LIBRARY OF THE Theological Seminary, PRINCETON, N. J. Division... S1. j) Secticm-^ /. . No, 4 Case, Shelf, Boole, A DONATION d&i&zuL^. Beceiued tsfat^^fy^. \ A Body of Pra&ical Divinity, Confiding of above One Hundred and Seventy-Six SERMONS O N T H E LESSER CATECHISM* Com poled by The Reverend Affembly O F DIVINES at Wcftminfter. W I T H A SUPPLEMENT OF SOME SERMONS on feveral Texts of Scripture. By THOMAS WATSON, .Formerly Minifter at St. Stephen's Walbrook, London, Recommended by feveral Minifters to Matters of Families and others. Heb. xi. 4. He being dead, yet fpeaketh. GLASGOW Printed : And fold by Robert Smith, at the Gilt-Bible, Salt-Market, M.DCCLX1V. ( Price Five Shillings. ) I [ fii ] Short Account of the Author. IT is fufficiently known to all that have any acquaintance with the hiftories of the church, that many valuable and ufeful ministers were ejected for non-conformity, by the aft of uniformity in the reign of king Charles II. which took place Auguft 24th, 1662. Among others, the reverend Mr. Thomas Watfon was ejefted from his charge at St. Stephen's Wal- brook, London ; whofe character is given by the reverend Dr. Edmond Calamy, in his abridge- ments, Vol. II. p. 37. and is as follows. From St. Stephen's Walbrook. Mr. Thomas Watfon ; he was of Emanuel college in Cambridge, where he was noted for being an hard ftudent; one fo well known in the city, viz. London, for his piety and ufefulnefs, that, though he was fingled out by the friendly debate, he yet carried a general refpeft, for all fober perfons, along with him to his grave. A memorable paflage, which I have from good hands, muft not be parted by ; when Mr. Watfon was in the pulpit on a lecture-day, before the Bartholomew aft took place, a- mong other hearers, there came in that reverend and learned prelate, bifhop Richard fon, who was fo well pleafed with his fermon, but efpecially with his prayer after it, that he followed him home, to give him thanks; and earneftly defired a copy of his prayer: alas! faid Mr. Watfon, that is what I cannot give ; for I do not ufe to pen my prayers: it was no fludied thing, but uttered, as God enabled me, from the abundance of my heart and af- feftions, pro renata. Upon which the good bifhop went away, wondering that any man could pray in that manner, ex tempore. After his ejeftment, he continued in the exercife of the miniftry in the city, as provi- dence gave opportunity, for many years j but his ftrength wearing away, he retired into E(- fex, and there died fuddenly in his clofet at prayer., ^% ~t~ tj/l^ /? C/ a 2 C 4 ] T O T H E R E A D E R. THESE catechetical lectures of the late reverend Mr. Thomas Watfon, all but one, written with his own hand, I have read over, together with fome fermons annexed to them; and fince my teftimony is defired concerning them, I do hereby declare) that (though 1 will not undertake to jullify every expreflion or fentence \r\ them, or in any human writ- ing, yet) I find them in the main, agreeable to the doctrinal articles of this church, and unto the Weftminfter aflembly's confeffion of faith and catechifms: and, I believe, that through the bleffingcf-God, they may be profitable unto the edification of all that read them with aa honed: defire to know and do the will of God : for certainly there are many excellent things in them, which, if they meet with a well difpofed ferious mind, are very apt to have a good effect upon it ; and, if it prove otherwife with any that happen to read this book, it will be their own fault more than the book's. Mod writers have different ftyles; and it is well known that Mr. Watfon had one peculiar to himfelf, which yet hath found good acceptance with, and ha« been ufeful unto, ferious people; and 1 hope this, by reafon of the great va-, riety of excellent matter, may be more generally ufeful than any other thing he ever wrote. 1 little doubt but every fober Chriftian will be of this mind, after he has read his lectures on God's attributes, the Ten commandments, Lord's prayer, &c. I fincerely profefs, I have no other end in giving this teftimony of this book, but thereby to ferve the common good of •thrift's church, and not the prWate intercft of any perfon or party in the world. If my confeience did not bear me witnefs, that this book may be ufeful to that excellent end, no man fliould ever have prevailed with me, thus to prefix my teftimony and name to it. That it may anfwer the main end for which it was firft written by the author, (whom I always took to be a grave, ferious, modeft, good man) and for which, I hope it is now publifhed, viz. the edification of the church of Chrift in faith, holinefs and comfort, is the heaty defire of one of the meaneft: fervants of our mod blefled Lord Jefus. WILLIAM LORIMER. VV E whofe names are fubferibed, having feen the teftimony of our worthy brother, Mr. William Lorimer, after his perufal of this book, doubt not but it may be of ufe to many, as the former writings of Mr. Thomas Watfon have been; and, with that defire and hope, we recommend it to the mafters of families and others. William Bates, Jofeph Cawthorne, Jonn Raynolds, Matthew Barker, Daniel Williams, Nathaniel Vincent, john Howie, Richard Wavel, J°hn Hughes, Matthew Mead, Timothy Crufo, Jofeph Read, Edward Lawrance, Timothy Rogers, Abraham Hume, Samuel Slater, Nathaniel Oldfield, Richard Stretton, Richard Mayo, Richard Adams, John Shower, Matthew Sylvefier, Richard Steel, Francis Glafcock, Daniel iiur^es, Samuel StanclifT, .Duniel Williams. A PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE T O CATECHISING Co L..L 2 3 If ye continue in the faith, grounded and fettled— Intending the next Lord's day to enter upon the work ©f catechiiing, it will not be amifs to give you this preliminary difcourfe as preparative to it ; fhewing you how needful it is for Chriftians to be well inftructed in the grounds of religion : if ye continue in the faith, grounded arid fettled— -Two proportions. Fir/}, It is the duty of Chriftians to be fettled in the doctrine of faith. Second, The beft way for Chriftians to be fettled, is to be well grounded. Doct. I. That it is the duty of Chriftians to le fettled in the doclrine of faith : it is the apoftie's prayer, I Pet. v. 10. The God of all grace ftablif?, Jlrengt hen , fettle you. That they might not be meteors :n the air, but fixed ftars. The apoftle Jude fpeaks of -wandering fla'-'s, ver. 13. They are called wandering ftars, be- caufe, as Ariflotle faith, ' they do leap up and down, and wander into feveral parts of the heaven; and being but dry exhalations, not made of that pure celeftial matter as the fixed ftars are, they often fall to the earth.' Now fuch dy, they would not reel fo faft from one opinio;* to another. "It argues lightnefs : feathers will b^ blown every way; Co will feathery Christians : Triticum nonrapitventus,inanespafa?jac~lantHrT Cypr. Therefore fuch are compared to children, Eph. iv. 14. That we be no more children to/fed to and fro. Children arc fickle, fometimes of one mind, fometimes of another ; nothing plea fes them long : fo unsettled Chriftians are child; fh ; thofe truths they embrace atone time, they reject at another ; fometimes they like the proteflant religion, ancrToon after they have a good mind to turn papifls. Now that you may labour to be fettled, (as Ignatius) in the faith, in unfettled times of fettled judgments: 1. It is the great end of the word preached, to bring us to a fettlement in religion: Eph iv. II. 13. And he gave feme evcrigelifls, and fonts paflors and teachers, for the edifying of the body of Chrift, that we henceforth be no more chil- dren. The word is called an hammer, Jer- xxiii. 29. Every blow of the hammer is to fatten the nails of the building; the preachers words are as are not fettled in religion will at one time or .but tofaftenyou the more toChrift; they weaken other prove wandering ftars, they will lofe their themfelves to ftrengthen and fettle vou. This is former ltric~rnefs. and wander from one opinion the grand ctefign of preaching, not only for the to another. Such as are unfettled are of the tribe enlightening, but for the eftabltfliing of foul of Reuben, un ft able as water, Gen. xlix. 4. like a fhip without ballaft, overturned with every wind ofdoftrine.Beza writes of onz Bel/eclius ,\vhofe religion ©hanged & the moon. The Aridns had everv ye$r a new falm. Thefe are not pillars in the temple ofGod, but reeds (haken every way. The apoftle : calls them damnable herefies, 2 Pet. ii. i- A man may go to hell as well for berefy as adultery. To be unfettled in religion argues want of judgment : if their heads were not gid- A not only to guide them into the right way, but to keep them in it. Now, if you be not fettled, you do not anfwer God's end in giving you the miniffry. 2. To be fettled in religion, is both a Chri- flian's excellency and honour: it is his excel- lency ; when the milk is fettled, it turns to cream ; now he will be fomething zealous for the truth, walk in clofe co.nmunion with God. And his honour, Prov. xvi 3 1 . The hoary head is a u A PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE TO CATECHISING, is a crown of glory, if it be found m the way of right eoufnefs. 'Tis one of the beft fight?, to fee an old difciple ; to fee filver hairs adorned with golden virtues. 3. Such as are not fettled in the faith, can never fuller for it : fceptics in religion will hardly ever prove martyrs ; they that are not fettled do ^ hang in fufpenfe ; when they think, of the joys of heaven, then they will elpoufe the gofpel j but when they think of perfecution, then they defert it. Unsettled Christians do not confult what is beft, but what is fafeft : ' the apoftate (faith Tertullian) feems to put God and Satan in balance, and having weighed both their fer- yices, prefers the devil's fervice, and proclaims him to be the bed mailer : and in this fenfe may be find to put Chrift to open (hame, Heb. vi. 6.' They will never fuffer for the truth, but be as a ibldier that leaves his colours, and runs over to the enemy's fide j he will fight on the devil's fide for pay. 4. Not to be fettled in the faith, is highly provoking to God : to efpoufe the truth, and then to fall away, brings an ill report upon the gofpel, which will not go unpunished : Pfal. Ixxviii. 5 7, 59. They turned back and dealt un- faithfully ; when God heard this he -was wroth, and greatly abhorred Ifrael. The apoftate drops as a wind-fall into the devil's mouth. 5. If ye are not fettled in religion, you will never grow : we are commanded to grow up into the head Chrift, Eph. iv. 14. But if we are unfettled, no growing: * the plant which is continually removing never thrives.'' He can no more grow in godlinefs, which is unfettled, than a bone can grow in the body that is out of joint. 6. What great need is there to be fettled,, becaufe there are fo many things to unfettle us, and make us fall away gradually from the truth. Seducers are abroad, whofe work is to draw away people from the principles of religion, I John ii. 26. Thofe things, have I written unto you concerning them that feduce you. Seducers- are the devil's factors ; they are of all others the greateft felons, that would rob you of the truth : feducers have filver tongues, a fair tongue can put off bad wares;, they have a flight to deceive, Eph. iv. 14. The Creek word there is taken from thole that can cog a dye, and caft it for the beft advantage : fo feducers are impoftors, they can cog a dye ; they can fo diffemble and fophifticate the truth, that they can deceive others. Now the ftile by which feducers ufe to deceive, is,. 1. By wifdom of words, Rom. xvi. 18. By good words and fair fpeeches they deceive the hearts oftbefimple. They have fine elegant phrafes, flattering language, whereby they work on the weaker fort ; as being chrifted with Chrift, and the light within them. 2. Another flight, is a pretence of extraordi- nary piety, that ib people may admire them, , and fuck in their doctrine. They feem to be men of zeal and fan&ity, and to be divinely infpired : they pretend revelations, as Munfter, Michael Servetus, and other of the Anabaptifts in Germany ; tho' they were tainted with pride, luft and avarice. 3. A third flight or cheat feducers have, is a labouring to vilify and nullify (bund orthodox teachers; they would eclipfe thofe that bring the truth, like unto the black vapours that darken the light of heaven : they would defame others,, that themfelves may be more admired. Thus the falfe teachers cried down Paul, that they might be received, Gal. iv. 17. 4. The fourth flight or cheat of feducers, is by preaching dofirine of liberty : as the An- tinomian preacheth, that men are freed from the moral law, the rule as well as the curfe. He preacheth that Chrift hath done all for them, and they need to do nothing. So he makes the doctrine of free grace a key to open the door to all licentioufnefs. 5. Another thing to unfettle Chriftians, is perfecutors, 2 77m. Hi. 12. The gofpel is a rofe cannot be plucked without prickles. The legacy Chrift hath bequeathed is the Gross : while there is a devil and a wicked man in the world, never expect a charter of exemption from trouble ; and how many fall away in an hour of perfecution ? Rev. iii. 4. There appeared a great red dragon having feven heads and ten horns; and his tail drew the third part of the ft an of heaven: the red dragon, the heathenifl* empire ; and his tail, viz. his power and fubtilty, drew away ftars, viz. eminent profeflbrs, that feemed to fhine as ilars in the firmament of the church. Therefore we fee what need there is to be fettled in the truth, for fear the tail of the dragon caft us to the earth. 6. To be unfettled in good, is the fin of the devils, Jude 6. They are called morning ftars, Job xxxviii . 7 . but falling ftars ; they were holy, but mutable. As the veifel is overturned with the fail, fo their fails being fwelled with pride, were overturned, iTim. iii. 6. By unfettlejdnefs, who doft thou imitate but lapfed angels ? The devil A PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE TO CATECHISING. 4U devil was the firft apoftate. So much for the fir ft propofition, that it is a great duty of Chrifti- ans to be fettled : the fons of Sion mould be like mount Sion, which cannot be removed. Second, The fecond proportion is, that the way for Chriftians to be fettled, is to be well grounded : if ye continue grounded and fettled. The Greek word for grounded, a metaphor, it alludes to a building that hath the foundation well laid ; fo Chriftians fhould be grounded in the eflential points of religion, and have their foundation well laid. Here let me fpeak to two things : i. That we ihould be grounded in the knowledge of fundamentals. 2. That this grounding is the beft way to fettling. (f.) That we fhould be grounded in the knowledge of fundamentals : the apoftle fpeaks of the fir ft principles of the oracle's of God, Heb. v. 12. In all arts and fciences, logic, phyfic, mathematics, there are fbme prcecognita, fome rules and principles that muft necefTarily be known to the practice of thofe arts : fo in di- vinity, there muft be the firft principles laid down : the knowledge of the grounds and prin- ciples of religion is exceeding ufefal. \, Elfe we cannot ferve God aright ; we can never worfhip God acceptably, unlets we worfhip him regularly ; and how can we do that,if we are ignorant of the rules and elements of religion? We are bid to give God a reafonable fervice, Rom. xii. 1. If we underftand not the grounds of religion, how can it be a reafonable fervice ? 2. Knowledge of the grounds of religion much enricheth the mind : it is a lamp to our feet, it directs us in the whole courfe of chrifti- anity, as the eye directs the body. Knowledge of fundamentals is the golden key that opens the chief myfteries of religion ; it gives us a whole fyftem and body of divinity exactly drawn in all its lineaments and lively colours ; it helps us to underftand many of thofe difficult things, which do occur in the reading of the word ; it helps to unty many fcripture knots. 3. Armour of proof ; it doth furnifh us with weapons to fight againft the adverfaries of the truth. 4. It is the holy feed of which grace is formed : 'Tis femen fidei, the feed of faith, PJal. ix. 10. "lis radix amoris, the root of love, Eph. iii. 17. Beuti rooted and grounded in love. The know- ledge tf principles conduceth to the making of a compbat Ghriftian. (2.) That this grounding is the beft way to fettling : grounded and fettled. A tree, that it may be well fettled, muft be well rooted ; lb, if you be well fettled in religion, you mint be rooted in the principles of it. He, in Plutarch, fet up a dead man, and he would not ftand. O faith he, there muft be fomething within : lb that we may ftand in (baking times, there muft be a principle of knowledge within ; firft grounded, and then fettled. That the fhip may be kept from overturning, it muft have its an- chor faftned; knowledge of principles, is to the foul as the anchor to the fhip, that holds it fteddy in the midft of all the rolling waves of error, or the violent winds of perfecution. Firft ground- ed, and then fettled. Use I. See the reafon why fo many people are unfettled, ready to embrace every novel opinion, and drefs themfelves in as many re- ligions as they do fafhions ; it is becaufe they are ungrounded. See how the apoftle joins thefe two together, unlearned and unftable, 2 Pet. iii. 1 6. Such as are unlearned in the main points of divinity, will be unftable. As the body cannot be ftrong that hath the finews fhrunk ; fo nei- ther can that Chriftian be ftrong in religion, who wants the grounds of knowledge, which are the finews to ftrengthen and ftablifh him. U s e II. See then what great neceffity there is of laying down all tbe main grounds of re- ligion in a way of catechife, that the weakeft judgment may be inftructed in the knowledge of the truth, and ftrengthned in the love of it; catechifmg is the beft expedient for the grounding and fettling of people. I fear, one reafon why there hath been no more good done by preaching, hath been becaufe the chief heads and articles in religion have not been explained in a catechiftical way ; catechifmg is the laying the foundation, Heb. vi. 7. to preach, and not to catechife, is to build without a foundation. This way of catechifmg is not novel, it is apoftolical : the primitive church had their forms of catechifm : fo much thofe phrafes imply, a form of found -words, 2 Tim. i. 13. and, the firft principles of the oracles of God, Heb. vi. 1. And fince the church had their ca- techumenoi, as Grotius and Erafmus obferve ; many of the ancient fathers have written for it, Fulgentius, Auftin, Tkeodoret, Laclaniius, and others. God hath given great fuccefs to it. By this laying down of grounds of religion cate- X chifticallyp IV HAN'S CHIEF END IS TO GLORIFY GOD. chiftlcalJyjChriflianshave beenclearJyinftrucled and wondroufly built up in the Chriftian fiith, infomuch that Julian the apoffate, feeing the great fuccefs of catecbifing, did put down all llhools and places of public literature,' and in- fti ucting of youth. It is my, defign therefore (with the bltfling of God) to begin this work of catechifmg the next fabbath day j and I in- tend every other fabbath in the afternoon, to make it my whole work to lay down the grounds and fundamentals of religion in a ca- techiftical way. If I am hindred in this work by men, or taken away by death ; I hope God will raife up fome other labourer in the vine, yard among you, that may perfeft this work which I am now beginning. MAN'S CHIEF END IS TO GLORIFY GOD. Q. I. J/T/ H AT is the chief end of man? Anf. Man '5 chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever. Here are two ends of life fpecified, t. The glorifying of God. 2. The enjoying of God. Fir/?, I begin with the firlt, the glorifying of God. 1 Pet. iv. 11. That Cod in all things may be glorified ; the glory of God is a filver- ihread which muft run through all our aftions : 1 Cor. x. 31. Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or vjhatfocver ye do, do all to the glory of God. Every thing works to fome end in things natural and artificial ; now man being a rational crea- ture, muff propofe fome end to himfelf, and that is, that he may lift up God in the world ; id better lofe his life, than lofe the end of iving: fo then, the great truth aliened is' , that the end of every man's living, is to glorify God; this is the yearly rent is paid to the crown of Heaven. Glorifying of God hath refp eft to all the perfons in the Trinity ; it refpec'ts God the father, who gave us our life ; it refpec'ts God the fon, who loll his life for us ; it refpects God the holy ghoft, who produceth a new life in us: we muft bring glory to the whole Trinity. When we fpeak of God's glory, the queftion will be moved, -what arc we to underjland by Cod's glory ? Anf. There is a twofold glory : 1. The glory that God hath in himfelf, his intrinfical glory. Glory is efTcntial to the godhead, as light is to the fun : he is called the God of glory, Acls vii. 2. Glory is the fparkling of the deity ; glory is fo co-natural to the godhead, that God can- not be God without it. The creature's honour is not effential to his being; a king is a man without his regal ornaments, when his crown and royal robe are taken away: but God's glory is fuch an efTential part of his being, that he cannot be God without it : God's very life lies in his g'ory. This glory can receive no addition, becaufe it is infinite ; this glory is that which God is mod tender of, and which he will not part with, If a. xlviii. 8. My glory I will not give to ano- ther. God will give temporal bleflings to his children, fuch as wifciom, riches, honour ; he will give them fpiritual bleflings, he will give them grace, he will give them his love, he will give them heaven ; but hjs effential glory he will -not give to another. King Pharaoh parted with a ring off his finger to Jofeph, and a gold chain, but he would not part with his throne, Cen. xli. 40. Only in the throns -will I be greater than thou. So God will do much for his people; he will give them the inheritance; he will put fome of Chrift's glory, as mediator, upon them: but his effential glory he will not part with.; in the throne he will be greater. 2. The glory which is afcribed to God, or which his creatures labour to bring to him, 1 Chron. xvi. 29. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name. And, 1 Lor. vi. 2.0. Glorify, God in your body and in your fpirit. The glory we give God, is nothing elfe but our lifting up his name in the world, and magnifying him in the eyes of others, Phil. i. 20. Chriji Jhall be magnified in my body. Qu. U hat is it to glorify God, or wherein doth it conjift ? Anf. Glorifying of God confifts in four things: (i.)Appretiation. (2.) Adoration. (3.) Afredlion. (4.) Subjection. This is the yearly rent we pay to the crown of Heaven. I. Appretiation : to glorify God, is to ftt God higheft in our thoughts, to have a vene- rable efteem of him, Pf. xcii. 8. ThouA-ord, art mofi high for evennort, Pf. xcvii./» Thou art MAN'S CHIEF END IS TO GLORIFY GOD. art exalted far above all gods. There is in God all that may draw forth both wonder and de- light; there is in him a confteliauon ofall beau- ties ; he \s prima canfi, the 01 iginal'and fpring- head .of being, who fheds a glory upon the creature. This is to glorify God, when we are God-admirers ; we admire God in his aftri- butes, which are the gliiteiing beams by which the divine nature- fhines forth ; we admire him in his promifes, which are the charter of free grace, and the fpiritual cabinet where the pearl of price is hid ; we admire God in the nob'e effects of his power and wifdom, viz. the mak- ing of the world ; this is called the -work of his fingers, Pf. viii. 3. fuch curious needle-work it was, that none but a God could work. This is to glorify God, to have God-admiring thoughts; we efleem him molt excellent, and fearch for diamonds only in this rock. 2. Glorifying of God confifts in adoration, or worfhip, Pf. xxix. 2. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name ; worfhip the Lord in the beauty of ho'inefs. There is a two-fold worfhip : 1. A civil reverence we give to per- fons of honour, Gen. xxiii. 7 Abraham flood up and bowed himfelf 1 9 the children of Heth : piety is no enemy to courtefy. 2. A divine worfhip which we give to God, is his prero- gative-royal, Nek. viii. 6. They bowed their heads and wor (hipped the Lord with their faces towards the ground. This divine worfhip God is very >ealous of; this is the apple of his eye, this is the pearl of his crown, which he guards, as he did the tree of life, with cherubims and a flaming fword, that no man may come i near it to violate it ; divine worfhip muft be fuch as God himfelf hath appointed, elfe it is offering fir an ge fire, Levit. x. 2. The Lord would have Mofis make the tabernacle, accord- ing to the pattern in the mount, Exod. xxv. 40. he muft not leave out any thing in the pattern, nor add to it. If God was Co exact and curious about the place of his worfhip, how exact will he be about the manner of his worfhip ? Surely here every thing muft be according to the pat- tern prefcribed in his word. 3. Affection : this is a part of the glory we give to God ; God counts himfelf glorified when he is loved, Deut. vi. 5. Thru floalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy foul. There is a two-fold love, 1. Amor Conupifcentia?, a love of concupifcence, which is fdf-love, when we love another becaufe he doth us a good turn ; th.us a wicked man may be laid to lcve Goi, becaufe he hath given him a good crop, or filled his cup with wine; and to fpeak properly, this is rather to love God's bleffing than to love Cod 2. Amor amicitice, a love of delight, as a man rakes de- light in a friend ; this is indeed to love God ,• the heart is fet upon God. as a man's heart is let upon his treafure- And this love is 1, Ex- uberant, not a few drop?, but a ftream. 2. Ic is fuperlative ; we give God the belt of our love, the cream of it, Cant. viii. 2. Iwou'd cauj'e thee to drink of fpiced wine, of the juice of ?ny pomegranate. If the fpoufe had a cup more juicy and fpiced, Chrift muft drink of it. 3. It is intenfe and ardent; true flints are flraphims burning in holy love to God. The fp'oufc was amore perculfa, in fainting fits, fich of love, Cant. ii. 5. Thus to love God is to glorify him; he who is the chief of our happinefs, hath the chief of our affections. 4. Subjection : when we dedicate ourfelves to God, and ftand ready prelt for his fervice. Thus the angels in heaven glorify him ; they wait on his throne, and are ready to take a commiffion from him ; therefore they are re> fembled by the cherubims with their wings difplayed, to fhew how fwift the angtls are in their obedience. Thi3 is to glorify God, when we are devoted to his fervice; our head ftudies for God, our tongue pleads for kim, our hands relieve his members: The wife men that came to Chrift did not only bow the knee to him, but prefented him with gold and myrrh, Mat. ii. 11. fo we muft not only bow the knee, give God worfhip, but bring prefents, golden obe- dience. This is to glorify God, when we ftick at no fervice; we will fight under the banner of his gofpel againft regiments, and we fay to Him as David to kfng Sent', 1 Sam. xvii. 32. Thy ervant will gs aid fight with this Philifli/ie. Thus you fee wherein the glo- iif)ing of God doth confift, in appretiatiorij adoration, affection, fubjection. 1 A good chriftian is like the fun, which doth not only fend "forth heat, but goes its circuit round the world ; thu3 he who glorifies God, hath not only his affections heated with love to God, but he goes his circuit too; he moves vigoroufiy in the fphere of obedience. C). Ii hy mtifl we glorify God ? Anf. 1. Becaufe he gives us our being, Pf. c. 3. It is he that hath made us. Vvrc think it a great kindnefs in a man to fpNrre cur life, but what kindnefs is it in God to give us our . mi MAN'S CHIEF END IS TO GLORIFY GOD. life? W£ draw our breath from him ; and as life, io all the -comforts of life are from God : he gives us health, which is the fauce to fweeten our life:; he gives us food, which is the oil that nouriflieth the lamp of life: now if all we re- ceive is from the hand of his bounty, is it not good reafon we fhould glorify him and live to him, feeing we live by him ? Rom. xi. 36. For tf him and through him are all things. Of him are all, all we have is of his fulnefs ; through him are all, all we baveis through his free grace ; and therefore to him mould be all: fo it follows, To him be glory for ever ; God is not only our benefactor, but our founder ; the rivers come from the fea, and they empty their Silver ftreams into the fea again. 2. Becaufe God hath made all things for his own glory, Prov. xvi. 4. The Lord hath made nil things for him/elf; that is, for his glo-ry. As a king hath excife out of commo- dities, God will have his glory out of every thing : he will have glory out of the wicked, the glory of his juftice ; they will not give him glory, but he will get his glory upon them, Exod. x\v. 1 7. I -will get me honour upon Pha- raoh. But efpecially he hath made the godly for his glory, they are the lively organs of his praife, lfa. xliii. 21 . This people have I formed for my/elf) and t hey floal'ifljew forth my praife. It is true, they cannot add to his glory, but they may exalt it ; they cannot raife him in heaven, but they may raife him in the elteem of others.- God hath adopted the faints into his family, and made them a royal priefthood, that they mould {hew forth the praifes of him who hath called them, 1 Pet. ii. 9. 3. Becaufe the glory of God hath fo much intrinfic value and excellency in it; it tran- fcends the thoughts of men and the tongue of angels. God's glory is his treafure, all his riches ly here ; as Micah faid, Judg. xviii. 24. .What have Lmore ? So of God, what hath God more ; God's glory is more worth than heaven, ■ fnore worth than the falvation cf all mens fouls ■: .better kingdoms be thrown down, better men and angels be annihilated, than God mould lofe one jewel of his crown, one beam of his glory. 4. Creatures below us and above us bring ;glory to God, and do we think to fit rent-free ? Shall every thing glorify God, but man ? It is pity then that ever man was made ! (1.) Crea- tures below us glorify God, the inanimate crea- tures : the heavens glorify God, Pfal. xix. 1. 'J he heavens declare the glory of Cod. The curious workmanfhip of heaven fets forth the glory of its maker ; the firmament is beautified andpenfiledoutin blue and azure colours, where the power and wifiiom of God may be clearly feen. The heavens declare his glory : we may ice the glory of God, blazing in the fun, twink* ling in the ftars. 2. Look into the air, the birds with their chirping mufic, fing hymns of praife to God faith Anfelm. Every beaft doth in it* kind glorify God, lfa. xliii. 20. The beafts of the field Jhall honour me. (2.) Creatures above us glorify God : the angels are minif}r'mgfpirits, Heb. i. 14. They are ftill waiting on God's throne, and bring fome revenues of glory into the exchequer of heaven: then furely man mould be much more ftudious of God's glory than the angels, for God hath honoured him more than the angels, in that Chrifl took man's nature upon him, and not the angels : (ay, though in regard of creation, God hath made man a little lower than the angels, Heb. ii. 7. yet in regard of redemption, God hath let him higher than the angels ; he hath married man- kind to himfelf : the angels are Chrilt's friends, but not his ipoufe ; he hath covered us with the purple robe of his righteoufheis, which is a better righteoufhefs than the angels have, 2 Cor. v. 20. So that if the angels bring glory to God, much more mould we, being dignified with honour above the angelical fpirits. 5. Anf. We rauft bring glory to God, becaufe all our hopes hang u,pon him, Pfal. xxxix. 7. My hope is in thee. And Pfal. lxii. 5. My ex- peclation is from him ; I expect a kingdom from him. A child thatis good-natur'd will honour his parent, as expecting all that ever he is like to be worth from him, Pfal. lxxxvii. 8. All my frefld fprings are in thee. The iilver fprings of grace, the golden fprings of glory. What means the noife of this trumpet ? Then it was anfwered, they are going to give-to the / poor. / MAN'S CHIEF END IS TO GLORIFY GOD. poor. And Co they did not give alms, but fell them for honour and applaufe, that they may have glory of men : the breath of men was the wind that blew the fails of their charity :. verily, they have their reward. The hypocrite may make his acquittance and write, received in full payment. Chryfofiom calls vain-glory one of the devil's great nets to catch men. And Cyprian &ys, ' whom Satan cannot prevail againft by intemperance, thofe he prevails againft by pride and vain-glory.' O let us take heed of felf- wor- fhipping ! aim purely at God's glory. Q. Howfhallwe know we aim at God's glory ? Anf i. When we prefer God's glory above all other things ; above credit, eftate, relations; when the glory of God comes in competition with them, we prefer his glory before them. If relations ly in our way to heaven, we rauft either leap over them, or tread upon them : a child mull unchild himfelf, and forget he is a child ; he rauft know neither father nor mo- ther in God's caufe, Deut, xxxiii. 9. Who faid unto his father and his mother , I have not feen him i neither did he acknowledge his brethren. This is to aim at God's glory. 2. Then we aim at God's glory, when we ,^can be content that God's will mould take place, though it crofs ours v Lord,, I am content to be a lofer, if thou be a gainer ; to have lefs health, if I have more grace, and thou more glory ; whether it be food or bitter phyfic thou giveft me, Lord I defire that which may be moft for thy glory t thus our blefTed Saviour, not as J will, but as thou wilt. Mat. xxvi. 39. So God might have more glory by his fufFerings, he was content to fuifer, John xii. 28. Father, glorify thy name. 3. Then we aim at God's glory, when we can be content to be out-mined by others in gifts and efteerc, fo God's glory may be in- creafed: a man that hath God in his heart, and God's glory in his eye, defires that God mould be exalted; and if this be effected, let who will be the inftrument, he rejoiceth, Phil, i. 15. Some preach Chrift of envy ; notwith- standing Chrifl is preached, and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice ; they preached Chrift of envy, they envied Ptf/z/thatconcourfe of people, and they preached that they might outfbine him in gifts, and get away fome of his hearers : well, faith Paul, Chrift is preach- ed, and God is like to have glory, therefore I rejoice; let my candle go our, if the fun of righteoufnefs may but mine. (2.) We glorify God by an ingenuous con- feffion of fin : the thief on the crofs had dil- honoured God in his life* but at his death he brings glory to God by confeffion of fin, Luke. xxiii. 4f. We indeed fufferjufhly. He acknow- ledged he deferved not only crucifixion, but damnation, Jo/h.vu. 19. My fon, give, I pray thee, glory to Cod, and make confeffion unto him.. An humble confeffion exalts God : how is God's free-grace magnified in crowning thqfe who deferve to be condemned ! as the excusing and mincing of fin doth caft a reproach upon God. Adam-denies not he did tafte the forbidden fruit, but, inftead of a full confeffion, he ra^es God,, Gen.iii. 1 2. The woman whom thou gave ft me,Jhe gave me of the tree, and I did eat. It is long, of thee, if thou hadft not given me the womaa to be a tempter, I had not finned. So con- feffion glorifies God, it clears, it acknowledged he is holy and righteous, whatever he doth,. Nehemiah vindicates God's righteoufneis, ch. ix, 53, Thou art jufl in all that is brought upon us. And confeffion then is ingenuous, when it is free, not forced, Luke xv. 18. / have finned againft heaven and before thee ; he charg- eth himfelfwith fin.before ever his father charg ■•■ eth him with it. (3.) We glorify God by believing; Rem. iy, 2a Abrahar. 1 was jlrong in faith, giving glory to God. Unoelief affronts God, it gives him the lie ; he that believeth not, maketh God a liar, 1 John v. 10. So faith brings glory to God,.itfets to its feal that God is true, John iii. 33. He that believes, flies to God's mercy and truth, as to an altar of refuge; he doth ingar- rifon himfelf in the promifes, he trufts all he hath with God, Pf xxxi. 5. Into thy hands I commit my fpirit : this is a great way of bring- ing glory to God, therefore God honours faith ^ becaufe faith honours God. It is a great honour we do to a man, when we truft him v/ith nil we have, we put our lives and eftates into his hand ; a fign we have a good opinion of him. The three children glorified God by believing,. The God whom we jerve, is able to deliver usr and will deliver us, Dan. iii. 17. Faith knows- there are no impoffibilities with God, and will truft him where it cannot trace him. (4.) We glorify God, by being tender of God's glory; God's glory is dear to him, as the apple of his eye : now when we are ten- der of his glory, by laying to heart his dif~ honours, this is a glorifying cf him. An in- genuous child weeps to fee a diigrace done to X MAN'S CHIEF END IS TO GLORIFY GOD. his father, Pf. Ixix. 9. The reproaches of them that reproach thee are fallen upon me. When •we hear God reproached, it is as if we were reproached ; when God's glory fuffers, it is as if avc fufFcred. This \% to be tender or God's glory. C5'0 ^'e ffiotrfy God by fruitfulnefs, John xv. 8. flereby is my father glorified, if ye bring forth much fruit. As it is a difhonour to God to be barren, fo fruitfulnefs doth honour him : Phil i. 11. Filled with the fruits of ' right eouf- n'efs, w hie h are to the praife of his glory . We imift not be like the fig-tree in the gofpel, .which hod nothing but leaves, but like the Pomecitron, that is continually either mellow- ing or bloffoming, it is never without fruit. It is not profef&ori, but fruit glorifies God ; God expects to have his glory from us this way, 1 Cor. is;. 7. Who planteth a vine-yard, and eateth not of the fruit of it? Trees in the foreil may be barren, but trees in the garden are fruitful : we muft bring forth the fruits of ]ove and good works, Mat. v. 16. Let your fight Jo fine before men, that they may fee your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven. Faith dorh fanctify our works, and works do tefiify our faith : to be doing good to others, to be eyes to the blind, feet to the lame, doth much glorify God. And thus Chrift did glorify his father, he went about doing good, Acts x. 38. By being fruitful, we are fair in Cods eyes, Jer. xi. 16. The Lord called thy name a green olive-tree, fair and of goodly fruit. And we muft bear much fiuit, it is rnuchnefs of fruit glorifies God; if ye bear much fruit. The fpoufe's breads are compared to cluflers of grapes, Cant. vii. 7. to /hew how fertile (he was. Though the loweft degree of grace may bring falvation to you, yet not fo much glory to God ; it was not a fpark of love Chrilt commended in Mary, but much love, fie loved much, Luke vii. 47. (6 ) We glorify God, by being contented in that Hate where his providence hath fet us ; we give God the glory of his wifdom, in that we 1 eft fitisfied with what he carves out to us : Thus did holy* Paul glorify God; the Lord did call him into as great variety of condition as any man, in prifons more frequent, in deaths eft, 2 Cor. xi. 23. yet he had learned to be . content: St. Paul could fail cither in a ftorm 01 a -cairn ; he could be any thing that God would have him ; he couid either want or abound, Phil. iv. [3. A good ChrifHan argues Ijhu! ; It is God that hath put me in this con- dition ; he could have raifed me higher If he pleafed, but that might have been a fnare to me ; God hath done it in wifdom and love, therefore I will fit down fatisfied with my con- dition. Suiely this doth much glorify' God ; God counts himfelf much honoured by fuch a ChrifHan : faith God, Here is one after my own heart ; let me do what I will with him, I hear no murmuring, he is content : this fhews abundance of grace. When grace is crowning, it is not fo much to be content ; but when grace is conflicting with inconveniencies, then to be content, is a glorious thing indeed : for one to be content when he is in heaven, is no wonder ; but to be content under the crofs, is like a ChrifHan : this man muft needs bring glory to God ; for he (lews to all the world, that though he hath little meal in barrel, yet he hath enough in God to make him content: he faith as Da- vid, Pf. xvi. 5. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance ; the lines are fallen to me in plea- fant places. (7.) We glorify God in working out our own falvation : God hath twifted thefe two to- gether, his glory and our good ; we glorify him by promoting our own falvation : it is a glory to God to have multitude of converts ; now his defigu of free grace takes, and God hath the glory of his mercy : fo that while we are endeavouring our falvation, we are honour- ing God. What an encouragement is this to the fervice of God, to think while I am hear- ing and praying, I am glorifying God ; while I am furthering my own glory in heaven, I am encreafing God's glory ? Would it not be an encouragement to a fubject, to hear his prince fay to him, You will honour and pleafe me very much, if you will go to yonder mine of gold, and dig out as much gold for yourfelf as you can carry away ? So for God to fay, Go to the ordinances, get as much grace as you can, dig out as much filvation as you can; and the more happinefs you have, the more I (hall count my feif glorified. (8.) We glorify God by living to God, 2 Cor. v. 15. that they which live,fiould not live to themfelves, but unto him who died for them. Rom. xiv. 8. Whether we live, we live unto the Lord. The Mammonift lives to his money, the Epicure lives to his belly ; the defign of a llnner's life is to gratify lull. But then we glorify God, when we live to God. Q11. What is it to live to God ? Anf. When we live to his fervice, and lay out MAN'S CHIEF END IS TO GLORIFY GOD. •ut.ourfelves wholly for God : the Lord hath fent us into the world, as a merchant fends his factor beyond the fens to trade fov him: then we live to God when we trade for his intereft, and propagate his gofpel. God hath given every man a talent ; now, when he doth not hide it m a napkin, but improves it for God, this is to live to- God. When a mailer in a family, by counfel and good example", la- bours to bring his fervants to Chi ill ; when a niiniik'r doth exhauft himfelf in the 1.. hours of his holy calling, when he fpends hjimfrlf and is fpent, that he may win fouls to ChrTir, and make the crown llourilh upon Ch.rift's head; when the n>agiftrate doth not wear the fword in vain, but labours to cut down fin, and fupprefs vice ; this is to live -to God, and this is a glori- fying of God : Phil. i. 20. That Cbrift might be magnified^ whether by life or by death. Three wifhes St. Paul had, and they were all about Chrifl:, that he may be fountain Ghriil, be with Chrift, and that he might magnify Chrifl. (9 ) We glorify God by walking cheerfully. It is a glory to God, when the world fees a Chriilian hath' that within him, that can make him cheeiful in the worft times: he can with the nightingale, fing with a thorn at his bre.iff. The people of God have ground cf cheerful- nefs, they are juflified, and inflated into adop- tion, and this creates inward peace ; it makes Bjufic within, whatever ftorms are without, 2 Cor. i. 4.. 1 Thtjf.'i- 6 if we conhderwhat Chrift hath wrought for us by his blood, and wr in us by his fpirrt, it is a' ground of great chcer- fulnefs ; and this cheerfulnefs glorifies God. It reflects upon a mailer when the fervant is al- ways drooping and fad, lure he is kept to hard commons,- his mailer doth not give him what is fitting : fo when God's people hang their harps on willows^ fure they do not ferve a good maf- ter, repent of their choice ; this reflects difho- nour on God. As the grofs fins of the wicked bring a fcandal on the gofpel, Co do the im- cheerful lives of the godly, Pf. c. 2. Serve the Lord with gladnefs. Your ferving him doth not plorify him, unlefs it be with gladnefs. A Chrifiian's cheerful looks glorify God; re doth not take away our joy, but refine and clarify it ; it doth not break our viol, but tunes it. and makes the mufic fweeter. (10.) We glorify God, by (landing v.p for his truths: Much of God's glory lies in his truth; God hath intruded us with his truth, as a maf- ter intrufh his fervant with his purfe to keep. We have not a richer jewel to truft God with, than our lours ; nor God hath not a richer jewel to truft us with, than his truth : truth is a beam that fhines fiom God, much of his glory lies in his truth: now, when we are advocates for truth, this is to glorify God; Co Athanafius, the bulwark of tuuh. Judc 3. That ye fhould contend eameftly for the truth ; viz. the doc- trine of kith,. The Greek word to contend; fignifies a great contending, as one would con- tend for his land, and not fufFer his right to be taken forh him ; fa we mould contend for the truth : were there more of this holy contention, God would ha vie more glory. Some can con ten d earneftly for trifles and ceremonies, but nor for the truth : we mould count him indifcreet, that fhould contend more for a p*5ture, than for hi ; land of inheritance; for a box of counters, than for his box of evidences. (11.) We glorify God by proofing of hint. Doxology, or praife, is a God-exalting work: Pfal. \. 23. Whofo offer et h pr safe glorifieth The tfebre-w word Bara to create, and Ba to praife, are little different, becaufe the t pf creation is to. praife Gcd: David wi- the fweet-fmgcr of Ijrael, and his praifing G was called a glorifying of God, Pf. Ixxxvi. 12. I V) ill praife thee, 0 Lord my God, and I glorify thy name. Tho' nothing can add t<% God's efllntial glory, yet praife exalts him in the eyes of others : when we praife ( fpread his fame and renown, we trophies of his excellency: in this the angels glorify God, and they are th of heaven, and do trumpet forth God's praife. And praifing of God is one of the hiehefr and pureif acts of religion ; in prayer we act like men, in praife we aft like angels ; this is an high degree of glorifying God. Believers aie called temples of God, 1 Cor. iii. 16. Wfien our tongues praife, then the organs in God's fpiritual Temple are going. How fad is it, that God hath no more of his glory from us this way ! many are full of murmiuings and, tents, but fekiom do they bring glory to God by giving him the praife due io his name. We .1 of the fonts having harps in their hand. Rev v. 8. the emblem. of praife: many have, s in their eyes> nr.d complaints in th mouth, hut few have harps in their hand, bkf- f:ig and glorifying of Cod: ictus honour God this way. Praife is the quit-rent we pa) God ; while God renews our kale, we muft re- new our rent. B F12O We MAN'S CHIEF END IS TO GLORIFY GOD. ( r ■: ) We glorify God by being zealous for his 'name, Num. xxv. 1.1. Phinehas hath tum- id my --rath away, while he was zealous for my fake. Zeal is a mixed affection, a compound of love and anger j it carries forth our love to God, and anger agair.it fin in a molt, intenfe manner: Zeal is impatient of God's difhonourj n Chriftian fired with zeal, takes a difhonour done to God, worfe than an injury done to himfelf: Rev. ii. 2. 'Thou can ft not bear them that are. tvsl, Oar Saviour Chrifl did thus gloii :: he, being baptized with a I, (.'rove the money-changers out of the temj - ii • M> i'7« The zeal of thine houfe hath eaten me up. (13.) We glorify God, when we have an eye at God, both in our natural and in our civil ac- tions. I. In our natural actions; in eating and drin&ing, 1 Cor. x. 31 . Whether therefore ye eat or drink, do all to the glory of God. A gracious perfoft holds the golden bridle of temperance ; he takes his meat as a medicine to heal the de- cays of nature, and that he may be the fitter by the itrength he receives, for the feivice of God ; he makes his food, not fewel for lull, i help to duty. 2. In buying and felling, we do all to the glory of God. The wicked live upon unjuft gain, either by falfifying the balance, Hcf. xii. 7. The balances of deceit are in his hands : While men make their weights lighter, they make their lins heavier; or, by exacting more than the commodity is worth, they do^not for fourfcore write down fifty, but for fifty, fourfcore; they exact double the price that a thing is worth: but then we buy and fell to the glory of God, when, in our buying and felling, we obferve that tolden maxim, To do to others, as we would have them do to us, Mat. vii. it. When we do fell our commodi- ties, that we do not fell our confeience, Acls xxiv. 16. Herein do I cxerci/e rnyfel/, to have always a confeience void of of I nee toward Cod, and toward men. This is 10 glorify God, when we have an eye at God in all our civil and na- I actions, and will do nothing that may re- any btemifh on religion. ■r'lfy God by labouring to draw :rs to God ; we convert others, and Co make i hem inftnmients of glorifying God. We fhould be both diamonds and loaditones ; diamonds for the lufire of grace, and loaditones for our aftivq virtue in drawing others to Chrift ; Cat. iv. 19. My little children, of whom I tra- ■ This is a great way #f glorifying God, when we break the devil's prifon, and turn men- from the power of fatan to God. (15.) We glorify God in an high manner, when we fuffer for God, and feal the gofpel with our blood; John xxi. 18, 19. When thou /halt be old, another foall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou would/l not: this fpake he, ftgnifying by what death he fhould glorify Cod, God's glory fhines in the allies of his martyrs, Jfa. xxiv. 15. Wherefore glorify the Lord in fires. Micaiah was in the prifon, Jfaiah was fawn afunder, Paul beheaded, Luke hanged on an olive-tree ; thus did they by their death glo- rify God. The ftrfferings of the primitive faints did honour God, and make the gofpel famous in the world : what would others fay ? See what a good mailer they ferve, arid how they love him, that they will venture Iofs of all in his fervice. The glory of Chrift's kingdom doth not ftand in worldly pomp and grandeur, as other kings; but it is feen in the cheerful fuf- ferings of his people: the faints of old loved not their lives to the death, Rev. xii. 1 1. They fnatcht up torments as fo many crowns. God grant we may thus glorify him, if he calls us to it. Many pray, Let this cup pafs away, but not, Thy will be done. (16.) We glorify God, when we give God the glory of all we do. Herod, when he had made an oration, and the people gave a fliout faying, 7/ is the voice of a God and. not of a man 1 And he took this glory to himfelf, the text faith, Immediately the angel of the Lord /mote him, becau/e he gave not Cod the glory, and he was eattn of worms, Acts xii. 23. Then we glorify God, when we facrifice the praile and glory of all to God, 1 Cor. xv. 10. I la- boured more abundantly than they all. A fpeech one would think, favoured of pride; but the apoftle pulls the crown from his own head, and lets it upon the head of tree grace, yet not I, but the grace of Cod which was with me. As Joab, when he fought againft Rabbah, fent for king David, that he might carry away the crown of the victory. 2 Sam. xii. 28. fo a Chriftian when he hath gotten power ever any corruption or tentation, fends for ChrilT, that he may carry away the crown of the victory ; as the iilk-worm, when the weaves her curious work, flic hides herfelf under the filk, and is not ieen ; fo when' we have done any thing praife- worthy, we muft hide ourfelves under the vail of humility, and transfer the glory of all we have done to God. Conftantine did ufe to write the name MAN'S CHIEF END IS TO GLORIFY GOD. 1 1 name of Chrift over his door, fo mould we write the name of Chrift over our duties; let him wear the garland of praife. (.7.) We glorify God by an holy life: As a bad life doth diihonour God, 1 Pet. ii- 9. Ye are an holy nation, that ye Jloou'dfloe-di forth the praifcs of him that hath called you. Rom. ii. 24. The name cf God is blaplcmed among the Gentiles through you. Epiphanius faith, ' That the loofnefs of fome Chriftians, in his time, made many of the heathen (hum the company of the Chriftians, and would not be drawn to hear their fermons.' So, by our exact bible converfation we glorify God. Tho' the main work of religion lies in the heart, yet our light mult fo fliine, that others may behold it ; the chief of building is in foundation, yet the glory of it is in frontifpiece, fo beauty in the conver- fation : when the faints, who are called jewels, caA a fparkling luftre of holinefs in the eyes of the world ; then they walk as Chrift walked, 1 John ii. 6. when they live as if the}' had feen the Lord with bodily eyes, and been with him -upon the mount ; then they adorn religion, and bring revenues of glory to the crown of heaven. Ufe 1. It mews us what mould not be our chief end, not to get great eAates, not to lay up treafures upon earth; this is the degeneracy of mankind fincc the fail, their great delign is to compafs the earth, and grow rich ; and this they make their chief end : thofe never think of glorifying God, they trade for the world but are not faftors for heaven : Ecclef. ix. 3. Mad- nefs is in their heart while they live. Some- times they never arrive at an eflate, they do not get the venifon they hunt for ; or tho' they do, what have they ? that which will not fill the heart, no more than the mariners breath will fill the fails of a fhip; like a picture drawn on the ice, and to fpend all one's time as Ifrael in gathering flraw, but remember not the end of living to glorify God: Ecclef. v. 16. What profit hath he that laboured for the wind? And thefe things are foon gone. Ufe 2. It reproves fuch, 1. As bring no glo- ry to God ; They do not anfwer the end of their creation, their time is not true lived, but time loft ; they are like the wood of the vine, Ezek. xv. 2. Their lives are, as St. Bernard fpeaks, ' Either finfulnefs or barrennefs. An ufelefs burden on' the earth.' God will one -lay afk fuch a quefiion as king Ahafuerus did, bftber vi. 3. What honour and dignity hath been don- to Mordecai ? So will the Lord fay, What honour hath been done to me? What revenues of glory have you brought into my exchequer? There is none here prefent, but God hath put you in fome capacity of .glorifying him; the health he hath given you, the parts, elhue, fea- fons of grace, thefe all are opportunities put in- to your hand to glorify him ; and, be aluir'd God will call you to account, to know what you have done with the mercies he hath intrud- ed you with, what glory you have brought to him . The parable of the talents, Mat. xxv. 15. where the man with the five talents, and he two talents are brought to a reckoning, doth evidently mew that God will call you to a Ariel account to know how you have traded with your talents, and what glory you have brought to him. Now, how fad will it be with them, that hide their talents in a napkin, that bring God no glory at all? Verfe 30. Cafl ye the un- profitable ferv ant into utter darknefs. It is noc enough for you to fay, that you have not dis- honoured God, you have nor jived in grofs fin ; but what good have you done ? what glory have you brought to God ? It is not enough for the fervant of the vineyard that he doth no hurt in the vineyard, he doth not break the trees or dcAroy the hedges; if he doth not do fer- ' vice in the vineyard, he lofeth his pay; if i do not good in your place, not glorify God, you will lofe your pay, mifs offalvafion. Oh think of this, all you that live unferviceably ! Cbrsft curfed the barren fig-tree. 2. It reproves fuch as are fo far from bring- ing glory to God, that they rob God of Ins glory, Mai. iii, 8. Will a man rob God ? yet ye have robbed me. They yob God, who take the glory due to God to themfelves- 1 If they have gotten an eAate, they afcijbe all to their own wit and induAry, they fet the crown upon their own head, not confidering that, Deut. viii. 18. Xhoufhalt remember the Lord thy God, for ii is he that giveih thee power to gel -wealth. 2. If they do any duty of religion, they look a fquint to their own glory, Mat. vi. 5. That they may be feen of men; That they may be fet upon a theatre, that others may admire and canonize them. The oil of vain glory feeds their lamp. How many hath the wind of p <- pnlar breath blown to hell ? Whom the devil could not deftroy by intemperance, he hath by vain -glory. 3. It reproves them who fight agafnft God's glory, Jcls v. 29. Left ye be found . again ft God. . B 2 Ql. 12 MAN'S CHIEF END IS TO GLORIFY GOD. Qu. But who do fight againft Cod's glory ? /inf. Such as do oppofe that, whereby God's glory is promoted : God's glory is much pro- moted in the preaching of the word, becaufe it is his engine whereby he converts fouls. Now fuch as would hinder the preaching of the word, thefe fight againft God's glory, i Theft ii. i 6. Forbidding us to [peak to the gentiles, that they might befaved' Diocleftan, who raifed the 10th perfecution againft the Chriftians, did prohibit church-meetings, and would have the temples of the Chriftians to be raz'd down: Such as hinder preaching, do as the Phi'iftines that ftopt the wells, they flop the well of the water of life ; they take away the phyficians that fhould heal fin -fick fouls': minifters are lights, Mat. v. 14. and who but thieves hate the light? thefe perfons do dire&ly ftrike at God's glory ; and what an account will they have to give to God, when he fhall charge the blood of men's fouls upon them? Luke xi. 52. ye have taken away the key of knowledge ; ye entred not in your/elves, and them that were entring in ye kindred. If there be either juftice in heaven," or fire in hell, they fhall not go an punched. Ufe 4. Exhortation, let us every one in our place make this our ch;ef end and defign to glorify God. 1. Let me fpeak to magiftrates j God hath put much glory upon them, Pf. lxxxii. 0. 1 have [aid, ye are gods ; and will they not glorify him whom he hath put fo much glory upon ? Magiftrates fhould be zealous for God's worfhip and day ; they fhould not let the fword iuft in the fcabbard, but draw it out for the cut- ting down of fin. 2. Minifters, how fhould they ftudy to promote God's glory ; God hath in- truded them with two of the moft precious things, his truths and the fouls of his people. Minifters are by virtue of their office to glorify God: i. They muft glorify God, by labouring in the word and doftrine ; 2. Tim. iv. 1. /charge thee before God and the Lord Jefus thrift who 4h all judge the quick and the dead : preach the word, be Inftant in feafon, out of feafon, $2C. It was Jugufline's wifh, " that Chrift at his coming, might find him either praying or preaching." 2. Minifters mull: glorify God by their zeal and fanctity. The priefts under the law before they ferved at the altar, did waili in the lavor : fuch as ferve in the Lord's houfe, nuift fnft be waihed from grofs fin in the lavor of repentance. 'Tis matter of grief and fhame, to think how many, who call themfelves mini- fters, do, inftead of apparently bringing glory to God, difhonour God, 2 Chron. xi. 1 5. Their lives as well as doctrines are heterodox, they are not free from the fins which thty reprove in others. Plutarch z flivant upbraided him, /r" is not as my mafler Plutarch J alt h ; he hath written a book agalnjl wrath, anger, & ipfe mini irallitur, yet he fills Into a pajjion of anger with me : So this minifter preachcth againft drunk- ennefs, y-the will be drunk; he preacheth againft (wearing, yet he will fwear : this re- proached! God, and makes the offering of the Lord to be abhorred 3. Mailers of families, do ye glorify God, feafon your children and fervants with the knowledge of the Lord ; your houfes mould be little churches, Gen. xviii. 19. / know that Abraham will command his chil- dren that they may keep the way of the Lord. You that are mailers know you have a charge of fouls under you ; for want of the bridle of family difcipline youth runs wild : well let me lay down fome motives to glorify God. 1 Mot. It will be a great comfort in a dying hour, to think we have glorifyed God in our lives ; it was Ghrift's comfort before his death, John xvli. 3. / have glorifyed thee en earth. At the hour of death all your earthly comforts will vanilh : if you think how rich you have been, what pleafures you have had on earth ; this will be (b far from comforting you, that it will but torment you the more: what is one the better for an eftate that is (pent ? But now to have confeience telling you, that you have glorify 'd God on earth, what fweet comfort and peace will this let in to your foul ! how will this make you long for death ! the fervant that hath been all day working in the vineyard, longs till evening comes when he fhall receive his pay. They who have lived, and brought no g'ory to God, how can they think of dying with comfort ? They cannot expect an harveft, they never fowed any feed : how can they ex- pect glory from' God, that never brought any glory to him ? O in what horror will they be at death ! the worm of confeience will gnaw their fouls, before the worms are gnawing their bodies. 2 Mot. If we glorify Gcd, he will glorify our fouls for ever; by railing God's glory, we in- creafe our own : by glorifying God, we come at laft to the bleffed enjoying of him. And that; brings me to the 2d, the enjoying of God. / idly, Man'schiefend is to enjoy Gcd for ey/r, Pf. lx^iii. 25. IVljom have I'm heaven httt'fe ? MAN'S CHIEF END IS TO GLORIFY GOD. Tint is, What is there in heaven I defire to enjoy but thee ? There is a two-fold fruition, or enjoying of God ; the one is in this life, the other in the life to come. i ft. An enjoying of God here in this life : The enjoying of God's prefence ; it is a great matter to enjoy God's ordinances- (a mercy that ionic do envy ut) but to enjoy God's prefence in the ordinances, is that which a gracious heart afpires after, Pf. Ixiii. 2. To fee thy glory fo as I have f& n thee in the fanftuary. This fweet enjoying of God is, when we f.el his fpirit co-operating with the ordinance, and diflilling grace upon our hearts: 1. When in the word the fpirit doth quicken and raife the affections, Luke xxiv. 32. Did not our hearts burn within us ? 2. When the fpirit doth tfartf- form the heart, leaving an imprefs of holineis upon it, 2 Cor. iii. 8. IVe are changed into' the fame image from glory to glory When the fpirit doth revive the heart with comfort ; it comes not only with its anointing, but its leal ; it fheds God's love abroad in the heart, Rom. v. 5. This is :o enjoy God in an ordinance, I John'x. 3. Our fellowjhip is with the father, and with his fon Jefus Chrift. In the word we hear God's voice, and in the facrament we have his kifs ; this is enjoying of God : and what infinite content doth a gracious fonl find in this ! the heart being warmed and inflamed in a duty, this is God's- anfwering by fire. When a Chriflian hath the fweet illapfes of God's fpirit, thefe are the firfl-fruits of glory, when God comes down to the foul in an ordi- nance : now Chriit hath pulled ofF his vail, and mowed his fm'.ling face ; now he hath led a believer into the banqueting-houfe, and given him of the fpiced wine of his love to drink; he hath put in his finger at the hole of the door, he hath touched the heart, arid made it leap for joy : O how fweet is it thus to enjoy God ! the godly have, in the ufe of the ordinances, had fuch divine raptures of joy, and foul-transfigurations, that they have been carried above the world, and defpifed all things here below. , Ufe 1. Is the enjoying of God in this life fo fweet? How prod gioully wicked are they that prefer the enjoying of their lulls before the enjoying of God ! 2 Pet. iii. 3. The luft cf the fiefh, the luft of the eye, the pride of V-fe, is the Trinity they worihip : lull: is an inordinate, defire or impulfe, provoking the lout to that which is- evil ; there is the re- vengeful lufl, and the wanton luft: Iufl is like a feverifh heat, it puts the foul into a flame. Arijlotle calls fenfual lulls biutifli, bccaull, when any lull is violent, reafon or confeience cannot be heard, the beaft rides the man : thefe lulls, when they arc enjoyed, do belbt and dif- p'rit perfon's, Hof. iv. ii. ii boredom and wine take away the heart ; they have no heart for any thing th ;t is good. How many make it their chief end, not Co enjoy God, but to enjoy their hub; as that car.din 1 faid, ' Let him but keep his card &ansi and he was content to loie his part in Paradife.\ Luft firft bewitcheth with pleafurc, and then comes the fatal dart, Prov. vii. 23. Till a dart ftrike through his liver. This flioulJ be as a flam- ing fword to flop men in the way of their car- nal delights. Wrho would for a drop of plea- furc, drink a fea of wrath? ' life 1. Let it be our great care to enjoy God's fweet prefence here, which is the beauty and comfort of the ordinances. Enjoying fpi- ritual communion with God, is a riddle and myftery to mod people; every one that hangs about the court doth not ipeak with the king. We may approach to God in ordinances, and as it were hang about the court of heaven, yer not enjoy communion with God : we may have the letter without the fpirit, the vifible fign without the invifible grace : it is the enjo . of God in a duty we fhould chiefly look at, Pf. xlii. 2. My foul thirjteth for Ccd, for the living God. Alas ! what are all our worldly enjoyments without the enjoying of God ? What is it to enjoy a great deal of health, a brave eflate, and not to enjoy God ? Job. xxx. 28, I went mourning without the fun. So may!) thoil fay in the enjoyment of all creatures without God, I went mourning without the fun. I have the flar-light of outward enjoyments, but I cannot enjoy God, I want the fun of righre nefs, / went mourning without the fun. This mould be our great defign not only to have the ordinances of God, but the God of the or- dinances : the enjoying God's fweet prefence with us here, is the mofl contented life: he r> an hive of fweetnefs, a magazine df riches, a fountain of delight, Pf. xxxvi. 8, 9. The higher the lark flies, the fweeter it fin^s ; and the hi er we fly by the wing of faith, the more of God we enjoy, the fweeter delight we feel in our fouls. How is the heart inflamed in prayer and meditation ? What joy and peace in be- lieving ? Is it not comfortable being in heaven ? •14 MAN'S CHIEF END IS TO GLORIFY GOD. He that enjoys much of God in this life, carries heaven about him : O let this be the thing we arc chiefly ambitious of, the enjoying of God in his ordinances; remember, the enjoying of God's fweet pretence here, is an earneft of our enjoying him in heaven'. And that brings me to the 2d. thing, viz. 2d. The enjoying of God in the life to, come : "Tan's chief end is to enjoy God for ever. Be- fore this plenary fruition of God in heaven, there raufl be fomething previous and antece- dent) and that is, our being in a ftate of grace: We muft have conformity to him in grace, be- fore we can have communion with him in glo- ,ry; grace and glory are link'd and chain'd to- gether; grace preceeds glory, as the moming- ftar ulhers in the fun. God will have us quali- -£ed and fitted for a ftate of blelTednefs : drun- kards and fwearers are not fit to enjoy God in glory ; the Lord will not. lay Fuch vipers in his bofom ; only the pure in heart (hall, fee God : \ve muft firft be as the king's daughter, glori- ous within, before we are clothed with the robes of glory. As king Ahafuerus firft caufed the virgins to be purilied and anointed, and they had their fweet odours to perfume them, and then they went to ftand before the king, Eft. ii. 12. fo muft we, we muft have the anointing of God, and be perfumed with the graces of the Spirit, thofe fweet odours, and then we (ball ftand before the king of him : now, being thus divinely qualified by grace, we mail be taken up to the mount of vifion, and enjoy God for ever : this enjoying God for ever, is nothing . elfe but to be put to a ftate of happinefs. As ■the body cannot have life, but by having com- munion with the foul ; fo the foul cannot have .bleffednefs, but by having immediate commu- nion with God. God is the Summum Bontan, the chief good ; therefore the enjoying of him is the higheft felicity ; Ke is, I fay, the chief g°od- . ; -." , 1 . fie is an univeml good ; Bonum in quo omnia bona, i A good, in which are all goods.' The excellencies of the creature are limited. A man may have health, not beauty; learn- ing, not parentage; riches, not wifdom : but in God are eminently contained all excellen- cies : He is a good comrnenfurate fully to the foul ; he is a fun, a portion, an horn of fal- vation ; in him dwells all fulnefs, C©1. i. 19. ::,. God is an unmixed good : no condition in tills life but Bath its mixture ; for every drop q£ honey there is a drop of gall. Solomon, who gave himfelf to find out this philofopher's ftone, to fearch out for an happinefs here below, he found vanity and vexation, Eccl. i. 2. But God is a perfect, quintefTential good. He is fwect- nefs in the flower. 3. God is a fatisfyiog good. The foul cries out, I have enough, Pfal. xvii. 15. Ifhall be falhfied luith thy likenefs. A man that is thirfly, bring him to the ocean, and he hath enough. If there be enough in God to fitisfy the angels, then fure enough to fatisfy us. The foul is but finite, but God is an in- create infinite good. And yet tho' God be fuch a good as doth fatisfy, yet not furfeit. Frefh joys fpring continually from God's face ; and God is as much to be.defired after millions of years by glorified fouls, as at the firft moment. There is fo much fulnefs in God as fatisfies, yet fo much fweetnefs, that the foul ftill de- fires; it is fatisfaction without furfeit. 4. God is a delicious good. That which is the chief good raufl ravilh the foul with pleafure; there muft be in it fpirits of delight and quinteffence of joy; and this is to be enjoyed only in God. In Deo qua dam dulcedine deleclatur anima, im- mo rapititr ; The love of God drops fuch infi- nite fuavity into the foul as is unfpeakable and full of glory. If there be fo much delight in God, when we fee him only by faith, 1 Pet. i. 8. what will the joy of vifion be, when we fhall fee him face to face ? If the faints have found fo much delight in God while they were fuffering, O then what joy and delight will they have when they are crowning! If flames ra-e beds of rofes, O then, what will it be to lean on the bofom of Jcfus ! what a bed of rofes will that be! 5-. God is a fuperlativegood. He is better than any thing you can put in com- petition with him ; he is better than health, riches, honour. Other things maintain life, he gives life. But who would go to put any thing in balance with the Deity? who would weigh a feather with a mountain of gold? God excels all other things more infinitely than the fun the light of a taper. 6. God is an eternal good: He is the ancient of days, Dan. vii. 9. 3'et never decays, nor waxes old. The joy he gives is eternal, the crown he gives fadeth not away, 1 Pet. v. 4. The glorified foul fhall be ever folacing itfelfin God; it fhall be feafting on his love and funning itfelfin the light of his countenance. We read of the river of pleafure at God'6 right hand ; but will not this in tij be dried up? No, there is a fountain bottom which feeds it. PJal. xxxvi. 9 MAN'S CHIEF END IS TO GLORIFY GOD. the lord is the fountain of life. Thus God is the chief good; and the enjoying God for ever is the fupreme felicity the ibul is capable of. I. Ufe of exhortation. Let it be the chief end of our living to enjoy this chief good here- after ; this is that will crown us with happl- ne(s.' AujVvi reckons up 288 opinions among the philoibphers about happinefs, but all did fhoot fliort of the mark. The higheft eleva- tion of a reafonable foul, is to enjoy God for ever. It is the enjoying God that makes heaven, } Theff. iv. 17. Then Jlmll vie ever be vjith the Lord. The Ibul trembles, as the needle in the compafs, and is never at reft dil it comes to God. To fet out this excellent ftate of a glo- rified foul's enjoying God. 1. This enjoying of God mull: not be underftood in a fenilial manner; we mult not conceive any carnal plea- fures in heaven. The Turks in their Alcoran fpeak of a paradife of pleafure, where they have riches in*abundance, and red wine ferved in golden chalices. Here is an heaven confuting of pleafures for the body; the Epicures of this age would like fuch an heaven when they die. Tho' indeed the ftate of glory be compared to a feaft, and is fet out by pearls and precious it ones, yet thefe metaphors are only to be helps to our faith, and to iliow us that there is fuper- abundant joy and felicity in the empyrean heaven; but thole are not carnal, but facied delights : as our employment (hall be fpiritual, it will confift in adoring and praifirfg of God : So our enjoyment /hall be fpiritual, it mail con- filt in the having the perfection of holinefs, in feeing the pure face of Chrift,. in feeling the love of God, in conveiling with heavenly fpi- rits : thefe delights will be more adequate and proper for the foul, and inlinitely exceed all carnal voluptuous delights. 2. We ihall have a lively fenfe of this glorious errate. A man in a lethargy tho' he be alive, yet he is as rood as dead, becaufe he is not fenfibie, nor doth he take any pleafure in his life ; we (half have a quick and lively fenfe of the infinite pleafure which arifeth from enjoyment of God ; we mall know ourfelves to be happy; we fhail reflect with joy upon our dignity and felicity ; we fhall taffce every crumb of that fweetnefs, every drop of that pleafure which flows from God. 3. We fhall be made able to bear a fight of that glory : we could not now bear that glory, it would o- verwhelm us ; as a weak eye cannot behold the fun; but God will capacitate us for glory; our ibul fhall be Co heavenly, and perfected with holinefs, that they may be able to enjoy the blefTed virion et God. Mofes in a clift ©f the reck faw the glory of God pafling by, Exod, xxxiii. 22. Thre' that blefTed rock C h rift, we fhall behold the beatifical fight of God. 4. This enjoyment of God fit all be more than a bare contemplation of him. , Some of the lear- ned move the qiieflion, Whether the cni ment of God fhall be only by way of contem- plation ? Anf. That is ibmething, but it is but one half of heaven ; there mall be a loving of God, an aequiefcence in him, a tailing his fweetnefs ; not only inflection but pofTtflion, John xvii. 24. That they may behold my glory ; there is inflection : ver. 22. And the glory thou hajt given me, I have given them ; there's pof- feffioh. Glory Jbqll be revealed in us, Rom. viii. 18. not only revealed to us, but in us. To behold God's glory, there is gloty revealed to us; but to partake of his glory, there is glory revealed in us. As the fpunge fucks in the wine, Co we fhall fuck in glory. 5. There's no intermiffion in this ftate of glory. We fhall not only have God's glorious prefence at cer- tain fpecial feafons, but we Ihall be continually in his prefence; continually under divine rap- tures of joy. There fhall not be one minute in heaven, wherein a glorified foul may fiv, I do not enjoy happinefs, The ft reams of glory are not like the water of a conduit, often flop- ped, that we cannot have one drop of water ; but thofe heavenly ftreams of joy are continual- ly running. O how fhould we deipife this va- ley of tears where we now are, for the mount of transfiguration ! How fhould we long for the full enjoyment of God in paifadife ! Had we a fight of that land of promife, we fhould need patience to be content to live here any longer. 2d. Let this be a fpur to duty. How dili- gent and zealous fhould we be in glorifying God, that we come at lafc to enjoy him? it Tully, DemtflheneS) Plato, who had but the dim watch-light of reafon to fee by, and did but phanfy an Elyfium and happinefs after this life, did take fuch Herculean pains to enjoy it; O then how fhould Chrifians, who have the Hi of fcripture to fee by, beftir tfiemfelves, that they may arrive at the eternal fruition of God and glory ! If any thing may make us rife off cur bed of floth, and lervc God with all our might, it fhould be this; the hope of our full" enjoyment of God for ever. "What made Paul Co active in the fphere of religion? 1 Lor. xv. ic. / laboured more abundantly thai} they all. 1 obedience \6 OF THE SCRIPTURES. obedience did not move flow, as the fun on the dial ; but fwift, as the fun in the firmament. W hy was he fo zealous in glorifyingGod, but that he might at lafl centre and terminate in him? i "Ihcff iv. \j .Then Jhall we be ever with the Lord. 3d. life of Confolation. Let this comfort the godly in all the preterit miferies they feel. Thou complained:, ChrilVian, thou doft not enjoy thy- felf; fears difquiet thee, wants perplex thee ; in the day thou can ft not enjoy eafe, in the night thou carffl not enjoy (leep : thou dofl: nor enjoy the comforts of thy life. Let this revive thee, that (hortly thou (halt enjoy God, and then malt have more than thou canll aft or think; thou (halt have angels joy, glory without intermiffion and expiration. We mall never enjoy ourfelves fully, till we enjoy God eternally. -% ■% .£■ & * & & % ■% •% '% •% •$ ■* & >% •*• ■% *- •$■ % •*'"• * <* •' ft ■*• ;- «■ * fc '■■ * * » %Si Cii- OKJ -juy U£3 U^J SiO CiU Uii --^y this jewel is too precious to be parted with ; Prov. iv. 13. Keep her, for Jhe is thy life. The fcripture is be- fet with enemies ; heretics fight againfr it, we mull therefore contend for the faith once de- livered to the faints, Jude 3. The fcripture is our book of evidences for heaven ; fhall we part with our evidences? The faints of old were both advocates and martyrs for truth j they would hold fad; fcripture, tho' it were with the lofs of their lives. 7. Be thankful to God for the fcriptures. What a mercy is it that God hath not only ac- quainted us what his will is, but that he hath made it known by writing ! In the old times God did reveal his mind by revelations, but the word written is a furer way of knowing God's mind than by revelation, 2 Pet. i. 19. This voice which came from heaven we heard, we have alio a more fure word of prophecy. The devil is God's ape, and he can transform himfelf into an angel of light ; he can deceive with falfe revelations : as I have heard of one who had, as he thought, a revelation from God to facrifice his child, as Abraha?n had ; where- upon he following this impulfion of the "devil, did kill his child. Thus Satan oft d'eceives- people with delufions, infread of divine reve- lations ; therefore we are to be thankful to God for reveaJing his mind to us by writing: we have a more fure word of prophecy. We are not left under a doubtful fufpence that we fliould not know what to believe, but we have an in- fallible rule to go by. The fcripture is our pole-ftar to direft us to heaven r it mews us every ftep we are to take; when v/e go wrong, it inftracts us j, when we go right, it comforts us ; and 'tis matter of thankfulnefs, that the fcriptures are made intelligible, by being tranf- lated. 8. Adore God's diflinguifhing grace, if you have felt the power and authority of the word upon your confeience j if you can lay as Ijavid, - Pfal. cxix. 50. Thy ivord hath quick/ltd f Chriftian, blefs God that he hath not only gi- ven thee his word to be a rule of holinefs, but his grace to be a principle of holinefs : blefs God that he hath not only written his word,, but fealed it upon thy heart, and made it effec- tual.. Canft thou fay it is of divine infpirationr becaule thou haft felt it to be of lively opera- tion ? O free grace! that God fhould fend out this word, and heal thee ; that he fliould heal thee, and not others ? that the fame fcripture,, which is to them a dead letter, fliould be to thee-- . a favour of life- A A A A *i *i 4 ♦ #- "% *» * *-. %. * * $• <£ *. ■* ■<£, ft, * a»j ma 3E? Sa *& <&j ISc Sn iL tiis tm &b 'tis o£> t2i ^3 L& isi dj <£ *? •*> **■• % .*• .% .*. .% .*., .*, •%. A- rjij fj&J tfe l£jj t& diSj LJi l2j -Mi tiiiCwi && U& THAT THERE IS A GOD. Q; III. XT/Hat do the fcriptures principally VV teach? Anf. The fcriptures principally teach, what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man. Qu. What is God ? Anf. God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his being, wifdom, power, ho- linefs, juftice, goodnefs and truth. Here is, 1. Something implied-, That there is a God. 2. Expreflld, That he is a fpfrit. 3. What kind of fpirit. 1. Implied, That there is a God: The queftion, What is God? takes it for granted that there is a God ; the bf lief of God's effence ?s the foundation of all religious woifhip, Heb. xi. 6. He that comes, to God, mufl believe that he is. There muft be a firft caufe, which gives a being and exiftence to all things beiides. We come to know that there's a God, 1. By the book of nature, the notion of a Deity 13 engraven on man's heart, it is demon Arable by the light of nature. I think it hard for a man to be a natural atheifr. ; he may wifli there were no God, he may difpute againfr a Deity, but he cannot in his judgment believe there is no God, unlefs by accumulated fin his confei- ence be feared, and he hath fuch a lethargy upon him, that he hath finned away his very fenfe- and reafon. 2. We come to know that there is a God by his works; and this is fo evident a demonstration of a Godhead, that the mod a- rheiflical fpirits, when they have confidered> thefe works of God,, have been forced to ac- knowledge- *4 THAT THERE IS A GOD. knowledge fome wife nnd fupream power the Maker of tbefe things ; as 'lis reported of Galen and others, (i .) We will begin with the greater world, (i.) The creation of the glorious fa- bric of heaven and earth; fure there mull: be Tome architect or firft caufe, the world could not make itfelf : who could hang the earth on nothing, but the great God? Who could pro- vide fuch rich furniture for the heavens, the glorious conftelttuions, the firmament befpangl- 'ed with fuch glittering lights? All this fpeaks a Deity : We may fee God's glory blazing in the fun, twinkling in the liars. Who could give the earth its clothing, cover it with grafs and corn, adorn it with flowers, enrich it with gold ? Only God, Job xxviii. 4. Who but God "could make the fweet mufic in the heavens, caufe the angels to join in confort, and found forth the praifes of their Maker? Job xxxviii. 7. When the morning (I ars fang together, and all the fins of God Jhouted for joy. If a man fhould go into a far country, and fee ftately edifices there, he would never imagine that thefe could build themfclves, but that fome greater power built them : to imagine that the work of the creation was not framed by God, is as if we fhould conceive a curious landikip to he drawn by a pencil without the hand of a Jimner ; A3s xvii. 24. God that made the world, and all things therein. To create, is proper to a Deity. 2. The wife government of all things evinces there is a God : God is the great Su- perintendent of the world, he holds the golden reins of government in his hand, guiding all things mofl regularly and harmoniouily to their proper end ; who that eyes providence, but mult be forced to acknowledge there is a God ? Providence is the queen and govcrnefs of the world; it is the hand that turns the wheel of the whole creation ; providence fets the fun its race, the fea its bounds. If God fhould not guide the world, things would run into diforder ;ind confufion : when one looks on a clock, and fees the motion of the wheels, the ftriking of the hammer, the hanging of the plummets, he would fay, there were fome artificer did make it, and put it into that order: fo, when we fee the excellent order and harmony in the univerfe, the fun that great luminary difpenf- ing its light and heat to the world, without which the world were but a grave or prifon ; the rivers fending forth their filver ft reams to refiefli the bodies of men, and prevent a drought ; and every creature acting within its fphere, and keeping its due bounds ; we mud' needs acknowledge there is a God, who wifely orders and governs all thefe things. Who could fet this gteat army of the creatures in their feveral ranks and fquadrons, and keep them in their conftant march ; but He, whofe name is, The Lord of hofis ? And as God doth wifely difpofe all things in the whole regiment of the creatures, fo by his power he doth fupport them : did God fufpend and withdraw his in- fluence never fo little, the wheels of the crea- tion would unpin, and the axle-tree break afun- der. (3.) The motion of the creatures: all motion, as the philofophevs fay, is from fome- thing that is unmoveable- As for example, the elements are moved by the influence and motion of the heavenly bodies ; the fun and moon^ and thefe planets, are moved by the higheft orb, call'd Primum Mobile: now, if one fhould afk, Who moves that higheft orb, or the firft mover of the planets? fare it can be no other hand but God himfelf. (2.) Let us fpeak of Man, who is a micro- cofm or leffer world : the excellent contexture and frame of his body, who is wrought curi- oufly as with need-lework, Pj. exxxix. 15. / •was curioufly "wrought in the lowefl parts of the earth : and the endowment of this body with a noble foul ; who but God could make fuch an union of different fubftances, flefh and fpirit ? in him we live, and move, and. have our being. The quick acute motion of every part of the body, fhews that there is a God, we may fee fomething of him in the fparkling of the eye : and if the cabinet of the body be fo curioully wrought, what is the jewel ? The foul hath a celeftial brightnefs in it; as Da- mafcen faith, 'Tis a diamond fet in a ring of clay. What noble faculties is the foul en- dowed with ? Underftanding, Will, Affections, which are a glafs of the Trinity, as Plato fpeaks. The matter of the foul is fpiritual, 'tis a divine fparkle lighted from heaven j and being fpiritual, is immortal, as Scaliger notes ; anima non fenefcit, the foul doth not wax old, it lives for ever : and who could create a foul enobled with fuch rare angelical properties, but God ? We muft needs fay as the Pfalmift, It is he that hath made us, and not -we ourfelves, Pfal. c. 3. 2. We may prove a Deity by our Confcience. Confcience is God's deputy or vicegerent. Confcience is a witnefs of a Deity: if there were no bible to tell us there is a God, yet confcience THAT THERE IS A GOD. 2C conscience might. Confcience, as the apoftle faith, either accufctb or excufeth, Rom. ii. 15. Confcience acts in order to an higher judica- tory. I. Natural confcience, being kept free from grofs fin, excufeth. When a man doth virtuous a&ions, lives foberly and righteoufly, obferves the golden maxim, doing to others as he would have them to do to him ; then con- fcience approves, and faith, Well done : con- fcience, like a bee, gives honey. 2. Natural confcience in the wicked doth accufe : when men go againft the light of confcience, then they feel the worm of confcience. Eheu quls intus fcorpio ? Sen. Confcience, being finned againft, fpits fire in men's faces, fills them with fhame and horror : when the firmer fees an hand-writing on the wall of confcience, his countenance is changed. Many have hanged themfelves to quiet their confcience. Tiberius the emperor, a bloody man, felt the lafhes of his confcience; he was fo haunted with that fury, that he told the fenate, he fufFered death daily. And what is it mould put a man's con- fcience into Juch an agony, but the impreffion of a Deity, and the thoughts of coming before God's tribunal ? Thofe who are above all hu- man laws, yet are Subject to the checks of their own confcience. And 'tis obfervable, the near- er the wicked approach to death, the more they are terrified, and confcience gives a louder alarm to them ; and whence is this, but from the apprehenfion of judgment approaching i The foul, being (enfible of its immortal nature, trembles at him, who never ceafeth to live, and therefore will never ceafe to punifh. 3. That there is a God, appears by the con- fent of nations, by the univerfal vote and fuf- frage of all. Nulla gens tarn bar bar a cui non infideat ha?c perfuafio Deum effe . Tully ; no na- tion fo barbarous, faith Tully, as. not to believe there is a God. Tho' the Heathen did miftake in their devotion, they did not worfhip the true God, yet they worshipped a god. They let up an altar, T& the unknown God, Acts xvii. 22. They knew a God fhould be woi Shipped, tho' they knew not the God whom they wor- shipped. Some did worfhip Jupiter, fome Nep- tune, fome Mars ; rather than not to worfhip fome thing, they would worfhip any thing. 4. That there is a God, appears by his Pre- diclion of future things. He who can foretel things which mall finely come to pafs, is the true God. God foretold, that a virgin fljou Id conceive s he prefixed the time when the Mef- fias fhould be cut off , Dan. ix. 26. he foretold the captivity of the Jews in Babylon, and who fhould be their deliverer, Ifa. xlv. i. This is fuch a Strong argument to prove a Deity, as God himfelf ufetn it to prove he is the true God, and that all the gods of the Heathens were fictions and nullities, Ifa. xli. 22. Teftimonium divinitatis efl Veritas divinationis, Tertull. To foretel things contingent, and which depend u- pon no natural cau.fes, is proper to a Deity. 5. That there is a God, appears by God's unlimited power and fovereignty . He who can work and none, hinder him, is the true Go.] ; but God can do fo, Ifa. xliii. 13. I will work, and who fhall let it? Nothing can hinder ac- tion but fome fuperior power; but there is no power above God: all power that is, is by him, therefore all power is under him, he hath a mighty arm, PJ\ lxxxix. 13. He fees the defigns men drive on againft him, and plucks off their chariot-wheels; he makerh diviners mad, Ifa. xliv. 25. He cutteth off the fpirit of princes :• he bridleth the fea, gives check to the Levia- than, binds the devil in chains ; he a£te ac- cording to his pleafure, he doth what he will ; I will work, and who fhall let it. 6. There are devils, therefore there is a God. Atheifts cannot deny but there are devils, and then they mufb grant there is a God. We read of divers pofTeSfed with the devil. The devils are called in fcripture, Hairy Ones, becaufe they oft appeared in the form of goats or fa- tyrs. Gerfjn, in his book de probatione fpiri- tnum, tells us how Satan on a time appeared to an holy man in a moft glorious manner, profeffing himfelf to be Chrift; the old man anfwered, " I defire nor to fee my Saviour here in this defert, it fhall fuffice me to fee him in heaven." Now, if there be a devil, then there is a God. Socrates, an heathen, when he was accufed at his death, confefTed that, as he thought, there was a mains genius, an evil fpirit, fo he thought there was a good. Ufe j. Seeing there is a God, this reproves fuch atheiftical fools as deny it. Epicurus de- nied there was a providence, faying, that all things, fell out by chance^ Diagoras. He that faith there is no Cod, is the wickedefl creature that is; he is worfe than a thief, who doth but take away our goods from us, but the a- theift would take away our God from us, John xx. They have taken away my Lord. So we may fry of atheifts, they would take away our God from us, in whom all our hope and com- D fort 26 fort is laid up, Pfal. xiv. I. the fool hath fat d in his heart, there is no God. He durlt not fpeak it with his tongue, but faidit in his heart; he wifhed it. Sure none can be fpeeulative atheifts, The devils believe, and tremble, James ii. 1 6. I have read of one Arthur, a profeiTed atheift, who, when he came to die, cried out he was damned : but tho' there are few found who fay, There is no God; yet many deny him in their practices, Tit. i. \6. In works they de- ny hhn. Cicero faid of Epicurus, Verbis reli- quit Deos refuftulit : The world is full of prac- tical atheifm, molt people live as if they did not believe there wa3 a God. Durft they lie, de- fraud, be unclean, if they believed there were a God who would call them to an account ? If an Indian, who never heard of a God, mould come among us, and have no other mearvs to convince him of a Deity, but the lives of men in our age, furely he would be of Protagoras his mind, who did hang in a doubtful fufpence, and did queftion whether there were a God ; tit rum Diifbit non aujim affirmare. life 2. Seeing there is a God, he will deal righteoufly, and give juft rewards to men. Things feem to be carried in the wodd very unequally ; the wicked flourim, Pf lxxiii. they who tempt God are delivered, Mai. iii. 15. the ripe chillers of grapes are fqueezed into their cup, and, in the mean while, the godly, who wept for fin and ferved God, are'amicted ; Pf cii. 9. I have eaten afhes like bread, and ming- led my drink with weeping. Evil men enjoy all the good, and good men endure all the evil. But feeing there is a God, he will deal righte- oufly with men, Gen. xviii 25. Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right ? Offenders mult come to punifhment. The finner's death- day r and dooms-day is a-coming ; Pf. xxxvii. 13. The Lord feeth that his day is coming. "While there is an hell, the wicked (hall be fcourged enough ; and while there is eternity, they (hall ly there long enough ; and God will abundantly compenfate the faithful fervice of his people. They fhall have their white robes and crowns : Pf Iviii. 1 1 . Verily there is a re- ward for the righteous ; verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth. Becaufe God is God, therefore he will give forth glorious rewards to his people. Ufe 3. Seeing there is a God, woe to all fuch as engage this God againft them ; he lives for ever to be avenged upon them, Ezek. xxii. 14. Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be THAT THERE IS A COD. flrongin the day that 1 fhall deal with thee? Such as pollute G d's fabbath, oppofe his faints, trampling thefe jewels in the duit ; fuch as live in a contradiction to God's word; thefe do en- gage the infinite majefty of heaven againft them ; and how difmal will their cafe be ! Dent, xxxii. 41. If I whet my glittering fword, and mine hand take hold of judgment, I will render vengeance to mine enemies ; I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, Sec- If it be fo terible to hear the lion rore, what is it when he begins to tear his prey ? Pf lv. 22. Confi- der this, ye that forget God, left I tear you in pieces. O that men would think of this, who go on in fia ! Shall we engage the great God againft us ? God ftrikes flow, but heavy : Job xl. 9. Haft thou an arm like God ? Ganft thou ftrike fuch a blow ? God is the beft friend, but the worft enemy .If he can look men into their grave, how far can he throw them ? Who knows the power of his wrath? Pf. xc. ir. What fools are they, who for a drop of pleafure drink a fea of wrath ? Paracelfus fpeaks of a phrenzy fome have, which will make them die dancing: finners go dancing to hell. Ufe 4. Seeing there is a God, let us firmly believe this great article of our creed. What religion can there be in men, if they do not believe a Deity ? He that cometh to God, mufi believe that he is. To wormip God, and pray to him, and not believe there is a God, is to put a high fcorn and contempt upon God. Believe that God is the only true God ; fuch a God as he hath revealed himfelf in his word, A lover of righteoufnefs, and hater of wicked- nefs, Pf. xlv. 7. The real belief of a Deity gives life to all religious worfhip : the more we be- lieve the truth and infinitenefs of God, the more holy and angelical we are in our lives. Whether we are alone, or in company, God fees us : he is the heart-fearcher; the belief of this would make us live always under God's eye, Pf. xvi. 8. I have fct the Lord always be- fore me. The belief of a Deity would be a bridle to fin, a fpur to'duty ; it would add wings to prayer, and oyl to the lamp of our devotion. The belief of a Deity would caufe dependence upon God in all our ftraits and exigencies; Gen. xvii. 1. I amGod all-fuffcient ; a God that can fupply all your wants, fcatter all your fears, refolve all your doubts, conquer all your temp- tations ; the arm of God's power can never be fhrunk; he can create mercy for us, and there- fore can help, and aot be beholden to the creature. O D IS A SPIRIT. creature. Did we believe there is a God, we fliould fo depend on his providence as not to ufe any indirect means ; we would not run our felves into fin to rid ourfelves out of trouble: 2 Kin [s u A. Is it not becaufe there is not a Cod in Ifrael that ye go to enquire of Baal-zehub the God of Ekronl When men run to finful fhifts, is it aot becaufe they do not believe there is a God, or that he is all-fufficient ? 2. Seeing there is a God, let us labour to get an intereft in him, Pf. xlviii. 14. This God is our God. Two things will comfort us, deity and property : fmce the fall we have loft like- nefs to God, and communion with God ; let us labour to recover this loft intereft, and pro- nounce this Shibboleth, My God, Pf. xliii. 5. It is little comfort to know there is a God, unjefs he be ours ; God offers himfelf to be our God, Jer, xxxi. 33. I -will be their God. And faith catcheth hold of the offer, it ap- propriates God, and makes all that is in him over to us to be ours ; his wifdom to be ours, to teach us ; his holinefs ours to fanclify us, his fpirit ours, to comfort us ; his mercy ours, to fave us. To be able to fay, God is mine, is more than to have all the mines of gold and filver. 3. Seeing there is a God, let us ferve and worfhip him as a God: it was an indictment brought in againft them, Rom. i. 21. They glorified him not as God. 1. Let us pray to him as to a God. Pray with fervency, Jam. v. 16. An effectual fervent prayer prevails much. This is both the fire and the incenfe ; without fervency it is no prayer. 2. Love him as a God, Deut. vi. 5. Thoufoalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart. To love him with all the heart, is to give him a precedency in our love, defire to let him have the cream of our affections ; to love him not only appie- tiatively, but intenfively, as much as we can. As the fun-beams united, in a burning-glafs burn the hotter, fo all our affections lhould be united, that our love to God may be more ar- dent. 3. Obey him as a God. All creatures obey him, the ftars fight his battles, the wind and fea obey him, Mark iv. 41. much more fhould man, whom God hath endued with a principle of reafon : he is God, and hath a fovereignty over us ; therefore as we received life from him, fo we muft receive a law from him, and fubmit to his will in all things : this is to kifs him with a kifs of loyalty, and it is to glorify him as God. JMNt#$#$3 !#&&&##$###* *#####.# GOD IS A SPIRIT. Q. IV. 11/ HAT is GOD ? Anf. God is a fpirit. 2. The thing expreffed, John iv. 24. God is a fpirit. God is ejfentia fpirit ualiffima, Zanchy. Qu. What do you mean when you fay, God is a fpirit ? Anf. By fpirit I mean, God is an immaterial fubftance, of a pure, fubtiL, unmixed efTence, not compounded of body and foul, without all extenfion of parts. The body is a dreggifh thing : the more fpiritual God's effence is, the more noble and excellent. The fpirits are the more refined part of the wine. Qu. Wherein doth God differ from other fpirits ? I. The angels are fpirits. Anf. We muft diftinguifti of fpirits. 1. The angels are created, God is a fpirit uncrcate. 2. The angels are fpirits, but they are finite, and capable of being annihilated ; the fame power which made them, is able to reduce them to their firft nothing; but God is an infinite fpirit. 3. The angels are confined fpirits, d cannot be in duobus locis fimul, they are cc. fined to a place : but God* is an immenfe fpirL and cannot be confined, being in all places z.i\ once. 4. The angels, though they are fpirits, yet they are but miniftring fpirits, Heb. i. 14. Though they are fpirits, yet are they fer van ts, God is a fuperexcellent fpirit, the father of fpirits, Heb. xii. 9. 2. The foul is a fpirit, Ecclef. xii. 7. The fpirit /hall return unto God that gave it. Qu. How doth God being a fpirit differ from thefouP. Servetus and Of uuler thought, that the foul being infufed, did convey into man the very D 2 fpirit 2* GOD IS A SPIRIT. fpirit and fubrhnce of God; an abfurd opinion: for the eiTence of God is incommunicable. Anf. Therefore, when it is faid, the foul is a fpirit, it is meant, God hath made it intelli- gible, and hath ftaniped upon it his likenefs, not his eflence, Qu. But is it not [aid, Tim we are made partakers of the divine nature? Anf. By divine nature there is meant divine qualities, i Pet. I 4. We are made partakers of the divine nature; not by identity or union with the divine eifence, but by a transformation into the divine likenefs. Thus you lee how God differs from other fpirits, angels and fouls •of men. He is a fpirit of tranfeendent excellency, the father of fpirits. Ob}. Againji this Vorftius and the Anthro- pomorthites objecl, that, inferipture, an human Jhape and figure is given to Cod ; 'he is faid to have eyes and hands ? Anf. it is contrary to the nature of a fpiiit to have a corporeal fubftance ; Luke xxiv. 39. Handle me, and fee me; for a ipirit hath not fiejh and bones, as ye fee me have. Bodily members are afcribed to God, not properly, but metaphorically, and in a borrowed ftnfe; he is only fet out to our capacity : by the right-hand of the Lord is meant his power-, by the eyes of the Lord is meant his wifdom. Now that God is a fpirit, and is not capable of bodily fhape or fubftance, is clear. 1 . A body is vifible, but God is invifible ; therefore he is a fpiiit, I Tim. vi. 16. whom no man hath feen, ncr can fee, not by an eye of fenfe. 2- A body is ter- minated, can be but in one place at once; but God is every where, in all places at once; therefore he is a fpirit, Pfi exxxix. 7.8. " God's centre is every where, and his circumference is no where." 3. A Body being compounded of .integral parts, may be diffolved ; quicquid divi- fibile eji corruptible : but the godhead is not capable of dilTolufion ; he can have no end, *from whom all things have their beginning. So that it clearly appears that God is a fpirit, which adds to the perfection of his nature Uje 1. If God be a fpirit, then he is impaf- fible ; he is not capable of being hurt. ^Wicked men fet up their banners, and bend their forces againft God ; they are faid to fight againft God, Ails v. 39. But what will this fighting avail ? What hurt can they do to the Deity ? God is a fpirit, and therefore cannot receive any hurtful impreffton :- wicked men may ima- gine evil againft the Lord; Nahitm\.$. What do ye imagine againft the L$rd\ But God, being a fpirir,is impenetrable. The wicked may eclipfe his glory, but cannot touch his effence. God can hurt his enemies, but they cannot hurt him. Julian might throw up his dagger into the air againft Heaven, but could-not touch the Deity. God is a fpirit, invifible. How can the wicked with all their forces hurt him, when they can- not fee him ? Hence all the attempts of the wicked againft God are foolifti, and prove abor- tive ; Pj. ii. 3, 4- The kings of the earth Jet themfehes againji the Lord, and againji his anointed. He that fits in the heavens Jhall laugh. He is a fpirit, he can wound them, but they cannot touch him. Ufe 2. If God be a fpirit, then it mows the folly of the papifts, who worfbip him by pic- tures and images. Being a fpirit, we cannot make any image to reprefent him by ; Deut. iv. 12. The Lord f pake to you out of the mid/l of the fire, ye heard the voice of the words, lut faw no fimilitude . 1. God being a fpirit is imperceptible, can- not be difcerned ; how then can there be any refembkmce made of him? Ifa. xl. 18. To whom then will ye liken God, or what likenefs will ye compare unto him ? How can you paint the Deity ? Can we make an image of that which we never faw ? Ye faw no fimilitude. God is a fpirit. It were a folly to go to make the picture of the foul, becaufe it is a fpiritual thing : or to paint the angels, becaufe they are fpirits. Obj. Are not the angels in fcripture repre- fenttd by the cherubims ? Anf. There is Imago perfona? 6" officii; there is the image of the perfon, and the image that reprefents the office. The cherubims did not reprefent the perfons of the angels, but their office. The cherubims were made with wings, to (how the fwiftnefs of the angels in difcharge of their office : and if we cannot picture the foul, nor the perfons of angels, becaufe they are fpirits, much lefs can we make an image or picture of God, who is infinite and the fa- ther of fpirits. 2. God, being a fpirit, is omniprefent; h« is prefent in all places, Jer. xxiii. 24. Do not I fill heaven and earth ? faith the Lord. There- fore, being every where prefent, it is abfurd to worfhip him by an image : were it not a foolifh thing to bow down to the king's picture, when the king is prefent ? So to go to worfhip God's image, when God himfelf is prefent. Qu. GOD IS A SPIRIT. ~ $» Qu. But how then fh all we conceive of God, being a fpirit if we may make no image or re- femb lance of him ? Anf. We mult conceive of him fbiritually, viz ( i .) In his attributes ; his holinefs, juftice, goodnefs, which are the beams by which his divine na'.ure Qiines forth. (2.) We mult con- ceive of him as he is in Chrifl ; Chrift is the image of the invifible God', Col. i. 15. Set the eyes of your faith otiChriit, God-man. In Chrifl: we fee fome fparklings of the divine glory ; «i him there is the exact itfemblance of all is father's excellencies. The wifdom, love and holinefs o'FGod the father mine forth in Chrift; John xiv. 9. He that hath feen me hath feen the father. 3. Infer. If God be a fpirit, it fhows us, that the more fpiritual we grow, the more we grow like to God. How do earth and fpirit agree? Phil, hi 9 Eai thly ones may give for their ci eft, the mole or tortoife that live in the earth. "What reiemblance is there between an earthly heart, and him who is a fpirit ? The more fpiritual any one is, the more like God. Qu What is it to be fpiritual ? Anf. To be refined and fublimated, to have the heart ftill in heaven, to be thinking of God and glory, and to be carried up in a fiery cha- riot of love to God; this is to be fphituai: Pf. lxxiii 25. IVhom have I in the heaven but thee? On which Beza paraphraferh thus, apage terra, u tin am tecum in ctelo effem ! " O that f were in heaven with thee !" a Chriftian, who is taken off thefe earthly things, as the fpirits are taken off from the lees, hath a noble fpi- ritual foul, and doth moft refemble him who is a fphir. 4. Inter. It fhows us what that worfbip is God requires of us, and is moft acceptable to him, viz. fuch a worfhip as is fuitable to his nature, fpiritual worfhip, John iv. 24. They which worjhip him, mujt worfhip him in fpirit and truth. Spiritual worfhip is the virgin- worfhip. Though God will have the fervice of our bodies, our eyes and hands lifted up, to teftify to others that reverence we have of God's glory and majefty, yet chiefly he will have the worfhip of the foul, 1 Cor. vi. 20. . Glorify God in your body and in your fpirit. Spirit-worfhip God prizeth, becaufe it comes 10 near to his own nature who is a fpirit. Qu. What is it to worfhip God in the fpirit ? Anf. i. To worfhip him without ceremonies. The ceremonies of the law, which God himfelf ordained, are now abrogated, and out ©f elate ; Chrift the fubftance being come, the fhadows fly away ; and therefore the apoftle calls the k*gal ceremonies carnal rites, Htb. ix. 10. and if we may not ule thofe Jewifh ceremonies which God did|pnce appoint, then not thole which he did never, appoint. /inf. 1. To worfhip God in fpirit, is to worfhip him, (1.) With faith in the blood of the Mefliah, Heb. xi. 9. And, (.2.) To worfhip- him with the utmoft zeal and intenfenefs of foul, j-1CIs xxvi. 7. Our tweive tribes infiantly fer~ ving God day and night, with intenfenefs of fpirit ; not only cpnfrantly but inftantly. This is to worfhip God in the fpirit. The more fpi- ritual any fervice is, the nearer it comes to God who is a fpirit, and the more excellent it is; the fpiritual part of the duty is the fat of the ficrifice, it is the foul and quinteifence of re- ligion. Thericheft cordials are made of fpirits, and the beft duties are fuch as are of a fpiritual nature. God is a fpirit, and will be worshipped: in fpirit : it is notpcmip of worfhip, but purity which God accepts. Repentance is not in the outward fever ities ufed to the body, pennance,. faffing, and chaftifing the body, but it confifls in the ficrifice of a broken heart : thank/giving doth not Hand in church-mufic, the melody of an organ, but rather making melody in the heart to the Lord, Eph. v. 19. prayer is not the tuneing the voice into an heartlefs confef- flon, or teliing over a few beads, but it confifls in fighs and groans. Rom. viii. 26. When the fire of fervency is put to the incenfe of prayer, now it afcends as a fweet odour ; that is the true holy water, not which the pope fprinkles, but what is diflilled from the limbec of a peni- tent eye. Spirit-worfhip beft pleaferh that God who is a fpirit, John iv. 23. The father feeketh fuch to worfhip him ; to (hew the great accep- tance of fuch, and how God is delighted with fpiritual worfhip. This is the favoury meat God loves. How few mind this ? Worshipping him who is a fpirit, in the fpirit; they give him more dregs than fpirits; they think it enough to bring their duties, but not their hearts, which hath made God difclaim thefe very fer- vices he himfelf appointed, Ifa. i. 12. Eztk. xxxiii. 31. Let us then give God fpirit- worfhip, this beft fuits with his nature ; a Sovereign elixar full of virtue may be given in a few drops* a little prayer, if it be with the heart and fpirit, may have much virtue and efficacy in it. The publican made but a fhort prayer, Godbemcr' ci*- 3» GOD IS INFINITE. ciful to m; afmnsr, Luke xviii. 13. but it was full of Hie and fpirit; it came from the heart, therefore was accepted. Ufe 2. Of exhortation. Pray to God, that, as he is a fpirit, fo he will give us of his fpirit. The eflence of God is incommunicable j but the motions, the prefence and influences of his fpirit- When the fun mines in a room, not the body of the fen is there, but the light, heat and influence of the fun. God hath made a promiie of his fpirit, Ezek. xxxvi. 27. / will put my J pi r it -within you. Turn promifes into prayers. 0 Lord, thou who art a fpirit give me of thy fpirit; Ifiefh, beg thy fpirit , thy enlight- ning, fanclifying, quickning fpirit . MelancJhon's prayer, " Lord inflame my foul with thy holy fpirit." How needful is his fpirit ? We cannot do any duty without it in a lively manner : When this wind blows upon our fails, then we move fwiftly towards heaven. Pray therefore, that God would give us of the refidue of his fpirit, Mai. ii- 15. that we may move more vigo- roufly in the fphere of religion. Ufe 3. Of comfort. As God is a fpirit, £0 the reward that he gives is fpirirual ; that is the excellency of it. As the chief bleffings he gives us in this life are fpiritual bkmri^s, Eph. i. 3. not gold and filver ; he gives Cbrift, his love ; he iills us with grace : fo. the main re- wards he gives us after this life are fpiritual, a crown of glory that fadeth not away, 1 Pet. v. 4. Earthly crowns fade, but the believer's crown, being fpiritual, is immortal, a never- fading crown. It is impoffible (faith Julius Scaliger) for that which is fpiritual to be fub- jeel to change or corruption. This may com- fort a Ghriftian in all his labours and fufFerings ; he lays out himfelf for God, and hath little or no reward here ; but remember, God, who is a fpirit will give fpiritual rewards, a fight of his face in heaven, white robes, a weight of glory. Be not then weary of God's fervicc ; think of the fpiritual reward, a crown of glory which fadeth not away. * ,$. a «g| % $• .*• & fcuU U*3 l*JJ Qtoi c*si cAt/ cti; • v UiJ l-fcJ IJUj 5.1*5 < *\ *, .*. .*-, , uHi .% .% ■% A. .% 4. «. $L A •£* -f~ &t & A •$• & 'jjes <£b tSi Cab <£u sac ma: ma GOD IS INFINITE* Q. XTJH AT kind of fpirit is God? VV Anff He is infinite; fo he differs from all created beings, which are finite. Tho* infinite may be applied to all God's attributes, he is infinitely merciful, infinitely wife, infi- nitely holy ; yet, if we take infinitenefs pro- perly fo, it implies, 1. God's omniprefency ; the Greek word for infinite, fignifies without bounds or limits : God is not confined to any place, he is infinite, and fo is prefent in all places at onoe. His centre is every where, Divina effentia nufquam inclufa 3 aut exclufa, Aug. 1 Kings viii. 27. Behold, the heaven, and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee. This the Turks have a notion of, they build their temples open on the top, to fhow that God cannot be confined to their temples, or circumfcribed, but is in all places by his prefence. God's eflence is not limited either to the regions above, or to the terrefKal globe, but his whole effence is every where: this is to be infinite. As pbilofophers fay of the foul, it is, Tota in tot a, -$■■ >% <£..£• A A A A & >% A A A A &, iJ : ..> oiJ Vi; b'Ji C-_t/ UA3 Wa3 ti&J OJS Wi5 C<1S W£S fi.;-> t-^3 t.'.i; wis ii^3 S*3 -^J.3 t_-.t; Wii 'citi r-iii A A A OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. ^7 OR the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are "weighed, 1 Sam. ii. 3. Glorious things are fpoken of God ; he tran- fcends our thoughts, and the angels praifes. God's glory lies chiefly in his attributes, which are the feveral beams by which the divine na- ture fhines forth. Among other of his orient excellencies, this is not the leafl, The Lord is a God of knowledge; or, as the Hebrew word is, "A God of knowledges." Thro' the bright mirror of his own eflence, he hath a full idea and cognifance of all things; the world is to him, a tranfparent body. He makes an heart- anatomy; Rev. ii. 23. I am he which fearch- . eth the reins and the heart. The clouds are no canopy, the night is no curtain to draw be- tween us and his light, Pfal. exxxix. 12. The darknefs hideth not from thee. There is not a word we whifper, but God hears it, Pf. exxxix. 4. There is not a word in my tongue, but lo, 0 Lord, thou knovieft. it altogether. There is not the mo A fubril thought comes into our mind, but God perceives it, Ifa. lxv. 18. fknoid their thoughts. Thoughts fpeak as loud iri God's ears, as words do in ours. All our ac- tions, tho' never Co Cubrilly contrived, and fe- cretly conveyed, are vifible to the eye of om- ftifciency.' Ifa. lxvi. 18. / knew their works. Jchan hid the Baby lonifn garment in the earth* but God brought it to light, Jofh. vn. 21. Mi- nerva, was drawn in fuch curious colours, and Co lively penfil'd, that which way fbevcr one turn'd, Minerva's eyes were upon him ; io, which way Coever we turn ourfelves, full God's eye is upon us, fob xxvii. 16. Dojl thou know the balancing of the clouds ; the wondrous world of him that is perfeel in knowledge I God knows whatever is knowable, he knows future contingencies. He foretold Ifrael's coming out of Babylon, and the virgin's conceiving, By this the Lord proves the truth of his God- head againft idol-gods, Tfa. xli. 23. Shew the things that are io come hereafter, that we may know ye are gods. The perfection of God's knowledge is, that it cannot be fearcbed out to perfection, Job xi. 7. What angel can reach the top of thefe pyramids? But, (1.) God's knowledge is primary. He is the original, the pattern, and prototype of all knowledge ; others borrow their knowledge of him; the angels light their lamps at this glorious fun. • (2.) God's knowledge is pure. It is not contami- nated with the object. Divina naiura non immifta rebus ant lor dibits - t, Aug. Tho' God knows fin, yet it is to hate and pit- riifh it. No evil can mix or with E 34 OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. his knowledge, no more than the fun can be defiled with the Vapours which arifie from the earth. (3.) God's knowledge Xifapilei it is without any difficulty. We fludy and fearch for knowledge, Prov. ii- 4. If thou feekefl for her as for fiver. But the lamp of God's knowledge is fo infinitely bright, that all things we intelligible to him- (4,) God's knowledge is infallible ; there is no ir.iflake in his knowledge. Human know- ledge is fubject to error, and mifprifion. A phyfician may miftake the caufe of a difeafe; hut God's knowledge is unerring ; he can nei- ther deceive nor be deceived : he cannot de- ceive, be caufe he is truth; nor be deceived, becaufe he is wifdom. (5.) God's knowledge is inftanianeous. Our knowledge is facceflive, one thing after another. We argue from the eficft to the caufe. God knows things pair, prefent, and to come, wio intuitu, at once, they are all before him in one in ire profpeft. (1.) God's knowledge is retentive ; he never lofeth any of his knowledge 5 he bath Remnrif- centfa, as Weil as intelligent! a-) he renumbers rs well as under/lands. Many things elapfe cur of our mind, but God's knowledge is eter- nized. Things trnn (acted a thouiahd years ago, are as frefh to him, as if they were done but the laft minute. Thus he is perfect in knowledge. Obj. But is it not faid, Gem xviii. 21. / -will go down and 'fee whether they have done ac- cording to the cry which is come up unto me, and / iv ill know ? Anf. It could not be a nefciency, or that God was ignorant; becaufe there is mention made of a cry; but the Lord fpeaks there after the manner of a judge, who will firit examine the caufe before he paffeth the fentence. God, when he is upon a work of juflice, is not in a riot, as if he did not care where he hits ; but he goes on in a way of a circuit again It offen- ders, He lays judgment to the line, and righte- cujhefs to tSe plummet, Ifa. xxviii. 17; Obj. Hof. xiii. 13. The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up, their fin is hid? Anf. Not that his fin was hid from God, but his fin is hid, that is, it is recorded, it is laid up apainft a day of reckoning. That this is the meaning, is clear by the foregoing words, his iniquity is bound up: as the clerk "of the affizee binds up the indictments of ma- lefactors in a bundle, and at the affizes brings a fed Pie" fage of death. When /-P1^ minds are co- vered with ignorance/'tnis covering of the face is a fatal fore-ju/er ofdeilrucli in. 2. If* God be a gA °* knowledge, then He the folly of hypoc/y- Hypocrites do not vir- tutemfacere, bm/ngefe. Melanci. They carry it fair with me/> Dut carc not how b.nd their hearts are ; tj*'y live in fecret fin, Pf. lxxiii. i 1. Tky fay, fcw doth God know ? Pf. X. 1 1 Cod hit h forgotten, he hideth his face, he tuiHntvtr jl'e it. But, Pf. cxlvii. v. His under]} audi;:? is infinite. He hath a grate {crates) that leoks into mens breaits, he hath a key for the heart, he beholds all the ilnful workings of mens fpirits: as in a glafs-bivc we can fee the be s working in their combs, Mat. vi. 4. he fees in fecret ; in impios habet, Rivet. As a merchant enters down debts in his book, fo God hath his diaiy or day-book, and he enters down every fin into the book : he makes a critical defcant upon mens actions. Jeroboam's wife difguifed heifelf, that the prophet (hould not know her; but he dilcerned her, 1 Kings xiv. 6. Why feigneft thou thyfelf to be another ? The hypocrite thinks to prevaricate and juggle withGod,butGod will unmafk him,£"cc/. xii. 14. Cod fhall bring every work into judgment, with every fecret thing. Jer xxix. 32. They have committed villany in Ifrael, even I know, and am a witnejs, faith the Lord. Ay but the hypo- crite hopes he (hail colour over his fin, and makes it look very fpecious. - Abfalom mafks over his treafon with the pretence of a religious vow. Judas diiTembles his envy at Chriil, and covetoufhefis, with a pretence of charity to the poor, John xii. 5. Jehu makes religion a fiirrup to his ambitious defign, 1 Kings x. 16. But God fees through thefe fig-leaves. You may fee a jade under his gilt trappings, Jer. xvi. 17. Their iniquities are not hid fom mine eyes. And he that hath an eye to fee, will find an hand to punifh. Ufe 2. Of exhortation. Is God fo infinite. in his knowledge ? Then we mould always let ourfelves as under his omnifcient eye. Sic vivendum eft tanquam in confpeclu, Seneca. Let us.fet David's profpect before our eye, Pf. xvi. 8. 1 have Jet the Lord always before me. Seneca counfelled Lucilius, that whatever he was doing, he fliould imagine fome of the KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. j j Roman woithies before him, and then he would do nothing diihonourable. The conn- deration of God's omnifeiency would, 1. Be preventive of much fin. The eye of man will reflrain from fin ; and will not God's eyes much more ? EJih. vii. 8- Will he free the queen before me, when I ft and and look on.9 Will we fin when our judge looks on ? Would men fpeak Co vainly, if they corrfidered God over-heard them r Latimer took heed to every word in his examination, when he hea-.d the pen go behind the hangings : Co, what caro would perfons have of their words, if they re- memfcred God heard, and the pen is going in heaven: would men go after Ibange flefh, if tl ey believed God were a fipcclatqaj of their v ickednefs, and would make them do pennancfe in heli for it ? Would they defraud in their dealings* and ufe falie weights, if they thought God law them, and for making their weights lighter would make their damnation heavier ? 2. The lining ourfelves as under the eye of God's omnifeiency, would caufe reverence in the worfhip of God. God fees the frame and carriage of our hearts when we come before him: how would this call in our ftragling thoughts ? How would this animate and fpirit duty ? It would make us put fire to the incefrte, Ails xxvi. 7. The tribes inflantly fervtd (,c.4 day and night, omnibus venibus, with the ut- moll zeal and intenfenefs of fpi/it. To fhi God is in this place, he beholds us, would add w ings to prayer, and oil to the flame of our devotion. 2. Is God's knowledge infinite ! Study Cn, - rity, be what you feem, x Sam. xvi. 7. The 1 looketh upon the heart. Men judge of the h by the actions, God judgeth of the actions by the heart : if the heart be fincere, God will fee the faith, and wink at the failing. Afa had his blemilhes, but his heart was right with God, 2 Chron. xv. 17. God law his fincerity, and par- doned his infirmity. Sincerity in a Ghriitian, is like chaltity in a wife, which doth excufe many failings. Sincerity makes our duties ac- ceptable, like mufk among linen, that perfumes if. As Jehu laid to Jehonadab, 2 Kings x. 13. Is thy heart right with me ? And he faid, It is. if it be, faith he, give me thy Land ; and he took him up into the chariot : Co, if God fee our heart is right, that we love him, and defign his glory, now faith he, give me your prayers and tears; now you (hall come up with me into the tri- umphant chariot of glory. Sincerity mdkfctf our & 1 ' fer- OF THE KNOWLEDGE 0? GOD. fcrvices to be golden, and God will not cad away this gold tho' it may want fome weight. Is God omnifcient, and his eye chiefly upon the heart ? wear this girdle of truth about you and never leave it off. Ufe 3. Of comfort. Is God a God of infinite knowledge? Then there is comfoit, 1. To the faints in particular, z. To the Church in gene- ral, in three refpects. 1. In cafe of private devotion. Chridian, thou fetteft hours apart for God, thy thoughts run upon him as thy treafure : God takes notice of every good thought, Mai. iii. 17. He had a book of remembrance written for them that thought upon his name. Thou entered into thy clofet, and prayed to thy father in fecret ; he hears every llgh and groan, Pf. xxxviii. 9. My groaning is not hid from thee. Thou wa- tered the feed of thy prayer with tears, God bottles every tear, Pj lvi. 8. Put thou my tears into thy bottle. When the ferrets of all hearts ihall be opened, God will make an honourable mention of the zeal and devotion of his people, and he himfelf will be the herauld of their pratfes, 1 Cor iv. 5. Then fliall every man have praife of Cod. 2. The infinitenefs of God's knowledge is a comfort, in cafe the faints have not fo clear a knowledge of rhemfelves. They find fo much corruption, that they judge they have no grace, Gen. xxv. 22 If it be fo, ivhy am I thus ? If I have grace, why is my heart in fo dead and earthly a frame ? O remember, God is of in finite knowledge, he can fpy grace where thou canft not ; he can fee grace hid under corruption, as the dars may be hid under a cloud. God can fee that holinefs in thee which thou canft not difcern in thy felf : he can fpy the flower of grace in thee, though overtopped With weeds, 1 Kings xiv. 13. Becaufe there is in him fome good thing. God fees fome good thing in his people, when they can fee no good in themfelves ; anj though they judge rhem- felves, he will ,-lve lnem an abfolurion. 3. It is comfort ,1 refpecl: of pcrfonal injuries. It is the faints loito fuffer . the head being crowned with thorn. the feet mud not tread upon rofes. If faint. find a real" purgatory, it is in this life ; but ths js the comfort, God fees what wrong is don- to them ; the apple of his eye is touched, an! is not he fenfible ? St. Paul was fcourged by kruel hands, 1 Cor. xi. 35. Thrice was I beaten w'tth rods ;\ as if you-fhould fee a fcullion whip ^he king's fon. God beholds it, Exod. iii. 7. I know their orro'vs. The wicked make wounds in the backs of the faints, and then pour in vinegar ; God writs, down their cruelty. Believers are part of Chrid's ■ mydical body ; and for ever drop of a faint's blood fpilt, God puts a drop of wrath in his vial. 2. Comfort. to the church of God in general. If God be a God of knowledge, he fees all the plots of the enemies againd Sion, and can make them prove abortive. The wicked are fubtile, having borrowed their fkill of the old fcrpent; they dig deep to hide their counfeis from God, but he fees them, and can eallly counter- work them. The dragon is defcribed with feven heads, Rtv. xii. 3. to mew how he plots againft the church : but God is defcribed with feven eyes, Zach. iii. 9. to mew, that he fees all the plots and dratagems of the enemies 5 and when they deal proudly, he can be above them. Co?ne, faith Pharaoh, let us deal wifely, Exod. i. 10. and he never played the fool moie than when he thought to deal wifelv, Exod. xiv. 23. In the morning-watch the Lord looked to the hofl of the Egyptians, by the pillar of fire, and troubled the hofl. How may this be as fap in the vine, and may comfort the church of God in her militant date ? The Lord hath an eye in all the councils and combinations of the enemy; he fees them lay their train, and can blow them up in their own mine. ■4, t* i>, ♦, *, *, <\ $ ttS.1 O -'.L- .*ii .iiiu '.1 L;v7-'! ;.-.'- h * - " ,*, .*. *-. .% .% & *. .15:. .*. .% % .% *. .% .% .% .*> .*, .% ^ .% h. •**; > ' -Jt.rl t ■- J ■: --.-J I '-'■ J tS i tk.il t-3; t*£5 iioJ U£3 U >J U&S (. i&B tSi Cjiij btU W«j "ijJ cXi: taifJ CiiL tt« OF THE ETERNITY OF GOD. TH E next attribute is, Cod is eternal, Pf. •xc. 2. From everlafling to evcrlaftimr thou art Cod. The ichool-men didinguifh be- tween a?vum (j eternum, to explain the notion of eternity. There is a three-fold being, 1. Such a being as had a beginning, and mall have an end : io all fenfitive creatures, the beads, fowls, fifties; thefe at death are dedroyed, and return to duft, their being ends with their life. 2. Such a being as had a beginning, but dull OF THE ETERNITY OF GOIi. • Jhall have no end, as the angels and fouls of men ; they are eternal a parte po/}, they abide for ever. 3. Such a being as is without be- ginning, and without ending, and that is pro- per only ta God. He is femper exiftens, viz. from everlafting to everlafting ; it is God's title, a jeweLof his crown. (1.) He is called the king eternal, 1 Tim. i. 17. (2.) Jehovah, a word that properly fets out God's eternity ; a word ib dreadful^ that the Jews trembled to name or read it, therefore ufed another word, idouai Lord. Jehovah contains in it time paft, prefent, and to come, Rev. i. 14. Which is and -which was, and which is to conic ,• it interprets the word Jehovah. Which is \ He fubfifts of himfelf, having a pure and independent being. It Inch was] God only was before time. There is no fearching into the records of eternity. Which is to come] Mis kingdom hath no end : his ci own hath no fucceflbrs, Heb. i. 8. Thy throne, 0 God, is for ever and ever. The doubling of the word ratifies the certainty of it, as the doubling of Pharaoh's dream did. I (hall prove that God only could be eternal, without beginning. An- gels could not, they are but creatures, thou h fpii its ; they were made, and therefore their beginning may be known, their antiquity may be fearched into : if you afk, when were they created ? Some think before the world was; but not fo : for what was before time was eternal : the. angels firft rife and original reacheth no higher than the beginning of the world. It is thought by the learned, that the angels were made that day on which the heavens were made, Job xxxviii. 7. When the morning fiars Jang together, and all the fons of God fhouted for joy. St. Hierorn, Gregory, and venerable Bede, understand it of the angels, when God laid the foundation-ftone of the world, the an- gels being then created, did fing the anthems of joy and praife ; the angels could not be be- fore time, for what was before time was eter- nal. It is only proper to God to be eternal, without beginning: He is Alpha and Omega, the firft and tbelaft, Rev. i. 8. No creature can write itifelf A pha, that is only a flower of the crown of heaven, Exod. i'i. 1 4. I am that ' am, viz. He who exifts from and to eternity. Ufe 1. Here is thunder and lightning to the wicked; God is eternal, therefore the torments of the wicked are eternal. God lives for ever; and as long as God lives he will be punifhing the damned This, me-thinks, (hould be as that hand-writing upon the wall, Dan. v. 6. it fhould make their joynts to b: loefed, &c. The fmner takes liberty to fin, he breaks God's laws, like a wild beafl that breaks over the hedge, and leaps into forbidden pafture ; he fins with greedinefs, Eph- iv. 19. as if he thought he could not fin fall enough. But remember, this is one of God's nanus, Eternal ; and as long as God is eternal, he hath time enough to reckon with all his enemies. To make din- ners tremble, let . them think of thefe three things ; the torments of the damned are with- out InvermiiTion, without Mixture, and Eternal. 1. Without lntermifjion. Tlv.ir pains (hall be acute and fharp, and no relaxation ,- the lire fhall not be flackned or abated, Rev. xiv. 10. They have no reft day nor night ; like one that hath bis joints ftretched continually on the rack, and hath no eafe : therefore the wrath of God is compared to a ftrcam of brimftonc, Ifa. xxx. 33. Why to a ftrcam? Becaufe a ftream runs without intermiflion ; it runs, and doth not flop: fo God's wrath runs like a ftream, and pours out without any intermiflion. In the pains of this life, there is fome abatement and intermiflion; the fever abates, after a fit of the ftone the patient hath fome eafe : but the pains of hell are intenfe and violent, in fumvio gradu ; the damned foul never faith, I am now more at esCe. 1. Without Mixture. Hell is a place of pure juftice. In this life, God in anger remembers mercy, he mixeth compafllcn with fulfering, Dent xxxiii. 25. A/her & fhoe was of iron, but his foot was dipt in oil. Affliction is the iron- fhoe, but mercy is mixed with it ; here is the foot dipt in oil. But the torments of the damned have no mixture, Rev- xiv. 10. They jloall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture. No mixture of mercy. How is the cup of wrath faid to be full of mixture, Ff. Ixxv. 8. The wine is red, it is full of mixture ; yet in the Revelation it is faid to be without mixture ? It is full of mixture, that is, it is full of all the ingredients that may make it bitter ; the worm, the fire, the curfe of God, all thefe are bitter ingredients. It is a cup mixed, yet it is with- out mixture, viz. there fhall be nothing to af- ford the leaft comfort, no mixture of mercy ; Jo it is a cup without mixture. In the facri- fice ofjealoufv, Numb. v. 15. there was no oil put to it ; Fo, in the torments of the damned, there is no oil of mercy to abate their fujFerii 3. "Without CeJJation, eternal. The jMeafuresv cf p OF* THE ETERNITY OF GOD. 6ffl» are but for a fcafon, but the torments of the wicked are for ever. Sinners have a flion ivaft, but a long reckoning. Orlgen er- r'oneoufly thought, that after a thoufand years the damned fliould be releaicd out of their mi- fcry : but the worm, the fire, the prifon are all eternal, Rev. xv. if. The Jmoke of their torment afcendeth up for ever and ever. Poe- na? ge herniates puniunt, non finiunt, Profper. Eternity is a lea without bottom and banks. After millions of years, there is not one minute in eternity walled ; and the damned muft be ever burning, but never con fuming, always dy- ing, but never dead, Rev. ix. 6. They jliall feek death, but fhall not find it. The fire of hell is fuch, as multitude of tears will not quench it, lengrh of time will not finidi it ; the vial of God's wrath will be always drop- ping upon a finner. As long as God is eter- nal, he lives for ever to be avenged upon the wicked. O eternity ! eternity ! who can fa- thom it? Mariners have their plummets to 'meafure the depth of the fea ; but what line or plummet (hall we ufe to fathom the depth of eternity ? The breath of the Lord kindles the infernal lake, Ifa.xxx.. 33. and where fhall we have engines or buckets to quench that fire ? O eternity! If all the body of the earth and fea were turned to fand, and all the air up to the ftarry heaven were nothing but fand, and a lit- tle bird mould come every thoufandth year, and fetch away in her bill, but the tenth part of a grain of all that heap of fand, what a number- lefs number of years would be'fpent before that vaft heap of fand would be fetcht away ? Yet if at the end of all that time the finnef might come out of hell (tho' long) yet there would be fome hope : but this word Ever, breaks the heart, The 'moke of their torment afcendeth up for ever and ever. What a terror is this to the wicked, enough to put them into a cold fweat, to think, as long as God is eternal, he lives for ever to be avengcd*upon finners ! Q11. Here a queftion may be moved, Why fin , that is committed in a Jhort time, floould be pu~ nifhed eternally ? An'". We mull hold with St. Auguftine, " that God's judgments on the wicked, occulta efj'e pofj'unt, ivjujla e/fe non poffunt, may be fecret, fadeth not aivay. The wicked have a never- but never ar.juft." The reafon why fin com- dying worm, and the godly a never-fading mined in a limit time is eternally punifhed, is, crown. O how fhould this be 0 fpur to virtue ! becaufe every fin is committed againft an infinite How willing fliould we be to work for God ? elllnce. and no k!:3 than eternity of punifhment Tho* we had nothing here, God hath time jcau furisfy. Why is treafon punifhed with enough confifcation and death, but becaufe it is againfi the king's perfon, which is facred ? much more that oheiice which is againfi ("loci's crown and dignity, is of an hainous and infinite nature, and cannot be fatisfled with iefs than eternal punifliment. Ufe 2. Of comfort to the godly : God is eter- nal, therefore lives for ever to reward the god- ly, Rom. ii. 7. To them ivho feek for glory, and honour ; eternal life. The people of God here are in a fufTering condition, Acts xx. 23. Bonds and afflictions abide me. The head being crowned with thorns, the feet muft not tread upon rofes. The wicked are clad in purple, and fare delicioufly, while the godly fuffer. Goats climb upon the high mountains, while Chrift's fheep are in the valley of flaughter. But here is the comfort, God is eternal, and he hath appointed eternal recompences for the faints : in heaven are frefh delights, fweetnefs without furfeit ; and that which is the crown and zenith of heaven's happinefs, is, it is eter- nal, 1 John ii- 25. "Were there but the leafl: fufpicion that this glory muft ceafe, it would much eclipfe, yea imbitterit: but it is eternal. What angel can fpan eternity? z Cor. iv. 17. An eternal weight of glory. The faints fhall bathe themfelves in the rivers of divine plea- fure; and thefe rivers can never be dried up, Pf. xvi. II. At thy right hand are pleafures for evermore. This is the Elah, the highefl ft rain in. the apoftle's rhetoric, 1 Theff. iv. 17. Ever with the Lord. There is peace without trouble, eafe without pain, glory without end, ever with the Lord. Let this comfort the faints in all their troubles ; their fufFerings are but fhort, but their reward is eternal. Eternity makes heaven to be heaven ; 'tis the diamond to the ring: O bleffed day, that fhall have no night ! the fun-light of glory fhall rife upon the foul, and. never fet ! O bleffed fpring, that fhall have no autumn, or fall of the leaf! the Roman emperors have three crowns (bt u- pon their heads, the firfl of iron, the fecond offilver, the third of gold: fo the Lord lets three crowns on his children, grace, comfort, and glory ; and this crown is eternal, 1 Pet. v. 4. Ye fhall receive a crown of glory that OF THE ETERNITY Of GOD. cn°ugh to reward his people ; the crown of eternity fhall be fet upon- their head. Ufe 3. Of exhortation. 1. In general, ftu'dy eternity. Our thoughts fhould chiefly run upon eternity. We are all for the prefent, fomething that may delight the fenfes. If we could have lived (as Augujrine faith) a cunabulis mundi from the infancy of the world to the world's old age, what were this ? What is time, meafured with eternity ? As the earth is but a fmall point to the heaven, fo time is but, nay fcarce a minute to eternity ! Aftnos csiernos in mente habe : Brethren, wc are every day travelling to eternity : and whether we wake or fleep, we are going our journey ; fome of us are upon the hordes of eternity. O Andy the fhortnefs of life and the length of eternity. 2. Moie particularly; think of God's eterni- ty, and the foul's eternity. 1. Think of God's eternity. He is the Ancient of days, wlio was before' all time. There is a figurative des- cription of God, Dan. vii. 9. The Ancient of days did fit, who fe garment was white as now, and the hair of his head like the pure wool. Hi6 white garm.nt, wherewith he was clothed, fignified his nujeAy ; his hair like the pure wool his holinefs ; and the ancient of days, his eternity. The thoughts of God s eternity would make us have high adoring thoughts of God. We are apt to have mean, irreverent thoughts of him, Pf. 1. 21. 'Thou thoughtel} I was fnc h an one as thyfeif; weak and mortal, but if we would think on God's eternity, when all power ceafeth, he is King eternal, his crown flourifherh for ever, who can make us happy o*r miferable for ever, this would make us have adoring thoughts of God ; Rev. iv. 10. The four and twenty elders faH down before him that fat upon the throne, and worfhip him that liveth for ever and ever, and caft their crowns before the throne. The faints fall down, to fignify by that humble pofture, that they are not worthy to fit in God's prefence. They fall down and they worfhip him that liveth for ever and ever ; they do as it were kifs his feet, and they caft their crowns before the throne, they lay all their honour at his feet : thus they fhew humble adoration to the eternal elTence. Study God's eternity, it will make us adore where we cannot farhom. 2. Think of the foul's eternity. As God is eternal, Co he hath made us eternal. We are fisvei'-dying crea-5 tures ; we are fhortly entring upon an eternal Aate, either of happinefs or mifery. Have fe- rious thoughts of this: fay, O my foul, which of thefe two eternities is like to be thy portion? I muA fhortly depart hence, and whither then ftrall I go, to which of thefe eternities, either of glory or mifery ? The ferious meditation of the eternal Aate we are to pafs into, would work ftrongly with us. 1. Thoughts of eternal torments are a good antidote againftfm ; fin tempts with its pleasure ; but when we think of eternity, it may cool the intemperate heat of kill. Shall 1, for the pleafure of fin for a feafon, endure eternal pain? Sin, like thofe locufls, Rev. ix. ?. feems to have on its head a crown like gold, but it hath in it a tail like a fcorpion, ver. 10. and a fling in its tail, and this fling can never be plucked out. Shidl I vulture eternal wrath ? Is fin committed fo fweet, as lying in hell for ever is bitter ? This would make us flee from iin, as Moles from the ferpent. 2. The ferious thoughts of eternal happinefs would very much take us off from thef. world- ly things; we fhould not efleem much of them : what are thefe fublunary tilings to eternity? thev are quickly gone, they falute us, and take their farewel. But I am to enter upon an everlafling eflate ; I hope to live with him who is eternal : what is the world to me ? They who fland upon the top of the Alps, the great cities of Campania feem as fmall things in their eyes ; fo he who hath his thoughts^lixed on his eternal flare after this life, all thefe things feem as nohing in his eye. What is the <*lo- ry of this world ? how poor and contemptible compared with an eternal weight of glorv ? 3. To conclude ; The ferious thoughts of am eternal flate, either of happintfl; or mifery, would have a powerful' influence upon whatso- ever we take in hantl : every work we do, pro- mores either a blefled or curled eternity ; every good action fets us a ftefl nearer to an eternity of happinefs ; every bad action /Its us a flep nearer to an eternity of mifery^ O what in- fluence would the thoughts of eternity have upon our religious duties ? It would make us do them with all our might : a duty well perform- ed, lifts a Chriflian higher towards heaven, and fets a Ghriflian a flep nearer to a blefled eternity GOD'S I 40 3 **. ft *, * *, .*. .ft, A ,4 ft ?