take Inftruments, as it war^, in everjf 
 Angel's Hand, in every Creature's Hand, in every 
 Spire of Grafs's Hand, that we are come back to z 
 God in Chrift : We are fatisfied the whole Unlverfe 
 atteft, and behold what we are going to do': Not 
 that the Believer loves to biaie aUroad his Religioa 
 indecently ; no, it isefpecially a filent, fecret, Heart- 
 gathering, and Soul-approach to Shiloh ; but they 
 are fo far from being afhamed of the Match, and fo 
 -well pleafed are they witb it, that they are content 
 it be regiftrate in Heaven, and that the whole Cre- 
 ation atteft it ; Behold we come ] The Man ads "with 
 a folemn Boldnefs. ^-. '- 
 
 (8.) In this Gathering of the People to Shflo^f 
 they that are under the ConduQ: of gathering. Grace 
 and Power, are made to act regularly ; no wondet, fot 
 m Gathering to Shiloh^ their Foofjieps a\^e ordered hy tlse 
 Tuordy zndi according to his Word, the unerring Rule 
 of Faith and Manners : It is in many Refpe£ls a te- 
 gular Addrefs and Approach ; and here I fhall 
 name fome other Particulars, which I fuppofe ix^y 
 be included in the Regularity of this Approach, j^. 
 When thereis a Gathering to Shildh;th^ regular Ap" 
 proach arid" Addrefs to him is made penitentidllj ; and 
 Faith in its Addref* to him aSs p&nitentially,moiijrn' 
 'fully and tenderly, J^er, 1. 4, 5, Going and iv.ee^jr 
 ' they Jb all go aird feck the L^rd their Qod i ^I'^r'Jb- 
 
( 8o ), 
 
 Si^ ihe Way to Zlon^ iiith their "Faces ^ ihithertvard^ 
 fayintr^ Come and let us join out /elves to the Lardi Go- 
 ing and Weeping, this Manner of Gathering is not 
 inconfiltenc with the cordial and cheerful Acting, 
 that I fpoke of already j For the Tears of Gofpel- 
 repentance are Tears or Joy, and Faith's Apprehen*- 
 fion of the Mercy of God in Chrift, influences both 
 the Sorrow and the Joy : Ir is faid of New Tefta- 
 tnent Believers, //*<r. XXXV. lo, ithe ranfomed of the 
 the Lordjhall return and come to Zion with SongSy and 
 e'verUft'mg Joy upon their Heads ; they Jhail o%tain Joy 
 and Gladne/sy and Sorrow and Sighing jJoall flee away* 
 Tho' this will not take Place in its Perfedion but 
 In Heaven, yet it hath its begun Aecomplifhment ia 
 all Believers that are gathered into Sh'iloh; they ob- 
 tain Joy and GIadne(s, and legal Sorrow and Sighing 
 do flee away ; for, according to the Meafureof their 
 Faitb in Chrifl, they have Joy and Peace inbeliev* 
 ing : Yea, in him believing, they rejoice, with Joy 
 unfpeakable, and'fuii of Glory. ^ But Gofpel Sorrow 
 and Godly Sorrow does not mar the Mufick in this 
 joyful Song ; for while they look on him, whom they 
 have pierced, and mourn, Zech^ xii. lo. and fee him 
 -wounded for their iins, Ifa. Iv. 5. they fee, at the 
 fame Time, the Blood ifluing out at thefe W-o_vnds, 
 to be J uflice Satisfying Blood, Wrath-appeafing 
 Blood, Hell quenching Blood, and Heaven purchaf- - 
 ing Blood ; hence a fweet Mixture of Joy and Sor- 
 row both. Thefe feem to be joined together, Jet. 
 xxxi. 9. 'the'i Joallcome with Weepingy and with SttppU» 
 catiovs will I lead them. It may be rendered, as you 
 may fee, in the Margine of fome of yo*ir B'ih\eSyWitb 
 ' Favours will I lead them. As the Senfe of their own 
 Sins and Ingratitude makes them come v>irh Weep- 
 ing ; fo, at the fame Time, the Senfe of God's Fa- 
 vours, and Kindnefs in Chrift, makes them come 
 with Rejoicing ; for vith loving Kindnefs does he 
 draw them, and wirh favours does he lead them : O 
 ^^j frhen be favours'fuch a guiltySinner with a Pardon, 
 «i^-fucb a filthy Sinner with a Laver of Blood, fuch a 
 
 nake4 
 
(Si ) 
 
 m^keit Sinner with a Robe of Righteoufiiefs, fuch a 
 black Sinner Tvlth a beautiful Ornanieiir, fuch a Hell- 
 deferving Sinner with a Promife of Glory, fuch a 
 backfliding Bead with a merciful Vifit or Return, and 
 fuch a prodigal Wretch with a compaflionate Em- 
 bracement ; and thus with Favours does lead them. 
 O then it is hard to tell, whether the Voice of Joy, 
 or the Voice of Weeping in the Soul beloudeft. But 
 las we render it alio, it i» moft expreflive of this peni- 
 tential Addrefs, in gathering to Shihh ; with weeping^, 
 and with Supplication does be lead them. Indeed 
 Faith*s Approach is begun, maintained and nourifhed, 
 by Prayer and Supplication, faying, Lcrd I believe, help 
 T?iy Ufibelief'y Lord^ e9:cre.7fe our Faith, There are fomc 
 have a prefumptuous Faith, that can believe when 
 they wiH, without praying down the Spirit ©f Faith 
 from God ; as they can eat and drink, and fleep and 
 walk, and talk, tho* they pray not for Strength to da 
 thefe Things, fo they cinextrcife their natural pre- 
 fnn»ptuv)us haith, faying, I trulHa God's Mercy, and 
 their fdlfe Repentance, faying, God forgive me, I am 
 a great Sinn«r ;\rhey cm believe and repent, without 
 Prayer and SuppMcation for Grace and Strength to 
 do fo : But true Grace, true Faith and Repentance, 
 is attained and maintained^ in a Way of Supplication; 
 And hence true Faith does increafe and decreafe, 
 according to the Increafe and Decreafe ofthe Spirit 
 of Prayer and Supplicution. If it be not fo with 
 }ou,Man, know it, that tho' your faifeFaith may give 
 you iome falfe Peace for a while, yet when Death 
 and Eternity (tare you in the Face, then the Rotten- 
 nefs of your Faith will be dilcc^vered, the Hope of the 
 Vjypocriie will perifn. Tiiey that are gathered to 
 Shitoh^ they come with Weeping, and with Supplica- 
 tion does he lead them. I am not hereto enter. upoa 
 the Difpute, anent the Priority of Faith to Repent- 
 ance, in their natural Order, and in their Afting and 
 Eicereife ; it is well if you know both, whether you 
 know the Order or not; only, if whatfoever is not of 
 I^aith U Sioj youmayguefs what^ort §f R'epeotance 
 
 X it 
 
r 82 ) 
 
 it II that IS not of ^aith ; And when the Word of 
 God fpeaksany whereof the proper Order, let youf 
 Experience, confonant to the Word, witnefs and you'll 
 find, that fuch as the Faith is, fuch will the Repen* 
 tance be. Legal Faith works legal Repentance ; Oof- 
 pel Faith, Gofpel Repentance ; true Faith, true Re- 
 pentance. Thus, when the People of Niniveh be- 
 lieved God, then they proclaimed a Faft, and put on 
 Sackcloth, Jchtt iii. 5. when they believed his 
 Threatning,and yet that he was not irreconcileable, 
 nor implacable, then they repented. Thus, when a 
 Man believes, and apprehends that God is pacified 
 towards him, then he is confounded and afhamed, 
 -Etefe. xvi. h[t. When you have harfli Thoughts of 
 God, and no Hoj>e of Favour at his Hand, I true then 
 you'll find yo^r Heart hard like a Stone, and inflex- 
 ible ; but when you get kindly Thoughts of God, 
 and Apprehenfion of his Mercy and Good-will, and 
 JLpve to you in Chrift, then I fuppofe you will hnd 
 joyful Meltings, and Gofpel-forrow : O the Fire of 
 God's Love melts the Soul r And the Hardnefs and 
 Impenitency is healed, when the Sun of Righteouf- 
 ne(s arifes with Healing under his Wings, Mai. iv. 2. 
 The Qualities of this penitential Approach you may 
 Tee, t Cor* vii. li- And this penitential A£ling of Faith 
 runs through the whole of the Believer*^ Life, in an 
 laniverfai Teudernefs of Difpofition and Deportment, 
 according to the Meafure of Faith : And there are Sio6 
 render Things in ic which the Believer hath.(i.) He 
 hath a tender Heart, called a broken and contrite 
 Heart, broken for Sin, and from 5in ; Jofiah his Heart 
 "Was tender. (2.) A tender Confcience ; fome have a 
 Confcience feared as with a hot Iron,and that is a filent 
 -Confcience but the Penitent hath a.fmittenConfcience, 
 as David's Heart fmote him, when he cut ofl: theLop 
 ©f5j»/'s Garment. C^j^'iX tender Eye ; 'They p} all look 
 on him whom they ha^piifced, and mourn : Rivers of 
 Tears run down their Jtyes, becaufe of their own Sins, 
 and the Sins of others, who break God's Law. (4.) A 
 tend€r£ar,which being circamci fed, does hear and fear; 
 2<> this Mart mil I lookf even to him that is poor ^ anil of a 
 
 contritf 
 
( ^3 ) , 
 
 e$itlrie Hearty and trembles at tny Word. r50,A tender 
 Lip or Tongue, thai dare not lie,norfpeak prophane- 
 ly : I [aid I will t^he heed to my Ways, that I Sin not wUb 
 my 'Tongue. And, (d.) A tender Hand, that dares not 
 touch the Garment fpotted with the Flefh,but ftudies 
 to fbun all Appearances of Evil ; or, if you vill, 
 you may add, iafily, That he hath a tender Foot, 
 ftying with Hezehahy I zvill gojoftly all my Years in the 
 Bittern efs of my Soul. And this leads to another Q^ia- 
 lity of this regular Approach, zdly, U^hen there is a 
 gathering to Shiloh^ the regular Approach and Ad- 
 drefs to him is made obedient^ ally ^ as well as peniten* 
 tially ; it is an obediential Gathering : And as Faith 
 a£^$ penitentially,* fo it aSs obedientially ; j|or it 
 -works by Love, G/r/. v. 6. it purifies the Heart, y^ff J 
 x\r. (). and the Man that liath it purifies hlmfelf, even 
 as God is pure, i John iii. 5. It ftirrs irp to new Obe- 
 dience ; forFaith withoulWorks is dQ^d^James Ji. 20> 
 26. Wherever it is, it is ftill wo.king, and ir Can ho 
 more be idle than 1\\q Fire can be. It is true, we 
 are juftihed by Faith without Works, as the Apoftle 
 fays, without the Qafualiiy of Works, without the 
 Conditionality of Works, wirhoiit the Inftrumenta- 
 lity^of Works, and without the Influence of Work* 
 upon our Juftification ; but not v^ithout th^ Prefence 
 ot Works ; for jultifying Faith is a fanciifying Things 
 and natively works, as the Fire natively burns c 
 Common Faith is a dead ufelefs Faith, n^aking no 
 Change or Alteration on theSoul where it is\ but fav* 
 ing faith a£is always obedientially j hence you read 
 of the Obedience of Faith, Rom x/i. 16, importing 
 both that Faith a^s in Obedience to the Divine Call 
 et firft, and that it influences the;Soul to all the A^» 
 ot Gofpel-obedience afterwards. O, fays the return- 
 ing Sinner, that is making this obediential Addrefs to 
 a God in Chrift, I have been a fugitive. Servant to 
 the moft glorious Lord and Mafter ; f have deferted 
 his Service, and denied my Obedience ;< but now. 
 Lord, nail my Ear to thy Door-poft, that I may 
 ferve the^ for ever; nail my Heart to iby Service 
 Li thac 
 
( 84 ^ 
 
 that no*Tronble, Temptation, De/il or Derertlon 
 may drive me away from thee ; nail my Eyes to 
 thy Service, that I m.iy never look upon Vanity . 
 nail mv Hands to thy Service, that I miy never do 
 an ill Turn ; nail my Feet to thy Wiy, that I may 
 never turn afide from thee .- Let all the FnciiUies of 
 my Soul be nailed to thy Service and Obedience. 
 ^d!y^ When there is a Githering to ,V/^//o/^, the regu- 
 lar Addrels to him x% made fpeedily ; O the poor Soul, 
 thatfees itlelfreidy to drop into Hell, how fpeedily, 
 in the Day of Power, does it flee unto Chriftj! Ifiee 
 to thee to hide nre, f.iys the PfalmiH ; The Flight of 
 Faith is very quick, quick and IwiU as Ligluning, 
 that^oes from the or>e End of Heaven to t/ie other 
 in an Inftant ; fo when the Soul is on Win?;, under 
 the Influence of the Spirit of Faith, it can flee from 
 Fiarth to Heaven in a Momt^nt. But tHis Ipeejy Ga- 
 thering, I underOand e(pecially in Oppofuion to 
 Delays, which are d'.ngerous in Religion: To de'ay 
 coming to Chrill for one Half-Hour, :s dangerous ex- 
 ceedingly ; for, if you die vvithin that H jIf-Hour, 
 you're undone to Eternitv. Now, in a Day of power- 
 ful Gathering, the Soul makes no longer Delay ; but 
 is in an holy Hafle, I made Hafle and delayed rot t9 
 keep thy righteous Judgrventi. The Man is made to 
 flee with Speed, and to run with.Hifte out oi Sodom, 
 fifthly^ When there is a Gatherivig to S'oiloh^ the re- 
 gular Approach and Addrefs to him is made del be" 
 vately ; tho' ir is with Speed, yet it is with Delibe- 
 ration : Tho' none can believe roo foon by a faving 
 Faitit, yet fome believe too foon by a temporary 
 Faith never havint; weighed Matters in the BaL^ncTfe 
 of the San6^uary. The true Approacher puts the 
 Matterlin'a fiir Balance : He puts the Di 'ad vantages 
 ih one Scale, faying, v.har will be my Fare, it I 
 ctime not to Chrift ? Why, they that are far from him 
 (hall perip : He puts tiie Adv.intages in another Scale^ 
 and comes at length, ro that Concluhon, PfiL Ixxiii • 
 lafi. It is ^ocd for me th\t I draw near to God, O, of all 
 Gatherings, the Gathering to Shiloh is belt; To u^h:*oi 
 Jhall I go? Hs hatbtbe IV^rds^of sternal Lift The Man 
 
 IS 
 
( 85 ) 
 
 IS not affecieJ only with a rranfierit Fbfh ; no, he 
 fees the wicked oft in Profpericy, and the Godly in 
 Adverflty; he fees the Jarge and alluring OlFers that 
 Sin, il.itan, and the VV'orld mike ; and yet afcer all, 
 he deliberately affirms, it is good for me to draw 
 near to God and ChrilK- Let others fay as Pfal. iv. 6. 
 Who Willfiezv us any Good? But my Say fhall be. Lord 
 lift thou up the Light of thy Countenance on me. 5f'''^j'» 
 When there is a Gathering lo Shilob^ the regular Ap- 
 proach and Addrefs is made chajlly, and uprightly : 
 The Soul views the Saying, that Chrift came to fave 
 Sinners from Sin and Wrath, not only as a faithful^ 
 Saying, but as worthy of all Acceptation ; becaufe 
 the Beanry of Cluill :s difcovered. Some have their 
 Reafon conquered, but not iheir Love ; aftd there- 
 fore they come to Chrift feignedly, and not with the 
 ■whole Heart ; their Judgment draws one Wayt and 
 their Affections another ; for their Judgment is gained, 
 but not their Affeftions ; As if one fhould marry a Wo- 
 man, not bee uzfe ot her Beauty, but becaufe of her 
 Patrimony; n'^t from Love to her Perfon, but Love 
 to her Portion. Some take on with Chrift, and taka 
 Hold of the Skirt of this y?::;, who yet fee no Form oi> 
 Comelivefs in him. for 'vk'ch he fljonUbe dejlred. But as it 
 is faid, The Upright hve thee ; fo they that iu gather- 
 ing to him a&chaftly and uprightly, tliey come to 
 him out of pure Lo/e, not for fervile Ends, not to 
 gratifie a natural Confcience, not for Fear of Hell 
 only, but from a great Love to him, and a juft £- 
 fteem of him, and a'ftron;; Defire of Fellowfhip with 
 him. The Man is content to come to Chrift on Mount 
 Calvary^ as well as on Mount Tabor ; when going t^ 
 Golgotha in Ignomin)', as well as in riding to Jirufit^ 
 lem in Triumph ; He cleaves to him, when People 
 cry, Avjay with him, away -zvith him\ crucifie him ; as 
 well as when ihey cry , H^fanna to the ■ Son of David, 
 He loves him when lying in i Grave, as we'l as when 
 mounted on a Throne. The cnaft and uprighi: 
 Comer cleaves to him, when Kings and Princes are 
 
 agaiuft 
 
•iSigainfti.him, "whe^Laws and Governments are againf^ 
 him, when Potentates and Parliatnents are againft 
 him, as well as when they feem to be upon his Side. 
 It is too true indeed, chat there are manjr unchalt 
 Thoughts, and Looks and JLuftinj^s after Idols in the 
 Hearts of true Believers, and many Defeftions and 
 Declinings may take Place ;. but thefe are wreftled 
 •with and oppofed by them, and that not only by 
 their Light and Confcience, but by their Love aiid 
 Affe£iion to the Lord Jefus, faying, OJhall I thus rer 
 quite the Lord ? So that in the main they are upright. 
 But, to the fame Purpofe, 6ihly, When there is a 
 <aathering of the People to Shiloh^ the right and regu- 
 lar Approach and Addrefs to him isma 'e int'irely and 
 undividedly. Falfe and hypocritical Comers they 
 come with a divided Heart to a divided Chrill ; but 
 true Comers with a whole Heart to a whole Chrift. 
 TheLegaiift would marry Chrift, while yet his'other 
 Husband the Law is not d^ad to him, nor he dead to 
 it; but it is an adulterous and unlawful Match, to 
 join with another Husband while the firft is living; 
 Hence true Believers in Chrift are faid to be dead to 
 the Law by the Body of Chrfi^ Kom, vii. 4. that they 
 might he married to another, Sec* And God cafts dowii 
 the old Building, turns him out of that Shelter, lets 
 him fee all his legal Duties, beft Performances, and 
 inoft glaring Graces, are but Pig-leaves, infufficient 
 to cover his Nakednefs; and difcoversthe Necelfity, 
 Excellency and Glpry of Chrift'sRighteoufnefs ; And 
 she Man fubmits cordially fco it, renouncing all Hope 
 and ExpcSation ot Life, Favour and Juftification by 
 the Deeds of the Law. The carnal Man would have 
 Chrift and his Lufts too ; But ifyoufeeh me^ fays Chrifl, 
 let thffe ^0 their Way. Gathering Grace makes the 
 Man fay. What haije I to do avy more iv'ith Idols ? The 
 covetous Man would have Chrift and the World too; 
 Chrift fatisfies his Confcience, and he flees to him 
 for that ; the World fatisfies his Heart, and he 
 flees to it for that : But in the Day of gathering 
 Vower, thehtnptinefs of the World is difcovered, 
 
 f 
 
 j 
 
( 8? ) • 
 
 and tbe Man fells all for rhePearl of great PrIce.T he 
 Man that comes toClirift,he comes for all thefe four 
 Things] I Cor. i. 30. for Wifdom^ Right eoufnefsy SanHi" 
 f cation y and Redsmptiort ; He comes to him as a Pr^ 
 pbet for Wifdom, as a Friefi for Righteoafnefs, as 3 
 King^ot San£lification, and as his AU'm all for com- 
 plete Redemption : And he can want nori« of thefe, 
 becaufe he knows his own Foolifbnefs, Guiltinefs, 
 Filthinefs, and Mifery. The true Believer dares noc 
 divide Righteoufnefs from San6iification, oor Pat- 
 don from Purity ; yea, becomes to Chrift for Re- 
 miffion of Sin for the right End. What is that ? 
 Namely, that, being freed from the Guilt of Sin, 
 he may be freed from the Dominion of ir. Know- 
 ing that there is Forgivenefs with him that he majr 
 be f^eared, he does not believe Remiflion of Sin that 
 be may indulge himfelf in the Commiffion of it: 
 No, no ; the Blood of Ghrift, that purges the Conf- 
 cience from the Guilt of Sin, does alfo parge the 
 Cpnfcience from dead Works to ferve thelivingGod, 
 Heb, ix. 14. TKey that come to Chrift regularly 
 then, they come fo to him for Righteoufnefs,- that 
 they may have him alio for Sanftiftcation ; other- 
 wife the Man does not really dedre the Favour and 
 Enjoyment of God> or to be in Friendfhip with him 
 who is a holy God. As the true Lover loves iiim, 
 not only becaule he is good and merciful, but be- 
 Ciufe he is a pure and holy JESUS ; fo the true Be- 
 liever employs Chrift for making him holy as well 
 as hippy ; and hence draws Vertne from him for 
 killing of Sin, and quicltning the Soul in the Way of 
 Duty : And indeed the Faith that can never keep yon 
 ' from a Sin, wilt never keep you out ot Hell ; and 
 • the Faith that cannot carry yon to a Duty, will noc 
 carry you pHeaven. Juftitying Faith is a (anftifying 
 Grace, it improves Chrift undivideJly. 'Tis true,aa 
 itfan£lities it does not juftify ; but that Faith that 
 juftifies, does alfofan^ify : As the Sun that enligh- 
 tens bach Heat with it, but it is not Heat oi the Sun 
 that cnlin;hcens,but the Light thereof; fo that Faith 
 tkn juftities hath .'.ove and Saa^ity with it, but it 
 
 is 
 
<- 88 ) 
 
 is not the Love and Sanftity that juftifies butFaith 
 as clofing with Chrift. "jthlyy When there is a Ga- 
 thering of the People to Shiloh^ the regularApproach 
 andAddrefs to him is made exclujlvely^ excluding all 
 other Saviours, all other Helps, all other Props, 
 faying, I will make Mention of thy Right eoufnefsj ani 
 vf thine only, Pfal. Ixxi. 16. To depend partly upon 
 Chrift and partly upon our own Rlghteoufnefs, is 
 to fet one Foot upon firm Ground, and another 
 upon Quickfand. If a Man fet one Foot upon aRock, 
 and another upon the deep "Water, and lean to them 
 both with equal Weight, yea, if he give any of his 
 Weight to the Foot that is on the Water, he will be 
 fure to fink into the Deep ; fo here : Therefore, in 
 the Day of Gathering to Chrilt, the Soul is brought 
 to fzysjurefy in the Lord only h:ive I Ri^hteoufnefi and 
 Strength^ Ifa. xlv. 24 Thus Vaul excludes the belt 
 jLighteoulnefs that ever he had, either before or af- 
 ter Converfion, from the Matter of his Juftification, 
 Phil iii. S, 9. When )i^ compares his beit Kighteouf- 
 nefs with Chrift's, he looks upon it zs a Dunghill, a 
 linking Dunghill where there is no'Pleafure, and a 
 finking Dunghill where there is no ft^nding. Su?;h 
 is our Righteoulnefs, if it be rot'excluded from 
 our Juftification before God, and Acceptance with 
 him. If we go about to eltablifh our own Righ- 
 tcoufnefs, it ftinks in the Divine Noftrils .as Dung : 
 And rot only fo, but it is a finking Ground to (land 
 upon, there's no firm Footing ; the more a Man leans 
 to it, the more he finks in it. Chrift's Blood is the 
 only Sacrifice of a fweet-fmelling Savour to God ; e- 
 verySaciifice ftinks, that is not perfumed therewith .• 
 Chrift's Righteculnefs is rhe only fure Foundation 
 and firm Ground for ftanding upon before God. A» 
 tl.e Way of Sin is a finking Way, fo the Way of Self 
 lighteoufnefs is little better ; for the Sin that is in 
 Man's belf Righteournef:j trips up his Heels, and 
 lays him in the Pitt, where he finks to He!J, if he be 
 not broi^ght to build upon a furer Ground, and to 
 take a better Way. 8^/./y, When there is a Gnther- 
 ijg to ^/.</c^, the regiilai Approach and addiefs to 
 
 hiis 
 
. ( ^9 ) 
 
 him is made progrejftvefyj as alfo peremptorily and ir- 
 leverfibly, faying, as Pfal, Ixxx. 1 7. Henceforth ils nvi/i 
 fiot go hack, O, afier we have tafted the Bitcernersof 
 Sin, and the Bitternefs of Wrath, after the Wings of 
 bur Souls have been finged with the Flames of Hell ^ 
 after the Arrows ofConviftion fhot out of the Bow 
 <ot Omnipotence have pierced our Souls, fo as no Man, 
 Minifter or Angel, could pull them out ; Chrift • 
 did it with his own Hand, and therein manifefted 
 his powerful Grace, as being the Kian of God's right 
 Hand ; fhall we again turn our Back upon him. Noj 
 henceforth thro* Grace we will not go back. The 
 true Believer comes to Chrift fo as never to part with 
 him, faying, as Ruth to Naomi^ Ruth i. i^. htreat me 
 fjot to leave thee^ or to return from foUowhg after thee : 
 For whither thou goeji^ [ will go ; and where thou lodgefiy 
 I will lodge : "Thy J'eople Jljall be my People^ and thy God 
 iny God. Nothing Jhall part thee and me. Yea, the Man j 
 having once come to Chrift, is ay coming nearer 
 and nearer to him, i Fet. ii. 4. 1*0 whom c§ming as to 
 a living Stone ^ ye are built up a fplritual Houfe\ The 
 Building goes up gradually, and is ftill going for- 
 ward. Some Profeffors are like the Mill-wheel, it 
 goes round, yet ftill it ilands in the fame Place 
 where it was: They go the round of Duties, ana 
 Morning and Evening Prayers, and attend Sabbath 
 and Weelc-days Sermons, which is well done ; but 
 they are at a Stand, they are the fame now, thafc 
 they were. Ten, Twenty Years ago, if not worfe. 
 But, in gathering to Shilohy the Pebple are made to 
 advance nearer aiid nearer to Heaven, gettiag more 
 Knowledge, more Experience, more Hatred of Sin, 
 more Love and Likenefs to Chrift. It is true, the 
 Saints themfelves have their Winter-decays, but they 
 have alfo their Summer-revivings that fet them for- 
 ward again. And thus the Path of the Jufi is as the 
 ~ ining Light^ which (himth more and more to a perfeH 
 aj. 
 
 M tftXH 
 
( 9.0 ) 
 
 tiFTH HEAD. 
 The Fifth general Head propofed, was, To fpeak o^ 
 the fpecial Seafons, wherein this Gathering of the 
 i*eople to Skilob does take Place. When fliall this 
 Gathering be? Why, in general, when 5i://i>i' is come, 
 thenfhall the Gathering of the People be to him : 
 And there are two remarkable Seafons of kis Coming, 
 that the Text intends, namely, his Coming in the 
 Tlejhf and his Coming in the Spirit. Now, his Coming 
 in the Flefh, I fpoke of in the Explication ; and his 
 Coming in the Spirit, i fpoke o^, when I fhewed by 
 what Means this Gathering is brought about: Parti- 
 cularly the gathering Wind of the Spirit, when he 
 gathers the dead Sinners, as it were, out of their 
 Graves; according to that Word,Ci?m« from thefcur 
 fVtndj^ Br eai by and breathe upon thefe Jlain^ that tbey 
 may Vncy Ezek. xxxvii. 9. ChrilVs Coming in the Flefh 
 was the Beginning, and Commencement of the New 
 Teftament Difpeniation, v.hich is to laft till his fe- 
 cond Coming ; and during the whole of that Difpen- 
 fation, there will be a Gathering of the Gentiks, a 
 Gathering of the People to him. Chrift's Comiog iri 
 the Spirit, is the very eflScient Caufe of all the ipi- 
 ritual and etfeciual Gatherings, that do take Place 
 under that Difpenfarion ;*and therefore, his Coming 
 in the Spirit, to convince the ^f^urld of Sin f Rigkteoufnefs 
 and jfudgmsnt, is ptomiCed for that End, John xvi. 8. 
 'His Coming thus is like the gathering Sho-vver fpoken 
 of, Pf.iL Ixxii. 6. Hi jh ill corm djiun like Rain upon the 
 moiuenGrafsy as Showers that Water the Earth ; where- 
 upon a Garhering enCaes, Ver. S. His Kingdom ^allbe 
 from Sea to Sea, and from the River t» the Ends of the 
 Earth, "tciy that dvjsli in the ^f^ildsrne[s Jhall ho'jj before 
 him, and bis Enemies fb til lick the Bufi, The Kings of 
 'Tarfhifi and the LjUs jh tH bring Prefents, the Kings of 
 Sbeoa and S^oa fuill o^ir Gifts ; and all Nations fijall 
 ferve him. O cry for a gathering Shower of the 
 Spirit's laving Influences and Operations; for there 
 Fill bAno Gaihering cill thea. Sue more pardcular- 
 
 ir 
 
* ( 91 ) • 
 
 ly, the gathering Seafons may be confiierei urxler 
 a fourfold View. \fi. \<':ih Relation to the pablick 
 and remarkable Garhericg of the Church in gene* 
 ral. idt^. Tv'irh Relation zo the inirial Gathering 
 of Sinner*in particular. ;.?V>, Wirh Relation to the 
 progrellive Gathering yf ? ' ' >• Vs'ith Re- 
 
 lation to the confumate G^ . _ r,e Siints. 
 
 1/?. The gathering Seasons may be crnfidered, 
 with Relation to the pubiick and r^maik-b^e Garhe- 
 ring of the Church in general. Ar..^ r'ere zts j:yr 
 or j^Vff Seafcci, that hare b-en very rem^rka^le, for 
 publick and numerons Gatherirgs af the People to 
 Shihh. As^(\.) R^fmrmingTi^-cj, :n the Church, have 
 been gathering Times, under the po^£rf"ul influence 
 of the Spirit of God acccmpunyir^ Retormacion 
 Work, and leading forv-ard thereunto. Thui v."as it 
 in the Days of H^Zr-^uZ-, vhe" . Mulrirudtr, h^^ic^ 
 deftroyed the Altars of Id ri Hrzeiiab hzw 
 
 ing joined fervent Prayers 7-::r rmirg Mea- 
 
 fures, the Lord harkned to Hf^. . ,_:.-: reiled 'he 
 People, 2 Chris, xxx. ic. Kefcrmir.g Trfv have 
 been remarkable gathering Times, in Hr;:.:./; ^rJ Ire' 
 land. The Lord brought GofpeMight very eai ly, par- 
 ticularly in^o S:otJar..i^ by v-hich our Forc-fatbeis 
 Viere delivered from Heathenifm and Paganifm : And 
 "we v."anted no: forae Gofpel-light, for the Space of 
 five hundred Years after Chrift ; Aboct v.hich Time, 
 Popery came to put in its Foot among us, 'v^heri 
 one FaiUMns wasfent from Rsn-.s to corrupt us.' And 
 tho* there was a ftrenuous Oprc"^:.--, for feveral 
 hundred Years after tha:, agairJa /j Rites and 
 
 Hierarchy ; ye: Popil>- Darknei's ^id gradually cver- 
 ipread thefe Lands, till it came to the gr32tel^ He;ghr, 
 in the Space of a thcufzr.d Years ; after v-hich Time, 
 to vit,in thp/jtcf/r.^c Cei.tury, 1 mean a thcufand 
 five hundred Years after Chrift, which v-as the 
 Reformation Period ; and now, about two hundred 
 Years ago, the Lord v»a$ pleafed to make Reforma- 
 tion-Light to arife, by ftirring up eminent Inftra- 
 mienis to pjeach the Gofpel clearly, acd to put t» 
 M z Ueif 
 
{ 9^ .) ^ 
 
 ^helr Hands z-ealoufly to Reformat ion-work ; efper 
 CxtXX"^ ivi Scotland,^ even to the Extirpation of Popery, 
 Prelacy, and Eraftianifm, and the folemn Renuncia- 
 tion thereof, and of all heretical and Se£larian Er- 
 rors, whether in Doftrine, Worlhip, Difcipiine or Go- 
 vernment. Then it was, that Minifters were clothed 
 •with Righteoufnefs and Salvation, and vvere eminent 
 jn their taithfulnefs toGod, in hisTruth and Interefts, 
 and xeaious againft Sin, and all Luke-waxmnefs ia 
 the Lord's Caufe: Then it was that the Reprefenta- 
 rive Body of the Nation put to their Hand for the 
 Reformation thereof : Then it ^yas, that ScotUnA 
 particularly war famed thro* the "World, under the 
 Name oi P H IL AV E L P HI A j'becauie of the Pu- 
 rity of its Reformation, having left all the Rags of 
 Popery behind it in the Grave, from whence it arofe; 
 which could not be faid of many other Churches, 
 particularly of our Neighbour Church of England : 
 For as Lazarus came out of the Grave, bound Hand 
 and Foot, and his Face bound about with a Napkin, 
 fo was it vj'nhEngland in their firftReformation.lt was 
 indeed like a Refurreftion from the Grave, in the 
 Days of King Edward and Queen Elizabeth ) but yet 
 they came out of this Grave, bound Hand and Foot 
 with their Grave-cloths, bringing many Things out 
 with them, which they fhould have left behind, efpe- 
 cially all thefe Ceremonies, Superftitions, and Modes 
 pi Worfhip andGoverpment, wherein they fymbolixe 
 v;ith the Church of Rome, and which they brought 
 along with them, when they left her : Thefe Grave- 
 Clothes they have notcaftoiFto this Day. And alas| 
 luany in Scotland are fond of borrowing from them 
 fome of their old Garments, which fmell of the Pri- 
 fon of Popery, which they left. But with Refpeft 
 to Scotland's Reformatioh'Days, asChrift, when he 
 arofe from the Dead, left all his Linnens and Grave- 
 clothes behind him; fo he helped Scotland in rifing 
 cutof theGraye of Popery, to rife and reform fo pure- 
 ly, as to leave all the Rags of Popery, to be buried 
 in the Grare from whence tbey arofe. And then in 
 
 tl)ef« 
 
( 93 ) 
 
 thefc Days it was, that the Work of the Lordprof- 
 pered, the Gofpel floariihed» Iniquity was made td 
 ftop its Mouth , our Church was glorious to all Be- 
 holdei's, and terrible to her Enemies, as an Army 
 with Banners, and Multitudes of People were gathe- 
 red to Shihh. But, alas ! one of the great Reafons^ 
 -why there are fo few gathering to Shiiob now, is top 
 plainly this, that 5leformaiion-wark is much at 3 
 Stand,littleReformationZeal and Spirit among Ma- 
 gifteates, Minifters, or People, as it is hid,, Nehi hi. 
 ^.jthe Nobles of Teko^h d'id n§t put their Neekes to th$ 
 Work of the Lord : Yea, Deformity, Defilement, Cor- 
 giption^nd Defeftion, inftead of Reformation is too 
 SljAble in our Day, wherein many Pollutions have 
 Slept into our Do^rine, much Defilement into our 
 ijrqrihip, Partiality and Pithlefsnefs into our Difci- 
 pline, and Tyranny and Diforder in the Church-Go- 
 vernment ; manifold Incroachments mide upon the 
 Liberties of the Lord's People, and the Privileges of 
 the Lord's Houfe, too well known thit we ne^d tp 
 mention them all ; infomuch that the '7^ty Founda- 
 tions are ready to fliake, and the Garden is muc^ 
 grown over with Weeds. O cry for the Return of 
 Reformation days ; for till then, there is but little 
 Hope of remarkable Gatherings of the People to Shi- 
 hh : And as Chrift commanded his Difciples to un- 
 bind LazaruSy when he was raifed out of the Grave, 
 and to take away his Grave clothes ; fo feek tha 
 Lord may come, and take away whatever is oppo- 
 •fite to the Doctrine, Worfhip,Difcipline and Govern- 
 ment cf his Houfe^ and to the perfe£iing of the Work 
 of Reformation, and whatever tends to hinder ir. 
 ButMgain, (^i.) Covenantlng*Ttmes in theChurch,have 
 been gathering Times,asyoumay fee in the Time of 
 ^ojiahy 1 Kings xxiii. 5. when the People made a Co- 
 venant, to walk after the Lord, with all their Heart 
 and Soul, and all the People ftood to the Covenant, 
 Thus it was with thefe Lands, when, after the Re- 
 formation, all Ranks were brought into holy and 
 folemri Covenarits with God : In thofe Days the L©rd 
 delighted in us^ and oiu Land was m|rr;ed to him.; 
 
 vvhei 
 
C 94 ) 
 
 when, with uplifted Hand 5, we fwore Allegiance t# 
 him; and abjar^jd all Rivals wit'i him in his Go* 
 vernment .• Never a Marion \\ .s more folemnly 
 bound to the Lord hy national Covenants, in the 
 j^th Century, the 80;^ and 81/ Yeas thereof; and 
 renewed again and ajrain in the i6:h Century, the 
 58/^ and 39^.^ Years thereof, aqd in Uter Times al» 
 fo, together with the Solemn League afterwar s, fqr 
 fnithering the Ends, Defigns and Obh-jfions qf the 
 former. I know indeed fome difpiUv^, aft(^ .'er»y the 
 Obligition of thefe Covenants upon PoUefftf : B«t 
 as good J'fi:jh brought b^ck the People, arflcaufe^- 
 them to Ibrd to the Co/enanr of their f ifllVi^ # 
 €hron. xxxiv. 32. fo we find, tl ir religious CoTg^ta^ 
 in Scripture comprehend qbfent, as well as preftil^ 
 and Pofterity to come, as well as the covenantfUpf 
 Fore-fnthers, Dtut. xxix. 14, 15, 22, 24, 25. Now, 
 our folemn Covenants, that our Forefathers entred 
 intO| being Nothing but a fuperadded, and accumu^ 
 Native Obligation, to what we were previoufly bound 
 to by the Word of God, they cannot but ftand bind- 
 it^ upon us their Pofterity. But as thefe covenanting 
 X)ays were Gathering Days, wherein many flocked 
 in to Shiloh.znd whereinGod appended his Seal to the 
 covenanted Work of Reformation, by a nume|:ous Ac- 
 ceflion of Souls to the Mejfiasy under the Influence of 
 the powerful Spirit of God, blefling his Word and 
 Ordinances to their Converfion ; fo our^ Covenants 
 breakingDaySjOn the other Hand, are-far from being 
 gathering Days. Little Wonder, when we have Oc-' 
 cafion to lament, that our Covenant hath, been bro* 
 ken, and burnt, and byried ; and, if our Covenant- 
 breaking be not duly lamented, and covenantedRe- 
 formation revived, we haveGround to expe£i theX-ord 
 will fend a Sword, a dreadful Judgment, to avenge 
 the Quarrel othisCovenant. Till there be a remark- 
 able Reviving hereof,we can hardly expe£^ a remark^ 
 able Gathering of the People to Shiloh, (3,) Confejftng 
 *TtmiS, in the Church, have been gathering Times ; 
 Times of h««lble acknowledg;ing of perfonal and na- 
 tional Guilt, ts you fee, Ez/^f\'nu 2$. & ix. 7. and 
 
 down' 
 