• A A A A A * A A -*• A A A A A A A A A A A jgb iii «S &fe> i*4i i» «*J u« «*: t*»J «*3 • - J t£o c-.m tw ti«« dt; ui w; (£»*&» t*o uas (Su Gk i&- (3> jgj £&» GOD'S UNGHANGEABLENESS. THE next attribute is God's unchangeable- nefs, Mai. iii. 6. /. & & $? •$• * (Mi d§3 w5j u£? t&j ca£j iMs &? wb wh u£s «.L* G5a <£&: <2a t£u tSSb tits tka 6jo tits ta*} cits e*o ooj t*o wSa uttt ma t*o u^s t2*a w^j ma: He coun- ter-works his enemies; he pulls down their flags and banners of pride, infatuates utheir counfels, breaks their forces ; and he doth ie with eafe, with the turning of his hand, Pfal. lxxxi- 14. with his breath. Ifa. xl- 24. with a look' That is all it needs coft God to deftroy his enemies; a look, a caft of his eye, Exod. xiv. 24- The Lord looked into the ho/? of the Egyptians, thro* the pillar of fire, and troub- led their hoft. Who fhall flop him in his march ? God commands, and all creatures in heaven and earth obey him. Xerxes the Perfian monarch, threw fetters into the fea, when its waves fwelled, as if he would have chained up the waters ; but when God fpeaks, the wind and fea obey him ; if he fay but the word, the ftars fight in their courfe again ft Si- fera ; if he ftamp with his foot, an army of an- gels fhall prefently be in a battalia. What can- not omnipotent power do ? The Lord is a man of war, Exod- xv. iii. He hath a mighty armt Pf. lxxxix- 13- God's power is a. glorious power Col. i. 1 1. I. It is an irrefiftible power, Rom. ix. 19. Who hath refifled his will? To conteft with him, is as if the thorns fhould fet them- felves in battle array again ft the fire ; or as if an infirm child fhould fight with an arch-an- gel. 48 OF G O D 'S POWER. gel- If the firmer be once taken in God's iron net, there is no efcaping, Ifa xliii. 13. There is none that can deliver out of my hand- 2 God's power is an inexhauftible power, it is never fpent or wafted. Men, while they exercife their ftrength, weaken it ; but God hath an everlaf- ting fpring of ibrength in him, Ifa- xxvi. 4. Tho* he fpends his arrows upon his enemies, Deut. xxxii. 23. yet he doth not fpend his firength, Ifa- xl- 28. He fainteth not, neither is weary. Obj. Can Cod do all things? he cannot deny himfe.f. Anf. Tho5 God can do all things, he cannot do that which ftains the glory of his Godhead : he cannot fin ; he cannot do that which implies a contradiction. To be a God of truth, and yet deny himfelf, is a contradiction. Ufe 1. If God be Co infinite in power, Fear this great God- We are apt to fear fuch as are in power ; Jer. v. 32- Fear ye not me? faith the Lord : Will ye not tremble at my prefence? He hath power to cafl our fouls and bodies into hell, Ff. xc. 11. Who knows the power of his wrath ? God can with the fame breath that made us, diffolve us : His eyes are as a flame sf fire ; the rocks are thrown down by him, Nahj i- 6- Solomon faith, Where the word of a king is, there is power, Eccb viii- 4. much more where the word of God is- O let us fear this mighty God J The fear of God will drive out all other bafe fear. Ufe 2- See the deplorable condition of wick- ed men : 1 • This power of God is not for them : 2- It is againft them- 1. This power of God is not for them : they have no union with God, therefore have no warrant to lay claim to his power. His power is no relief to them- He hath power to forgiye fins, but he will not put forth his power towards an impenitent finner- God's power is an eagle's wing, to carry the faints to heaven: but what privilege is that to the wicked ; tho' a man will carry his child in his arms over a dangerous water, yet he will not carry an ene- my in his aims. God's power is not engaged to help thbfe that fight againft him- Let mi- leries come upon the wicked, they have none to help them ; they are like a fhip in a ftorm without a pilot, driven upon the rocks- 2. This power of God is againft the wicked. God's pewer will not be the ftriner's fhield to defend him, but a fword to wound him- God's power will bind the finner in chains. God's power lei ves to revenge the wrong done to his mercy. God will be almighty to damn the finner. Now in what a condition is every un- believer ; God's power is engaged againft him, and it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, Hcb. x. 31. Ufe 3. It reproves fuch as do not believe this power of God. We fay, we do not doubt of God's power, but his will. But indeed it is God's power that we queftion. Is any thing tot hard for God? Jer. xxxii. 27. yet we ftagger thro' unbelief, as if the arm of God's power were fhrunk, and he could not help in defperate cafes. Take away a king's power, and we un- king him ; take away the Lord's power, and we un-God him: yet how. guilty of this are we ! Did not Ifrael queftion God's power ! Can he prepare a table in the wildernefs ? PC. Ixxviii. 19. they thought the wildernefs was a fitter place for making of graves, than fpreading of a table. Did not Martha doubt of Chrift's power ? John xi. 39. He hath been dead four days. If Chrift had been there while Lazarus was fick, or when he had been newly dead, Martha did not queftion but Chrift could have raifed him ; but he had lain in the grave four days, and now Cne feemed to queftion his power. Chrift had as much ado to raife her faith, as to raife her dead brother. And Mcfes, tho' an holy man, yet limits God's power thro' unbe- lief, Num. xi. 21. The people among whom I am, are fix hundred thoufand footmen; and thou hafl faid, I will give them flejh for a whole month : /hall the flocks and the herds be flain for them to fuffice them ? or Jhall all the fifjj of the fea be gathered for them to fuffice them? And the Lord faid unto Mofes, Is the Lord's hand waxed Jl)ort ? This is a great affront to God, to go to deny his power. That men doubt of God's power, appears, 1. By their taking indirect courfes. Would they defraud in their dealings, ufe falfe weights, if they be- lieved the power of God, that he could pro- vide for them ? 2. By their depending more upon fecond caufes than upon God, 2 Chron. xvi. 12. In his difeafe, he fought not to the Lord, but to the phyfician. Ufe 4. If God be infinite in power, then let us take heed of hardning our hearts againft God, Job ix. 4. Who hath hardned himfelf a- gain/} him, and profpered 1 Job fends a chal- lenge to all creatures in heaven and earth, Who is he did ever take up the bucklers againft God, and came off conqueror ? For a perfon to go on daringly in any fin, is to harden his heart OF GOD'S POWER. 49 heart againft God, and as it were to raife a war againft heaven ; and let him remember God is El/baddai, almighty ; he will be too hard for them that oppofe him, Job xl. 9- Haft thou an arm like Gcd ? Such as will not bow to his golden fceptre, fhall be broken with his iron rod. Julian hardened his heart againft God, he oppofed him to his face ; but what got he at lafi ? did' he profper ? Being wounded in battle, he threw up his blood into the air, and faid to Chrift, Vicifti, Galilcee, " O Galilean, thou hail overcome ;" I acknowledge thy power, whofe name and truth I have oppofed. Will folly contend with wifdom ? Weaknefs with power ? Finite with infinite ? O take heed of hardning your heart againft God ! he can fend legions of angels to avenge his quarrel. It is better to meet God with tears in your eyes, than weapons in your hand. You may overcome God fooner by repentance, than by refiftance. Ufe 5. Get an intereft in God, and then this glorious power is engaged for you. God gives it under his hand, that he will put forth the whole power of his Godhead for the good of his people, 1 Chr. xvii. 24. The Lord ofhofts is the God of Ifrael, even a God to Ifrael. This almightinefs of God's power is a wonderful fup- port and comfort to every believer. It was Samfon's riddle, Judges xiv. 14. Out of the Jlrong came forth < Jweetnefs : So out of the attri- bute of God's power, out of this ftrong comes forth fweetnefs. It is comfort in feveral cafes, 1. In cafe of ftrong corruption. My fins, faith a child of God, are potent ; I have no power againft this army that comes againft me; I pray, and humble my foul by fafting, but my fins return upon me. Ay, but doft thou believe the power of God ? The ftrong God can conquer thy ftrong corruption ; tho' fin be too hard for thee, yet not for him ; he can fbf- ten hard hearts, quicken the dead. Is any thing too hard for the Lord? Gen. xviii. 14. Set God's power on work. By faith and prayer, fay, Lord ! it is not for thy honour that the devil fliould have fo ftrong a party within me ; O break the head of this Leviathan ; Abba, Fa- ther, all things are poffible to thee. 2. In cafe of ftrong temptation. Satan is called the ftrong man : O but remember the power of God ; Chrift is called, The lion of the tribe of Judah, he hath broken the ferpent's head upon the crofs. Satan is a chained ene- my, and a conquered enemy : Michael h ftrong- er than the dragon. 3. Comfort in cafe of weaknefs of grace, and fear of falling away. I pray, but I cannot fend out ftrong cries ; I believe, but the hand of my faith doth fhake and tremble. Cannot God ftrengthen weak grace ? 2 Cor. xii. 9. My Jlrength is made perfecl in weaknefs : mojt gladly therefore will I rather glory in mine in- firmities, that the power of Chrift may refi upon me. I fear I fhall not hold out. Chriftian, doft thou believe the power of God ? Hath not God preferved thy grace thus fir ? May 'ft thou not fet up thy Ebenezer ? God hath kept thy grace hitherto as a fpark in the main ocean. And is not he able ftill to keep thy grace ? 1 Pet. i. 5. We are kept by the power of God, Sec. God's mercy pardons us, but his power pre- ferves us. He who by his power keeps the ftars that they do not fallout of their orb, keeps our grace that it doth not fail or annihilate. 4. Comfort in cafe of the deficiency in thy eftate. Gad can multiply the oil in the cruife; miraculoufly he can raife up fupplies : God, who provides for the birds of the air, cannot he provide for his children ? He that clothes the lilies, cannot he clothe his lambs ? 5. Comfort in regard of the refurredlion. This feems difficult to believe, that the bodies of men, when eaten up by worms, devoured by beafts and fifties, or confumed to afties, fhould be raifed the fame numerical bodies; but if we believe the power of God, it is no great won- der ; which is hardeft, to create, or raife the dead : he that can make a body of nothing, can reftore it to its parts, when mingled and confounded with other fubftances, Mat. xix. 26. With God all things are poffible. If we believe the firft article of the creed, That God is al- mighty, we may quickly believe the other ar- ticle, The refurrecTion of the body. God can raife the dead becaufe of his power, and he can- not but raife them, becaufe of his truth. 6. It is comfort in reference to the church of God: he can fave and deliver it when it is brought low. The enemies have power in their hand, but the remainder of wrath God will reftrain, Pf. lxxvi. 10. God can either con- fine the enemies power or confound it: If God be for us, who can be againft us : God can cre- ate Jerusalem a praife, Ifa. lxv. 18. The church in Ezekiel, is compared to dry bones, but God made breath to enter into them, and they lived, Ezek. xxxvii. 10. The fhip of the church may G be 5° OF THE HOLINESS OF GOD. be to/Ted, becaufe fin is in it, but it fhall not be overwhelmed, becaufe Ghrift is in it, Pf. xlvi.5. Deus in medio. All the church's pangs mail help forward her deliverance. OF THE HOLINESS OF GOD. rpilF, next attribute is God's Holinefs, Exod. JL xv. 11. Glorious in holinefs. Holinefs is the moil fparkling jewel of his crown ; it is the name by which God is known, Pf. cxi. 9. Holy and reverend is his name. He is the holy One, job vi. 10. Seraphims cry, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hofts, the -whole earth is full of his gfory, Ifi. vi. 3. His power makes him mighty, his holinefs makes him glorious: God's holinefs confifts in his perfect loving ofrighte- oufnefs, and abhorrency of evil, Hab. i. 13. Of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look 071 iniquity. 1/?, God is holy intrinfically : 1. He is holy in his nature; his very being is made up of holinefs, as light is of the eflence of the fun. 2. He is holy in his word ; the word bears a (lamp of his holinefs upon it, as the wax bears an impreffion of the feal, Pf cxix. 140. Thy ivord is very pare ; it is compared to filver re- fined kven times, Pf. xii. 6. Every line in the word breathes fanclity, it encourageth nothing but holinefs. 3. God is holy in his opera- tions, all God doth is holy: he cannot act but like himfelf; he can no more do an unrighteous action, than the fun can darken, Pf. cxlv. 17. The Lord is holy in all his works. 2ly, God is holy primarily : he is the origi- nal and pattern of holinefs ; holinefs began at him who is the Ancient of days. 2,1}', God is holy efficiently : he is the caufe of all that holinefs in others, James i. 1 7. Every good gift and every perfect gift comes from above. He made the angels holy ; he infufed all that holinefs into Chrifl's human nature: all the holinefs we have is but one cryftal ftreara. from this fountain. We borrow all our holi- nefs from God ; as the lights of the fanctuary were lighted from the middle lamp, fo all the holinefs of others is a lamp lighted from hea- ven, Lev. xx. 8. I am the Lord which fanclify you. God is not only a pattern of holinefs, but he is a principle of holinefs : his fpring feeds all our cifterns, he drops his holy oil of grace upon us. 4/y, God is holy tranfeendently, 1 Sam. \\. 2. There is none holy as the Lord : no angel in heaven can take the juft dimenfions of God's holinefs. The highelt feraphim is too low of ftature, to meafure thefe pyramids : the holi- nefs hi God is far above the holinefs in faints or angels. 1. It is above the holinefs in flints, 1. It is a pure holinefs : the f:ints holinefs is like gold in the ore, imperfect ; their humility is itained with pride ; he that hath molt faith had need pray, Lord help my unbelief. But the holinefs of God is pure, like wine from the grape; it hath not the leaft dafh or tincture of impurity mixed with it. 2 A more unchangeable holi- nefs : the faints, tho' they cannot lofe the ha- bit of holinefs (for the feed of God remains) yet they may lofe fome degrees of their holi- nefs, Rev. ii. 4. Thou haft left thy fir Ji love* Grace cannot die, yet the flame of it may go out : holinefs in the faints is fubject to ebbing, but holinefs in God is unchangeable ; he never loft a drop of his holinefs : as he cannot have more holinefs, becaufe he is perfectly holy ; Co he cannot have lefs holinefs, becaufe he is un- changeably holy. 2. The holinefs in God is above the holinefs in the angels ; holinefs in the angels is only a quality, which may be loft, as we fee in the fallen angels ; but holinefs in God is his ef- fence, he is all over holy, and he can as Well lofe his Godhead as his holinefs. Obj. But, is not he privy to all the fins of men ? He beholds their impurities ; how can this be, and he not be defiled ? Anf. God fees all the fins of men, but is no more defiled with them, than the fun is defiled with the vapours that arife out of the earth : God fees fin, not as a patron to approve it, but as ? judge to punifh it. Ufe 1 . Is God fo infinitely holy ? Then fee how unlike to God fin is : Sin is an unclean thing, it is hyperbolically evil, Rom. i. 13. It is called an abomination, Deut. vii. 25. God hath no mixture of evil in him : fin hath no mixture OF THE HOLINESS OF GOD. ct mixture of good ; it is the fpirits and quintef- fence of evil ; it turns good into 'evil; it hath deflour'd the virgin-foul, made it red with guilt, and black with filth : it is called the accurfed thing, Jofh.vn. n. No wonder, therefore, that God doth fo hate fin, being fo unlike to him, nay, (b contrary to him : it ftrikes at his holi- nefs ; fin doth all it can to fpight God ; fin would not only un-throne God, but un-god him; if fin could help it, God lhould be God no longer. Ufe 2. Is God the Holy One, and is his holi- nefs his glory ? Then how impious are they, (i.) That are haters of holinefs? As the vul- ture hates perfumes, fo they hate this fweet perfume of holinefs in the faints; their hearts life againlt holinefs ; as a man's ftomach at a difh he hath an antipathy againft. There is not a greater fign of a perfon devoted to hell, than to hate one for that thing wherein he is mod like God, his holinefs. (2.) That are def- pifers of holinefs ; they defpife the glory of the Godhead, Glorious in holinefs. The def- pifing of holinefs is fcen in the deriding of it; is it not fad, men fhould deride that which fhould fave them ? Sure that patient will die that derides the phyfic. The deriding the grace of the fpirit comes near to the defpighting the fpirit of grace. Scoffing Ifhjnael was call out of Abraham's houfe, Gen. xxi. 9. Such as feoff at holinefs, fhali be call: out of heaven. Ufe 2. Of exhortation : Is God fo infinitely holy, then let us endeavour to imitate God in holinefs, 1 Pet. i. 16. Be ye holy, for I am holy. There's a twofold holinefs, an holinefs of equa- lity, and an holinefs of fimilitude: an holinefs of equality no man or angel can reach to; who can be equally holy with God ? "Who can parallel him in fanclity ? But, 2. There is an holinefs of fimilitude, and that we mult, afpire after, to have fome analogy and refemblance of God's holinefs in us ; be as like him in holi- nefs as we can : tho' a taper doth not give fo much light as the fun, yet it doth refemble it. We mult imitate God in holinefs. Qu. Muft -we be like God in holinefs, wherein doth our holinefs confif} ? Anf. In two things, ly1?, In our fuitablenefs to God's nature. 2clly, Our fubjeclion to his will. 1. Our holinefs Hands in our fuitablenefs to the nature of God : hence the faints are faid to partake of the divine natiue, 2 Pet. i 4. which is not a partaking of his efiincc, but his image. Herein is the faints holinefs, when they are the lively pictures of God: they bear the image of God's meeknefs, mercifulnefs, heavenlinefs ; they are of the fame judgment with God, of the fame difpofition ; they love what he loves, and hates what he hates. 2. Our holinefs confilb in our fubjeclion to the will of God : as God's nature is the pattern, of holinefs, fo his will is the rule of holineis. This is our holinefs, (1.) When we do his will, Acls xiii. 22. (2-) When we bear his will, Mic. vii. 9. what he inflicts v/ifely, we fuffer willingly. This is our holinefs, when we are fuitable to God's nature, and fubmiflive to his will ; this fhould be our great care, to be like God in holinefs : our holinefs fhould be fo qua- lified as God's ; God's is a real holinefs, fuch fhould ours be, Eph. iv- 24. Righteoufnefs and true holinefs : It fhould not be only the paint ef holinefs, but the life of holinefs ; it fhould not only be like the Egyptian temples, beautified without, but like Solomon's temple, gold with- in, Pf x\v. 13. The king's daughter is glorious within. That I may prefs you to refemble God in holinefs. i. How illufirious every holy perfon is; he is a fair glafs in which fome of the beams of God's holinefs fhine fonh. We read, Aaron put on garments for glory and beauty, Exod. xxviii. 2. "When we wear the embroidered gar- ment of holinefs, it is for glory and beauty. A good Ghriitian is ruddy, being fprinkled with Ghiift's blood; and white, being adorned with holinefs. As the diamond to a ring, fo is ho- linefs to the foul. So beautiful a thing is holi- nefs, that, as Chryfoftom faith, they that oppofe it, cannot but admire it. 2. It is the great defign God carries on in the world, to make a people like hiinfelf in ho- linefs : what are all the flowers of the ordi- nances for, but to rain down righteoufnefs up.n us, and make us holy ? What are the promi- fes for, but to encourage holinefs? What is. the fending of the fpirit into the world for, but to anoint us with the holy unction ? 1 John ii. 20. What are all afflictions for, but to make us partakers of God's holinefs ? Heb. xii. 10. .What are mercies for ; but loaditones to draw us to holinefs ? What is the end ol Chi ill's dying, but that his blood might wafh away our unho- linefs i Tit. ii. 14. Who gave himfelf for us, to purify unto himfelf a peculiar people. So that if we are not holy, we crofs God's great defign in the world. G 2 1. It ft OF THE HOLINESS OF GOt). 3. It is our holinefs draws God's heart to us. Holinefs is God's image : God cannot choofe but love his image where he fees it. A king loves to fee his effigies upon a piece of coin : Pfi xlv. Thou lovej} rightecufnefs. And where cloth righteoufnefs grow, but in an holy heart ? Ifa. Ixii. 4. Thou /halt be called Hephfibah, for the Lord delighteth in thee : It was her holinefs drew God's love to her, v. 12. They /hall call them the holy people. God values not any by their high birth, but their holinefs. 4. Holinefs is the only thing that differenceth us from the reprobate part of the world: God's people have his feal upon them, 2 Tim. ii. 19. The foundation of God Jiandeth fure, having this feal, the Lord know eth them that are his. And let all that name the name ofChrifl, depart from iniquity. The people of God are fealed with a double feal, 1. Election, The Lord knows who are his. 2. Santtification, Let every one depart from iniquity. As a nobleman is dif- tinguifhed from another by his filver ftar ; as a virtuous woman is diftinguifhed from an harlot by her chaftity ; fo holinefs diftinguifheth be- tween the two feeds: all that are of God, as they have Chrift for their captain, Heb. ii. 10. fo holinefs is the white colour they wear. 5. Holinefs is our honour. Holinefs and ho- nour put together, 1 Theff. iv. 4. Dignity goes along with fanttification, */?«/. i. 6. He hath wa/hed us from our fins in his blood, and hath made us kings unto God. When we are warn- ed and made holy, then we are kings and priefts to God. The faints are called velfels of ho- nour ; they are called jewels, for the fparkling of their holinefs, becaufe filled with wine of the fpirit ; this makes them earthly angels. 6. Holinefs gives us boldnefs with God, Jer. xxiii. 26. Thou /halt put away iniquity /ar from thy tabernacle, and /halt lift up thy face unto God- Lifting up of the face is an emblem of boldnefs. Nothing can make us fo afhamed to go to God, as fin : a wicked man in prayer may lift up his hands, but he cannot lift up his face. When Adam had loft his holinefs, he loft his confidence ? he hid himfelf. But the holy perfon goes to God, as a child to his father ; his confeience doth not upbraid him with allowing any fin, therefore he can go boldly to the throne of grace, and have mercy to help in time of need, Heb. iv. 16. 7. Holinefs gives peace : fin raifeth a ftorrrt. in the confeience, Ubi peccatum ibi procella. Ifa. lvii. 2 1 . There is rio peace to the wicked. Righte- oufnefs and peace are put together. Holinefs is the root which bears this fwect fruit of peace: righteoufnefs and peace kifs each other. 8. Holinefs leads to heaven : holinefs is the king of heavens high way, Ifa. xxxv. 8. An high way /hall be there, and it fiall be called the way of holinefs- At Rome there was the temple of virtue and honour, and they were to go through the temple of virtue to the temple of honour: fo we mull go through the temple of holinefs to the temple of heaven. Glory begins in virtue, 2 Pet. i- 3. Who hath called us to glory and virtue ? happinefs is nothing elfe but the quin- teflence of holinefs ; holinefs is glory militant, and happinefs holinefs triumphant. Q_. What /hall we do to reftmble God in holinefs f Anfi Have recourfe to Chrift 's blood by faith ; it is lavacrum anima?, legal purifications : were types and emblems of it, 1 John \. 7. The word is a glafs to fhew us our fpots, and Ghrift's blood is a fountain to wafh them away. 2. Pray for an holy heart, PfiM. 10. Create in me a clean heart , 0 God. Lay thy heart be- fore the Lord, and fay, Lord, my heart is full of leprofy ; it defiles all it toucheth : Lord, I am iiOt fit to live with fuch an heart, for I cannot honour thee ; nor die with fuch an heart, for I cannot fee thee. O create in me a clean heart; fend thy fpirit into me, to refine and purify me, that I may be a temple fit for thee the holy God to inhabit- 3. Walk with them that are holy, Prov> xiii. 20. He that walketh with the wife /hall be wife. Be among the fpices and you'll fmell of them. Affociation begets affimulation : nothing hath a greater power and energy to effect holinefs, than the communion of faints. OF GOD'S JUSTICE. HE next attribute is God's juftice : all God's attributes arc identical, and are the fame with his efTence. Though he hath feveral attributes whereby he is made known to us, yet or GOD'S JUSTICE. 53 yet he hath but one efTence. A cedar tree may have feveral branches, yet it is but one cedar. So there are feveral attributes of God where- by we conceive of him, but one entire efTence. Well then, concerning God's juftice, Dr#/. xxxii. 4. Juft and right is he. Job xxxvii. 23. Touching the Almighty s we cannot find him out; he is excellent in plenty of juftice. God is faid to dwell in juftice, Pf. lxxxix. 14. Juftice and Judgment are the habitation of thy throne. In God power and juftice meet. Power holds the fceptre, and juftice holds the balance. Qu. WhtH is God's Juftice ? Anf. " Juftice is to give every one his due." God's juftice is the rectitude of his nature, where- by he is carried to the doing of that which is righteous and equal ; Prov. xxiv. 12. Shall not he render to every man according t9 his works ? God is an impartial judge ; he judgeth the caufe : men oft judge the perf©n, but not the caufe ; which is not juftice, but malice : God judgeth the caufe, Gen. xviii. 21. I will go down and fee whether they have done according to the cry which is come up unto me. Whea the Lord is upon a punitive aft, he weighs things in the ba- lance, he doth not punifh rafhly ; he doth not go in the way of a riot, but a circuit, againft offenders. Concerning God's juftice, I fhall lay down thefe fix pofitions. 1. God cannot but be juft. His holinefs is the caufe of his juftice. Holinefs will not fuf- fer him to do any thing but what is righteous. He can no more be unjuft, than he can be unholy. 2. God's will is the fupreme rule of juftice ; It is the ftandard of equity. His will is wife and good. God wills nothing but what is juft ; and therefore it is juft, becaufe he wills it. 3. God doth juftice voluntarily : juftice flows from his nature. Men may act: unjuftly, becaufe they are bribed or forced : God will not be bribed, becaufe of his juftice ; he cannot be forced, becaufe of his power- He doth juftice out of love to juftice, Heb. i. 9. Thou loveft righteoufnefs . 4. Juftice is the perfection of the divine na- ture. Ariftotle faith, juftice comprehends in it all virtues. To fay God is juft, is to fay, he is all that is excellent : perfections meet in him, as lines in a centre. He is not only juft, but juftice itfelf. 5. God never did, nor can do the leaft wrong to his creature. God's juftice hath been wronged but never did any wrong. God doth not go according to the fummum jus, or rigour of the law ; he abates fomething of his feverity. He might inflidb heavier penalties than he doth, Ezra ix. 13. Thou haft punijhed us lefs than our iniquities deferve ; our mercies are more than we deferve, our punifhments lefs. 6. God's juftice is fueh, that it is not fit for any man or angel to expoftulate with God, or demand a rcafon of his actions. God hath not only authority on his fide, but equity: He lays judgment to the line, and righteoufnefs to the plummet, Ifa. xxviii. 17. and it is below him to give an account to us of his proceedings. Which of thefe two is fitteft to take place, God's juftice or man's reafbn r Rom. ix. 20. Who art thou, 0 man, that replieft again ft God ? The plumb line of our reafon is too fhort to fathom the depth of God's juftice, Rom. xi. 35. How unft arch able are his judgments ! We arc to adore God's juftice, where we cannot fee a reafon of it. Now God's juftice runs in two channels ; It is feen in two things, the diftribution of? rewards and punifhments. 1. In rewarding the virtuous; Pf Iviii. n. verily there is a reward for the righteous. The faints fhall not ferve him for nought, he will reward prceces & lachrymas ; though they may belofers for him, they fhall not be lofers by him, Heb. vi. 10. Cod is not unrighteous to forget your work attd labour of love which ye have fhewed to his name. He gives a reward not that we deferved it, but becaufe he hath promifed it. 2. He is juft in punching offenders. And he is juft, 1. Becaufe he punifheth finners by a law. Where there is no law, there is no tranf- greffion, Rom. iv. [5. But God hath given men a law, and they break it, therefore he punilheth them juftly. 2. God is juft in punifhing the wicked j becaufe he never punifhed them, but upon full proof and evidence. What greater evidence than for a man's own confcience to be witnefs againft him ? There is nothing God chargeth upon a finner, but confcience doth fet feal to the truth of it. Ufe 1. See here another flower of God's crown, he is juft and righteous. He is the ex- amplar and pattern of juftice. Obj. But how doth it feem to ftand with God's juftice, that the wicked fhould profper in- the world? Jer. xii. 1. Wherefore doth the way of the wicked projper > This hath been a great ftumbling, and been ready to make many quc- ftioa God's juftice. Such as are highefl in fin> are 54 OF GOD'S JUSTICE. arc higheft in power. Diogenes feeing liar- paltts a thief go on profperouily, faid, Sure God hath caft off the government of the -world, and minded not how things went here below. Anf. i. The wicked may be fometimes in- ftruments to do Cod's works; though they do not delign his glory, yet they may promote it. Cyrus (Ezra i- 7.) was inftruraental in the build- ing of God's temple mferufalem. There is fome kind of juftice, that they mould have a tempo- ral reward : God lets them profper, under whofe wing his people are fheltered. God will not be in any man's debt ; Mai. i. 10. Who hath kind- led a fire on my altar for nought ? 2. God lets men go on in fin, and profper, that he may leave them more inexcufable, Rev. ii- 21. 1 gave her fpace to repent of her fornication. God adjourns the feffions, fpins out his mercies towards fmners ; and if they repent not, his patience will be a witnefs againft them, and his juftice will be more cleared in their condemnation, Pf. Ii. 4. That thou mightefi be juftified when thou fpeakej}, and be clear when thou judge ft. 3. God doth not always let the wicked prof- per in their fin ; fome he doth punifh openly, that his juftice may be taken notice of, Pf. ix. 16. The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth : that is, his juftice is feen by ftriking men dead in the very act of fin. Thus he ftruck Zimri and Cosine in the aft of un clean nefs. 4. If God do let men profper a while in their fin, his vial of wrath Is all this while fill- ing ; his fword is all this time whetting : and though God may forbear men a while, yet long forbearance is no forgivenefs. The longer God is in taking his blow, the heavier it will be at Lift; as long as there is eternity, God hath time enough to reckon with his enemies. Juftice may be as a lion afleep, but at laft this lion will awake, and rore upon the finner. Doth not Nero and Julian and Cain now meet with God's juftice ? Obj. But God's own people fuffer great af- flictions, they are injured and perfecuted, Pf. lxxiii. 14. All the day long have I been plagued, and chaftned every morning. How doth this ftand with God's juftice ? Anf. 1. That is a true rule of St. Auflin, Judicia Dei poffunt effe occulta, non injufla ; * God's ways of judgment are fometimes fecrct, but never unjuft." The Lord never afflicts his people without a caufe ; fo that he cannot be unjuft. There is fome good in the godly, there- fore the wicked afflict them ; there is fome evil in them, therefore God afflicts them. God's own children have their blemifhes, 2 Chron. - xxviii. 10. Are there not with you, even with you, fins again/} the Lord ? Thefe fpiritual dia- monds have they no flaws ? Do we not read of the fpots of God's children ? Deut. xxxii. 10. Are not they guilty of much pride, cenforioufnefs, paffion, worldlinefs ? Tho', by their profelEon, they feem to refemble the birds of paradife, to fly above and feed upon the dew of heaven; yet, as the ferpent, they lick the duft. And thefe fins of God's people do more provoke God than others, Deut xxxii. 19. Becauje of the provoking of his fons and daughters. The fins of others pierce Chrifi's fide, thefe wound his heart : therefore is not God juft in all the evils that befall them? Amos iii. 2. You only have I known of all the families of the earth, therefore I will punifh you for your iniquities. I will punifh you fooner, furer, forer, than others. 2. The trials and fufferings of the godly are to refine and purify them. God's furnace is in Sion, If. xxxi. 9. Is it any injuftice in God to put. his gold into the furnace to purify it ? Is it any injuftice in God, by afflicting his people, to make them partakers of his holinefs ? Heb. xii. 10. What doth more proclaim God's faith fulnefs, than to take fucb a courfe with them as may make them better ? Pf. cxix. 75. In faithfulnefs thou hafl corrected me. 3. What injuftice is it in God to inflict a leffer puniihment, and prevent a greater? The beft of God's children have that in them, which is meritorious of hell : now, I pray, doth God do them any wrong, if he ufeth only the rod, where they have deferved the fcorpion ? Is the father unjuft, if he only corrects his child, who hath deferved to be disinherited ? If God deals fo favourably with his children, he only puts wormwood in their cup, whereas he might put fire and brimftone : they are rather to admire his mercy, than complain of his injuftice. Obj. How can it ftand with God's juftice, that ail men, being equally guilty by nature, God fhould pafs by one, and fave another ? Why doth not he deal with' all alike? Anf. Rom. ix. \X. Is there unrighteoufnefs with God? God forbid. Job viii. 3. Doth the Almighty pervert jufiice ? 1. God is not bound to give an account of his actions to his creatures. If none may fay to a king, What doft thou ? Eccl. viii. 4. much lefs OF GOD'S JUSTICE. lefs to God. It is fufficient ; God is Lord pa- ramount, he hath a fbvereign power over his creatures, therefore can do no injuflice, Rom. ix. 21. Hath not the potter poiver over the clay, of the fame lump to make one veffel to honour ; and another unto dljhonour ; God hath a liberty- left in his own breait, to lave one, and not ano- ther; and his juflice is notat all impeached or blemifhed. If two men owe you money, you may, without any injuflice, remit the debt, to one, and exact it of the other. If two malefaftors be condemned to die, the king may pardon one, and not other : he is not unjuft if he lets one fuffer, becaufe he offended the law ; nor iF he fave the other, becaufe he will make ufe of his prerogative as he is king. 2. Though feme are faved, and others perifh, yet there is no unrigh- teoufnefs in God ; becaufe, whoever perifheth, his deftruclion is of himfeif, Hof. xiii. 9. 0 Iiiael, thou haft deftroyed thyfelf. God offers grace, the finner refufeth it ; is God bound to give grace? If a chirurgeon comes to heal a man's ■wound, he will not be healed, but bolts out his chirurgeon ; is the chirurgeon bound to heal him ? Prov. i. 24. 1 have called, and ye rejufed. Pfal. Ixxxi. 11. Ifrael would none of me. God is not bound to force his mercies upon men : if they wilfully oppofe the offer of grace, their fin is to be taxed as the caufe of their perifhing, and not God's juflice. 2. See the difference between God and a great part of the world. They are unjuft, 1. in their courts of judicature; they pervert ju- flice, Ifa. x. I. They decree unrighteous decrees. The Hebrew word for a judge's robe, fignifies prevarication, deceit, or injuflice : it is often truer of the judge than of the robe; the judge deferves rather to have that name than the robe. "What is. a good law, without a good judge? Injuflice lies in two things, either not to pu- nifh. where there is a fault, or, to punifh where there is no fault: how frequent! again, (2.) Unjuft in their dealings. This is, 1. Either in ufmg falfe weights, Hof xii- 7- The balances of deceit are in his hand. It is fad, to have the Bible in one hand, and falfe weights in the other. Or, 2. In adulterating commodities. Ifa. i- 22. Thy wine is mixed with water ; when they mix bad grain with good, yet fell it for pure grain. I can never believe he is good in the firft table, who is not good in the fecond. He cannot be godly who is not juft- Though God doth not bid you be omnipotent, as he is, yet be juft, as he is. 55 Ufe 2. Imitate God in juflice. Let Chiift's- golden maxim be obferved, Mat. vii. 1 2. What you would have men to do to you, do ye even fo to them. You would not have them wrong you , neither do you them ; rather fuffer wrong, than do wrong, 1 Cor. vi. 7. Why do ye not rather take wrong? O be exemplary for juflice ! Let juflice be your ornament, Job xxix. 14. 1 put on righteoufnefs {.viz. juflice) as a robe and a diadem. A robe, for its graceful beauty ; and I pur it on, 6" iriduebam juftitiam. A judge puts on his robe, and puts it off again at night; but Job did fo put on juflice, as he did not put it off till death, J'emper vejliti. We muff not lay off this robe of juflice, till we lay down our tabernacle. If you have any thing of God in you, you will be like him. By every un- juft action you do deny yourfelves to be Chrif- tians, you ftain the glory of your profeffion ; heathens will rife up in judgment againft you : the fun might fooner alter his courfe, than he could be turned from doing juflice. Ufe 3. If God be juft, there will be a day of judgment. Now things are out of courfe ; fin is rampant, faints are wronged, they are often caft in a righteous caufe, they can meet with no juflice here, juflice is turned into worm- wood ; but there is a day coming, when God will fet things right ; he will do every man juflice; he will crown the righteous, and con- demn the wicked, At~ls xvii. 31. He hath ap- pointed a day, &c. If God be a juft God, he will take vengeance. God hath given men a law to live by, they break it ; there muft be a day for the execution of offenders: a law not executed, is but like a wooden dagger, for a mow. At the laft day, God's fword fhall be drawn out againft offenders ; then his jus- tice fhall be revealed before all the world, - God will judge in righteoufnefs, Acts xvii. 31. Shall not the judge of all the earth do right ? Gen. xviii. 25. The wicked fhall drink a fea of wrath, but not ftp one drop of injuflice. At that day fhall all mouths be ftopt, and God's juflice fhall be fully vindicated from all the ca- vils and clamours of unjuft men. Ufe 4. Comfort to the true penitent; as God is a juft God, he will pardon him. Homo ag- nofcit, Deus ignofcit. 1 John i. 9. If we confefs our fins, (/*. e. confefs and forfake) he is juft to forgive us our fins. Not only merciful but juft ? Why juft ? Becaufe he hath promifed to forgive fuch? Prov. xxviii. 13. If thy heart hath been 5« THE MERCY OF GOD. been broken for and from fin, thou may ft not the pardoning thy fin. Shew him his hand and not only plead God's mercy, but his juftice for feal, he cannot deny himfelf. THE MERCY OF GOD. TH E next attribute is God's goodnefs or mercy : mercy is the refult and effect of God's goodnefs, Pf xxxiii.5. Pf. cxix. 64. So then this is the next attribute, God's goodnefs or mercy. The moft learned of the heathens thought they gave their God Jupiter two gol- den characters, when they ftiled him Good and Great : both thefe meet in God, Greatnefs and Goodnefs, majefty and mercy. God is, x. Effentially good in himfelf. And 2- Relatively good to us. They are both put together, Pf. cxix. 68. Thou art goody and dojl good. This relative goodnefs is nothing elfe but his mercy, which is an innate propenfenefs in God, to pity and fuccour fuch as are in mi- sery. Concerning God's mercy, 1/?, I (hall lay down thefe twelve pofitions, I . It is the great defign of the fcripture to re- prefent God as merciful. This is a loadftone to draw finners to him, Exod. xxxiv. 6. The Lord merciful, gracious, long-fuffering, abun- dant in goodnefs, &c. Here are fix expreffions to fet forth God's mercy, and but one to fet forth his juftice : who will by no means clear the guilty. Pf. lvii. 10. God's mercy is far above the heavens, Pf. cviii- 4. God is reprefented as a king, and a rainbow was about his throne, Rev. iv- 2, 3. The rainbow was an emblem of mercy, the fcripture doth oftner reprefent God in his white robes of mercy than with his gar- ments rolled in blood ; oftner with his golden fceptre, than his iron rod. Pofition 2. God is more inclinable to mercy than wrath- Mercy is his darling attribute, which he moft del;ghts in, Mic. vii. 18. Mercy pieafeth him- It is delightful to the mother, faith Chryfojiom, to have her breafts drawn : fo it is to God, to have the breafts of his mer- cy drawn, Ifa. xlvii. 4 Fury is not in me; that is, I do not delight in it. A£ts of feverity are rather fbrc'd from God, he doth not afflict: willingly- Lam. iii. 33. The bee naturally gives honey, it flings only when it is provoked ; God doth not punifh till he can bear no longer, Jer. xliv. 22. So that the Lord could bear no longer, beeaufe of the evil of your do- ings. Mercy is God's right-hand, that he is moft ufed to ; inflicting of punifhment is called God's ftrange work, Ifa. xxviii. 21. he is not ufed to it. And when the Lord would fliave off the pride of a nation, he is (aid to hire a ra- lor, as if he had none of his own, Ifa. vii. 20. He Jhall fhave with a rafor that is hired' He is flow to anger, Pf ciii- 8. But ready to for- give, Pf. lxxxvi. 5. Pofition 3. There is no condition, but we may fpy mercy in it : when the church was in captivity, (he cries out,' // is of the Lord's mer-> cies that we are not confumed, Lam. iii. 22. geographers write of Syracufe in Sicily ; it is fo fituated that the fun is never out of fight. In all affli&ions we may fee fome fun-fhine of mercy. That outward and inward troubles do not come together, is mercy. Pofition 4» Mercy fweetens all God's other attributes : God's holinefs without mercy, and his juftice without mercy, were terrible. When the water was bitter, and Ifrael could not drink, Mofes caft a tree into the water, and then they were made fweet- How bitter and dreadful were the other attributes of God, did not mercy fweeten them ! Mercy lets God's power on work to help us, it makes his juftice become our friend, it fhall avenge our quarrels. Pofition 5. God's mercy is one of the moft orient pearls of his crown : it makes his God- head appear amiable and lovely : When Mofes faid to God, / befeech thee /hew me thy glory ; the Lord anfwered him, / will make all my goodnefs pafs before thee, and I will fhew thee mercy, Exod. 33. 19. God's mercy is his glo- ry ; his holinefs makes him illuftrious, his mercy makes him propitious. Pofition 6* Even the worft tafte of God'6 mercy ; fuch as fight againft God's mercy, tafte of-it : the wicked have fome crumbs from mer- cy's table; The Lord is good to all, Pf. 145- 5. The fweet dew drops on the thiftle, as well as the rafe- The diocefe where mercy vifits is very THE MERCY OF GOD. .57 very large : Pharaoh's, head Was crown'd tho' his heart was hardned. P option 7. Mercy coming to us in a cove- nant is fweetefl: : it was mercy that God would give Ifrael rairi'j and bread to the full, and peace, and victory over their enemies, Lev. xxvi. 4, 5, 6. But it was a greater mercy that God would be their God, ver. 1 2. To have health is a mer- cy, but to have Chrift and falvation is a greater mercy ; this is like the diamond in the ring, it calls a more fparklingluflre. P option 8. One act of mercy engageth God to another- Men argue thus, 1 have ffiewn you kindnefs already, therefore trouble me no more: but,becaufe God hath Ihewn mercy, he is more ready fill to fnew mercy ; his mercy in elec- tion makes him jullify, adopt, glorify,- one act of mercy engageth God to more. A parent's love to his child, makes him always giving. Po/ition 9. Ail the mercy in the creature is derived from God, 'and is but a diop of this ocean : he mercy and pity a mother hath to her child i3 from God; he that puts the milk in her breaft, puts the companion in her heart: Therefore God is called, The Father of mercies, 2 Cor. i. 3. becaufe he begets all the mercies in the world. If God hath put any kindnefs into the creature, how much kindnefs is in him who is the Father of mere)' ? Po/ition- 10 God's mercy, as it makes the faints happy, fo it mould make them humble. Mercy is not the fruit of our goodnefs : but the fruit of God's goodnefs- Mercy is an alms that God bellows; they have no caufe to be proud, that live upon the alms of God's mer- cy, Job 10. 15. If I be righteous, yet -will 1 not lift up my head : all my righteoufnefs is the ef- fect of God's mercy, therefore I will be humble, and will not lift up my head. Pofition^ 1 1 - It is mercy flays the fpeedy execution of God's juftice : finners continual- ly provoke God, and make the fury com? up in his face, Ezek. xxxviii. 18. Whence is it God doth not prefently arreft and condemn them ? It is not that God cannot do if, for he is armed with omnipotence, but it is from God's mercy ; mercy gets a reprive for the firmer, and the fpeedy procefs of juflice. God would, by his goodnefs, lead finners to repentance- Pofiiion 12- It is dreadful to have mercy wit- nefs againflone: how fad was it with Hi \ the queen herfelf accufed h|m? F.Jilr- vib 6. Si, when. this queen pf mercy mall (land up ft a perfon and accu!- him, it Is only mercy that faves a (Inner. Now, how fad to have mercy become an enemy ? if mercy be an accufer, who (nail be our advocate ? The fin- ner never efcapes hell, when mercy draws up the indidlment. I might {hew yon feveral fpecies or kinds of mercy, preventing mercy, fparing mercy, fup- plying mercy, guiding mercy, accepting mer- cy, healing mercy, quickning mercy, fupportrag mercy, forgiving mercy, correcting mercy, com- forting mercy, delivering mercy, crowning mercy : but I (hall fpeakofthe qualifications or properties of God's mercy. 1. God's mercy is free. To letup merit is to defrroy mercy: nothing can deferve mercy, be- caufe we are polluted in our blood ; nor force it; we may force God to punifh us, not to love us, Hof. xiv. 4. I ivi/l love them freely. Every link in the chain of falvation, is wrought and interwoven with free grace. Election is free, Eph. i. 4. He hath chofen us in him, accord: to the good plea fur e of his '•will. Juflificatioii is free, Rom. hi- 24. Being juflified fr his grace. Salvation is free, Titus iii. 5. Ac- cording to his mercy he faved us. Say not then, I am unworthy ; for mercy is free : if Gcd mould (hew mercy only to Fuch as arc wor- thy, he would (hew none at all. 2. God's mercy is an overflowing mercy ; it U infinite, Pf. Ixxxvi. 5. Plenteous in mercy, Enh. ii. 4. Rich in mercy, Pf. lb 1. Multitude of mercies. The viol of wrath doth but drop, but the f imtaiii :y runs. The fttn is not fo ft d is of mercy : God haih nio s, Lam. ii. 23. His mer- cies are nevj every r, I night mer- cies, Pf. xlii. 8. fiall be •with me. God 1 , thofe v.. v-j ho e for. 3. Go iii. ' -• mercy of the Lord is lafting. It is repealed fix one pfalrn, His mercy endure exxxvi. The fouls of the (hall be e r bathing themiclves in this fWeet s ocean of Gcd's mercy. God's :■: '. is children lads but a while, Pf. ciii. mercy la/is for ever. As long as he is \ , .he :y ; as hi? : oyer-'flo ••" > lb ever-flowing. life r. n. It (hews us are loo1' judge's robes, bu -j\v, full H of THE MERCY OF GOD. of Mercy and clemency ; add wings to prayer. When Jefus Chrift afcended up to heaven, that which made him go up thither with joy in prayer, was, / go to my Father ; Co that which fhould make our hearts afcend with joy in prayer, is, We are going to the Father of mercy , who fits upon a throne of grace ; go with confidence in this mercy ; as when one goes to a fire, it is not doubtingly, perhaps it will warm me, peril aps not. U/e 2. Believe in his mercy, Pf. Hi. 8. / will truft in the mercy of Cod for ever. God's mercy is a fountain opened, let down the buc- ket of faith, and you may drink of this foun- tain of falvation. What greater encourage- ment to believe than God's mercy ? God counts it his glory to be fcattering pardons ; he is de- firous that finners mould touch the golden fcep- tre oC his Mercy and live. And this willing- nefs to mew mercy appears two ways. i. By his intreatrng of finners to come and lay hold on this mercy, Rev. xxii. 17. Whofo- cver 'mil, come, and take the water of life freely. Mercy woos finners, it even kneels down to them. It were ft range for a prince to intreat a condemned man to accept a pardon. God faith, Poor fmner, fuffcr me to love thee, be willing to let me five thee. 2. By his joyfulnefs when finners do lay hold on his mercy. What is God the better whe- iwer we receive his mercy, or not ? What is ihe fountain profited, that "others drink of it ? Yet, fuch is God's goodnefs, that' he rejoiceth nt the falvation of finners, and is glad, when his mercy is accepted of. When the prodigal fon came home, how glad was the Father ? and he makes a feaft, to exprefs his joy : this was but a type or emblem, to fliow how God re- :eth when a poor fmner comes in, and lays hold of his mercy. What an encouragement is here to believe in God ? He is a God of par- dons, Neh. ix. 17. Mercy pleafeth him, Mic. vii. 18, Nothing doth prejudice us but unbe- lief. Unbelief flops the current of God's mer- cy from running : it fhuts up God's bowels, clofeth the orifice of Chrift's wounds, that no healing virtue will come onx, Mat. xiii. 58. He cculd do no 'mighty works there, becauft of their vnbelief. Why doft thou not believe in God's mercy? Is it thy fins difcourage ? God's mer- cy can pardon great fins, nay, becaufe they are great, Pf. xxv. 1 1. The fea covers great rocks as well as letter fandr, ; fome that had an hand in crucifying Chrift; found mercy. As far as the heavens are above the earth, lb far is God's mercy above our fins, If a. lv. 9. What will tempt us to believe, if not the mercy of God. Mfe 3. Of Caution. Take heed of abufmg this mercy of God. Suck not poifon out of the fweet flower of God's mercy : do not think, that be- caufe God is merciful, you may go on in fin ; this is to make mercy become your enemy. None might touch the ark but the prieils, who by their office were more holy : none may touch this ark of God's mercy, but fuch as are refolved to be holy. To fin becaufe mercy abounds, is the devil's logic. He that fins be- caufe of mercy, is like one that wounds his head, becaufe he hath a plaifter : he that fins becaufe of God's mercy, fhall have judgment without mercy. Mercy abufed turns to fury, Deut. xxix. 19, 20. If he blefs himfelf, faying, I fhall have peace though I walk after the ima" ginaiion of my heart, to add drunkennefs to thirjl, the Lord will not /pare him, but the an- ger of the Lord, and his jealoufy fmll fmoke againfl that man. Nothing fweeter than mer- cy, when it is improved ; nothing fiercer, when it is abufed ; nothing colder than lead, when it is taken out of the mine : nothing more fcald- ing than lead, when heated. Nothing blunter than iron, nothing fharper, when it is whet- ted. Pf. ciii. 17. The mercy of the Lord is upon them that fear him- Mercy is not upon them that fin and fear not, but for them that fear and fin not. God's mercy is an holy mer- cy ; where it pardons, it heals. Qu. What fmll we do to be inter eft ed in God's mercy i Jnf. 1. Be fenflble of your wants. See how you ftand in need of mercy, pardoning, faving mercy. See yourfelves orphans ; Hof. xiv. 3. In thee the fdtherlefs findeth mercy. God be- ftows the alms of mercy only on fuch as are indigent. Be emptied of all opinion of felf- worthinefs. God pours the golden oil of mercy into empty veffels. 2. Go to God for mercy,, Pfal. Ii. 1. Have mercy upon me, 0 God ! Put me not off with common mercy that reprobates may have ; give me not only alcorns, but pearls ; give me not on- ly mercy to feed and clothe me, but mercy to fave me ; give me tlae cream of thy mercies : Lord ! let me have mercy and loving-kind-- nefs, Pf. ciii. 4. Who crowned thee with lov- ing-kindnefs and tender mercies. Give me fuch mercy as fpeaks thy electing love to my foul. ' O pray for mercy 1 God hath treafures of mer- cy; OF THE TRUTH OP GOD. cy ; prayer is the key that opens thefe trea- sures : and in prayer, be lure to carry Chr..: in your arms; all the mercy conies through Chrifr. ; 1 Sa7n. vii. 9. Samuel rook a fucking lamb : carry the lamb Ghxift in your arms, go ifl his name, prefent his merits ; fay, Lord ! here is Chrilt's blood, which is the price of my pardon : Lord, fhew me mercy, becaufe Chriff. hath purchafed it. Tho' God may re- fute us when we come for mercy in our own name, yet not when we come in ChriiVs name : plead ChriiVs fatisfaclion, and this is fuch an argument as God cannot deny. Ufe 4. It exhorts fuch as have found mercy, to three things: 1. To be upon Gerizim, the mount of bleifmg and prailing. They have not only heard the King of heaven is merciful, but they have found it (b : the honey-comb of God's mercy hath dropt upon them ; when in wants, mercy fupply'd them ; when they were nigh unto death, mercy raifed them from the fick-bed ; when covered with guilt, mercy par- doned them, Pf. ciii. 1. Blefs the Lord, 0 my foul, and all that is -within me, blefs his holy name. O how mould the veifels of mercy run over with praife! 1 Tim. i. 13. Who was before a perfecutor, and injurious : but I obtained mercy. I was bemiracled with mercy ; as the Cea. overflows and breaks down the banks, fo the mercy of God did break down the banks of my fin, and mercy did fweetly flow into my foul. You that have been monuments of God's mercy, fhould be trumpets of praife ; you that have tailed the Lord is gracious, tell others « what experiences you have had of God's mer- cy, that you may encourage them to feek to him for mercy, Pf. Ixvi. 16. I will tell you what God hath done for my foul; when I -found my heart dead, God's Spirit did come upon me mightily, and the blowing of that wind made the withering flowers of my grace revive. O tell others of God's goodnefs, that you may fet others a blefling him, and that you may make God's praifes live when you are dead. 2. To love God. Mercy fliould be the attrac- tive of love; Pf xviii. i. I will love thee, 0 Lord, my ftrength. The Hebrew word for love, -flgnifies love out of the inward bowels. God's juftice may make us fear him, his mer- cy may make us love him. If mercy will not produce love, what will ? We are to love God for giving us our food, much more for giving us grace : for fparing mercy, much more for fa- ving mercy. Sure that heart is made of mar- ble, which the mercy of God will not diffalve in love. / would hate my own foul, (faith St. yfugufline) if I did not find it loving God. 3. To imitate God in fhewing mercy. God is the Father of mercy ; fhew yourfelves to be his children, by being like him. St. Ambrofe faith, The fum and definition of religion is, Be rich in works of mercy, be helpful to the bodies and fouls of ethers. Scatter your golden feeds ; let the lamp of your profeffion be fil- led with the oil of onarify. Be merciful in giv- ing and forgiving- Be ye merciful as your hea- venly Father is merciful. &-' •*-» •% •% •"** •% fa vf' & •*■* •% '% % •$? ■% >^» 4? ■% ■'?■' *'' ■*- % .*. .<& 4:> S*. *> '&, & *, **, CiiJ fJrJ Ut2l £-J tio OUfJ l£u w&i \aiS txjb 'iiJ liiO tJO CaJj W£5 tAO C^J 'J&3 t*M -ISj «£} :j£j cj£; c'.i u.:J V. J hji -L ; '. .;.< UJj :j£. OF THE TRUTH OF GOD. THE next attribute is God's truth ; Deut. xxxii. 4.--A God of truth, and without iniquity ; jufr and right is he, Pfal. lvii. 10. For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. A God of truth, Pfal. lxxxvi. 15.— -Plenteous in truth. God is the truth. He is true, 1. In a phyfical fenfe; true in his being : he hath a real fubfiflence, and gives a being to others. 2. He is true in a moral fenfe ; he is true fine error e, without er- rors ; In the Hebrew it is, to lye. Obj. 1. But how doth this confifl with the truth of Gcd? He faith, He will have all to be faved, 1 Ti?n.\). 4. yet fome pcriih. Anf. St. Au(tin underftands it, not of every individual perfon, but fome of all forts fhall be faved': as in the ark, God faved all the living creatures; not every bird or fifh . were faved, for many periihed in the flood ; but all, that is, fome of every kind were faVed ; fo God will have all to be faved, that is, fome of all na- tions Obj. It is faid, thrift died for all ; he is the Lamb of Cody that takes away the fins of the world, John. i. 29. how doth this confilt with God's truth, when ibme are Vefjels of wrath ? Rom. ix. 22. naufl difiinguifh -of world. The world is taken' either in a limited fenfe, for the world of the elect ; or in a larger fenfe, for both elect and reprobates. Chrifi takes away the OF THE TRUTH OF GOD. 61 the fins of the world, that is, the world of the deft. 2. We mall diftinguifh of ChrifVs dying for the world. Chrilt died fufnciently for all, not elfeftually. There is the value of ChriiVs blood, and xht virtue: Ghrift's blood hath value e- nough to redeem the whole world, but the vir- tue of it applied only to llich ao believe : Ghrift's blood is -meritorious tor all, not efficacious. All are not faved, becaufe fonie put away fal- vation from thera, Ads xiii. 46. and vilify Chrift's blood, counting it an unholy thing, Heb. x. 29. Ufe 1. Here is a great pillar for our faith, the truth of God.. Were not he a God of truth, how could we believe in him ? Our faith were fancy ; but he is Truth itlelf, and not a word he hath fpoken /hall fall to the ground. Truth is the objetl of trufl. The truth of God is an unmoveable rock, we may venture our falva- tion here, Ifa. lix< 15. Truth faiieth : truth on earth doth, but not truth in heaven : .God can as well ceafe to be God, as ceafe to be true. Hath God faid, he will be good to the foul that feeks Mm, Lam. iii. 25. He will give reft to the -weary ? Mat. xb 28. Here is a fafe anchor- hold, he will not alter the thing which is gone forth of his lips. The public faith of heaven is engaged for believers : can we have better fe- curity ? The whole earth hangs upon the word of God's power, and mail not our faith hang upon the word of God's truth ? Where can we reft our faith but upon God's faithfulnefs ? There is nothing elfe we can believe in, but the truth of God : we cannot trufr. in an arm of flefh, we cannot truir. in our own hearts : this is to build upon the q'Jiick-fands ; but the truth of God is a golden pillar for faith to flay upon : God cannot deny himfclf, 2 Tim. ii. 13. If we belie ve not, yet he abideth faithful, he cannot deny himfclf Not to believe God's veracity, is to affront God, 1 John v. 10. He that beiieveth net, hath made God a liar. A perfon of ho- nour cannot be mere affronted or provoked, than when he is not believed. He that denies God's truth, makes the promile no better than a forged deed; and can there be a greater af- front offered to God r Ufe 2. Of terror, to the wicked. God is a God of truth, and he is true in his threatnings ? the threarnirgs are a flying roll againft finners. God hath threatned to wound the hairy Jcalp cf every one that goes on Jiill in his trefpaffes, H. lxviii. 21. He hath threatned to judge adul- terers, Heb. xiii. 3. To be avenged upon the malicious, Pf x- 14. Thou beholdefi mi/chief and fpight, to requite it with thy own hand : To rain fire and brim/tone upon the /inner, Pf. xi. 6- And God is as true in his thi coi- nings as his promifes : God hath oft, to (hew his truth, executed his threatnings, and Jet his thunderbolts of judgment fall upon fin nets in this life; he (buck Herod in the aft of his pride; lie hath punifhed blafphemers : Olym- pius, an Arrian bifliop, reproached and blas- phemed the bleffed Trinity; immediately light- nirig fell down from heaven upon him, and coni'umed him. God is as true in his threat- nings as his promifes : let us fear in the threat- ning, that we may not feel it. Ufe 1. Is God a God of truth ? let us be like God in truth. 1. We mult be true in our Words. Pythagoras being afked what made men like God ? anfwered, " When they fpcafc truth." It is the note of a man that firall go to heaven, Pf. xv. 2. Hefpeaketh the truth from his heart. Truth in words is oppofed, (r.) To lying, Eph. iv. 25- Putting away lying, fpeak every one truth to his neighbour. Lying- is when one fpeaks that for a truth, which he knows to be falie. A liar is moft oppofite to the God of truth- There is (as An] tin faith) two forts of lies, 1. An officious lye, when a man tells a lye for his profit ; as, when a trades- man faith his commodity coft him fo much, when perhaps it did not coft him half fo much : he that will lye in his trade, thai! ly in hell. (2.) A jefling lye-, when a man tells a lye in fport, to make others merry, he goes laughing to hell. When you tell a lye, you make your- felves like the devil, John viib 44. The dtvilis a liar, and the father of it. He deceived our firft parents by a lie. Some are fo wicked, that they will not only fpeaK an untruth, but will fwear to it ; nay, they will with a curfe upon themfelves, if that untruth be not true. As I have read of a woman, one Anne Avaries, 1575. who being in a (nop, wifhed tha£ ihe might fink, if fne had not paid for the wares me took ; fhe fell down fpeechlefs immediately, and died in the place. A liar is not fit to live in a com- monwealth- Lying takes away all fbciety and converfe with men ; how can youconverfe with him, whom you cannot believe what he faith ? Lying fhuts men out of heaven, Rev. xxii. 25. Without are dogs, and whofoever loveth and ma- ke th a lie. And as it is a great "fin to tell a lye, fo it is a worfe fin to teach a lye, Ifa. ix. 1 5. The fc OF THE TRUTH OF COD. The prophet that teach cih lies. He who broach- eth error, teacheth lies ; lie fp reads the plague ; he not only damns himfelf, but helps to damn others. (2.) Truth in words is oppofed to dif- fembling. The heart and tongue mould go to- gether, as the dial goes exactly with the fun. To fpeak fair to one's face, and not to mean what one (peaks, is no better than a lie : Pf. lv. 21. His words were fmo other than oil, but war was in his heart. Some have an art at this, they can flatter and hate. Hierorn, fpeaking of the Arrians, faith, they pretended friendjhip, they kijfed my hands, but plotted ?n\fchief againfi me. Pf. xxix. 5. A man that flattereth hi: neighbour , fpreadeth a net for his feet. Impia fub dulci melle venena latent — Falfhood in friendjhip is a lie. Counterfeiting of friendship is worfe than counterfeiting of money. This is contrary to God who is a God of truth. ■I. V.rc K>aft be true in our profeflion of re- ligion. Let practice go along with profeflion; Eph, iv. 24. Righteoufnefs and true holinefs. Hypocrify in religion is a He : the hypocrite is like a face in a glafs, there is the (how of a face, but no true face : fo he makes a (hew of holinefs, but hath no truth of it ; it is but the face in the glafs. Ephraim pretended to be that which he was not ; and what faith God of him ? Hof. xi. 12. Ephraim compaffcth me about with lies : By a lie in our words we deny the truth ; by a lie in our profeflion we difgrace it- Not to be what we profefs to God, is telling a lie ; and the fcripture makes it little better than blafphemy, Rev. ii. 9. / know the blafphemy of them that fay they are Jews, and are not. O ! I befeech you, labour in this to be like God, he is a God of truth; he can as well part with his Deity as his verity : be, I fay, like God, be true in your words, be true in your profeflion ; God's chil- dren are children that will not lie, Ifa.lx'iu. 9. When God fees Truth in the inward parts, and lips in which is no guile, now he fees his own image in you : this draws God's heart towards you ; likenefs draws love. >"% •*' •% •& & ■% ■% •% & $£} % :% .*■ .*• ■% ■% .*• ■% '% •% .*• .% .*• .% r*i .| i'ij?i yij dSs «£» c£j cij w*s uJt* tLu ulo ei: isb t£*J y.ls rimum mobile moves all the other oi-bs, ib God gives life and motion to every thing ex- igent. There can be but one God, becaufe there is but one Firfl: Caufe. 2. There is but one infinite Being, therefore there 'is but one God. There cannot be two infinites, Jer. xxiii. 24. Do not I fill heaven and earth, faith the Lord? Iftherebeone infi- nite, filling all places at once, how can there be any room for another infinite to fubfifl ? 3. There is but one Omnipotent Power. If there be two Omnipotents, then we muft always fuppofe a conteft between thefe two : that which one would do, the other power being equal, would oppofe, and fo all things would be brought into a confufion. Ifa (hip (hould have two pilots of equal power, one would be ever crofling the other; when one would fail, the other would caft anchor: here were a confufion, and the (hip muft needs perifh. The order and harmony in the world, the conftant and uni- form government of all things, is a clear argu- ment that there is but one Omnipotent, one God that rules all. Ifa. xliv. 6. J am the fir ft, and I am the /aft, and beflide me there is no God. Ufe 1 + 0f information. If there be but one God, BUT ONE GOD. 63 God, then it excludes all other gods. Some have feigned that there were two gods ; fo the Valeniinians : others, that there were many gods; fo the Polythdtes. The Perfiani worfhipped the fun ; the Egyptians the liori and elephant ; the Grecians worshipped Jupiter : thefe, I may fay, err, not knowing the Jcriptures, Mat. xxii. 29. Their faith is a fable. God bath given them vp to flrong delufions, to believe a He, that they may be damned. 2 Theff. ii. ? 1 . 2. If there be but one God, then there can be but one true religion in the world, Eph. iv. 5. One Lord, one faith. If there were many gods, then there might be many religions, every God would be worihipped in his way ; but if there be but one God, there is but one religion ; one Lord, one Faith. Some fay, we may be laved in any religion : it is abfurd to imagine, that God, who is One in etfence, mould appoint feveral religions in which he will be worihipped. It is as dangerous to fet up afalie religion, as to fet up a falfe god. There are many ways to hell : men may go thither which way their fancy leads them; but there is but one direct road to hea- ven, viz. faith and holincfs. There is no way to be faved but this : as there is but one God, fo there is but one true religion. 3. If there be but one God, then you have but One that you need chiefly to fludy to pleafe, and that is God. If there were divers gods, we Ihould be hard put to it how to pleafe them all ; one would command one thing, another the quite contrary: and to pleafe two contrary matters, is impoflible : but there is but one God, therefore you have but One to pleafe. As in a kingdom there is but one king, therefore every one feeks to ingratiate himfelf into his favour, Prov. xix. 6. fo there is but one true God; therefore here lies our main work, to pleafe him. Be fure to pleafe God, whoever elfe you difpleafe. This was Enoch's wifdom, Heb. xi. 5. he had this teftimony before he died, that hepleafed God. Qj What doth this pleafing God imply P Anf. 1. "We pleafe God when we comport with his will. ' It was Ch rift's meat and drink to do his father's will, John iv. 34. and fo he pleafed him, Mat. iii. 17. A voice came frotn heaven, faying, this is my beloved [on, in whom I am well pleafed. It is the will of God that we fhould be holy, 1 Thejf. iv. 11. Now, when we are befpangled with holinefs, our lives are walking Bibles; this is according to God's will, and it pleafeth him- 2. "We pleafe God, when we do the work that he fets us about, John xvii. 4. I have finifhed the work which thou gave ft me to do, viz. my mediatory work. Many rinifh their lives, but do not finifli their work. Our work God hath cur out for us, is to obferve the fir/l andfecond table. In ihefrf, is fet down our duty towards God ; in thefctnd our duty towards man. Such as make morality the chief and fole part of re- ligion; fet the fecond table above the firft ; nay, they take away the firft table : for, if prudence, juftice, temperance, be enough to fave, then what needs the firft table ? and fo our worfbip towards God.fhall be quite left out : but thole two tables, which God hath joined together, let no man put afunder. • 3. We pleafe God, when 'we dedicate our heart to give him the beft of every thing. Abel gave God the fat of the offering, Gen. iv. 4. Domitian would not have his image carved in wood or iron, but in gold. Then we pleafe God, when we ferve him with love, fervency, alacrity; we give him golden fervices : herein lies our wifdom and piety, to praife God. There is but one God, therefore there is but One whom we have chiefly to pleafe, namely, God. 4. If there be but one God, ,..en we muft pray to none but God. The papifts pray to faints and angels : 1. To faints : a popifh writer faith, when we pray to the faints departed, they being touched with compaffion, fay the like t» God for us, as the difciples did to Chrift for the Canaanitijh woman, Mat.xv- 23- Send her away , for fie crieth after us. The faints above know not our wants, Ifa. Ixiii. 16. Abraham is igno- rant of us-, or, if they did, we have no war- rant to pray to them- Prayer is a part of divine vorfhip, which muft be given only to God. 2. They pray to angels : angel-worfhip is forbidden, Col ii. 18, 19. and that we may not pray to an- gels, is clear from Rom. x. 14. How f mil they call upon him in whom they have not believed i We may not pray to any, but whom we may believe in ; but we may not believe in an angel, therefore, we may not pray to him. There is but one God, and it is a fin to invoke any but only God. 5. If there be but one God, who Is above all, Eph. iv- 6> then he muft be loved above all. 1. "We muft love him with a love of appretiation ; fet the higheft eftimare on him, who is the only fountain of being and blifs. 2. We muft love him with a love arcomplacency : amor eft com- placentia amantis in amato, Aquirt. Our love to other things muft be more indifferent; Corns drops *+ BUT ONE GO D. drops of love may run hefVlc. to the creature, but the full (Iream qauft run towards God : the ture ma}' have the milk of our love, but we muft mi of our love for God :■ God who is above all, rauft be loved above all, Pf. Ixxiii. '..j. Tyjffrff is none on earth •whom I re m comparifbn of thee. JUfe 2, Of caution. If there be but one God, then let u: take heed of fetting up more god? than One : Pf. xvi. 4. Their forrtws fhall be multiplied, that haften after another God ; their drink-offerings of blood will 1 not ojferrnor take up their names into my lips. God is a jealous God, and he will not endure that we fhould have other gods : it is eafy to commit idolatry with the creature : 1. fome make a god of plea- ilire, 2 Tim. iii. 4. Lovers of pleafure, more than lovers of Cod. Whatever we love more than God, we make a God. 2. Others make money their God : the covetous man worfnips the image of gold, therefore he is called an idola- ter, Eph. v. 5. That which a man trulls to, he makes his god ; but he makes the wedge of gold his hope : he makes money his creator, redeemer and comforter : it is his creator ; if he hath money, the:, he thinks he is made : it is his redeemer; if he be in danger, he trufls in his money to redeem him out : it is his comforter ; if at any time he be fad, the golden harp drives away the evil fpirit : fo that money is his God. God made man of the duft of the earth, and man makes a god of the duft of the earth. 3.. Another makes a god of his child, -fets his child in God's room, and fo provokes God to take it away. If you lean too hard upon a glafs, it will break ; many break their children by lean- ing too hard upon them. 4. Others make a god of their belly, Phil. iii. 19. Whofe god is their belly. Clemens Alexandrinns writes of a fifli that hath its heart in its belly ; an emblem of Epicu- res, their heart is in their belly, they mind nothing but indulging the fenfual appetite ; they do facrifcari lari ; their belly is their god, and to this they pour drink-offerings : thus men make many gods. The apoftle names the wicked man's trinity, 1 John 11. 16. The luft oftheflejh, the lit ft of the eye, and the pride of life : the luft of the flefh, pleafure ; the luft of the eye, money ; pride of life, honour: O take heed of this! whatever you deify befides God, will prove a bramble, and fire will come out of this bramble, and devour you, Judg. ix. 15. Ufe 3. Of reproof. If the Lord Jehovah be the only true God, then it reproves thofe who renounce the true God ; I mean, fuch as feek to familiar fpirits : this is too much practifed among them that call themfelves Chriftians. It is a fin condemned by the law of God, Dent. xviii. 11. There fo all net be found among you any that con/hits with familiar fpirits. How ordinary is this ? If people have loft any of their goods, they fend to wizzards to know how they may come by their goods again. What is this but confulting with the devil ? and Co you renounce God and your baptifm. What, becaufe you have loft your goods, will you 1 your fouls too ? 2 Kings i. 6. Thus faith the Lord, is it not becaufe there is not a God in (frael, that thou fendefi to enquire of Baalzebub ? So, is it not becaufe you think there is not a God in heaven, that ye afk counfel of the devil ? If any here be guilty, be deeply humbled, ye have re- nounced the true God; better be without the goods ye have loft, than have the devil help you to them again. Ufe 4. Of exhortation. If there be but one God ; as God is one, fo let them that ferve him be one. This is that Chrift prayed fo hear- tily for, John xvii. 21. That they all may be -one. Chriftians mould be one, 1. In judgment ; the apoftle exhorts to be all of one mind, 1 Cor. i. 10. How fad is it to fee religion wearing a coat of divers colours ; to fee Chriftians of fo many opinions, and going fo many different ways ? It is fa tan hath fown thefe tares of di- vifion, Mat. xiii. 39. He firft divided men from God, and now divides one man from another. i. One in affeclion- They mould have one heart, Ac"ts iv. 32. The multitude of them that believed were of one heart, and of one 'oul. As in mu- fic, though there be feveral firings of a viol, yet all make one fweet harmony: fo, though there are feveral Chriftians, yet there mould be one fweet harmony of affeclion among them. There is but one God, and they that ferve him fhould be one. There is nothing would render the true religion more lovely, or make more profelytes to it, than to fee the profefibrs of it tied to- gether with the heaft- firings oflove, Pf. exxxiii. 1. Behold how goodand how pleafant a thing it is, to fee brethren live together in unity ! It is as the fweet dew on Herman, and the fragrant ointment poured on Aaron's head. If God be one, let all that profefs him be of one mind, and one heart; this fulfils Chrift's prayer, that they all may be one. 2. If there be but one God, let us labour to clear the title, that this God is ours, Pf. xWiii. 14. OP THE TRINITY. <& 1 4. This God is our God. What comfort can it be to hear that there is a God, and that he is the only God, unlefs he be our God ? What is Deity without property ? O let us labour to clear the title. Beg the holy fpirit: the fpirit works by faith; by faith we are one with Chrift, and through Chrift we come to have God for our God, and fo all his glorious fulnefs is made over to us by a deed of gift* U/e 5. What caufe have we to be thankful, that we have the knowledge of the only true God ? How many are brought up in blindnefs ? Some worfhip Mahomet ; divers of the Indians worihipthe devil; they light a candle to him, that he mould not hurt thera, Such *s know, not the true God^ muft needs (tumble in hell in the dark. O be thankful that we are born in fsch a climate, where the light of the gof- pel hath mined ! to have the knowledge of the true God, is more than if we had mines of gold, rocks of diamonds, iflands of fpices ; efpeeially if God hath favingly revealed him- felfto us ; if he hath given us eyes to fee the light; if we fo know God, as to be known of* him, as to love him, and believe in him, Mattxi. 25. We can never be enough thankful to God, that he hath hid the knowledge of himfelf from the wife and prudent of the world, and hath revealed it unto us, ♦ -^ 4^, «, 9 *, •», *, *, <%, A, •*, ,*, •*£. *. ,#, ,*. *, ,-fc .j$» <#, A. i^L. .*, ,*, ,% ,?., .*, *, "%, ,*, , 6 OF THE TRINITY. jer. Jtxii. 5- and I may call him the flower of the' virgin, having aflumed our nature. By him all thai believe are jufiifisd, Acts xiii. 39. 5. The third perfon in the Trinity, is the Holy Ghoft, who proceeds from the Father and the Son : his work is to illuminate the mind, and inkindle facred motions. The eirence of the fpirit is in heaven, and every where ; but the influence of it is in the hearts of believers : This is that blefTed fpirit, who gives us the holy unction, 1 John ii. 20. Though Chrift merits grace for us, it is the Holy Ghoft works it in us : Though Chrift makes the purchafe, it Is the Holy Ghoft makes the afiurance, and feals us up to the day of redemption. Thus I have ipoken of all the three perfons : the Trinity 6f perfons may be proved out of Mat. Hi. 16. Jefus, when he was baptized, went up ftraight- iv ay out of the -water, and he faw the fpirit of God defcending like a dove, and lighting upon him ; and lo, a voice from heaven, faying, this is my beloved Son. Here are three names given to the three perfons. He who fpake with a voice from heaven, was God the father ; he who was baptized in Jordan, was God the Son ; he who defcended in the likenefs of a dove, was God the Holy Ghoft. Thus I have fhewn you the unity of effence, and the Trinity of perfons. Ufe 2. It confutes the Jews and the Turks, who believe only the firft perfon in the God- head : this cuts afunder the finews of our com- fort. Take away the diftinaion of the perfons in the Trinity, and you overthrow man's re- demption ; for God the Father being offended with man for fin, how (hall he be pacified with- out a mediator? This mediator is Ghrift, he makes our peace ! And Ghrift having died, and fried his blood, how (hall this blood be applied, but by the Holy Ghoft ? Therefore, if there be not three perfons in the Godhead, man's fal- vation cannot be wrought out: if there be no fecond perfon in the Trinity, then there is no redeemer: if no third perfon, then there is no comforter. And fo the plank is taken away by which we fnould get to heaven. .2. It confutes the execrable opinion of the Socinians, who deny the divinity of the Lord Jefus ; they make him only to be a creature of an higher rank. As the papifts blot out the fecond' commandment, fo the Socinians would the fecond perfon in the Trinity. If to oppofe Chrift's members be fuch a fin, what is it to oppofe Ghrift himfelf ? (1.) Jefus Chrift is co-e- qual with God the Father, Phil. ii. 6. He thought it no robbery to be equal with God. (2.) He is co- eternal with God the Father, Prov. viii. 23, / was from the beginning ; for elfe there was a time when God was without a Son, and fo he mould be no father ; nay, elfe there was a time when God was without his glory, for Chrift is the brightnefs of his Father's glory, Heb- i. 3. (3.) He is co-eflential with God the Father. The Godhead fubfifts in Chrift, Col. ii. 9. In whom dwelleth all the fulnefs of the godhead bodily. It is faid, not only Chrift was with God before the beginning, but he was with God, Johni. 1. and 1 Tim. iii. 16. God manifefl in the flefh. The title of Lord, fo often given to Chrift, in the new teftament, doth anfwer to the title of Jeho- vah in the old teftament, Deut.\6. 5. Mat. xxii. 37. fo that Chrift hath a co-eternity and con- fubftantiality with his Father, Jehn x. 30. land my Father are one. It were blafphemy for any angel to fpeak thus ! yet further, to prove Chrift's Godhead, confider, if}, The glorious incommunicable attributes belonging to God the Father, are afcribed to Chrift. 1. Is God the Father omnipotent ? So is Jefus Chrift. He is the Almighty, Rev. i. 8. he creates, Col. i- 16. 2. Is God the Father infinitely immenfe, filling all places; Jer. xxiii. 24. fo is Jefus Chrift. While Chrift was on the earth by his bodily prefence, he was at the fame time in the bofom of the father, John iii. 13. in regard of his di- vine prefence. idly, The fame jura regalia, or prerogatives royal, which belongs to God the Father, belong alfo to Chrift : ( 1 ) Doth God the Father feal pardons, this is a flower of Chrift's crown, Mat. ix- 2. Thy fins be forgiven thee : Nor doth Chrift only remit fin organice, as minifters do, by virtue of a power delegated to them from God ; but Chrift doth it by his own power and authority. (2) Is God the father the adequate object of faith ? Is he to be believed in ? So is his Son, John xiv. 1. (3) Doth adora- tion belong to God the Father ? So it doth to the Son, Heb. i. 6. Let all the angels of God ivorjbip him. How facrilegious therefore is the Socinian, who would rob Chrift of the bell flower of his crown, his godhead ? They that deny Chrift to be God, muft greatly wreft, or e\Ce deny the fcripture to be the word of God. 2. It confutes the Arrians, who deny the Holy Ghoft to be God. The eternal Godhead fubfifts in the Holy Ghoft, John xvi. 13. He fhall guide you in all truth. Chrift fpeaks not there of an attribute, but of a perfon : and that the Godhead fubfifts in the perfon of the Holy Ghoft, OF THE TRINITY. tr. Ghoft, appears thus ; the fpirit, who gives di- verfity of gifts, is faid to be the fame Lord, and the fame God, i Cor. xii. 5, 6. The black and unpardonable fin is faid, in a fpecial man- ner, to be committed againft the Godhead fub- fifting in the Holy Ghoft, Matth. xii. 32. The mighty poiuer of Cod is made manifefl by the Holy Ghoft; he changeth the hearts of men. The devil would have Chrift prove himfclf to be God, by turning ftones into bread ; but thus the Holy Ghoft (hews his Godhead, by turning ftones into flefh, Ezek. xxxvi. 26. / -will take away the /tony heart; and give you a heart offltfh. Yet further, the power and Godhead of the holy Ghoft appeared in the effecting -the glorious conception of our Lord Jefus Chi id ; the very fbadow of the Holy Ghoft made a virgin conceive, Luke i. 35. The Holy Ghoft works miracles, which tranfeend the fphere of nature ; as railing the dead, Rom. viii. 1 1. To him belongs divine worfhip, our fouls and bo- dies are the temples of the Holy Ghoft, 1 Cor. vi. 19. in which temples he is to be worfhip- ped, v. 20. "We are baptized in the name of the Holy Ghoft ; therefore either we muft be- lieve his Godhead, or renounce our baptifm in his name. Methinks, it were enough for fuch men, as have not fo much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghoft, Acls xix. 2. to de- ny his Deity ; but that any who go for Chrif- tians, mould deny this article of their creed, teems to me very ftrange. They who would wittingly and willingly blot out the third per- fon, (hall have their names blotted out of the book of life.' Ufe 2. Of exhortation, ift, Believe this doc- trine, the Trinity of perfons in the unity of eflence. The Trinity is purely an object of faith : the plumb-line of reafon is too fhort to fathom this rnyftery : but where reafon cannot wade, there faith muft fwim. There are forae truths in religion may be demonflrated by reafon ; as that there is a God : But the Tri- nity of perfons in the unity of effence is whol- ly fupernatural, and muft be believed by faith. This facred doctrine, though it be not againft reafon, yet it is above reafon. Thofe illumi- nated philofophers, that could find out the caufes of things, and diicourfe of the magnitude and influence of the ftars, the nature of minerals, could never, by their deepeft fearch, find cut the rnyftery of the Trinity: This is of divine revelation, and, muft be adored with humble believing. We can be no good Ghriftians, with- out the firm belief of the Trinity. How car* we pray to God the Father, but in the name of Chrift, and through the help of the Spirit? Believe the glorious Trinity. How are the Quakers to be abhorred, who go under the name ofChriftians, yet undervalue and renounce Jefus Chrift. I have read of fome of the Qua- kers, who fpeak thus j We deny the per/on of him whom yqu call Chrift, and affirm, That t who expeci.to be five d by that Chrift without, will be damned in that faith. Couid the devil himfclf Cpeak worfe blafphemy ? They would puiLup all religion by the roots, and take away that corner-ftone, on which the hope of our falvation is built. ily, If there be one God fu'-r perfons, then let us give, (i.)Eq u to all the perfons in the Trinity. There is not more or lefs in the Trinity ; the Father is not more God than the Son and Holy Ghoft. There is an order in the Godhead, but no degrees ; One perfon hath not a majority or fuperemi- nency above another, therefore we muft give equal worfhip to all the Perfons, John v. 23. That all men flionld honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. Adore unity in Trinity. (2.) Obey all the Perfons in the bleffed Tri-/ nity; for all of them are God. 1. Obey God the Father : his words, either preceptive or minatory, muft be obferved. Chrift himfelf, as man, obeyed God the Father, John iv. 34. much more then mutt we, D cut. ■ xxvii. 10. 2. Obey God the Son, Pf. ii. 12. Klfs the Son, hft be be angry : Kiis him with a kils of obedience : Chriil's commands are not grievous, 1 John v. 3. Nothing he cpramtrnds, but is for our intereft and benefit: O then kils the Son! Why do the elders throw down their crowns at the feet of Chrift, and fall down before the lamb ? Rev. iv. 10, n, but to teftify their fub- jeftion, and to profefs their readinefs to ferve and obey him. 3. Obey God the Holy Ghoft. Our fouls are breathed into us by the glorious Spirit, Job xxxiii. 4. The Spirit of God hath ?nade me. Our fouls are adorned by the bleffed Spirit ; every grace is a divine fparkle lighted in the foul by the Holy Ghoft. Nay more, the Spirit of God fanctified Ch rift's human nature : he united it with the divine, and fitted the man Chrift to be our Mediator. Well then doth this third perfon in the Trinity, the Holy Ghoft deferve to be obeyed ; he is Cod, and this tribute of homage and obedience is to be paid him by us. I 2. OF r 68 i OF THE CREATION. Qj VII. Vj/H AT are the decrees of God ? y* Anf. The decrees of God are his eternal purpofe, according to the counfel of his own will, whereby, for his own glory, he hath fore-ordained whatfoever fhall come to pafs- I fhould now come to fpeak concerning the decrees of God, but I have already fpoken fome- thing to this under the attribute or God's im- mutability. God is unchangeable in his elTence, and he is unchangeable in his decrees ; his coun- fel mall fland : he hath decreed the illue of all things, and carries them on to their period by his providence; and therefore I {hall proceed to the execution of his decrees. Qj VIII. The next queflion is, What is the work of creation ? Anf. It is God's making all things of nothing, by the word of his power, &c. Gen- i. i. In the beginning God created the heaven and the, earth. The creation is glorious to behold, it is a pleafant and fruitful ftudy. Some think that jfaac, when he went abroad into the fields to meditate, it was in the book of the creatures. The creation is the heathen man's bible, the plowman's primmer, the traveller's perfpective- glafs, thro' which he receives the fpecies and reprefentation of thofe infinite excellencies which are in God. The creation is a large vo- lume, in which God's works are bound up ; and this volume hath three great leaves in it, hea- ven, earth, fea. The author of the creation is God, Co it is in the text, God created. The world was cre- ated in time, and could not be from eternity, as Ariflotle thought. The world mull: have a maker, it could not make itfelf. If one fhould no into a far country, and fee ftatelv edifices there, he would never imagine that thefe could build themfelves, but that there had been fome artificer there to raife llich goodly Kra&ures ; ib this great fabric of the world could not create itfelf, it muft have fome builder and jWker, and that is God ; In the beginning Cod created. To imagine that the work of the creation war, not framed by the Lord Jehovah, is as if we fhould conceive a curious landfkip to be drawn without the hand of a limner, Ads xvii. 24. God that made the world and all things therein. In the work of creation there are two things to be confidered : I. The making, II. The adorning of it. • I. The making of the world. Here confider, I. God made the world without any pre-ex- iftent matter. This is the difference between generation and creation. In generation there is materia habilis & difpofita, fome matter to work upon : but in creation there is no pre-ex- iftent matter. God brought all this glorious fabric of the world out of the womb of no- thing. We fee our beginning, it was nothing. Some brag of their birth and anceftry ; you fee how little caufe they have to boaft, they came of nothing. 2. God made the world with a word. "When Solomon was to build a temple, he needed ma- ny workmen, and they all had tools to work with ; but God wrought with tools, Pf. xxxiii. 6. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made. The difciples wondered that Chrifl: could with a word calm the fea, Mat. viii. 26, 27. But it was more with a word to make the fea. 3. God made all things at firft very good, Gen. i. 31*110 defect nor deformity. The cre- ation came out of God's hands a curious piece ; it vvas a fair copy, without any blot, written with God's own fingers, Pf. viii. 3- So perfect: was God's work- II. The adorning of the world, firft, God made this gredt lump and mafs, Rudis indige- fraqut motes, and then beautified it, and put it into a dreiV He divided the fea and the earth, he deck'd the earth with flowers, the trees with fruit: But what is beauty when it is mafk'd over? Therefore; that we might behold this glory, God made the light. The heavens were befpangled with the fun, moon, and flars, that (b the world's beauty might be beheld and ad- mi ed. God, in rh*e ere ition, beg.m with things lei's noble and excellent, ■vegetables, and fenfi- tives; and then the rational creatures, angels and men. Man tfas the raofl exquifite piece in the creation: Ke is a microcolon or little world. OF It lit C R E A T I O N. *«g> world. Man was made ttith deliberation and counfel, Gen. i. 26. Let us make man. It is the manner of artificers to be more than ordi- nary accurate, when they are about their maf- ter-pieces- Man was to be a mafter-piece of this vifible world, therefore God did confult about the making lb rare a piece. A foiemn counfel of the facred perfons in the Trinity was called, Let us make man, and let us make him in our own image. On the king's coin hi3 image or effigies is ftampt ; lb God ftampt his image on man, and made him partake of ma- ny divine qualities. I (hall fpeak, 1. Of the parts of man's bo- dy: (i.) The head, the molt excellent archi- tectonical part, it is the fountain of ipirits, and the feat of reafon. In nature the head is the belt piece, but in grace the heart excels. (2.) The Eye, it is the beauty of the face ; it mines and fparkles like a lefTer fun in the body. The eye occafions much fin, and therefore well may it have tears in it. (3.) The Ear, which is the conduit-pipe through which knowledge is conveyed. Better lofe our feeing than our hearing, for faith cometh by hearing, Rom. x. 17. To have an ear open to God, is the bell jewel on the ear. (4.) The Tongue, David calls the Tongue his glory, Pf. xvi. 9. Becaufe it is an inftrument to let forth the glory of God : the foul at firft was a viol in tune to praife God, and the tongue did make the muflc. God hath given us two ears, but one tongue, to mew that we mould be fwift to hear, but flow to fpeak. God hath let a double fence before the tongue, the teeth and the lips, to teach us to be wary that we offend not with our tongue. (5.) The Heart, this is a noble part, and feat of life. 2. The Soul of man : this is the man of the man. Man, in regard of his foul, partakes with the angels; nay, as Plato faith, The under- flanding, will, and confeience are a glafs that refemble the Trinity. The foul is the diamond in the ring, the foul is a veifel of honour ; God himfelf is ferv'd in this veflel. It is a fparkle of celeftial brighrnefs, faith Damafcene. If David did fo admire the rare contexture and workmanship of his body, Pf. exxxix. 14, 15. 1 am -wonderfully made, '-was cwioufiy wrought in the lowejt prrts of the carih. If the cabi- net be fo cu.ioufiy wrought, what \s the jewel ? How richly is the foul eyibroide'eJ ? Thus you fee how glorious a work the creation is, and ...sail efptciahy, who is the epitome of the worid. Q. But -why did God make the world ? A. 1. Negatively : not for himfelf; he did not need it, being infinite. He was happy before the world was, in reflecting upon his own fub- lime excellencies and perfections. 2. God did not make the world to be a place of manfion for us, we are not to abide here for ever. Hea- ven is the manfion-houfe, John xiv. 2. The world is only a paiT-ige room to eternity ; the world is to us as the wildernefs was to Jfrael, not to reft in, but to travel thro' to the glori- ous Canaan. The world is a tyring-room to drefs our fouls in, not a place where we are to ftay for ever. The apoftle tells us of the world's funerals, 2 Pet. iii. 10. The elements /hall melt •with fervent heat, the earth alfo and the works that are therein /hall be burnt up. 2. Pofitively : God made the world to de- monflxate his own glory. The world is a look- ing-glafs, in which we may fee the power and goodnef^of God fliine forth ; The heavens de- clare the glory of God, Pf. xix. 1. The world is like a curious piece of arras or tapeftry, in which we may fee the flrill and wifdom of him that made it. Ufe. i. Did God create the world ? This convinceth us of the truth of his Godhead : to create is proper to a Deity, Acls xvii. 24. This convinced Plato of a Ddty, when he law all the world could not make a flie. Thus God proves himfelf to be the true God, and diftin- guiftieth himfelf from idols, Jer. x. 11. It is written in Chaldee, Thus /ball y>'fay to them, The Gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they fhall perifh. Who but God can create ? The creation is enough to con- vince the heathen that there is a God. There are two books out of which God will jud<;e and condemn the heathen, viz. the book ox Confei- ence, Rom. ii. 15. Who have the law w/ it ten in their heart : and the book of the Creation*, Rom. ii. 20. The invifibh' things of him are clearly feen by the things that are ?nade, even his eternal -power and Godhead. The world is full of emblems and hieroglyphics; every ftar in the fky, every bird that flies in the air, is a witnefs again ft the heathen. A creature could not make itfelf. 2. Here is a mighty fupport for faith, God creates. He that made all things with a word, w, fat c.mnot he do I He can create ftrength in ' aeik ; he can create a fupply of our wants. W"hat-,a foplifh queftion was that, Pf. Ixxviii. . ' he furnifh a table in the wildernefs ? Cannot z* OF THE CREATION. Cannot he tliaf made the world, do much more ? Pf cxxiv. 8. Our help ftandeth in the name of ihe Lord, who made heaven andxarlh. Reft on this God for help, who made heaven and earth. The work of creation, as it is a monument of God's power, fo it is a flay to faith. Is thy heart hard ? he can with a word create foft- nefs. Is it unclean, he can create purity ; Pf. 11 10. Create in me a clean heart, 0 God. Is the church of God low, he can create Jerufalem a praife, Ifa- lxv. 18. No fuch golden pillar for "faith to flay upon, as a creating power. 3. Did God make this world full of beauty and glory, every thing very good ? then, what an evil thing is fin, that hath put out of frame the whole creation ! Sin hath much eclipfed the beauty, fowred the fweetnefs, and marred the harmony of the world- How bitter is that gall, a drop whereof can embitter a whole fea? Sin hath brought vanity and vexation into the world, yea, a curfe. God cur.fed the ground for man's lake, Gen. iii. There were feveral fruits of the curfe. 1. Inforrow/haltthoueatit, v. 17. By that word Sorroxv, is to be underftood all the troubles and cares of this life- 2. In thefweat of thy face fialt thou eat bread, v. 19. In innocency Adam did till the ground, (he muft not live idly) but it wV= rather a delight than a labour; that tilling was without toiling- The eating in forrow, and the fweat of the brow, came in after fin. 3. Thorns and thiftks Jhall the ground bring forth, ver. 18. Q. Whether in innocency did not the earth bear thorns, becaufe it is threatned as a punijhment ? A. It is likely it did bear thorns; for, when God had done creating, he made no new fpecies, or kinds of things : but the meaning is, Now, after fin the earth {hould bring forth more plenty of thorns, and now thofe thorns (hould be hurt- ful, and choke the corn, which hurtful quality was not in them before. Ever fince the fall, all the comforts of this life have a thorn and a thiftle in them. 4. The fourth thing of the curfe was the driving man out of paradife, v. 24. So he drove out the man. God at fir ft brought A- dam into paradife, as into an houfe ready fur- nifhed, or as a king into his throne, Gen. i. 28. Have dominion over every living thing that vioveih ; now God's driving Adam out of pa- radife, fignified his dethroning and banifhing him, that he might look after an heavenly and a better paradife. 5. A fifrh fruit of the curfe was death, v. 19. To duj} thou /halt return, Death was not natural in Adam, it came in af- ter fin. Jnfephus is of opinion, man fhould have died tho' he had continued in innocency, only he {hould have had a longer term of years ad- ded to his life; but out of queftion, death grew out of the root of fin ; the apoftle faith, Rom. v. 12. By fin came death. See then how curfed a thing fin is, that hath brought fo many cur- fes upon the creation. If we will not hate fin for its deformity, let us hate it for the curfe it brings. 4. Did God make this glorious world? Did he make every thing good ? "Was there in the creature fo much beauty and fweetnefs r Oh ! then what fweetnefs is there in God ? Quicquid efficit tale, illud eft magis talc, the caufe is always more noble than the effect. Think with yourfelves, is there fo much excellency in houfe and lands ? then how much more is there in God that made tbefe ? Is rhere beauty in a rofe ? what beauty then is there in Chrift the rofe of Sharon ? Doth oil make the face fhine ? Pf. civ. 15. How will the light of God's countenance make it fhine ? Doth wine cheer the heart r O what virtue is there in the true vine ! how doth the blood of this grape cheer the heart ? Is the fruit of the garden fweet ? how delicious are the fruits of the Spirit ? Is a gold mine fo preci- ous ? how precious is he who founded this mine ? "What is Chrift, in whom are hid all treafures ? Col. ii. 3., "We (hould afcend from the creature to the Creator. If there be any comfoit here below, how much more is there in God, who made all thefe things ? How unreafonable is it that we {hould delight in the world, and not much more in him that made it ? How (hould our hearts be fet on God, and how fhould we long to be with God, who hath infinitely more fweetnefs in him than any creature ? Ufe 2. Of exhortation. 1. Did God create the world ? let us wifely obferve thofe works of creation ? God hath given us not only the book of the fcriptures to read in, but the book of the creation : look up to the heavens, they fhew much of God's glory ; the fun gilds the world with its bright beams : behold the flars, their regular motion in their orbs, their magnitude, their light, their influence. We may. fee God's glory blazing in the fun, twinkling in the flars. Look into the fea, and fee the wonders of God in the deep, Pf. cvii- 24. look into the air, there the birds make melody, and fing forth the prai- fes of their Creator. Look into the earth, there we may wonder at the nature of minerals, the power THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD. 71 power of the loadftone, the virtue of herbs : fee the earth decked as a bride with flowers ; all thefe are the glorious effects of God's power. God hath wrought the creation, as with curi- ous needle-work, that we may obfcrve his wif- dom and goodnefs, and give him the praife due to him, Pf civ. 24. 0 Lord, how manifold are thy -works ! in wifdom haft thou made them all- 2. Did God create all things? Let us obey our Maker. "We are his Jure Creationis, we owe ourfelves to him: if another gives us our maintainance, we think ou: ielves bound to ferve him ; much more lhould we ferve and obey God, who gives us our life, Jcls xvii. 28- /;; him we live and move. God hath made every thing for man's fervke, the corn for nourifhment, the beafls for ufefulnefs, the birds for mufic, that man mould be for God's fervice. The rivers come from the fea, and they run into the fea again. All we have is from God; let us ho- nour our Creator, and live to him that made us. 3. Did God make our bodies out of the duft, and that duft out of nothing ? Let this keep down pride. When God would humble Adam, he ufeth this expreffion, Out of the dujt waft thou taken, Gen. iii. 19. Why art thou proud, O duft and allies ? Thou art made but of coarfe mettal; Cum fis humi limits, cur non humillimus ? Ber. David faith, / was curicufly wrought, Pf. exxxix. Thy being curiotifly wrought, may make thee thankful ; but being made of the dufr, may keep thee humble. If thou haft beauty, it is but well-coloured earth. Thy body is but air and duft mingled together, and this duft will drop into the duit. When the Lord had laid of the judges, they were gods, Pf. lxxxii. 6. left they lhould grow proud, he tells them, they were dying gods, v. 7- Ye fball die like men. 4. Did God create our fouls after his image, but we loft it ? let us never leave till we are re- ftored to God's image again- We have now got the devil's image in pride, malice, envy, let us get God's image reftored, which conjifts in knowledge and righteoufnefs, Col. iii. 10. grace is our beft beauty, it makes us like God and an- gels : as the fun to the world, fo is holinefs to the foul. Let us go to God to repair his image in us : Lord! thou haft once made me, make me anew, fin bath defaced thy image in me, O draw it again by the pencil of the Holy Ghoft. UiSs • fo fo fo fo .#■ •*• fo fo -% fo fo fo fo fo fo fo fo fo fo & inio Sfc tilij cSs »& «£j (sSi una && tSSt 0E& oJj ma t3& «& sSa eSra c£b &zs urn £ fo fo fo fo fo fo • lAtt tifc tigs CiO GK3 tii3 t3H &ft t fo fo fo fo fo C3&9 Uti; $£3 tifc t*S ,*• fo THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD- GO D's works of providence are his molt holy, wife, and powerful preferving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions. The work of God's providence, John v. i 7. My Father worketh hitherto, and I work- The great God hath refted from the works of crea- tion, he doth not create any new fpecies of things, Gen. ii. 7. He refted from all his works; and therefore this fcripture muft needs be meant of God's works of providence, My father work- eth, and I work- Pf> ciii. 19. His kingdom ruleth over all ; i. e. His providential kingdom. Now, for the clearing of this point, I fhall, 1. Show you that there is a providence. 2. What that providence is. 3. Lay down fome maxims or propofitions concerning the provi- dence of God- \ft, That there is a providence : there is no fuch thing as blind fate, but, there is a pro- vidence that guides and governs in the world, Prov, xvi. 33. The lot is cafl into the lap, but the whole difpofing thereof is of the Lord. idly, What this providence is ? I anfwer, Providence is God's ordering all iflues and e- vents of things, after the counfel of his will, to his own glory: 1. I call providence God's or- dering of things, to diftinguifh it from his de- crees : God's decree ordains things that fhall fall out, God's providence ordereth them. 2- I call providence the ordering of things after the counfel of God's will, that I may free it from all rafhnefs and precipitancy, and to fhow you that it is an high act of prudence done after the counfel of his own will. 3> God orders all events of things, after the counfel of his will, to his own glory; the glory of God being the ultimate end of all God's ac- tings, and the centre where all the lines of pre vidence do meet- The providence of God is regina mundi, the queen and governefs of the world : it is the eye that fees, and the hand that turns all the wheels in the univerfs. God is not like an artificer that builds a houfe, and then leaves it, and is gene jbut like a pilot, that dots 72 THE PROVIDENCE OP GOD. docs, with a great deal of care,fteer on the fhip of the whole creation. 3 ', Portions about God's providence. i. Cod's providence reaches to all places, per- fons and occurrence? : I. To all places, Jer. xxiii. 23. Am I a God at band, and not a Cod afar off? The diocefe where providence vifita 13 very large ; it reaches to heaven, to earth^artd fea, Pf cvii. 23, 24. They ihat go down te the fea, fee the "wonders of God in the deep. .Now, that the fea, which is higher than the earth, ihould not drown the earth, is a wonder of providence : and the prophet Jonah, he faw the wonders of God in the deep, when the ve- ry fi(h which did devour him and fwallow him, did bring him fafe to fhoie. 2- God's provi- dence reaches to all perfons, efpecially the per- fons of the godly, they are in a fpeciai manner taken notice of; God takes care of every faint in particular, a3 if he had none elfe to take care for, 1 Pet- v. 7. He careth for you, i. e. Elect in a fpeciai manner. Pf. xxxiii. 18, 19. The eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him ,- to preferve them from death, and to keep them alive in famine. God, by his providential care, fhields off dangers from his people, he fets a life-guard of angels about them, Pf. xxxiv. 7. God's providence keeps the very bones of tht faints, Pf xxxiv. 10. It bottles their tears, Pf. lvi. 8. It ftrengthens the faints in their weak- neffes, Heb xi. 34. It fupplies all their wants out of its alms-bafket, Pf. xxiii. 5. Thus pro- vidence doth wonderfully fupply the wants of the elect. When the proteftants in Rochell were befieged by the French king, God, by his providence, fent in a great number of fmall fifties that fed them, fuch as were never feen before in that haven. So the raven, that un- natural creature (that will hardly feed its own young, yet) providentially brought fuftenance to the prophet Elijah, 1 Kings xvii. 6. The virgin Mary, tho' by bearing and bringing forth the Mcffiah, (he helped to* make the world rich, yet (he herfelf was very poor ; and now, being warned of the angel to go into Egypt, Mat. ii. 13. the virgin hath fcarce enough to bear her charges thither: fee now how God provides for her before-hand ; he, by his providence, fends the v/ifermen from the eair, .and they r>rfng tcilly gifts, gold, myrrh, and frankin- cenfe, and prefect thefe to Chriif : and now the virgin had enough to defray her charges unto Egypt. God's children fometimes fcarce kn«w how they are fed, and yet providence feeds them, Pf. rxxvii. 3. ferity thou Jhalt be^ fed. If God. will give his people a kingdom when they die, he will not deny them daily bread while they live. 3. God's providence reaches to all affairs and occurrences in the world ; there is nothing that ftirs in the world, feut God hath, by his providence, the over-rul- ing of it. The railing of a man to honour, whence is this, but through divine providence? Pf. lxxv. 7. He puts down one, and raifes up another. Succefs and victory in battle, is the refult of providence; Saul had the victory, but God wrought the falvation, 1 Sam. xi. 13. That among all virgins that were brought be- fore the king, that Eft her mould find favour in the eyes of the king, was not without God's fpe- ciai providence ; for, by this means, the Lord faved the Jews alive that were deftinated ta deftruc*tion. Providence reaches to the leaft of things, to the birds and pifmire : providence feeds the young raven, when the dam forfakes it, and will give it no food, /yicxlvii. 9. Provi- dence reaehes to the very hairs of our head, Mat. X. 30. The hairs of your head are all num- bred ; and furely if providence reaches to our hairs, then much more to our fouls. And thus you have (ken, that God's providence reaches to all places, to all perfons, to all occurrences and affairs. Now there are two objections againlt this doctrine. Obj. 1. But fome may fay, There are many things done in the world which are excentrical, they are very diforderly and irregular; and fure- ly God's providence dothnot reach thefe things. Anf. Yes, thefe things that feem to us irregu- lar, God makes ufe of ro his own glory. For inftance : fuppofe you were it* a fmith's fhop, and there fhould fee feveral forts of tools, fome crooked, fome bowed others hooked, would, you condemn all thefe things for nought, be- caufe they do not look handfome ? the fmith makes ufe of them all for the doing of his work. Thus it is with the providences of God, they feem to us to be very crooked and ft range, yet they all carry on God's work. I (hall clear this to you in two particular cafes : \ft- God's people are low ; why, this feems to be very much out df order, that thefe that are beft, fhould be in the loweft condition : but there is much wifdom to be feen in this provi- dence, as appears thus: 1. Perhaps the hearts of the godly were lifted up with riches, or with fuccefs : now God comes with an humbling pro- vidence to afflict them and fleece them ; better THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD. 73 is the lofs that makes them humble, than the fuccefs that makes them proud. Again, 2. If the godly were not fometimes airlifted, and fuffered an eclipfe in their outward comforts, how could their graces be feen, their faith and patience ? If it were always funfliine, we mould fee no liars ; if we fhould have always profperity, it would be hard to fee the actings of mens faith. Thus you fee God's providences are wife and regular, though to us they feem very f Irange and crooked. 2d/y, Here's another cafe, the wicked flourifli j this feems to be very much out of order ; ay, but God, in his providence, fees good fome- times that the worft of men mould be exalted j they may do fome work to God, though againft their will, If a. x. 7. God will be in no man's debt. God makes ufe of the wicked fometimes to protect and fhield his church : he makes ufe of them to refine and purify his people, Hab. i. 12. Thou haft ordained them for correction. As if the prophet had faid, thou haft ordained the wicked to correct thy children. (And indeed, as Auftin faith well, We are beholding to "wicked men, who againft their wills do us good.) As the corn is beholden to the flyel to threfh off its hulks, or as the iron is beholden to the file to brighten it, fo the godly are beholden to the wicked,though it be againft their will,to brighten and refine their graces. Now, then, if the wicked do God's own work, though againft their wili, God will not let them be lofers by it ; he will raife them in the world, exalt them, and wring out the waters of a full cup to them. Thus you fee thefe providences are wife and regular, which to us feem ftrange and crooked. Obj. 2. But may fome fay. If God hath a hand in ordering all things that fall out, why then he hath a hand in the fins of men. I anfwer,no, by no means, he hath no hand in any man's fin. God cannot go contrary to his own nature, he cannot do any unholy action, no more than the fun can be faid to be darkened. Here you muft take heed of two things ; as you muft take heed of making God ignorant of mens fins, Co you muft take heed of making God to have a hand in mens fins' : Is it a thing likely, that God is the author of fin, that is an avenger of it ? Is it a likely thing that God fliould make a law againft fin, and then have a hand in breaking his own law : is that likely ? And therefore to anfwer the ob- jection, God in his providence doth permit mens fins, Ails xiv. 16. He fuffered all nations to walk in their own ways. God permitted their fin, and he would never permit their fin, if he could not bring good out of it; as the apothe- cary can make a treakle of poifon. Had not fin been at all permitted, God's juftice in pu- nifhing fin, and his mercy in pardoning fin, had never been fo well known. The Lord it pleafed to permit it, but he had no hand in it. Obj. But is it not faid, that God hardened Pharaoh's heart ? Here's more than God's bare permitting of fin. Anf. God doth not infufe evil into men, only he withdraws the influence of his graces, and then the heart hardens of itfelf ; even as the light being withdrawn, darknefs prefently fol- lows in the air : but it were abfurd to fay, that therefore the light darkens the air; and there- fore you fhall obferve, that Pharaoh is faid to • harden his own heart, Exod. viii. 15. God is the caufe of no man's fin ; it is true, God bath a hand in the action where fin is, but no hand in the fin of the action. He that plays upon ajarrinp- inftrument, he is the caufe of the founding of the inftrument, but the jarring is from itfelf: fo it is here, the actions of men, fo far as they are natural, are from God ; but fo far as they are finful, they are from men themfelves, and God has no hand at all in them. And fo much for the firft pofition, that God's providence reaches to all places, to all perfons, and to all occurrences. 2- A fecond pofition is this, there are pro- vidences that are cafual and accidental to us that are predeterminated by the Lord ; the falling of a tyle upon one's head, the breaking out of a fire to us, is cafual, but it is ordered by a providence of God. You have a clear inftance of this, 1 Kings xxii. 34. A certain man drew a bow at a venture, and fmote the king cf Jfrael between the joints of the karnefs. This acci- dent was cafual as to the man that drew the bow; but it was divinely ordered by the pro- vidence of God ; God's providence directed the arrow to hit the mark. Things that feem to fall out cafual, and by chance, they are the irtues of God's decrees, and the interpretation of his will. 3. God's providence is greatly to be ob- ferved, but we are not to make it the rule of our actions, Pf. cvii. 43. Whofo is wife will ob- ferve thefe things. It is good to obferve pro- vidence, but we muft not make it our rule to walk by; providence is a Chriftian's diurnal, but not his bible. Sometimes a bad caufe prc- K vails T4 THE PROVIDENCE Of GOD. vails and gets ground ; it is not to be liked be- caufe it doth prevail : we muft not think the better of what is finful, becaufe it is fuccefsful; here is no rule for our actions to be directed by. 4. Divine providence is irrefiftible, there is no Handing in the way of God's providence to hinder it :(when God's time was come for Jo- fcp/Ss releafe, the prifon could hold him no longer, The king fer.t and loofed him, Pfi cv.20. When God would indulge the Jews with liberty in their religion, Cyrus by a providence, puts forth a proclamation to encourage the Jews to go and build their temple at Jerufalem, and worfhip God, Ezra i. 2, 3. If God will fhieid and protect Jeremiatis perfon in captivity, the very king of Babylon (hall nurfe the prophet, give charge concerning him that he want nothing, Jer. xxxix. 11, 12. 5. God is to be trufted when his providences feem to run contrary to his promifes. God pro- mi fed David to give him the crown, to make him king ; but providence runs contrary to his promife : David was purfued by Saul, was in danger of his life ; but all this while it was David's duty to truft God. Pray obferve, the Lord doth oftentimes by crofs providence, bring to pafs his promife. God promifed Paul the lives of all that were with him in the fhip ; but now the providence of God feems to run quite contrary to his promife, the winds blew, the fhipfplits and breaks in pieces; and thus God fulfilled his promife ; upon the broken pieces of the (hip, they all came fafe to fhore. Truft God when providences feem to run quite contrary -to promifes. 6. The providences of God are chequer-work, they are intermingled ; in the life to come there ftiall be no more mixture ; in hell there is no- thing but bitter ; in heaven there is nothing but fweet : but in this life the providences of God are mixed, there is fomething of the fweet in them, and fomething of the bitter. Providences are juft like Ifrael's pillar of cloud, that con- ducted them in their march ; it was dark on one fide, and light on the other : fo the pro- vidences of God are a dark part and a light part. In the ark there was laid up the rod and manna, fo are God's providences to his children ; there is fomething of the rod, and fomething of the manna ; fo that we may fay with David, I will Jing of mercy and judgment. Jofeph was in pri- fon, there was the dark fide of the cloud; but God was with Jofeph, there was the light fide of the cloud. Jfier's fhoea were of brafs, but his feet were dipt in oil, Deut. xxxiii. 24. So affliction is the ihoe of brafs that pinches; ay, but there is mercy mingled with affliction, there's the foot dipt in oil. 7. The very fame action, as it comes from God's providence, may be good, which, as it comes from men, may be evil. For in fiance, Jofeph being fold into Egypt, as he was fold by his brethren, it was evil, very wicked, for it was the fruit of their envy ; but as it was an act of God's providence, fo it was good ; for by this means Jacob and all his family were preferved alive in Egypt. Another infiance is in Shimei's curfing David' now, as Shimei curfed David, it was wicked and finful, for it was the fruit of his malice ; but as his curfing was ordered by God's providence, fo it was an act of God's juftice to punifh David, and to humble him for his adultery and murder. The crucify, ng of Chrift, as it came from the Jews, it is an act of hatred and malice to Chrift : fo Judas's be- traying him was an act of covetoufnefs ; but as it was an act of God's providence, fo there was good in it; for, fee, it was an act of God's love in giving Chrift to die for the world. Thus I have cleared to you the -dofrrine of God's pro- vidence, in thefe feveral pofitions : let me now fpeak fomething by way of application. Ufe 1. Byway of exhortation in thefe par- ticulars. (1.) Admire God's providence : the pro- vidence of God keeps the whole creation upon the wheels, or elfe it would foon be diftblved, and the very axle-tree would break in pieces : if God's providence fhould be withdrawn but for a while, creatures would be diffolved, and run into their firft nothing. Without this wife providence of God, there would be difbpderand confufion in the whole world, juft like an army when it is routed and fc:ittered. The provi- dence of God infufes comfort and virtue into every thing we enjoy ; our cloaths would not warm us, our food would not nourifh us, with- out the fpecial providence of God. And doth not all this deferve your admiration of providence ? ( •.) Learn quietly to fubmit to divine provi- dence ; do not murmur at things that are ordered by divine\vifdom. We may no more find fault with the works of providence, than we may with the works of creation : It is a fin as well to quarrel with God's providence, as to deny God's providence. If men do no: act as we would have them, they fhall act ao God would have them. His providence it is his mafter-wheel that turns thefe- lefler wheels, and God will bring THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD. ?$- bring his glory om of all at lalt : Pf. xxxix. 9. I was dumb, and opened not my mouth, becaufe, thou, Lord, didft it. It may be, we think lorn > times we could order things better if we had the government of the world in our hands; but, alas ! fhould we be left to our own choice, we fhould choofe thole things that are hurtful for us. David did earneflly defire the life of his child, which was the fruit of his fin ; now, had the child lived", it had been a perpetual monu- ment of his thame. Let us be content God fhould rule the woild, learn to acquiefce in his will, and fubmit to his providence: doth any affliction befai you? Remember God iees it is that which is fit for you, or it fhould not come; your cloaths cannot be fo fit for you, as your crones. God's providences may fometimes be fecrer, but it is always wife ; though we may not be filent under God's dishonour, yet we fliould learn to be filent under his difpleafure. (3.) You that are Chrlltians, believe that all God's providences (hall confpire for the good of his people, and (hall proraote their falvation at Lift. The providences of God are fometimes dark, and our eyes dim, and we can hardly tell what to make of them : but when we cannot unriddle providence, belive it fh all work to- gether for the good of t'ee elect, A'om. viii- 28. The wheels in a watch feem to move crofs one to another, but they help rbrward the morion of the watch, and make the larum frrike : fo the p¥p videnc.es of God feem to be crofs wheels ; but, for all that, trey fhall carry on the good of the elect. The pricking of a vein is in itfeif evil and hurtful ; but as it prevents a fever, and tends to the health of the patient, fo it is good : fo affliction in itf If is rot joyous, but gric vous ; but the Lord turns this to the good of his faints. Poverty fhall ftarve their fms, affliction fhall prepare them for a kingdom. Therefore, Chrifti- ans, believe that God loves us, that he will make the molt crofs providences to promote his glory and our good. (4.) Let this be an antitode a^ainft immbde- ra?e leai ; 'or nothing comes to pafs but what is or dotted by God's decree, and ordered by his providence'. W"e fometimes 'ear what the" ifi'ue erf" things will be; men grow high in their actings : let us not make things worfe by our fear. Men are limited in their power, and mail not go one hairs-breadth further than God's providence will permit : he might let Senache- rib's army march towards Jerufalem, but he ihall not fhoot one arrow againft it, I/a. xxxviii. 36. Then the angel of the Lord went forth, and fmote in the camp of the AJfyrians an hundred and fourfcore and five thou/and. When Ifrael was compaffed in between Pharaoh and the red-fea, no queftion fome of their hearts did begin to tremble, and they looked upon them- fclves as dead men ; but providence fo ordered it, that the fea was a fafe paffage to Ifrael, and a fepulchre to Pharaoh and ail his holt. Ufe 2. Comfort in refpecl of the church of God : God's providence reacheth in a more fpecial manner to his church, If a. xxvii. 2. Sing ye unto her a vineyard of red wine. God waters this vineyard with his blefhngs, and wa.tcheth over it by his providence, / the Lord keep it night and day- Such as think totally to ruin the church, mull do it in a time when it is neither day nor night; for the Lord keeps it by his providence night and day. What a miraculous conduct of providence had Ifrael! God led them by a pillar of fire, gave them manna from heaven, fet the rock abroach. God by his providence preferves his church in the midfl of enemies ; which is as to fee a fpark kept alive in the ocean, or a flock of flieep among wolves. God faves his church flrangely:, 1. By giving unexpected mercies to his church, when flic looked for nothing but ruin, Pf. exxvi. 1. When the Lord turned the captivity of Sion, we were Iffle them that dream. How flrangely did Cod raife up queen Efther to preferve alive the Jews, when Haman had got a bloody warrant fi ned for their execution ? 2. Strangely by fav- ing in that vf ry v, a} in which we think he will defrroy : God works fometimes by contraries. Heraifeth his churcli, by bringing it low The blood of the martyrs hath wateied the church, and made it mere fruitful, Exod. i. 12. The more they afflicted them, the more they mul- tiplied : the church is like that plant Cregcry Nazianzin fpeaks of, it lives by dying, and grows b. cutting. 3. Strangely in that he makes the ejiei»y fo do his work : when ;he people of Ammon, and Moab, and mount Se/rcame againfi Jttdah, God fet the enemy one againfi another, zChrcn. xx. 23. The children of J:nmon and Moab flood up again]} them bfmennj S<:if*io (lay th&rn ; and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to defitoy another. In the povdet -trcafon lie made the traitors to be their own betrayers : Cod can do his work by the enemy's hand. God made the Egyptians fend away the people of Ifrrel laden with jewels, Exod. xii. 36. The church K 2 is ■7 6 THE COVENANT OF WORKS. is the apple of God's eye, and the eye-lid of his providence doth daily cover and defend it. 5. Let the merciful providence of God caufe thankfulnefs : we are kept alive by a wonder- working providence. Providence makes our cloaths warm us, our meat nourifli us. We are fed every day out of the alms-bafket of God's providence. That in health ; ■ that we have an eflate; it is not our diligence, but God's pro- vidence, Dent. viii. 18. Thou Jhalt remember the Lord thy God, for he it is that gives thee power to get wealth. Efpecially if we go a ltep higher, we may fee caufe of thankfulnefs : that we mould be born and bred in a gofpel-climate ; that we mould live in fuch a place where the fun of righteoufnefs mines ; this is a fignal pro- vidence : why might we not have been born in fuch places where Paganifm prevails ? That Chrift mould make himfelf known to us, and touch our hearts with his fpirit, when he paf- feth by others: whence is this, but from the miraculous providence of God, which is the effecT: of his free grace ? Ufi 3- See here, that which may make us long for that time when the great my fiery of God's providence (hall be fully unfolded to us. Now we fcarce know what to make of God's provi- dence, therefore are ready to cenfure what we do not underfland ; but in heaven we (hall fee how all God's providences (ficknefs, lones, fuf- ferings) carried on our falvation. Here we fee bur fome dark pieces of God's providence, and it is impoffible to judge of God's works by pieces ; but when we come to heaven, and fee the full body and pourtraiture of GoJ'i nrovi- dence drawn out into its lively colours, it will be a glorious fight to behold : then we mail fc^ how all God's providences helped to fulfill his promifes. Never a providence but we fhall fee had either a wonder or a mercy in it. ^##^#########l»#^^###^ THE COVENANT OF WORKS. Q. IX. T Proceed to the next queflion, What X fpecial providence did God exercife to- wards man in the eft ate wherein he was created? Anf. When God created man, he entered in- to a covenant of life with him, upon condition of perfeel" obedience, forbidding him to eat of the tree of knowledge, upon pain of death. For this, confult with Gen. ii. 16, 17. And the Lord commanded the man, Jaying, Of every tree »f the garden thou may fl freely eat ; but of the tree of knotwledge of good and evil, thou Jhalt not eat; for in the day thou eat eft of it, thou fli alt furely die. The fubjeft then of our next difcourfe is, the covenant of works- This covenant was made with Adam and all mankind ; for Adam was a public perfon, and the reprefentative of the world- Qu. For what reafon did God make a cove- nant with Adam and his poflerity in innojency ? AnfffiVo fhew his fovereignty over us ; we were his creatures, and as God was the great monarch of heaven and earth, God might im- pofe upon us terms of a covenant. 1. God made a covenant with Adam, to bind him faft to God : as God bound himfelf to Adam, fo Adam was bound to God by the covenant. Qu. What was the covenant ? Anf. i- God commanded Adam not to eat of the tree of knowledge ; God gave Adam leave to eat of all the other trees of the garden. God did not envy him any happinefs ; only meddle not with this tree of knowledge, becaufe God would try Adam's obedience. As king Pharaoh made Jofeph chief ruler of his kingdom, and gave him a ring off his finger, and a chain of gold only he mufl not tench his throne, Gen. lxi. 40. In like manner God dealt with Adam, he gave him a fparkling jewel, knowledge; and arrayed him with a fine veflure, put upon him the garment of original righteoufnefs : only, faith God, touch not the tree of knowledge, for that is afpiring after omnifciency. Adam had power to have kept this law j Adam had the copy of God's law written in his heart. This covenant of works had a promife annexed to it, and a threatning. 1. The promife, Do this and live. In cafe man had flood, it is probable he had not died, but had been translated to a better paradife. 2. The threatning, Thou Jhalt die the death ; Heb. In dying thou fli alt die ; that is, -thou fhalt die both a natural death, and an eternal, unlefs fome other expedient be found out for thy refloration . Qu. But ivby did God give Adam this law, THE COVENANT OF WORKS. 71 feeing God did forefee that Adam -would tranf- grejs it? Anf. i. It was Adair's fault that he did not keep the law; God gave him a flock of grace to trade with, but he of himfelf broke. 2. Though God rcrefaw Adam would tranfgrefs, yet that was not a fufficient reafon that Adam fhould have no law given him: for, by the fame reafon, God fhould not have given his written word to men, to be a rule of faith and manners, becaufe he forefaw that fome would not believe, and others would be prophane. Shall not laws be made in the land, becaufe fome break them? 3. God, though he fbrefaw Adam would break the law, he knew how to turn it to a greater good, in fending Chrift. The firit covenant being broken, he knew how to eftablifh a fecond, and a better. Well, con- cerning the firft covenant, confider thefe four things. 1. The form of the firft covenant, in inno- cence, was working ; do this and live. Work- ing was the ground and condition of our jufti- fication, Gal. iii. 12. Not but that working is required in the covenant of grace : we are bid to work out falvation, and be rich in good works. But works in the covenam ef grace are not required under the fame notion, as in the firft covenant with Adam- Works are not required to the jaftification of our perfens, bur as a tefti- fication of our love to God ; not ^3 a caufe of our falvation, buv as an evidence of our adoption. Works are required in the covenant of grace, not Co much in our own ftrengtb, as in the strength of another : It is God which inorkeib in you, Phil. ii. 13, As the fcrivener guides the child's hand,, and helps him to form his letters, lb that it is not fo much the child's writing, as the fcrivener's that guides his hand; fo not our working as the fpirit's co-working. 2. The covenant of works was very ftrict. God required of Adarn and all mankind, 1. Perfect obedience. Adam muft do all things written in the Book of the law, Gal. iii. 10. and not fail, either in the matter or manner. Adam was to live up to the whole breadth of the moral 1 w, and go exactly according to it, as a well- mn.Je dial goes with the fun; a finful thought had forfeited the covenant. 2. Perfonal obedi- ence : Adat.t muft not do his work by a proxy, , or have any furety bound for him ; no, it muft be done in his own perfon. 3. Perpetual obedi- ence: he muft continue in all things written in the book of the law. Gal. iii. 10. Thus it was very ftricT:. There was no mercy in cafe of failure. 3. The covenant of works was not built upon a very firm bafis : therefore it muft needs leave men full of fears and doubts. The covenant of work3 refted upon the ftrength of men's inhe- rent righreoufnefs ; which though in innocency was perfect, yet was fubject to a change. Adam was created holy, but mutable: he had a power to ftand, but not a power not to fill. Adam had a ftock of original righteoufnefs to begin the world with, but he was not fure he would not break. Adam was his own pilot, and could freer right in the time of innocency; but he was not fo fecured, but that he might dafh againft the rock of a temptation, and he and his pofterity fuffer fhipwreck, fo that the covenant ofworksmuft needs leave jealouiies and doubt- v ings in Adam's heart, he having no fecurity given him, that he fhould not fall from that glorious ftate. 4. The covenant of works being broken by fin ; man's condition was very deplorable and defperate. He was left in himfelf helplefs; there was no place for repentance ; the juftice of God being offended, fets all the other attributes againft mankind. When Adam loft his righte- oufhefs, he loft his anchor of hope, and his crown : there was no way for man's relief, un- lefs God would find out fuch a way, that neither man nor angel could devife. Ufe 1. See the condefcenfion of God, who was pleafed to ftoop fo low, as to make a cove- nant with us. For the God of glory to make a covenant with duft and afhes ; for God to bind himfelf to us, to give us life in cafe of obedience : entring into a covenant was a flgn of God's friendfhip with us, and a royal aft of his favour. 2. See what a glorious condition man was in, when God entred into covenant with him, •1.. He was placed in the garden of God, which for the pleafureofit was called paradiie, Gen. ii. 28. He had his choice of all the trees (one only excepted) he had all kind of precious ftones, pure mettals, rich cedars ; he was a king upon the throne, and all the creation did obeifance to him, as in Jofeprfs dream, all his brethren's fheaves did bow to his fheaf. Man, in innocency, had all kind of pleafure that might ravifh his fenfes with delight, and be as. baits to allure him to ferve and worfhip his maker. 2. Befides, he was full of holinefs ; pa- radife was not more adorned with fruit, than Adam's 7* CONCERNING SIN. Adam's foul was with grace. He was the coin on which God hnd ftamped his lively image ; light fparkled in his underftanding, he was like an earthly angel; his will and affections were full of order, tuning harmonieufly to the will of God. Adam was a perfect pattern of fanchty. 3. Adam had intimacy of communion with God, and converfed with him, as a favourite with his prince. Adam knew God's mind, and had his heart: he not only enjoyed the light of the fun in paradife, but the light of God's coun- tenance. This condition was Adam in, when God entered into a covenant with him : but this did not long continue : man being in honour abidtth not, Pf. xlix. it It. lodged not fbr.a-night ; his teeth watered at the apple, and. ever fince it hath made our eyes water. 3. Learn, from Adams fall, how unable we are to Hand in cur own ftrength. If Adam, in the ftate of integrity, did not ftand, how un- able are we now, when the lock of our original righteoufnefs is cut ? If purified nature did not Hand, how then mall corrupt nature ? We need more ftrength to uphold us than our own. 4. See in what a fad condition all unbelievers and unpenitent perfons are ; lb long as they continue in their iins, they continue under the curfe of the firft covenant- Faith imitles us to the mercy of the fecond covenant : but, while men are under the power of their fins, they are under the curfe of the fir ft covenant ; and if they die in this condition, they are damned to eternity. 5. See the wonderful goodnefs of God, who was pleafed, when we had forfeited the firfl co- venant, to enter into a new covenant with ps. Well may it be called foedffsgrai&e, a covenant of grace ; it is befpangled with orokvifes, as the heayen with ftiirs. When the angels thofe glo- rious fpirits fell, God did not enter into a new covenant with them to be their God, but let thofe golden veffels ly broken ; but hath entered into a fecond covenant with us, better than the firft, He1>. viii. 6. It is better, becaufe it is furer; it is made in Chrift, and cannot be reverfed ; Chrift hath engaged his ftrength to keep every believer. In the firft covenant we have a poffs flare, a power of ftanding : in the fecond we have a non poffe cadere, an impoffibility of fail- ing finally, 1 Pet. i. 5. 6. Whofoever they are that look for righte- oufnefs and falvation by the power of their free-will, or the inherent goodnefs of their nature, or by virtue of their merit, as the Soci- nians and papifts, thefe are all under the cove- nant of works : they do not fubmit to the righ- teoufnefs of faith, therefore they are bound to keep the whole law, and in cafe of failure, they are condemned. The covenant of grace, is like a court of chancery, to relieve the firmer, and help him who is caft by the firft covenant: it faith, Believe in the Lord Jc fus. and be laved ; but fuch as will ftand upon their own inherent righteoufnefs, free-will and merit, they fall under the firft covenant of works, and are in a perifh- ing eftate. Ufe 2. Let us labour by faith to get into the fecond covenant of grace, and then the cu.fe of the firft covenant is taken away by Chrift. If we once get to be heirs of me covenant of grace, we arc in a better frate than before. Adam flood on his own leers, therefore fell; v/e ftand in the ftrength of Chrift : under the firft covenant, the jufrice of God, as an avenger of bleed, purfoes you ; ;^ir if ye get inro the fecond covenant, you are got inro the city of refuge, you are fare, and the juftice of God is pacified towards you. .*> .*. & .*. ^ *. *- *. *. .*. & .% * *. A i .?■ •% •% % -P * ■£• ■* * ■ #k '-• *■ $> *' ■*'- ■% * 4 if? ttoj (Ma Mi 61- e2u Si «& ■*& c«: cSjj «so <*sj '*& t*£ us: &*J «*a <.--•: t±ti -.^ otis 0*3 «ta 040 CONCERNING SIN. Qu- X. JJ/H A T h fin ? *' AnJ. Sin is any want of confor- mity unto, or tranfgreffion of the law of God. 1 John iii. 4. Sin ii a tran'grejjion of the law. Of fin in general. 1. Sin is a violation or tranfgreffion; theLa- tin word, tranfgredior, to tranfgrefs, fignifies to .go beyond one's bounds : the moral law is to keep us within the bounds of our duty; fin is a going beyond our bounds. The law of God; it is not the law of an inferior prince that is broken, but of Jehovah, who gives Jaws as well to angels as men ; it is a law that ~>rjifl, and holy, and good, Rom, vii. 12. It is juft. there is nothing in it unequal; holy, nothing in it impure ; good, nothing in it prejudicial. CONCERNING SIN. 79 prejudicial. So that there is no reafon to break this law, no more than for a bead that is in a far pa (hi re, to break over the hcclge, to leap into a barren heath or quagmire. I (hall mew what an hainous and execrable thing fin is. It is malorum colluvies, the com- plication of all evil ; it is the fpirits of rnifchief diflill'd : the Scripture calls it the ac cur fed thing, Jofh. vii. 13. it is compared to the venom of fer- pents, the flench of fepulchres. The apoftle ufeth this exprefllon of fin, Out ofmeafurejinful, Rom. vii. 13. or, as it is in the the Greek, hyper bo- lically Jinful. The devil would paint over fin with the vermilion-colour of pleafure and pro- fit, that he may make it look fair : but I (hall pull off the paint from fin, that you may fee the ugly face of it. We are apt to have flight thoughts of fin, and to fay of it, as Ltt ofZoar, Gen. xix. 20. Is it not a little one ? But that you may fee how great an evil fin is, confider ihefe four things. I. The original of fin, whence it comes: it fetcheth its pedigree from hell; Sin is of the devil, 1 John iu. 8. He that comtnittetb fin is of the devil- Satan was the firfl actor of fin, and the firft tempter to fin : Sin is the devil's firfl-born. II. Sin is evil in the nature of it. I« It is a defiling thing. Sin is not only a defection, but a pollution. It is to the foul as rufl is to gold, as a flain is to beauty. It makes the foul red with guilt, and black with filth. Sin in fcripture is compared to a menftrous cloth, Ifa. xxx. 22. to a plague-fore, 1 Kings viii- 38. Jofhua's filthy garments, in which he flood before the angel, Zech. iii- 3. were nothing but a type and hieroglyphic of fin. Sin hath blot- ted God's image, and flained the orient bright- . nefs of the foul. Sin makes God lothe a fin- ner, Zech. xi. 8. and when a finner fees his fin, he lothes himfelf, Ezek. xx. 42. Sin drops poifon on our holy things, it infects our pray- ers. The high priefl was to make atonement for fin on the altar, Exod. xxix. 36. to typify that our holiefl fervices need Chrift to make ■ an atonement for them. Duties of religion in themfelves are good, but fin corrupts them, as the purefl water is polluted, running through muddy ground. The leper under the law, if he had touched the alrar, the altar had not cleanfed him, but he had defiled the altar. The apoflle calls fin, Filthinefs offltjh and fpirit, 2 Cor. vii 1. Sin ftamps the devil's image on a man : malice is the devil's eye, hypocrify his cloven foot. It turns a man into a devil, John vi. 70. Have not I chofen you tvjelve, and one of you is a devil, 2. Sin is a grieving of God's Spirit, Eph. iv. 30. Gr ieve not the holy Spirit of God. To grieve, is more than to anger. Qu. How can the Spirit be faid to be grieved ? For, feeing he is God, he cannot be fubjecl to any paffion. sfnf This is fpoken metaphorically; Sin is faid to grieve the Spirit, becaufe it is an injury offered to the Spirit, and he takes it unkindly, and, as it were, lays it to heart. And, is it not much thus to grieve the Spirit ? The Holy Gho.fl defcended in the likenefs of a dove; fin makes this blefled dove mourn. Were it only an angel, we fhould not grieve him, much lefs the Spirit of God : Is it not fad to grieve our Comforter. v 3. Sin is an act of contumacy againft God ; a walking antipodes to heaven, Leu- xxvi. 27. If ye -will walk contrary to me. A finner tram- ples upon God's law, croffeth his will, doth all he can to affront, yea, to fpite God. The He- brew word, for fin, Pafoang, fignifies rebel- lion ; there is the heart of a rebel in every fin, Jer. xliv. 1 6- We will do whatfoevcr proceedeth out of our mouth, to burn incenfe to the queen of heaven. Sin flrikes at the very Deity; Pec catum efl deicidium : Sin would not only un- throne God, but ungod him. If the firmer could help it, God fhould no longer be God. 4. Sin is an act of difingenuity and unkind- neis : God feeds the finner, keeps off evils from him, bemiracles him with mercy; but the fin- ner not only forgets God's mercies, but abufeth them : he is the worfe for mercy ; like Abfalom, who, as foon as David had kiffed him, and took him into favour, plotted treafon againfl him, 2 Sam. xv. io. Like the mule, who kicks the dam after fhe hath given it milk, vas pertufum, 2 Sam, xvi. 17. Is this thy kindnefs to thy Friend ? God may upbraid the finner : I have given thee (may God fay) thy health, flrength, and ef- tate ; thou requitefl me evil for good, thoa woundefl me with my own mercies ; is this thy kindnefs to thy Friend ? Did I give thee life to fin ? Did I give thee wages to ferve the devil ? 