( J>5 ) 
 
 downwards, eompareti with Chap, x. i, a, 3. Ifo ■ 
 Doubt, there were better Days oftheGofpel, inRe-" 
 fped of the Power thereof, with us than now,\vhe» 
 there was a publick and fofemn Acknowledgment of 
 publick Sins, and Breaches of Covenant ; fuch a«^ 
 you have an Account of in the ordinary Confejpons of 
 Faith among your«Hands. But in our Days, we feem 
 to be fo far from taking with our publick Sins an* 
 Defe^ions, that we are rather upon the Self-jofti- 
 fying Lay, as if we had done nothing amifs', and a» 
 if Matters had never been better with us. May we 
 not hereupon conclude, that the Lord is fpeaking to 
 ust'as he did of old to Judahy Jer, ii. 54, 35. BeJsoli 
 I will plead with theet hecaufe thou fayefi^ I have not 
 pnned ; ^^^hile our Mother-Church is not duly 
 taking with her Sin, how can we expefl: a, remark- 
 able Gathering of her Children to Shiloh* Whereas if 
 our uncircumcifed Hearts were humbled, and that wo 
 were confefllng our Iniquities, and the Iniquitie^R of 
 GUI' Fathers, thea we might expeft the Lord would 
 yet remember his Covenant, and heal our Land, as 
 it is, heV' XX vi. 40, 41, 42* Not that publick Re- 
 formings, Covenantings and Confeflings have any 
 meritorious Influence upon, or are procuring Caufes 
 of remarkakle Gathetingsunto Sbilob ; only in this 
 Method and Order he ufes to work, preparing the 
 Way of the People, Ifa, Ivii. 14. and Ixii. 10. He 
 gathers out the Stones, lifts up a Standard for the 
 Peoplejand then foUoV'S the Gathering of the People 
 to him i Therefore, while none of thefe National 
 Kevivings or pubiitk Acknowledgments of our own 
 and our Forefathers Iniquities, appear ; little won- 
 der, that, inftead of a Gathering of the People to 
 Shiloh^ we fee Clouds gathering in our Sky, an^ 
 more and. more National Bondage and Thraldom 
 taking Place. We walk contrary to God, and God 
 walks contrary to us, and will punifh feven times 
 more for our Iniquitiesu Therefore, if yoii would 
 wifh for a remarkable fathering, O cry for a re- 
 markable Outpouring of the Spirit of Repentance 
 
( 9«^ ) 
 
 ah4 Reformatton, whereof there is fo h'ttle to be 
 feeninChurch orState in our Day. O feek for a 
 Return of his departedGlory,and that our Land may 
 not be called ho-ammi and Lo-ruhamahy as it is faid, 
 Bof i. but rather Ammi and Ruhamahy Hof. ii. and 
 that we may be called H^phzibah and Beulah Ifa. Ixii. 
 4. th4ttbe Lord may yet delight in us»and ourLand 
 niay yet again be married. But, i^.)Sufferi77g and Con^ 
 tendit7g Times in the Church have been remarkable 
 gathering Times. It was in Time of Perfecution and 
 Suffering of the-Qhurch, that fuch great Numbers of 
 People were converted and gathered in to Chrift in 
 the primitive Ages, as you fee, ABs iv. 4. Times of 
 Contending for the Faith have been Times of Con* 
 veening to Chrift thegloriousObjeft of Faith ; Yea* 
 fcattering Times have been gathering Tinies, when 
 the Lerd hath fcattered his Servants abroad, that, 
 by the Preaching of the Word in every Airth to - 
 "wh^ch they were fcattered, there might be a Ga- 
 thering of the People to SUhh^ as you fee it was, 
 ij^i viii. 4. and particularly AHs yd* 19, 20. zu 
 Thus the Jewifh Perfecution firft, and then the pri- 
 mitive Pagan Perfecutions next ; efpecially the^fe- 
 cond under Domitiafjy which was about the ^^th 
 Year of Chrift ; and the 9th and lotb under-4«re/i- 
 us and DitcUfian^ as Hiftorians relate, were the very 
 Means of bringing the Gofpel firft to Scotland ^"^hiX^ 
 eminent Men fled from theie dreadful Tempefts 
 unto this Laad, and fo planted the Gofpel here. 
 Suffering Times, perfecuting Times, and hiding 
 Times, have been gathering Times in the Churchs 
 Some old Perfons here, perhaps, have been Witnef- 
 fes to Days of Power in the Time of Perfecution, in 
 the late fuffering Times inScttland. Our Fathers have 
 told us, how the Lord appeared for them and with 
 them, when Men weie appealing moft bloodily a- 
 gainft them : They have heard the beft News from 
 Heaven, when they heard the w«rft from Earth. God 
 many Times fmiles moft upon hisChurchj when the 
 World frowns moft againft them: When theCawfe ani 
 Ymths of Chrift are moft oppofe4 by Men, God 
 
 . ttfuallf 
 
1 ?7 ) , , 
 
 DfualTy puts the mol! remirkable Ssal to them upon 
 the Hearts of many. Some can fay, '^hen they ,^e^e 
 tonrendingmoft for the.Truth, then H^e Loni h;itli 
 made the Trnrh mod fWeetattJj retrkLifuI to them- 
 felves> and ,mort powerful and efli^acior.'? to. otheis, 
 E^e.a a Time of Bonds hath been a Tiine of beget- 
 Cing Children to God ; jliind Onetinia;., -u^ham I ha^f^ 
 legotten in my Bonds, fay&TP^w/, in, the loch Verfe of 
 hisEpiftle to Phiiemo.», Indeed., the Lord*s gather- 
 ing Time is not .confined to fiiifering Periods of the 
 Church • ioT gioriouf Things are f^okeA,-of Zton the City 
 ej GodytvQVi at other Times, tbat thi's Man and that 
 Man w/ts botn there j and I know that it can be faid 
 of our Ziony wichont looking m.-iny Years back, that 
 this Man and that Mantthis; Wt^manand chat Woman 
 was born there. But ^ fpeak of retnarkable Gather- 
 ings, where it can be faid, not only this Man and 
 that Man, but this Multitude and that Multitude, 
 was born there. A"d O for a Tinr.e of the Gather* 
 ing ofMuhiiudes to G.hnft .' I'erhups fad and iuifr-r- 
 jng Days muft come again before we have fucb ga»» 
 theringjDays, and there may be terrible SuffvT.nj^s 
 before there be remark ihle Gatherings; for he whofe 
 Pan is in his Hand, iU//»f. iii. 12. does'ulual'y pur^e 
 his Floor before he. gather in his Wheat. i5,ut as the 
 bay ©f Calamity in it felf is not to be dciired ; fo, 
 that we ffvay not be hopelefs in the mean Time, i 
 I would. further tell you,that the Ci)urc'»^ b.ickflid- 
 ing Times have beenGod*s gathering Times, ac-jord* 
 ing to Jer. iii. 14. ^«r», bacl:JHding Cfu!i{ren, fay^ 
 the Lord^ for I am married unto pu ; ai:d I i:;ill tahejoa 
 one of a C/'/y, and two of a Family ^ and himi^y:u to zi^n. 
 There is a Call in a backfiiding Time ; but lee vm. 
 ^2. whetfS there is nor only agai.iering Call, but a 
 gathering Power accompanying;^ the Call, eyea at a 
 Time wherein they had pervtrted their Way^J, and 
 forgotten the Lord their (Bod : Return ye backfuditi^ 
 Children , and I will heal yoMrEaclrjlidi}7gs\ and then it fol-> 
 lows. Behold -zjre come unto the^y forjhou art the Lord 
 ^ur^od. Behold a Gathering of the Per.pl«* ^noShi- 
 
( 98 ) 
 
 kh in a backfliding Time ! O then, let backfllding 
 Scotland fay, Behold we come ! O let bickfliding 
 Sinners fay, Behold we come ! O that the Hearts of 
 Hearers were faying, Behold we come ! O there is no 
 national Reformation. can take Place till there- ba 
 perfonal Reformation : Ifperfonal returning to the 
 Lord were general and univerfal, then there would 
 be a national Rerurninp;. Therefore, if you would 
 wifh to fee a national Reviving, let every Perfon put 
 in tor a Share of gathering Power and Grace, faying, 
 Turnmey and I pall be turned; Drazu mcy and I pail 
 run: And, under the ConduQ: of drawing Power, let 
 us fay, Behold ive come to thee, for thou art the Lord our 
 God. Hath your perfonal Backfliding, Man, Woman, 
 been great and grievous ? Hath this been your Dif- 
 cafe all your Days, a backsliding Heart, a backflid- 
 ing Nature, a bickfliding Practice, a Bentnefs to 
 Backfliding in Thought, Word and A£ticn? Is that 
 your Difeafe,th3t you're a bickslidingHeifer,a back- 
 sliding Devil, that, it may be, thinks the Difeafe is 
 defperate and incurable ? O let me afl'ure you that 
 there is a Heuler come here toDay, that fays, / will 
 healyour Backjledings ; and he will not fay the Thing 
 that he cannot do. And while his Mercy is faying, 
 I will heal your Backslidings, let your Heart be fay- 
 ing, Lord, I'll come to thee for that Healing, for 
 that is my Difeafe, and there is none in the World 
 needs it fo much as I : The Church and Nation 
 need to have their Backflidings healed ; but 1 am 
 the particular Perfon that needs it moft of all : Heal 
 me, and 1 fhall be healed ; Behold, I come to thee 
 fjor that End. Is your Heart faying fo ? Then wel- 
 come be all Comers; welcome, welcome, v. el- 
 come ; H/w tiyat comes f I will in nowife'' (aji cut . 
 Nay, he will in nowife caft up your former backsli- 
 dings, but heal you, without upbraiding you ; for 
 he pjves liber ally and upbraids not. I will heal your Back- 
 Jlidivgs : It is Ipoken without Limitation, either of 
 former or future Backflidings ; and therefore the 
 Fear of backsliding again, needs not difcourage you 
 from c*min^;to him ; your former Backslidings will 
 
 not 
 
( 99) 
 
 not cafl you out: And the' you backslide again,yet 
 he will not cstf^ you oS ; He may vifit jouy Iniquity with 
 the Rod, but his Lovin^-hndnejs zvill be not take aivay 
 No, he will in nowife caft you out. Backslidings: 
 fliall never part him and you, for hi, will heal your 
 Bickslidings ; / willhealyour Eac'kjlidings , It hath a 
 Refpefi to t!ae future, as well as the prefenf Time ; 
 not to encourage your Sinning for the future,no, no; 
 but to encourage Sinners to come, notwithftanding 
 of their Fears of future Fallings : This fhall be my 
 office and Employment, fo long as you labour under 
 thit Difeale of Backsliding, whicli will be till you 
 come, to th.xt Land, where the Inhabitants pall not fay^ 
 / amfick : Now, till you come theie, Til ay be a Phy- 
 {ician and Hea'er to you, to give you my healing 
 "Word, my healing Blood^my healing Vifits fromTime 
 to Time, and to arife like the Sua of Righteoufnefs 
 with Healing under my Wings from Day to Day c 
 Therefore come, backsliding Soul, a.»d let me have 
 all your Hmployment from Day to D.iy. O is your' 
 Heart hy'mg. Behold we come \ Then, bleffed be the 
 Comers, tho' they have been Backsliders. The Peo- 
 ple, that muft be gathered to Shiloh, are a bJickslid- 
 ing People ; and if it were not fuch, it would be 
 none of Adam's Race, for they areall fmitten with 
 the fame Difeafe ; therefore all the Backsliders here 
 are invited to be Comers. Come and we'come in 
 the Name oi Shiloh, to whom theGathering muftbe; 
 and in his Blefled Father's Name,come and welcome. 
 And if there beany Comers here, then Glory, Glory 
 to God, that, notwithftanding all that is amifs in the 
 Church ot Scotland ^ yet it is a gathering Time ; not- 
 withftanding all our Backslidings, yet iris a gathe- 
 ring Seafon. Thus I have confidered the gathering 
 Seafons with relation to the remarkable Gathering 
 of the Church in general. 
 
 zdly ^The gathering Seafonsmay becon{idered,vith 
 Relation to the i«/>i*?/Gathering otSinners in particu- 
 lar ; when he begins to gather in Sinners to himfelf, 
 O tJie Freedom and Sovereignty of hi* Grace, thai 
 N 5 ' (hinei 
 
(. lOo ) 
 
 IViines in \ht Seafons and Times oF Qathering » for 
 fome he gathers ar the third Hour,Ai4/. xx. 5. feme 
 at the ftxth Hour, and fome ar the ninchHour, Ver,'^, 
 yea fome at the eleventh HouXyVer. ^tTheie are fou^ 
 Periods and Seafows mentioned ; for he gathets feme 
 in the Morning, fome in the Evening, fome at Mid- 
 day,and fome atMidnight ; whatever be the Hour, it 
 is an happ.y Hour : 'Ths Hour comes when the Dead^ 
 (hall hear ; and O may this be the happy HoaJ^'with 
 ilefpeO: to fo^e here ! More particularly,*' i/f, The 
 Morning is th(^ gathering Seafon, witb 'RefpeQi to 
 fome ; Iraean the Morning of their Xouthi The 
 Lord hath gathered fome very early in the Mom' 
 5ng before Break of Day, before ever they {a W the 
 Light of Day ; for fome are gathered before they W 
 born, fealed and fatjctified from the Womb, as well 
 as foreknown from Hterniry, >*•. i. 5. Befvre 1 formed^ 
 thee h the Belly, / knezv thee ; and before theu eameft 
 fcrth out oftheWomhJfanHifiedthee^yNhiQh fome have, 
 ai>plied to Regeneration, that fome are fpiritually' 
 born, before ever they are naturally fo. We are fure, 
 that Infants are as capible of all the Effentials of^ 
 Kegenerarion, as ndnlr Perfons arc. The effential 
 Part thereof, \s,Ood' s ptfttitig his Spirit v^ithin them ; and 
 Inf ints are 3- capable of this as aged . erfons, if npfc^ 
 C^re, whild natural Enmity is not ftrengthened by- 
 aaual Rebellions. BuLthis I paf*, as more rare, and 
 v.'h:»t cmtiot be known, bnt by fome remarkable Ef- 
 ieas thPieof. h is not ^o raiely that lome are ga- 
 thered intheMorning ofrheir younger Vears ;fo war 
 if with Jofas.^ho ^Nas Called at eight Years dd, 
 ^K^r.trs xxti. I, 2. fo Nvnsit ^v.^^fh yourj ^/r^.^, who 
 }:m<:j^tVe hoh Scriptures ]vom a Mid, iTtw.nuj y And, 
 if the M< rning of Youth be a gathering Seafon unto- 
 Slihh, let this encoorige young Children, that are 
 iiere to remember their Creator and Redeemer, in 
 the P^ys of their Youth ; O remember to feek MfiV 
 ' ,lv ' / iove ihem that tve >>:e,(ays God,a,jd they that 
 Zk ty' early (h:!if72d me, See alfo ?/i/. ex. 5. 2dly^ 
 Vlia Uvening is the gathering Seafwi, with Re^ 
 
f Wci ) 
 
 (peEb to fome : God gathers feme in the Cvef^ngof^ 
 tneir old Age. Thus we find Abraham was gathered 
 irt his old Age , he was 75 Years old ?when God firft 
 called him,G«w: xii. 4. and it it probable that Nfcode^ 
 mus was an old Man, before he was born again, as ap- 
 pears itomj^/hn iii. 4. Is there any old Sinner here» 
 that hath been a Trahrgreifor from the Womb, and 
 been living without Chrift all your Days? O, it is 
 more than Time you were gathered in to Sbtloh, O. 
 hath the Pevilgottbe Morning, and the Noontide 
 of your Day, and will you give him the Evening toa? 
 O he hath go^ too miich df your Time already ; let 
 Chrift have the reft, if he can have n6 more. I date 
 not fay, that he will not take what theDevil hath left, 
 ^or I have' no Warrant from thie Word, to iay» That 
 old Age cannot be God's gathering Time : 1 am fore 
 my Text ejccludes neither OJd nor Young, ^ Umpalt. 
 the Gathering of the People be ; therefore let even aid and 
 dying People gather in to the nev/ and living Way, 
 ■^hich is confecrated for us,nhro* the Vail of the 
 Mediator'^ Flefli : Sure it is the heft Way, thatyoa 
 can take, before you be gathered into a Grave. 5^^ 
 The Mid-day is God's gathering Seafon, witl* Refpe£fc' 
 to feme': I mean the midle Time of their Age; and 
 vhom God gathers, he moft ordinarily gathers abouf 
 ' the Midft of their Days. Some have j^Klged, that 
 Cod's Remnant are moft ordinarily gathered in, be- 
 twixt the Years of 15 and 25. Others, between 14 
 and 40. IJ ir I dire not limit the holy One of Jfiaei ; 
 only, feeing the moft Part here are, perhaps, fuch as 
 are abont the Midft of their Day, O, look to God, 
 to hallow the Middle of your Days, as Solomon hal- 
 16^ id ihe MidJie Df the Court, 2 Chron. vii. 7. A^nd 
 when God fays to the MsfflaSj'TahimJktil the^^hering 
 of the People be ; let all trie People fay, Amen, Ye that 
 are youa^^, ye rhit are old, and ye that are betwixt 
 the two, O i\iy ArneT7 ^ \tz garhefing Power come, 
 4fWy, T'ie Midnight is a gathering Seafon, with Re- 
 IpeSt to Tome .* I mean n )r only a^Midnight Time of 
 Deatii and approaching Eceiairy» at which Seafon 
 
 God 
 
( low ) 
 
 Ood hath gathered fome, as he did the Thief on the 
 Crofs, tho' it is not his orJin;iry Time ; but 
 alfo a Midnight-Stite of Srcurity, wh^n the Soul is in 
 d dead Sleep, evenfuch a Tme hath bee^ a gathering 
 Time. I need not infill hQm on Man t7j[feh^ M.^yy Mag- 
 dalene^ and others : When did the Day oFGrace dawn 
 upon S'^«/, afterwards iPa«/ ? Even when it was the 
 darkeft Hour in the Night, when he was fleeping 
 moft found in the bed of Secnrity. ft is true his Bo- 
 dy was notfleepin^, for he w;)s riding furioufly toD.t- 
 viafcus \ but his Soul w is fo far afleep, that he was 
 Inorcing and breathing very high in his Sleep, ABs 
 ix. I. <He was breathinj^ out Threatnings and Si uigh- 
 ter agiinftthe Difciples of the f^ord : Behold, even 
 at Midnight th^re ciin^ a Cry from Heaven, that a- 
 v'akned him, and rouzad him to feck Jefus. Now it 
 is, perhaps, a Midaight-cjme with fome here ; they 
 are fleeping and breitiingin their Sleep, breathing 
 out Enmity againft God, and the People of God, and 
 the Way of God ; but a Midinghc Time may be a 
 gathering Time, as it is faid, Matth, xxv. 6. when 
 a.11 the Virgins, wife and fooliih, were flumberingand 
 fleeping, that at Midnight there cam;; a Cry^ Behold 
 the Bridegroom cometh^ go ye out ta Tneei htm ; fo tho' it 
 be Midnight with the Church, and Midnight \Nith 
 poor miserable fecu re Souls ; yet ar Midniglu the^e 
 is a Cry in this Gofpel, Behold Shibh is come, and 
 let iheGjthering of the People be to him ; go forth 
 and meet liim ; for behold he comes with Salvation. 
 There is the ir.itii!! Gathering. 
 
 ^rf/y, The j^athering Seafons may be confidered, 
 with Relation ro ihe progrrjjivc Gathering ot Believers 
 in whom the good Work is bi^gun, and who have ei- 
 ther now, or at Tome former Time been engaged to 
 come lo Shi.'oh ; yet they r.eed to be ftill coming to 
 him, and ftill gathering, under bis Wings. Now, .na- 
 ry are t!u^ gathering Seafons, that relate to the BeWe- 
 \er's pro^rrjjive Gathering, and advances in Nearnefs 
 to, and Cc^mmunion with liie Lord. I fhall conflder 
 thtin, for Diftinttion aqd Memory's Sake,- in thefe 
 
 four 
 
( 103 ) 
 
 four Petiods ; namely, of Summer, Winter, Spring, 
 ar\d Harveft. And, (i.) There are Sumnier-lttmes <i'^ 
 Reftelbmenr, that Believers fohietimes have immedi- 
 ately after the gathering. Harveft of Converfion.; and 
 thefe Summer-times are further gathering Times, and 
 contribute to their progrefllve Gathering, "When the 
 Soul hath been long under Guilt arfd Wrath, and un- 
 der the Frowns and Difpleafure of God» and had long 
 feen the Gates of Heaven barred againll him, and the 
 Month of Hell open to receive him ; then readily the 
 Lord comes in, and fpeaks Peace to the Soul, faying, 
 /, even l am he that hlottetb out thine Inicptlty^ for my 
 Name* s fake. Hearken, Soul, my Thoughts towards 
 you are Thoughts of Peace ; here is Mercy to Pard- 
 on thee, Merit to juftifie thee, Blood to wafh thee. 
 Balm to heal thee, Bread to nourifli thee. Wine to 
 cherifh thee, K'niment to clothe thee. Thusafter 
 Vaul was awakned,and convinced, and gathered, then 
 God takes him up to the third Heaven, and makes 
 fuch M .nifeftjtions of his Love and Favour, Beauty 
 and Glory, as he is not able to utrer. Thus after the 
 ProdigaPs Return, the fitted Calf is killed, the beft 
 Rob is put upon his Back, and the Ring is put u- 
 pon his Hand, and flioeson hisFeet, fhewingus, that 
 upon the Sinner's Converfion, and Gathering in to 
 Shiloh^ God is gracioufly pleafed to give him fomo 
 choice and figp.al Manifeftation of his Lovf and Fa- 
 vour, Grace and Glory, and thefe contribute to his 
 progreflive Gatherings John ii. ii. He manifefiedf^rtb 
 his Glory^ and his Difciples believed on 'him. Hence, Pfal, 
 cii. 16. when he builds up Z/ow, he appears in his 
 Glory ; when the Stones that are already gathered, 
 and laid upon tiieFoundation, are to be built up a fpi- 
 ritual Houle, in a progreflive Work, he difcovers 
 his Glory, th;*t, beholding his Glory, they may be 
 thinged from Glory to Glory : But the SummerTima 
 of fpirifuall^rofperity may be but a fhorc Time, as 
 David's, P/aI. XXX. 6, 7. tho' it ordinarily recurs to 
 them in fome Meafure, even as Summer does Year 
 hw Year ; yet it is ireqiiencly followed with a Winter. 
 Theceforc, (.2.) There 
 
I (a.) There ar« tVinter-ltimes of Adverfity, whicfe 
 Believers have, ^hich yet may be God's gathering 
 Times, for making Way for their progrefllve Gather- 
 ing to Shihh* And thus lyf, A Wjnttr-Timc of perfon- 
 al Affli^iion does fometimes make AVay for. their 
 further Gathering', It was good forint that I was of- 
 fiiHedy for btfore I was affiled, I wtnt afray \ httt now 
 have t learned thy Law t He had been ftrayinf;, but 
 now a Gathering again Vvas the Fruit of his AfHi£iioA, 
 accerdii^ to Hof v,i$. In their /IffliHion they Jhall feek 
 me early ; their affliSing Time Jhall be a gathering 
 Time, for bringing them nearer to the Lord.; hence 
 they have been made to rejoice, in the Lord, thp* 
 the Fig-tree IhoUld not bloffom, and to glory in Tri- 
 bulation, As the Ark was lifted up nearer ancl near- 
 er Heaven, by the Rifing of the "Waves ; fo by 
 Affliftion, Believers are raifed nearer and nearer to 
 God in Chrift. 2<///, The Winter-Time; of fore Trial 
 hath fometimes been a gathering Time to them ; 
 gathering Merqy prevents them fometimes before an 
 eminent Trial, to prepare them for it. Thus it was 
 yi\\\i^li]ah ; Arife and eat, for thoii haft a Journey 
 before thee, and the Journey is too great, 1 King's 
 xix. 7. And he went in the Strength of that Meal forty 
 Days and forty NightSytill he came to Horeb the Mount 
 of God, Sometimes gathering Mercy, fupports them 
 in the Trial, and under it, faying. Fear not for 
 I am with thecy I will firengthen thee ; when thou 
 l^efi through tbeFire, &c.Thus many Times the Son of 
 Man is with them in the Furnace, gathering them in 
 his Arms, as he was with John in the ifle o( Patmos^ 
 with Ezekiel by the River Chebar, with Lavid in the 
 Wildernefs oi Judea^tuxd with the three Children in 
 the Furnace of Fire. Again, 9^/y, The Winter-Tim« 
 of Tfwpr4fie» is fometimes a gathering Time unto 
 f hem ; as, after Paul was buffeted by Satan, he 
 beard that fweet Word, My Grace Jhall be fufficient for 
 thee, &c. Yea, after the fharpeft Confli£t, he ufually 
 gives the (f rongeft Cordial, for gathering their Spirits 
 again, P/4/.xciv. i^. h the Miiltitu4e of mji Thoughts 
 
 wiihif,: 
 
C »°/ ) 
 
 tVethitt me, thy Cfimforts delight my Stul, ^thfy^ Tht 
 Winter-Time of Defer f ion and Hiding, hath been 
 fometim^s a gathering Seafon : Let not the deferted 
 Soul be too much difqnieted, the Valley of Achortii^y 
 be a Door of Hope ; you may have Occaflon to fajr^ 
 as Pfal, cxvi. 6, / ivaj brought low^ and he helped nte ; 
 you may be brought to the Brink of Defpair^that >(Ni 
 may have Occafion to fay, as Vfal. xl. at the Begin- 
 ning, ^c brought me out of the herr'ihle V it y &c. When 
 Jacob was in great Dilhefsi God met with him atB«^ 
 thely Gen. xxviii. and when, Gen» xxxii. he was ia 
 great Fear that God would not accomplifh his Promife, 
 he was prevented by another ViHt ; and it was the 
 moll remarkable Night that ever he h^id .* He calls 
 the Place Pentel ; for he faw God Face to Face, and 
 he had told him before what he had been, and 
 would be to him, faying, / am the Qod of Bethel, $thJf^ 
 The Winter of Downca/ling, hath been a Time of Re« 
 viving, P/al xlii. 6. my God, my Soul is cafi down with* 
 in me ; therefore I ivill remember thee from the Land of 
 Jordan^ &c. And, Deep calleth unto Deep^ at the Noife if 
 thy Water-Spouts ; all thy W^ves and thy Bilh<ufs bav^ 
 gone over me : Tet the Lord mil command his loving Kipf^* 
 nefs in the Day-'Timey and in the Night hii $dngs JhaU 
 be ivith me, and my Prayer to the God of my Life, Thtlt 
 he gives Songs in the Night, infomuch that the dark* 
 eft Night hath ufhered in the cleareft Light, accord- 
 ing to that Promife, Zech, xiv. 7. It pall come topafs 
 thAt at the Evening-'Time itfhall be Li^ht. 6thlyy Again 
 the Winter-Time of c«/<r/r//<>^ hath been a gathering. 
 Time ; for he gathers the Outcafis of Ifrael, Ifa. ivi. 8. I 
 faidy I am cafi out of thy Sights Jonah ii. 4, yet will I 
 look again to thy holy Temple ; There, yoU ' fee, was si 
 gathering Time by Faith unto Chrift, when he was 
 caft outinto the very Belly of.Hell, as it is called, V* 
 4. You, whofe Name is a C^fiout, may then expe£^ 
 that your Name may be turned to a Sought-outy Ijam 
 Jxii. Ufi, ithly, The Winter-Time ofFeafs^Whnt Time 
 O 7 
 
( io6 ) 
 
 I am afraidy I iviJl truft in thee. Feat not^ for I am w'eth^ 
 2cc. The Time of Hopelefsnefs and Melplefsnefs jjatri 
 bqen a Time of fpiritiial Gathering ro thg People of 
 God, PfaU cxlli. 4, 5. I Utlied on my Right-hand, and 
 heheld ; hut there was no Man that would know me, all 
 Refuge failed me ; 'J^hen i cried to thee, Lord, and/aid^ 
 ^hou ^rt my Refuge^ and my Portion ' in the Land of the 
 Living: When their Hope is perifhed, and Nothing 
 but the Sentence of Death palling, then the Lord hath 
 been gathering,. 2 Cor, i. 9. We had the Sentence of 
 Death in our /elves, that ive fliould not trufi in our felve Sy 
 but in God which raifeth the Vend, Yea, when the Soul 
 hath not only been fentenced, but flain in a Man- 
 ner, and iaid in, the Grave, then hath it been a 
 Time of Gathering, £?:ffL xxxvii. 11, 12. Our Bones 
 aye. dried, fays the Church, our Hope is lofi, we are cut 
 off for our Parts : But, behold, faith the Lord, I will 
 ^pen your Graves, and caufe you to come up, and I will 
 put my Spirit in you, and you Jhall live, ^thly. Yea, a 
 Winter-Time of Sinning, and Declining, and Depart-: 
 ing from the Lord, hath been a Time of Gathering 
 of his People ; and this is moft wonderful of all, as 
 I faid before of a backfliding Time : O that is a 
 flrange Word. Ifa. xliii. 25, 24, 25. 'Ihou hafi made 
 me to ferVe with thy Sins, and wearied\me withJhine Ini- 
 quity : Tet, I even I am he that bletteth out thine Ini' 
 quitiss for my Name's Sake, There is one of the bit** 
 rereft Challenges for Sin, and that backed with one 
 ©f the fweetelt Promifes of Pardon and Pity, and of 
 gathering and reftoring Mercy : Will this encourage 
 a Believer to Sin, becaufe the Time of your Falling 
 down may be a Time of God*s Gathering-up 1 O no; 
 Nothinj^ will humble and melt theBeliever's Heart for 
 Sin more, than to think of the Kiches of DivineMercy, 
 andSovereign Grace . When he ftoops down to gather 
 ypuout of the Dirt, that you fall into, and recovers 
 your Soul and your Graces. Some tell us that Musk, 
 vhen it hath loft its Smell and Sweetnefs, if it be 
 put into a Sink among Filth it recovers it ; fo when 
 the Believer's Graces have loft their Flavour and 
 
 favour/ 
 
r 107 ) 
 
 faroury txercife, the Lord in a Manner, l«ts tKemi 
 fall into the Dirt, that their decaying Graces mzy 
 be recovered and revived. Thus Peter vasfuffered to 
 fall into the Dirt of dreadful Sinning, and then his 
 Graces were revived, his Humility revived, he was 
 humbled to the Duft *, his Repentance was revived, 
 he went out and wept bitterly ; his fpiritual Remem- 
 brance was revived, for he remembred the Words of 
 Chrift to him ; and all flowed from this, that it was 
 even Chrift's gathering Time ; for while he was yet 
 among the Dung, into which he fell, Chrift looks 
 upon Petevy with a gracious gathering Eye, Luke xxii, 
 6i, 62. Lee the Believer then, for the Upftirring and 
 tncouragement of his Faith, know, that his faddeft 
 Winter-Time may be, God's gathering Tiifte to 
 draw, and fhould be his gathering Time to turn to 
 Shilob, Your halting Time may be his gathering 
 Time: When your creeple Feet make you go halting 
 in the Way of the Lord, A/a:. iv. 6. I'lvill ajfemble her 
 that haltethj a fid gather her that was driven out. Your 
 fallingTime may bQ his raifing andupgatheringTitne, 
 your perifhing Time may be his faving Time ; for 
 his Thoughts are not your Thoughts, e^c And his 
 taking fuch a Time, makes his Interpofal at fuch a 
 JunSurethe more wonderful,and the more welcome. 
 But no\Y, as, in thefe InftaRces, God is pleafed to glo- 
 rify his Sovereignty, and fhew that he does not ty 
 himfelf to Means, in thefe progreflive Gatherings of 
 Believers, any more than he did in the initial Ga- 
 thering of Unbelievers to himfelf; fo to glorify his 
 Holixiefs, and to put Honour upon the Means of his 
 own Appointment, you would know alfo, that, 
 
 C5.) There are Spring-Times of fpiritual Duty ani 
 Golpel-diligence, which Believers have, which are 
 alfo God's gathering Times, with refpeft to their 
 progreflive Gathering to Shiloh (3y the By, negleS 
 rot Means, on Pretence that Gt.ace mutl do all ; it. 
 were an ill Argument. Water only refrefhes, there- 
 fore cur off all Cocks and Pipes) But to return, fuch x 
 Spring-time as this you read of 5w^ ii. 10, 11, 12, 
 O 2, J5» 
 
( io8 ) 
 
 I5.A4y Betovidfpakey^c. For loathe Winter is^afyiU 
 
 Tlowers appear «• Arlfe^ my Love^ my fair One^ and come. 
 