5. Sin is a difea(e, Ifa. \- 5- Thexvhole head is fick ; fome are fick of pride, others of lull, others of envy. Sin hath diflempered the intellectual part, 'tis a leprofy in the head, it hath poifoncd the vitals, lit. ii. 16. Their confeience is defiled. It is with a finner as with a fick patient, his pa- late N late is difVmpered, the fweeteft things trifle bit- ter to him. The word which is fweetsr than the honey -comb, taftes bitter to him, I/a. v. 20. .they put fvvcet for bitter. This is a difeafe, and nothing can cure this difeafe but the blood of the phyfician. 6. Sin is an irrational thing ; it makes a man a 61 not only wickedly but foolimly- It is ab- fnrd and irrational to prefer the leffer before the greater, the pleafures of life, before the rivers of pleafures at God's right-hand for evermore. Is it not irrational to lole heaven, for the fatis- fying or indulging of luft ? As Lyfimachus, who, for a draught of water, loft a kingdom. Is it not irrational to gratify an enemy? In fin we 60 fo. When luft or ram anger burn in the foul, Satan warms himfelf at that fire. Men's fins feaft the Devil. •7. Sin is a painful thing; it cofts men much labour in purfuing their fins. How do men tire themfelves in doing the devil's drudgery ? Jer. ix. 5. They weary themfelves to commit iniquity. What pains did Judas take to bring about his treafon ? He goes to the high prieft, and then after to the band of foldiers, and then back a- gain to the garden. St. Chryfojtom faith, Vir- tue is eajier than vice. 'Tis more pains to fome to follow their fins, than to others to worfhip their God. While the finner travels with his fin, in forrow he brings forth; it is calledTd-r- ving divers lufts, Tit. iii. 2. Not enjoy, but ferve: Why fo? beeaufe not only of the flavery in fin, but the hard labour; it is ferving divers lufts. Many a man goes to hell in the fweat of his brows. 8. Sin is the only thing God hath an antipa- thy againft : God doth not hate a man beeaufe he is poor, or defpifed in the world ; you do not hate your friend beeaufe he is fick,^ but that which draws forth the keenefs of God's hatred, is fin, Jer. xliv. 4. 0 do not this abominable thing which I hate. And lure, if the finner dies' under God's hatred, he cannot be admit- ted into the celeftial manfions : will God let him live with him whom he hates ? God will never lay a viper in his bofom. The feathers of the eagle will not mix with the feathers of other fowls; God will not mix and incorpo- rate with a finner. Till fin be removed, there is no coming where God is. III. See the evil of fin, in the price paid for it; it cofl: the blood of God to expiate it. 0 man (faith St. Auftin) confider the greatnefs of thy fin, by the greatnefs of the prict -paid for fin. CONCERNING SIN. All the princes on earth, or ?",gels in heaven, could not fatisfy for fin ; only Chrift. Nay, Chrift's active obedience was not enough to make atonement for fin, but he muft fufFer upon the crofs ; for, without blood is no remiffion, Heb. ix. 22. O what an accurfed thing is fin, that Chrift (hould die for it ! The evil of fin is not fo much feen in that one thoufand are dam- ned for it, as that Chrift died for it. IV. Sin is evil in the Effects of it. 1 . Sin hath degraded us of our honour. Reu- ben by inceft loft his dignity ; and tho' he were the firft-born, he could not excel, Gen. xlix. 4. God made us in his own image, a little lower than the angels; but fin hath debafed us. Be- fore Adam finned, he was like an herald that hath his coat of arms upon him ; all reverence him, beeaufe he carries the king's coat of arms j but let the coat be pulled off, and he is defpif- ed, no man regards him. Sin hath done this, it hath plucked off our coat of innocency, and now it hath debafed us, and turned our glory into fhame, Dan. xi. 21. And there floall /land up a vile per f on. This was fpoken of Antio- dhus Epiphanes, who was a king, and- his name fignifies illuftrious ; yet fin had degraded him, he was a vile perfon. 2. Sin difquiets the peace of the foul; whate- ver defies, diflurbs ; as poifon which tortures the bowels, corrupts the blood, fo fin doth the foul, Ifa. lvii- 2i. Sin breeds a tremblingzt the heart; it creates fears, and there is torment in feart 1 John iv. 18. Sin makes fad convulfions in the confeience. Judas was fb terrified with guilt and horror, that he hangs himfelf to quiet his confeience. And is he not like to be well cured, that throws himfelf into hell for eafe ? 3. Sin produceth all temporal evil, Lam. i. 8. Jerufalem hath grievoufiy finned, therefore, me is removed. It is the Trojan horfe, it hath fword and famine, and peftilence in the belly of it. Sin is a coal, that not only blacks, but burns. Sin creates all our troubles ; it puts gra- vel into our bread, wormwood in our cup. Sin rots the name, confumes the eftate, buries rela- tions. Sin fhoots the flying roll of God's cur- fes into a family and kingdom, Zech. v. 4. It is reported of Phocas, having built a wall of mighty ftrength about his city, there was a voice heard, Sin is within the city, and that will throw down the wall. 4. Sin unrepented of brings final damnation. The canker that breeds in the rofe is the caufe of its periming; and corruptions that breed in men's A D A M >S SIN. Ji mfcns fouls are the caufe of their damning. Sin, without repentance, brings the fecond death, Rev. xx. 14. that is, mors fine morte, Bern, a death always dying. Sin's pleafure will turn to forrow at lalt ; like the book the prophet did eat, Ezek. iii. 3. fweet in the mouth, but bitter in the belly- Sin brings the wrath of God, and what buckets or engines cm quench that fire ; Mat. vi. 44. Where the worm never dies, and the fire is not quenched. life 1. See how deadly an evil Shi is, how flrange is it that any one mould love it ? Pf. iv. 3. Hoiv long will ye love vanity ? Hof. iii. 1 . Who look to other gods and love flagons of wine. Sin is a dim men cannot forbear, tho' it make them fick ; who would pour rofe-water into a kennel ? What pity is it fo fweet an af- fection as love mould be poured upon fo filthy a thing as Sin? Sin brings a fling in the con- ference, a curfe in the eflate ; yet men love it. A firmer is the greatefl felf-denier ; for his Sin he will deny himfelf a part in heaven. Ufe 2. Do any thimq rather than fin. O hate Sin'! there is more evil in the leaf! Sin, than in the greatefl bodily evils that can befal us. The Ermyn rather choofeth to die, than defile her beautiful fkin. There is more evil in a drop of Sin, than in a fea of affliction : affliction is but like a rent in a coat, Sin a prick at the heart. In affliction there is altquid boni, fbme good ; in this lion there is fbme honey to be found, Pf cxix. 71. It is good for me that I was afflidled. Utile efl anima fi in hac area mundi flagellis trituretur corpus, Aug. Afflic- tion is God's flyel to threfh off our hufks ; not to confume, but refine. There is no good in Sin, it is the fpirit and quinteffence of evil. Sin is worfe than hell 5 for the pains ofhell on* ly are a burden to the creature ; but fin is a burden to God, Amos ii. 13. / am prejfed un- der your iniquities, as a cart is prejfed under the ji heaves. Ufe ult. Is Sin fo great an evil ? Then how thankful fhould you be to God, if he hath tak* en away your Sin ? Zech. iii. 3. I have caufe d thy iniquity to pafs from thee* If you had a dif- eafe on your body, plague or dropfy, how thank- ful would you be to have it taken away? Much more to have Sin taken away. God takes away the guilt of Sin by pardoning grace, and the power of Sin by mortifying grace. O be thank- ful that this ficknefs is not unto death ; that God hath changed your nature, and by graft- ing you into Chrift, made you partake of the fweetnefs of that olive; that Sin, tho' it live, doth not reign, but the eider ferves the younger, the elder of fin ferves the younger of grace. 5- .$■> .% S- .% & .% jfc J? it? -t- ■% •% ■% >% ■% fi> •% ■*• .*?• >% ■% &.■ ■% •% & .& & •*• *-. u*j u*i uZ) 0*3 u*j ciij taiB OS- <£h usa iz&s w.b (Mi tia &z ua» -iSs ti£i o& taSs ;i£5 tSSi eS2i Gzl idis c£u i±a '^.o 6J3 ctu cia *u W «Sj 1 ADA M 'S SIN. Q; XI. TI 7 H AT 'was the fin whereby our firjl V V parents fell from the eflate where- in they were created. Anfi The fin was their eating the forbidden fruit. Gen. iii. 6. -She took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave alj'o to her husband. Here is implied, 1. That our firit parents fell frofn their eflate of innocency. 2. The fin by which they fell, eating the forbidden fruit (1.) Our firff. parents fell from their glorious ilate of innoc*ncy. Eccl vii. 29. Cod made man uPrjght, but they have fought out many inven- tions. Adam was perfectly holy, he had recti- tude of mind, and liberty of will to good ; but his head aked till he had invented his own and our death, he fought out many inventions. 1. Adam's fall was voluntary j he had a pojfe nan peccare, a power not to fall. Free-will was a fufficient fhield to repel temptation : The de- vil could not have forced him, unlefs he had given hisconfent; fatan was only a fuiter to woo, not a king to compel : but Adam gave away his own power, and fuffered himfelf to be decoyed into fin : like a young gallant, who, at one throw, lofeth a fair lordfhip. Adam had a fair lardfhip, he was lord of the world, Gen. i- 28. Have dominion over the fifj of the fea, and over the fowl of the air , and over every living thing that moveth. But he ioir all at one throw. As foon as he had fmned, he for- feited paradife. 2. Adam's fill was fudden, he did not long continue in his royal majefly. Qu How lo-ng did Adam continue in para- dife before he fell ? Anf. Toflatus faith, he fell the next day, Pe- ls rerius u A D A M 'S SI N. 4ferius fatth, he £11 the eighth day after his crea- tion. But the moft probable opinion is, That Adam fell the very fame day in which he was created : So Irenceus, Cyril, Epiphanius, and many others. The reafons which incline me to believe fo,' are, i. It is f.iid, Satan was a murderer from the beginning, John viii- 44. Now, whom did he murder i Not the bleffed angels, he could not reach them ; nor the curfed angels, for they had before deftroyed themfelves- How then was Satan a murderer from the beginning: As foon as Satan fell, he began to tempt mankind to fm; this was a murdering temptation. By which it appears Adam did not flay long in paradife; foon after his creation the devil let upon him, gnd murdered him-by his temptation. 2. Argument to prove that Adam fell the fame day he was created: Adam had not yet eaten of the tree of life, v. 22, 23. And now, le/i he put forth his hand, and take alfo of the tree of life, and eat; the Lord fent him forth •f the garden. This tree of life, being one of the choiceft fruits in the garden, and being placed in the mid ft of paradife, it is very like Jdam would have eaten of this tree of life one of the firft, had not the ferpent beguiled him with the tree of knowledge. So that hence I conclude, Adam fell the very day of his creation, becaufe he had not yet tafted the tree of life, that tree that was moft in his eye, andhadfuch «lelicious fruit growing upon it- 3. Argument from Pfi xlix. 12. Man being in honour abideth not. The Rabbins read it thus, Adam being in honour, lodged not one night. The Hebrew word for abide, fignifies, " To ftay or lodge all night." Adam then it feems did not take up one night's lodging in Paradife. 1. Inference. From Adam's fudden fall, he fell the fame day in which he was created, learn, i. The weaknefs of human nature: Jdam, in a flate of integrity, quickly made a defection from God ; he foon loft the robe of innocence, and the glory of Paradife. And, was our nature thus weak when it was at the beft ? "What is it now when it is at the worft ? If Adam did not Hand when he was perfectly righteous, how unable are we to ftand, when fin hath cut •the lock of our original rightcoufnefs? If puri- fied nature did not ftand, how then (hall cor- rupt nature ? If Adam, in a few hours, finned himfelf out of Paradife, O bow quickly fhould we fin ourfelves into hell, if we were not kept . foy a greater power than our own ! but God puts underneath his everlafting arms, Dcut. xxxii. 27. 2. From Adam's fudden fall, he fell the fame day; learn how fad it is for a man to be left tcj himieif. 1. Adam being left to himfelf, fell : O then, what will becom of us, how foon fall, if God leave us to ourfelves ? A man left to himfelf will choofe his own death ; he will be a prey to every temptation. A man without God's grace, left to himfelf, is like a fhip in a ftorm without pilot or anchor, and is ready to dafh upon every rock. Make this prayer to God, Lord, do not leave me to myfelf: If Adam fell fo foon tuho had firength, how foon fl:all I fall who have no firength ? O urge God with his hand and feal, 2 Cor. xii. 9. My firength /hall be made per feci in weaknefs. (2-) The fin by which our firft parents fell, was, eating the forbidden fruit ; where confi- der two things: 1. The occafion of it. 1. The fin itfelf. I. The occafion of it ; the fe/pent's tempta- tion ; the devil did creep into the ferpent, and fpake in the ferpent, as the angel in Balaam's afs ; where confider, 1. The fubtilty of Satan's temptation ; his wiles are worfe than his darts. Satan's fubtilty in tempting; 1. He deals all along as an impoftor, he ufher'd in his tenta- tion by a lie : he heaps up many lies, ifi, That tho' our firft parents did eat of that tree, they fhould not die, Gen. iii. 4. Ye /hall not furely die. 2d Lie, That God did envy our firft pa- rents their happinefs, v. 5. Cod knows, that in the day ye eat, your eyes /hall be opened', q. d. It is God's envying your felicity, that he for- bids you this tree, ^d Lie, That they fhould be thereby made like unto God, v. 5. Te /hall be as g»ds. Here was his fubtilty in tempting : The devil was firft a liar, then a murderer. (?.) In that he fet upon our firft parents fo quickly, before they were confirmed in their o- bedience; the angels in heaven are fully con- firmed in holinefs ; they are called ftars of the morning, Job xxxviii. 7. and they are fixed ftars. But our firft parents were not confirmed in their obedience, they were not fixed in their orb of ho- linefs: tho' they had a poffibility of ftanding, they had not an impoffibility of falling ; they were holy, but mutable ; here was Satan's fub- tilty, in tempting our firft parents before they were confirmed in their obedience. (3.) His fubtilty in tempting was, That he fets upon Eve firft ; t. Becaufe he thought me was lefs able to reftft. Satan did break over the A D A MyS 4 t K. *3 hedge, where it was weakeft ; he knew he could more eafily infinuate and wind himfelf into her by a temptation. An expert foldier, when he is to florm or enter a caflle, obferves warily where there is a bieach, or how he may enter with more facility ; Co did Satan the weaker velTel. 2. He tempted Eve fir ft, becaufe he knew, if once he could prevail with her, fhe would eafily draw her hufband. Thus the de- vil handed over a temptation to Job by his wife, Job ii. g. Curfe God and die. Agrippina poifon- ed the emperor Commodus with wine in a pe'r- fum'd cup ; the cup being perfum'd and given him by his wife, it was the lefs fufpeeted. Sa- tan knew a temptation coming to Adam from his wife, would be more prevailing, and would be lefs fufpecr.ed : O bitter ! fbmetimes relations prove temptations : a wife may be a fnare, when fhe diflwades her hufband from doing his duty, or enticeth him to evil. Ah ab fold himfelf to work wickednefs, whom his wife Jezebel jiir- red up, i Kings xxi- 25- She blew the coals and made his fin flame out the more. Satan's fub- tilry wai in tempting Adam by his wife, he thought fhe would draw him to fin. (4.) Satan's fubtilty in tempting, was irt af- faulting Eve's, faith: he would perfwade her that God had not fpoken truth, Ye Jhall n&t furely die, Gen. iii. 4. This was Satan's mafter- piece, to weaken her faith : when he had fha- ken that, and had wrought her once to dirtruft; then fhe yielded, fhe prcfently put forth her hand to evil. ily, Satan's cruelty in tempting: as foon as Adam was inverted in all his glory, the devil cruelly, as it were on the day of Adarrt's coro- nation, would dethrone him, and bring both him and all his pofterity under a curfe: we fee how little love Satan hath to mankind ; he hath an implacable antipathy againft us, and antipathies can never be reconciled. So much for the occafion of Adam's fin, tempted by the ferpent. II. The fin itfelf, Eating the forbid 'den fruit : This was very hainous, and that appears three ways ; I. In refpect. of the perfon that commit- ted it. 2. The aggravation of the fin. 3. The dreadfulnefs cf the effect. 17?, Very hainous in refpeel: of the perfon that Commuted it: Adam had excellent and no- ble endowments; he was illuminated with know- ledge, embellifhed with holinefs ; he knew his duty, and it was as eafy to him to obey God's command, as to know it ; he might have chofen whether he would fin or no, yet he wilfully did eat of the tree which he was forbidden. ily, The aggravation of Adam's fin. Qu. Wherein did it appear to be Jo great? 'Tiuas but raptus pomi ; was this fitch a great 4 matter to pluck an apple ? Anf. Befides that, it was againft an infinite God; it was malum complexion, a voluminous fin, there were many fins twiftcd together in it; as Cicero faith of parricide, He who is guilty of it, Plurima committit peccata in uno, he com- mits many fins irj one; fio there were many fins in this one fin of Adam. A big-bellied fin, a chain with many links. Ten fins in it. 1. Incredulity. Our firft parents did not believe what God had fpoken was truth. God faid, They fhall die the death, in the day they cat of that tree. They believed not that they fliould die ; they could not be perfwaded that fuch fair fruit had death at the core. Thus, by unbelief they made God, a liar ; nay, which was worfe, they believed the devil rather than God. 2. Unthankfulnefs, which is the epitome of all fin. Adam's firf was committed in the midft of Paradife : God had enriched him with variety of mercies : he had ftamped his own image-upon him ; he had made him lord of the world, gave him of all the trees of the garden to eat (one only excepted") and now to take of that tree ! This was high ing-atitude; this was like the dye to the wool, which made it crimfon. When Adams eyes were opened, and he faw what he had done, well he might be afhamed, and hide himfelf: to fin in the midft of Paradife, how could he look God in the f?ce without blufliing', 3. In Adam's fin was difcontent : had he not been difcontcnted, he would never have fought to have altered his condition. Adam, one would think, had enough, he differed but little from the angels, he had the robe of innocency to clothe him, and the glory of Paradife to crown him ; yet he was not content, he would have more ; he would be above the ordinary rank of creatures. How wide was Adam's heart, that Jl whole world could not fill it ! 4. Pride, in that he would be like God: this worm, that was but newly crept out of the duft, now afpires after a Deity ; Ye J> ball be as gods, fairh Satan, and Adam hoped to have been fo indeed ; he fuppofed the tree of knowledge would have anointed his eyes, and made him omnif'ent. But, by climbing too high, he got a fall. L 2 5. Difobedience s «4 ORIGINAL SIN. 5. Difobedience : God faid, Thou /halt not eat of the tree ; he would eat of it, though it cofl him his life. Difobedience is a fin againft equity: it is equal we fhould ferve him from whom we have our fubfiftence; God gave Adam his allowance, therefore it was but equal he he mould give God his allegiance : therefore difobedience was againft equity. How could God endure to lee his laws trampled on before his face ? This made God place a flaming fword at the end of the garden. 6. Curiofity, to meddle, with that which was cut of his fphere, and did not belong to him. God fmote the men of Bethfhemefh but for looking into the ark, 1 Sam. vi. iy. Adam would be prying into God's fecrets, and tailing what was forbidden. 7. "Wantonnefs : though Adam had choice of til the other trees, yet his palate grew wanton, and he rauft have this tree. Like Jfrael, God lent them manna, angels food, ay, but they had an hankering after quails ; it was not enough God did fupply their wants, unlefs he mould fatisfy their luffs. Adam had not only for ne- ceffity, but for delight ; yet his wanton palate lulled after forbidden fruit. 8. Sacrilege : the tree of knowledge was none of Adam's, yet he took of it, and did facrilegioufly rob God of his due. It was counted a great crime in Harpalus to rob the temple, and (leal the filver veflels j fo in Adam to Ileal fruit from that tree, which God had peculiarly enclofed for himfelf. Sacrilege is double theft. 9. Murder : Adam was a public perfon, and all his poflerity was involved and wrapped up in him ; and he finning, did at once deflroy all his poflerity, if free grace did not interpofe. If Abel's blood did cry fo loud in God's ears, Gen. iv. 10. The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground ; then how loud did the blood of all Adam' s pofterity cry againft him for vengeance ? 10. Prefumption : Adam prefumed of God's mercy ; he bleffed himfelf, faying, he mould have peace : he thought, though he did tranfgrefs, he fhould not die ; God would fooner reverie his decree, than punifh him. High prefumption! what an heinous fin then was Adam's breach of covenant. Ufe. One fin may have many fins in it. "We are apt to have flight thoughts of fin, it is but a little one. How many fins were in Adam's fin ? O take heed of any fin ! as in one volume there may be many works bound up, fo there may be many fins in one fin. $dly, The dreadfulnefs of the effect : it hath corrupted man's nature. How rank is that poifon, a drop whereof fhould poifon a whole fea ? And how deadly is that fin of Adam, that fhould poifon all mankind, and bring a curfe upon* them, till it be taken away by laim, who was made a curfe for us. ■% ■% A .•*. A '.& .% A A A A A A A A A A A A A % CUi uil fciSj ijlii tdk) Cx&J tiais WiJ tiii til? reafoningsagainftthe truth, and fwarms of vain thoughts, Jer. iv. 14. Hovt long J, ball vain thoughts lodge in thee ? 2. Original fin hath defiled the heart : the heart is mortiferum Junius, deadly wicked, Jer. xvii. 9. It is a letter hell. In the heart are legions oflufts, obdurarenefs,infidel!ty, hypocrify, finful eftuatiens ; it boils as the lea with paffion and revenge. Madnefs is in their heart while they live, Eccl. ix. 3. The heart is Offidna diaboli, the M ORIGINAL SIN. -the devil1 8 fhop or work-houle, where all mif- chief is framed. 2. The Will. Contumacy is the feat of re- bellion : The finner crofTeth God's will, to ful- fil his own, Jer. xliv. 17. Wt 'will burn in- cenfe to the queen of heaven. There is a root- ed enmity in the will againft holiness ; it is like an iron finew, it refufeth to bend to God. "Where is then the freedom of the will ? when it is Co full not only of indifpofition, but oppo- fition to what is fpiritual. 4. The Affections. Thefe, as the firings of a viol, are out of tune. Thefe are the leffer wheels, which are flrongly carried on by the will, the mailer-wheel. Our affections are mif- placed, fet on wrong objects. Our love is fet on jfin, our joy on the creature. Our affections are naturally as a fick man's appetite, he defires things which are noxious and hurtful for him ; he calls for wine in a fever : So we have im- pure killings, inflead of holy longings. (2.) The adherency of original fin. It cleaves to us as blacknefs to the fkin of the Ethiopian, we cannot get rid of it. Paul fhook off the viper on his hand, but we cannot fhake off this inbred corruption : It may be compared to a wild fig-tree growing on a wall, though the roots of it are pulled up, yet there arefome firings of it in the joints of the ftone-work, which will not be eradicated, but will fprout forth till the wall be pulled to pieces. Original concupiicence conies not as a lodger, for a night, but is an indweller, Rom. vii. 17. Sin which dwelleth in me. It is a malus genius, an evil fpirir, that haunts us wherefoever we go, Jojh. vii. 12. The Ca- naanite would dwell in the land. (3.) Original fin retards and hinders us in the exercifes of God's worlbip. Whence is all that dulnefs and deadnefs in religion ? It is the fruit of original fin : It is this rocks us a- fleep in' duty, Rom. vii. 19. The good that I would, I do not. Sin is compared to a weight, Heb. xii. 1. A man that hath weights tied to his legs, cannot run fo fait : It is like that fifh Pliny fpeaks of, a tea-lamprey, that cleaves to the keel of the fhip, and hinders its prOgrefs "when it is under tail. (4.) Original fin, tho' it lies latent in the foul, and "be as a fpring which runs under giound, yet oft it breaks forth unexpectedly. Cbriftian, thottcanft not believe that evil which is in thy heart, and which will break forth fud- icnly, if God leave thee; 2 Kings viiu 13. 15. Is thy fervant a dog, that he fhould do this great thing ? Hazael could not believe he had fuch a root of bitternefs in his heart, that he fhould rip up the women with child ; Is thy fervant a dog ? Yes, and worfe than a dog, when that original corruption within was ftirred up. If one had come to Peter, and faid, Peter, within a few hours thou wilt deny Chrift ; he would have faid, Is thy fervant a dog I But alas ! Peter did not know his own heart, nor how far that corruption within would prevail upon him. The fea may. be calm, and look clear; but when the wind blows, how doth it rage and foam ? lb tho' now thy heart feems good, yet when a temptation blows, how may original fin difcover itfelf, making thee foam with lufland paffion. Who would have thought to have found adultery in David, and drunk- ennefs in Noah, and curfing in Job ? If God leave a man to himfelf, how fuddenly and fcan- daloufly may original fin break forth in the ho- lieft men alive ? (5.) Original fin doth mix and incorporate itfelf with our duties *and graces. 1. With our duties. As the hand which is paralytical or palfy, cannot move without mak- ing, as wanting forae inward flrength ; fo we cannot do any holy action without finning, as wanting a principle of original righteoufnefs. As the leper, whatever he touched became un- clean : if he touched the altar, the altar did not fanctify him, but he polluted the altar ; fuch a leprofy is original fi 1, it defiles our prayers and tears ; we cannot write without blotting. Tho' I do not fay, that the holy duties and good works of the regenerate are Sins, for that were to reproach the fpirit of Chi iff, by which they are wrought; yet this I fay, that the befl works of the godly have fin cleaving to them ; only Chrifl's blood makes atonement for our holy things. 2. With our Graces. There is fome unbe- lief mixed with faith, lukewarmnefs with zeal, pride with humilitv. As bad lungs caufe an aflhma, or fhortnefs of breath, fo original cor- ruption having infected our heart, our graces breathe now very faintly. (•').) Original fin is a vigorous afxive prin- ciple within us; it doth not ly flill, but is ever exciting and ftirring us up to evil ; it is an in- m.ite, very unquiet; Rom. vii. 15* What I hate, that I do. How came Paul to do fo ? Original fin did irritate and Air him up to it. Original . fin is like quickfilver, always in motion ; when we ORIGINAL SIN. «7 we are afleep, fin is awake in the fancy. Origin- al fin fets the head a plotting evil, and the hands a working it ; it hath in it prhicipium motus, not quietis ; it is like the pulfe ever- beating. (7.) Original fin is the cauf: of all aclual ; it is fames peccati, it is the womb in which all actual fins are conceived. Hence come mur- ders, adulteries, rapines ; it is the Trojan horfe, out of which a whole army of impieties comes. Tho' actual fins may be more fcandalous, yet original fin is more heinous ; the caufe is more than the effect. (8.) It is not perfectly cured in this life. Grace, tho' it doth fubdue fin, yet not wholly remove it. Tho' we are like Chrift, having the firfi fruits of the fpirir, yet we are unlike him, having the remainders of the flefh. There are two nations in the womb. Original fin i3 like that tree, Dan. iv. 23. tho' the branches of it were hewen down, and the main body of it, yet the flumps and root of the tree were left : Tho' the fpirit be frill weakning and hewing down fin in the godly, yet the flump of original fin is frill left : It is a fea that will not, in this life, be dried up. Qu. But why doth God leave original corrup- tion in us after regeneration ? He could quite free us from it, if he pleafed. Anf. He doth it, to mew the power of his grace in the weakeft believer. Grace fliall pre- vail againfl: a torrent of corruption. Whence is this ? the corruption is ours, but the graee is God's. 2. God leaves original corruption, to make us long after heaven ; when there fliall be no fin t© defile, no devil to tempt. AVhen Elias was taken up to heaven, his mantle dropped off; fo, when the angels fhall carry us up to heaven, this mantle of fin fhall drop off: We fhall never more complain of an aking head, or an unbelieving heart. Ufe 1 . If original fin be propagated to us, and will be inherent in us while we live here, then it confutes the Libertines and Qttakers, who fay they are without fin ; they hold perfection ; they fhew much pride and ignorance ; but we fee the feeds of original fin remain in the belt, Eccl. vii. 20. There is not a jufl man lives, and fins not. And Saint Paul complained of a body of death, Rom. vii. 24. Grace, tho' it doth purify nature, it doth not perfect it. Obj. But doth not the Apoftle fay of belie- vers, that their old man is crucified, Rom. vi. 6. and they are dead to fin f Rom» vii. 1 r . Anf. They are dead, i. Spiritually. Theyar* dead as to the reattis, the guilt of it; and as to the regnum, the power of it j the love of fin- is crucified. 2. They are dead to fin legally. As a man that is fentenced to death is dead in law, fd they are legally dead to fin ; there is a fentehce of death gone out againfl: fin, it fliall die and drop into the grave : But at the prefent, fin hath its life lengthened out; nothing but the death of the body can quite free us from the body of death. Ufe 2. Let us lay to heart original fin, and be deeply humbled for it ; it cleaves to us as a difeafe, it is an active principle in us, furring us up to evil. Original fin is worfe than all actual fin ; the fountain is more than the ftream. Some think, as long as they are civil, they are well enough ; ay, but thy nature is poifoned ; thou haft a proud, lufiful, envious nature : A river may have fair flreams, but vermin at bottom.. Thou carried an hell about thee, thou canfi do nothing but thou defileft it ; thy heart, like muddy ground, defiles the purefl water that runs thorough it. Nay, tho' thou art regenerate, there is much of the old man in the new man. O how fliould original fin humble us ! This i» one reafon God hath left original fin in us, be- caufe he would have it as a thorn in our fide to humble us. As the bifhop of Alexandria, after the people had embraced chrntianity, deftroyed all their idols but one, that the fight of that idol might make them lothe themfelves for their former idolatry ; fo God leaves original fin t© pulldown the plumes of pride. Under ourfil- ver wings of grace are black feet. 2. Let the fenfe of this make us daily look up to heaven for help ; beg Chrift 's blood to wafh away the guilt of fin, and his fpiric to mortify the power of it ; beg further degrees of grace ; gratiam Chrifii eo obnoxius ambiamus. Tho' grace cannot make fin not to be, yet not to reign ; tho' grace cannot expel fin, it can repel it : And, for our comfort, where grace makes a combat with fin, death fliall make a conqueft. 3. Let original fin make us walk with conti- nual jealoufy and wafchfulnefs over our heart. The fin of our nature is like a flcepinglion, the leafr thing that awakens it makes it rage. The fin of our nature, tho' it feems quiet, and lies as fire hid under the embers, yet if it bealittle fiirred and blown up by a temptation, how quickly may it flame forth into fcandalous evils i 88 MAN'S MISERY BY THE FALL. evils ? therefore we had need always walk Watch. A wandering heart needs a watchful watchfully, Mark xiii. 37. 1 fay to you all, eye. . J MAN'S MISERY BY THE FALL. WH AT is the mlfery of that eflate where- inlo man fell ' ? Anf. All mankind by their fall loft commu- nion with God, are under his wrath and curfe, and fo made liable to all the miferies of this life, to death itfelf, and to the pains of hell for ever. Eph. ii. 3. And were by nature children of wrath. Adam left an unhappy portion to his posterity, Sin and Mifery. We have already co"hfidered the firft of thefe, original fin, now the mifery of that eflate ; in the £11 ft, we have feen mankind offending, in the fecond, we mall fee him fuffering. The mifery enfuing origi- nal fin is two-fold. I. Privative. By this firft hereditary fin we have loft Communion with God- Adam was God's familiar, his favourite ; but fin hath put us all out of favour : when we loft God's image, we loft his acquaintance. God's banifhing Adam out of Paradife, hieroglyphicly, it fhewtd how fin hath banifhed us out of God's love and favour. II. Pofitive- In four things. 1 . Under the power of Satan 2- Heirs of God's wrath. 3. Subject to all miferies in this life. 4. Obnoxious to hell and damnation. if}, The firft mifery is, By nature we are under the power of Satan, who is called, The prince of the power of the air, Eph- ii. 2. Be- fore the fall man was a free denifon, now a flave ; before a king on the throne, now in fet- ters. And who is men enfhived to? To one that is an hater of him. This was an aggra- vation of Ifracl's fervitude, Pf cvi. 41. They that hated them ruled over them. By fin we are enflaved to Satan, who is an hater of mankind, and writes all his laws in blood. Sinners before converfion are under Satan's command, as the afs at the command of the driver, he doth all the devil's drudgery. No fooner Satan tempts, but he obeys : as the (hip is at the command of the pilot, he fleers it which way he will, fo is the (Inner at the comnv.-nd ©f Satan, he may fleer him which way he will ; and Jie never fleers the (hip but into hell's mouth. The devil rules all the powers and faculties of a finner. 1. He rules the underflanding: he blinds men with ignorance, and then rules them; as the Philiftines firft put out Samfon's eyes, and then bound him. Satan can do what he will with an ignorant man: he doth not fee the error of his way, therefore the devil can lead him into any fin ; you may lead a blind man any whither : Omne peccatum fundatur in ignorantia. 2. Satan rules the: will : tho' he cahnot-force the will, yet he can, by a temptation, draw it, John viii. 44. The luffs of your father ye wilt do. He hath got your hearts, and him ye will obey. Jer. xliv. 17. We will burn incenfe to the queen of heaven. When the devil fpurs a fin- ner by a temptation, he will over hedge and ditch, break all God's laws, that he may obey Satan : Where then is free willl When Satan hath fuch power over the will, his lufts ye will do. There's not any member of the body but is at the devil's ferviee : the head to plot fin, the hands to work it, the feet to run the devil's errand. Grave jugam fervitutis , Cicero. Sla- very is hateful to a noble fpirit. Satan is the wdrfl tyrant; the cavity of Cannibal, or Nero, is nothing to his. Other tyrants do but rule over the bodies, he over the confeience: other tyrants have fome pity on their flaves, though they work in the galley, they give them meat, let them have hours for reft ; but Satan is a Mercilefs Tyrant, he lets men have no reft. "What pains did judus take? The devil would let him have no reft till he had betrayed Chrift, and afterwards embrewed his hands in his own blood. Ufe 1. See here our mifery by original fin, enflaved to Satan, Eph. ii. 2. Satan is faid to work effectually in the children of difobedience : AY hat 'a fid plague is this for a finner to be at the will of the devil? Juft like a flave, if the Turk bids him digin the mines, hew in the quarries, tug at the oar, the flave mufl do it, he dares not refufe. If the devil bids a man lie or MAN'S MISERY BY THE F A L 1,' «» or cozen, he doth not refufe ; and, which is worfe, men are enflaved, and they willingly o- bey this tyrant : other (laves are forced againft their will ; Ifrael Jighed by reafon of their bon- dage, Exod. ii. 23- Buc finners are willing to be (laves, they will not take their freedom; they kifs their fetters. Ufe 2. Let us labour to get out of this deplor- able condition fin hath plunged us into; get from under the power of Satan : if any of your children were flaves, you would give great fums of money to purchaie their freedom ; your (buls are enflaved, and will you not labour to be fet free ? Improve the gofpel; the gofpel proclaims a jubilee to captives; fin binds men, the gofpel loofeth them ; Paul's preaching was to turn men from the power of Satan to God, Acts xxvi. i$. The gofpel-ftar leads you to Chrift ; and if you get Chrift, then you are made free, tho' not from the being of fin, yet from Satan's ty- ranny, John viii. 36. If the Son make you free, ye jloall be free indeed. You hope to be kings to reign in heaven, and will you let Saran reign in you now ? Never think to be kings when you die, and flaves while you live : the crown of glory is fur conquerors, not for captives. Oh ! get out of Satan's jurisdiction ; get your fetters of fin filed off by repentance. id, Mifery [We are heirs of Cod's wrath.'] In the text, and were by nature the children of wrath- Tertullian's expofition here is wrong, children of wrath, he underflands fubjeclive, that is, fubject to wrath and paffion ; offend- ing often in the irrafcible faculty of a wrathful fpirit. But, by children of wrath, the apofiie paffively means heirs of wrath, expofed to God's difipleafure. God was once a friend, but fin broke the knot of friendfhip ; now God's fmile is turned into a frown : we aie now bound over to the feffions, and become children of wrath; And who knows the power of God' 's wrath? Pf. xc. 1 1. The wrath of a king is as the roring of a lion, Prov. xix- 12. How did Hainan's heart tremble, when the king role up from the ban- quet iri wrath ? Eft. vii. 7. But God's wrath is infinite, all other is but as a fpark to a flame : wrath in God is not a paffion, as in us; but it is an act of God's holy will, whereby he ab- hors fin, and decrees to punifli it. This wrath is Vfry tlifmal, it is the wrath of God that im- bi fers afm£rionsin this life ; when ficknefscomes attended with God's wrath, it puts confidence into in agony; The mingling of the fir with the hail made it fo terrible, Exod, ix- 24. fo mingling God's wrath with affliction, makes it torturing ; it is the nail in the yoke. God's wrath, when but in a threatning (as a fhowcr hanging in the cloud) made Eli's ears to tingle : what is it then, when this wrath is executed? It is terrible when the king rates and chides a traitor ; but it is more dreadful when he cauf- eth him to be fet upon the rack, or to be broke upon the wheel : Who knows the power of God's wrath? While we are children of wrath, 1. "We have nothing to do with any of the pro- mifes ; ' they are as the tree of life, bearing fe- veral forts of fruit, but no right to pluck one leaf, Eph. ii. 3. Children of wrath. Ver. 12. Strangers to the covenant ofpromi'e. The pro- mifes are as a fountain fealed. While we are in the ftate of nature, we fee nothing but the flaming fword ; and, as the apofiie faith, Heb. X. 27. There remains nothing but a fearful look- ing for of fiery indignation- 2. While chil- dren of wrath we ate heirs to all God's curfes, Gal. iii. 10. How can the firmer eat and drink in that condition ? Like Damaris's banquet, he fat at meat, and there was a fword hanging over his head by a fmall thread ; one would think he fliould have little ftomach to eat : fo the fword of God's wrath andcurfe hangs every moment over a finner's head. We read cfa fly- ing roll written with curfes, Zech. v. 3. There's a roll written with curfes goes out againfl every per (on that lives and dies in fin : God's curfe blafis wherever it comes. A curie on the fin- ner's name, a curfe on his foul, a curfe on his eftate, pollen ty, a curfe on the ordinances. Sad, if all a man did eat fliould turn to poifon : the finner eats and drinks his own damnation at God's tabled Thus it is before converfion. As the love of God makes every bitter thing fweet, fo the curfe of God makes every fweet thing bitter- eye- See our mifery by the fill, Heirs of wrath : and is this eftate to be relied in ? If a man be fallen under the king's difipleafure, will he not labour to re-ingratiate himfelf into his favour ? O let us flee from the wrath of God ! And whither fliould we fly, but to Jefus Ghrifl ? there's none elfe to fliield off the wrath of God from us, 1 Thtff. i. 10. Jefus hath delivered us from the wrath to come. ' 3. Subject to all outward miferies : all the troubles incident to man's life are the bitter fruits of original fin. The fin of Adam hath fubjecled the creature to vanity, Rom. \iii. .-o. Is it not a part of the creature's vanity, that all M the 9° AN'S MISERY BY THE FALL. the comforts here below will not fill the heart, no more than the mariner's breath can fill the fails of a fhip; Job xx. 22. In the midfl of his fujfciency he Jhall be in fir aits. There is ftill fbmething wanting, and a man would have more : the heart is always hydropieal ; it thirfts, and is not fausfied. Solomon put all the crea- tures into a lembic; and when he came to ex- tract the fpirit and qu'mteflence, there was no- thing but froth, all -was vanity, Eccl. i. 2. Nay, it is vexing vanity ; not only cmptinefs, but bitternefs. Our life is labour and forrow ; we come into the world with a cry, go out with a groan, Pf. xc. 10. Some have faid, that they would not be to live the life they have lived over again, becauie their life hath had more water in it than wine; more water of tears, than wine of joy : Qjiid eft cliu vivere nifl diu torqueri, Aug. Man is born to trouble, Job v. 7. Every one is not born heir to land, but he is born heir to trouble ; as well feparate weight from lead. We do not finifh our trou- bles in this life, but change them. Trouble is the vermine bred out of the putrid matter of fin. Whence are all our fears, but from fin ? 1 John iv. 18. There is torment in fear. Fear is the ague of the foul, fets it a fhaking : fome fear want, others alarms, others fear lofs of re- lations : If we rejoice, it is with trembling. 'Whence are all our difappointments of hopes, but from fin ? Where we look for comfort, there a crofs : where we expect honey, there we tafte wormwood. Whence is it that the earth is fil- led with violence, that the wicked oppreiTeth the man which is more righteous than he ? Hab. i. 13. Whence is it that fo much fraudulency in dealing, fo much falfenefs in friendfhip, fuch crofles in relatior s ? Whence is it children prove undutiful? They that mould be as the ftaffof the parents age, are a fword to pierce their hearts : Whence is it fervants are unfaithful to their matters ? The apoftle fpeaks of fome who have entertained angels into their houfes, Neb. x'm. 2- But how oft, inflead of entertaining an- gels in their houfes, do fome entertain devils ? Whence are all the mutinies and divifions in a kingdom ? 2 Chron- xv. 5. In thofe days there was no peace to them that went out, nor to him that came in. All this is but the fowre core in that apple our fir A parents ate, viz. fruit of ori- ginal fin. Btfides, all the deformities and dif- eafes of the body, fevers, convulfions, catarrhs, Macies & nova febrium terris incubuit cohors — -Thefe are from fin. There had never been a ftone in the kidnies, if it had not been nVft a ftjne in the heart. Yea, the death of the bo- dy, is the fruit and refult of original fin, Rom* v. 12. Sin entered into the world, and death by fin. Adam was made immortal, conditionally, if he had not finned; fin dig 'd Adam's grave. Death is terrible to nature : Lewis king of France forbade all that came into his court, to mention the name of death in his ears. The Socinians fay, that death comes only from the infirmnefs of the conftitution. But the apoftle faith, Sin ufher'd in death into the world : by fin came death- Certainly, had not Adam eat of the tree of knowledge, he had not died, Gen. ii. 17. In the day thou eateft, thou fhalt furely {die,) implying, if Adam had not eat, he fhould not have died. O then fee the mifery enfuing upon original fin ! Sin diffolves the harmony and good temperature of the body, it pulls this frame in pieces. 4. Original fin without repentance expofeth to hell and damnation. This is the fecond death, Rev. xx. 14. Two things in it. (1.) Poena Damni, Punifhment of lofs; The foul is banifhed from the beatifical prefence of God, in whofe prefence is fulnefs of joy. (2.) Poena fenfus, Punifhment of fenfe ; the finner feels the fcalding viols of God's wrath : It is penetrating, abiding, John iii. 36. Refer- ved, 2 Pet. ii. 17- If, when God's anger be kindled but a little, and a fpark or two of it flie3 into a man's confeience here in this life, it be fb terrible ; what then will it be when God ftirs up all his anger ? In hell there is the worm and the fire, Mark ix. 44. Hell is the very accent and emphafis of mifery : there's judgment with- out mercy. O what flames of wrath, what feas of vengeance, what rivers of brimftone, are poured out there upon the damned ! Bellar- mine is of opinion, That one glimpfe of hell- fire were enough to make the moft flagitious finner turn ChrifHan ; nay, live like an hermit, a moft Ariel mortified life.,. What is all other fire to this, but painted fire ? Ejus adeffe into- lerable, ejus abejfe impoffibile ; to bear it will be intolerable, to avoid it will be impoffible ; and thefe hell-torments are for ever, have no period put to them, Rev. ix. 6. They Jhall feek death, and fliall not find it. Origen fancied a fiery ftream, in which the fouls of finful men were to be purged after this life, and then to pafs into heaven; but it is for ever. The breath of the Lord kindles that fire; and where fhall we find engines or buckets to quench it ? Rev. xiv. OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. 91 xiv. IT. And the/moke of their torment afcend- eth up for ever and ever, and they have no refl night nor day. Thank original fin for all. Ufe I .What fad thoughts fhould we have: of this primitive original fin, that hath -created Co many miferies ? What honey can be got out of this lion ? What grapes can we gather off this thorn ? It fets heaven and earth againft us : while we chufe this bramble to rule, fire comes out of the bramble to devour us. 2. How are all believers bound to Jefus Chrifr, who hath freed them from that mifery to which fin hath expufed them ? Eph. i. 7. In vjhom ive have redemption through his blood. Sin hath brought trouble and a curfe into the world r Chrifr. hath fanflified the trouble, ancf removed the curfe. Hay, he hath not only freed believers from mifery, but purchafed for them a crown of glory and immortality , I Pet. v. 4. When the chief fhepherd Jhall appear ■, ye jh all receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. Q.XIV. TP\ I D Cod leave all mankind to pe- JL-/ rifh in this efiate of fin and mifery ? Anf. No, he entered into a covenant of grace to deliver the ele<5t out of that efrate, and bring them into a ftate of grace by a redeemer* Isa. lv. 3. I will make an everlafling cove- nant with you. Man being by his fall, plunged into a labyrinth of mifery, and having no way lefc to recover himfelf, God was pleafed to enter into a new covenant with him, and Co reftore him to life by a redeemer. The great proportion I (hall go upon, is, that there is a new covenant ratified between God and the elect. Qu. What is the new covenant ? Anf. It is a folemn compact and agreement made between- God and fallen man, wherein the Lord undertakes to be our God, and to make us his people. Qu. What names are given to the covenant ? Anf. It is called a covenant of peace, Ezek. XXxvii. 26. becaule it feals up reconciliation between God and humble finners. Before this covenant there was nothing but enmity : God did not love us ; a creature that offends cannot be loved by an holy God : and we did not love him ; a God that condemns, cannot be loved by s guilty creature ; fo that there was war on both fides. But God hath found out a way in the new covenant to reconcile differing parties, fo that it is fitly called a covenant of peace. 2. It is called a covenant of grace, and well it may : For, 1. It was with grace, that, when we had forfeited the fir ft covenant, God mould enter into a new covenant, after we had call: y ourfelves. The covenant of grace is tabula pofl naufragium, as a plank after fhipwreck. O the free grace of God, that he mould parly with finners, and fet his wifdom and mercy a-work to bring rebels into the bond of the covenant. (2.) It is a covenant of grace, becaufe it is a royal charter, all made up of terms of grace ; that God will cafr our /ins behind his back : that he will love us freely, Hof. xiv. 4. That he will give us a will to accept of the mercy of the co- venant, and firength to perform the conditions of the covenant, Ezek. xxxvii. 26. All this is pure grace. Qu. IV hy would God make a covenant with us ? Anf. It is out of indulgence, favour and ref- pect to us. A tyrant will not enter into a co- venant with flaves, he will not mew them fuch refpect. God's entering into covenant with us, to be our God, isa dignity he puts upon us. A covenant is infigne honoris, a note of diftinction between God's people and heathens, Ezek. xvi, 22. 1 will eflablijh my covenant with thee. When the Lord told Abraham that he would enter into covenant with him, Abraham fell upon his face, Gen. xvii. 2. as being amazed that the God of glory (lion Id beftow fuch a favour upon him. 2. God makes a covenant with us, to tye us faff to him ; it is called in Ezekiel, the bond of the covenant. God knows we have ilippery hearts, therefore he will have a covenant to bind us : it is horrid impiety to go away from God after covenant. If one of the veftal nuns, who had vowed herfelf to religion, was deflowered, - the Ramans caufed her to be -burnt alive. It is perjury to depart from God after (blemn covenant. M 2 Qu. How ** OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. Qu. How doth the covenant of grace differ from the fir ft covenant made -with Adam ? Anf. i . Difference, The terms of the' firft covenant were more ftrict and fevere. For, i. The leaft failing would have made the cove- nant with Adam null and void, but many fail- ings do not null the covenant of grace : I grant, the leaft fin is a trefpafs upon the covenant, but it doth not make it null and void. There may- be many failings in the conjugal relation, but every failing doth not break the marriage-bond. It would be fad, if, as oft as we break covenant with God he fhould break covenant with us; but God, will not take advantage of every fail- ing, but in anger remernber mercy. 2. The firft covenant being broken, allowed the firmer no remedy, all doors of hope were fhnt; but the new covenant allows the fitiner a remedy : it leaves room for repentance, it pro- vides a mediator, Heb. xii. 24. Jefus the me- diator of the new coz>enant. id Differ. The firft covenant did run all upon working, the fecond upon believing Rom. iv. 5. Q. But are not works required in the covenant of grace ? Anf. Yes ; Tit- iii. 8. This is a faithful faying , that they which believe in God, be careful to maintain good works . But the covenant of grace doth' not require works in the fame manner as the covenant of works did. In the firft covenant, works were required as the condition of life ; in the fecond, they are required only as the figns of a man that is alive. ' In the firft covenant, works were required as grounds of falvation; in the new covenant, they are required as evidences of our lore to God. In the firft, they were re<- quired to the juftification of our perfons j in the new, to the teftification of our grace. Q^What is the condition of the covenant of gracel Anf. The main condition is faith. Qu. But why is faith more the condition of the new covenant than any other .grace ? Anf. To exclude all glorying in the creature : faith is an humble grace. If repentance or works were the condition of the covenant^aman would fay, It is my righteoufnefs hath faved me : but if it be of faith, where is boafting ? Faith fetcheth all from Chrift, and gives all the glory to Chrift ; it is a moft humble grace. Hence it is God hath fingled out this grace to be the condition of the covenant. And if faith be the condition of the covenant of grace, it excludes defperate prefumptuous finners from the covenant. They fay there is a covenant of grace, and they fhall be faved : but did you ever know a bond without a con- dition ? The condition of the covenant is faith, and if thou haft no faith, thou haft no more to do with the covenant than a foreigner or a country-farmer with the city-charter. Ufe 1 . Of information. See the amazing good- nefs of God, to enter into covenant with us : he never entered into covenant with the angels when they fell. It was much condefcenfion in God to enter into covenant with us in a ftate of innocency, but it was more to enter into a ftate of enmity. In this covenant of grace, we may fee the cream of God's love, and the working of his bowels to finners. This is a marriage co- venant, Jer. iii. 14. lam married to you, faith the Lord. In the new covenant^ God makes himfelf over to us, and what can he give more ? And he makes over his promifes to us, and what better bond can we have ? Ufe 2. Of trial. Whether we are in covenant with God. There are three characters' 1 . God's covenant-people are an humble people, I Pet. v. 5. Be ye clothed with humility. God's people efteem of others better than themfelves ; they fhrink into nothing in their own thoughts, Phil. ii. 3. David cries out, / am a worm, and no man, Pf. xxii. 6. though a. faint, though a king, yet a wonn. When Mofes's face mined, he covered it with a veil : God's people, when, they fhine moft in grace, are covered with the veil of humility. Pride excludes from the cove- nant; God refifieth the proud, 1 Pet. i. 3. and fure fuch are not in covenant with God, whom he refifts. 2. A people in covenant with God, are a willing people ; though they cannot fcrve God perfectly, they ferve him willingly. They do not grudge God a little timefpent in his worfhip; they do not hefitate or murmur at fufferings ; they will go through a fea and a wildernefs, if God calls ; Pf. ex. 3. Thy people fball be a will- ing people : Heb. a people of willingnefs. This fpontaneity and willingnefs, is from the attractive power of God's fpirit : the fpirit doth not im- peller e, force, but trahere, fweetly draw the will ; and this willingnefs in religion, makes all our fervices accepted. God doth fometimes accept of willingnefs without the work, but never the work without willingnefs. 3. God's covenant-people are a confecrated people, they have holinefs to the Lord written upon them ; Deut. vii. 6. Thou art an holy people to the Lord thy God. God's covenant-people are feparated OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. « Separated from the world, and farieti'fied by the fpirir. The priefts under the law were not only to wafli in the great laver, but were arrayed with glorious apparel, Exod- xxviii. 2. This was typical, to fhew God's people are not only wafhed from grofs fins, 'but adorned with holi- nefs of heart : they bear not only God's name, but image. Tamerlain refufed a pot of gold, when he faw it had not his father's ftamp upon it, but the Roman ftamp. Holinefs is God's ftamp, if he doth not fee this ftamp upon us, he will not own us for his covenant people. Ufe 3. Of Exhortation. To filch as are out of covenant, labour to get into covenant, and have God for your God. How glad would the old world have been of an ark? How induftri- ous fhould we be to get within the ark of the covenant ? Confider, 1. The mifery of fuch as live and die o3t of covenant with God. (1.) Such have none to go to in an hour of diftrefs. When confcience accufeth> when ficknefs approacheth (which is but an harbinger to befpeak a lodging for death) then what will you do ? Whither will you flee ? Will you look to Chrift for help ? He is a mediator only for fuch as are in cove- nant. O how will you be filled with horror and defpair ! and be as Saul, 2 Sam. xxviii. 15. The Philifiines make war againft me, and. the Lord is departed. (2.) Till you are in covenant with God, there is no mercy. The mercy-feat was placed upon the ark, and the mercy-feat was no larger than the ark ; to fhew, that the mercy of God reacheth no further than the covenant. 2. The excellency of the covenant of grace ; it is a better covenant than the covenant made with Adam, ifi, Becaufe it is more friendly and propitious. Thofe fervkes which would have been rejected in the firft covenant, are accepted in the fecond. Here God accepts of the will for the deed, 2 Cor. yiii. 10. here fincerity is crowned. In the covenant of grace, wherein we are weak, God will give ftrength ; and wherein we come fliort, God will accept of a furety. idly, It is a better covenant, becaufe it is furer, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. Thou hafi made with me an everlafiin'g cove- nant, ordered in all things, and fur e. The firft covenant was not fure, it flood upon a tottering foundation, works; Adam had no fooner a flock of righteoufnefs to trade with, but he broke: but the covenant of grace is fure; it is con- firmed with God's decree, and it refts upon two mighty pillar's, the oath of God, and the blood of God. idly, It hath better privileges. , The covenant of grace brings preferment. Our nature is now more enobied, we are railed to higher glory than in innocency, we are advanced toft" upon Chrift's throne. Rev.Yn. 21. We are, by virtue of the covenant of grace, nearer to Chrift than the angels : they are his friends, we his fpoufe. 3. God is willing to be in covenant with you. Why doth God woo and befeech you by nis ambafftdors to be reconciled, if he were not willing to be in covenant. Obj. I would fain be in covenant with God, but I have been a great finner, and I fear God will not admit me in covenant. Anf. If thou feeft thy fins, and lotheft thy felf for them, yet God will take thee into cove- nant, Ifa. xliii. 24. Thou hafi wearied me with thy iniquities, I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy tranfgrejjlons. As the fea covers great rocks, fo God's covenant-mercy covers great fins. Some of the Jevjs that crucified Chrift, yet had their fins wafhed away in his blood. Anf. It never came into God's thought to make a new covenant upon terms of v/orthinefs. If God fhould fhew mercy to none but fuch as are worthy, then he muft fhew mercy to none at all. But it is God's defignin the new covenant to advance the riches of grace, to love us freely ; and when we have no woi thinefs of our own, to accept us through Chrift's worthinefs. There- fore let not unworthinefs difcourage you ; it is not unworthinefs excludes any from the cove- nant, but unwillingnefs. Qu. What /hall we do that we may be in cove- nant with God? Anf. 1, Seek to God by prayer. Exige a Do- mino mifericordiam. Aug. Lord, be my God in covenant. The Lord hath made an exprefs pro- mife, that, upon our prayer to him, the cove- nant fhould be ratified, he will be our God, and wo fhall be his people, Zech. xiii. 9. Theyfhall call upon my name, and I will hear them; I will fay it is my people ; and they /hall fay, the Lord is my God. Only it muft be an importu- nate prayer ; come as earneft fuiters, refolve to take no denial. 2. If you would be in covenant with God, break off the covenant with fin ; before the marriage-covenant there muft be a divorce, 1 Sam. vii. 3. If ye return to the Lord with all y out" hearts, put away the flrange gods ; and they fut away Ajhtaroth; viz. their female gods. Will any king enter into covenant with that man who is in league with his enemies r 3-tf 94 F THE COVENANT OF GRACE. 3. If you would enter into the bond of the «ovenanr, get faith in the blood of the cove- nant. Chrift's blood is the blood of atonement ; believe in this blood, and you are fafely arked in -God's mercy ; Eph. ii. 13. Te are made nigh by the blood of Chrifi. Ufe 4. Of comfort to fuch as can make out their covenant-intereft in God. (1.) You that are in covenant with God, all your fins are pardoned. Pardon is the crowning-mercy, Pfal. ciii. 3. Who forgiveth thy iniquity, 10 ho crowneth thee, &c. This is a branch of the covenant, Jer. xxxi. 33.' / will be their God, and 1 -will forgive their iniquity. Sin being pardoned, all wrath ceafeth. How terrible is it when but a fpark of God's wrath flies into a man's confeience ? but fin being forgiven, no more wrath. God doth not appear now in the fire or earth-quake, but covered with a rain-bow full of mercy. (2.) All your temporal mercies are fruits of the covenant. Wicked men have mercies by providence, not by virtue of a covenant ; with God's leave, not with his love. But fuch as are in covenant have their mercies fweetened with God's love, and they fwim to them in the blood of Chrift. As Naaman faid to Gehazi, z Kings v. 23. Take two talents, fo faith God to fuch as are in covenant, take two talents; take health, and take Chrift with it ; take riches, and take my love with them ; take the venifon, and take the bleffing with it : Take two ta- lents- (3.) You may upon all occafions, plead the covenant. If you are haunted with temptations, plead the covenant ; Lord, thou haft promifed to bruife Satan under my feet, fliortly; wilt thou fuffer thy child to be\thus worried ? take effthe roaring lion. If in want, plead the co- venant; Lord, thou haft faid, I Jk all want no giscd thing; wilt thou fave me from hell, and not from want ? wilt thou give me a kingdom, and deny me daily bread ? (4 ) If in covenant with God, all things fh?ll co operate for your good : Etiam mala cedunt in bonum, Pfal. xxv. 10. Not only golden paths, but his bloody paths. Every wind of provi- dence mall blow them nearer heaw n. Aifliflion fliall humble andpuiify, Heb. xii. 10. Out of jthe bittereft drug, God diftils yo$r< falvatioh. Afflictions add to- the faints glory. The more the diamond is cut, the more it fparklcs ; the heavier the faints crofs is, the heavkr ftiall be their crown. (5.) If thou art in covenant once, then for e- ver in covenant. The text calls it, an ever- lafting covenant. Such as are in covenant are elected ; God's electing love is unchangeable, Jer. xxxii. 40. / will make an everlafling co- venant with them, that 1 will not turn away from them ; but I will put my fear in their heart, that they fhall not depart from me. God will £0 love the faints, that he will not forfake them : And the faints (hall fo fear God, that they (hall not forfake him. 'Tis a covenant of eternity : It muft be fo ; for who is this cove- nant made with ? Is it not with believers ? and have not they coalition and union with Chrift ? Chrift is the head, they are the body. Eph. i. 23. This is a near union, much like that union between God the Father and Chrift, John xvii. 1\. As thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they alfo may be One in us. Now the uni- on between Chrift and the faints being fo in- fepafable, it can never be diifolved, or the co- venant made void ; you may die with comfort. (6. 1 Thou art in covenant with* God, and thou art going to thy God : Behold a death-bed cordial ; dc ?th breaks the union between the body and the foul, but perfects the union be- tween Chrift and the foul. This hath made the faint? defire death, as the bride the wedding- day, Phil. i. 23. Cupid dijjblvi, Lead me, Lord, to that glory, (laid One) a glimpfe whereof I have feen, as in a glafs darkly. Ufe 5. Of Direction. To (hew how you (liould walk who have tafted of covenant-mercy, live as a people in covenant with God. As you differ from others in reipett of dignity, fo you muft in point of carriage. \ft, You muft love this God. God's love to you calls for love. 1 . It is Amor gratiatus, a free love. Why fhould God pafs by others, and take you into a league of friendfliip with himfelf \ In the law, God palled by the lion and eagle, and chofe the dove : So he paftes. by the noble and mighty. 2. It is Amor flenus, a full love. When God takes you into covenant, you are his Hephfibah, [fa. Ixii. 3. his delight is in you ; he gives you the key of all his treafure, he heaps pearls upon you, he fettles heaven and earth upon you ; he gives you a bunch of grapes by the way, and faith, Son, all I have is thine. And doth not all this call for love ? who can. tread upon thefe hot coals, and his heart not burn in love to God. ily. Walk holily. The covenant hath made you a royal nation, therefore be an holy people. Shine CHRIST THE MEDIATOR OF THE COVENANT, m Shine as lights ia the world ; live as earthly angels. God hath taken you into covenant, that you and he may have communion together; and what is it keeps up your communion with God, but holinefs? 3/y, Walk thankfully, Pfal. ciii. 1. God is your God in covenant ; he hath done more for you, than if he had made you ride upon the high places of the earth, and given you crowns and fcepters. O take the cup of falvation, and blefs the Lord. Eternity will be little enough to praife him. Muficians love to play on their mufic where there is the loudeft found ; and God loves to beftow his mercies where he may have the loudeft praifes. You that have angels reward, do angels work. Begin that work of praife here, which you hope to be always do- ing in heaven. Sb .*• ■% •% •'*•• -% ■% '% -t- -f> ■% >% '% •% ■% •£■* -% ■% •% ■% ■% -#• •% •% & •*- $h & •*■ dfe •% & *• P" •% km C-& tSo tMi u£e dim u£j «^s «£) «S3 vsb <$ss H&i «£a iSfi «£j tsfa u£) ufc 2&i « CHRIST THE MEDIATOR OF THE COVENANT. Heb. xii. 24. Jefus the Mediator of the New Covenant, &c. JES~US CHRIST is the fum and quint- effence of the gofpel j the wonder of an- gels ; the joy and triumph of faints. The name of Ghrift is fweet, it is as muiic in the ear, hony in the mouth, and a cordial at the heart. I mall wave the context, and only fpeak of that which concerns our prefent purpofe : hav- ing difcourfed of the covenant of grace, I mail fpeak now of the Mediator of the covenant, and the reftorer of lapfed finners, Jesus the Me dia- tor of the Covenant: There are feveral names and titles in fcrip- ture given to Chrift, as the great reftorer of mankind : 1. Sometimes he is called a Saviour, Matth. i. 21. His name jh all be called Jefus. The Hebrew word for Jesus, fignifies a Savi- cur ; and whom he faves from hell, he faves from fin : where Chrift is a Saviour, he is a fan&ifier, Matth. i. 21. He fhall fave his people from their fins. There is no other fa viour, Acls iv. 12. Neither is there falvation in any other. As there was but one ark to fave the world from drowning, fo there is but one Jefus to fave finners from damning. As Naomi faid to her daughters-in-law, Ruth\. \\. Are there yet any more fons in my womb ? So, hath God any o- ther fons in the womb of his eternal decree, to be faviours to us, befides Chrift ? Job xxviii. 13. Where fhall wifdom be found ? The depth faith, It is not in me ; and the fea faith, It is not in me. Let me allude, Where fhall falva- tion be found ? The angel faith, It is not in me ; Morality faith, It is not in me ; the Or- dinance faith, It is not in me : Chrift alone is the well-fpring of life j the Ordinance is the conduit-pipe that conveys falvation, but Chrift is the fpring that feeds it, Neither is there faU vation in any other. 2. Sometimes Chrift is called a Redeemer, Ifa. lix, 20. The Redeemer fhall come to Sion. Some underftand it of Cyrus, others of an an- gel ; but the moft ancient Jewifh Doctors un- derftand it of Chrift the Redeemer of the ElecT:: Job xix. 25. My Redeemer liveth. The He- brew word for Redeemer, fignifies fuch an one as is near a-kin, and hath right to redeem a mortgage ; fo Chrift is near of kin to us, being our elder brother, therefore hath the beft right to redeem us. 3. Chrift is called a Mediator in the text, Je* fus the Mediator of the New Covenant. The Greek word for Mediator, fignifies a middle per- fon, one that doth makeup the breach between two difagreeing parties. God and we were at variance by fin, now Chrift doth mediate and umpire between us ; he reconciles us to God through his blood, therefore he is called the Mediator of the new covenant. There is no way of communion and intercourfe between God and man, but in and through a Mediator s Chrift takes away the enmity in us, and the wrath in God, and fo makes peace. Nor is Chrift only a Mediator of reconciliation, but interceffion. Heb. ix. 24. Chrift is entered, not into the holy place made with hands, but into heaven itfelf, now to appear in the prefence of Cod for us. The prieft, when he had llain the facrifice, was to go with the blood before the altar and mercy-feat, and fhow it to the Lord,. Now, $6 CHRIST THE MEDIATOR OF THE COVENANT. Now, in Chrift- our Mediator, confider two things, (i.) His perfon. (2.) His graces. ijl, His perfon : His perfon is amiable, he is all made up of love and beauty. He is the effi- gies of his Father, Heb. i. 3. The exprefs image of his perfon. Confider, (1.) Chrifl's perfon in two natures : (2.) His two natures in one perfon. (1 .) Chrifl's perfon in two natures : 1. Look upon his human nature as incarnate. The Va- lentin'ians deny his human nature ; but John i. 14. The Word was made flejh : 'Tis fpoken of Chrift the promifed Mefliah. Chrift took our flefli, that the fame nature which finned might fuffer ; and The Word was made flefh, that through the glafs of his human nature we might look upon God. Qu. Why is Chrift called the Word ? Anf Becaufe, as a word is the interpreter of the mind, and reveals what is in a man's breaft; fo Jefus Chrift reveals his Father's mind to us, concerning the great matters of our fal- vation, "John i. 18". Were it not for Chrifl's manhood, the fight of the Godhead would be -formidable to us : But thro' Chrifl's flefh we may look upon God without terror. And Chrifl took our flefh, that he might know how to pity us ; he knows what it is to be faint, forrowful, tempted, Pfal. ciii. 14. He knows our frame. And he took our flefh, that he might (as Aujlin faith) enoble our human na- ture with honour. Chrifl having married our flefh, hath exalted it above the angelical na- ture. 2. Look upon Chrifl's divine nature. Chrifl may be fitly compared to Jacob's ladder, Gen. xxviii. 12. which reacheth from earth to hea- ven : Chrifl's human nature was the foot of the ladder, which flood upon earth ; his divine nature the top of the ladder, which reacheth to heaven. This being a grand article of our faith, I fhall amplifie : I know the Arians, So- cinians, Ebionites would rob Chrifl of the befl jewel of his crown, his Godhead ; but th.e A- pojhlical, Nice?!?, Athanajian Creed, affirm Chrifl's Deity; to this the churches of Helvetia, Bohemia, Whittemberg, Tran/tlvania; &c. give their full content ; and the Scripture is clear for it. He>is calkd the mighty God, I fa. ix. 6. And in him dwells th&fulnefs of the Godhead, ( ..■' ii. y. [U: i'l of the lame nature and effence with the I So Atho.najius, Bojil, Chry- hflom. j. i • Father Called /■.Imighty ? fy is CJhriil, H.ev.%. 8. The Ahnlgk'ty. 2. is God the Father the heart-fearcher ? fo is Chrift, John ii. 25. He knows their thoughts. 3. Is God the Father omniprefent? fo is Chrifl, John ill. 13. The. Son '.of Man which is in heaven. Chrifl: as God was then in heaven, when as man he was upon the earth. Qu. Is God eternal? Anf. Chrifl is the everlafling Father. Ifa. ix. 6. which Scripture may be urged againfl: the Cerinthian hereticks, who denied the pre-ex- iflency of Chrifl's Godhead, and held that Chrift had no being till he derived it from the Virgin Mary. 4. Doth divine worfhip belong to the firfl: perfon in the Trinity ? fo it doth to Chrifl-, John v. 23. Heb. i. 6. Let all the Angels of God worfhip him. 5. Is creation proper to the Deity? this is a flower of Chrifl's crown, Col. i. 16. By him were all things created. 6. Is in- vocation proper to the Deity ? this is given to Chrifl, A£ls vii. Lord Jefus, receive my fpirit. 7. Is recumbency and trufl peculiar to God the Father? this is given to Chrift, John xiv. 1. Ye believe in God, believe alfo in me. Chrifl: mufl: needs be God, not only that the divine nature might fupport the human from finking under God's wrath, but alfo to give value and weight to his fufferings. Chrift being God, his death and paffion is meritorious ; Chrifl's blood is called fanguis Dei, the blood of God, Acls xx. 28. becaufe the perfon who was offered in facrifice was God as well as man. This is an invincible fupport to believers ; it was God who was offended, and it was God who fatisfied. Thus Chrifl's perfon in two natures. (2.) Confider Chrifl's two natures in one perfon, God-man, 1 Tim. iii. 16. Godmanifefl in the flefh. Chrifl: had a twofold fubflance, divine and human ; yet not a twofold fub- fiftence, both natures make but one Chrifl : A liens may be grafted into another tree, a pear- tree into an apple, which, tho' it bear different fruits, is but one tree ; fo Chrifl's manhood is united to the Godhead in an ineffable manner ; yet tho' here are two natures, }et but one per- fon. This union of the -two natures in Chrifl was not by tranfmutation, the divine nature changed into the human, or the human into the divine ; nor by mixture, the two natures mingled together, as wine and water are mix- ed : both tiie natures of Chi ift remain diuincr, yet make not two diftinicl perfons, but one per- fon j CHRIST THE MEDIATOR OF THE COVENANT. ft Con ; the human nature not God, yet one with God. ^dly, Confider Chrift our Mediator in his graces: thefe are the fweet favour of his oint- ments, that make the virgins love him. Chrift our bleffed Mediator is faid to be full of grace arid truth, John i. 14. He had the anointing of the fpirit without meafure, John iii. 34. Grace in Chrift is after a more eminent and glorious manner than it is in any of the Saints. 1. Jefus Ghrlft our Mediator hath perfection in every grace, Col. i. 19. He is a panoply, ma- gazine and ftore-houfe of all heavenly treafure, all fulnefs : This no faint on earth hath ; he may excel in one grace, but not in all ; as A- braham was eminent for faith, Mofes for meek- nefs ; but Chrift excels in every grace. 2. There is a never-failing fulnefs of Grace in Chrift : grace in the faints is ebbing and flowing, it is not always in the fame degree and proportion; at one time David's faith was itrong, at another time fo faint and weak, that you could hardly feel any pulfe, Pfal. xxxi. 22. I faid, I am cut off from before thine eyes. But grace in Chrift is a never-failing fulnefs, it did never abate in the leaft degree, he never loft a drop of his holinefs. What was faid of Jofeph, may more truly be applied to Chrift, Gen. xlix. 23. The archers /hot at him, but his bow abode in flrength : Men and devils (hot at him, but his grace remained in its full vigour and ftrength ; His bow abode in flrength. 3. Grace in Chrift is communicative, his grace is for us : the holy oil of the fpirit was poured on the head of this bleffed Aaron, that it might run down upon us. The Saints have not grace to beftow on others : When the fool- ifh virgins would have bought oil of their neighbour virgins, Matth. xxv. 9. Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out ; The wife virgins anfwered, Not fo, left there be not enough for us and you. The faints have no grace to fpare toothers; but Chrift difFufeth his grace to others Grace in the faints is as water in the ve/Tel, grace in Chrift is as water in the fpring, Jbhn i. 16. Of his fulnefs have ii'f received grace for grace. Set aglafsunder a (till or limbeck., and it receives water from the limbeck drop bv drop : fo the flints have the drops and influences of Chrift's grace di- ftfHiag upon them. What a rich confolation is this to vhofe who either have no grace, or their ftock is but low ! They may go to Chrift the Mediator, as to a treafury of grace : Lord, I am indigent ; but whither fhall I carry my empty ve/Tel, but to a full fountain ? Pf. lxxxvii.. 7- ail my frefh (brings are in thee; I am guilty, thou haft blood to pardon me ; I am polluted, thou haft grace to cleanfe me ; I am lick unto death, thou haft the balm of Gilead to heal me, Gen. xli. 56. Jofeph opened all the ftore-houfes of corn : Chrift is our Jofeph, that opens all the treafuries and all the ftore-houfes of grace, and communicates to us. He is not only fweet as the honey-comb, but drops as the honey-comb : this is a great comfort, in Chrift our Mediator there is a cornucopia, and fulnefs of all grace ; and Chrift is defirous that we fhould come to him for grace, like the full bread that akes till it be drawn. Ufe 1. Admire the glory of this Mediator : he is God-man, he is co-efTentially glorious with the Father. All the Jews that faw Chrift in the flefh, did not fee his Godhead ; all that faw the man did not fee the Meffiah ; the temple of Solomon within was embellilhed with gold ; travellers, as they pafled along, might fee the outfide of the temple, but only the priefts faw the glory which fparkled within the temple ; only believers, who are made priefts unto God, Rev. \. 6. fee Chrift's glorious in-. fide, the Godhead fliining thro' the manhood. Ufe 2. If Chrift be God-man in one perfon, then look unto Jefus Chrift alone for falvation. There muft be fomething of the Godhead to faften our hope upon ; in Chrift there's Godhead and manhood hypofiatically united. If wa could weep rivers of tears, out-faft Mofes on the mount, if we were exact moralifts, touch- ing the law blamelefs, if we could arrive at the higheft degree of fan&ifkation in this life, all this would not fave us, without looking to the merits of him who is God ; our perfect holinefs in heaven is not the caufe of our falvation, but the righteoufnefs of Jefus Chrift. To this there- fore did Paul flee, as to the horns of the altar, Philip, iii. 9. That I may be found in hhn, not having my own righteoufnefs : It is true, we may: look to our graces as evidences of f.lvation, but to Chrift's blood only as the caufe. In the time of Noah's flood, all that trufted to the high hills and trees, and not to the ark, were drown- ed, Neb. xii. 2. Looking unto Jefus ; and Co look unto him, as to believe in him, that fo Chrift may not only be united to our nature, but to our perfons, John xx. 3 r. That believing^ you may have life thorow his name. N Vf2. CHRIST A PROPHET. Vfe 3. Is Jefus Chrift God and man in one perfon ? This, as it (hews the dignity of belie- vers, that they are nearly related to one of the greateft perfons that is, Col. ii. 9. In him dwells thefulnefs of the Godhead bodily ; fo it is of un- fpeakable comfort. Chrift's two natures being married together, the divine and human ; all that Chrift in either of his natures can do for believers, he will do: In his human nature he prays for them, in his divine nature he merits for them. This for the perfon of our Mediator. Ufe 4. Admire the love of Chrift our Media- tor ! that he mould humble himfelf, and take our flefh, that he might redeem us. Believers mould put Chrift in their bofom, as the fpoufe did, Cant. i. 13. Ly betwixt my breafis. What was faid of Ignatius, that the name of Jefus was found written in his heart, mould be veri- fied of every faint, he mould have Jefus Chrift written in his heart. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& CHRIST A PROPHET. t)ti)T. xviii. 15. The Lord thy God will raife up unto thee a Prophet, &c. HAVING fpoken of the perfon of Chrift, we are next to fpeak of the offices of Chrift, Prophetical, Prieftly, Regal. I. Prophetical, The Lord thy God will raife up unto thee a Prophet. Enunciatur hie locus de Chr'ifto, 'Tis fpoken of Chrift. There are feveral names given to Chrift as a Prophet : He is called the Counfellor, Ifa. vi. 9. In uno Chrijio Angelus foederis completur, Fagius. The Angel of the Covenant, Mai. iii. 1. A Lamp, 2 Sam. xxii. 29. The bright Morning-flar, Rev. xxii. 16. Jefus Chrift is the great Prophet of his church ; the woman of Samaria gave a /hrewd guefs, John iv. 19. He is the beft teacher, he makes all other teaching effe&ual, Luke xxiv. 45- Then opened he their under- ftanding. He did not only open the fcriptures, 'but opened their underftanding : He teacheth to profit, Ifa. xlviii. 17. lam the Lord thy God, who teacheth thee to profit. Qu. How Chrift teacheth ? Anfi 1. Externally, by his word, Pf. cxix. 105. Thy word is a lamp to my feet. Such as pretend to have a light or revelation above the word, or contrary to it, never had their teaching from Chrift, Ifa. viii. 20. 2. Chrift teacheth thefe facred myfteries, in- wardly, by the fpirit, John xvi 13. The world knows not what it is, 1 Cor. ii. 14. The natural man receives not the things of God, neither can he know them. He knows not what it is to be transformed by the renewing of the mind, Rom. Xii-2. or what the inward workings of the fpi- rit mean 5 thefe are riddles and paradoxes to him. He may have more infight into the things of the world than a believer, but he doth not fee the deep things of God. A fwine may fee an acorn under the tree, but he cannot fee a ftar ; he who is taught of Chrift, fees the arcana imperii, the fecrets of the kingdom of heaven. Qu. What are the lejjbns thrift teacheth ? Anfi 1. He teacheth us to fee into our own hearts. Take the moft mercurial wits, the greateft politicians, that underftand the myfte- ries of ftate, yet they know not the myfteries of their own hearts, they cannot believe there is that evil in them as is, 2 Kings viii. 13- Is thy fervant a dog 1 Grande profundum eft homo, Aug. The heart is a great deep, which is not eafily fathomed. But Chrift when he teacheth, removes the veil of ignorance; and lights a man into his own heart : And now he fees fwarma of vain thoughts, he blufheth to fee how fin mingles with his duties, his ftars are mixed with clouds ; he prays, as Auftin, that God would deliver him from himfelf. 2. The fecond leflbn Chrift teacheth, is the vanity of the creature. A natural man fets up hishappinefs here, worfhips the golden image; but he that Chrift hath anointed with his eye- falve, hath a fpirit of difcerning ; he looks up- on the creature in its night-drefs, fees it to be empty and unfatisfying, not commenfurate to an heaven-born foul. Solomon had put all the creatures into a limbeck, and when he came to extract the fpirit and quinteffence, all was vanity, Eccl. ii. 11. The Apoftle calls it a fhout or apparition, 1 Cor. vii. 31. having no in- triniical goodnefs. 3. The CHRIST A PROPHET. ft 3. The third leflbn is the excellency of things unfeen. Chrift gives the foul a fight of glory, s profpecl: of eternity, 2 Cor. iv. 18. We look not at things •which are feen, hut at things 'which are not feen. Mofes few him who is in- viftble, Heb. xi. 27. And the Patriarchs faw a better country, viz. an heavenly, Heb. xi. 16. where delights of angels, rivers of pleafure, the flower of joy, fully ripe and blown. Qu. How doth Chrift' s teaching differ from 9ther teaching ? Anf. Several ways. 1. Chrift teacheth the heart. Others may teach the ear, Chrift the heart, Acts xvi. 14. IVhofe heari the Lord opened. All that the n him ? Why was Chrift fo angry with them that kept away the key of knowledge, Luke xi. s 2. Why was Chrift anointed with the fphii without meafure ? but that he might anoiht us wi h knowledge. Knowledge is in Chrift, as milk in the breaft for the child. O then go to Chrifi to teach. None in the gofpel came to Chrift for fight, but he reftored their eye-fi:>hr ; and (ire Chrift is more willing to w rk a c ure upon a blind foul, than ever he was upon a blind body. a. There CHRIST 'S PRIESTLY- OFFICE. Id l 2. There are none Co dull and ignorant but Chrifl can teach them. Every one is not lit to make 1 philolbpher's fcholar of; ex omni Tig- no non fit Mercurius ; but there is none Co dull, bat Chrift can make a good fcholar of fuch as are ignorant, and of low parts. Chrift teacheth them in fuch a m mner, tint they know more than the great fages and wife: men of the world. Hence that faying of St /lugujline,fur- gunt indoSli) 6" raphtnt coslum ; the unlearned men rife up, and take heaven ; they know the truths of Chrift more lovingly than the great admiied rabbies. The duller- the fcholar, the more is his fkill feen that teacheth Hence it is, Ch.iit delights in teaching the ignorant, to get himfelf more glory, fa. 'xxxv. 5. The eyes of the b'ind fiiaH be opened, kand the cars of the deaf fiiall be unflopped. Who would sfi to teach a blind or a deaf man ? Yet fuch .'ail fcholars Chrift teacheth. Such as are biinded with igno- rance, they fhall fee the myueries of the gofpel, and the deaf ears (hall be unftoppid. 3. Wait upon the means of Grace which Chrift hath appointed. Though Chrilt teacheth ' by his fpirit, yei he teacheth in the ufe of or- dinances. Wait at the gates of wifdom's door; minifters are teachers under Chrift, Eph. iv. n. Payors and teachers. ( We read of pitchers and lamps within the'phchers, fudges vii. 16. Mini- fters are earthen v ffels, bu' thele pitchers have lamps within them to light fouls to heaven. Chrift s faid to (peak to us from heaven now, Heb xii. 25. viz. by his minifters, as the king fpeaks by his ambaflador Such as wean them- felves from the breaft of ordinances, feldom, thrive; either they grow light in their head, or lame in their feet. The word preached is Chrift's voice in the mouth of the minifter ; and they that refute to hear Chrift fpeaking in the miniftry, Chrift will refufe to hear them fpeaking on their death-bed. 4. If you would have the teachings of Chrift, walk according to that knowledge which you have already. Ufe your little knowledge well, ?nd Chrift will teach you more, John vii. 17. I any man will do his will, hefhall know of my dccli tne, whether it be of Cod, or -whether If peak ofmyfelf. A mailer feeing his fervant improve a little Hock w A\ gives him more to trade with. Ufe. 3. If. you have been taught by Chrift fa- vingly, be thankful: it is your honour to have God Co-- youi readier, and that he fhould teach you, and not others , is matter of admiration and gratulatipn. O how many knowing men a>e ignorant! They are not taught of God; they have Chrift's word to enlighten them, but not his fpirit to fanttify them. But that you fhould have the inward as well as the outward teaching, that Chrift fhould anointyou with the heave* h unction of his fpirit, that you can fay as he, John ix. 25. One thing I know, that where- as I was blind, 1 now fee: O how thankful fhould you be to Ch'ift, who hath revealed his father's bofbm-fecrets unto you ! John i. 18. No man hath feen God at any time ; the only begotten Son, which is in the bofom of the father, he hath declared him. If Alexander thought himfelf Co much obliged to Ariffotle, for the philofophical inftruclions he learned from him ; O how are we bound to Jefus Chrift, this great prophet, for opening to us the eternal purpofos of his love, and revealing to us the myfteries of the kingdom of heaven I &&&&&©&«$&&$$ CHRIST 'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. Q: XV. Y T 0 W doth Chrift execute the office ?. A. of a pr/el? ? 4nf. In his once offering up of himfelf a facr fice ro fatisfy divine juftice, and reconcile us to God, and in making continual inter- ceffion for us. Hkb. \k 26. Nn-vj once in the end of the world ha'' he appeared to put away fin by the facrifice 9j himfe I Qji. If hat are the parts ef Chrift's prieflly •flicc ? Anf Chrift's prieftly office hath two parts, his fatisfaclion and interceffion. 1. His Satisfaction, and this confifts of two branches : 1. His aclive obedience, Mat. ill 15. He fulfilled all right e oufnefs . Chrift did every thing which the law required ; his holy life was a perfect commentary upon the law of God; and he obeyed the law for us. 2. His pafflve obedience. Our guilt being transferred and imputed to him, he did under- go the penalty which was due to us : he appeared U CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. I02 to put away Jin by the facrifice of hhnfelf. The pafchal lamb (lain, was a type of Chrift who was offered up in facrifice for us. Sin could not be done away without blood, Heb. ix. 22. Without blood is no remifflon. Chrift was not only a lamb without fpot, but a lamb (lain. Qu. Why was it requifite there Jhould be a priejt I Anf. There needed a prieft to be an umpire, to mediate between a guilty creature, and an holy God. Qu. How could Chrift fuffer, being God ? Anf. Chrift fuffered only in the human nature. Qu. But if only Chrift's humanity fuffered, how could this fuffering fatisfy for fin ? Anf The human nature being united to the divine, the human nature did fuffer, the divine did fatisfy. Chrift's Godhead, as it did fupport the human nature that it did not faint, fo it did give virtue to his fufferings. The al- tar fancYifies the thing offered on it, Mat. xxiii. 19. fo the altar of Chrift's divine nature fan&i- fied the facrifice of his death, and made it of infinite value. Qu. Wherein doth the greatnefs of Chrift's fufferings appear ? Anf In the fufferings of his body. He fuf- fered truly, not only in appearance ; the apoftle calls it mors crucis, the death of the crofs, Phil. ii. ?. Tully, when he fpeaks of this kind of death, quid dicam in crucem tollerei Though he was a great orator, he wanted words to ex- prefs it. The thoughts of this made Chrift fweat great drops of blood in the garden, Luke Xxii. 44. It was an ignominious, painful, curfed death ; Chrift fuffered in all his fenfes : 1. In his eyes ; they beheld two fad objects, he faw his enemies infulting, and his mother weeping. 2. In his ears ; his ears were filled with the revil- ings of the people, Mat. xxvii. 42. He faved ethers, himfelf he cannot fave. 3. In his fmell ; when their drivel fell upon his face. 4. In his tafte ; when they gave him gall and vinegar to -drink, bitternefs and (harpnefs. 5. In his feel- ing ; his head fuffered with thorns, his hands and feet with the nails, — Totumpro vulnere cor- pus ; now was this white lily dyed of a purple- colour. 00 In tne fufferings of his foul. He waspreffed in thewine-prefsofhis father's wrath. This caufcd that vociferation and out-cry on the crofs, my Cod, my God, cur deferuifti ? Chrift fuffered a double ec'ipfe upon the crofs, an cclipfe of the fun, and an ecliple of the light of God's countenance. How bitter wa9 this agony ! the evangelifts ufe three words to exprefs it, he began to be amazed, Mark xiv. 33. He began to be faint. To be exceeding forrowful, Mat. xxvi. 37. Chrift felt the pains of hell in his foul, though not locally, yet equivalently. Qu. Why did Chrift fuffer > Anf Surely not for any defert of his own, Dan. ix. 26. The Mejfiah fhall be cut off, but not for himfelf \ it was for us, Ifa. liii. 6. Unus peccat, alius pleclitur-, he fuffered, that be might fatisfy God's juftice for us. We, by our fins, had infinitely wronged God; and, could we have fhed rivers of tears, offered up millions of holo- caufts and burnt-offerings, we could never have pacified an angry Deity ; therefore Chrift muff, die, that God's juilice may be fatisfied. It is hotly debated among divines, whether God could not have forgiven fin freely without a facrifice. Not to difpute what God could have done, but when we confider God was refolved to have the law fatisfied, and to have man faved in a way of juftice as well as mercy ; then, I fay, it was neceflary that Chrift fhould lay down his life as a facrifice. 1. To fulfil the predictions of fcripture, Luke xxiv. 46. Thus it behoved Chrift to fuffer. 2. To bring us into favour with God : It is one thing for a traitor to be pardoned, and another thing to be made a favourite. Chrift's blood is not only called a facrifice whereby God is appeafed, but a propitiation whereby God becomes gracious and friendly to us. Chrift is our mercy -feat, from which God gives anfwers of peace to us. Chrift died, that he might make good his laft-will and teftament with his blood : there were many legacies which Chrift bequeathed to believers, which had been all null and void, had not he died, and by his death confirmed the will, Heb. ix. 17. A teftament is in force after men are dead : the miffion of the fpirit, the promifes, thole legacies, were not in force till Chrift's death ; but Chrift by his blood hath fealed them, and believers may lay claim to them. 4. He died, that he might purchafe for us glo- rious manfions; therefore heaven is called not only a promifed, but a purchafe d pofftfpon, Eph. i. 14. Chrift died for our preferment ; he fuffered that we might reign ; he hung upon the crofs, that we might lit upon the throne. Heaven was fhut, , *t. ■*, ,*. ,*, *. ♦- t'Z-i i&i b&) UJO OUJ CfiJ (&S <*L*. vk iMi C&J «£5 OtiJ e£U till 3 tiaU ciStf GUJ HB9 ULfcJ CiO tii3 OSi CAO «S* «U (*& C H R I S T 'S INTERCESSION. Rom. viii. 34. #%o a^ maketh interceffion for us. WHEN ^r CAsJ (3*i WiO C&&5 «£> OtfJ U»» tSj C&U ^J; Us& (jfcfj WiS3 CHRIST 'S KINGLY OFFICE. Q. XVI. T T 0 W doth Chrift execute the of- tt 1 fee of a King ? Anf. In fubduing us to himfelf, and in re- ftraining and conquering all his and our ene- mies. Now of Chrift's regal office, Rev. xix. 16. And he hath on his vefture, and on his th.gh, a name written, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Jefus Chrift is of mighty renown, he is a king ; he hath a kingly title, High and Migh- ty, Ifa. lvii. 15. 2. He hath his infignia rega- lia, his enfigns of royalty, corona eft inftgne regia? poteftatis : His crown, Rev. vi. 2. His fword, Pfal. xlv. 3. Gird thy fword upon thy thigh. His fceptre, Heb. i. 8. A fceptre of righteoufnefs is the fceptre of thy kingdom. 3. His efcutcheon, or coat-armour ; he gives the lion in his arms, Rev. v. 5. The lion of the tribe of Judah. And he is, the text faith, King of Kings. He hath a preheminence of all other kings; he is called, the prince of the kings of the earth, Rev. i. 5. He muft needs be fo, for by him kings reign, Prov. viii. 15. They hold their crowns by immediate tenure from this great King. Chrift infinitely outveys all other princes ; he hath the higheft throne, the largeft dominions, and the longeft pofTeffion, Heb. i. 8. Thy throne, 0 Cod, is for ever and ever. Chrift hath many heirs, but no fuc- ceffors, Well may he -be called King of Kings, for he hath an unlimited power ; other kings their power is limited, but Chrift's power is unlimited, Pfal. exxxv. 6. Whatfoever he pleafed, that did he, in heaven and earth, and in the fea. Chrift's power is as large as his will. The angels take the oath of allegiance to him, Heb. i. 6. Let all the angels of God worfhip him. Qu. How Chrift comes to be King ? Anf. Not by ufurpation, but legally: Chrift holds his crown by immediate tenure from hea- ven. God the Father hath decreed him to be king, Pfal. ii. 5, 6. / havefet my king upon my holy hill; I will declare the decree. God hath anointed and fealed him to his regal office. John vi. 27. Him hath God the Father fealed. God hath fet the crown upon his head. Qu. In what fenfe is thrift king ? Anf. Two ways, 1 . In reference to his people. And, 2. In reference to his enemies. 1. In reference to his people : (1.) To go- vern them. It was prophefied of Chrift before he was born, Matth. ii. 6. And thou, Bethlehem, art not the leaft among the princes of Judah ; for out of thee ftjall come a governour that fhall rule my people Ifrael. 'Tis a vain thing for a king to have a crown on his head, unlefs he have a fceptre in his hand to rule. Qu. Where doth Chrift rule ? Anf. His kingdom is fpirit u al : He rules in the hearts of mer>» He fets up his throne where no CHRIST'S KINGLY OFFICE. »o other king doth, he rules the will and affec- tions, his power "binds the confcience : he fub- dues mens lufts, Mic. vii. 19. He ivillfubdue our iniquities. Qu. What doth Chrift rule by ? Anf. By laiu, and by love : 1. Ke rules by /atu. It is one of the jura regalia, the flowers of the crown to enact laws; Chrift as king makes laws, and by his laws he rules : the law of faith, be- lieve in the Lord J ejus ; the law of fanclity, 1 Pet. i. 15. Be ye holy in all manner of conver- fation. Many would admit Chrift to be their advocate to plead for them, but not their king to rule them. . 2. He rules by love : he is a king full of mercy and clemency ; as he hath a fceptre in his hand, fo an olive branch of peace in his mouth. Though he be the lion of the tribe of Judah for majefty, yet the lamb of God for meeknefs. His regal rod hath honey at the end of it. He fheds abroad his love into the hearts of his fubjects ; he rules them with promifes as well as precepts. This makes all his fubjects become vo- lunteers ; they are willing to pay their'allegiance to him, Pf. ex. 3. Thy people Jhall be a "willing people. 2. Chrift is a king to defend his people : as thrift hath a fceptre to rule them, fo a fhield to defend them, Pf. iii. 3. Thou, 0 Lord, art a Jhield for me. When Antiochus did rage furi- oufly againft the Jews, he took away the veffels of the Lord's houfe, let up an idol in the temple ; then this great king, called Michael, did ftand up for them to defend them, Dan. xii. i, Chrift preferves his church as a fpark in the ocean, as a flock of (heep among wolves. That the fea fnould be higher than the earth, and yet not drow*n it, is a wonder : fo, that the wicked fhould be fo much higher than the church in power, and not devour it, is becaufe Chrift hath this infeription on his vefture and his thigh, KING of Kings: Pf. exxiv. 2. If it had not been the Lord, who •was on our fide, they had fwallowed us up. They fay, lions are infomnes, they h:)Ve little or no fleep ; it is true of the lion of the tribe of Judah, he never flu rubers nor fleeps, but watcheth over his Church to defend it : Ifa. xxvii. 2, 3. Sing ye unto her, a vineyard of red wine ; I the Lard do keep it left any hurt it, I will keep it night snd day. If the enemies deftroy the church, it mull- be at a time when ir is neither night nor day, for Chrift keeps it day and night. Chrift is faid to carry his church, as the eagle her young Ones upon her Wings, Exod.TUn.^, The arrow lit muft firft hit the eagle before it can hurt the' young ones, and fhoot throw her wings : the enemies muft firft ftrike through Chrift, before they can deftroy his Church, Let the wind and ftorms be up, and the church almoft covered with waves, yet Chrift is in the fhip of the church, and ib long there is no danger of fhip- wreck. Nor will Chrift only defend his church, as he is king, but deliver ir, 2 Tim. iv. 17. He delivered me out of the mouth of the lion, viz. Nero. 2 Chron. xi. 14. The Lord faved them by a great deliverance-. Sometimes Chrift is faid to command deliverance, Pf. xliv. 4. Sometimes to create deliverance, Ifa. lxv. 18. Chrift as a king commands deliverance, and, as a God cre- ates it. And deliverance Jhall co?ne in his time, Ifa. lx. 22. I the Lord will haft en it in his time. . Qu. When is the time that this king will deliver his peop !e ? Anf When the hearts of his people are hum- bleft, when their prayers are ferventeff, when their faith is ftrongeft, when their forces are weakeft, when their enemies are hightft, now is the ufual time that Chrift puts forth his kingly power in their deliverance, Ifa. xxxiii. 2,8,9. 3. Chrift is a king to reward his people, there's nothing loft by ferving this king. 1 . He rewards his fubjects in this life : iff, He gives them in- ward peace and joy ; a bunch of grapes by the way; and oftentimes riches and honour. God- linefs hath the promife of this life, 1 Tim. iv. 8. Thefe are, as it were, the faints veils. But be- fides, the great reward is to come, An eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. iv. 17. Chrift makes all his fubjects kings, Rev. ii. 10. P 11 give thee a crown of life. This crown will be full of jewels, and it will never fade, 1 Pet. v. 5. 2. Chrift is a king in reference of his enemies^ in fubduing and conquering them : he pulls down their pride, befools their policy, reftrains their malice. That ftone cut out of the moun- tains without hands, which fmote the image, Dan. ii. 34. was an emblem, faith Auftin, or Chnfi's monarchial power, conquering and tri- umphing over his enemies. Chrift will make his enemies his footftool, Pf ex. r. He can de- stroy them with tafe, 2 Chron. xiv. 11. // i- nothing for thee, Lord, to help. He can do it with weak means, without means. He can make the enemies deftroy themfelves ; he fets the Perfians againft the Grecians : and, 2 Chron. xx. 23. the children of Amman helped to de* ftrpy one another. Thus Chrift is king in van- quidiing the enemies of his church, Ti: £12 CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. This is a great ground of comfort to the church ofGod in the midft of all the combina- tions of the enemy, Chrift is king ; and he can not only bound the enemies power, but break It. The church hath more with her, than againft her, (he hath Emmanuel on her fide, even that great King to whom all knees muft bend. Chrift is called a man of war, Exod. xv. 3. he underftands all the policy of chivalry ; he is defcribed with feven eyes and (even horns, Rev. v. 6. The Ceven eyes are to difcern the confpiracies of his enemies, and the (even horns are to pufh and vex his enemies. Chrift is defcribed with a crown and a bow, Rev. vi. 2. He that fat on the white hotje had a bow, and a crown was given unto him, and he went forth conquering and to conquer. A crown is an enfign of his kingly office, and the bow is to (hoot his enemies to death. Chrift is defcribed with a vefture dipt in blood, Rev. xix. 13- He hath a golden fceptre to rule his people, but an iron rod to break his enemies, Rev. xvii. 12, 14. The ten horns thou fawefi are ten kings ; thefe /ball make wcr •with the lamb, but the lamb /hall overcome them ; for he is the king of kings. The enemies may fet up their ftandard, but Chrift will fet up his trophies at laft, Rev. x-iv. 18, 19. And the angel gathered the vine cf the ettrth, and cafl it into the great wine-prefs of the wrath of God, and the wine-prefs was trodden, and blood came out of the wine-prefs. The enemies of Chrift fliall be but as Co many clufters of ripe grapes to be caft into the great wine-prefs of the wrath of God, and to be trodden by Chrift till their blood come out. Chrift will at laft c©me off victor, and all his enemies fhall be put under his feet; gaudeo quod Chrifius Dominus e/r, alio- qui defpera/fem, faid Miconius in an epiftle to Calvin : I am glad Chrift reigns, elih I fhould have defpaired. Ufe. 1. Branch 1. See hence, It is no difpa- ragement to ferve Chrift : he is a king, and it is no difhonour to be employed in a king's fer- vice. Some are apt to reproach the faints for their piety ; they ferve the Lord Ghrifr, he who hath this infeription upon his vefture, KING of KINGS. Thtodo/ias thought it a greater honour to be a fervant of CH RIST, than the head of an empire. Servire eft regnare-— Ch rift's fer- vants are called vefTels of honour, 2 Tim. ii. 21. and a royal nation, 1 Pet. ii. 9. Serving of Chrift ennobles us with dignity : it is a greater honour to ferve Chrift than to have kings ferve us. Branch 2. If Chrift be king, it informs us, that all matters of fact muft one day be brought before him. Chrift hath Jus vita? & necis the power of life and death in his hand, John v. 22. The Father hath committed all judgment to the Son. He who once hung upon the crofs, fliall fit upon the bench of judicature : kings muft come before him to be judged ; they who once fat upon the throne, muft appear at the bar. God hath committed all judgment to the fon, and Ckrift's is the higheft court of judica- ture : if this king once condemns men, there is no appeal to any other court. Branch 3. See whither we are to go, when we are foiled by corruption j go to Chrift, he is king; defire him by his kingly power to fub- due thy corruptions, to bind thefe kings with chains, Pf. cxlix. 3. We are apt to fay of our fins, Thefe fens of Zerviah will be too Jlrong for us 1 we fliall never overcome this pride and infidelity • ay, but go to Chrift, he is king ; though our lufts are too ftrong for us, yet not for Chrift to con- quer : he can by his fpirit break the power of ■ fin. joflrua, when he had conquered five kings, cauied his fervants to fet their feet on the necks of thofe kings ; fo Chrift can and will fet his feet on the aecks of our lufts. 2. UftSj of caution : Is Chrift king of kings ? Let all great ones take heed how they imploy their power agsinft Chrift : Chrift gives them their power, and if this power fliall be made ufe of for the fupprcfling of his kingdom, and ordinances, their account will be heavy. God hath laid the key of government upon Chrift's ihoulilers, Ija.ix. 7. and to gft to oppofc Chrift in his kingiy office, it is as if the thorns mould fet themfelves in battalia againft the fire, or a child fight with an archangel. Chrift's (word on his thigh is able to avenge all his quarrels : it is not good to ftir a lion; let not man pro- voke the lion ofihj trios of Judah, whofc eyes art as a lamp of fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him, Nah. i. 6. He f] all cut off the fpirit of princes, Pf. lxxvi. 12. Ufe. 3. If Chrift be a great king, fbmit to him. Say net as thofe Jews, We have n» king but Cefar, no king but our lufts. This is to choofc the Bramble to rule over you, and out of the bramble will come forth a fire ; Judg. 9. Submit to Chrift willingly : all the devils in hell fubmit to Chrift; but it is againft their will ; they arc his flaves, not his fubjecls. Submit cheerfuity to Chrift's/> u*3 (£h M&3 -tb n.*i rSia w£j <«J iSi eSiy ti<3 <. ilb tio 3 CHRIST THE REDEEMER. Q.XIX.T T 0 W doth the /pint apply to us the a. .&. red. mptio/t purchafed by Chrift ? Anf. The fpirit applies to us the redemption purchafed by Chrift, by working faith fcp us, and thereby uniting us to Chritt in our effectual calling. Here are in this anfvver two things, r. Some- thing implied, viz, that Chrift is the glorious purchaser of our redemption, in thcfe words, The redemption purchafed by Chrift. 2. Something exprefled, viz. that the fpirit applies to us this redemption purchafed, by work* ing faith in us, 6r. ( .) The thing here implied, that Jefus Chrift is the glorious purthafc of or redemption* The doctrine oi~ redemption by Jefos Chrift is a glorious doctrine ; it is the marrow and quin- teflence of the gofpel : in this ah a Chriftian's comfort lies. Great was the work of creation, but greater the work of redemption ; itcoft more to redeem us than to make us ; in the one there was but tNe (peaking of a word, in the other fhedding of blood, Luke i. 5 1 . The creation was but the work of God's fingers, Pf. viii. 3. Re- demption the work of his arm, Web. ix. 12. Having obtained eternal redemption for us. Chrift's purchafing redemption for us, implies that our fins did mortgage and fell us j had there not been lome kind of mortgaging, there had been no need of ledemption : redimere, q. rurfus emere, Hierom. Now Chrift, when we were thus mortgaged and fold by fin, did nurchafe our redemption : Chrift had the heft right to redeem us, for^ie is cur kiofman; one that is near in blood : in the old law he neareft kinf- man was to redeem his brothers land] Ruth iv. 4. Thus Chrift being neara-kin to us, Flefb of cur fit 'fly, is the fitted to redeem us. Qu. How doth Chrift redeem us ? Anf By his own precious blood, Eph. i. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood. Among the Romans, he was faid to redeem ano- ther, that laid down a price equivalent for the ranfom of the prifoner. In this fenfe Chrift is a redeemer, he haih paid a price. Never fuch a price paid to ranfom prifoners, 1 Cor. vi. 20. Ye are pretio empti, bought with a price ; and this price was his own blood. So in the text, by his own bloQd he entered in once into the holy place \ having obtained eternal redemption for us, this blood being the blood of that perfen who was God as well as man, is a price Sufficient for the ranfom of millions. Qu. From what doth Chrift redeem us ? Anf. From fin. To be redeemed from Turkijh flavery is a groat mercy, but it is infinitely more to be redeemed from fin. There is nothing can hurt the foul but fin : It is not affliction hurts it, it often makes it better, as the furnace makes gold the purer; but it is fin that doth damnify. Now Chrift redeems us from fin, Heb.'ix. 26. Now once in the end oft he world haih he appeared to put away fin by the facrifice ofhjmfejf. Q.i. But how are we redeemed from Jpnf. Do we not fee corruption flirting in theunrege- nerate ? Much pride and itnmortified paijion ?' Anf. We muft diftinguifh of redemption : redemption is either inch oat a, or plena; i. e. a redemption but begun, and perfect ; fin cannot ftand with a perfect' redemption ; but here it is begun ; fin may ftand with an imperfect redem- ption. There may be forne darknefs in the a& Q. 2 at *** CHRIST THE REDEEMER. at the fun's fi'rft rifing, but not when the fun is at the full meridian : while our redemption is but begun, there may be fin ; but not when it is perfect in glory. Qu. But in what fenfe hath Chrift redeemed jufiified per Jons from Jin ? Anf. i. AreafUficotd the guilt of fin, though ■not the ftain. Guilt is the binding a per Jon ever to puniJJjment. Now Chrift hath redeemed a juftified perfon from the guilt of fin ; he hath difcharged his debts. Chrift faith to God's juftice, as Paul to Philemon, If he hath -wronged thee any thing, or owes thee ought, put that on my account, v. 18. 2. A juftified perfbn is redeemed a dominio, from the power and regency of fin, though not the prefence. Sin may furerc, but not regnare; it may rage in a child of God, but not reign : luft did rage in David, fear in Peter, but it did not reign ; they recovered themielves by repen- tance, Rom. vi. 14. Sin Jh all not have dominion ever you. Sin lives in a child of God, but is de- pofed from the throne ; it lives not as a king, but a captive. 3. A believer is redeemed a malediclione, from the curfe due to fin, Gal. iii. 13. Chrift hath redeemed us from the curfe of the lawy being made a curje for us. Chrift faid to his Father, as Rebecca to Jacob, upon me, upon me be the curfe ; let the bleffing be upon them, but upon me be the curje. And now, there is no con- demnation to believers, Rom. viii. 1. An unbe- liever hath a double condemnation ; one from the law which he hath tranfgreffed, and the other from the gofpel, which he hath defpifed. But Chrift hath redeemed a believer from this malediction, he hath fet him out of the power of hell and damnation. Qu. To what hath Chrifr redeemed us ? Anf. He hath redeemed us to a glorious in- heritance, 1 Pet. i. 4. To an inheritance incor- ruptible and undefiled, and thatfadeth not away, referved in heaven for you. 1. To an inheritance. Chrift hath not only redeemed us out of prifon, but he hath redeemed us to a ftate of happinefs, t© an inheritance ; heaven is not a leafe which foon expires, but an inheritance ; and a glorious inheritance, Col. I. 12. An inheritance in light. Lumen acluat co- lores j light adorns and gilds the world: what were the world without light but a prifon I The heavenly inheritance is irradiated with light : Chrift, as a continual fun, enlightens it with his beams, Rev. xxi. 23. 2. To an inheritance incorruptible : It doth not moulder away, or fufflr diilblution. Larth- ly comforts are fhadowed our by the tabernacle, which was transient; but heaven is fet out by the temple which was fixep and' permanent, built with ftone overlaid with gold. This is the glory of the celeilial inhcrirance ; it is incorrup- tible. Eternitj' is wrirten upon the fronti (piece of it. 3. Undefiled. The Greek word for undefiled, alludes to a precious ftone called Ami ant us, which cannot be blemiftied : fuch a place is heaven, undefiled, nothing can ftain it ; there's no fin there to eclipfe its purity. For the holi- nefs a-,d undefilednefs of it, it is compared to pure gold, and to the fapphire and emerauld, Rev. xxi. The Sapphire hath a virtue (faith Pliny) to prejerve chajlnejs ; the Emerauld to ex- pel poifon. Thefe are the lively emblems of hea- ven, to fhew the fanftity of it ; no fever of luft ; no. venom of malice ; there are none but pure virgin fpirits inhabit it. 4. It fadeth not away. The Greek word is the name of a flower which keeps a long time frefh and green, as Clem. Alexandrinus writes. Such is the heavenly inheritance, it doth not iofe its orient colour, but keeps its fremnefs and greenefs to eternity ; the beauty of it fadeth not away. To this glorious inheritance hath Chriji redeemed the faints : an inheritance which cannot be fully defcribed or fet forth by all the lights of heaven, though every ftar were a fun. And that which is the diamond in the ring, the glory of this inheritance, is, the eternal fight and fruition of the blefTed God; the fight of God will be a moft alluring, heart-ravifhing object. : the kings prefence makes the court, John iii. 2. We fhallfee him as he is. It is comfortable to fee God mewing bimfelf through the lattice of an ordi- nance, to fee hira in the word and fiiciament: the martyrs thought it comfortable to fee him in prifon : O then, what will it be to fee huh in glory, fhining ten thoufand times blighter than the fun ! and not only fee him, but enjoy him for ever ; Praemium quod fide non attingitur, Aug. Faith itfelf is not able fully to comprehend this reward. And all this bleflednefs hath Chrift: purchafed through the redemption of his blood. Ufe 1. Branch 1. See into what a wretched, deplorable condition we had brought ourfelves: into (la very ; flavery, Co that we needed Chriit to purchase our redemption: nihil durius Jervi- tute, Cicero. Slavery is the w or Jl condition ; fuch as are now prifoners in Algiers think it £0. But CHRIST THE REDEEMER. MJ But by fin we are in a worfe flavery, flaves to Satan a mercilftfs tyrant, who fportsin the dam- nation of fouls. In this condition we were vrhen Chiift came to redeem us. Bran h 2. See In this, as in a tranfparent elate; the love of G fa rift to the elect; he came to redeem them: thefe he .died intentionally for. Were i? frctf gseat love for a king s fan to pay a great fum of money to redeem a captive ? But that he mould be content to be a prisoner in his ftead, and die for his ranfbm ; this were matter of wonder. Jefus Chrift hath done all this, he hath written his love in characters of blood : It had been much for Chrift to fpeak a good word to his Father for us, but he knew that was not enough to redeem us : tho' a word (peaking made a world, y*t it would ixbfrfedeem a finner, Heb. ix. 22. Without /bedding of blood, there is no 1 tmiflion, %d Life. Of Trial. If Chrift came to purchafe our redemption, then let us try whether we ere the perfons whom Chrift hath - redeemed from the guilt and curie due to fin. 1 His is a needful trial j for, let me tell you, there is but a certain number whom Chrift hath redeem- ed. O fay miners, Chrift is a redeemer, and we /hall be faved by htm ! Beloved, Chrift came not to redeem all ; then we overthrow the decrees of God. Redemption is not a; large as creation. I grant there is a fiafficieney of merit in Chrift 's blood to fiive all ; but tin difference between fufficienCy and effieieneyl Chrift's blood is a fufficient price for all, but it is effectual only to them that believe. A plaifter may have a fovereign virtue in it to heal any wound, but it doth not hegl unlets applied to the wound. And if it be fo, that all have not the benefit of Chrift's redemption, only fbme ; then it is a necefTary quefiion ro afk our fouls, Whether ive are in the number of them that are redeemed by Chrift, or no P Qu. How faa'l we knew that P Anf. Such as are redeemed, are reconciled to God ; the enmity is taken away : their judg- ments approve, their wills incline ad bonum, Col. i. 7,1, Are they redeemed that are unre- conciled to God ? who hate God and his peo- ple, (as the vine and laurel have an antipathy) who do all they can to difparage holinefs ? Are thefe redeemed who are unreconciled ? Chrift hath purchafed a reprieval for thefe: but a in- ner may have a reprieve, and yet go to hell, John v. 6. 2. Such as are redeemed by Chrift, are re- deemed from the world, Gal. t. 5. Who gave him/elf for our fins, that he might deliver (or redeem) us from this prefent evil world. Such as are redeemed by Chrift, are rifen with Chrift, Col. iii. 1. As the birds, tho' they light upon the ground to pick up a little feed, yet imme- diately tiny take their wings and fly up to the heaven again : fb the redeemed of the Lord, tho' they ufe the world, and take the lawful comforts of it, yet their hearts are pre fen tly ofF thefe things, and they afcend to heaven ; live here, and trade above. Such as Chrift hath died for, are dead to the world; to the honours, profits, and preferments of it. "What fhall we think of them who fay, they are redeemed of the Lord, yet are lovers of the world ? Like the Tribes who defired to have their portion on this fide Canaan : Phil. iii. 19. Who mind earthly things. They pull down their fouls to build up an eftate. They are not redeemed by Chrift. who are not redeemed from the world. yl Ufe. Of Comfort, to fuch as are redeem- ed r you are happy, the lot of free gre.ee is fallen upon you ; you who were once in the Devil's prifoh, you have broke this prifon v you that were once bound in the chains of fin, God hath begun to beat off your chains, and hath freed you from the power of fin, and curfe due to it. What a comfort is this ? And is there i\ny confbktien in Chrift ? it is thine ; is there any fweet fruit growing upon the pro- b? thou mayft gather it: are there any glorious privileges in the gofpel ? they are thy »|Ure, justification, adoption, coronation: is .re any glory in heaven ? thou (halt fhortly ink of that river of* pleafure : haft thou any temporal comforts r thefe are but a pledge and earneft of more : thy meal in the barrel is but a bait by the way, and an earneft of that an- gels food which God ham prepared for thee. How mayft thou be comforted in all worldly afflictions, tho' the fig-tree flourifh not r* Nay, in cafe of death, death hath loft its fting ; Mors obiit rnorte Chrift I. Death fhall carry thee to thy redeemer : fear not dying, not happy but by dying. Ufe ult. Of Exhortation. Long for the time when you mall have a full and perfect redem- ption in heaven, an eternal jubilee j when you fhall be freed not only from the power but from the preience of fin. Here a believer is a prifoner that hath broken prifon, bur walks with a fetter on his leg: when the banner of glory ii6 OF FAITH. glory (hall be difplayed over you, you fhall be as the angels of God, you ihall never have a finful thought more ; when no pain or grief, no akinghead or unbelieving heart. You (hall fee Chrift's face, and ly for ever in his arms : you fliall.be as Jofeph, Gen. xlii. 14- They brought him haftily out of the dungeon, and he fliaved hirafelf, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. Long for that time, when you (hall put off your prifon-gar- ments, and change your raiment, and put pn the embroidered garment of glory. O long ! yet be content to wait for this full and glorious redemption, when you fhall be more happy than you can defire, when you fliall have that ■which eye hath not feen, nor ear heard > nor can it enter into man's heart to conceive. *, *-„ * *, *. *, *, *, ,*, ,% ,4L ,%. &, .% a .*. .% ,*. «. .% .% & % .% .$. .% .% .■$, & .% & .% .% *, *, &.: u!b u& ito St5 <•?& oik-, iii- db w> t*b tw tSa oub t5S3 w-sj i&u aa w-sJ tao sSJ a*3 cw» ojj was s*y c&o case c»jj <££; ouj t*o we ia& wo O F FAITH. Gal. ii. 20. The Life which I now live in the Flejh, I live by the Faith of the Son of G 0 D. THE Spirit applies to us the redemption purchafed by Chrift, by working faith in us. Christ is the glory, and faith in Chriit the comfort of the gofpel. Qu. What are the kinds of faith ? Anf. Fourfold : i . An hiftorical or dogmati- cal faith, which is the believing the truths re- vealed in the word, becaufe of divine autho- rity. 2. There is a temporary faith, which Iafteth but for a time, and vaniflieth, Matth. xiii. 21. Tet hath he no root in himfelf but dureth for a while. A temporary faith is like Jonah's gourd, which came up in a night, and withered, chap. iv. 10. 3. A miraculous faith, which was granted to the apoftles, to work miracles for the confir- mation of the gofpel : This Judas had ;, he caft out devils, yet was caft out to the Devil. 4. A true juftifying faith, which is called A faith of the operationjf God, Col. ii. 12. and is a jewel hung only upon the elect. Qu. What is juftifying faith ? Anf. I fliall mow, (1.) What it is not. It is not a bare acknowledgment that Chrift is a Sa- viour ; indeed there mult be an acknowledg- ment, but that is not fufficient to juftify. The Devils acknowledged Chi ift's Godhead, Matth. viii. 29. Jefus the Son of Cod. There may be an affent to divine truth, yet no work of grace on the heart : many affent in their judgments, that fin is an evil thing, but they go on in im, their corruptions are ftronger than their con- victions; and that Chrift is excellent: they cheapen the pearl, but do not buy. (2.) What juftifying faith is ? Ianfwer, true juftifying faith confifts in three things. 1. Self-renunciation : faith is a going out of one's ielf ; a man is taken off from his own bottom, he fees he hath no righteoufnefs of his own to fave him, Phil. iii. 9. Not having my own righteoufnefs. Self-righteoufncfs is a bro- ken reed, the foul dares not lean* on. Repent- ance and faith are both .humbling graces ; by repentance a man abhors himfelf; by faith he goes out of himfelf. It is with a finner in the firft act of believing, as with Ifrael in their wil- dernels-march ; behind they law Pharaoh and his chariots purfuing them, befo,e them the Red-fea ready to devour them : fo the foui be- hind fees God's juftice purfuing him for fin, be- fore hell ready to devour him ; and, in this for- lorn condition, he fees nothing in himfelf to help him, but he mull perifliunlefs he can find help in another. 2. Recumbency : the foul cafts itfelf upon Jefus Chrift ; faith refts en Chriji's perfon. Faith believes the promife ; but that which Faith refts upon in the promife, is the perfon of Chrift : therefore the fpoufe is find to lean up- on her beloved, Cant. viii. 5. And faith is de- fcribed to be a believing on the name of the Jon of God, John iii. 23. viz. on his perfon. The promife is but the cabinet, Chrift is the jewel in it which faith embraceth ; the promife is but the difh, Chrift is the food in it which fahh feeds on. And as faith refts on Chrift » perfon, fo on his perfon under this notion, as ne was crucified. Faith glories in the crofs of Chrift, Gal. vi. 14. To confider Chrift as he is crown- ed with all manner of excellencies, doth rather ftir O F a r T H. 127 Air up admiration and wonder ; but Chrift looted upon as bleeding and dying, is the pro- per'objett of our faith'; therefore it is called faith in his blood, ' ■ 25. 3, Appropriation)- Qt the applying Chrift to ourlelves : a medicine, tho" it be nev< 1 lofove- reign>yetif irb< jpplied to the wound, will do no good, iho' the pi .:iier oe made of Ghrift's own '-food, yet it will not heal, unlefs it be ap- plied by fa:;h ; the biocid of G. 1, without fairh in God, will not Pave.: Thi^appliing of Chrift is called a receiving of him, 'John i- 12. The band receiving of gold, en- ich'eth ; fo the hand of faith receiving Ghrift's golden merits with falvation, enricheth us. Qu. How is faith wrought ? Anf. By the bltffed Spirit ; it is called the fpirit of grace, Zech. xii. to. becaufe it is the ipring and efficient of all grace. Faith is the chief -work which the fpirit of God works in a man's heart. In making the woild God did but fpeak a word, but in working faith he puts forth his arm. Luke i. 51. the Spirit's working faith is called, The exceeding great ntfs of God's power. What a power was put forth in raifing Chrift from the grave, when fuch a tomb-fione lay upon him, the fins of all the world ! yet he was railed up by the Spi» it : the fame power the Spirit of God puts forth in working faith, the Spirit irradiates the mind, fubdues the will : the will naturally is like a garrifon, which holds out againft God ; the Spirit with a fweet vio- lence conquers, or rather changeth the will, making the finner willing to have Chrift upon any terms, to be ruled by him as welhas faved by him. Qu. Wherein lies the precioufnefs of faith ? Anf As faith is the chief gofpel-grace, the head of the graces ; as gold among the metals, fb is faith among the graces. Clem. Akxan- drinus calls the. other graces the daughters of faith. Indeed in heaven Love will be the chief grace ; but. while we are here militant, love mull give place to faith : love takes poffeffion of glory, but lakh gives a title to it. Love is the crowning grace in heaven, but faith is the conquering grace upon earth, 1 John v. 4. This is the viclory that overcometh the world, even 9ur faith. 2. As faith hath influence upon all the graces, and fets them a-work, not a grace ftirs till -kith fer it a work. As the clothier fets the poor a votk, he fets their wheel a going : faith fets hope a-work. The heir mult believe his title to an-eftate in reverfion, before he can hope for it ; faith believes its title to glory, and then hope waits for it. Did not fairh feed the lamp of hope with oil, it would foon die. Faith lets love a-work, Gal. v. 6. Faith which worketh by love; believing the mercy and me- rit of Chrift caufeth a flame of love to afcend. Faith fets patience a-work, Heb. vi. -12. Be fol- lowers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promlfe. Faith believes the glorious rewards given to fuffering. This makes the foul patient in fuffering. Thus faith is the mafter- wheel, it fets all the other graces a-running. 3. As faith is the grace which God honours to juJHfy and fave : thus indeed it is precious faith, as the apoftle calls it, 2 Pet. i. 1. The other graces help to fan&ify, but it is faith that juftifies, Rom. v. 1. Being juj fife d by faith. Repentance or love do not juftify, but faith. Qu. How doth faith juftify ? Anf. Faith doth not juftify, 1. As it is a work, that were to make a Chrift of our faith ; but faith juftifies, as it lays hold of the object, viz. Chrift's mtrits. If aunan had a precious ftone in a ring that could heat; we fay the ring heals ; bur properly it is not the ring, but the precious ftone in the ring heals. Thus faith faves and juftifies, but it is not any inherent virtue in faith, but as it lays hold on Chrift, fo it ju- ftifies. 2 . Faith doth not juftify as it exercifeth grace : it cannot be denied, faith doth invigorate all the graces, it puts ftrength and livelinefs into them, but it doth not juftify under this notion. Faith works by love, but it doth not juftify as it works by love, but as it applies Chrift's merits. Qu. Why fhould faith fave and juftify more than any other grace ? AnJ". 1. Becaufe of God's fanclion : he hath appointed this g. ace to be juftifying ; and he doth it, becaufe faith is a grace that takes a man offhimfelf, and gives all the honour to Chrift and free grace, Rom. iv. 20. Strong in faith, giving glory to God. Therefore God hath put this honour on faith, to make it faving and juftifying. The king's ftamp makes the coin pafs for current ; if he would put his ftamp up- on leather, as well as filver, it would make it current : fo God having put his fan% A, .% Mj M, .% # .*% -«Ai w-« isJj cio t£;j c-'io •.'•&, Wits wis s5£} c£o tiS; c^c c35p cSis ui; ujj admire- God's love, exalt his praife. Again, that God. fliould call you, and pafs by others, what mercy R 2 is 132 OF JUSTIFICATION. is this ? Matth. xi. 26. Even fo, Father, for fo it feemed good in thy fight. That God fhould p.Js by the wile and noble perfons, of fweet difpofition, acuter parts, guilty of lefs vice, and that the lot of free grace fhould fall upon you ; O aftonifhing love of God ! It was a great fa- vour of God to Samuel, that God called to him, and revealed his mind to him, and paired by Eli, tho' a prieft and a judge in Jfrael, 1 Sam. iii. 6. fo, that God Ihould call to thee, a flagi- tious finner, and pafs by others of higher birth, and better morals, here is that calls aloud for praife. As God fo governs the clouds, that he makes them rain upon one place, and not up- on another ; fo doth he difpenfe his grace, it mail drop its fweet dew upon one, and not upon another. Two at a fermon, one his heart the Lord opens, the other is no more affected with it, than a dead man with the found of mufic : here is the banner of free grace difplayed, and here mould be the trophies of praife erected. Elijah and Eli/ha were walking together ; on a fudden there came a chariot of fire, and carried Elijah up to heaven, but left Eli/ha behind : fo, when two are walking together, hulband and wife, father and child, that God mould call one by his grace, but leave the other, carry up one in a triumphant chariot to heaven, but let the other perilh eternally ; O infinite rich grace ! fiow mould they that are called be affected with God's difcriminating love ? how fhould the vef- ■fels of mercy run over with thankfulnefs ? how Ihould they ftand upon mount Cerizim, bleffmg and praifing God ? O begin the work of heaven here ! fuch as are patterns of mercy fhould be trumpeters of praife. Thus St. Paul being called of God, and feeing what a debtor he was to free grace, breaks forth into admiration and gratulation, 1 Tim. i. 13. Ufe 4. To the called. Walk worthy of your high calling, Eph. iv. 1. I befeech you, that you walk worthy of the vocation "wherewith ye are called ; in two things. 1. AValk compaffionately. Pity fuch as are yet uncalled : halt thou a child that God hath not yet called, a wife, a fervant ? weep over their dying fouls ; they are in their blood, un- der the power of Satan : O pity them ! let their fins more trouble you than your own fuffer- ings : if you pity an ox or afs going aftray, will you not pity a foul going aitray ? Shew your piety by your pity. 2. Walk holily. Yours is an holy calling, 1 Tim. i- 9. You are called to be faints, Rom. i. 7. Show your vocation by -a Bible conver- fation. Shall not flowers fmell fweeter than weeds ? fliall not they who are ennobled with grace, have more fragrancy in their lives than finners ? 1 Pet. i. 15 As he -who hath called you is holy, fo be ye holy in all manner of con- verfation. O difhonour not your high calling by any fordid carriage : when Antigonus was going to defile himfelf with women, one told him, he was a king's fon. O remember your dignity, called of God ! of the blood-royal of heaven ; do nothing unworthy of your honour- able calling. Scipio refufed the embraces of an harlot, becaufe he was general of an army : abhor all motions to fin, becaufe of your high calling. 'Tis not fit for them who are the called of God, to do as others; tho' others of the Jews did drink wine, it was not fit for the Nazarite, becaufe he had a vow of feparation upon him, and had promifed abflinenee ; tho* Pagans and loofe Chriftians take liberty to fin, yet it is not fit for them who are called out of the world, and have the mark of election upon them, to do fo : you are confecrated perfons, your bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghofl, and your fouls mull be a facrary, or holy of holies. A * * # # •* #* * 4 *. t> & •% ■% •% & & •% •& '?• -lb & '% •$? •£* *♦ £• i £*; **e i^u t3& » Is tsfo u-o «&; wsj <££a ess c**j «3sj u& t&> «• ,% .% & & ■% .*• cisj ui: witi 'j*j «5j «*j < OF JUSTIFICATION. Rom. iii. 24. Being juflified freely by his Grace. :^::k:;?<>o<>o<:>o<>:c^ OF S A N C T I F I C A T I O N, 1 Thes. iv. 3. For this is the will of God, even your Sanclification. THE notion of the word fanclification, fig- nifies to confecrate and fet apart to an holy ufe : thus they are f indtified perfons, who are feparated from the world, and let apart for God's fervice. Sandtification hath a privative and a pofitive part. . 1. A privative part, mortification, which lies in the purging out of fin. Sin is compared to leaven, which fowres; and to leprofie, which defiles ; fimdtification doth purge out the old leaven, 1 Cor. ix. vii. Though it takes not away the life, yet the love of fin, 2. A po/itive part, vivification, which is the fpiritual refining of the foul; which in fcripture is called a renewing of our mind, Rom. xii. 2. and a partaking of the divine nature, 2 Pet. i. 4. The priefh in the law not only were warned in the great laver, but adorned with glorious ap- parel, Exod. xxviii. 2. Co in fanctification, not only warned from fin, but adorned with purity. Qu. What is fanctification ? Anfi It is a principle of grace favingly wrought, whereby the heart becomes holy, and is made after God's own heart. A fandti- fied per/on bears not only God's name, but image. For the opening the nature of fandti- fication, I {hall lay down thele feven pofitions. 1. Sandtification is a fupernatural thing; it is divinely infufed. We are naturally polluted ; and to cleanfe, God takes to be his prerogative ; Lev. xxi. 8. I am the Lord which fanclifieth you. "Weeds grow of themfelves. Flowers are planted. Sandtification is a flower of the fpirit's planting, therefore it is called The fanctification tf the fpirit, i.Pet. i. 2. 2. Sandtification is an intrinfical thing : it lies chiefly in the heart. It is called the adorn- ing the hidden man of the heart, I Pet. iii. 4. The dew wets the leaf, the fap is hid in the root : the religion of fome confifts only in ex- ternals, but fanctification is deeply rooted in the foul, Pf. li. 6. In the hidden part tfyoujhalt make me to know wifdom. 3. Sandtification \% an extenfive thing: it fpreads into the whole man, 1 Theff.v. 23. The Cod of peace fanCtify you wholly. As original corruption hath depraved all the faculties, the whole head is fick, the whole heart faint, no part found, as if the whole mafs of blood were cor- rupted : fo fanctification goes over the whole foul. After the fall, there was ignorance in the mind ; now in fanctification, we are light in the Lord, Eph. v. 8. After the fall, the will was de- praved ; there was not only impotency to good, but obfiinacy : now, in fanctification, there is a blefled pliablenefs in the will ; it doth fymbo- lize and comport with the will of God. After the fall, the affections were mifplaced on wrong objects ; in fanctification, they are turned into a fweet order and harmony, the grief placed on fin, the love on God, the joy on heaven. Thus fanctification fpreads itfelf as far as original corruption : it goes over the whole foul ; the Cod of peace fanclify you wholly. He is not a fandtified perfon who is good only in fome part, but who is all over fandtified : therefore in fcripture, grace is called a new man, Col. iii. 10. not a new eye or a new tongue, but a new man. A good Chrifiian, though he be fandtified but in part, yet in every part. 4. Sandtification is an intenfe ardent thing. Qualitates funt in fab j eel a intenflve, Rom. xii. 11. fervent in fpirit. Sandtification is not a dead fonn, but it is inflamed into zeal. We call water hot, when it is fb in the third or fourth degree : he is holy, whofe religion is heated to fome degree, and his heart boils over in love to God. 5. Sandtification is a beautiful thing ; it makes God and angels fall in love with us, Pf. ex. 3. The beauties of holinefs. As the fun is to the world, fo is fanctification to the foul, beautify- ing and befpangling it in God's eyes. That which makes God glorious, mull needs make us fo. Holinefs is the moit fparkling jewel in the Godhead, Exod. xv. 1 1 . Glorious in holinefs. Sandtification is the firft fruit of the fpirit ; it is heaven begun in the foul ; iandtification and glory 142 iffer in decree glory differ only g'ory in the feed, and glory is fancYification in the flower. Happinefs is the quinteflence of holinefs. 6. Sa'nctincation is an abiding thing, i John ill _ p. His feed remaineth in him. He who is truly fanclined, cannot fall from that (late. In- deed Teeming holinefs may be loft, colours may wafh off, lanctiflcation may fujfer an eclip/e, Re v. ii. 4. Thou haft left thy fir ft love : but true fmctiik.uio 1 is a bloflbm of eternity, 1 John ii. 27. The anointing -which we have received abid- eph in you. He who is truly fanenfied, can no more fall away, than the angels which are fixed in their heavenly orbs. 7. SancYtfieation is a progrefftve thing, it is giowing ; it is compared to feed which grows ; firA the blade fprings up, then the ear, then the ripe corn in the ear ; fuch. as are already fancti- ficd, may be more fanctifkd, 2 Cor. vii. 1. Ju- ftification doth not admit of degrees ; a believer cannot be more elected or juftified than he is, but he may be more fancYified than he is : fan- cYification is ftill encreafmg, like the morning- fun, which grows brighter to the full meridian. Knowledge is faid to encreafe, Col. i. 10. and faith to °encreafe, 2 £?r. x. 15. A Ghriftian is continually adding a cubit tohis fpiritual ftature. It is not with us as it is with Cruift, who received the fpirit -without meafure : Chrift could not be more holy than he was. But we have the fpirit only in meafure, and may be frill augmenting our grace : as Appelles, when he had drawn a piclure, he would be ftill mending it with his pencil. The image of God is drawn but imperfectly in us, therefore we rauft be ftill mending it, and drawing it in more lively colours-; fanctificaYidn is progreffive ; if it doth not grow*, it is becaufe it doth not live. Thus you fee the nature of fanctification. Qu. What are the counterfeits of fanflif- cation ? Anf. There is fomething looks like fancYifi- cation, which is not. 1. The firft counterfeit of fancYification is moral virtue. To be juft, temperate, to be of a fair deportment, not having one's fcutcheon blotted with ignominious fcandal ; this is good, but not enough : this is not fancYfication. A field-flower '.'liters from a garden flower, r. heathens have attained to morality ; Cato, So- crates, Ariftides. Civility is but nature refined ; there is nothing ofChrift there : the heart may be foul and impure : under thefe fair leaves of OF SANCTIFIGATION. fancYfication is civility, the worm of unbelief may be hid. 2. A moral perfon hath a fecret antipathy againft grace ; he hates vice, and he hates grace as much as vice. The fnake hath a fine colour, but a fling. A perfon adorned and cultivated with moral virtue, hath a fecret fpleen againft fan- cYty : thofe Stoicks, which were the chief of the moralized heathens, were the bittereft enemies St. Paul had, Ads xvii. 18. 2. The fecond counterfeit of fancYificatiqh is fuperftitious devotion-, this abounds in popery; adorations ; images, altars, veftments, holy wa- ter, which I look upon as a religious frenzy : this is far from fancYification. 1. It doth not put any intrinfical goodnefs into a man, it doth not make a man better. If the legal purification* and warnings, which were of God s own ap- pointing, did not make them that ufed them more holy, (the priefts, who wore holy gar- ments, and had oil poured on them, were ne- ver the more holy, without the anointing of the fpirit) then fureiy thofe fuperflitious inno- vations in religion, which God never appointed, cannot contribute any holinefs to men. 2. A. fuperflitious holinefs cofts no great labour ; there is nothing of the heart in it: if to tell over a few beads, or bow to an image, to fprinklc themfclves with holy water; if this were fan- clification, and were all that were required of them that fhould be laved, then hell would be empty, none would come there. 3. The third counterfeit of fanclification is hypocrify ; when men make a pretence of that holinefs which they have not. A comet may fhine like a flar ; fuch a luflre ihines from their profeffion, as dazleth the eyes of the beholders, 2 Tim. iii. 5. Having a form of Codlinefs, but de- nying the power. Thefe are lamps without oil; whited fepulchres, like the Aegyptian temples, which had fair outfides, but within fpiders and apes. The apoftle fpeaks of true holir-efs, Fph. iv. 24. implying there is an holinefs which is fpurious and feigned, Rev. iii. 1. Thou haft a name to live, hut art dead', like pictures and ftatues which are deflitute of a vital principle, Jade kit. Clouds without water. They pretend to be full of the fpirit, but empty clouds. This fhew of fa ncLio cation (when it is nothing elfe) is feF-delufien. He who takes copper inflead of gold, wrongs himfelf ; the mod counterfeit faint deceives others while he lives, but deceives himfelf when he dies. To pretend holinefs, "when there is none, is a vain thing : what were the foolifh virgins better for their blazing lamps, OP SANCTIFICATION. *4j lamps, when they wanted oil ? What is the lamp of profeffion without the oil of faving grace ? What comfort will a (hew of holinefs yield atlaft ? Will painted gold enrich r Painted wine refreih him that is thirfty ? Will painted holinefs be a cordial at the hour of death ? A pretence of fanclification is not to be refted in. Many mips, that have had the name of the Hope, the Safeguard, the 'Triumph, yet have been call away upon the rocks ; lb many who have had the name of faintmip, have been call: into hell. 4. The fourth counterfeit of fanclification is refraining grace. When men forbear vice, though they do not hate it; this may be the Turner's motto, Fain I would, but I dare not. The dog hath a mind to the bone, but is afraid of the cudgel : men have a mind to lull, but confeience Hands as the angel, with a flaming fword, and affrights ; they have a mind to re- venge, but the fear of hell is a curb-bit to check them. Here is no change of heart ; fin is curbed, but not cured ; a lion may be in chains, but is a lion Hill. 5. The fifth counterfeit of fanclification, is common grace, which is a flight, tranfient work of the fpirit, but doth not amount to conver- fion. There is fome light in the judgment, but it is not humbling ; fome checks in the con- feience, but they are not awakening : this looks like fanclification, but is not. Men have con- victions wrought in them, but they break loofe from them again, like the deer, which, being ftiot, fhakes out the arrow : after conviction, me i go* into the houfe of mirth, take the harp to drive away the fpirit of fadnefs, and fo all dies and comes to nothing. Qu. IV herein appears the neceffty of fancli- fication? Anfi In fix things, 1. God hath called us to it. 2 Pet. i. 5. Who hath called us to glory and virtue', to virtue, as well as glory. God hath not called us unto uncleannefs, but unto holinefs, 1 Theff. iv. 7. We have mo call to fin, we may have a temptation, but no call ; no call to be proud, or unclean, but we have a call to be holy. * 2. The neceffity appears in this : without fan- clification there is no evidencingour j unification; Juftification and fanclification go together, 1 Cor. vi. it. But ye are fanctified, but ye are juflified. Mic. vii. j 8. Pardoning iniquity, there is juflifi- cation; v. 19. He will fubdue our iniquities, there is fanclification. Out of Chrif's fides came •water and blood, 1 John v. 6. Blood, viz.jufliS- cation; water, viz. fanclification. Such as have not the water out of Chrill's fides to cleanfe, them, fliall never have the blood out of his fides to fave them. 3. Without fanclification we have no title to the new covenant. The covenant of grace is our charter for heaven : the tenure of the co- venant, is, That Cod will be our God (the crown- ing bleffing.) But who are interelled in the co- venant, and may plead the benefit of if? Only fanclified perfons; Ezek. xxxvi. 