 *way. Why, \X is a gathering Time, therefore conie 
 away. Now^ what are thefe Fruits and Flowers that 
 appear io the fpiritual Spring-time, which prognof- 
 tifates a gathering Time to be at Hand, yea, that 
 it is a gathering Time at prefent ? There are feve- 
 ral Fruits of the Spirit, that appear in the Cofpel- 
 Spring time, which betoken a gatiiering Time ; As, 
 I. A Believing Time i» a gathering Time ; Faith is 
 ©ne of the Fruits and Flowers' that appear in this 
 Spring, A believing Time is fo much a gathering 
 Time, that Gofl's Gathering, is his giving Faith, 
 and our Gathering, is our exercifing Faith. But a 
 believing Time is alfo a prognofticating Time, be- 
 tokening a further prpgreffive Gathering, lo as to 
 be brought to more and more Nearnefs to the Lord 
 Jefus : Hence believing Times are glorious Times ; 
 Said I not unto thee^ if thou wouldeft helieie thoufhouldft 
 fee the GUfy ef God, John xi. 40. When God's Children 
 are in the txercife ot Faith, then the Lord is plcal- 
 ed to make known his Goodnefs. Relieving Times are 
 fealing Times, £/j&. i. 13. In whom after ye believed^ 
 ye were fealed with the Holy Spirit of Promife. Believing 
 Times are rejoicing Times, i Pet. i. 8. In whom though 
 flow we fee htm not, yet believing werejoice^ &c. There 
 is J'^y ^^^ Peace in Believing, Faith ordinarily brings 
 jn Senfe ; fpiritual Senfeand Feeling is the Fruit of 
 Faith: Tho*, by the By, I rouft tell you what is 
 the Fault and Folly of the moll Part even of Belie- 
 vers themfelves, from whence it flows that they feel 
 fo little of the fwcet Fruits and /^dvar.tages of 
 Faith, they make Senfe and Feeling the Root and 
 Ground of Faith, whereas it is only the Fruit and 
 l^{Fe£i; of Faith, But know, that when Senfe is made 
 the Support ot Faith, it frequently leaves Faith in 
 the Mire; for when Senfe, which they made the 
 Ground ef their Faith, tails, then their Faith fails 
 ^ith Ur The only fare Ground of Faith is God'§ 
 
 Word, 
 
( lOp ) 
 
 Word, his Truth, his Faithfulnefs, which is an iin« 
 changeable Ground. Now, if you make God's Work 
 upon you, Tuch as fpiritual Senfe,G races, Experience, 
 or the like, the Ground of your Faith, you'll find 
 thcfe to be fuch changeahleGrpunds, fo niuch up and 
 down, that your Faith mart be up and down Vflth 
 them, and you will totter fooner than yoq*re aware .• 
 Or, if you build your Faith partly uponSenfe, Feel- 
 ings, o*^. and partly upon God'sTriuh, you're chea 
 like a Man that Tecs oneFoot upon a firm Orqund, and 
 the other upon a floating Board ; when the loofe float- 
 ing Board fails or flips^you will hardly ftand faft,how- 
 ever firm the other Foot ftands. Who among all ordi- 
 nary Believers knows not the Ebbings andFlowingf, 
 theUp5 andDowns of Frames and and fpiritual Feelr 
 ings 'i They miy rife and fall ter. Times in an Hour, 
 as the Wind blows. Now, if your Faith be built u* 
 pon ihefeLove tokens, and depend upon them ; then, 
 as your Faith mult be very wavering, fo God, feeing 
 ^imfelf robbed of the Dependance'due to him, may 
 purpofely withhold rhefe Things from you, that you 
 may learn not to truft in uncertain Experiences, but 
 pn the living God: Why, f:iy you, when I get thela 
 Love tokens, it is not upon tiiefe that 1 truft, but on 
 the God that Tent them. Well done, if it be true 
 But I fear it isorherwife ; for if Chrif^ himfelf and 
 his Truths be the Grounl of your Faith, whpn you 
 get thefe Love rokens.then how comes it, that when 
 thefe Love-tokens are gone, and when Senfe and 
 i^eeling is gone, your Faith is to feek ? 1 trow,when 
 Feeling is up, rhen your Faith is up;and when Feel- 
 ing is down, your Faith k^own. Now, if the whole 
 building of your Fairh were upon the unchangeable 
 Kock, you would fee no more Caufe of Doubting 
 when the changeable Feeling is gone, than when it 
 is prefent ; an*i therefore, I ^ear it be your Fault, 
 Believer, as well as mine, that many Times we lay 
 too much Weight upon that thawing Ice, and make 
 Senfe and Feinting the Ground of our Faith. But if 
 God make you a Believer at all, Man, he will bring 
 you off gradually from this Evil ; and if you never 
 
 be- 
 
 ^ ' * >AiJ^. MU I 
 
( tto ) 
 
 believe till yoa get fpiritual Senfe, you will never 
 be a Believer ; forFeeling followsBelieviDg,and there- 
 fore Believing muft be beforeFeeling. To buildFaith 
 upon Senfe thert,is like a Man fetting up theCouples 
 of a Houfe, and then beginning at the Rigging or 
 Roof of the Hoiire,and building it downward, fuch 
 a Houfe can never be built. This is one Leflbn by 
 the By, which tho* we fhould tell you it Twenty 
 Times, we v.ill need to tell it over again ; however, 
 I fay it is a believingTime that is a gathering Time, 
 for Faith hath Influence upon all other Graces : It 
 is like a Silver Threed, that runs through a Chain of 
 Pearls : It puts Strength and Vivacity into all other 
 Virtues." It applies and "appropriates all to itfelf,even 
 God, 'and Chrift, and the Promifes, and all.* It is like 
 the Spring of the Watch, that lets all the Golden 
 Wheels of Love, Joy, Comfort and Peace agoing ; 
 for it fees in Chrilt's Righteoufnels aFulfiefs, aGlo- 
 Ty that fills theHeart with glorious Joy. Chrift is the 
 Centre of Faith, and therefore a believing Time;" is a 
 Timeof gathering to iS'Mo^. But left any fays O, I 
 do not find it a believing Time with me ; therefore, 
 ft. A Repenting Time is a gathering Time, and Re- 
 pentance is one of the Fruits that appears in this 
 Spring-Time that I fpeak of; and Gofpel-Repen- 
 tance natively fprings from Faith, for, in fhort, it 
 is a Turning from Sin to God through Chrift by 
 Faith ; and furely where there is no fuch Turning 
 from Sin, there is no Gathering to Sbiloh, Z^. Iv. 7. 
 There you fee this Gofpel Repentance defcribed, ift 
 the feveral Parts that I have mentioned, i/. It is a 
 Turning from Sin ; therefore it is faid,L?/ the Wicked 
 forfake kis Way^ and the unrighteous Man his 'Thoughts .' 
 All Sins of Heart and Way, Thought, Word or AQi- 
 on. idly-y It is aTurning fromSin to God ; therefore it 
 is faid. Let him return to the Lord : There is the End. 
 gi/y, It is a Returning from Sin to God through 
 Chrift ; t+Terefore it is faid. Let him return to the 
 Lordy and he i^ill have Mercy upon him, and abundant* 
 ^pardon: Aiidfoici^ a merciful Sin pardoning 
 
 God, 
 
(. Ill ) 
 
 Qod, that is, a God inChrift in whom alone God i« 
 jeconcjled, and well pleafed : And without this Ap- 
 preheniion oi the Mercy of Gad in Chrift, there can 
 be no kindly Repentance. Therefore, ^.thfyy It is a 
 Returning from Sin to God throughChrift,by Faith i 
 Hence it is laid, Let him return, for he ivill abundantljf 
 A^trtio;;. Faith -looks tothisFOR, this Motive of Re- 
 turning ; Faith views the Morive, and fo influencet 
 the' Return. As it is a good FOR, fo it is a good 
 TURN that is influenced thereby . and as the Mo- 
 tive to an A£lionis viewed, before theAft be elicite, 
 fe here the Motive, tho' the laft Thing in the Ex- 
 prefiion, yet is the firft Thing viewed by Faith. O! 
 is there Mercy with him for the like of me,and Par- 
 don, yea, abundant Pardon, great Pardon foi tny 
 great Sins,multiplied Pardon for my multiplied Sins ; 
 O this Kindnefsof God melts the Heart, this Good- 
 nefs of God leads to Repentance ; and fo the Faith 
 of God's Favour and Mercy in Chri(t,influencesthis 
 Gofpel Repentance. And indeed the whole Progrefi 
 of the Believer, in this continued progrelfiveGathe- 
 ring to Shiloby is intermixed with this penitentDifpo- 
 fiticn; He cannot ceareRepenting,till he hath ceafed 
 Sinning, and confequently till he hath ceafed Liv- 
 ing * And his moft joyful Days of Communion with, 
 God, on Barth, are ftill attended with the joyful 
 Tears of Repentance-; and he fows in Tears,tiU ho 
 teap in Joy. He never comes to Chrift, by any live- 
 ly A£t of Faith, but, at the fame Time, with Marfy 
 he waflies his Feet with his Tears, in a Manner^ 
 and wipes them with the Hair of hii Head. But ia 
 cafe any fhould think their Faith and Repentance 
 is to feek, therefore it is no gathering Time with 
 them ; Why then, 5. APK/ty^w^. Time isand bodes z 
 <»atheriog Time : I fpeak of the Prayer of Faith, 
 V^n, ix. 20. while T>anitl was praying, and confef- 
 fing his own Sins, and the Sins of his People, the 
 Lord appeared to him, and gives him aDivineTouch, 
 and tells him, That he is a Man greatly beloved : 
 Of this we have the Inftance of Corrtefmiy alfo, ABs 
 ^ ^t the Begianing. fio4 lov^ to load cbe Wings 
 
 of 
 
( "i ) 
 
 t»f I^rayer with the choiceft and chiefed BlefUngt^ 
 the beft and fweetell Flowers o^Paradife^ God givei 
 td his People, when they are upon their Knees. 
 Thus many have found praying Times to be fealing 
 Times, wherein the Lord hath been pleafed graci- 
 ously to lift up the Light of his Countenance upon 
 them. After much Praying, Weeping and Wreft- 
 ling, God ufually comes, with his Hand and (lit 
 Heart full of Mercy to his People ; he loves not to 
 come empty Handed to thefe that have fitten long 
 begging at Mercy's Door. But becaufe fome poor 
 Soul may think, either they cannot pray, or they 
 have been long praying, and yet hav6 not com6 
 Speed ; Therefore, 4. A Waiting Time fpeiks forth 
 a Gathering Time, Hab.'n, 9. "the Vifion is for an ap' 
 pointedl*tmej at the End it willfpeaky and not lie; tho' 
 it tarry waitfr^ U, becaufe it will fur ely come, it will hot 
 tarry, God never did no( will fail the praying and 
 waiting Soul, for they that wait on him fhall not 
 be afhamed. Ifa, ydix, aj. They pall not be afhamed 
 that wait for me ': Yea, Ifa. xl. Ufi. 'they that wait 
 en the Lordfball renew their Strength ^ they pall mount 
 w/>, &c. Therefore we are to wait for him, as the 
 Musband-Man waits for the precious Fruits of the 
 Earth, anxl hath long Patience for it till he receive 
 the early and latter Rain, y^wf.v. 7. Tho* yon do 
 rot reap the very Day you fow, yet, in due 'Time 
 you pall reap, ifjou fa^t n9ty Gal. vi. P. David found 
 this waiting Time to ufher in a gathering Time, 
 VfalyX* I, ai 3. I waited patiently on the Lord, and be 
 inclined to me, and heard my Cry, he brought me out 
 •f the horrible Pit, &c. Old Simeon had waited for 
 the Confolation of ffraely and behold the Holy 
 Ghoft led him to a Sight of Chtift in the Temple, 
 L$tke ii. 25. and downward. And this made the 
 old Man fing, and fay, Now let thy Servant depart 
 in Peace : O 1 have lived long enough, for now 
 I have got Chrift in my Heart, and Chrift in 
 my Hand s^ who is my Light, my Life, my Love, 
 iny Joy, my Crown ; my Glory, my All. O 
 Believer, have you not^found, when you have been 
 
 iveepiog 
 
weeping and waiting at the Door of Mercy,how th^^^ 
 JLord hath fometimes caufedhisLove andGoodnefs to 
 beam forth upon you, fo as to make your Heart re- 
 joice,and your Tongue to fing \ yea, fo as to gather 
 your Soul to Sbilohy and to gather i\\ the Lines of 
 your AfFe^ions to meet in him, as theCentre of your 
 KeiJ, and fo as you could have wifhed the Valley of 
 Vifion had been your Burial PJacCj and that your 
 Eyes might ne\/er fee another Sight than the glori- 
 ous Jefui, that was difcovered to you, when you wat 
 waiting on him in publick Ordinances, or in a certain 
 fecret Corner? But in Cafe any poor Soul may be 
 faying, O, I have been waiting, and yet find fo little 
 Succeis, that I fearj I am a Stranger to the tight Art 
 of Waiting. Therefore, ^thly^ A. LongingTime mzy 
 be a gathering Time, and hath t)een fo; for, P/af^ 
 cvii. 9. He fatisfies the longing Soul, and fills the Hun- 
 gry with good. Things. Are you at David's four How ktigs'i 
 Pfal. xiii. I, 2, How longy Lord, wilt thou forget tna 
 for ever ? H<>w long wilt thou bide thy Face from 
 me ? How long fhall 1 take CounleJ in mySoul, hav- 
 ing Sorrow in my Heart daily ? How long fhail mine 
 Enemies be exalted over me ? It feerns his Long- 
 ing was foon backed with gathering Influence? 
 drawing out his whole Soul towards the Lord, and 
 filling his Heart with Joy, and his Tongue withSing- 
 ing^Ver. 5*6. I have trufied in thy Mercy -^ my Heart 
 Jhall rejoice in thy Salvation ; yea, I will fing unto the 
 Lord, becaufe he hath dealt bountifully with me. O Be- 
 liever, when you are longing, he is waiting, and 
 waiting to be gracious, Ifa. xxx. 18. Surely you have 
 found it in your Experience, that your longing 
 Time hath been his gathering and gracious Time: 
 But, left you miftake, know that I fpeak of Gathe- 
 ring, in the whole of my Progrefs here, both in an 
 aftive andpaflive Senfe ; both pajftvely, tharisiGod*s 
 Gathering his People to Shilohy^nd to irtofe and more 
 Nearnefs to him ; and aHively, that is, their a&ve 
 Gathering to him thro* bis Grace. No\v, I fgy ^ 
 longingTime is, and bodes a further gathering Time^ 
 ^ fo# 
 
V Ji4 ; 
 
 for he fills the Hungry with good Things. Some 
 have found that Prom ife of Utisfying the longing 
 Soul, as clearly made our, as it is evident, that the 
 Light of Day fhines at prefent. But fome poor Soul 
 may fay, 1 fear it is no gathering Time with Re- 
 fpeft to me ; for I find no fuch Difpofition as you 
 have been fpeaking of ; it is neither a Believing nor 
 a Repenting Time with me,neithera praying, wait- 
 ing, nor longing Time with me. Therefore, 6thly^ 
 An Attending Time, O Believer, may be a gathering 
 Time ; your attending Time, I fay, O Soul, may be 
 Qod*s gathering Time. It is true, bodily Attendance^ 
 like bodily Exercife, profits little; whenPeople come 
 to Duties and Ordinances with their Bodies only, 
 CO fee and hear, and hardly that, while their Eyei 
 and Ears are fometimes fhut with Sleep and Heavi« 
 nefs : But becaufe preventing Grace hath laid Hold 
 upon Sinners many Times, and taken them napping, 
 and gathered them to Shihh ; therefore I ihali not 
 difcour^ge Peoples giving their bodily Attendance 
 on Gofpel-Means and Ordinances, even tho* they 
 have neither an outward Ear, or inward Difpofition 
 towards a'regnlar Attendant : Becanfe tho', in fuch a 
 Cafe, Juftice might takeAa vantage againf) them righ- 
 teoofly ; yet none knows, but Mercy may catch them 
 at a Difadvantage gracioufly ; as it did the Man, whd 
 coming to Church, yet hating to hear, fet his El- 
 bows on the Desk, and put his Fingers into his Ears; 
 but while he was napping, one of his Elbows falls 
 tlown, and as his Finger went out of his Ear, a Word 
 of the Sermon came in to it, by which the Lord 
 catched him, converted him, and gathered him t« 
 Sbihh,But the 5ubje£^ ] am upon, at prefent, relates 
 to Believers, and their progreflive gathering ; and it 
 may be their Cafe fometimes, that an outward At* 
 tendance is all thatthey can win at; they can find nei« 
 ther any believing, repenting, praying, waiting, or 
 longing Difpofition of Soul in them: They can find nO 
 Lite, no Light, noLibeity, no Grace, nofpiritoal Mo- 
 tion or gracious Difpofition ; but on the contrary^ 
 mu^h Pfiikacfsi Deadnefs^ Duloefs| Defpondency, Dif* 
 •^ ttaftion, 
 
( I'i ) 
 
 traftion, Hardnefs, Heavinefs and all fpintual Udif- 
 pofition .* Only this is all they can fay, Some fecrec 
 Hair of Hope hath broughc them to attend^and giv© 
 their bodily Prefence, that they may hear what God 
 YfiW fay to them, and fee what God will do to them. 
 Well, poor Soul, eren fuch an attending Time at 
 tkismay be a gathering Time, as you may fee it wat 
 with thefe fpoken of, ASs x^i'^.Weare all ben prefent^ 
 fay they, befrre Goiy U bear all Things that are command' 
 edtbee efGod: What they were to get, or receive 
 from God, they knew not as yet ; but all they could 
 fay at prefent, was, that they had broughttheir Souls 
 and Bodies before God, to attend opo& him in his Ordi- 
 nances : It feems they had fome fecret Hope, that thty 
 might get fome good by Peter*s Preaching ; and be- 
 hold, it was a remarkable gathering Time, as you fee, 
 Ver. 44. Fot while he /pake, the Holy GhoB fell en an all 
 that beard the Word : Therefore, if any poor Creature 
 be here, faying, It does not look like a gathering 
 Time with Refped tome; for it is not a believing 
 Time, but a doubting Time ; it is not a repenting 
 Time, but rather a rebelling Time ; it is not a pray- 
 ing Time, but rather a perplexing Time; not a waif 
 ing, but a wearying Time ; not a longing but a Ian- 
 guifhing Time; I cannot fo much as pray, nor pant, 
 nor long, nor lookup; I can hardly give an hearty 
 Sigh, or a Grone upwards. Well, but poor Thing, caa 
 you fay, Lord, 1 am here prefent before thee, thoa 
 knoweft this is all that I can do ; I have no more^ 
 under Heaven, about me, of Difpofition to any Duty 
 or Ordinance, but a fecret May be the Lord will pity^ 
 and may be not ; I am jaft at the Footftool of Sove- 
 reignty. Well, fuch a Time may be agarhe ing Time; 
 when they were all preient before the Lord hearingt 
 a gathering Wind came, and they were all ft led with 
 the Holy Gholi. This is one of the loweft h oweri> 
 that appear in the Believer's Sprmg-time, when no 
 Grace is appearing in his View at all, but only he is 
 prefcnting himCelf before the God of all Grace j 
 and does Qot the Believer find this to be even a 
 Pa gathg- 
 
( 1^6 ) 
 
 gathering Time, now and then in fecret, as well as 
 publick, when all he can do is juft to caft himfelf 
 down on his Knees, before the Lord his Maker, as it 
 is, Pfal, xcv. (5., with a Who knows but the herd may pityX 
 This Attendance on the Lord, even in this Manner, 
 hath been bleffed with a mighty gathering Wind a- 
 bout their Souls, that hath blown them nearer to 
 the Lord, their Harbour of Reft, than ever they were 
 before : Therefore, Believer, however low your Cir- 
 cumftances may be, when you can do no more but 
 attend, as it were^ at a fecret Duty or pubHck Ordi- 
 nance, never baulk your Attendance on the Lord,and 
 prfefenting your felves before him ; feeing your At- 
 tending Time may be his gathering Time. Thus I 
 have mentioned to you fome of the Believer's Spring- 
 times of Duty, and fome of the Fruits and Flowers 
 that appear therein, which fpeak forth a gathering 
 Time, and bode an Harveft^ And this leads me to 
 fpeak of another gathering Seafon, with Refpect to 
 the Believer's progreflive Approach to Chrift, or 
 Gathering to5'i&i/oi[). 
 
 (4.) There ^xQ Harveft-Times o^Memn Ordinances, 
 or Gofpel-Solemniries, not only teaching but fealing 
 Ordinances, which his People fometimes have, and 
 which are God*s gathering Times, and the Believer's 
 gathering Times, with Refpe£i to their progreflive 
 gathering unto Shiloh, Andtho' the Lord oftheHar- 
 veft,who fends forth Labourers thereunto, and takes 
 them away when he pleafes ; as he hath lately remo- 
 ved one, that ufed to be an eminent Laboiuer at 
 Solemnities, in Airtb \ on which Occafion, if we can- 
 not fay in Point of Paucity, that tho' the Harveft be 
 great the Labourers are few ; yet fure I am, we maj^ 
 "withGrief of Heart fay, in Point of Q,qaliry, that 
 the Hirveft is great, and tMe honeft evangelical La- 
 bourers are the fewer that he is gone ; And the only 
 Thing that makes fuch an heavy Lofs tobe fupportable 
 is, that the Lord of the Harveft is to the fore, who 
 can fend forth Labourers, qualified for whatfoever 
 Work he harh ado: But what I i»'as faying, is that tho' 
 the Lord of the Harveft makes thefe Gofpel Solemni- 
 
 tie» 
 
,r% 
 
 ( "7 ) . ■ 
 
 ties, frequently to be thegatheringTimes for Sinners, 
 inRefpeft of their initial Gathering, of which I fpoke 
 before ; yet the fpecial Defign of thefe Commuhion- 
 Solemnities, is, foe advancing the progreffive Gather- 
 ing of Believers : And tho* the moft remarkable 
 Progrefs of the Believer may be upon his Knees in 
 fecret Duties, and in feererTrayer, and fecrer Inter- 
 courfe betwixt God and him ; yet publick Ordinan- 
 ces are the Means of thefe private Intercourfes, tho* 
 the fecret may be moft comfortable and refrefhful, 
 yet the publick Ordinances lay the Foundation o£ 
 chat fecret Comfort and Refrefhment. It is in this, as 
 it is with the publick Well of a City, from whence 
 People go and fetch Water to their private Houfes ; 
 for ordinary, there is not fo much U(e made of the 
 Water at the publick Well it felf, till once they bring 
 it Home in their Veflel to the private Houfeor Fami- 
 ly, and there it is more freely made Ufe of for feve- 
 ral neceflary Purpofes,fuch as for Drink, and refrefli- 
 jng Meals, the liquid Part whereof is moftly made up 
 of the Water, that was fetched Home from the Well: 
 Publick Ordinances are the Wells ; but, for ordinary, 
 the Children of God are not fo much refreshed with 
 the Water thereof, till once they win Home to fome 
 fecret Corner with it, and there they get a more 
 hearty Draught, and refrefiiing Drink ot the Water 
 ©f Life, than they got at the publick Well , but ftill 
 it is from thence it was fetched ; and fo the Foun- 
 dation of thefe private and fecret refreOiing Meals, 
 is ordinarly laid in the publick Ordinances. It is true, 
 fome that go to fetch Home Water from the Well, 
 pay, according to their Need, get a hearty Drink of 
 Water, even at the Side of the Well, before they 
 bring any Water Home; and fo the Lord's People 
 may, and fometimes do, get a very heartfome and 
 refrelhing Draught of living Water, even at theWell- 
 C\de qf publick Ordinances, while they are hear- 
 ing the Word, or receiving the Sacrament of the Sup- 
 per. Now the Harveft-time of Gofpel -Solemnities, for 
 the Believer's progreffive Githering unto Skihbj is 
 |5\ypfold, Teacbh^ and Sealirtg, (i.) The Harveft- 
 
 Time 
 
(118 ) 
 
 Time o£Teach'tf7g Solemnities is his hearing Scafon, 
 i^hich frequently is God's gathering Seafon ;the*Ga' 
 thering ot the People to Shihh is ordinarily made uP 
 in the Time of Hearing the Word, for Faith come* 
 by Hearing ; and the progreflive Gathering of Be" 
 lievers is ordinarily made up alfo in the Time o^ 
 Hearing the Word, fpr the Increafe of Faith comes 
 by Hearing, l Pet, ii. i. As new born Exhes defire the 
 fncere Milk cf the Wordy that ye may grow thereby. And 
 hence, the Doftrinc of the GofpeJ is the ordinary 
 Means of v/orkins and increaiing Faith ; becaufe it 
 is the MiniftraCion of the Spirit, Gal. iii. 2. Rece'fued 
 ye the Spirit, by the Works of the Law^ or by the Hearing 
 cf Faith 1 This Gol'pel is the Power of God to Salva- 
 tion, both for workingFaith and for advancing itjRom. 
 i. 1 7. For therein is the Right eoufne/s of God repealed from 
 faith to Faith* By this Means v.e advance, if io be we 
 have heard of him, and been taught by him, as the 
 Truth is in Jefus, Eph iv. 21. The Gofpel is like a 
 Ladder, by which we climb up to a God in Chrill, 
 -when he is gathering us to him ; and every Truth 
 of the Gofpel is like fo many Steps, or Rounds of 
 the Ladder, and every o»eofthem fhould be main- 
 tained and contended for : If any of the Rounds of 
 the Ladder be broken o£F, you're in Danger of fall- 
 ing down, and your Climbing up is rendred more dif- 
 ficult or impodible : Fvery Truth denied, or Error 
 maintained, is like a Cutting out, or Breaking off 
 a Round of the Ladder ; and whenever a Breach is 
 made in it, the Climbing up by it is rendered im- 
 prafticable, if it be a fundamental Error; or greatly 
 pbftruSed, if it nearly concewi the Fundamentals of 
 Keligion: We need therefore to be concerned, that 
 every Truth be maintained by us, and tranfmitted to 
 our Poflerity pure and intire. It is our Mercy, that 
 y,e have pure Standards; and if any latter Aftsofthis 
 Church fefcm to clalh therewith, we hope they have 
 no the deliberate Approbation, even of thofe that 
 fra^Tied them ; however all Gofpel-Truihs ought to be 
 facred to us^us v/eUas ail the purchaft Liberties and 
 
 Pfi- 
 
/ 119 ) 
 
 Privileges in God*« Houfe ; the Lofs of'tlieteaft 
 whereof, is the Lofs of a Jewel of the' Mediator's 
 Crown: Chrift is the Head and Centre of all Gofpel* 
 Truth, and we ought to hold by the Head ; and fo 
 we fhall hold by the Truth, as it i$in JefiistheHead. 
 The Apoftle complains of fome, their not holding 
 the Head, CoU ii. 19. Some inilead of holding theHead^ 
 they hold.by the Feet : It is enoligh to them that fucK 
 a good Man, or fuch a learned Man faysfo and fo» 
 concerning this or that Truth ; and fo let the Head 
 go, and hold by the Feet, not regarding the Truth, 
 as it is injefus; but theTruth,as it is delivered by fuch 
 a Man, whom they efteem, or fuch another Man that 
 hath this or that good Chara^^er : But we ought to 
 hang and hold by the Head, and not to hang our 
 Faith at the Belt of any Man or Angel ^Fo**, ifwe^or 
 an Angel from Heaven preach another Do^rine^ let him be 
 accitrfedy Gal. i. 8. Now, 1 fay, that the Gofpel-Seafon 
 is the gathering Seafon ; while Gofpel-Truths are 
 pubhlbed, they are the Standard of the Captain of 
 lialvation, to which the Gathering of his Soldiers 
 ftiOuld be, and will be when the Gofpel comes, not 
 in Word only, but ivi Power. But again, idly^ The 
 Harveft Time of fealing Solemnities, that is the Be- 
 iever's receiving Seafon, which frequently is God*s 
 athering Sealon, when he forwards their progreflive 
 iathering to Shiloh, This Ordinance of the Supper, 
 being, in a fpecial Manner, appointed, not for Con- 
 verfion, butConftrmation ; not for begetting fpirituat 
 Life where there is none, but for ihcreafing ic where 
 begun : It is in thisOrdinance,that the Lord is plead- 
 ed, fometiraes to feal up the Promife, tofeal up the 
 Covenant, to feal up his Love, and feal up their Par- 
 don fenfibly to their Souls; and to make himfelf knowft 
 to them in the breaking of Bready Luke xxiv. 5 5.He bringt 
 them under the Shadow of a Sacrament, and hit 
 Frttitisfweet unto their Tafie, and his Glory bright im 
 their bye ; whereas they came ftark blind, they have 
 got their tyes opened : Yea, fometimes they get 
 there » fweet Breathing of Gloryi an holy Perfume 
 
 of 
 
 g 
 
( tao ) 
 
 of the-fveet imbalming Love ofChriftj SoBnedmet 
 a young Hraven, a green Glory, aTafte of the Grapes 
 of the good Land beyond Jordan^ to keep the Tafte 
 in their Mouth, till they come to drink of the new 
 Wine in their Father's Kingdom. Many a fainting 
 Soul hath been refrefhed and revived with the Wine 
 tpon the Lees, in this Ordinance ; while He hath 
 come, and pardoned all their Sins, healed ail their 
 Sores, fupplied all their Wants, cleared all their 
 cJoudy SKifcs, and dung the Bottom out of all their 
 Doubts and Fears; and thus gathered them, and' 
 brought them to more Nearnefs and Conformity ta 
 bim : For, as when a Man makes a Timber Veflel 
 for holding Food or the like, the firft Caft may be 
 very tough, and therefore he fmoothsand fits it more 
 and more for Ufe ; fo the Souls of the Saints are at 
 tirft Converfion but rough caften, as it were, there- 
 fore the Lord by cifiiing of them, and manifefting 
 himfelf to them in his Ordinances, does more and 
 more fit the Veffel of Mercy for a Fill of the Liqudf 
 of Glory : Hence, thefe Divine Incomes now and then 
 that make them cry ou-t, my Soul thirfts f»r Gcdy for 
 the living Gody ivlenJhaJl I come and appear before Go4f 
 Pfal. xlii. 2. As the tofled Mariner longs for theHaven, 
 the Harbour ; fo does the Soul, ^^^^ ^^^^ ""^^ ^^^^ 
 God in Ordinances, long to meet with hitn in Heaven* 
 As one tells us, 'That when ome the Gaals of eld had 
 tafied of thefiveet Wine that was made of the Grapes of 
 Italy, Nothing would fatisfie them hut Italy, Italy ; fo 
 the Soul that hath once tailed of the Goodnefs of 
 God, and Swcetnefs of Chrift, and the Grapes of Pa- 
 radife. Nothing fatisfies that Soul at fuch a Time, 
 but O Taradife, Paradife ! O to be in Glory's Land, 
 in ImmanueVs Land ! O to be for ever with the Lord! 
 It is true, as the Lord is Sovereign, and fomctimei 
 hides his Face from his Children in thefe Ordinan- 
 ces, and facramental Solemnities, infomuch that they 
 go mourning without the Sun ; fo the Meafures of 
 his Communications are various, fometimes more 
 bright and glorious, and fometimes more dark and 
 cloudy; but as vrc enjoy the Light and Benefit 
 
i 121 ) 
 
 ef the Sun, even when we cannot fee it, becinfa of 
 the Clouds ; Co Believers do foraetimes enjoy mucb 
 ofjthe Light, and Heat, and Warmth' of the Sun of 
 Righteoufnefs, even sfhea by Reafonofmany Cloud© 
 they cannot fee hira fo clearly as at other Time* ; 
 however every Glance of his Glory, in thefe Galleries 
 of Ordinances, hath fuch a Soul-gathering Influence, 
 fuch an Heart-drawing Vertue, that thisHarveil»tim© 
 may be called a gathering Seafon ; while all the Fa- 
 culties of the Soiu, all the Affeftions of the Heart are 
 gathered to, and cencered on Chrift, and longing to 
 be gathered about the Throne, to fee him Face to 
 Face. And this leads me to the fct^rtb andjaft Period, 
 T'ith Refpe^i to the Seafon of this Gatheiiog ot tho 
 People to Sbilob, % 
 
 (4.) The gathering Seafon* may be confkiered, 
 ■with Relation to the confumate Gathering ot tha 
 Saints ; and of this final Gathering there are two Sea- 
 fons, namely, The Day of Death, and the Day of ^udg" 
 went, ly?, The Day of Death is a gathering Day to 
 the Saints ; for thea Cbrift gathers his Lilies to him- 
 felf, Song vi. 2. My Beloved is gone down into his Qar- 
 den, te gather Lilies : When the Lilies a/e ripe, her 
 gathers them into his Bofom ; he picks up one here« 
 and another there ; and. indeed fome of the fweeteft 
 fmelling Lilies in all the Garden of his Church, par- 
 ticularly in this and fome neighbouring Presbyteries, 
 hath the Lord been lately gathering ; and among the 
 reft, that Lily that ufed to caft fuch a favoury Gof- 
 pel-Smell, at former Solemnities here ; you cannot 
 but know what 1 mean : But, O Sirs, if God (hall ga- 
 ther up all the faireft and fweeteft of his Lilies front 
 among us, our Garden will become but unbeautiful 
 and unfavoury: The Beauty and favour is gone, when 
 the Lilieg are gathered ; unlefs the Lord himfelf (hall 
 ftiake other fuch Lilies to grow up in their Room, I 
 remember that one of the laftSavoury Smells th^t that 
 Lily caft among us, at the laft Year's Soletnnity, wa§ 
 in the pleafant opening of that Word, Ni^w tie /e4 
 through a Qkfs darkly^ but then Facg to Face : And, h0 
 Q, Doubt, 
 
Doubt, it was in the Profpefl: of being gatbeFcd to 
 the Place of immediate Vrfion, and full enjoyment of 
 Cod and the Lamb. And indeed a Time of Death is 
 a Time of Gathering of the Saints to Glory, where 
 their dark, and partial, and tranfient Enjoyment of 
 God here, is turned to a clear, and full, perfeft, per- 
 manent, and uninterrupted Enjoyment : For then, 
 they know him, as they are known ; And there is no 
 U^emple therey Rev. xxi. 22. for the Lord God Almighty ^ * 
 and the Lamb are the 'Temple of it : And therefore, to 
 him, as the Temple in Heaven, fhall the Gathering 
 of the People be. Hence Death to the Godly is called 
 a Gatherings Gen, xUx. lafi. It is faid of yacoby when 
 he died^ He was gathered unffi his People; why, on* 
 weuld think, he was rather taken away fi^om his 
 People ; for he was dying, and all his Children and 
 Grandchildren about him ; yea, but he had Peopl^ 
 elfe where, and better Company that he was going to, 
 even the General /4JfemhIy and Church of the Firfi-Born^ 
 that are written in Heaven ^ the Spirits cfjuft Men made 
 perfeBf and all the Saints that had gone before him. 
 O Sirs, fee what Company ye chufe now ; if ye be of 
 the wicked and ungodly, your Death will be but a 
 Gathering t^ the Devil and Reprobates in Hell ; if yoU 
 mifs Heaven at the firft Shot of Death, you are gone 
 for ever : When a Man fhoots at a Mark in his Life- 
 time, if he mifs at one Shot, he may ihjOot another, 
 and Ihoof again and again, till he hit; but if you 
 laifs Heaven at the firft Shot of Death, you are not to 
 live again, to Shoot another Shoot for it : ThereforCi 
 let your Life now be a PreJJlng towards the Mark, a 
 Shooting at the right Mark, a Gathering to Shiloh ; 
 for thefe that are gathered to him gracioufly in Life, 
 •will be gathered glorioufly to him at Death; for then, 
 Sibc Souls of Believers do immediately pafs into Glory ; 
 vhen their Bodies are laid in the Duft, their SouU 
 are gathered to th6ir People in Heaven, where Chiift 
 it the Centre of the Aflembly, i The/, iv. 17. And fo 
 fhall we ever be with the Lord, There are Angels and 
 Arch-iing«ls in H^aven^theie ste Saints and Seraphims 
 
 (hers ; 
 
■•f^ 
 
 ( 12? ) 
 
 there ; but all will not make an Heaven without 
 Chrift ; he is the Light of the Place, and the Heart 
 of the Company for ever, and to him fhali the Ga- 
 thering of the People be. But then, idfy, TheJDjy 
 of Judgment will be a moft remarkable Seafon of the 
 confumate Gathering of his People to him : The 
 rText indeed (p&aks mainly of Chrift's firft Coming 
 in the Flefh, The Sceptre jh all not depart from Judah^ 
 till SbiUh come y and to him jballthe Gathering of the Veo- 
 pJe be ; but it will be alfo true of his fecond Coming 
 in the Qouds of Heaven ; for then will he gather his 
 Saints together unto him, thefe that have made fi 
 Covenant with him by Sacrifice, F/al, 1. 5. Ther^ 
 fore the Apoftle joins his fecond Coming, and thit 
 glorious Gathering together, a ^hef, ii. i . We befeecb 
 youy Brethren J by the Coming of our Lord Jefus Chrifi, 
 4nd by our Gathering together unto him, Ithen will he fend 
 his Angels^ iviththe great Sound of a Itrumpety and they 
 (ball gather together his EleBfrom thefoitvWinds,M^tlh^ 
 xiii. 27. & Yxiv. 31. from one End-of Heaven to another ; 
 wherever the Wmd^of Providence hath driven their 
 Duft : Tho* the Duft of the Believer's Body may be 
 fcattered to all Corners of the Earth and Sea, and re- 
 folved to the original Elements, of which it was at 
 firft compounded ; yet God will gather it altogether 
 again, when he makesthe Earth to give up its Dead, 
 and the Sea to jijive up its Dead, Rev. xx, 13. And 
 therefore, tho* Worms deftroy this Body ^ yet in their Flejt 
 Jball they fee God, according to the Words of jS^^ 
 wherein heexpreffeth his Faith of the happy Refur- 
 reftion. Job, xix. 25. / know that my Redeemer livhth, 
 <5cc. for then, as God will gather together their fcat- 
 iered Bones and Duft, fo he will bring their glori- 
 fied Souls along with him, 1 *Thef. iv. 14. and he will 
 reunite thefe Two intimate Friends, Soul and ^ody ; 
 they ftiall meet with one another, and meet the 
 Lord in the Air ; O let none of us think it incredi- 
 ble, that God ffiould raife the Dead ; for in that 
 Day when Shiloh comes again, he will gather toge- 
 ther and mate up all his Jewels^ M^» iii. 17. Tho' 
 :^ Q t his 
 
( 1^4 ) 
 
 kis Jewels be lying among the Duft, yei he will ft- 
 ^^rate his Jewel-Duft from the reft of the Duft : For 
 as ChriiJ isihe Load-ftone, that draws the Hearts 
 of People to him, that are gathered to him by his 
 Grace now, according to his own Word, When I 
 am lifted up, I willdraij all Men unto me ; So at his 
 fecond Coming, he will be the glorious Load-ftone, 
 fhat will draw all the precious Duft of the Saints to- 
 gether to him. You that know the Vertue of the 
 L oad-ftone will know this, (which I have fometimes 
 tried, with a Load-ftone in my Hand) Let the Filc'- 
 ings of Steel, never fo fmailj be mixed with Duft, fo 
 as it is impolfible, you would think, to feparate the 
 Duft of the Steel from the Duft of the other Earth , 
 yet, if you bring near the Load-ftone, all the File- , 
 ings of the Steel will feparate from the reft, and fly 
 up to the Load-ftone, in the tenth Part of theTwink- 
 ling of an Eye. O, if the Load-ftone have fuch a 
 Vertue, what mnft be the Vertue of him that gave 
 Vertue to it? When-ever Sbihh comes in the Clouds 
 of Heaven, behold, in the Twinkling of an Eye, all 
 the Redeemed that deep in the Duft will be gathe- 
 red ;'the glorious Load-ftone wiH put forth its Ver- 
 tue, and they will be all drawn to him in a Moment. 
 I Coy. XV. 52. I 'Thef, iv. 1 5, 17. There is the glo- 
 rious and confumateGathering of the People to Sbilob ; 
 It is true, the Day of Judgment will be a Separating 
 pay, the Sheep will be feparate from the Goats, and 
 the Wheat from the Tares; fee Matth, xiii. :?». But 
 however terrible that Day will be to the Chriftlefs 
 World, that could never be gathered to Sti'oby when 
 they fhall be gathered together in Bundles, and caft 
 into the Fire^ God's everlaftinj; Wrath ; yet glori' 
 ous, glorious will th^athering be of all theRedeem- 
 ed ; as they will be gathered to him, fo they will be 
 AfTeflors with him in Judgment ; Knozv ye not that the 
 Saints pall judge the Fk'orld 1 Yea, they fhall judge 
 Angels, I Ccr, vi. 2, 3. They will it upon the Bench 
 of Judgment with Chrifti and applaud him in all his 
 ipdiciai frocidqre againft wicked M^n and Devil*. 
 