26. A new heart will I give yen, and I will put my fpirit wl. you, and I will be your God. If a man make a will, and fettles his eftate upon fueh person's as he names in the will; none elfe but they cm lay claim to the will : Co God makes a will and teilament, but it is retrained and limited to fuch as are fancYified ;• and it is high prefumption, for any elfe to lay claim to the will. 4. There is going to heaven without fancli- fication, Heb. xii. 14. Without holinefs no man foall fee the Lord. God is an holy God, and he will fuffer no unholy creature to come near him ; a king will not fuffer a man with plague-fore:- to approach into his prefence. Heaven is not like Noah's ark, where the clean beails and the unclean entered; no unclean bead comes into the heavenly ark : though God fuffer the wicked to live a while on the earth, he will never fuffer heaven to be peftered with fuch vermine : are they fit to fee God, who wallow in wicked nefs ? Will God ever lay fuch vipers in his bofom ? Without holinefs no man /hall fee the Lord. It muft be a clear eye that fees a bright objeel ; only an holy heart can fee God in his gloiy. Sinners may fee God as an enemy, not as a friend; may have an affrighting vifion of God, but not a beatifical vifion .• they may fee the flaming fword, but not the mercy-feat. O then, what need is there of fanclification ? 5. "Without fanclification, all our holy things are defiled, Tit. i. 5. Unto them that are defiled, is nothing pure. Under the law, if a man who was unclean by a dead body, had carried a piece of holy flefhinhis fkirt, the holy flefh had not cleanfed him, but he had polluted that, Hag. i. 12, 13. An emblem of a finner's polluting his holy offering. A foul flomach turns the bell food into ill humours ; an unfanclified heart pollutes prayers, alms, Taeraments. This evinceth the neceility of fanclification : fanclification makes our holy things accepted ; an holy heart is the altar which fanclifies the oifering ; his duties, though i44 OF SANCTITICATION. though they are not to fatisfaction, yet to ac- ceptation. 6. Without fanctification we can mew no fign of our election, 2 Theff. ii. 13. Election is the caufe of our falvation, fanctification is our evidence ; fanctification is the ear-mark of Chrift's elect fiicep. Qu. What are the fgns of fanSiification ? Anf. 1. Such as are fandtified, can remember a time when they were un fanctified, 7/7. iii. 3. We were in our blood, and then God wafhed us with water, and anointed us with oil, Ezek. xvi. Thofe trees of righteoufnefs that bloflbm and bear almonds, can remember when they were like Aaron's dry rod, not one bloflbm. of holi- nefs growing : a fanctified foul can remember when he was eftranged from God through igno- rance and vanity, and when free grace planted this flower of holinefs in him. Second fign of fanctification is the indwelling of the fpirit, 2 Tim. i. 14. The holy Ghofi which divelleth in us. As the unclean fpirit dwells in the wicked, and carries them to pride, lult, revenge ; the devil hath entered into thefe fwine, Acls v. 3. fo the fpirit of God dwells in the elect, as their guide and comforter. The fpirit pofleffeth the faints. God's fpirit fancti- h'es the fancy, caufing it to mint holy thoughts; it fanctifies the will, putting a new biafs upon ir, whereby it is inclined to good. He who is fanctified, hath the influence of the fpirit, though not the eflence. Third fign of falsification is an antipathy againft fm, Pf. cxix. 104. an hypocrite may leave fin, yet love it ; as a ferpent calls its coat, but keeps its f ting : but a fanctified perfon can fay, he not only leaves fin, but loaths it. As there are antipathies in nature, between the vine and laurel, fo in a fanctified foul there is an holy antipathy againft fin; and antipathies can never be reconciled. Becaufe he hath an antipathy againft fin, he cannot but oppofe it, and' feck the deftruction of it. Fourth fign of fancti&ratioti is, the fplritual performance of duties, viz. with the heart, and from a principle cf love. The fanctified foul ,-s out of a love to prayer, he calls the fab- bit': a dcilght, Ilk. Ivili. 13. A man may have pi'f-Vg ro admiration, he may fpeak as an angel dropped out of heaven, yet may be carnal in liual things ; his fen ices do not come from '•a renewed principle, nor is he carried upon the wings of delight in duty. A fanctified foul woruYips God in xhefpirit, 1 Pet. ii. 5. God doth not judge of our duties by the length, but by the love. Fifth fign, a well ordered life, r Pet. i. 15. Be ye holy in all manner of converfation. Where the heart is fanctitied the life will be fo too ; the temple had gold withtut, as well as within. As in a piece of coin, there is not only the king's image within the ring, but his fuper- Icription too without; fo where there is fancti- fication, there is not only God's image in the heart, but a f ipeifcription of holinefs written in the life ; fome fay, they have good hearts, but their lives are vitious, Prov. xxx. 12. There is a generation that are 'pure in their own eyes , yet is not wafhed from their fi'-ihinefs. If the water be foul in the bucket, i. cannot be clean in the well, Pf. xl v. 13. The king's daughter is all glorious within; there is ho'in.-fs of heart ; her clothing is of wrought gold. Holinefs of life. Grace is moft beau iful when its light doth fo fliine, that others may fee it ; this adorns re- ligion, and makes prolelytes to the faith. Sixth fign, fredfafr resolution. He is refol- ved never to part with his holinefs; let others reproach it, he loves it the more ; let water be fprinkled on the fire, it burns the more. He faith, as David, when Michael reproached him for dancing before the ark, 2 Sam. vi. 22. If this be to be vile, I will yet be more vile. Let others perfecute him for his holinefs, he faith as Paul, Acts xx. 24. None of thofe things move me: he prefer? fanctity before fafety, and had rather keep his confeience pure, than his fkin whole. He faith, as Job, my integrity I will hold fa ft, and not let it go, ch. xxvii. 0. He will rather part with his life than his confeience. life I. See what is the main thing aChriftian fhould look after, viz. fanctification; this is the unumnecejfarium, the one thing needful. San- cTfkation is our purefl complexion, it makes us as the heaven, befpangled with fiars ; it is our nobility, by it we are born of God, and partake of the divine nature -, it is our riches, therefore compared to rows of jewels, and chains of gold, Cant. i. 10. It is our belt certificate for heaven : what evidence have we elfe to (how ? Have we knowledge I So hath the devil : do we profefs religion : Satan often appears in Samuel's mantle, and transforms himfelf into an angel of light : but here is our certificate to fliow for heaven, Sanctification. Sanctification is the firft fruits of the fpirit ; the only coin will pafs current in the other world. Sanctifi- cation is the eVidence of God's love; we can- not OF SANCTIFICATJ. ON. *Ai not guefs of God's love by giving us health, riches, fuccefs, but by drawing his image of fanctification on us by the pencil .of the Holy Ghofl. Branch 2. It mows the mifery of fuch as are deftitute of a principle of fanctification ; they are fpiritually dead, Eph. ii. i . Tho' they breathe, yet they do not live. The greateft part of the world remain unfandtified, i John v. 19. The world lies in wickednefs, that is, the major part of the world. Many call themfelves Chri- stians, yet blot out the word faints ; you may as well call him a man who wants reafon, as him a Chriftian who wants grace : nay, which is worfe, fome are buoyed up to fuch an height of wickednefs, that they hate and deride fancti- fication : 1. They hate it ; 'tis bad to want it, it is worfe to hate it : they embrace the form of religion, but hate the power. The vulture hates fweet fmells, fo do they the perfumes of holinefs. 2. Deride it ; thefe are your holy ones. To deride fanctification, argues an high degree of atheifm, and is a black brand of reprobation : fcoffing ljhmael was call: out of Abrahams fa- mily, G en. xxi. 9. fuch as feoff at holinefs (hall be call out of heaven. Ufe 2. Of Exhortation. Above all things pur- fue after fanclifkation ; feek grace more than gold, Prov. iv. 14. Keep her, for fhe is thy life. Qu. What are the chief inducements to fan- edification ? Anf. >/l, It is the will of God that we fhould be holy : in the text, This is the will of Cod, your fanclification. As God's word muft be the rule, fo his will the reafon of our actions : this is the will of God, our fanctification. Per- haps it is not the will of God we fhould be rich, but it is his will we fhould be holy. God's will is our warrant. 2/y, Jefus Chrift hath died for our fanctifi- cation. Chi iff fhed his blood to wafh off our impurity. The crofs is both an altar and la- ver, Tit. ii. 14. Who gave himfelf for us, to re- deem us from all iniquity. If we could be laved without holinefs, Chrift needed not have died. Chrift died, not only to lave us from wrath, but from fin. 3/y, Sanctification makes us refemble God. It was Adam's fin that he afpired to be like God in omnifciency, but we muft endeavour to be like him in fanctity. It is only a clear glafs in which we can fee a face ; it is only an holy heart in which fome thing of God can be feen ; there's nothing of God to be fan in an tin- fanctified man : you may fee Satan': picture in him : envy is the Devil's eye, hypocrify his cloven foot; but nothing of God s image can be feen in him. You can fee no more of God in him, than 3-011 can fee a man's face in a giafs that is dufky and foul. 4/y, Sanctification is that which God bears a great love to. Not any outward ornaments, high blood, or worldly grandeur, draws God's love, but an heart embelliihed with holinefs; Chrift never admired any thing, but the beau- ty of holinefs ; he flighted the" glorious build- ings of the temple, but admired the woman's faith, 0 woman, great is thy faith ; amorJun- datur fimilitudiue. A king delights to fee his image upon a piece of coin : where God ka his likenefs, there he gives his love. The Lord hath two heavens he dwells in, and the holy heart is one of them. 5/y, Sanctification is the only thing doth dif- ference us from the wicked : God's people have his feal upon them, 2 Tim. ii. 19. The foun- dation of God ftandeth fare, having this feal, the Lord knoweth them that are his ; and let every one that nameth the name of Chrift depart frim iniquity. The Godly are fealed with a double feal : 1. A feal of election, The Lord knoweth who are his : 2. A feal of falsifica- tion, Let every one that nameth the name of Chrift depart from iniquity. This is the name by which God's people are known, Jfa. Ixiii. 18. The people of thy holinefs. As chaftity diitin- guifheth a virtuous woman from an harlot, fo fanclification diftinguifheth God's people from others, 1 John ii. 27. Ye have received an unclion from the holy one. 6ly,^ It is a fhame to have the name of a Chriftian, yet want fanctity; as to have the name of a fteward, and yet want fidelity; the name of a virgin, yet want chaftity. It expo- fcth religion to reproach, to be baptized into the name of Chrift, yet unholy; to have eyes full of tears on fabbath, and on a week-day eyes full of adultery, 2 Pet. ii. 14. To be Co devout at the Lord's table, as if men were ftepping into heaven ; and to profane the week after, as if they came out of hell. To have the name of Chriftians, yet unholy, is a fcandal to religion, and makes the ways of God evil fpo~ ken of. m,ly, Sanctification fits for heaven, 2 Pet. i. 3. Who hath called us to glory and virtue ; glory is the throne, and fanctification is the T ftep T.|6 OF ASSURANCE. Aep bv which we afcend to it. Firft you cleanfe the ve'ifd, and then you pour in the wine ; firft God cleanfeth us by ianaification, and then pours in the wine of glory. §olomon was firft anointed with oil, and then he was a king, i Kin%s i. 39. Firft God anoints us with the holy oil of his fpirit, and then he fets the crown of happinefs upon our head. Purenefs of heart and feeing God are linked together, Matth. v. 8. Qu. How may fanclification be attained to ? Anf 1. Be converfant in the word of God, John xvii. 17. Sanctify them through thy truth. The word is both a glafs to fhew us the fpots of our foul, and a laver to wa(h them away ; the word hath a transforming value in it, it irradiates the mind, and confecrates the heart. 2. Get faith in Chrift's blood, Acls xv. 9. Having purified their hearts by faith. She hi the gofpel that touched the hem of Chrift's garment was healed ; a touch of faith purifies. Nothing can have a greater force upon the heart, to fancYify it, than faith ; if I believe Chrift and his merits are mine, how can I fin againft him ? Juftifying faith doth that in a fpiritual fenfe, which miraculous faith doth, it removes mountains, the mountains of pride, luft, envy. Faith, and the love of fin are in- confiftent. 3. Breathe after the Spirit; it is called the fanclification of the Spirit, 2 Then. ii. 13. The Spirit fanclifies the heart, as lightning purifies the air, as fire refines metals. Omne agens ge- nerat fibi fimile : The Spirit ftamps the im- preflion of its own fanciity upon the heart, as the feal prints its effigies and likenefs upon the wax. The fpirit of God in a man perfumes him with holinefs, and makes his heart a map of heaven. 4. AfTociate with fancYified perfons. They may, by their counfel, prayers, holy example, be a means to make you holy : as the commu- nion of faints is in our creed, Co it ihould be in our company, Prov. xiii. 20. He that walketh with the wife, Jhall be wife. Aflbciution begets aifimuiation. 5. Pray for fanclification. Job propounds a queilion, Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean ? Job xv. 14. God can do it. Out of an unholy heart he can produce grace. O! make David's prayer, Pfal. J!. 10. Create in -me a clean heart, 0 God. Lay thy heart be- fore the Lord, and fay, Lord, my unfancl\-.jd heart pollutes all it tcucheth. I am riot fit ft live with fitch an heart, for I cannot honfur thee ; nor die with fiich an heart, for I cannot fee thee. 0 create in me a clean heart ; Lord, confecratemy heart, and make it thy temple, and thy praifes fhall be fun'g there for ever. Ufe 3. Of ihanlfiulntfs. Hath God brought a clean thing out of an unclean ? hath he fanc"ti- fied you ? wear this jewel of fanclification with thankfulnefs, Col. i. 12. Giving thanks to the Father, who hath made us meet for the inhcri' tance, &c. Chriftian, thou couldft defile thy- felf, but not fanctify thyfelf : but God hath done it; he hath not only chained up fin, but changed thy nature, and made thee as a king's daughter all glorious within. He hath put up- on, thee the breaft-piate of holinefs, which, tho' it may be /hot at, can never be (hot thorow. Are there any here that are fanclified r God hath done more for you than millions : they maybe illuminated, but not fanclified. He hath done more for you, than if he had made you the fons of princes, and caufed you to ride upon the high places of the earth. Are you fanclified ? heaven is begun in you ; happinefs is nothing but the quinteffence of holinefs. O how thankful fhould you be to God ! Do as that blind man in the gofpel, after he had re- ceived his fight, He followed Chrift, glorify- ing God, Luke xviii. 43. Make heaven ring of God's praifes. ^####^###^###'^#^^##-############# OF ASSURANCE. Q.XX1I. \&7 H ^T are f^e benefits which V V flow from fanclification ? Anf. AfTurance of God's love, peace of con- fcience, joy in the holy Ghoft, encreafe of grace, and perfeveran.ee therein to the end. I. Benefit flowing from fanclification, is affurance of God's love. t Pet. i. 10. Give diligence to make your calling and elefiion fare. Sanclification is the feed/ affurance is the flower which grows out of OF ASSTJRANC E, 14; of it : affurance is a confequen t of fanctification, the friars of old had it, i John ii. 3. Il-'e k:,ow that we know him. 2 Tim. i. ; 2. i knotv whom ] have believed; here was fenfu.s fidci, the re- flex act of faith : and, Gal. ii. 20. thrift hath loved me. Here was faith floui idling into af- furance. Aecolampadias, when he was Tick, pointed to his heart, Hie fat lucis, Here I have light enough, meaning comfort and affurance. Qu. 1. Have all fanclified perfons affurance'. Anf. They have a right to it, and I do in- cline to believe that all have it in fome degree before their lafl expiring; tho' their comfort may be fo ftrong, and their vital fpirits Co weak, that they cannot exprefs what they feel. But I dare nor pofitively affirm that all have af- furance in the firft moment of their fanclifi- cation : a letter may be written, when it is not fealed ; fo grace may be written in the heart, yet the Spirit may not fet the leal of affurance •;o it. God is a free agent, and may give or fufpend affurance pro libito as he pleafe. Where there is the fanctifying work of the Spirit, he may withhold the fealing work, partly to keep ihe foul humble; partly to punifh our carelefs [ding : we neglect our fpiritual watch, grow remits in duty, and then walk under a cloud ; we quench the graces of the Spirit, and God withholds the comforts: and partly to put a difference between earth and heaven. This I the rather fpeak, to b~ar up the hearts of God's people, who are dejected becaufe they havener aflurance : you may have the water of tJae Spirit poured on you in fenefcification, though not the oil of gladnefs in r.f'ura.ice ; there may affurance as excludes all doubting ? Anf. He hath that which bears up his heart from finking, he hath fuch an earncfr of the Spirit that he would not part with it for the richeft prize ; but his affurance, tho' it be in- fallible, it is not perfects There will be forne- rimes a trepidation or $rembling$ he is fafe, yet not without fears and doubts ; as a fhip lies fafe at anchor, yet may be a little fhaken by the wind. If a Chriilian had no doublings, there mould be no unbelief in him; had he no doublings, there would be no difference be- tween grace militant and grace triumphant. Had not David his ebbings fometimes as welt as flowings ? Like the mariner, who fometimes cries out, flellam video, I fee a ftar ; fometimes tire ftar is out of fight. Sometimes we hear David fay, Thy loving-kin dnefs is before mine eyes, Tial. xxvi. 3. But at another time he was at a lofs, Pfal. Ixxxix. 4.9. Lord, where arc thy former loving-kindneffes ? And there may fall out an eclipfe in a Chriftian's aiTurance, to put him upon longing after heaven ; then there mall not be the lean: doubring ; then the ban- ner of God's love fhall be always difplayed up- on the foul ; then the light of God's face fhall be without clouds, and have no fun letting ; then the faints fhall have an uninterrupted af- furance, and be ever with the Lord. Qu. 4. What are the differences between true affurance and prefwnption ? Anf 1. They differ in the method or man- ner of working : divine aiTurance flows from humiliation for fin (I fpeak not of the meafui e of humiliation, but the truth). There are in be fnth of adherence, and nor of evidence ; Palermo'^ reeds growing, in which there is a there may be life in the root, when there is no fugared juice : a foul humbled for fin is the fruit in the branches to be ft: en ; fo faith in the bf&ifed re-d, m which grows this fvveet afTu- heart, when raoiruit of aiTurance. Qu. 2. IVhat is affurance ? Anf. It is not vocal, any audible voice, or brought to us by the help of an angel or reve- lation ; aflurance confifrs of a p"''- tl fyllo- gifm, where the word cf God makes the major, cop.Jcieuce the minor, the fpiri: of God the conclufon. The Dvord faith. He' that fear loves Cod, is loved cf Cod ; there is the major P'V'poiition : then confeience makes the minor, Bui I fear and love Cod ; then the S :l:\[ the conclufion, Therefore thou ar < f God. And this is that v.! 'eh the apofrle calls, The luitnefpng of ihe Spirit with our ffriis, that we are his children, Rom. viii. }6. QjJ. 3- WhcLzr hath a fnclf. d foul fuch an ranee. Gods fpiri t is a fpirit of bondage, be- fore it be a fpirit of adoption ; but piefumpti- 011 arifetn without any humbling work or the Spirit: How cc.meft thou by thy venifon fa foon ? The plow goes before the feed be fown ; the hear* rnuft be plowed up by humiliation and repentance, before God fows the feed of aiTurance. 2. He who hath a real aiTurance, will take .! of that which will weaken and darken hi affurance ; he is fearful of the forbidden fruit he know?, tho' he cannot fin away his foul, y< he may fin away his affurance : but he who hat the ignis fat tiu s of prefumption, doth not fea defiling his garments, he is bold in fin, Jer. iii. 4, 5, Witt thou not cry unto me, My Father ? T 2 Behold., N8 OF ASSURANCE. Behpld, Thou haft done evil things as thou cou'dft. Balaam (aid, My God, yet a forcerer. A fgn he hath no money about him, who fears nor t© travel all hours in the night ; a fign he hafh not the jewel of afTurance, who fears not the works of darknels. 3. True aiTurance is built upon a fcriprure- bafis ; the word faith, The effecl of righteouf nefs ffall be cjuietnefs and affurance for ever, Ifa. xxxii. 17. A Chriftian 's afTurance is built upon this fcripture; God hath fown the feed of righteoufnefs in his foul, and this feed hath brought forth the harveft of afTurance : but pre- fumption is a fpurious thing, it hath no fcrip- ture to (hew for its warrant ; it is like a will without feal and witnefTes, which is null and void in law ; prefumption wants both the wit- ness of the word, and the feal of the Spirit. 4. AfTurance flowing from fanctification al- ways keeps the heart in a lowly potture : Lord, faith the foul, what am J, that, patting by Co many, the golden beams of thy love mould mine upon me i St. Paul had afTurance ; is he proud of this jewel ? no, Eph. iii. 8. To me w ho am lefs than the leaf} of all faints. The more love a Chriftian receives from God, the more he fees himfelf a debtor to free grace, and the fenfe of his debt keeps his heart hum- ble ; but prefumption is bred of pride. He who prefumes, difdains ; he thinks himfelf better than others, Luke xviii. 11. Cod I thank thee, I am not as other men are, nor as this Publican. Feathers fly up, but Gold defcends ; he who hath this golden afTurance, his heart defcends in humility. Qu. 5. What is it may excite us to look after affurance ? Anf. To confider how fweet it is, and the noble and excellent effects it produceth. r. How fweet it is. This is the manna in the golden pot; the white ftone, the wine ofpara- dife which cheers the heart. How comfortable is God's fmile ! the fun is more refrefhing when it fhineth out, than when it is hid in a cloud ; it is a praslibation and a foretafte of glory, it puts a man in heaven before his time : none can know how delicious and ravifhing it is, but iuch as have felt it j as none can know how fweet honey is, but they who have tatted it. 2. The noble and excellent effects it pro- duceth. /. Affurance will make us love God, and praife him. ( 1.) Love him. Love is the foul of religion, the fat of the facrifice ; and who can love God fo, as he who hath affurance > The fun reflecting its beams on a burning-glafs, makes the glafs burn that which is near to it : fo affurance i which is the reflexion of God's love upon the foul) jnakes it burn in love to God. Sr. Paul was allured of Chritt's love to him, Gal. ii. 20. It ho hath loved me; and how was his heart fired with love ? he valued and admired nothing but Chriir, Phil. iii. 8. As Chrift was fattened to the crofs, fo he was fattened to Paul's heart. (2.) Praife him. Praife is the quitrent we pay to the crown of heaven ; who but he who hath affurance of his juttification, can blefs God, and give him the glory of what he hath done for him ? can a man in a fwoon or apoplexy, praife God that he is alive ? can .a Chriftian daggering with fears about his fpiritual condition, praife God that he is elected andjuttified ? no, The living, the living, he /hall praife thee, Ifa. xxxviii. 19, Such as are enlivened with aiTurance, they are the fittett perfons to found forth God's praife. Effecl 1. AfTurance would drop fweetnefs into all our creature-enjoyments : it would be as fngar to wine, an earnett of more : it gives a bleffing with the vemfon : as guilt imbitters our comforts, it is like drinking out of a worm- wood cup ; fo afTurance would indulciate and fweeten all. Health, and the afTurance of God's love are fweet riches, and with the afTurance of a kingdom are delectable : nay, a dinner of green herbs, with the afTurance of God's love, is princely fare. Effecl 3. AfTurance would make us active and lively in God's fervice ; it would excite prayer, quicken obedience. As diligence be- gets afTurance, Co aiTurance begets diligence. AfTurance will not (as the Papifts fay) breedy£- curity in the foul, but indujiry : doubting does difcourage us in God's fervice, but the afTurance of his favour breeds joy, And the joy of the Lord is our flrength, Neh. viii. 10. AfTurance makes us mount up to heaven, as eagles, in holy duties ; it is like the fpirit in Ezekiel's wheels, that moved them, and lifted them up. Faith would make us walk, but afTurance would make us run : we fhould never think we could do enough for God. AfTurance would be as wings to the bird, as weights to the clock, to fet all the wheels of obedience a-running. Effecl 4. AfTurance would be a golden fhield to beat back temptations: affurance triumphs over temptations. There are two forts of temptations Satan ufeth, 1. He tempts to draw us OF ASSURANCE. H9 us to fin rnow the being aflured of our juftifi- cation would make this temptation vanifh. "What, Satan, (hall I fin againft him who hath loved me, and warned me in his blood ? Shall I return to folly after God hath fpoken peace ? Shall I weaken my aflurance, wound my con- fcience, grieve my comforter ? Avoid Satan, tempt no more. 2. Satan would make us queftion our intereft in God; he tells us we are hypo- crites, and God doth not love us. Mow there is no fbeh (meld againft. this temptation as _ aflur- ance ; what, Satan, have I a real work of grace in my heart, and the feal of the (pint to wit- nefs it, and doft thou tell me God doth not love me ? Now I know thou art an impoftor, who goeft about to difprove what I fenfibly feel. If faith refills the devil, aflurance would put him to flight. Effett 5- Aflurance would make us contented, though we have but a little in the world: he who hath enough is content; he who hath fun- light, is content, though he want torch-light. A man that hath aflurance, hath enough ; in uno falvatore omnes fio rent gemma? ad fatutem: He hath the riches of Chrift's merit, a pledge of his love, an earned of his g'ory, he is filled with the fulnefs of God ; here is my inheritance ; the lines are fallen to me in pltafant places , and I have a goodly heritage. Aflurance will rock the heart quiet ; the reaibn of difcontent, is either becaufe men have no intereft in God, or do not know their intereft : St. Paul faith, I know whom I have believed, 2 Tim. i. 12. There was the aflurance of his intereft. And, 2 Cor. vi. 10. As for r awful, yet always rejoycing, &o There was his contentment. Get but aflurance, and you will be out of the weekly bill of murmurers, you will be difcontented no more. What can come amifs to him that hath afllirance ? God is his ; hath he loft a friend ? his father lives ; hath he loft his only child ? God hath given him his only Son; hath he fcarcity of bread ? God hath given him the fineft of the wheat, the bread of life ; are his comforts gone ? He hath the com- forter ; doth he meet with ftorms on the fea ? He knows where to put in for harbour ; God is his portion, and heaven is his haven. Thus aflurance gives fweet contentment in every condition. Ejfecl 6. Aflurance would bear up the heart tn Sufferings , it would make a Chriftian endure troubles with patience and cheerfulnefs. With patience, Heb. x. 36. Ye have need of patience. There are fome meats (we fay) are hard of di- geftion, and only a good ftomach will concoft them : affli&ion is a meat hard of digeftion, but patience (like a good ftomach) will be able to digeft it; and whence comes patience but from aflurance ? Rom. v. 5. Tribulation worketh pa- tience, becaufe the love of God is fhed abroad in our hearts, with cheerfulnefs. 'Afllirance is like the mariner's lantern on the deck, which gives light in a dark night. Aflurance gives the light of comfort in aJfliclion, Heb. x. 34. Ye took joy- fully the fpoiling of your goods, knowing in your - felves, &c. there was aflurance. He that hath af- furance, can rejoice in tribulation ; he can ga- ther grapes of thorns, and honey out of the lion's carcafe. Latimer, When I fit alone, and can have a fettled affurance of the fate of my foul, and know that God is mine, I can laugh at all troubles, and nothing can daunt me. ' Effect 7. Aflurance would pacify a troubled confeience : he who hath a difturbed vexatious confeience, carries an hell about him, Eheu quis intus fcorpio ! but aflurance cures the agony, and allays the fury of confeience : confeience, that before was turned into a ferpait, now is like a bee that hath honey in its mouth, it fpeaks peace ; tranquillus deus, tranquillat omnia, Ter- tull. When God is pacified towards us, then confeience is pacified. If the heavens are quiet, and there are no winds ftirring thence, the fea is quiet and calm ; fo, if there be no anger in God's heart, if the tempeft of his wrath do not blow, confeience is quiet and ferene. Ejfecl 8. Aflurance would ftrengthen us againft the fear of death; fuch as want it, cannot die with comfort ; they are in a?quilibrio, they hang in a doubtful fufpence, what fliould becomt of them after death : but he who hath aflurance, hath an happy and joyful paflage out of the world ; he knows he is parted from death to life, he is carried full fail to heaven : Though he cannot refift death, yet he overcomes it. Qu.. 6. What fi ball they do that want affurance? Anf 1. Such as want aflurance, let them la- bour to find grace. When the fun denies light to the earth, it may give forth its influence : when God denies the light of his countenance, he may give the influence of his grace. Qu. How /hall we know we have a real work of grace, and fo have a right to affurance ? Anj. If we can refolve two queries, 1. Have we high appreciations of Jefus Chrift ? 1 Pet. ii. 7. To you that believe he is precious. Chrift is all made up of beauties and delights ; our praifes fall (hort of his worth, and is like fpreading canyafs upon cloth of gold. How preciows ICO OF ASSURANCE. precious i? his blood and incenfe ? The one pacifies our conference, the other perfumes our p rayei s. Can we fay we have endearing thoughts of Chi if? ? Do we efteem him our pearl of price, our bright morning-liar ? Do we count all earth- ly enjoyments but as dung in comparifon of Chrift ? Fhil. iii. 8. Do we prefer the worft things of Chrift, before the bed things of the world; the reproaches oir Chriit, before the world's embraces I Heb. xi. 26. Quer. 2. have we the indwelling of the fpirit ? 2. Tim. i. 14. The holy Ghofi which dwelkth in us ? Qufiu. How may we know that we have the indwelling prefence of the fpirit ? Anf. Mot by having fometimes good motions furred up in as by the fpirit ; it may work in us, yet not dwell : but by the JanUifying r power cf the fpirit in our heart : the fpirit infufeth di- vinam indolent, a divine nature; it ftkmps its own imprefs and efTigies on the foul, making the complexion of it holy. The fpirit enobles and raifeth the heart above the world. When Nebuchadnezzar had his underftanding given him, he grazed no longer amongft the beafts, but returned to his throne, and minded the affairs of his kingdom : when the fpirit of God dwells in a man, it carries his heart above the vifible orbs ; it makes hivafuperna anhelare, thirft after (Shrift and glory. If we can find this, then we have grace, and fo have a right to aflurance. 2. If you want aflurance, wait for it. If the figures are graven on the dial, it is but waiting a while, and the fun fhines : when grace is en- graven in the heart, it is but waiting a while, and we fhall have the funflilne of aflurance. He that believes, makes not hafle, Ifa. xxviii. 16. He will flay God's leifure. Say not, God hath forfaken you, he will never lift up the light of his countenance ; but rather fay, as the church, Ifa. viii. 17. / will wait upon the Lord, which hideth his face from the houfe of Jacob. i.Hath God waited for your converflon, and will not you wait for his confolation ? How long did he come a-wooing to you by bis fpirit ? He waited till his head was filled with dew : he cryed, as Jer. xiii. 27. Wilt thou not. be made clean ? When fhall it once be ? Oi Christian, did God wait for thy love, and canfl nor thou wait for his ? 2. Aflhqance is fo ftveet and precious, that it is wbrth waiting for ; the price of it is above rubies, nnot be valued with the gold of Cphir. Aflurance of God's love is a v>leclge of election, it is the angels banquet: wnat other joy luoj they ? As Micah faid , Judg. xviii. 24. IV hat have I more-, fo, when God affures the foal of his eternal purpofes of love, what hath he more to give ? Whom God kiffeth, he crowns. Aflurance is the firft fruits of paradife : one fmile of God's face, one glance of his eye, one crumb of the hidden manna is fo fweet and delicious, that it deferves our waiting. 3 God hath given a pro- mife that we fhould not wait in vain, Ifa. xJix. 23. They fhall not be afhamed that wait for me. Perhaps God referves the cordial of a flu ranee for a fainting time ; he keeps fometimes his beft wine till la ft. Aflurance fhall be referved as an ingredient to fweeten the bitter cup of death. Q11. 7. Hovj may dferted fonts be comforted, who are cafl down for want of affurance f They have the day-ftar of grace rifen in their fouls ; but as Job complains, I went mourning without the fun, Job xxx. 28. They go mourning for want of the fun- light of God's face: their joy is ecfipfed, they walk in darknefs, and fee no light, Ifa. 1. 10. How fhall we comfort fuch as ly bleed- ing in defertion, and are caft down for want of affurance ? Anf. i. Want of affurance fhall not hinder the fuccefs of the faints prayers. Sin lived in, doth put a bar to our prayer ; but want of affurance doth not hinder prayer ; we may go to God ftill in an humble, fiducial manner. A Chriftiati perhaps may think, becauie he doth not fee God's fmiling face, therefore God will not hear him ; this is a miftake, Pfa! xxxi. 22. I faid in my hafte, I am cut off from before thine eyes, neverthtlefs thou heard ft the voice of my appli- cation. If we pour, out fighs to heaven, God hears every groan ; though he doth not fhew us his face, he may lend us his ear. 2. Faith may be ftr-oilge.fi: when aflurance is weakeft; the woman of Canaan had no affurance, but a glorious faith 5 0 wdman9 great is thy faith, Matth. xv. 23. Rachel was more fair, but Leah was more fruitful. Aflurance. is more fair and lovely to look upon, but a fruitful fiith God feeth it better for us, John xx. 28. Bleffed are they that believe, and feel not. 3. When God is out of fight, yet he is not out1 of Covenant, Pf. Ixxxix. 28. My covenant fhall [land fa ft. Though a wife doth not fee her hn'bmd's face in many years, yet the marrrage- rehtion holds., and he will come again to her after a long voyage. God may be gone from the foul in defertion, but the covenant Jlancls fait, Ifa. liv. io% The covenant of my peace fhall not be re?noved. Quer. But this promife was made OF ASSURANCE. 151 made to the Jews, and dot h not belong to us. Anf. \. If you have afTurance of your jufti- Yes, v. 1 J. This is the heritage of the fervants fication, Do not abufe ajfurance. 1. It is an of the lord. This is made to ail the fervants of abufing of afTurance, when we grow more remifs God, them that are now living, as well as thofe that lived in the time of the Jews. Qu. 8. What Jliouldwe do to get ajfurance ? Anf. 1. Keep a pure confcience, Jet no guilt ly upon the confcience unrepented of. God feals no pardons before repentance : God will not in duty; as the mufician, having money thrown him, leaves off playing. By remitTncfs, or inter- mitring the exercifes of religion, we grieve the fpirit, and that is the way to have an embargp laid upon our fpiritual comforts. 2. We abufe afTurance, when we grow prefumptuous and lefs pour in the wine of affurance intq a foul veffel, fearful of fin. What, becaufe his father gives a fon an aiiurance of his love, and tells him he will entail his land upon him, (hail the fon therefore be wanton and difTolute ? This were the way to lofe his father's affection, and make him cut off the entail : it was an aggravation of Solomon's, fin, his heart was turned away front the Lord, after he had appeared to him twice , 1 Kings xi, 7. It is bad to fin, when one wants afTurance, but is worfe to fin when one hath it. Hath the Lord fealed his love with a kifs ? Hath he left a pawn of heaven in your hands, and do you thus requite the Lord ? Will you fin with manna in your mouth ? Doth God give 3'ou the fweet clufters of afTurance to feed on, and will you return him wild grapes ? It much pleafeth Satan, either to fee us want afTurance, or abufe it : this is to abufe afTurance, when Heb. x. 22. Let us draw near in full ajfurance of faith, having our hearts fprinkled from an an evil confcience. Guilt clips the wings of comfort: he who is confeious to himfelf offe- cret fins, cannot draw near to God in full afTu- rance ; he cannot call God father, but judge: keep confcience as clear as your eye, that no duft of fin fall into it. 2. If you would have afTurance, he much in the aflings of grace, 1 Tim. iv. 7. Exercife thy ft If unto godiinefs. Men grow rich by trad- ing ; by trading in grace, we grow rich in afTur- ance, 2 Pet. i. 20. Make your eleciion fure. How ? Add to your faith virtue, and to virtue hnoxvledge. Keep grace upon the wing, it is the lively faith nourifheth into afTurance. No man will fet up a great fail into a fmall boat, but in a large vefTel : God fets up the fail of the pulfe of our fouls beats ftfter in fin, and afTurance in an heart enlarged with grace 3. If you would have afTurance, cherifj the holy fpirit of God. When David would have af- furance, he prays, take not away thy fpirit from me, Pf. li. 11. He knew that it was the fpirit only that could make him hear the voice of joy : the fpirit is the comforter, he feals up afTurance, 2 Cor. i. 22. Therefore make much of the fpirit; do not grieve it : as Noah opened the ark to re- ceive the dove, fo fhould we open our hearts to receive the fpirit; this is the "blefTed dove which brings an olive-branch of affurance in its mouth. 4. Let us ly at the pool of the ordinances, frequent the word and facrament, Cant. ii. He brought me to the banqueting-houfe, and his ban- ner over me was love. The blefTed ordinances are the banqueting-houfe, where God difplays the banner of afTurance. The facrament is a fealing ordinance; Chrift made himfelf known to his difciples in the breaking of bread : fo in the holy fupper, in the breaking of bread, God makes himfeif known to us, to be our God and portion /lower in duty. 2. If you have afTurance, admire this fluren- dious mercy. You defer ved that God fhould give you gall and vinegar to drink, and hath he made the hony-comb of his love to drop upon you ? O fall down and adore his good- nefs ; fay, Lord, how is it that thou fhouldeft manifeft thyfelfto me, and not to other believers 1 thofe whom thou loveft as the apple of thine eye, yet thou holdeft them in iufpence, and giv-eft them no afTurance of thy love; though thou haft given them the new name, yet not the white-ftone ; though they have the feed of grace, yet not the oil ofgladnefs ; though they have the Holy Ghoft the JancY.fi, r, yet not the Holy Ghoft the comforter. Lord, whence is it that thou fhouldft manifeft fhyfelf to me, and make thy golden beams of afTurance thine upon my foul ? O admire God ! this will be the work of heaven. 3. Let your hearts be endeared in love to God. If God gives his people correction, they mull love him ; much more when he gives them af- furance. Pf. xxxi. 27. 0 love the Lord, ye his Qu. 9. How fhould they, carry themfelves who faints. Hath God brought you to the borders of have ajfurance? Canaan, given you a bunch of grapes, crowned you I<2 OF ASSURANCE. you with loving-kindnefs, confirmed your par- don under the broad-feal of heaven ? How can you be frozen at fuch a fire ? How can you choofe but be turned into feraphims burning in divine love i Say, as Auflin, animam meant in edlo haberem, I would hate my own foul, if I did not find it loving God. Give God the cream and quinteffence of your love, and (hew your love by being willing to lofe all for his fake. 4. If you have afTurance, improve it for God's glory, feveral ways .- 1. By encouraging fuch as are yet unconverted ; tell them how fweet this hidden manna is ; tell them what a good mailer you ferve, what vails you have had ; tell them, God hath carried you to the hill of rnyrrhe, to the mountains of fpices : he hath given you not only a profpect of heaven, but an earneft to pcrfuade linners, by all the love and mercy of God, that they would enroll their names in his family, and call: themfelves upon him for falvation ; tell them, God hath met with you, and unlock'd the fecrets of free grace, and afTurc-i you of a land flowing with thofe infinite delights which eye hath not feen. Thus, by telling others what God hath done for your ibul, you may make them in love with the ways of God, and caufe them to turn profelytes to reli- gion. 2. Improve affurance, by comforting fuch as want it : Be as the good Samaritan, pour wine and oil into their wounds. You who have afTurance, are gotten as it were to the haven ; you are fure of your happinefs : but do you not lee others who are fhuggling with the waves of temptation and defertion, and are ready to fink ? O now fympathize with them, and do what you can to comfort them when they are in this deep ocean, 2 Cor. i. 6. Whether we be comforted, it is for your conflation. The comfortable ex- perience of one Chriftian, being communicated to another doth much revive and bear up his fainting heart: our comfort, faith the apoftle, is for your conflation. 3. Improve affurance, by walking more heavenly. You fhould fcorn thefe things below ; you who have an earned of heaven, fhould nor be too earnefl for the earth : you have angels food; and it becomss not you with the ferpent to lick the duff:. The wicked are all for corn, wine and oil; but you have that which is better: God hath lifted up the light of his countenance ; will you hanker after the world, when you have been feeding upon the grapes and pomegranates of the holy •had ? Do you now lull after the garlic and onions of Egypt ? When you are clothed with the fun, will you fet the moon and flars above you ? O let them fcrable for the world, who have nothing elfe but hufks to feed on. Have you afTurance of heaven, and is not that enough ? Will not a kingdom fatisfy you ? Such as are high in afTurance, fhould be in the altitudes, live above the world. 4. Improve affurance by a cheerful walking : It is for condemned perfbns to go hanging down their heads : but haft thou thy abfolution ? Doth thy God fmile on thee? Cheer up, 2 Sam. xiii. 4. Why art thou, being the king's fan, lean? Art thou the king's fon ? Hath God afTured thee of adoption? And art thou fad ? AfTurance fhould be an antidote againft all trouble : what though the world hate thee r Yet thou art afTured -that thou art one of God's favourites. What though there is but little oil in the cruife, and thou art low in the world ? Yet thou art high in afTurance : O then rejoice ! How mufical is the bird ? How doth it chirp and fing, that knows not where to pick up the next crumb ! and fhall they be fad and difcontented, who have God's bond to afTure them of their daily bread, and his love to afTure them of heaven ? But certainly thofe who have afTurance, cannot but be of a fanguine complexion. 5. If you have an afTurance of falvation, let this make you long after a glorified flate : he who hath an earnefl in his hand, defires the whole fum to be paid : that foul who hath tailed how fweet the Lord is, fhould long for a fuller enjoyment of him in heaven. Hath Chrifl put this ring of afTurance on thy hand, and fo ef- poufed thee to himfelf ? How fhouldfr thou long for the marriage-liipper of the lamb ? Rev. xix. 9. O Chriftian, think with thyfelf, if a glimpfe of heaven, a fmile of God's face be fo fweet, what will it be to be ever funning thyfelf in the light of God's countenance ! certainly, you who have an afTurance of your title to heaven, cannot but defire pofTeflion. Be content to live, but willing to die. 6. If you have afTurance, be careful you do not lofe it ; keep it ; for it is your life, viz. Bene effe, the comfort of your life. Keep zC- furance, if, By prayer, Pf. xxxvi. 10. 0 con- tinue thy loving-kindnefs : Lord, continue af- furance ; do not take away this privy-feal from me. idly, Keep afTurance by humility : pride eftrangcth God from the foul; when you are high in afTurance, be low in humility. St. Paul had OF PEACE. *S3 had a/Turance, and he baptizeth himfelf with jewel of a/Tura nee is beft kept in the cabinet of this name, Chief of 'firmer s, 1 Tim. i. 15. The an humble hearr. OF PEACE. 1 Pet. i. 2. Grace Unto you, and Peace be multiplied. HAVING fpoken of the firft fruit of fanclification, affurance ; I proceed to the fecond, viz. peace, Peace be multiplied. Qu. What are the feveral fpecies or kinds of peace ? Anf. Peace, in fcripture, is compared to a river, Ifa* lxvi. 12. this river parts itfelf into two iilver flreams. 17?, There is an external peace, and that is either, 1. OEconomical, peace in a family. 2. Political, peace in the flate. Peace is the nurfe of plenty, Pfal. cxlvii. 14. He maketh peace in thy borders, and fillet h thee -with the fineft of the wheat. How pleafant is it when the waters of blood begin to aiTwagej and we can fee the windows of our ark open, and the dove return- ing with an olive-branch of peace? 3. Eccle- fiafiical peace, peace in the church. 'Tis uni- ty in Trinity is the greateft my fiery in heaven, and unity in verity the greatefl myflery on earth. Peace ecclefiaflical flands in opposition to fchifm and perfecution. idly, A fpiritual peace, which is twofold ; peace above us, or peace with God ; and peace within us, or peace with confeience : this is fuperlative \ other peace may be lafting, but this is everlafting. Qu. 2. Whence comes this peace ? Anf. This peace hath the whole Trinity for its author. (1.) God the Father .is the God of peace, 1 ThefT. v. 23. (2.) God the Son is the prince of peace, Ifa. ix. 6. (3.) Peace is faid to be the fruit of the Spirit, Gal. v. 22. 1. God the Father is the God of peace. As he is the God of order, 1 Cor. xiv. 33. fo the God of peace, Phil. iv. 9. This was the form of the priefl's bleffing the people, Nu?nb. vi. 26. The Lord give thee peace- 1. God the Son is the pur chafer of peace. He had made peace by his blood, Col. i. 20. Having made peace by the blood of his crofs. 1 he atonement Aaron made for the people, when he entered into the holy of holies with blood, was a type of Ghrifl our high prieft, who hath by his facrifice pacified his angry Father, and made atonement for us. Chrift purchafed our peace upon hard terms ; his foul was in an agony, while he was travailing to bring forth peace to the world. 3. Peace is a fruit of the Spirit. Hcfeals up peace to the confeience ; the Spirit clears up the work of grace in the heart, from whence arifeth peace. There was a well of water, near Hagar, but (he did not fee it, therefore wept. A Chriflian hath grace, but doth not fee it, therefore weeps. Now the Spirit difco- vers this well of water, it enables confeience to witnefs to a man that he hath the real work of grace, and fo peace flows into the foul. Thus you fee whence this peace comes, the Father decrees it, the Son purchafeth it, the Holy Ghofl applies it. Qu. 3. Whether fuch as are defiitute of grace may have peace ? Anf. No. Peace flows from fanclification ; but they, being unregenerate, have nothing to do with peace, Ifa. lvii. 21. There is no peace, faith my God, to the wicked. They may have a truce, but no peace. God may forbear the wicked a while, and flop the roaring of his cannon ;" but tho' there be a truce, yet no peace. The wicked may have fomething which looks like peace, but it is not. They "may be fearlefs and flupid ; but there is a great differ- ence between a flupified confeience, and a pa- cified confeience, Luke xi. 21. When a ftrong man keeps his palace, his goods are in peace. This is the Devil's peace ; he rocks men in the cradle of fecurity ; he cries, peace, peace, when men are on the precipice of hell. The feeming peace a finner hath, is not from the knowledge of his happinefs, but the ignorance of his danger. Qu. 4. What are the flgns of a falfe peace? U Anf. 1. OF PEACE. •*54 Jnf. i. A falfe peace hath much confidence in it, but this confidence is conceit. The fin- ner doth not doubt of God's mercy ; from which prcibmptuous confidence arifeth fome kind of quiet in the mind. The fame word in the Hebrew, cqfa!, ixgmfies both confidence and folly. Indeed a finner's confidence is folly ; how confident were the foolifh virgins ? 2. Falfe peace feparates thofe things which God hath joined together : God joins holinefs and peace, but he who hath a falfe peace fepa- rates thefe two. He lays claim to peace, but banifheth holinefs, Dent. xxix. 19. I /hall have fence, though I walk in the imagination of my heart, to add drunkennefs to thirft. The wick- ed are loofe and vain, and yet thank God that they have peace : a delufion. You may as well fuck health out of poifon, as peace out of fin. 3. Falfe peace is not willing to be tried ; a fign they are bad wares which will not endure the light ; a fign a man hath ftollen goods, when he will not have" his houfe fearched. A falfe peace cannot endure to be tried by the word : the word fpeaks of an humbling and refining work upon the foul before peace ; falfe peace cannot endure to hear of this ; the leaft trouble will ihake this peace ; it will end in defpair. In a falfe peace, confidence is afleep ; but, when this lyon of con/cience (hall be a- wakened at death, then it will roar upon a man, he will be a terror to himfelf, and be ready to lay violent hands upon himfelf. Qu. 5. How/hall iv e know that oars is a true peace ? . ^ . , An/ 1. True peace flows from union with Chrift ; Communio fundatur in unione. The oraft or cien rauft firft be inoculated into the tree, before it can receive fap and nouriihment from it ; Co we mult firft be ingrafted into Chrift, before we can receive peace from hum. Have we faith ? By holinefs we are made like Chnfi ; by believing we are made one with Chrift, and being in Chrift we have peace, John 2. True peace flows from fubje£tion to Chrift ; where Chrift gives peace, there he fets up his government in the heart, J/a. ix. 7. Of his government and peace there fioall be no end. Chrift is called a prieft upon his throne, Zeeh.vi. 13. Chrifr as a prieft makes peace ; but he will be a prieft upon his throne, he brings the heart in fubjeaion to him. If Chrift be our peace, he is our prince, Ifa. ix. 6. "Whenever Chrift pacifies the confeience, he fubdues the luft. 3. True peace is after trouble. Firft, God lets loofe a fpirit of bondage, he convinceth. and humbleth the foul ; then he fpeaks peace. Many fay they have peace, but is this peace be- fore a florm, or after it ? True peace is after trouble. Firft there was the earthquake, and then the fire, and then the ftill, fmall voice, 1 Kings xix. 1 1 . Thou who never hadft any legal bruifings, may ft fafpect thy peace ; God pours the golden oil of peace into broken hearts. Qu. 6. Whether have all /anclified per/am this peace ? An/. They have a title to it ; they have the ground of it ; grace is the feed of peace, and it will in time turn to peace ; as the bloffoms of a tree to fruit, milk to cream- They have a promife of it, P/al. xxix. 21. The Lord will ble/s his people with peace : they may have peace with God, tho' not peace in their own confeience ; they have the initials and begin- nings of peace. There is a fecret peace the heart hath in ferving God ; fuch meltings and en- largements in duty as do revive the foul, and bear it up from finking Qu. 7. But why have not all believers the full enjoyment and poffe/Jim of peace ? why is not this flower of peace fully ripe and blown I An/ Some of the godly may not have fo full a degree of peace, 1. Through the fu./y of temptation ; the Devil, if he cannot deftroy us, he will diflurb us : Satan difputes againlt our adoption ; he would make us quefiion the work of grace in our hearts, and (b troubles the water of our peace : Satan is like a fubtil cheater, who, if ne cannot; make a man's title to his land void, yet he will put him to many troublefome fuits in law- If Satan cannot make us ungodly, he will make us unquiet : violent winds make the fea rough fnd ftormy ; the winds of temptation, blowing, diftufb peace of fpirit, and put the foul into a commotion. 2. The godly may not enjoy peace, through miftake and mifapprehenfion about fin- They find fo much corruption, that fare, if there were s>r3ce, there would nor be fuch fir: >'g workings of corruption : whereas this fhould be Co far from difcouraging Ghriftians, and hin- dering their peace, that it is an argument for them. L?t me afk, Whence is it that yau feel Jin \ No man can fcej fin, but by grace. A ^ wicked OF PEACE. '33 Wicked man is unfenfible : lay an hundred weight upon a dead man, he doth not com- plain : but the being fenfible of corruption, ar- gues a gracious principle, Rom. yih 21. Again, Whence is it that there is a combat with fin, but from the life of grace ? Gal. v. 17. Dead things cannot combat. Whence is it th-at the lain ts weep for fin ? what are thefe tears but feeds of faith ? The not underftanding of this, hinders a Chriftian's pence. 3. The godly may not enjoy peace, through remiflhefs in duty ; they leave their full love. When Ghriftians abate their fervency, God abates their peace : if you flacken the firings of a viol, the mufic is fpoiled ; if a Chriftian flacken in duty, they fpoil the fweet mufic of peace in their fouls. As the fire decays, fo the cold in- creafeth ; as fervency in duty abates, fo our pes ce cools. Ufe. Labour for this bkfled peace, peace with God and confeience. Peace with neigh- bour-nations is fweet, Pax una triumphis innu- meris melior. The Hebrew word fchalom, peace, comprehends all blenlngs, it is the glory of a kingdom ; a prince's crown is more beauti- ful when it is hung with the white lily of peace, than when it is fet with the red rofes of a bloody war. O then, how fweet is peace of confeience ? It is a bulwark againA the enemy, Phil. 4. 7. it fhall keep you as in a garrifon ; you may throw out the gantlet, and bid defiance to the enemies : it is the golden pot and the manna ; it is the firft-fruits of paradife. It is flill mufic \ for want of this a Chriftian is in continual fear, he doth not take that comfort in ordinances. Hannah went up to the feaft at Jerufalem, but fhe wept, and did not eat, 1 Sam. 1. 7. So, a poor, dejected foul goes to an ordinance, but doth not eat of the feaft ; he weeps, and doth not eat. He cannot take that comfort in worldly bleflings, health, eftate, re- lations ; he wants that inward peace, which fhould be a fauce to fweeten his comforts. O therefore labour for this blefTed peace. Con- fider the noble and excellent effects of it. 1. It gives boldnefs at the throne of. grace : guilt of confeience clips the wings of prayer, it makes the face blufh, and the heart faint : but when a Chriftian hath fome lively apprehenfion of God'-: love, and the Spirit whilpering peace, then he goes to God with boldndjs, as a child to hiS father, Pfal. xxv. t. Unto thee, 0 Lord, I lift my foul. Time was when David's foul was bowed down, Pfal. xxxviiL 6. I am lowed down greatly : but now the cafe is altered, he will lift up his foul to God in a way of triumph, ; whence was this ? God had fpoken peace to his foul, Pfal. xxvi. 3. Thy loving-kin dntfs is be- fore mine eyes. 2. This divine ptace fires- the heart with love to Chrift. Peace is the refult of pardon ; he who hath a pardon Feafed, can- not chu'le but love his prince. How endeared is Chrift to the lbul ! Now Chrift is precious in- deed. 0, faith the foul, boiv fweet is the rofa of Sharon ? Hath ChriJ} waded through a fa of blood and wrath, to purchafe my peace I Hath he not only made peace, but [poke peace t&- me ? How fhould ?ny heart afcencl in a fiery chariot of love ! How willing fhould I be io do and Jiiffer for Chrift ? 3. This peace quiets the heart in trouble, Mic. v. 5. This manjball be the peace, when the Affyrian .fhall come itfta our land, and tread in our palaces. The ene- my may invade our palaces, but not our peace ; this man Chrift fhall be the peace. "When the head akes, the heart may be well ; when world- ly troubles affault a Chriftian, his mind may be in peace and quiet, Pfal. iv. 8. 1 will lay me down in peace, and fie ep. 'Twas now a fad time with David, he was fleeing for his life from Abfahm; it was no fmall affliction to think that his own fon fhould feek to take a- way his father's life and crown : David wept and covered his face, 2 Sam. 1. 38. Yet at this time, faith he, I will lay me down in peace, and fle-ep. He had trouble from his fon, but peace from his confeience ; David could fleep upon the foft pillow of a good confeience ; this is a peace worth getting. Qu. 8. What fhall we do to attain this Vejfd peace ? Anf. \. Let us afk it of God ; he is the God of peace, he beats back the roaring lion, he ftills the raging of confeience; if we could call the angels out of heaven, they could not fpeak peace without God. The ftars cannot make day without the fun ; none can make day in a dark deferted foul, but the fun of righteouf- nefs. As the vvildernefs cannot water itfelf, but remains dry and parched till the clouds drop their moifture ; fo our hearts cannot have peace, till he infuie it and drop it upon us by his fpirit. Therefore pray, Lord, thou who art the Cod of peace, thou who art the prince of peace, command it. Give me that peace which- may fweeten trouble, yea, the bittsr cup of, death. 2- If you would have peace, make war with U 2. lin ;- 156 OF JOY. fin ; fin is the Achan that troubles us, the Trojan borfe, 2 Kings ix. 22. When J or am fan) Jehu, he [aid, Is it peace, Jehu ? And he an- Jivered, What peace, fo long as the -whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel, and her witchcrafts are ft many ? What peace as long as fin remains unmortified ? if you would have peace with God, break the league with fin ; give battle to fin, it is a mod juft war, God hath proclaimed it : nay, he hath promifed us victory, Sin fhall not have dominion, Rom. vi. No way to peace, but by maintaining a war with fin. Pax no- ftra helium contra dcemonem, Tert. When Samfon had (lain the lion, there came honey out of the lion : by Haying fin, we get this honey of peace. 3. Go to Chrift's blood for peace. Some go to fetch their peace from their own righte- oufheis, not Chrift's, they go for peace to their holy life, not Chrift's death ; if confidence be troubled, they ftrive to quiet it with their du- ties. This is not the right way to peace : du- ties muff, not be neglected, nor yet idolized. Look up to the blood of fprinkling, Heb. xii. 24. That blood of Chrift which pacified God, muft pacify confcience j Chrift's blood being fucked in by faith, gives peace, Rom. v. 1. Being juftified by faith, ive have peace with God. No balm to cure a wounded confcience, but the blood of Chrift. 4. Walk clofely with God. Peace flows from purity, Gal. vi. 16. As many as walk accord- ing to this rule, peace be on them. In the text, grace and peace are put together ; grace is the root, and peace is the flower. As balm- water drops from the limbeck, fb divine peace comes out of the limbeck of a gracious heart. Walk very holily ; God's fpiric is firft a refiner before a comforter. Branch 2. You who have this pence, peace above, peace within, labour to keep it; it is a precious jewel, do not lofe it : 'Tis fad to have the league of national peace broken, but it is worfe to have the peace of confcience broken: Oh preferve this peace. Firft, take heed of relapfes : hath God fpoken peace ? do not turn again to folly, Pfal. lxxxv. 8. Bcfides the in- gratitude, there's folly in relapfes. It was long ere God was reconciled, and the breach made up ; and will you again eclipfe- and forfeit your peace ? hath God healed the wound of confcience, and will you tear it open again i will you break another vein ? will you cut a new artery ? this is returning indeed to folly. What madnefs is it to meddle again with that fin, which will breed the worm of confcience! Secondly, Make up your fpiritual accounts daily ; fee how matters ftand between God and your fouls, Pfal. lxxvii. 6. / commune with my own heart. Often reckonings keep God and confcience friends ; do with your hearts as you do with your watches, wind them up every morning by prayer, and at night ex- amine whether your hearts have gone true all that day, whether the wheels of your affections have moved fwiftly toward heaven : Oh call yourfelves often to account ; keep your reck- onings even, and that is the way to keep your peace. OF JOY. Gal. v. 22. The Fruit of the Spirit is Joy. TH E third fruit of juftification, adoption, and fancYification, is joy in the Holy Ghoft. Joy is the letting the foul upon the top of a pinnacle, 'tis the cream of the fincere milk of the word. Qu. What is this joy ? Anf. Spiritual joy is a fweet and delightful paffion, arifing from the apprehenfion and feeling of feme good, whereby the foul is fup- ported under prefent troubles, and fenced a- gainfr. future fear. i . It is a delightful paffion.'] So it is con- trary to forrow, which is a perturbation of mind, whereby the heart is perplexed and cafr. down. Joy is a fweet and pleafant affection, which eafes the mind, exhilarates and . com- forts the fpirits. 2. // arifeth from the feeling effome good.] Joy OF JOY. Joy is not a fancy, or bred of conceit ; but is rational, and arifeth from the feeling of fome good, viz. the fenfe of God's love and favour, joy is fo real a thing, that it makes a fudden change in a perfon ; it turns mourning into me- lody. As in (he fpring-time, when the fun comes to our horizon, it makes a fudden alteration in the face of the univerfe, the birds fing, the flowers appear, the fig-tree puts forth her green fios; every thing feems to rejoice and put or? its mourning, as being revived with the fweet influence of the fun; fo, when the fun of righ- teoufnefs arifeth on the foul, it makes a fudden alteration, Jfeand the foul is infinitely rejoyced with the golden beams of God's love. 3. By it the foul is fupported under prefent troubles. J Joyitupifies and i wallows up troubles; it carries the heart above them, as the oil fwims above the water. 4. The heart is fenced again ft future fear, ~\ Joy is both a cordial and an antidote ; it is a cordial which gives prefent relief to the fpirits when they are fad; and an antidote, it fenceth. off fear of approaching danger, Pf. xxiii. 4. / •will fear no evil, for thou art with me, thy rod and thy flaff comfort me. Qu. How is this joy -wrought P Anf It arifeth purely from the promife : as the bee lies at the breaft of the flower, and fucks out the fweetnefs of it ; fo faith lies at the breaft of a promife, and fucks out the quin- teflence of joy, Pf. xciv. j 9. Thy comforts de- light my foul ; that is, the comforts which di- flill from the limbec of the promifes. 2. The fpirit of God (who is called the com- forter, John xiv. 26.) doth fometimes drop in this golden oil of joy into the foul ; the fpirit whifpers to a believer the remifGon of his fin, and lheds God's love abroad into the heart, Rum. v» 5. whence flows infinite joy and delight. Qu. 3. What are the feafonsirivhen God doth ufu~ ally give his-people thefe divine joys ? *■ Anf. Five feafbns ; 1/?, Sometimes at the blef- fed fupper ; the foul oft comes weeping after Chrift in the facrament, and God fends it away weeping for joy. The Jews had a cuftom at ' their feafts, they poured ointment on their guefts, and kiffed them ; in the Eucharift, God often pours the oil of gladnefs on the faints, and kifleth them with the kiffes of his lips. There are two grand ends of the facrament, the ftrengthning of faith, and the flourifhing of joy : here in this ordinance, God difplays the ban- ner of his love ; here believers ta£e not only 1 $f facramental bread, but hidden manna. [Cau- tion, not that God always meets the foul with joy.] He may give increafe of grace, when not increafe of joy ; but oftentimes he pours in the oil of gladnefs, and gives the foul a privy -feal of his love ; as Chrift made himfelf known in the breaking of bread. 2d. Seafon. Before God calls his people to differing, Acts xxiii. 1 1 . Be of good cheer Paul, When God was about to give Paul a cup of blood to drink, he fpiced it with joy, 2 Cor. i. 5. As the fufferings of Chrijl abound in us, fo our confolation alfo aboundtth : this made the mar- tyrs flames, beds of rofes ; when Stephen was floning, he faw heaven open, and the fun of righteoufnefs mined in his face. Gad candies our wormwood with fugar. 3^. Seafon. After fore conflicts with Satan. Satan is the red dragon who troubleth the wa- ters ; he puts the foul into frights, makes it be- lieve that it hath no grace, and that God doth not love it ; though Satan cannot blot out a Chriflian's evidence, yet he may caft fuch a milt before his eyes, that he cannot read it. Now, when the foul hath been bruifed with temptations, God will comfort this bruifed reed : he now gives joy, ad corroboranduin titu- lum, to confirm a Chriflian's title to heaven. After Satan's fiery darts, comes the white Hone ; no better balm to heal a tempted foul, than the oil of gladnefs : as after Chrift was tempted, then came an angel to comfort him. 4th. Seafon. After defertion : defertion is a poifoned arrbw fhoots to the heart, Job vi. 4. God is called a fire and a light: the deferted foul feels the fire, but doth not fee the light ; it cries out, as Afaph, Pf. lxxvii. 8. Is his mercy clean gone? Now, when the foul is in this cafe, and ready to faint away in defpair, God mines upon the foul, and gives it fome apprehenfion of his favour, and turns the (hadow of death into the light of the morning. God keeps his cordials for a time of fainting. Joy after de- fertion is like a refurrecVion from the dead. . 5th. Seafon. At the hour of death, fuch as have had no joy in their life-time, God puts in this fugar in the bottom of the cup, to make their death fweet. Now at the laft hour, when all other comforts are gone, God fends the com- forter ; and when their appetite to meat fails, God feeds them with hidden manna. Sure, as the wicked, before they die, have fome appre- henfions of hell and wrath in their confeience ; fo the godly have fome fore-tafres of God's everlafling 153 O F everlafHng favour, though fomctlmes their di- feafes may be fijchj and their animal fpirits Co oppreiTed, that they cannot cxprefs what they feel. Jacob laid himfelf to fleep on a ftorie, where he fawavifion, a ladder, and the angels afcending and defcending; fo, when the fa mis lay themftlves down to fleep the fleep of death, they have often a vifion ; they fee the light of God's face, and have the evidences of his love fcaled up to them for ever. Qii. 4. What are the differences between worldly joys and spiritual? Afif. The gleanings of the one are better than the vintage of the other. (1). Spiritual joys help to make us better, worldly joys do often make us worfe, Jer. xxii. 21. I /peak to thee in thy pro/per ity and thou faldfiy I will not hear. Pride and luxury are the two worms bred of worldly pleafures, Hof. iv. 1 2. Wine takes away the heart ; it is /omentum libidinis, Aug. the inflamer of" luff. As Satan entered in the fop, fo often in the cup : but fpiritual joy makes one better ; it is like cordial water, which (as phyficians fay) doth not only cheer the heart, but purges out the noxious humours ; fo divine joy is cordial water, which doth not only comfort, but cleanfe; it makes a Chriflian more holy.; it caufeth an antipathy againft fin ; it infuieth ftrength to do and luffer, Neh. viii. 10. The joy of the Lord is your ftrength. As fome colours do not only de- light the eye, but flrengthen the fight ; fo the joys of God do not only refrefli the foul, but ftrengthen it, The joy of the Lord is yourfirength. (1.) Spiritual joys are inward, they are heart- joys, John xvi. 2 2. Tour heart JhctU rejoice. Seneca faith, true joy latet in profunda, it is hidden within, worldly joy is in fuperficie, it lies in the outfide, like the dew that wets the leaf, 2 Cor. v. 12. who rejoice in appearance, in the Greek in the face. It goes no farther than the face, it is not within ; in laughter the heart is fad. Like a houfe which hath a gilded fron- tispiece, but all the rooms within are hung in mourning. But fpiritual joy lies molt within, T'Atr heart Jhall rej'A'ce. Divine joy is like a fpiing of water which runs under ground; a Chrrftian, others can fee his fufFerings, but they fee not his joy, Prov. xiv. 10. A fir anger inter- medd'eth not with his joy. This joy is hidden manna, hid from the eye of the world ; he hath fiili mufic, which others hear not : the marrow lies within, the belt joy is within the heart. (3.) Spiritual joys are fwetter than others, J O Y. better than wine, €ant. i, 2. They are a Chrif* tian's feflival ; they are the golden pot and the manna, they are fo fweet, that they make every thing elfe fweet : fweeten health, eftatc, as fweet water poured on flowers makes them mere fra- grant and aromatical. Divine joys are fo deli- cious and ravifhing, that they do very much put our mouth out of tafte to earthly delights ; as he who hath been drinking fpirits of alkermes, taftes little fweetnefs in water. St. Paul had tailed thefe divine joys, and his mouth was out of tafle to worldly things : the world was cru- cified to him, Gal. vi. 14. it was like a dead thing, he could find no fweetnefs in it. (4.) Spiritual joys are more pure, they are not tempered with any bitter ingredients ; a finner's joy is mixed dregs, is imbittered with fear and guilt; the wolf feeds in the breafls of his joy, he drinks wormwood wine : but fpiri- tual joy is not muddied with guilt, but like a cryftal-ftream, runs pure ; it is all fpirits and quinteffence ; it is joy, and nothing but joy; it is a role without prickles, it is honey without the wax. (5.) Thefe are fatisfying and filling joys, John xvi. 24. Aflz that your joy may be full. Worldly joys can no more fill the heart, than a drop can fill a ciftern ; they may pleale the pal- lat or fancy, {.Plato calls them pictures of joy) not fatisfy the foul, Eccl. i. 8. The eye is not fatisfed with feeing, nor the. ear with hearing; but the joys of God fatisfy, Pf. lxiv. 19. TJjy comforts delight my foul. There is as much dif- ference between fpiritual joys and earthly, as between a banquet that is eaten, and one that is painted on the wall. (6.) Thefe are flronger joys than worldly, Heb. vi. iB. Strong confolation. They are ffrong indeed, that can bear up a Chriftian's heart in trials and afflictions, 1 Theff. i. 6. Having re- ceived the word in much affliction, with joy. Thefe are rofes that grow in winter, thefe joys can fweeten the waters of Mar ah \ he that hath thefe can gather grapes of thorns, and fetch hony out of the carcale of a lion, 2 Cor. vi. 10. As farrowing yet always rejoycing. At the end of the rod, a Chriflian tades honey. (7.) Thefe. are unwearied joys : other joys, when in excefs, oft caufe a lothing, we are apt to furfeit on them ; too much honey naufeates : one may be tired with pleafure as well as labour ; Xerxes offered a reward to him that could find out a new pleafure: but the joys of God, tho' they fatisfy, yet they never furfeit; a drop of O F J O V. Jit joy is fweet, but the more of this wine the better ; fuch as drink of the joys of heaven, are never cloyed ; the fatiety is without loath- ing, becaufe they ftill defire the joy wherewith they are f mated. (d ) Theft are more abiding joys. Worldly joys are foon gone; fuch as crown themfelves with rofe-buds, and bathe in the perfumed wa- ters of pleafure, yet theft joys which feem to be fv/eet are fwift ; like meteors, they give a bright and Hidden flafh, and then difappear : but the joss winch believers have, are abiding; they are a bloffom of eternity, a pledge and. earneft of thofe rivers of pleafure which run at God's right-hand for evermore. Qu. Why is this joy to be laboured for ? Anf. Becaufe this joy is felf-exiftent, it can fubfilt in the want of all other carnal joy. This joy depends not upon outward things : as the philofophers once laid, when the muficians came to them, philofophers can be merry without muftc, he that hath this joy can be cheerful in the de- ficiency of carnal joys ; he can rejoice in God, in fare ropes of glory, though the fig-tree doth not flourifh, Hab. ill _ 17. Spiritual joys can go without filver crutches to fupport it. Spiritual joy is higher built than upon creatures, it is built on the love of God, on the promifes, on the blood of Chrift. 2. Becaufe fpiritual joy carries the foul thro' duty cheerfully ; the fabbath is a delight, reli- gion is a recreation. Fear and forrow hinder us in the difeharge of duty : but a Chriftian ftrves God with activity, when he ferves him with joy. The oil of joy makes the wheels of obe- dience move fafter. How fervently did they pray, whom God made joyful in the houfe of prayer ? ffa.lv1.-7. 3. Joy is the beginning of heaven here; it is called the kingdom of God, Rom. xiv. 17. becauft it is a tafte of that which the faints have in the kingdom of God. W hat is the heaven of the angels, but the fmiles of God's face, the fenfible perception and feeling of thofe joys which are infinitely ravi thing and full of glory ? And, to encourage and quicken us in feeking after them, confider, that ChnSt died to pur- chafe this joy for his faints : he was a man of forrows, that we may be full of joy, John xvii. 13. And now I come to thee, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themfelves. And this prayer he now prays over in heaven ; he knows we never love him fo as when we feel his love : which may encourage us to feek after this joy ; we pray for that which Chrift himfelf is pray- ing for, that his joy may be fulfilled in us. Qu. What fioall we do to obtain this fpiritual Anf. Walk accurately and heavenly; God gives it after a long and clofe walking with him. (1.) Obferve your hours; fet time every day apart for God. (2.) Mourn for fin : mourning is the feed (as Bafil faith) out of which \\\z flower of fpiritual joy grows, Ifa. Ivii. 18. I'll reft ore comfort to his mourners. (3.) Keep the book of confeience fair written ; do not by prefumptu- ousfins blur your evidences : a good confeience is the ark where God puts the hidden manna. (4.) Be often upon your knees, pray with life and fervency : the fame fpirit that fills the heart with fighs, fills it with joys; the fame fpirit that indites the prayer, feals it. When Han- nah had prayed, her countenance was no more fad, 1 Sam. i. 18. Praying Chriftians have much intercourfe with God ; and none are fo like to have the fecrets of his love imparted, as thofe who hold correfpondence with him : by a clofe walking with God, we get thefe bunches of* grapes by the way, which are an earneft of future happinefs. Qu. How ft} all we comfort them that want joy ? Anf. Such as walk in clofe communion with God, have more than others. I-. Initial joy, joy in femine, in the feed, Pf. xcvii. 11. Light (a metaphor for joy) is fown for the righteous. Grace in the heart is a feed of joy ; though a Chriftian wants the fun, he hath a day-ftar in his heart. 2. A believer hath real, though not royal comforts ; he hath, as Aquinas faith, gaudium in Deo, though not a Deo ; joy in God, though not from God. Joy in God, is the delight and complacency the foul takes in God, Pf civ. 34. My foul floall be glad in the Lord. He that is truly gracious, is fo far joyful, as to take comfort in God: though he cannot fay, God rejoyceth in him, yet he can fay, he rejoyceth in God. 3; He hath fupporting, though not tranfport- frig comforts ; he hath fo much, that keeps him from finking, Pf exxxviii, 3. Thou ftrengthen- edft me with ftrength in my foul. Ifa Chriftian hath not God's arm to embrace him, yet to up- hold him : thus a Chriftian, who walks with God, hath fomething that bears up his heart from finking ; and it is but waiting a while, and he is jure of thofe joys which are unlbeak- able and full of glory. Ujt r. i6« GROWTH OF GRACE. Ufe I. Then fee that religion is no melan- choly thing ; it brings joy : the fruit of the fpirit is joy ; Muiatur non tollitur. A poor Chriftian, that feeds on bread and water, may have purer joy than the greateft monarch ; tho' he fares hard, he feeds high ; he hath a table fpread from heaven, angel's food, hidden man- na ; he hath fometimes thofe fweet raptures of joy, as a caufe of jubilation of fpirit, 2 Cor. xii. 3. he hath that which is better felt than can be expreffed. Ufe 2. If God gives his people fuch joy in this life ; Oh then what glorious joy will he give them in heaven, Mat. xxv. 2 1 . Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord: here joy begins to enter into us, there we fhali enter into joy : God keeps his beft wine till laft. Heliogabalus bathed himfelf in fweet perfumed waters : what joy when the foul mail for ever bathe itfelf in the pure and pleafant fountain of God's love \ What joy to fee the orient brightnefs of Chrift's face, and have the kiffes of thofe lips which drop fweet-fmelling myrrhe ? Lactabitur fponfa in amplexibus Domini, Aug. Oh ! if a cluftre of grapes here be fo fweet," what will the full vin- tage be ? How may this fet us all a-longing for that place, where forrow cannot live, and where joy cannot die. GROWTH OF GRACE. 2 Pet. iii. 18. But grow in grace. F It U I T IV. GROWTH of grace.] True grace is pro- greffive, of a fpeading, growing nature. It is with grace, as with the light; firft, there is the Crepufculum, or day-break ; then it fames brighter to the full meridian : A good Chrifti- an is like the crocodile, quamdiu vivit crefcit ; he hath never done growing. The faints are not only compared to ftars for their light, but trees for their growth, Ifa. Ixi. 3. Hof. xiv. 5. A good Chriftian is not like HezekiaFs fun that went backward, nor JoJhuah"s fun that flood ftill, but it is always advancing in holinefs, and encreafirig with the increafe of God, Col. xxi. 16. Now' to amplify and illuftrate this. Qu. How many ways may a Chriftian befaid to grow in grace ? Anf. 1 . He grows vigore, in the exercife of grace; his lamps are burning and mining: Therefore we read of a lively hope, 1 Pet. i. 3. Here is the activity of grace ; the church prays for the blowing of the fpirit, that her (pices might flow forth, Cant. iv. 16. 2. A Chriftian grows gradu, in the degree of grace ; he goes from ftrength to ftrength, Pf. Ixxxiv. 7. viz. from one degree of grace; to another. A faint goes from faith to faith, Rom. i. 1 7. and his love abounds more and more, Phil. i. 9. Here is growing in the degree. Qu. 2. What is the right manner of a Chrifti- an's growth ? Anf. 1. The right manner of growth, is to grow lefs in one's own eyes, Pf.xx'n. 6. I am a worm, and no man. The fight of corruption and ignorance makes a Chriftian grow into a diflike of himfelf, he doth vanifh in his own eyes, fob abhorred himfelf in the daft, ch. xlii. 6. This is good to grow out of conceit with one's felf. 2. The right manner of growth, is to grow proportionably, when a Chriftian grows in one grace as well as another, 2 Pet. i. 5. To grow in knowledge, but not in meeknefs, brotherly love, good works, this is not the right growth ; a thing may fwell and not grow; a man may be fwelled with knowledge, yet may have no fpirit ual growth : the right manner of growth is uniform, growing in one grace as well as another. As the beauty of the body is when there is a fymmetry of parts, not only the head grows, but the arms and breaft ; fo fpiritual growth is moft beautiful when there is a fym- metry and proportion, every grace thrives. 3. The GROWTH OF GRACE. 161 3. The right manner of growth is, when a Chriftian hath grace fuitable to his feveral em- ployments and occafions ; when corruptions are (trong, and he hath grace able to give check to them ; burdens are heavy, and he hath pa- tience able to bear them ; temptations fierce, and he hath faith able to refill them : here is grace growing in the right manner. Qu. 3. IV hence is it that true grace cannot hut grow ? Anf. 1 . It is proper for grace to grow ; 'tis femen martens, the feed of God, 1 John iii. 9. 'Tis the nature of feed to grow ; grace doth not ly in the heart, as a ftone in the earth, but as a feed in the earth, which will fpring up, fir ft the blade, and then the ear, and then the full corn in the ear. 2. Grace cannot but grow, from the fweet- refsand excellency of it ; he that hath grace, is never weary of i1, but Hill would have more: the delight he hath in it, caufeth thirfl ; givce is the image of God, and a Chriftian thinks he can never be enough like God. Grace inftils peace ; therefore a Chriftian cannot but ftrive to increafe in grace, becaufe, as grace grows, fb peace grows. 3, Grace cannot but grow, from a believer's ingrafting into Chrifl ; he who is r. cie'n, in- grafted into this noble, generous ftock, cannot but grow. Chrifl: is fo full of flip, and vivifical influence, that he makes all, inoculated into him, grow fruitful, Hof. xiv. 8. From me is thy fruit found. Qu. 4. What motives or incentives are there to make us grow in grace ? Anf. 1. Growth is the end of the ordinances. "Why doth a man layout coft on ground, ma- nure and water it, but that it may grow ? The fmcere milk, of the word is, that we may grow thereby, \ Pet. ii. 2. The table of the Lord is on purpofe for our fpiritual nouriihment and increafe of grace 2. The growth of grace is the belt evidence of the truth of it : things that have no life will not grow, a picTx re will not grow, a ftake in the hedge will not grow ; but a plant that hath a vegetative life grows. The growing of grace fhews it to be alive in the foul. 3. Growth in grace is the beauty of a Chri- ftian. The more a child grows, the more it comes to its-favour and complexion, and looks more ruddy ; fo, the more a Chriftian grows in grace, ihe more he comes to his fpiritual com- plexion, he looks fairer. Abraham's faith was beautiful when in its infancy, but at laft it grew fo vigorous and eminent, that God himfelf was in love with it, and crowned Abraham with this honour, to be the father of the faithful. 4. The more we grow in grace, the more glory we bring to God : God's glory is more worth than the falvation of all men's fouls. This fhould be our defign, to raife the trophies of God's glory ; and how can we do it more, than by growing in grace? John x.v. 8; Here~ by is my Father glorified., if ye bring forth much fruit. Tho' the leaft drachm of grace will bring falvation to us, yet it will not bring fo much glory to God, Phil. hit. Filled ivith the fruits of righteoufnefs, which are to the prafe of his glory. It commends the fkill of the hufbandman, when his plants grow and thrive ; it is a praife and honour to God, when we thrive in grace. 5. The more we grow in grace, the more will God love us. Is it not that we pray for i the more growth, the more will God Iovq us. The hufbandman loves his thriving plants ; the thriving Chriftian is God's Hephzibah, or chief delight. Chrift loves to fee the vine flourilh- ing, and the pomegranates budding, Cant, vi 11. Chi ift accepts the truth of grace, but commends the growth of grace, Mxtth. viii. 10. I have not found fp great faith, no not in Ifrael. Would you be as the beloved difeiple that lay in GhrifVs bofom ? would you have much love from Chrift ? labour for much growth, let faith flourifh with good woiks, and love increafe in- to zeal. / 6. What need we have to grow in grac«. There is ftill fomething lacking in our faith, z 'Thejf. iii. 10. Grace is but in its infancy and minority, and we rouft be ftiil adding a eubit to our fpiritual ftature; the apoftles faid, Lord, increafe our faith, Luke xvii. 5. Grace is but weak, 2 Sam. iii. 39. / am this day weak, thoy anointed king. So, tho' we are anointed with grace, yet we are but weak, and had need ar- rive at further degrees of fancYirs . 7. The growth of grace will • hinder the growth of corrup;ion. The more health gi 0 vs, the more the diftempers of the body abate; fb it is in fpirituals ; the more humility grows, the more the fwelling of pride is alTwag^d ; the 1 more purity of heart grows, the more the fire of luft is abated. The growth of flowers in the garden doth not hinder the growing cf weeds ; but the growing of this flower of grace, X hinders I©Y GROWTH OF GRACE. hinders the fprouting of corruption. As fome plants have an antipathy, and will not thrive if they grow near together, as the vine and the bay-tree ; fo, where grace grows, fin will not thrive fo faff. 8 . We cannot grow too much in grace ; there is no nimium, no excefs there. The body may grow too great, as in the dropfy ', but faith cannot grow too great. iTheff. 1.3. Tour faith groweth exceedingly ; here was exceeding, yet not excefs. As a man cannot have too much health, lb not too much grace. Grace is the beauty of holinefs, Pfal. ex. 3. "We cannot have too much fpiritual beauty ; it will be the on- ly trouble at death, that we have grown no more in grace. 9. Such as do not grow in grace, decay in grace : Non progredi in via eft regredi, Bern. There is no iianding at a flay in religion, either we go forward or backward : if faith doth not grow, unbelief will ; if heavenly-mindednefs doth not grow, covetoufnefs will. A man that doth not increafe his flock, dimmifheth it ; if you do not improve your Hock of grace, your flock will decay. The angels on Jacobs ladder were either afcending or defcending ; if you do not alien d in religion, you defcend. 10. The more we grow in grace, the more we fhall flourifti in glory. Tho' every vefTel of glory fhall be full, yet fome veffels hold more : he whofe pound gained ten, was mad^ ruler over ten cities, Luke xix- 17. Such as do not grow much, tho' they do not lofe their glory, yet they lefTen their glory. If any fhall follow the iamb in whiter and larger robes of glory than others, they fhall be fuch as have fhined moft in grace here. Ufe. Lament we may the want of growth : religion in many is grown only into a form and profemon ; this is to grow in leaves, not in fruit : many Chriftiaris are like a body in an atrophy, which doth not thrive ; they are not nourifhed by the fermons they hear ; like the angels who aflumed bodies, they did eat, but did not grow. It is very fufpicious where there is no growth, there wants a vital principle. Some inftead of growing better, grow worfe ; they grow more earthly, more profane, 2 Tim. iii. 13. Evil men proficient in pejus, fhall wax worfe and worfe. Many grow hell-ward, they grow paft fhame, Eph. ii. 3. 5. they are like fome watered Huffs, which grow more rotten. Qu. 5. How Jhtll -we know "whether we grow in grace ? Anf. For the deciding this queflionj I mail, Firfl, Shew the figns of our not-growing ; Se- condly, Of our growing. \Ji, The figns of our not-growing in grace, but rather falling into a fpiritual confumption. Sign 1. When we have loft" our fpiritual appetite. A confumptive perfon hath not that flomach to his meat as formerly. Per- haps, Ghriftian, thou canft remember the time when thou didft hunger and thirft after righ- teoufhels, thou didft come to the ordinances with fuch a flomach as to a feafl ; but now it is otherwife, Chrifl is not fo prized, nor his ordinances fo loved : a fad preiage, grace is on the declining hand ; thou art in a deep confumption. A fign David was near his grave, when he covered him with clothes, and he got no heat, 1 Kings i. 1. So, when a perfbn is plied with hot clothes, I. mean or- dinances, yet he hath no heat of affection to fpiritual things : this is a fign he is declining in grace. Sign 2. When we grow more worldly. Perhaps once we were mounted into higher orbs, we did let our hearts on things above, and fpeak the language of Canaan ; but now our minds are taken off heaven, we dig our com- fort out of thefe lower mines, and with Satan compafs the earth : tt fign we are going down the hill apace, and our grace is in a confumption. It is obfervabie, when nature decays, and people are near dying, they grow more Hooping ; and truly, when men's hearts grow more Hooping to the earth, and they can hardly lift up themfelves to an heavenly thought, ifgrr.ee be not dead, yet it is ready to die, Rev. iii. 2. Sign 3. When we are lefs troubled about fin. Time was when the leafl fin did grieve (as the leaft hair makes the eye weep) but now we can digefl fin without remorfe. Time was when a Chriflian was troubled if he ne- glected clofet-prayer ; now he can omit fa- mily-prayer. Time was when vain thoughts did trouble him : now he is not troubled for loofe practices. Here is a fad declenfion in religion ; and truly grace is fo far from growing, that we can hardly perceive its pulfe to beat. 2dly. The figns of our growing in grace. 1 . The firfl fign of our growing is, When we are got beyond our former meafures of grace : a fign a child thrives, when he hath outgrown his clothes, his clothes are too little for him; That GROWTH OF GRACE. 163 That knowledge which would ferve us before, will not ferve us now ; we have a deeper in- fight into religion, our light is clearer, our fpaik of love is increafed into a flame ; there is a fign of growth. That competency of grace we once had, is too fcanty for us j we have outgrown ourfelves. 2. When we are more firmly rooted In reli- gion, Col. ii. 7. Rooted in him, and e flab lift- ed : the fpreading of the root (hews the growth of the tree. "When we are fo flrongly fattened on Chrifl, that we cannot be blown down with the breath of heretics ; a bkifed fign of growth. Athcivajhis was called Adamas ec- clejia?, an adamant that could not be removed from the love of the truth. 3. The third fign of growth ; When we have a more fpiriiual frame of heart, ijl. We are more fpiritual in our principles ; we oppofe fin, out of love to God, and as it flrikes at his holinefs. idly, We are more fpiritual in our affeclions ; wc grieve for the firft rifings of cor- ruption, for the bubling up of vai* thoughts, the fpring that runs under ground. We mourn not only for the penalty of fin, but the pollu- tion. It is not only a coal that burns, but blacks. 3dly, We are fpiritual in the per- formance of duty ; we are more ferious, reve- rent, fervent ; we have more life in prayer, we put fire to the lacrifice, Rom. xii. Fervent in fpirit. We ferve God with more love, which ripens and mellows our duty, and makes it come off with a better relifh. 4. The fourth fign of growth ; When grace gets ground by oppofition. The fire, by an antiperiflafis, burns hottefl in the cold- eft feafon. Peter's courage increafed by the oppofition of the high prieft and the rulers, A£ls far. 8. 11. The martyr's zeal was in- -creafed by perfecution. Here was grace of the firft magnitude. Qu. 6. What ft all ive do to grow in grace ? Anf. 1. Take heed of that which will hin- der growth, the love of any fin : the body may as well thrive in a fever, as grace can where -any fin is cherifhed. 2. Ufe all means for growth in grace, ifl. Exercife yourfelves to goodnefs, 1 Tim. iv. 7. The body grows flronger by exercife. Trad- ing of money makes men grow rich ; the more we trade our faith in the promifes, the richer in faith we grow, idly, If ycu would be growing Chriflians, be humble Chriflians. 'Tis obferved in fome countries (as in France} the beft and largefl grapes which they make their wine of, grow on the lower fort of vines; the humble faints grow moft in grace, 1 Pet. v. 5. Cod giveth grace to the humble, idly, Pray to God for Spiritual growth. Some pray that they may grow in gifts. It is better to grow in grace than gifts : gifts arc for ornament, grace is for nourifhment ; to edify others, to lave ouifelves. Some pray that they may grow rich ; but a fruitful heart is better than a full purfe. Pray that God will make you grow in grace, tho' it be by afflicti- on, Htb. xii. 10. The vine grows by pruning. God's pruning-knife is to make us grow more in grace. Qu. 7. How may we comfort fuch as cam- plain they do not grow in grace ? Anf. They may miflake ; they may grow, when they think they do not, Prov. xiii. 7. There is that maketh himfelf poor, yet he is rich. ^ The fight Chriflians have of their de- fects in grace, and their thirft after greater meafures pf grace, makes them think they do not grow when they do. He who covets a great eflate, becaufe he hath not fo much as he defires, therefore he thinks himfelf to- be poor. Indeed Chriflians fhould feek after the grace they want, but they mufl not therefore overlook the grace they have. Let Chriflians be thankful for the leaft growth ; if you do not grow lb much in affurance, blefs God if you grow in fincerity ; if you do not grow fo much in knowledge, blefs God if you grow in humility. If a tree grows in the root, it is a true growth ; if you grow in the root-grace of humility, it is as needful for you qs any other growth. X 2 O F C 164 ] >#<)*I*><>«^ OF PERSEVERANCE. 1 Pit. i. 5. Who are kept by the Power of Gtd through Faith unto Salvation. TH E fifth and laft fruit of fanctification, is perfeverance in grace. The heavenly inheritance is kept for the faints, 1 Pet. i. 4. and they are kept to the inheritance; in my text, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto falvation. The apoflle afferts a faint's liability and permanency in grace. The faints perfeverance is much oppugned by Papifts and Arminlans ; but it is not the lefs true, be- caufe it is oppofed. A Chriftian's main com- fort depends upon this doctrine of perfeverance : take away this, and you much prejudice religion, and cut the finews of all chcarful endeavours. Before I come to the full handling and difcuffing this great point, let me firft clear the fenfe of it, which I firft mall do by way of conceffion or grant. When I fay, believers do perfevere : \fr, I grant, that fuch as are fo only in profeffion, may fall away, 2 Tim. iv. 10. Demas hath forfaken us. Blazing comers foon evaporate. A build- ing on find will fall, Matth. vii. 26. Seeming grace may be loft. No wonder to lee a bough fall from a tree that is only tied on. Hypocrites are only tyed on to Ch rift by an external pro- feffion, they are not ingrafted. Who ever thought artificial motion would hold long ? the hypocrites motion is only artificial, not vi- tal. All blofToms do not ripen into fruit. ily, I grant, that, if believers were left to frand upon their own legs, they might fall finally. Some of the angels, who were ftars full of light and glory, yet did actually lofe their grace ; and if thofc pure angels fell from grace, much more would the godly, who have fo much fin to betray them, if they were not upheld by a fuperior power. 3/y, I grant, true believers, tho' they do not fall away actually, and lofe nil their grace, yet their grace may fail in the degree, and they may make a great breach upon their fanctification. Grace may be morltura, non mortjtfa ; dying, but not dead, Rev. iii. 2. Strengthen the things which are ready to die. Grace may be like fire in the embers, tho' not quenched, yet the flame is gone out. This decay of grace I fhall fhew in two particulars ; (1.) The lively actings of grace may be fufpended, Rev. ii. 4. Thou haft left thy fir -ft love. Grace may belike a fleepy habit; the godly may act faintly in religion, the pulfe of their affections may beat low. The wife virgins flumbered, Matth. xxv. 5. The exercife of grace may be hindered ; as when the courfe of water is ftopt, and doth not run. (2.) Inftead of grace excrcifing in the godly, corruption may exercife ; initead of patience, murmuring ; inftead of heavenlinefs, earthli- nefs. How did pride put forth itfelf in the difciples, when they ftrove who fhould be the greateft ! how did luft put forth itfelf in David ? Thus lively and vigorous may corruption be in the regenerate ; they may fall into enormou* fins. But tho' all this be granted, yet they do not, penltus excidere, fall away finally from grace. David did not quite lofe his grace ; for then, why did he pray, 'Take not away thy holy fplrlt from me ? He had not quire loft the fpi- rit. As Eutyches, when he fell from a win- dow, Acts xx. and all thought he was dead ; No, faith Paul, there is life in him : fo David fell foully, but there was the life of grace in him. Tho' the faints may come to that pafs, they have but little faith, yet not to hav« no faith : though their grace may be drawn low, yet not drawn dry : though grace may be abated, not abolifhed ; though the wife vir- gins flumbered, yet their lamps were net quite gone out. Grace, when it is at the loweft, fhall revive and flourish ; as when Samfon had loft his ftrength, his hair grew again, and he renewed his ftrength. Having thus explained the propofition, I come now to the ampli- fying this great doctrine of the faints perfe- verance. Qu. r. By what means do Chrlfllans come to perfevere ? Anf 1. By the manuduction and help of ordinances, prayer, word, facraments. Chrifti- ans do not arrive at perfeverance when they fit ftill and do nothing. It is not with us as with OF PERSEVERANCE. 165 with pafTengers ift a /hip, who arc carried to the end of their voyage, and they fit ftill in the (hip ; or as it is with noblemen, who have their rents brought in without their toil or labour: but wc arrive at falvation in the ule of means; as a man comes to the end of a race by running, to a victory, by righting, Mat. xxvi. 41. Watch and pray. As Paul faid, Acls xxvii. 31. Except ye abide in the /hip, ye can- not be faved : believers fhall come to more at laft, arrive at heaven ; but, except they abide in the Jhipy viz. in the ufe of ordinances, they cannot be faved. The ordinances cheiiih grace ; as they beget grace, Co they arc the breaft- miik by which it is nourifhed and preferved to eternity. 2. Auxilio fpiritus, by the facred influence and concurrence of the fpirit. The fpirit of God is continually at work in the heart of a believer, to carry on grace to perfeverance ; it drops on freih oil, to keep the lamp of grace burning. The fpirit excites, fhengthens, in- crcafeth grace, and makes a Chriftian go from one Hep of faith to another, till he comes to the end of his fahh, falvation. 1 Pet. i. 9. It is a fine expreffun of the apoflle, 2 Tim. i. 14. The Holy Choft which dwelleth in us. He who dwells in an houie, keeps the houfe in repair; the fpirit dwelling In a believer, keeps grace in repair. Grace is compared to a river of the water of life, John vii. 38. This river can never be dried up, becaufe God's fpirit is a fpiiug which continually feeds it. 3. Grace is carried on to perseverance, by ChrifVs daily interccflion. As the fpirit is at work in the heart, Co is Chrift at work in heaven. Chriir. is ever praying that the faints grace may hold out, John xvii. 1 1 . Conferva illos ; Father, keep thofe whom thou haf} given me; keep them as ftars in their orb ; keep them as jewels, that they might not be loft. Father, keep them. That prayer Ghriit made for Peter, was the copy of his prayer he now makes for believers, Luke xxii. 23. / have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not, that it be not totally eclipfed : how can the children of fuch prayers perifh ? Q11. 2. By what arguments may we prove the faints perfverance ? Anf 2. Averitate Dei, from the truth of God. God hath both averted it, and promifed it. (1.) God hath affcrted it, 1 John ii. (j. His feed re- maineth in him. 1 John hi. 27. 7 he anointing ye have received of him abideth in you. (2.) As God hath afierted it, fo he hath promifed it : the truth of God, the mort orient pearl of his crown, is laid a pawn in the promife, John x. 28. I will give unto them eternal life, and they fhall never perifh. Jer. xxxii. 42. / will make an everlafting covenant with them, that I wilt not turn away fro,.: the;;-, to do them good, but I will put myfezr in their hearts, that they fhall net depart from me. God will fo love his peo- ple, that he will not forfake them ; and they ihall fo fear him, that they fhall not forfake him. If a believer fhould not perfevere, God fhould break his promife, Hof. ii. 19. I will betrothe thee unto me for ever, in righteaufnefs and lov- ing-kin dnefs. God doth not marry his people unto himfelf and then divorce them ; he hate$ putting away, Mai. ii. \6. God's love ties the marriage-knot fo faft, that neither death nor hell can break it afunder. 2. The fecond argument is, a potentia Dei, from the power of God. In the text, we are kept by the po-wer of God unto falvation : every perfon in the trinity hath an hand in making a believer perfevere. God the father eftablifh- eth, 1 Cor. i. 21. God the fon confirms, 1 Cor. i. 8. God the Holy Ghoft feals, Eph. i. 13. fo that it is the power of God that keeps us. Alas, we are not kept by our own power. The Pela- gians held, that msn, by his own power, might overcome temptation, and perfevere. But St. Au- fiin confutes him. Man, faith he, prays unf Cod for perfeverance, which would be abfurd, if he had power of himfelf to perfevere. And, faith St. Auflin, if all the power be inherent in a man's felf, then why fhould not one perfevere, as well as another ? Why not Judas as well as Peter ? So that it is not by any other than the power of God that wc are kept : a3 the Lord preferved Jfrael from perifhing in tie wilder- nefs, till he brought them to Canaan : the fame care will he take, if not in a miraculous manner, yet in a fpiritual inviflble manner in prefcrving his people in a ft a re of grace, till he bung them to the celeftial Canaan. As the heathens feigned of Atlas, that he did bear up the heavens from falling; the power of God is that Atlas which bea:s up the faints from falling. It is difputed whether grace of it felf may not pei ifli, asAdam's ; yet fore I am, grace kept by the power of God cannot perifh. 3. The third argument is taken : ab eleclione^ from God's electing love. Such as God huh from all eternity elected to glory, cannot fill away finally ; but every true believer is elec"red to glory, therefore he cannot fail away. What caa i66 OF PERSEVERANCE. can fruftraTe election, or make God's decree Void ? This argument ftands like mount Stony which cannot be moved ; infomuch that fome of the papifts hold, that fuch who have abfo- lute election cannot fall away, 2 7im* ii. 19. The foundation of Cod ftands fur e, having this feal, the Lord knows them that are his. The "foundation of God is nothing elfe but God's de- cree in election ; and this (lands fure, God will not alter it, others cannot. . 4. The fourth argument is taken, ab tiriione eum ChriftOy from believers union with Chrift. They are knit to Chrift as the members to the head by the nerves and ligament of faith, Co that .they cannot be broken off, Eph. v. 23. What was once faid of Ghrifl's natural body, is true of his myftical, A bone of it flj&ll not be broken. As it is not poffible to fevere the leaven and the dough when they arc once mingled and kneaded together ; fo it is impoflible, when Chrift and believers are once united, ever to be fepa- rated : Chrift and his members make one Chrift. Now, is it poffible that any part of Chrift Ihould perifh ? How can Chrift lofe any member of his body myftical, and be perfect? In fhort, Si units excidat, quare non We are kept by the power of God . (3 .) The world's golden fnares, riches and pleafnre, Luke xviii. 24. How hardly fliall they that have riches enter into the king- dom of God > How many have been caft away upon thefe golden fands, 2 Tim. iv. 10. as De- mas?^ What a wonder any foul perfeveres in religion, that the earth doth not choke the fire of good affections ? Whence is this but from the power of God > We are kept by his power. Ufe.2. Confolation. This doctrine ofperfeve- rance is as Bezar flone ,• it is a fovereign cor- dial to keep up the fpirits of the godly from fainting. There is nothing doth more trouble a child of God than this, he fears he fliall never hold out ; thefe weak legs of mine will never carry me to heaven. But perfeverance is an infeparable fruit of fanftification ; Once in Chrij}, and for ever in Chrifr. A believer may fall from fome degrees of grace, but not from the flare of grace: an Ifraelite could never wholly fell or alienate his land of inheritance, Lev. xxv. 23. A type of our heavenly inheri- tance, which cannot be wholly alienated from us. How defpairing is the Jrminian doctrine of falling from grace ? To day a faint, to mor- row a reprobate; to day a Peter, to mor- row a Judas. This mult needs cut the finews of a ChrifHan's endeavour, and be as the boring an hole in the vefTel, to make all th« wine of his 1 68 OF PERSEVERANCE. kis joy run out. Were the Jrminian doctrine true, how could the apoftle lay, the feed of God remains in him ; i John i i i - 9. and the anointing of God abides? 1 John ii. 27. What comfort were ir to have one's name written in the book of life, if jt might be blotted out again r but be arTured for your comfort, grace, if true, though never Co weak, (hall perfevcre : though aChrfftian hath but little grace to trade with, yet he need not fear breaking, becaufe God doth not only give him a flock of grace, but will keep his (rock for him. Gratia concu- t'.tur, non exculitur, (Aug.) Grace may be fhaken with fears and doubts, but it cannot be plucked up by the roots. Fear not falling away. If any thing mould hinder the faint's perfeve- rance, then it mud be either fin or temptation ; but neither of thefe : 1. Not the fins of believers. That which humbles them mail not damn them: but their fins are a means to humble them ; they gather grapes of thorns ; from the thorn of fin, they gather the grape of humility. 2. Not temptation : the devil lays the train of his temptation to blow up the fort ex a faint's grace, but this cannot do it. Temptation is a medi- cine for fecurity ; the more Sataa tempts, the more the faints pray. When Paul had the mef- fenger of Satan to buffet him, 2 Cor. xii. 8. For this be/ought 1 the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. Thus nothing can break off a believer from Chrift, or hinder his pei fvverance, Let this wine be given to fiich as are of an heavy heart: this perfeverance i9 comfort, 1. In the lofs of worldly comforts. When our goods may be taken away, our grace cannot, Luke at. 42. Mary hath chofen the better part, which cannot ie taken from her. 2. In the hour of death. When all things fail, friends take their farewel of us ; yet ftill grace remains. Death may fepa- rate all things elfe from us but grace : a Chriftian may fay on his death bed, as Olevian once, Sight is gone,fpeech and hearing are departing, but the loving-kindnefs of God will never depart. Qu. 1. What motives and incentives are there to make ChriJHam perfevere ? J>f. 2. It is the crown and glory of a Chrifri- an to perfevere, /;; ChrifUanis non initia fed fines laudantur. Prov. xvi. 31. The hoary head is a crown of glory, if found in the way 'jfrigh- tcoufnefs. When gray hairs Paine with golden vutues, this is a crown of glory. The church of Thyatira was heft at lafl. Rev. ii. 19. I knoxu thy patience and thy works, and the la ft to be more than the f'-j}. The excellency of a build- ing is not in having the firfl Hone laid, but when it is fir.ifhed. The glory and excellency of a Chriitiau is, when he hath finiihed the work of faith. 2. You are within a few days march of hea- ven. Salvation is near to you, Rom. xiii. 11. Now is our futvation nearer than ween we be~ lieved. Ghriltians, it is but a whiie and you (hall have done weeping and praying, and be tri- umphing*; you (hall put off your mourning, and put on white robes ; you (hall put off your armour, and put on a victorious crown : you who have made a good progrefs in religion, you are almolt ready to commence and take your degree of glory; now is your fdva- tion nearer than when you began to believe. When a man is almofr at the end of a race, will he now tire, or faint away ? O hbour to perfevere, your falvation is now nearer ; you have but a little way to go, and you will fet your foot in heaven. Though the way be up- hill and full of thorns, viz. iufferings, yet you have gone the greatelt part of your way, and fhortly you (hall reft from your labours. 3. How fad ii it not to peifevere in holinefs? You expofe yourfelves to the rep oaches of men, and the rebukes of God. Firfi, to the reproaches of men. They will deride both you and your profeffion, Luke xiv. 28. This -man began to build, and was not able to finifj. Such is he who begins in religion, and dorh not [perfevere: he is the ludibrium, and derifion of all. Secondly, To the rebukes of God. God is moll fevere againft fu :h as fall off, becaufe they bring an evil report upon religion. Apoftaey breeds a bitter worm in confeience; what a worm did Spira feel ! and it brings fwifi damnation ; it is a drawing back to perdition, Heb. x. 48. God will make his fvvord drunk with the blood of apoflates. 4. The promifes of mercy are annexed only to perfeverance, Rei>. iii. 5. He that ovtrcom- eth, fhall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out /.is name tut of the book of life. * Non pugnanti, fed vincentidabitur corona,' Jug. The promife is not to him that fights, but that overcomes, Luke xxii. 23. Te ere they which have continued with me, and I appoint unto you a kingdom. The promife of a kingdom, faith Chryfojlom, ii not nude to them that heard Chiift, or followed him, bur that continued with him. Perfeverance carries away the gar- land ; no mm hath the crown fet upon his head, but he who holds out to the end of the race. O there OF PERSEVERANCE-. l(x) O therefore, by all this, be perfuaded to perfe- vere ; God makes no account of fuch as do not perfevere. Who efteems of coin that fheds before harveft, or fruit that falls from the tree before it be ripe ? Qu. 2. What expedients or means may be ufed for a Chriftiarfs perfeverance ? Anf. i. Take heed of thofe things which will make you defift and fall away. ift, Take heed of prefumption. Do not prefume upon your own ftrength ; exercife an holy fear and jealoufy over your own hearts, Rom. xi. 20. Be not high-minded, but fear, 1 Cor. x. 12. Let him that thinketh he ftandeth, take heed left he fall. It was Peter's fin, he leaned more upon his grace than upon Chrift, and then he fell. A Chriftian hath caufe to fear left the lulls and deceit of his heart betray him : take heed of pre/timing ; fear begets prayer, prayer begets ftrength,' and ftrength beq^ts ftedfiftnefs. (2^/y,) Take heed of hypoqify. Judas was fir ft a fly hypocrite, and tb.n a traitor, Pfa'.m Ixxviii. 37. Their heart was not right with Cod, neither ivere they fledfaft in his cove- nant. If there be any venom or malignity in the blood, it will break forth into a plague- fore. The venom of hypocrkfy is in dinger of breaking out into the plague-fore of fcandal. C^dly,) Beware of a vile heart of unbelief, Htb. lii. t2. Take heed lej} there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the liv- ing Cod. Whence is apoftafy but from incre- dulity ? men do not believe the truth, and then they fall from the truth. Unbelieving and un- liable go together, Pfalrh Ixxviii. 22. They be- lieved not in Cod. V. 41 . They turned back. 2. If you would be pillars in the temple of God, and perfevere in fanctity, FirJ?, Look that you enter into religion up- on a right ground ; be well-grounded in the diftincl: knowledge of God : you muft know the love of the Father, the merit of the Son, and the efficacy of the Holy Ghoft. Such as know not God aright, will by degrees fall off. The Sa- maritans fometimes fided with the Jews when they were in favour, afterwards difclaimed all kindred with them, when Antiochus perfecuted the Jews : and no wonder the Samaritans were no more fixed in religion, if you confider what Chrift faith of the Samaritans, John iv. 22. Ye •worjhip ye knovj not what : they were ignorant of the true God. Let your knowledge of God be clear, and ferve him purely out of choice, and then you will perfevere, Pfalm cxix.. 30. / have chofen the way of truth, I have ftnek unti thy teftimonies. Secondly, Get a real work of grace in your heart, Heb. xiii. 9. // is a good thing that the heart is eflablijhed with grace. Nothing; "Will hold out but grace ; 'tis only this anointing a- bides ; paint will fall off. Get an heajt-ch a ag- ing work," 1 Cor. vi. 11. But ye arewafhed, but ye are fanclificd. Be not content with baptifm of water, without baptifm of the fpirit": the reafon men perfevere not in religion, is for want of a vital principle. A branch muft needs wither, that hath no root to grow upon. Thirdly, If you would perfevere, be very fin - cere. Perfeverance grows only upon the root offincerity, Pfal. xxv. 21. Let integrity and uprightness preferve me. The breaft-plate of fincerity can never be (hot through. How ma- ny ftorms was Job in ? the devils fet againfl. him, his wife tempted him to curfe God, his friends accuftd him of being a hypocrite ; here was enough, one would think, to have made him to de-fill from religion : yet for all this, he perfeveres. What preserved him ? it was his fincerity, Job xxvii. 6. My righteoufte/s I hold fafr, and will not let it go ; my heart fhall #9i reproach me fo long as J live. Fourthly, If you would perfevere, be humble: St. Chryfoftom calls it the mother of all the graces. God lets a poor, humble Chriitian ftand, when others of higher parts, and whs have higher thoughts of themfelves, fall" off by apoftacy. They are likeft to perfevere, whom God will give moft grace to : But he gives (trace to the buhihle, \ Per. v. 5. They are likeft to perfevere, who have God dwelling in them : But God dwells in the humble foul, iia. lvii. 15. Non requiefcit Spiritus fanclus nifi fuper he milem, Bern. The lower the tree rootjwa the earth, the firmer it is ; the more the Coul Is rooted in humility, the more eftablifhed it is, and is in lefs danger of falling away. Fifthly, If perfeverance cherifli the grace of faith. Faith do\h ftabilire animum, 2 Cor. i. 24- By fahh ye ftand. 1. Faith knits us to Chrift, as the members are knit to the head by nerves and finews. 2. Faith fills us with love to God ; .// works by love, Gal. v. 6. And he who loves God, will rather die than defert him • the foldier who loves his general, will die in his fervice. 3. Faith gives us a profpect of" heaven, it fhewsus an invifible glory; and he Mho hath Chrift in .his heart, and a crown in his eye, will not faint away. G clierifh faifh j I J3 A BELIEVER'S PRIVILEGE AT DEATH. keep your faith, and your faith will keep you : while, the pilot keeps his {hip, his fhip keeps him. Sixthly, If perfevere, let us engage the power of God to help us ; we are kept by the power ef God. The child is fafeft when it is held in the nurfe's arms ; fo are we, when we are held In the arms of free grace. It is not' our hold- ing God, but his holding us", preferves us. When a boat is tied to a rock, it is fecure : fb, when we are fad tied to the rock of ages, then we are impregnable. O engage God's power to help us to perfevere. We engage his power by prayer : let us pray to him to keep us, Pfal. xvii. 5. Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footfleps flip not. It was a good prayer of Btza, Domine, quod cepifii perfice, ne in portu naifragiuhi accidat ; Lord, perfect what thou haft begun in me, that I may not fuiFer mip- wreck when I am almoft at the haven. Seventhly, If perfevere, let often before your eyes the noble examples of thofe who have per- fevered in religion ; Quot martyres, quot fideles in ccelis, jam triumphant ? What a glorious army of faints and martyrs have gone before us ? how conftant to the death was St. Paul ? Acts xxi. 13. How perfevering in the faith, were Ignatius, Polycarp, Athanajius P Thefe were ftars in their orb, pillars in the temple of God. Let us look on their zeal and courage, and be animated, Heb. i. 12, Seeing we are compajjed about with fo great a cloud of witnejfes, let us run with patience the race that is Jet before us. The crown is fet at the end of the race ; if ws win the race, we ftiall wear the crown. A BELIEVER'S PRIVILEGE AT DEATH. Phi .1. For to me to live is Chrifl, and to die is gain. A I N T Paul was a great admirer of Chrift, he defired to know nothing but Chrift, and him crucified, 1 Cor. ii. 2. Nojulip to the blood of Chrift ; and in the text, To me to live is Chrijl, and to die is gain. Firft, To me to live is Chrifl. We mud un- derfland Paul of a fpiritual life. To me to live h Chrifl, i.e. Chrift is my life ; fo Greg. Nyffen. Or thus, my life is made up of Chrift : as a kicked man's life is made of fin ; fo Paul'slife was made of Chrift, he was full of Chrift. But, that [ may give you the fenfe of the text more fully, take it in thefe three particulars ; 1. Chrift is the principle of my life. 2. Chrift is the end of my life. 3. Chrift is the joy of my life. 1. To me to live is Chrijl, i. e. Chrift is the principle of my life. I fetch my fpiritual life from Chrift, as the branch fe-tcheth its fap from the root, Gal. ii. 20. Chrift liveth in me. Jefhs Chrift is an head of influence; he fends forth life and fpirits into me, to quicken me to every holy action. Thus, To me to live is Chrifl ; Chrift is the principle of my life : from his fulnefs I live, as the vine-branch lives from the root. 2. To me to live is Chrifr, i. e. Chrift is the •€n-d of my life ; I live not to myfdf but to Chrift. So Groiius and Cafaubon, Chriflo fervio, To me to live is Chrifr', all my living is to do fervice to Chiift, Horn, si v. 8. Whether ye live, we live unto the Lord. When we lay out our- felves wholly for Chrift ; as the factor trades- for the merchant, Co we trade for ChriiVs in- tereft, we propagate his gofpel ; the defign of our life is to exalt Chrift, and make the crown upon his head ilouriih. Now it may be fad, To us to live is Chrijl, our whole life is a living to Chrift. 3. To me to live is Chrifl, i.e. Chrift is the joy of my life, Pfal. xlii. 4. God my exceeding joy, or the cream of my jo^r. A Chriftian re- joyceth in Chrift's righteoufnefs ; he can re- joice id Chrift, when worldly joys are gone : when the tulip in a garden withers, a man re- joyceth in his jewels ; when relations die, a faint can rejoyce in Chrift the pearl of price. In this fenfe, To me to live is Chrijl, he is the joy of my life ; if Chrift were gone, my life would be a death to me. Ufe- It fhould exhort us all to labour to fay as the apoftle, To me to live is Chrifl. Chrift is the principle of my life, the end of my life, the joy of my life, To me to live is Chrifl ; and then we may comfortably conclude, that to die 111 all be gain. Secondly, And that brings me to the lecond part of the text, And to die is gain. Docl. To a believer death is great gain. A faint can tell what his loHes for Ghrnft are, but h« A BELIEVER'S PRIVILEGE AT DEATH. 171 he cannot tell how -great his gains are at death : To me to die is gain. Death to a believer, is crepujcuhtm gloria?, the day-break of eternal brightnefs. To (hew fully what a believer's gains are at death, were a tail: too great for an angel ; all hyperboles fall (hort, the reward of glory exceeds our very faith : only let me give you fome dark views and imperfect lineaments of that infinite glory the faints mall gain at the hour of death ; To me to die is gain. 1. Believers at death mall gain a writ ofeafe from all fins and troubles; they (hall be in a Hate of impeccability : fin expires with their life. I think fomeiimes what an happy date that will be, never to have a finful thought more : and they fliall have a quietus eft from their troubles. Here David cried out, My life is [pent wit/; griefs, and ?py years with fi*r.inc, Ffal. xxxi. 10. Quid eft diu vivere, nift diu tor- queri, Aug. Life begins with a cry, and ends with a groan ; but at death all troubles die. 2. Believers at death fliall gain the. glorious fight of God. They mail fee him ; Firft, In- tellectually with the eyes of their mind, which Divines call the beatifical vifion: if there were not fuch an intellectual fight of God, how do the fpirits of juft ?nen fee him 1 Secondly, They fiiall behold the glorified body of Jefus Chrift ; and if it be pleafant to behold the fun, then how blefTed a fcght will it.be to fee Chrifi the fun of righteoufnefs clothed with our human nature, fuming in glory above the angels ? Through Chrift's flefh, as through a transpa- rent glafs, fome bright rays and beams of the godhead fliall difpiay themfelves to glorified eyes : the fight of God through Chrift will be very complacential and delightful ; the terror of God's efience will be taken away : God's majefty will be mixed with beauty, and fweet- ened with clemency ; it will be infinitely de- lightful to the faints to fee the amiable afpects and fmiles of God's face. Which brings me to the third thing. 3. The faints at death fliall not only have a fight of God, but fliall enjoy the love of God ; there fliall be no more vail on God's face, nor his fmiles chequered with frowns, but God's love fliall difcover itfelf in all its orient beauty and fragrant fweetnefs. Here the faints pray for God's love, and they have a few drops ; but there they fliall have as much as their vef- fel can receive. To know this love that palTeth knowledge, this will cauie-a jubilation of fpirit, •and create fuch holy raptures of joy In the faints, as are fuperlative, and would foon over- whelm them, if God did not make them able to bear. 4. Believers at death fliall gain a celeftial pa* lace, an houfe not made with hands, 1 Cor. v; 1. Here the faints are flraitned for room, they have but mean cottages to live in ; but they fliall have a royal palace to live in : here is but their fiojourning houfe, there in heaven is their manfion-houfe, an houfe built high above all the vifible orbs, an houfe befpangled with light, Col. i. 12. enriched with pearls and precious ftones, Rev . xxi. kj. And this is not their land- lord's houfe, but their father's houfe, John xiv. 2. and this houfe francs all upon confecrated ground ; it is fet out by transparent glafs, td fhew the holinefs of it, Rev. xxi. 27. 5. Believers at death fliall gain the fweet fo- ciety of glorified faints and angels : this will add fomething to the felicity of heaven, as c- very liar adds fome luitre to the firmament. Firft, The fociety of the glorified faints ; we fhall fee them in their finds, as well as in their bodies : their bodies fhall be ib clear and bright, that we (hall lee their fouls fliining through their bodies, as the wine through the- glafs ; and believers at death fliall have coh- verfe with the faints glorified. And how de- lightful will that be, when they fhall be freed from all their finful corruptions, pride, envy, paflion, cenforioufnefs, which are liars upon them here to disfigure them? in heaven there- fhall be perfect love among the faints ; they fliall, as the olive and myrtle, fweetly embrace each other : the faints fliall know one another (as Luther fpeaks). If in the transfiguration, Peter knew Mofes and Elias, which he nevei\ faw before, Matth. xvii. 3. then much more, in the glorified ftate, the faints fliall perfectly know one another,, tho' they never faw them before. Secondly, The faints at death fhall be- hold the angels with the glorified' eye of their underfranding. The wings of the "cherubims (reprefenting the angels) were- made of fine gold, to denote both their fanctity and fplendor : the angels are compared to lightning, Matth. xxviii. 3. becaufie of thofe fparkling beams of majefiy which as lightning fhoot from them. And when faints and angels fliall meet and fmg together in confort in the heavenly quire, what divine harmony, what joyful triumphs will it create ? 6. Believers at death fliall gain perfection of holinefs. Here grace was but in cunabulis, in Y 2 its ■1.72 A BELIEVER'S FJlIVILEGE AT DEATH. its cradle, very imperfect ; we cannot write a copy of holinefs without blotting ; believer* are (hid to receive but primitias. Spiritus, the Jirfi -fruits of the Spirit, Rom. viii. 23. But at death the Dints (hall arrive at perfection, their knowledge clear, their fanctity perfect ; their Hva fuaii be in its full meridian fplendor. They need not then pray for increafe of grace ; they (hall love God as much as they would love him, and as much as he defires to have them love him : they (hall be then, in refpect of ho- linefs, as the angels of God. 7. At death, the faints (hall gain a royal magnificent feait. I told you before what a glorious palace they (hall have ; but a man may ■ftarve in a houfe, if there be no cheer. The faints at death (hall haye a royal banquet, fha- tiowed out in fcripture by a marriage-fupper, Rev. xix. 9. Bullinger and Gregory the great underftand, by that marriage-fupper of the lamb, the irately, magnificent fefrival the faints iliall have in heaven ; they (hall feed on the tree of life, Rev. xxii. They (hall have the heavenly nectar and imbrofia, the fpiced ivine, *nd the juice of 'the pomegranate , Cant. viii. 2. This royal fupper of the lamb will not only ttti'sfy hunger, but prevent it, Rev. vii. 16. They fi)all hunger no more. Nor can there be any furfeit at this feaft, becaufe a frelh courfe will be continually fervjng in : new and frefh delights will fpr'ing from God ; therefore the tree of life in paradife is faid to bear twelve forts of fruit, Rev. xxii. 2. H. Believers at death lhall gain honour and dignity, they (ball reign as kings ; therefore we read of the enfigns of their royalty, their white iobes and crowns celeitial, 1 Tim- iv. 7. A\re read that the doors of the holy of holies were made of palm-trees and open flowers, co- vered with gold, 1 Kings vi. 35. An emblem of that victory and triumph, and that golden garland of honour wherewith God hath in- Veiled the faints glorified. When all worldly honour (ball ly in the duff, the mace, the ftar, the 'robe of ermine, the imperial diadem, then (hall the faints honour remain ; not one jewel (hall be plucked out of their crown ; they (hall gain at death a blefTed eternity. If the faints could have the leaff fufpicion or fear of lofmg their glory, it would much cool and imbitter their joy ; but their crown fades not away, 1 Pet. v. 4. As the wicked have a worm that '•never dies, fo the elect have a crown that ne- ver fades. Ever, is a (hort word, but hath no ending; In fine erlt gaudium fine fine, Bern. 2 Cor. iv. 18. The things which are not fee* are eternal. Pfal. xvi. u. At thy right hand are pleafures for evermore. Who can (pan eternity r millions of ages ftand but for cyphers in eternity. This is the efah, or higheft fliaia of the faint's glory ; ever in Chrift's bofom. Qu. How come the faints to have ail this gain ? Anf Believers have a right to all this gain at death, upon a divers account : by virtue of the Father's donation, the Son's : it hafe, the Holy Ghoft's earneft, and fait! 's scceptance. Therefore the flate of future glory is called the faints proper inheritance. Col. i. 12. They are heirs of God, and have a fight ro inherit. life 1. See the great difference between tho death of the godly and the wicked ; the godly are gainers at' death, the wicked are great lofers at death. They lofe four things; (1.) They lofe the world; and that is a great lofs to the wicked : they laid up their treafure upon earth ; and to be turned out of all at once, is a great lofs. (2.) They lofe their fouls, Matth. xvi. 26. 27. The foul was at firft a noble piece of coin, which God (lamped his own image upon : this celeftml fpaik is more precious than the whole globe of the world ; but the finner's foul is loft; not that the fouls of the wicked are annihilated at death, but damnified. (3.) They lofe heaven. Heaven is fedes be- atorum, the royal feat of the blefTed ; it is the region of happinefs, the map of perfection. There is that manna which is angel's food ; there is the garden of fpices, the bed of per- fumes, the river of pleafure. Sinners, at death, lofe all this. (4.) They lofe their hopes ; for tho' they lived wickedly, yet they hoped God was mer- ciful, and they hoped they (hould go to heaven. Their hope was not an anchor, but a fpider's web. Now, at death, they lofe their hopes, they fee they did but flatter themfelves into hell, y^viii. 14. Whofe hope fh all be .cut off'. That is fad, to have a man's life and his hope cut off together. Ufe 2. If the faints gain fuch glorious things at death ; then how may they defire death ? doth not every one defire preferment r Nemo ante funera fcelix Faith gives a title to heaven, death a pofTeffion. Tho' we mould be defirous of doing fervice here, yet we (hould be ambitious of being with Chrift, Phil. i. 23. We A 3 F, L I £ V E R 'S PRIVILEGE AT DEATH. 1?3 "We ftsctild be content tc live, but willing to die. Is it not a bk ing to be freed from fin,- and. to ly for ever in the bofom cf divine love? is it not £-rl (Ted thing to meet our godly relations ,iven, and to be finging divine antl aife among the angels? doth not the bri !e .-fire the marriage-day, e- fpecially if (he v ; to be matched unto the crown ? what is lace we now live in, but a place of ban.vfhi ."• orn. God ? we are in a wildernefs, angels live at court. Here we arc combu ing with Satan, and mould not we defire to be ouj of the bloody field, where the bullets of temptation fly fo faft, and to receive a victorious crown ? think what it will be to have always a froiling afpecl from Chrift's face ; to be brought into the banquet- ing-houfe, and have the banner of his love dis- played over you. O ye faints, defire death, it is 3rour afcenfion-day to heaven. Egredere, a- nima, egredere, faid Hilarion on his death-bed ; Co forth, my foul, what feareft thcu ? Another' holy man faid, Lord, lead me to that glory which I have fetn as through a glafs ; hajte, Lord, and do not tarry. Some plants thrive beft when they are tranfplamed : beltdveTs, when they are by death tranfplanted, cannot choofe but thrive, becaufe they have Chrift's fwcet fun-beams mining upon them : and what tho' the pafTage through the valley of the fha- dow of death be trcublefome ? who would not be willing to pals a tempeftuous fea, if he were fure to be crowned lb foon as he came to fhore. Ufe 3. Comfort in the lofs of our dear and. pious relations. They, when they die, are not only taken away from the evil to come, but they are great gainers by death ; they leave a wildernefs, and go to a paradife ; they change their complaints into thankfgivings; they leave their forrows behind, and enter into the joy of their Lord : why mould we weep for their preferment ? believers have not their portion paid till the day of their death : God's promife is his bond to make over heaven in reverfion to them ; but tho' they have h\% bond, they do not receive their portion till the day of death. Oh ! rejoyce to think of their happinefs who die in the Lord ; to them to die is gain : they are as rich as heaven can make them. SJ>OC>^XXx>okxxxxxn:xXxxxxx:3 ::xxxxx> ::XXXXXXX>OtfK A BELIEVER'S PRIVILEGE AT DEATH. Phil. i. 21. For fo me to live is Chrif}7 and to die is gain. HOPE is a Ghriftian's anchor, which he calls within the vail, Rom. xii. 12. Re- joycing in hope. A Ghriftian's hope is not in this life, but he hath hope in his death, Prov. xiv. 32. The bed: of a faint's comfort begins when his life ends : the wicked have all their heaven here, Luke vi. 2§. Wo unto you, Rich, you have received your confolation. You may may make your acquittance, and write, Re- ceived in full payment ; Luke xvi. 25. Son, remember that thou in thy life-time receivedfi thy good things. But a faint's happinefs is in reverfion ; The Righteous hath hope in his death. God keeps the beft wine till laft. If Cato the heathen faid, To me to die is gain : he faw mo>tality to be a mercy : then, what may a believer fay? Eccl. vii. 1. The day of death is better than the day of one's birth. Nemo ante funcra fcelix, Solon. A queen of this land faid, the preferred her coffin before her cradle. Qu. 1. What benefits do believers receive at death ? Anf. 1. They have great immunities. 2. They pafs immediately into a ftate of glory. 3. Their bodies are united to Chrift in the grave till the refurrecuon. 1. The faints, at death, have great immu- nities and freedoms. A prentice, when out of his time, is made free : when the faints are out of their time of living, then they are made fee; not made free till death. 1 . At death th: are freed from a body of fin. There are ii) the beft reliquitr feccati ; Tome remainders and reliques of corruption, Rem. vii. 24. etched man that I am, who fiiall deliver me from this body of death! By the body of death is meant the congeries, the rnafs and lump of fin. It may well be called a body for its weigh tin efs, and 174 A BELI ET ER'S PRIVILEGE A^T D E AT H. and a body of death for its noifomnefs. (i.)It weighs us down ; fin hinders us from doing good. A Chriitian is like a bird that would be flying up, but hath a firing tied to its legs to hinder it; fo he would be flying up to hea- ven with the wings of defire, but fin hinders him, Rom. vii. 15. The good that I would, I do riot. A Chrilfian is like a fhip that is under fail, and at anchor ; grace would fail forward, but fin is the anchor that holds ii back. {2.) Sin is more active in its fphere than grace : how flirting was luft in David, when his grace lay dormant ? (3.) Sin fometimes gets the maltery, «nd leads a faint captive, Rom. vii. 19. The c- ijil that I "would not, that I do. Paul wr.s like a man carried down the ftrearn, and could. not bear up againft.it. How oft is a child of God overpowered with pride and pafllcn .? There- fore Paul calls fin, a law in his members, R01,:. vii. 24. it binds as a law; it hath a kin A of jurifdiction over the foul, as Ca?far had over the fenate. (4.) Sin defiles the foul, it is iik* a ftain to beauty, it turns the foul'j azure bright- Kefs into fable. (5.) Sin debilitates us, it difarms us of our ftrength, 2 Satn. ii s - 30. / am this day weak, tho' anointed kh.g : fo, tho' a faint be crowned with grace, yet he is weak, tho' anointed a fpiritual king. (6.) Sin is ever refllefs, Gal. v. 17. The fiejh lufis again fi the fpirit. It is an inmate that is al- ways quarrelling : like Marcellus, that Roman captain, of whom Hannibal faid^ whether he did beat or was beaten, he would never be quiet. (7.) Sin adheres to us, we cannot get rid of it ; it may be compared to a wild fig- tree growing on a wall; tho* the roots are pulled up, yet there are fome fibres, fome itrings of it in the joint of the ftone-work which cannot be gotten out. (8.) Sin mingles with our duties and graces ; we cannot write a copy of holinefs without blotting. This makes a child of God weary of his life, and makes htm water his couch with his tears, to think fin fo ftrong a party, and he mould often of- fend that God whom he loves ; this made Paul cry out, Alifer ego homo! O wretched man that I am ! Hence Paul did not cry out of his af- fliction, of his prifon-chain, but of the body of Jin. Now a believer at death fhall be freed from fin : he is not taken away in, but from his fins ; he fhall never have a vain, proud thought more; he fhall never grieve the fpirit of. God any more : fin brought death into the teOtfidj and "death mall carry Ian out of thf world. The Perfians had a certain day in th* year in which they killed all ferpents and ve- nemous creatures : fuch a day will the day of death be to a believer : it will defiroy all his fins, which, like fo many ferpents, have flung him. Death fmites a believer, as the angel did Peter, it made his chains fall off: fo death makes all the chains of fin fall off, Acls xii. 7. Believers at death are made perfect in holi- nefs, Heb. xii. 23. The fpiriti of juft men made perfecr. At death the fouls of believers re- cover their virgin-purity : O what a bleffed privilege is this, to be fine r.iacula et ruga, without fpot or wrinkle ! Eph. v. 27. to be purer than the fun-beams, to be as free from iin as the angels, This makes a believer fb de- firous to have lib pais to be gone ; he would fain live- in that pure air, v/here no black va- pours of fin arife. 2. At death the faints fhsll be freed from all the troubles and incumbrances to which this life is fubject. Sin is the feed fown, and trouble ii theharvsif reaped, Eurip. life and trouble ara mat. :ccl together ; there is more in life to wean us than to tempt us. Parents divide a portion of forrow to their children, and yet leave enough for themfelves. Job v. 7. Man is born to trouble, he is heir to it, it is his birth-right, you may as well leparate weight from lead, as trouble from the life of man. Quid eft diu vi- vtre, nifi diu torqueri ? Aug. King Henry's emblem, a crown hung in a bum of thorns : there is a far greater proportion of bitternels than pleafurein this life, Prov. vii. 17. I have perfumed my bed with myrrhe, aloes and cin- namon. Tor one fweet ingredient there were two bitter ; for the cinnamon, there were myrrhe and aloes. A man's grace will not ex- empt him from troubles, (sen. xlvii. 9. Few and evil have the days of the years bfiny life been. Tho' he was a godly patriarch, tho' he had .met with God, Gen. xxxii. 30. He named the name of the place Pcniel ; for I have feen God face to face : yet he had his troubles ; Few and evil, &c. There are many things to im- bitfer life and caufe trouble, and death frees us from all. 1. Care. The mind is full of per- plexed thoughts, how to bring about fuch a defign : how to prevent fuch an evil: the Greek word iov care, comes from a primitive in the Greek, that fignlfies To cut the heart in pieces. Care doth difciuciate the mind, wafte the fpirirs : no fiich bitter bread as the bread of carefuinefs, £2^. xii. ic. Care is a fpiri- tual A B £ L I £ V E R '$ PRIVILEGE "AT DEATH. 17* tual canker, which eats out the comfort of life : death is the cure of car*. 2. Fear: fear is the ague of the foul, which fets it a {haking, 1 John W; 15. There is torment in fear. Fear is like Prometheus his vulture, it gnaws upon the heart. There is a -diftruftful fear, a f \x of want; and a d i ft ra cling fear, a fear of dan- ger ; and a difcouraging fear, a fear God doth not love us. Thefe fears leave fad impreffions upon the mind ; now at death a believer is freed from thefe torturing fears ; he now knows he is palled from death to life ; he is as far from fear, as the damned are from hope : the grave buries a Chriftian's fear. 3. Labour, Eccl. i. 18. All things are full of labour. Some labour in the mine; others among the Mufes ; God hath made a law, /;; thefzvrat ef thy brows thou fk alt eat bread : but death gives a believer a quietus eft; it takes him off from his 'day-labour, Rev. xiv. 13. Bleffed are the dead that die in the Lord, they reft from their labours. What needs working, when they have their reward ? What needs lighting, when the crown is fet on their head? they reft from their labour. 4. Suffering : believers are ■as- a lily among thorns ; as the dove among the birds of prey. The wicked have an anti- pathy againft the righteous ; and fecret hatred will break forth into open violence, Gal.'iv. 29. He that was born after the flefh, perfecutcd him that was born after the fpirit. The dragon is defcribed with feven heads and ten horns, Rev. xii. 3. He^plotteth with the one, and pufheth with' the other. But at death the godly fhall be freed from the moleftations of the wicked ; they fhall never be peftered with thefe vermin more, Job. iii. 17. There {viz. in the grave) the wicked ceafe from troubling. Death doth to a believer, as Jofeph of Arimathea did to Chrift, it takes him down from the crofs, and gives him a writ of eafe : the eagle, that flies high, cannot be ftung with the ferpent. Death gives the foul the wing of the eagle, that it flies above all thefe venemous ferpents here be- low. 5. Temptation : tho' Satan be a conquered enemy, yet he is a reftlefs enemy, 1 Pet. v. 8. He w-alketh about : the Devil is always going his diocefs : he hath his fnares and his darts ; one he tempts with riches, another with beauty. It is no fmall trouble to be continually follow- ed with temptations ; as for a virgin to h ave her chaftity daily affaulted : but death will free a child of God from temptation, he fhall never be vexed more with the old ferpent. After death hath fhot its dart at us, tho' grace puts a believer, out of the Devil's poffeffion, only death frees him from the Devil's temptation. 