 Tiiefe, 
 
tm 
 
 Tbefe, who formerly trampled them, like Dirt ondit 
 their Feet, will then ftand like fo ma«y guilty Pan- 
 nels before them; and when the irreverfible Doom 
 goes forth, Depart from meyeCurfed, &c. the gathe- 
 red SattBts will joyfully adore the Equity of the 
 Judge, and will not give fo much as a Sigh or ^ 
 Sob at the Terror of the Sentence againft the wiek« 
 cd, but clap their Hands, and fend them to Hell 
 with a Shout. O that wicked and Chriftlefs SouU 
 •would fear and tremble, and flee from the Wrath 
 to come, in the awful Apprehenfion of this glori- 
 ous Day! Devils quake at the Apprehenfion of this 
 Day, they believe and tremble, and yetfinful Mea 
 are fearlefs ; but when the great Judge will eiea his 
 fiery Tribunal in the Air, fee if you fhail be awfc 
 to bear up, be as ftout-hearted as you can, O Mi^ 
 peath is infenfibly dealing away your Breach, and ^ 
 after Death comes the Judgment, and then comes 
 the doleful gathering of the wicked to be the Fewel 
 of eternal Flames: But oft wou-ld he have gathered 
 you, as a Hen doth her Chickens under her Wings, 
 but ye would not be gathered, therefore you'll be 
 feparated from him for ever; you would njc come 
 for his BleiEng) therefore you muft depart with this 
 Curfe, Depart from, me, ye Curfed ; then Jhall they be 
 puniped-iV'.th eVerlafih^ Deflruci ion from the Prefence of 
 the Lord^ and the Glory of his Power. O Sinner, flee, flee 
 to Sbiloh ; Let the Gathering of the People be to hint 
 now, that you may fhare of the Glory of that confu- 
 mate Gathering of the 5aints: After Judgment, the 
 gathered Saints will return, and come to Zion with 
 Songs ; God having in that Diy gathered together, 
 and made up all his Jewels, what a bright Conftella- 
 tion will rhefe Jewels make, when they (hall be all 
 gathered together in the Firn\iment of Glory, Dan, 
 xii. 5. Vea, they ^'iW fhiife as the Brt^btnefs of the Fir- 
 mamentt and as tht Stars for ever and ever. Mat. xiii. 
 45. "Then^ fays Chrift, /ball the Righteous fiine as tbs Sua 
 in the Kingdom of their Father ; that is, even all thefe 
 poor Things that have been gathered to SbiUhy as 
 ^he Lord their Righteoufaefa aad Strength. O Sits, 
 
 this 
 
( 126 ) 
 
 this glorious Gcithering Day will be upon you, be- 
 fore we be all gathered together upon Earth again: 
 Some that were at the laft Year's gathering here, 
 are now gone to Eternity* and you'll never fee theii 
 again, till you and they be gathered together befoVj^ 
 the awful Tribunal ; and, without ^11 Peradventure, 
 there are here that will never fee another Sacrament 
 at Airth ; it may be you, Man, it may be you, Wo- 
 man ; it may be fuch a Minifter, or (uch *a private 
 Perfon ; it may be fuch a Laird or Lady, fuch a La4 
 or Laf«, as have little Thoughts of Death at prefenr. 
 O Sirs, I am looking xo you, and you to me.; but we 
 ■will never all fee one another, tilb we fee the Son 
 ^f Man, the Son of God, coming in the Clouds of 
 jReaven, and gathering all the World before him ; 
 And therefore, in the View of that gathering Day, 
 O let not this Gathering of People here part from 
 one another anddifmifs, till once there be a Gather- 
 ing unto Shiloh, Now, we befeech you. Brethren, by 
 rhe Coming of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and by our 
 Gathering together unto him at the great Day of his 
 Appearance, that you confent ro be gathered, ami 
 that this prelent Gathering be not diflblved, till your 
 Hearts and AfFeQ:ions be gathered to Shiloh^ and cen- 
 tred in him. O choofe rather to die upon the Spot, 
 than not be gathered unto him this Day. Mjny a 
 gathering Word and Call you have got thefe Days 
 bygone, and Chrift is faying, how oft would 1 have 
 gathered you, yet ye would not] O, is he faying, I 
 \vould gather you, Man, Woman ? Then, What 
 xvould you? Have you no will to be fathered out of 
 the ftinking Prifon of your Luftsand uiols, your Self 
 jind Self-Rig hteoufnefs, your Worldlinefsand Cove- 
 toufnefs, ycur Pride and Vanity? Whatever be the 
 Ulthy (linking Prifon that you are like to perifh in, 
 he is faying, I would gather you o^t of it . And, Q 
 Man, Womai, would you rather be gathered ro^the 
 Devil, than gathered unto Sbilah ? Would you rather 
 be gathered to a Tavern of Drunkennefs, Lewdnefs 
 and Carnality, thap gatheied to the Temple of Grace 
 
 and 
 
( >27 ) , 
 
 and GXotff WonW you be garhered to Shifeh^ w,' 
 not / It is come juft to this, Man, What tteul'dyou thai 
 I Jh&uld da unto you 1 Would you that I fhould ga- 
 ther you? Behold, he is declaring his Will in this (SoU 
 pel. Is he faying, The Gathering of the People fiialt 
 be to him? Does he fay, it {hail be? Then O fay. 
 Amen, Lord, fo let it be. The Srfength of Unbelief 
 lies in your Unwillingnefs to be gathered ; and if th» 
 Will were once broken, it would be a Day of Power, 
 r(aU ex. 3. ^hy People fiatl be willing in the Day of tbf 
 Power, O, has there any Power been here to mako 
 you willing ? Willing to be gathered to Him as a 
 Prieft, and a Prince botK ? Willing to be gathered 
 out of the Prifonof Sin, as well as out of the Prifott 
 of Hell and Wrath ? Willing to be gathered to hiri 
 for Wifdom, Righceoufnefs, SAn6J:ification,and com- 
 plete Redemption, and to be indebted to him for all 
 and every Part of his Salvation ? Willing to have all 
 from him for nothing, fo as the Praife and Glory 
 of all may redound to himfeH*? O, are you thus wil- 
 ling to be gathered undt^r his Wings of Grace and 
 Glory 1 Then Glory to God, for the Power that 
 hath made you willing ; or if you cannot fay, that 
 that Power is what you have felt, yet is it that 
 Will-breaking Power you would be at, faying, O let 
 this gathering Power be exerted 1 There is Hope in 
 Jfrael concerning yoc. O may Sinners be gathered to 
 him: This is God's Defign by the Gofpel, and we 
 hope, it is our Defign in preaching it, to get Sinners 
 gathered. And, O let me tell you, That there xs fuch 
 a glorious Gathering of excellent Things in him, as 
 may engage the Hearts of all the Sinners here to ga- 
 ther unto him, and aJl ih^ Believers here to be 
 ay gathering to him more and more. Why, what 
 for aGathefing is therein him? O there is a Ga- 
 thering of all Glories in him, |he Glory of Saints, 
 the Glory of Angels, the Glory of God is in him, fo 
 that he is altogether lovely .• The Gathering of all 
 Perfeaion is in him, and all Divine Attributes 
 And Fulnefs ; for it pleafed the Father that in him 
 Ihould all Fulneli dwell, fo thai he hath all Fulnefs 
 
 ot 
 
( 128 ) 
 
 ©r Ability and Authority to favc The Gaftb^rlng of ill ' 
 Righteoufnefs and Strength is in him; therefore, to 
 him fnould Men come, l/a, xlv. 24^ The Gathering 
 of all the Promifes is 'm him, for all the Promifes are 
 Yea and Amen in him; there is no Promife out of 
 him : The Gathering of all Graces is in him, that 
 out of his Folnefs we may come and receive 
 Grace for Grace ; and to whom fhould the 
 gathering of the People be, but to him that 
 hath all Grace for them? The Gathering of all 
 Blcffings is in him, fpr all fpiritual Bleffings in hea- 
 venly Places are only inChrift Jefus, Epb. i. 5. And 
 to whom fhould the Gathering of the People be, but 
 to him, of whom it is faid. That Men Jh all beblefi in 
 'blm and all Nations pall call him Blejfed^ Pfal* Ixxii. 17. 
 and no Bleffing is to be had out of him : The Ga- 
 thering of all Mercies is in him, and therefore all the 
 Mercies of the everlafting Covenant are called the 
 fure Mercies oi David ; all the Mercies of God is in 
 Chrift, and there is no Mercy in God out of Chrift 
 towards any Sinner; The Gathering of all Gifts is 
 in him, he hath received Gifts for Men, even tor the 
 JLebellious, that God the Lord might dwell among 
 them ; the Gift of the Spirit efpecially, for he hath 
 received the Spirit above Meafure, and fo hath all 
 the Influences of the Spirit to give : He received 
 Gifts for Men, all is for Men, and for the People ; all 
 thepromifed Highteoufnefs, Graces, Bleflings, Mer- 
 cies and Gifts that he hath received, as Mediator, 
 and that are gathered in him, is for the People, that 
 the Gathering of the People may be to him. There 
 is a Gathering of all Things in him, for he is All ia 
 all ; and all Things are yours, if once you be gather- 
 ed to him ; whereas you have nothing at all but Sin, 
 Dfeath and Mifery out of him. In a Word, there is 
 a Gathering of all the Treafures of Wifdom and 
 Knowledge, and all unfearchable Riches in hitr., 
 for making you up, and making you happy for ever ; 
 and towhom Ihould thegatherii^ of poor People be, 
 hui to him 1 Whac ihali 1 fay ? There is a Gathering 
 
 of 
 
' ( 1^9 ) 
 
 •fall faving Offices in him ; he is a Pfopher, Prleft, 
 King, Mediator, Redeemer, Surety, and all Offices 
 in one •• Whatever be your Want, he hath an Office 
 for fupplying it; whatever be your Debt, he hath am 
 Office for paying it ; whatever be your Difeafe, he 
 hath an Office for curing it ; for Difeafes in the Mind, 
 he is a ftophet, for Difeafes of the Confcience, he is 
 a Prieft ; for Difeafes of the Will, he is a King , and 
 for all other Maladies that can be named, he hath 
 all other healing Offices that can be named : Yea, for 
 "Wonderful Maladies he hath wonderful Offices, for 
 -wonderful Sinshe hath wonderful Pardons, for Won- 
 derful Plagues he hath wonderful PJaif^ers. O, i^ 
 there fach a Gathering of all good Things in him for 
 the People, and fhall there be no Catherine' of the* 
 People to him ? Chrift hath no other VCe for thefe 
 Things that are^thus gathered in him, but for the 
 Behoof of the People that gather to him ; and they 
 ij;ould a 1 bQufelefs, if there were no gathering of 
 the People t^ him. O fhall he bean ufeltfs ShilobC 
 you ? And have you no Need of him, no Vfe for 
 him? O Dole^and Miiery . Will you ftand abadt 
 from him, as ;f he were an Ufeleh Cbrift ? But if 
 you have any Ufe for him then, all that he'^ants s 
 to have your Employment ; to believe is to emDlo* 
 him to do all your Work in you and for you?Do^^ 
 ing and Beheving are very different Things ; if yo« 
 be for doing all your felf, in order ro your own Sal 
 f^r " *?^.M^fication, then you make Chrrft ufe. 
 lefs, and his Death vain,G^/. ii. la/} IfPinui \r r 
 
 for Behemg, theo kno^ xvhat Believing crPahh 
 IS. Faith does nothing, but gives Chrift all Xl i. 
 
 sl^^gth-i^^^-rfe^^^^ 
 
 Strenghtmng, „ can do all Thing,. No^. O fhaU 
 *■ - Chrit 
 
( ^50 ) 
 
 Cbrjff pt no Employwerr here i Will there be no 
 Gathering to fa im for Righteoiifnefs and ^tre.cth 
 1 hoFefome have been gathered and drawn to him 
 andean fay, the Lord God of the Hehnivs met with 
 us,^and made a SouUgathering influence run through 
 $r|d through cur Hearts. O, let the whole of your 
 Life be a Gathering to Shiloh, and a Living iifen him- 
 And now the ^reit Gathering of the Peopje hero 
 may be joyfully difmiflfed, tho* they fh.ll never all 
 meet together in Time, ,f this Promife of Chrift 
 hath taken tffea. To htmjhall the Gathering cf the 
 People be. ■' 
 
 ♦ At Carnoch, July 4th and5th, 1725. 
 
 SIXTH HEAD. 
 
 The Sixth general Head was, to give you the Rea- 
 fons of the Dodrine;and here I am to fhow you, ly?. 
 Why there muft be a gathering of the People, the 
 Gentiles 1 zdly^ Why to Shilx>b muft the Gathering be? 
 Why to him ? 
 
 (lO Why are the People, the QeniiUs to be gathe- 
 red ? For this Part of the Text concerns the Gentiles, 
 in Contradiftinflion from ih^ Jews ; I'o him fhall the 
 Gathering of the People 6*, the Gentile People. It was in 
 Purfuance of this Defign that the Apoltle P4w/ was 
 called the Apoftle of the Gentiles ; and he magnified c 
 his OfEce, and boafls of it, faying, Eph. iii. S. To me, 
 who cm lefs than the haft of all Saints y is this Grace pi'ver-^ 
 t^at I JhocuM preach the unfearchable Riches of CbrijK 
 This is a Queftion ot the greateft Concern to us 
 Gentiles .* Why, is our Name put in Chris's Com- 
 rciflion ? O, it would be good News to us ; and for 
 confirming oar Faith herein, take thefe Six Grounds 
 ajid Realons for it, I. There mufl be a Gathering of 
 Gentile People to him, for filling up the Room which 
 the yewj left. Chrift came to his own, and his own 
 received him not ; and (ince the Jeivs reje£lcd him, 
 :nd call our themfelvgs by Unbelief, the Gentiles are 
 taken in, to fucceed to to them in their Church Pri- 
 'rileges, "fym, xi. 1 1. Through their Fall, SnlvAtion is 
 •. come 
 
( >3i ) 
 
 c»me to tbi Qttttites ; and, *. 19. ■Tbefe Braachfs toer^ 
 t^ken off that the Gentiles njigbt be grafted in. The Room 
 w^ich the yeivs left vacanc muft be filled up with 
 Gentiles,L#rA'f xiv. 1 5. and downwards, where there the 
 Gorpel-tnrertainmenc i» compired ro a great Man's 
 Slipper, towhich rainy were bidden; fome reject the 
 Invitation, particularly the^^w/, that had the firft 
 Honour of being invited to the Ban<juenng-Houfe, 
 thitis, to partake of Chrift and his Gofpel-Bleflings; 
 other* embraced the gracious oflFer, particularly the 
 poor defpifed outcaft Gentiles, even thefe that were 
 without the L.^w. Hence fee and read v. 11, 22, 25. 
 there you fee the Geru:les called, to fill up the Rootp 
 that the j^ews left vacant 1. There muft be a Gather- 
 ing of the People, the Gentiles, to reprove and pu- 
 niih the Unbelief of the yewf, from whom the 
 Scept.e IS departed, ;!nd to provoke them to Jealoufy, 
 ^;«, XI. II. for as becatr/e of Unbelief they 'were brokem 
 ^, Rom. xi. 20. fo for the Pun,fhmeni of their Ue- 
 belief ; fee what God fays to them, Deut. xxxii. if . 
 (fornpared with Rom, x. 15^. I wiU pr^oke yon to JtA- 
 ^^f^h them that are „o People. The Jews had the 
 firft OS^r.AHs m Uji. .nd the Genriie* had but their 
 Leavings. But w^hat a Provocation it wa. to the >tw 
 p 1^1 V '^^^"^'^^^ ^'^v^our, i, reprefented in the 
 Parable, L«i'.xv where the elder Brother enviedthe' 
 Reception and Entertainment of the Prodigal Geft- 
 
 ^L'w'r. r^'^'iP^'^"^^* ^"^^ ^'"- 45. where you fee 
 how the Gentiles were received, in t,. 46/47. 48. 
 
 faul had a Commilfion to go the Gentiles fee how 
 they were provoked, ^5. Li. ^^^"^X'J," theTr 
 Sin that they were thu, enraged/ and G^d makis 
 oftenrimesPeople. Sin their PuniWnt; A Man^^s 
 
 T ^'""^•r.^^^S"^' »*^^n to be Jeft to the im.et^! 
 Kage of hi« own Lufts- However ;,.« /'"Pf^"^"* 
 
( 132 ) 
 
 sVtUh came, the Jews have been fet to the Door, 
 and the Gentiles gathered in : Yea, 5. There muft 
 be a Gathering of the People, the Gentiles, to pave a 
 Way for the glorious Gathering ofthe Jews again, 
 Epm, xi. 25, 24, 25, 16, Here is a twofold Myltery, 
 namely, that the Gathering of the Gentiles will make 
 Way for the renewed Gathering and Converfion of 
 the Jews. I {hall read you foma Promifes you have 
 thereof, 7/4, xi. 10, 11, 12. ^^^i*. xxiii. 3, 4, 5,6. 
 Thefe, you may fee, have evidently a further Look 
 than their Deliverance from Babylon, Zech. xii. lo. 
 & 15. I. As we have Encouragement to pray for the 
 Conver(ion of the Jewsy fo,if chere were a Spirit of 
 Prayer to a God in Chrift among us, in their Behalf, 
 who were his ancient People, we might then think, 
 the happy Day were h illninf(, wherein it is promi- 
 fed, That the Gentiles fliall further the Gathering 
 ofthe Jewsy Ifa. xlix. 22. 8c Ix. 9, lo. & Ixvi. 18, 19, 
 lb, 21, 22, 29. See Zech. ii. 10, 11, 12. 6c viii, 21, 
 S2, 25. Again» 4. There muft be a Gathering of the 
 People, the Gentiles^ to fhew the Sovereignity of 
 his Grace, and Freedom of his Mercy, R(ym, ix. 15. 
 iThat he ivlll have Mercy on fwhom i)e ivill have Mercy, 
 and Companion on whom he will have Compaffion .* 
 Thcyeivs expe8:ed to monopolize this Privilege, of 
 being God's People and Church, continually to 
 thcmfelves ; and few thought, that the Gentiles (hould 
 become Felbiv-'Citizens of the Saints ^ and of the Houjbold 
 of God : But God's Thoughts are not our Thoughts ; 
 *he fhew8 his Sovereignity, in'pitching upon what 
 Nation ofthe Earth it pleafes him. The Potter hath 
 Vowef oyer the, C//ry, of the fame Lump to make one Vef- 
 feho Honour and another to Pifhonour : The great Crea- 
 tor of the Ends ofthe E;irth.does thus fhew his Pow* 
 er and Authority, in making *i?^^ a People that were 
 fio Feople^ and thefe his People that were not his People^ 
 Kom. ix. 25. 26. This therefore was one of the ^^4^ 
 Myfteries of Godlinefsy Chrifi preached unto *^ff Gentiles, 
 4nd believed on in the Worldy 1 Tim. iii. 16. This was a 
 Mvftery>that with g^eat Pifficulty could b©^r€^eived, 
 < ' • and 
 
( 133 ) 
 
 and believed by the Apoltl js ; for when Feter was per- 
 fwaded, by the Vifion of a Sheer knit at the fourCor- 
 i>er>', wherein WIS nil !yi inner of tour-foored lieifts, 
 and creeping Tilings, laJ fovls or' the Air, not to de- 
 fpile the Gtntihs ;is common and unclean, and accord- 
 ingly had pre tched the Gofpel with Succefs to them, 
 he was accufed by the rett of the Apoftles, AHsx'i. i, 
 2, 5» i\\\ Peter vr\\k\r\^ his Defence, "They held their 
 yeaccy and gbrified Gj^, faylnrr^ then hath God granted to 
 *J5>5 Gentiles K^pentatJce u/tto fjfe^ Ver. i8» And in all 
 this, the Lord acled ina Sultablenefs to his ancient 
 Proraife, concerning: the CalH^ig and Inbringing of the 
 Gentiles. It is lon^i; fince God pro^nifed to Noah, (slY~ 
 in^fGodJhall evlirp^ejaphst^ and he fh-'tll dwell in the 
 1'entsofShim, Gen. ix. zj, Nqv^ o^ faphet came the 
 Gentiles, Gen. \'. 5. and of She^n came the j^ews ; 
 '^io that by this Prophecy ,there is a clear Prediction of 
 the Converfion of theG^«/:/^/,and their inheriting the 
 Privileges o{ the ^ews, to the Praife of ibvereign 
 Gr^ce. 5. There muit be a Githering of the People, 
 theGentileSy to (liew the Extent and Sufficiency of^his 
 Grace, as well as the.So/ereignity and Freedom of it : 
 How extenfive is his Grace and Ooodnefs, in Gather- 
 ing in the Ger.tilest as v.ell as die JeivSj under the 
 Wings of his Favour and Mercy.? While hefets open 
 his entertaining-room Doors to Stjnners, out of every 
 Tongue; and Nation, and Kindred, where neither 
 Je:v nor Greeks Circiimcjfion nor Oncircumcifion, 
 |Sarbarian, ^cytHant Bond nor Fre'e are excluded ;buC 
 all are one and alik^ in JefiiftChriff, G^l. iii. 28. Colx 
 iii. ti. Herein he appears to j£l with aGreuneis like 
 himfelfjbecoming his boundlefs Infinity, and nor after 
 the Manner of Men, h\n like a God ; and fo (igna* 
 lixe his Good nefs beyond theCompifs of M"^ i ^'^*' 
 he IS God^ and not Mnn^ Hof. xi. 9. It were a Diminu- 
 tion of the Glory of his Grace, if it vvere, fiid. This 
 is Nothing, but what a M m might do. It is his Glo- 
 »y> to a£t in fuch a Manner, as is propar to none but 
 a God, a God of boundlefs Grace and unparallelled 
 popdnefs ; that when poor Dogs, Pagans, Gcnn'ie» 
 
 find 
 
,( '34 ) 
 
 find his GooJnefs, even exiendirrg to themCaft-aways, 
 that weie reje^ed o{ Men, the) may have it lo fay. 
 Is this the Manner of Aden, Lord 1 6. There mi\i\ bl 
 a Gathering of the People, the Gentdes^ lo fbew the 
 Glory and Gre«tnefs ot Chrill's Kingdom ; That his 
 Dtrtiinion reAcheth from Sea to Sea^ and from the River 
 to the Ends of the Earth : See Pfal, Ixxii. 8 lo. As it is 
 the Glory of a King, to have many Subjects, a nu- 
 merous Train, and a great Retinue ; fo it is the Glory 
 of our Shilohf that the GAtherin^ of the People is imio 
 Jiim, even Gentiles as weli as y^a/ ; and fo many the 
 inore to celebrate the Praifes of free Grace . and to 
 adorn theTiiumph of his glorious Thrcne above,v.ith 
 loud Acc\!in\. rUons'of GracefGr^ce. SoUwoi: tells us, Pr^J'y. 
 3tiv. 28' That the Glory of a King is in the Multitude 
 ©f his Subjefis; fo it is the Glory ot King Jefus, to 
 have a Multitude of People gathered to him ; and O, 
 that he may get Honour here this Day, by gathering 
 a Multitude of Souls, that they miy come and fet the 
 Crovn upon the Hcadofan exiJied Jefns! 
 
 (jj Why to Sbihh mult the Gathering of the Peo- 
 ple be ] Why, ifi. To him muft the Gathering of the 
 People be, becaufe to him the Headfhipand (jovern- 
 pnent of the People does belong : All the People, that 
 ^«^me of A4am^ have loft their Head fince Ad:mi\ Fail; 
 Cf 5 if ihey have no other Head than the firft Adaniy 
 they are no better than an headiefs Company, 
 yea and worfe ; for, from Ad.1771 their firft Head, there 
 IS Nothing but Sin, and Dejth conveyed, Rem, v. 12 . 
 But now, the fecond Adam^ the promiled Shihh, is 
 conftitute the Head of the People, the Head of the 
 Body the Church, 'J^hat iv ail Things he might h/ive 
 the Fre- eminence t Coh i. 18. and to whom fhould the 
 Catheringof the People be, but to him, who is the 
 Kead of rhe People, and the Head over all Things to 
 the Church ? Epk i. 22. He is the Head influential and 
 political: The Head of Influences ; for all the Influ- 
 90C6S of tight, and Life, and Stiengtbjand Comfort, 
 
 come 
 
( I3J ) 
 
 come from him : The Head of Government; for» Ifii, 
 ix. 6. 'the Gtvernment.is laid upon bis Shoulders, anidf 
 the Increafe of bis Government and Peace ibere [ball he m 
 End ; upon the "ThrMe ofDavid^ and upon his Kin f dim f$ 
 order it^ and to efiahlifh it ivitb Judgment and Jupicef^ 
 ever. Ver. ). The Sceptre is departed from Judih * 
 but it fhall never depart from JefuSy the Lionof tha 
 Tribe ot Judah ; The Sceptre is fallen into his Hand; 
 and to whom fhould the Gathering of the People 
 be, but under the Sceptre of this glorious King ? O 
 that there were a Flocking to touch the 'Sceptre ot 
 King Jefus ! For God hath made this Jefus^ who was 
 cruitfed, to be both Lord and Chrift, AQts ii, ^6. He hath 
 fet his King itpon his h6ly Hill ofZion^ Pfal. li. 6. He 
 hath exalted him ^ by hit right Hand^ to be a Prince and 
 a Saviour^ A£ls v. ;i. The Sceptre, and the Lav^giver 
 is deputed from judah^ from the fews^ fince Sbiloh 
 came ; but the Sceptre and the Lawgiver is come to 
 the Gentiles \ For, the Lord is oitrjudire^ the Lord is 
 our La^givevy the Lord is our King^ he willfave us^ Ifa* 
 XXX. 2z. Thejre needs no other Reafon, why the 
 . Gathering of the i^eople muft be to him ; for he be- 
 ing me Head and King of the People, by God the 
 Father's Appointment, all Divine Honours are owing , 
 to h4m; he .nnft be theObje£lof ourFaith, Love Truft, 
 Obedience and Worfhip, as he is God-Man Mediator; 
 and it is the Will of the Father, that all Men hon- 
 our the Son, even as they honour the Father ; and 
 to him muft the Glory of the Gathering be, lfa» 
 xxii. 24. Upon him muft be hung all the Glory of 
 his Father's Houfe, even all the Veflells of fmal! 
 Qjiiantity, as well as great, from the Veffelsof Cupj 
 to the VeiTelsof Flagons ; all the VefTei* of Mercy^ 
 that are gathered together to God's Houfe ; they 
 muft be gathered to him, and faftned on him, as the 
 glorious Nail in a fure Place , For it is he that builds 
 the ^em^li of the Lord , Zech. vi. 15. and fyall bear the 
 Glory : For he pall jit and rule upon his 'Throne : People 
 gather about the Throae of a King ; and O, fhoulJ 
 
 not 
 
not the Gathering of the People be about the Throne 
 of Grace, to fee the Glory, and touch the Sceptre of 
 him that fits upon the Throne? To him the Head- 
 Ihip and Government of the People does belong ; 
 therefore to him muft the Gathering of the People 
 be. idiyy To him miift the Gathering of the People 
 be ; becaufe to him does the Work of the People 
 belong : As he is appointed to be an Head to them, 
 fo a Wotker for them, ever fince the Covenant ot 
 "NV^orks was broken ; and fo our working Arm bro- 
 ken, we b^ng by Nature without Strength, it is he 
 that works all our Work in us, and for us, Ifa. xxvi. 
 jz. Hence Tays the Pfalmift Davidy Pfal. Ivii. 2./ 
 Kvill cry unto God mofi High y unte God that performs all 
 *I'hir?gsfor me. There is a twofold Work that we need 
 to have performed, namely, Work fatisfying to the 
 Law, as a Covenant ; and Work fuitable to the Law, 
 as a l^uJe, Now the performing of both thefe Works 
 belongs to Chrift, as he is made of God to us, both 
 Righteoufnefs and Sanflification : The Work fatis- 
 fying to the Law, as a Ccvenanty isperforined by hira 
 as our Righteoufnefs while he fulfils the Righteouf- 
 nefs of the La^v for, and in his People, Rem. viii. 
 4. The Work iuitable to the Law, as a RuJe^ is 
 performed in and thro* him, as our Sanftification \ 
 "while he puts his Spirit within us, and caufes 
 US fo walk in his Statures, Ezeli. xxxvi. 27. And 
 hence, fays Chrifl, Johnjiw. 5. Without me ye can do 
 nothing. The Word is, ^^utn ^l^^i fevered from me, 
 or feparatefrom me ye can do Nothing: Why then,v.e 
 muft not remain feparate from him; bur gather to him 
 as he is the N^ediaior, and the All of the Covenant* 
 The wimple Weight and Work of the Covenant be- 
 longs to him, and this makes it a Covenant of Grace 
 to us, and nor of Works; becaufe all the Work fails 
 to his Share .* There is his dtnrg Work, for the Peo- 
 ple ; for he cann to fulfil all Righteoufnefs, thatfo 
 the People mi^ht fny, In the Lord have I RigUeoufnefSt 
 Ifa. xlv. 24. Thereioreit follows, To him pjaH Adsn 
 come. Again, Ti ere is his fuffcring Work for the Peo- 
 ple, on which Account the Gathering of the People 
 
 * ' fticuM' 
 
( 137 ) 
 
 (hoold be tn Jiim, Heb, xiii. 15. ^thai he might fanHi^ 
 ff the People uitb his own Blood, he fuffered without the 
 Gates ; therefore let us go forth to him : Theie is his 
 Dying Work ; for he fuffered unto Deaths and his 
 Death was an A^ of Obedience, he being obedient 
 unco Death, even the Death of the Crofs : This is 
 the Gofpel delivered unto us, to be preached unto the 
 People, How that Chrifi died for our Sins according to 
 the Scripiurey i Cor. xv. 5. And (hall he die for the 
 People, and yet there be no Gathering of the Peo- 
 ple to him ; There is his Repairing Work, for tha 
 behoof of the leople ; and in the Works juft now 
 mention«d, this reparin^ Work is Qccomplifhed ; for 
 he repairs theBreachtrvScf the Law, that our Sin made: 
 And net only is the Lnw magnified, and made ho- 
 nourable, by his Doing and Uying, while his Doirtg 
 anfwers the Precepr, aJid his Dying the Threatnihg 
 thereof, and that to uifinire Advantage; but the 
 Glory of the Lawj^iver is repaired : The People had 
 come fliort of the Glory of God ; but he, to whom 
 the Gathering; of the Peop'emull be, did rfepair the 
 Honour and Glory of his Hchnefs, by a peffe£i Obe- 
 dience ; and the Glory and Honour ofhis Juffice, by 
 a condign SatisfaSion , and thii brought in Gloty to 
 God in the Higheft ; yei, and made all the other 
 glorious Atcribures or God fhine forth glorionfly ahd 
 harmoniouQy, in the Work of our Red[emption. And 
 hence, when Chrilt was about this Work, he fays, 
 thiv if the Son of M-m rioriffdyand God is glori^ed in 
 hmiy John xiii. 31. Titere is his piirchafij^g Work for 
 the Behoof the Heople : He ha'h l.oupJ:t the People icit^., 
 fi Price, i Cor. vi. laji ; And fh ;ll not the Gathering 
 of the l^eople be to nim, v hoCe Blood w.js the Price 
 of the Peoples Soul>, and the I'urchafe Money for 
 buying Gr.ice and Glory to th^m ? There is his plead' 
 ing Work for the People ; Fnr le is ^Ue to fnve to the 
 utterwofiy^ll that come to God li him, hec/iufe he ever 
 lives to make Interceffion for thcnty Hcb. vii^ • 5. And this 
 is the Reafon for tueir Coming and G.jthering tahim 
 for in (o doing, they Jbail have an Evidence, thai 
 kis pleading for them hath been, and wUl be fot 
 S e/et 
 