6.. Sorrow : a cloud of forrow gathers in the heart, and drops into tears, Pf. xxxi. io. My life is fpentwith grief, and my years with ftgh- ing. It was a cuffe, Gen. iii. 16. In for row thou Jhr.lt bring forth. Many things occafion (i)irovv ; ficknefs, law -fuits, treachery on fiiends, di (appointment of hopes, lofs of eftate, Ruth i- 20. Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me heme again empty. Sorrow is the evil fpirit that haunts us; the world is a.- Bochim, Rachel wepf for her children ; fome grieve that they have no children, and others grieve that their children are undutiful. Thus we fpend our years with fighing ; 'tis a vr. Hey of tears : but death is the funeral of all our for rows, Rev. vii. 17. And God flmll wipe away all. tears. Then Chriffs fpoufe puts off her mourning : how can the children of the bride-chamber mourn, when the bridegroom fhall be with them ; Matt I), ix. 15. Thus death gives a believer his quietus eft ; it frees him from fin and trouble : tho' the apoftle calls death the laft enemy, 1 Cor. xv. yet it is the belt friend ; To me to die is gain. life 1. See here that which may make a trus faint willing to die : death will fet him out of gun-fhot ; free him from fin and trouble : there is no caufe of weeping, to leave a valley of tears ; the world'is the frage on which fin and mifery are acled. Relievers are here in a ft range country, why then fliould they not be willing to go out of it ? Death beats oft their fetters of fin, and fets tb;mfiee, who go weep- ing out of a goal : Leiides our own fms, the fins of others. The world is a place where Satan's feat is ; a place where we fee God daily diflionoured. Lot (who was a bright ftar in a dark night) his righteous foul was vexed with the unclean converfation of the wicked, 2 Pet. iii. 8. To fee God's fabbaths broken,' his truths adulterated, his glory eclipfed, is that which wounds a godly heart : this made Da- vid cry out, Pfalm cxx. 5. Wo is me that I dwell in Mefech, that 1 fojourn in the tents of Kedar : Kedar was Arabia, where were IJh- maePs pofterity ; this was a cut to David's heart, to .dwell there, O then be willing to depart out of the tents of Kedar. 2. The bodies of believers are united to Chrift in tfie. grave, and fhaJl reft there till the *?$ & BELIEVER'S PRIVIL EC C AFTER DEATH; the rerurreftion. They are faid to fleep in Jefus, t Thef. iv. 14. The duft of believers is port of Ghrift's body myftieal. The grave; is a dormitory or place of reft to the faints, v?here their bo lies quietly. fleep in Chrift, till they are awakened out of their ileep by the trumpet of the archangel. Qu. 2. But how fhall we know that we f jail gain all this at death, to be freed from fin and trouble, and to have our bodies united to Chrift tn the grave ? Anf. If we are believers, then we gain all this at death. To me, faith Paul, to die is gain : to me, Suatenas, a believer. Are we fuch ? Have we this blelled Faith ? Faith, wherever it is, is operative. Lapidaries fay, there is no precious ft one but hath virtutem infitam, fome hidden virtue in it : fo I may fay of faith, it hath fome fecret virtue in it : it anchors the foul on Chrift : it hath both a juftifying and fanctifying virtue in it ; it fetcheth blood out of Chrift's fides to pardon, and water out of his fides to purge : it works by love ; it conftrains to duty, it makes the head ftudy for Chrift, the tongue confefc him, the hands work for him. I have read of a father who had thnfe fons, and, being to die, lefc in his will all his eftatc to that fon who could rind his ring with the jewel which had an healing virtue. The cafe was brought before the judges ; the two elder fons counter- feited a ring, but the younger fon brought the true ring, which was proved by the virtue of it : whereupon his father's eftatc went to him. To this ring I may compare faith : there is a counterfeit faith in the world; but if we can find this ring of faith which hath the healing virtue in it, to purify the heart, this is the true faith which gives us an intereft in Chrift, and entitles us to all thefe privileges at death, to be freed from fin and forrow, and to have our bodies united to Chrift, while they are ir* the grave. 3. I fhould now come to the third privilege at death, the fouls of believers pafs immediately into glory. Where I (hall lead you to the top of mount Pifgah, and give you a ihort view o£ the glory of heaven. Ji%£*.ol m^ A BELIEVER'S PRIVILEGE AFTER DEATH. Phil. i. 21. And to die is gain. AT death the fouls of believers pafs into Glory : death brings malorum omnium adernptionem : omnium adeptionem ; death is the day-break of eternal brightnefs. And here I lhall lead you to the top of mount Pifgah, and give you a glimpfe of the holy land. Qu. 1. What is comprehended in glory ? Anf. Glory is ftatus omnium bonorum aggre- gatione perfeclus, Boerius. It is a perfect ftate of blifs, which confifts in the accumulation and heaping together all thofe good things which immortal fouls are capable of. And truly here I am at a lofs ; all that I can fay falls fliort of the celeftial glory. Apelles's penfil cannot de- lineate it ; angels tongues cannot exprefs it : we lhall never underftand glory fully, till we are in heaven : only let me give you fome dark views, and fome imperfect lineaments of that ftate of glory the flints lhall arrive at after dcadn r. The firft and mod: fublime part of the glory of heaven, is the full and fweet fruition of God : ipfe Deus fufficit ad proemzum. Aug. We are apt to think the happinefs of heaven is in being free from pain and mifery : but the very quintelfence of happinefs, is the enjoyment and fruition" of God ; this is the diamond-ring of glory : God is an infinite inexhauftible fountain of joy ; and to have him, is to have all. Now the enjoying of God implies three things. 1. It implies our feeing of God. 2. Our loving of God. 3. God's loving of us. I. The enjoying of God implies our feeing of God, l John iii. 2- Wejhdilfee him as he is : Here we lee him as he is not ; not mutable, mortal ; there as he is. Qu. How fhall we fee God? Anf. 1. We mall fee him intellectually, with the A BELIEVER'S PRIVILEGE AFTER DEATH. 17 the eyes of our mind. This divines call the beatifical vifion ; we fhill have a full knowlege of God, though not know him fully. If there were not fuch an intellectual fight of God, then, how do the fpirits of juft men made perfect fee him & This fight of God will be very glorious; as when a king, on his coronation day, fhews himlelf in all his royalty and magnificence. 2. We (hall corporally behold the glorified body of Jefus Chrift : and if it be a plea fa nt thing to behold the fun, Eccl. xi. 7. then, how blefTed a fight will it be to behold the fun of righteoufnefs ; to fee Chrift clothed In our hu- man nature, fitting in glory above the angels ! Solomon faith, the eye is not fatisfied with feeing, Eccl. i. 8. But fure the eyes of the faints will be fatisfied with feeing that orient brightnefs which mail fliine from the beautiful body of Chrift. It mufl needs be fatisfying, becaufe through ChrifVs flefh fome rays and beams of the Godhead fhall gloriou/ly difplay themfelves. God's excellent nnjefty would overwhelm us ; but through the vail of ChrifVs flefh we (hall behold the divine glory. 3. Our feeing God will be transforming. We fhall fo fee him, as to be in fome meafure affimulated and changed into his image, 1 John in. 2. We Jhall be like him. If, when Alofes was with God on the mount, and had but fome imperfect fight of his glory, Ma/es's face fnine^t, Exod. xxxiv. 33. How fhall the faints glorified fhine, being always in God's pretence, and hav- ing fome beams of his glory put upon rhem ! We Jhall be like him. One that is deformed, may look on beauty, and not be made beautiful : but the fdnts ihall fo fee God, as that fight (hall transform them into his likenefs, Pf. xvii. 15-. When I awake, IJbatl be-fatisfiedxoithtby Iikenefs. Not that the flints fhall partake ofGod's eitence : for as the iron in the fire is made fiery, yet re- mains iron dill ; fo the faints, by beholding God's majefly, fhall be made glorious creatures, but yet creatures [Mil. 4. Our feeing of God in heaven will be un- weariable. Let a man fee the rareft fight that is, he will be Ibon cloyed ; when he comes into a garden, and fees delicious walks, fair arbours, pleafant flowers, within a little while he grows weary : but it is not fo in heaven ; there is no furfeit, ibi nee fames nee fajjidium, Bern. The faints will never be weary of their profpect, viz. of feeing God ; for, God being infinite, there lhall every moment be new and frefh de- lights fpringing from God into the fowls of the glorified. II. The fecond thing implied in our enj n> ing God, is our loving of God. It is a flint's grief, that his heart is like the frozen ocean, that he can melt no more in love to God ; but in heaven the faints mall be like feraphims burning in divine love: love is a pleafant affection ; fear hath torment in it, 1 John 3 v. i3. Love hath joy in it. To love beauty, is de- lightful : God's amazing beauty wall attract the faints love, and it will be their heaven to love him. III. The third thing implied in enjoying God, is Cod's loving us.. Were there glory in God, yet, if there were not love, it would much eclipfe the joys of heaven : but Cod is love, 1 John iv. 16. The faints glorified cannot love fo much as they are loved. What is their love to God's ? What is their ftar to this fun ? God doth love his people on earth, when they are black as well as comely ; they have their im- perfections ; O how intirely will he love them, when they are without fpot, or wrinkle*. Eph. v. 27. 1. This is the felicity of heaven, to be in the fweet embiaces ofGod's love; to be the Hephzilhih, the delight of the king of glory ; to be funning ourfelves in the light of God's countenance. Then the faints fhall know that love of Chrift which pafTeth knowledge, Eph. iii. 19. From this glorious hvanifeftation of God's Jove, will flow infinite joy into the fouls of the bleffed : therefore heaven is called entritig into the joy of our Lord, Matth. xxv. 21. The feeing of God, the loving of God, and being beloved of God, will caute a jubilation of fpirit, and create fuch holy raptures of joy in the faints, as is unfpeakable and full of glory, 1 Pet. i. 8. In Deo quad am dulcedine delcolatur anima, imo rapitur, Aug. Now the faints fpend their years with fighing, they weep over their fins and afflictions ; then their water fhall be turned into wine, then the veifJs of mercy fhall be filled and run over with joy; then they fhall have their palm-branches and hirpg in their hand, Rev. xiv. 2. in token of their tri- umphs and rejoycing. 2. The fecond thing comprehended in glory, is the good fociety there. Fir/?, There are the angels; every ftar adds to thetight ; thofe blef- fed cherubims will welcome us to paradife. If the angels rejoiced fo at the converfion of the Z elect, i78 A BELIEVER'S PRIVILEGE AFTER DEATH. elect, bow will they rejoice at their coronation ! Secondly, There is the company of the Hunts, Heb. xii. 13. The fpirits of jufl men made perfect. Qu. Whether fljall the faints in glory know each other ? Anf Certainly they fhall ; for our knowledge in heaven {hall not be diminifhed but encreafed. "We (hall nqt only know our friends and godly relations, but thofe glorified faints which we never faw before : it mult be fo ; for fociety without acquaintance is not comfortable : and of this opinion were St.Au/lin, Anfelm, Luther. And indeed the fcripture feerns to hint fo much to us ; for, if Peter in the transfiguration knew Mofe's 2nd Ellas, whom be never faw before, Matth. xvii. 4. then furely in heaven the faints fhallknow one another, and be infinitely delight- ed in each ethers company. 3. The third thing comprehended in glory, is perfection in hoiinefs. Hoiinefs is the beauty of God and angels, it makes heaven : What is happinefs but the quintefien.ee of hoiinefs ? Here a Chriftian is imperfect, he cannot write a copy of hoiinefs without blotting, He is faid to receive but prhnitias fplrltus, the firft-fruits of the fpirit, grace in fieri, Rom. viii. 23. But at death believers fhall arrive at perfection of grace: then this fun fhall be in its meridian fplendor ; then they (hall not need to pray for increafe of grace, for they fhall be as the an- gels ; their light fhall be clear as well as their joy full. 4. The fourth thing in glory is dignity and honour^ they ftiall reign as kings: therefore the faints glorified are find to have their infig- nia regalia, their enfigns of royalty, their white robes and their crewn, 2 Tim. iv. 7. Cefar, after his victories, in token of honour, had a chair of ivory fct for him In the fenate, and a throne in the theatre ; the faints, having ob- tained their victories over fin .and fatan, fhall be inthroned with Chrift in the emperean hea- ven. To lit with Chrift, denotes fafety; to fit on the throne, dignity, ^fz;. iii. 21. This honour have all the faints. y 5. The fifth thing in glory, is the harmony and union among the heavenly inhabitants. The devil cannot get his cloven foot into hea- ven ; he cannot conjure up any florins of con- tention there : there fhall be perfect union : there Calvin and Luther are agreed ; there is no jarring firing in the heaven!}' niufi'c ; there is nothing to make any difference, n - .'.• or eUvyiag there. Though one flar may differ from another, one may have a greater degree of glory, yet every veffel fhall be full : there fhall the faints and angels fit as olive-plants round about their father's table in love and unity. Then fhall they join together in confort, then fhall the loud an- thems of praife be fung in the heavenly quire. 6. The fixth thing in glory, is a bleffed reft, Heb. iv. 9. There remains a ref}. Foelix tran- Jitus a labore ad requiem. Here we can have no reft, toffed and turned as a ball, on racket 2 Csr. iv. 8. We are troubled on every fide. How can a fhip reft in a ftorm ? But after death the faints get into their haven. Every thing is quiet in the centre ; God is centrum quiet ativum ani- mae, as the fchoolmen, The centre where the foul doth fuieetly acquiefce. A Chriftian, after his weary marches and battles, lhall put off his bloody armour, and reft himfelf upon the bo- fom of Jefus, that bed of perfume : when death hath givan the faints the wings of a dove, then they lhall fly away to paradife, and be at reft. 7. The feventh thing in glory, is eternity, 2 Cor. iv. 17. An eternal weight of glory. 1//, G!ory is a weight : the Hebrew word for glory {quod fignlficat pondus') is a weight : God mult make us able to bear it. idly, An eternal weight. Glory is fuch a manna as doth not breed worms. If the faints glory in heaven were but for a time, and they wer.e in fear of lofing it, it would eclipfe and imbitter the joys of heaven ; but eternity is written upon their joys. The gar- land made of flowers of paradife fades not, 1 Pet. v. 4. I have read of a river which they call the day-river, in which time it runs with a full torrent, but at night it is dried up ; fuch are all earthly comforts, they run with a full ftream all the day-time of life, but at the night of death they are dried up : but the faints glo- rified fhall drink of the rivers of pleafure for evermore, Pf. xvi. 11. Eternity is the heaven of heavens; in fine gaudium erit fine.fine, Bern. The joys of heaven as overflowing, fo ever- flowing. Qu. 2. When do believers enter upon poffeffion of glory ? Anfi They pafs immediately after death into glory. Some hold, with the Platonlfrs and Lu- cianlfis, that the foul dies : but many of the fober heathens believed the foul's immortality. The Romans, when their great men died, caufed an eagle to be let loofe, and fly about in the air, fignifying hereby that the foul was immor- tal, and did not die with the body. Chrift tells us A BELIEVER'S PRIVILEGE AFTER DEATH. 170 i^s the foul is not capable of killing, Luke xii. 4. therefore not of dying. And as the foul doth not die, fo neither doth it fleep in the body for a time : if the foul be at death abfent from the body, 2 Cor. v. 8. then it cannot fleep in the body. There is an immediate paflage from death to glory ; it is but winking, and we Avail fee God, Luke xxiii. 43. This day Jhalt thou be with me in paradife. By paradife is meant hea- ven ; the third heaven inro which Paul was wrapped (which all hold 'o be the heaven of the blefled) was ciiied paradife, a Cor. xii. 4. Now faith Chrift to the thief On the crofs, This day Jhalt thou be with me in paradife. His body could not be there, for it was laid in the grave ; but it was fpoke of his foul, that it mould be immediately after death in heaven. Let none be fo vain as to talk of urgatory ; a foul pur- ged by Ghrift's blood, .U;eJs no fire of purga- tory, but goes immediately from a death-bed into a glorified ftate. Ufe. 1. See what little caufe believers have to fear death, when it brings fuch glorious be- nefits; to me to die is gain. Why fnould the faints fear their preferment ? Is it not a blefled thing to fee God, to love God, and to ly for ever in the bofom of divine love? Is it not a blefled thing to meet our godly relations in heaven ? Why fhould the faints be afraid of their blef- fings ? Is a virgin afraid to be matched into the crown ? Now is but the contract, at death is the marrrage-fupper of the lamb, Rev. xix. 9. What hurt doth death, but takes us from among fiery ferpents, and places us among angels ? What hurt doth it do, but to clothe us with a robe of immortality ? hath he any wrong done, that hath his fackcloth pulled off, and hath clath of gold put upon him ? fear not dying, who can- not live but by dying. Ufe. 2. You who are real faints, whofe hearts are purified by faith, fpend much time in mu- fing upon thefc glorious benefits which you fhall have by Chrift at death. Thus might you, by a contemplative life, begin the life of angels here, and be in heaven before your time. Eu- dox'tus was fo affected with the glory of the fun, that he thought he was born only to behold it: What fhould we contemplate but celeftial glory, when we fhall fee God face to face ? David was got above the ordinary fort of men, he was in. the altitudes, Pf. exxxix. 18. J am ever with thee. A true faint every day takes a turn in heaven, his thoughts and defires are like cheru- bims flying up to paradife. Can men of the world fo delight in looking upon their baqs of* gold, and fields of corn, and mall not the heirs of heaven take more delight in contemplating their glory in reverfion ? Could we fend forth faith as a fpy, and every day view the glory of the Jerufalem above, how would it rejoyce us, as it doth the heir to think of the inheritance which is to come into his hand fhortly ? Ufe 3. Conflation. This is that which may comfort the faints in two cafes. 1. Under their wants ; they abound only in wants ; the meal is almoff. fpent in the barrel : but be patient till death, and you (hall have a fupply of all your wants ; you fhall have a king- dom, and be a3 rich as heaven can make you. He who hath the promife of an eflate, after the expiring of a few years, though at prefent he hath nothing to help himfelf, yet comforts himfelf with this, that fhortly he fhall have an eflate come into his hands, 1 John ii. 3. // doth not yet appear what we Jlmll be; we fhall be ena- melled with glory, and be as rich as the angels. 2. A true faint, is (as Luther) Haeres crucis ; but this may make us go cheerfully through our fufierings ; there are great things laid up in flore : there is glory coming, which eye hath not feen ; we fhail drink of the fruit of the. vine in the kingdom of heaven. Though now we drink in a wormwood cup, yet here is fiigar to fweeten it : we (hall tarle of thole joys of para* difs which exceed our faith, and may be better felt than they can be expreflcd. Z 2 O F C 180 3 -OF THE RESURRECTION. Jown v. 28. Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves Jliall hear his voice, and fliall come forth, they that have done good unto the refurreclion of life ; and they that have done evil, unto the refurreclion of damnation. Q. XXII. tT7 H AT benefits fhall believers VV receive from Chrift at the re- fur re c~li on ? Anf. 1. Their bodies fhall be raifed up to glory. 2. They fhall be openly acquitted at the day of judgment. 3. They fhall be made perfectly bleffed in the full enjoyment of God for ever. /. The bodies of believers fhall be raifed up to glory.'] The doctrine of the refurreclion is a fundamental article of our faith ; the apoflle puts it among the principles of the doctrine of Chrift, Heb. vi. 2- The body fhall rife again : we are not fo fure to rife out of our beds, as we are to rife out of our graves. The faved body fhall arife again. Some hold that the foul fhall be clothed with a new body ; but then it were improper to call it a refurreclion, it fhould be rather a creation, Job xix. 26. Though worms dcjlroy this body, yet in my flejh fhall I fee God. Not in another flefli, but my flefh, 1 Cor. xv. ^3. This corruptible fhall put on incorruption. Q11. 2. By what arguments may the refurrec- lion be proved ? Anf. Argument 1. By fcripture, John vi. 44. J will rai/e him up at the lafi day. Ifa. xxv. 8. Hi will [wallow up death in viclory. That is, by delivering our bodies from the captivity of the grave, wherein death for a time had power over them, 1 The If iv. 14. Them which fleep in Jcfus, will Cod bring with him. Arg. 2. Chrift is rifen: therefore the bodies of the faints mult rife. Chrift did not rife from the dead as a private perfon, but as the public head ef the church ; and the head being raifed, the reft of the body fhall not always ly in the grave, - Chrift's riling is a pledge of our refurrection, 2 Cor. iv. 14. Knowing that he which raifed up ike Lord Jefus, ffiall raife up us alfo by Jtfus. ehrift is called the firft-fruits of them that fleep, 1 Cor. xv. 20. As the fir ft fruits is a fure evidence that the harveft is coming on ; fo the refurrec- tion of Chrift is a fure evidence of the rifing of our bodies out of the grave. Chrift cannot be perfect as he is Chrift myftical, unlefs his members be railed with him. Arg. 3. In refpect of God's juftice. If God be a juft God, then he vjill reward the bodies of the faints as well as the fouls. It cannot be imagined that the fouls of believers fhould be glorified, and not their bodies: they have fer- ved God with their bodies, their bodies have been members of holinefs ; their eyes have dropped tears for fin, their hands have relieved the poor, their tongues have fet forth God's praife j therefore juftice and equity require that their bodies fhould be crowned as well as their fouls : and how can that be, unlefs they are raifed from the dead ? Arg. 4. If the body did not rife again, then a believer fhould not be compleatly happy ; for tho' the foul can fubfift without the body, yet it hath appetitum unionis, a defire of reunion with the body ; and it is not fully happy till it be clothed with the body : therefore undoubt- edly the body mail rife again. If the foul fhould go to heaven, and not the body, then a believer fhould be only half-faved. Obj. 1. But fome fay, as the Virgin Mary to the angel, How can this be ? fo, how can it be, that the body, which is confumed to afhes, fhould rife again ? Anf. It doth not oppofe reafon, but tranfeend it : there are fome refemblances of the refur- reclion in nature. The corn, which is fown in the ground, dies before it fprings up, 1 Cor. xv. 35. That which thoufoweft is not quickened, ex- cept it die. In winter the fruits of the earth die, in fpring there is a refurrection of them : Noah's olive-tree fpringing after the flood, was a lively emblem of the refurrection. After the paffion of our Lord, many of the faints which flept OF THE RESURRECTION. i8r flept in the grave arofe, Matth. xxvli. 52. God can more eafily raife the body out of the grave, that? we can awake a man out of fleep. Obj. 2. Bur when the duft of many are min- gled together; how is it poflible that a repara- tion fhould be made and the fame numerical body arife ? Anf. If we believe Cod can create, then he can diflinguifh the dull of one body from an- other : do we not fee the chymift can, out of feveral metals mingled together, as gold, filver, alchimy, extract the one from the other, the filver from the gold, the alchimy from the fil- ver, and can reduce every metal to its own kind ? And mall we not much more believe," that when our bodies are mingled and con- founded with other fubftances, the wife God is able to make an extraction, and re-inveft every foul with its own body \ Qu. 3. Shall none but the bodies of the righ- teous be raifid? Anf. Yes, all that are in the graves fhall hear Chrift's voice, and mail come forth, Acls xxiv. 15. There fhallbe a refurredtion of the dead, both of the juft and unjuft, Rev. xx. 12. I faw the dead both fmall and great, ftand before Cod. But tho' all fhall be raifed out of their graves, yet all fhall not be raifed alike. 1. The bodies of the wicked fhall be raifed with ignominy j thofe bodies which on the earth did tempt and allure others with their beauty, fhall be at the refurredtion loathfom to behold; they fhall be ghaflly fpedtacles, as the phrafe is, Jfa. lxvi. 24. They /hall be an abhorring unto all flejlo. But the bodies of the faints fhall be raifed with honour, 1 Cor. xv. 43. // is fown in difhonour, it is raifed in glory. The faints bodies then fhall fhine as fparkling diamonds, Matth. xiii. 43. Then fhall the righ- teous f)ine forth as the fun. 2. The bodies of the faints fhall arife out of their graves with triumph : the bodies of the wicked fhall come out of the grave with trem- bling ; as being to receive their fatal doom ; but the godly, when they awake out of the duft, fhall fing for joy, Jfa. xxvi. 19. Awake and fing, ye that dwell in the dufl. When the arch-angel's trumpet founds, then the faints fhall fing ; the bodies of believers fhall come out of the grave to be made happy, as the chief butler came out of thcprifon, and was reftored to all his dignity at the court ; but the bodies of the wicked fhall come out of the grave, as the chief baker out of prifon, to be executed, Gen. xl. 22. Ufe 1. Believe this doctrine of the refurre- dtion ; and that the fime body that dies fhall rife again, and with the foul be crowned. Without the belief of this, tota corruit religio% " all religion falls to the ground," 1 Cor.xv. 14. If the dead rife not, then Chrift is not rifen, and then our faith is vain. Ufe 2. Comfort. The body fhall rife again ; this was job's comfort, Job xix. 26. Thiugh worms dejtroy this body, yet in my fiefh fhall I fee Cod. The body is fenfible of joy, as well as the foul ; and indeed we fhall not be in all our glory, till our bodies are re-united to our fouls. O confider what joy there will be at the re-uniting the body and the foul at the re- furredtion ; look what fweet embraces of joy were between old Jacob and Jofeph, when they firft faw one another, Gen. xlvi. 29. fuch, and infinitely more, will there be, when the body and foul of a faint fhall meet together at the refurredtion. How will the body and foul greet one another ? what a welcome will the foul give to the body ? O bleffed body I when I prayed, thou didft attend my prayers with hands lifted up, and knees bowed down; thou wert willing to fufrer with me, and now fhalt reign ; thou wert fown in difhonour, but now art raifed in glory. Omy dear body ! I will enter into thee again, and be eternally married to thee. Vfe 3. The refurredtion of the body is a cordial when a Chriftian lies a dying. Thy body, tho' it drop into the fcpulchre, it /hall revive and flour ifh as an herb in the refurre- dtion ; the grave is a bed of duft, where the bodies of the faints fleep ; but they fhall be a- wakened by the trump of the arch-angel. The grave is your long home, but not your laft home : tho' death /trip you of your beauty, yet at the refurredtion you fhall have it reftored again. As David, when he found Saul afleep, took away his fpear and crufe of water, but when he awoke he reftored them again, 1 Sam. xxvi. 16. fo, tho' at death all our ffrength and beauty be taken away, yet at the refurredtion God will reftore all again in a more glorious manner. Qu. 4. But how fhall we know that our bodies fhall be raifed to a gloritus refurreclion ? Anf If we have a part in the firft refurre- dtion, Rev. xx. 6. Bleffed is he that hath a part in the firft refurreclion. Qu. What is meant W: OF THE RESURRECTION. ifitdm by this t Mnf. It i§ a riling by repent- ance out of the grave of fin : he who lies bu- ried in fin, can have little hope of a joyful re- furreaion ; his body fhall be raifed, but not ia gloi y. O then, afk conference, have you a part in the firft r.efurrettton ? hath the fpirit en- tred into you, and lifted you up ? hath it railed you out of your unbelief? hath it railed your hearts above the earth ? this is the firft refur- fe&ion; and if your fouls arc thus fpiritually 'railed, then your bodies (hall be giorioufly raifed ; and fhall fhine as liars in the kingdom of heaven, Regeneration makes way for a glorious refurreclion. Ufe. Seeing you expeft your bodies fhould a* rife' to glory, keep your bodies unfpotted from fin. Shall a drunken body rife to glory ? mall an unclean body rife to glory"? fhall a thievifh body'fteal into 'heaven ? O keep your bodiea pure : keep your eyes from unchaft glances, your hands from bribes, your tongues from flander : defile not your bodies, which you hope ftiall rife one day to glory. Your bodies are the members of Chrifty and hear what the a- poflle faith, I Cor. vi. 15. Shall I take the ■members of Chri;}, and make them the mem- bers of an harlot! God forbid. O keep your bodies unfpotted, let them be inftruments of fighteoufnefs, 1 Cor. vi. 20. Glorify God in your body. If your bodies glorify God, God will glorify your bodies. Qu. 5. But feeing our bodies mujl be laid in the grave, and they may ly many years rotting there before the refurreclion ; what may fup- port and comfort us in this cafe ? Anf 1. That God will not leave his people in the grave. Our friends bring us to the grave and leave us there, but God will not; God will go to the grave with us, and watch over our dead bodies, and take care of our allies . Rifpah watched over the dead bodies of the fons of Saul, and guarded them againft the 'ravenous fowls of the air, 1 Sam. xxi. 10. Thus the Lord vratcheth over the dead bodies of the faints, and looks to it, that none of their dull be miffing. Chriftian, them haft a God to watch over thy body when thou art dead. 2. The bodies of the faints in the grave, though feparated from their fouls, are united to Cnr-ift. The duft of a believer is part of Chrift's myftical body. '3. When the bodies of the faints are in the fepulchre, their fouls are in paradife ; the foul doth not fieep in the body, but returns to God that gave it, Eccl. xii. 7. The foul immedi- ately partakes of thofe joys the blefled angels do : when the body returns to duft, the foul returns to reft ; when the bod}' is fleeping, the foul is triumphing ; when the body is buried, the foul is crowned : as the fpies were lent be- fore to tafte of the fruits of the land, Numb. xiii. fo at death the foul is fent before into heaven, to tafte of the fruit of the holy land. 4. When God's time is come, the graves floall deliver up their dead, Rev. xx. 13. When the judge fends, the goaler muft deliver up his prifoners, as God laid to Jacob, Gen. xlvi. 4. 1 w ill go down with thee intz Egypt, and I will furely bring thee up again. So the Lord wili go down with us into the grave, and wili furely bring us up again. 5. Tho' the bodies of the faints fhall rot and be loathfome in the grave, yet afterwards they (hall be made illuftrious and glorious. Concern- ing this conflder, 1. The bodies of the dints, when they a- rife, fhall be comely and beautiful. The body of a faint in this life may be deformed : thofe whofe minds arc adorned with virtue, yet may have mis-fhapen bodies y as the fineft cloth may have the coarleft lift ; but this deformed body fhall be amiable and beautiful. This beauty confifts in two things ; 1 . Perfection of parts. There fhall be a full proportion of all the members : in this life there is oft a defect of members ; the eye is loft, the arm is cut off; but in the rclurreclion all parts of the body fhall be reftored again : therefore the refurre- cliou is called the time of reftoring of all things-, Acts iii. 10. Malcha'i ear cut, refiituit. 2. Clarity and fplendor : the bodies of the faints fhall have a graceful majefty in them ; they fhall be like Stephen, whofe face fhined as if it had been the face of an angel, Atts vi. 15. Nay, they fhall be made like Chrift's glo- rious body, Phil. iii. 21. 2. The bodies of the faints, when they a- rife, fhall be free from the necefTities of nature, as hunger and thirft, Rev. vii. 16. They fhall hunger no more. Mofes on the mount was fo filled with the glory of God, that he needed not the recruits of nature. Much more in heaven fhall the bodies of the faints, fo filled with God's glory, be upheld without food. 3. The bodies of the faints, when they a- rife, fhall be fwift and nimble. Our bodies on earth OF THE DA! OF JUDGMENT. earth are dull and heavy in their motion ; then they fhall be fwift, and made fit to afcend, as the body of Eliaf, in the air. Now the body is a clog ; in heaven it mail be a wing : we fhall be as the angels, Matt/?, xxii. 30. And how nimble are they ? The angel Gabriel in a fhort time came from heaven to the earth, Dan.' ix. 21. As the helm turns the (hip inflandy whither the fteerfman will ; fo the body in an inflant will move which way the foul will. 4. The bodies of the faints, at the refurre- clrion, fhall be very firm and ftrong, 1 Cor. xv. 42. It is raifed in power. Through frequent labour and ficknefs, the flrongeft body begins to languifh : but at the refurrecfion we fhall be of a ftrong conftitution ; then there will be no wearinefs in the body, nor faintnefs in the fpi- rits. This may comfort you who now conflict **S wiih many bodily weaknefiib. This weak body fhall be raifed in power; the body, which is now a weak reed, fhall be like a rock. 5. The bodies of the faints at the rcfurrerri- on fhall be immortal, Cor. xv, 53. This mor- tal /hall put on immortality ; our bodies fhall run parallel with eternity, Lukexx. 36. Neither can they die any more. Heaven is an healthful Climate, there is no b-ill of mortality there. If a phyfician could give you a receit to keep you from dying, what fums of money would you give \ At the refurreaion Chrift fhall give the, faints fuch a receit, Rev. xxi. 4. There floall be no more death. II. The fecond privilege believers fhall have at the refurredtion, is, They /hall be openly ac- quitted at the day of judgment. OF. THE DAY OF JUDGMENT. Q. XXm.J/f/'HAT benefits do believers re- " ceive from Chrift at the refur- reclion ? Anf. 1. Their bodies fhall be raifed up to glory, and fhall be openly acquitted at the day of judgment, and crowned with the full and perfect enjoyment of God to all eternity. 2. They flail be openly acquitted at the day of judgment.'} This is to be laid down f©r a po- rtion, that there fhall be a day of judgment, I Cor . v. 10. For we mufi all appear be/ore tie judgment-feat of Chrift. This is the grand affizes ; the greater! appearance that ever was : Now Adam fhall fee all his pofterity at once. "We muff all appear ; the greatnefs of men's perfons doth not exempt them from Chrift's tribunal ; kings and captains are brought in trembling before the Lamb's throne, Rev. vi. 35. We mufl all appear, and appear in our own perfons ; not by a proxy. Q11. 1. How doth it appear that there /hall be a day of judgment ? An/. Two ways. t.-By the fuffrage of Scripture, Eccl. xii. 9. 12, 13. For God flail bring every work into judgment, with every /ecret thing. Pfil. xcvi. 3. For he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth. The redu- plication den >tes tl i cert; ' ity, Da?:, vii. 9, / beheld ti 7 1 1 «. and the Ancient of days did fit, whofe garment ivas white as fnow. The judgment was fer, and the books were opened. 2. It appears from the petty feffions kept in a man's own confeience ; when a man doth virtuoufly, confeience doth excuft him, when evil, confeience doth arraign and condemn him. Now, what is this private feffion kept in the court of confeience, but a certain fore-runner of the general day of judgment, when all the world fhall be fumrnoned to God's tribunal ? Qu. Why mufi there be a day of judgment ? Anf. That there may be a day of retribution, when God may render to every one according to his we:k. Things feem to be carried very unequally in the world : the wicked do fo pros- per, as if they were rewarded for being evil ; and the godly do fo fuffer, as if they were pu- nifhed for being good. Therefore,, for the vin- dicating of God's jnfticc, there mufl he wherein there fhall be a righteous Jon of punifhments and rewards to men, accord to their actions. Qu. 3. Who flail be judge? Anf. The Lord Jefus Chrift, John v. :: The Father hath committed all Sen. ft is an article in our creed,' that Chi fhall come to judge the quick and the dead. It is a great honour put upon Chrift ; he who v him 152 OF THE DAY OF JUDGMENT. himfelf judged, fhall now be judge, he who once hung upon the crofs, (hall fit upon the bench. Chrift is fit to be judge, as he partakes both of the manhood and godhead. i. Of the manhood : being clothed with the human nature, he may be vifibly teen of all. It is requifite the judge mould be ieen, Rev. i. 7. Behold, he comtth -with clouds, and every eyefhall fee him. 2. As he partakes of the Godhead : be is of infinite prudence to underftand all caufes brought before him ; and of infinite power to execute offenders. He is described with fcven eyes, Zech. iii. 9. to denote his prudence ; and a rod of iron, Pf ii. 9. to denote his power : he is fo wife, that he cannot be deluded ; and Co ftrong, that he cannot be refilled. Qu. 4. When will the court fit , when will the tiine of judgment be ? Artf, For the quando, or the time of the ge- neral judgment, it is a fecret kept from the an- gels, Mat. xxiv. 36. Of that day and hour knows «? man, no not the angels of heaven. But this is fure, it-cannot be far off: one great fign of the approach of the day of judgment, is, Thai ini- quity fhall abound, Mat. -xxiv. fure then this clay is near at hand, for iniquity did never more abound than in this age : luff grows hot, and love grows cold. X his is certain, when the elect are converted, then Chrifl will come to judg- ment: as he that owes a ferry-boat, flays till all the paiTengers are taken into his boat, and then he rows away : fo Chrift flays till all the elect are gathered in, and then he will haften away to judgment. Qu. 5. What fhall be the modus or manner cf trial? Anfi 1. The citing of men to the court. The dead are cited as well as the living. Men, when they die, avoid the cenfure of our law-courts; but, at the laft-day, the dead are cited to God's tribunal, Rev.zx.. 12. I faw the dead fmall and great ft and before Cod. This citing of men will be by the found of a trumpet, 1 Theft] iv. 16. And this trumpet will found fo loud, that it will raife men out of their graves, Mat. xxiv. 31. Such as wyi not hear the trumpet of the gofpel found in their ears, repent and believe, fhall hear the trumpet of the archangel founding, a rife vind be judged. 1. The approach of the judge to the bench. Firft, This will be terrible to the wicked. Flow can a guilty prifoner endure the fight of the judge? If Felix trembled when Paul preach- ed of judgment, Acts xxiv, 25. how will finners tremble when they fhall fee Chrifl; come to judgment? Chrift is defenbed (fitting in judg- ment) with a fiery ftream iffuing from him, Dan. vii. 10. Now the lamb of God will be turn- ed into- a lion ; the fight of Chrift wiil ftrike terror into finners. As when Joftph faid to 'his brethren, I am fofeph whom ye fold into Egypt, they were troubled at his prefence, Gen. xlv. 6. Now how did their hearts (mite them for their fin ! fo, when Chrift fhall come to judge men, and fay, I am Jefus whom ye finned againf}, I am Jefus iubofe laws ye have broken, whofe blood ye defpifed ; I am now come to judge you : O what horror and amazement will take hold of finners! they will be troubled at the prefence of their judge. Secondly, The approach of Chrift to the bench of judicature will be comfortable to the righteous. (1.) Chrift will come in fplendor and great glory. His firft coming in the flefh was obicure, Ifa. liii. 2. He was like a prince in difguife; but his fecond coming will be illuftri- ous, he ft: all come in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels, Mark viii 38. O what a bright day will that be, when fuch a number of angels, thofe morning-ftars, fhall appear in the air, and Chrift the fun of righteoufnefs fhall fhine in fplendor above the brighteft cherub ? (2.) Chrift will come as a friend. Indeed, if the faints judge were their enemy, they might fear condemning : but he who loves them, and prayed for them, is their judge ; he who is their hufband is their judge, therefore they need not fear but all things fhall go well on their fide. Thirdly, The trial itfelf, which hath a dark and a light fide. (1.) A dark fide. It will fall heavy on the wicked : the judge being fct, the books are opened, Rev. xx. 12. the book of confeience, and the book of God's remem- brance ; and now the finners charge being read, and all their fins laid open, their murder, drunk- ennefs,uncleannefc, Chrift will fay, firmer, what can you plead for yourfelves, that the fentence of death fliould not pals ? The wicked being convicted will be fpeechlefs. Then follows that difmal fentence, Mat. xxv. 41. Jte malediiTi, depart from me, ye curfedinto everlafting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. He that faid to God, depart from me; Job. xxi. 14. and to religion, depart from me ; rnuft now hear that word pronounced from his judge, depart from me; a dreadful fentence, but righteous, PfAu U t the r> a y o v j u n c m. r \' T. Pf.Xx. 4. The firmer himfelf (hall cry, guilty: though the wicked have a fea of wrath, yet not one drop of injuflice. And when once the fehience is part, it is irreverfible, there is no appealing to an higher court. (2.) The trial hath a light fide : it will be for the increafmg the j >y and happincfs of the righteous* T.he day of judgment will be a day of jubilee to them. I. At that day Chrift their judge will own them by name. Thofe whom the world fcorn- cd, and looked upon as precifians and fools, Chriit will take by the hand, and openly ac- knowledge them to be his favourites. What is ChrifVs conft'Jlng 'of men, Luke xii. 8. but his openly acknowledging them to be precious in his eyes ? II. Chriit as judge will plead for them. It is not ufual to be both judge and advocate, to fit on the bench and plead ; but it lhall be Co at the day of judgment. Firjl, Chrift will plead his own blood for the faints. Thefe perfons, I have paid a p^ice for, they are the travail of my foul, they have fin- ned, but my foul was made an offering for their fin. Secondly, Chrifl wdl vindicate them from all unjuft. cenfures. Here the} werie fthuigely mifreprefenvd to the world; a; proud, hypo- critical factious ; Paul was called a fednious man, the head of a faction, del. xxiv. 5. But ar the day of judgment Chrifl will clear the fa intS ini JQcericy , the >v i ! 1 bring forth their ri^httoufnefs as the light. Pf. xxxvii. 6. As he wni wipe off tears from their eyes, fo duft from their name. Mofes, when he was charged with ambition, that he took too much upon him, com- forted himfelf with this, To-morroiu will the Lord floew who are his ; Numb. xvi. 5. So may the faints, when reproached, comfort themfelves wrh the day of judgment; then will Chrift fay who are his ; then fhall the faints come forth as the wings of a dove covered with filver. Thirdly, Chrift as judge will abfolve them before men and angels, as Pilate faid of Chrift, 1 find no fault in this man, John xviii. 38. So will Chrift fay of the elect, I find no fault in them, I pronounce them righteous. Then fol- lows, come ye blefied of my father, inherit the kingdom. Mat. xxv. 34. As if Chrift fhould fay, 0 ye happy ones, the delight of my foul, the fruit of my fufferings, fland no longer at the bar. Ye are heirs apparent of the crown of heaven, enter and take poffeffion. At the hearing of this fen- tence, wirh what ravishing joy will the dints be filled > This word, Come, ye blefied, will be mulic to their ear, and a cordial to their heart. Fourthly, Chrift will mention before men and angels all the good deeds the faints have done, Mat. xxv. 35. I was an hungred, and ye gave 7n: meat ; I was thirfly, and ye gave me drink. You that have wept in lecret tor fin, that have ■fh.ewu any love to Chrilt's name, that have been rich in good works, Chrift will take notice of it at the laft day, and fay, well done, good and faithful fervants. He himfelf will be the herauld to. proclaim your praifes ; thus mall it be done to the man whom Chrift delights to honour. Fifthly , Chriit will call his flints from the bar, to fit upon the bench with him to judge the world, Jude 14. Behold, the Lord comet/t with ten thoufand of his faints, to execute judg- ment upon all, 1 Cor. vi. 2. Know ye not that • the faints fhall judge the world? The faints fhall fit with Chrift in judicature, as juftices of peace with the judge ; they fhall applaud Chrift's- righteous fentence on the wicked, and, as it- were, vote with Chrift. This, as it is a great honour to the faints, fo it muft need add to the forrows of the wicked, to fee thofe whom they once hated and derided, to fit as judges upon them. Sixthly, The faints fhall be fully crowned with the enjoyment of God for ever. They fhall be in his fweet prefence, in whofe prefencs is fulnefs of joy, Pf. xvi. 11. and this fhall be for ever : the banner of God's love fhall be eternally difplayed : the joys of heaven are without intermiflion and expiration, 1 Thef. iv. 1 7. Andjofiwllwe ever be with the Lord. Ufe. As it is fad news to the wicked, they fhall not fland in judgment, Pf. i. 5. They fhall come to judgment, but they fhall not ftand in judgment, viz. they fhall not ftand acquitted, they fhall not ftand with boldnefs, but fneafc and hang down their head, and not be able to look their judge in the face : fo it is great con- folation to the godly. "When the apoftle had faid, 1 he Lord fij all defend from heaven with afloout, with the voice of the arch-angel, and the trump of God; he.prefently adds, It heref ore comfort one another with thefe words, I Theff. iv. 16, 18. 1. The day of judgment is comfort, in refpect of weaknefs of grace. A Chriftian is ready to be troubled, to fee his grace fo minute and imperfect ; but, at the laft day, if Chrift find A a but OF THE DAY nv judgment. 186 but a drachm of true grace, it {hall be accepted. If thine be true gold, though it be many grains too light, Chrilt will put his merits into the fcales, and make it pafs current. 2. it is a comfort to fuch of the faints who have met with unrighteous judgment in the world, who have betn wronged of their eftates in law-fuits, or had their lives taken away by an unrighteous fentence; Chrift will judge over things again, and will give a righteous fentence. If your eftates have been taken away wrong- fully, you (hall be reftored a thoufand-fold at the day of judgment. If you have loft your lives for Chrift, yet you 'fhall not lofe your crown ; you fhall wear a garland made of the flowers of paradife, which fade not away. Branch I. Meditate much upon the day of judgment. Feathers fw'im upon the water, but gold, finks into it : light feathery Chriftians float in vanity, they mind not the day of judgment ; but ferious fpirits fink deep into the thoughts of it. 1 . The meditation of this laft day would make us very fincere. We would then labour to ap- prove our heart to God, the great judge and umpire of the world. It is eafy to carry it fair before men, but there is no diflembling or pre- varicating with God ; he fees what the heart is, and will accordingly pafs his verdicL 2. The meditation of Ghrift's coming to judge us, would keep us from judging our brethren. We are apt to judge others as to their final ftate; which is for men to ftep into Ghrift's place, and take his work out of his hand, James iv. 12. Who art thou that judge ft another? Thou that paffeit a ralh fentence upon another, thou muft come thy felf fhortly to be judged, and then perhaps he may be acquitted, and thou condemned. Branch II. So demean and carry yourfelves, that at the day of judgment you may be fure to be acquitted, and have thofe glorious pri- vileges the faints fhall be crowned with. Qu. How is that ? AnJ. I. If you would ftand acquitted at the day of judgment, then, if}. Labour to get in- to Chrilt, Phil. iii. 9. that I may be found in him. Faith implants us into Ghrift, it ingar- rifons us in him and then there's no condemna- tion, Rom. viii. 1. There's no ftanding before Chrilt, but by being in Chrift. %dly, Labour for humility. It is a kind of annihilation, 2 Cor. xii. 1 1 . Though I be nothing. Ghriftian, halt thou parts and abilities, and doft thou cover them with the vail of humility? as Mofes, when his face mined, put a vail over* it. If thou art humble, thou fhalt be acquitted at the day of judgment, Job. xxii. 29. He flail fave the humble per/on. An humble man judgeth him- felf for his fins, and Ghrift will acquit them who judge themfelves. 2. If you would ftand acquitted at the laft day, then keep a clear confcience. Do not load yourfelves with guilt, and furnifli your judge with matter againft you. The Lord, faith Paul, hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world, Atts xvii. 2t. And how would Paul fit himfelf for that day ? Acts xxiv. 16. Herein I exercife my/elf to have always a con- fcience void of offence, towards God anj towards man. Be careful of the firft and fecond table, be holy and juft. Have hearts without falfe aims, and hands without falfe weights. Keep confcience as clear, as your eye, that no duft of fin fall into it : they that fin agaiuft con- fcience^ will be fhy of their judge : fuch as take in prohibited goods, cannot endure to fee the fearcbers that are appointed to open their packs. Ghriftian, thy pack will be opened at the laft day, I mean, thy confcience ; and Ghrift is the fearcher, to fee what fins, what prohibited goods thou haft taken in ; and then he proceeds to judgment. O ! be fure to keep a good con- fcience j this is the beft way to ftand with boldnefs at the day of judgment. The voice of confcience is the voice of God : if confcience doth upon juft grounds, acquit us, God will ac- quit us, 1 John iii. 21. If our hearts condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God. 3. If you would ftand acquitted at the laft day, then trade your talents for God's glory ; honour him with your fubftance : relieve Ghrift's members : this is the way to be acquitted. He that had five talents traded with them, and made them five talents more ; his lord f aid unto him, well done good and faithful fervant, Mat. xxv. 21. 4. If you would fiand acquitted at the day of judgment, get an entire love to the faints, 1 John iii. 14. We know we are paffed from death to life, &c. Love is the trueft touch-itone of fincerity. To love grace for grace, (hews the fpirit of God to be in man. Doth confcience witnefs for you ? (Are you perfumed with this fweet fpice of love ?) Do you delight moft in thofe in whom the image of God fhines \ Do you reverence OF OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S REVEALED WILL. i8y reverence their graces ? Do you bear with know that we have faffed from death to life, their infirmities ? A blefTed evidence that you becaafe we love the brethren. ^fliall be acquitted at the clay of judgment. We OF OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S REVEALED WILL. Deut. xxvii. 9, to. Take heed and hearken, 0 Jfrael, this Day thou art become the People of the Lord thy God ; thou fhalt therefore obey the Voice of the Lord thy God, and do his Com- mandments. Q.XXIV.TT7 H A T is the duty that God V V requireth of man ? Anf. Obedience to his revealed will. It is not enough to hear God's voice, but we muft- obey. Obedience is a part of that honour we owe to God, Mai. i. 6. If 1 am a Father, where is my honour ? Obedience car- ries in it the life-blood of religion. Obey the voice of the Lord thy God, and do his command- ments. Obedience without knowledge is blind, and knowledge without obedience is lame. Rachel was fair to look upon, but, being bar- ren, faid, Give me children, or I die : ib, if knowledge doth not bring forth the child of obedience, it will die, 1 Sam. xv. 22. To obey is better than facrif.ce. Saul thought it was enough for him to offer facrifice, though he difobeyed God's command : no, to obey is better than facnfice. God difelaims facrifice, if o- bedience be wanting, Jer. vii. 22. I fpake not to your fathers concerning burnt-offerings , but this thing commanded I them, faying, obey my voice. Not but that God did enjoyn thole re- ligious rites of worfhio; but the meaning is, God looked chiefly at 61 edience; without which, facrifice was but devout folly. The end why God hath given us his law, is obedience, Lev. xviii. 4. Ye flmll do my judgments, and keep my ordinances. Why doth a king publilh an edict, but that it may be obferved ? Qu. 1 . What is the rule of obedience ? /Inf. The written word that is proper obe- dience which the word requires ; our obedience muft correspond with the word, as the copy with the original. To feem to be zealous, if it be not according to the word, is not obedi- ence, but will-worfhip. Popifh traditions, which have no footing in the v >rti, are abominable; and God ,wll lay, Qjd ■ qtuvfivit ha?c ? Who hath required this at your hand ? Jfa. i. 12. The apoftle condemns the worfhipping of an- gels, which had a fliow of humility, Col. ii. 18* The Jews might fay they were loth to be lb. bold as to go to God in their own pc-rfons, they would be more humble, and proftratethem- felves before the angels, and defire them to pre- fent their petitions to God : this fhow of hu- mility was hateful to God, becauie there was no word to warrant it. Qu. 2. What are the right ingredients in our obedience to make it acceptable ? Or, how! muft it be qualified ? Anf. 1 . Obedience muft be cum animi pm- lubio, free and chearful, elfe it 4s penance, not facrifice, Jfa. i. 19. If ye be willing and obedi- ent. Tho' we ferve God with weaknefs, let it be with willingnefs. You love to fee your fer- vants go cheerfully about your work., Uhder the law, God would have a freewill-offering, Deut. xvi. to Hypocrites obeyGod grudging- ly, and againft their will ; they do facere bo- num, but not velle. Cain brought his facrifice, but not his heart. 'Tis a true rule, Quicqtnd cor non facit, non-fit ; what the heart doth not do, is not done. Willingnefs is the foul of o- bedience ; God fometimes accepts of willing- nefs without the work, but never of the work without willingnefs. Cheerfulnefs fhews that there is love in the duty ; and love doth to our fervices, as the fun doth to the fruit, mellow and ripen them, and make them come off with n better relifh. 2. Obedience , mull: be devout and fervent, Rom. xii. 11. Fervent in fpirit, &c. Quce ebullit pro? ar/;,re ; it alludes to water that boils o- ver : fo the heart muft boil over with hot af- fections in the fervice of God. The glorious angels, who, for their burning in fervour and devotion, are called Seraphims ; thefe God choofeth to ferve him in heaven. The fnail A a 2 under j83 OF OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S REVEALED WILL. under the law was unclean, becaufe a dull ft nhful creature : obedience without fervency, is like a faciifice without fire. Why fhould rot our obedience be lively and fervent ? God deserves the flower and ftrength of our affecti- ons. Domitian would not have his ftatue carved in wood or iron, but in gold ; lively artlctions make golden fervices. It is fervency makes obedience acceptable ; Elijah was fer- vent in fpirit, and his prayers opened and fhut heaven : and again he prayed, and fire fell on his enemies, 2 Kings i. 10. Elijah's prayer fetched fire from heaven, becaufe, being fer- vent, it carried fire up to heaven : quicquid de- corum ex fide proficifcitur, Aug. 3. Obedience muft be extetifive, it mufl reach to all God's commands, Pf. cxix. 6. Then floall I not be afhamtd, (or, as it is in the Hebrew, lo Ehojh, blufh) -when I have refpett to all thy commandments. Quicquid propter Dtum fit cequaliter fit. There is a ftamp of divine authority upon all God's commands ; and, if I obey one precept becaufe God commands, I mufl obey all : true obedience runs through all the duties of religion, as the blood through all the veins, or the fun through all the figns of the zodiack. A good Chriftian makes gofpel- piety and moral equity kifs each other. Herein fome difcover their hypociify, they will obey God in fome things which are more facile, and m iy raife their repute ; but other things they leave undone, Mark x. 21. One thing is lack- ing, unuin dee/}. Herod would hear John Bap- tifl, but not leave his inceft : fome will pray, but not give alms ; others will give alms, but not pray, Matth. xxiii. 23. Ye pay tithe of mint and anife, and have negietted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy and faith. The badger hath one foot fhorter than the o- ther : fo thefe are (horter in fome duties than in others. God likes not fuch partial fervants, that will do fome part of the work he fets them about, and leave the other undone. 4. Obedience mufl be fin cere, viz. We muft aim at the glory of God in it. Finis fpecificat actionem ; in religion the end is all.. The end of our obedience mufl; not be to flop the mouth of confeience, or to gain applaufe and prefer- ment ; but that we may grow more like God, and bring more glory to God, 1 Cor. x- 31. Do all to the glory of Cod. That which hath fpoiled many glorious actions, and made them lofc their reward, is, when men's aims have "been wrong : the Pharifees gave alms, but blowed a trumpet, that they might have glory of men, Matth. vi. 2. alms fhould fhine, but not blaze. Jehu did well in deftroying the -BW-worfhippers, and God commended him for it ; but, becaufe his alms were not good, (he aimed at fettling himfelf in the kingdom) therefore God looked upon if as no better than murder, Hof. i. 4. / will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the houfe of Jehu. O let us look to our ends in obedience ; it is pofTibie the action may be right, and not the hear' iChron. xxv. 6. Amaziah did thai -which was right in the fight of the Lord, but not with a perfeel heart. Two things are chiefly to be eyed in obedience, the principle, .and the end: a child of God, though he fhoots fhort in his obedi- ence, yet he takes a right aim. 5. Obedience mufl be in and thorow Chrift, Eph. i. 6. He hath accepted us in the beloved. Not our obedience, but Chrift's merits, procure acceptance ; we muft, in every part of worfhip, tender up Chrifr to God in the arms of our faith : unlefs we ferve God thus, in hope and confidence of Chrift's merits, we do rather pro- voke God, than pleafe him. As, when king Uzziah would offer incenfe without a prieft, God was angry with him, and ftruck him with leprofy, 2 Chron. xxvi. \6. fo when we do not come to God in and thorow Chrifr, we offer up incenfe to God without a prieft ; and what can we expect but fever e rebukes ? 6. Obedience muft be conftant, Pf cvi. 3. Bleffed is he who doth righteoufnefs at all times. True obedience is not like an high co- lour in a fit, but it is a right fanguine : it is like the fire on the altar, which was always kept burning, Lev. vi. 13. Hypocrites obedience is but for a feafon ; it is like plaiftering work, which is foon wafhed off: but true obedience is conftant ; tho' we meet with affliction, we muft go on in our obedience, Job xvii. 9. The righ- teous Jhall hold on his way. We have vowed conftancy ; we have vowed to renounce the pomp and vanities of the world, and to fight under Chrift's banner to the death. When a fervant hath entered into covenant with his mafter, and the indentures are fealed, then he cannot go back, he muft ferve out his time : there are indentures drawn in baptifm, and in the Lord's fupper the indentures are renewed and fealed on our part, that we will be faithful and conftant in our obedience ; therefore we muft imitate Chrift, who became obedient to the death, Phil. ii. 8. The crown is fet upon the OF OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S REVEALED WILL. i*f the head of perfeverance, Rev. ii. 16. He that keeps my -words unto the end, to him will I give the morning-jlur. Ufe r. This indicts fuch who live in a con- tradition to this text ; they have caft off the yoke of obedience, Jer. xliv. 16. As for the ■word which thou haft fpoken to us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee. God bids men pray in their family, they live in the total neglect of it : he bids them flnct'fy the fabbath, rhey follow their pleafiires- on that day: God bids them abftain from the appear- ance cf fm'7 they do dot abftain from the aft; they live in the aft of revenge, in the act of uncleannefs. This is an high contempt of God ; 'tis rebellion, and rebellion is as the fin of witchcrafr. Qu. Whence is it that men do not obey Cod ? They know their duty, yet do it not ? Anf i. The not obeying of God is for want of faith, Ifa. liii. i. Qttis credidit ? Who hath believed our report 2 Did men believe fin were fo bitter, that hell followed at the '\eels of it, would they go on in fin ? D'd the} believe there were fuch a reward for the righteous, that godlinefs were gain, would they not purfue it? but they are atheifts, not fully captivated into the belief of thefe things ; hence it is they o- bey not. This is Satan's mafter-piece, his draw-net by which he drags millions to hell, by keeping them in infidelity ; he knows, if he can but keep them from believing the truth, he is lure to keep them from obeying it. 2. The not obeying God is for want of felf- denial. God commands one thing, and men's lufls command another ; and they will rather die than deny their lufls : now, if lufl cannot be denied, God cannot be obeyed. Ufe 2. Obey God's voice. This is the beauty of a Chriftian. Qu. What are the great arguments or incen- tives to obedience ? Anf i . Obedience makes us precious to God ; we (hall be his favourites, Exod. xix. 5. If ye will obey my voice, ye fall be a peculiar trea- fure to me above all people : you fhall be my portion, my jewels, the apple of mine eye, / will give a kingdom for your ranfom, Ifa. xliii. 3. 2. There is nothing loft by obedience. To ob'.y God's -will is the way to have our will. (1.) Would we have a bleffing in our eftates, let us obey, Deut. xxviii. 1.3. If thou fhalt hearken to the voice of the Lord, to do all his commandments, bleffed /halt thou be in the field : bleffed fhall be thy bafket and thy fore. To obey, is the beft way to thrive in our e- flates. &*•) Would we have a bltffing in our fouls, let us obey, Jer. vii. 23. Obey, and I will be your God. My fpirit fhall be your guide, fancVifier, and comforter, Hcb. v. 9. Chrjfl became the author of eternal falvation to all them that obey him. While we pleafe God, we pleafe ourfelves ; while we give him the duty, he gives us the dowry. We are apt to fay, as Amaziah, 2 Chron. xxv. 9. What fhall we do for the hundred talents ? You fee you lofe nothing by obeying; the obedient fon hath the inheiitance fettled on him. Obey, and you fhall have a kingdom, Luke xii. 32. // is your Father's good pleafure to give you a kingdom. 3. What a fin difobedience is; \Jl, It is an irrational fin. (1.) We are not able to ftand it out in defiance againft God, 1 Cor. x. 22. Are we flronger than he ? will the finner go to me.ifure arms with God ? He is the Father Al- mighty, who can command legions : if we have no ftrength to refill: him, it is irrational to dif- obey him. (2.) It is irrational ; as it is againft all law and equity : we have our daily fubfift- ance from God ; in him we live and move : is it not equal, that as we live by him, we fkould live to him ? that as God gives us our allow- ance, fo we fhould give him our allegiance ? 2ly, It is a deftructive fin, 1 Theff. vii. 8. The Lord Jefus fhall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, tak- ing vengeance on them that obey not the gofpel. He who refufeth to obey God's will in com- manding, fhall be fure to obey his will in pu- nifhing. The finner, while he thinks to flip the knot of obedience, twifts the cord of his own •damnation; he periilieth without excufe ; he hath no plea or apology to make for himfelf, Luke xii. 47. The fervant which knew his lord's will, but did it not, fliall be beaten with many Jtripes. God will fay, why did ye not obey ? you knew how to do good, but did it not; therefore your blood is upon your own head. Qu. What means fhall we ufe that we may obey ? Anf. 1. Serious confi deration. Confider, God's commands are not grievous : he com- mands nothing unreafonable, r John v. 3. It is eafier to obey the commands of God than fin : the commands of fin are burthen fome ; let a man be under the power of any luft, how doth i.po OF LOVE. doth he tire himfelf ? what hazards doth he run, even to the endangering his health and foul, that he may fatisfy his lulls ? what" tedious journeys did Antiochus Epiphanes take in perfe- cuting the Jews I Jer. ix. 5. They weary them- felves to commit iniquity ; and are not God's commands more eafy to obey ? Chryfoftom faith, virtue is eafier than vice j temperance is lefs burdenfome than drunkennefs. Some have gone with lefs pains to heaven, than otners have to hell. ConJlderatUn 2. God commands nothing but what is beneficial, Deut. x. 12, 13. G Jfrael, •what doth the Lord require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy Cod, and to keep his ftatutes, -which I command thee this day, for thy good ? To obey God, is not Co much our duty as our privilege : his commands carry meat in the mouth of them. He bids us repent ; and why ? that our fins may be blotted out, Acts iji. 10. He commands us to believe ; and why % that we may be iaved, Acls xvi. 3 < . There is love in every command : as if a king mould bid one of his fubjects dig in a gold-mine, then take the gold to hknfelf. 2. Earnejt fupplication. Implore the help of the fpirit to .carry us on in obedience : God's fpirit makes obedience eafy and delightful. If the load-ftone draw the iron, now it is not hard for the iron to move : if God's fpirit quicken and draw the heart, now it is not hard to obey. When a gale of the fpirit blows, now we go full fail in obedience. Turn' that promife into a "prayer, xxxvi. 27. / will put my fpirit within you, and caufe you to walk in my fiatutes. The promife encourageth us, the fpirit enables us to obedience. O. F LOVE. THE rule of obedience being the moral law, comprehended in the Ten Command- ments, the next quefticn h, Qu. What is the fum of the Ten command- ments ? Anf. The fum of the Ten Commandments is, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our foul, with all our ftrength, and with all our mind, and our neighbour as our- felves. Deut. vi. 5. Thou fhalt love the Lord thy Cod, with all thy heart, and with all thy foul, and with all thy might. The duty called for is love, yea, the ftrength of love, with all thine heart : God will lofe none of our love. Love is the foul of religion, and that which goes to the right conftituting a Chriftian : love is the queen of the graces ; it fhines and fparkles in God's eye, as the precious ftones did on the breaft-plate of Aaron. Qu. 1. What is love ? Anf It is an holy fire kindled in the affecti- ons, whereby a Chriftian is carried out 1 trongly after God as the fupreme Good. Qu. 2. What is the antecedent of love to Cod> Anf. The antecedent of love is knowledge : the Spirit fhines upon the underftanding, and difcovers thefe orient beauties in God, his wif- dom, holinefs, mercy; and thefe are the lew cinium, the load-flone to entice and draw the love to God. lgnoti nulla cupido ; fuch as know not God cannot love him ; if the fun be fet in the underflanding, there muft needs be night in the affections. Qu. 3. Wherein doth the formal nature of love confifi ? Anf. The nature of love is in delighting in the object : Complacentia amantis in amato, Aquin. This is our loving God, our taking delight in him, Pf xxxvii. 4. Delight thyfelf in the Lord; as a bride delights herielf in her jewels. Grace changeth a Chriftian's aims and delights. Qu. 4. How muft cur love to God be qua- lified ? Anf 1. If it be a fincere love, we muft love God with all our heart : in the text, Thou fhalt love the Lord thy Cod {^Heb. Becol leuauca] with all thy heart. God will have the whole heart ; we muft not divide our love between God and fin ; the true mother would not have the child divided, nor will God have the heart divided ; it muft be the whole heart. 2. We muft love God propter fe, for himfelf, for his own intrinlic excellencies : we muft love OF LOVE. 191 love him for his lovelinefs : Meretricius eft amor plus annulum quam fponfum amare ; '' It is an harlot's love, to love the portion more than the perfon." Hypocrites love God be- caufe he gives them corn and wine : we muft love God for himfelf ; for thofe mining per- fections which are in him. Gold is loved for itfeif. 3. We mull love God with all our might ; in the Hebrew texr, our vehemcncy; we muft love God, quoad poffe, as much as we are able. Chriftians fhould belike Seraphims burning in holy love : we can never love God fo much as he defcrves ; the angels in heaven cannot love God fo much as he deferves. 4. Love to God mult be active in its fphere : love is an induftrious affection, it lets the head a-lrudying for God, hands a-working, feet a- running' in the ways of his commandments ; it is called the labour of love, ifhejf. i. 3. Mary Magdalene loved Chrift, and poured her oint- ments on him. We think we can never do e- nough for the perfon whom we love. 5. .Love to God muft be fuperlative. God is the quinteffence of beauty, a whole paradife of delight ; and he mult have a priority in our love. Our , love to God muft be above all things befides, as the oil fwims above the water : we muft love God above eftate, relations. Great is the love to relations : there is a ftory in the French academy, of a daughter, who, when her father was condemned to die by famine, gave him fuck with her own breafts. But our love to God muft be above father and mo- ther, Matth. x. 37. We may give the creature the milk of our love, God muft have the cream; the fpoufe keeps the juice of her pomegranates for Chrift, Cant. viii. 2. 6. Our love to God muft be conftant, like the fire the Veftal virgins kept in Rome, which did not go out : love muft be like the motion of the pulfe, it beats as long as there is life, Cant. viii. 7, Many waters cannot quench love, not -the waters of perfecution, Eph. iii. 17. Root- ed in love. A branch withers, that doth not grow on a root : that love may not die, it muft be well rooted. Qu. 5. What are the vifible figns of our love to God ? Anf. 1. If we love God, then our defire is after him, Ifa. xxvi. 8. The defire of our foul is to thy name. He who loves God, breathes after communion with him, Pf. xlii. 2.* My foul thirfts for the living Cod. Perfons in love de- fire*to be oft conferring together ; he who loves God, defires to be much in his prefence : he loves the ordinances, they are the glafs where the glory of God is refplendent ; in the ordi- nances we meet with him whom our foul loves, we bave-God's»fmiies and whifpers, and fome foretafres of 'heaven. Such as have no defire after ordinances, have no love to God. 2. The fecond vifible fign: he who loves God, cannot take contentment in any thing without him. An hypocrite who pretends to love God, give him but corn and wine, and he can be content without God : but a foul fired with love toGocl, cannot be without him; lov- ers faint away, if they have not a fight of the object loved. A gracious foul can want health, but not want God, who is the health of his countenance, Pf xliii. 5 If God fhould fiy to a foul that entirely loves him, take thy eafe, fwim in pfeafure/folace thyfelf in the delights of the world, but thou fhalt not enjoy my pre- fence ; this would not content the foul. Nay, if God fhould fay, 1 will let thee be taken up to heaven, but I will retire into a withdrawing- room, and thou fhalt not fee my face ; this would not content the foul, it is an hell to want God. The philofopher faith, there can be no gold without the influence of the fun ; there can be no golden joy in the foul, without God's fweet prefence and influence. 3. The third vifible fign : he who loves God, hates that which would feparate between him and God, and that is fin. Sin makes God hide his face ; it is like an incendiary, which parts chief friends ; therefore the keennefs ofa Chri- ftian's hatred is fet againftfin, Pf. cxix. 128. / hate every falfe way. Antipathies can never be reconciled : one cannot love health, but he muft hate poifon; fo we cannot love God, but we muft hate fin, which would deftroy our com- munion with him. 4. The fourth vifible fign is fympathy : friends that love, do grieve for the evils which befal each other. Homer defcribing Agamem~ nons grief, when he was forced to facrifice his daughter, brings in all his friends weeping with him, and accompanying him to the facri- fice in mourning : lovers grieve together; if we have true love in our heart to God, we can- not but grieve for thofe things which grieve him: we (hall lay to heart his difhonours ; the luxury, drunkennefs, contempt of God and re- ligion, Pf. cxix. 136. Rivers of tears run down mine eyes} &c. Some fpeak of the fins of others, and 1(JZ OF LOVE. and make a laughing at them ; Cure they have no love to God, who can laugh at that which grieves Ills fpirit. Doth he love his father, who can laugh to hear him. reproached ? 5. The fifth vifible fign : he who loves God, labours to render him lovely to others; he not only admires God, but fpeaks in his praifcs, that he may allure and draw others to be in love with God. She that is in love will commend her lover: the love-fick fpoufe ex- tols Chrifl, (he makes a panegyrical oration of his worth, that me might peifuade others to be in love with him, Cant. v. 11. His head is as the mofi fine go>d. True love to God cannot be filent, it will be elegant in letting forth God's renown : no better fign of loving God, than by making him appear lovely, and fo drawing profelytes to him. The fixth vifible fign : he who loves God, weeps bitterly for his abfence. Mary comes weeping, They have taken away my Lord, John xx. 2. One cries, my health is gone ; another, my eftate is gone ; but he who is a lover of God, cries out, my God is gone, I cannot enjoy him whom I love. What can all worldly com- forts do, when once God isabfenr? It is like a funeral banquet, where there is much meat, but no chear, Job xxx. 28. / went mourning "without the fun. If Rachel mourned fo for the lofs of her children, what vail or pencil can fhadow out the forrow of that Chriftian who hath loft God's fweet prefence ? fuch a foul pours forth floods of tears, and, while it is la- menting, feems to fay thus to God, Lord, thou art in heaven, hearing the melodious fongs and triumphs of angels ; but I fit here in the valley of tears, weeping becaufe thou art gone. O when wilt thou come to me, and revive me with the light of thy countenance ? Or, Lord, if thou wilt not come to me, let me come to thee, where I fhall have a perpetual frnile of thy face in heaven, and fhall never more com- plain, My beloved hath ivithdraxvn himfelf. 7. The feventh vifible fign : he who loves God, is willing to do and fuffer for him. He fubferibes to God's commands ; he fubmits to his will. Firfr, He fubferibes to God's com- mands : if God bids him mortify fin, love his enemies, be crucified to the world ; he obeys. Tis a vain thing for a man to fay he loves God, and flights his commands. Secondly, He fubmits to God's will: if God will have him fuffer for him, he doth not difpute, but obey, 1 Cor. xiii. 7. Love endureth all things. Love made Chrifl: fuffer for us, and love will make u? fuffer for him. It is true, every Chriflian is not a martyr, but he hath a fpirit of martyrdom in him ; he hath a difpofition of mind to fuffer, if God call him to it, 2 Tim. iv. 6. lam ready to be offered up\ not only rhe fufFerings wete ready for Paul, but he was ready for the fufler- ings. Origen choofed rather to live defpifed in Alexandria, than with Plotinus to deny the faith, and be great in the prince's favour, Rev. xii. 11. Many fay they love God, but will not fuffer the lofs of any thing for him. If Chi ill fhould have fiaid to us, I love you well, you are dear to me, but I cannot fuffer for you, I cannot lay down my life for you ; we fliould have que- ftioned his love very much : and may not the Lord (jueftion ours, when we pretend love to him, but will endure nothing for his fake ? ? Ufe \. What fhall we fay to them who have not a drachm of love in their hearts to God ? they have their life from him, yet do not love him. God fpreads their table f.wery day, yet do not love him : finners dread God as a judge, but do not love him as a father. All the ftrength in the angels cannot make the heart love God ; judgments will not do it ; only om- nipotent grace can make a ftony heart melt in love. How fad is it to be void of love to God ? when the body is cold, and hath no heat in it, it's a fign of death ; he is fpiritually dead, who hath no heat ofloVe in his heart to God. Shall ever fuch live with God, that doth not love him ? will God lay an enemy in his bofom ? Such as will not be drawn with cords of love, fhall be bound in chains of darknefs. Ufe 2. Let us be perfuaded to love "God with all our heart and might : O let us take our love off from other thing;, and jalace it upon God. Love is the heart of religion, the fat of the of- fering: 'Tis the grace which Chriit enqaires moft after, John xxi. 15. Peter, loveft thou mc? Love makes all our fervices acceptable, it is the mufk that perfumes them. It is not fo much duty, as love to duty, God delights in ; there- fore ferving and loving God are put together, Jfa. lvi. 6. 'Tis better to love him, than to ferve him ; obedience without love, is like wine without the fpirit. O then, be perfnaded to love God with all your heart and might. To perfuade to this virgin -a flection of love. 1. 'Tis nothing but your love God de fires. The Lord might have demanded your children to be offered in facrifice ; he might have bid you cut and launce yourfelves, or lain in hell a while OF THE PREFACE TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. J9.' a while ; but he only ch flies your love, he would only h;r- Is this an hard requefr, to 1 i ^ a; ever any debt eafier paid than this ? is it »ur ibr the wife to love her hufband ? delightful. Non poteft amor e/f, 6' dutch non ejffe, Bern. What is there in our love, that God (liquid de- fne it ? a king define the love of a woman that is in debt, and di leafed ? God doth not want our :_ .. There are angels e- nough^n he e ami love him. What is Go^l the better for our love ? It adds not the 1 c to his eflcntial blelTtdnefs. God doth not need our love, yet feeks it. Why doth G us to give him our heart ? Prow xxiii. 2 6. Not: that'he needs our heart, but that he may make it better. z. Great will be our advantage, if we love God/ God doth not court our love, that we fllbuld lofft it, i Cor. ii- 9. Eye hath not feen, nor ear heard the things which God hath pre- pared for them that love him. If you will love God, you ihaii have fuch a reward as exceeds your faith. God will betrothe you to himfelf in the deareft love, Hof. ii. 19. I wilt betrothe thee Uriio me for ever, in loving kindnefs and mercies. Zeph. hi. ij. The Lord thy God will rejoyce over thee with joy, he wi'l r\J} in his love, [f you love God, he will intermit you in n'' ' :~ richer a 1 ligni he will give you hi 01 your dowry, he will fet a crov I Vefpafian the emperor g-.v_ ird to a woman who came ro him, • ved him; God gives a crown a r love him, James 1. 12. 3. Lov race that fh all live with us in heaver.. In^l eaven we (hall need no re- pentance, bee tuf ave no fin ; no faith, be- caufe we fee God face o face : but love to God (hall abide for evei . love never faileth, 1 Cor. xiii. 8. How fheadd we noui iili this grace, v hich (hall outlive all the gi aces, and run parallel with eternity ! 4. Our love to God is a fign of his love io us, 1 John iv. -y. We love him, becaufe he ftrfl loved us. By nature we have no love to C we have hearts of ftone> Ezek. xxxvi. 1. \ how can any love be in hearts of (lone r loving is from his loving us. If the gl; it is becaufe the fun hath (hined on it. could not burn : if our hearts burn in is a fign the fun of righteoufnefs hath fhthed upon us. Qu. How (hall we do, to love God aright ? ~~ Anf. 1. Wait on the preaching of the v.v As faith comes by hearing, lb doth love : the word fets forth God in his incomparable ex- cellencies ; it doth decyp him out in all his glory, and a fight of his beauty inflames love. 2. Beg of God, that he will give you a heart to love him. When king Solomon afked wif- dom of God, the fpeech pleafed the Lord, c Kings iii. 10. So, when thou crieft to God, Lord, give ?ne an heart to love thee, 'tis my grief I can love thee no more ; fure this prayei pleafcth the Lord, and he will pour out" his fpi- ritupon thee, whofe golden oil will make the lamp of thy love burn bright. 3. You who have love to God, keep it (lam- ing upon the altar of your heart. Love, as fire, will be ready to go out, Rev. ii. 4. Thou haft left thy firft love. Through neglect of di.r.\ or too much love of the world, our love to Gcd will cool. O preferve your love to God : as you would be careful to preferve the natural heat in your body, fo be careful to pre- ferve the heat of love to God. Love is like oil to the wheels, it quickens us in God's fer- vice, When you find your love abate and cool, ufe all means for quickning : when the fire is going out, you throw on fewel : when the flame of love is going out, make ufe of the ordinances as facred fewel to keep the fire of your love burning. OF THE PREFACE TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. Exod. xx. 1, 2. And God fpake all thefe Words, faying, I am the LORD thy God, czc. Q.XXV.IJ/HAT is the preface to the Ten Anf. The preface to the Ten Commandments Commandments ? is, I am the Lord tfiy God. 13 b Whe-re 194 OF THE PREFACE TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. Where obflrve, I. The preface to the pre- facejC-W /pake all thefe words , faying. 2. The preface irlelf to the commandments, I am the Lord thy God. I begin with the fir ft, the preface to the pre- face, GW /pake all thefe -words, faying, &c. This is like the founding of a trumpet before a fo- lemn proclamation, [God fpake] other parts of the Bible are ftkl to be tittered by the mouth of the holy prophets, Luke'i. 70. but here God fpake in his own psrfon. Qu. How may we underfiand this, [God fpake] he hath no bodily pay ts or organs ofjpeech ? Anf. God made fome intelligible found, or formed a voice in the air, which was to the Jews as God's very fpcaking to them. In the text, 1 . The lawgiver, God, [God fpake.} 2. The law kfelf, [a!/ thefi words.] 1 . The lawgiver, [God fpake.'] There are two things requifite in a lawgiver. Firfl, wifdom. Laws are founded upon re.ifon; and he mult be ■wife that makes laws. God, in this refpect, is moll fit to be a lawgiver ; he is wife in heart, Job. ix. 4. he hath a monopoly of wifdom, 1 Tim i. 17. The only wife God. Therefore he is the fitteft to enact and conftitute laws. Secondly, The fecond thing requifite in a law-giver is, authority. If a fubject make laws, though ne- ver fo wife, yet they want the ftamp of autho- rity. God hath the fupreme power in his hand ; he derives a being to all ; and he who gives men their lives, hath moft right to give them their laws. 2. The law itfelf [all thefe words ;] that is, all the words of the moral law, which is ufually ftiled the decalogue or ten commandments. It is called the moral law, becaufe it is the rule of life and manners. St. Chryfoflom compares the fcripture to a garden, the moral law is a chief flower in it ; the fcripture is a banquet, the moral law the chief dim in it. (1.) .The moral law is perfect, Pf xix. 7. The law of the'bfpd is perfect. It is an exact model and platform of religion ; it is the ftand- ard of truth, the judge of controverfies, the pate- llar to direct us to heaven, Prov. vi. 23. The commandment is a lamp. Though the moral law be not a Chrift to juftify us, yet it is a rule to inftruct us. (2) The moral law is unalterable ; it remains ftill in force. Though the ceremonial and ju- dicial laws are abrogated, yet the moral law delivered by God's own mouth is to be of per- petual ufe in the church. Therefore the law was written in tables offtone, to fhew the per- petuity of it. (3.) The moral law is very illuftrious and full of glory. God did put glory upon it, in the manner of the promulgation of it. 1. The people, before the moral law was delivered, were to warn their clothes, Exod.> xix. 10. Whereby, as by a type, God required the fan- ctifying of their ears and hearts to receive the law. 2. There were bonds fet, that none might touch the mount, Exod. xix. 12. which was to breed in the people reverence to the law. 3. God wrote the law with his own finger, Exod. xxxi. 18. which was fuch an honour put upon the moral law, as we read 6fno other writing. God did by fome mighty operation make the law legible in letters, as if it had been writ- ten with his ownfinger. 4. God's putting the law in the ark to be kept, was another fignal mark of honour put upon it. The ark was the cabinet in which God put the ten command- ments, as ten jewels. 5. At the delivery of the moral law, there was the attendance of many angels, Deut. xxxii. Here was a parliament of angels called, and God himfelf was the fpeaker. Ufe. 1. Here we may take notice of God's goodnefs, who hath not left us without law : therefore the Lord doth often let it down as a demonftration of his love, in giving his com- mandments, Pf. cxlvii. 20. He hath not dealt fv with any nation, and as for his judgments they have not known them. Neb. ix. 13. Thou gave ft them true laws, good ftatutes and com- mandments. What a ftrange creature would man be, if he had no law to direct him ? There would be no living in the world ; we mould have none born but Ifhmaeh, every man's hand would be againft his neighbour. Man would grow wild, if he had nor affliction to tame him, and the moral law to guide him. The law of God is an hedge to keep us within the bounds of fobriety and piety. Ufe 2. If God fpake all thefe words of the moral law, then it condemns, if}, The Marci- on'ites, and Manichees, who fpeak flightly, yea, bhfphemoufiy of the moral law : they fay, it is below a Chriftian, it is carnal ; which the a- poftle confutes, when he faith, The law is fpi- ritual, but I am carnal, Rom. vii. 14. idly, "•he Antinomians , who will not admit the moral law to be a rule to a believer. We fay not he is under the curfe of the law, but the commands; we fay not the moral law is a Chrift, but it is a ftar to lead one to Chrift j we fay not it doth fave, OF THE PREFACE TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. *95 five, but it doth fanctify. They who call God's law behind their backs, God will cart their prayers behind his back ; they who will not have the Jaw to rule them, mall have the law to judge them. idly, The papifts, who (as if God's law were imperfect, and when he fpnke ah thefe words, he did not /peak enough) add their canons and traditions to the moral law. This is to tax God's wifdom, as if he knew not how to make his own law. And furely it is an high provoking fin, Rev. xxii. 18. If any man Jhall add to thefe words, Cod jhall add unto him the plagues 'written in this book. As it is a great evil to add any thing to a man's fealed will, fo angel confirm the women in the refurreclion of Ch rift, Mat. xxxiii. 7. Lo, (faith he) I have told you ; I fpeak in the word of an angel. Much more mould the moral law be believed, whta it comes to us in the word of a God. Cod /pake all thefe words. Unbelief enervates the virtue of God's word, and makes it prove abor- tive, Heb. iv 2. The word did not profit, >r.t being mixed with faith. Eve gave more credit to the devil when he fpake, than (lie did to God. 5. If God fpake all thefe words, then love the commandments, Pfcxbi. 97. 0 hoiu love / thy law ? It is my meditation all the day. Con- much more to add any thing to that law God Jider how I love thy precepts , Pf. cx'ik. 159. The himfelf fpake, and wrote with his own fingers. Ufe 3. If God fpake all thefe words, viz. of the moral law, then this preiTeth upon us feve- ral duties : 1. If God fpake all thefe words, then we muft hear all thefe words ; the words which God fpeak are too precious to be loft. As we would have God hear all our words when we pray, fo we muft hear all his words when he fpeaks. We muft not be as the deaf adder, which itoppeth her ears : he that ftops his cai s when God cries, fliall cry himfelf, and not be heard. 2. If God fpake all thefe words, then we muft attend to them with reverence. Every word of the moral law is an oracle from heaven •, God himfelf is the preacher ; this calls for reverence. If a judge gives a charge upon the bench, all attend with reverence. In the moral law God himfelfgives a charge, God fpake all thefe words : Therefore, with what veneration (hould wear- tend ? Mofes was to put off his fhoes from his feet, in token of reverence, when God was about to fpeak to hi n, Exod. hi. 5, 6. 3 law, then we m,uft remember them- Sure all God fpe^'-'s.is worth remembering ; thofe words are wti ;' y which concern falva ion, Deut. xxxii. 47. // is not a vain thing for you, becaufe it is your life. Our memory mould belike the cheft in the ark, where the law was kept : God's oracles are ornaments, and {hall we forget them? Jer. ii. 3 2. Can a maid forget her ornament ? 4. If God fpake ail thefe words, then believe them. See the name of God written upon every commandment. The heathens, that they might gain credit to their laws, reported that they were infpi-ed by the gods at Rome. The moral lawfetcheth its pedigree from heaven : ipfe dixit, God fpake all thefe words. Shall we not give credit to the God of heaven ? How would the If God fpake all ihefe words of the moral mon.l law is the copy of God's will, our fpi- rituai directory, it (hews us what fins to avoid, what duties to purfue : the ten commandments are a chain of pearl to adorn us, they are our treafury to enrich us ; they are more precious than lands of fpices, or rocks of diamonds, Pf. cxix. 72. The law of thy moiith is better tome than thoufands of gold and filver. The law of God hath truth and goodnefs in it, Neh. ix. 13. Truth, for God fpake it ; and goodnefs, for there is nothing the commandment enjoins, but is for our good : O then let this command our love. 6. If God fpake all thefe words, then teach your children the law of Gad, Deut. vi. 7. Thefe words which I command thee this day fhall be in thy heart, and thou flialt teach them diligently to thy children. He who is godly, is both a diamond and a loadftone j a diamond, for the fparkii ng of his grace ; and a loadftone, for his attractive virtue in drawing others to the love of God's precepts : vir bynus magis aliis prodefi quam fibi. You that are parents, difcharge your duty : though you cannot impart grace to your children, yet you may impart knowledge. Let your children know the commandments of God, Deut. xi. 19. Ye fhall teach them your children. You are careful to leave your children a portion ; leave the oracles of heaven with them; inftruct them in the law of God : if God fpake ail thefe words, you may well fpeak them over again to your children. 7. If God fpake all thefe words, then the moral law muft be obeyed: if a king fpeaks, his word commands allegiance : much more, when God fpeaks, all his words muft be fub- fcribed to. Some will obey partially, obey fbme commandments, not others ; like a plough, which when it comes to a ftiif piece of earth, makes a baulk : but God that fpake all the words B b 2 .©f 19^ OF THE PREFACE TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. of the moral law, will have all obeyed ; God will not difpenfe with the breach of one law. Indeed princes, for fpecial reafons, difpenfe (bmetimes with penal ftatutes, and will not nke the feverity of the law: but God, who {pake ail thefe words, binds men with zfubppena to yield obedience to every law- This condemns the church oiRome, who infread of obeying the whole moral law, blot 01U one commandment, and difpenfe with others. t. They leave out the fecond commandment out of their catechifes, becaufe it n ike-s againft images; and to fill up the number of. ten, the] divide the tenth commandment into two. =.'hus they run themfelves into that dreadful premu- nire, Rev. xxii. 16. Jf any manjbali take away from the words of ibis book, Godjhatl take away his part out of the book of life. 2. As they blot out one commandment, and eut that knot which they cannot unty ; fo they difpenfe with other commandments : they dif- penfe with the fixth commandment, making murder meritorious, in cafe of propagating the catholic!: caufe : they difpenfe with the feventh commandment, wherein God forbids adultery; the Pope difpenfeth with the fin of uncltannefs, vea inceft, only paying fuch fines and funis of money into his coffer. No wonder the pope takes "men off from their loyalty to kings and princes, when he teacheth them difloyalty to Cod. Some of the papifts fay exprelly in their writings, that the Pope hath power to difpenfe with the laws of God, and can give men a li- cence to break the commandments of the old and new teftament. That fuch a religion ever get foot in England, the Lord in mercy prevent. If God fpake all the commandments, then we muff obey all : he who breaks this hedge of the commandments, a ferpent fhall bite him. Object. But what man alive can obey all God's commandments ?, Anf. To obey the law in a legal fenfe, viz. to do all the law requires, no man alive can ; iin hath cut the lock of original righteoufnefs, where our ifrength lay : but, in a true gofpel- fecie, we may fo obey the moral law, as to find acceptance. "Which gofpcl-obedience con- lifts in a real endeavour to obferve the whole moral law, Pf. cxix. 166. I have done thy com- mandments ; Not, I have done all I fhould do, but I have done all I am able to do j and where- in our obedience comes fhort, we look up to the perfect righteoufnefs and obedience of Ghriff, and hope for pardon through his blood : this is evangelically to obey the moral law ; which, though it be not to (atisfacYton, yet it is to ac-* ceptation. Thus I have done with the firft, the preface to the p: efface, God fpake all thefe words : I mould now come to the fecond, the preface it- felf to the commandments, / am the Lord thy God, Sec. Exod. xx. I am the Lord thy God, Sic. II. HT^ HE preface itfelf, which confifts of three JL parts : 1. I am the Lord thy God : 2. Which have brought thee out of the land of Epypt : 3- Out of the houfe of bondage. Firft, / am the Lord thy God.'] Where we have a defcription of God ;' 1. By his effential greatnefs, 1 am the Lord-, 2. By his relative fs, thy God. \ft, By his effential great- nefs, I am the Lord, or, as it is in the Hebrew, j hovah. This name of God fets forth his ma- r. Sanftius habit umfuit, faith Buxtorf. The name of Jehovah was had in more reverence among the Jews, than any other name of God; itfignifies God's felf-fufficiency, eternity, inde- pendency, immutability, Mai. iii. 6. Ufe 1 . If God be Jehovah, the fountain of bei . • can do what he will; let us fear thi: great Lord, Deut. xxviii. 58. That thou ?nayefr fear this glorious and fearful name, Jehovah. Ufe 2. If ah, the fupreme Lord ; then it condemn^ ihe blafphemous papifts, wlio fpeak ' is ir r, Ow Lord God the Pope. Is it a Wonde; th; pope lifts his triple crown above the heads of) ings and emperors, when he uilup: G' ¥s titk,y m % himfelf thffl he is God? 2 Theff. ii, 4 £he" pope goes td make himfelf Lord of heaven) for he will canonize faints there; Lord of iarth, for with his keys he doth bind and looJTe whom he pleafeth ; Lord of hell, for he can free men out of purga- tory : bu t God wi M p if 1 1 d own tl e (e p 1 u rn e s of pride; he will confume this man of fin with the breath of his mouth, and the bright nefs of his coming, 2 Theff. ii. 8. 2d/y, God is dtferibed by his relative good- ntfs, OF THE PREFACE TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. nefs, thy God : had God only called himfelf Jehovah, it might have terrified us, and made us fly from him ; but when he faith, thy God, this may allure and draw us to him : this, though a preface to the law, is pure gofpel. This word Eloeka, thy God, is lb fweet, that we can never fuck out all the hony in it. I am thy God, not only by cteation, but by election. This word, thy God, though it was fpoken to Ifael, yet it is a charter belongs to all the faints, For the fur- ther explication, here are three; queftions. Qu. \. How God comes to be our God? Anf. I hrough Jefus Ghriflr. Chrift is a middle perfbn in the amity: he is Emanuel, God with us : he brings two different parries together ; he makes our nature lovely to God. and God's nature lovely to us : he, by his deah, caufeth friendfhip, yea, union: he brings us within the verge of the covenant, and fo God becomes X>ur Go J. Qu. 2. What doth this imply God being furGod\ Anf, It is comprehenfive of all good things: God is-our ftrong towej ; our fountain ofliying water : our falvation* More particularly, God being cur God implies the fweeteft relation. i. The relation of ^ father, 2 Cor. vr. i-?. I vjill be a father ttnta you : a fathei is nil of tender care for his child : whom doth he fettle the inheritance upon, but-his child \ God. being our God, wilt be a father to us; a father of qiercy, \ Cor. \ The everfafling Father, Ifa. ix. 7. If God be- our God, we have :>. I tther in heaven that nevei d :r . 2. It imports the relation of a hufband, 7fa. liv. 5. ^hy maker is thy husband. If God be our hufband, he efteems us preci us to hi hi, as the ;>nple of his eye Zech ii. 8. He imjpa rs his (tLv:ir, to us, rV. &x 18 He beftows a kingdom, upon us fc wry, ke xii. 32. . Qu.3. Ho-! m ay taknow-this covenant* union, thai ■ 01 • id ? • . Anf. 1. By having his graces planted in us. King'y c;i: c(1 ; i ar knawnby their coftiy jewels: It is not lv vh: hicfi iuews we belong q God; i> my : ave the gifts of God without " 'jd; /it ,t (grace gives as a true genuine h to G 1. la particular, faith is vinculum unionis, the grace >i ui ion: by iris we may fpell out our imereft in God. Faith doth not, as the mariner, caft its anchor down- wards, but upwards ; ',- ti ufts in the mercy and blood of God, and, trufting in God, engngcth him to be our God : other rraees make us like God, faith makes us one with him. l97 2. We may know God is our God, by hav- ing the earneft of his fpirir in our hearts, 2 Cor. i. 22. God often gives the purfe to the wicked, but the fpirit only to fuch as he intends to make his heirs. (1.) Have we had the confecration of the fpirit ? If we have not had the lealing work of the fpirit. Have wc had the healing work? r Johnh. 20. Ye have an unfflon from the holy One The fpirit, wh< re it is, (tamps the imprefs ©fits < >lii i upon the heart : it embroiders an- I n ' s the foul, and makes ic ail glo- rious ,v (2.) Have we hid the attraction oi the ■ t i. , Draw me, we will run after thee. : ":, !..- fpirit^ iv. its magi -tic virtuevdra\ onr hearts to God ? Can we fay, a* Cant, i ;. '•// ; ■■ om ■ , ' veih ! Is God aw P ra lie >{ ,r light? 3u'i Segitttah, or chief treafdh ' \;< o\:>- hearts fo chained to God, dial no etli tt o) k • l can inchant us, or draw us away fro.,- him? (3.) Have we had the eleva- tion of the faint? Hath it raifed our hearts above die world J Ezek. iii. 14. The fpirit lifted me up. Hath the fpirit made us fupr&tta anhe- lare, feek the things above wheie Chrii't is ? Though our flefh ft on earth, is pur heart in heay.; ; I though we live here, trails we above;? Hath the fpirit thu i lifted us up ? By this we may come to know, that God is our God : wher« God , ;ves his fpirit for an earneft, there he gives himfelf for a portion. 3. VV j may know <5od is our God, if he hath given ;s the hearts of Children. Ha,ve \v$ obediential hearts? Pf xxvii. 3. , ■- , fub- fcribe to Goci's commands, when :.i. con >ur will"? A true faint is- like ti;e lower of the fan, It opens and (huts with the fui .- he op< ns to God, and fhuts to fin. ff \ s 1 . ,-c r! e hearts- of children, then God is oui fotru 4. We may Know God is ours, ana .velfave an intereft in him, by our ftanding ■■■ - i\s intereft. We will appear iu his can) ,:.. dica:e his truth, wherein his glory , tjeh concerned. Athanajius was the bul wark of trSi th ; he ftood up for it, when ttioft of the world • :ne Arrians. In former times he nobles fPo : tia, when the gofpel was read, did lay their on: ds upon their fwords, fighifymg ihr; ., - were ready to defend the faith, and ha. . . -es for the gofpel : no better fig; . of cu 1 :n intereft in God, than by ou • fta ldj .: up fo ids intereft. 3. We may know God i: ours, and we have an intereft in him, by his having an intereft hi us, Cant. ii. 16. My beloved is mine, and I am his. 198 OF THE PREFACE TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. bis. When God faith to the foul, Thou art mine; the foul anfwers, Lord, I am thine: all I have is at thy fervice ; my head (hall be thine, to ftudy for thee ; my tongue (hall be thine, to prai(g, thee. If God be our God by way of donation, we are his by way of dedi- cation : we live to him, and are more his than we are our own. And thus we may come to know that God is our God. Ufa i. Above all things let us get this great charter confirmed, That God is our God : De- itv is not comfortable without propriety. Telle meurH, 6 folic Deum, Aug. O let us labour to get found evidences, that God is our God : we cannot call health, liberty, eftare, ours ; O let us be able to call God ours, and fay as the church, Pfal. lxvii. 6. Cod, even our Cod /hall blefs us. Let every foul here labour to pro- nounce this Shibboleth, My Cod. And that w* may endeavour after this to have God for our God; confider, (i.) The mifery of fuch as have „ not God for their God : in how fad a condition are they, when an hour of diftrefs comes? thia was Saul's cafe, i Sam. xxviii. 13. 1 am fore diftreffed', for the Philiftines make -war againfi me, and the Lord is departed from me. A wicked man, in time of trouble, is like a veifel tofled on the fea without an anchor, it falls on rocks or fands : a finner, not having God to be his God, tho' he makes a fhift while health and eftate lait, yet, when thefe crutches are broken he leaned upon, his heart finks. It is with a wicked man, as it was with the old world, when the flood came; the waters at firft came to the valleys, but then the people would get to the hills and mountains, but when the waters came to the mountains, then there might be fome trees on the high hills, and they would climb up to them : ay, but then the waters did rife up to the tops of the trees : now all hopes of be- in o- faved were gone, their he arts failed them. So&it Is with a man that hath not God to be his God : if one comfort be taken away, he , hath another : if he lofe a child, he hath an e- flare : ay, but when the waters rife higher, death comes and takes away all; now he hath nothing to help himfelf with,, «? to the foul. 1. God is bonum fufficienh a fufficienr'good. He who hath God, hath enough. Ifa man be thirfty, bring him to the ocean, and he is fitif- fled: 200' OF THE PREFACE TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. fied ; in God there is enough to fill the heaven- born foul: He gives grace and glory, Pfalrn Ixxxiv. ii. There is in God not only a fuffi- ciency, but a redundancy ; he is not only full as a veffel, but as a fpririg. Other things can no more fill the foul, than a mariner's breath can fill the fails of a (hip : but in God is a cornucopia, an infinite fulnefs ; he hath enough to fill the angels, therefore enough to fill us. The heart is a triangle, which' only the Trinity can fill. 2. God is b'onum fan£iificans~3 a fancHfying good.' r. He ihnctifies all our comforts, and turns them into bleffings. Health is bleffed, eftate is bleffed ; he gives with the venifon a blefling, Pfalin exxxii. 15. / will abundantly ble/s her provi/ion. He gives us that life we have, tanquam arrhabo, as an earned of more. He gives the Hi tie meal in the barrel, as an earned of the royal feaft in paradife. He fanc- tifies nil our croifes : they fhall not be dedru- ctive punifhments, but medicines; they fliall corrode and eat out the venom of fin, they fhall polifh and refine our grace. The more the diamond is cur, it fparkles the more. God's frretching the firings of his viol, is to make the mufic better. 3. God i: feleclum, a choice good. All things, fub file, are but bona fcabelli, as Auflin, the bleffings of the footfeool ; but to have God himfelf to be ours, is the bleffmg of the throne. Abraham gave gifts to the ions of the concubines, but he fettled the inheritance upon Ifaac, Gen. xxv. 5. Abraham gave all that he had to Ifaac. God may fend away the men of the world with gifts, a little gold and filver ; but, in giving us himfelf, he gives us the very quinteffence, his grace, his love, his kingdom : here is the crowning bleffing. 4. God \%bonum fummnm, the chief good. In the chief good there mull be, Fir/}, delega- bility, it muft have fomething that is delicious andfweet: and where can we fuck thofe pure quinteflential comfort!?, which ravifh us with delight, but in God r In Deo qua dam dulcedi- nt deleflatur anima, imo rapitur ; At God's right hand are pleafures, Pfalm xvi. 11. Se- condly, In the chief good there mud: be tran- fcendency, it muft have a furpafling excellency. Thus G.xl is infinitely better than all other things; it's below the Deity to compare other things with it. Who would go to weigh a featlrer with a mountain of gold ? God is Jons O origOf the fprihg of all entities, and the caufe is more noble than the .-effect. It is God that befpangles the creation, that puts light in- to the fun, 'hat fills the veins of the earth with filver ; other creatures do but maintain life, God gives life. God infinitely ou-fhine all fublunary glory ; he is better than the foul, than angels, than heaven. Thirdly, In the chief good, there muft be not only fulnefs, but variety : where variety is wanting, we are apt to naufeate ; to feed only on hony, would breed lothing ; but in God . is all variety of fulnefs, Col. i. to. He is an un'ven'al good, com fixe nfii rate to all our wants ; be is bonumin quo omnia bona, a fon, a p irtion, an horn of falvation : he is called the God of all comfort t 2 Cor. i. 3. There is a complication, of all beauties and delights in him : health hath not the comfort of beauty, nor beauty of riches, nor riches of wifdorn ; but Gc^d is the God of all comfort. Fourthly, In the chief good there mull: be eternity. God is a treafuie that can neither be drawn low, nor drawn dry. Tho' the Angels are full fp nding on him, he can never be (pent; he abides for ever. Eternity is a flower of his crown. Now, if God be our Gid, here is enough to ler in full cont ntfaent into out f u:s W ha' tho' wewmt torch-light, if We BaAethe fun ? what if Gucl de;^ us the floi . i. ht hath given us the jewel ? how ic >uid thi rock a chrifli an 's- heart quiet ? if we {'. 'rod is our God, arid we are noc content, we have caufe tc. queftion our iuterefi in him. ill I we can clear up this covenant-uni- on, that God is our God, let this cheer and re- vive us in a'i conditions. To be content with God, is not enough, but to be cheerful. What greater co dial can you have, than union with Deity ; when Jefus Chrift was ready to afcend, he could not leave a richer conization with his difciples than this, 'Tell them, I go to my Cod and their God, John xx. 17. Who ihouki re- joyce, if not they, who have an infinite, all- fufheient, eternal God to be their portion, who are as rich as heaven can make them ? what though I want health ? I have Go<.\, who is the health of my countenance, and my God, Pf. xlii. 11. What tho' J am low in the world? if I have not the earth, I have him that made it. The philolbpher comforted himfelf with this, tho' he had no mufic pi vine-trees, yet here are the houfhold-gods with me: fo, tho' we have not the vine or fig-tree, yet we have God with us. I cannot be poor, faith St. Bernard, as lone as God is rich ; for his riches ate mine. O let OF THE PREFACE TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. *oj> O let the faints rejoyce in this covenant-union ! To fay God is ours, is more than to fay heaven is ours ; heaven would not be heaven without God. All the flars cannot make day without the fun : ali the angels thofe morning-flats, cannot make heaven without Chrifl the fun of righteoufhefs. And as to have God for our God, is matter of rejoycing in life ; fo efperi- ally it will be at our death. Let a Chriflian think thus, I am gang to my God. A child is glad when he is going home to 'his father. This was Chrift's comfort, when he was leav- ing the world, John xx. 17. I go to my God. And this is a befiever's death-bed cordial, I am going to my God ,- I {hall change my place, but not my kindred ; I go to my God and my father. IV. If God be our God, then let us break forth into doxology and praife, Pf cxviii. 28. Thou art my Cod, and I -will praife thee. O infinite, afloniihing mercy, that God mould take dufl and afhes into ib near a bond of love as to be our God ! As Micah faid, Judges xviii. 24. What have I more ? fb, what hath God more ? what richer jewel hath he to bellow upon us than himfelf ? what hath he more ? That God mould put off mod of the world with riches and honour, and that he mould pafs over himfelf to us by a deed of gift, to be our God, and by virtue of this fettle a king- dom upon us ; O let us praife him with the beft inflrument, our heart ; and let this, inflrument be fcrewed up to the highefl peg ; let us praife him with our whole heart. See how David rifeth by degrees, Pf xxxii. 11. Be glad in the- Lord, and rejoyce, and /hout for joy . Be glad, there is thankfulnefs ; Rejoyce, there is chear- fulnefs : Shout, there is triumph. Praife is called incenfe, becaufe it is fo fweet a facri- fice. Let the faints be choirifls in God's praifes. The deepefl fprings yield the fweeteft water ; the more deeply fenfible we are of God's co- venant-love to us, the fweeter praifes we mould yield. We mould begin here to eternize God's, name, and do that work on earth which we mall be always doing m heaven, Pf cxlvi. 2. While I live, will 1 praife the Lord. V. Let us carry ourfelves as thofe who have God to be their God ; that is, when we walk Co, that others may fee there is fomething of God in us. Live holily j what have we to do with fin ? is it not this, that if it doth not break, yet will weaken the interefl r Hof xiv. 8. What- have I to do any more -with idols ? So fhould a Chriflian fay, God is my God ; what have I to do any more with fin, with luft, pride, malice r bid me commit fin ! as well bid me drink poi- fon ; fliall I forfeit my interefl in God ? Let me rather die, than willingly offend him, who is the crown of my joy, the God of my fal* vation. Exod. xx. 2. The Land of Egypt, 8cc. TH E fecond part of the preface, Who have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the houfe of bondage. Egypt and the houfe of bondage are the fame ; only they are reprefented to us under a different expref- fion, or notion. I begin wirh the firfl expref- ilon, Who have brought thee out of the land of Egypt. Qu. Why doth the Lord mention this deliver- ance of Ifrael out of the land of Egypt ? Anf. 1 . Becaufe of the flrangenefs of the deliverance. God delivered his people Ifrael by flrange figns and wonders, by fending plague after plague upon Pharaoh, blafling the fruits of the earth, killing all the firfl-born ip Egypt, Exod. xii. 29. And when Ifrael march- ed out of Egypt, God made the waters of the tea to part, and become a wall to his people, while they went on dry ground ; and as he made the fea a cawfey to Ifrael, fo a grave t* Pharaoh and his chariots. Well might the Lord mention his bringing them out of the land of Egypt, becaufe of the flrangenefs of the deliverance ; God wrought miracle upon mira- cle, for their deliverance. 2. God mentions Ifrael's deliverance out of Egypt) becaufe of the greatnefs of the deliver- ance. God delivered Ifrael from the polluti- ons of Egypt ; Egypt was a bad air to live in, it was infe&ed with idolatry : the Egyptians were grofs idolaters, they were guilty of that which the apoflle fpeaks of, Rom. i. 23. They changed the glory of the uncorruptible God inf an image made like to corruptible tnan, and t*/ birds, and four-footed beajis, and creeping things. The Egyptians worfhipped, in Mead of the true God, Eirft, A corruptible man, they deified their king Apis, forbidding all, under C «; p*j| S02 OF THE" PREFACE TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. h) to fay that he was a man. 2/7, They were worshippers of birds, they worship- ped the hawk. 3/)', They were woribippers of beads', they worlhipped the ox. 4/y, They were worshippers of creeping things, they wor- shipped the crocodile, and the Indian moufe* Therefore God mentions this, as a memorable and fignai favour to Ifrael, that he brought them out of inch an idolatrous country ; / brought thee out of the land of Egypt. The thing I. would note is this, 'That it is no fmall thing to be delivered from places of ido- latry. God fpeaks of it no lefs than ten times in the Old Teftament, I brought you out of the ■: 24. What is the popifh religion, but a bundle of ridiculous ceremonies? their wax, (lowers, pixes, agnus Dei, cream and oil, bcTajds, cruci- fixes ; what are thefe but Sataii*s policy^ to drefs up a carnal worfhip, fitted to carnal minds ? Oh what caufe have we to blefs God, for delivering us from popery ! It was a mer- cy to be delivered from the Spaiiifb invaiio'n and the powd.r-treafon ; but a far greater ta be delivered from the popifh religion, which would have made God give us a bill of di- vorce. 2. If it be a great blefling to be delivereVi from Egypt, popifh idolatry ; then it (hews their fin and folly, who, being brought out of E- .gypt, are willing to return into Egypt again ; having put off the yoke of Rome, would fain put it on again. The apoftle faith, Flee from idolatry ; 1 Cot\ x. 44. But thefe rather flee to idolatry : herein we are like the people of If- rael, who, notwithstanding all the idolatry and tyranny of Egypt, yet longed to go back to E- gypt, Numb. xiv. 4. Let us make a captain and return into Egypt. But how fliall they go back into Egypt ? how fliall they have food in the wildernefs ? will God rain down mann* any more upon fuch rebels ? how will they get over the red fea ? will God divide the water again by miracle, for fuch as leave his fervice„ and go into idolatrous Egypt ? yet, 4ay they, Let us make a captain, and go back to the Ro- mijh Egypt again ? and if we do, what fliall we get by it ? I am afraid the leeks and onions of Egypt will make us lick. Do we ever think, if we drink in the cup of fornication, we fliall drink in the cup of falvation ? O that any fhould fo forfeit their reafon, as to enflave themfelves to the fee of Rome ! that they fhould be willing to hold a candle to a mr.fs-priefr, and bow down to a frrange god ! let us noc lay, we will make a captain ; but rather fay as Ephraim, Hof. xiv. 8. What have I to do any more with idols ? 3. If it be a mercy to be brought out of "- gypt, then it is not deilrable or Jhfe to plant one's fclf in an idolatrous place, where ir ; be a capital crime to be feen with a Bible in one's hand. Some for (ecu la r gain thruft them- felves among Idolaters, and think there is no danger to live where Satan's feat is : but do you pray God would not lead you into tempta- tion, and do you lead yourfelves ? you are in great danger of being polluted : it is hard to be as the fith, which keeps Frefh in fait waters. A man cannot dwell among the Black-a-moors, but he will be d i (coloured ; you will fooner be corrupted by idolaters, than they will bte verted by you : Jofeph got no good by ii . in an idolatrous court; he did not reach Pha- raoh to pray, but Pharaoh taught him to fwear, Pf. cvi. 35. They were rm the heathen, and ferved ih,::r idols. I fear this G c 2- .. :lk '204 OF THE PREFACE TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. kath been the undoing of many ; they have feared themfelves amongft idolaters, for the ad- vancing their trade, and at laft have not only traded with them in their commodities, but in *heir religion. Ufe 2. Is it a mercy to be brought out of the land of Egypt, places which are defiled, and where fin reigns ? then it reproaches fuch pa- rents as fhew little love to the fouls of their children, whether it be in putting them out to fervice, or matching them. I. In putting them out to fervice : their care is chiefly for then bo- dies, that they may be provided for, but care not what become? of their fouls : their fouls are in Egypt, in houfcs where there is drinking, fwearing, fabbath-brcaking, and where God's name is every day difhonoured. 2. In match* Ing their children, they look only at money, 2 Cor. vi. 24. Be not ye unequally yoked : if their children be equally yoked for eftate, they care not whether they be unequally yoked for reli- gion : now, to fuch parents, 1. Think how precious the foul of your child is ; it is immor- tal, it is capable of communion with God and ang.ls : and will you let this foul be loft, by placing it in a bad family ? If you had an horfe you loved, you would not put hi*i into a ftable with other horfes that were fick and difeafed ; and do you not love your child better than your horfe ? 2. God hath intruded you with the fouls of your children, you have a charge of fouls. God faith, as 1 Kings xx. 39. Keep this man ; if he be miffing, thy life flail go far his life. So faith God, if the foul of thy child mifcarry by thy negligence, his blood will I re- quire at thy hand. Think of this, all ye pa- rents ; take heed of placing your children in Egypt, in a wicked family ; do not put them in the devil's mouth : find out a fober, religious family, fuch a family as Jojhuas, chap. xxiv. 15. / and my houfe -will ferve the Lord. Such a family as Cranmers, which was palteftra pi- etatisy a nuilery of piety: fuch a family as is a Bethel, of which it may be faid,as Col. iv. 15. The church which is in his houfe. Ufe 3. Let us pray that God would keep our Englijh nation from the defilements of E- gypt, that it may not be again overfpread with fuperftition and idolatry : O fad religion ! not only to have our eftates, our bodies enflaved, but our confcience : pray that the true prote- ftant religion may ftill flourifh among us, that the fun of the Gofpel may ftill fhine in our ho- rizon. The gofpel lifts a people up to heaven, it is columna & corona regni, the crown and glory of the kingdom : if this be removed, then Jchabod, the glory is departed. The top of the beech-tree being cut off, the whole body of the tree withers apace : the gofpel is the top of all our bleflings ; if this be cut, the whole body politick will loon wither. O pray that the Lord will continue the vifible tokens of his prefence among us, his ordinances, that England may be called, Jehova Shammah, The: Lord is there, Ezek. xlviii. 35. Pray thatrigh- teoufnefs and peace may kifs each other, that fo glory may dwell in our land. Exod. XX. 2. Out of the Houfe of Bondage. EGYPT and the houfe of bondage are the 1 fame, only they are expreffed under a different notion. By Egypt is meant a place of idolatry and fuperftition; by the houfe of bon- dage is meant a place of afHi&ion. Jfrael, while they were in Egypt, were under great tyranny .; they had cruel tafk-mafters fet over them, who put them to hard labour, and fet them to make brick, yet allowed them no ftraw ; therefore Egypt is called the iron furnace, Deut. iv. 20. and heie the houfe of bondage. From this ex- preffion, I brought thee out of the houfe of bon- dage, two things are to be noted; 1. God's children may fometimes be under fore afflictions, In the houfe of bondage. 2. That God will in his due time bring them out of their afEifkd ftate, I brought thee out of the houfe of bon- dage. 1. God's children may fometimes be under fore afflicTions, In domo fervitutis, in the houfe of bondage : God's people have no writ of eafe granted them, no charter of exemption from trouble in this life; while the wicked are kept in ftigar, the godly are oft kept in brine. And indeed, how could God's power be feen in bringing them out of trouble if he did nor fometimes biing them into it ? or how fhould God wipe away the tears from their eyes in heaven, if on earth they flied none? doubtlefs God fees there Is need that his children fhould be fometimes in the houfe of bondage, 1 Pet. i. 6. If need be, ye are in heavinefs : the body fometimes OF THE PREFACE TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. '2«5 fometimes doth more need a bitter potion than a julip. , Qu. I. Why God lets his people be in the houfe cf bondage, in an afflicted ftate ? AnJ. He doth it, i. For probation or trial, Dent, viii. \6. Who led thee through that ter- rible wildernefs, that he might humble thee and prove thee. Affliction is the touch-ftone of fincerity, Pf. xlvi. 10, n. Thou, 0 God, haft proved us ; thou hajl tried us as Jilver : thou laidjt affliction upon our loins. Hypocrites may embrace the true religion in pro (peri ty, and court this queen while fhe hath a jewel hung at her ear : but he is the good ChrilVian who will keep clofe to God in a time of fuffering, Pf. xliv. 17. All this is come upon us, yet have ive not forgotten thee : to love God in heaven, is no wonder ; but to love God when he chaflifeth us, this difcovers fincerity. 2. For purgation : to purge our corruption. Ardet palea, purgatur aurum, Ifa. xxvii. 9. And this is all the fruit, to take away his fin. The eye, though it be a tender part, yet when, it is fore, we put (harp powders and waters in- to it, to eat out the pearl : though the people of God are dear to him, yet, when corruption begins to grow in them, he will apply the fharp powder of affliction, to eat out the pearl in the eye. Affliction is God's flayel to threfh off our hulks j it is a means God uleth to purge our floth, luxury, pride and love of the world. God's furnace is in Zicn, Ifa. xxxi. 9. This is not to confume, but to refine : what if we have more affliction, if by this means we have lefs fin. 3. For augmentation : to increafe the graces of the fpirit : grace thrives moit in the iron fur- nace ; fharp frofts nourilh the corn, fo do fharp afflictions grace : grace in the faints is often as fire hid in the embers, affliction is the bellows to blow it up into a flame. The Lord makes the houfe of bondage a friend to our grace : now faith and patience act their part ; the darknefs of the night cannot hinder the bright- nefs of a ftar : 10, the more the diamond is cut, the more it fparkles ; and the more God afflicts us, the more our graces caft a fparkling luftre. 4. For preparation : to fit and prepare the faints for glory, 2 Cor. iv. 17. Thofe frones which are cut out for a building, are firfr. hewn and fquared : the godly are called living (tones, 1 Pet. ii. 5. And God doth firft hew and polifti them by affliction, that they may be fit for the heavenly building : the houfe of bondage pre- pares for the houfe not made with hands, a Cor. v. 1. The vefTels of mercy are feafbned with affliction, and then the wine of glory is poured in. Qu. 2. Now the afflictions of the godly differ from the afflictions of the wicked ? Anf. 1. Thefe are but caftigations, thofe on the wicked are punifhments ; thefe come from a father, thofe from a judge. 2. Afflictions on the godly are fruits of co- venant-mercy, 2 Sam. vii. 14. Hut afflictions on the wicked are effects of God's wrath, Eccl. v. 17. He hath much wrath with his ficknefs. Afflictions on the wicked are the pledge and earneft of hell : they are like the pinioning of a malefactor, which doth prefage his execu- tion. 3. Afflictions on the godly make them bet- ter, but afflictions on the wicked make them worfe : the godly pray more, Pf. exxx. 1. The wicked blafpheme more, Rev. xvi. 9. Men were fcorched with great heat, and blaf- phemed the name of God. Afflictions on the wicked make them more impenitent : every plague upon Egypt increafed the plague of hardnefs in Pharaoh's heart. To what a pro- digy of wickednefs do fome perfons come after great ficknefs ? affliction on the godly is like bruifing of fpices, which are more fweet and fragrant : affliction on the wicked is like damp- ing of weeds with a peflil, which makes them more unfavory. Ufe 1 . It fhews us, that we are not to won- der to fee Ifrael in the houfe of bondage, 1 Pet. iv. 12. Theholinefs of the faints will not excufe them from fufferings : Chrift was the holy one of God, yet he was in the iron furnace : Chrift's fpoufe is a lily among thorns, Cant. ii. 2. His fheep, though they have the ear-mark of election upon them, yet may have their wool fleeced off; the godly have Come good in them, therefore the devil airlifts them ; and fome evil in them, therefore God afflicts them. While there are two feeds in the world, expect to be under the black rod. The aoipjl tells us of reigning, but firft of fuffering, . fun. ii. 12. 2. It informs us, that affli ftion is not always the fign of God's anger : Ifrael, :he /,, when you were in the iron furnace. %. Spiritual and myflically, / brought thee out of the houfe of bondage. So it is a type of our deliverance byChrifr. from fin and hell. Firft, Literally, in the letter, 1 brought thee out of the houfe of bondage, viz. out of great mifery and flavery in the iron furnace. The thing I note hence is, tho' God bring his people fometimes into trouble, yet he will bring them out again, Ifrael was in the houfe of bondage, but at laft I brought you out of bondage. 1. That God doth deliver out of trouble. 2. In what manner. 3. When are the feafons. 4. "Why God delivers. 5. How the deliverances of the godly and wicked out of trouble dif- fer ? if}. That God doth deliver his children out of troubles,'/^/, xxii. 4. Our fathers trujicd in thee, they trujled, and thou didft deliver them, 2. Tim. iv. 17. And I was delivered out *f the mouth -of the lion, viz. from Nero. Pfal. lxvi. 11, 12. Thou laidft affliction upon our loins, but thou broughtefl us into a wealthy phce. Pfal. xxx. 5. Heavinefs may endure for a night, but joy comeih in the morning. God brought Daniel out of the lion's Den, Zion out of Babylon. God in his due time-gives an iffue out of trouble, Pfal. Ixviii. 20. The tree which in the winter feems dead, in the fpring re- vives : f'Pofr nubila Phcebus. Affliction may" leap on us as the viper did on Paul, but at laft this viper mall be fhaked off. 'Tis called a cup of affliction, If a. li. 17. The wicked' drink a fea of wrath, the godly drink only a cup of affli- ction, and God will fay fhortly, Let this cup pafs avjay. God will give his people a goal- delivery. idly, Qu. In what manner doth God deliver his people out of trouble ? Anf. He doth it like a God, in wifdora. 1. He doth it fometimes fuddenly. As the angel was caufed to fly fwiftly, Dan. ix. 21. fo Cod fometimes makes a deliverance fly fwiftly up- on the wing, and on a fudden he turns the fha- dow of death into the light of the morning. As God gives us mercies above what we can think, Eph. iij. 20. fo fometimes before we can think of them/ Pf. ckxvi. j. When the. Lord turned the ao8 OF THE PREFACE TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. the captivity of Zion, we -were like them that dreamed; we were in a dream, wc never thought of it. Jofeph could not have thought Of fuch a fudden alteration, to be the fame day freed out of prifon, and made the chief ruler in the kingdom. Mercy fometimes docs not flick, long in the birth, but it is brought forth on a fudden. 2. God fometimes delivers his people ftrangely. That the whale which fwallowed up Jonah fliould be a means to bring him Me to land, God fometimes delivers his people in that very way they think he will deftroy : in bringing Ifrael out of Egypt, God ftirred up the heart of the Egyptians to hate them, Pf cv. 22. and that was the means of their deliverance. He brought Paul to more by a contrary wind, and upon the broken pieces of the (hip, Ac*ls xxvii. 44. idly, Qu. When are the times andfeafons that Cod ufually delivers his people out of the bond- age of affliction ? Anf 1. When they are in the greatefl ex- tremity. When Jonah was in the belly of hell, then, chap. ii. 5. Thou haft brought up my life from corruption. When there is but an hair's-breadth between the godly and death, then God udiers in deliverance. When the fhip in the gofpel was almoft covered with waves, then Chrift awoke and rebuked the wind. When Ifaac was upon the altar, and the knife going to be put to his throat, then comes the angel, Lay not thy hand upon the child. When Peter began to fink, then Chrift took him by the hand. Cum duplicantur Uteres, venit Mo- fes : when the tale of brick was doubled, then comes Mo fes the temporal faviour, When the people of God are in the greateft danger, then appears the morning-ftar of deliverance. When the patient is ready to faint, now the cordial is given. 2. The fecond feafon is, when affliction hath done its work upon them: when it hath ef- fected that which God hath fent it for. As, (1.) When it hath humbled them, Lam. iii. »o. Remembring my affliction, the ivcnmvocd and gall, my foul is humbled in me. When Gods corrofive, hath ate out the proud flefh. (2.) When it hath tamed their impatience. Before they were proud and impatient, like froward children that would ftruggle with their parents : but when their curft hearts are tamed, and they fay as Micah vii. 9. / vrill bear the indignation of the Lord, becaufe I have finned tgainjl him ; and as Eli, It is the Lord : let him do "what feems good ; Let him hedge me with thorns, if he will plant me with grace. 3. When they are more partakers of God's holinefs, Heb. xii. 10. they are more full of heavenly-mindednefs. When the (harp froft of affliction hath brought forth the fpring-flow- ers of grace, now the crofs is fanctifk-d, and God will bring them out of the houfe of bond- age. Lucius in leetitiam vertetur, cineres in corollas. When the metal is refined, then it is taken out of the furnace ; when affliction hath healed us, now God takes off the fmarting plaifler. Athly, Qu. Why doth Cod bring his people out of the houfe of bondage ? Anf. Hereby he makes way for his own glo- ry. God's glory is dearer to him than any thing befidesr; it is a crown-jewel. God by raifing his people, raifeth the trophies of his own honour : he glorifies his attributes ; his power, goodncfs, truth, do all ride in triumph. 1. His power. If God did not fometimes bring his people into trouble, how would his power be feen in bringing them out ? he brought lfrael out of the houfe of bondage, with miracle upon miracle ; he faved them with an outftretched arm, Pf cxiv. 5. What ailed thee, 0 thou fea, that tbeufledef} > &c. It is fpoken of Ifrael'% march out of Egypt ; When the fea fled, and tht -waters were parted each from other. Here was the power of God fet forth, Jer. xxxii. 27. Is any thing too hard for me ? God loves to help, when things feem pafl hope ; he creates deliverance, Pf. cxxiv. 8. He brought Jfaac out of a dead womb, and the MefTiah out of a virgin's womb. O how doth his power fhine forth, when he overcomes feeming impoffibilitics, and works a cure when things look defperate ! 2. His truth. God hath made promifes to his people when they are under great preffures, to deliver them; and his truth is engaged in his promife, Pf 1. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble, 1 will deliver thee. Job v. 19. He Jhall deliver thee in fix troubles, and in /even. How is the fcripture befpangled with thefe promifes, as the firmament is with flars ? ei- ther God will deliver them from death, or by death ; he will make a way to efcape, ^ 1 Cor. x. 13. When promife6 are verified, God's truth is magnified. 3. His goodnefs. God is full of companion to fuch as are in mifery. The Hebrew word, Racham, for mercy, fignifies bowels. God hath OF THE PREFACE TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. V hath Sounding of bowels, Ifli. lxiii. 15. And this fympathy ftirs up God ro deliver, Ifa. lxiii. 9. In his love and in his pity he redeemed them. This makes way for the triumph of God's goodnefs. Firft, he is tender-hearted, he will not over-afflift ; he cuts afunder the bars of i- ron, he breaks the yokes of the opprefTor. Thus all his attributes ride in triumph, in the faving his people out of trouble. Sthly, Qu. How the deliverances of the god- ly and wicked out rf trouble differ ? Anf. 1. The deliverance or the godly are preservations ; of the wicked are refervarions, 2 Pet. ii. 9. The Lord knows how to deliver the godly, and to referve the unj'uft to be punifhed. A firmer may be delivered from dangerous fick- nefs, and out of prifon ; but all this is but a refcrvation to fome greater evil. 2. God delivers the wicked (or rather /pares them) in anger. Deliverances to the wicked are not given as pledges of God's love, but fymptoms of difpleafure ; as quails were given to Ifrael in anger. But deliverances of the godly are in love, 2 Sam. xxii. 20. He deliver- ed me becaufe he delighted in me. Ifa. xxxviii. 17. Thou haft, in love to my foul, delivered me from the pit of corruption ; or, as in the Hebrew, Chomhcla Naph/lii, Thou haft deli- vered me from the pit of corruption. A wicked man may fay, Lord, thou haft delivered me out of the pit of corruption ; but a godly man may fay, Lord, thou haft loved me out of the pit of corruption. If is one thing to have God's power deliver us, and another thing to have his love deliver us. Q, faith Hezekiah, Thou haft, in love to my foul, delivered me from the pit of corruption. Qu. How may it be known that a deliverance comes in love ? Anf. 1. When a deliverance makes our heart boil over in love to God, Pf. cxvi. 1. / love the Lord, becaufe he hath heard my voice. It is one thing to love our mercies, another thing to love the Lord : then a deliverance is in love, when it caufeth love. 2. Then a deliverance is in love, when we have hearts to improve it for God's glory. The wicked inftead of improving their deliverance for God's glory, improve their corruption ; they growworfe after, as the metal when it is taken out of the fire grows harder ; but then our de- liverance is in love, when we improve it for God's glory. God raifeth us out of a low con- dition, and we lift him up in our Ptaifes, and honour him with our fubflance, Prov. Hi. o. He recovers us from ficknefs, and we fpend ourfelves in his fervice. Mercy is not as the fun to the fire, to dull it, and put ir out ; but as oil to the wheel, to make it move iailcr. 3. Then a deliverance comes in love, when it makes us more exemplary in holinefs : out- lives are walking Bibles. A thoufand praifes and doxologies do not honour God lb much as the mortifying one luft, Obadiah 17. On mount Zion there fhall be deliverance and holinefs. When thefe two go together, deliverance and holinefs; when, being made monuments of mercy, we are patterns of piety ; now a deli- verance comes in love, and we may fay as He- zekiah, Thou haft loved me out of the pit of corruption. Ufe 1. If God brings his people out of bond- age,! then let none defpond in trouble, fay not, I fhall fink under this burden ; as David, I fhall one day perijh by the hand o/~Saul. God can make this text good perfonally and nationally, to bring his people out of rhe houfJe of bondage : when he fees a fit feafbn, he will put forth his arm and fave them ; and he can do it with eafe, 2 Chron. xiv. u. // is nothing for thee, Lord, to kelp. He that tin us the tides, can turn the times : he that railed Laza- rus when he was dead, can raife thee when thou art fick, Ifa. lxiii. 5. I looked, and there was none to help ; therefore my czvn arm broiig hrt falvation. Do not defpond; believe in God's power : faith fets God on work to deliver us. Life 2. Labour (if you are in any trouble) to be fitted for deliverance : many would have deli- verance, but are not fitted for it. Qu. When are we fitted for deliverance ? Anf. When we are by our afflictions conform- ed to Chrift : namely, when we have learned obedience, Heb. v. 8. He learned obedience by the things which he fuffered ; that is, he learn- ed fweet fubmiffion to his Father's will, Luke xxii. 42. Not my will, but thy will be done. When we have thus learned obedience by our fufferings, we are willing to do what God would have us do, and be what God would have us be. Now we are conformed to Chrift, and ate fitted for deliverance. 3. If God hath brought you at anytime out of the houfe of bondage, out of great and emi- nent troubles, be much in doxology and praife. Deliverance calls for praife, Pf. xxx. 11, 1 2. Thou haft put off my fackcloth ; and girded ?ne 'with gladnefs : to the end that my glory may D d ' flag 210 OF THE PREFACE TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. fihg praife to thee. My glory, that is, my tongue, which is the inftrurnent of glorifying thee. The faints are temples of the holy Ghoft, i Cor. iii. 16. Where fhould God's praifes be founded but in his temples? Beneficium poftw /at ojficium : the deepeft fprings yield the iv.eeteft water ; and hearts deeply fenfible of God's deliverances yield the Tweeted praifes. Mqfes tells Pharaohj when he was going out of Egypt 7 We vjill go with our fheep and our cattle, Exod. x. 9. Why ib, becaufe he might have facrifices of thanksgiving ready to offer to God for their deliverance. To have a thankful heart for deliverance is a greater blefling than the de- liverance'itfelf, Lukexv'u. 15. One of the lepers, when he faw he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God. The leper's thankful heart was a greater blefling than to be healed of his leprofy : have any of you here been brought out of the houfe of bondage ; out of prifon, ficknefs, or any death- threarning danger ? do not forget to be thankful: be not graves, but temples. And, that you may be the more thankful, obferve every emphafis and circumftance in your deliverance ; as to be brought out of trouble when you were in ar- ticulo mortis, there was but an hair's breadth between you and death ; or, to be brought out of affliction, without fin, you did notpurchafe your deliverance by the enfnaring of your confei- ences ; or, to be brought out of trouble upon the wings of prayer ; or, that thofe who were the oc- cafions of bringing you into trouble, mould be the inftruments of bringing you out : thefe circum- stances, being well weighed, do heighten a deli- verance, and fhould heighten our thankfulnefs. -The cutting of a ftone may be of more vafje than the ftone itfelf; and the circumfhnc'mg of a deli- verance may be greater than the deliverance itfelf. Qu. But how fliall we praife God in a right manner for deliverance ? Anf. i. Be holy perfons. In the facrifice of thankfgiving, whofocver did eat thereof, with their uncleannefs upon them, were to be cut off, Lev. vii. 20. to typify how unpleafing their praifes and thank-offerings are who live in fin. 2. Praife God with humble hearts, acknow- ledge how unworthy you were of deliverance : God's mercies are not debts, but legacies; and that you fhould have a legacy given you, be humble, Rev. xi. ! 6. The Elders fell upon their faces (an expreflion of humility) and worflnp- ped and praife d God. 3. Praife God for deliverances cordially, Pf. cxi. 1. I will praife the Lord with my whole heart. In religion there is no mufic but in confort, when heart and tongue join. 4. Praife God for deliverances conftanthy, Pf. cxlvi. 2. While I live will I blefs the Lord'. fome will be thankful while the memory of a deliverance is frefh, and then they "leave off. Like the Carthaginians, who ufed at fir ft to fend the tenth of their yearly revenue to Hercules ; but by degrees they grew weary, and left off fending. But we rauft be conftant in our eu- chariftical facrifice or thank-offering : the mo- tion of our praife rauft be like the motion of our pulfe, which beats as long as life lafts, Pf. cxlvi. 1. / will fing praifes to my God while I have a being. Exod. xx. 2. Out of the Houfe of Bondage. Secondly, r | ^ HESE words are to be under- JL flood myftically and fpiritually. By IfraePs deliverance from the houfe of bon- dage, is typified their fpiritual deliverance from fin, Satan and hell. L From fin.'] The houfe of bondage was a type e/Tfrael'j deliverance from fin. Sin is the true bondage, it inflaves the foul. Nihil durius fervitute, Cicero. Of all conditions, fervitude is the worfi. J was held before converfion (faith Jufiin) not with an iron chain, but with the ibftinacy of mine own will. Sin is the in- flaver : fin is called a law, Rom. vii. 23. becaufe it hath fuch a binding power over a man j and k is fwid to reign, Rom. vi. 12. becaufe it ex- ercifeth a tyrannical power : and men are faid to be the fervants of fin, Rcm.v'i. 1^. becaufe they are Co inllaved by it. Thus fin is the houfe of bondage. Ifrael was not fo inflaved in the iron furnace, as the finner is by fin : thofe are worfe flaves and vaffals who are under the pow- er of fin, than thofe are who are under the power of earthly tyrants. 