( 138 ) 
 
 tszt cflFeftual. There is alfo a cofjqueritig "Work, that 
 belongs to him, according to Pfal. ex. 5. Thy People 
 .(ball be ivilllng in the Day of thy Vower : Therefore the 
 Gathering of the People fhall be to him, becaofe the 
 Conquering of the People belongs to him ; and how 
 he corquers them, by the Sword of his powerful 
 Grace, you fee, PfaL xlv. 5 , 4, 5. Indeed there will 
 be no Gathering to him, till this conquering Power 
 come ; and therefore, it you would be gathered, cry 
 to him to gird his Sword upon this Thigh, and to fend 
 the Rod of his Strength out of Ziorty that it ma,y be 
 mighty through God to the pulling down of ftrong 
 Holds, &c, O that his Voice in the Gofpel were 
 powerful! Sonr.e tell us that the Lion's Whelps are 
 born dead at firft, till by the roaring of the old Lion 
 over them, they are quickned : it is true enough in 
 the Cafe of the People that are gathered to Shileh ', 
 they are born dead, and remain fo, till the Lion of 
 the Tribe o^Judah roa/fo loudly, as to quicken them 
 with his powerful Voice, according to yohn v. 2.S. 
 The Hour comes^ when the Dead pall hear the Voice if the 
 Son of God,' and they that hear (hall live; his Voice 
 quickens, conquers, and captivates them : And as it 
 is his Work to conquer them ; fo to conquer all their 
 Enemies for them, whether it be Sin, Satan, Death, 
 Hell, or the World, that they may be more than 
 Conquerors thro' him ; and all this conquering Work 
 belongs to him, that theGathering of the People may 
 be to him. And in a Word, there is a ftrengthning 
 Work, that belongs to him as well as a leading, guid- 
 ing, comforting, and counfelling Work, that I might 
 mention, togtther with all the other Parts of his fa- 
 ving Work; / can do all Things thro' Chrijl firenghten- 
 tpg w^, fays Paul, And it is upon this Footing, that 
 all the Fruits of Faith come in, even all the Works 
 of fpiritual Gofp el Obedience. When we go forth 
 to any Work, we are to go in the Strength of the 
 Lord, making mention of kis Eight ecufnefs^ and cf his 
 only ; being ftrong in the Lord, and in the Power 
 t)f his Might ; iucig in the Grace that is in Chrift 
 
 Jefnti 
 
r 139 ) 
 
 Jefii'Sjand fl-rengthned with Might bj^his Spirit in 
 th^ inner Man : His Strength being made perfeff in our 
 Weahirfs ; and hewcrking in us both to ivill and to do of 
 his goodPteafitre. Th^s he is the Strength o^ lfraeI,l\iQ 
 Strength of the People; for which Caufe, the Ga- 
 thering of the People muft be to him ; and becaufe, 
 in thii manner, the Work of the People belongs to 
 h^m, to work all their Works in them and for them. 
 But tlien again, 5^/y, To him muft the Gathering of 
 the Peop'e be, becaufe to him does the Inftruftion of 
 the People belong ; for as the Purchafe of the People 
 belongs to him a* a Prieji^ and the Conqueft of the 
 People belongs to him, .^s a King ; fo the Inftruftion 
 ot tjie People belongs to him, as a Prophet. And in- 
 dee<i, tho' 1 mention it here in the third Place, yet 
 this is tn.e firft Part of his gathering Work, to inftrud, 
 and teach, and enlighten ; and may we not fay, with 
 Elthu, Job XXX vi. £2. i^ho teachetb like him? H^ is 
 the None fuch Teacher of the People ; and therefore^ 
 muft i^r^Q Gathering ot the People ^e to him : In Vain 
 is the Gathering of the People about Tents and Pul- 
 pits, it their Eyes look no higher than towards poor 
 Minifters, mortaL Worms like themfelves, that can 
 only fpeak to their fiars, but cannot make one Beam 
 of Divine Light to break in upon their Minds and 
 Underftandings. This is the peculiar Work of him 
 who is the Sun of Righteoufncfs, the Light of the 
 World, the Light to lighten the Gentiles: It is He 
 only, by his Spirit, that can make us to know God, 
 and the Things of God, John i. 18. No Man hath feen 
 God at any "Time ; the only bee^otten Son 'which is in the 
 Bo/cm of the Father , he hath declared him. He is the blef- 
 fed and only Teacher and Inftrufter, and therefore 
 the Gathering of the People fhould be to his School, 
 that they may be all taught of God, John vi. 45. 
 And every Man therefore that hath heard and learned of 
 the Father comes to me^ fays Chrift ; where it is plea? 
 fanf to obferve, comparing this and the former Scrip- 
 ture together, that as God and Chrift both are Teach- 
 ers here, fo the Father and the Son both are the 
 S a Leflba 
 
( HO ) 
 
 [.cflbn tau-5ht,4n the Light of the eternal Spirit. And 
 that as there is no Coming to Chrift, nor Gathering 
 to him, but under the Influence of the Father^'Teach- 
 ing ; nor is there any Coming to the Father, but by 
 the Son, who is the Way : So tHe great Leffon that 
 the Father teaches is the Son, and the great Leffon 
 that the Son reaches is the Fatlier ;''and fo the whole 
 Teaching comes to this, a knowing the Father in the 
 Sou by the Holy Ghoft. Now, our Lord Jefus Chrift, 
 in a pc(?uliar Manner, is the great Prophet and 
 Teacher, being anointed with afupereminent Unfti- 
 onof the Spirit of Wifdom for this End, Ifa. Ixi. i, 
 ^he Spirit of the Lord God is upon me ^ for he hath anointed 
 ftie to preach, O glorious Preacher and Teacher I I have 
 put my Spirit upon him ^ fays the Father, that he might 
 bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles^ that is. Light and 
 InfiruBion to the People ; and therefore {hould the 
 Gathering of the People be to him. O then let all 
 the People fay, TCo ivhom fball we go 1 Thou haft the 
 Words of eternal Life. 4chly, To him mufi the Gathering 
 cfthe People ^^jbeciufe to him does the Salvation of 
 the People belong. Salvation from S'm belongs to 
 him ; therefore His Nan?e is called JESUS, hecaufe he 
 faves his People from their SinSy Mat. i. 21. Salvation 
 from Wrath btlongs to him, therefore his Name is 
 alfo called, ever/ JESUS, -ivhich delivered us from the 
 Wrath. to comcj i fbef. i. lap. And not only the pri- 
 vative, but the pofitive Salvation of the Peopl6 be- 
 longs to him : Hence, whom he faves he adopts, 
 whom he favjs he adorns, whom he faves he anoints, 
 whom he faves he jufHties, fanftifies, and glorifies. 
 O then, to whom fhould the Gathering of Sinners be, 
 but to him who is the Saviour of Sinners? i Tim. i. 
 5. This is a faithful Saying f and worthy cf all Acceptati* 
 cn^ that Jefus Chrijl cametofave Sinners ^ of whom ^ (vit, 
 of faved Sinners) / am the Chiefs O let every 
 Man and Woman here fay it with Application; fay 
 it, Man, Woman, Lafs, Lad ; and I'll fay it 
 with you thro' Grace, of whom I am the Chiefs 
 even the Chief of SinpeiSi whom }ie came to 
 
 fave^ 
 
( i4i ) 
 
 fave. Let not Unbelief fay, It may be he came not to 
 fave me : For this Golpel declares that your Name 
 is in his fea'td Commiflion, if you be a Sinner ; there 
 is the Gofpel-cfiirter lee down from Heaven, and it 
 is a Letter iHrected on the Back, For you Sinners ; Je- 
 fus Chrift cime to fave Sinners : And if you open 
 the Charter, and read it with Application to your 
 felf, you will find that^itis all for you, both with- 
 in and \vithour. O hath Chrift a Commiflion to fave 
 the People, and fhalt not the People gather to him 
 for Salvation ? Hath he a Commiflion to fave Sinners, 
 and ihall he return^ with his Commiflion in his Hand, 
 fayine, Father, thou gaveft me a Commiffion to feek 
 and fave that v/hrch was loft, and yonder loft Sin- 
 ners will not have me nor my Salvation either ? They 
 love their Lutts better than me, they love their own 
 proud Fancy better than my Righteoufnefs, and 
 they will not believe that I havefo much Good-will 
 to them as to fave them ; they will not trow but Tm 
 cheating them witk fome goodly Words : I would 
 gather them, but they will not be gathered ; and 
 fave them, but they will not come to me that tbey 
 might ha/e Life, tho' I have a Commiflion from tbe 
 Father ro give Life to dead Sinners. Why, may One 
 think or fay, if Chrift hath fuch a Commijflion to fave 
 Sinners, tht^n let him execute his Gommiflion, I Iball 
 not hinder him. What is that you're faying, Man ? 
 Let me hear that again : If he hath a Commiflion to 
 fave Sinners, let himjcome and fave me, I fhall not 
 hinder him. Is it Jeft or Earneft that you're faying ? 
 If your Heart be jefting while you are fpeaking thus 
 in your Heart, and defpifing a Saviour notwitHftnn- 
 ding ; then it is a dreadful Jeft. Behotd, ye V-efp'fferSy 
 nvonder and pefip ; How Jhallye efcape, if ye ne^rhB fr (rreat 
 Salvation 1 But are you in Earneft, O Sinner, faying, 
 5ince if is his Q&cs to fave Sinners, O let him do it 
 for God's Sake, let iiim execure his fiving Office o»i 
 me the Chief of Sinners ■ for, the Lord knows, I 
 would not dellre to hinder him 1 Why, poor Soul, 
 I'll tell youjgood News, Hefeeks no more at your 
 Band than whatypu ate faying, namely, that you do 
 
 nor 
 
^ 142 J 
 
 notrefift nor refufe his Grace by UnheWef; but tbqt 
 your Heart fay, Content, Lord ; consent to have Sal- 
 vation from all my Sins and Luih, content to have 
 all the Salvation that Chrift came to give: Why, 
 he came to give Life, and to give it more abundant- 
 ly ; and when heij content to give, and you content 
 to receive, there is little more ado, than to blefs lum 
 that it IS a Bargain, for he is boding himfelf, and 
 all his Salvation, upon you this Day : To him does 
 the Salvation of the People belong, therefore let the 
 Gatherin-^ of the People be to him. ^thiy, 'To him 
 muft the Gathering of the People he, becaufe to him is 
 the Gift of the People madL^ God the Father hath 
 made a Gift of the People to him, therefore the 
 People muft be gathered to him The Father bids 
 him a&k the People, and he fhould have rhem, Pfah 
 ii. 8. Ask of me, and I'll give thee the Heathen for thine 
 Inheritance^ and the uttermoji Ends of the Earth for thy 
 Vcjftjpon, There is indeed a feleG Number that were 
 given to him from Eternity y^ohn vi. 97. All that the 
 Father hath given me, fJjall come to me, that is, all that 
 were given to him fnall be gathered to him : And, 
 that none of all the People that hear the Gol'pel may 
 exclude themfelves, as if they were nor given; there- 
 fore it folio ws,H/w that comes I will in no 'ujife caft outy 
 all Comers are welcome. It is as if Chrifl had faid to 
 thefe final Rejefters of him, I would have gathered 
 you, but you would nor, you never had lo much as 
 a Will to be gathered, you would not; but be it 
 known, to your Confufion, that tho* you rejed 
 and defpife me, yet V\\ have a Gathering of the 
 People tome, all that the Father hath given me 
 Ihall be gathered to me : And tho' none will be ga- 
 thered, but thele that v.'ere given, yet this Giving 
 is not put in as a Bar to your Coming, but rather 
 as an Encouragement thereto ; therefore it is re- 
 fnarka1>le, he does not add, him that was qiven I'll 
 in nowife caft out, but him that comes I'll in nowife 
 caft out, intim.uing, That as this Giving is not the 
 Primary Objeft of Faith, fo it cannot be fee n or 
 known, bur in the Way of Coming ; and they have 
 
 this 
 
( 143 > 
 
 this Encouragement to come, that in coming they 
 may know they were given to me. They that have 
 no Will to be gathered, cannot know they were gi- 
 ven;but all that would be gathered, may be furethey 
 •were given : Therefore let this be a Ground for the 
 Gathering of the People to him, that as the People 
 to be gathered weve given to him from Eternity, fo 
 they that would be gathered may know and be af- 
 iured, that they v/ere given to him, John xvii. ^• 
 'ihine they were^ and thou gavefi them me. They were 
 thine by Eleftion, and thou gaveft them me, to be 
 redeemed by me. O h.^.ppy People, whom a Day of 
 Pov^er haih made fo willing, that indeed they would 
 be gathered to Sb:hh ; Tliey may know that they 
 were in God's Hand fr.')m Eternity, and out of God's 
 Hand they w ere put as a Compliment into Chrift's 
 Hand, if I may fo express it : and indeed he is infi- 
 nitely well pleafed wkh the Complijnent, betakes 
 an Armsful of ti.em, as it were, out of God's evet- 
 lafting Arms, and he hugs them in his Bofom, for 
 his Delights were, with the Sons ofMen ; and when- 
 ever he fees the Travel of hii, Soul, he is fatisfied ; 
 and when he h;ith huj^ged. them in his redeeming 
 Arms, till he hath juliified, fanSified, and completely 
 faved them, then lie will give them back to the Fa- 
 ther's Hand again, prefenting them blamelefs to him, 
 hy'w^^ Behold I , avd the Children which thou haft gheH 
 me. There muft ihen be a Gathering of the People 
 to him, becaufe there was a Giving of the People 
 to him. A poor Compliment, you may think with 
 Wonder, of the like of me, to pafs betwixt theHands 
 of the eternal Father, and his eternal Son, in Con- 
 ^turrence with the eternal Spirit, One God in Three 
 Perlgns ; But little Matter how poor and mean the 
 Corepliment feem ro be, and really is in it felf, if 
 God be glorified, and Shibh magnified, and you faved. 
 O, let the Confideration of what a large Dominion» 
 from Se.i t,o Sea, and from the River to the Ends of 
 the Earth, is given to Chrift ; yea, a numberlefs 
 Number, that no Man can number, of all Nations, 
 
 i and 
 
('44') 
 
 ind ICindreds, and Tongues, and People, that fh all 
 Hand before the Throne of the Lamb, with white 
 Robes, and Palms in their-Hands, Re^Mi, 9. laying. 
 Salvation to our God, that Jits upon the 'throne y and to the 
 Lamb for ever and ever ; Let the View of that innu- 
 merable Multitude of People that are given to him, 
 llir up and provoke the Gathering of ihe People to 
 him , He is come to demand what was given him. 
 But then again, 6thJyy I'o him mufi the Gathering of the 
 People bey becaufe, as the People are given to him, 
 fo he is given to the People for this End, that the 
 Gathering of the People may be to him : And hence 
 to all the People of the vifible Church, ir is faid, 
 S^0us a Child isborn^to us a Son is ^izen, I fa. ix, &. 
 nvhofe Name is called PVONDERFUL^ &c. I fpeak not 
 here of his being given in aftual Pcffeffioh to 
 Uelievers, they th^jt take the Gift of God are poflef- 
 fcd of it ; butf fpeak even of a Giving in the Gof* 
 pel-Difpenfation and Offer, for no Man can receive 
 Y/hat is not given : Receiving fuppofes Giving, and 
 Chrift is fo far given to all the Hearers of the Gof* 
 pel, that they are obliged to receive him, and be- 
 lieve in him, upon Perjl of Damnation ; He that be- 
 Ittves notjhall be damned. Thus he is given to many 
 • that rejed him ; Hence, fays Chrift, to thefe that 
 were reie£iing him, yohn vi, 32. My Father gives you 
 the true Bread from Heaven , that is, in order to be re* 
 ceived by you ; for, in rejefting of this Bread that my 
 Father gives you, your Souls will ftarve. This will ag- 
 gravate the Damnation of the DamnedjthatChrift wat 
 given to them in the Gofpel-Offer, and they rejefted 
 the Gift of God : However, the good News of the 
 Gofpel is, John iii. 16. Godjfo Jove d the Worlds that he 
 gave lis only begotten Son, that fxhofoever believes on him, 
 or gathers in to him, may not per ip^, but ha'de ever- 
 lafiing Life, This Reafon, for the Giving of the 
 People to Shihh, is imported in the very Bofom of 
 the Text ; Shihh is come to you, that you may come 
 to him ; he is come in the Plefh, he is come in the 
 Cofpel, and m^^y we hope he is come in the Spirit ; he 
 
 is 
 
<' '45 ) , , . 
 
 iscome to the People, tbat the People may be ga- 
 thered to him ; and he is come as a Shiloby that i«^ 
 the Mejpas, the Sent of God, that the People may 
 "Welcome God's Send, faying, Blejfed is h§ tbat cornet 
 in the Name of the Lord. To you is bom a Saviour^ wbkb 
 is Chrift the Lord \ This is |:ood Tydings to all People, 
 Luke Vu 10. To jdu is the Word of this Salvation fent^ 
 Afts xiii. 26. Chrift the Shihh is the promifed Seed, 
 the leading Promife, and the Promife is to you, and f 
 your Children, A£ls ii. 5p» that you may receive him 
 in the Promife. He is the Sent of God to you, that 
 you may gather to him ; he is fenr to be the Saviour 
 of the People, the Helper oi the Peopiej and feni by 
 Way ot free Gift and Donition, l/a. xli. 27. / will 
 give to yerujalem Cnethat brings goodTydiK^s ; and for 
 what is he given to the People ? See I/a. Iv. 4. He is , 
 given to be a Witnefs to the People^ and a leader ^ 
 and Commander to the People: Yea, xlii. 6. He it 
 ^iven for a Covenant to the People ;.And why is he thus, 
 given to the People, but that the Gathering of the. 
 People may be to him ? The People then are promi- 
 fed to him, and he is promifed to the People ; and 
 therefore there niuft be a Gathering of the People 
 to him. Sh lob is come to feek the People that were 
 promifed and given to him ? Let the People feek that 
 Shilohy that is promifed and given to them. In a Word 
 he is the true Temple, to which the Gathering, mu^^ 
 be ; He is the Mercy-Seat, at which God and the Peo' 
 pie may meet together; and you cannot moet with 
 God but in him, for in him alone God is wellpleafed;. 
 And when you gather in to him, you win in to tie 
 Heart of God ; for he lies in the Father's Bofom, be-, 
 ing his Eleft, in whom his Soul delights. So much 
 for the ReafoRs. 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 i have endeavoured in thero£lrinal Parr all along 
 ?o deliver the Matter in a praQical and applicaroty' 
 Strain, and alfo inlarged it fo much; that I need the 
 lefs to iniift upon many infe rerces, wherein I hav»al- 
 ready anticipated ttSy felf. The main Ufej I -defieo 
 
X U6 ) 
 
 M tot thtotmLtion of fome Trnthfi an j Extort &- 
 tlan td fom6 Duties. 
 
 ' fitp, Fot INFORMAtlOM. Is it (o, that tfie 
 Cdunfel 6f Heaven hath determined concernine 
 Ghrift the MeiBaSj that to him Ihall the Gathering 
 of the Peiraple be ? Hente fee, i. The doleful State 
 of the Jews at^refent, and the lamentable Circum- 
 ft:«ncC8 they have been in ever fince the Coming of 
 Shiidh tht'u promifed Meffias. While a Multitude of 
 dcntilei, that vrere but Dogs, are gathered to God's 
 Hbufe, and they in the tnean Time unchurched and 
 caft out, tho' to them pertained the Adoption, and 
 the Glory, and the Covenants, and the Giving of the 
 Law, and the Service of God, and the PromiieS ; and 
 tho* of them, as concerning the Flefh, Sbtiob came, 
 even Chrilt, who is over all God bleflfi'd for ever^ 
 fti>fn* ix.4, 5. Tho* they were the Feopl© of his firft 
 Love, tho Seed of Abrahamy Ifaacy and Jact>h^ to vi horn 
 f6 many precious Promifes were made in Behalf of 
 their Seed : Behold their Shiloh comes to them, and 
 ihey wiU not have him ; Ht came Uhis oivyi^ and his 
 0iOrf ftdeived him nQt, They owned the Sceptre w as 
 dcpatted from Jiidahy when they fald//^? h,i<us no Kng 
 ^if^Cxfar \ "wC^ fo by their own Confeilion, SkUh 
 was come, fmce the Sceptre was departed from Ju'- 
 dah, a^hd becaufe they would no: fubm't to the fpi- 
 ntlial Sceptre of the promifed Mejjlasy they have 
 been without a King, without a Prince, v ithout a 
 Sceptre or Lawgiver, without a GoVemor and Go-^ 
 vtrnment, for 1700 Years and more, even HnteS'/i/oft 
 cainc, to whom there is a Gathering of other Peo- 
 ple in their Room. O (hall we not lament rhelr 
 long continued Reje^ion? Their Seventy Veyrs 
 Captivity in BaUylcn was nothing to this, yea, their 
 Four huncred artd thirty Yfears Bondage in Epypt < 
 Svas nothing to tliis ! O how long, how long fhall 
 his Anger iaft ag.iinft that People ! how lon^; fb.tU 
 they be under the Guilt of that Blood of Chrift, 
 -vvhich they imprecated upon themfelves and their Po- 
 fieHty, faying, His Blood be upon us and upon our ChiU 
 dnr i O pray, pray for that ancient People oi God, 
 
 and^ 
 
( 147 ) 
 
 aqd that the ^Iqod of Shihh may clcanfe them from 
 that Blood guiltin^s. When they wer« in Ipavoof 
 with God, the Believers among them had Mmd ol 
 us poor Gentiles, when we were the littlt Sifier tbA 
 had no Breafisy Song, viii. 8. and now, when w« acft 
 fucking at the Breaftsof Gofpel-ordinancesand Sacf*- 
 mental Spiemnities, O (hall we not mind them, wh«R 
 their Breaih are cut off, when they that were th« na- 
 tural Branches are broken off, and we that weie thf 
 wild Olive-tree are grafted in to partake of the Roo« 
 and F4tnef5 of the good Olive-tree, Kom. xi, i?, ^< 
 O let us nor boaft againft the Branches; ForifiUt^ 
 hoafiefy tbi)u bearefi not the Root^ bat the Root th*€. |e^ 
 «. iS, 19, 10, £1. Let us not boa(l, but let w beg^ 
 that they m;iy be again grafted in ; For if the Cafiln£ 
 sway of them be the Rtconalin^ of the World ^ what fha^ 
 the Receiving if them be but Life from the Dead} v, if^ 
 The Day of the Return and Converfion of the Jew'i 
 will be aDay of great Gathering to Shilob^eren araone 
 the Gentiles, thaai we have yet feea ; and itwouia 
 fare better with us, if were more employed in ft^fr 
 ing for them. Mean Time,. thi»^ dark and doleff|| 
 Dilpenfation, that as yet they are under, was not 
 darkly foretold in theWordsof our Text, That UpQp 
 the Sceptre's dep arting from Judah^ Shiluh the Mefdas 
 fliould come, and :o him fhould the Gathering of 
 the People be, tnat is, the Gentiles ; plainly intima- 
 ting a wonderful Myiiery of Proviienc3> that the 
 King of the Jews fhould come to the Gentiles, and 
 be crowneJKir.g among them, that To the Jewsmight 
 have it to fay ft length, that the King of the Gentiles 
 is become the King of the Jev/s ; as well as th^ Gea- 
 tiles have it to ray,That the King of the Jews is be- 
 come the King of the Gentiles. Therefore, tdlj^ 
 Hence fee the l(>vereign Mercy of God in Chriff to- 
 wards the poor Gentile Nations, and the Ides of the 
 Gentiles not forgotten ; for he particularly promifes, 
 that the IJles jhallivait for bis La'd,\ Ifa. xlii. 4. And O 
 tionderj that we in this remote liland were in hi« 
 Vieyr. vchen he promifed that to hi^fi^tt^d fbc Qatherhg 
 T » 4 
 
( t48 ) 
 
 •f the fe0pJe be. Jacob by Inlpiration bf rhe Spirit ef 
 "od, faid it on his Death-bed, and it is now more than 
 ^ooo Ycirsago ; that is indeed to !um not fo much 
 as three Days, for to him a tho-^fand Years are as one 
 I>ayy &c. Thoufands of Years interveenin^ cannot 
 make him forget his Promife ; and,fo tar as there i$ 
 or fhallbe a Gathering of the People to Shilohy fo far 
 dpcs this Promife take HffeQ:. There was a Promile 
 of ChiS) more ancient yet, Gen, jjc. ^7. God pall irt' 
 iargCy or perfwade jfaphet^ and he pall dwell in the 'Tents 
 ef Sbem : There is a Promife zhu the Gentiles fhouUi 
 b« gathered in to partake of the Privileges of the 
 Jews, for oxfaphet came the Gentiles, and among his 
 Pofterity were the Ifles of the Gentiles divided ; 
 fee Gen. x. I, 1, 5. and probably this Iflmd among 
 the reft. For confirming whereof, I fhall not be po- 
 fitive in iverring what fome alledge, That as Gct-'r 
 was the eldeft Son of Japhet, and of him came the 
 People called Gomeyl or Cymbri ; fo the firft Inhabi- 
 tants of this Ifland of Britain came of the Pofterity 
 Gijaphety one of the Sons ot Noah, narnely of the 
 faid yaphet\ eldeft Son Gomxr ; and hence from Go- 
 tnerl came Cambria^ which is the Latine Napie of 
 Wales in this Ifland to this Day, to which Place 
 the ancientBri/pwi retired at the coming in of the Sax- 
 em ; Hence they fuppofe that the Ifle of Britain is 
 particularly intended here. But I (liall not found a- 
 ©y certain Conclufion upon a doubtful 5uppofition, 
 tho' it be generally ajrreed to by fome good Hifto- 
 rians. We may fee it pUin from the Hvent, that God 
 had a particular Defign thai there fhoiild be a Ga- 
 thering of the People to Shiloh in thefe Lands, and c^- 
 ven in Scotland. I have fhcwed formerly, how early 
 the Lord vifited us \yith the Gofpel, and that we were 
 among the firft of the Gentile Nations that ever were 
 inlightned there vvith, after Chrift's Afcenfion, by 
 which we were delivered from grofs Paganifm. And 
 whenlfpoke of the remarkable gathering Seafons, 
 I took notice of our Reformation-days from Popery^ 
 and aficrwjrds from Prelacy, our Covenanting-days, 
 Afid the like; and theretbre I am not here to infift 
 
 thereupoa 
 
( '49 ) 
 
 thereupon.Only,as there hjve been remarkaMtf gather* 
 ing Times in Scotland^ and as thcLord couotenaacea yet 
 the gathering Means and Ordinances among us ; fo ve 
 ougnt to blefs him thac ev^er G )rpel-iighr (hinned 
 up>n us» and wait on him for more oF char gathering 
 Power of his Spirit, that Scotland' & Barrennefs now^^nd 
 Unfruitfulnefs under the Means of Grace, may not 
 provoke him wholly to leave us, and make oarNam* 
 Ijoammi^^c. ^dly^ Hence fee the Excellenqf of the 
 Gofpel, and Reafon of the Efficacy thereof. Behold 
 the Excellency of the Gofpel, which brings the glad 
 Tidings of a Saviour to the People, and of a gathe- 
 ring Place for the poorGentiles,as well as the Jews ; r 
 God-Man,in whomGod and Man might meet together! 
 that fcattered Sinners feparaced from God might be 
 gathered to him. Behold the Condefcenfion of our 
 Lord jefus Chrift proCiiimed in this Gofpel, that he 
 ftoops fo low as to be rhe g.uhering Room for poor 
 finful People, to which tiiey may refort f6r fhelter 
 and Salvation. Shihh is orsie, he is come in our Na- 
 ture, and with humane Nature he puts on humane 
 Bowels, that into his very Bofomthe Gathering of the 
 People may be, that all the Good they have loft mar 
 be fout.d inChriit ; yea,th it theGod whom they have 
 loft may be found in him^ov God is in Cbrifi reconciling 
 theV/crU to himfelf. But asTiereisi we fee theExcellen- 
 cy, fo alio behold the Efficacy of rhe Gofpel, and the 
 Power rhereof : What was the Realon of the won- 
 derful Spreading and Influence of rheGofpel ofChrift, 
 efpecially in the firft Ages ? It is a Matter for which 
 no human2 Policy can ;^ccount, that the Gofpel, 
 preached in Simplicity, by Men of the meaneft Cha- 
 ra^er, (hould make its Way through Forces of D.f- 
 vils apd Men, fhould gain fo many Profelytes, liib- 
 duefo many Kingdoms. Had this Do6Jrine been 
 fuited to FleHi and Blood, and, like LUhomst, in- 
 dulged Men in f^^nfual Enjoyments, an"! prorfifed af- 
 terwards the highelt Degrees of fenfu^l Ple.ifnres ; 
 had the Gofpel been defi^ned for increafing the Srock 
 of earthly Treafure, it were no Wonder that it l>iou\i 
 
 have 
 
( 1/0 ) 
 
 hive giiped ih much Ground ; for all c*rna! Men 
 v^opjd readily receive this Doctrine, and ter.atioufly 
 re(^in ir. N^yihad it proceeded upon rationnlGrounds 
 and JFoHfidations, fome Philofopbers, ac icuift, would 
 have embraced it. But, tiiata Doctrine, tha^c teaches 
 to depy Ungqdlinefs ^nd woildly Lu/isja Do^rine, 
 |hat teaches to crucify th^ old Man tvith his Affcw^i- 
 ©nsi and ]L«fts, the Lufts of the Hye, the Lulls of rh« 
 l^lefh, and the Pride of Life ; aPoflrine, that bids 
 lool^ to things chat are not ^cein ; a Do^rine, that 
 l^ids us leare all Things, deny our felves, and counf 
 all but Lofs and Dung for the Excellency ot the 
 JCnowIedgeof Chrift ; That this Doiirine, however 
 tiighly Kational, yet hath no Foundation in Keafon, 
 aipd admits Confequences of no rational Demonftra- 
 lion,m^ny thereof jbeing above theReach of Keafon ; 
 that this Potirine, that owes nothing to the Cha-^ 
 fifter of its Preachers, and owes as little to humaof 
 Force ; thit this DoQrine Ihould h4ve gained fo 
 great a Ground^ obtained fo vatt Succefs in a Time, 
 therein <he profeflion thereof did make the Pro- 
 fefTor* of it to run the Rifcjue of Poverty, Death an4 
 Pifgracc : This is a Myrt^y, that none^^{]:»all be 
 able to unfpld) but thefe who plow with this Gof- 
 pel-heifcr, that the Gofpflis the very Inftrument of 
 fcivjne Power, whereby^e gathers the People to 
 Shihb, The Keafon of this mafyellousDifpenfation is, 
 Th^t the omnipotent God, who can g^ve a Being to 
 his Word, hath pift his Wor4, That to Chrift fhall 
 the Gathering of the People be : And Divine 
 power, for efte£luating this Defign, is put forth in 
 the Gofpel ; which therefore, is called the Power 
 of God to Salvatioa, while therein is ^evi^aled the 
 Kighteoufnefs of God from Faith to Faith. And this 
 Treafure is put in earthen Veflels, that the Excel- 
 lency of the Power may be of God, ^pd not of Mao : 
 /^nd O that this Power were put forth on this Oc- 
 cafion, for gathering the People to Sbiloh, 4#/p/^,Hence 
 fee what ought to be liie great Deilgn of Peoples ga- 
 thering to Gofpel-ordinances i, the k^^in^ JBnd is, 
 
 what 
 
wtat rtie tfophfet fxprfeffes^ ftr^li. fhiy JtrdH 0§lt 
 fht Wa^ U Zlon^ 'Wtlh ibeir Facts thiiberward, f^hg^ 
 Come and let us join our /elves to the Loitd\ That il| 
 gather together Kinto Shilohx Let'uS Uf ear felve* 
 under the Influence oFhis gathering Po^^r, andcill 
 our (elres into his gatheringArnif, while hi ii ffretch- 
 ing forth the Arms o^ his free Grace, in a preached 
 Gofp<l. O Sirs ! what is rhe t)e(ign of thefeGath*^ 
 ring^» of People together, if there bfe no gathering 
 to Shilob > If we look to the Views and Defigns of 
 the moil Part, we will find, that the Gathering to 
 thiioht is leart of all in their View. As there were 
 •wife Virgins and fodlifh, fo there are wife Hearers 
 and foolilh ; fome come to Ordinances, only for » 
 Kame, becaufe they would not bethought any worfia 
 than their Neighbours; fome conie for Diversion, to 
 fpend an Hour or two in Hearing, becaufe thsy 
 have little elfe ado; fome come for Attendance Sake, 
 becaale they are waiting on their Mafter or Miftrefs ; 
 fome come for Company's Sake,their Fellows fayiag. 
 Let us go, to Sermon ; Content, fays the Other, and 
 fo they go for Compaiiir ; fome come for Cnriofity'i 
 Sike, chey have heard People fpeak to the Praife, 
 or Difpraife of fuch and (uch a Man, and they will 
 fee whether it be as they fay ; fome come for Carp- 
 ing and Cavilling, not.to be judged by the WorJ, 
 but to judge it, and cenfure it, being content to 
 find fome Word, that they reckon may be to the 
 Minifter's Prejudice, or Reproach ; and tho' thejr 
 ihould forget all the relt of the Word, yet this 
 they will mind, to report it to their Confidents, 
 either out of Malice, becaufe they receive not the 
 Truth in the Love thereof, or out of Pride, becaufe 
 they would have Others, that hear their cenlori* 
 ous Remarks, to elleem them to be jliiiciousperfons, 
 and competent Judges, while, in the mean Tiin^^ 
 tiey are but bewraying their own Ignorance, Mi- 
 lice and Pride. Hence, fome come to warch, if .my 
 Thing can be wrefted, th.tt is uttered, that they may 
 zQt the Devil, in accufin<; the brethren ; fome gap« 
 iwt neinarkable Phrafet) that, whea ihey come to 
 
 tbeif 
 
( 1/2 ) 
 
 their ordinary Company, they may have fom^thing 
 to g race and adorn their Tales ; fome never conae CO 
 hear -what ihall be faid to themfelvesiand therefore 
 ■ever prick up their tars, till they fuppofe they heaf 
 che Minifter expofinp the Crimes Of Others; foftie 
 come to gaxe and look about them, to fee >vho are 
 there, and what** their Busk and Behaviour ; fome 
 come to mufe,and dream, arid rove, and if they notice 
 any Word that is flid, it will perhaps occalion a hun- 
 dred impertinentThoughts to keep out the reft of the 
 Sermon, and the Mind will run a thoufand Ways be- 
 fore it can get another Word noticed, and, may be, 
 the Sermon is done before they cart gather their 
 Thoughts together again, ^4any• fuch accidenial 
 H&arers there are, that gather toOrdinsnces, but not 
 to Shiloh. They ; ome to meet vith their Friends, that 
 it may be conveen at fnch a Sermon, but not to meet 
 with Chrift. They are like Children that gather td 
 a Market, and fit in the Market place, but neither to 
 buy nor fell. But as many Fox-es have been taken,' 
 when they came to take, fo fome thit have come on- 
 ly to fpy ferlies, yea, to feoff and fcorn, have changed 
 theirMinds before they ventHome. And O thatGrace 
 *vould come and catch fome that are here, and yet 
 are fceking nothing liere, bur, like Babes, to c^itch 
 Butterflies 1 O that Chrift, the greateft Treafure in 
 the World, fhould be moft defpifed, and that the 
 Gofpel-ftar, which fhould lead you to the Place where 
 lie is, that you may be gathered to him, that this 
 Star fhoaldnot be marked. <)tHy^ Hence fee what is 
 the great Mark, at which Miniiters of the Gofpel 
 fhould dioot, in difpenfing thereof; why, it is juft the 
 Gathering of Souls to Chrift .* To him fhall the Ga- 
 thering of the People be. Wo, wo to the Minifter, 
 whofe great Defign is ofaly to gather a Multitude ot 
 People to himfelf, and enhance theif Applaufe. It 
 hath been indeed the Lot ox fome of the moft faith- 
 ful Minifters of Chrid, lo be thus reproached and 
 caVumniare, as if ail their Dejign were to recom- 
 mend themlelves to the I'opui^ce, and gather a 
 Multitude ro their Fj^ion ; they have been branded 
 
( tn ) , 
 
 at Self-feekfcrSi iftftead of bcin^ Soul-5{neri;and Vhjl^ 
 Becaufe Providence hacH comA^only otdered that thofo 
 iFvho have been moft den^ and mortified to Seif^ 
 have been mott followed ; tin the more they -were loK 
 to>^ed, the more they vere envied by thofe that trulf 
 fought themfelves : Hence, as none was more follow- 
 td than Chrift, fo none 'was more envied by the 
 Self-)«eking Pharifeei, John xii. i^. Perceive ye howfe 
 frev4il noibmg ? Behold the World is gene afHrhint* And 
 as we read not that Cbrili reproved any for following 
 tim, tho* he reprovea them For th«ir lalfe Ends in 
 ^ doing (o^ John vi. id. So^ no Gofpel minifter will b# 
 difplcafed, that he hath many Filhes before the Ncti 
 in Hopes that fome may be gathered ; yet it is> and 
 yt\\\ be the Chara^ier of all faithful Miniftets, which 
 the Apoftle relates, i Cer, iv. 5. We prtscb mt eutfelves^ 
 hut Chrifi Jefus the Lord, and our fefnes your Servants ftf 
 JeftiS Sake. And r Cer, ii. t, I determined to know^ or, 
 ,||xnake known, nothing among youy fave Jefus Chrifi ani 
 ^ him etucified. The great Gofpel-de^n ib*n is, tQ 
 gather Souls to Chrift, feeing they can never be haf^» 
 py or holy, but in him. And while ypu find that to o^ 
 your Minifters great Scope, you ought to regard aad 
 hear them as you would do a Voice ftom Heaven; 
 ^ yea, and more, while they fpealc the Mind of God, 
 from the Word of God, which is the more fure Word 
 of Prophecy ; for it is the fame as if you beard CiiiiA 
 himfelf : Therefore he iays. He tb^ hears yoti^ bears 
 me y and be that defpi/es yoUf.de/pifesMie. K you truly 
 regarded that Word of Chrifi, you would hear the 
 Voice of the Preacher, as you would hear the Voicak 
 of God. U Samuel had thought it was God that fpok# 
 to him, he would not have flepi j but becaufe ho 
 thought it was not pod, but Eli, therefore he ffept on* 
 So, while People do not think it. is God that fpeak$ 
 to them, but only a Man, they will neve* re* 
 gard it, atid never will there be a Gatherinft*to 
 Shilob, till the Wotd be received, Njt ai thi W$ri 
 «f Msff, ( I a>|ft ii, 13. ytul as if is HI Trtftb tb9 
 
( 1^4 ) ^ 
 
 pfdfd of God, fjfhleb effeHually ruorks in you that leUeve^ 
 'VThcre alfo that Queftion if obviau, How fhall we 
 know, when the Minifter fpeaks his own W ;'-d»> of 
 God's Word ? Why, let the^Word of God be received, 
 and it will fpeak for it feif, for it wiM effectually 
 JNOtk in yon that believe : And when the Words of 
 one Preacher feem to clalh with the Words of, an- 
 other, this efFflual working of the Word will teacH 
 you how to judge Things that differ really, and how 
 to prove all Things, and hold fafJ that which is good. 
 The treat Mark then, J fay, tl^t the Gofpel-mmif^er 
 aims at, is the Gathering of the People to Shilohs 'nd 
 the pointingoncofChriftto them, for Wifdom, Righ- 
 teoufnefs, San£iitication and Redemption. Surely^ my 
 Friends, we know no other Way to fave you, nor 
 cur felves ; if we did, how wretched were "^e. to 
 keep it from you?" Since we have no other Calling, 
 but to fhcw you the Way of Salvation. dfMjf. H nee, 
 v^e may alio fee what is the Centre of all Gofpel-|| 
 Truth. Chrif^ is the Centff, wherein all ahe Liaes of 
 Evengelical Doftrine are gathered together, and do ' 
 mee*. It wouli not be the Duty of People, to beaeve 
 in him, or gather to him by Faith, if he were not 
 the Truth as well .\s the Wiy ; Yea, the Centre and 
 Subftance of all Truth : ind that is not the Truth 
 that does not lead to him. Here is the raoft lureTeft* 
 ' of Orthodoxy ; whatever pretends to be the Truth, 
 and yet tends only to lead aMan in to himfeif, ard not 
 out of himfeif MChrif* ; whatever Do£irine tends to 
 jnake yc-u tninl^you mufi: produce fome Hi lint- s or 
 good Qualifications from within, your felf, vi r.out 
 gathering firft to i'-iiob. to get it, you n^y k it 
 is not orthodox Do^riae .♦ Whatever DoQ:rine^^nds 
 to the Dilpai^gemcnt of Chrift or to the K ab.ng 
 hin of any Part of the Glory of Salvation >^rk, is 
 to be reje^ed as Erroneous : tj: ^'^ hint cfh^c vKiy the 
 'Xaathering of the People be : And to him only ^.>- 1 -'■'^^ 
 Olory ot our wV.ole Salvafir .^-rTi firft f:o,laSt» be- 
 long. Chrift is much .obbed n{ his Gioi-y \uBritatn^ 
 at thisD.iy ; t^amn.ible Av'tanDod'ty'i^- is fpreading, 
 whereby Chrift is robbed oi the Glory ^f bis 
 
< u; ) 
 
 fapreme Deity, denying hu. being the eternal Son of 
 God, CO equal and co-eflenti:il v/ith the Father. Th6^ 
 Devil himfelt >v.is more orcnodox th n our Avian Doc» 
 tors,v^henheowned,Ai^/. viii. 29. that Chrjft was th^ 
 Son of God» yiHyat have we to do with thee^ J-efus tbot£ 
 Son afGodl The Devil fpoke more honourabiy oi him, 
 than they do, when he faiJ, Mark i, 24. / hnoxothee 
 who thou art^ the holy One oj God. My Text leads me to 
 what I am faying ; for, itChrift were pot the lupreme 
 God, equil with the Father, the Gathering of tha 
 People CO him, to believe in him, to worfhip and a- 
 dore him, would be unLwful i it would be Idolatry* 
 ^ For, as the Lord our God i$ oqe Lord, fo we muft 
 worlbip the Lord our God, and him only muft \sq 
 ferv^ ; and it ik Idolatry to worfhip any other. Yea, 
 - to the Son, Tie fays, Le^ all ths Angeh of God worjhip 
 , him ; and for this End muft all rhe i^eople be gaf he- 
 xed to him. My prefenc Work allows me not to trace 
 the other Do^irinev, that rob him of his Glory, and 
 tend to lead People elfe where than to Sbiloh : Only,' 
 ^ "whatever Mask of Truth or Holinefi, any Do^rine 
 fhall put on» if it tend to gather People to Mofeii and 
 not to ShiJo^ or to lead them to the L4W, and not to 
 Chrift, whols the End of the Law for Righteoufaers 
 to every One that bgheveth, it favours noi of ihe 
 Truth as it is in Jefus» £'/>^. iv. ^i. But the mam in- 
 "^ference I defigned at prefent, was for Exhortatioa; 
 and therefore, pafling all other Inferences that might 
 be drawn, I come to apply it, 
 
 Secondly, for E 1 H O K T A T I O N, Arid f defign, 
 at the Lord may pity and aflift, to direft it to three 
 Sorts of Pexfonis, with Relation to this gathering of 
 the People to Shiloh, ift. Soma mgy be dQubt*ai, whe*« 
 tber they were ever gathered to Sbihh^ or not ; There- 
 fore I would exhort theip to try. zdly- Som^ m^y b^ 
 fure they were'never yet gathered toS^kiloh^ thetefore 
 I would exnorr ihem to gather under his Win^^s. ^^/y* 
 Some are Beltevers, that have thrcugd Grace been 
 fathered by him^ aad made to gather to him ; ani .1 
 U % woul4 
 
( 156 ) 
 
 #ouId ea^orc them to their Duty, with Refped'to 
 their further Gathering to tiitn 
 
 ifif^ome may be doubtful, whether they were ever 
 gathered to Sbilohy or not ; and therefore my E\'hor* 
 cation to fuch, is, That they/would try and oramiT^e, 
 whether it be lo or not. Examination is a neceffiry 
 Duty ai allTimes,as well after,as before aCommunion, 
 He that fays» with Reft fence to the Sicrament, Let a 
 Man examine himfelf, and fo let him eat, fays alfo, 
 vith Reference to any Seafon, Examine yottr /elves, % 
 Cor. xiii. 5-. whether you he in the Faith, prove your ou;» 
 (elves \ know ye not your own felves^ how that Cbrifi is in 
 foUi except ye be Reprobates 1 Q poor dying Mortal! 
 vill yoatry if you have been gathered to Shihh, or 
 not? Whether you have win into him by a Faith of* 
 his own Operation ? For according as this rakes 
 place, fo will it fare with you through afl Eternity. 
 If you die out of Chrift, or in Unbelief, you die in youp 
 SinSy John viii. 24. And better die in a Ditch, and die 
 like a Dog, than die in your Sins. If you die in your 
 Sins, you'll rife in your Sins, and ftmd before theTri-* 
 buna^of God in your Sins,and fo be condemned, If you 
 |;athered to Chrift, you will be found in him, and 
 lb fouTid happy, when Death, Judgment and Eterni* 
 iy appear ; therefore I exhort you folemniy to refleflfe 
 upon this Matter, whether yo.u be gathered, or not/ 
 if all that you're worth in a World 'ay in one pre?- ' 
 cions Stone, and that Stone were to be iried by a 
 skilful Jeweler, whether it were true or falfe, 
 whether it would fly, or endure under the fmart 
 Stroke of his Hammer ; furely, your Thoughts 
 vould not be unconcerned about the IfTue of fuch 
 a Trial. "Wliy, Man, Woman, all that you're 
 ivorth 1^ this World, and the World to come, de- 
 pends upon this Matter, whether you be of the Peo-? 
 pie that are gathered to Stiloh, or not. Try whethei 
 your Faith in the promifed Shihh^ will fly, or enduri 
 the Stroke of the Hammer of God's Word ? Have you 
 no Concern in this Matter ? You would be loth to put 
 toSea,tbo' it were bni to croft ^ {^rrawf^erry^io a rot^ 
 
< m ) 
 
 ten leaky Vcflel; a6d will you xiare to venture on 
 jhe Ocean of Eternity, in a falfe rotten Barque ? 
 "Whatever Profeffion you have, whatever BUie you 
 make, whatever Efteem Others may have of you, 
 whatever Opinion you may have ot your felf, and 
 of your Faith, you'll be drowned for ever in the De- 
 luge of God's Wrath, if you be not gathered in tp 
 the Ark, Jefus Chrift : 1 would therefore ofter you 
 Tome Helps to make*this Trial. And here ail that I 
 faid upon the 4th Head, concerning /the Means nnd 
 Manner of this Gathering, how God aSts in gather- 
 ing, and how he makes the Soul to a£l, might be 
 brought in ; but, pafling all thefe, I offer thefe few 
 following Mark*, by which you may try whether or 
 lioti you have ever been gathered to Shilob* 
 
 (i,) If ever you was gathered 10 Sbiloh^ then Shiloh 
 bath come to you, before ever you was gathered t» 
 him. The Text makes the Coming of 5/&//tffc to betht 
 very Caufe of theGathering of the PeopJe to him : At 
 hik Coming in the Flefh did uflier in the G»therinjr 
 of the Gentiles, fo it is his Coming in tbe Spirit that 
 malces the fpiritual Gathering to him. Try then, if 
 ever he hath come to you. Snrely,if you be gtahered 
 to him, you can fay, 1 would never have come trt 
 him, unlefs he had come tome : Now, if Chrift never 
 came to you by his Spirit,' as a Spirit of Conviflion, 
 convincing you of Sin and Mifery, and difcovering^ 
 your Need of Chrift, and that you was loft for ever 
 without him, furely you have not yet been gathered 
 to him. You that never yet-had a forrowful Hour for 
 Vrant of Chrift, and was never brought to zWo*s m^, 
 for I Wfljtt Cbriji and Sah/itiiv^ nor to a IVhat [hall J d§ 
 to be favedl you have Reafon to conclude thai you 
 was never yet gathered to him ;.For, when he corner 
 by his Spirit, he convinces the VTorld of Sin; wheat 
 he gathers the People to him, he comes and convin- 
 ces them of Sin,becaufe they believe not in himyjohm 
 xvi. 8. Some never wanted Faith, which declares 
 they neverTiad it ; they never mifs'd Chrift, which 
 fayi they never m^icched with l^im. A» be t^at was 
 
C 158 ) 
 
 never a real Winter, was never a real and true Suit-. 
 er ; fo it is the needy Wanter rhat is the fteadySviicer. 
 Thus here, Man» Woman, if you had never a W nt 
 of Chrift, you was never in Suit of him. never ga- 
 thered to him : Tho* he harh been in Suit of you by 
 the Gofpel "Coffer may be a Tuoufand Times, yet voU 
 being pleafed with your old Mach y mr Sms, Luih, 
 Idols, Self-righteoufnefs, or rhe Wo-d ; bis uit vas 
 never regarded, becaufe you ws never a Wanter ; 
 and being never a true Wanrer,^ you was never a fue 
 Seeker or Receiver of him, and fo never gathered to 
 him : For you w%s never convinced of your Wa.i: of" 
 Chrift and Want of Faith in him Decei -e not your 
 felf, O Sinner ; you was never a Betiesfer, if you was 
 never a Wanter; if the Spirit of Convi3:ion never 
 can»e and made you fay, O 1 want Grace, I wane 
 Holmefs, 1 want Faith, Love, Repentance and all 
 Good; yea, I want God, I wantChnit, I want the 
 Spirit Hence it ia the Property of a Beiieveri not- 
 •wifUftanding all he gets, yet he is uy a Wanter, ay 
 poor and needy, and nothing in himf !F: An J it is 
 the Property of an Unbeliever, notwithftanding ill 
 that he wants.yet he is ay rich ntidincreafedzuithGoods ^ 
 snd wants nothing ; hence we find fome ignorant Peo- 
 ple exprefiing what others that pretend to more 
 Knowledge do conceal : Ask them, Do you wint 
 Faith f O no, we ay trufted in God. Do you -want 
 Hope? No, we hope in his Mercy. Do you wantLpve? 
 Ko, I had ay a Love to God and his People all my 
 Days. Do you want Grace ? Nay, God forbid that I 
 fhould be altogether gracelefs. Do you want Chrift ? 
 O no, my fweet Saviour, what would come of me if I 
 •wanted Chrift ? Why, Man, Woman, I know nothing 
 that you want, you*re not a Wanter : The Lord pi- 
 ty you ; for, what you dream you never wanted, yea 
 never had to this Day. TheSpirit ofConyi£tion hath 
 inevercome, and,inftead ot being gathered tc. Shilob^ 
 you was never yet gathered to the Pore -door of 
 true Chriftianity ; tor the Spirit's Coming to con 1 nee 
 pf the Wane of Chrift, and of Faith inhim, is the 
 
 very 
 
< ^59 ) 
 
 rety Befjinnlng of all tru.^ Religion. But if SbM 
 hatncome by his Spirit, and fhewn yoo your. Wane 
 of all Things but Sin, it is a good Beginning ; for 
 thus he gatners you out of your falfe Hopes and ly- 
 ing Refuges. But next If Sbihh hath come to 
 you for gathering you to himfelf, then he hath como 
 not only as a Spirit of ConviSion, but'alfo as a Spiric 
 of powerful Illumination, difcovering the Glory of 
 Shilob to you, even the Gloiy of his Perfon, Ofli- 
 ces,Righteournefs,Fulners,and other.thingsof Chri^, 
 fo as to glorify Chrift in your View, J^/&» xvi. i^He 
 Jhall gforify me ; for be pjail receive of rmne^ and pevf it 
 unto you. Now, if Sbihh never came by his Spirir tn 
 the Gofpel, to ijiew fomerhing of the Glory of Chri^ 
 to you, and the Glory of God's PerfeSions in him» 
 foas to make him appear more glorious to you than 
 all the World, it feems vou have not yet been ga- 
 thered ; For if ourG [pel be hidy it is bid to them that are 
 fofi^ iCor. iv. 3, 4. J;i<ivbom tbe God of this World bat9 
 blinded the Minds of them which belie'ue noty &c. But 
 if ever you was gathered, theo the God zvhfi command'^ 
 ed Light to jhine out of Darknefs^ hath Jbined into your 
 Htarts, to pive tbe Li^bt of the Knowledge of tbe Glorf 
 0fGodin tbe Face of ^ fusCbrifi. ver. 6. For a"^, whea 
 the Lord builds up Zion^ he appears in his Glory ; 
 fo, when he gathers Souls, he appears in his Glory, 
 and brings them from Darknefs to his marvellous 
 Light. I do not fpeak of the hig^eft Degr^^ of 
 fpintual Light, lior yet of any exri.ordjnary Ma- 
 Bifeftations; all that I mean is, the Spirit's coming 
 to inlighten your Minds in the Knowledge of Chnftg 
 -whereby you hztefeen bis Glory , as tbe Gl^y of tbe enly 
 Bepctten of tbe Father full of Grace andlruth^ and have 
 feen a Fulnefs of all Grace in him. Thefe are not 
 enthufiaftical Delufions, but fcriptural Exprellions i 
 For, may one think or fay, What is that tne Man it 
 fpeaking of beholding fuch a Glory ? 1 never fa w any 
 greuer Glory in all the World than that of the Sun, 
 Moon, and Stars in the Firmament. ^V^hat fay you, 
 M -n ? Saw you never any graiter Glory than thac 
 vvhicb youf bodily hyei h^ve.feea beswixt Earth anA 
 
 Heaveoi 
 
( i6o ) 
 
 Hearen 1 Thca I may fay to you, that you was nt^ 
 ver yet gathered toShihh ; for he never came in hit 
 Spirit to ihew you his Glory. I fpeak not of weak^ 
 powerlefs Fancier and Imaginations that fome may 
 have of Chrift's Glory, but 1 calJ it a powerful Illu* 
 min2tion» conquering the Will, and captivating the 
 Heart, and carrying in all the AfFedlions to rheem-' 
 bracing of Chrift ; for, when the Sun of Righteouf- 
 nefs arifei, it is with HeaUng under his Wings, heat* 
 iog theRefiftance of the WiU,and the Hard nefs of the 
 Heart,and melting down the whole Soul in the warm 
 Arms of his gathering Grace and Love,while he draws 
 with Lovingkindnefs. And indeed, No Nl.tn can come 
 to mgf fays Chrift, except the Father which hath fent me 
 draiu him ; and faving Difcoveries are of a (drawing 
 Nature. The true Sun hath not only Light, but Heat, 
 -whereby the Heart is warna*i ; and the true Light 
 ii the Light of Life, whertsby the Soul is quickned. 
 If ever you was gathered to SbihB, then know it that 
 Shihh hath come to you before ever there could bt 
 a Gathering to him. 
 
 (a.) If ever you was gathered to Shthb, then as Shi» 
 Uh hath come to you, lo you h^ve been made parti- 
 cularly to come to him, undjer the drawing Po^er 
 md Influence of that Spirit I have been fpeaking of* 
 And indeed, as none can come unlefshedraw them, 
 fo none can ftay away, when he is drawing them t 
 And hence every Believer finds, that at it is impof* 
 fible to believe tiU Power ctme/fo it it impoffible not 
 to believe when Divine Power do<»s come ; it is at 
 tafy then, as it was difficult before. U ever yoa 
 Sfvas gatheied to Shihh, then as the Coming of Shihh 
 %o you hath prevented your Coming to him, fo 
 your Coming to him hath been effeSuate by his 
 Coming to you, and making the general Call of the 
 Gofpel effe&ual, in enabling ycti to a particular 
 Applicatioa, fo as to give a particular Anfwer to 
 the general Call. If you have been but Hearers of 
 the Word all your I>ays, without ever applying it 
 to your own Ufe, and Hearers of the general Otfet 
 aad Promifc 6tChrift|Withouc ever feeing your felvei 
 
( »6i ) 
 
 Involved, indofed and included in the general Pro- 
 mife and Offer, and without erer making a particu- 
 lar perfonal Application thereof you are not yet ga- 
 thered to Shiloh ; for, when Souls are gathered, tba 
 general Call gets a particular Anfwer, Pfal, xxvii. ,8. 
 PVhen thou /aid ft y feek ye my Face ; my Heart /aid, *Ihy 
 Face^Lo^dy will I feek. The Gofpel-call is general, Be* 
 lieve in the Lord Jefui Chrifi ; but the Anfwfer muft be 
 particalar, Lord^ I believe, help thou my Unbelief. When 
 People fuffer Gofpel-truths to hover in the 6raio, 
 without Application, or learn Things as Childrem 
 do their Cttechifm by Rote, never refleSing, What 
 am I doing ? Where am I going ? What will become 
 of me ? And wh^t EfiFeft hath this Word upon me 1 
 Unbelief remains undifturbed, the Word comes add 
 goes, and there is no Good done, no Gathering to ^ 
 Shiloh, becaufe no particular Application. It is thel^ 
 very Defign of the Spirit's convincing and enlightnlng 
 Work, to bring the Soul to this particular Applicati- 
 on of Chrift; and therefore tins Mark may clear the 
 former. If you think, How ihall I know if I have 
 fuch a Meafure of Conviftion and Illumination as is 
 fufl&cient to evidence that lam gathered loShUohl'^hYi 
 any Meafure that God pleafes to give is enough, if 
 it iflue in the Soul's particular Reception and Appli- 
 cation of Chrift. When is it that the Mcttal is melted 
 enough fn the Fire ? Why, it is melted enough when 
 it runs eafily into the Mould. Now there may be na- 
 tural Meltings, under the common Influences of the 
 Spirit : But, when is the SoUl melted enough with 
 th6 Beams of the .Sun of Righteoufnefs, or with the 
 Fire of the Spirit ? Why, it is melted enough when 
 it runs into the Gofpel-mould. There are fome that 
 have as it were too much of the Fire ;thefe are they 
 that apprehend themfelves fuch great Sinners, that 
 they dare not come to Chrift : There are others that 
 have as it were too little of the Fire ; thefe are they 
 that only think they are not fo good asthey oiighc 
 to be, and therefore they JI?c«/^ not come to Chrift: 
 There are others that have nothing of the Fire at all^ 
 llHd thff« iie they that think they arfe good enough 
 
( i<53 ) 
 
 already, and they need not come to Chrid : Bat then 
 only is the Soul fufficiently melted, when it runs in- 
 to the Mould. What is the Cofpel-mould ? It is even 
 Chrift ; and when the melted Soul runs in to this 
 Mould, there does it get the right Shape and Form, 
 and there only. As it is not the Melting of the Met- 
 tal that gives it a Shape, Fafhion or Form, but the 
 Mould that gives it the Form ; fo never iexpeft to 
 have any good Form, any good Shape, any gcol 
 Qualification, till your Souls run in to this Mould. 
 It is the very Defign of the Spirit's Coming to ding 
 People out of their own fancied Goo/nefs, and mako 
 them come to Chrift for all. Try thcv, if ever you 
 -was gathered to Shihh yhytUiiy namely. Whether 
 your Soul, in a Day of Divine Power, waa ijade to 
 run in to him like melted Lead in to a Mould, clof- 
 ing with, and cleaving to him by a particular Appli- 
 cation. But how the Soul a^s here, by a particular 
 Appropriation and fiducial Perfwafion, upon the Di- 
 vine Word, under Divine ConduS, I have formerly 
 iSefcribed; therefore I proceed to another Mark. 
 
 (^.) If ever you was gathered to ShlJoh^ then the 
 gathering Place will be very precious to you, I mean 
 the promifed S^i^;&,Chrift himfelf, i Pet. ii. 7. There 
 he is held forth as the chief Corner Stone, to which 
 all the Stones of the fpiritual Building are gathered 
 together, and unite ; and to all fuch as are gatherd to 
 him, it is declared, he is precious. And the Word fig- 
 nifies, he is honourable) he is an Honour to them, and 
 they put Honour upon him, and entertain him honou- 
 rably, in a Suitablenefs to his high Qjnality, as he is 
 God-Man, and particularly as he is the Shilob, that 
 5s, the Meflias, the Sent of God, the Father's extra- 
 ordinary AmbafTador. Some efteem Chrift, but not 
 according to his Grandeur and Glory, and therefore 
 it is evident, they are not gathered to him, as the 
 ^hihhy the Sent of God ; but they that are gathered 
 to him, they receive, efteem, and entertain him, ac- 
 cording to hisDignity. If a Siibjeft fhall receive, or 
 ontertw hii Prince, or the King's extraordinary 
 
 Am; 
 
( i«3 ) 
 
 Ambaflador, nootherwife than he would do hU 
 Country Neigh bouir, this would be interpreted a 
 Contempt : So if Chrift be not received, efteemed and 
 entertained, according to his Grandqur, Dignity and 
 State, he counts it a Contempt, rather than a due Re- 
 ception or Eftimation of him. If Chrift be not el^eem- 
 ed as a King, he is but difefteemed ; if he be not ho- 
 noured as the Father's Ambaffador-Extraordinary, h^ 
 is but dishonoured : For, as Shihby he hath Heaven's 
 fealed Commiffion, Him ha$h God the Father feaJei. 
 The Unbelieving Jews were content to receive and 
 efteem Chrift as a great Prophet, as the Mahometans 
 do ; but phey would not receive and entertain him ac 
 cording to his Greatnefs, Grandeur and Glory, which 
 he wasinvefted with ; therefore they were challenged 
 as Rejefters and Defpifers of him, ABs xiii. 41. He 
 camp if his owny and his own received him not ; For they 
 did not receive him, as the Son of God, and the Sent 
 of God: Whereas, it is faid of the Believing Jews^ 
 who received Chrift, That they beheld his Glory, 
 as the Glory of the only Begotten of the Father, that 
 is, they fo received him in all his Glory, Grandeur, 
 Majefty'and Splendor, that they efteemed honourably ' 
 of him. Hence J fays Chrift, John xvii. 8. 'They havtk 
 known that I came out from thee^ and have believed that 
 thou didfi fend me. If you be gathered to Shihby then 
 you efteem honourably of him, as he is theglorioai 
 Shihb, the Sent of God. Is Chrift thus precious to 
 you, and honourable ? 
 
 C4O If you be gathered unto Shihh^ then yoiV will 
 be clothed with him, for he U fent to be a Robe of 
 J^tghteoufnefs ; and all that are gathered to him, do 
 put on that Mantle, and gather in under that Cover, 
 and in that Clothing do they ftand perfeQly Righte- 
 ous in the Sight of God ; being accepted as Righte- 
 ous in his Sight, only for the Righteoufnefs of Chrift* 
 Hence,'it is given as a Mark of the true Church and 
 Children of God, that are gathered to Chrift, that 
 they are clothed with the Sun,/?ev. xii. i. I( fj in-r 
 4efKi called a ^reat Wonder, for the Myftery of free 
 
and perfea Juftification, and of being clothed with 
 a perfeft Righteo&fnefs is fuch a Myftery, that na- 
 tural Men cannot conceive it, nor believe it, tho- a 
 Man fhould declare it to them, as the Apoftle fpeaks, 
 AHs xiii.41. Yea,'the Believer himfelf<:annot believe 
 it, without holy Wondering, and joyful Trembling, 
 jFer, xxxiii. 8, 9. This Wonder is faid to be of a 
 Woman in Heaven, that is the Church-Militant, and 
 every particular Believer under a Gofpel-Difpenfaii- 
 on, wherein there is a full Revelation of his Righ- 
 teoufnefs. Now, here it is faid alfo, Ihe was clothed 
 With the Sun, that is, with Chrift the Sun of Righ- 
 teoufnefs ; the Woman being married to Chrift, as 
 the Lord her Righteoufnefs, fhe is as it wei'C gathe- 
 red in to the Sun in the Firmament, and fo clothed 
 with the perfeS Righteoufnefs of Chrift ; that how- 
 ever black and dark (he is in her felf, yet, in Point 
 of Juftification, this Sun, wherewith (he is clothed, 
 makes her fhine in a perfe£tRighteoufnefs,as gloriouf:? 
 ly inGod's Eyes, as the bodily Sun fhines glorioufly in 
 our Eyes, when it fliines in its meridian Splendor. 
 The Believer is not only fair as the Moon, in the • 
 Sight of Men, in Point of Sandification ; which 
 Moon, may be indeed, and is full of Spots, and very 
 changeable ; But clear as the Sun, in the Sight of 
 God, in Point of Juftification ; the Sun of Righteouf- 
 nefs, with which he is clothed, being perfe£liy glori- 
 ous. S^efl, But, if this be a Mark of One that is ga- 
 thered, that he is clothed v/ith the Sun of Righte- ] 
 oufnefs; how fhall i examine my felf by this, or 
 know that I- am thus clothed? Why, you may 
 examirie it by what follows. If .you be clothed 
 with the Sun, then you have got the Moon under 
 your Feet, and upon your Head a Crov/n of twelve 
 Stars. Have you got the Moqn under your Feet ? 
 "What is that ? I find fome underftand two Things 
 by if, the One is the Moon of your own Rir;hte- 
 opfnefs, and the Other is the Moon of the World. 
 As to the former then, if you be gathered to 
 Chrift, and clothed with the Sun of Righte- 1 
 oufnefs, then you have got the Moon of your own j 
 
 Rightc-r 
 
(16^ ) 
 
 Righteoafnefs under your Feet ; Thatis.you'll make 
 no Account of your own Righteoufnefs, ofS^rnftifi- 
 cation before God, in Comparifon of the Garment 
 of Chrift s Righteoufnefs, which is the Sun, that 
 you're fo glorioufly clothed wich. Nay, when your 
 own RighteoufneG or Graces put in for any Share of 
 Juftification before God, you'll, in t his Refpe^, tram- 
 ple them under your Feet as a menftruous Cloth, as 
 the Prophet i?/"^i^^ did, I/a, l»tv. 6. All our Righte* 
 tu/nejfes are atflthy Rags^ Yea, when it claims to be 
 a Righteoafnefs, before an infinitely holy and juft 
 God, you'U trample it under your Feet as Dung, as 
 the Apoftle Paul did, Phil. iii. 8. Tea douhtUfSy I count 
 all 'things httt Lofs, for the Excellency of the Knowledge of 
 Cbriji ; yea J I do count them but Dung, that I may vjln 
 Cbrifl^ and be found in him^ not having mine own Righ- 
 teoufnefs ^ that is after the Lav;, but that which is thro* 
 Faith of Chrifif the Righteoufnefs which is of God by Faith,* 
 This he fpealcs not only of his Pharifaical Righte- 
 oufnefs before his Converiion, but his Righteouf- 
 nefs ofSan£iificacion after his Con ver (Ion. The Man 
 that is clothed with the Sun of Righteoufnefs, ac? 
 counts his own Righteoufnefs a contemptible No- 
 tking, in Comparifon of Chrift's Righteoufnefs, It 
 is not Gain, but Lofs, becaufe, as Chryfofiome, one of 
 the Fathers, fays, i'^'benthsSun fhines^ it is b:st Lofs 
 to fit by a Candle-light ; ^yhy, becaule his Righteouf- 
 nefs is God's Righteoufnefs. God is the Worker of 
 it ; and, in Comparifon thereof our bell Righteouf- 
 nefs, whereof we are the Workers, even wich Di- 
 vine Affiftanee, is but Dung to be trampled upon, 
 when it competes with the Other, or would have 
 any 6'hare in the Matter of our Juftification before 
 God. If you be clothed with the Sun then, and be 
 thus gathered to Shilob, you have got this Mm^n un-r 
 der your Feet ; and whatever Light of Sanclifisa- 
 tion you have, it will fl )W from your Juftificition:,. 
 as the Light of the Moon does come from the Sun ; 
 and as the Moon gives Light in the dark Night, 
 fo will the Moon of your Saa^i&CiCion give Light 
 
 CO 
 
r >66 ) 
 
 to Other Men, walking in the dark Night of this 
 "World : Your Light will fo fiiine before Men, that 
 ihey feeing your good Works, miy glorify God. And 
 there is a Myftery in the Believer's Life ; he fhines 
 like the Moon, in Poinr of San£iification, doing ai! the 
 good Works he can, that he may glorify God, and 
 edify his Neighbour in the World ; and yet he^keeps 
 this Moon of his own Works and Righteoufnefs under 
 his Feet, and trarr.ples upon it, in the Matter of Jul- 
 lification, becaufe, in that Refpeft, his only clothing 
 is the Son of of Righteoufnefs. Again, as to the other 
 Senfe, if you be clothed with the Sun, and gathered 
 to Sbilohy then you'll have the Moon of this World 
 under your Feet ; the Profits, Honours and Pleafures 
 of the World, which being changeable and uncon- 
 ftant as the Moon, the Believer hath it under his 
 Feet ; becaufe, being c!orhed with the glorious Sun 
 of Righteoufnefs, and thereby decerniog theGlory of 
 God and Chrift, and heavenly Things^ he cannot but 
 defpifeand undervalue all earthly Things, when com- 
 ing in Competition v.ith heavenly ; 2sMofes didy Heb, 
 xi. 25, i6. v/hen he vilified all the Glory and Gran- 
 deur oi Ph^.raoh's Court, Qpc. You that had never the 
 Moon of this World under your Feet, but have the 
 'World in your Heart, and nothing but the World, 
 furely you are not gathered unto Shiloh ; for they 
 that are gathered to him, they are gathered out of the 
 Woildjand fet apart from the reft of the World; they 
 are not of the World, butchofen out of the World, 
 lience they that are ^^thetQd tc Skilob, are brought 
 off from their old worldly Companions .• There are 
 finful Gatherings, wicked Clubs and Cabals, that will 
 be hateful to them ; of which, their Heart will fay, 
 as Jacob faid of Simeon ^ud Lfui, Gen. xlix. 5. rt/y 
 Soul, ccme net thou into 'their Secret ^ tf their AJfemhly 
 mine Honour J be thou not united; znd with David, Pfal, 
 yisi^i,^. Gather not my Soul with Sinners, If you be- 
 Ipng to thefe drunken, tippling, idle and debauchc 
 (Caihering? ; you piay b« fure, that you are not ga- 
 
 chere4 
 
( ^6-1 ) 
 
 thered unto Shiloh The Godly may indeed fall info 
 fuch Company, but i«- is not their Element^ to embrace 
 heir Society: Nay, fdiowlhip with the Saints, the 
 excellent Ones of the Earth, is thair Delight ; and 
 Fellow{hip with the Wicked, is fo far from being 
 their Delight, that their Society is rather a Burden, 
 and brings them to a fVo is me^wo is mcy that Ifojourn 
 in Mejbecby &c I had rather be a Door keeper^Scc, NoW 
 fee to it, if you be not gathered out of the World, 
 you're not yet gathered to Shiloh : For, if you ba 
 clothed with the Sun, then you have the Moon of 
 this World under your Feet, and upon your Head a 
 Crown ot twelve Stars : That is, the DoSrineof the 
 Gofpel, delivered by the twelve Apoftles,and preach- 
 ed by Gofpel-miniilers, which are called Stars in his 
 right Hand, will be your Crown, a golden Crown to 
 you . Yea, his Word will be to you, as more to be 
 defired than Gold, yea, than much Ene Gold. And 
 this leads me to another Maxk ot rhofe that are ga>* 
 thered to Shiloh, 
 
 (5.) If you be gathered to Shilobt then gathering 
 Means and Ordinances will be always defirable to 
 you ; for they that are gathered, will be always a ga- 
 thering to him, till they be for ever with him, in tha 
 full and immediate Enjoyment of him ; Now try 
 yourfelf by this Mark. I enlarge a little upon each, 
 becaufe I defign not to multiply Particulars, If yoQ 
 be gathered wShiloh, then the gathering Means will 
 be defirable to you : Now, what Confcience do yoo 
 make of the MeaRS ? For there is a Generation, that 
 boldly fay, they have Religion, yet they ufe not 
 duly> either publick, private, or fecret Means. If 
 ever you be gathered to Chrift, all the gathering 
 Means, all his Ordinances will be fweet to you ; yot* 
 will feek him where he is to-be found, not only in 
 the City, about the Streets and firoad-ways, among 
 the Watch men, but a little further, S^rg iii.a, 9, 
 4. They that never ufed Means, were never 
 gathered ; they that are gathered, are ay en- 
 deavouring to improve them^ becaufe rhsy are 
 
 ay 
 
(168 ) 
 
 ay gathcfirg to him ; thertfore try your felvtft 
 
 here farther, on this Score, and fee where you are, 
 
 InShilohy tr not. If you be gathered to Shilohy you 
 
 viiW be ay gathering; to him, and living on him ; for 
 
 fuch are not of thofe that draw back to Perdition, 
 
 tut of thofe that believe, to the faving of their Souls. 
 