1. Other flaves have the tyrants only ruling over their bodies ; but the finner hath his foul tyrannized over ; the foul, that princely thing, which fways the fceptre of reafon, and was once crowned with perfect knowledge and holinefs, now this prince goes on foot ; it is inflaved, and made a lackey to every bafe luft. 2. Other OF THE PREFACE TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 211 2. Other flaves have Tome pity fhewnthem; the tyrant gives them meat, and lets them have hours for their reft ; but fin is a mercilefs ty- rant, it will let men have no reft. Judas had no reft until he had betrayed Chrift ; and after that, he had lefs reft in his tonfeience. How doth a man hackney him felf out in the fervice of fin, wafte his body, break his fleep, di (tract fcis mind ? a wicked man is every day doing fin's drudgery- work. 3. Other flaves, tho' they are Cet about fer- vile work, yet about lawful : it is lawful to work in the galley, tug at the oar; but all the laws and commands of fin sre unlawful. Sin faith to one man, defraud ; to another,-be unchaft ; to another, take revenge ; to another, take a falfe oath. Thus all fin's commands are un- lawful ; we cannot obey fin's law, but by break- ing God's law. 4. Other flaves are forced again ft their will : Ifrael groaned under flavery, ExocL ii. 23. but finners are content to be under the command of fin ; they are willing to be flaves, they love their chains, they will not take their freedom : they -glory in their fname, Phil. iii. 19. They wear their fins, not as their fetters, but their ornament : they rejoyce in iniquity, Jer. xi. 15- 5. Other flaves are brought to correction, but fin's flaves are, without repentance^ brought to condemnation : other flaves ]y in the iron furnace, fin's flaves l\ in the fiery furnace. "What Freedom of will i firmer to his own bonfufion, when he can Jo nothing but what fin will have him ? he is enflaved. I hus finners are in th< ' )f bondage; but God takes his elect out of this houfe of bondage : he beats off -the chains and fetters of fin; he refcues them from their fla-very; he makes them free, by bringing them into the glorious liberty of the children of God, Rom. viii. The law of love now commands, not the law of fin. Tho' the life of fin be prolonged, yet not the dominion : as thofe beaits in Daniel had their lives prolonged for a feafon, but their do- minion was taken away, Dan. vii. 12. The faints are made fpiritual kings, to rule and con- quer their corruptions, to bind thefe kings in chains. This is matter of the higheft praife and thankfgiving, to be thus taken out of the houfe of bondage, to be freed from inflaving lulls, and made kings to reign in glory for ever. II. The bringing Ifael out of the houfe of bondage, was a type of their deliverance from Satan. Thus men naturally are in the houfe of bondage, they are enflaved to Satan : Satan is the prince of this world, John xiv. 30. ana the God of this world, 2 Cor. iv. 4. hecaufe he hathfucb power to command and enflave them. Tho' Satan fhall one day be a clofe prifoner in chains, yet now he doth infult and tyran- nize over the fouls of men : finners are under the rule of Satan, he exercifeth over them fuch a jurifdiction as Cefar did over the fenate. The Devil fills men's heads with error, and their hearts with malice, Jdls v. 3. Why hath Satan filled thine heart ? A finner's heart is the De- vil's manfion-houfe, Matth. xii. 44. / will re- turn into mine houfe. And fure that muft needs be an houfe of bondage, which is the De- vil's manfion-houfe. Satan is a perfect tyrant : 1. He rules men's minds, he blinds them with ignorance, 2 Cor. iv. 4. The God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not. 2. He rules their memories ; they (hail remem- ber that which is evil, and forget that which is good : their memories are like a fiercer or (trainer, that lets go all the pure liquor, and retains only the dregs. 3. He rules their wills : tho' the Devil cannot force the will, yet he draws it, John viii. 44. The lajh of your father you will do. He hath got your hearts, and hira you will obey : his ftrong temptations do more draw men to evil, than all the promifes of God can draw them to good. This is the ftate of every man by nature, he is in the houfe of bon- dage, the Devil hath him in his power : a fin- ner grinds in the Devil's mill ; he is at th« command of Satan, as the afs is at the com- mand of the driver. No wonder to fee men opprefs and perfecute ; thefe flaves muft do what the God of this world will have them : how could thofe fwine but run, when the De- vil entered into them ? Matth. viii. 32. When the Devil tempted Ananias to tell a lie, he could not but (peak what Satan had put in his heart, Atts v. 3. AVhcn the Devil entered in- to Judas, and bid him betray Chrift, Judas would do it, tho' he hanged himfelf. This cafe is fad and difmal, to be thus in the houfe of bondage, under the power and tyranny of Satan. When David would curfe the enemies of God, how did he pray againft them ? That Satan might be at their right-hand, Pf. cix. 6. He knew he could lead them into any fnare : if Satan be at the finner's right-hand, let the finner take heed he benotfet on God's D d 2 kfr- n2 OF THE PREFACE TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. left-hand. Is not this a cafe to be bewailed, to fee men taken captive by Satan at his will ? 2 Tim. ;i. 16. he leads finners as Haves before in triumph ; he pofiefieth them. If people H oulci fee but their beafis bewitched and pof- fefTed of the Devil, they would be much trou- bled ; yet their fouls are po Helled by Satan, but rhey are not fenfible. [What can be worfe than to be in the houfe of bondage, to have the Devil hurry men on in their lull to per- dition ?] Sinners are willingly Haves to Satan ; they love their gaoler; are content to fit qui- etly under Satan's jurisdiction ; they chufe this bramble to rule them, tho', within a while, fire will come out of this bramble to devour them, Judges ix. Now, what an infinite mercy of God is ir, when he brings poor fouls out of this houfe of bondage, when he gives them a goal- delivery from the prince of darknefs ! Jesus Christ redeems captives, he ranfoms finners by price, and refcues them by force : as David took a lamb out of the lion's mouth, i Sam. xvii. 34. So Chrift refcues fouls out of the mouth of this roaring lion. O what a mercy is it to be brought out of the houfe of bondage, to be taken from being made captives to the prince of the air, and to be made fubjects of the Prince of peace ! And this is done by the preaching of the word, Afts xxvi. 18. To turn them from the power of Satan unto God. III. The bringing of Ifrael out of the houfe of bondage, was a type of their being delivered from hell. Hell is domus fervitutis, an houfe of bondage ; an houfe built on purpofe for finners to ly in. 1. That there is fuch an houfe of bondage where the damned ly, Pfix. 17. The wicked fball be turned into hell. Matth. xxiii. 33. How can ye efcape the damnation of hell ? If any one fhall alk where this houfe of bondage is, where is the place of hell ? I wifh you may ne- ver know feelingly. Let us not fo much (faith Cbryfojloiri) labour to know where hell is, as how to efcape it. Yet, to fatisfy curiofity, hell is locus fubterraneus, fome place beneath, Prov. v. 24. Hell beneath. Hefiod faith, Hell is as far under the earth, as heaven is above it, Luke viii. 31. The devils befought Chrift, that he would not command them to go into the deep. Hell is in the deep. 2 Qu. Why there mufi be this houfe of bond- age ? why an hell ? Anf. Becaufe there murt be a place for the execution of divine juftice: er.rthly monarchs have their prifon for malefactors, and fhall not God have his? finners are criminal perfons, they have offended God ; and it would not con- fin with God's holinefs and juftice, to have his laws infringed, and not appoint penalties for the tranfgrefibrs. 3. The dreadfulnefs of this place. Could you but for one hour hear the groans and fhrieks of the damned, it would confirm you in this truth, that hell is an houfe of bondage : hell is the emphafis of mifery. Befides the poena damni, the punifliment of lofs, which is the % exclufion of the foul from the glorified fight of God, which divines think the worft part of hell ; I fay, befides this, there will be poena fenfus, the punifliment of fenfe. If, when God's wrath is kindled but a little, and a (park of it flies into a man's confeience in this life, it is Co terrible (as in the cafe of Spira) then what will" hell it- felf be ? That I may defcribe this houfe of bondage, 1. In hell there will be a plurality of tor- ments, 1. Bonds and chains, 2 Pet. ii. 4. 2. The worm, Mark ix. 44. this is the worm of confeience : and the lake of fire, Rev. xx. 15. other fire is but painted to this. 2. This houfe of hell is haunted with devils, Matth. xxv. 41. Anfelm hath a faying, I had rather endure all torments, than fee the devil with bodily eyes. Such as go to hell, mufr. not only be forced to behold the Devil, but mult be fliut up in the den with this lion ; they muft keep the devil company : the devil is full of fpite againft mankind ; this red dragon will fpit fire in men's faces. 3. The torments of hell abide forever, Rev. xiv. n. The fmoke of their torment afcendeth for ever and ever, Mark ix. 44. Time can- not finifh it, tears cannot quench it : the wick- ed are falamanders, who live always ill the fire of hell, and are not confumed : after finners have lain millions of years in hell, their punifh- ment is as far from ending, as it was at the beginning. If all the earth and fea were fand, and every thoufandth year a bird fhould come, and take away one grain of this fand, it would be a long time ere that vaft heap of fand were emptied ; yet, if after all that time the damned might come out of hell, there were fome hope j but this word EVER breaks the heart. Qu. But how doth this feem to ft and with Cod's juftice, for a fin co?nmitted in a moment , to puni/lj it with eternal torment ? Anf. 1. Becaufe there is an eternity of fin in man's OP the commandments: 'ii3 mah's nature. 2. Becaufe fin is crimen Icefa? majefratis, it is committed againft an infinite majefly ; therefor* the fin is infinite, and pro- portionally the punishment muft be infinite. Now, becaufe a finite creature cannot bear in- finite wrath, therefore he muft: be eternally fa- tisfying what he cannot fatisfy at once. Now then, if hell be fuch an houfe of bondage, what infinite eaufe have they to blefs God, who arc delivered from it ? 1 Theff. i. 10. Jefus deli- vered us from the wrath to come. Jefus Chi iff fuffered the torments of hell in his foul, that believers fhouid not fuffer them. If v/e are thankful, when we are ranfbmed out of prifon, or delivered from fire, O how mould we blefs God to be preferved from the wrath to come ! And that which may caufe the more thankful- nefs, is becaufe the mod part go into the houfe of bondage, the moft part go to hell : there- fore to be of the number of thefe few that are delivered from it, is matter of infinite thank- fulnefs. I fay, muft go to this houfe of bond- age when they die ; muft go to hell, Matth. vii. 13. Broad is the way which leadeth unto de- firuclion, and many there be that go in there- at. The greateft part of the world lies in wickednefs, 1 John v. 19. Divide the world, faith Brereweod, into thirty-one parts, nineteen parts of it are poffeffed by Jews and Turks, feven parts by Heathens ; fb that there are but five parts of Ghriftians, and among thefe Chri- ftians fo many feduced papifts on the one hand, and fo many formal proreftants on the other, that we may conclude the major part of the world goes to hell. 1. The fcripture com- pares the wicked to briars, Ifa. x. 17. There are but few lilies in your fields, but in every hedge thorns and briars. 2. To the mire in the flrcets, Ifa. x. 6. Few jewels or precious ftones in the ftreet, but you cannot go a ftep but you meet with mire. The wicked are as common as the dirt in the ftreet : look into the generality of people, how many drunkards for one that is fober ? how many adulterers for one that is chaff. ? how many hypocrites for one that is fincere ? The Devil hath the har- veft, and God only a few gleanings. Oh then, fuch as are delivered from the houfe of bond- age, hell, have infinite caufe to admire and blefs God. How fhouid the vefle's of mercy run over with thankfuinefs ? when moft are car] prifoners to hell, they are delivered from wrath to come. Qu. How foal I I know I am delivered from hell ? Anf. 1. Thofe whom Chrift faves from he'l, he fives from fin, Matth. i. 2:. He fhall five his people from their fins. Hath God deliver- ed you from the power of corruption, from pride, malice, luff ? if he hath delivered you from the hell of fin, then he hath delivered you from the hell of torment. 2. If you have got an intereft in Chrift, prizing, confiding, loving him, then you are delivered from hell and damnation, Rom. viii. 1. No condemnation to them that are in Chrifl Jefus. If you are in Chrifl, then he hath put the garment of his righteoufhefs over you, and hell-fire can never finge this garment. Pliny obferves, nothing will fo foon quench fire as fait and blood : the fait tears of repentance and the blood of Chrifl will quench the fire of hell, that it fhall never kindle upon you. OF THE COMMANDMENTS. Exod. xx. 3. Thou foalt have no other Gods before me, &c. BEFORE I come to the commandment, I fhall premife fome things about the mo- ral law : anfwer queftions, rules. Qu. 1 . What is the difference between the mo- ral law and the gofpel ? Anf. I. The law requires that we worfhip £od as our Creator : the gofpel requires that we worfhip God in and through Chrift. Gcd in Chrifl is propitious ; out of Chrift we may fee God's power, juftice, holinefs ; in Chrift we fee his mercy di (played. 2. The moral law requires obedience, but gives no flrength (as Pharaoh required brick, but gave no flraw) but the gofpel gives ftrength : th* OF THE COMMANDMENTS. the gofpel beftoWs faith upon the elect, the gofpel fweetens the law, it makes us ferve God with delight. Qu. 2. IVhat ufe is the moral law to us P Anf. The law is a glafs to fhew us our fins, that lb, feeing our pollution and mifery, we may be forced to flee to Chrift. to fatisfy for former guilt, and Pave from future wrath, Gal. iii. 24. The law was our fchoolmajter to bring us to Chrift. Qu. 3. But is the moral law ftill in force to believers? is it not abolifhed to them ? Anf. In fome fenfe it is abolifhed to believers. 1. In refpecl of juftif.cation ; they are not ju- fufied by their obedience to the moral law. Believers are to make great ufe of the moral law (as I (hall fhew) but they muft truft only to Chrift's righteoufnefs for juflification ; as Noah's dove made ufe of her wings to fly, but trufled to the ark for fafety. If the moral law could juftify, what need were there of Chrift's dying ? 2. The moral law is abolifhed to be- lievers, in refpecl of the malediction of it : they are freed from the curfe and damnatory power of it, Gal. iii. 13. thrift hath redeemed us" from the curfe of the lavj, being made a curfe for us. Qu. 4. How was Chrift made a curfe for us ? Anf Chrift may be confidered, 1. As the Son of God, and Co he was not made a curfe. 2. As our pledge and furety, Heb. vii. 22. and fo he was made a curfe for us : this curfe was not upon his Godhead, but upon his manhood. This curfe was the wrath of God lying upon him; and thus Chrift hath taken away from believers the curfe of the law, by being made a curfe for them. But tho' the moral law is thus fir abolifhed, yet it remains as a perpetual rule to believers.: tho' the moral law be not their Saviour, yet it is their guide : tho' it be not foedns, a covenant of life *, yet it is norma, a rule of living : every Chrilrian is bound to conform to the moral law ; and write, as ex- actly as he can, after this copy. Rem. iii. 31. / - we then make- void the law through faith, < :d forbid. Tho' a Chriftiah is not under the condemning power of the law, yet he is under the commanding power; to love God, to re- ference and oSey him, this is a Jaw always, nds, and will bind in heaven, This I urge a- g unit the Ant^nomia :s, who fay", the moral hw is abrogated to believers; which, as it contra- diets fcripture, fo it is a key to open the door to all licentioufnefs. They who will not have the law to rule them, fliall never have the gof- pel to fave them. Having anfwered tbefe que- ftions, I fhall in the next place, lay down fome general rules for the right under/landing of the Decalogue, or Ten Commandments: thefe rules may ferve to give us fome light into the fenfe and meaning of the commandments. Rule. 1. The commands and prohibitions of the moral law reach the heart. 1. The commands of the moral law reach the heart : the commandments require not on- ly outward actions but inward affections ; they require not only the outward act of obedience, but the inward affection of love, Deut. vi. 5. Thou fh alt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart. 2. The threats and prohibitions of the mo- ral law reach the heart : the law of God forbids not only the act of fin, but the defire and in- clination ; not only doth it forbid adultery, but lulling, Matth. v. 28. Not only ftealing, but coveting, Rom. vii. 7. Lex hu?nana ligat ma- num, lex divina comprimit animam : man's law binds only the hands, God's law binds the heart. Rule 2. In the commandments there is a fynecdoche, more is intended than is fpoken. 1. Where any duty is commanded, there the contrary fin is forbidden, err. When we are commanded to keep the fabbath-day holy, there we are forbidden to break the fabbath : when we are commanded to live in a calling, Six days fialt thou labour, there we are forbidden to live idly, and out of a calling. 2. Where any fin is forbidden, there the contrary duty is commanded : when we are forbidden to take God's name in vain, the contrary duty is com- manded, that we fhould reverence his name, Deut. xxviii. 58. That thou mayeft fear this glorious and fearful name, 'The Lord thy God. Where we are forbidden to wrong our neigh- bour, there is the contrary duty included, that we fhould do him all the good we can, by vin- dicating his name, and fupplying his Wants. Rule 3. Where any fin is forbidden in the commandment, there the occafion of it is alfo forbidden. Where murder is forbidden, there envy and rafh anger are forbidden, which may occafion it. Where adultery is forbidden in the commandment, there is forbidden all that may lead to it, as wanton glances of the eye, or coming into the company of an harlot, Prov. v. 8. Come not nigh the door of her houfe : he who would be free from the plague, mut OF THE COMMANDMENTS. ■5 muft not come near the infected houfe. Un- der the law the Nazarlte was forbid to drink wine, nor might he eat grapes of which the wine was made. Rule 4. In relato fubintellighur correlatum. Where one relation is named in the com- mandment, there another relation is included. Where the child is named, there the father is in- cluded : where there is the duty of children to parents mentioned, there is included alfo the duty of parents to children : where the child is commanded to honour the parent, there is implied that the parent is alfo commanded to inftruct, to love, to provide for the child. Rule 5. Where greater fins, are forbidden, there lelfer fins are alfo forbidden. Tho' no fin in its own nature is little, yet comparative- ly one may be-defs than another: where ido- latry is forbidden, there is forbidden fuperflition, or bringing any innovation into God's worfhip, which he hath not appointed. As the fons of Aaron were forbid to worfhip an idol, fo to fa- crifice to God with flrange fire, Lev. x. 1. Mixture in facred things, is like a dafli in the wine, which tho' it gives it a colour, yet doth but debafe and adulterate it. 'Tis highly pro- voking to God, to bring any fuperftitious ce- remony into his worfhip, which he hath not prefcribed ; it is to tax God's wifdom, as if he were not wife enough to appoint the manner how he will be ferved. Rule 6. The law of God is copulative ; Lex eft copuJativa : the firft and fecond tables are knit together ; piety to God, and equity to our neighbour ? there two tables, which God hath joyned together, mult not be put afunder. Try a moral man by the duties of the firlf table, pie- ty to God, and there you will find him negli- gent ; try an hypocrite by the duties of the fecond table, equity to his neighbour, and there you find him tardy. He who is frrict in the fecond table, but neglects the firft, or he who is zealous in the firft table, but neglects the fecond, his heart is not right with God. The Pharifees were the higheft pretenders to the firft table, zeal and holinefs : but Ghrifr. de- tects their hypocrify, Matth. xxiii. 23. Ye have omitted judgment, mercy, and faith. They were bad in the fecond table; they omitted judgment, that was, being jufl in their deal- ings ; mercy, in relieving the poor ; and faith, that is faithfulnefs in their promifes and con- tracts with men. God wrote both the tables, and our obedience mufl fet a feal to both. Rule 7. God's law forbids not only the act- ing of fin in our own perfons, but being ac- ceffory to, or having any hand in the fins of others. Qu. How and in what fenfe may ive be /aid to partake and have an hand in the fins of others ? Anf. 1. By decreeing unrighteous decrees, and impofing on others that which is unlawful. Jeroboam made the people of Ifrael to li i : he was acceffory to their idolatry, by fetting up golden calves : fo David, tho' he did not in his own perfon kill Uriah, yet becaufe he wrote a letter to Joab, to fet Uriah on the fore-front of the battle, and it was done by \'s command, therefore he was acceffory to Uriah's death, and the murder of him was laid to David's, charge by the prophet, 2 Sam. xii. 9. Thou haft killed Uriah the Hittite with the fword. 2. Wc become acceffory to the fins of others, by not hindering them when it is in our power, Qui non prohibet cum poteft, jubet. If a maffer of a family fee his fervant break the fabbath, or hears him fwear, and lets him alone, doth not ufe the power he hath to fupprefs him, he becomes acceffory to his fin. Eli, for not pu- nifhing his fons when they made the offering of the Lord to be abhorred, made himfelf guilty, i Sam. iii. 14. He that fuffers an offen- der to pafs unpunifned, makes himfelf an of- fender. 3. By counfelling, abetting, or provoking o- thers to fin. Ahitophel made himfelf guilty of the fact, by giving counfel to Jbfalom to go in and defile hi;; father's concubines, 2 Sam. xvi. 21. He who {hall tempt or foliicit another to be drunk, tho' he himfelf be fober, yet being the occafion of another's fin, he is acceffory to it, Hab. ii. 15. Wo unts him that giveth his neighbour drink, that putteth the bottle to him. 4. By contenting to another's fin : Saul did not cafl one ftone at Stephen, yet the fcripture faith, Saul was confuting to his death, Acts viii. I. Thus he had an hand in it. If fever al did combine to murder a man, and they mould tell another of their intent and he fhould give his eonfent to it, he were guilty : tho' his hand were not in the murder, yet his heart was in it ; tho' he did not act it, yet he did approve it, lb it became his fin. 5. By example, vivitur exemplis. Examples are powerful and cogent, fetting a bad example occafions another to fin ; and Co a perlon be- comes 2l. That thou may eft fear this glorious and fearful name, The Lord thy Cod. This fearing of God is, (1.) To have God always in our eye, If. xvi. 8. / have fet E e the 215 OF THE FIRST COMMANDMENT. the Lord always before me. And Pf xxv. 15. to Tine eyes are ever towards the Lord. He who fears God, imagines, that whatever he is doing, God looks on, and, as a judge, weighs all his actions. (2.) To fear God, is, when we have fuch an holy aw of God upon our hearts, that we dare not fin, Pf iv. 4. Stand in aw and Jin not. The wicked fin and fear not ; the godiy fear, and fin not, Gen. xxxix. 9. How fhall I do this great wickednefs , and fin again/? God ? bid me fin,, bid me drink poifon. It is a laying of Anfelm, If hell were on one fide, and fin on the other, I would rather leap into hell., than willingly fin againfi my God. 1, This glorious and fearful name : he who fears God will not fin, tho' it be never fo fecret, Lev. xix. 14. Thou fo alt not curfe the deaf, nor put a Jiumbling-block before the blind, but fait fear thy God. Suppofe you fhould curfe a deaf man, he cannot hear you curfe him : or, if you lay a block in a blind man's way, and make him fall, he cannot fee you lay it : ay, but the fear of God will make you forfake thefe fins which can neither be heard nor (hen. by men. 2. Where the fear of God is, it deftroys the fear of man : the three children feared God, therefore they fear not the king's wrath, Dan. iii. 16. The greater noife drowns the lefs ; the uoife of thunder drowns the noife of a river ; fo when the fear of God is fuperintendent in the foul, it drowns all other carnal fear. This is to make God to be a God to us, when we have an holy filial fear of him ; That thou may- eft fear. 6. To make God to be a God to us, is to truft in him, Pf. cxli. 8. Mine eyes, are unto thee, 0 God the Lord : in thee will I truft. 2 Sam.xxii. 3. The God of my rock, in him will I truj}. There is nothing we can truft in but God : all the creatures are a refuge of lies; they are like the Egyptian reed, too weak to fupport us, but ftrong enough to wound us. Omnis mo- tus fit fuper immobili. God only is a fufficient foundation to build our truft upon : and then, when we truft, we make him a God to us ; elfe we make him an idol, if we do not trufi in him. Trufting in God, \s, when we rely on his pow- er as a Creator, and on his love as a Father. Trufting in God, is, when we commit our chief treafure to him : our foul is our chief treafure, we commit our foul to him, Pf xxxi. 5. Into thy hands I commit my fpirit. As the orphan trufts his efiate with his guardian, fo we truft our fouls with God : this is to make him a God us. Qu. How fhall we know that we trujT in God aright ? Anf. If we truft in God aright, then we will truft in God at one time as well as another, Pf. lxii. 8. Truft in him at all times. Can we truft God, 1. In our firaits ? when the fig-tree doth not flourifh, when our earthly crutches are broken, can we now lean upon God's promife ? when the pipes are cut off that ufe to bring us comfort, can we live upon God, in whom are all our frefh fprings ? when we have no bread to eat but the bread of careful- nefs, Ezek. xix. 8. when we have no water to drink unlefs tears, Pf lxxx. 5. Thou giveft them tears to drink in great meafure ; can we now truft in God's providence, to make fupply for us ? a good Chriftian believes, that if God feed the ravens, he will feed his children : he lives upon God's all-fufficiency, not only for grace, but food : he believes if God will give him hea- ven, he will daily bread : he trufts God's bond, Pf. xxxvii. 3. Verily thou Jhalt be fed. 2. Can we truft God in our fears ? fear is the ague of the foul. When adverfaries begin to grow high, can we now difplay the banner of faith ? Pf. lvi. 3. What time I am afraid, I will trufi in thee. Faith cures the trembling at the heart : faith gets above fear, as the oil fwims above the water. This is to truft in God, and it is to make him to be a God to us. 7. To make God to be a God to us, is to love him ; in the godly, fear and love kifs each other. 8. To make him a God to us, is to obey him : but I forbear to fpeak of thefe, becaufe I fhall be large upon them in the fecond com- mandment ; Shewing mercy unto thoufands of them that love me and keep my command- ments. Qu. 2. Why mufi we cleave to the Lord as our God ? Anf. i. From the equity of it : it is but e- qual we fhould cleave to him as our God, from whom we receive our being : who can have a better right to us than he that gives us our breath ? Pf c. 3. For it is he that made us, and not we ourfehes. It is unequal, yea ungrateful, to give away our love or worfhip to any but God. 2. From the utility. If we cleave to the Lord as our God ; then (1.) He will blefs us, Pf. lxvii. 6. God, even our own God, will blefs us. He will blefs us, 1. In our eftate, Deut. xxviii. 4, 5. Bleffed fhall be the fruit of thy ground-, bleffed Jhall be thy bafket and thy fiore: OP THE FIRST COMMANDMENT. 2Tp /tore: we fhall not only have our fack full of did not only acknowledge God, when he cried corn, but it fhall be blcfled : here is money in the mouth of the flick. (2.) He will blefs us with peace, Pf. xxix. 11. The Lord ivill blefs his people with peace : outward peace, which is the nurfe of plenty, Pf. cxlvii. 14. He maketh peace in thy borders : inward peace, a fmiling confeience ; this is fweeter than the dropping honey. (2.) God will turn all evils to our good, Rom. viii. 28. He will make a treakleof poifon. Jofeph'% imprifbnment was a means for his advancement, Gen. I. 20. Out of the bittereft. drug, God will difUl his glory and out, Thou Being of Beings, have merrv on mt . but he thought, he that did not confefs a Deity was not worthy to live. They who will not believe a God, (hall feel him, Heb. x. 31. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the liv- ing God. Ufa 2. It condemns Chriftians, who profefs to own God for their God, yet they do not live as if he were their God. (1.) They do not believe in him as a God : when they look upon their fins, they are apt to fay, can God pardon ? when they look upon their wants, can our falvation. In fhort, God will be our guide God provide ? can he prepare a table in the wildernefs ? (2.) They do not love him as a Gcd ; they do not give him the cream of their love, but are apt to love other things more than Gcd : they fay, they love God, but will part with nothing for him. (3.) They do not wor- fhip him as a God : they do not give him that reverence, nor pray with that devotion, as if they were praying to a God. How dead are their hearts ? if not dead in fin, yet dead in duty: 'tis as if praying to a God that hath eyes, and fees not ; ears, and hears not : in hearing the word, how much diftracVion, what rcgardkfs hearts have many ? they are thinking of their mop and drugs. Would a king take it well at our hands, if, when he is fpeaking to us, we fhould be playing with a feather ? when God is fpeaking to us in his word, and our hearts are taken up with thoughts about the World; is net this playing with a feather ? O how may this humble moll: of us, we do not make God to be a God to us ! We do not be- lieve in him, love him, worfhip him as a God. Many heathens have worfhipped their falfe gods with more ferioulhels and devotion, than fome Chriftians do the true God. O let us chid* ourfelves: did I fay, chide ? let us abhor our- to death, our comfort in death, our reward af ter death. So then the utility of it may make us cleave to the Lord as our God, Pf. cxliv. 15. Happy is that people who have the Lord for their God. 3. From the neceflity. 1/?. If God be not our God, he will curfe our blefiings; Mai. ii. 2. and God's curfe blafts wherever it comes. zdly, If God be not our God, we have none to help us in mifery : will God help his ene- mies ? will he affift them who difclaim "him. idly, If we do not make God to be our God, he will- make himfelf to be our judge ; and, if he condemns, there is no appealing to a high- er court. So that there is a neceflity of having God for our God, unlefs we intend to be eter- nally efpoufed to mifery. Ufa 1. If we mufl have onevGod, and the Lord Jehovah for our God, it condemns the Atheifts who have no God, Pf xiv. 1. The fool hath faid in his heart, There is no God. There is no God he believes in, or worfhips : fuch Atheifts were Diagoras and Theodorus. When Seneca had reproved Nero for his im- pieties, faith Nero, Doft thou think I believe there is any God, when I do fuch things ? The duke of Stle/ia was fo infatuated, that he affirm- felves for our deadnefs and formality in reliv- ed, Neque inferos, nequefuperos e/fe ; that there on, how we have profefred God yet we ha°ve was neither God nor devil. We may fee God not worshipped him as God. So much for th- in the works of his fingers. The creation is a firfi, We muj} have God for our God I mould great volume, in which we may read a God- come to the fecond, We mufl have no other head; and he muft needs put out his own eyes god. that denies a God. Arifiotle, tho' an heathen, Exod. xx. 3. Thou fhalt have no other gods before me, &c. T me. HAT we muft have no other god: Thou fhalt have no other gods before Qu. IV hat is meant by this vjord, Before mc ? A*f That is, before my face ; in confpeflu meo, in my fight, Deut. xxvii. 15. Cttrfad be E e 2 he 2:o OF THE FIRST COMMANDMENT, he thai makes a graver, image, and puts it in a fecret place. Some would not bow to the i- dol that others might fee, but they would fe- cretly bow to it : but tho' this was out of man's fight, it was not out of God's fight : Curfed therefore (faith God) be he who puts the image in a fecret place. 'Thou /ball have no other gods. i. There is really no other God. 2. We mull have no other. (i.) There is really no other God. The Va- leatinians held there were two Gods ; the Po- lytheites that there were many ; the Perfians -"vorfhipped the fun ; the Egyptians the ox and elephant; the Grecians Jupiter : but there is no other than the true God, Dent. iv. 39. Ktiru) therefore, this day, and ccn/ider it in thy heart, that the Lord is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath ; there is no other. For, 1. There is but one FirftCaufe, that hath its being of -itfelf, and on which all other be- ings depend : as in the heavens the Primum Mobile moves all the other orbs, fo God is the Great Mover, he gives life and motion to eve- ry thing exiftenf. 2. There is but one Omnipotent Power. If there be two Omnipotents, then we rauft al- ways iuppofe a conteft between thefe two ; that which one would do, the other Power, being equal, would oppofe : and fb all things ■would be brought into a confufion. If a (hip fhould have two pilots of equal power, one would be ever croffing the other ; when one would fail, the other would caft anchor : here were a confufion, and the fhip muft needs pe- rifh. The order and harmony in the world, the conflant and uniform government of alt things, is a clear argument there is but one Omnipotent, one God that rules all, tfa. xliv. 6. / am the Fir/}, and I am the La/i, and be- sides 7?ie there is no God. (8.) We muft have no other god. Thou fh alt have no other gods before me : this command- ment forbids, (1.) Serving a falfegod, and not the true, Jer. ir. 27. Saying to a Jhck, thou art my father ; and to a flone, thou haft brought me forth. Or, (2.) Joining a falfe God with a true, 2 Kings xvii. 33. They fearedjhe Lord, mid fried their own gods r both thefe are for- bidden in the commandment ; we mull adhere to the true God, and no other ? God is a jealous God, and he will endure no corrival. A wife cannot lawfully have 'two hufbands*at once; nor may we have tv , Exod. xxxiv. 14. Thou /halt W6P0P no \od, for the Lord is a jealous God. Pf. xvh 4. Their for rows /hall be multiplied that hafien after another god, The Lord interprets it a Fcrfdking ef him, to efpoufe any other god, Judges ii.- t 2. They forfook the Lord, and followed other gods. God would not have his people fo much as make mention of other idol-gods, Exod. xxiii. 13. Make no mention of the names of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy m'^uth. God looks upon it as a breaking of the mar- riage-covenant, to go after other gods. There- fore, when Ifrael committed idolatry with the golden calf, God diiclaims hisintereft in thera, Exod. xxxii. 7. Thy people have corrupted them- felves. Before, God called Ifrael his people ; but when they went after other gods, Now (faith the Lord to Mojes) they are no more my people, but thy people. Hof. ii. 2. Plead with your mot her, pie ad; for fhe is not my wife. She doth not keep faith with me ; fhe hath ftained herfelfwith idols, therefore I will divorce her; /he is not my wife. To go after other gods, is what God cannot bear; it makes the fury rife up in his face, Deut. xiii. 6. 8, y. If thy bro- ther, or thy Jon, or the wi/e of thy bofom, or thy friend, which is as thine own foul, entice thee fecret ly, faying, let us go andferve other gods : thou /halt not cenfent unto him, neither fhall thy eye pity him. But thou /halt furely kill him ; thine hand fhall be firft upon him to put him t* death, and afterwards the hand of all the people. Qu. But what is it to have other gods befides the true God? 1 fear, upon fear ch, we have more idolaters among us than we are aware of. dnf To truft in any thing mor? than God, is to make it a god. 1. If we truft in our riches, then we make riches our god : we may take comfort, not put confidence in them. It is a foolim thing to truft in them. (1.) They arc deceitful riches, Matth. xiii. 22. and it is foolim to truft to that which will deceive us. if. They have no folid confiftency, they are like landfkips or golden dreams, which leave the foul empty when it awakes or comes to it- felf. Hy. They are not what they promife ; they promife to fatisfy our defires, and they increafc them ; they promife to ftay with us, and they take wings. (2.) They are hurtful, EccLv. 13. Riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. It is foolifh to truft to that which will hurt one: who would take hold of the edge of a razor to help him ? they are oft fqel or THE FIRST COMMANDMENT. 7J.I fuel for pride and luft, Ezeh. xxviii. 5. Jer. v. 7. So that it is folly to truft in our riches ; but fome do, and fo make money their god, Prov. X. IS. The rich man's tuca/th is his Jirong tower. He makes the wedge of gold his hope, Job xxxi. 24. God made man of the duft of the earth, and man makes a god of the duft of the earth. Money is his creator, redeemer, com- forter : his cieator; if he had money, now he thinks he is made : his redeemer; if he be in danger, he trufts to his money to redeem him : his comforter; if he be fad, money is the gol- den harp to drive away the evil fpirit. Thus, by trufting in money, we make it a god. 2. If we truft in the arm of flefli, we make it a god, Jer. xvii. 4. Curfed be the man that trufteth in man, and make th fie fb his arm. The Syrians trufted in their army, which was fo numerous, that it filled the country, 1 Kings xx. 27. but this arm of flefli withered, verfe 29. "What we make our truft, God makes our /name. The ftieep run to the hedges for ftiel- ter, and they lofe their wool : we have run to feeond caufes to help us, and we have loft much of our golden fleece ; they have not only been reeds to fail us, but thorns to prick us. We have broken our parliament-crutches, by lean- ing too hard upon them. 3. If we trull in our wifdom, we make it a god, Jer. ix. 23. Let not the wife man glory in his wifdom. Glorying is the height of confi- dence. Many a man doth make an idol of his wit and parts ; he deifies himfelf ; but how oft doth God take the wife in their own crafti- nefs, Job vi. 13. Achitophel had a great wit, his counfel was as the oracle of God ; but his "wit brought /him to the halter, 2 Sam. xvii. 4. If we truft in our civility, we make it a god : many truft to this, none can charge them with grofs. fin. Civility is but nature refined and cultivated : a man may be wafned, and not changed ; his life may be civil, yet there may be fome reigning fin in his heart : the Pharifee could fay, I am no adulterer, Luke xviii. 1 1 . but he could not fay, / am not proud. To truft to civility, is t© truft to a fpider's web. 5. If we truft to our duties to five us, we make them a god, I/a. Ixiii. 6. Our righteouf- neffes are as filthy' rags : they are fly-blown with fin. Put gold in the fire, and there comes out much drofs ; our moft golden du- ties are mixed with infirmity : we are apt ei- ther to neglect duty, or idolize it. Ufe duty, but do not truft to it ; for then you make it a god. Truft not to your praying and hearing; thefe are means of falvarion, but they are not faviours. If you make duties bladders to truft to, you may fink to hell wiih thefe bladders. 6. If we truft in our grace, we make a god of it. Grace is but a creature; if we truft to it, we make it an idol. Grace is imperfect, wc cannot truft to that to five us which is imper- fect, Pf. xxvi. 1 . / have walked in my integrity : I have trufted alfo in the Lord. David did walk in his integrity ; but did not truft in his integrity ; / have trufted in the Lord. If we truft in our graces, we make a Chrift of them. They are good graces, but bad Cb rifts. To love any thing more than God, is to make it a god. \fl, If we love our eftatc more than Go<\, then we make it a god. The young man in the gofpel loved his gold better than his Savi- our ; the world lay nearer his heart than Chrift, Matth.- xix. 22. Fulgens hoc aurum prreftrin- git oculos, Var. Hence it is, the covetous man is called an idolater, Eph. v. 5. Why fo ? Becaufe he loves his cftate more than God, and fo he makes it his god ; tho' he doth not bow down to an idol, yet he worfhijss the gra- ven image in his coins ; he is an idolater. That which hath moft of the heart, that we make a god. ily, If we love our pleafures more than God, we make a god of pleafure, 2 Tim. iii. 4, Lovers of pleafure more than lovers of Cod. Many let loofe the reins, and give themfelves up to ail manner of fenfual delights ; they idolize plea- fure, Jobxx). 12, 13. They take the timbrel, and the harp, and rejoyce at the found if the organ. They /pen d their days in Aiirtb. I have read of a place in Africa, where the people fpend all their time in dancing, and making merry : and have not we many who make a god of plea- fure, who fpend their time in going to plays, and vifiting ftews, as if God had made them like the leviathan, to play in the water ? Pf. civ. 26. In the country of Sardinia there is an herb like balm, that if one eat too much of it, he will die laughing : fuch an herb is pleafure ; if one feeds immoderately on it, he will go laughing to hell. Such as make a god "of pleafure, let them read but two fcriptures, Eccl. vii. 4. The heart of fcois is in the houf of mirth. And Rev. xviii. 7. I/ow much (be hath lived defi&ioufly , fo n ut ? " *• Sugar laid ifi OF THE FIRST COMMANDMENT. 222 fo all the fugared joys and pie , fares of finners, will turn to the water of tears at lafL > ->/y If we love our belly more than God, we make' a god of it, Phil. iii. 'Q- Whofe god is their belly. Clemen; Alcxandrinus writes of a fifli that had its heart in its belly : an emblem of epicures, their heart is in their belly; they do facrificare fori, their belly is their god, and to 'this god they pour drink-offerings. The Lord allows what is fitting for the recruit of nature, Dent. xi. 15. I will fend grafs, that thou may/} eat and be full. But, to mind no- thing but the indulging of the appetite, is ido- latry ; Whofe %od is their belly. What pity is it, that the 'foul, that princely part, which (ways the fceptre of reafon, and is a-kin to an- gels, lliould be enflaved to the brutifti part. 4/y, If we love a child more than God, we rnake a god of it. How many are guilty in this kind ! they think of their children, and delight more in them than God ; they grieve more for the lofs of their firft-bcra, than for the lofs of their firft love. This is to make an idol of a child, and to fet it in God's room. Thus God is oft provoked to take away our children : if vve love the jewel more than him that gave it, God will take away the jewel, that our love may return to him again. Ufe i. It reproves fuch as have other gods, and Yo renounce the true God. (.1.) Such as fet up idols, Jet: ii. 28. According to the num- ber of thy cities are thy gods, 0 IfrasU Hof. xii. II. Their altars are as heaps in the fur- rows of the field. (2.) Such as leek to fami- liar fpirits. This is a fm condemned by the law of God, Dent, xviii. 11. There fball not be found among yen any that confult with familiar fpirits. It is ordinary, that if people have loft any of their goods, they fend to wizards and foothfayers, to know how they may come by their goods again : what is this but for people to make a god of the devil, by confulting with Vim, and putting their truft in him ? what ? becaufe you have loft your goods, will you lofe your fouls too ? 2 Kings i. 6. So, is it not be- caufe you think there is not a god in heaven, that you aflc counfel of the devil ? If any be iky, be humbled. Ufe 2. It founds a retreat in our ears. Let it call us off from the idolizing any creature ; and renouncing other gods, let us cleave to the true God and his fervice. Ifwc go away from God, we know not where to mend ourfelves. 1. It is honourable ferving of the true God : Servire Deo eft regnare. It is mere honour to ferve God, than to have kings ferve us. 2. Serv- ing the true God is delightful, Ifa. lvi\ 7, I will make them joyful in my houfe of prayer. God oft difplays the banner of his love in an ordi- nance, and pours in the oil of gladnefs into the heart. All God's ways are pleafantnefs, his paths are ftrewed with rofes, Prov. iii. 1 7. 3. Serving the true God is beneficial; they have great gain here, the hidden manna, in- ward peace, and a great reward to come : they that ferve God mail have a kingdom when they die, Luke xii. 32. and {h.:ll wear a crown made of the flowers of paradife, 1 Pet. v. 4. To ferve the true God is our true intereft. God hath twifted his glory and our falvation toge- ther : he bids us believe ; and why ? that we may be faved. Therefore, renouncing all o- thers, let us cleave to the true God. 2. You have covenanted to ferve the true Je- hovah, renouncing all others. When one hath entered into covenant with his mafter, and the indentures are drawn and fealed, then he can- not go back, but mnft ferve out his time. We have covenanted in baptifm, to take the Lord for our God, renouncing ail others ; and renew- ed this covenant in the Lord's fupper, and (hall we not keep our folemn vow and covenant ? we cannot go away from God without the high- eft perjury, Heb. x. 38. If any man draw back, as a foldier that fteals away from his colours, my foul jh all have no pleafure in him: I will pour vials of wrath on him, make mine arrows drunk with blood. 3. None ever had caufe to repent of cleaving to God and his fervice : fome have repented that they have made a god of the world. Cardinal Wool fey faid, Had I ferved God as faithfully as I have ferv:d my king, he would never have left me thus. None ever com- plained of ferving God, it was both their com- fort and crown on death-bed. O F C 223 ] OF THE SECOND COMMANDMENT. Exod. xx. 4. Thou -fhalt not make unto thee any graven image, &o IN the firfi: commandment is forbidden the worfhipping a falfe god ; in this, the wor- fhipping the true God in a falfe manner. 1 . Thou jhalt not make unto thee any graven Image. This forbids not the making an image for eivil ufe, Matth. xxii. 20. Whofe is the image and fuperfcription ? They fay unto him, It is Cefar's. But the commandment forbids fetting up an image for religious ufe or worfhip. 2. Nor the Ukenefs of any thing, &c. All ideas, portraitures, fhapes, images of God, whe- ther by effigies or pictures, are here forbidden, Deut. iv. 15. Take heed left ye corrupt your- felvesy and make the fimilitude of any figure. God is to be adored in the heart, not painted to the eye. 3. Thou fhalt not bow down to them. The intent of making images and pictures, is to worfhip them. No fooner was Nebuchad- nezzar's golden image fet up, but all the people fell down and worshipped it, Dan. iii. 7. Therefore God forbids the proftrating of our- felves beforeL.an idol : fo then, the thing pro- hibited in this commandment is image-worfhip. To fet up an image to reprefent God, is a de- bating of the Deity, 'tis below God. If one mould make images of fnakes or fpiders, fay- ing he did it to reprefent his prince, would not the prince take this in high difdain ? what greater difparagement to God, than to repre- fent the infinite God by that which is finite ; the living God, by that which is without life, and the Maker of all, by a thing which i9 made ? t. To make a true image of God is impof- fible. God is a fpiritual effence, John iv. 24. and, being a Spirit, he is invifible, Deut. iv. 15. Ye faw no fimilitude in the day that the Lord fpake with you out of the midftofthefire. How can any paint the Deity ? can they make an image of that which they never faw ? Quod invifibile eft, pingi non poteft, Ambrof. Ye faw 7:0 fimilitude. It is impoflible to make a picture of the foul, or to paint the angels, becaufe they are of a fpiritual nature ; much lefs then can we paint God by an image, who is an infinite, incrtate Spirit. 2. To worihip God by an image, is both abfurd and unlawful. I. It is abfurd and irrational ; for, 1. The workman is better than the work, Heb. iii. :>. He who buildeth the ho ufe hath more honour than the houfe. If the workman be better than the work, and none bows to the workman, how abfurd then is it to bow to the work of his hands ? 2. Is it not an abfurd thing to bow down to the king's picture, when the king him- felf is prefent ? fo to bow down to an image of God, when God himfelf is every-where prefent. II. It is unlawful to worfhip God by an i- mage ; for, 1. It is againfl the homily of the church ; it runs thus ; The images of Cod, cur Saviour, the Virgin Mary, are of all others the moft dangerous ; therefore the greateft care ought to be had, that they ft and not in temples and churches. So that image- worfhip is con- trary to our own homilies, and doth affront the authority of the church of England. 1. Image-worfhip is exprefsly againfl the letter of fcripture, Lev. xxvi. 1. Ye fhall make no gra- ven image, neither fhall ye fit up any image of ftone, to bow down to it. Deut. xvi. 22. Nei- ther fhalt thou fit up any image which the Lord thy God hateth. Pf. xcvii. 7. Confounded be all they that ferve graven images. Do we think to pleafe God, by doing that which is contrary to his mind, and that which he hath exprefsly forbidden ? 3. Image-worfhip is againfl the practice of the faints of old. Jofiah, that re- nowned king, deftroyed the groves and images, 2 Kings' xx'm. 24. Conftantlne abrogated the images fet up in temples: the Chriftians de- ftroyed images at Bafil, Zurich, Bohemia; when the Roman emperors would have thruft images upon them, they chofe rather to die than deflower their virgin-profeflion by idolatry ; they refufed to admit any painter or carver in- to their fociety, becaufe they would not have any carved ftatue or image of God : when .SV- raphion bowed to an idol, the Chriftians ex- communicated him, and delivered him up :o Satan. Ufe 1. It reproves and condemns the church of 2*4 OF THE SECOND COMMAND M E N T. of Rome, who, from the Alpha of their religion to she Omega, are wholly idolatrous. They make images of God the Father, painting them in tkeir church windows as an old man ; and an image of Chriftin the crucifix : and, becaufc it is againft the letter of this commandment, therefore they facrilegionfly blot out the fecond commandment out of their catechifes, dividing the tenth commandment into two. Now this image-worfhip mufc needs be very impious and blafpliemous, becaufe it is a giving that religi- ous worfhip to the creature, which is only due to God. It is vain for papifts to fay, they give God the worfhip of the heart, and the image only the worfhip of the body ; for the worfhip of the body is due to God, as well as the wor- fhip of the heart : and to give an outward ve- neration to an image, is to give that adoration to a creature, which only belongs to God, Ifa. xlii. 8. My glory will I not give to another. Obj. I. But the papifts fay, they do notwor- fijip the image, only make ufe of it as a medium, they ivorfrip Cod by it ; Ne imagini quidein Chrilli in quantum eft lignum fculptum, ultra debetur reverentia, Aquinas. Anf i. Where hath God bidden them wor- fhip him by an effigies or fpirit ? Ifa. i. 12. Who hath required this at your hands ? The papifls cannot fay fo much as the devil, Scrip- turn eft, It is written. 2. The heathens may bring the fame argu- ment for their grofs idolatry, as the papifts do for their image-worfhip. Who of the heathens were fo fimple, as to think gold and filver, or the figure of an ox or elephant, were God ? They were only emblems and hieroglyphicks to r*prefent him ; they did worfhip the invifi- ble God, by fuch vifible things. To worfhip God by an image, God takes as done to the i- raa'ge itfelf. Obj. 2. But, fay the papifls, images are lay- men's books, and they are good to put us in mind of God. One of the popifj councils affirmed, that we might learn more by an image, than by long flu dy of the fcriptures. Anf. Hab. ii. 18. What profit eth the graven image, the molten image, and a teacher tf lies ? Is an image a lay-man's book ? fee then what lefTons this book teacheth, it teacheth lies ; it reprefents God in a (vifible fhape, who is invi- f. le. For the papifls to fay, they make ufe of an image, to put them in mind of God, is as if a woman fhould fay, me keeps company with another man, to put her in mind of her hufband. Obj. 3. But did not Mofes make the image of a brazen ferpent ? Why then may not images befet up ? Anf. That was done by God's fpecial com- mand, Numb. xxi. 8. Make thee a brazen fer- pent ; and there was a fpecial ufe of it, both literal and fpiritual ; but what, doth the letting up this image of the brazen ferpent juftify the fetting up of images in churches ? what, becaufe Mofes did make an image by God's appoint- ment, may we therefore fet up an image of our own devifmg ? becaufe Mofes made an i- mage to heal them that were flung, is it lawful therefore to fet_up images in churches, to fling them that are whole \ this doth not at all follow. Nay, that very brazen ferpent which God himfelf commanded to be fet up, when If- rael did look upon it with too much reverence, and began to burn incenfe to it, Hezekiah de- faced that image, and called it Hehujhtan ; and God commended him for doing fo, 2 Kings xviii. 4. Obj. 4. But is not God reprefented as hav- ing hands, and eyes, and ears ? Why then may we not make an image to reprefent him by, and help our devotion ? Anf. Tho' God is pleafed to floop to our weak capacities, and fet himfelf out in fcripture by eyes, to fignify his omnifciency ; and hands, to fignify his power ; yet, it is very abfurd> from metaphors and figurative expreffions, to bring an argument for images and pictures ; for, by that rule, God may be pictured by the fun and the element of fire, and by a rock ; for God is fet forth by thefe metaphors in fcrip- ture : and fure the papifls thcmfelves would not like to have fuch images made of God. Qu. ii If it be not lawful to make the image of God the Father, yet may we not make an i- mage of ChriJ}, who took upon him the nature tf man \ Anf. No. Epiphanhts feeing an image of Chrifr hanging in a church, brake it in pieces. 'Tis Chrifl's Godhead, united to his manhood, that makes him to be Chriit : therefore, to picture his manhood, when we cannot picture his Godhead, is a fin, beciufe we make him to be but half-Chrift, we feparate what God hath joined, we leave out that which is the chief thing, which makes him to be Chrift. Qu. 2. But htw then /hall we conceive of Gift OF THE SECOND COMMANDMENT. ns' Gad aright, if we may make no image or re- fernblance of him ? Anf. We muft conceive of God fpiritually, viz. i. In his attributes, his holinefs, juftice, goodnefs, which are. the beams by which his divine nature fhines forth. 2. We muft con- ceive of him as he is in Chrift, Chrift, is the i- maqe of the invijible God, Col. i. 15. as in the wax we fee the print of the feal. Set the eyes of your faith on Chrift-God-Man, John xiv. 9. Be that hath feen me, hath feen the Father. life 2. Take heed of idolatry, viz. iraage- worfhip : our nature is prone to rhis fin, as dry wodd io rake f'e; and indeed, what needs fo many words in the cornrnandme'ht, ITbpu /halt no. mike any graven image, or the lik'enefs of ■any thing in heaven, earth, waler, fun, moon, ftars, male, female, r;;h ; thou fbatt not bow down to them: 1 fay, what needed lo many words, but to /hew how fubjeft v/e are to this fin of falle worfhip ? it concerns us Therefore to refift this fin. W here the tide is apt to run with greater force, there wc need to make the banks higher and ftrongci ; the plague of ido- latry is very infectious, Pf. cvi 35, 3^. They were mingled among the heathens, and ferved their idols. It is my advice to you to avoid all occaflons of this fin. 1. Come not into the company of idolatrous papifts, dare not to live under the fame roof with them : you run into the devil's mouth. John the divine would not be in the bath where Cerinthus the heretic was. 2. Go not into their chapels to fee their crucifixes, or hear mafs : as the looking on an harlot draws to adultery, fo the looking on the popifh gilded picture may draw to idolatry. Some care not tho' they go and fee their idol- worfhip : indeed, a vagrant that hath nothing to lofe, cares not tho' he goes among thieves ; fuch as have no goodnefs in them, . e not in- to what idolatrous places they come, or what temptations they caft themfelves upon : but you who have a treafure about you, good principles, take heed the popifli } ;\ .fts do not rob you of your principles, and detile you with their i- mages. 3. Dare not to joyn in marriage with image- worfhippers. Solomon, tho' a man of wifdom, yet his idolatrous .wives drew away his heart from God. The people of IfraelcMrcd into an oath and curfe, that they would not give their daughters in marriage "to the idolaters, Nehem. x. 30. For a proteftant and papift t» marry, is to be unequally yoked, 2 Cor. vi. 14. and there is more danger that the paplft will corrupt the protectant, than hope that the pro- teftant will convert the papift. Mingle wine and vinegar, the vinegar will fooner four the wine, than the wine will fweeten the vinegar. 4. Avoid fuperflition, which is a bridge leads over to Rome. Su peril ition is the bringing in any ceremony, fancy, or innovation into God's wo;fhip, which he never appointed. This h very provoking toGoci; became it reflects much upon his honour, as if he were not wife enough to appoint the manner of his own worfhipi God hates all flrange fire to be offered in his temple, Lev. x. 1. A ceremony may in time, bring to a crucifix. They who contend for the crofs in baptifm, why may they not as well, have the oil, fait, and cream, the one being as ancient as the other ? fuch as are for altar-wor- fhip, they who will bow to the eafr, may in time- bow to the hoft. Take heed of all occaflons of idolatry ; idolatry is devil-worfhip, Pf. cvi. 37. and if you fearch thro' the whole bible, there is no one fin that God hath more follow- ed with plagues, than idolatry ; the Jews have a laying, that in every evil that befals them, there is uncia aurei vituli, an ounce of the gol- den calf in it. Hell is a place for idolaters, Rev. xxii. 15. For without are idolaters. Scnefius calls the devil a rejoycer at idols, becaufe the image- worfliippers help to fill hell. That you may be preferved from idolatry* and image- worfhip, 1. Get good principles, that you raay be able to oppofe the gainfaycr. Whence doth the popifh religion get ground ? not from the goodnefs of their caufe, but from the ignorance of their people. 2. Get love to God. The wife that loves her hufband is fafe from the adulterer ; anal the foul that loves Chrift is Afe from the ido- later. 3. Pray that God will keep you. Tho' iris true, there is nothing in an imrge to tempt (for if we pray to an image it cannot hear, and if wc pray to God by an image, he will not heai : I fay, there's nothing to tempt) yet wc know not our own hearts, or how foon we may be drawn to vanity, if God leave us ; therefore pray thaf you be not enticed by falfe worfhip, or receive the mark of the beaft in your right-hand or forehead. Pray, Pf. cxix. 117. Mold thou [me F f upj OF THE SECOND COMMANDMENT. 226 up, and I /hall be fafe. Lord, let me neither milhikc my way for want of light, nor leave the true way for want of courage. 2. Let us blefs God, who hath given us the knowledge of his truth ; that we have tafted the honey of his word, and our eyes are en- lightened. Blefs htm that he hath fhewn us the pattern of his houfe, the right mode of worfhip; that he hath difcovered (o us the for- gery and blafphemy of the Romi/Jj religion* Let us pray, that God will preferve pure ordi- nances, and powerful preaching among us : i- dolatry came in at firfl by the want of good preaching ; then the people began to have gol- den images, when they had wooden priefts. Exod. xx. 5. For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, vi/iting the Iniquity of the Fathers up- on the Children unto the third and fourth Generation of the?n that hate me. I. T The Lord thy God am a jealous God.~\ J_ The firit reafon why Ifrael muft not worfhip graven images, is, becaufe the Lord is a jealous God, Exod. xxxiv. 14. The Lord, whofe name is Jehovah, is a jealous God. Jea- loufy is taken in a good fenfe, and fo God is jealous for his people. 2. In a bad fenfe, and lb God is jealous of his people. t. In a good fenfe, and fo God is jealous /or his people, Zech. i. 14. Thus faith the Lord, I am jealous for Jerufalem, and for Zion, with a great jealoufy. God hath a dear affection for his people, they are his Hephzibah, or de- light, Ifa. lxii. 5. The apple of his eye, Zech. *i. 8. To cxprefs how dear they are to him, and how tender he is of them, Nihil carius fupilla oculi, Drufius. They are his fpoufe, a- dorned with jewels of grace ; they ly near to his heart. He is jealous for his fpoufe, therefore he will be avenged on them who go to wrong her, Ifa. xlii. 13. The Lord ft all fir up jea- Ir.ify like a man cf-war ; he /hall roar, he flmll prevail again/} his enemies. What is done to the faints," God takes as done to himfelf, 2 Kings xlx. 22. and the Lord will undo all them that afflitt Zion, Zeph. iii. 19. / will undo all that affliB thee. 2. Jealoufy is taken in a bad fenfe, and fo God is jealous of his people ; and fo it is taken in this commandment, / the Lord thy God am a jealous God. I am jealous left you fhould go after falfe gods, or worfhip the true God in a falfe manner; left you defile your virgin-profeflion by images. God will have his i^ouie to keep clofe to him, and not go after ether lovers, Hcf. iii. 3. Thou /halt not be /or Another man. God cannot bear a corrival : our conjugal love, viz. a love joined with ado- ration and worfhip, muft be given only to God. Ufe 1. Let us give God no juft caufe to be .jealous. A .good wife will be fo difcreet and chaft, as to give her hufband no juft occafion of jealoufy. Let us avoid all fin, efpecially the fin of idolatry, or image-worfhip ; it is hei- nous, after we have entered into a marriage- covenant with God, now to proftitute ourfelves to an image. Idolatry is fpiritual adultery, and God is a jealous God> he will avenge it : image- worfhip makes God abhor a people, Pf. lxxviii. 58. They moved him to jeahufy with their gra^ ven images. When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Ifrael. Image- worfhip en rage th God, Prov. vi. 34. Jealoufy is the rage of a man ; it makes God divorce a people, Hof. ii. 2. Plead with your mother, plead; for fhe is not my wife. Cant. viii. 6. Jealoufy is cruel as the grave. As the grave devours men's bodies, fo God will devour i- mage-worfhippers. Ufe 2. If God be a jealous God, let it be a word to fuch whofe friends are popifh idola- ters, and they are hated by their friends, be- caufe they are of a different religion, and per- haps they cut off their maintenance from them. O remember, God is a jealous God ; better move your parents to hatred, than move God to jealoufy : their anger cannot do you fomuch hurt as God's ; if they will not provide for you, God will, Pf. xxvii. 10. When my father and mother for fake me, then the Lord -will take me up. II. The fecond reafon againft image-wor- fhip, Vifiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth genera- tion.^ There is a twofold vifiting. 1. There, is God's vifiting in mercy, Gen. 1. 25. God will furely vi fit you ; that is, he will bring you in- to the land of Canaan, the type of heaven. Thus God hath vifited us with the fun-beams of his favour; he hath made us fwim in a fea of mercy : this is an happy vifitation. 2. There is God's vifiting in anger, Jer. v. 9. Shall OF THE SECOND COMMANDMENT* :22 7 Shall I not vifit for thefe things ? that is, God's viiiting with the rod: and, Ifa. x. 3. What will ye do in the day of vifitation ? that is, in the day when God diall vifit with his judgment. Thus God's vifiting is taken here, in this com- mandment, vifiting iniquity , that is, punching iniquity. Oblcrve here three things. Obferv. 1. That fin makes God vifit; Vifit- ing iniquity. Sin is the caufe why God vifits with ficknefs, poverty, Pf. Ixxxix. 31, 32. If they break my commandments >• then will I vifit their tranfgrejfions with the rod. Sin twHts the cords which pinch us ; fin creates all our troubles, it is the gall in our cup, and the gravel in our bread ; Flagitium & fiagellum, funtficut acits & filum. Sin is the Trojan horle, the Phaeton, that lets all on fire ; it is the womb of our forrows, and grave of our comfort. God vifits for fin. Obferv. 2. One fpecial fin God vifits for, is idolatry and image- worfhip. Vifiting the ini- quity of the fathers. Mofl of God's invenom- ed arrows have been {hot among idolaters, Jer. vii. 12. Go now into my place which was in Shiloh, where I fet my name at the fir fi, and fee what I did to it. God, for Ifrael's idolatry, fuifered their army to be routed, their priefts flain, the a- k taken captive ; and we never read that the ark returned to Shiloh any more. Je- rufalem was the moil; famous metropolis of the world ; there was the temple, Pf exxii. 4. Whi- ther the tribes go up the tribes of the Lord. Yet, for their high places and images, their city Was befieged and taken by the Chaldean forces, 2 Kings xxv. 4. When images were fet up in Confi antinople , the chief feat of the Eaflern em- pire ; this city, which was in the eye of the world impregnable, was taken by the Turks, and many cruelly malfacred. Then the Turks, in their triumphs, reproached the idolatrous Chriflians, caufing an image or crucifix to be carried through the ilreets in contempt, and throwing dirt upon it, cried, This is the god of the Chrifiians. Here was God's vifitation for their idolatry. Cod hath fet fpecial marks of his wrath upon idolaters : at a place called E- poletium, there perished by an earthquake 3^:0 perfons, while they were offering fa orifice to i- dols. Idolatry hath brought mifery upon the Enfiern churches, it removed the golden can- dlesticks, of rffia. This iniquity God vifus for. Obferv. 3. Idolatrous perfons are enemies not only to their own fouls, but to their children Vifiting the iniquity of the fathers upon their children. As an idolatrous father entails his land of inheritance, fo he entails God's anger and curfe upon them. A jealous hufband, finding his wife hath flained her integrity, may juflly caf1 .•ffherand her children too, becaufe they are none of his. If the father be a traitor to his prince, no wonder if all the children fufTer. God may vifit the iniquity of image- worfhippers upon their children. Qu. But is it not faid, Every one (hall die for his own fin ; the fon fnall not bear the iniquity of the father ? How then doth God fay, He will vifit the iniquity of the fathers upon the chil- dren ? Anfi Tho' the fon be not damned for his fa- ther's fin, yet he may be feverely punifhed, Job xxi. 19. God lays up his iniquity for his children-, thar is, God 5ys up the punifhment of his ini- quity for his children ; the child fmarts for the father's fin. Jeroboam thought to have effa- bliihed the kingdom by idolatrous worfhip, but it brought ruin upon him, and all hispofterity, 1 Kings xiv. 10. Ahab's idolatry wronged his poflerity, they loft the kingdom, and were all beheaded, 2 Kings x. 7. They took the kings. fons, and flew feventy perfons. There God vi- fited the iniquity of the father upon the chil- dren. As a fon catcheth an hereditary difeafe from his father, theftone or gout ; fo he catch- eth mifery from him, his father's fin ruins him. Ufe 1, Iffo, then how fad is it to be the child of an idolater? It had been fad to have been one of Cehazi's children, who had Ieprofy en- tailed upon them, 2 Kings v. 27. The Ieprofy of Naaman fhall cleave to thee, and to thy feed for ever. So it is fid to be a child of an idolater, or image- worfhipper : his feed are expofed to God's heavy judgments in this life ; God vifits the iniquity of the fathers upon their children. Merhinks I hear God fpeak, as, Jfa. xiv. 21 .. Prepare (laughter for his children for the ini- quity of t heir fathers . Ufe 2. See what a privilege it is to be th« children of good parents ; the parents are in covenant with God, and God lays up mercy for their pofterity, Prov.xx. 7« The jujt man walks in his integrity, his feed are blejfed after him. A religious parent doth not procure wrath, but helps to keep off wrath from hi:> child ; he fea- fons his child with religious principles, he pray? down a blefling on his child : he is a loadftone drawing his child to Chrifi by good counfcl and example. O what a privilege is it to be F f % born 11% F THE SECOND COMMANDMENT. horn of godly religious parents ! St. Auflin faith, that his mother Monica travelled with greater eare and pains for his new birth, than for his natural. Wicked idolaters entail mifery on their poflerity. God vljits the. iniquity of the fathers upon their children : but religious pa- rents procure a bleffmg upon their children, "God refer ves mercy upon their poflerity. III. The third reafon againlt image-worfhip, Of them that hate me.~\ This is a reafon agaiiift image-worfhip, 'tis hating Cod ; the papiits, who woiftiip God by an image, hate God. I- mngc-woi (hip is a pretended love to God, but God interprets it ; n hating of him : Qiitv diligit cMenum odit fponfi. n •, She that loves another man, hates her own hufband. An image- lover is a God-harer. Idolaters are faid to go a-whoring from God, Ezek. xxxiv. 15. How can they love God ? I mall (hew that image- 'worfhippers hate God, whatever love they pre- tend. 1. They who go contrary to God's exprefs will, hate him. God faith, you mall not fet up any flatue, image, picture, torepiefent me; thefe things I hate, Deut. xvi. 22 Neither floait thou ft up any image -which the Lord thy God hateth. Yet the idolater will fer up images, and worfhip them. This God looks upon as an hating of him. How doth that child love his father, who doth all he can to crofs him ? 2. They who fhut the truth out of doors, hate God, Jephtha proves that hi? brethren did hate him, becaufe they laboured to (hut htm out of his father's houfe, Judges xi. 7. The 3- dolater fhuts the truth out of doors ; he blots out the fecond commandment; he makes a fhape of the invifible God ; he brings a lie into God's worfhip : which is a clear proof he ha-es God. 3. Idolaters, tho' they love the falfe image of God in a picture, yet they hate the true image of God in a believer : they preteod to honour Chnfi: in a crucifix, yet perfecute Chriit in his members : thefe hate God. Ufe 1. This may confute thofe who plead for image-worfhippers. They are very devout people, they adore images, they fet up the cru- cifix, kifs it, light candles to it : they love God. Nay, but who fhall be judge of their love ? God faith, they hate him: they give religious adora- tion to a creature. Thefe hate God, and God hates them ; and they fhall never live with God, whom God hates : he will never lay fuch vipers in his bolbm ; heaven is kept as p:.ra- dife, with a flaming fword, that they fhall not enter in : and Deut, vii. 10. He repayeth them that hate hi?n, to their face. God will fhont all his murdering-pieces among idolaters ; ail the plagues and curies in the book of God fhall befal the idolater : the Lord repays him that hates him, to his face. Ufe 2. Let it exhort us all to fie from Ro- mifh idolatry : let us not be among G»d-haters, 1 John v. 21. Little children, keep yourftlves from idols. As you would keep your bodies from adultery, fo keep your fouls from idolatry. Take heed of images, they are images of jea- loufy to provoke God to ange; : the; are dam- nable : you may as well perifh by falfe devoti- on, as by real fcandul ; by image-- orftip, as diunkennefs and whoredom. A man may as well die by poifon, as pitol: we may as well go to hell by drinking poifon in the Romifh cup of'foriiici 'on; as b\ being pifloJed *vith grots and fcand;?'ou:- fins To r-» lude, God is a jealous God, nojfcprrival ; he in- uific the ini- quities of the fathers upc t; :r children: he will entail a -blague u ion the poflerity of ido- 1 ters. He irrterpre idola rs to be fuch as hate him ; he that is an ima lover, is a God- hate r: Thei l;c eep ydurfelves pure from Romljfb id -j atry; : you love your fouls, keep yourfelvcs from idols. Exod. xx. 6. Shewing Mercy unto Thoufands, &c. ^"M^ I S is another argument againft ima re- worfhip, becnufr fuch as do not provoke God with the ir images, he is merciful to them, and will entail mercy upon their poflerity j Jheiving mercy to thoufands. 1 Here is the golden fceptre of Go<"s mercy difplayed. 2. The perfpns interefled in God's mercy ; fuch as love him, and keep his com- m ndments. t. The golden fceptre of God's mercy difplayed, Jht-wing mercy to thoulands. The heathens thought rhey pfalfed Jupiter e- nough, when they called him go:d and great. Both thefe excellencies meer in God,, ma-.efy and mercy. Mercy is that innate p.openfenc s in God to do good to diflieffed ft ?iers. God fhewing mercy, makes his Godhead appear full of O t THE SECOND COMMANDMENT. Z2£ of glory. "When Mofis faid to God, I befeech thee fhew me thy glory ; I will (faith God) /hew mercy, Exod. xxxiii. 19. His mercy is his glory. Mercy is the name by which God will be known, Exod. xxxiv. 6. The Lord pa/fed by, and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord Cod, met' ciful and gracious. Mercy proceeds primarily, and originally from God ; he is called the Fa- ther of mercies, 2 Cor. i. 3. becaufe he begets all thofe mercies and bowels which are in the creature. Our mercies compared v/ith God's, are leasee fo much as the drop to the ocean. Qu. What are the qualification? ? /. [. Fhe fp'ing of mercy which God ftiews, i:' free an.' fpontaneous. To fet up me- rit is to deftroy mercy : nothing can deferve mercy or force it ; we cannot deferve mercy, becaufe of our enmity, nor force it; we may force God to punim us, not to love us, Hof. xiv. 4. I will love them freely, Ev:ry link in the golden chain of faivation is wrought and interwoven with free grace. Efefriori is free, Eph, i. 4. He hath chofn us in him according to t *e good pleafure of his will Juftification is free, Rom. iii. 24. heing jufiified freely by his grace. Say not ' then, 1 am unworthy ; for mercy is free. If God mould fhew mercy only to fuch as deferve it, he mult mew mercy to none at all. 2. The mercy God (hews is powerful : how powerful is that mercy which f >fcens an heart of {tone ? mercy changed Mary Magda 'ene's heart, out of whom fever, devils were cart : fhe who was an inflexible adamant, mercy made her a weeping penitent. God's mercy works fweetly, yet irreliftib'y ; it allures, vet con- quers. The law may terrify, mercy doth mol- lify. Of what fovereign power and efficacy is that mercy which fubduc. the pride and enmi- ty of the heart, and bea.s off thofe chains of fin in which the foul is held ! 3. The mercy which God (hews is fuper- abundant, Exod. xxxiv. 6. Abundant in good- nefs, fhewing mercy to thoufands. God viiits iniquity only to the third and jourth generation, Exod. xx. 5. but he fhews mercy to a thouiand generations. The Lord hath treafures of mer- cy lying by, therefore he is faid to be plenteous in mercy, Pf. lxxxvi. 5. and rich in mercy, Eph. ii. 4. The vial of God's wrath doth but drop, but the fountain of his mercy runs. The Tun is not fb full of light, as God is of love. God hath mercy, Firft, Of all dimenfions ; he hath depth of mercy, it reacheth as low as finners ; and height of mercy, it reacheth above: the clouds. Secondly, God hath mercies of all feafons;- mercies for the night, he gives fleep; nay, fometimes he gives a fong in the nighf, Pf xlii. S. And hath mercies for the morning. Lam. iii. 23. His compaffions are frcjh every morning. Thirdly, God hath mercies for nil forts. Mercies for the poor, 1 Sam. ii. 8. He raifth the poir out of the dufl : mercies for the pri- foner, Pf. lxix. 33. He defpifvth not his pri- f oners : mercies for the dejected, Ifa. liv. 8. In a little wrath 1 hid my face from thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. God hath old mercies, Pf. xxv. 6. Thy mercies have been ever. of old : And new mercies, Pf xl. 3. He hath put a new fong in my mouth. Every time we draw our breath, we fuck in mercy : God hath mercies under heaven, and thofe we tafte of; and mercies in heaven; and thofe we hope for. Thus Gods mercies are fupei abundant. 4. T'he mercy God fhews is abiding, Pf. ciii. 1 6. The mercy of the Lord is from everlafiing to everlafiing. God's anger to his children lafts but a while, Pf. ciii. 5. but his mercy lafts for ever. God's mercy is not like the widow's oil, which ran a while, and then ceafed, 2 Kings iv. 6. Over-flowing, ever flowing. God's mercy, as it is without bounds, fo without bot- tom, Pf exxxvi. His mercy endures for ever. God never cuts off the entail of mercy from the eleft. Qu. 2. Hew many ways is God faid to fhew mercy ? Anf. 1. We are all living monuments of God's mercy. God fhews mercy to us in duly fuppiying us. 1. He fupplies us with health: health is the fauce which makes our life rtliih fweeter. How would they prize this mercy, who are chained to a fick bed? 2. God fup- plies us with provifions, Gen. xlviii. 15. The God who hath fed me all my days. Mercy fpreads our tables, it carves us every bit of bread we ear ; we never drink but in the golden cup of mercy 2. God fhews mercy in lengthning out our gofpel-liherties. I Cor. xvi. 9. There are ma- ny adverfari< s ; many would flop the waters of the fan&uary that they fhf uld not run: we enjoy the fweet leaibns of grace, we hear joy- ful founds, we fee the goings of God in his fancmary, we enjo\ fabbath after fabbath ; the manna of the word yet falls about our tents, when 2?«i OF THE SECOND COMMAND M E N T, > when ia diverfe parts of the land they have no manna. Here is God's (hewing mercy to us ; he fpins out our forfeited liberties. 3. God fhews mercy to us, in preventing lhany evils from invading us, Pf. iii. 3. Thou, 0 Lord, art a fine Id for me. God hath re- trained the wrath of men, and been a fcreen between us and danger : when the destroying angel hath been abroad, and mot his deadly arrow of peft'dence, God hath kept off the arrow that it hath not come near us. . 4. God (hews mercy, in delivering us, 2 Tim. iv. 17. And I was delivered out of the month . of the lion, viz. Nero. God hath reftored us from the grave. May we not write the writing of Hezekiah, Ifa. xxxviii. 9. When he had been fick, and was recovered of his fichiefs ? When we thought the Pan of our life had been fetting, God hath made it return to its former bright- nefs. 5. God (hews mercy, in retraining of us from fin : lulls wiihin, are woife than lions without. The greateft fign of God's anger, is to give men up to their fins, Pf. lxxxi. 12. So I gave them up to their own lufis ; let them fin themfelves to hell : but God hath laid the bridle of re- flraining grace upon us. As God faid to Abi- welech,Gen. xx. 6. 1 withheld thee from finning a<*ainft me ; Co God withheld us from thofe ex-. orbitancies which might have made us a prey to Satan, and a tenor to ourfelves. 6. God (hews mercy, in guiding and direct- ing us. Is it not a mercy for one that is out of the way to have a guide ? FirJ}, There is a providential guiding : God guides our affairs for us, chalks out a way he would have us to walk in ; he refolves our doubts, unties our knots, appoints the bounds of our habitation, Acls xvii. 26. Secondly, A fpiritual guiding, Pf lxxiii. 24. Thou floait guide me with thy counftl As Ifrael h«d a pillar of fire to go be- fo.e him, fo God guides us with the oracles of his word, and the conduct of his fpiiit. He guides our head, keeps us from error; and he guides our feet, keeps us nam fcandal. O what mercy is it to have God to be our guide and pilot ! Pf xxxi. 3. For thy name's fake lead me and guide me. 7. God (hews mercy in correcting us. God is angry in love ; he fmites, that he may fave. God's rod is not a rod of iron to break us, but a fatherly rod to humble us, Heb. xii. 10. He, for our profit, that we may be partakers of his hdinefs. Either God will mortify fome cor- ruption, or exercife fome grace. Is there not mercy in this ? Every crofs, to a child of God, is like Paul's crofs wind, which, tho' it broke thefhip, it brought Paul to (hore upon the broken pieces, Ails xxvii. 44. 8. God fhews mercy in pardoning us, Mic. vii. 18. Who is a God like thee, that pardonefi iniquity ? 'Tis mercy to feed us, rich mercy to pardon us : this mercy is fpun out of the bow- els of free grace ; this is enough to make a fick man vfell, Ifa. xxxiii. 24. The inhabitant /hall hot fay, I am fick ; the people that dwell therein Jhall be forgiven their iniquity. Prdonoffin is a mercy of the fir/i magnitude, God feals the finner's pardon with a kifs. This made David put on his beff cloathes, and anoint himfelf: his child newly d^ad, and God had told him the fword mould not depart from his houle, yet now he falls anointing i imfelf ; the reafbn. was, God had lent him his pardon by the pro- phet Nathan, 2 Sam. iii. 12, 13. The Lord hath put away thy fin. Pardon is the only fit re- medy for a troubled confeience : what can give eaie to a wounded fp1f.it, bur pardoning mercy ? Offer him the honours and pleafares of the world ; 'tis as if you bring floweis and mufic to one that is condemned. Qu. How may I know my fins are pardoned? Anf Where God removes the guilt, he breaks the power of fin, Mic. vii. 19. He will have compajfion, he will fub due our iniquities. With pardoning love God gives fubduing grace. 9. God fhews his mercy in fan citifying us, Lev. xx. 8. / am the Lord that fanclify you. This is the partaking of the divine nature, 2 Pet. i. 4. God's fpirit is a fpirit of confecrati- on, tho' it fanclify us but in part, yet in every parr, 1 Theff. v. 23. This is fuch a mercy, that God cannot give it in anger ; if we are fanctified, then we are elected, 2 Theff. ii. 13. God hath chofen you to falvation, through fanC' tification. This doth difponere ad caelum ; it prepares for happinefs, as the feed prepares for harvefh When the virgins had been anointed and perfumed, then they were to If and before the king, Efth. ii. 12. fo, when we have had the-anointing of God, then we (hall Hand be- fore the King of heaven. so. God (hews mercy , in hearing our prayers, Pfiv. i. Have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. Is it not a favour, when a man puts up a petition to the king, and hath it granted ? when we pray for pardon, adoption, the fenfe of God's love, to have God give a gracious an- fwer j OF THE SECOND COMMANDMENT. fwer ; what a fignal mercy is this ? God may fometimes delay an anfwer, when he will not deny. You do not prefently throw a mufician money, becaufe you love 10 hear his mafic: God loves the mufic of prayer, therefore doth not prefently let us hear from him ; but, in due feafon he will gire an anfwei of peace, Pf. lxvi. 20. Blejfed be Cod, who bath not turned cway my prayer nor his mercy from me. If God doth not turn away o prayer, then, he doth not turn away his me; ii. God mews mercy in faying us. T'tus iii. 5. According to his mercy he fayed us. This is the top-flone of mercy, ?nd is laid in heaven. Now mercy difplays itfelf in all its orient co lours ; now mercy is mercy indeed, when God /hall perfectly refine us from ail the Ices and dregs of corruption. Our bodies (hall be made like Chrifl's glorious body, and our fouls like the angels. Saving mercy is crowning mercy: 'tis not only to be freed from hell, but iathroned in a kingdom. In this life we do rather defire God, than enjoy him : but what rich mercy will it be to be fully pofTeffed of God, to fee his fmiling face, and to have God lay us in his bo- fom ? This will fill us with Joy unfpeakable and full of glory ', Pf. xvii. 15. I fhall be fatisfted, when I wake, with thy likenefs. Ufe 1. As an argument againfl defpair, fee what a great encouragement here is to ferve God ; he fhews mercy to thoufands. "Who would not be willing to ferre a prince that is given to mercy and clemency ? God is repre- fented with a rainbow round about him, Rev. iv. 3. an emblem of his raercy. A&s of feve- rity are rather forced from God ; juflice is his flrange work, Ifa. xxviii. 22. Therefore the difciples, who are not faid to wonder at the o- ther miracles of Chrifl, yet did wonder when the fig-tree was cm fed and withered, becaufe it was not Chrift's manner to put forth afts of fe- verity. God is faid to delight in mercy, Mic. vii. 18. Juflice is God's left-hand, mercy is his right-hand : God ufeth his right-hand mofl ; he is more ufed to mercy than to juflice, pronior eft Deus ad parcendum quam ad puniendum. God is faid to be /low to anger, Pf. ciii. 8. but ready to forgive, Pf. Ixxxvi. 5. This may en- courage us to ferve God. What argument will prevail, if mercy will not ? Were God all ju- flice, it might fright us from him, but his mer- cy may be a load-flone to draw us to him. Ufe 2. Branch 1. Hope in God's mercies, Pf. cxlvii. 1 1 . The herd takes pleafure in them 23 1 that fear him, and hope in his mercy. God counts it his glory to be fcattering pardons a*. mong men. Obj. But I have been aftnner, and fur e there is no mercy for me. Anf No, not if thou goefl on in fin, and art forefblvcd; but, if thou wilt break off thy fins, the golden fceptre of mercy fhall be held foi t'1 to thee, Ifa. Iv. 7. Let the wicked forfake his way, and let him return ur.to the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him. And Chrifl's bioo-J is a fountain ft t open for ftn and uncle •anne fs , Zech. xiii. 1. Mercy doth more overflow in God, than fin in us; God's mercy can drown great fins, as the fea covers great rocks. Some of thofe Jews, who had their hands embrued in Chrifl's blood, were fiived by that Mood: God lores to magnify his goodnefs, to difplay the trophies of free grace, and to fet up his mercy above you, 'in fpite of fin : therefore hope in God's mercy. Branch 2. If God fhew mercy to thoufands, labour to know that this mercy is for you, Pf. lix. 17. He is the God of my mercy. A man that was ready to drown, faw a rainbow ; faith he, what am I the better, tho' God will not drown the world, if I drown ? fo, what are we the better God is merciful, if we perifh ? let us labour to know God's fpecial mercy is for us. Qu. How ft? all we know it belongs to us? Anf. 1, If we put an high value and efli- mate upon God's mercy : God will not throw away his mercy on them that flight it; we prize health, but we prize adopting mercy above ir. This is the diamond ia the ring, it outfliincs all other comforts. 2. If we are fearers of God, we have a re- verend awe upon us ; we tremble at fin, and flee from it, as Mofts did from his rod turned into a ferpent. Luke i. 50. His mercy is on them that fear him. 3. If we take fanctuary in God's mercy, we trufl in it, Pf. Iii. 8. As a man is faved by catching hold of a cable ; God's mercy is a great cable let down from heaven to us : now taking fa ft hold of this cable by faith, we are faved, Pf Iii. 8. / trufl in the mercy of God for ever.^ As a man trufleth his life and goods in a garrifon, fo we trufl our fouls in God's mercy. Qu. What fhall we do to get a fhare in God\s fpecial mercy ? Anf 1. If we would have mercy, it mufl be through Chrifl; out of Chrifl no mercy is to U *tt OF T IJ £ SECOND COMMANDMENT. be had. We read in the old law, Firfl, None might come into the holy of holies, where the mercy-feat flood, but the high prieft ; fignify- ing, we have nothing to do with mercy, but through Chrift Gur high prieft. 2ly, The high pried might not come near the mercy-feat wishout blood, Lev. xvi. 14. to fhew that we have no right to mercy; but through the expi- atory facrifice of Chrift's blood. 3/y, The high prieft might not, upon pain of death, come near the mercy-feat without incenfe, Lev. xvi. 13. No mercy from God without the incenfe of Chrift's interceffion : fo that, if we would have mercy, we muft get a part in Chrift, Mer- cy fwims to us through Chrift's blood. 2. If we would have mercy, we mufl pray for it, Pf. Ixxxv. 7. Shew us thy mercy, 0 Lord, and grant us thy falvation. Pf. xxv. 16. Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me. Lord, put me not off with common mercy ; give me not only mercy to feed and clothe me, but mercy to pardon me; n t only (paring mercy, but faving mercy. Lord, g:ve me the cream of thymetcies; let me have mercy and loving- kindnefs, Pf cut. 4. Who crowqetb thee -with loving-kindnef. and tender mercy. Be earneft fuitors for mercy ; let your w ants quicken your importunity : then we pray moft fervently, when we pray moft feelingly. Exod. xx. 6. Of them that love me, &c. 1. /"^ O D's mercy is for them that love him. VJ Love is a grace that mines and fpaikles in God's eye, as the precious ftono did upon Aaron's breail-plate. Love is an holy expan- fion or enlargement of foul, whereby it is car- ried with delight after God as the chief gocd ; Co Aquinas defines love, Complacentia amantis in amato : love is a complacential delighting in God, as in our treafure : love is the foul of reli- gion ; 'tis a grace highly momentous. If wc had knowledge as the angels, or faith of mi- racles, yet without love it would profit nothing, 1 Cor. xiii. 2. Love is the firfi and great com- mandment, Matth. xxii. 38, It is fo, becaufe, if this be wanting, there can be no religion in the heart ; there can be no faith, for faith works by love, Gal. v. 6. All is but pageantry, or a devout compliment. 2. Becaule love doth meliorate and fweetea all the duties of religion ; it makes them fa- voury meat, elfe God -cares not to tafte of them. 3. It is the firft and great commandment, in refpect of the excellency of this grace. Love is the queen of the graces ; it outfhines all the other, as the fun the lefTcr planets. In fome refpect it is more excellent than faith ; tho' in one fenfe faith be more excellent, vittute uni- e;;/j, as it unites us to Chrift ; faith puts upon us the embroidered lobe of Chrift's lighteouf- Refs, which is a brighter robe than any of the •angels wear : yet in another fenfe love is more excellent, refpeftu durationis, in refpect of the continuance of it ; it is the moft durable grace : faith, and hope will fhortly ceafe, but love will remain. When all the other graces, like Ra- chel, (hall die in travel, lovefh.aU revive. The other grace: are in the nature of a leafc, only for term of life ; lcve is as a freehold, it con- tinues for ever. Thua love carries away the garlqtd from all the other graces, it is the moft long-lived grace, it is _ bud of eternity ; this grace alone (hall accompany us in heaven. Qu. 1. Ilouj mufl oar love is God be qua- lified ? Jnf, 2. Love K? God muft be pure and ge- nuine, he muft be loved chiefly for himfeif ; this the fchopl-mcn call amo* amicities. We muft low God, not only for his benefits, but for thofe intrinfic excellencies wherewith he is crowned : wc muft love God not only for the good which flows from him, but the good which is in him. True love is not mercenary ; a foul that is deeply in love with God, needs not to be hired with rewards; he cannot but love God for the beauty of his holinefs : not but that it is lawful to look at God's benefits ; Mofes had an eye to the recompencc of reward, Heb. xi. 26. but we muft not love God only for his be- nefits, for then it is not love of God but felf- love. 2- Love to God muft be with all the heart, Mark xii. 30. Thou Jh alt love the Lord thy God •with all thy heart. We muft not love God a little, give him a drop or two of our love ; but the main ftream of our love muft run after him; the mind muft think of God, the will chufes him, the affections pant after him : the true mother would not have the child divided, nor God will not have the heart divided : we muft OF THE SECOND COMMANDMENT. *33" muft love him with our whole heart. Tho' we may love the creature, yet it muft be a fub- ordinate love : love to God muft behigheft, as the oil fwims above the water. 3. Love to God muft be flaming ; to love coldly, is all one as not to love. The fpoufe is faid to be amore perculfa, jkk of love, Cant. ii. 5. The Seraphims are lb called, from their burning : love turns faints into feraphims, it makes them burn in holy love to God ; and many waters* cannot quench this love. Qu. 2. How may ive know whether we love God? Anf. 1. He that loves God, defires his fweet prefence : lovers cannot be long afunder, they have their fainting-fits, they want a fight of the object of their love. A foul deeply in love with God, defires the enjoyment of him in his ordinances, in word, prayer, facraments. Da- Vid was ready to faint away and die, when he had not a fight of God, Pf. lxxxiv. 2. My foul faint eth for God ; fuch as care not for ordi- nances, but fay, when will the fabbath be over ? plainly difcover want of love to God. 2. He who loves God, doth not love fin, Pf. xcvii. 10. Ye that love the Lord hate evil. The love of God, and the love of fin, can no more mix together, than iron and clay : every fin loved, (hikes at the being of God ; but he who loves God, hath an antipathy againft fin : he who would part between two lovers, is an hate- ful perfon : God, and the believing foul arc two lovers ; fin comes to part between them, there- fore the foul is implacably fet againft fin. By this try your love to God : how could Dalilah fay me loved Samfon, when me entertained correfpondence with the Philiftines who were his mortal enemies ? how can he fay he loves God, who loves fin, which is God's enemy ? 3. He who loves God, is not much in love with any thing elfe ; his love is very cool to worldly things : his love to God moves as the fun in the firmament, fwiftly ; his love to the world moves a? the fun on the dial, very flow. The love of the world eats out the heart of religion ; it choaks good affections, as the earth puts out the fire. The world was a dead thing to Paul, Gal. vi. 14. / am crucified to the world, and the world is crucified to me. In Paul we might fee both the picture and pattern of a mortified man : he that loves God, ufeth the world, but chufeth God ; the world is his penfion, but God is his portion, Pf. cxix. 57. The world doth bufy him, but God doth tie- light and fatisfy him. He faith, as David, Pf, xliii. 4. God my exceeding joy, the gladnefs or cream of my joy. 4. He who loves God, cannot live without him. Things we love, we know not how to be without ; a man can want mufic or flowers* but not food ; a foul deeply in love with God looks upon himfelf as undone without him, Pf, cxliii. 7. Hide not thy face from me, left lb: like them that go downt unto the pit. He faith, as Job, chap. xxx. 28. I went mourning with- out the fun. I have ftar-light, I want the fun. of righteoufhefs ; I enjoy not the fweet pretence of my God. Is God our chief good that we cannot live without ? alas, how do they de- monstrate they have no love to God, who can make a fhift well enough to be without him ? let them have but corn and oil, and you (hall never hear them complain of the want of God. 5. He who loves God will be at any pains to get him. What pains doth the merchant take, what hazards doth he run, to have a rich return from the Indies ? Extremos curr'tt mer- cat or ad Indos. Jacob loved Rachel, and he would endure the heat by day, and the froft by night, that he might enjoy her. A foul that loves God, will take any pains for the fruition of him, PflxYu.S. My foul follows hard after God. Love is pondus anima?, Aug. It is a> the weight which lets the clock a-going. The foul is much in prayer, weeping, faftlng ; he nVivcs as in agony, that he may obtain him whom his foul loves. Plutarch reports of the Gauls, an ancient people of France, after they had tailed the fweet wine of Italy, they never refted till they had arrived at that country. He who is in love with God, never refts till he hath, got- ten a part in him, Cant. iii. 2. / fought him whom my foul loveth. _ How can they fay they love God, who are not induftrious in the ufe of means to obtain him ? Prov. xix. 24. A floth- fiul man hides his hand in his bofom. Thcfearc not in agony, but lethargy : if Chrift and lai- vation would drop as a ripe fig into his mouth, he could be content to have them; but he is loth to put himfelf to too much trouble. Doth he love his friend, that will not make a journey to hi in ? 6. He that loves God, prefers him before e- ftate and life. 1. Before efhte, Phil. iii. 8. For whom 1 have fujfered the lofs of all things. AVho that loves a rich jewel, would not part with a flower for it ? Galeanus marquis of Vic$% G g pasted OF THE "SECOND COMMANDMENT. 234 parted with a fair eftate to enjoy God in his pure ordinances : when a jefuit perfuaded him to return to his popifh religion in Italy, promifing him an huge Turn or" money ; faith he, Let their money perifb wit/) them, -who ejieem all the gold in the world worth one day's communion with J ejus Chrift, and his holy Spirit. 2. Before fife, Rev.xli. it. They loved not their lives to the death. Love to God carries the foul above the love of life, and the fear of death. 7. He who loves God, loves his favourites, viz. the. flints, 1 John v. 1. Idem eft motus finhni in imaginem az;i^counfels Solomon, not only to ferve God, but with a willing mind, 1 Chron. xxviii. 9. The will makes fin to be worfe, and makes duty to be better. To obey wiliingly, (hews we do it with love; and this crowns all our fer vices. 2. There is that in the law-giver, as may make us willing to obey the commandments, viz. God's indulgence to us. (1.) God doth not require the fummum jus, as abfolutely neceffary to falvation ; he expects not perfect obedience, only requires fincerity. Do but act from a principle of love, and aim at honouring God in your obedience, and it is ac- cepted. (2.) In the times of the gofpel a furety is admitted. The law would not favour us Co far ; but now God doth fb indulge us, that what we cannot do of ourfelves, we may do by proxy. Jefus Chrift is a furety of a better teftament, Heb. vii. 22. We fall fhort in every thing, but God looks upon us in our furety ; and Chrift having fulSHed all righteou fnefs, it is as if we had fulfilled the law in our own perfons. (3.) God gives ftrength to do what he re- quires. The law called for obedience ; but tho' it required bi ick; it give no ftraw ; but in the gofpel, Hypocrites take God's name in vain, their religion is a lie; they feem to honour God, but they do not love him ; their hearts go af- ter their lufts, Hofi iv.8 . They Jet their hearts on their iniquity. Their eyes are lifted up to heaven, but their hearts are rooted in the earth, Ezek. xxxiii. 31. Thefe are devils in Samuel's man- tle, the}'- take God's name in vain. 2ly, Superstitious perfons take God's name in vain. They bring God a few ceremonies which he never appointed; they bow at ChriiVs name, and cringe to the altar, but hate and perfecute God's image : thefe take his name in vain. V. We take God's name in vain, when we pray to him, but do not believe in him. Fai&i is the great grace that honours God, Rom. iv. 20. Abraham being ftrong hi faith, gave glory to. God •: but when we p.ay to God, but do not mix faith with cur prayer. We take his name in vain. I may pray, (faith a Cbi .1- [ mall be never the bet'er 5 I question whei God doth hear, or whether he will grant. This is to difhoncur Cod, ond take hi this is to make God either an idol, that he forth ..ear? 24«" OF THE THIRD G 0 M M A N D U E N T. ears and hears not ; or a liar, who promifeth mercy to the penitent, but will not make good his word, John v. 10. He that believeth not, hath made Cod a liar. "When the apoftle faith, How ftall they call on him in whom they /save net believed ? Rom. x. 14. the meaning is, How mall they call on God aright, and not believe in him ? but how many do call on God who do not believe in him ? they afk for par- don, but unbelief whifpers, their fins are greater than can be forgiven. Thus to pray and not believe, is to take God's name in vain, and is an high dishonouring of God, as if he were not fueh a God as the word reprefents him, Plen- teous in mercy to all that call upon him, Pf. lxxxvi. 7. VI. We take God's name in vain, when we in any kind profane and abufe his word. Now the word of God is profaned, Fir/}, In general, when profane men meddle with it. It is un- feemly and unbecoming a wicked man to talk of facred things, of God's providence, and the decrees of God, and heaven : it was very de- tcftful to Chrifr, to hear the devil quote fcrip- ture, It is written. To hear a wicked man that wallows in fin, talk of God and religion, is offenfive ; it is the taking of God's name in vain. When the word of God is in a drunk- ard's mouth, it is like a pearl hung upon a fwine. Under the law the lips of the leper were to be covered, Lev. xiii. 45- The lips of a pro- fane, drunken minifter ought to be covered ; he is unfit to fpeak of God's word, and take his name in vain. But, ily, more particularly, they profane God's word, and take his name in vain, 1 . That fpeak fcornfully of God's word, 2 Pet. iii. 4. Where is the promi/e of his corning? For Jince the fathers fell a/leep, all things con- tinue as they were from the beginning of the creation. As if they had faid, here is much a- do the preachers make about the day of judg- ment, when all mult be called to account for their works ; but where is the appearing of that day ? we fee things keep their courfe, and con- tinue as they were fince the creation : thus they fpeak fcornfully of fcripture, and did take God's name in vain. If fentencebe not fpeedily ex- ecuted, men (corn and deride ; but, Prov. xjx. 26. Judgments are prepared for fcorners. 2. That fpeak jeiTingly. Such are they who (pprt and play with fcripture; 'tis playing with fire. Some cannot be merry, unlefs they make bold with God ; they .make the fcripture an harp to drive away the fpirit of fadnefs. Eufebius relates of one who took a piece of fctipture to jell: with, God firuck him with frenzy. To play with fcripture, /hews a very profane heart. Some will rather lofe their fouls, than lofe their jefts : thefe are guilty of taking God's name in vain. Tremble at it : fuch as mock at fcrip- ture, God will mock at their calamity, Prov. i. 26. 3. They abufe God's word, and take his name in vain, that bring fcripture to counte- nance any fin. The word, which was written for the fuppreffing of fin, fame bring it for the defending of fin. Forinftance, Fir/}, If we tell a covetous man of his fin, that covetoufnefs is idolatry, he will bring fcripture to maintain his fin : hath not God bid me live in a calling ? Six days /halt thou labour. Hath not God faid, that he who provides not for his family is worfe than an infidel? Thus he goes to fupport his covetoufnefs with fcripture. Anf. It is true, God hath bid thee take pains in a calling, but not hurt thy neighbour ; he hath bid thee pro- vide for thy family, but not by oppreifion, Lev. xxv. 14. Ye fiall not opprefs one another. He hath bid thee look after a livelihood, but not with the neglect of thy foul : he hath bid thee lay up thy treafure in heaven, Matth. vi. 20. He hath commanded thee to lay out, as well as lay up ; to low feeds of charity on the backs and bellies of the poor, which perhaps thou ftegletteft ; fo that to bring fcripture to uphold thee in thy fin, is an high profaning of fcripture, and a taking of God's name in vain. Second infiance, if we tell a man of his inor- dinate paflions, That he may be drunk as well with rafh anger, as wine; he will bring fcrip- ture to juftify it : doth not the word fay, Be angry, and fin not, Eph. iv, 26. 'Tis true, that anger is good, which is mixed with zeal ; then anger is without fin, when it is againft, fin : but thou doft fin in thine anger; thou fpeakeftun* advifedly with thy lips ; thy tongue is fet on fire of hell: and to bring fcripture to defend thy fin, is to profane fcripture, and to take God's name in vain. 4. They abufe the word, and take God's name in vain, who adulterate the word, and wreft it in a wrong fenfe. Such are heretics, who put their own glofs upon fcripture, and make it fpeak that which the Holy Ghoft ne- ver meant. For infiance, Fir/}, When we ex- pound thefe texts literally, which are meant figuratively. Thus the Pharifees were guilty, when OF THE THIRD COMMAND M E N T. 24 1 •when God faid in the law, Thou /halt bind the commandments for a fign upon thy hand, and they Jliall be as frontlets between thine eyes> Dent. vi. 8. The Pharifees took it in a literal fenfe ; they got two fcrolls of parchment, where- in they wrote the two tables, putting one on their left-arms, and binding the other to their eye- brows : thus they wrefted the fcripture) and took God's name in vain. That fcripture was to be underftood Spiritually, and by a figure : God meint, by binding his laws upon their hands, that they mould meditate on his law, and put it in practice : and fo the papifts ex- pound that fcripture, This is my body, literally, of the very body of Chrift ; then, when Chrift: gave the bread, he fhould have had two bodies, one in the bread, and the other out of the bread ; whereas Chrift. meant it figuratively, it is a fign of my body. Thus they, by wrefting the fciiptures to a wrong fenfe, profane it, and take God's name in vain, ily, When we ex- pound thefe fciiptures figuratively and allego- rically, which the Holy Ghoft means literally. For example, Chrift: faid to Peter, Launch out into the deep, and make a draught, Luke v. 4. This text is fpoken in a plain, literal fenfe of launching out the fhip ; but the papifts take it in a myftical ana ailcgoricai : this text proves, fay they, that ti e p<-'pe, which is Peter's fuc- celTor. fhall launch foi ih, and catch the eccle- fiaitical and political power over the weft parts of the world ; this, fay they, was meant when Chrift bade Peter launch out into the deep : but 1 think the papifts have launched out too far beyond the meaning of the text. When men ftrain their wits, to wreft the word to fuch a fenfe as pleafeth them ; they do profane God's word, and highly take his name in vain. VII. We take God's name in vain, when wc fwcar by his name. Many feldom name God's name but in oaths ; for this fin the land mourns, Matth. v. 34. Swear not at all, that is, rafhly and fin fully, fo as to take God's name in vain : not but that in fome cafes it is lawful to take an oath before a magiftrate, Deut.vi. 13. Thou fhalt fear the Lord thy God and ferve him, and /■wear by his name. Heb. vi. 16. An oath for confirmation is the end of all flrife : but when Chrift faith, fwear not at all ; he forbids fuch a fwearing as takes God's name in vain. There is a threefold fwearing forbidden ; i . Vain-fwearing ; when men in their ordi- nary difcourfe, let fly oaths. Some will go to excuse their fwearing. It is a coarfe wool that will take no dye, and a bad fin indeed that hath no excufe. Excufe 1. I fwear little trifling oaths; as", Faith, or, By the mafs. Anfi. The devil hath two falfe glaffes, which he fets before men's eyes : the one is a little glafs, in which the fin appears fo fmall, that it can hardly be feen ; this glafs the devil fets before men's eyes when they are going to commit fin : the other is a great multiplying glafs, wherein fin appears fo big, that it cannot be forgiven ; the devil fets this before men's eyes when they have finned. Thou that fayeff, fin is fmall, when God fhall open the eye of thy confidence, then thou wilt fee it great, and be ready to defpair. But to anfwer this plea, thou fayeft, they are but fmall oaths; but Chrift forbids vain oaths, Swear not at all: if God will reckon with us for idle words, fhall not idle oaths be put in the account- book ? 1 Excufe 2. But I fwear. to the truth. See how this harlot-fin would paint itfelf with an ex- cufe. Anfi 1. Tho' it be true, yet, if it be a rafh oath, 'tis finful. Befides, 2. He that fwears commonly, it cannot be avoided but fometimes he muft fwear more than is true : as, where much water runs, fome gravel or mud will pafs along with the water ; fo, where there is much fwearing, fome lies will run along with the oaths. Excufe 3. But I fhall not be believed, uhlefs I feal up my word with an oath. Anfi 1. A man that is honeft will be believed without an oath; his bare word carries authority with it, and is as good as letters teftimonial. 2. I an- fwer, He who fwears the more he fwears, the lefi others will believe him : Juris credit mi- nus : thou art a fwearer. Another thinks an oath weighs very light with thee, thou careft not what thou fiweareft ; and the more thou fweareft, the lefs he believes thee. He will truft thy bond, but not thy oath. Excufe 4. But it is a cuftom of fwearing I have gotten, and I hope God will forgive me. Anfi Tho' among men cuftom carries it, and is pleadable in law ; yet it is not fo in the cafe of fin, cuftom here is no plea. Thou haft got an habit of fwearing, and canft not leave it ; is this an excufe? is a thing well done, becaufe it is commonly done ? this is fo far from being an excufe, that it is an aggravation of fin. As if one that had been accufed for killing a man, fhould ^ plead with the judge to fpare him, be- caufe it was his cuftom to murder ; this is an H h aggravation 242 OF THE THIRD COMMANDMENT, aggravation of the offence, fo it is here : there- fore all excufes for this fin of vain-fwearing are taken away. Dare not to live in this fin, it is a taking of God's name in vain. • 2. Vile fwearing, horrid prodigious oaths not to be named. Swearers, like mad dogs, flee in the face of heaven ; and when they are angred, fpue out their blafphemous venom on God's fa- cred Majefty. Some in gaming, when things go crofs, and the dice run againfl: them, their tongues run as faft: againfl: God in oaths and curies : and tell them of their fin, go to bring home thefe afles from going aftray, and it is but pouring oil on the flame, they will fwear the more. St. Auftin faith, They do no lefs fin who blafpheme Chrifi now in heaven, than the Jews did, who crucified him on earth. Swearers jsrophane Ch rift's blood, and tear his name. An harlot told her hufband, that of her three fons, there was but one of them his : the father dying, defired the executors to find out which was the true natural fori, and all his eftate he bequeathed to him. The father being dead ; the executors fet up his corps againfl a tree, and delivered to eveFy one of thefe three fons a bow, and arrows, telling them, that he who could fhoot neareft the father's heart fhould have all the eftate. The two baftard-fons fhot as near as they could to his heart, but the third did feel nature fo work in him, that he refufed to fhoot at his father's heart : whereupon the executors judged him to be the true fon, and gave all the eftate to him. Such as are the true children of God fear to fhoot at him j but fuch as are baftards, and not fons, care not tho' they fhoot at him in heaven with their oaths and curfes. And which makes fwearing yet more heinous is, when men have refolved upon any wicked aftion, they bind themfelves with an oath to doit; fuch were they, Ails xxiii. 12. who bound themfelves with an oath and curfe to kill Paul. To commit fin is bad enough ; but to fwear we will commit fin, is an high profaning God's name, and is as it were to call God to ap- prove our fin. 3. For/wearing: this is an heaven-daring fin, Lev. xix. 12. Ye jhall not fwear by my name falfly, neither flw.ll ye prophane my name. Per- jury is a calling God to witnefs to a lie. It is faid of Philip of Macedon, he would fwear and un fwear, as might ftand heft with his intereft. Jer. iv. 2. Thou fiialt fwear, The Lord liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteoufnefs. In righteoufnefs, therefore it rauft not be an unlaw- ful oath. In judgment, therefore it muft not be a rafh oath. In truth, therefore it muft not be a falfc oath. Among the Scythians, if a man did forfwear himfelf, he was to have his head ftricken off : becaufe if perjury were al- lowed, there would be no living in a common- wealth j it would take away all faith and truth among men. The perjurer is in as bad a cafe as the witch ; for, by a falfe oath, he binds his foul faft to the devil. In forfwearing or taking a falfe oath in a court, there are many fins link- ed together ; plurima peccata in uno : for, be- fides the taking God's jaame in vain, the per- jurer is a thief; by his falfe oath he robs the innocent of his right : he is a perverter of ju« ftice ; he doth not only fin himfelf, but occafi- ons the jury to give a falfe verdict, and the judge to pafs an unrighteous fentence : and fure God's judgments will find him out. When God's flying-roll or curfe goes over the face of the earth, into whofe houfe doth it enter I Into the houfe of him that fwear s falfly : and it Jhall confume the timber and ft ones of his houfe, Zech. v. 4. Beza relates of a perjurer, that he had no fooner taken a falfe oath, but he. was immediately ftruck with an apoplexy, and ne- ver fpake more, but died. O tremble at fuch horrid impiety ! VIII. "We highly take God's name in vain, when we prefix God's name to any wicked ac- tion. I fay, the mentioning of God in a wicked defign, is taking his name in vain. 2Sam.xv. 7. / pray (faith Abfalom) let me pay my vaiv which I have vowed unto the Lord, in Hebron. This pretence of paying his vow made to God, was only to colour over his treafon, v. 10. When ye hear the found of the trumpet, ye frail fay, Abfalom reigneth. When any wicked action, is baptized with the name of religion, this is taking God's name in vain. Herein the pope- is guilty highly, when he fends out his bulls of- excommunication or curfes againft the Chrifti-* ans ; he begins with, In nomine Domini, in the name of Gcd. What a provoking fin is this ! It is to do the devil's work, and put God's name to it. IX. We take God's name in vain, when we ufe our tongues any way to the difhonour of God's name ; as when we ufe railing, or curfe in our paflions : efpecially when we wifh a curfe upon ourfelves if a thing be not fo, when we know it to be falfe. I have read of one who wifhed his body might rot, if that which he faid, was not true : and foon after his body rotted, OF TT H E THIRD COMMANDMENT. 243 totted, and he became a loathfome fpe&acle. X. We take God's name in vain, by rafh and unlawful vows. There is a good vow when a man binds himfelf by a vow to do that which the word binds him to ; as, if he be fick, he vows, if God reftore him, he will live a more ftric"r. holy life, Pf lxvi. 13. I will pay thee my vows which my lips have uttered when I was in trouble. But Voveri non debet quod Deo difplicet : Such a vow mould not be made, as is difpleafing to God ; as to vow voluntary po- verty, as your friars ; or, to vow to live in nun- neries. Jephtha's vow was ra(h and unlawful; he vowed to the Lord to facrificc that to him which he met with next, and it was his daugh- ter, Judges xi. 31. He did ill to make the vow, and worfe to keep it; hebcctme guilty of the breach of the third and fixth command- ments. XI. When we fpcak evil of C;d, now we take his name in vain, Numb. xxii. 5. They /pake again/} God. Qu. How do we /peak a- gainfl Cod? Anf. When we murmur at his providences, as if he had dealt hardly with us. Murmuring is the accufing of God's juftice, Gen. xviii. 25. Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right ? Murmuring fprings from a bitter root, it comes from pride and difcon- tent : it is a reproaching of God, and a high taking his name in vain. It is fuch a fin as God cannot bear, Numb. xiv. 27. How long fJmll I bear with this people that murmur a- gainfl me ? XII. And laftly, We take God's name in vain, when we falfify our promife : to fay, if God fpare us life we will do this, and ne\^Er in- tend it. Our promife mould be facred and in- violable ; but, if we make no reckoning to make ft promife, and mention God's name in it, yet never intend to keep it, it is a double fin ; it is telling a lie, and taking God's name in vain. I fhould come now to the affirmative implied : but hereafter life. Take heed of taking God's name in vain any of thefe ways. Remember this com- mination and threatning in the text, The Lord will not hold him guilt lefs. Here is a meiofis ; lefs is faid, and more intended : He will not hold him guilt lefs ; that is, he will be feverely avenged on fuch an one. The Lord will not hold him guiltlefs. Here the Lord fpeaks after the manner of a judge, who holds the court of affize : the judge here, is God himfelf; the ac- cufers, Satan, and a man's own confcience : the matter of fact is, Taking God's name in vain; the malefactor accufed is found guilty, and con- demned ; The Lord will not hold him guiltlefs. Methinks, thefe words, The Lord will not hold him guiltlefs, may fet a lock upon our lips, and make us afraid of fpeaking any thing that may redound difhonour upon God, or may be a taking his name in vain : The Lord will not hold him guiltlefs. It may be men may hold fuch guiltlefs, when they curfe, fwear, fpeak irreverently of God : men may hold them guiltlefs, let them alone, not punifh them. H one takes away another's good name, he fhall be fure to be punifned ; but if he takes away God's good name, where is he that doth pu- nifh him? he that robs another's goods, fhall be put to death ; but he that robs God of his glory, by oaths and curfes, he is fparcd ; but God himfelf will take the matter into his own hand, and he will punifh him who takes his name in vain. 1. Sometimes God puniOies fwearing and blafphemy in this life. \fl, Swearing, In the country of Samurtia there arole a great tempelt of thunder and lightning: a lbldier burft forth into fwearing ; but the tempeft tearing up a great tree by the roots, it fell upon him, and crufhed him to, pieces. The German hiftory relates of a youth, who was given to fwearing,, and did ufe to invent new oaths; the Lore! lent a canker into his mouth, which did eat out his tongue, whereupon he died. ily, Blafphe- my. He who did blafpheins God, the Lord cauled him to be Ironed to death, Lev. xxiv. 11. 23. The Ifraelitijh woman's Jon hlafphcmed the name of the Lord, and curfed. And Alofes fpake to the people of Jfrael, that they fhould bring forth him that had curfed, and [tone him with ftones. Olympias, an Arian bifhop, re- proached and blafphemed the facred Trinity ; whereupon he was fuddenly ftruck with th;c . flafhes of lightning, which burned him to death. Felix, an officer of Julian, feeing ths holy vefleh which were ufed in the facr;:mem, faid, in fcorn of Chrifr, See what precious vcf fels the Son of Mary is ferved withal. Soon after he was taken with a vomiting of blood out of his blafphemous mouth, whereof he died. 2. Or, if God fhould not execute judgment on the profaners of his name in this life, yet their doom is to come ; God will not remit their guilt, but deliver them to Satan the gaol- er, to torment them for ever. If God juflity * H h 2 man, 244 OF THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT. man, who (hall condemn him? Bur, if God condemn him, who (hall juftify him ? If God lay a man in prifon, where (hall he get bail or main-prize ? God will take his full blow at the finner in hell, Heb. x. 31. // is a fear- ful thing to fall into the hands of the living Cod. "S - ' ^;xx: ;:xx>4x OF THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT. Exod. XX. 8. Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy. Six Days /bait thou labour, and do all thy Work : But the Seventh Day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy Cod ; in it thou /halt not do any Work, thou, nor thy Son, nor thy Daughter, thy Man-fervant, nor thy Maid- fervant, nor thy Cattle, nor the Stranger that is "within thy Gates. For in Six Days the Lord made Heaven and Earth, the Sea, and all that in than is, and re/led the Seventh Day ; wherefore the Lord bleffed the Sabbath-day, and hallowed it. THIS commandment was engraven in {tone by God's own finger, and it will 'be our comfort to have it engraven in our hearts. The fabbath-day is fet apart for God's folemn worfliip ; it is God's inclofure, and it muft not be alienated to common ufes. The Lord hath fet a preface before this commandment, he hath put a memento to it, Remember to keep-the fabbath-day holy. This word remember, (hews, that we are apt to forget fabbath-holinefs ; therefore we need a memorandum to put us in mind of fanclifying this day. I (hall explain the words. 1 . Here is a (blemn command, Remember the ■'abb at h- day to keep it holy. 2. Many cogent arguments to induce ui to obferve the command. I. In the command, (r.) The matter of it, viz. The fanclifying of the fabbath, which fab- bath-fanclincarion confifts in two things, 1. In refting from our own works. 2. In a confcientious difcharge of our religi- ous duties. (2.) The per(bns to whom the command of fanclifying the fabbath is given, ift, Either iuperiors ; and they are, 1. More private, as parents and mailers. Or, 2. More public, as Magiftrates. Or, ily, Inferiors, 1. Natives, as children and fervants, Thy fon, and thy daughter, thy man-fervant and thy maid-fer- vant. 2. Foreigners, The /I ranger that is within thy gates. II. The cogent arguments to obey this com- mand of keeping holy the fabbath, 1. From ?bc rationality of it.-— Six days /)>alt thou la- bour and do all thy work : as if God had faid, lam not an hard mafter, I do not grudge thee time to look after thy calling, and to get an efrate. I have given thee fix days, fix to do all thy work in, and have taken but one day for myfelf : I might have relerved fix days for my- felf, and allowed thee but one ; but I have gi- ven thee fix days for the works of thy calling, and have taken but one day for my own fer- vice : therefore it is equal and rational, that thou (houldft fet this day in a fpecial manner apart for my worfiiip. 2. The fecond argument for fanclifying the fabbath, is taken from the juftice of it. Thefe- venth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy Cod; as if God had faid, the fabbath-day is my due, I challenge a (pecial right in it, and none hath any thing to do to lay claim to it. He who robs me of This Day, and puts it to common ufes, is a facrilegiousperfon, he fteals from the crown of heaven, and I will in no wife hold him guiltlefs. 3. The third argument for fan&ifying the fabbath, is taken from God's own pattern, he re/led the /eventh day ; as if the Lord (hould fay, Will you not follow my pattern ? having finifhed all my works of creation, I refted the feventh day: fo you having done all your fe- cular work on the fix days, you (hould now ceafe from the labour of your calling, and dedi- cate the feventh day to the Lord, as a day of holy red. 4. The fourth argument for fabbath-fani'ow there is a grand reafon for changing of the Jewijh fabbath to the Lord's day, becaufe this puts us in mind of the Myflery of our re- demption by Chrifl. The reafon why God did inftitute the old fabbath was, Becaufe God would have it kept as a memorial of the creati- on : but the Lord hath now brought the firft day of the week in the room of it, in memory of a more glorious work than Creation, and that is Redemption. Great was the work of creation, but greater was the work of redemption. As it was faid, Nag- ii- 9. The glory of the fecond temple was greater than the glory of the firft temple : fo the glory of the redemption was greater than the glory of the creation. Great wifdom was fetn in the curious making us, but more mira- culous wildom in laving us. Great power was feen in bringing us out of nothing, but greater power in helping us when we were worfe than nothing. It cofi more to redeem us, than to create us. In the creation there was but fpeak- ing a word, Pf cxlviii. 5. In the redeeming us, there was jhtdding of blood, 1 Pet. xviii. 19. The creation was the work of God's fingers, Pf. viii. 3. Redemption was the work of his arm, Luke i. 5. In the creation, God gave us our- fives ; in the redemption, he gave us himfelf: by creation, we have a life in Adam -, by re- demption, we have a life in Chrifl, Col. iii. 3. By creation, we had a right to an earthly para- dife, by redemption, we have a title to an hea- venly kingdom. So that well Chrift might change the- feventh day of the week into the iirit, becaufe this day puts us in mind of our redemption, which is a more glorious work than the creation. life. The ufe I fhall make, is, that we fhould have this Chriftian fabbath we now celebrate, in high veneration. The Jews called the fab- bath, The deflre of days, and the Qiteen of days ; it is a day of fweet reft. This day we muft call a Delight, the holy of the Lord, ho- nourable, Ifa. lviii. 13. Metal that hath the king's ftamp upon it is honourable, and of great value. God hath fet his royal ftamp upon the fabbath : it is the fabbath of the Lord, this makes it honourable. This day we fhould look upon as the beft day in the week. What the Phoenix is among the birds, what the fun is among the planets, that the Lord's day is among other days. This is the day which the Lord hath made, Pf. cxviii. 24. God hath made all the days, but he hath bleifed this. As Jacob got the bleffing from his brother, fo the fabbath got the bleffing from all the other days in the week : the fabbath is a day in which we con- veife in a fpecial manner with God. The Jews called the fabbath A day of light ; on this day the fun of righteoufnefs fhines upon the foal. The fabbath is the market-day of the foul, the cream of time ; this is the day of Chiift's rifing out of the grave, and the Holy Gholt's (iefcending upon the earth : this day is perfumed with the fweet odour of prayer, which goes up to heaven as incenfe : this day the manna falls, that angel's food : this is the foul's feftival-day, on this day all the graces aft their part : the other days of the week are moft employed about earth, this day about hea- ven : then you gather ftraw, now pearl. Now Chrift takes the foul up into the mount, and gives it transfiguring fights of glory : now Chrift leads his fpoufc into the wine-cellar, and difplays the banner of his love ; now he gives her his fpiced wine, and the juice of the pome- granate, Cant. ii. 8- The Lord doth ufually reveal himfelf moro to the foul on this day. The apoftle John was in the fpirit on the Lords day, Rev. i. 10. He was carried up in divine raptures towards heaven. This day a Chriftian is in the altitudes, he walks with God, and takes as it were a rui n with him in heaven, 1 John i. 3. On this day holy affections are quickened ; the ftock of grace is improved, corruptions are weakened : on this day Satan falls like lightning before the majefty of the word. OF THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT. *47 word. Chrift wrought moft of his miracles upon the fabbath ; fo he doth now j the dead foul is raifed, the heart of ftone is made flefh. How mould this day be highly efteemed and had in reverence ! This day is more precious than rubies ; God hath anointed this day with the oil of gladnefs above its fellows. On the fabbath we are doing angels work, our tongues arc tuned to God's praifes. This fabbath on earth, is a fhadow and type of that glorious reft and eternal fabbath we hope for in heaven, when God fhall be the temple, and the I.am!» fhall be the light of it, Rev. xxi. 22, 23. Exoir. Xx. 9, 10. Six Days Jhalt thou labour and do all thy Work : But the Seventh Day tffhe Sabbath of the Lord thy God, in it thou foalt do no manner of Work, Sec. SIX days Jhalt thou labour. — God would not have any live out of a calling : religion feals no warrant for idlenefs. 'Tis as well a duty to labour fix days, as to keep holy reft on the feventh day ; Six days /halt thou labour. 2 ThelT. iii. 1 1. We hear there are fome among you, walking diforderly, ivorking not at all. Now, them that are fuch, we command and exhort by our Lord Jefus, that with quietnefs they work, and eat their own bread. A Chri- stian muft not only mind heaven, but his call- ing. While the pilot hath his eye to the ftar, he hath his hand to the ftern. Without labour the pillars of a commonwealth will dilTolve, and the earth will be like the fluggard's field, over-run with briars, Prov. xxiv. 31. Adam in innocency, tho' he was the monarch of the world, yet God would not h^ave him idle, but he muft drefs and till the ground, Gen. ii. 15. Piety doth not exclude induftry. Six days Jhalt thou labour. Standing water putrifies. The inanimate creatures arein motion; the fun goes its circuit, the fountain runs, the fire fparkles : and animate creatures ; Solomon fends us to the ant and pifmire fo learn labour, Prov. vi. 6. chap. xxx. 35. The bee is the emblem of induftry ; fbme of the bees trim the honey, others work the wax, others frame the comb, others ly centinel at the door of the hive to keep out the drone. And fhall not man much more inure himfelf to labour i That law in paradife was never yet repealed, In the fw eat of thy brows Jhalt thou eat bread, Gen. iii. 19. Such profeffors are to be difliked, who talk of living by faith, but live out of a calling : they are like the lilies which toil not, neither do they fpin, Matth. vi. 28. 'Tis a fpeech of holy and learned Mr. Perkins, Let a man been* dowed with excellent gifts, and hear the word with reverence, and receive the facrament ; yet if he praclife not the duties of his calling, all is but hypocrify. What is an idle perfon good for ? what benefit is there of a (hip that lies always on the fhore ? or of armour that hangs up and rufts ? To live out of a calling, expofeth a perfon to temptation. Melantlhon calls idlenefs the Devils bath, becaufe he bathes himfelf with delight in an idle foul. We do not ufe to fow feed in ground when it lies fal- low ; but Satan fows moft of his feed of temp- tation in fuch perfons as ly fallow, and are out of a calling. Lilenefs is the nurfe of vice. Seneca, an old heathen, could fay, Nullus mihi per otium dies exit •. No day pajfeth me with- out fome labour. An idle perfon ftands for a cypher in the world, and God writes down no cyphers in the book of life. We read in fcrip- ture of eating the Bread of idlenefs, Prov. xxxi. 27. and drinking the Wine of violence, Prov. iv. 17. It is as well a fin to eat the bread of idlenefs, as to drink the wine of violence. An idle perfon can give no account of his time : time is a talent to trade with, both in our par- ticular -rid general calling ; the flothful perfon hides his talent in the earth, he doth no good1, his time is not lived, but loft ; an idle perfon lives unprofitably, he cumbers the ground j God calls the flothful fervant Wicked, Matth, xxv. 26. Thou wicked and flothful fervant. Draco, whofe laws were written in blood, de- prived them of their life, who would not work for their living. In lletruria, they caufed fuch perfons to be banifhed. Idle perfons live in the breach of this commandment, Six days Jhalt thou labour : let them take heed they be not banifhed heaven. A man may as well go to hell for not working in his calling, as for not believing. So I pafs to the next, Bui the feventh day is the fabbath of the Lord thy God, in it thou Jhalt do no manner tf work. Having fpoken already of the reafops of fanctifying the fabbath, I come now to that queftion ; Qu. In **8 OF THE FOURTH COMMAND M E N T. Qi>. In what manner ive are to findify the fabbath ? /!nf. i. Negatively. We muft do no work in it ; that is exprefTed in the commandment, In it thou Jhali do no manner of work* God hath inclofed this day for himfelf ; therefore we are not to lay it common, by doing any civil work. As Abraham, when he went to facrifice, left his fervant and the afs at the bot- tom of the hill, Gen. xxii. 5. So, when we are to worfhip God this day, we mull leave all worldly bufinefs behind, leave the afs at the bottom of the hill. And as Jofeph, when he would fpeak with his brethren, thruft out the Egyptians, fo, when we would converfe with God this day, we inuft thruft out all earthly employments. The Lord's day is a day of holy reft, all fecular work muft be forborn and fufpended ; it is a profaning the day, Neh. xiii. 15. In there days faxu I'm Judah fome treading wine-prejfes on the fabbath, and bringing in /heaves, as alfo wine-grapes and figs, and all manner of burdens ivhich they brought into Je- rufalem on the fabbath-day ; and I teftified a- ga'ipft them. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and f aid to them, What evil thing is that ye do, arid profane the fabbath-day ? It is a facrilege to rob that time for civil work which God hath dedicated and fet apart for his wor- ship. He that converts any time of the fab- bath for worldly bufinefs, is a worfe thief than he who robs on the highway ; for fuch a thief docs but rob man, but this thief robs God, he robs him of his day. The Lord forbad manna to be gathered on the fabbath, Exod. xvi. One would think that might have been dif- penfed with, for manna was the Staff of their life ; and the time when manna fell, was early, between five and fix in the morning; fo that they might have gathered it betimes, and all the reft of the fabbath they might have em- ployed in God's worfhip ; and befides, they needed not to have taken any great journey for manna, for it was but ftepping out of their • doors, and it fell about their tents : yet they m'ght not gather manna on the fabbath : and, but for purpofing to gather it, God was very angry, Exod. xvi. 27, 28. There went out f me of the people on the ftventh day to gather, and they found none : and the Lord fat d, How long refufe ye to keep my commandments and my laws ? Surely the anointing Chrift when he was dead, was a commendable work : but Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, tho' they had prepared fweet ointments to anoint the dead body of Chrift, yet they came not to the fepulchre to embalm him, till the fabbath was paft, Luke xxiii. 57. They re//' ed on the fabbath-day according to the com- mandment. The hand cannot be bufied on the Lord's day, but the heart will be defiled. The very heathens, by the light of nature, would not do any fecular work, in that time which they had fet apart for the worfhip of their falfe gods. Clemens Alexandrlnus reports of one of the emperors of Rome, that on the day of fet worfhip for his gods, he did forbear warlike affairs, and did fpend that time in his devotion. To do fervile work on the fabbath, fhews an irreligious heart, and highly affronts God : to work fervile work this day, is to follow the de- vil's plough ; it is to debafe the foul. God hath made this day on purpofe to raife the heart up to heaven, to converfe with God, to do angel's work; and to be employed in earth- ly work, is to degrade the foul of its honour. God will not have his day intrenched upon, or defiled in the leaft thing : the man that ga- thered fticks on the fabbath, God would have him ftoned, Numb. xv. One would think it a final 1 thing, to pick a few fticks to make a fire ; but God would not have this day vio- lated in the fmalleft matters. Nay, that work which had a reference to a religious ufe, might not be done on the fabbath, as the hewing of ftones for the building of the fancluary : Beza- leel, who was to cut the ftones, and carve the timber out for the fanc*tuary, yet he muft for- bear it on the fabbath, Exod. xxxi. 15; A temple is the place of God's worfhip, but it were a fin to build a temple upon the Lord's day. This is keeping the fibbath-day holy negatively, in doing no fervile work. Yet caution : not but that works of neceffity and charity may be done on this day ; God, in thefe cafes, will have mercy and nor facrifice. (1.) 'Tis lawful to take the neceftary recruits of nature : food is to the body, as oil to the lamp. (2.) 'Tis lawful to do works of mercy, as helping our neighbour when either life or eftate are in danger. Herein the Jews were too nice and precife, they would not fuffer works of charity to be done on the fabbath: if a man were fick, they thought on this day they might not ule means for his recovery. Chrift charged them with this, that they were angry that he had wrought a cure on the fab- bath, John vii. 23. If an houle wer« on fire, the OF THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 2,9 the Jews thought they might not bring water to quench it; if a veflel did run, they thought that on this day they might not flop it. Thefe were righteous overmuch : here was feeming zeal, but it wanted discretion to guide it. But unlefs in thefe two cafes, of neceffity, and cha- rity, all fecular work is to be fufpended and laid afide on the Lord's day ; In it thou [halt do no manner of work. Which juftly doth ar- raign and condemn many among us, who do too much foul their fingers with work on this day; fbme dreffing great feafts, others in o- pening their fhop-doors, and felling meat on the fabbath, which I have feen. The mariner will not fet to fea but on the fabbath, and fo runs full-fail into the breach of this command- ment. Others work on this day, tho' private- ly ; they put up their fhop-windows, but fol- low their trade within doors : but tho' they think to hide their fin under a canopy, God fees it, Pf cxxxix. 5. Whither Jhall I go from thy prefence ? ver. 12. The darknefs hideth not from thee. Thefe perfons do profane this day, and God will have an action of trefpafs again ft them. 2. Pofitively. We keep the fabbath-day holy, by conftcrating and dedicating this day to the fer vice of the high God. 'Tis good to reft on the fabbath-day from the works of our calling : but, if we reft from labour, and do no more, the ox and the afs keep the fabbath as well as we; for they reft from labour. We muft dedicate the day to God ; we muft not only keep a fabbath, but fanclify a fabbath. This fabbath-fuKfiification confifts in two things ; I. The folemn preparation for it. II. The fa- ded obfervation of it. 1. The folemn prepa- ration for it. If a prince were to come to your houfe, what preparation would you make for his entertainment ? fweep the houfe, wafh the Moor, adorn the room with the richeft tapeftry and hangings, that there might be fomething fuitable to the ftate and dignity of fo great a perfon. On the bleffed fabbath God intends to have fweet communion with you ; he feems to fay to you, as Chrift to Zaccheus, Luke xix. 5. Make haj}e, and ccme down, for this day I muff dine with you. Now, what prepa- ration fhould you make for entertaining this king of glory ! now this preparation for the fabbath is, Hrfl, When the evening of the (a turd ay approacheth, found a retreat ; call your minds oif from the world, and fummon your thoughts together, to think of the great work of the day approaching. Secondly, Purge out all unclean affections, which may indilpofe you for the work of the ftbbath. Evening prepa- ration will belike the tuning of the inftrument, it will fit the heart the better for the duties of the ftbbath enfuing. 2. The facred obfervation of it; touching which, thefe things are to be practifed. ( r.) Rejoyce at the approach of this day, as being a day wherein we have a piize for our foul, and enjoy much of God's prefence, John viii. 56. Abraham faw my day, and rejoyced. So, when we fee the light of a ftbbath (hine, we fhould rejoyce, I/a. lviii. 1 3. Thou /halt call the fabbath a delight : this is the queen of days, which God hath crowned with a blefling. As there was one day in the week on which God did rain manna twice as much as upon any other day, fo God rains down the manna of heavenly bleffings twice as much on tie fib- bath, as on any other. This is theday where- in Chrift carries the foul into the houfe of wine, and difplays the banners of love over it ; now the dew of the fpirit falls on the foul, whereby it is revived and comforted. How many may write the Lord's day, the day of their new birth ! this day of reft is a pledge and earnell of that eternal reft in heaven ; and fin 11 not we rejoyce at the approach of it ? that day on which the fun of righteoufnefs fhines, fhould be a day of gladnefs. (2.) Get up betimes on the fabbath-morning. Chrift rofe early on this day, before the fun was up, John xx. 1. Did Chrift rife early to fave us, and mall not we rife early to worflnp and glorify him ? Pf lxiii. 1. Early will 1 feek thee. Can, we be up betimes on other days ? the hufbandman is early at his plough, the traveller j ifeth early to go his journey, and (hall not we, when we are on this day travelling to heaven ? certainly, did we Jove God as we fhould, we would rife on this day betimes, that we may meet with him whom cur foul loveth. Such as fit up late at work on the night before, will be fo buried in fieep, that they will hardly be up berimes on a ftbbath morning. (3.) Having drefled our bodies, we muft > our fouls for the hearing of the word. hi. people of Ifrael were to wafh themfelves berorr the law was delivered to them, Exid. xix. to- fo we muft wafh and cleanfe our folds; and that is, by reading, me 'dilation . and prayer. I. By reading the word. The wrerd is a means to fanftify the heart, and bn;:g il i T i :-;© OF THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT. Gibbath-fr$rae, John xvii. 17. Sanctify them through thy truth, &c. And read the word not carelefly, but with ferioufnefs and affection ; it is the oracle of heaven, the well of falvation, the book of life. David, for the precioufnefs of God's word, efteemed it above gold ; and, for the fweetnefs, above honey, Pf. xix. 10. By reading the word aright, our hearts, when they are dull, are quickned ; when they are hard, are mollified ; when cold and frozen, are inflamed ; and we can fay as the difciples, Did not our hearts burn within us ? Some ftcp out of their bed to hearing. The reafon why ma- ny get no more good on a fabbathby the word preached, is becaufe they did not breakfaft with God in the morning by reading of his word. II. Meditation. Gee upon the mount of me- ditation, and fo converle with God. Medita- tion is the foul's retiring of itfelf, that, by a ferious and folemn thinking upon God, the heart may be raifed up to divine affections. Meditation is a work fit for the morning of a fabbath. Meditate on four things ; ( 1 .) On the work of creation. That is ex- prefTed here in the commandments. The Lord made heaven and earth, the fea, &c. The cre- ation is a looking-glafs, in which we fee the wifdom and power of God glorioufly repre- sented. God produced this fair ftrudture of the world, without any pre-exiftent matter, and with a word, Pf xxxiii. 6. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made. The difci- ples wondered that Chrift could, with a word, palm the fea, Matth. viii. 26. But it was far more, with a word, to make the fea. Let us on a fabbath meditate on theinfinitenefs of our Creator. Look up to the firmament, there we may fee God's glory blazing in the fun, twink- ling in the liars : lock into the fea, there we may fee Cod's wonders in the deep, Pf. cvii. 24. Look into the earth, there we may behold the nature of minerals, the power of the load- flone, the virtue of herbs, the beauty of flow- ers. By meditating on the works of creation, fo curioufly embroidered, we come to admire God and praife him, Pf. civ. 24. 0 Lord, how manifold are thy works, in wifdom haft thou made them all. {3y meditating on the works of creation, we come to confide in God. He who can create can provide ; he that could make us when we were nothing, he can raife us when we are low. Pf. exxiv. 8. Our help flands in the name of the Lord who made hea- ven and earth. (2.) Meditate on God's holinefs, Pf. cxi. 9. Holy and reverend is his name. Hab. i. 13. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. God is efTentially, originally and efficiently ho- ly : all the holinefs in men and angels is but a cryftal ftream that runs from this glorious o- cean. God loves holinefs, becaufe it is bis own image : a king cannot but love to fee his own effigies ftamped on coin : God counts holinefs his glory, and the moft fparkling jewel of his crown, Exod. xv. ir. Glorious in holinefs. Here is a meditation fit for our firft entrance into a fabbath, God's holinefs : the contempla- tion of this would work in us fuch a frame of heart as is fuitable to an holy God : it would make us then reverence his name, hallow his day : while we are mufing of the holinefs of God's nature, we begin to be transformed into his likenefs. (3.) Meditate on Chrifl's love in redeeming us, Rev. i. 5. Redemption exceeds creation ; the one is a monument of God's power, the other of his love. Here is fit work for a fab- bath. O the infinite ftupendous love of Chrift in railing poor lapfed creatures from a ftate of guilt and damnation! (1.) That Chrift who was God fhould die; that this glorious fun of righteoufnefs fhould be in an eclipfe : we can never enough admire this love, no, not in heaven. (2.) That Chrift fhould die for fin- ners; not finful angels, but finful mankind. That fuch clods of earth and fin fhould be made bright ftars of glory : O the amazing love of Chrift ! This was Illuftre amoris Chrifti mnemofynum, Brugenfis. (3.) That Chrift fhould not only die for finners, but die as a ftnner, 2 Cor. v. 21. He was made fin for us. He who was among the glorious perfons of the Trini- ty, was numbred among tranfgrefjors, Ifa. liii. 12. Not that he had fin, but he was like afin- ner, having our fins imputed to him. Sin did not live in him, but it was laid upon him. Here was an hyperbole of love, enough to ftrike us into aftomfhment. (4.) That Chrift ftould re- deem us, when he could not look to gain any thing, or be at all advantaged by us. Men will not lay out their money upon a purchafe, unlefs it will turn to their profit : but what benefit could Chrift expect in purchafing and redeem- ing us r we were in fuch a condition, that we could neither deferve nor recompenfe Chrift's love. Firft, "We could not deferve it ; for we were in our blood, Ezek. xvi. 6. "We had no Spiritual beauty to tempt Chrift. Nay, we were OF THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT, 2 a were not only in our blood, but we were up in arms, Rom. v. 8. When we were enemies, Chrift died for us : when he was lhedding his blood, we were fpitting our poifon. Secondly, As we could not deferve, fo neither could we recompenf© Chrift's love: for, i. After he had died for us, we could not Co much as love him, till he made us love him. 2. We could give Chrift nothing in lieu of his love, Rom. xi. 35. Who hath firft given to him ? We were fallen to poverty. If we have any beauty, it is from Ghnft, Ezek. xvi. 14. Thou ivert comely through my covielinefs which I put upon thee. If we bring forth any good fruit, it is not of our own growth, it comes from Chrift the true vine, Hcf xiv. 8. FrSm me is thy fruit found. So that it was nothing but pure love, for Chrift to lay out his blood to redeem fuch as he could not expect to be really bettered by. (5.) That Chrift Jhould die fo -willingly*, John x. 17. / lay down my life. The Jews could not have taken it away, if he had not laid it down : he could have called to his Father for a legion of angels to be his life-guard ; but what needed that, when his Godhead could have defended him from all afTanlts ? but he laid down his life : the Jews did not fo much thirft for Chrift's death, as he thirfted for our redemption, Luke xii. 50. 1 have a baptifm to be baptized with, and how am I flraitned till it be accomplifhed ? Chrift called his fufferings a baptifm : he was to be baptized and fprirVkled with his own blood; and Chrift thought the time long ber fore he fuffered ; How am I flraitned till it be accomplifljed. Therefore to fhow ChrilVs wil- lingnels to die, his fufferings are called an of- fering, Heb. x. 10. By the offering of the body of Jefus : his death was a free-will-offering. (6.) That Chrift ffould not grudge nor think much of all his fufferings ; his being fcourged and crucified (we grudge him a light ferviee) but that he mould be well contented with what he hath done ; and, if it were to do again, he would Jo it. Ifa liii. 11. He f jail fee of the travail of his foul, and be fatisfied. As the mother, though (he hath hard labour ; yet when fhe fees a child brought forth, fhedoth not re- - of her pangs, but is well contented : fo Chrift, though he had hard travail upon the crofs, which put him into an agony, yet lie dcth not think much ; he is not troubled, but thinks his fweat and blood well beftowed, be- en;::', he r -s the man-child of redemption bfou . into the world. He /hall fee of the travail of his foul, and fh all be fatisfied. (7.) That Chrifl Jliould make redemption effec- tual to fome, and not to others ; here is the quinteffence of love. Though there is a fufii- ciency in Chrift's merit to lave all, yet only fome partake of its faving virtue ; all do not believe. John vi. 64. There are fome of yon that believe not. Chrift doth not pray for all, fohnxv'u.g. Some tefufe Chrijl", /'/?cxviii. 22. This is the flone which the builders refufed. Others deride him, Luke xvi. 14. Others throw off his yoke,' Luke xix. 14. We will not have this man to reign over u*. So that all have not the benefit of falvation by him. Herein appears the diflinguifhing love of Chrift, that the virtue of his death fhould reach fome, and not others, t Cor. i. 26. Not many wife men after the flefh, not many mighty, not many no- ble are called. That Chrift fhould pals by many of birth and parts, and that the lot of free grace fhould fall upon thee; that be fhould fprinkle his blood upon thee ; The depth of the love ef Chrift. (8.) That Chrift ffjould love us with fuch an entire tranfeendent love. The apoftle calls it a Love which paffeth knowledge, Eph. iii. 19. That he fhould love us more than the angels : he loves them as his friends, believers as his fpoufe. He loves them with fuch a kind of love as God the Father bears to him, John xv. 9. As the Father hath loved me, fo have I loved you. O what an hyperbole of love doth Chrift fliew in redeeming us ! (9.) That Chrift's love in our redemption fhould be evcrlafting, John xiii. 1. Having loved his own, he loved them to the end. As Chrift's love is matchlefs, fo endlefs : the flower ut Chrift's love is fweet ; and that which makes it fweeter, it never dies. Chrift's love is eter- nized, Jer. xxxi. 3. He will never divorce Irs elect fpoufe. The failings of his people can- not quite take off his love : they may eclip.fi; his love, not wholly remove it ; their failing? may make Chrift angry with them, but no' hate them. Every failing doth not break the marriage-knot. Chrift's love is not life the faint's love ; fometimes they have itron ; af fections towards Chrift, at ether times the hot fit is off, and the}- can find little or no {Hiring in them : but it is not to wit!. Chrift' love to the faints, it is a love of eternity. '•'• the fun-fliine of Chrift's electing love i lifen upon the (bul, it never fets Dc t may takeaway our life from us, but not CI ri lo\'Q. Pehold here a raf in a fob! I i 1 2?2 OF THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT. morning to meditate upon ! The meditations of ChriiVs wonderful love in redeeming us, would work in us a fabbath-frame of heart. Fir//-, It would melt us into tears for our ! pii icual unkindnefTes : that we fhould fin againft fo fweet a Saviour ; that we mould be no more affected with his love, but requite evil for good : like the Athenians, who, notwithstanding all the good fervice Ariftides had done them, ba- niflied him out of their city : that we fhould grieve Chrift with our pride, rafh anger, our unfruitfulnefs, animofities, ftrange factions. Have we none to abufe but our friend ? Have we nothing to kick againft but the bowels of our Saviour r Did not Chrift fuffer enough upon the crofs, but muft we needs make him fuffer more ? Do we give him more gall and vinegar to drink ? O if any thing can diifolve the heart in fbrrow, and broach the eyes with tears, it is diflngenuity and unkindnefs offered to Chrift. When Peter thought of ChriiVs love to him, how he had made him an apoftle, and revealed his bolbm-fecrets to him, and taken him to the mount of transfiguration, and that he mould deny Chrift, it broke his heart with forrow ; he went out, and wept bitterly, Mat. xxvi. 75. AVhat a bleffed thing is it to have the eyes dropping tears on a fabbath ! and nothing would fooner fetch tears, than to meditate on Chrifl's love to us, and our unkind requitals. Secondly, The meditating on a Lord's Day morning of Chrifl's love, would kindle love in our hearts fo Chrift. How can we look on Chrifl's bleeding and dying for us, and our hearts not be warmed with love to him ? Love is the/on! of religion, the pureft affection ; it is not rivers of oil, but fparks of love that Chrift values. And Cure, as David faid, While I w V?{(ing the fire burned, Pfalm xxxix. 3. Sc **«rhftve are mufirg of Chrifl's love in redeeming' us, the fire of our love would burn towards Chrift; and then is aChriftian in a bleffed fabbath-frame, when he is like a Seraphim burning in love to Chrift. (4.) On a fabbath-morning meditate on the glory of heaven. Heaven is the extract and quintelTence of happinefs. It is called a kingdom, Liar. xxv. 34. A kingdom for its riches and magnificence : it is fet out by precious (tones, gates of pearl, Rev. xxi. There is all that is truly glorious ; tranfparent light, perfect love, unftained honour, unmixed joy ; and that which crowns the joy of the celefml paradife, is eter- nity. Suppofe earthly kingdoms were more glorious than they are, their foundations of gold, their walls of pearl, their windows of Sapphire, yet they are corruptible : but the kingdom of heaven is eternal ; thofe rivers of pleafure run for evermore, Pfalm xvi. 11. And that wherein the effence of glory confifts, and makes heaven to be heaven, is the immediate fight and fruition of the bleffed God, Pfal. xvii. 15. When I azvake I (hall be fatisfied with thy likenefs. O think of this Jerufalem above I this is .proper for a fabbath. i. The meditation of heaven would raife our hearts above the world. O how would thefe things difappear and fhrink into nothing, if our minds were mounted above the vifible orbs, and we had a profpect of glory ! 2. How would riie meditation of heaven make us heavenly in our fabbath-exercife ! it would quicken affection, it would add wings to devo- tion, it would make us to be in the fpirit on the Lord's day, Rev. i. so. How vigoroufiy doth he ferve God, who hath a crown of glory al- ways in his eye ! III. "We drefs our fouls on a fabbath-morning, by prayer. Mat. vi. 6. When thou pray ef}, enter into thy clofet, &c. Prayer fanctijfies a fabbath. (i.) The things we fhould pray for in the morning of the Sabbath. Beg a bleffmg upon the word which is to be preached : that it may be a favour of life to us ; that by it our minds may be more illuminated, our corruptions more weakned, our ftock of grace more increafed : pray that God's fpecial prefence may be with us, that our hearts may burn within us while God fpeaks : pray that we may receive the word into meek humble hearts, James i. 22. That we may fubmit to * it, and bring forth the fruits of it. Nor fhould we only pray for our f elves, but for others. Fir ft, For him who difpenfeth the word ; that his tongue may be touched with a coal from God's altar ; that God would warm his heart, who is to help to warm others. Your prayers may be a means to quicken the minifter. Some complain, they find not that benefit by the word preached : perhaps they did not pray for their minifter as they fhould. Prayer is like the whetting and marpening of an instrument, which makes it cut the better. Secondly, Pray with and for your family : yea, pray for all the congregations that meet this day in the fear of the Lord; that the dew of the fpirit may fall with the manna of the word ; that fome fouls may be converted, and others ftrengthned, OF THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT. *53 itrengthned ; and that gofpel ordinances may be continued, and have no reftraint put upon them. Thefe are the things we mould pray for. The tree of mercy will not drop its fruit, un- lefs it be fhaken with the hand of prayer. (2). The manner of our prayer. It is not enough to fay a prayer, to pray in a dull cold manner, which teacheth God to deny ; but we mult pray with Reverence, Humility, Hope in God's mercy, Fervency, Luke xxii. 44. Chrift prayed more earneftly. And that we may pray with more fervency, we mull pray with a fenfe of our wants. He who is pinched with want, will be earnefl in craving an alms. He prays molt fervently, who prays molt feelingly. This is to fanctify the morning of a fabbath, and it is a good preparatory for the word preach- ed. When the ground is broken up by the plough, now it is fit to receive the feed ; when the heart hath been broken by prayer, now it is fit to receive the feed of the word preached. Thus you fee how to drefs your fouls on a Sab- bath-morning. There are other duties remaining. Exod. xx. 10. IV. Having thus drefTed your fouls in a morning, for the further fanftification of the fabbath, addrefs your felves to the hearing of the word preached. (1 .) And when you are fet down in your f~a.t, 1. Lift up your eyes to heaven for a bleffing upon the word to be difpenfed, for, you mufli know the word preached doth not work as phyfic, by its own inherent virtue, but by a virtue from heaven, and the co-operation of the Holy Ghoft ; therefore put up a fhort eja- culatory prayer for a blefling upon the word, ' that it may be made effectual to you. (2.) The word being begun to be preached, fet your felves in a right manner; 1. "With reverence and holy attention, Acts xvi. 14. A certain woman named Lydia, attended unto the things which were fpoken o/~Paul. Gon* flantine the emperor w s noted for his reverend att. ntion to the word, Lukex\x. 48. Chrijt taught daily in the temple : «nd all the people were atten- tive to hear him. In the Greek, they hung upm his lip. Could we tell men of a rich purchale, they would diligently attend : and mail they not much more when the gofpel of grace is preach- ing to them ? Now, that we may fanctify and hallow the fabbath by attentive hearing, take heed of two things, jn hearing; viz. I. Dijlra- iiioti'y II. Drowfinefs. I. Dijiraclion. i Cor. vii. 35. That ye may attend upon the Lord without diftraction. It is faid of St. Bernard, that when he came to the church-door, he would fay, flay here all my earthly thoughts. So fliould we fay to ourfclves, when we are at the door of God's houfe, ftay here all my worldly cares, and wandring cogi- tations ; I am now going to hearken what the Lord will fay to me. Diffraction hiaders de- votion. Diffraction in hearing is, when the mind is to/Ted with vain thoughts, and diverted from the bufmefs in hand. It is hard to make the quick-filver heart fix. St. Hierom complained of himfelf; Sometimes (faith he) when 1 am about Gcdysfervice,per porticus dhmbulo, lam walking in the galleries, andfometimes cafting up accounts . So, oft in heariug of the word, the thoughts dance up and down ; and, when our eye is upon the minifter, our mind is upon other things. Diffracted hearing is far from fanctifying the fabbath. It mult needs be very hainous to give way to vain thoughts at this time ; becaufc, when we are hearing the word, we are now in God's fpecial prefence. To do any treafon- able action in the king's prefence, is high im- pudence, Jer. xxiii. 11. Yea, in my houfe have I found their wickednefs. So may the Lord fay in my houfe, while they are hearing of my word, I have found wickednefs ; they have wanton eyes, and their foul is fet on vanity. This enhanceth and aggravates the iin. Qu. IVhtncedo thefe roving diflracled thoughts in hearing come ? Anf. 1 . Partly from Satan. The devil is no recufant, he will be fure to be prefent in our affemblies : if he cannot hinder us from hearing, he will hinder us in hearing. Job i. 6, When the fons of God came toprefent themfelves before the Lord, Satan came alfo among them. The devil fets vain objects before the fancy, to caufe a diverfion. Satan's great defign is to render the word we hear fruitlefs : as when one is writing, another jogs him that he cannot write even; fo, when we are hearing, the devil will be jogg- ing us with a temptation, that we mould not attend to the word preached, Zech. iii. 1. He /hewed me Jofhua the high prieft ftanding before the angel of the Lord, and Satan ftanding at his right-hand to refift him. Thefe wandring thoughts in hearing come partly from ourfl-ives. We mult not lay all ihe blame upon Satan. (1.) They come from the eye. A wandering eye caufeth wandering thoughts. A thief may be let into the houfe at a window; lb vain thoughts *54 OF THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT. thoughts Ate let i:i at the eye. So that, as we are bid to keep our feet when we enter into the houfe of God, Eccl. v. i. fo we had need make a covenant with our eyes, when we are in the houfe of God, Job. xxxi. i. that we be not di- ffracted by beholding other objects. 2. Wandririg thoughts in hearing rife Out of the heart. Thcfe {parks come out of our own furnace. Vain thoughts are the mud which the heart (as a troubled lea) cafts up. Mark vii. 2r. For, from within,, out of the heart of men, pro- ceed evil thoughts. It is the foulnefs of the fto- maeh fends up fnrires into the head ; and the corruption of the heart fends up evil thoughts into the mind. 3. Diftra£ted thoughts in hearing proceed from an evil cufrom. We inure ourfelves to vain thoughts at other times, therefore we cannot forL>e;tr them on a iabbath. Cuftom is a fecoud nature. Jer. xiii. 23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the Leopard his [pots ? then may ye alfo do good, that are accuftomed to do evil? He that is ufed ro bad company, knows not how fo leave it; fuch as have vain thoughts keeping them company all the week, they know not how to get rid of them on the fabbath. Let me fiiow you how evil thefe vain diffracting thoughts in hearing are. Firfi, To have the heart diffracted in hear- ing, is a difrefpect to God's ' omniPdency. God is an all-feeing fpirit ; and thoughts fpeak louder in his ears, than words do in ours, Amos iv. 13. He declareth unto man what is his thought. Therefore, to make no confidence ofwandring thoughts in hearing, is the affronting of God's ©mnifcieucy, as if he knew not our heart, or did not hear the language of our thoughts. Secondly, To give way to wandring thoughts in hearing is hypocrify. We pretend to hear what God faith, and our mind is quite upon rmorher tiling- We prefent God with our bo- dies, but do not give him our hearts. Hof. vi. t /. This hypocrify God coFrfpfairiS of, [fa. xxix. 13. This p ople draw near me with their mouth, and vfit'b their lips do honour me, but have removed their hearts far from me- This i;> to prevaricate .\\ fklfery with God. ■ fy, Vain thoughts in hearing difcover n.:. ' want of love to God. Did we love God, v;c fhould H fieri to hi" words as oracles, and h--,ul them upon the table of our heart, Prov. iii. 3. When a friend whom we love fpeaks to us, and gives us advice, we mind it with feiiouf- n'efs, and fuck in every word. The giving our thoughts leave to ramble in holy duties, fhows the defect of our love to God. Fourthly, Vain impertinent thoughts in hear- ing defile an ordinance : they are as dead flies in the box of ointment. When a firing of the lute is out of tune, it fpoils the mufic ; diffraction of thoughts puts our mind out of tune, and makes our fervices feem harfh and unpleafant. Wandring thoughts poifon a duty, and turn it into fin, Pf cix. 7. Let his prayer become fin. What can be worfe, than to have a man's pray- ing and hearing of the word become fin ? Were it not fad, when the meat we eat fhould increafe bad humours ? So when the hearing of the word, which is the food of the foul fhould be turned into fin. Fifthly, Vain thoughts in hearing, anger God. If the king were fpeaking to one of his fubjects, and he fhould not give heed to what the king faith, but be thinking on another bufinefs, or playing with a feather ; would not this provoke the king ? So, When we are in God's prefence, and God is fpeaking to us in his word, and we minding not much what he faith, but our hearts go after -covet 'oufnefs, Ezek.xxxii?. 3L Will not this anger God, to be thus (liq'H ed ? God hath pronounced a curfe upon fuch, Mai. i. 14. Cur~ fed be the deceiver, which hath en his flock a male, andfacrificeth to the Lore1 1 corrupt thingl To have ftrong lively affections to the world, here is a male in the flock ; but to hear the word with diffraction, to give God duties fly- blown with vain thoughts, this is to offer to the Lord a corrupt thing ; this brings a curfe, cur- fed be the deceiver. Sixthly, Vain thoughts in hearing (when allowed and not refitted) make way for hard- riing the heart. A flone in the heart, is worfe than in the kidneys. Diffracted thoughts in hear- ing do not better the heart but harden it. Vain thoughts fake away the holy awe of God which fhould be upon the heart ; they make conference lefs tender, and hinder the efficacy the word fhould have upon the heart. Seventhly, Vain diffracting thoughts rob us of the comfort of an ordinance. A gracious foul oft meets with God in the fmctuary, and can fay, as Cant', iii. 4. I found him whom my foul loveth. Heislflce Jonathan, who having tailed' the honey on the rod, his eyes were enlightned. But vain thoughts hinder the comfort of an ordinance, as a black cloud hides the warm, comfortable beams of the fun from us. Will God fpeak peace to us, when our thoughts are wandring of the fourth commandment. wandring to the ends of the earth ? Prov. xvii. 24. If ever you would hear the word with at- tention, do as Abraham, he drove away the fowls from the facrifice, Gen. xv. 1 1. fo when we find thefe excurfions, and finful wandrings in hear- ing, labour to drive away the fowls ; get rid of thefe vain thoughts ; they are vagrants, and we muft not give them entertainment. Qu. But how /hall we get help againfl thefe vagabond thoughts ? Anf. (1.) Pray and watch againft them. (2.) Let the fenfe of God's omnifcient eye over- awe our hearts. The fervant will not fport in his mailer's prefence. (3.) Labour for an holy frame of heart. Were the heart more fpiritual, the mind would be lefs feathery. (4.) Bring more love to the word. That which we love, we fix our minds upon ; he that loves his plea- fures and recreations, his mind is fixed upon them, and he can follow them without diffrac- tion. Were our love more fet upon the word preached, our minds would be more fixed upon it : and furely there is enough to make us love the word preached ; for it is the word of life, the inlet to knowledge, the antidote againft fin, the quickner of holy affections : it is the true manna, which hath all forts of fweet taftes in it: it is the pool of Bethefda, in which the rivers of life fpring forth to heal the broken in heart : it is a fovereign elixir or cordial to re- vive the forrowful fpirit. Get love to the word preached, and you will not be fb diffracted in hearing. What the heart delights in, the thoughts dwell upon. II. If you would fanctify the fabbath by dili- gent, attentive hearing, take heed of drowflnefs in hearing ; drowfinels fhews much irreverence. How lively are many when they are about the world, but in the worfhip of God how drowfie, as if the devii had given them fome opium to make them fleep ? A drowfie temper is (now)' very abfurd and finful. Are not you in prayer asking pardon of fin ? Will the prifoner fall afleep when he is begging his pardon ? In the preaching of the word, is not the bread of life breaking to you ; and will a man fall afleep at his food ? which is worfe, to ftay from a fermon, or fleep at a fermon ? While you fleep, perhaps the truth was delivered, which might have con- verted your fouls. Befides, fleeping is very offcn- five in thefe holy afTemblies ; it is not only a grieving the fpirit of God, but a making the hearts of the righteous fad, Ezek. xiii. 27. It troubles them to fee any fliow fuch a contempt 255 of God and his worfhip ; to fee men bufie in the fhop, but drowfie in the temple. Therefore, as Ghriftfaid, Mat. xxvi. 40. Could ye not -watch one hour ? fb, can ye not wake one hour r I deny not but a child of God may fometimes through weaknefs and indifpofition of body drop afleep at a fermon, but it is not voluntary or ordinary. The fun may be in an eclipfe, but not ofen : if fleeping be cuftomary and allowed, it id a very bad fign and a profaning of the oidinance. A good remedy againft djowfinefs is to life a fpare diet upon this day. Such as indulge their appe- tite too much on a fabbath, are fitter to fleep on a couch, than pray in the temple. Now, that you may throw off diftracYmg thoughts and drowfinels on the Lord's day, and may hear the word with reverend attention, confider, 1. It is God that fpeaks to us in his word; therefore the preaching of the word is called the breath of his lips, Ifa. xi. 4.- And Chrift h faid now to fpeak to us from heaven, Heb. xii. 25- as a king fpeaks in his ambaffador. Mini- flers are but as the pipes and organs, it is the fpirit of the living God breathes in them. When we come to the word, we mould think thus with ourfelves, God fpeaks in this preacher. The Theffalonians heard the word Paul preacl!- ed, as if God himfelf had fpoken unto them, 1 Theff. ii. 13. When ye received the word of God, which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but {as it is in truth') the word of God. When Samuel knew it was the Lord that fpake to him, he lent his ear, 1 Sam. iii. 1 o. If we do not regard God when he fpeaks to us, he will not regard us when we pray to him. 2. Confider, how ferious and weighty the matters deliver'd to us are. As Mofes faid, Deut. xxx. 1 9. 1 call heaven and earth to record this day, that I have fet before you life and death. Can men be regardlefs of the word, or drowfie when the weighty matters of eternity are fet before them? We preach of Faith, and Holinefs of Life, and the Day of Judgment, and the eternal Recompences : here is life and death fet before you \ and doth not all this call for ferious attention? Ifa letter were read to one of fpecial bufinefs, wherein his life and eftate were concerned, would not he be very ferious in liftning to that letter ? In the preaching of the word, your falvation i3 concerned \ and, if ever you would attend, it fhould be now^ Deut. xxxii. 47. It is not a vain thing for you, becaufe it is your life, 3. To give way to vain thoughts, and drow- flnefs 2<6 OF THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT •finefs in hearing doth much gratify So tan. He Jcntfwsj that not to mind a duty, is ail one, as not to do a duty : in religion, What the heart doth not do, is not done. Therefore Chrift faith of fome, Hearing, they hear not, Matth. xiii. 13. How could that be ? becaule, though the word founded in their car, yet they minded not what was faid to them, their thoughts were up- on other things ; therefore it was all one as if they did nut heir : Hearing, they hear not : and doth not this pleafe Satan, to fee men come to the word, and as good flay away ? they are haunted with vain thoughts, they are taken off the duty while they arc in it ; their body is in the afTembly, their heart in their (hop : Hear- ing, they hear not. 4. It may be the laft fabbath that ever we mall keep ; we may go from the place of hear- ing to the place of judging: and fhall not we give reverend attention to the word ? did we think thus when we come into- God's houfe, Perhaps this will be the laft time that ever God will counfel us about our fouls ; before another termor), death's alarum will found in our ears : with what attention and devotion mould we come hither, and our affections would be all on fire in our hearing*1 5. You rauft give an account for every fer- mon you hear, Luke xvi. 2. Redde ratiottem ,• Give an account of thy flew ardflnp. So will God fay, Give an account of thy hearing : haft thou been affected with the word ? haft thou profited by it ? and how can we give an ac- count, if we have been diffracted in hearing, and have not taken notice what hath been faid to us ? The Judge, to whom we muff, give an account, is God. Were one to give an account to man, he might falfify his accounts ; but we muff, give an account lo God. Nee donis cor- rumpitur, nee blanditiis fallitur, Bern. He is fo juft a God, that he cannot be bribed, and fo wife, that he cannot be deceived. There- fore, being to give an account to fuch an im- partial Judge, how fhould we obferve every word preached, remembering the account ? Let all this make us fhake off diffraction and drowflnefs in hearing, and have our ears chained to the word. Exod. xx. 8. Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy, Sec. II F you would bear the word aright, lay afide thofe things which may render the word preached ineffectual ; As, 1. Curiojity. Some come to the word preach- ed, not fo much to get grace, as to enrich them- fclves with notion : Itching ears, 2 Tim. iy. 3. Au (tin confefferh, That befoie his conversion, he went to hear St. Ambrofe, rather for his elo- quence, than for the fpirituality of the matter, Ezek. xxxiii. 32. Thou art unto them as a very lovely fong of one that hath a pleafant voice, and can play well on an inftrutnent. Many come to the word only to feaft their ears; they like the melody of the voice, the mellifluous fweet- ntfs of the expreffion, the newnefs of the no- tion, Acls xvii. 21. This is to love the gar- nifhing of the difh more than the food; this is to dciire to be pleafcd," rather than edified. Like a woman that paints her face, but ne- glects her health : fo they paint and adorn themfelves with curious fpeculations, but ne- glect their fouls health. This hearing doth neither fanctify the heart, nor the fabbath. 1. Lay afide prejudice. (r.) Prejudice againft the truths preached. The Sadducecs were prejudiced againft the do- ctrine of the refurrection. Luke xx. 27. (2.) Prejudice againft the perfon preaching, 1 Kings xxii. 8. There's one Micaiah by whom we may inquire of the Lord, but I hate him. This hinders the virtue of the word. If a pa- tient hath an ill opinion of his phyfician, he will not take any of his receits, tho' never fo good. Prejudice in the mind is like an ob- ftruction in the ftomach, which hinders the nutritive virtue of the meat. Prejudice poifons the word, and makes it to lofe its efficacy. 3. Lay afide covetoufheJk Covetoufhefs is nor only getting the workfpinjultly, but loving it inordinately : Vthis is a great hinderance to the word preached. The feed which fell a- mong thorns was choked, Matth. xiii. 2 2. An emblem of the word being preached ro a covetous hearer. Thee covetous man is think- ing on the world when he is hearing ; his heart is in his mop, Ezek. xxxiii. 31. They fit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but their heart goeth after their covetouf- nefs. A covetous hearer derides the word, Luke xvi. 1 4. The Pharifees, who were covetous, heard all thefe things, and they derided him. 4. Layafide partiality. Partiality in hear- ing § ? THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 257 ing is, when we like to heat fome truths preach- ed, but not all. We love to hear of heaven, tut not of felf-denial ; of reigning with Chrift, lit not of fuffiering ; of the more facile duties of religion, but not them which are more knotty and difficult; as. mortification, laying the ax to the root, and hewing down their be- loved fin, Ifa. xxx. 10. Prophefy fmooih th'ngs, fuch as may not grate upon our confidence. Many like to hear of the love of Chrift, but not of loving their enemies ; they like the comforts of the word, but not the reproofs. Herod heard John Baptifi gladly : he liked many truths, but not when he fpake againft his in- ceft. Lay afide partiality. 5. Lay afide cenforioufnefs. Some, inftead of judging themfelves for fin, fit as judges up- on the preacher : either his fermon had too much gall in it, or it was too long. Thefe will fboner cenfure a fermon than practife it. God will judge the judger, Matth. vii. I. 6. Lay afide difobedience, Rom. vii. 22. All the day long have I Jlretched forth my hands unto a difobedient people. 'Tis fpoken of the Jews ; God ftretched out his hands in the preaching of the word, but they rejected Chrift. Let there be none among you that wilfully re- fufe the counfels of the word ; it is lad to have an adder's ear, an adamant heart, Zech. vii. 11,12. If, when God fpeaks to us in his word, we are deaf; when we fpeak to him in prayer, he will be dumb. IIT. If you would hear the Word aright, have good ends in hearing ; Come to the word to be made better. Some have no other end in hearing, but becaufe it is in fiifhion, or to gain repute, or flop the mouth of confidence : but come to the word to be made more holy. There's a great deal of difference between one that goes to a garden for flowers to wear in her bofom, and another that goes for flowers to make fyrups and medicines of. We fliould go to the word for a medicine to cure us ; as Naaman the Syrian went to Jordan to be heal- ed of his leprofy, 1 Pet. ii. 2. Defre the fin- cere milk of the word that ye may grow there- by. Come to the word to be changed into the fimilitude of it ; as the feal leaves the print up- on the wax, fo labour that the word preached may leave the print of its own holinefs upon your heart : labour that the word may have fuch a virtue upon you, as the water of jr- loufy, to kill, and make fruitful. Numb, v. 2 ' That it may kill your fins, and make your fouls fruitful in grace. IV. If you would hear the word aright, come to it with delight. The word preached is a feaft of fat things : with what delight do men come to a feaft I the word preached a- noints the blind eye, mollifies the reeky heart ; it beats off our fetters, and turns us from the power of Satan to God, Acts xxvi. 18. The word is the feed of regeneration, James i. 18. the engine of falvation. Hear the word with delight and Complacency, Jer. xv. 16. Thy words were found, and I did eat them, and they were the joy and rejoycing of my heart. Pi. cxix. 103. How fweet are thy words unto my tafte ! yea, fweeter than honey unto my mouth- Yea, love that word which comes moil home to the confidence : blefs God when your corrup- tions have been met with, when the fword of the Spirit hath divided between you and your fins. Who cares for that phyfic which will not work. V. If you would hear the word aright, mix it with faith. Believe the verity of the word preached, that it is that word by which you muft be judged ; nor only give credence to the word preached, but learn to apply it to your own fouls : faith concocts the word, and turns it into fpiritual nourifhment. Many hear the word, but it may be faid of them, as Pf cvi. 24. They believed not his word. As Melanflhon once find to^fome of the Italians, Ye Italians worflnp God in the bread, when ye do not be- lieve him to be in heaven: Co, many hear God's word, but do not believe that God is ; they qucftion the truth of his oracles. If we do not mix faith with the word, it is like leaving out the chief ingredient in a medicine, which makes it inefi'ectud : unbelief hardens men's hearts again ft the word, Acls xix. 9. Divers were hardened, and believed not. Men hear many truths delivered concerning the preci- oufnefs of Chrift, the beauty of holinefs, the felicity of a glorified etlate ; but if through un- belief and atheifm they qucftion thefe truths, we may as well fpeak to the ftones and pillars of the church as to them. That word which i» not believed, can never be practised, Ubi male creditur, ibi nee bene vivitur, Hierom. Unbe- lief makes the word preached of no effect. Heb. ix. 2. The word preached did not profit, not lining mixed with faith in them that he it. The word to an unbeliever is like lie K k 25S OF THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT. d'uim put into a dead man's mouth, which lofeth all its virtue. If there be any unbeliev- ers in our congregations, what fliall minifters lay to God at the laft day ? Lord, we have preached to the people thou fenteft us to, we mewed them our commiffion, we declared un- to them the whole counfel of God, but they believed never a word we fpake : we told them what would be the fruit of fin, but they would drink their fugared draught, tho' there was death in the cup : Lord, we are free from their blood. God forbid that ever minifters mould make this report to God of their people. But this they mult be forced to do, if people live and die in unbelief. Would you fan&ify a fabbath in hearing the word aright ? hear the word with faith. The apoftle puts.thefe two together, belief and falvation, Heb. x. 39. We are of them that believe to the faying of the foul. VI. If you would hear the word aright, hear it with meek fpirits, James i. 21. Receive the word in manfuetudine, with meeknefs. Meek- nefs is a fubmiflive frame of heart to the wrord : contrary to this meeknefs, is fiercenefs of fpirit, when men. rife up in a rage againft the word; as if the patient mould be angry with the phy- iician when he gives him a receit to purge out his bad humours, Acls vii.54. When they heard this , they -were cut to the heart, and gnafhed on Stephen -with their teeth. 2 Ghron. xvi. 10. Afa was wroth with the feer, and put him in a prifon-houfe. Pride and guilt make men fret at the word : what made Afa florin fo, but pride ? he was a king, and thought he was too good to be told of his fin. What made Cain fo angry, when God faid to him, Where is Abel thy brother ? Saith he, Am I my brother's keep- er ? What made him fo touchy, but guilt ? he had embrewed his hands in his brother's blood. If you would hear the word aright, lay down your padions, Receive the word with metknefs ; get humble hearts to fubmit to the truths de- livered. God takes the meek perfon to be his fcholar, Pf. xxv. 9. The- meek will he teach his way. Meeknefs makes the word preached to bean ingrafted word, James i. 21. A good cion grafted into a bad ftock, changeth the na- ture of it, and makes it bear good and gene- rous fruit ; fo when the word preached is graft- ed into man's heart, it fanclifies them, and makes them bring forth the fweet fruits of righteoufnefs. By meeknefs it becomes an in- grafted word, VII. If you would hear the word aright, be not only attentive, but retentive. Lay the word up in your memories and hearts, Lake viii. 15. The feed on the good ground are they, who having heard the word, keep it. The Greek word for to keep, fignifies to hold the word fafi, that it do not run from us. If the feed be not kept in the ground, but is prefently warned away, it is fown to little purpofe : fo, if the word preached be not kept in your memo- ries and hearts, it is preached in vain. Many people have memories like leaking vefTels, the word goes out as faft as it comes in, how can it profit ? if a treafure be put in a cheft, and y'ne cheft be not lock'd, it may eafily be taken out : a bad memory is like a cheft without a lock the devil can eafily take out all the treafure Luke viii. 12. Then comes the devil, and takes away the word out of their hearts. Labour to keep in memory the truths you hear : the things we efteem we are not fo apt to forget. Will a bride forget her jewels ? jer. ii. 32. Can a maid forget her ornaments ? Did we prize the word more, we fliould not fo foon forget it : if the meat doth not ftay in the ftomach, but comes up as faft as we eat it, it cannot nourifh : fo, if the word flays not in the memory, but is prefently gone, it can do the foul but little good. VIII. If you would hear aright, pra&ife what you hear. Practice is the life of all, Rev. xxii. 14. Dleffed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life. Bare hearing will be no plea at the day of judgment; Lord, I have heard fo many fermons. But God will fay, What fruits of obedience have you brought forth ? The word we preach is not only to inform you, but reform you ; not only to mend your fight, but to mend your pace in the way to heaven : a good hearer is like the helitropium, &c. it opens and (huts with the fun, to God a- gainft fin. Now that you may fan&ify a fab- bath by hearing ; 1. If you do not hear the word aright, you lofe all your labour : how many a weary ftep have you taken : your body hath been crowd- ed, your fpirit faint ; if you are not bettered by hearing ; if you are as proud, as vain, as earth- ly as ever, all your hearing is loft. You would be loth to trade in vain ; and why not as well to hear fermons in vain ? Job ix. 29. Why then labour I in vain ? Put this queftion to thy own foul ? Why labour I in vain ? why do I take OF THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 259 take all this pains to hear, yet have not the grace to praclife it ? I am as bad as ever ; why- then labour I in vain ? 2. If you hear the word, and are not better- ed by it, you are like the Salamander in the fire, not hotter ; your hearing will increafe your condemnation, Luke xii. 47. That fervartt which knew his Lord's "will, and did it not, Jhall be beaten with many Jiripes. We pity fuch as know not where to hear ; it will be worfe with fuch as care not how they hear. To gracelefs difbbedient hearers every fermon will be a faggot to heat hell : it is fad to go loaded to hell with ordinances. O beg the Spirit to make the word preached effectual. Minifters can but fpeak to the ear, the Spirit fpeaks to the heart, Alls x. 44. While Peter fpake, the Holy Ghofl fell upon all them that heard the word. V. Having heard the word in an holy and fpiritual manner, for the further fan&ification of the fabbath, confer of the word. We are forbid on this day to fpeak our own words, Ifa. lviii. 14. but we muft fpeak of God's word. Speak of the fermons as you fit together ; this is one part of fancYifying the fabbath. Good difcourfe brings holy truths into our memories, and fattens them upon our hearts ; Mai. iii. 17. Then they that feared the Lord, fpake of- ten one to another. There is a great power and efficacy in good difcourfe, Job vi. 25. Howfc/- cible are right words ? By holy conference on a fabbath, one Chriftian helps to warm an- other when he is frozen, to ftrengthen another when he is Weak. Latimer confefled, he was much furthered in religion, by having confer- ence with Mr. Bilny the martyr. Pf. cxix- 172. My tongue /hall fpeak of thy word. One reafon why preaching the word on a fabbath doth no more good, is, becaule there is ib lit- tle good conference. Few fpeak of the word they have heard, as if (ermons were fuch fe- crets that they muft not be fpoken of again, or as if it were a fhame to fpeak of that which will fave us. VI. Shut up the fabbath-evening with re- petition, reading, finging of pfalms, and pray- er .- beg that God would blefs the word you have heard. But I hope your practice herein will prevent my further fpeaking. Could we but thus fpend a fabbath, we might be in the Spirit on the Lord's day, Rev. i. 10. our fouls might be nourished and comforted : and this fabbath which we now keep, would be an ear- nefl of that everlafting fabbath which we fhall celebrate in heaven. Exod. xx. 8. Remember to keep the Sabbath-day holy. Ufe /. QE E here a Chriftian's duty, To keep v3 the fabbath-day holy. 1. The whole fabbath is to be dedicated to God. It is not faid, Keep a part of the fab- bath holy, but the whole day mufl be religi- oufly obferved. If God hath given us fix days, and taken but one to himfelf, fhall we grudge him any part of that day ? it were facrilege. The Jews kept a whole day to the Lord, and we are not to abridge or curtail the fabbath (faith St. Au/lin) more than the Jews did. The very heathens, by the light of nature, did let apart a whole day in the honour of their falfe gods ; and Sca?vola their high prieft did affirm, That the wilful tranfgreffion of that day could have no expiation or pardon. Who- ever do rob any part of the fabbath for fervile work or recreation, Sccevola the high prieft of the heathenifh gods fhall rife up in judgment againft fuch Chriftians, and condemn them. And they who fay, that to keep a whole fabbath is too Judaical, let them fhew where God has / made any abatement of the lime of wot/hip. Where he hath faid, you fhall keep but a part of the fabbath : and if they cannot fhew that, it argues much boldnefs to go to rob God of his due. That a whole day be defigned and fet apart for God's fpecial worfhip, is a perpetual ftatute, while the church remains upon the earth, faith Pet. Martyr. Of this opinion alfo were Theodoret, Auflin, Irceneus, and the chief of the fathers. 2. As the whole fabbath is to be dedicated to God, fo it muft be kept holy; you fee the- manner of fancYifying the Lord's day, by read- ing, meditation, prayer, hearing of the word, and by finging of pfalms, to make melody t» the Lord. Now, befides what I have faid for the keeping this day holy, let me make, a fhort comment or paraphrafe on that fcripture, Ifa. Iviii. J3- V thou turn away thy foot from the fabbath •» from doing thy pleafure on my holy day$ and call the fabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, hon- ourable, and /halt honour him, not doing thy K k 2 own 2<5o OF THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 1-jjn ways, nor finding thine own pleafure, nor (peaking thine own words : Here is a defcrip- tion of the right fan clifying a fabbath. (i.) If thou turn axvay thy foot from the fab- bath.] That may be underftood either literally, or fpiritually. Fir ft, Literally, If thou turn axvay thy foot from the fabbath, that is, if thou withdraweft thy foot from taking long walks or journeys on the iabbath-day : So the Jewifij doctors expound it. Or, Secondly, Spiritually. If thou turn away thy foot from the fabbath, that is, if thou turn away thy affections (the feet of thy foul) from in- clining to any worldly bufinefs. (2.) From doing thy pleafure on my holy day."] That is, thou muft not do that which may pleafe the carnal part, as fports and paftimes : this is to do the devil's work on God's day. (3.) And call the fabbath a delight.'] Call it a delight, that is, efieem it fo : though the fab- bath be not a day for carnal pleafure, yet holy pleafure is not forbidden. The foul muft take pleafure in the duties of a fabbath. The faints of old counted the fabbath a delight : the Jews called the fabbath dies lucis, a day of light. The Lord's day, on which the Sun of righteoufnefs mines, is both a day of light and delight. This is the day of fweet intercourfe between God and the foul. On this day a Chriftian makes his fallies out to heaven, his foul is lifted above the earth : and can this be without delight ? The higher the bird flies, the f.veeter it fings. On a fabbath the foul acts its love to God ; and where the love is, there is the delight : on this day a believer's heart is melted, q. d. quick - ncd, enlarged in holy duties; and how can all this be, and not a fecret delight go along with it ? On a fabbath a gracious foul can fay, as Cant. ii. 3. I fat under his fhadow with great delight, and his fruit was fweet to my tafie. How can a fpiritual heart choofe but call the fabbath a delight ? Is it not delightful to a queen to be putting on her wedding robes in which fhe fliall meet the king her bridegroom ? When we are about fabbath exercifes, we are dreffing ourfelves, and putting on our weddmg-robes in which we are to meet our heavenly bridegroom the Lord Jefbs : and is not this delightful ? On the fabbath God makes a feaft of fat things, he feafts the ear with his word, and the heart with his grace. "Well then may we call the lab- bath a delight ; and fo find this holy delight, is to be in the fpirit on the Lord's day. (4.) The holy tf the Lord, honourable."] In the Hebrew, it is glorious. To call the fabbath honourable, is not to be underftood fo much of an outward honour given to it, by wearing richer apparel, or having better diet on his day, as the Jewifi doctors corruptly glofs ; this is the chief honour fome give to this day : but thou malt call the fabbath honourable, that is meant of the honour of the heart that we give to this day, reverencing it, and efteeming it the queen of days. We are to count the fabbath honourable, becaufe God hath honoured it. All the perfons in the Trinity have honoured it, God the Fa- ther bleffed ifc, God the Son rofe upon it, God the Holy Ghoft defcended on this day, Acis ii. 1. And indeed this day is to be honoured of all good Chriftians, and had in high veneration. It is a day of renown; on this day a golden fceptre of mercy is held forth. The Chriftian fabbath is the very crepufculum and dawning of the heavenly fabbath. It is honourable becaufe this day, Cod comes down to us, and vifits us. To have the king of heaven prefent in a fpecial manner in our affemblies, makes the fabbath- day honourable. Befides, the work that is done on this day makes it honourable : the fix days are filled up with fervile work, which makes them lofe much of their glory ; but on this day facred work is done. The foul is employed wholly about the worfhip of God; it is praying, hearing, meditating; it is doing angels work, praifing, and bleffing of God. Again, the day is honourable by virtue of a divine inflitution : filver is of itfelf valuable ; but when the royal ftamp is put upon it, it is honourable ; fo God hath put a facred ftamp upon this day, the ftamp of divine authority, and the ftamp of divine benediSiion : this makes it honourable ; this is a fancYifying the fabbath, to call it a delight, and honourable. (5.) Not doing thy own ways.] That is, thou malt not defile the day by doing any fervile work. (6. ) Nor finding thy own pleafure] That is, not gratifying the fle/hly part, by walks, vifits, paflimes . (7.) Nor [peaking thy own words.] That is, words heterogeneous and unfuitable for a fab- bath ; vain, impertinent words ; difcourfes of worldly affairs. Here is the fanctifying of a fabbath defcribed. Ufe II, If the fabbath-day be to be kept holy, it reproves them who, inftead of fancli- fying the fabbath, prophane it: They take that time, OF THE FOURTH C O M M A N D M E N T. ^01 time, which fhould be dedicated wholly to God, and fpend it in the fervice of the devil and their lufls. The Lord hath enclofed this day for his own worfhip, and they lay this day common. God hath fet an hedge about this command- ment, remember ; and they break this hedge : but he who breaks an hedge } a ferpent jhall bite him, Eccl. x. 8. The fiibbath-day in England lies bleeding : and oh that our parliament would pour in fome balm into the wounds which the fabbath hath received! how is this day pro- phaned, by fitting idle at home, by felling of meat, by vain difcourfe, by finful vifits, by walking in the fields, by uling fports. The peo- ple of Ifrael might not gather manna on the fabbath, and may we ufe fports and dancings on this day r Truly it fhould be matter of grief to us, to fee fo much fabbath-prophanation. When one of Darius's eunuchs faw Alexander fetting his feet on a rich table of Darius's, he fell a weeping : Alexander asked him why he wept ? He laid it was to fee the table which his mafter fo highly efteemed to be now made a footfrool. So we may weep to fee the fabbath-day, which God fo highly efteems, and hath fo honoured and blefled, to be made a foot-ftool, and to be trampled upon by the feet of finners. To pro- phane the fabbath, is a fin of an high nature; it is a wilful contempt of God : it is not only a cafting God's law behind our back, buta tram- pling it under foot. God faith, keep the fabbath holy ; but men will pollute it : this is to defpife God, to hang out the flag of defiance, to throw down the gantlet, and challenge God himfelf. Now, how can God endure to be thus faucily confronted by proud dufl ? God will not fuffer this high impudence to go unpunifhed. This will draw God's curfes upon the fabbath-breaker, and God's curfe will blaft where it comes. No fooner did Chrift- curfe the fig-tree, but it wither- ed : though the law of the land lets fabbath- breakers alone. To rob a man of his purfe, (hall be punifhed with death ; but to rob God of his day, fliall not be pun'-fhed with death. But God will take the matter into his own hand; he will fee after the punifhing of fabbath-violation : and how doth he punifh it ? i. "With fpiritual plagues. He gives up fab- bath prophaners to hardnefs of heart, and a fea- red confeience. Spiritual judgments are forefr, Pf. Ixxxi. 12. So I gave them up to their own hearts lufts. A fear in the confeience is a brand-mark of reprobation. 0.. God punifheth this fin of fabbath-breaking, by giving them up to commit other fins. God, to revenge the breaking of bis fabbath, fuffers men to break open honfls, and fo come to b* punifhed by the magtftrate. How many fiich confefhons have we heard from thieves gojrig t» be executed ! they never regarded the Lbb-ith, and Co God fuffered them to commit thofe hainous fins, for which now they are to die. 3. God punifheth fabbath-breaking, byflidderi vilible judgments on men for this fin ; God pu- niiheth them in their efiateu and in eheir per* fons. One carrying corn into his bain on the Lord's day, both houfe and corn were confumed with fire from heaven. In Wiltjhire there was a dancing match appointed upon the Lord's day ; and one of the company, as he was dan- cing, fell down dead fuddenly, and fo was made a fpectacle of God's jufiice. The theatre of God's judgments relates of one, who ufed everv Lord's day to hunt in fermon-time, and he had a child byjhis wife with an head like a dog, and it cried like an hound. His fin was monltrous, and it was punifhed with a monfirous birth. The Lord threatened the Jews, that if they would not hallow the fabbath-day. he would kindle a fire in their gates, Jer. xvii. 27. The dreadful fire which brake out in London, began on the fabbath-day ; as if God would tell us from heaven, he was then punifh ing us for our fabbath prophanation. Nor doth God pu- nifh it only in this life with death, but with dam- nation. Such as break God's fabbath, let them fee if they can break thofe chains of darknefs, in which they and the devils fhall be held. Ufe III. It exhorts us to fabbath-holinefs. 1. Make confeience of keeping this day holy. The other commandments have only an affirm- ative in them or a negative : this fourth com- mandment hath both an affirmative in it, and a negative ; Thoufhalt keep the fabbath-day holy, and, thou fhalt not do any ?nanner of work in it ; to (how how carefully God would have us ob- ferve this day. Not only mult you keep this day yourfelves, but have a care that all under your charge keep it; thou, and thyfon, and thy daughter, and thy man-fervant, and thy maid- fervant ; that is, thou who art a fuperior, a parent or a mafter, thou mutt have a care that not only thyfelffanctify the day, but thofe that are under thy truft and tuition. To blame are thofe matters of families, who are careful that their fervants ferve them, but have no care that they ferve God ; they care not though their fer- vants fhould ferve the devil, fo long as their bodies 262 OF THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT, bodies do them fervice. That which St. Paul faith to Timothy, i Tim. vi. 20. Serva depofi- tum, Keep that which is committed to thy truft, is of a large extention. Not only have a care of thy own foul, but have a care of the fouls thou art entrufted with. See that they who are under thy charge fancYify the fabbath. God's law provided, that if a man met with an ox or an afs going aftray, he fnould bring him back again : much more, when thou feeft the foul of thy child or fervant going aftray from God, and breaking his fabbath, thou (houldft bring him back again to a religious obfervation of this day. Now that I may prefs you to fabbath-fanc~tifi- cation, confider, (1 .) God hath promifed great blelTings to the Ariel: obfervers of this day. 1. A promife of joy, Pf. xxxvii. 4. If this be a delight, Ifa. lviii. 14. Then /halt thou delight thy/elfin the Lord, Delighting in Qod is both a duty and a reward. In this text it is a reward, Then /halt thou delight thy [elf in the Lord : as if God had faid, if thou keep the fabbath confcientioully, I will give thee that which will fill thee with delight; if thou keepeft the fabbath willingly, I will make thee keep it joyfully : I will give thee thofe en- largements in duty, and that inward comfort, as (hall abundantly fatisfy thee ; thy foul (hall overflow .with fuch a ftream of joy, that thou flialt fay, Lord, In keeping thy fabbath there is great reward. 2. Of honour. And, / v/tL l caufr thee to ride upon the high places of the earth. That is, I will advance thee to honour, afcen- dere faciam\ fo Munfter interprets it. Some, by the high places of the earth, underftand Ju- dea : So Grotius. I will bring thee into the land of Judea, which is higher fituated than the other countries adjacent. 3. Of earth and heaven, And I will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob ; that is, I will feed thee with all the delicious things of Canaan, and afterwards I'll translate thee to heaven, whereof Canaan was but a type. And another promife, Ifa. lvi. 2. Ble/fed is the man that doth this, that keepeth the fabbath from pol- luting it. Ble/fed is the man ; in the Hebrew, it is, bleffedne/fes. To him that keeps the fab- bath holy, here is bleflednefs upon blelTednefs belongs to him ; he (hall be bleffed with the up- per and nether fprings ; he mail be blelTed in his name, eftate, foul, progeny. Who would not keep this fabbath from polluting it, that (hall have fo many blelTings entailed upon him and his po- fterity after him ? (2.) A confeiencious keeping the fabbath, feafons the heart for God's fervice all the week after. Chriftian, the more holy thou art on a fabbath, the more holy thou wilt be on the week following. OF THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT. Exod. XX. 1 2. Honour thy father and thy mother : that thy days may be long upon the. land which the Lord thy Cod giveth thee. HAving done with the firft table, I am next to fpeak of the duties of the fecond table. The commandments may be like- ned to Jacob's ladder; the firft table, as the top of his ladder, reacheth to heaven, itrefpetts God: the fecond table as the foot of the ladder, refts on the earth ; it refpetts fuperiors and in- feriors. By the firft table, we walk religioufly towards God, by the fecond we walk righteoufly towards man. He cannot be good in the firft table that is bad in the fecond. Honour thy fa- ther and thy mother. In this, (1.) A commandment, honour thy father and thy mother. (2.) A reafon annexed to it, That thy days may be long in the land. 1. The command, Honour thy father. Qu. What is meant here by father ? Anf. Father is taken feveral ways ; the Poli- tical, Ancient, Spiritual, Oeconomical, Natural. 1 . The Political father, the Magi ft rate. He is father of his country ; he is to be an encourager of virtue, a punifherof vice, a father to the widow and orphan : fuch a father was Job, ch. xxix. 16. I was a father to the poor, and the caufe which I knew not, I fearched out. And, as magiftrates are fathers, fo efpecially the king, who is the head of magiftrates, is apolitical father: he is placed O F THE t; i F T H COMMANDMENT. 263 placed as the fun among the leffer ftars. The icripture calls kings fathers, Ifa. xlix. 23. Kings fliali be thy ntcrfing fathers. They are to nurfe up their fubjects in piery, by their good editts and examples ; and to nurfe them up in peace and plenty. Such nurfing fathers were David, Hezekiah, Jofiah, Confiantine, Theodofius. It is happy for a people who have fuch nurfing fathers, whofe breafts milk comfort to their children. Thefe fathers are to be honoured : for, \\.\ Their place deferves honour. God hath fet thefe political fathers to preferve order and harmony in a nation, and to prevent thole ftate-convulfions, which otherwife might enfue, Judges xv li. 6. When there, was no king in If- rael, every ma:/ di I that "which ivas right in his own eyes. A wonder, Prov. xxx. 27. (2.3 God hath promoted kings, that they may promote juflice. As they have a fword in their hand, to fignify their power ; fo a fceptre, an emblem of juflice. It is faid of Marcus Jurelius, emperor, that he allotted one hour of the day to hear the complaints of fuch as were opprefTed. Kings place judges as cbe- rubims about the throne, for diftribution of ju- flice. Thefe political fathers are to be honour- ed; Honour the king, 1 Pet. ii. 17. And this honour is to be fhown by a civil reflect to their perfons, and a chearful fubmilTion to their laws, . (b far as they agree and run parallel with God's law. Kings are to be prayed for, which is a part of that honour we give them, 1 Tim. ii. r. I exhort, that fupplications, prayers, inter ceffi- ons, be made for kings, that we may lead a quiet, peaceable life under them, in all godlinefs and honefiy. We are to pray for kings, that God would honour them to be bleffings, that under them we may enjoy the gofpel of peace, and the peace of the gofpel. How happy was the reign of Numa Pompilius, when the fwords were beaten into plough-fhares, and the bees made their hives of the foldiers helmets ! Secondly, There is the grave, antient father, who is venerable for old age ; whofe gray hairs are refembled to the white flowers of the al- mond-tree, Eccl. xii. 5. Thefe are fathers for feniority, on whofe wrinkled brows, and in the furrows of whofe cheeks is pifturcd the map of old age. Thefe fathers are to be ho- noured, Lev. xix. 32. Thou /halt rife up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man. Efpecially, thofe are to be honoured who are fathers not only for their feniority, but their piety ; whofe fouls are flourifhing, wheR their bodies are a-decaying. 'Tis a bleffed fight to fee the fprings of grace in the autumn of old age ; to fee men Hooping towards the grave, yet going up the hill of God ; to fee them lofe their colour, yet keep their favour. Such, whofe filver hairs are crowned with righ- teoufnefs, are worthy of double honour : they are to be honoured, not only as pieces of anti- quity, but as patterns of virtue. If you fee an old man fearing God, whofe grace fhines bright- eft when the fun of bis life is letting, O honour him as a father, by reverencing and imitating him. Thirdly, There are fpiritual fathers, as pafiors and miniflers. Thefe are the inflru- ments of the New birth, 1 Cor. iv. 15. Though ye have ten thoufand inflruclors, yet have ye not many fathers ; for in Chrifi Jefus I have begotten you through the gofpel. The fpiritual fathers are to be honoured, 1. In refpeel: of their office. "Whatever their perfons are, their office is honourable ; they are the Meffengers of the Lord of Hofls, MaL ii. 7. They reprefent no lefs than God him- felf, 2 Cor. v. 20. Now then we are ambaffadors for Chrifi. Jefus Chrift was of this calling ; he had his million and fanction from heaven, John viii. 18. and this crowns the miniflerial calling with honour. 2. Minifiers, thefe fpiritual fathers, are to be honoured for their work's fake ; they come, like the dove, with an olive-branch in their mouth j, they preach glad tidings of peace : their work is to jave fouls. Other callings have only to do with men's bodies or eftates, but the minifter's calling is employed about the fouls of men. Their work is to redeem fpiritual captives, and turn men from the power of Satan to Cod, Ac"bs- xxvi. 18. Their work is to enlighten them who fit in the region of darknefs, and make them, mine as ftars in the kingdom of heaven. Thefe fpiritual fathers are to be honoured for their work's fake, and this honour is to be mown three ways, I. By giving them refpe8o © F THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT ye gave me drink. Chrift takes the kindnefs done to his faints, as done to himfelf: God, that hath a bottle for your tears, hath a book to write down your alms, Mal.'ui. 16. A book of remembrance was written before him. Tamer- lain had a regifter to write down all the names and good fiervices of his foldiers : fo, God hath a book of remembrance to write down all your charitable works ; and at the day of judgment there fhall be an open and honourable mention made of them in prefence of the angels. Sixthly, Hard-heartecinefs to them in mifery reproacheth the gofpel. When mens hearts nre like pieces of rocks, or as the fcales of the Leviathan , flout up as with a clofe feat, Jobxli. 1 5. You may as well extract oil out of a flint, as the golden oil of charity out of their hearts. Thefe unchriftian themj "elves. Vnmercifulnefs is the fin of the heathen, Rom. i. 13. Without mercy. It eclipfeth the glory of the gofpel : doth the gofpel teach uncharitablenefs ? Doth it not bid us draw out our foul to the hungry \ I fa. 1. 10. Tit. Ill- 3. Thefe things I will that you affirm, that they which have believed in God, might be careful to maintain good works. While you relieve not fuch as are in want, you walk an- tipodes to the gofpel ; you caufe it to be evil fpoken of, and lay it open to the lafh and cen- fure of others. Seventhly, There is nothing loft by relieving the neceffitous. The Shunamite woman was kind to the prophet, (be welcomed him to her houfe, and me received kindnefs from him ano- ther way ; he reftored her dead child to life, 2 Kings iv. 35. Such as are helpful to others, ftuli find mercy to help in time of need. Such as pour out the golden oil of companion to others, God will pour out the golden oil of fal- vatioh to them; for a cup of cold water they {hall have rivers of pie afire. Nay, God will make it up fome way or other in this life, Prov. xi. 25. The liberal foul frail be made fat ; as the loaves in breaking multiplied, or, as the widow's oil increafed in pouring out, 1 Kings xvii. 10. An eftate may be imported, yet not impaired. Eighthly, To do good to others in neceffity, keeps up the credit of religion. Works of mercy adorm the gofpel, as the fruit adorns the tree ; when our light fo fines that others fee our good works, this glorifies God, crowns religion, fi- Jenceth the lips of gainfayers. Bafil faith, no- thing rendered the true religion more famous in the primitive times, and made more profe- lytes to it, than the bounty and charity of the Chriftians. Ninthly and laflly, The evil that doth accrue by not preferving the life of ethers, and helping them in their nectffities. God finds oft a feci ei moth into their eftate, Prov. xi. 24. There is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tend- elh to poverty. Prov. xxi. 13. (Vhofo froppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he alfo fhall cry himfilf but fyall not be heard. James ii. 13. He fhall have judgment without mercy, that fliexved no mercy. Dives denied Lazarus a crumb of bread, and Dives was denied a drop of water, Mat. xxv. 41 . Depart from me, -ye curfed ; for 1 was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat. Chrift faith not, ye took away my meat ; but ye gave me no meat ; ye did not feed my mem- bers, therefore depart from ?ne. By all this, be ready to diftribute to the neceffities of others. This is included in the commandment, thou fhalt not kill. Not only, thou (halt not deftroy this life, but thou fhalt preferve it by giving to his neceffities. (2.) It is implied, that we fhould endeavour to preferve the fouls of others: counfel them about their fouls, fet life and death before them, help them to heaven. In the law,;if one met his neighbour's ox or afs going aftray, he muft bring him back again, Exod. xxxiii. 4. Much more, if we fee our neighbour's foul going aftray, we mould ufe all means to bring him back to God by repentance. [2J In reference to ourfelves. The com- mandment, Thou fhalt not kill, requires that we fhould preferve our own life and foul : it is ingraven upon every creature, that we fhould preferve our own natural life. We muft be Co far from felf-murder, that we muft do all we can to preferve our natural life : we muft ufe all means of diet, exercife and lawful recreation, which is like oil to preferve the lamp of life from going out. Some have been under tempta- tion ; Satan has fuggefted they are fuch finners as do not deferve a bit of bread, and fo they have been ready to ftarve themfelves : this is contrary to this fixth commandment, thou fhalt do no murder i it is implied, we are to ufe all means for the prefervation of our own life, 1 Tim. v. 23: , Drink no longer water, but ufe a little wine for thy flomach's fake. Timothy was not by drinking too much water to overcool his ftomach, and weaken nature, hut we muft ufe means for feli-prefcrvation, drink a little 'wine, &c. Secondly, OP THE SIXTH C O M M A N D M E N T. 281 Secondly, This commandment requires, that we mould endeavour (as to preferve our own life, lb efpec-ially) to preferve our own fouls. Omnia fi per das animam fervare memento. It is engraven upon every creature, as with the point of a diamond, that it mould look to its own prefer vation. If the life of the body muft be preferred, then much more the life of the foul. If he who doth not provide for his own houfe is worfe than an infidel, 1 Tim. v. 8. then much more he who doth not provide for his own foul. This is a main thing implied in the com- mandment, a fpecial care for the preferving our fouls : the foul is the jewel, the foul is a diamond fet in a ring of clay ; Chrift puts the foul in ba- lance with the world, and it outweighs, Matth. xvi. 26. The foul is a glafs, in which fome rays of divine glory mine; it hath in it fome faint idea and refemblance of a Deity; it is a celeftial fpark lighted by the. breath of God. The body was made of the dull, but the foul is of a more noble extract and original, Gen. ii. 7. Cod breathed into man a living foul . 1. The foul is excellent in its nature. It is a fpiritual being, it is a kind ofangelical thing : the mind fparkles with knowledge, the will is crowned with liberty, and all the^affections are as fla-rs mining in their 01 b. The foul being fpiritual, (1.) It is of quick operation. How quick are the motions of a fpark! how fwift is the wing of a cherubim fo quick and agile is -the motion of the foul ? \vhat is quicker than a thought ? How many miles can the foul travel in an inftant ! (2.) The foul, being fpiiitual, moves upward, it contemplates G-od and glory, Pf. lx'xiiL 25. Whom have I tri heaven but thee ? The motion of the foul is upward; only fin hath put a wrong byafs upon the foul, and made It move too much downward. (3.) The foul, being fpiritual, hath a felf-moving power ; it can fubfift and move when the body is dead, as the mariner can fubfift when the (hip is broken. (4.) The foul, being fpiritual, is im- mortal, (Scaliger) Aeternitatis gemma, a bud of eternity. 2. As the foul is excellent in its nature, fo in its capacities. It is capable of grace, it is fit to be an aifociate and companion of angels : It is capable of communion with God, of being Chriffs fpoufe, 2 Cor. xi. 12. That J might ef poufeyou virgin fouls toChrifi. It is capable of being crowned, with glory for ever. O then, carrying fuch precious fouls about you, created with the breaih of God, redeemed with the blood of God; what endeavours mould you ufe for the Hiving of thefe fouls! let not the devil have your fouls, Helio^abalus fed his lions with pheafant ; the devil is called a roring lion, feed him not with yom fouls. Befides the ex- cellency of the' foul, which may mo ice you labour 10 get it faved, conider how lad it will be not to have the foul Hived. It is fach a lofs as there is none like it; becaufe, in lofing the foul, you lofe a great many things with it. A merchant, in lofing his (hip, lofeth many things with it ; he lofeth money, jewels, fpices : fo, he that lofeth his foul, lofeth Chrift, the company of angels, heaven : it is an infinite lofs, and it is an irreparable lofs; it can never be made up again. Two eyes, but one foul, Chryf. O what care mould be taken about the immortal foul ! I would requeft but this of you, that you would but take as much care for the laving of your fouls, as you do for the getting of an eftate ,• nay, I will fay this, do but take as much care for the faving your fouls as the devil doth for deftroying them. O how induftrious is Satan to damn fouls ! how doth he play the ferpent in his fubtil laying of fnares to catch fouls ! how doth he fhoot fiery darts ; the devil is never idle ; the devil is a bufy bifhop in his own diocefs, he •walks up and down feeking whom he may devour, 1 Pet.v. S. Mow, is not this a reafonable re- queft, to take but as much care for the faving of your fouls, as the devil doth for the deftroy- ing of them ? Qu How /hall we do to g£t our fouls faved? Anf By having them fanctified. Only the pure in heart fh all fee Cod. Get your fouls in- laved and enameled with holinefs, 1 Pet.'i. \6. H is not enough that we ceafe to do evil, (which is all the evidence fome have to fhow) this is to lofe heaven by (hort mooting; but we mail be inwardly fanctified : not only the unclean fpirit muft go out, but we muft be filled with tiie Holy Chofl, Eph. v. 18. This holinefs muft needs be, if you confider God is to dwell with you here, and you are to dwell with him hereafter. Fjrft, God is to dwell -with you here. God takes up the foul for his own lodging, Eph. iii. 1 7 . That Chrift may dwell in your heart. There- fore the foul muft be confecrated. A king's palace muft be kept clean, efpecially his pre- fence-chamber. The body is the temple of the Holy Ghoft, 1 Cor. vi. 19. then the foul is . the fanttum fanttorum : how holy ought that to be r N n Secondly, 282 OF THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT. Secondly, You are to dwell with God. Heaven you love your fouls, and would have them faved is an holy place, I Pet. i. 4. An inheritance eternally, endeavour after holinefs ; by this unde filed. And how can you dwell with God means you will have an idoneity and fitnefs for till you are fanctified ? We do not put wine the kingdom of heaven, and your fouls will be into a mufty veiTel : God will not put the new faved in the day of the Lord Jefus. wine of glory into a finful heart. O then, as &® tfV O F THE SEVENTH C O M M AN D M E N T. Exod. xx. 14. Thou ftoal't not commit adultery. GO D is a pure, holy fpirit, and hath an infinite antipathy again ft all uncleannefs. In this commandment he hath entred his caution againft it, non maechaberis, Thuu floalt not com- mit adultery. The fum of this commandment is, The prefervation of corporal purity. We muft take heed of running on the rock of un- cleannefs, and fo making (hip-wreck of our ehaftity. In this commandment there is fome- thing tacitely implied, and fomething exprefly forbidden. 1. Something tacitely implied, viz. That the ordinance of marriage fhould be obferved. 2. Something exprefly forbidden, viz. The infecting ourfelves with bodily pollutions, Thou fimlt not commit adultery. (l.) Something implied, that the ordinance of marrrage fhould be obferved, 1 Cor. vii. 2- Let every man have his own wife, and every woman have her own husband. Marriage is honourable, and the bed undefiled, Heb. xxiii. 4. God did inftitute marriage in paradile ; he brought the woman to the man, Gen. ii. 22. He did as it were give them in marriage. And Jefus Chift did honour marriage with his prefence, John i. 2. The firft miracle he wrought was at a marriage, when he turned the water into wine. Marriage is a type and refemblance of the myfticai union between Chrift and his church,. Eph. v. 32. Con- cerning marriage. [r.} There are general duties. 1. The gene- ral duty of the husband is to rule, Eph. v. 23. The husband is the head of the wife. The head is the feat of rule and government; but he muft rule with difcretion. He is head, therefore muft not rule without rcafon. 2. The general duty on the wife's part is fubmifTion, Eph. iii. 22. Wives fubmit your [elves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. It is obfervable, the Holy Ghoft pafleth by Sarah's failings, he doth not mention her unbelief; but he takes notice of that which was good in her, her reverence and obedience to her husband, 1 Pet. iii. 6. Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord. [2.] Special duties belonging to marriage, are love and fidelity. 1. Love, Eph. v. 25. Love is the marriage of the affeclirns. There is, as it were, but one heart in two bodies : love lines the yoke, and makes it eafy : love perfumes the marriage-relation : without which it is not con- jugium, but conjurgium ,• it is like two poifons in one ftomach, one is ever fick of the other. 2. Fidelity. In marriage, there is a mutual pro- mife of living together faithfully according to Gods holy ordinance. Among the Romans, on the day of marriage, the woman pre fen ted to her husband fire and water : fire refines metal, water cleanfeth : hereby fignifying. that ihe fhould live with her husband in ehaftity and fincerity. This is the firft thing in the com- mandment implied, that the ordinance of mar- riage fhould be purely obferved. (2.) The. thing forbidden in the command- ment, i. e. infecting ourfelves with bodily pol- lution and uncleannefs. Thou fhalt not com- mit adultery, The fountain of this fin is luft. Since the fall, holy love is degenerated to luft. Luft is the fever of the foul. There is a two- fold adultery: 1. Mental, Mat. v. 28. Whofo- ever looketh on a woman to luft after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. As a man may die of an inward bleed- ing, fo he may be damned for the inward boil- ings of luft, if they be not mortified. 2. Cor- poral adultery ; when fin hath conceived, and brought forth in the act. This is exprefly for- bidden, under zfub poena, Thou floalt not com- mit adultery. This commandment is fet as an hedge OF THE S E V E N T II . C O M M A N D M E N T. 2§3 hedga to keep out uncleannefs ; and they that break this hedge, a frpent fliall bite them. Job calls adultery an heinous crime, Job xxxi. it. Every failing is not a crime, and every crime is not an heinous crime; but adultery is, fia- glt'uon, an heinous crime. The Lord calls it villainy, Jer. xxix. 33. They have committed villainy in IlTael, and have committed adultery with their neighbours wives. Qu. II herein appears the heinoufnefs of this Jin of adultery ? Anf. 1. In that adultery is the breach of the marriage-oath. When perfons come together ift a matrimonial way, they bind themfclves by covenant each to other, in the prefence of God, •to be true and faithful in the conjugal relation. Unchaflity is a falfifying this folemn oath ; and herein adultery is worfe than fornication, becaufe 'tis a breach of the conjugal bond. 2. The heinoufnefs of adultery lies in this, That it is fuch an high difhonour done to God, God faith, Thou flialt not commit adultery. The adulterer fets his will above God's law, tramples upon God's command, affronts him to his face ; as if a fubjecl: (hould tear his prince's proclama- tion. The adulterer is highly injurious to all the perfons in the Trinity. (1.) To God the Father. Sinner, God hath given thee thy life, and thou doff wafte the lamp of thy life, the flower of thy age in lewdnefs ; he hath beftow- cd on thee many mercies, health and efrate, and thou fpendeft all on harlots. Did God give thee wages to ferve the devil ? (2.) Injurious to God the Son, two ways. Firft, As he hath purchafed thee with his blood, 1 Cor. vi. 20. Ye are bought with a price. Now, he who is bought, is not his own ; it is a fin for him to go to another, without confent from Chrifr, who hath bought him with a price. Secondly, By virtue of baptifm thou art a Ghriftian, and profeffeft that Chrift is thy head, and thou art a member of Chrifr; therefore, what an injury is it to Chriff, to take the members of Chrifr, and make them the Members of an harlot, 1 Cor. vi. 15. (3.) It is injurious to God the Holy Ghoft ; for the body is his temple, 1 Cor. vi. 19. Know ye not that your body is the tem- ple of the Holy Ghoft which is in you ? And what a fin is it to defile his temple ! 3. The hainoufiiefs of adultery lies in this, That it is Committed with mature deliberation. Firft, there is the contriving the fin in the mind, then confent in the will, and then the fin is put forth into aft. To fin againft the light of nature, and to fin deliberately, is like the dye to the wool, it gives fin a tincture, and dyes it of a crimfon colour. 4. That which makes adultery fo heinous, is, That ft is a fin after remedy. God hath pro- vided a remedy to prevent this fin, 1 Cvr. vii. 2. To avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife. Therefore after this remedy pre- ferred, to be guilty of fornication or adultery, is inexcufable ; it is like a rich thief, that fteals when he hath no need. This doth enhanfe and accent the fin, and make it heinous. Ufe I. It condemns the church of Rome, who allow the fin of fornication and adultery. They fuffer not their priefrs to marry, but they may have their whores; the worfc kind of un- cleannefs. Inceft with the nearelt of kin, is difpenfed with for money. It was once fa id of Rome,~\>-Urbs eft jam tota lupanar,-—Roms was become a common flews. And no wonder, wL'i the pope could for a film of money, give then, a licenfe and patent to commit uncleannefs ; and, if the patent were not enough, he would give them a pardon. Many of the papiftsjudge fornication venial. God condemns the very lufting, Matth. v. 28. If God condemns the thought, how dare they allow the faff of forni- cation ? You fee what a cage of unclean birds the church of Rome is : they call themfelves the Holy Catholic Church; but, how can they be holy, who are fo freeped and parboiled hi fornication, inceft, fiodomy, and all manner of uncleannefs ? Ufe II. It is matter of lamentation, to fee this commandment fo flighted and violated among us. Adultery is the reigning fin of the times, Hof vii. 4. They are adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker. The time Of Henry VIII, was called the golden age, but this may be call- ed the unclean age, wherein whore-hunting is common, Ezek. xxiv. 13. In your filthinefs h lewdnefs. Luther tells of one who faid, If he might but fatisfy his lufr, and be carried from one whore-houfe to another, he would defire no other heaven ; afterwards he breathed out his foul betwixt tiuo notorious ftrumpets. This is to be the right feed of Adam, to love the for- bidden fruit, to love to drink of ftollen waters, Ezek. viii. 8, 9. Son of man, dig hi the wall ; and when I had digged, behold a door ,- and he faid, Go in and behold the wicked abominations that they do here. Could we, as the prophtt, dig in the walls of many houfies, what vile a- bominations fhould we fee there ! In fbme N n 2 chambers 234 OF THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT.. chambers we might fee fornication ; dig further, and fee adultery ; dig farther, and we may fee incefl, 6c. And may not the Lord go from his "fanftuary ? as, Ez.ek. viii. 6, Seefl thou the great abomination* that the houfe of Ifrael com- mit it 'th, that 1 fhouldgo far off from my f ancill- ary ? God might remove his gofpel, and then we might write Ichabcd on this nation, The glory is departed. Let us mourn for what we cannot reform. life III. It exhorts us to keep out felves from this' fin of adultery. Let every man have his own wife, faith Paul, i Cor. vii. 2. not his con- cubine, nor his cui tezan. Now, that I may de- ter you from adultery, let me (how you the great evil of it. Firf}, It is a thievifJj fin. Adultery is the highefl: fort of theft : the adulterer iteals from his neighbour that which is more than his goods r.ad eflate ; he fteals away his wife from him, ::h is fajli of his flefb. Secondly, Adultery debafeth a perfon, it ' makes him refemble the beads ; therefore the adulterer is defcribed like an Horfc neighing, Jer. v. 8. Every one neigheth after his neigh- bour's wife. Nay, this is worfe than bsutith ; for ibme creatures, that are void of reafon, yet, by the mftincl of nature, obferve a kind of de- corum, or chaiUty. The turtle-dove is a chart creature, and keeps to its mate : the flork, wherever he flies, comes into no neft but his own. Naturalifts write, if a flork, leaving his own mate, joineth with any other, all the reft of the itorks fall upon him, and pull his feathers from him. Adultery is worfe than brutiih, it degrades a perfon of his honour. Thirdly, Adultery doth pollute and be filthy a perfon. The devil is called an unclean fpirit, Lukexi. 24. The adulterer is the devil's firft- born \. he is unclean ; he is a moving quag- jnire; he is all over ulcerated with fin : his eyts fparkle with luft ; his mouth fomes out filth j his heart burns like mount Aetna, in unclean defires : he is fo filthy, that if he die in this fin, all the flames of hell will never purge away his uncleannefs, And, as for the adulterefs, who can paint her black enough ? The fcrip- ture calls her a deep ditch, Prov. xxiii. 27. She is a common fhore : whereas, a believer, his body is a living temple, and his foul a little heaven, befpangled with the graces, as fo many little flars. The body of an harlot is a walking dunghil, and her foul a letter hell. Fourthly, Adultery is deflrufiive to the body, Prov. v^ II. And thou mourn at lafr,wbcn thy flefh and thy body is confumed. It brings into a confumption. Uncleannefs turns trie body into an hofpital ; it wafles the radical moifture, rots the fkull, eats the beauty of the face. As the flame wafles the candle, fo the fire of lull confumes the bones. The adulterer haflens his own death, Prov. vih 23. Till a dart frrike through his liver. The Romans had their fy* nerais at the gate of genus's temple, to fignify that luft brings death. Venus is lufl. Fifthly, Adultery is a purgatory to the purfe . as it wafles the body, fb the eftate, Prov.-Vx. 26- By the means of a whorifh woman, a man is brought to a piece of bread. Whores are the devil's horfe-leeches, fpunges that will foon fuck in all one's money. The prodigal had foon fpent his portion, when once he. fell among harlots, Luke xv. 30. King Edward III. his concubine, when he lay a-dying, got all flie could from him, and plucked the rings off his fingers, and fo left him. He that lives in luxu- ry, dies in beggary. Sixthly, Adultery blots and eclipfeth the- name, Prov. vi.. 33. Whofo commit teth adultery with a woman, a wound and difhonour {hall he get, and his reproach Jhall not be wiped away. Some while they get wounds, get honour. The foldier's wounds are full of honour : the martyr's wounds for Chrifl are full of honour r thefe get honour while they get wounds : but the adulterer gets wounds in his name, but no- honour. His reproach Jhall not be wiped away. The wounds of the name no phyfician can heal. The adulterer, when he is dead, his fhame lives. When his body rots under ground, his name rots above ground. His bafe-born chil- dren will be the living monuments of his fliame. Seventhly^. This fin doth much eclipfe the light of reafon; it fleals away the underftand- ing ; it flupifies the heart,. Bof.lv. 11. Whore- dom takes away the heart. It eats out all heart for good. Solomon befotted himfelf with wo- men, and they enticed him to idolatry. Eightly, This fin of adultery ufhers in tem- poral judgments. The Mofaical law made a- dultery death, Lev. xx. io. The adulterer and adultrefs floall furely be put to death : and the ufual death was Honing, Deut. xxii. 24.. The Saxons commanded the perfons taken in this fin to be burnt. The Romans caufed their heads to be fhicken off. This fin, like a fcor- pion, carries a fling in. the tail of it. The a- dultery OF THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT. itif dultery of Paris and Helena, a beautiful ftrum- pet, encied in the ruin of Troy, and was the death both of Paris and Helena. Jealoufy is the rage of a man : and the adulterer is oft killed in the act of his fin. Adultery coft Otho the emperor, and pope Sixtus IV. their lives. Lcsta venire Venus triftis abire Jo-let. I have read of two citizens in London, 1583. who, defiling themfelves with adultery on the Lord's day, were immediately (truck dead with a fire from heaven. If all that were now guilty of this fin fhould be puniihed in this manner, it would rain fire again, as on Sodom. Ninthly, Adultery (without repentance) damns the foul,- 1 Cor. vi. 9. ' Neither fornicators, nor e adulterers, nor effeminate, (hall enter into the ' kingdom of God.' The fire of luft brings to the fire of hell, Heb. xiri. 4. Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Tho' men may neglect to judge- them, yet God will judge them. — But, will not God judge all other fin-- ners ? Yes. "Why then dorh the apoftle fay, JVhoremongers and adulterers God will judge P The meaning is, (r.) He will judge them af- furedly; they (hall not efcape the hand of ju- ftice. (2.) He will punifh them feverely, 2 Pet. ii. 10. ' The Lord knoweth how to referve the ' unjuft to the day of judgment to be puniihed, s but chiefly them that walk in the luft of un- * cleannefs.' The harlot's bread keeps from Abraha?n% bofom, Momentaneum efi quod de- leclat, tvternum quod cruciaf. Who would, for a cup of pleafure, drink a fea of wrath ? Prov. ix. 18. Her guefls are in the depths of hell. A wife traveller, when he comes to his inn, tho' many pleafant difhes are fet before him, yet he forbears to talte, becaufe of the reckoning which will be brought in : we are here all travellers to Jerufalem above ; and tho5* many baits of temptation are fet before us, yet we fhould forbear, and think of the reckoning which will be brought in at death. With what fto.nach could Dionyfius eat his dainties, when he imagined there was a naked fword hnng over his head as he fat at meat ? While the adul- terer feeds on ftrange flefh, the fword of God's juftice hangs over his head. Caufinus fpeaks of a tree that grows in Spain that is of a fweet fmell, and pleafant to the ta(te, but the juice of it is poifonous : the emblem of an harlot; (he is perfumed with powders, and fair to look on, many ftron-g men have been flain by her. Tenthly, The adulterer doth not only wrons. his own foul, but doth what in him lies to de- ft roy the foul of another, and fo kill two at once. And thus the adulterer is worfe than the thief: for, fuppofe a thief rob a man, yea, take away his life, yet that man's foul may be happy ; he may go to heaven as well as if he had died in his bed. But he who commits adultery en- dangers the foul of another, and deprives her of falvation fo far as in him lies. Now, what a fearful thing is it to be an inftrument to draw another to hell ! Eleventhly, The adulterer is abhorred of God, Prov. xxii. 14. ' The mouth of a ftrange" ' woman is a deep pit : he who is abhorred of * the Lord (hall fall therein.' What can be worfe than to be abhorred of God ? God may be angry with his own children ; but for God to abhor a man, is the higheft degree of ha- tred. Qu. But how doth the Lord Jhow his ab- horring of the adulterer ? Anf. In giving him up to a reprobate mind and a feared confeience, Rom. i. 16. And now he is in fuch a condition that he cannot repent. This is to be abhorred of God; fuch a perfon (lands upon the threfhold" of hell; and when death gives; him a jog, he tumbles in. All which tsay found a retreat in our ears, and cull us off from the purfuit of fo damnable a fin 'as unclean nefs. I will conclude with two fcripfures, Prcv. v. 8. ' Come not nigh the door of her ' * houfe.' Prcv. vii. 27. 'Her houfe is the way < to hell.' Twelfihly, Adultery is a fower of difcord : it' deftroys peace and love, the two beft (lovers which grow in a family. Adultery fets hufband againft wife, and'wife againft hufband ; and fo it caufeth the ' joints of the fame body to fmite ' one againft another.' And this divifion in a family works confufion : for, ' An houfe di- ' vided againft itfl-lf cannot ftand,' Lukexi. 17. Omne divifibile efi corruptibile. Qu. How may we abfiain from this fin of a- dultery ? Anf. I (hall lay down fome directions, by Way of antidote, to keep you from being infect- ed with this fin. (1 ) Come not into the com- pany of a whorifli woman ; avoid her houfe, as a feaman doth a rock, Prov, v. 8. Come not near the door of her houfe. He who Would not but poifonous and damnable to the foul, Prov. have the plague, muft not come n*ir houfesin vii. 26. She hath cafi down many wounded; yea, fected ; every whore-houfe hath the plague in it. a* 6 O F T H E S E V E N T H G O M M A N D M E 3SF T. 'jr. Not to beware of the occafion of fin, and yet pray, lead us not into temptation, is, as if one Qiould put his finger in the candle, and yet pray that it may not be burnt. (2.) Look to your eyes. Much fin comes in by the eye, 2 Pet. \i. 14. Having eyes full of adultery. The eye tempts the fancy, and the fancy works up- on the heart. A wanton amorous eyemayufher in fin. Eve fuRfaw the tree of knowledge, and \\\tw floe took, Gen iii. 6. Fit ft (he looked, and then fiie loved. The eye oft fets the heart on fire ; therefore Job laid a law upon his eyes, Job xxxi. 1. I made a covenant with my eyes, why then fhould I think upon a maid P Demo- critus the philofopher plucked out h|« eyes, be- .caufe he would not be tempted with vain ob- jects : the fcripture doth not bid us do fo, but fet a watch before our eyes. (3.) Look to your « lips. Take heed of any unfeemly word that may enkindle unclean thoughts in yourfelves or Others, 1 Cor.xv. 33. Evil communications cor- rupt good manners. Impure difcourfe is the jbdlo\vs to blow up the fire of luft. Much evil is conveyed to the heart by the tongue, Pf.c\Y\. 3. Set a watch, 0 Lord, before my mouth. (4.) Look in a fpeciul manner to your heart, Prov. xv. 2 i. Keep thy heart with all keeping. Every one hath a tempter in his own botom, Matth. xv. 19. Out of the heart come evil thoughts. And thinking of fin makes way for the ail of fin. Supp'tfs the firfi filings of fin in your heart. As the ferpent, when danger is near, keeps his head ; fo keep your heart, which is the fpring from whence all lufiful motions do proceed. (5. Look to your attire. We read of the Attire of an harlot, Prov. vii. 10. A wan- ton drefs is a provocation to hi ft. Curlings ami towerings of the hair, a painted face, naked breafts, are allurements to vanity. -Where the bufh is hung out, people will go in and tafte of the liquor. Hierom faith, fuch as by their laf- civious attire endeavour to draw others to luft, tho' no evil follow, yet thefe tempters (hall be punWhed, becaufe they offered poifon to other-, tho' they would notdiink. (A) Take heed of evil Company. Serpunt vitia & in proxhnum qitrvique tranjiiiunt, Sen. Sin is adifcafe very catching: one man tempts another to fin, and hardens him in fin, There are three cords to draw men to adultery : the inclination of the heart, the perfnafions of evil company, and the embraces of the harlot ; and this threefold cord is not eafily broken, Pf. cvi. 18. J fire was kindled in theW ' covxpany. I may allude to it, the fire of luft is kindled in bad company. (7.) Beware of going to plays. A play-houfe is oft a preface to a whore-houfe, Ludi prcsbent femina nequitia?. We are bid to avoid all ap- pearance of evil : are not plays the appearance of evil ? Such fights are there, as are not fit to be beheld with chaft eyes. Both fathers and councils have mown their difiike of going to plays. A learned divine obferves, That many have on their death-beds, confefied with tears, that the pollution of their bodies hath been oc- casioned by going to plays. (3.) Take heed of mixed dancing. Inftrumenta luxuries tripudia. From dancing people come to dalliance one with another, and from dalliance to unclean- nefs- There is, filth Calvin, for the moft part, fbme unchift behaviour in dancing. Dances draw the heart to folly by wanton geftures, by unchaft touches, by luftful looks. St. Chry- foftom did inveigh againft mixed dancing in his time. IVe read (faith he) of a marriage-feaftt and of virgins going before with /amps, Matth. xxv. 7. but of dancing there we read not. Ma- ny have been enfhared by dancing ; as the duke of Xomiandy, and others. Saltatio ad adulte- ras non pudicas pertinet, Amb. Chryfojiom faith, where dancing is, there the devil is : I fpeak chiefly of mixed dancing. And, whereas we read of dances in fcripture, Exod. xv. thole were fober and modeft. They were not mixed dances, but pious and religious, being ufually accompanied with finging prailes to God. (9.) Take heed of lafcivious books, and thofe pic- tures that provoke to luft; r. Books. As the reading of the fcripture doth ftir up love to God, fo reading of bad books doth ftir up the mind to wickednefs. I could name one who published a book to the world full of efFetni- nate, amorous and wanton exprefllons ; before he died, he was much troubled for it, and did burn that book, which did make fo many burn in luft. 2. And to lafcivious books, I may add lafcivious pictures, which bewitch the eye, and are the incendiaries of luft. They fecretly con- vey-poifon to the heart. Oi/i afpicit innocens fit afpeclu nocens. Popiih pictures are not more prone to ftir up to idolatry, than unclean piclures are to ftir up to concupifcence. (10.) Take heed of excefs in diet. When gluttony and drunkennefs lead the van, chambering and wantonnefs bring up the rear, yinumf omentum libidinis ; any wine inflames luft; and fulnefs of bread is made the caufe of Sodom's unclean- nefs, Ezck. xvi. 49. The rankeft weeds grow out OF THE SEVENTH C O M M A N D M E N T. :.i out of the fatteft foil: uncleannefs proceeds from excefs, Jer. v. 8. When they ivere fed to the full, every one neighed after his neighbour s wife. Get the golden bridle of temperance. God allows recruits of nature, and what may fit us the better for his fervice ; but beware of firr- feit. Excefs in the creature clouds the mind, chokes good affections, provokes lu(t. St. Paul did keep under his body, i Cor. ix. 27. The iiefh pampered is apt to rebd- Corpus impi :- guatum recalcitrat. (11.) Take heed of idle- nefs. When a man is out of a calling, now he is fit to receive any temptation- We do not u(e to fow feed in fallow-ground : but the de- vil fows molt feed of temptation in fuch as ly fallow. Idlenefs is the caufe of fodomy and uncleannefs, Ezek. xvi. 49. When David was idle on the top of his leads, then he efpied JSathfheba, and took her to him, 2 Sam. xi. 4. Hierom gave his friend this counfid, to be al- ways well employed in God's vineyard; that, when the devil came, he might have no leifure to liften to a temptation. (12.) To avoid for- nication and adultery, let every man have a ehafte, entire love to his own wif. Ezekiel's wife was the dcfire of his eyes, chap.xxiv. 16. When Solomon had diiTuaded from ftrange wo- men, he prescribes a remedy againft. it, Prov. v. 18. Rejoyce with the wife of thy youth. It is not the having a wife, but the loving a wife, makes a man live chaftly. He who loves his wife, whom Solomon calls his fountain, will not go abroad to drink of muddy, poifoned waters. Pure conjugal love is a gift of God, and comes from heaven ; this, like the Veftal fire, mult be cherifhed, that it doth not go out. He who loves not his wife, is the likelieft perfon to em- brace the bolbm of a ftranger. (13.) Labour to get the fear of God into your hearts, Prov. xvi. 6. By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil. As the banks keep out the water, fo the fear of the Lord keeps out uncleannefs. Such as want the fear of God, want the bridle that mould check them from fin. How did Joftph keep from his miftrefs's temptation ? The fear of God pulled him back, Gen- xxxix. 9. How fhould 1 do this great wicKednefs, and fin againft God? St. Bernard calls holy fear, janitor anima-, the do^or-leepr of the foul. As a nobleman's porter ftands at the door, and keeps out vagrants, fo the fear of God fiands and keeps out all finful temptations from en- tering. (14.) Get a delight in the word of God, Pf cx\x. 123. Hew fx'Ctt is thy word to my tafte ! St. Chryfoflom compares God's word to a garden. If we walk in this garden, anfei fuck ' fweetnefs from the flowers ©f the pro- mifes, we fhall never care to pluck the forbid- den fruit. Sint caflec dclicice mece fcripiura?r Aug. The reafon why perfons feek after un- chafi, finful pleafures, is, becaufe they have no better. Cafar riding through a city, and feeing the women play with dogs an.l parro's, laid, Sure they have no children. So, they that fport with harlots, it is becaufe they have no better pleafures. He that hath once tailed Chi ill in a promife, is raviihed with delight ; and how- would he fcorn a motion to fin ! Job faid, the word was his appointed food, Job xxiii. 1 2. Nc wonder then he made a covenant with his eyes. (15.) If you would abfiain from adultery, ufe ferious confideraiion. Confider, 1. God fees thee in the ail of fin. He fees all thy curtojn-wickednefs. He is totus oculus, all eye, Aug. The clouds are no canopy, the night is no curtain to hide thee from God's eye. Thou canft not fin, but thy judge looks on, Jer. xv. 27. / have feen thy adul- teries and thy neighings. Jer. xx:X. 33. They have committed adultery with their neighbours wives ; even 1 know, and am a witmfs, faith the Lord. 2. Few that are intangled in the fin of adul- tery recover out of the fn are, Prov. ii, 10. None that go to her return again. That made1 fome of the antients conclude, that adulter^ was an unpardonable fin : but no: fo ; David repented, and Mary Magdalene was a weeping penitent : her amorous eyes that had fparkk-d with luff, fhe fceks to be revenged of them, fhe wafhed ChrifTs feet with her tears: fo th.it fome have recovered out of the fame (bare. But, none that go to her return, that is, very few ; it is rare to hear of any who are inchanted and be- witched with this fin of adultery, that recover . out of it, Ecclef vii- 26. Her heart is fnares and nets, and her hands as bands. Her heart is fnares, that is, fhe is fubtil to deceive thofe who come to her ; and, her hands are bands, that is, her embraces are powerful to hold and intangle her lovers. Plutarch faid of the Per- jian kings, They were captives to their concu- bines : they were fo inflamed, that they had no power to leave their company. This cenfider- ation may make all fearful of this fin : none that go to her return again. Soft pleafures harden the heart. 3. Confider what the fcriptur^Jaith, and it may OF THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT. -nay ponere obicem, lay a bar in the way to this /in, Mai. iii. 5. I will be a Jwift witnefs again ft adulterers. It is good when God is a witnefs for us, when he witne/Teth for our fmcerity, as .he did for Job : but It is fad to have God a witnefs againft us. I (faith God) mill be a ■witnefs againft the adulterer. And who fhall .di (prove his witnefs ? And he is both witnefs and judge, Heb. xiii. 4. Whoremongers and a- dulterers Cod will judge. 4. Gonfiden the fad fare-pel this fin of adul- tery leaves ; it leaves an hell in the confeience, Prov. xv. 4. The lips of a fir ange woman drop as an honey-comb, her tend is bitter as worm- wood. The goddefs Diana was Co artificially drawn, that (he feemed to fmile upon thofe that came into her temple, but frown on thofe that went out. So the harlot fmiles on her lovers as they come to her, but at lafl comes the frown and /ting, A dart ftrikes through their liver, Prov. vii. 23. Her end is bitter. When a man hath been Virtuous, the labour is gone, but the comfort remains : but when he hath been vi- cious and unclean, the pleafure is gone, but the fling remains. Deleclat in momentum, cruciat incetemum, Jerom. When the fenfes have been feafled with unchafl pleafures, the foul is left to pay the reckoning. Stollen waters are fweet ; bur, as poifon, tho' it be fwcet in the mouth, it torments the bowels. Sin always ends in a tragedy. Memorable is that which Fincelius reports of a priefl in Flanders, who enticed a maid to uncleannefs. She objected how vile a fin it was ; he told her, By authority from the pope he could commit any fin.; fo at lafl he. drew her to his wicked purpofe. But when they had been together a while, in came the devil, and took away the harlot from the priefl 's fide, and, notwithstanding all her crying our, Carried her away. If all that are guilty of bo- dily uncleannefs in this nation, fhould have the devil come and carry them away, I fear more would be carried away than would be left be- hind. (16.) Pray again 1.1 this fin. Luther gave a lady this advice, that when any luft began. to rife in her heart, ("he fhould go to prayer. Prayer is the bell armour of proofs prayer quenchcth the wild fire of luft. If prayer will caft out the devil, why may it not caft. out thofe lufts that come from the devil ? Ufe uli. If the body mull be kept pure from defilement, much more the foul of a Chrifiian mufl be kept pure. This is the meaning of the commandment, not only that we fhould not /tain our bodies with adultery, but that we fhould keep our fouls puie. To have a chaff, body, but an unclean foul, is like a fair face with bad lungs ; or a gilt chimney-piece, that is all foot within, 1 Pet.'i. 16. Be ye holy, for I am holy. The foul cannot be lovely to God, till it hath Chrifl's image flamped upon it, \vhich image confifls in righteoufnefs and true holinefs, Eph.iv. 14. The foul mufl efpecially be kept pure, becaufe it is the chief place of God's reflcleace, Ej-.h. iii. 17. A king's palace mufl be kept clean, especially his prefence- chamber. If tine body of the temple, the foul, is the hiily of holies, this mufl be confecrated. We mufl not only keep our bodies from car- nal pollution, but our fouls from envy and malice. Qu. How Jh all we know our fouls are pure ? Anf. 1. If our fouls are pure, then we flee from the appearance of evil, 1 Thefj. v. 22. We will not do that which looks like fin. When Jofeph's miflrefs did court and tempt him, he left his garment in her hand, and fled, Gen* xxxix. 12. It was fufpicious to be near ber. Poly carp would not be feen in company with Marceon the heretic, becaufe it would not be of good report. 2. If our fouls are pure, this light of purity will fhine forth. Aaron had Holinefs to the Lord written upon his golden plate : where there is fanctity in the foul, there Holinefs to the Lprd is engraven upon our life; we are adorned with patience, humility, good works., and fhine as Lights in the world, Phil. ii. 15. carry Chrifl's picture in our converfations, .1 John ii. 6. O let us labour for this foul-purity ! with- out it there is no feeing of God, Heb. xii. 14. What communion hath light with darknefs ? And that we may keep our fouls pure, (1.) Have recourfe to the blood of Chrift: this is the fountain fet open for Sin and uncleannefs, Zech. xiii. 1. A foul fleeped in the brinifh tears of repentance, and bathed in the blood of Chrifl, is made pure. (2.) Pray much for purenefs of fouh, Pf. Ii. to. Create in me a clean heart, 0 Cod. Some pray for children, others for riches ; but pray for foul-purity. Say, Lord, tho' my body is kept pure, yet, Lord, my foul is defied, I pollute all I touch. 0 purge me with hyjfop, let Chrifl's blood fprinkle me, let the Holy Uhofl come upon me and anoint me. OF THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT. 289 me. 0 make me evangelically pure, that I may imouldfi have me to be, and as happy as I can be tranjlaied to heaven, and placed among the dejire to be, cherubims, -where I Jhall be as holy as thou OF THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT. Exod. xx. 15. Thou /halt not Jieal. AS the holinefs of God fets him againft un- cleannefs.. Thou (halt not commit adultery ; fo the juftice of God fets him againft rapine and robbery , Thou fialt not /leal. The thing for- bidden in this commandment, is, meddling with another man's property, Thou ft) alt not Jieal. The civil lawyers define, furtum, flealth or theft, to be the laying hands unjujily on that •which is another's : the invading another's right. Qu. Whence doth theft arife ? ;4nf. 1 . The internal caufes are, (1 .) Unbelief. A man hath an high diftruft of God's provi- dence : Can God prepare a table in the •wilder- nefs ? Pf. lxxviii. 19. So faith the unbeliever, Can God fpread a table for me ? No, he cannot. Therefore he is refolved he will fpread a table for himfi'lf, but it (hall be of other men's coft, and both fir ft and fecond courfe mall be ferved in with ftollen goods. (2.) Covet onfnefs. The Creek word for covet onfnefs fignifies an immode- rate defire of getting: this is the root of theft. A man covets more than his own, and this itch of covetoufnefs- makes him fcrarch what he can from another. Achans covetous humour made him ileal the wedge of gold, which wedge did cleave afunder his foul from God, J&fhua vii. 2f. i- The external caufe of theft, is, Satan s fo- licit ation : Judas was a thief, John xii. 6. How came he to be a thief? Satan entred into him, John xiii. 27. The devil is the great xnafter-thief, he robbed us of our coat of inno- cency, and he perfuades men to take up his trade : he tells men how bravely they fhall live by thieving, and how they may catch an eftate. And as Eve liilned to the ferpent's voice, fo do they ; and, as birds of prey, live upon fpoil and rapine. Qu. 2. How many forts of thefts are there? Anf. I. There is a ftealing from God ,• and fo they are thieves who rob any part of God's day from him. — Remember to keep holy the Jab- batfoHay. — "Not a part of the day only, but the whole day muft be dedicated to God. And, left any fhould forget this, the Lord hath prefixed a memento, remember. Therefore to cut God fhort, and after morning- facrifice, to fpend the other part of the fabbath in vanity and pleafure ; this is fpiritual thievery, 'tis to rob God of his due: and the very heathens will rife up in judgment againft fuch Chriftians ; Tor the hea- thens (as Macrobius notes) did oblerve a whole day to their falfe gods. II. There is a ftealing from others, \ft. A ftealing away their fouls ; and fo heretics are thieves : by robbing men of the truth, they rob them of their fouls, idly. A ftealing away their money and goods from them : and under this head of ftealing away others money, there may be feveral arraigned for thieves. (1.) The high-ivay thief, who takes a purle, contrary to the letter of this commandment, Lev. xix. 13. Thou (halt not rob thy neighbour. Mark x. 19. Do not fieal. This is not the vio- lence which takes the kingdom of heaven, Matt, xi. 12. (2.) The houfe thief , who purloins andfilch- eth out of his mafter's cafli, or fteals his wares and drugs. The apoftle feith, Some have enter tained angels into their houfes unawares, Heb. xiii. 2. But many mafters have entertained thieves into their houfes unawares. The houfe- thief is an hypocrite, as well as a thief; he hath de?nure looks, and pretends he is helping his mafter, when he only helps to rob him. (3.) The thief that fhrowds himfeif under law, as the unjuit attorney or lawyer, who pre- varicates and deals falfly with his client. This is to fteal from the client. By deceit and pre- varication the lawyer robs the client of his land, and may be the means 10 ruin his family ; he is no better than a thief in God's account. (4.) The church-thief or pluralifi, who hold* O o feveral 2QO OF THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT. Several benefice;, but leldom or never preach- eth to the people : he gets the golden fleece, but lets his flock ftarve, Ezek. xxxiv. 2. Wo be to the fhepherds of Ifrael : v. 8. They feed themfelveSy and feed not my flock. Thefe mi- nillers will be indicted for thieves at God's bar. (5.) The fjop-thief, he fteals in felling, (1.) 'Who ufeth falle weights and meafures, and fo fteals from others what is their due. Amos v. 8. Who makes the ephah fmall. The ephah was a meafure the Jews ufed in felling ; they made the ephah fmall, gave fcant meafure, which was plain Healing, Hof xii. 7. The balances of de- ceit are in his hand. Men, by making their weights lighter, make their accounts heavier. (2.) He fteals in felling, who puts exceffive prices on his commodities. He takes thrice as much for a commodity as it coft him, or as it is worth : to over-reach others in felling, is to Heal mens money from them, Lev. xix. 13. Thou fljalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him. To defraud him is to rob him ; this over-reaching others in felling (which is a cun- ning way of Healing) is both againlt law and gofpel. 1. It is again ft the law of God, Lev. XXV. 14. If thou fell ought to thy neighbour-, ye fhall not opprefs one another. And, 2. A^ainft gofpel, 1 TheJJ. iv. 6. Let no man go beyond, or defraud his brother. It is Healing. (6.) The Ufurer, who takes of others even to extortion : he feems to help another by let- ting him have money in his neceffity, but gets him into bonds, and fucks out his very blood and marrow. I read of a woman whom Satan had bound, Luke xiii. 16. And truly, he is al- moft in as bad a condition whom the ufurer hath bound : the oppreffing ufurer is a robber. An ufurer c ;ce afked a prodigal, when he would leave {pending ? Saith the prodigal, then I will leave [pending what is my own, when thou leaveft off Healing from others. Zaccheus was an extortioner, and after his converfion he made reftitution, Luke xix. 8. He thought all !fce,got by extortion was theft. (?.) The feoffe in trail, who hath the or- phan's eftate committed tohim : he is deputed to be his guardian, and manage his eftate for him ; and he curtails the eftate, and gets a Beeee out of it for himfelf, and wrongs the or- phan. This is a thief; this is worfe than taking a purfe, becaufe he be trays his tiuft, which is the higheft piece of treachery and in- juftice. (8.) The borrowerf who borrows money from others with an intention never to pay them again, Pf lvii. 21. The wicked borrowetht and payeth not again. AVhat is it but thievery, to take money and goods from others, and not reftore them again ? The prophet Eliflia bad the widow fell her oil, and pay her debts, and then live upon the reft, 2 Kings iv. 7. (9.) The laft fort of thief, is, the receiver of ftollen goods. The receiver, if he be not the principal, yet he is acceffory to the theft, and the law makes him guilty. The thief fteals the money, and the receiver holds the fack to put it in. The root would die if it were not watered ; and thievery would ceafe if it were not encouraged by the receiver. I am apt to think, he who doth not fcruple to take ftollen goods into his houfe, would as little fcruple to take a purfe. Qu. IVhat are the aggravations of this fin of f} eating? Anf. 1. To fteal when one has no need. To be a rich thief. 2. To fteal facrilegioufly. To devour things fet apart to holy ufes, Prov. xx. 25. // is a fnare to the man which devoureth that which is holy. Such an one was Dicnyfius, who robbed the temple, and took away the fil- ver veffels. 3. To commit the fin of theft againft checks of confeience, and examples of God's juftice ; this is like the dye to the wool, it doth dye the fin of a crimfon colour. 4. To rob the widow and orphan, Exod. xxii. 22. Ye fhall not afflicl the widow or fatherlefs : peccatum damans ; If they cry unto me, I will furely hear them. 5. To rob the poor: how did David dif- dain that the rich man ftiould take away the poor man's lamb ! As the Lord lives, he fhall furely die, 2 Sam. xii. 5. What is the inclofing of commons, but robbing of the poor ? III. There is a ftealing from a man's felf. A man may be a thief to himfelf. Qu. How fo ? Anf 1 . By niggardtinefs. The niggard is a thief; he fteals from himfelf, in that he doth not allow himfelf what is fitting. He thinks that loft which is bellowed upon himfelf: be robs himfelf of necefTaries. Eccl. vi. 2. A man to whom God hath given riches, yet God gives him not power to eat thereof. He gluts his cheft, and ftarves his belly : he is like the afs that OF THE EIGHTH'COMMANDMENT. 29 c that Is loaded with gold, but feeds upon thirties : he robs himfelf of that which God allows him. This is indeed to be punilhed with rjches : to have an eftate, and want an heart to take the comfort of ir, this man isa thief to himfelf. 2. A man may be a thief to himfelf, and rob himfelf by prodigality, viz. wafting his eftate. The prodigal lavifheth gold out of his bag ; he is like Crates the philosopher, who threw his gold into the fea. The prodigal boils a great eftate to nothing : this is to be a thief to a man's felf, to fpend away that eftate from himfelf, which might conduce to the comfort of life. 3. Ke is a thief to himfelf, by idlenefs, when he raifpends his time. To fpend one's hours in pleafure and vanity, this is to rob himfelf of that precious time which God hath given him to work out falvation. Time is a rich com- modity, becaufe on the well-fpending this pre- fenr ti?ne, an happy eternity depends. He that fpends his time idly, and vainly, is a thief to himfelf; he robs himfelf of his golden feafons, and, by confequence, of falvation. 4. A man may be a thief to himfelf, by furetifhip, Prov. xxii. 26. Be not. thou one of them that are fureties for debt- The creditor comes w.pon the furety for debt, and fo by paying ano- ther's debt he is a thief to himfelf, he undoes himfelf. Let not any man fay, he fhould have been counted unkind, if he had not entred in- to bonds for his friend : better thy friend count thee unkind, than all men count thee unwife. Lend another what you can fpare ; nay, give him if he needs, but never be a furety : it is no wifdom for a man fo to help another, as to undo himfelf. This is to rob himfelf and his family. We I. It confutes the doctrine o£ community, that all things are common, and one man hath a right to another's eflate. The fcripture con- futes it, Deut. xxiii. 25- When thou come/} into the (landing corn of thy neighbour's, thou fh alt not move a fickle into thy neighbour s corn. propriety nuift be obferved : God hath fet this eighth commandment as a hedge about a man's eftate, and this hedge cannot be broken without fin. If all things be common, then there is no Health, and fo this commandment were in vain. Ufell. It reproves fuch as live upon ftealing. Inftead of living by faith, they live by their fhifts. The apoflle exhortcth, that every man eat his own bread, 2 Theff. iii 1 2. The thief dpth not cat of his own bread, fcmt pf another's. If there be any who are guilty oi iao nn, let them/ labour to recover out of the fiiare or the devil by repentance, and let them fhow their repen- tance by reffitution. Non remittitur peccatum nifl reflituatur ablatum, Aug. Without refli- tution, no re?niJfon. Luke xix. 8. If I have taken away any thing from any man unjuflly, I rrflore him four-fold. It may lurfice to reft ore, ill-gotten goods by one's own hand, or by proxy. Better a thoufand times reltore goods unlawful- ly gotten, than to fluff one's pillow with thorns, and have guilt trouble one's confluence upon a death -bed. Ufi III. Exhort. To all to take heed of this fin of thieving; it is a fin ag.iinfi the light o£ nature. Some may go to excufe this fin : hear the thief's plea ; it is a coarfe wool will take no dye, and a bad fin indeed that hath no excufe / am (faith one) grown low in the world, and trading is bad, and I have no other way to a livelihood. Anf. 1. This fhows a great diftruft of God, as if he could not provide for thee without thy fin. 2. This fhows fin is gotten to a great height, that, becaufe a man is grown low in the world, therefore he will Acheronta movere, go to the devil for a livelihood. Abraham would not have it faid, that the king of Sodom had made him rich. Gen. xiv. 22. O let it never be faid, that the devil harh made thee rich ! 3. Thou oughteftnot to undertake any action which thou canft net pray for a bleffing upon : bur, if thou liveft on thieving, thou canft not pray for a blef- fing upon ftollen goods; t' erefore take heed of this fin, lucrum in area, damnum in confeientia, Aug. Take heed of getting the world with the lofs of heaven. To diffuade all from this hor- rid fin, confider, (1.) Thieves are the caterpillars of the earth, enemies to civil fociety. (1.) God hates them. In the law, the Cor- morant was unclean, Lev. xi. uf. becaufe a thievifh, devouring creature, a bird of prey ; by which God fhewed his hatred of this fin. (3.) The thief is a terror to himfelf he is always in fear, Pf. liii. 5. There were they in great fear; true of the thief. Guilt breeds far : if he hear but the making of a tree, his heart makes. It is faid of Cataline, he was afraid of every noife. If a briar doth but take hold of a thief's garment, he is afraid it is the officer to apprehend, him; and fear hath torment in it, 1 John iv. 18. (4.) The judgments that follow this fin, Achan the thief was froned to death, Jofh. vii. -f O o t and 292 OF THE NINTH COMMANDMENT. and Zech. v. 2. What feefl thou ? And Ifaid, a flying roll, ver. iii. This is the curfe that goes ever the face of the earth ; I -will bring it forth , faith the Lord, and it fhall enter into the houfe of the thief. Fabius, a Roman cenfor, condemned his own fon to die for theft. Thieves die with ignominy, the ladder is their preferment : and there is a worfe thing than death, while they rob others of money, they rob themfelves of falvation. \ Qu. What is to be done to avoid flealing ? Anf. i. Live in a calling, Eph. iv. 28. Let him that ftole fleal no more, but rather let him labour, working -with his hands, &c. Such as ftand idle, the devil hires them, and puts them to the pilfering trade. An idle perfon tempts the devil to tempt him. 2. Be content with the eftate God hath given you, Heb. xiii. 5. Be content with fitch things as ye have. Theft is the daughter of avarice ; itudy contentment. Believe that condition befr, God hath carved out to you. God can blefs that little meal in the barrel. We fhall not need thefe things long, we fhall carry nothing out of the world with us but our winding-fheer. If we have but enough to bear out our charges to heaven, it is fufficient. OF THE NINTH COMMANDMENT. Exod. xx. 16. Thou fh alt not bear falfe witnefs againft thy neighbour. rY^ H E tongue, which at firft was made to X be an organ of God's praife, is now be- come an inftrument of unrighteoufhefs. This commandment binds the tongue to its good behaviour,. God hath fet two fences to keep in the tongue, the teeth and lips : and this com- mandment is a third fence fet about it, that it fhould not break forth into evil; Thou fh alt not bear falfe witnefs againft thy neighbour. This commandment hath a prohibitory, and a man- datory part : the firft is fet down in plain words, the other is clearly implied. I. The prohibitory part of the commandment, or, what it forbids in general. It forbids any thing which may tend to the difparagement or prejudice of our neighbour. More particularly, two things are forbidden in this commandment. Ci.) Slandering. (2.) Falfe witnefs. C 1 .) Slandering our neighbour. This is a fin againft the ninth commandment. The fcorpion carries his poifon in his tail, the ilanderer carries his poifon in his tongue. Slandering, is to re- port things of others unjujtly, Pf. xxxv. 11. They laid things to my charge which I knew not. It is ufual to bring in a Chriflian beheaded cf his good name : they raifeel a {lander of Paul, that he fhould preach, Men might do evil, that good might come of it. Rom. iii. 8. We are (lan- der oufly reported', and; fame affirm that we fay % let us do evil, that good may come. Eminency- $ commonly blafted by Gander. Holinefs itfelf is no fhield for flander. The lamb's innocency will not preferve it from' the wolf. Chrift was the molt innocent upon earth, yet was reported to be a friend of finners : John Baptift, a man of an holy auftere life, yet they faid of him, he had a devil; Mat. xi. 18. The fcripture calls Cindering fmiting with the tongue. Jer. xviii. 18. Come and let us fraite him with the tongue. You may finite another andnever touch him. Majora funt linguae vulnera quam gladii, Aug. The wounds of the tongue no phyfician can heal : and to pretend friendfhip to a man, yet flander him, is mod odious. St. Hierom fpeaks thus,. The Arrian faction made a fhew of kindnefs ; they kiffed my hands, but flandered me, and fought my life. And, as it is a fin againft this commandment, to raife a falfe report of another ; fo it is a fin to receive a falfe report before we have examined it, Pf. xv. t. Lord, who fhall dwell in thy holy hill? Quis ad coelum ? v. iii. He that backbit eth -not, nor taketh up a reproach againft his neighbour. We muft not only not raife a falfe report, but not take it up. He that raifeth a flander, carries the devil in his tongue;: and he that receives it, carries the devil in his ear. (2.) Thefecond thing forbidden in this com- mandment, isfalfe witnefs. Here three fins are condemned : ( 1 .) Speaking. 1 2.) Witnefflng. (3.) Swearing, that which isfalfe, contra pro ximum. 1. Speaking that which is falfe, Prov. xii. 22. Lying: OF THE NINTH G O M M A N D M E N T. 20' Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord. To lie, is to fpeak that which one knows to be an untruth. There is nothing more contrary to God than a lie. The Holy Ghoft is called the Spirit of Truth, I John iv. 5, 6. Lying is a fin that doth not go alone ; it ufhers in other fins r Abfalom told his father a lie, that he was going to pay his vow at Hebron, 2 Sam. xvi. 7. and this lie was a preface to his treafon. Where there is a lie in the tongue, it fhows the devil is in the heart, Acls v. 3. Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie ? Lying is fuch a fin, as unfits men for civil fociety. How can you converfe or bargain with him, that you cannot trull: a word he faith ? This is a fin which highly pro- vokes God. Annanias and Saphira were ft ruck dead for telling a lie, Acls v. 5. The furnace of hell is heated for liars, Rev. xxii. 15. Without are forcerers, and whofoever loveth and maketh a lie. Oh abhor this fin ! Qiiicquid dixeris ju- ratum putes, Hierom. When thou fpeakefr, let thy word be as authentic as thy oath. Imitate God, who is the pattern of truth. Pythagoras being asked, what made men like God ? anfwer- ed,cum vera loquuntur, when they fpeak truth. It is made the character of a man that mail go to heaven, Pf. xv. 2. He fpeaketh the truth from his heart. 2. That which is condemned in the com- mandment is, * witneiTing that which is falfe ; * thou malt not bear falfe witnefs.' There is a two-fold bearing of falfe witnefs. (1.) There is a bearing of falfe witnefs for another. 2. A bearing falfe witnefs agaiirfl: another. \f}. A bearing falfe witnefs for another. "When we do give our teftimony for a perfbn that is criminal and guilty, we juftify him as if he were innocent, Ifa. iii. 23. Which juftify the wicked for a reward. He that goes to make a- wicked man juft, makes himfelf unjuit. 2dly, There is a bearing falfe witnefs againft another, i. e. when we accule another in open court falfiy. This is to imitate the devil, who is the accufor of the brethren. Though the devil is no adulterer, yet he is a falfe witnefs, Solomon faith, Prov. xxv. 18. A man that beareth falfe witnefs again/? his neighbour, is a hammer and a fword: in his face he is hardned like an hammer ; he cannot bluftr, he cares not what lie he witneffeth to : and he is a fword ; his tongue is a fword to wound him- he witnefs- cth againftin his goods or life: thus, 1 Kings xxi. 13. There came in two men, children of Be- lial, and witnejjhd againfi Naboth, faying, Na- both did blafpheme Gad and the king: and theft witnefs took away his life. The queen of Petfia being fick, the magicians acculed two godly virgins, that they had by charms procured the queen's ficknefs; whereupon (lie caufed thefe virgins to be lawn afunder. A falfe wit- nefs doth pervert the place of judicature : he corrupts the jury ; his bearing falfe witnef; makes thsm give in- a falfe verdict : and he corrupts the judger by making him pronounce a wrong fentence, and eau-fe the innocent to fuffer. Vengeance will find' out the falfe witnefs, Prov . xxix. <;. A falfe vsitnefs '/kali mt be unpunifhed. ]?eut. xix. 18, 19. If the witnefs be afafe witnefs, and hath teflified falfiy again fi his brother, then /hall ye do unto him as he h ad- thought to have done unto his brother ,• j, e.- If he had thought to have taken away his life, his own life mall go for it. 3. That which is condemned in the com- mandment is, fwearing that which is falfe. When men take a falfe oath, and by that take away the life of another. Zech. viii. 17.' Love ' no falfe oath. chap. v. 2. What feeft thou I 1 I find, a flying roll; verfe 3, 4, This is the * curfe that goeth forth, and ic fhall enter, ' faith the Lord, into the houfe of him that ' fweareth falfiy by my name; and it fhall ' confume his houfe, with the timber arid ' ftones of it.' The Scythians made a law, when a man did bind two fins together, a lie with an oath, he was to lofe his head; be- caufe this fin did take away all truth and faith among men. The devil hath taken great pofleitibn of fuch who dare fwear to a lie. This is a manifeft breach of this com- mandment. Ufe I. Branch r. It reproves the church of Rome, who will difpenfe with a lie, or a falfe oath, if it be to promote the catholic caufe. They approve of an officious lie; they hold fome lies to be lawful ; they may as well hold fome fins to be lawful. God hath no need of our lie. Ir is not lawful to tell a lie propter Dei gloriam, if we are fure to bring glory to- God by it, as Auftin fpeaks. Branch 2. It reproves- thole who make no confeience of llandering others ; they come un- der the breach of this commandment, Pf 1. 10. Thou fittefi and fiandereft thy own mother's fon. Jer. xx. 10. Report, fay they, and we will report, Ezra iv. 15. This city ? i. e. (Jerufalnnj is a rebellious city, and hurtful to kinqs and provinces. Paul was fiandered as a mover of {edition, and tha; 294 OF THE NINTH © O M M A N p JM E N T. the head of a faction, Acls xxiv. 5. The fame word figni&es both a flanderer and a devil, 1 Tim. iii. It. Not /lander ers : In the Greek, Not Devils. Some think it no great matter, to mifreport and (lander others; know that this is to aft the part of a devil. Clipping a man's credit, to make it weigh lighter, is worfe *:han clipping of coin. The flanderer wounds three at once-, he wounds him that he (landers ; and he wounds him to whom he reports the (lander, by caufmg uncharitable thoughts to nrifeup in his mind againft the party flandered ; and he wounds his own foul, by reporting that of another which is falfe. This is a great fm j And I would, I could not fay, it is common. You may kill a man as well in his name as in his per fori. Some are loth to take away their neigh- bour's goods ; confeience would fly in their face : but better take away their corn out of their field, their wares out of their (hop, than take away their good name. This is a fm you can. never make them reparation for ; a blot in a man's name, being like a blot in a white paper, which will never be got out. Surely God will vifit for this fin. If idle words (hall be accounted for, (hall not unjuft (landers ? The Lord will make inquifition one day, as well for names as for blood. Oh therefore take heed of this fin ! it is a breach of the ninth cora- jnandmenr. Was it a fm under the law to defame a virgin, Deut. xxii. 19. And, is it not a greater fm to defame a faint ,who is a mem- ber ofChrift? The heathens by the light of nature, abhorred this fin of (landerings. Dioge- nes ufed to fay, Of all wild be afts, a flanderer is the iuorf?. Antonlus made a law, that, ifa per- fon could not prove the crime he reported another to be guilty of, he (hould be put to death. Branch 3. It reproves them who are Co wicked, as to bear falfe witnefs againft others. Thefe are monflers in nature, unfit to live in a civil fociety. Eufebius relates of one Narciffus, a man famous for piety, who was accufed by two falfe witnefTes of unchaftity ; and, to prove their aecufation, they bound it with oaths and curfes after this manner: one faid, If I /peak not true, I pray God I may perifk by fire : the other (aid, If 1 fpeak not true, I wifl) I may be deprived of my fight. It pleafed God, that the firft witnefs who forfwore himfelf, his houfe being fet on fire, he was burned in the flame: the other witnefs, being troubled in confeience, conferred his perjury, and continued fo long weeping, that he wept; himfelf blind. Jezabelt who jfubomed two falfe witnefTes againft Na- both, /he was thrown down out of a window, and the dogs lickc^ her blood, 2 kings ix. 33. O tremble at this ! a perjured perfon is the de- vil's excrement. He is curfed in his name, and feared in his confeience. Hell gapes for fuch a wind-fali. Ufe II. Branch 1. It exhorts all to take heed of the breach of this commandment, of lying, flandering, and bearing falfe witnefs ; and to avoid thefe fins, r. Get the fear of God. Why doth David fay, the fear of the Lord is clean ? Pf. xix. 8. Becaufe it cleanfeth the heart of malice, it clean- feth the tongue of (lander. The fear of the Lord is clean ; it is to the foul as lightning to the air which cleanfeth it. 2. Get Love to your neighbour. Lev. xix. l8- Ifwe love a friend, we will not fpeak or atteft any thing to his prejudice. Mens minds are cankered with envy and hatred : hence comes flandering and falfe-witnefs. Love is a lovely grace ; love thinks no evil, 1 Cor. xiii- 5. It makes the bed interpretation of another's words. Love is a well-wiiTier, and it is rare to fpeak ill of him we wifh well to. Love is that which ce- ments Chriftians together; it is the healer of divifion, and the hinderer of (lander. BranqKp.. To fuch whofe lot it is to meet with flanderers and falfe accufers, (1.) Labour. to make a fanclifted ufe of it. When Shimei railed on David, David made a fanctified ufe of it, 2 Sam. xvi. io. The Lord hath faid to himt curfe David. So, if you are flandered or falfly accufed, make a good ufe of it. See if you have nofin unrepented of,for whichGod may fufferyou to be calumniated and reproached. See if you have not ar any time wronged others in their name, and faid that of them which you cannot prove ; then lay your hand on your mouth, and con- fefs the Lord is righteous to let you fall under the (courge of the tongue. (2.) If you are flandeied, or falfly accufed, but know your own innocency, be not too much troubled, let this be your rejoycing, the -witnefs, of your confeience. Murus aheneus efto nil confeire fibi. A good confeience is a wall of brals, that will be able to (land againft a falfe witnefs. As no flattery can heal a bad confeience, fo no (lander can, hurt a good. God will clear up the names of his people, Pf. xxxvii- 6. He /hall bring forth thy right eoufiefs as the light. God, as he will wine away tears from the eyes, fo he will wipe off OF THE TENTH G 0 M M A N D M E N T ^yy off reproaches from the name. Believers mail come forth out of all their (landers and reproach- es, as the, wings of a dove covered with filvcr, and her feathers ivith yellow gold. Branch 3. It fliould exhort fuch to be very thankful to God ; vvhon .. hath preferved from (lander and fjlfe witnefs- Job calls it, The fcourge of the tongue, chap. v. 21. As a rod doth fcou , .he back, fo the (landerer's tongue doth k urge the name. It is a great mercy to be kept from the fcourge of the tongue ; a mercy, that God ftops malignant mouths from bearing falfe witnefs. What rniichief may not a lying report or a falfe oath do ? One deftroys the name, the other the life. It is the lord that muzzles the mouths of the wicked, • v! keeps thefe dogs, that marl at us, from flying upon us, Pf. xxxi. 20. Thou (halt keep ihtm fecretly in a pavilion, from the jlrife of tongues. It is, I fuppofe, an allufion to kings, who being refolved to protect their favourites againft the accufations of men, take them into their bed-chamber, or bofom, where none may touch hem : io God hath a pavilion, or fecret hiding-place for his favourites, where he preferves their credit and reputation untouched ; he keeps them from the 'ft rife of tongues. This is a mercy we ought to acknowledge to God. II. The mandatory part of this command- ment implied, that is, That we ft and up for c- thersy and vindicate them, when they are injured by lying lips* This is the fehfe of the com- mandment, not only that we fliould not (lander, or falfly accufe others ; but that we (hould wit- nefs for them, and (land up in their defence, when we know them to be traduced. A man may wrong another as well by filence as by (lander; when he knows him to be wrongfully accufed, yet doth not fpeak in his behalf. If others caff, falfe afperfions on any, we (hould wipe them off. The apoftles (who were filled with the wine of the Spirit) being charged with drunkennefs, Peter was their com pu -gator, and openly cleared their innocency, dels ii. 1 5.. Thcf: are not drunken, as ye fuppofe. Jonathan know - ing David to be a worthy man, and aH thofe things Saul faid of him to be (landers, vindi- cated David, 1 Sam. xix. 4, 5. David hath not finned againfl thee, but his works to thee-ward have been very good. Wherefore then wilt thou fin again/} innocent blood, and/lay David with- out a caufe ? When the primitive Chrillians were fal/ly accufed for inced, and killing their children, Teriullian made a famous apology ire their vindication. This is to aft the part both of a friend and of a Chriflian, to be an advocate for another, when he is wronged in his good name. K-'VV;"-.:' ■ • ' cii. 9. Honour the Lord vjith thy fub- ftance. But all the danger is, when the world gets into the heart. The water is ufeful for the failing of the fiiip ; all the danger is when the water gets into the (hip ; fo the fear is, when the world gets into the heart, Thou fhalt not- covet. Qu. What is it to covet ? . dnf. There are two words in the Greek, which fet forth the nature of covetoufnefs. 1 . Pleonexia, which fignifies an infatiable de- fire of getting the world. Covetoufnefs is a dry dropfy. Aujiin defines covetoufnefs-, Plus velle quam fat efl ; to defire more than enough; to aim at a great eftate ; to be like the daughters of *9'6 OF THE TENTH COMMANDMENT. of the horfr-leeeh, crying, Give, give, Pr.ov. xxx. 15. Or like Behemoth, Job xl. 23, He truflcth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth. 2. Phy/arnyria, which Signifies an in- ordinate love of the world. The world is the ■idol; it is Co loved, that a man will not part -with it to any good ufe ; this is to come under the indictment of covetoufnefs. He may be Hud to be covetous, not only who gets the world uniighteoully, but who loves the world inordinately. Bur, for a more full anfwer to the queftion, What is it to covet ? I (hall Jhew •you in fix particulars, when a man may be faid to be given to covetoufnefs. t. When his thoughts are wholly taken- up about the world. As a good man's thoughts are Hill in heaven; he is thinking of Chrift's love, and eternal recompenfe, Pf. cxxxix. 18. When I awake., I am fill with thee, that is, by divine contemplation ; fo a covetous man is jtiil with the world ; his mind is wholly taken up about it 5 he can think of nothing but his (hop or farm. The fancy is a mint-houfe, and moft of the thoughts a covetous man mints are worldly : he is always plotting and projecting about the things of this life ; like a virgin that hath all her thoughts running upon her fuitor. 2. A man may be faid to be given to covet- oufnefs, when he takes more pains for the get- ting of earth, than for the getting of heaven. He will turn every (lone, break his deep, take many a weary flep for the world ; but will take no pains for Chi id, or heaven, The Cauls, who were an antient people of France, after they had tafted of the fweet wine of the Italian grape, they enquired afrer the country, and ne- ver reded till they had arrived at it ; fo a co- vetous man, having had a relim of the world, purfues after it, and never leaves till he hath got it 5 but he neglects the things of eternity. He could be content if falvation would drop into hi? mouth, as a ripe fig drops into the mouth of the eater, Nahum ill- 12. But he is loth to put himfelf to too much fweat or trouble to obtain Chrift or falvation. He hunts for the world, hewifheth only for heaven. 3. A man may be faid to be given to covet- oufnefs, when aSl his difcourfe is about the world, John iii. 31. He that is of the earth, fpvakcth of the earth. As it is a lign of godli- nel's, to be fliil (peaking of heaven, to have the tongue tuned to the language of Canaan, Eecl. x. 12. The words of a wife mans mouth are gracious ; he fpcaks as if he had been already in heaven ; fo, a fign of a -man given to covet- Oufnefs, he is fpeaking of fecular things, his wares and drugs. A covetous man's breath, like a dying man's, fmells ftiong of the earth. As they faid to Peter, thy fpeech bewrayeth thee, Matth. xxvi. 73. So a covetous man's fpeech bewrayeth him : he is like the fifli in the gofpel, which had a piece of money in the mouth, Matth. xvii. 27. Verba funt fpeculum mentis, Bern. The words are the looking-glals of the heart, they fliew what is within; Ex a- bunduntia cordis. 