 They that go out from him, were never of him; 
 
 therefore fays Chrift to his Difciples, Will ye alfo g9 
 
 aqvay.'i Johnvi,6T, To v/hich the true Believer's 
 
 Aniwer is, L<Jf^, i'o mthom Jhall we go^ thou hafi the 
 
 Words of eternal Life ? v» 68. Let me therefore ask you^ 
 
 whether or not you mind to bide with Chrift ? Surelyy 
 
 if you be gathered to him, you refolve thro' Grace^ 
 
 to bide with him, and to be ftill coming to him, 
 
 I Prt. ii. 4. and as new born Babes y defiring the fincete 
 
 Milk cf the Wordy that ye may grow thereby. Indeed, 
 
 they that abide with Chrift cannot but grow ; and 
 
 ihii I fay, to find out Hypocrites, that (it may be) 
 
 ijfe the outward Means, and refolve, in their Falhion, 
 
 they will abide with Chrift ; That is, they will 
 
 not turn Papifts or Malignants, turn who willj and 
 
 yet know not what it is to be ay gathering to, and 
 
 growing in the Lord Jefus. I know that Saints have 
 
 theirWinter-blafts, that fetthem back, but they have 
 
 alfo their Summer blinks, tofet them forward again, 
 
 and make them grow in Knowledge, Faith, Love, 
 
 and Experience ; or elfe, for want of this Growth, 
 
 they are always quarreling themfelves : But, for o« 
 
 tiier Profeflbrs, that never were rooted in Ghrift, 
 
 fhey keep ay their old Stanfe. Men would blufli for 
 
 Shame, to have it faid to them, they are as foolifh 
 
 this Day, as^ they were this Day twenty Years ; or, 
 
 that they are as bad in their Callings, and as ill at 
 
 their Trade, as when they began *, and yet, in Chrifti- 
 
 anity, many ate as ill as they were thirty, ioi^y^ 
 
 fifty Years fince, as ignorant of Chrift and the G*^- 
 
 pel, as great Strangers to Communion with God in 
 
 Chrift. Surely, the)^ that are gathered to Chrift, 
 
 they "Will ftrive to win forward, they cannot get e- 
 
 Dough of hiiBf but j)refs toi^ard the Matk* jThey 
 
 $bai 
 
( i<^9 ) 
 
 ward the Mark. They thathavegot'enongh of Chrift| 
 have got nothing as yet ; and they tha^ave got 
 him, they may think they have got nothing; for what 
 th«y have got, is nothing to what they fee to be ia 
 him, and therefore they prefs forward, whenever 
 they are themfelves. And indeed, when you are noc 
 going forward, you're going backward. When a Man 
 rows againft the Stream, beholds ap the Boat ; bat 
 let him lay afide the Oars, he will go further down 
 than he came up. Hence, gathered Souls are ay for 
 making ufe of the Oars of gathering Means, that they 
 may win forward .* And hende as God's gathering 
 Means will be delightful, fo the DeviPs fcattering 
 Means will be hateful to him that is gathered ; ever/ 
 Thing that tends to make a Separation betwixt Chrift 
 and him, will be unsafy, elpecially when be 
 hath come any Speed at Ordinances : O to think cf 
 a Separation again, will be fad and forrowful ! Wo 
 is me, that I am going back to a World of Sin, and 
 Sinners, and Temptations again ! Being gathered to 
 him, he cannot think of being fundered from him. 
 
 (5.J If you ba^athered to Sbiloby then it will be 
 your pefire and Endeavour to gather Others to him; 
 the Soul that comes to Chrift, will feek to drtw O- 
 thers after him, John i. 45, 46. Whenever Chrift 
 found Philip f Pbiiip found Nathaniel^ and fays, W<ri>4w 
 found the MeJ[iaSy come and fee him ; John iv. 19- 
 When Chrift manifefted himfelf to the Woman of 
 SamartMy Ihe invites the Men of the City to come to 
 him, come fee a Adaii^ that told me all lyings thai 
 tver I did. Never a Soul was gathered to Chrift, bpc 
 deftred to gather Others, efpecially its Friends and 
 Relations. The Parent th^t is in Chrift, will be care- 
 fi^l to gather his Children to Chrift, the Mafter hii 
 Servant, Gen, xviii. ig.I know^ lays God of Ah tab am ^ 
 That be will command bit Children and bis Houjbold after 
 him, and they jhalll keep the Way of the Lord, It is noC 
 pofEble, but that Soul that comes to Chrift, and hath 
 gotten a Draught of his free Love, if it could com- 
 naod tea tlfoyfandi it would command them fo 
 y «oia« 
 
( I70 ) 
 
 come to Clirift. If you never had a Care or Concera- 
 this Wait to make thcfe in your Family to know the 
 Lord, y9 declare you was never gathered to him. 
 But, you whofe Soul's Defire is, to gather Others to 
 Chri^, yott may be Aire, concerning your felf, that 
 you're gathered to Shihh. Now, If yoa try your (elves 
 impartially by thefe Marks, you may come to find 
 whether you nave been gathered to Sh'iloh^ yea or not. 
 Second Sonihcn^ that I would fpeak to, are fome 
 that may be furc, that they were never gathered to 
 tblhh ; and it is to be feared, that Unbelievers make 
 up the greateft Part oi this Affembly ; And therefore 
 I muft be allowed to fpeak, efpecially to them ; and if 
 Believers themfelves give Ear, and the Lord concur 
 with the Word of general Exhottation, they may get 
 a new Gni^oi Shilohy by the By, My Exhortation to 
 the People in general, then, elpecially thofe that 
 were never gathered unto Chrift, is in the Words of 
 the Prophfct, Zeph. ii. i. Gather your fehet togeihsTtyea^ 
 gather to^ethfy Nation ftot defired; That is, either 
 ■ot deHring, even you that have no Deiire toward* 
 God and Chrift, and his Grace and Favour, but are 
 very indifferent about it; or Nation not defirable, 
 having nothing lovely or amiable about you, to re- 
 comend you to God : Yet, O gather together, before 
 the Decree bring forth, and before the fierce Anger 
 of the Lord come upon you ; for if once his Wrath 
 begin to burn, blelfed are all they that truft in him» 
 and gather to him. Alfo, in the Words of the Pro- 
 phet, ^<i.xly. 20, as. AJJemble your fehes^ and come ; 
 Why, what is that? It follows, Look to met *^»^ *• 
 fa^edf 'all the Ends cf the Earth ; for I am God^ 
 MTid there is none elfe, Shihh is come, and he is come 
 for the Salvation of the People. O let all the People 
 lay Amen,cven fo comeLord Jefus: Here is the FeaH 
 of fat Things, that the Lord of Hofis hath made oa 
 this Mountain, for all People. I/a, xxv. 6. Itherefore 
 let. all the People affemble themfelves and come ^ that they 
 may eat and drink* I allude to Ezek, xxxix. 17. where 
 Cod fpealu to every feathered Fowlj and every Seaft 
 
 % of 
 
.( «7« ) 
 
 of the Field) iayiog, Affemble your felves ani eom$^ 
 gather your felves one every Side U my Sacrlfil^, &C. tbut 
 you may eat Fiejb, aud drink Blood* Indeed, except yoo 
 eat the Flefh and drink the Blood orthe5bn of Gcd» 
 you have no Life in you, jfohn vi. 53. Therefore af- 
 femble your felves and come, gather to thia great 
 Sacrifice upon the Mountains oflfrael for you ; a Sa- 
 crifice of a f^eet-fmelling Savour to God. Here is the^ 
 Carcafe, O let the Eagles be gathered together* We 
 muft preach this Gofpel to every Creature, every ra- 
 tional Creature ; yea, to Men that have loft their 
 Keafon, and turned to Beaftj; Every Beaft of ths 
 Field, tame or wild, clean, or unclean, ABs x* it* 
 What means the Opening of the Heavens there, and 
 the deicending of the Sheet, the great Sheet knit at 
 four Corners, containing all Manser of wild Beaft% 
 and creeping Things, and Fowls of the Air P Why^ 
 the Meaning was^Go call all, and every One of tno 
 People. The Gentiles, fome of them- are creeping ia 
 the Dud, and wallowing in the Mire of (inful Lude 
 and Worldly Mindednefs ; others are Bying in the 
 Air of Pride, Vanity and Selfifhncfs: But, go yon 
 and call all the poor finfui Creatures withia your 
 Reach, whether they be creeping on the Earth, or 
 flying in the Air ; all the dnful Houfe of Adam are 
 made up of fuch a Sort of People ; but go, and tell 
 them, that now Sbilob is come, and T'o him mufi tb* 
 gathering of the People he. Therefore, in the Name of 
 the great 5/&i/ai&, and ia his Father's Name, we invito 
 and exhort all the People, that have hitherto beeii 
 gathering to the Devil, and gathering to their Luftsg 
 and gathering to the "World, and gathering to their 
 idle Cabals, and drunken Goflipings, finfui Diveriionit 
 and damnable Debaucheries, now to think in earneft 
 of gathering unto SHhh ; for, Sbilob is come, and lee 
 the gathering of the People be to him. Now, feeing 
 nothing but Divine Almighty Power can gather 
 Souls unto Chrift ; therefore, O Man, Woman, Laft, 
 Lad, look to God for Power to accompany the Call; 
 for the Gofpel call ufes to be the Channel, in which 
 Piviae Power ruaS| for con<}aeiing ^ouU. And be* 
 T z i4uf« 
 
f 172 ) 
 
 jCaufe, 1 know not, bitt this Power may accompany 
 this Call for making out the Promife in the Text, 
 fhat to himjhallthe gathering of the People he-, Therc- 
 Sforef I lb all offer fome Confiderations, for preffing 
 home this Exhortation upon the People. 
 
 Firfi^ Confider that Sbiloh is come to the People, 
 that the People may come to him ; for this is what I 
 fneanj by gathering to him, namely, a Coming to him 
 by Faith: And this Faith, you know, is a: Receiving 
 and Reding upon him for Salvation, as he is offered 
 to you in the Oofpel. Now, fince he cannot be receiv- 
 ed, but in and by the Gofpel-OflFer, the Word of 
 Grace, the Word of Promife in theGofpel; There- 
 Core, to receive him, is to believe in him, John i. ii. 
 As it is by Unbelief that we depart from him, Heb, 
 iii. 12. 'Take heedBrifhreny left there be in any of you an 
 jevil Heart of Unbelief y in departing from the living God ; 
 So it is by believing in him that we gather to him, 
 and to believe in him, is to credit the Record that 
 God hath given of his Son ; and this is the Record, v 
 that God hath given us eternal Life, and this Life i$ 
 in his Son ; He that does not thus believe^ hath tnade God 
 a Liary i John v. 10,11. To come to him by Faith then, 
 is to clcfe with him in the Gofpel-Record, and u-. 
 pon the Divine Teftimony; to bave a Divine Per- 
 fwafion of the Truth and Geodnefs of the Gofpel- 
 MeiTage, with particular Application to' your felf, 
 faying, O here is a faithfuf Sayings and wort'hy of all 
 Accept at itny that Jefus Chrift came to fave 'Sinners y of 
 whom 1 am the Chief ^ i Tim. i. 15. and fo it is juft a 
 Taking him at his Word, and taking hi« Word 
 of Grace, his Word of Honour for yOur Salva- 
 tion, according to the Gofpel-Offer of him. If you 
 fce faying then , that you cannot come to him byFaith, 
 it may be very true, for indeed you cannot come, till 
 he draw you, John vi. 44. You cannot believe, till the 
 Spirit ofFaith mix in with this Word- of Grace ; but 
 do you know what you're faying, when you fay you 
 cannot come to him by Faith, tho* the Word of Grace 
 came to you in particuUry to be believed^by you 1 You 
 
 • • ■ afi 
 
r 173 ; . 
 
 are faying,in Effe£i, that God is a Liar,! cannot take 
 his Word for it, I cannot believe that he is fpeaking 
 to me, or that he means any Good to me. ^oyou ii/fee? 
 fVord of this Salvation fent^ fays the Gofpel ; Nij, Riy» 
 UnMief, ntuer a Word of that is true^ with Refpe^ ts 
 me : Let them apply it to whom it is fent^ hut I cannof 
 think it is to the like »f me. Wretch, you are calling 
 the God of Truth a Liar : O BUfphemy I If it were 
 not to you, your Unbelief would not be your Sin ; 
 but of ail Sins it is the moft damning, as well as the 
 prolifick Womb that genders others Sins. However, 
 Si&//oi& is corae to you, that you m;iycome to him ; 
 he came to his own, and his own, to wity the Jews^ 
 received him not ; "intimating, that the Defign of the 
 Work, and Defign of his Coming, was that they 
 might come to him, receive him, and gather to him .• 
 And now he is come to you Gentiles, he is come to 
 the People, and (hall the People rejfe^ him too : He 
 is come to us in the Flefb, by taking on our Nature ; 
 he is come to us in the Gofpel, the Gofpel-Of- 
 fer, the Gofpel-Call, the Gofpel- Promife, the Gofpel- 
 Invitation ; and tho* he fhould never come any other 
 Way, yet it ftates your Obligation, and lays a Foun- 
 dation for your coming to him ; and if you reje^^ bira, 
 you are as iaexcufablei as the ^ew that reje&eJ him 
 were. 
 
 idly^ Confider whom it is you will be gathered to^ 
 when gathered unto Shiloh ; furely they that know his 
 Name will put their Truft in him, and fo g.irher to 
 him, P/^/. xxiv.p, t o. Lift up your Heads, ye Gates ^ 
 that the King ofGhrymay come in : O, who would not 
 caft open the Gates of their Hearts to receive fuch 
 an honourable Gueft ! O, if you knew what a glori- 
 ous One Chrift is, you could not find in your Heart 
 to rejeft and defpife him : He is not a Man fimply, 
 or an Angel, but a God-Man, the Lord^f Men and 
 Angels. It is not poflible to tell what Glory is in him, 
 for God is in him. Great is the Myftery of Godlinefi^ 
 God manifefiedin the FIe[hy i Tim. iii. l(S. A Godhead 
 dwelling in our Flefh is the World's Woader .• It.i« 
 fuph a Myftery, that the World cannot receive it ; 
 h but 
 
C »74 ) 
 
 bnttfris i§ the Cofpel that we preach, i Cor, ▼, rji, 
 
 ^hX Gad (J in Chrlfi^ reconciling the World to himfelfs 
 O tj|ink, what of God is in Chrift ! (i.jthe Authori- 
 ty of Cod is in him, Eicod, xxiii. 21. My 'Name it im 
 him ; this is his proper Name, Shiloh^ the Sent, Au- 
 thorifed, and Sealed of the Father, John vi. 27. Ho 
 came in his Father'sName, as well as his own,tofreek 
 and fave loft Sinners. As the Authority of God» fo, 
 (2.) The Wifaom and Power of God is in him, i Cw. 
 i. 14. We preach Chrifi crucified^ 6cc. the Wi/dom of God, 
 and the Poiuer of Oad ; all the Treafures of Dinno 
 Wifdom, and all the Magazine of Divine Power are 
 in him : And net only fo, but again, (5.) The Spirit 
 of God is in him, Jfa, Ixii. i. / have put my Spirit u* 
 potthim^ that he may bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles* 
 He hath qot only the Spirit of Wifdom to Gon» 
 irive for the beft, and the spirit of Power to fave to 
 the uttermoft, but alfothe Spirit of all Grace to coii>» 
 fer upon the People ; and Ihall not the Gathering 
 of the People be to him ? p, Vhat of God is ia 
 liim ! (4O The Righteoufnefs of God iis in him, and 
 hisRighteonfr.efs is the Righteoufnefs of God,which 
 is revealed to you in this pofpel,from Faith toFaith, 
 Eom, i. 17. (5.5 The Love of God is in him, for Di- 
 vine Love is wrapt up in this Garment of Flefh and 
 Blood, I yohniv. 9. (n this ivas manifefied the Love ef 
 God towards us, becaufe Godfent his only begotten Son in- 
 -to the World) that we might live through him. (5.^ The 
 Mercy of God is in him. O poor Sinner, when you 
 come to the laft Gafp, readily God's Mercy will be 
 your Cry ; but in vain will you feek God's Mercyt 
 to the Prejudice of God's Tuftice ; and behold, Tuf- 
 fice and Mercy meet together, and kifs one another, 
 only in Ghrift : Mercy will vent no ocherwife,but in 
 Chrift, in whom alone God is well pleafed, and hj 
 ^hom his Jufticeis fatisfied. What fhall I fay?C70 
 The Salvation of God is in him, A^s iv. 12. Neither 
 is there falvation in any other ^ for there is no Name give» 
 under Heaven f &c. Yea, (8.) The Fulnefs of God is in 
 kimi QyU i. J^. Br it hath pUafU the fatUr^ that in 
 
 him 
 
Ihould ftm over, that fo his Cup of Judgments ndf 
 run over alfo ; for a Gloud of Wickednefs is gather* 
 ing more and more. {2.) Ciovadsof Error are gather- 
 ing alio ; a black Cloud efpecially of irianifm^ which 
 threatens the Deftrudion of the very Foundation of 
 Cbriftianity ; And if the foundations be deftroyed, iuhai 
 Jhail the Righteous d$ ? Of this 1 fpoke formerly ; there- 
 fore Ifhall only fay, When rhefe Clouds of Wicked- 
 tith and Error are gathering to a prodigious Blackneft 
 of Darknefs, it is Time for us to be gathering to ShVoh^ 
 who is the Way and the Truth ; the Way to walk in, 
 in Oppoficion to the Way of Wickednefs ; and the 
 Truth to be belie"ed,in Oppofition to all the Paths 
 of Firror. But moreover, thefe black Clouds bode 
 more a-coming. (5.) There is a Cloud of l¥rath ga- 
 thering oyer Britain ; a Cloud of Judgment and Ca- 
 lamity is gathering owet Scotland ^ ^i\6. hath been ga- 
 thering thefe many Years bygone, efpecially fince the 
 'Time that Scotland was' incorporate with her Neigh- 
 bour : A Cloud of Wrath hath been gathering over 
 OS, both as a Church and Nation; What Drops have 
 fallfen out of that Cloud to rhe Rending and Dividing^ 
 of our Church, and to the finking and impoveriihing 
 of our State ; what Clouds of Diforder and' Confufioa 
 are hovering over our Head, is too well known : Yea, 
 a Piece of the Cloud is already broken zbouiGlafgow 
 within this Fortnight; but the Lord knows what 
 will be the End of thefe Things, more dreadful Show- 
 ers of temporal Judgments are in all Appearance haft- 
 mng on : And O, is it not Time to be gatherinjg ia to 
 %hiloh, the only Place4f Soul-fafety ? They that are 
 in h:m have the Lee fide of the Bufti, whatever Waf 
 the Wind blow. But tho* you fhbuld efcape the Cloudi 
 of nationaljudgments, yet there l$^a Cloud ofperfo- 
 nal Affliftion gathering, be it Sickhefs on jour fiod/ 
 or the like: Is it not beft to be under Goyert before 
 the Shower come on ? Or, if you fhould efbape that» 
 yet, (4.) Certainly there is a Cloud of r>e4f^ gather- 
 ing and coming upon you, as faft as Days, and Hours, 
 and Momenta flee away ; and if your Bodiei be ga- 
 7: theied 
 
i 178 ) 
 
 theted to tlie Grave before your Souls be gathered C9 
 thiioby you'll be miferable as long as God ihall be 
 blelTedjthat is for ever and ever. V'ou may make aShifc 
 to live a^ merrily as you can now 5 biit, ^hat will you 
 do in the Day ofVifitation ? iCa. x. 5. What vill you 
 do >^hen the King of Terror* is gatfierin^ his 
 Forces againft you, and when you (hill be gathered 
 before God's a>^ful Tribunal? &'c. 
 
 $thly^ Confider how long he hath been offering to 
 gather you. And how oft, O Sinner, would he have 
 gathered you, as a Heri does her Chickens under her 
 Wings, biit ye would not ? Ktow long ? Even all Day 
 long, Rom, 3C. laft. All Day long have I Jlretched fertb 
 my Hands unto a difobedient and gain fay ipg People, God 
 hath been ftietching out his Arm ro p;etiGripof you^ 
 even the Arm of his Grace in the Gofpel-ptfer and 
 Invitation, and ycuVe not gripped ro this Day. All 
 the Day long that the Gofpel-hin hath been Ihiriing 
 have I been ftretching out my Arms, fays God ; for 
 God counts the Time how long he wafts upon you, 
 he reckons up the Time how long yon let him ftand 
 knocking at the Door of your Heart : He counts every 
 Hour's Refufal, and every Year's RefufaUtho' it be 
 Forty Years ; ¥orty Tears long was t grieved with this 
 Generation, God hath been calling on fome of vou 
 Ten, Twenty, Thirty, Forty Years, and, it may be, 
 to gray Hairs, but he counts the T^me how long : 
 He hath been chafing you with his Grace, while you 
 have been biit Chafing Feathers in the Wind, de- 
 lighting your felves in nothing but Vanity, yea ly- 
 ing Vanity, forlaking your own Mercy; as Perfons 
 that have neither Care for Heaven, nor a Fe»rfor 
 Hell What if the Time be now come, wherein he is 
 faying, I'll wait no longer : Ephraim is joined to his l- 
 dobylet him alone \ If this very Call be {lighted, mj 
 Spirit fh all ftrive nO nhore with /ou ; 1 have long 
 fought your Kindnefs, and you refufed it ; I 
 offered my Kindnefs, and you thought nothing of it; 
 I wculd have gathered you^ and you wottld Wrl The 
 Catife of your Damnation then, if you perjfh, is noc 
 
 in 
 
( 179 ) „ 
 
 in God, but in you, it is not in his Aa of Reproba- 
 lion, but in your ASt of Rebellion and wicked Will* 
 You're a gainfaying and rebellious People againft the 
 God that ftretcbed forthjhis Hands towards you ; Say 
 not then. What ails God at me ? But rather, What ails 
 your wicked Nitureat God? O may conquering Grace 
 at lengch come! But again, . ' 
 
 6thly^ Coniider what Relation Chrift ftands in to 
 the People, that the Gathering of the People may be 
 to him .- Not only is Shiloh come in our Nature, b^r 
 he income in the Capacity of a Sbilohj that is, the 
 ^ent of God, ande'r fuch manifold Relations to th^ 
 People, as may engage the Hearts of the People. Since 
 the Text makes him the Sent of God, let us lee what 
 he is fent for, and whether thp People have atiy Con- 
 cern. He is fent to be the Saviour of the P^ople> 
 Luke ii. 1 1. To you is born m the City of Vavidy a Saviour ^ 
 which is Chrift the Lord^ T'htf is indeed the Chrift ^ the Sa- 
 vjour of the Worlds Job. iv. 42. Is he fent to be the Sa- 
 viour of the People; and (hall eot the Gathering of 
 the People be to him ? He is fent to be the Deliver- 
 er of the People, Rom. xi. 29. 'There is come out of Zien 
 the Deliverer y thatp^il turn away Un^odlinefs from J-acob, 
 O (hajl he come to deliver the People, and none of 
 tne People come to be delivered by him ? He is fent 
 to be the Helper of the People ; yea, all the Help 
 qt the People is laid upon him, Pfah Ixxxix. 19,/ have 
 laid Help upon One that is Mighty ; Ifraely thou haft 
 4eftroyedthy felfy but in me is thy Help, Is he the Helper 
 of the People, and the Help it felf ; and fliall nor the 
 People come to him, to feek his Help, a.id take his 
 Help 1 He is (ent to be the Prophet of th,» People, 
 Ifa, 1. 4. The Lord hath f;iven him the Tongne of. 
 the Learned, to fpeak a Word in Seafon to the Weary. 
 He is the only powerful Preacher and Teacher of the 
 People ; never Mah fpake like this Man .- And 
 fjiould not the People hear him ? This is my beloved 
 Sony 6tc. hear ye him. He is fent to be the Prieft, 
 aM tbe Sacrifice of the People, Eph, v. 2. As he is 
 Z 2 a 
 
( i8o ) 
 
 a Prieft for ever, for he gave himfelf to beanOffef 
 ing, and a Sacrifice of a fweet fmelling Savour unco 
 God ; and ail was, that the People may gather un- 
 der the Covert of the Blood of the Sacrifice. Again, 
 He is fent to be the King of the People. Pfal. ii. 6» 
 I have fet my King upon my holy Hill of Z ion. Shall he 
 have no SubjeSs for your Part ? &c. He is fent to be 
 the Friend and Favourer of the People; hence called, 
 a Friend of Publicans and Sinners ; not a Friend to 
 their Sins^ butfuch a Friend to their Souls, as ^ofave 
 them from their Sins. He is fent to be the Juftifier of 
 the PeopIe,the Juftifier of them that believe in Jefus: 
 Yea, hence he is faid to juf^ify the Ungodly, for he 
 came not to be a Condemner, but a Juftifier, j^ohn 
 iii. 17. God fent not his Son to the Worlds to condemn the 
 Worlds but that the IVorld thro* him might be faved. O 
 Shall not guilty People come to him to be juftified 
 from all Things, from which they could not be juf- 
 tified by the Law of Aiofes ? He is fent, 1 Pet. ii. hft, 
 to be the^ Shepherd and Eifhop of the People, that 
 ^he People may return iinto him. as the Shepherd 
 and Bifhop oi their Souls. He is fent to be the Phy- 
 ficiaii of the People ; hence, his Name is Jehovah-Ro^ 
 iihiy the Lord hath healed thee : And as many as 
 touched him were healed, 'the Whole need not the Ph)flci^ 
 dn but' they thai are fick. And who are they that need 
 not this Healing? -Therefore let the Gathering of 
 the People that need Healing be to him. He is fent 
 to be the Witnefs, the Leader and Commander of the 
 People, JfaAv. 5. Behold^ I have given him for aWitnefs 
 M, Leuder and Commander of the People ; and all that the 
 Gathering of the People may be to.him. He is fent to 
 be a Couhfeller, a Father, and a Prince of the Peo- 
 ple, !f^. ix. 6. "To us a Child is bom, to us a Son is given^ 
 and his Namefhalt be called iVonderful, Counfellery the 
 mighty Godf the everlajlin^r Father y^he Prince of Peace^ 
 and the Gcuemment jhall be upon his Shoulders, He i$ 
 fent to be the Builder of the People, and the 
 Foundation-ftone, upon which the People fhould 
 bnild, Zecb* vi. 13. Even be fhall build ^the Temple 
 -,■■■■':■ • of 
 
( »RI ) 
 
 of the Luri, and he pall bear the Glory, Ifa. xxvni. 
 l6. Behold I lay in Zion^ for a Foundation y a Stone y a tried 
 Stone f a precious Corner-pon&y a fare Foundation ; a»id all 
 that the Gathering ot the People may be to hitru 
 He is fent to be the Bleffer of the People, tiiat the 
 Peoplfe may gather to him for a Blefling, 4Bs iii. lift* 
 God having raifed up his Sonjefus, hath fent him to blefs 
 yoUyin turning aivay every One of yott from his lni<jiuiti^* 
 He hath fent him to blefs the People ; and GodV 
 Bleflino: wili light on all them that gather, to him 
 for a Blefling : Menfhall beblefi in himyandali Nations 
 Jball call him hJeffed. He is fent to be the ftandard- 
 bearer of the People, Son^, v. lo. He is th^ Chiefs tbt 
 Standard-bearer amongten tboufand. Hence he is called 
 the EnfigQ of the People, and to it (hall the Gentiles 
 feek, Ifa. xi. lo. Ought not then the Gathering of 
 the People b? to their Standard-bearer and Eniign ? 
 He is fent to be the Burden-bearer of the People ; 
 behoJd, the Burden of your Sins is laid vipoa him, 
 Ifa. liii. 6y 8. 'T^e Lard bath laid on him- the Iniquifies of 
 us ally or made thenj to meet on him. He hath ga- 
 thered together all the Sins of the People, and laid 
 them on his Back, that the Gathering of the People 
 may be to him, as the Lamb of God, that takes a- 
 way the Sins of the World. As the Burden of out 
 Sins, fo the Burden of our Sorrows is laid upo^a him, 
 ifa, liii. 5. Surely he hath bom our Griefs and carried 
 Mr Sorrows : The Burden of our Wounds and Bruifes 
 and Stripes was laid upon him ; v. 5. He luas, wounds 
 ed for our Sitts^ and bruifed for our IniquitieSy the Chaf- 
 tifement of our Veace was laid upon bimy and by his Stripes 
 we are healed, All the Wounds that we fliould have 
 got with the Sword of God^s Wrath, and all the 
 Stripes that fhould have been laid upon our Back to 
 Eternity, were gathered together, and laid upon 
 Clirift'i Back. And why was the B.niJen of all the 
 Sifts and Sorrows of the People laid upon him, hat 
 that the Gathering of the People mi^^ht be to him, ar 
 the Burden beirer of the People ? v'hat (hall T fay ? 
 H^ is feat, not oiily to be all £Lt;Uuoii»» but all 
 
 Thingc 
 
( i82 ) 
 
 Things to the People. He is fent to he the'^ the Co- 
 venant of the People, //,« xlii. 6. PI/ ghe thee for a 
 Covenant of the People. He is fent to be the Glory of 
 the People ; a Light to lighten the Gentiles, and the 
 Glory of his People [fras!. He is fent to be the Hope 
 of the People ; He is our Hope^ fays the Apoftle ; and, 
 ^he LsrdfhallbetheH?pe of his People, Joel iii. i6. He 
 is fent Xo be the Defire of the People ; therefore it is 
 faid of him, The De/ire of all Nations fhall come. 
 He is r^nt to be the Propitiation of the People, 
 1 John lu t. He is fent to be the Salvation and Con* 
 
 ' lolation'of the People -.Behold thy Salvation comes ; and 
 he is called the ConfoUtion oi Ifrael, He is fent to 
 be the Door of the People ; / am the Door^ 8cc. A- 
 gaio, He is fent to be the Way of the People; I am 
 
 . the Way ; no Man comes to the Father, hut by me. He 
 
 * is fent to be the Leader of the People; he is the 
 UviQ^acob's Ladder, that leaches from Ear:h to 
 Heaven, by which alone we can climb up to C lof /. 
 And, O fhould not fhe Gathering of the Peop e be 
 to him? And becaufe they cat^not of themfelves en- 
 ter in at thif Door, nor w^lic in this Way, nor climb 
 this Ladder, therefore he is fent to be the Leader of 
 the People ; I'lllead the Blind in a Way they know 
 not, and in*Paths that they have not known; Yea, 
 and to be the Strength of the People, that thePeo" 
 pie may gather to him, and truft in the Lord Jeho- 
 vabf in whom there is everlafting Strength. He is 
 fent to be the Wifdom, Righteoufnefs Sanftification 
 and Redemption of the People, i CV. i. 30. He is 
 made of God unto us, all thefe- Things ; even he 
 who is the Lord our Righteoufnefs. And, that he 
 might be a peifeft Law-biding Righteoufnefs of the 
 People, behold with Wonder, a'fo he fent him to 
 be the Sin ot the People, and the Curfe of the Peo- 
 ple, z Cor. V. laft. He hath made him to be Sin for uSy 
 that we might be the Riglfieoufnefs of God in him. Gal. 
 iii. I " ^0 redeem us from the Curfe of the Law, he was 
 made a Curfe for us. What fhall ( fay ? He is the Re- 
 
 deeroef of the People, the Surety of the People, ai;d 
 
 the 
 
( m ) 
 
 ihe Advocate of the People, the Ranfom of thci 
 People. Sb'doh is colne, and he is f^nt of God, to 
 be all Relations, and all things to the People, that 
 theGathering of the People may be to him. God hatli 
 put all the Privileges of the People into his Hands, 
 that he may be the Light and Life of the People, 
 -who is therefore called, the Light of the \^orld,an4 
 the Life of the World. He hath put all Gifts, and 
 Graces, afid Fulnefs ih his Hand,for the Peoples tJfe 
 and Behoof/ He hath received Gifts for Men, evea 
 for the Rebellious, that God the Lord might dwell 
 among them. And is there nothing in all this^o be a 
 Motive or Argument for gathering th'e People unto 
 him ? U he fent far all thefe finds to the PeopIe,and 
 Ihall not the People be gathered to him ? 6 may the 
 People come to him, who is the All of the People! 
 phljfj Confider what Honfe*rOom there is in hirn, 
 for the People to gather nnto : And,( i.) He is a hi- 
 ding Houfe for the People to gather to, Ifa.xxxiu 2. A 
 Man fhall bea hiding liacefrom theScorm,and a Co- * 
 vert from the Tempeft, &q Behold he is a hiding 
 Houfe, a She ker Houfe, a Rsfiige for the People^, a 
 SanSuary for'the People, that the People may flee 
 to him, faying with the Pfalnciift, I fiee to thee to bide 
 me. (2.) He is a Dwelling-Houfe for the People to 
 gather to, Pfal. xc'u i. He that dwells in the fecret Place 
 ofthemofi High, pall abide under the Shad(KV of the AU 
 rhifrhly: And O they that dwell in him, they dwetl 
 on hi^h, and the Place of their Defence is the Mann 
 lion of Rocks. They that are once gathered to him^ 
 he and they do mutually inhabit one another, m 
 the Communion of the Holy Ghoft, i John iv. i". 
 Hereby we know that we dwell in him, and he in us, fjy 
 his Spirit which he h:ith given tis. (9.O He is 4 work- 
 ing Houfe for the Githering of the People to ; not 
 one fpiritually good Work can be performed out of 
 hip, for without him we can do nocking. yV'» 
 XV. 5. 13uc whe.i One gets in to this Houle,Vhen b* 
 IS hkea Man in his workina Houfe, cii^i hajh atl 
 ^s working luli/uments Sd Tools at his Hand, 
 ^ with- 
 
( i84 ) 
 
 •Witliotit which he could not work at his Trade: 
 yea, then he hath Chrift himfelf for his workinj* 
 hand ; I can do all Things through Chrift ftrength- 
 ning me. He performs all my Work for me, hi« 
 Strength being made peifefl: inmy Weaknefs. (4.) He 
 is theBathing-Houfe for the Gathering of the People 
 to, I John i. 7. 3l&« Blood of Chrift chanfeth from alt Shi ; 
 If I wajh thee not, thou haft no "Bart in me : He him- 
 felf is the Fountain open to the Houfe of David for 
 Sin and for Undeannefs ; Here alone it is, that the 
 fiUjiy leprous People can can get their Souls bathed 
 and piifged, and muft gather to him for that End, 
 faying, Purge me ivhth Hyffop, &c. 5.) He is the Trea- 
 fure-Houfe for the People to gather unto.' Where 
 muft the Gathering of the People be, but to the on- 
 ly Store-Houfe ? Poor People may be here fupplied, 
 out of his unfer.rchable Riches, for in him are hid alt 
 the ^reafures of Wifdom and Kt2owhdgey Col. ii. 5. It 
 hath pleafed the Father, that in him fiiould all Ful- 
 nefs dwell, that out of hi» Falnefs we might receive 
 Grace for Grace. (6.) He is the Pleafure-Houfe for 
 the Gathering of the People unto. He is a Pleafure- 
 Houie both forGod and for thePeople of God; fuch a 
 Pleafure-houfe forGod to dwell in,ihat asGod is well 
 pleafed in him, reconciled and fatisfied in him, in 
 ■whom his Soul delights, fo he is infinitely well plea- 
 fed with all that gather in to him, they are accepted 
 in him, and that with Pleafure. ^iThis is my beloved 
 Son in "Juhom i am well fleafed: And when once Sin- 
 ners are gathered in to him, O they are well plea- 
 fed alfo : yea, abundantly fatisfied xvith the Fatnefs of 
 his Houfe y Pfal. xxxvi. 8. In whom belieiting^ we rejoice 
 with Joy unfpeakabUy Sec, In his Prefence there 
 is Fulnefs of Joy. There is no Houfe of Pleafure 
 in the World like this. (7 ) He is the Magaxine- 
 Houfe for the Gathering of the People to. All our 
 I-^lagazines for Military Provifion are in him. He 
 indeed is like the Tower of David, built for an Ar- 
 mory, where there l^ngs a Thoufand Bucklers, all 
 Shields of mighty Men, Son^iv* 4. for all the^c- 
 
 lievers 
 
licYer^i Spiritual Armonr» whereby he mnft fighl i- 
 gainft th« Devil, the World and ths Flefh, is hanging 
 in this Houfe ; and therefore, whenever he is for fight- 
 ing, he is to put on the wlole Armour of God, ani 
 tobei^rong in rhe LorJ, and in the Power ofhig 
 Might; Never will a Soul get a happy Stroke given 
 to the Devil, or Corruption^ without Armoar jgor out 
 of this Magazine- Houle. Here lies all the. Powder and 
 Ammunitio s wherAy the moft fubtile Engines of 
 Hell may be b'own up, and broken, (8.) Ke is the 
 Banqueting Houfc for the Gathering of the People to^ 
 Song ii, 4. H^ brought nie to the Banquet'mgmHoufe^ and 
 his Banner over me mas Lo^e, It is remukable and 
 Hffangc, chat t^here fhould be Need of a Banner in a 
 Bih^octing*Houfc. A Banner is for War ; and indeed 
 his People, when they are fed in his Houfe, they aro 
 fitted for Vf ar : But, O a Banner of Love isgood Pra- 
 vifion for War; the Manifeftation of the Love of 
 God in Chfift heartens and ftrengthens the Soul, both 
 for Work and Warfare. He fights beft when he feedt 
 bell upon the Love and Favour ot God, in Chrilt, 
 who himfelf is both the Bancjiieting-Houfe, theBan- 
 ner^and the Feaft ; he is'the Food, his Fiefh is Meat 
 indeed, QPc, There he feeds them with his Pardoa 
 and Peace, he feeds them with his E.ighteoufnefs 
 and Fulnefs ; yea» there he fups with them, and they 
 with him : And this Feaft of fat Things is provided 
 for all People, Ifa. xxv. 6. that they may gather in 
 to the Bancjueiing-Houfe , He only is the Viftual- 
 Houfe, the true Bethlehem^ the Houfe of Bread. (9.) He 
 is the Praying-Kf ufe, for the gathering of the Peo- 
 ple to; the true Temple and Houfe of Prayer for all 
 People, Ifa. Ivi. 7. Would you have a Houfe for pray- 
 ing acceptably in, fo as to be ay heard andanfwered, 
 whenever you pray 1 Here it is, there is no Houfe of 
 Prayer like it; and whenever you go, be if to a 
 Corner or Clofer, this Houfe is at Hand for you to 
 run in to, that you may be accepted in rhe Beloved ; 
 and when you go in to thisHoufe of Prayer, you (hall 
 have whatever you ask, that the Failitr may be glo- 
 
( »8^ ) 
 
 jified in the Son,5'#i&» xiv. 15. (lo.)He is the Praifing 
 fioUfe for the Gathering of the People to, ffal. Ixxxiv. 
 4. B^^Jf^f^ ^^^ ^^^y ^^^f ^tf^// in thy Houfe, they wilt he 
 piUpraiJltfg thee. Arid indeed the farcr yon go into 
 the Houfe of Prayer ; the more -will yt)u find it to 
 be the Houfe of Praife. Much Praife, and Honour ztd 
 Glory in the higheft, does God get in this Houfe ; 
 VJhereas, People, out of this Hpiife, do nothing but 
 difhonour and affront him. But, O may all the Peo- 
 ple praife him, by gathering in to thisHoufe ! O what 
 iiotable Houfing is there here for the People ! there- 
 fore let the Gathering of the People be to him. In a 
 Word, he is the Meeting-Houfe with Godj^i^^^-^ "cvHl 
 I meet ivith tJjeey even on the MercySeaty between ths 
 CheruhimSf Exod. xxv. 22. Here is HouTe-Room for 
 all the People. There is a Sign hung up over the 
 Door of th« Houfe, with this Infcription, Whofoever 
 tvili, let him come^ Rev. xxii. 17. 
 
 8/^/y, Confider there is a Gathering Place for the 
 People in the Lord Jefus, with a IVhat ths* written 
 below the Intcription. (i.) What tho* you have ne- 
 ver come in to this Day, yet now you are welcome to 
 come in, tho* you have been ftanding TVithout all your 
 Days till nov^ ; it is come to che Eleventh and iaft 
 Hour, Matth, xx. 6. Wh^ fiandye here all the Bay irf/tf? 
 He calls you- in to hisWorking-Houfe. (2.) "What tho' 
 you have played the Harlot with many Lovers, yet 
 there is Place in him for your gathering to, Jer. lil* 
 I. Yet return again unto me ^ faith the herd', y^z^ Ifa. 
 i. 18. Tho* your Sins he as Scarlet ^ theyjl)all be tvhite as 
 Snow, tho' they be red as Crimfony they Jhnll be white as 
 Vfool. Have you been a Drunkard, fiT'c. why, fuch 
 tvere fome of yottyScc. read I Citr. vi. 9, 10, U. (5.; 
 What tho* you have been untoward, and untraSable 
 hitherto, yet there is Place in him for your gather- 
 ing to, J/a, Ivii. 17. F^r the Iniquity of hii Covetoufncfs 
 was I avrothj and f mote him ; / hid me and ivas wroth ^ 
 and he wert on frcwardly in the Way of his own Heart ; 
 yet I have feen his Ways^ and will healb'm. (4.) Wlut 
 tho' you have been making God tofeivewith your 
 
 Sins, 
 
r i87 ; 
 
 Sim, and wc«jymg Inna with your Iniquity, yet there 
 's Place in him For your gathering to him ; for beheld 
 wiiat he fays, even "t\ith Refpef^ unto fiich^Ifa. xliii. 
 z^. ly even /, am he that bloitethcut thine Iniqj^ityy &C. 
 i'Mt me ifi Remembrance. (5O What tho* you h^e 
 been guiiry of the moft provoking and grievous Ba,ck^- 
 flitling, yet there is Place in him for you gathering 
 unco, Jer, iii, 14, 22. Return ye Backjllding Children ^ 
 for [ lUJll heal your Backjlidintr \ yea^ I'll heal your B Acji' 
 jUdin^s J and love you freely, (6.) What tho' your out- 
 ¥/ajd Cifcumftances in the World be never fo meaiji 
 and contemptible, fo as do Body cares for you, morjp 
 than the Dirt of the Street, and yoa are ca^ 
 out at all Hands ; yet there is Place in him for your 
 gathering to, for he gathers the Outcafts of Ijrael. And 
 James ii. 5. Hath n§i God chofen the Poor of this Worli^ 
 to be rich in Faith, and Heirs of a Kingdom 1 (7.) What 
 tho* many have gathered in to Shihh already, yet 
 there is Room enough and Place enough for you 
 to gather in alfo ; for as it is faid in the Parable, Luke 
 xiv. 22. Tho' many were gathered info the Supper, 
 yet there was Room ; fo here, tho* Thoufands and 
 Ten thoufands have been gathered to ShUehf fince he 
 Came, and before he came, yet there is Room, there 
 is Place for yon : As he fays. In his Father** Houfe 
 are many Mansions ; fo fay I of Shiloh'& Houfe, that 
 there are many Manfions theiein, with him there are 
 Multitudes of Mercies for Multitudes of Sinners ; O, 
 vrho can reckon the Multitudes of his tender Mcrciw? 
 Who can comprehend the Vaftnefsof his Gathering- 
 Place ? It would hold Thoufands of Worlds, let be 
 one .World ; therefore let not that (land in the Way 
 of your Gathering unto Sbiloh, (8.) What tho' you 
 could never think that there was any Place in him foe 
 you, nor anyMercy for the like of you; yet neverthc- ' 
 lefs there is a Gathering- Place in him for you, Ifa> 
 It. 8. For my ^thoughts are not your 'ThcughtSy 6cc. aad, 
 is the Heavens are higher than the Earthy fo are mf 
 thoughts higher t^an your *£heughts^ ThereforCj (jj.) 
 What tho* you be unworthy to come to him, yet 
 
cm) 
 
 there is Place in him for bn worthy Sinners to gathcf 
 into. Are you- iiR worthy c^f him ? Well I v-ot that is 
 true, as frue a Word as ever you fpake ; but rhe more 
 unworthy you are, the more welcome to him, who 
 Kath Worth enough for you and him both; He ex- 
 pefts no Worth to be in vou, till once you come to 
 him. What is it that makes you unworthy? is it, that 
 you are poor miferabie, wrerched, blind and n?ikcd^ 
 Or i»it,tnat you are ftupid and (enrelefs,and kno'v not 
 that you are in thtrfe dilnial Circumftances? Why, he 
 makes that the very Keafon of ius inviting you to 
 gather in to him ; Becnufe than fiyeft ^ I am richy and 
 hnowcft not that thou art uretched^S/cc. Rev. iii. 17, 18. 
 therefore I counfel thee to buy of me Gold. Unworthy Sin- 
 ners, gather in to that ' ell-furnifhed Houlc, where 
 all yoii need to make yoQ happy and holy is t be had: 
 And fay not you are unfit to come ; for there yott 
 fee, that even impoteat and unfen/ible Sinners, whom 
 "we are ready to fhuc out, Grace is ready to take in. 
 Yea, (lo.) What tho'you be nnabie to come to him, 
 and gather in to Shiloh, yet there is Place in him 
 for your girhering to him, Ifa. xi. 29. For he gi'oes 
 Pezi/'er to the Faint ^ and to them that h^xve no Might he 
 incrs^7feth Strength. If you vould be gathered, he Hands 
 xeady to reach you lusHelpingHand.and bids you take 
 HoM of bis Strength, that you may make Peace with 
 him, and you fhall make Peace with him, Ifa, xxvii, 
 ^, Yea, what tho' you have been unwilling all your 
 Days till this very Moment, onwillm^ to be gather- 
 ed ? Yet he who fays. How oft would I have gather- 
 ed you, and you would not i Is now faying, if yoa 
 votiid be gathered, 1 am here, and my Pother and 
 Grace is at your Service, for drawing you nearer. Yea, 
 -what rho' you find mjich UnwilJingnefs and Enmity 
 this Moment in your Heart againft him ; Yet if you 
 vonid be content that he break your Hnmity, and 
 roake you willii.g, O there is place, there is place in 
 him for ycu to gather in to. Yea, What Ihall 1 fay ? 
 ^hr: ^Q^ tjg 35 unwilling a$ ever you was, and 
 
 your 
 
( i89 ) 
 
 your '111 will againft him is ready to fend 
 yoa into the burning Lake; yet kndw, O 'de- 
 vililh Enemy to God and Chrift, lie is c^^lling yon 
 lc|>come to him, faying, Whofaever ivilllet him come, O, 
 \vw you not be gathered ? Why will you die ? A« £ 
 live, I ha/e no Pie » Cure in your Dearii ; 1 have in- 
 finitely greater Pleafure in your Gtrherint^ lo Sbihby 
 in whom all my Attributes are glorified and well 
 pleifed. And if this Call do at lall kinJle a fecret 
 Wifh and Defire in your Soul, faying, O that he 
 would come and gather me ! Beh.->ld his gathering 
 Arms are ftretched out towards you, and you fhall 
 be as welcome to him, as e er any .?oul was finca 
 the World began. Well, is there fuch a Gathering 
 Place for the People hercifwch a Gafhering-Houfe, 
 with fo many What iho's written oo the Sign of the 
 H )ufe,' or the Face of the Door, to invite all Paf- 
 fengers, that are travelling to Eternity, to com^in, 
 and be happy for ever ? And fhall there be no Ga- 
 thering of the People to Shihb ? Nay we hope, 
 that Divine Power hath madeforoe to be willing, 
 and that they are either fiying, Behold we co m«i 
 o thee, for thou art the Lord our God ; or elfe, 
 Lord, come and draw, come and gather, and get 
 the Glory to thy Name for ever. 
 
 Hiving offered thefe Motives and Confideration»; 
 I Ihould oflFsr next fome Di regions. It is Divine 
 Power only that does the Bufinefs ; and therefor^, I 
 ihaU only give foi ihofe two Dire£tions in cafe yoa 
 would know how to nianage,fo as you may not be de- 
 ceived in this Matter. If I could help you to Heaven, 
 1 think, I would defire to do it ; and, for your H«lp 
 and Direfiion, in order to your right gathering to Sbt- 
 Job, I would fay to you, (i) Never fatisfy your felrei 
 ivith gathering about him and his Ordinance, with- 
 out gathering to him. Many, like the Multitude in 
 the Gorpel,.may gather about him, yea, fo near as to 
 prefsupon him, while there was but out poor Wo- 
 man, that was gathered to him, aad touched him. 
 SomeBody hath touched me, faysChrifi: Why,fay'the 
 Pifciples, the Multitude p re(s upon you ; and what 
 
 mtiti 
 " :v ' " ■ i *j i M.iiii.i ,-"fi ' i*. ' i.. ' .a^> 
 
( '90 ) 
 
 meaii yau,Lord,by ch?it,-'^ome bo iy ^-'tli tQuchcd me? 
 Nay, but as one of the F^chers uidS^-^^-tprernityJiies 
 tan^it ; jheMulrituJe prefs, hut Faici* coucheth. Sa- 
 tisfy not your feives th»en, f l;iy, with .1 Girti^rin^^ a- 
 bout him, unlefs you b. gatheritd to him .• People 
 may gather about a Tr^e to p!ud< the Fruit rherdof, 
 but itisanotherThing to be gathexed to it, To «s either 
 to become a Branch, or have an Inte/«(i in it ; even 
 fo may fome People eat of the Fruit of the Tree of 
 JLife, in refpeS of common Providence, common 
 GraceS) conwnon Influences ; but it is anotherThing 
 to have an Interett in the Tree, anti Uaion to it : $0 
 here, &*c. O Sirs, fay you, that i« a hnrd Note, that 
 cads me all down agiin. Wiiy, cnqy the Lord him- 
 felf bring down ail fatfe Xefuges .• Bat in cafe it 
 perplex any pf>or Soul, that^harii been iiiting under 
 Chrift'sShadow at th-isOacaiion,andhisFraif hath been 
 fweet to theirTafte,and they m^s^ytii ink, that all tiiey 
 got, i» but only rheFruit,«/hiia they have noQnion to 
 ©r Intereft in the Tree, ^cf^^'dj you rhen,Ho\v fhall 
 One know if he only eats ot che Froit, and hath no 
 Intereft in the Tree ? In Anfwer to which,! U endea- 
 vour to illuftrate it by this plain Simile; You know, 
 when a Man hath no Interell in the Tree of a Gar- 
 den,if he get the Frait,he cares not whu come of the 
 Tree, tho' the Branches of it were all broken down ; 
 He loves the Fruit, and takes if» but the Tree is not 
 his own, he hath no Concern about it : But, the Man 
 that haihanlntereflin theTree,tho'hc lovestheF/uit, 
 yet he loves the Tree better than the Fruit ; and 
 therefore,he would rather that People fhould take all 
 the Ftuit away f fom him,than break and deftroy the 
 Branches of theTree ; for/he efteems the Tree better 
 than all theFruit that grows upon it. The Applica- 
 tion thereof is eafy ; for, even fo the Hypocrite that 
 «Qts of the Fruit of theTree of Lite, as it were,but 
 hath no Intereft in/the Tree ; the Fruit, the Frame, 
 ♦theEntargementjOr ihe like, is ail that he wants ; the 
 Gifts and common Graces he gets, \t what be fola- 
 ceth himfelf withal; be reft«there,and fits down fatif- 
 €ed«withoutChrift himfel^or aay true Love to hin\» 
 % and 
 
( ^91 V 
 
 and onfeigiied Concern for his Glory and Intercft • 
 Self is upmoft with him, and Therefore he pleafei 
 'liiinfelf ■with the Frait, and loves it n^ore than the 
 Tree. But, the true Celiever, that is gathered to 
 Chrift, he loves the Fruit indeed, and takes Plea- 
 fure in^the ComiPUrtication ; but the Tree it felt is 
 above all Things to him, and the Fruit he tafted 
 ftill the more recommends theTree to him. O Chrift'f 
 Gifts are ftveet.but himfelf fweeteft of all ! The Be- 
 liever's Frame is like the Frame of a PiSure ; he is 
 not taken up with the Fr;ime, but with the PiSure 
 that is within the Frame, even Chrift, who is the 
 PiSure of God, the l^iage of the invifible God. See, 
 I fay, that it be Chrift' himfelf, that you are gathe- 
 red to. . (a.) Be ftill about his Hand, in the Ufe of 
 appointed Means, but with a conftant Eye to Divine 
 Power : Let Means and Otdinances be ftill ufed ; 
 For,tho*,as they are your Performances, they cannot 
 be profitable, yet, as they are his Ordinance,he may 
 put a Blefling in them. Therefore, be ftill in the 
 King's High-way, in the \.He of Means ', for, tho* 
 the natural Ufe of Means, and God's faving Grace, 
 have noConne£iion, yet there is far lefs aConne£iioa 
 betwixt that Grace, and the NegleQ: of Means. The 
 poor Beggar, that needs an Alms from the 
 King, goes to the King's High -way, where he paf- 
 fes ; and furely he is nearer his Purpofe, than if 
 he Ihould go to the Top of a Mountain, where the 
 King never comes :So,be you ftill in theUfe of Means 
 in the Lord's Way ; but reft not there, left you be 
 like One, that, upon Pretence of feeking a Treafure 
 on the other Side of a Kiver, fhouldcpiiie totheBoat, 
 which is the Mean,and reft there, without going fur- 
 ther ; Why, he may thus milslhe Treafure for ever. 
 In yourUle of the Means;, look beyond the Means, 
 and cry for Atm^'ghty dra v. in^ Power, without which 
 it is ftmply impofiible you can m^ke one Step towards 
 Shilob, God knows, yon can do nothing this Way 
 your fclf, and he doesnor expeft it of you, that you 
 ilioald come to him in your own Strength ; nay, if 
 you eft'ay to do fo, vou hue ^firont him, Tvho is the 
 
 Strength 
 
( ips ) 
 
 icI yedifpai 
 
 Strength of Ifrstl-, ancf ye difparage his Power, ss if a 
 Creature, far lefs a filthy finful Oeacure, dead in 
 TrefpafTes and Sinj, v^ould ad independently of him. 
 O then, caft yourfelf ay into his Almighty gather- 
 ing Arms ! crying, O Power, Power, Power of the E- 
 ternal Spirit of God, come ! Cry for the powerful 
 Convi£iion of theSpirir, whereby yOu may fee how far 
 off you are from God and Chrift : 1 hey that are ga- 
 iheted to him,are made to fee how far they are fepa- 
 rate from him, and to fay, Lord, I am lying in the 
 Arms of the Devil, and I know not hnw foon I may 
 be "with him in Heil ; O pity, pity of thy fovereign 
 Mercy J Cry alio for the powerful Illuniinririon of 
 the Spirit, that you may fee a God in Chrill ; not 
 an abfoiute God, fitting on the Throne of Aiming 
 Juftice, but on the Mtrcy-feat, fpiinkleif with the 
 Juftice-fuisfying Blood of the Lamb, from whence 
 Mercy does vent it felf, to the hi^heft Honour, and 
 greateft Glory of infinite Juflice. Cry, in a Word, 
 for the powerful Operation of the Spirit, the irrefif- 
 tible, efficacious Pull of his omnipotentArm ; O lofig ^ 
 ior a Day of Power, a gathering Day ! Many a black), 
 powerful Hindrance and Drawback you have : Eve- 
 ry Luft iaysupoo the Matter, If I can get my Will, 
 he Ihall never be gathered to ShUoh\ the Devil fays, 
 If 1 can get my Will, he fhall never win to Chrift ; > 
 the WorH, and the Cares of it, lay the fame , your ^ I 
 gracelefs Neighbours and wickedCompanions,fay the 
 fame ; There is a ilrong hellifh Combination to hin- 
 der your coming to Shtlob, Yet nevcrthelefs, tho' all 
 the Inranglcments of the World, all the Corruptions 
 of thft Heart, and all the Devils in Hell fhould joia 
 Counfel together to keep your Soul back fromChrift> 
 one Divine Draught of the Cord of Love \sill make 
 them all lo yield. Thefe are potent Enemies, but 
 here is an omnipotent God ; they are Mighty, but 
 he is Alnoighry. O cry, and continue to cry for 
 this gathering Power ! and tho* you have been 
 Jonj; feeking an omnipotent Pull of Divine Grjce, 
 and to your Senfe have not got it, yer^ifyou; 
 ^ait for it, and try for it, it u a Thciifdnd tc One J 
 
( '93 ) 
 
 if yoii mifs it : Nay, it cannot be^ for be is a God ©f 
 judgment, and blefled are aH the]p that wait for him, 
 i/a. XXX i8. Judgmeni here, is nor Juogmenr in Dp- 
 pofition to iv eicy, bur Judgrocnt in Oppofition to Fol- 
 ly ; that is, he is an n.finirely wife God, that knows 
 the beft Time of coming and paying his Vifit; and 
 becaufe he is a Goo of Judgment, bltfTtsd are all they 
 that \vait for him. He hath long waited for >ou. O 
 wait for him in bis own Way ! And when he is 
 ftretcbing forth his Arms toward you in this Gofpel, 
 offering lo gather you; let your Heart ay to him, 
 faying. Lord, thou that gathers the Lambs with thine 
 Arm, O do thou not only ffretth forth t.iine Arms 
 towards me, but clafp thine Arms about me; gather 
 me, and I fhall be gathered. If you b« brought, to 
 this, I would hope the good Woik were begun. 
 
 The T'z&W Sort to whom I propofet! lo direO my 
 Exhortation, was to Believers, that are gathered un* 
 to Shiloh. My hxhortation to you is,That, thro' Gratfe, 
 you would g^ather more clofly to Shi/oh, than ever 
 you have done, fo as to be rooted in him and abide 
 in him, Col. n 7. foh» xv. 5. O cry for more atid more 
 of his gathering Power and Grace, to bring you heaier 
 and neirer to him : More particularly, ( 1.) Hath Shi- 
 lob come and gathered y* u to himfclf? Then O live 
 upon him, for that is the tnd for which you are ga- 
 thered to him, Gal ii. 20. that the Life you lire may 
 be a Life of Faith on the Son of God, who not onlf 
 loved you, and gave hin^reif for you, but gathered 
 you alfo out of rhe ftinking Grave of Sin ^nd Mifery» 
 wherein you was. You need ro li/e , Lift of Depen- 
 dance upon him ; for all oth t Things m.y foon fail 
 you and nothing in :<ll the World may be left you. 
 but himfelf. But when the Spider's Web is fwept 
 down, .yet you may fee the Houfe ftanding fure • e- 
 yen fo. when the Cob-webs of Creature orfidences 
 fail. Faith will fee a fure Foundation to Hpen to,tbo' 
 the Fi^-tree fhould not bloffom, QPc, You'll ^verv 
 Day need to be living on him; for as the VefTel 
 that 18 full To day needs a new Filling To-morrow 
 
( ^94 ) 
 
 and lth'6 Stdtnach that feemed to be fatisfied juft ndWj 
 "witbin a few tibnrs, will be empty and craving again ; 
 So heie, youir V^effel may foon be empty; but tbo* the 
 Veflt'l be dry, the Fountain is not ; tho* the Veflel be 
 emptyvthfe Fountain is full ; and his Power to help, 
 is a crfeaticg PoVv'er, whereby he can command No- 
 thing ift to a Being. (2.) Not only live on him but live 
 •witlihim : let it appear, that you're guhering our of 
 the World, by your living above the World, in the 
 Place where 5^i^^ is, Co/, iii. i. If you be rlfen with 
 Chrijlyfeek the 'Things that are above, where Chrifi Jits at 
 the Right-hand of God. Ol how unfuitable is it for then* 
 that "are gathered to Shiloh in Heaven, not to 
 have their Converfation in Heaven, like the Bird, 
 they call the Lapwing, that hath a Crown upon her 
 Head, and yet lives upon Fixcrenr.enrs? Hath the Lord 
 crowned you with his Loving-Kindnefs, and yet yoa 
 liveiJpon the Dung of this World? Hath he made 
 you an Heir to a Kingdom, and yet you ly tumbling 
 in th« Afnes ? Surely the Bslie^/er, that does not livaf 
 above the World, he lives below himfelf. f 5.^ are yoli 
 gathered unto Shihh ? Then, nor only live on him, 
 and live with bim, but live to him. For this Caule 
 alfo, did he gather yr^u to him, that you might live 
 to '^i'Ti, and to his Glory and Honour, 1 Cor. v. 15.^ 
 Tcu tfre V9t te live to your felves, but to him that died fcr ycu, 
 'andrcfe again. In him there is a Gathering of all Gifts, 
 and Graces, and Fulnefs and all Mediatorial Office*!, 
 and Divine Qualifications, for your Ufe and Behoof; 
 and, to him, O Believer, fhould he the Gatheiing 
 of ill the'^wers and Faculties of your Soul, that 
 you may glorify and honour him ! O let theG.ither- 
 iog of your Defires and Delights be to Vim, w1io is 
 the Defire of all Nations, and the Delight of all the 
 "Saints and Angels in Heaven ! Let the Gathering of 
 your Thoughts and Meditations be to him, and the 
 Meditation of his Name will be fweet. -O -let the 
 Gathering of your Hearts and AffeOions be;to him, 
 for he is altogether lovely! Let the Gathering of 
 V Prayers a«d Praifes be to him. Begging and 
 
 BlelTii 
 
( 195 ) 
 
 Biefliog fhould go tog ether ; for you'll have Occa- 
 fion to beg from him as long as you're out of Heaven, 
 and you'll h.ive Reafon to bids him as long as you're 
 out of Hell. Tiio' you that are githered to him iiave 
 no Reafon to fear Hell, Foy there is no Condemhation 
 to thern that are in Chriji ; yet you»ha 'e ay Reafon to 
 bleis him, that you have efcaped it. In aWord, let the - 
 Gathering ofyoar Words and A£iions be to him, fo 
 as you may put Honour upon him, before the ' 
 World, by the whole Tenor of your T^lk and Walk, 
 that your Neighbours may tal<# Notice of it, that 
 you have been withjelus, and that you are gather- 
 ed to him : And let the Gathering of your Services 
 and Sacrifice be to him,- faying, What Jhall I render to 
 the Lvrd for all his BetJefts towards me ? O render your 
 humble service to him, laying, 'Truly I am thy 5er- 
 <ijantf th$u haft loofcd my Bands, Render him the Love 
 of your Hearts, the Calves of your Lips, and the 
 Obedience of your Life. Thus yoa are to live to 
 him. Again, (4.) Are you gathered 10 Shlloh ? O then, 
 endeavour to gather others to him ! See if you caa 
 get ail that are in your Family to come to Shiloh with 
 ypu ; faying with Jojhuay As for me and my HoufijVJe 
 ^it^ feme the Lerdytv hat ever others do^ Jofh. xxir. 15. 
 O haye you been gathering to Chrift? \nd will you 
 becarelefstho' your Friends, your Children, be ga- 
 thered to the Devil ? O hath Chrill brought you to 
 himfeif, and will he bring you to Glory, and gather 
 you to Heaven ? And will you be eafy, the* all about 
 you be gathered unto Hell ? No, no. that cannot be 
 your Difpolltion, if you be a Believer indeed. If you 
 be content in your Lifetime to ferve him, you'll fto,- 
 dy to your Power, that Others may do the like. And, 
 thij is the Way to make the Love of Chrift continue 
 in the World ; for when you teach your Neighbours, ^ 
 your Sef^^ants, your Children, the Way of the Lord, 
 they, folio vving your Example, may teach their Chil- 
 dren too ; and this will go from Geaerition to Ciene- 
 tation, fo as Generations to come may praife the Lord; 
 or at leaft, it will not fail on your Part. O how ii 
 B b 2 it 
 
N. 
 
 ( 196 ) 
 
 It to be regreted, that few <:ome to Chrift ! and of 
 the few that come, how few dofhew their Love, en- 
 deavouring to brin^ Others to hini ? Therefore, O 
 let chis be arnendfcd, and endeavour, in the Place 
 where you dvvell,and the Station youVe into, that 
 J>y your holy Converfation, Others may be gathered 
 unfo Sbihh too. (5.) Are you gathered ? O let ^ot 
 Believers, that are gathered to Shilohj forget their 
 Ciathering together for Chriftian-f<;llowfhip and 
 Prayer, H(?^. X. 24, 25. Let tts con fider one another ^ t9 
 provoke unto Love, and to ^ood Works ; not forfaking the 
 AJfembling your j elves together, as the Manner of feme hf 
 hut exhorting one another, and fo much the more as you fee 
 ihe Day appra aching. The wicked that are to be ga- 
 thered to the burning 'Tophet, are making Speed in 
 ijnful Ways»and gathering in Clubs and Cabals, to 
 hearten and harden one another : And, O fhall not 
 the Godly gather together, ro exhort and excite one 
 another in theWay toHeaven; as Irorn fharpens Iron, 
 fo does the holy Gathering of Saints ufe to (harp- 
 fn the Edge of their Spirits in the Lord's Way ; But 
 fince Fellowfhip-Meecings have been deferted, many 
 Profeflbrs are blunted and rufted ; feveral Chriftiaa 
 Societiej are broken and evaniiht, even at a Time, 
 "when they that fear theLord fhonld fpeakof^en one 
 to another in Spiritual Conferences. Q, if you be 
 gathered unto 5^i/(J^, let your Zeal for him appear, in 
 reftoring and reviving thefe Chriftian Gatherings in a 
 ffgqlar Manner ; and pray, That the Devil's fcatter- 
 ing Wind that he hath raifea in our Day, for fepa- 
 rating and dividing Minifters and Chriftians from one 
 another, may be laid, (d.) To add no more, and to 
 encourage you in the wholeof your Chriftian Courfe* 
 Q you, that through Grace hath been gathered to 
 Sbilohf take home with you the Comfort that belongs 
 to your gathered State. As to thefe that are yet in a 
 di^a^t State, feparate froiii the Lord Jefus, we have 
 iit^je. Comfort to offer, if you abide there ; for in the 
 i-ord*s Ti.nr^e you'll be gathered to the Grave, and af- 
 eer Ehat, you'll be gathered before the Tribunal of 
 
 Goda 
 
 1_--.-^ 
 
( 1^7 ) /M 
 
 God, to receive the dreadful Sentence, Depart frofA 
 
 me^ye curfed ; and, in ail Appearance, fome here will 
 be gathered before that awful Tribunal, before they 
 be gathered together here again : We are not all to 
 meet till we meet before the Fiery B^nch of the 
 Glorious Judge ; and if you be not gathered to him, 
 as an amebic Jefus now, you muft be gathered to 
 him as a terrible Judge then. And, O that the 
 Thoughts of this would excite poor Souls to think 
 of gathering to Shiloh before they part, that they may 
 part with God's Blefling, and not under his heavy 
 Curfe ! But, as to yon that have been gathered un- 
 to Chrift, I would have you know, that God allows 
 you ttrong Confolation. You having fled for Refuge 
 to the Hope fet before you, you may rejoice in the 
 Hope or the Glory of God, that the Joy of the Lord 
 may be your Strength, in the whole of your Work '^ 
 and Warfare, as you go through the Wiidernets. 
 You may rejoice in this, that as your Hearts are ga- 
 thered unto Shihh now, fo your happieft Gathering 
 Time is but coming ; for he that hath begun to ga- 
 ther you as Stones for the Spiritual Building, will 
 never leave the Work, till the Building be com- 
 pleted, with Shoutings of Grace^ grace unto it. He 
 will never give over gathering you, till you be com- 
 pletely happy : From Time to Time the Work will 
 be advanced, by the Means of his Word and Ordi- 
 nances, till the Confummation of the Work in Glo- 
 ry ; f )r he hath ippointed a Gofpel Miniftry for the 
 perfe^iing of the Saints, for the edifytng of the Bo- 
 dy of Chrift, till they all come, &c, Eph, ir. i^. 
 He hath appointed thefe three fearful FhingSjDeath, 
 Judgment, and Eternity, to be Three happy Gathe- 
 rings for you ; the initial Gathering being over, by 
 your getting in to Chrift, after your progrelUve Ga- 
 thering is come to a Clofe, in your having finifhei 
 your Courie, and fought the good Fight of Faith 
 your glorious and canfum nate Gathering wilf take 
 Place : The Day of Death will be the glorious Com- 
 meocement of it, ^nd Eternity will be the everiaftint*- 
 
 Coa- 
 
r i?8 ; 
 
 ation of it. The ftrft Coming of Shi f oh hath afhe- 
 rea in a s^racious Gachering, his feconii. Coming wil 
 produce a glorious ^G.itherii>g,; but of thefe gacher- 
 ing Seufons, I formerly ipoke .a U'rge; I only fay 
 therefore, that then, O Ikijever, tlien fball yoti be 
 for ever with the J^orJ ; -af.d it. is for this Rejfon 
 you are now garheied to bisn, chat there you may 
 be tor fcver with him : And fo fu'-e as you are ga- 
 thered to him in Time, ibluie, fiiail you be with 
 him through Eternity ; not only for ever with the 
 PatsiarchSy and fropnets, and Apolties ; not only for 
 ever with Angels and Aich-Angeis ;■ not only for e- 
 ver with Saints and Seri^phimji ; bur for ever with 
 the Lord ; for none of rKele,can make a Heaven 
 wiiho^itt him. Ciiiift himfeif will be the Centre of 
 the Aflembly, nd Heart of the Meeting. And the* 
 ispw you are but with him for a Start, and he is^ " 
 with you but fo* a. Mcrpei.c, and fo yoi*r Commu- 
 niort with him is ,but in tranfient Glances of hi* 
 Glory; m.»y be juff noyir you are wkh him in the 
 Banqueting- Ho ufe, but inlHntly you are, as it were, 
 attheBack of theDoor; It is only for a little, but then 
 •for ewer : And it is hin-dJittkofhim that you have fdr 
 a fiHle fwhjle ; Yet then, O rh'_n fhall you be for ever 
 with the Lord, i*Vharefo^e comfort ojie anothet -duth t\efe 
 ■W»rdiy.\ Their, iv. ialt. JCnow, that being gathered 
 Xi^ him on Lartb, ywi iliall be gathered to 
 him in Hea ven ; and biiing gathered in Grace,yot» 
 .ftiali he gai^h^red in Glory; for ail the Pronnifes of 
 rG«ce and Glory are gathered in him, and you being 
 gathered to him, are in him aifo, in whom :iU the 
 PfOmifes arel>'« and Amen, 
 
 And, now this Gathering of the People here is to 
 part ; But, O happy Parting, to thefe who can date 
 • their 'iirft or farther Gathering to Shdoh from their 
 Gathering to Oavnock ' For,part with whom you will, 
 Chrift and you fliali never part again ; what(|yer 
 Clouds may be in your Sky,yec your Sun is rifen^ and 
 Tvtll never 'iti. But the moft Part of you here were 
 fievsr yetgathered to Shdoh ; and, O how ca,n yqu 
 "find in-your Heart to go away without him, and 
 
 with- 
 
, ( IP? ) ' 1 
 
 without fo much as a Defire after him, who is the 
 DeHre of ail Nations! For my own Part, I « >^ not 
 think of your going away ir fuch a Cafe. O, (hall 
 he have it to fay, I would h we gathered you, as a i 
 Hen does her Chickens under her Wings, but yoa 1 
 would not! O, wherefore did you gather to this 
 Place, if you would not be gathered to Shiloh ' Arul 
 it you be more willii.g, to be gone, than willing to 
 be gathered. Wo is me, that my Text will be no 
 more but a W^itnefs againft you upon Camock-Green^ 
 that you would not ? and, that the Devil, and the 
 AVorld, and your Lufts, v«ere more defiribleto you; 
 and you had more Heart to be gathered to them, 
 than to be gathered to Shiloh. O then, heartlefs 
 Parting, while you are content to part with ShiUb 
 for ever, rather than part with a baCe Luft, or a 
 black Devil. If ttiat be not your Chcice, then«let 
 you Heart fay, in t'le Sight of the Living God if 
 you can, Lord, 1 think i would be gathered, and 
 .."would rather thooie ro die upon the >por than not 
 to be gathered unto Shihh ; and, my Soul could wiih, 
 that all my dearell Luibwere buried in this Green, 
 never to rile again, md that Chrift might have my 
 Heart tor ever, in Room of them all. Why, Man, 
 car. you fay th»f,ro the Heirt fearching God ? Then, 
 poor Soul, let me defire you to take the hrlt conve- 
 nient Ciofet or Corner you cm get, and there tell 
 him this oi er again m>)re loiemnly ;and, at the fame 
 Xime, bieis him ihat ever SUl h tame lo y t u, 
 and that ever you feit the Vertue of this Pro- 
 mife, that 'To hlrn {b::Il the gatberiitg of the Peo^ 
 ^le be. 
 
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