4. A man is given to covetoufnefs, when he doth fo fet his heart upon worldly things, that, for the love of them, he will part with heaven- ly ; for the wedge of gold, he will part with the pearl of price. The young man in the gofpel, when Chrift (aid, Sell all and come and follow me ; abiittriftis, he went away for rowful, Matt, xix. 22. He would rather part with Chrilt, than with his earthly pofteffions. Cardinal Burben faid, he would forego his part in paradite, if he might keep his cardinalfhip in Paris. When it comes to a critical point, that men. muft either rtjinquifh their eftate or Chrift, and they will rather part with Chrift and a good con- fcience, than with their eftate ; it is a clear cafe they are poiTefled with the devil of covet- oufnefs. 5. A man is given to covetoufnefs, when he overloads himfelf with worldly bufinefs. He hath many irons in the fire ; he is in this fenfe a pluralij}, he takes fo much bufinefs upon him, that he cannot find time to ferveGod ; he hath fcarce time to eat his meat, but no time to pray. When a man doth over-charge himfelf with the world, and, as Martha, cumber himfelf a- bout many things that he cannot have time for his foul, lure he is under the power of covet- oufnefs. 6. He is given to covetoufnefs whofe heart is fo fet upon the world, that, to get if, he cares not what unlawful indirect means he ufeth : he will have the world per fas c-7 nefas ; he will wrong and defraud, and raife his eftate upon the ruins of another, Hof xii. 7, tif'The balances of deceit are in his hand, he loveth to opprefs. Jud Ephraim faid, yet lam become rich. Pope Silvefter II. did fell his foul to the devil for a popedom. Ufe. Take heed and beware of covetoufnefs, Luke xii. 15. It is a direct breach of this tenth commandment. Covetoufnefs is a moral vice, it infects and pollutes the whole foul. The fin. (1.) It OF THE TENTH G O M M A N D M E N T. 279 .'i .) It is a fnhtil fin, a fin that many do not fo well difcern in themfbives : as fame have the icurvy, yet do not know it. This fin can drefs itfelf in the attire of virtue. It is called the £loak of covetoufnefs, 1 Theff, ii. 5. Covetouf- nefs is a fin that wears a cloak, it cloaks itfelf under the name of frugality and good hufban- dry. It hath many pleas and excufes for itfelf, more than r.ny other fin ; as, the providing for one's femily. The more fubtil the fin is, the lefs difcernabJe. (2.) Covetoufnefs is a dangerous fin, it checks all that i' good. It is an enemy to grace ; it danaps good affections, as the earth puts out the fire The hedge-hog, in the fable, came to the coney-boroughs in ftormy weather, and def; harbour ; but when once he had gotten entei tainrnent, he fet up his prickles, and did never leave till he had thruft the poor coneys out of their boroughs : fo covetoufnefs, by fair- pretences, wins itfelf into the heart; bu!, as loon as you have let it in, it will never leave till it hath choaked all good beginnings, and thruil all religion out of your hearts. Covet- oufnefs binders the efficacy of the word preached. In the parable, the thorns (which Chrifl; ex- pounded to be the cares of this life) choaked the good feed, Matth. xiii. 7. Many fermons ly dead, buried in earthly hearts. We preach to men, to get their hearts in heaflffci ; but where covetoufnefs is predominant, it chains them to the earth, and makes them like the wo- man which Satan had bowed together, that fhe could not lift up herfelf, Luke xiii. 11. You may as well bid an elephant fly in the air, as a covetous man live by faith. We preach to men to give freely to Chrift's poor ; but covetoufnefs makes him to be like him in the gofpel who had a withered hand, Mark iii. r. They have a withered hand, and cannot flretch it out to the poor. It is impoffible to be earthly-mind- ed, and charitably-minded. Thus covetoufnefs bbflrucls the efficacy of the word, and makes it* prove abortive. Such, whole hearts are rooted in the earth, will be fo far from profiting by the word, that they will be ready rather to deride it, Luke xvi. 14. The Pharifees, -who -were covet- ous, derided him. (3.) Covetoufnefs is a mother-fin, a radical vice, i Tim. vi. 10. The love of money is the root of all evil. Qltid »on mart alia peclora cogis auri facra fames ?• — Virg. He who hath this fpiritual itch, a greedy de- fire of getting the world, hath In him the root of ail fin. Covetoufnefs is a mother-fin. I /hull make it appeal' that covetoufnefs is a breach of all the ten commandments, (t.) It breaks the firfr. commandment, Thou floalt have no other Gods but one. The covetous man hath more gods than one ; mammon is his god. He hath a god of gold, therefore he is called an idolater, Col. iii. 5. (2.) Covetoufnefs breaks the fecond commandment, Thou (halt not make any graven image, thou flmlt riot bovo down tbyfdfio themt_ A covetous man bows down, tho' not to t he- graven image in the church, yet to the graven image in his coin. (3.) Covetoufnefs is a breach. of the third commandment, Thou fhalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. Abfa-. lom\ defign was to get his Father's crown, there was covetoufnefs ; but he talks of* paying his vow to God, there he took God's name in vain. (4.) Covetoufnefs is a breach of the fourth com- mandment, Remernber the fabbath-day, to keep it holy. A covetous man doth not keep the fabbath holy ; he will ride to fairs on a fihbath ; inftcad of reading in the Bible, he will eaitup his accounts. (5.) Covetoufnefs is a breach of the fifth commandment, Honour thy father and thy mother. A covetous perfon will not honour his fiither, if he doth not feed him with money; nay, he will get his father to make over his e- ftate to him in his lifetime, and fo the father fhall be at the fon's command. (6.) Covetouf- nefs is a breach of the fixth commandment, Thou (halt not kill. Covetous Ahab killed Na- both, to get his vineyard, 1 Kings xxi, 13. How many have fwimmed to the crown in blood ! (7.3 Covetoufnefs is a breach of the feventh commandment, Thoufljalt net commit adultery. Covetoufnefs caufeth uncleannefs : you read of the Hire of a whore, Dent, xxiii. 18. An a- dultrefs for money fets both confidence and chaftity to fale. (8.) Covetoufnefs is a breach of the eighth commandment, Thou /bait not (leal. Covetoufnefs is .the root of theft ; covet- ous Achan fiole the wedge of gold. Therefore thieve} and covetous are put together, 1 Cor. vi. 10. (9.) Covetoufnefs is a breach of the ninth commandment, Thou /halt not bear falfe wit- nefs. What makes the perjurer take a falfe oath but covetoufnefs ? He hopes for a dividend. And, (10.) It is plainly a breach of the lafl commandment, Thou /halt not covet- The mammonifl covets his neighbour's houfe and goods, and endeavours to get them into his own hands. Thus you fee how vile a fin covetouf- P p nefs 298 OF THE TENTH COMMANDMENT. nefs is, it is a mother-fin, it is a plain breach of every one of the ten commandments. (4.) Covetoufnefs is a fin difhonourable to religion. For fuch as fay their hopes are above, yet their hearts are below : for them who pro- ofs to be above the ftars, to lick the dufi of the ferpent ; to be born of God, yet buried in the earth : how dishonourable is this to religion ! The lapwing wears a little coronet on its head, yet feeds on dung ; an emblem of fuch as pro- fcjfs to be crowned kings and priefts unto God, yet feed immoderately on thefe terrene dung- hill comforts, Jer. xlv. 5. And fe eke ft thou great things for thy fe/fP feek them not : What, thou Barak, who art ennobled by the new birth, and art illuftrious by the office, a Levire, doll: thou feek earthly things, and feek them now ? When the (hip is finking, art thou trimming thy cabbin ? O do not fo degrade thyfelf, nor blot thy fcutcheon ! Seekefi tbou great things ? feek them not. The higher grace is,, the lefs earthly mould Chriftians be : the higher the fun is, the fhorter always is the fhadow. 1. Govetoufnefs expofeth us to God's abhor- t:ncy, Pf. x. 3. The covetous, -whom the Lord abhorreth. A king abhors to fee his ftatue a- bufed \ God abhors to fee a man made in his image fhould have the heart of a beafl given to him. Who would live in fuch a fin as makes him abhorred of God ? whom God abhors he curfeth, and God's curfe blafls wherever it comes. 2. Covetoufnefs precipitates men to ruin: it (huts them out of heaven, Eph.v.^. This ye know, that no covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Chrift and of God. What fhould a covetous man do in heaven ? God can no more converfe with them, than a king can converfe with a fwine, I Tim. vi. 9. They that will be rich fall into a fnare, and many hurtful lufls, which drown men in perdition. A covetous man is like a bee, that gets into a barrel of honey, and there drowns itfelf: he is like a ferry-man, that takes in fo many pafiengers to increafe his fare, that he finks his boat -r fo a covetous man takes in more gold to the inereafing of his eftate, that he damns himfelf in perdition. I have read of fome inhabitants near Athens, who lived in a very dry, barren ifland, and they took much pains to draw a river to this ifland to water it and make it fruitful ; but when they had open- ed the paflages, and brought the river to it, the water broke in with fuch a force, that it drowned the land, and all the people in it : an emblem of a covetous man ; he labours to draw riches to him, and at laft they come in in fuch abundance, that they drown him in hell and perdition. How many, to build up an eflate, pull down their fouls? Oh therefofe flee from covetoufnefs. I fliall next prefcribe fbme re- mediefSJlgainfl: covetoufnefs. Exod. xx. 17. Thou /halt not covet thy Neighbour's Houfe, thou fo alt not covet thy Neighbour's Wife, &c. Am, in the next place, to refo've a que- flion, How we may do to cure this itch of covetoufnefs ? Ahf. For anfwer to this, I fhall prefcribe fome remedies and antidotes againfl this fin. 1. Faith, 1 John v. 4. This is the viclory over the world, even your faith. The root of covetoufnefs is, the diftruft of God's providence : faith believes God will provide ; God who feeds the birds, will feed his children ; he who clothes the lilies, will clothe his lambs : and fo faith overcomes the world. Faith is the cure of care ; faith nor only purifies the heart . but fancnfies the heart ; faith makes God our portion, and fo in him we have enough, Pf. xvi. 5. The Lord is the portion of mine inheri- tance, the lines are fallen unto me in pie af ant places ; yea, I have a goodly heritage. Faith, by a divine chymifiry, extracts its chief com- fort out of God. A little with God is fweet. Thus faith is a remedy againfl covetoufnefs ; faith overcomes, not only the fear of the world, but the love of the world. 2. The fecond remedy is, judicious confi- de rati on. (1.) What poor things thefe things below are, that we fhould covet them. 1. They are below the worth cf the foul, which carries in It an idea and refemblance of God. The world is but the workmanfhip of God, the foul is the image of God. 2. You covet that which will not fatisfy you, Eccl. v. 10. He that loveth fi- ver, fhall not befatisfied with fiver. Solomon had put all the creatures in a limbeck, and fliiled t THE TEKTH' COMMANDMENT. 299 Hilled out the quinteflence, and behold, Ml was vanity , Eccl. ii. 11. Covetoufnefs is a dry dropfy ; the more a man hath, the more he thirfts. Quo plus funt potae, plus fitiuntuf aquae. 3. Worldly things cannot remove trouble of mind. King Saulbe'mg perplexed in confcience, all his crown-jewels could not adminifter com- fort to him, 1 Sam. xxviii. 15. The things of the world will no more eafe a troubled fpi- rit, than a gold-cap will cure the head-ach. 4. The things of the world, if you had more of them, cannot continue with you. The creature hath a Tittle honey in its mouth, but it hath wings to fly away. Thefe things either go from us, or we from them : what poor things are thefe to covet ? (2.) Second confideration, the frame and contexture of the body : God hath made the face to look upwards towards heaven. Os homini fublime dedit, coelumque tueri Jufit,-- Ovid. Anatomifts obferve, that whereas other creatures have but four mufcles to their eyes, man hath a fifth mufcle, by which he is able to look up to heaven ; and as for the heart, it is made like a glafs-viol, narrow and contracted downwards, but wide and broad upwards. And as the frame and contexture of the body teacheth us to look to things above, Co efpecially the foul is planted in the body, as a divine fparkle to afcend upwards. Can it be imagined that God gave us intellectual, immortal fouls, to covet only earthly things ? What wife man would fifh for gudgeons with golden hooks r Did God give us glorious fouls, only to fifh for the world ? Sure our fouls are made for an higher end j to afpire after the enjoyment of God in glory. (3.) Third confideration, the examples of thofe who have been contemners and defpfers of the world. The primitive Chriftians, as Clemens Altxandrinus obferves, were fequeftred from the world, and were wholly taken up in converfe with God : they lived in the world above the world ; like the birds of paradife, who foar above in the air, and feldom or never touch with their feet upon the earth. Tut her faith, that he was never tempted to this fin cf covetoufnefs. The faints of old though they did live in the world, they did trade in heaven, Phil. iii. 20. Our converfation is in heaven : the Creek word fignifies, our commerce, or traffic, or burger/hip, is in heaven. Enoch walked with Cod, Gen. v. 24. His affections were fublimated, he did take ri turn in heaven every day. The righteous are compared to a palm-tree, Pf- xcii. 12. Philo obferves, that whereas all other trees have their Tap in their root, the ftp of the palm-tree, is. towards the top; the emblem of the faints, whofe hearts are above in heaven, where their treafure is. 3. The third remedy, covet fpiritual things more, and you will covet earthly things lefs. Covet grace'; grace is the beft bleffing, it is the feed of God, 1 John iii. 9. the angels glory. Covet heaven ; heaven is the region of happl- nefs, it is the molt pleafant climate. Did we covet heaven more, we mould covet earth lcf±. They that fhmd on the top of the Alps, the great cities of Campania feeni but as f.nnll vil- lages in their eye: if we c »uld have our hearts more fixed upon • ' - Jerufalem above, how would all Worldly things difappear, and be as nothing in our eye ; we read of an angel coming down from heaven, who did tread with his right foot on the lea and with his left foot on the earth, Rev.x.2. had we but once been in hea- ven, and viewed the fuperlative glory of it, how might we, in an holy fcorn, trample with one foot upon the earth, and with the other foot* upon the fea ! Oh covet after heavenly things; there is the tree of life, the mountains of Ipices, the rivers of pleafure, the honey-comb of God's love dropping, the delights of angels, the flower of joy fully ripe and blown. There is the pure air to breathe in ; no fogs or vapours of fin arife to infect that air, but the fun of righteoufoefs enlightens that horizon continually with its glorious beams. O let your thoughts and de- lights be always taken up about the city of pearl, the. paradife of God. Did we covet heavenly things more, we fhould covet earthly things Ids. It is reported after Lazarus was raifed from the grave, he was never feen to fmile or be delighted with the world after : were our hearts raifed by the power of the Holy Ghoft up to heaven, we fhould not be much taken with earthly things. 4. The fourth remedy, pray for an heavenly mind. Lord, let the loadftone of thy fpirit draw my .heart upward : Lord, dig the earth out of my heart ; teach me how to poffefs the world, and not love it; how to hold it in my hand, and not let it get into ray heart. So much for the commandment in general, Thou [halt not covet. (2.) I (hall i'Vcak of it more particularly ■ Thou fkalt not covet thy neighbours hcufe, t Y p 2- jhalt 3 ©o OF THE TENTH COMMANDMENT. Jbafy net covet thy neighbour's wife, Sec. Ob- fewe here the hoiinefs and perfection of God's lav.'': It forbid? the mot us prime primi, the firtt motions and rifings of fin in the heart ; Thou fhalt not covet. . The laws of men take hold of the acrianSj but the law of God goes further, it forbids not only the actions, hut the affeclions ; Thou fhalt not covet thy neighbours houfe. It is nor faid, thou fhalt not take away his houfe ; but Thou fhalt not covet it. Thefe Juflings and defires after the forbidden fruit are finful, Rom. vii. 7. The law hath faid, Thou flmlt not covet. Though the tree bears no bad fruit, it may be faulty at the root ; though a man doth not commit any grofs fin, yet who can fay his heart is pure ? There may be a faultinefs at the root, there may be finful covetings and luftings in the foul. Vfe. Let us be humbled for the fin of our nature, the rifings or evil thoughts, coveting that which we ought not. Our nature is a feed- plot of iniquity, it is like charcoal that is ever fpaikling : the Sparkles of pride, envy, covet- o.ufncfs,arife in the mind. How iliould this hum- ble us f if there be not finful acYmgs, there are finful coveting?. Let us pray for mortifying grace, which may be like the water of jealoufy, to make the thigh of fin to rot. But to come to the words more nearly, Thou flmlt not covet thy neighbour's houfe,, nor thy neighbour's 'vife, &c. Qu. Why is the houfe put before the wife ? In Deuteronomy the wife is put firft, Deut. v. i\ . Neither flmlt thou deflre thy neighbours vifsy neither fhalt thou covet iky neighbour's 'oufe. Here the houfe is put firft. Anf. In Deuteronomy, the wife is fet down firft, in refpecl of her vaiue. She (if a good wife) is of far greater value and eftimate than the houfe, Prov. xxxi, 10. Her price is far above rubies. She is the furniture of the houfe, and this furniture is more worth than the houfe. When Alexander had overcome king Darius in battle, Darius feemed not to be much dif- rnayed ; but when he heard his wife was taken piiioner, now his eyes, like {pours, did gufh forth water, as valuing his wife dearer than his life. But yet, in this place in Exodus, the houfe \-, put before the wife: the reafion is, hecaiiie riie houfe is firft in order ; the houfe is erected before the wife can live in it; the neft is built before the bird is in it : the wife is firft ettcemed, b,ut the houfe mull be firft provided. 1. Then, Thou fhalt not covet thy neighbours houfe. How depraved is man fince the fall ! man knows not how to keep within bounds, but is coveting more than his own. Achab, one would think, had enough ; he was a king, and one would fuppofe his crown-revenues fnould have contented him ; but ttill he was coveting more : Naboth's vineyard was in his eye, and flood near the fmoke of his chimney, and he could not be quiet till he had it in pof- fieffion. Were there not fo much coveting, there would not be fo much bribing: one man pulls away another's houfe from him. It is only the prifoner lives in fuch a tenement as he may be fure none will go about to take fro 111 him. 2. Thou fhalt not covet thy neighbour's ivife. This commandment is a bridle to check the inord'macy of brutifh luffs ; Thou flmlt not covet thy neighbour's ivife. It was the devil that foived another man's ground, Mat. xiii. 25. But how is the hedge of this commandment troden down in our times ! there be many who do more than covet their neighbour's wives, they take them, Deut. xxvii. 20. Curfed be he that lies with his father's ivife, and all the- people flmll fay Amen. If it were to be proclaimed, Curfed be he that lies ivith his neighbour's -wife, and all that were guilty iliould fay Amen, how many would curfe themfelves ! 3. Thou flmlt not covet thy neighbour's man- fervant, nor his maidfervant. Servants, tvhen faithful, are a treafure. "What a true and trutty fervant had Abraham ! he was his right-hand : how prudent and faithful was he in the matter he was entruttcd with, in getting a wife for his matter's fon ! Gen. xxiv. 9. And furely, it would have gone near to Abraham, to have had any one entice away his fervant from him. But this fin of coveting lervants is common : if one hath a better fervant, others will be inveigling and laying baits for him, and endeavour to draw him away from his matter. This is a fin againft the tenth commandment. To tteal away ano- ther's fervant by enticement, is no better than thievery. 4. Nor his Ox, nor his ars, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's. Were there not covet- ing of ox and afs, there would not be fo much ttealing; firtt,men break the tenth commandment by coveting, and then they break the eighth commandment by flcaling. It was an excellent appeal that Samuel made to the people^ 1 Sam. xii. 3. Witnefs againft me before the Lord, whofe ex have 1 taken, or whofe afs, or whom have I defrauded. OF THE TENTH COMMANDMENT, jOl defrauded. And it was a brave fpeech of St. Paul, Acts xx. 33. I have coveted no man s gold, or /ilver, or apparel. Qu. But what mean' may we ufe to keep us from coveting that •whith is our neighbour's. Anf. The beft remedy is contestation. If we are content -with our own, we Jhall not covet that which is another's. St. Paul could fay, / have coveted no man's gold or /ilver: whence was this ? It was from contentment, Phil. iv. ir. / have learned, in whatever /late I am, therewith to be content. Content faith, as Jacob, Gen. iii. 3. / have enough : I have a promife of heaven, and have fufficient to bear my charges thither; I have enough. And he who hath enough, will not covet that which is another's. Be content: and the beft way to be contented, is, (1.) Believe that condition befl: which God carves out to you by his providence. If God had feen it fit for us to have more, we fhould have had it ; but his wifdom fees this befl for us. Perhaps we could not manage a great eftate, it is hard to carry a full cup without fpilling, and a full eftate without finning. Great eftates may be fnares ; a boat may be overturned by having too great a fail. The believing, that eftate befl God carves for us, makes us content ; and being contented, we will not covet that which is another's. (2.) The way to be content with fuch things as we have, and not to covet another's, is to conftder, the lefs eflate we have, the lefs account we fhall have to give at the laft day. Every perfon is a fteward and mull be accountable to God. They who have great eftates have the greater reckoning : God will fay, what good have you done with your eftates ? have you honoured me with your fubftance ? Where are the poor you have fed and clothed ? If you can- not give a good account, it will be fad. This may make us contented with a lefs portion, to confider, the lefs eftate, the lefs account we have to give ; the lefs riches, the lefs reckon- ing. This is the way to have contentment, and no better antidote againft coveting that which is another's, than being content with that which is your own. So much for the Commandments* The End of the Firft Volume. «■<«*' MAN'S INABILITY TO' KEEP THE MORAL LAW. Q.T.J any man able perfectly to keep the com- * mandments of God ? -■■ Anf. No mere man, fince the fall, is able in this life perfectly to keep the command- ments of God, but doth daily break them in thought, word, and deed. Jam. iii. 2. In many things -we offend all. Man , in his primitive ftate of innocency, was endowed With ability to keep the whole moral law : Adam had rectitude of mind, fimctity of will, per- fection of power : Adam had the copy of God's law written in his heart ; no fboner did God command, butjhe did obey : as the key is fuited to all the wards in the lock, and can open them ; fo Adam hada power fuited to all God's com- mands, and could obey them. Adam's obe- dience did exactly run parallel with the moral Jaw, as a well made dial goes exactly with the fun. Man in innocency was like a well tuned organ, he did fweetly tune to the will of God : he wa.s adorned with holinefs as the angels, but not confirmed in holinefs as the angels^ Adam was holy, but mutable ; he fell from his purity, and we with him. Sin cut the lock of original righteoufnefs, where our ftrength lay ; fin hath brought fuch a languor and faintnefs into our fouls, and hath fo weakened us, that we (hall ne- ver recover our full ilrength till we put on immortality. The thing I am now to demon- strate, is, that we cannot yield perfect obedi- ence to the moral law. In many things we offend all. 1. The cafe of an unregenerate man is fuch, that he cannot perfectly obey all God's com- mands : he may as well touch the flars, or (pan the ocean, as yield exact obedience to the law, A perfon unregenerate cannot act fpiritually, he cannot pray in the Holy Ghoft, he cannot live by faith, he cannot do duty out of love fo duty; and if he cannot do duty fpiritually, then much lefs perfectly. Now,, that a natural man cannot yieW perfect obedience to the mo- ral law, is evident; (i.)BeGaufe he is fpiritually dead, Eph. ii. 1. And, being fo, how can he keep the commandments of Cod perfectly ? A dead man is not fit for action. A finner hath the fyrcptoms of death- upon him ; r. lie h&th no fenfe; a dead man hath no fenfc : he hafbr no fenie of^he evil of fin, of God's holinefi and veracity ; therefore he is faid to be without feeling, Eph. iv. 19. 2. He hath no ilrength, Rom. v. 6. "What ftrength hath a dead man ? A natural man hath no ftrength to deny him- felf, to refill temptation ; he is dead : and can a dead man fulfil the moral law ? (2.) A natural man cannot perfectly keep all God's commandments, becaufe he is fo interlarded with fin ; he is born in Jin, PC. Ii. 5. Job xv. 16. He drinks iniquity as water, All the ima- ginations of his thoughts are evil) and only evil, Gen. vi. 5. Now, the leaft evil thought is a breach of the royal law r and, if there be de- fection, there cannot be perfection. And, as a natural man hath no power to keep the moral law, fo he hath no will. He is not only dead, but worfe than dead: a dead man doth no hurt, but there is a life of refinance againft God goes along with the death of fin : a natural man not only cannot keep the law through weaknefs, but he breaks it through wilfulnefs, Jer. xliv. 17. We will do whatfoever goeth ouf of our mouth to burn incenfe to the queen of heaven. 2. As the unregenerate cannot keep the moral law perfectly, fo neither the regenerate, Eccl, vii. 20. There is not a'jufi man upon the earth, that doth good and ftnneth not; nay, that fins not in doing good. There's that in the beft actions of a righteous man that is damnable, if God fliouid weigh him in the bailance of juftice. Alas ! how are his duties fly-blown ? He cannot pray without wandring, nor believe without doubting, Rom. vii. 18. To me to will is prefent, but how to perform I find not- In the Greek it is, How to do it thoroughly I find not. Paul, though a faint of the fir ft magnitude, was better at willing than at performing. Mary asked where they had laid Chrift ; lhe had a mind to have carried him away, but {he wanted ftrength : fo the regenerate have a will to obey God's law perfectly, but they want ftrength ; their obedi- eiiCe is weak, and fickly : the mark thev are to fiioot at, is perfection of holinefs, though they take -MART'S INABILITY TO KEEP THE MORAL LAW. take a right aim, yet do what they can, they ihqot (hurt, Rom. vii. 19. The good which I would, I do not. A Ghriftian, while he is fcrving God, is hindered: like a ferryman, that plies the oar, and rows hard, but a guft of wind carries him back again : fo, faith Paul, The good 1 would, I do not ; I am driven back by temptation. Mow, if there be any failure in our obedience, we can- not make a perfect commentary upon God's law : no Christian alive can write a copy of holinefs without blotting. The virgin Mary's obedience was not pet feet, foe needed Chad's blood to wafh her tears,. Aaron was to make attonement for the altar, Exod. xxix. 36. to (lie w that the moft holy offering hath defilement in it, and needs attonement to be nude for it. Qu. 1. But if a man hath no power to keep the whole moral law, then why doth Cod require that of man, which he is not able to perform ? How doth this [land with his juftice ? Anf Though man hath loll his power of .obeying, God hath not loft his right of com- manding. If a matter intrufts a fervant with money to lay out, and the fervant fpends it dilfolutc-ly, may not the matter juftly demand this money ? God gave us a power to keep the moral law } we, by tampering with fin, loft it : But may not bod ftill call for perfect obedience? .or, in cafe of default, juftly punilh us ? Qa: 2. But why doth God fuffer fitch an itn- potency to ly upon man that he cannot perfectly keep the law ? jnf. The Lord doth it, (i.) To humble us. Man is a felf-exalting creature : and, if* he hath But any thing of worth, he is ready to be puft up : but when he comes to fee his deficiencies and failings, and how far ftiort he comes of the holinefs and perfection God's law requires, this is a means to pull down his plumbs of pride, and lay them in the duft : he weeps over his impotency, he blufheth for his leprous fpots ; he faith, as Job, 1 abhor myfelfin duft and afhes. < 2,) God lets this impotency and infirmnefs ly. upon us, that we may have recourfe to Chrift, to obtain pardon for our defeas, and to fprinkle ourbeft duties with his blood. When a man fees himfelf indebted, he owes perfect obedience to the law, but he hath nothing to pay : this makes him flee to Chrift to be his friend, and anfvver all the demands and.challenges of the law, and (It him free in the court of juftice. i U'e 1 . Is matter of humiliation for our fall In Adam, In the date of innocency we were perfletly holy, our minds were crowned with knowledge, and our wills, as a queen, did ftvay the feeptrc of liberty : but now we may fay, as, Lam. v. \6. The crown is fallen from our head. We have loft that power which was inherent in us. When we look back to our primitive glory, when we lhined as earthly angels, we may take up Job's words, ch. xxix. 2. O that it were with us as in months pafi ! O that it were with us as at firft, when there was no (rain upon our virgin-nature, when there was a per- fect harmony between God's law and man's will ! but, alas ! now the fcene is altered, our ftrength is gone from us, we tread awry every Hep ; we come below every precept ; ourd warfifh- nefs will not reach the fublimity of God's law ; we fail in our obedience ; and, while we fail, we forfeit. This may put uj in clofe mourn- ing, and fpring a leak of forrow in all our fouls. t/fell. Of confutation. Branch 1. It confutes the Arminians, who cry up the power of the will: they hold, they have a will to fave them- felves. But by nature, we not only want ftrength, Rom. v. 6. but we want will to that whicfi is good. The will is not only full of impotency, but obftinacy, Pf. lxxxi. 11. Iftael would none of me. The will hangs forth a flag of defiance again,!!: God. Such as fpeak of the fovereigi power of the will, forget Phil. ii. 13. // is i/'od that worketh in yon both to will and to do. If the power be in the will of man, then what needs God to work in us to will ? If the air can enlighten itfelf, what needs the fun to (hine ? Such as talk of the power of nature, and the ability they have to fave themfelves, they difparage Chrift's merits. I may fay, as Gal. v. 4. Chrift has beco?ne of no effeel to them. This I affirm, fuch as advance the power of their will in matters of laivation, without the medi- cinal grace of Chrift, do abfolutely put them- felves under the covenant of wotks. And now I would ask them, Can they perfectly keep the moral law ? Malum oritur ex quolibet defectu. If there be but the leaft defect in their obedience, they are gone : for one finful thought, the law of God curfeth them, and the juftice of God ar- raigns them. Confounded be their pride, who cry up the power of nature, as if, by their own inherent abilities, they could rear up a building, the top whereof fhould reach to heaven. Branch 2. It confutes a fort of people that brag of perfection ; and according to that prin- ciple, they can keep all God's commandments perfectly. MAN'S INABILITY TO If E E P THE MORAL LAW. 335 I would ask thefe, have they at no time a vain thought come into their mind ? If they have, then they are not perfect. The virgin Alary was not perfect ; though her womb were pure (being overmadowed with the Holy Ghoft) yet her foul was not perfect; Ghrift doth tacitely imply a failing in her, Luke ii. 49. And, are they more perfect than the bleflld virgin was ? Such as hold perfection, need not confefs fin. Z>tf *//'. fhall fi- nite contend with Infinite ? Job xl. 9. Haft thou an arm like God ? 2. God's wrath is terrible. Tfic Spani/h pro- verb is, The lion is not fo fierce as he is painted. We are apt to have flight thoughts of God's' wrath ; but it is very tremendous and difmal as if fcalding lead fhould bedropt in one's eye! The Hebrew word for wrath, Signifies heat. To fhow that the wrath of God is hot, therefore it is compared to fire in the text : fire, when it is in its rage, is dreadful (as we faw in the flames of this city.) So the wrath of God is like fire, it is the terrible of terribfes. .Other fire. 3-P WHAT S t N DESERVETH. fire is but painted to this : if» when God's wrath is kindled hut a little^ and a fpaik of it flies into a wicked man's confeience in this life, it is Co terrible ; what will it be when God flirs up all his wrath ? Pf. Ixxviii. 38. How fad is it with a foul in defertion ! Now God dips his pen in gall, and "writes bitter things : now his poifbned arrow flicks fart in the heart, Pf. Lvxxviii. 15, i 6. While Jfuffer thy terror s> lam difirafled, thy fierce lurath goeth over me. Luther, in defertion, was in fuch horror of mind, that, Nee calor, nee fanguis, fuperejfet ; he had no blood feen in his face, but he lay as one dead. Now, if God's wrath be fuch towards them whom he loves, what will it be towards them whom he hates ? If they who fip of the cup find it fo bitter, what will they do who drink the dregs of the cup ? Pf. Ixxv. 8. So- lomon faith, The wrath of a prince is as the roaring of a lion, Prov. xix. 12. What then is God's wrath ? when God mufters up all his forces, and fets himfelf in battalia againft a fin- ner, how can his heart endure ? Ezek. xxii. 14. Who is able to ly under mountains of wrath ? God i;S the fweetefl friend, but the foreft enemy. To fet forth the fearfujnefs of this wrath. (1.) The wrath of God fhall feizeupon every part of a finner : 1. Upon the body : the body, which was fo tender, it could not bear heat or cold, fhall be tormented in the wine-prefs of God's wrath ; thofe eyes, which before could only behold amorous objetts, fhall be torment- ed with the light of devils ; the ears, which before were delighted with mufic, fhall be tor- Rientcd with the hideous fhrieks of the damned. 2. The wrath of God mail feize upon the foul of a reprobate. Ordinary fire cannot touch the foul ; when the martyr's bodies were confuming, their fouls did triHinph in the flames ; but God's wrath bums the foul. 1. The memory fhall be rbrmented to remember what metins of grace have been abufed. 2. The confeience fhall be fermented with ftlf-accufations : the finner (hull -:ccu(e himfelf for prefuraptuous fins, for mif- fpending his precious hours, for refiA'mg the Holy Ghofr. (2,) The wrath of God is without intermif- flb'n. Hell is an abiding place, but no refting- place ; there's not a minute's reft. Outward p:iin hath fome abatement ; if it be the ftone or cholic, the patient hath Ibmetimcs eafe : but rhe torments of the damned have no intcrmif- Hon ; he that feels God's wrath, never faith, / have eafe. (3.) The wrath of God Is eternal. So faith the text, Everlafting fire. No tears can quench the flame of God's anger ; no though we could fined rivers of tears. In all pains of this life?, men hope for a ceffation, the furFerings will not continue long ; either the tormentor dies"* or the tormented ; but the wrath of God is al- ways feeding upon a finner. The terror of na- tural fire is, that it confumes what it burns : but this makes the fire of God's wrath terrible, that it doth not con fume what it burns. Sic morientur damnati ut femper vivunt, Bern. The finner fhall ever be in the furnace ; after innumerable millions of years the wrath of God is as far from ending, as it was at the beginning. If all the earth and P-ja were fand, and every thoufand years a bird fhould come and take a- way one grain of this find, it would be a long while ere that vail heap of fand were emptied ; but if after all that time the damned might come out of hell, there were fome hope : but this word ever breaks the heart. Qu. But how doth it fern to confift with Gods jufrice to punifh fin (which perhaps was committed in a moment) with eternal fire? Anf. In refpect of the heinous nature of fin. Confider the Per/on offended j 'tis crimen la?fce~ majefiatis : fin is committed againft an infinite majefty ; therefore the fin is infinite, and fb the punifhment muft be infinite. Now, becaufe the nature of man is but finite, and a finner cinnot at once bear infinite wrath, therefore he muft in eternity of time be farisfying what he cannot fatisfy at once. (4.) While the wicked ly fcorching in the flames of wrath, they have none to commiferate them. It is fome eafe of grief to have fome condole with us ; but the wicked have wrath and no pity fhown them. Who fhould pity them ? God will not pity them : they derided his Spirit, and now he will laugh at their cala- mity, Prov. i. 26. The faints will not pity them : they perfecuted the faints upon earth, therefore they will rejoyce to fee God's jufrice executed on them, Pf. lviii. 10. The righ- teous fhall re Joyce when he fee* the venge- ance. (c.) The finner under wrath hath none to fpeak a good word for him. An elect, perfon, when he fin?, hath one to intercede for him, 1 John ii. I. We have art advocate, Jefus Chrifl the righteous. Chrtft will fay, It is one of my friends, WHAT SIN D E S £ R V E T H. 34< friends, one whom I have (lied my blood for; Father, pardon him. But the wicked (that die in fin) have none to foiicit for them ; they have an accu/er, but no advocate : Chrift's blood will not plead for them ; they flighted Chrift, and refufed to come under his government, there- fore Chrift's blood cries againft them. 3. God's wrath is juft. The Greek word for vengeance, fignifies ju/iice. The wicked fhall drink a fea of wrath, but not one drop of in- juftice. 'Tis juft that God's honour be repair- ed, and how can that be but by punifhing of- fenders ? Having mown you what this wrath of God is, I (hall fliew you, 2. That we have deferred the curfe and wrath of God : he who infringeth the king's laws, deferves the penalty. Mercy goes by favour, punifhment by defert, Dan. ix. 8. To us belongeth confufion of face. Wrath is that which belongeth to us as we are ftnners ; it is as due to us, as any wages that are paid. life I. Of information. lfl. Branch. It juftifies God in condemning finners at the laft day. Sinners deferve wrath, and it is no in- juftice to give them that which they deferve. If a malefactor deferves death, the judge doth him no wrong in condemning him. 2d. Branch. See what a great evil fin is, which expofeth a perfbn to God's wrath for e- ver. You may know the lion by his paw : and you may know what an evil thing fin is, by the wrath and curfe it brings. When you fee a man drawn upon an hurdle to execution, you conclude he is guilty of fome capital crime that brings fuch a punifhment : when a man lies under the torrid zone of God's wrath, and roars out in flames ; then fay, How horrid an evil fin is ! They who now fee no evil in fwearing, or fabbath-breaking, they will fee it look black in the glafs of bell-torments. 3*/. Branch. See here an hand-writing upon the wall ; here is that which may check a fin- ner's mirth. He is now brifk and frolicK, he chants to the found of the vi //vz* be- lieveth nif an the Son of Cod, the wrAth of God abideth on him. He who believes not in the Wftod of the Lamb, muft feel the wrath of the Lamb. 1 he Gentiles that believe not in Chrift, will be as well damned as the Jews who blaf- pheme him. And if unbeiief be lb fearful and damnable a fin, fliall we not be afraid to live in it ? id. Branch. Above all graces, ft faith a-work on Chrift, John iii. 15. Thai whofoevcr believeth c> him foould not perifli. Eph. vi. 16. Above ,', taking the Jljield of faith. Sajr as queen EJiber, I will go in into the king ; and if I perijh, I pcrijh. She had nothing to encourage her, ihe ventured again IT: law, yet the golden fceptre was held forth to her. We have promifes to cncoui age our faith, John vi. 37. He that cometh unto me, I will in no wife cajl out. Let us then advance faith by an holy recumbency on Chrift's merits. Chrift's blood will notjuftify without believing : they are both put together in the text, faith hi his blood. The blood of God, without faith in God, will not five. Chrift's fufferings are the plainer to heal a fin-fick foul, but this plaifter rauft be applied by faith. It is not money in a rich man's hand, though offered to us, will inrich its, unlefs we receive it. So it is not ChriiVs virtues or benefits will do us good, unlefs we receive them by the hand of faith. Above all graces, fet faith on work ; remember this grace is moll acceptable to God, and that upon many accounts. (1.) Becaufe it is a God-exalting grace: it glorifies God, Rom. iv. 20. Abraham being Jlrong in faith, gave glory to God. To believe that there is more mercy in God, and merit in Chrift, than fin in us, and that Ghrift hath anfwered all the demands and challenges of the law, and that his blood hath fully fatisfied for us ; this is an high degree to honour God. Faith in the mediator brings more glory to God, than martyrdom or the molt heroic acT: of obedience. (2.) Faith in Chrift is lb acceptable to God, becaufe it is fuch a felf- denying grace ; it makes a man go out ofhimlelf, renounce all flf-righ- teoufnels, and wholly rely on Ghrift for julfi- fication. Faith is very humble; it confdleth its own indigence, and lives wholly upon Chrift. As the bee fucks fweetnefs fom the flower, Co faith fucks all its ftrength and comfort from Ghrift. (3.) Faith is a grace fo acceptable to God, becaufe by faith we prelent a righteoufnefs to God which doth belt pleafe him : we bring the righteoufnefs of Chrift into the court, which L; called the righteoufnefs of God, 2 Cor. v. 21. To bring Chrift's righteoufnefs, is to bring Bcnjamhie with us. A believer may fay, Lord, it is not the righteoufnefs of Adam, or of the Angels, but of Chrift who is God-man, that I bring before thee. The Lord cannot cboofe but fmeli a fweet favour in Chrift's righteoufnefs. Ufa If. Trial. Let us try our faith; there is fomething that looks like faith, and is nor. Pliny faith, there is a Cyprian ftone, which is in colour, like a diamond, but it is not of the right kind: there is a f.iife ipurious faith in the world. Some plants have the fame leaf with others, bur the Herbaiift can diftinguilli them by the root and tafte ; ibmething may look like true faith, but it may be diftinguifhed fcveral ways. (1.) Trial. True faith is grounded upon knowledge: knowledge carries the torch before faith. There is a knowledge of Chrift's orient excellencies, Phil. iii. 8. He is all made up of love and beauty. True faith is a judicious intelligent grace, it knows whom it believes, and why it believes. Faith is feated as well in the underftanding as the will : it hath art eye to fee Chrift, as well as a wing to fly to him. Such therefore as are invailed with ignorance, or have only an implicite faith, to believe as the Church believes, ■ have no true genuine faith. (2.) Faith lives in a broken heart, Mark ix. 24. He cried out with tears, Lord, I believe. True faith is always in an heart bruifed lor fin : fuch therefore, whofe hearts were never touched for fin, have no faith. If a phyfician (hould tell us, there were an herb would help us againft all infections, but it always grows in a watery place : if we Ihould fee a herb like it in colour, leaf, fmell, bloflom, but it grows upon a rock, we would conclude this were the wrong herb. So laving faith doth always grow in an heart humbled for fin ; it grows in a weeping eye, watery confidence : therefore, if there be a (hew of faith, but it grows upon a rock, an hard- impenitent heart, this is not the true faith. (3.) True faith is at firft nothing, but an Embryo f O F F A T H. Embryo, it Is minute and fmall > it is full of doublings, temptations, fears : it begins in weaknefs. It is like the fmoking flax, Mat. xii. 20. It fmokes with defires, but doth not flame with comfort ; it is at fir A fo fmall, that it is fcarce difcernable. Such as at the firft dafh have a ftrong perfuafion that Chrift is theirs, who leap out of fin into affurance, their faith is falfe and fpurious: that faith, which is come to its full ftaiure on its birth-day, is a monfter. The Cca.\ that fprang up fuddenly withered^ Mat. xiii. 3. (4.) Faith is a refining grace, it confecrates and purifies. Moral virtue may wafh them outfide, Faith wafheth the infide, Acls xv. 9. Having purified their hearts by faith, Faith makes the heart a facrary or temple with this infeription, bolinefs to the Lord, fuch, whole hearts have legions ofluft, in them, were ne- ver acquainted with the true faith. For one to fay, he hath faith, yet lives in fin ; is, as if one fhould fay, he were in health, yet his vitals arc periihed. Faith is a virgin-grace, it is jo'tn.d with fanctity, 1 Tim. iii. 9. Holding the my fiery of faith in a pwe confeience. The jew,el of faith is always put in the cabinet of a pure con- feience. The woman that touched Chrift: by faich, fetched an healing and cleanfing virtue from him. (5.) True faith is obediential, Rom. xvi. 26. The obedience of faith. Faith melts our will into the will of God. If God commands duty (though crofs to fiefh and blood) faith obeys, Heb. xi. 8. By faith Abraham obeyed. Faith doth not only believe the promife, but obey the command. It is not having a fpeculative knowledge will evidence you to be believers : the devil hath knowledge ; but that which' makes him a devil is, he wants obedience. (6.) True Faith is encreafing, Rom. i. 17. From faith to faith, i. e. From one degree of faith to another. Faith doth not lie in the heart, as a ("tone in the earth ; but, as feed in the earth, it grows. Jofeph of Arhnathea was a difciple of Chrift, bur afraid to confefs him; afterwards he went boldly to Pilate and begged the Irody of Jefus. John xix. 36. And a Cbrif- ti.ua's incrcale in faith is known two ways : (• By fl.'dfaflnefs- he is a pillar in the temple of God, Col. ii. 7. Rooted and built up in him ; and frabJijojd in the faith. Unbeliever; are fee p ticks in religion, they are unfeuled ; they queitkm every truth: but, when faith is on the inc'rtaifmg hand, it doth flabilire animum. it doth corroborate a Chriftian ; he is able to prove his principles ; he holds no more than. he will die for : as that martyr-woman faid, / cannot difpnte for C.hri/f but I can burn for him. An increafmg faith is not like a fhip in the midft of the fea, that fluctuates, and is toffed upon the waves ; but like a fhip at anchor, which is firm and ftedfiift. 2- A Chriftian 's increafe in faith is known by flrength : he can do that now, which he could not do before. "When one is man-grown, lie can do that which he was not able to do when he was a child; he can carry an heavier burden ; fo a Chriftian can bear crofies with patience. Obj. But J fear I have no faith, ii isfo -j;eak ? Anf. If you have faith, though but in it-, infancy, be not difcouraged: For, (1.) A little faith is faith, as a fpark of fire is fire. (2.) A weak faith may lay hold on a ftrong Chrifr ; a weak hand can tyc the knot in marriage, as well as a ftrong. She, in the gofpel, who but touched Chrift, fetched virtue from him. (3.) The promifes are not made to ftrong faith, but, to true. The promife doth not fay, he who hath a giant faith, who can believe God's Xoyk, through a frown, who can rejoice in affliction, who can work wonders, remove mountains, ftop the mouth of lions, fhall be faved ; but, whofoever believes, be his Faith never fo fmaii. A reed is but weak, efpecially when it is bruifed , yet the promife is made to it. Mat. xii. 2c. A bruifed reed will he not break. (4.) A weak faith may be fruitful. Weakeft things multiply molt. The vine is a weak plant, but it is fruitful. The thief's crofs, which was newly converted, was but weak in grace ; but how many precious clufters grew upon that tender plant ! Luke xxiii. 40. he chides his fellow-tlvief, Dofl thou not fear God? He judgeth hi'mfelf, We indeed fuffcr juflly. He believes in Chr;!h when he laid, Lord. He makes a heaveniv prayer. Remember me, -when thou comefl into thy kingdom. Weak Chriftians may have ftrong affections. How ftrong is the firft love, which is after the firft planting of faith! (sV The weakeft believer is a member of Chrift, us well as the ftrongeft ; and the weakeft member of the body myftical fhall not perifb. Chrift will cut oifrottcn members, bur not weak rhembe< s. Therefore, Ghriitian, be not difcouraged : God, who would have us receive them that arc weak k r 2 ; •■ p< OF REPENTANCE. in faith., Rom. xiv. i. will not himfelf refufe the curie and wrath due to fin, is by re- them. pentance. II. The fecond means whereby we efcape OF REPENTANCE. Acts xi. 18. Then hath God aljo to the Gentiles granted Repentance unto Life. REPENTANCE feems to be a bitter pill to take, but it is to purge out the bad humour of fin. Repentance is, by fome Antl- nomlan fpirirs, cried down as a legal doctrine ; but Chrift himfelf preached it, Matth.'w. 17. FrdM that time J ejus began to preach, and Jay, Repent, &c. And, in his la ft farewel, when he was afcending to heaven, he commanded that Repentance Jhould be preached in his name, Luke xxiv. 37. Repentance is a pure Gofpel grace. The covenant of -works would not admit of re- pentance : it curfed all that could not perform perfect and perfonal obedience, Gal. iii. 10. Repentance comes in by the Gofpel ; it is the fruit of Chrift's purchafe, that repenting finners (hall be laved. Repentance is wrought by the miniftry of the Gofpel, while it fets before our eyes Chrift crucified. Repentance is not arbi- trary, but necejjary ; there is no being faved without it, Luke xiii. 3. Except ye repent, ye flyall all likewije perifly. And we may be thank- ful to God, that he hath left us this plank after fhi p wreck. (r.) I fhall mow the counterfeits of repen- tance. 1. Natural Joftnefs and tendernefs of fpirit. Some have a tender affection, arifmg from their complexion, whereby they are apt to weepand relent when they fee any object of pity. Thefe are not repenting tears t for many weep to fee another's mifery, who cannot weep at their own fin. 2. Counterfeit, Legal affright fnents. A man hath lived in a courfe of fin ; at laft he is made a little fenfible, he fees hell ready to devour him, and he is filled with anguifh and horror ; but, within a while, the tempeft of confeience is blown over, and he is quiet : then he con- cludes he ks a true penitent, becaufe he hath felt fome bitternefs in fin : this is not repen- tance. Judas had fome trouble of mind. If anguifh and trouble were fufficient to repent- ance, then the damned mould be moft penitent, for they arc moft in anguifh of mind. There may be trouble of mind, where there is no grieving for the offence againft God. 3. Counterfeit, a flight Juperficial forrow. When God's hand lyes heavy upon a man (he is fick or lame) he may vent a figh or tear, and fay, Lord, have mercy ; yet this is no true repentance. Ahab did more than all this, 1 Kings xxi. 27. He rent his clothes, and faftei, and lay in fackcloth, and went foftly. His clothes were rent, but not his heart. The eye may be watery, and the heart flinty. An apri- cock may be foft without, but it hath an hard ftone within. 4. Counterfeit, Good motions ariflng in the heart. Every good motion is not repentance. Some think, if they have motions in their hearts to break off their fins, and become religious, this is repentance. As the devil may ftir up bad motions in the godly, fo the fpirit of God may ftir up good motions in the wicked. Herod had many good thoughts and inclinations ftirred up in him by John Baptifl's preaching, yet he did not truly repent, for he ftill lived in inceft. 5. Counterfeit, vows and refolutions. What vows and folemn proteftations do fome make in their ficknefs, if God recover them, they will be new men, but afterwards are as bad as ever \ Jer. ii. 20. Thou faidjl, I will not tranjgrefs ; here was a refolution : but for all this, fhe'ran after her idols; Under every green tree thou wanderejl, playing the harlot. 6. Counterfeit, Leaving off Jome grojs Jin. But that is a miftake : for, (1.) A man may leave fome fins, and keep other. Herod did reform many things amifs, but kept his Hero- dias. (2.) An old fin may be left, to entertain- a new. A man may leave off riot and prodi- gality, and turn covetous : this is to exchange a fin. Thefe are the counterfeits of repentance. Now, OF REPENTANCE. 3$7 Nov, if youfi»d that yours is a counterfeit re- pentance, and you have not repented aright, mend what you have done amifs : as in the body, if a bone be fet wrong, the chirurgeon hath no ways but to break it again, and fet it right : fo rauft you do by your repentance ; if you have not repented aright, you mull have your heart broken again in a godly manner, and be more deeply afflicted for fin than ever. And that brings me to the fecond, to fhow wherein true repentance confifts,ki two things) ift. Humiliation ; Lev. xxvi. 41. If their uncircumcifed hearts be humbled. There 'n (as the fchoolmen) a twofold humiliation, or break- ing of the heart. 1. Attrition ,• as when a rock is broken in pieces. This is done by the law, which is an hammer to break the heart. 2. Contrition ; as when ice is melted into water. This is done by the Qofpel, which is as a fire to melt the heart, Jer. xxiii. 9. It is the fenfe of abufed kindnefs caufeth contrition. 2dly. Tram formation, or change , Rom. xii. 2. Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. Repentance works a change in the whole man : as wine put into a glafs where water is, the wine runs into every part of the water, and changeth its colour and tafte ? fo true repentance doth not reft in one part, but diffufe and fpread itfilf into every part. 1. Repentance caufeth a change in the mind. Whereas, before a man did like well of fin, and fay in defence of it, as Jonah, I did wmll to be angry, chap. ii. 9. So, I did well to fwear, and break the fabbath. When once a man becomes a penitent, his judgment is changed, he now looks upon fin as the greateft evil. The Greek word for repentance, fignifies after-wifdcm ; when, having fcen how deformed and damna- ble a thing fin is, we change our mind. Paul, before converfion, verily thought he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jefus, Jcls xxvi. 9. But, when he became a penitent, now he was of another mind, Phil. iii. 8. / count all things but lors for the excellency of the knowledge of Chrif} Jefus. Repentance caufeth a change of judgment. 2. Repentance caufeth a change in the af- fections, which move under the will as the commander in chief. Repentance doth meta- morphofe the affections. It turns rejoycing in fin into forrow for fin : it turns boldnefs in fin into holy fhame : it turns the love of fin into hatred. As Amnion hated Tamar more than ever he loved her, 2 Sam. xiii. 15. So the true penitent hateth fin more than ever he Ipved ir, Pf cxix. 104, / hate every fa Ife way. 3. Repentance works a change in the life, Tho' repentance begins at the heart, it doth not reft there, but goes into the life. I fay, it be- gins at the heart, Jer. iv. 14. 0 Jerufalem, u'rf/2r thy heart. If the fpring be corrupt, there can. no pure dream run from it. But, tho' repen- tance begins at the heart, it doth not reft; there, but changeth the life. What a change did re- pentance make in Paul! it changed a perfecutor into a preacher. What a change did it make in the jay lor ? Acls xvi. 33. He took the apo- ftles, and warned their ftripes, and fet meat be- fore them. What a change did it make in Mary Magdalene P She that before did kifs her lovers with wanton embraces, now kifleth Child's feet; flie that did ufe to curl her hair, and diefs it with cofUy jewels, now fhe makes it a towel to wipe Chaffs feet ; her eyes that ufed to fparkle with luft, and with impure glance? to entice her lovers, now fhe makes them a fountain of tears to wafh her Saviour's feet; her tongue, that ufed to fpeak vainly and loofely, now it is an inftrument fet in tune to praife God. And this change of life hath two things in it ; (1.) The terminus a quo, a breaking off flu, Dan. iv. 27. Break off thy fins by rig hte 01 fiefs. And this breaking off fin mult have three qua- lifications ; 1. It muft be uuiverfal, a breaking off all fin. One dileafe may kill as well as more. The real penitent breaks off fecret, gainful, complexion fins : he takesthe facrificing knife of mortification, and runs it through the heart of his deareft lufts. 2. Breaking off fin muft be fincere; it muft not be out of fear or defign, but upon fpiritual grounds : as, ifi. From antipathy and difgufi. idly. From a principle of love to God. If fin had not fuch evil effects, yet a true penitent would forfiike it out of love to God. The beft way to ieparate things that are frozen, is by fire. When fin and the heart are frozen toge- ther, the beft way to feparate them is the fire of love. Shall I fin againft a gracious Father, and abufe that love which pardons me ? idly. The breaking off fin muft be perpetual, fo as never to have to do with fin any more, Haf xiv„ 8. What have I to do any more with idols ? Repentance is a fpiritual divorce, which muft: be till death. (2.) Change of life hath in it terminus ad quern, a returning unto the Lord : it is called repentance- 34« OF R E P E N T:A N G E. repentance towards Cod, Acts xx. 2 1 . Tis jh i enough, when we repent, to leave old fins'; but we r.uift engage in God's fervice : as when the wind leaves the welt, it turns into a con- trary corner. The repenting prodigal did not only leave his harlots, but did arife and go to Ins fit her, Luke xxv. 18. In true repentance the heart points directly to God, as the needle to ihe North pole. Ufe. Let U3 all fet upon the great work of- repentance ; let us repent fincerely and fpeedily : let us repent of all our fins, our pride, ra!h an- ger, unbelief. Without repentance Ho reiwffion ; it is not confident with the holinefs of God's nature, to pardon a finner while he is in the act of rebellion. O meet God, not with wea- pons, but tears in your eyes. And, to ftir you up to a melting, penitent frame, 1. Confider, what is there in fin, that you (l)ould continue in the practice of it ? It is the dCcurje'd thing, Jofn. vii. 1 1. It is the fpiritsof mifchief diftllleJ. (i.) It defiles the foul's glory ; it is like a (tain to beauty : 'tis com- pared to a plague-fore, i Kings viii. 3S. No- thing fo changeth one's glory into lhame, as fin. (2.) Without repentance, fin tends to fi- nal damnation. Peccatum tranfit aclu manet reatu.— S'm at firft fhews its colour in the glafs, but afterwards it bites like a ferpent. Thofe locufts, Rev. ix- 7. were an emblem of fin ; On their heads were crowns like gold, and they had hair as the ha'v of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions, and there were flings in their tails. Sin unrepented of ends ni a tragedy. Sin hath the devil for its father, fhame for its companion, and death for its wages, Rom. vi. 23. What is there in fin then, that men mould continue in it? Say not, it is fweet : who would defire that pleafure which kills ? 2. Repentance is very plcafi ng to God ; no fac;ifice like a broken heart, Pf. li. 17. A con- trite and a broken heart, 0 Cod, thou wilt not defpife. St. Auftin caufed this fentence to be Written over his bed when he was fick. When the widow brought empty veficls to Elifha, the oil was poured into them, 2 Kings iv. 6. Bring Cod the broken vdjfelofa contrite heart, and he will pour in the oil of mercy. Repenting tears are the joy of God and ar.gels, Luke xv. Doves delight to be about the waters ; and furely God's Spirit (who once defcended in the iikenefs of a dove) takes great defight in the <\.iL'vT3 of repentance. Mary Jlood at Jfus feet weeping, Luke vi, , 38. She brought tw<3 things to Ghrilt, tears and ointment ; her tears were more precious to Ghrilt than her ointment. 3. Repentance ufhers in pardon; thei they are joined together, Atts v. 31. iRtpfat*. ance \akd rcmijfion. Pardon of fin is the richefr bkffing; it is enough to make a fick man wkt of the word in our heads, but the power of THE WORD READ AND PREACHED, HOW EFFECTUAL? 35* of the word in our hearts. Let us endeavour to Have the word copied out, and written a fecond time in our hearts, Pf. xxxvii. 31. The law of Cod is in his heart. The word faith, Be clothed with humility, 1 Pet. v. 5. Let us be low and humble in our own eyes. The word calls for ihnctity ; Let us labour to partake of the divine nature, and to have fomething conceived in us which is of the holy Chaff 2 Pet. i. 4. When the word is thus copied out into our hearts, and we are changed into the fimilitude of it, now the word written is made effectual to us, and becomes a favour of life. 7. & ult. When we read the holy feriptures, let us look up to God for a b'eiung ; beg the fpirit of wifdom and revelation, that we may fee the deep things of Cod, Eph. i. 17. Pray to God, that the fame Spirit that wrote the fcripture, would enable us to underfland it : Pray that God will give us that, 2 Cor. ii. 14. that favour of knowledge, that we may relifh a fweetnefs in the word we read, uavid tailed it fweeter than the honey -comb, Pf. xix. to. Let us pray that God will not only give us his word as a rule of holinefs, but his grace as a principle of holinefs. 2d. Branch of the 2d. Quefnon. How may we fo hear the word, that it nuy be effectual and faving to our fouls ? Anf. 1. Give greater attention to the word preached ; let nothing pafs without taking fpe- cial notice of it, Luke xix. 48. All the people were xtery attentive to hear him, they hanged upon his lip. Acts xvi. 14. Lydia, a feller of purple, which worf Zipped Cod, heard us, whofe heart the Lord opened, that floe attended to the things which were fpoken of Paul. Give atten- tion to the word, as to a matter of life and death : and, to that purpofe, have a care, (1.) To banilh. vain impertinent thoughts, which will di /tract you, and take you off from the work in hand. Thefe fowls will be coming to the facrifice, Gen. xv. 11. therefore we muft drive them away. An archer may take aright aim ; but if one {land at his elbow, and jog him when he is going to moot, he will not hit the mark : Chriftians may have good aims in hearing ; but take heed of impertinent thoughts which will jog and hinder you in God's Ccr- vice. (2.) Banilh dulnefs. The devil gives many hearers a fleepy fop, they cannot keep their eyes open at a fermon : they eat Co much on a Lord's day, that they are fitter for the pillow and couch, than the temple. Frequent and cuftomary fleeping at a fermon, (hows high contempt and irreverence of the ordinance : it gives bad example to others ; it makes your lincerity to be called in queftion ; it is the de- vil's fed-time, Mattb. xiii. 25. While men flept, the enemy came and fowed tares. Oh (hake off drowfinefs, as Paul (hook off the viper ! Be fe- rious and attentive in hearing the word, Deut. xxxii. 47. For it is not a vain thing for you, it is your life. When people do not mind what God fpeaks to them in his word, God doth as little mind what they fay- to him in prayer. 2. If you would have the word preached ef- fectual, come with an holy appetite to the word, 1 Pet. ii. 2. The this fling foul is the thriving foul. In nature, one may have an appetite, and no digeftion : but it is not fo in religion ; where there is a great appetite to the word, there is for the moft part digeftion, the word doth concoct and nourilh. Come with hungerings of foul after the word : and therefore defire the word, that it may not only pleafe you, but profit you. Look not more at the garnifhing of the difli than the meat, at eloquence and rhetoric more than folid matter. It argues both a wanton palate, and furfeited ftomach, to feed on fallads and kickfhaws, rather than wholfonie food. 3. If you would have the preaching of the word effectual, come to it with a tenderne!", upon your heart, 2 Chron. xxxiv. 19. Becaufe thy heart was tender. If we preach to hard hearts, it is like (hooting againft a brazen wall, the word doth not enter ; it is like fetting a gold feal upon marble, which takes no impreflion. Oh come to the word preached with a melting frame of heart ! it is the melting wax receives the ftamp of the feal : when the heart is in a melting frame, it will better receive the ftamp of the word pieached: when Paul's heart was melted and broken for fin, then, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do P Acts ix. 6. Come not hither with hard hearts: who can expect a crop when the Ceed is fown upon (tony ground ? 4. If you would have the word effectual, re- ceive it with meeknefs, fames i. 21. Receive with meeknefs the ingrafted word. Meeknefs is a fubmiffive frame of heart to the word, a willingnefs to hear the counfels and reproofs of the word. Contrary to this meeknefs, is, (i .) Fiercenefs of fpirit, whereby men are ready to rife up in rage againft the \Vord. Proud men, and guilty, cannot endure to hear of their fauiu Proud Keroa put John m-prifoq, Mu'rkxW, 12. S f The 352 THE WORD READ AND PREACHED, HOW EFFECTUAL? The guilty Jews being told of their crucifying Chriil, ftoned Stephen, Acts ix. §7. To tell men of fin, is to hold a glafs to one that is de- formed, who cannot endure to fee his own face. (2.) Contrary to meeknefs is flubbornnefs of heart, whereby men are refolved to hold fall their fins, let the word fay what it will, Jer. xliv. 16. IV e will bum incenfe to the queen of heaven. Oh take heed of this ! if you would have the word preached work effectually, lay a- fide fiercenefs and Itubbornnefs, receive the word with meeknefs. By meeknefs the word preached comes to be ingrafted. As a good ci- on that is ingrafted in a bad flock, doth change the nature of the fruit, and make it tafte fweet ; fo when the word comes to be ingrafted into the foul, it fanclifies it, and makes it bring forth the fweet fruit of righteoufnefs. 5. Mingle the word preached with faith, Heb. iv. 2. The word preached profited not, not being mixed with faith. If you leave out the chief ingredient in a medicine, it hinders the opera- tion : do not leave out this ingredient of faith. Believe the word, and fo believe it as to apply it. When you hear Ghrifl preached, apply him to yourfelves ; this is to put on the Lord Jefus, Rom. xiii. 14. when you hear a promife fpoken of, apply it ; this is to fuck the flower of the promife, and turn it to honey. 6. Be not only attentive in hearing, but re- tentive after hearing, Heb. ii. 1 . IVe ought to give the more diligent heed to the things we have heard, left at any time we let them flip. Left we fhould let them run out, as water out of a fieve : if the ground doth not retain the feed fown into it, there can be no good crop. Some have memories like leaking veffels, the termons they hear are prefently gone, and then there is no good done. If meat doth not flay and con- coct on the flomach, it will not nourifh. Satan labours to Ileal the word out of our mind, Mark iv. 15. U hen they have heard, Satan comet h immediately, and taketh away the word that was fown. Our memories fhould be like the chefl of the ark wherein the kw was put. 7. Reduce your hearing to practice ; live the fermons you hear, Pfi cxix. 166. 1 have done thy commandments. Rachel was not content that fhe was beautiful, tut her defire was to be fruitful. What is a knowing head without a fruitful heart ! Phil. i. 1 1 . Filled with the fruits of righteoufnefs. It is obedience crowns hear- ing : that hearing will never fave the foul, which doth not reform the life. 8. Beg of God that he will accompany his word with his prefence and bleffing. The fpi- rit mufl make all effectual : miniflers may pre- fcribe phyfic, but it is God's Spirit mufl make it work. " He hath his pulpit in heaven that " converts fouls," Aufiin. Acls x. 44. While Peter was fpeaking, the holy Ghoft fell on all them that heard. It is faid, the alchymifl can draw oil out of iron. God's fpirit can produce grace in the mofl obdurate heart. 9. If you would have the word work effectu- ally to your falvation, make it familiar to you, difcourfe of the word you have heard when you come home, Pf cxix. 172. My tongue r fh all fpeak of thy word. That may be one reafon why fome people get no more good by what they hear, becaufe they never fpeak one to an- other of what they have heard : as if fermons were fuch fecrets, that they mufl not be fpoken of again ; or as if it were a fhame to fpeak of matters of falvation, Mai. iii. 16. They that feared the Lord fpake often one to another, and a book of remembrance was written. Ufe. Caution. Take heed, as you love your fouls, that the word become not ineffectual to you. There are fome to whom the word preach- ed is ineffectual. (1.) Such ascenfure the word; inflead of judging themfelves, judge the word. (2.) Such as live in contradiction to the word, Jfa. xxx. 8. (3.) Such as are more hardened by the word, Zech. vii. II. They ?nade their hearts as an adamant. And when men harden their hearts wilfully, God hardens them judici- ally, Ifa. vi. 8. Make their ears heavy. The word to thefe is ineffectual : were it not fad, if a man's meat fhould not nourifh ; nay, if it fhould turn to poifon ? Oh ! take Iced that the word preached be not ineffectual and tonopur- pofe. Confider three things. (i.) If the word preached doth us no good, there is no other way by which we can be faved. This is God's inftitution, and the main engine he ufeth fo convert fouls, Luke xvi. 31. If they hear not Mofes and the prophets, neither will they be perfuaded tho' one rofe from the dead. If an angel fhould come to you out of heaven, and preach of the excellency of the glorified e- flate, and the joys of heaven, and that in the mofl pathetical manner ; if the word preached doth not perfuade, neither would you be wrought upon by fuch an oration from heaven. Ifa damned fpirit fhould come from hell, and preach to you in flames, and tell you what a place hell is, and roar out the torments of the * damned, OF BAPTISM. 35: damned, it might make you tremble, but it would not convert, if the preaching of the word would not do it. (2.) To come to the word, and not be faving- ly wrought upon, is that which the devil is pleafed with ; he cares not though you hear frequently, if it be not effectually : he is not an enemy to hearing, but profiting. Though the minifter holds out the breads of the ordinances • to you, he cares not as long as you do not fuck the fincere milk of the word. The de- vil cares not how many fermon-pills you take, Co long as they do not work upon your con- fcience. (3.) If the word preached be not effectual to mens converfion, it will be effectual to their condemnation : the word will be effectual one way or other; if it doth not make your heam better, it will make your chains heavier. We pity them who have not the word preached, but it will be worfe with them who are not fincti- fied by it : dreadful is their cafe, who go loaden to hell with fermons. But I will conclude with the apoftle, Heb. vi. 9. I am perfuadtd better things of you, and things that accompany fal- vation. OF BAPTISM. Matth. xxviii. 19. Go ye therefore, and teach all Nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft : Teaching them WE are ftiil upon that queltion in the ca- techifm, " What are the outward means whereby " Chrifl communicateth to us the benefits cf " redemption P " Anf. They are his ordinances, efpecially " the word, facraments, and prayer." I have fpoken to the firft, The word preached. I now proceed to the fecond. II. The way whereby Chrifl communicateth to us the benefits of redemption, is, in the ufe of the facraments. Qu. 1. What are facraments in general ? Anf They are vifible figns of invifible grace. Qu. 2. Is not the word of God fufficient to fa hat ion ? What need then is there of facra- ments ? Anf. We muft not be wife above what is written : this may fatisfy, it is God's will, that his church mould have facraments ; and it is God's goodnefs, thus by facraments to conde- fcend to our weak capacities, John iv. 48. Ex- cept ye fee figns, ye will not believe. God, to ftrcngthen our faith, confirms the covenant of grace, not only by promifes, but by facramental figns. Qu. 3. What are the facraments of the New Tefiament ? Anf Two : baptifm, and the Lord's fupper. Qu. 4. But are there no more ? the papifts tell cf five more, viz. confirmation, penance, matrimony, orders, and the extreme uncJion. Anf 1. There were but two facraments un- der the law, therefore there are no more now, t Cor. x. 2, 3,4. 2. Thefe two facraments are fufficient : the one fignifying our entrance into Chrift, and the other our growth and perfeverance in him. ( 1 .) I begin with the firft facrament, Baptifm. Co ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptiz- ing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft, teaching them Go teach all nations : the Greek word is, Make difciples of all nations. If it be afked, how fhould we make them difciples ? It folIows) Baptizing them, and teaching them. In a hea- then nation, Firft teach them, and then baptize them ; but in a Chriflian church, Firft baptize them, and then teach them. Qu. 5. What is baptifm} Anf In general, it is a matriculation, or vi fible admiffion of children into the congrega- tion of Chrift's flock: more 'particularly, Bap- tifin is a facrament, wherein the walking or fprinkling with water, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, doth ftgnify and feat our ingrafting into Chrift, and partaking of the be- nefits of the covenant of grace, and our engage- ment to be the Lord's. Qu. 6. What is the meaning of the parent in prefenting his child to be baptized > Anf The partni, in prefenting his child to S Cz be 354 OF BAPTIS M. he baptized, doth, (r.) Make a public acknow- ledgement of original fin ; that the foul of his child is polluted, therefore needs warning away of lin by Chi ill's blood and fpirit ; both which wafhings are fignih'ed by the fprinkling of water in baptifm. (2.) The parent, by bringing his child to be baptized, doth folemnly devote his child to the Lord, and inrol him in God's fa- mily : and truly this may be a great (atisfacYion to a religious parent, that he hath given up his child to the Lord in baptifm. How can a parent look with comfort on that child, who was never yet dedicated to God r Qu. 7. What is the benefit then of baptifm ? Anf The party baptized hath, (1.) An en- trance into the vifible body of the church. (2.) The party baptized hath a right fealed to the ordinances, which is a privilege full of glory, Rom. ix. 4. (3.) The child baptized is under a more fpecial providential care of Chrifl, who appoints the tutelage of angels to be the in- fants life-guard. Qu. 8. Is this all the benefit ? Anf. No : to fuch as belong to the election, baptifm is a feal of the righteoufnefs of faith, Rom. iv. 11. a laver of regeneration, and a badge of adoption. Qu. 9. How doth it appear that children have a right to baptifm ? ■ Anf Children are parties of the covenant of grace. The covenant was made with them, Gen. xvii. 7. I will eft ablifh my covenant between me and thee, and thy feed after thee for an ever- lafting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and thy feed after thee, And Ails ii. 39. The promife is to you and to your children. The covenant cf grace may be confidered either, (i.) More flrictly, as an abfolute promife to give faving grace ; and fo none but the elect are in covenant with God. Or, (2. ) More largely, as a covenant containing in it many outward glorious privi- leges, in which refpectthe children of believers do belong to the covenant of grace: the promiCe is to you and to your feed. The infant-feed of believers may as well lay a claim to the cove- nant of grace as their parents ; and having a right to the covenant, they cannot juflly be denied baptifm, which is the feal. I would ask this queftion of them who deny infant baptifm, It is certain the children of believers were once vifibly in covenant with God, and did receive the feal of their admiffion into the church ; now, where do we find this covenant-interefl, er church-memberihip of infants was ever re- pealed or made void ? Certainly Jefus Chri'ft did not come to put believers and their children into a worfe condition than they were in before. If the children of believers fhould not be bap- tized, then they are in a worfe condition now, than they were in before Chrifl's coming.-—- Before I come to prove the baptifing of infants, I fhall anfwer the objections made agamfl it. Obj. 1. The fcripture is fi lent herein, and doth not mention infant -baptifm. Anf. Though there is not the word infant- baptifm in fcripture, yet there is the thing : there is not mention made in fcripture of wc- mens receiving the facrament ; but who doubts but the command, Take, eat, this is my body, concerns them ? Doth not their faith need flrengthning as well as others ? So the word Trinity is not to be found in fcripture, but there is that which is equivalent, 1 John v. 7. There are 'Three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghofi ,• and thefe Three are One. So, though the word infant'" baptifm is not mentioned in fcripture, yet the practice of baptifing infants, may be drawn out of fcripture by undeniable confequence. Qu. How is that proved ? Anf. The fcripture mentions whole families baptized: as thehoufhold of Lydia, Crifpus, and the jaylor, Acts xvi. 34. He was baptized, he and all his. Wherein we mull rationally ima- gine that there were fome little children. If it be laid, there is no mention there made of children : I anfwer, neither are fervants named : yet it cannot be fuppoled but that, in fo great a family, there were Ibme fervants. Obj. 2- But Infants are not capable of the end of Baptifm : For baptifm flgnifies the wafioing away of fin by the blood of Chrifl. Now in- fants cannot underfland this ; therefore, what benefit can baptifm be to the?n ? Anf Whereas it is laid, infants cannot un- derfland the myflery of baptifm, neither could the child that was to be circumcifed underfland circumcifion ; yet the ordinance otcircumcifian was not to be omitted or deferred. An infant, though it underfland not the meaning of bap- tifm, yet it may partake of the bleffing of bap- tifm. The little children that Chrifl took in his arms, underflood not Chrifl's meaning, but they had Chi ifl's blefTing, Mark x. 16. He put his hands upon them and bleffed them. Qu. But what benefit can the child have of baptifm, if it underftands not the nature of 'baptifm? 4"fi OF BAPTISM, \6S Anf. It may have a right to the promife fealed op, which it fliall have an actual intereit in when it comes to have faith. A legacy may be of ufe to the child in the cradle j though it now underftand not the legacy, yet when it is grown up to years, it is fu!Iy jJoffefled of It. But it may be further objected ; Obj. The party to be baptized, is to be engaged t& God; but how can the child engage? Anf. The parents can engage for it, which God is plea fed to accept as equivalent to the child's perfonal engaging. Obj. 3. ]f baptifm comes in the room of cir- cumcijion, only the males were circumcifed, Gen. xvii. 30. Then, -what warrant is therefor baptizing females r Anf. The females were included, and were virtually circumcifed in the males. What is done to the head is done to the body; the man there- fore being the head of the -woman, 1 Got. xL 3. what is done to the male-fex, was inter pretatively done to the female. Having anfwer'd thefe objections. I come now to prove by argument infant-baptifm. \fl Argument. If children during their in- fancy are capable of grace, then they are ca- pable of baptifm : but children in their infancy are capable of grace, therefore they are capable of baptifm- I prove the minor, that they are capable of grace, thus; if children in their in- fancy may be laved, then they are capable of grace ; but children in their infancy may be faved ; which is proved thus : if the kingdom of heaven may belong to them, then tbey may be faved, but this kingdom of heaven may belong to them, as it is clear from Mark x. 14. Offuch is the kingdom of Cod. Who then can forbid that the leal of baptifm mould be applyed to them ? id. Arg. If infants may be among the num- ber of Cod's fervants, then there is no reafon why they mould be fhut out of God's family; but infants may be in the number of God's fervants, that is evident, becaufe God calls them his fervants, Lev. xxv. 4. He fhall depart from thee, and his children with him, for t hey are my fervants. Therefore children in their infancy being God's fervants, why fbould they not have baptifm, which is the tejf/era, the mark or leal which God fets upon his fervants ? ^d. Arg. is from 1 Cor. viL 14. But now are your children holy. Children are not called holy, as if they were free from original fin ; but in the judgment of Charity they are to be efteemed* holy, and true members of the church of God, becaufe their parents are believers. Hence that excellent divine Mr. Helderfam faith, that the children of the faithful, as foon as they are born, have a covenant-holinefs , andfo a right and titls to baptifm, which is the token of the covenant. j\th. Arg. from the opinion of the fathers and the practice of the church, (1.) The ancient fathers were ftrong afferters of infant-baptifm, Irenaeus, Bafil, Laflantius, Cyprian and Auftin. (2.) It was the practice of the Creek church to baptize her infants. Erafmus faith., that infant baptifm hath been ufed in the church of God for above fourteen hundred years. And St. Auflin, in his book againft- Pelagius, affirms, that it hath been the cuftoiri of the church in all ages to baptize infants. Yea, it wa&anapolto- lical practice ; St. Asa/ affirms, that he baptized the whole houfe of Stephanus, 1 Cor. i. 16. And as you have feen fcripture-arguments for infant baptifm, fo let us confider whether the practice of thofe who delay the baptizing of children till riper years, be warrantable.-- - For my part, I cannot gather it from fcripture : For though we read of perfons adult and grown up to years of difcretion in the apoftles times baptized, yet thofe were fuch as were converted from heathenifn idolatry to the true orthodox faith : but that in a Chriftian church the children of believers lhould be kept unbaptized fevera.1 years, I know neither precept nor example for it in fcripture, but it is wholly apocryphal.. The baptizing of perfons grown up to matu- rity, we may argue againft ab effetlu, from the ill confequence of it : they dip the perfons they baptize, over head and ears in cold water, and naked; which as it is indecent,fo it is dangerous, and hath been often times the occafion of chro- nical difeafes, yea, death itfelf; and fo it is a plain breach of the fixth commandment. And how far God hath given up many perfons, who are for the deferring of baptifm, to other vile opinions and vicious practices, is evident, if we confult with hiftory ; efpecially if we read over the actings of the Anabaptifls in Germany. Ufe 1. See the riches of God's goodnefs, who will not only be the God of believers, but takes their feed into covenant, Gen. xvii. j. I will eflablifh my covenant between me and thee, and thy feed after thee, to be a God unto thee and thy feed. A father counts it a great privilege, not only to have his own name, but his child's name but in a will. Ufe 2\ 35<5 OF BAPTISM. Ufe 2. It blames thofe parents who forbid lit- tle children to be brought to Chrifl : they with- hold the ordinance. By denying their infants baptifm, they exclude them from having a mem- * berfhip in the vifible church, and fo their in- fants are fucking pagans. Such as deny their children baptifm, make God's inflitmions un- der the law more lull of kindnefs and grace to children, than they are ndw under the gofpel ; . which, how ftrange a paradox it is, I leave you to judge. Ufe 3. Of exhortation. Branch 1. We that are baptized, let us labour to find the blefied fruits of baptifm in our own fouls : let us labour not only to have the fign of the covenant, but the grace of the covenant. Many glory in this, that they are baptized. The Jews gloried in their cir- cumcifion, becaufe of their royal privileges : to them belonged the adoption, and the glory, and the covenant, Rom. ix. 4. But many of them were a fhame and reproach to their circumci- fion, Rom. ii. 24. For the name of God is blaf- phcmed among the Gentiles through you. The fcandalous Jews (tho' circumcifed) were, in God's account, as heathens, Amos ix. 7. Are ve not as children of the Ethiopians to me ? "faith the Lord. Alas ! what is it to have the name of Chiift, and want his image ? what is baptifm of water, without the baptifm of the Spirit ? many baptized Chriflians are no better than heathens. O labour to find the fruits x»f baptifm, that Chrifl is formed in us, Gal. iv. 19. that our nature is changed, we are made holy and heavenly : this is to be baptized unto Je- fus, Rom. vi. 3. Such as live unsuitable to their baptifm, may go with baptifmal -water on their faces, and facramental bread in their mouths, to hclL , . r Branch 2. Let us labour to make a right ufe of our baptifm. FirJ} ufe of baptifm. Let us ufe it as a fhield againft temptations. Satan, I have given up myfelf to God by a facred vow in baptifm ; I am not my own, I am Chrifi's : therefore I can- not yield to thy temptations, but I break my oath of allegiance which I made to God in bap- tifm. Luther tells us of a pious woman, who when the devil tempted her to fin, fhe anfwered, Satan, Baptizata fum, I am baptized : and fo beat back the tempter. Second ufe $f baptifm. Let us ufe it as a fpur to holinefs. By remembering our baptifm, let us be ftirred up to make good our baptifmal engagements: renouncing the world, fie M>, and devil, let us devote ourfelves to God and his fervice. To be baptized into the name of the Father, Son, and holy Ghofr, implies a folemn dedication of ourfelves to the fervice of a 1 the three Perfons in the Trinity. It is not enough that our parents dedicate us to God In baptifm, but we muft dedicate ourfelves to him: this is called a living to the Lord, Rom. xiv. 8. Our life fhould be fpent in worfnipping God, in loving God, in exalting God : we fhould walk •as becomes the gofpel, Phil. i. 27. Shine as fiats in the world, and live as earthly angels. Third ufe of baptifm. Let us ufe it as an ar- gument to courage. We fhould be ready to confefs that holy Trinity, into whofe name we were baptized. With the converfion of the heart, muft go the confeflion of the tongue, Luke xii. 8. Whofoever fhall confefs me before men, him flail the Son of man alfo confefs before the angels of God. Peter openly confeffed Chrifl crucified, Acls iv. 10. Cyprian, a man of a brave fpirit, was like a rock, whom no waves could fhake ; like an adamant, whom no fword could cut: he confeffed Chrifl before the pro- conful, and fuffered himfelf to be profcribed ; yea, chufe death, rather than he would betray the truths of Chrifl. He that dares not confefs the holy Trinity, fhames his baptifm, and God will be afhamed to own him at the day of judg- ment. Ult. ufe. See the fearfulnefs of the fin of a- poflacy ! 'Tis a renouncing of our baptifm. 'Tis damnable perjury to go away from God after a folemn vow, 2 Tim. iv. 10. Demas hath forfaken me. He turned renegado, and after- wards became a priefl in an idol-temple, faith Dorotheas. Julian the apofiate {.Gregory Na- zianzen obferves) bathed himfelf in the blood of beafls offered in facrifice to heathen-gods ; and fo, as much as in him lay, wafhed off his former baptifm. The cafe of fuch as fall away after baptifm, is dreadful, Heb. x. 38. If any man draw bach. The Greek word, to d> avj back, alludes to a foldier that fieals away from his colours: fo, if any man Ileal away from Chrifl, and run over to the devil's fide, my foul fhall have no pkafure in him; that is, I will be feverely avenged on him; I will make my ar- rows drunk with his blood. If all the plagues in the Bible can make that man miferable, he fhall be fo. II. The fecond facrament wherein Jefus Chrifl communicates to us the benefits of re- demption, is the Lord's fupper. OF t 357 3 OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. Mark xiv. 22. And as they did eat, Jefus took Bread, &c. II. T T A V I N G fpoken of the facrament of X~jL baptifm, I come now to the facrament of the Lord's Juppe?-. The Lord's fupper is the' raoft fpiriitual and fweet ordinance that ever was infUtuted : here we have ro do more immedi- ately with the | :. fori of Chrift. In prayer, we draw nigh to God ; in the facrament we be- come one with the perfon of Chrift. In pray- er, we draw nigh to God ; in the facrament we become one with him. In prayer we look up to Chrift ; in the facrament, by faith, we touch him. In the word preached, we hear Chrift's voice; in the facrament we feed on him. Qu. i. What names and titles in fcripture are given to the facrament ? Anf. i. It is called, (i.) Men/a Domini, The Lord's table, i Cor. x. 21. The papifts call it an altar, not a table. The reafon is, becaufe they turn the facrament into a facrifice, and pretend to offer up Chrift corporally in the mafs. It being the Lord's table, fhews with what reve- rence and folemn devotion we fhould approach to thefe holy myfteries : the Lord takes notice of the frame of our hearts when we come to this table, Matth. xxii. 1 1. The king came in to fee the guefls- We drefs our(elves when we come to the table of fome great monarch ; we mould think with ourfelves, we are going to the table of the Lord, therefore fhould drefs our- felves by holy meditation and heart-confidera- tion. Many think it is enough to come to the facrament, but mind not whether they come in due order, i Chron. xv. 13. Perhaps they had fcarce a ferious thought before, whither they were going: all their drefling was by theglafs, not by the Bible. Chryfoflom calls it, The dreadful table of the Lord : fo it is to fuch as come unworthily. (2.) The facrament is call- ed, caena Domini, the Lord's fupper, 1 Cor. xi. 20. to import, it is a fpiritual feafr. It is in- deed a royal feaft ; God is in this cheer ; Chrift, in both natures, God and man, is the matter of this fupper. (3.) The facrament is called a communion, 1 Cor. x. 1 6. The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Chrift ? Tlie facrament being called a com- munion, fhews, 1 ft, That this ordinance is only for believers, becaufe none elfe can have communion with Chrift in thefe holy myfteries. Communio fundatur in unione : faith only gives us union with Chrift, and by virtue of this we have com- munion with him in his body and blood. None but the fpoufe communicates with her hufband ; a ftranger may drink of his cup, but fhe only hath his heart, and communicates with him in a conjugal manner ; fo ftrangers may have the fign, drink of the cup, but only be- lievers drink of Chrift's blood, and have com- munion with him in his privileges. 2ly, The facrament being a communion, fhews, that it is a fymbolum amoris, a bond of that unity and charity which fhould be among Chriftians, I Cor. x. 17. We being many are one body. As many grains make one bread, fo ma- ny Chriftians are one body. A facrament is a love-feaft. The primitive Chriftians (as Juftin Martyr notes) had their holy falutations at the bleffed fupper, in token of that ctearnefs of af- fection which they did bear to each other. It is a communion, therefore muft be love and u- nion. The Ifraelites did eat the paffover with bitter herbs ; fo muft we eat the facrament with bitter herbs of repentance, but not with bitter hearts of wrath and malice. The hearts of the communicants fhould be knit together with the bond of love. Thou braggefl of thy faith (faith Auftin) but/how me thy faith by thy love to the faints. For, as in the fun, light and heat art infeparable ; fo faith and love are twifted to- gether infeparably. Where there are divifions, the Lord's fupper is not properly a communion, but a di fun ion. Qu. 2. What is the Lord's fupper ? Anf. It is a vifible fermon, wherein Chrift crucified is fet before us; or, it is a ficrament of the New Teftament, wherein, by receiving the holy elements of bread and wine, our com- munion with Chrift is fignihed and fealed up to us. Or thus, it is a facrament divinely in- ftkuted ; 35« OF THE L O R D 'S SUPPER. ftttuted ; wherein by giving and receiving bread and wine, Chrift's death is (hewed forth, and the worthy receivers are, by faith, made par- takers of his body and blood, and all the bene- fits flowing from thence. For the further explaining of the nature of the Lord's flipper, I fliall look back to the in- ftitution. 1. ye/its'] took bread. Here is the Mafler of the feaft, or the Inftituter of the facrament. The Lord Jefus he took bread. He only is fit to inftitute a facrament, who is able to give vir- tue and bleifing to it. 2. He took bread."] Chrift's taking of the bread was one part of his conlecration of the e- lements, and letting them apart for an holy ufe. And as Chrift did confecrate the elements, lb we rauft labour to have our hearts confecrated before we receive thefe holy myfteries in the Lord's fupper. How unfeemly a fight is it to lee any come to thefe holy elements, having hearts leavened with pride, covetoufnefs, envy ! Thefe do, with Judas, receive the devil in the fop, and are no better than crucifiers of the Lord of glory. 3. And blejfed it.] This is another part of the conlecration of the element, Chrift blclfed it ; he blefleth, and it fhall be blefled, viz. he look- ed up to heaven for a benediction upon this or- dinance newly founded. 4. And brake it.] The bread broken, and the wine poured out, was to fignify to us the agony and ignominy of Chrift's fufFcrings, the lending of Chrift's body on the crofs, and that efFufion of blood which was diftilled from his bleiTed fides. 5. And gave it'] to them. Chrift's giving the bread, denotes Chrift's giving of himfelf and all his benefits to us freely. Tbo' Chrift was fold, yet given ; Judas did fell Chrift, but Chrift gave himfelf to us. 6. He gave it to them."] viz. The difciples, This is childrens bread ; Chrift doth not caft thefe pearls before fwine. Whether Judas was preterit at the fupper, is controverted: I rather incline to think he was not : for Chrift Paid to the difciples, This is my blood, which is Jloedfor you, Luke xxii. 20. Chrift knew his blood was never fhed efFe&aally and intemionally for Judas. in eating the pafibver, Chrift gave Judas a fop, which was a bit of unleavened bread dipt in a fiu>ce made with bitter herbs ; Judas hav- ing received the fop, went immediately out, lohn xiii. But, fuppofe Judas were there, though he received the element, yet not the blefling. 7. Take, eat.] This expreflion of eating de- notes four things ; (1.) The near myflical uni- on between Chrift and his faints. As the meat which is eaten incorporates with the body, and becomes one with it; fo, by eating Chrift's flefli, and drinking his blood fpiriiuaiiy, we partake of his merits and graces, and are myfti- cally One with him, John xvii. 23. I in them. (2.) Take, eat. Eating (hows the infinite de- light the believing foul hath in Chrift. Eating is grateful and pleafing to the palate : fo feed- ing on Chrift by a lively faith is delicious. Nullus anima? fuavior cibus, Lactantius. No fuch fweet feeding as on Chrift crucified. This is afeafl of fat things, and wines on the lees well refined. (3.) Take, eat. Eating denotes nourishment. Meat, as it is delicious to the palate, fo it is nourifhing to the bod}' : fo eat- ing Chrift's fiefh, and drinking his blood, is nutritive to the foul. The new creature is nouriflied at the table of the Lord, to everlaft- ing life, John vi. 34. IV h of a eateth my flejh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life. (4.) Take, eat, fliows the wifdom of God, who reftores us by the fame means by which we fell. We fell by taking and eating the forbidden fruit, and we are recovered again by taking and eating of Chrift's flefti : we died by eating the tree of know- ledge, and we live by eating the tree of life. $, This is my body.] Thefe words, Hoc eft corpus mtum, have been much controverted be- tween us and the papifts. This is my body : that is, by a metonimy : it is a Jign and figure of my body. The papifts hold tranfubftantia- tion, that the bread is, after confecration, turn- ed into the very fubftance of Chrift's body. We fiy, we receive Chrift's body fpiritually : they fay, they receive Chrift's body carnally ; which is contrary to fcripture. The fcripture affirms, that the heavens mujl receive Chriji's body until the times of the rejtitution of all things, Acts ii. 21. Chrift's body cannot be at the lame time in heaven, and in the hoft. A- qu'inas faith, // is not p'jjfible by any miracle, that a body Jhould be locally in two places at once. Befides, it is abfurd to imagine, that the bread in the facrament ihould be turned into Chrift's flefti, and that his body, which was hung before, fhouid be made again of bread. So that, This is my body, is, as if Chrift had laid, This is a jign and representation of my body,. 9. And OF THE LORD '3 SUPPER. :>->'* 9. And he took the cup.1] The cup is put by a meronimy of the fubjecT: for the adjunct, for the wine in the cup; it fignifies the blood of Chrift fhed for our litis. The taking of the ctep, denotes the redundancy of merit in Chrift, and the mlnels of our redemption by him. He not only look the bread, but the cup. 10. ffnd when he had given thanks. ~\ Chrift nave thanks that Go! had given thefe elements of bread and wine to be fighs an.d feajs of man's redemption by Chrift. Chrift's giving of thanks, fhows his philanthropy, or lpve to mankind, who did fo rejoice and blefs God, that loft man, was now in a way of recovery, and that he mould be railed higher in Chrift than ever he was in innocency. 11. He gave the cup to them.'] Why then dare any withhold the cup ? This is to pollute and curtail the ordinance, and alter it From it's primitive inftitution. Chrift and his apoftles adminiftred the facrament in both kinds, the bread and the cup, 1 Cor. xi. 24, 25. And the cup was received in the ancient church for the fpace of 1 400 years, as is confeffed by two popifh. councils. Chrift faith exprelly, Drink ye all of this. He doth not fay, eat ye all of this ; but, Drink ye all; as forefeeing the facrilegious im- piety of the church of Rome in keeping back the cup from the people. The popifh council of Conftance fpeaks plainly but impudently, That although Chrift inftituted and adminiftred the facrament in both kinds, the bread and the wine ; yet the authority of the holy canons, and the cuftom of the mother-church , think good to deny the cap to the laity. Thus, as the popifh priefts make Chrift but half a Saviour, fo they admi- nii'ler to the people but half s. facrament. The facrament is Chrift's laft-will and teftament : in the text, This is my blood of the new teftament. Now, to alter or take away any thing from a man's will and teftament, is a great impiety: What is it to alter and mangle Chrift's laft-will and teftament ? Sure it is an high affront to Chrift. Qu- 3. What are the ends of the Lord's fupper ? Anf. It is an ordinance appointed to confirm our faith, John iv. 48. Except ye fee figns ye will not believe. Chrift's fets the elements be- fore us, that by thefe figns our faith may be ftrengthned. As faith cometh by hearing, fo it is confirmed by feeing Chrift crucified. The facrament is not only a fign to reprefent Chrift, but a feal to confirm our intereft in him. Obj. But it is the fpirit confirms faith, there- fore not the facrament. Anf. This is no good logic The fpirit con- firms faith, therefore not the facrament, is, as if one fhould fay, God feeds our bodies, therefore bread doth not feed us ; whereas God feeds us by bread : fo the fpirit confirms our faith by the Life of the facrament. 2. The end of the facrament is, to keep up the memory of Chrift's death, 1 Cor. xi. 25. This do ye in remembrance of me. If a fiic:id give us a ring at his death, we wear it to keep up the memory of our friend ; much more then ou^ht we to keep up the memorial of Chrift's death in the facrament : Chrift's death lays a foundation for all the magnificent blefiings which we receive from Chrift. The covenant of grace was agreed on in heaven, but fealed upon the crofs. Chrift hath fealed all the ar- ticles of peace in his blood. Remiflion of fin flows from Chrift's death, Mat. xxvi. 28. This is my blood of the new teftament foe d for many for the remiffion of fins. Confecration, or making us holy, is the fruit of Chrift's death, Hcb ix. 14. How much more fh all the blood of Chrift t purge ysnr confeience! Chrift's interceffion is made available to us by virtue of his death ; Chrift would not have been admitted an advo- cate, if he had not been firft a facrificc. Our entring into heaven is the fruit of Chrift's blood, Heb. x. 19. Chrift could not have prepared mflnfions for us, if he had not firft puichakd them by his death : fo that we hive a great deal of caufe to commemorate Chrift's death in the facrament. Qu. In what manner are we to remember the. Lord's death in the facrament ? Anf It is not only an hiftorical remembrance of Chrift's death and paffion ; thus Judas remem- bers Chrift's death, and how he betrayed him ; and Pilate remembers Chrift's death, and how he crucified him : but our remembring Chrift's death in the facrament muft be, ( 1 .) A mournful remembrance. We rnufi. not be able to look on Chrift crucified with dry eyes, Zech. xii. 10. They fhall look on him whom they have pierced, and mourn over him. O Chriftian, when thou looked: on Chrift in the facrament, remember how oft thou >.;ul cruci- fied him ! The Jews did it but once, thou often. Every oath is a nail with which thou pierce ft his hands : every unjuft, linful aclion is a fpeai" with which thou woundeft his heart. O remem- ber Chrift with forrow, to think thou fhould? make his wounds bleed afrefh ! T t [ 3&> 1 Mark xiv. 22, 23, 24. Jefus took Bread, &c. (2 ) If T muit. be a joyful remembrance, John viii. <;6. Abraham faw my day , and re yiVd-L Wberi a Chriftian fees a facrament- day approach, he fhould njoyce. This ordi- nance of the fupper is an eariieft of heaven ; 'tis the glafs in which we fee him whom our fouls love ; it is the chariot by which we are carried up to Chrift : When Jacob J aw the wag- gons and the chariots which were to carry him to his fen Jfifeph, his fplrit revived, Gen. xiv. 27. God hath appointed the facrament, on purpofe to cheer and revive a fad heart. When we look on our fins, we have caufe to mourn ; but when we fee Chrift's blood filed for our fin, this may make us rejoyce. In the facra- ment our wants are fupplied, our ftrength is renewed : here we meet with Chrift, and doth not this call for joy ? A woman that hath been fo'rig debarred from the fociety of her hufband, how glad is (lie of his pretence ! At the facra- ment the believing fpoufe meets with Chriir. : be faith to her, All I have is thine ; my love is thine, to pity thee ; my mercy is thine, to fave thee. How can we think in the facrament on Chrift's blood fhed, and not rejoyce ? Sanguis Chr'ipi clavls paradlfi ; Chrift's blood is the key which opens heaven, elfe we had been all fliut out. 3. End of the facrament is, to work in us an endeared love to Chriir. When Chrift bleeds over us, well may we fay, Behold how he loved us ! Who can fee Chrift die, and not be Jick of love? That is an heart of ftone, whom Chrift's love will not melt. 4. End of 'the facrament, the mortifying of corruption. To fee Chrift crucified for us, is a means to crucify fin in us. Chrift's death (like the water of jealoufy) makes the thigh of (in to rot, Numb. v. 27. How can a wife en- sure to lee that fpear which killed her hufband ? how can vc endure thofe fins which made Chrift veil his glory, and lofe his blood ? When the people of Rome faw Cafar-s bloody robe, they were incenfed againftthem that (lew him. Sin' hath rent the white robe of Chrift's fk-fh, and cly'd it of a crimfbn colour: the thoughts of this will make us leek to be avenged on our fins, 5. End, the augmentation and increafe of all the graces, hope, zeal, patience. The word preached begets grace, the Lord's fupper nou- ritheth it : the body by feeding increafeth ftrength ; fo doth the foul by feeding on Chrift facramentally. Cum defecerit virtus men ca- llcem falutarem accipiam, Bern. When my fpi- rltual flrength begins to fall, I know a remedy, (faith Bernard} I will go to the table of the Lord ; there I will drink, and recover my de- cayed flrength. There is difference between dead Jlones and living plants. The wicked, who are ftones, receive no fpiritual increafe ; but the godly, who are plants of righteoufnefs, being watered with Chrift's blood, grow more fruitful in grace. Qu. Why are we to receive this holy fupper ? Jnf. Becaufe it is a duty incumbent, Take, Eat.. And obferve, it is a command of love. If Chrift had commanded us fome great matter, would not we have done it? 2 Kings v. 13. If the prophet had bid thee do fome great thing, wouldjl thou not have done it ? If Chrift had enjoyned us to have given him thoufands of rams, or to have parted with the fruit of our bodies, would we not have done it ? Much more when he only faith, Take and Eat ; Let my broken body feed you, let my blood poured out, fave you. Take and Eat. This is a command of love, and (hall we not readily obey ? 2. We are to celebrate the Lord's fupper, becaufe it is a provoking of Chtift, to ftay away, Prov. ix. 2. Wifdom hath furnlfied her table. So Chrift has furnifhed his table, fet bread and wine (reprefenting his body and blood) before his guefts, and they wilfully turn their backs upon the ordinance : Chrifs looks upon it as a flighting of his love, and that makes the fury rife up in his face, Luks xiv. 24. For I fay un- to you, thai none of thofe that were bidden ftall tafle of my fupper. I will (hut them out of my kingdom, I will provide them a black banquet, where weeping (hall be the firft courfe, and gnajhlng of teeth the fecond. Qu. 5. H'hetker the Lord's fupper be oft to be admlnlflred ? Anf. Yes :„ OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 361 Anf. Yes : I Cor. xi. 26. As oft as ye eat of this bread. The ordinance is not to be cele- brated once in a year, or once in our lives, but •ften. A Christian's own neceffities may make him come often hither. His corruptions are ftrong, therefore he had ne?d come ofcen hi- ther for an antidote to expel the poifon of fin ; and his graces are weak. Grace is like a lamp, Rev. iii. 2. if it be not often fed with oil, it is apt to go out. How therefore do they fin a- gainft God, who come but very feldom to this ordinance ! Can they thrive, who for a long time forbear their food : and others there ate who do wholly forbear : this is a great contempt offered to Chrift's ordinance. Men do as it were tacitly fay, let Chrift keep his feaft to lurn- felf. "What a crofs-grained piece is man ! he will eat when he fhould not, and he will not eat when he mould. "When God faid, Eat not of this forbidden fruit ; then he will be fure to eat: when God faith, Eat of this bread, and drink of this cup ; then he rcfufeth to eat. Qu. 6. Are all to come promifcuoufly to this ho- ly ordinance ? Anf No ; that were to make the Lord's -ta- ble an ordinary. Chrift forbids to cafi pearls before fwine, Matth. vii. 6. The facramental bread is childrens bread, and it is not to be cart to the prophane. As, at the giving of the law, God fet bounds about the mount, that none might touch it, Exod. xix. 12. So God's table mould be guarded, that the prophane mould not come near. In the primitive times, after fermon done, and tl .-•■. were going to celebrate the Lord's fupper, an officer flood up and cried, Holy things for holy rrrr, : and then feveral of the congregation were to depart. I -would have my hand cut off CiUith Chryfofiom) rather than I ' "would give Chrift's body and blood to the pro- phane. The wicked do not eat Chrift's fiefh, but tear it ; they do not drink his blood, but fpill it. Thefe holy myfteries in the facraments are tremenda myfieria, myfteries that the foul is to tremble at. Sinners defile the holy things of God, they poifon the facramental cup. We read that the wicked are to be fet at Chrift's feet, Pf. «x. not at his table. Qu. 7. How may we receive the fupper of the Lord worthily, that fo it may become effectu- al to us ? Anf. That we may receive it worthily, and it may become efficacious. (1.) We muft folemnly prepare ourfelves be- fore we come : we m,ift not rum upon the or- dinance rudely and irreverently, but come in due order. There was a great deal of prepa- ration to the pafTover, 2 Chron. xxx. 18, 19. and the facrament comes in the room of it. Qu. Wherein doth this folemn preparing foi the ordinance confifl ? Anf. (1.) In examining ourfelves. (2.) In dreffing our fouls before we come, which is by warning in the water of repentance. (3.) By exciting the habit of grace into exercife. (4.) In begging a bleffing upon the ordinance. (1 .) Solemn preparing for the facrament con- fifts m feif -examining, 1 Cor. xi. 28. But let a man examine himfelf, and fo let him eat. It is not only a counfel, but a charge : Let him ex- amine himfelf. As if a king fhould fay, Let it be enacted. Jefus Chrift having by his inftitu- tion confecrated thefe elements in the fupper to an high myftery, they reprefent his body and blood : therefore there muft be preparation ; and if preparation, then there muft be firft ex- amining ourfelves, without which there can be no preparation. Let us be ferious in this ex- amining ourfelves, our falvation depends upon it. We are curious in examining other things ; we will not take gold, but examine it by the touch-ftone ; we will not take land, but we will examine the title: and fhall not we be as exact and curious in examining the ftate of our fouls ? Qu. 1. What is required to this f elf -examin- ing ? Anf There muft be a folemn retiring of the foul. We muft fet ourfelves apart, and retire for fome time from all fecular employment, that we may be more ferious in this work. There is no calling up of accounts in a crowd; nor can we examine ourfelves when we are in a crowd of worldly bufinefs. We read, a man that was in a journey might not come to the paffover, Numb. ix. 13. becaufe his mind was foil of fecular cares, and his thoughts were ta- ken up about his journey. When we are upon felf-examining work, we had not need to be iu an hurry, or have any diffracting thoughts, but retire and lock up ourfelves in our clofet, that we may be more intent in the work. Qu. 2. What is felf-examination ? Anf. It is a fetting up a court in confidence, and keeping a regifter there, that by a ftricr. fcrutiny a man may fee how matters ftand be- tween God and his foul. Self-examination is a fpiritual inquifition, an heart-anatomy, where- by a man takes his heart, as a watch , all in T t z pieces, 3'6a OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. pieces, rind fees what is defective there. It is a dialogue with one's felf, Pf. Ixxvii. 7. / com- mune with my own heart. David called him- felf to account, an.d put interrogatories to his Own heart. Self-examining is a critical defcant or fearch : as the woman in the parable did fight a candle, and fearch for her loft groat, Luke xv. 8. fo confidence is the candle of the l.-.rd ; fearch with this candle what thou canfl find wrought by the Spirit in thee. Qu. 3. IV hat is the rule by •which ive are to fxamine ourfelves ? Jnf The rule or meafure we mufl examine ourfelves by, is, the holy fcripture. We mufl not make fancy, or the good opinion which o- thcrs have of us, the rule by which we judge of ourfelves. But as the goldfmith brings his gold to the touch-ftone, fo mufl we bring our hearts to a fcripture touch-flone; To the law, to the teftimony, Ifa. viil. 20. What faith the word ? Are we divorced from fin ? are we renewed by the Spirit ? Let the word decide whether we are fit communicants or no. We judge of co- lours by the fun, fo mufl we judge of the flate of our fouls by the fun-light of fcripture. Qu. 4. What are the cogent reafons why we mull examine ourfelves before we approach to the Lord's tablet Anf 1. It is a duty impofed ; let him examine bimfelf. The paffover was not to be eaten raw, Exod. xii. 19. To come to fuch an ordinance fliqhtly, without examination, is to come in an undue manner, and is like eating the paffover raw. 2. We mufl examine ourfelves before we come, becaufe it is not only a duty impofed but eppofed. There is nothing the heart naturally is more averfe from, than filf-examination : we may know that duty is good which the heart oppofeth. But why doth the heart fo oppofe it ? Becaufe it doth crofs the Ode of corrupt nature ; 'tis contrary to flefh and blood. The heart is guilty; and doth a guilty perfon love to be examined? The heart oppofeth it, there- fore the rather fe't upon it : that duty is good which the heart oppofeth. 3. Becaufe felf-examining is fo needful' a wojrk ; as appears, (1.) Without felf-examiria- tion, a man can never tell how it is with him, whether he hath grace or no; and this mufl needs be very uncomfortable. He knows nor, if he fhould die prefently, what will become of him, or to what coafl he fhall fail, whether to hell or heaven ; as Socrates faid', / am about to die, and the Cods know whether IJball be happy or miferable. How needful therefore is felf-examination, that a man by fearch may come to know the true flate of his foul, and may guefs how it will go with him to eter- nity ? (2-) Self-examination is needful, in refpeft of the excellency of the facrament. Let him eat de illo pane, of that bread, 1 Cor. xi. 28. that excellent bread, that confecrated bread, that bread which is not only the bread of the Lord, but the bread the Lord. Let him drink de illo poculo, of that cup ; that precious cup which is perfumed and fpiced withChrifl's love ; that cup which holds the blood of God facra- mentally. Cleopatra put a jewel in a cup, which contained the price of a kingdom: this facred cup we are to drink of, enriched with the blood of God, is above the price of a kingdom; it is more worth than heaven. Therefore com- ing to fuch a royal feafl, having whole Chriir, his divine and human nature to feed on, how mould we examine ourfelves before-hand, that we may be fit guefls for fuch a magnificent banquet. (3.) Self-examining is needful, becaufe God will examine us. That was a fad queflion, Maith. xxii. 12. Friend, how came ft thou in hither, not having a wedding-garment i Men are loth to afk themfelves the queflion, 0 my foul, art thou a fit gnefl for the Lord's table ? are there not fame ftn thou haft to .bewail? are there net forae evidences for heaven that thou haft to get ? Now, when pdrfbns will not afk themfelves the queflion, then God will bring f:ch a queflion as this to them, how came ye in hither to my table not prepared ? how came ye in hither with an unbelieving or profane heart ? It will \,z fufch a queflion as will caufe an heart-trembling. God will examine a man as the chief captain did Paul, with fcourgingy Acts xxii. 24. 'Tis true, the befl faint, if God fhould weigh him in the balance, would be found defective : but, when a Chriftian hath made an impartial fearch, and hath laboured to deal uprightly between God and his own foul, Chrifl's merits will call in fome grains of al- lowance into the fcales. (4.) Self-examining is needful, becaufe of that fecret corruption in the heart, which will not be found out without fearching. There are in the heart plangendce tenebrce, Aug. hid- den pollutions. It is with a Chriflian, as with Jofeph's brethren, when the fteward accufed J them OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 2^3 them of having the cup, they were ready to fwear they had not the cup in their fack, bat upon fearch it was found there : little doth a Chriftian think, what pride, arheifm, unclean- nefs is in his heart till he fearcherh. There- fore, if there be fuch hidden wickednefs, like a (bring that runs under ground, we had need examine ourfelves, that finding out our fecret fin, we may be humbled and repent. Hidden fins, if not fearched out, defile the foul". If corn ]y long in the chaff, the chaff defiles the corn ; hidden fins layn long in, defile our duties. Needful therefore it is, before we come to the holy fupper, to fearch out thefe hidden fins, as Ifrael fearched for leaven before they came to the paffover. (3.) Self-examining is needful, becaufe with- out it we may eafily have a cheat put upon us, Jer. xvii. 9. The heart is deceitful above all things. Many a man's heart will tell him, he is fit for the Lord's table. As when Ghriffc afked the fons of Zebedee, Matth xx. 22. Are ye a- ble to drink the cup I Jh all drink of '? can ye drink fuch a bloody cup of fuffering ? they fay unto him, ive are able. So the heart will fug- gelt to a man, he is fit to drink of the ficra- mental cup, he hath on the wedding-garment. Grande profundum eft homo, Aug. The heart is a grand impoftor. It is like a cheating trades- man, which will put one off with bad wares : the heart will put a man off with (eeming grace, inftead of faving. A tear or two died is re- pentance, a few lazy defires is faith : blue and red flowers that grow among the corn, look like good flowers, but they are but beautiful weeds. The fool'tfh virgins lamps looked as if they had had oil in them, but they had none Therefore, to prevent a cheat, that we may not take falfe grace inflead of true, we had need make a thorow difquilition and fearch of our hearts before we come to the Lord's table. K.6.) Self-examining is needful, becaufe of thole falfe fears the godly are apt to nouiifhin their hearts, which make them go fad to the fi- crament. As they who have no grace, for want of examining, prefume ; fo they who have grace, for want of examining, are ready to de- fpair. Many of God's children look upon them- felves through the black fpe&acles of fear : they fear Chrift is not formed in them, they fear they have no right to the promife ; and thefe fears in the heart caufe tears in the eye : whereas, would they but fearch and examine, they might find they had grace. Are not then- hearts humbled for fin ? and what is this but the bruifed reed ? do they not weep after the Lord ? and what are thefe tears but feeds of faith ? do they not thirfr after Chrift in an or- dinance ; what is this but the new creature cry- ing for the breaft ? Here are, you fee, feeds of grace ; and, would Chriflians examine their hearts, they might fee there is fiomething of God in them, and fo their falfe fears would be prevented, and they might approach with com- fort to thefe holy myfteries in the eucharift. Mark xiv.. 22. Jefus took Bread, &c, (7.) O E L F - E X A M I N I N G is needful, in »3 refpe£t of the danger in coming un- worthily without examination, 1 Cor. xi. 27. Be Jhall be guilty of the body and tlood of the Lord. Par facit quafi Chriftum trucidarett Grotius. — /. e. God reckons with him as with a crucifieVof the Lord Jefus. He doth not drink Chrifi's blood, but ihed it ; and fo brings that curfe upon him, as the Jews, his blood be upon- us and our children. The virtue of Chrifi's blood nothing more comfortable, the guilt of it nothing more formidable. 4. We muff examine ourfelves before the facrament, in refpeft of the difficulty of felf-cx- wnining work. Difficulty raifeth a noble fpi- rit. Self-examining is difficult, (1.) Becaufe it is an inward work, it lies molt with the heart. External acls of devQtion are eafy ; to lift up the eye, to bow the knee, to read over a few prayers ; this is as eafy, as for the papilts to tell over a few beads : but to examine a man's felf, to take the heart as a watch all in pieces, to make a fcripture-trial of our fitnefs for the Lord's fupper, this Is not eafy. Reflexive a&s are hardeft : the eye cannot fee itfelf but by a glafs ; we malt have the grafs of the word and confidence to fee our own hearts : it is eafy to fpy the faults of others, but it is hard to find out our own. (2.) Self lamination is di cult, in. regard of lei . ■ As ignorance bJinUsj 564 OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. blinds, Co felf-love flatters : what Solomon faith of love, Prov. x. 12. Love covereth all fins, is moil true of felf-lovc: a man looking upon him- felf in the glafs of felf-love (that flattering glafs) his virtues appear greater than they are, and his fins lefler. Self-love makes a man rather excufe himfelf, than examine himfelf; felf-love makes one think the beft of himfelf; and he who hath a good opinion of himfelf, doth not fufpecl himfelf; and not fufpedting himfelf, he is not forward to examine himfelf. The work therefore of felf-examination being fo difficult, it requires the more impartiality and induftry ; difficulty fhould be a fpur to diligence. (5;) We muft examine ourfelves before we come, becaufe of the beneficialnefs of felf-exa- mination. The benefit is great, which way fo- ever things turn ; if, upon examination, we find that we have no grace in truth, then the mi flake is difcovered, and the danger prevent- ed ; if we find that we have grace, we may take the comfort of it. He who, upon fearch, finds that he hath the minimum quod fit, the leaft degree of grace, he is like one that hath found his box of evidences, he is an happy man, he is a fit gueft at the Lord's table, he is heir to all the promifes, he is as fure to go to heaven, as if he were ia heaven already. Thefe are the reafons why we muft examine ourfelves before we approach to the Lord's table. Qu. 5. What muft we examine ? Anf. (1.) Our fins. (2.) Our graces. Firft, ouv fins. Search if any dead fly might fpoil this fweet ointment. When we come to the facrament, we mould do as the Jews did be- fore the paflbver ; they fearched for leaven, and having found it did burn it. I. Let us fearch for the leaven of pride ; this fowers our holy things : we are born with a fpiritual tym- pany. Will an humble Chrift be received into a proud heart ? Pride keeps Chrift out— -Intus exiftens prohibet alienum — Pride fwells the heart ; and Chrift cannot come into the heart if it be full already. To a proud man Chrift's blood hath no virtue; 'tis like diofcordium put into a dead man's mouth, which lofeth its vir- tue. Let us fearch for this leaven of pride, and caft it away. 2. Let us fearch for the leaven of avarice. The Lord's fupper is a fpiritual myfiery, it reprefents Chrift's body and blood; what mould an earthly heart do here ? The earth puts out the fire ; earthlinefs quencheth the fire of holy love. The earth is elementum graviffimum, it cannot afcend. A foul belimed with earth cannot afcend to heavenly cogitati- ons, Col. iii. 5. Covetoufnefs which is idolatry. WilbChrift come into that heart whe*e there is an idol ? Search for this leaven before you come to this ordinance. How can an earthly heart converfe with that God which is a fpirit ? can a clod of earth kifs the fun ? 3. Search for the leaven of hypocrify, Luke xii. 1. Btware of the leaven of the Pharifes which is hypocrify. Aquinas defcribes it fimulatio virtutis -. hypo- crify is a counterfeiting of virtue. The hypo- crite is a living pageant, he only makes a fhow of religion : he gives God his knee, but no heart ; and God gives him bread and wine in the facrament but no Chrift. Oh let us fearch for this leaven of hypocrify, and burn it ! Secondly, We muft examine our graces. I (hall inftance only in one, our knowledge. 1. Whether we have knowledge. 2. Whether it be rightly qualified. (1.) We are to examine whether we have knowledge, elfe we cannot give God a reafon- able ferv ice, Rom. xii. I. Knowledge is a ne- ceffary requifite in a communicant; without knowledge there can be no fitnefs for the fa- crament : a perfbn cannot be fit to come to the Lord's table who hath rib'gbodnefs, but with- out knowledge the mind is not good, Prov. xix. 2. Some fay they have good hearts though they want knowledge ; as if one fhould fay, his eye is good, but it wants fight. Under the law when the plague of leprofy was in a man's head, the prieft was to pronounce him unclean. The ignorant perfon hath the plague in his head, he is unclean : ignorance is the womb of luft, 1 Pet. i. 14. Therefore it is requifite, be- fore we come, to examine ourfelves what know- ledge we have in the main fundamentals of re- ligion. Let it not be faid of us, that to this day the vail is upon our hearts, 2 Cor. iii. 15. But fure, in this intelligent age, we cannot but have foml infight into the myfteries of the Gofpel. I rather fear, we are like Rachel, who was fair and weli-fighted, but barren : there- fore, (2.) Let us examine whether our knowledge be rightly qualified. 1. Is it influential ' r doth our knowledge warm our heart ? Claritas in- telleSlu parit ardorem in ajfeclu. Saving know- ledge doth not only direcl, but quicken : 'tis the light of life, John viii. 12. 2. Is our know- ledge praclical \ We hear much ; do we live the OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 3*5 the truths we know ? That is the right know- ledge, which doth not only adorn the mind, but reform the life. Secondly, This folemn preparing for tfee fa- crament, as it confifts in examining ourfelves, fo in drefTing our fouls before we come. And this lbul-drefs is in two things ; i. Wafhing in the laver of repenting tears : to come to this ordinance with the guilt of any fin unrepented of, makes way for the further hardning of our heart, and giving Satan fuller pofTeffion of us, Zech. xii. 10. They foall look . We muft not pray to any but whom we may believe in, Rom. x. 14. How fliall they call upon him in whom they have not believed*. But we cannot believe in an an- gel, therefore we mud not pray to him. Qu. Why mufl prayer be made only to God ? Anf- 1. Becaufe he only hears prayer, Pf. lxv. 2. 0 thou that hear eft prayer. Hereby God is known to be the true God, in that he hears prayer, 1 Kings xviii. 37. Hear me, 0 Lord, hear me, that the people may know that thou art the Lord God. 2. Becaufe God only can help. We may look to fecond caufes, and cry, as the woman did, 2 Kings vi. 26. Help, my Lord, 0 king. And he [aid if the Lord doth not help thee, whence jlmll I help thee ? If we are in outward diftrefs, God mult (end from heaven and lave ; if we are in inward agonies, he only can pout- in the oil of joy ; therefore prayer is to be made to him only. III. For things agreeable to his will.'] -When we pray for outward things, for riches or children, perhaps God fees thefe things are not good for us; our prayers niiift comport with God's will. We may pray abfolutely for grace •, for this is the will of Gsd, our fan clip cation, 1 The/T. iv. 3. There might be no ftrange in- cenfe offered, Exod. xxx. 9. When we pray for things which are not agreeable to God's will, it is offering ftrange incenfe. IV. In the name of 'Chrift.] To pray in the name of Chrift, is not only to mention ChrifVs name in prayer, but to pray in the hope and confidence of ChrifVs merits, 1 Sam. vii. 9. Sa- muel took a fucking lamb and offered it, &c. We muft carry the lamb Chrift in the arms of our faith, and fo we prevail in prayer. When Uzziah would offer incenfe without a prieft, God was angry, and ftruck him with leprofy, zChron. xxvi. 16. When we do not pray in Ch rift's name, in the hope of his media- tion, we offer up incenfe, without a prieft : and what can we expect but to meet with re- bukes, and to have God anfwer us by terrible things ? Qu. 2. What are the parts of prayer ? Anf 1. There is the confeffory part, which is the acknowledgment of iin. 2. The fuppli- catory part, when wc either deprecate and pray againft fomc evil, or requeft the obtaining or U u lame tf§ Or PRAYER. Tome good. 3. The gratulatory part, when we give thanks for mercies received, which is the moft excellent part of prayer. In petition we aft like men, in giving of thanks, we aft like angels. Q11. 3. What arc the fever al forts of prayer > dnfi 1. There is mental prayer, in the mind, 1 Sam. i. 13. idly, Vocal, Pf Ixxvii. 1. idly, Ejaculatoiy, which is afudden and fliort eleva- tion of the heart to God, Neb. ii. 4. So I prayed to the God of heaven. Athly, Conceived prayer ; when we pray for thofe things which God puts iuro our heart, Rom. viii. 26. The fpirit helps us with fighs and groans. Both (he expreflions of the tongue, fo far as they are right, and the ii'-.preili jus of the heart, are from the Spirit. $thly, prefcribed prayer : our faviour hath fet us a pattern of prayer. God prefcribed a fet form of blemng for the priefts, Numb. vi. 23. 6lh!y, Public prayer ; when we pray in the audience of others. Prayer is more powerful, when many join and unite their forces. Vis unit a fortior, BfottfV. xviiii 19. ythly, Private prayer ; when we pray by ourfelves, Matth. vi. 6. Enter into thy clofel. Qu. 4. What is that prayer which is moft like to prevail with God ? Jnf. When prayer is rightly qualified. That is a good medicine which hath the right ingre- dients; that prayer is good, and is moft like to prevail with God, which hath thefe Ceven. in- gredients in it : (1 .) Prayer muft be mixed with fahb, James i. 6. But let him pray in faith. Believe God hears, and will in his due time grant ; believe God's love and truth. Believe that he is love, therefore will not deny you ; believe that he is truth, therefore will not deny himfelf. Faith fets prayer a-work. Faith is to prayer, as the feather is to the arrow, faith feathers the arrow of prayer, and makes it fly fwifter, and pierce the throne of grace. Prayer that is faithlefs is fruitlefs. (2.) A melting prayer, Pf.W. 17. The facri- fees of God are a broken heart. The incenfe was to be beaten, to typify the breaking of the heart in prayer. O, faith a Chriftian, I cannot pray with fuch gifts and elocution as others ; a; Mofes faid, I am not eloquent r but canft thou weep ? Doth thy heart melt in prayer ? Weep- ing prayer prevails. Tears drop as pearls from the eye. Jacob wept and made fupplication ; and had power over the angel, Holea xii. 4. (3.) Prayer muft be fired with zeal and fer- vency, James v. 16. Effectual fervent prayer prevails much. Cold prayers, like cold (inters* never fpeed. Prayer, without fervency, is like a facrifice without fire. Prayer is called a pouring out? of the foul, 1 Sam. i. 15. to fignify vehemency. Formality ftarves prayer. Prayer is compared to incenfe, Pf cxli. 2. Let my prayer be fet forth as incenfe. Hot coals were to be put to the incenfe, to make it odoriferous and fra- grant : fervency of affeftion is like coals put to the incenfe ; it makes prayer alcend as a lweet perfume. Chrift prayed with ftrong cries, Ihb. v. 7. Glamor ifte penetr at nubts, Luther. Fer- vent prayer, ljke a petard fet againft heaven's gates, makes them fly open. To caufe holy fervour and ardency of foul in prayer, confider, 1. Prayer without fervency, is no prayer ; it is fpeaking not praying : lifclefs prayer is no more prayer, than the picture of a man i; a man. One may fay, as Pharaoh, Gen. 41. / have dreamed a dream : It is dreaming, not praying. Life and fervency baptizeth a duty, and gives it a name. 2. Confider in what need we ftand of thofe things which we ask in prayer. We come to ask the favour of God ; and if we have not his love, all we enjoy is curfed to us. We pray that our fouls may be wafhed in Ch rift's blood ; and if he wa(h us not we have no part in him, John xiii. 8. When will we be in earned:, if not when we are praying for the life of our fouls? 3. It is only fervent prayer hath the promife of mercy affixed to it, Jer. xxix. 14. Then fh all ye find me, when ye fear ch for me with all your heart. It is dead praying without a promife j and the promife is made only to ardency. The Aediles, among the Romans, had their doors always {landing open, that all who had pe- titions might have free accefs to them : God's heart is ever open to fervent prayer. (4.) Prayer muft be fmcere. Sincerity is the filver threed which muft run through the whole duties of religion. Sincerity in prayer is, when we have gracious holy ends in prayer; our prayer is not fo much for temporal mercies as fpiritual. We fend out our prayer, as a mer- chant fends out his (hip, that we may have large returns of fpiritual bleilings : our aim in prayer is, that our heart may be more holy, that we may have more communion with God ; our defgn is, that by prayer we may increafe the ftock of grace. Prayer which wants- a good aim, wants a good ifliie.' (5.) Prayer that will prevail with God, muft have fixation of mind, Pf lvii. 7. 0 God, my heart OF PRAYER. 2<>9 heart is fixed. Since the fall, the mind is like quick-filver, which will not fix, it hath princi- pium moms, hut non quietis : the thoughts will be roving and dancing up and down in prayer ; juft as if a man that is travelling to fuch a place, mould run out of the road, and wander he knows not whither. In prayer we are travelling to the throne of grace, but how often do we by vain cogitations, turn out of the road i Which is rather wandring than praying. Qu. But how foall we cure thefe vain imper~ tinent thoughts, which dofo diftracl us in prayer, and, we may fear, hinder the acceptance P Anf. I. Be very apprehenfive in prayer of the infinitenefs of God's majefty and purity. God's eye is upon us in prayer, and we may fay, as David, Pf. lvi. 8. Thou telleft my wan our hearts fixed in prayer without the fpirit of God. 5. Make holy thoughts familiar to you in your ordinary courfe of life. David was oft mufing on God, Pf. exxxix. 18. When I am awake, I am Jtill with thee. He who gives himfelf liberty to have vain thoughts out of prayer, will fcarce have other thoughts in prayer. 6. If you would keep your mind fixed oi\ God, watch your hearts ; not only watch them after prayer, but in prayer. The heart wiil be apt to give you the flip and have a thoufand vagaries in prayer. We read of angels afccndln? and defcending on Jacob'* ladder . o -: •».--- • • lo> in prayer, you /hall find your hearts attending to heaven, and in a moment defcending upon earthly ob- /Iriugs. The thoughts of this would make us jedts. O Chriftians, watch your hearts in prayer hoc agere, mind the duty we are about. If a What a fhame is it to think, that when we are man were to deliver a petition to an earthly /peaking to God in prayer, our hearts mould be prince, would he at that time be playing with in the fields, or in our countin-r-houfe or one way or other, running upon the devil'? errand ? 7. Labour for more degrees of grace. The more ballafl the fliip hath, the better it fails; fo the more the heart is ballafled with grace the Headier it will fori to heaven in prayer. 8. Prayer that is likely to prevail with Goo\ mufl be argumentative : God loves to have us plead with him, and ufe arguments in prayer. See how many arguments Jacob ufed in prayer, Gen. xxxii. 11. Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother. The arguments he ufed, are, 1. From God's command, v. 7. Thou faidft to me, return to thy country : as if he had laid, I did not take this journev of my owr- head, but by thy direction ; therefore thou cam; not but in honour protect me. And he ufetl another argument, v. 1 2. Thoufaidfi, Iwillfureiy do thee good. Lord, wilt thou go back from thy own promife ? Thus he was argumentative m prayer ; and he got not only a new blei- fmg, but a new name. Ver. 8. Thy name fhall no more be called Jacob, but Ifrael : for as a prince haft thou had power with God, and Pre- vailed. God loves to be overcome with ftfength of argument. Thus, when we come to Gofiii prayer for grace, be argumentative : Lord, thou calleft thyfelf the God of all grace; and whither fliould we go with our veilel, but to the fountain ? Lord, thy grace may be imparted, yet not impaired : hath not Chrifl purchafed grace for poor, indigent creatures ? Every drahm U u 2 0f a feather ? Set yourfelves, when you pray, as in God's pretence : could you but look through the key-hole of heaven, and fee how devout and intent the angels are in their wor/hipping of God, fure you would be ready to blu/h at your vain thoughts and vile impertinences in prayer. 2. If you would keep your mind fixed in prayer, keep your eye fixed, Pf. exxiii 1. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, 0 thou that dwelleft in the heavens. Much vanity comes in at the eye. When the eye wanders in prayer, the heart wanders. To think to keep the heart fixed in prayer, and yet let the eye gaze, is as if one fhould think to keep his houle fafe, yet let the windows be open. 3. If you would have your thoughts fixed in prayer, get more love to God. Love is a great fixer of the thoughts. He who is in love, can- not keep his thoughts ofT the object. He who loves the world, his thoughts run undiflurbedly upon the world. Did we love God more, our minds would be more intent upon him in prayer. Were there more delight in duty, there would be lefs di /traction. 4. Implore the help of God's fpirit to fix our minds, and make them intent and ferious in prayer. The /hip without a pilot rather floats than fails; that our thoughts do not float up and down in prayer, we need the hie/Ted fpirit to be our pilot to fleer us ; only God's fpirit can bound the thoughts. A ftiaking hand may as well write a line fleadily, as we can keep 37' OF PRAYER. of grace cort a drop of blood. Shall Chrifl: die to purchafe grace for us, and fhalf not we have the fruit of his purchafe i Lord, it is thy de- light to milk out the breaft of mercy and grace, and wilt thou abridge thyfelf ©f thy own de- light ? Thou haft promifed to give thy Spirit to implant grace ; can truth lie ? can faithfui- nefs deceive ? God loves thus to be overcome with arguments in prayer. (7.) Prayer that would prevail with God, mud be joined with reformation, Job xi. 13. If thou ftretch out thy hands towards him ; if iniquity be in thy hand, put it far away from thee. Sin, lived in, makes the heart hard, and God's ear deaf. 'Tis foolifh to pray againft fin, and then fin againft prayer, fin fly-blows our prayers, Pf.\x.\i. 18. If I regard iniquity in my heart , the Lord will not hear me. The loadflone lof- eth its virtue when befpread with garlick ; fo doth prayer when polluted with fin. The iri- cenfe of prayer mult be offered upon an holy heart. Thus you fee what is that prayer which is moft likely to prevail with God. Ufe I. It reproves, 1. Such as pray not at all : 'Tis made the note of a reprobate, he calls not upon God, Pf cxliv. Doth be think to have an alms, who never afks it ? do they think to have mercy from God, who never feek it ? Then God fhould befriend them more than he did his own Son, He b. V. 7. Chrift offered up prayers with ftrong cries. None of God's children are bom dumb, Gal. iv. 6.^ (2.) It reproves fuch as have left off prayer, a fign they never felt the fruit and comfort of it. He that leaves off prayer, a fign he leaves off to fear God, Job xv. 4. Thou cajleft otffa>; and reflraineft prayer before God. A man that hath left off prayer, is fit for any wickednefs. When Saul had given over enquiring after God, then he went to the witch at Endor. Ufe 2. Of exhortation. Be perfons given to prayer. I give myfelf (faith David) to prayer. Pray for pardon "and purity; prayer is the golden key that opens heaven. The tree of the promife will not drop its fruit, uniefs fhak- en by the hand of prayer. All the benefits of Chrifl's redemption are handed over to us . by prayer. Obj. But I have prayed a long time for mer- cy, and have no anjwcr, Pf lxiii. 3. I am wea- ry of crying. Anf 1. God may hear us, when we do not hear from him: as foon as prayer is made, God hears it, though he doth not prefently anfwer. A friend may receive our letter, tho' he doth not prefently- fend us an anfwer of it.. 1. God may delay prayer, yet not deny. Qu. But why doth God delay an anfwer of prayer ? Anf 1. Becaufe he loves to hear the voice of prayer, Prsv. xv. 8. The prayer of the up- right is his delight. You let the mufkian play a great while ere you throw him down money, becaufe you love to hear his mafic, Cant. ii. 14. 2. God may delay prayer when he will not deny, that he may humble us ; perhaps God hath l'poke to us a long time in his word to leave fuch fins, but we would not bear him ; there- fore he lets us fpeak to him in prayer and feems not to hear us. 3. God may delay prayer, when he will not deny, becaufe he fees we are not yet fit for the mercy; perhaps we pray for deliverance, we are not fit for it ; our fcum is not yet boiled a- way ; we would have God fwift to deliver, and we are flow to repent. 4. God may delay prayer, when he will not deny, that the mercy we pray for may be the more prized, and may be fweeter when it comes. The longer the merchant's fhips ftay abroad, the more he rejoyceth when they come home laden with fpiees and jewels ; therefore be not difcouraged, but follow God with pray- er-: though God may delay, he will not deny. Prayer vincit invincibi'em, it overcomes the Omnipotent, Hof. xii. 4. The Tymans tied fafr, their god Hercules with a golden chain, that he fhould not remove : the Lord was held by Mo- fes's prayer, as with a golden chain, Exod. xxxii. 10. Let me alone : why, what did Mofes ,• he only prayed. Prayer ufhers in mercy. Be thy cafe never fo fid, if thou canfV but pray, thou needft not fear, Pf. x. 17. Therefore give thy- felf to prayer. O F C 37' OF THE PREFACE TO THE L (5 R D 'S PRAYER. Our FATHER which art, in Heaven. HAVING (through the good providence of God) gone over the chief grounds and fundamentals of religion, and enlarged upon the decalogue or ten commandments, I mail now, at the clofe,, fpeak fomething upon the Lord's prayer. Matth. vi. 9. After this manner therefore pray ye, Our Father -which art in heaven, hallowed, &c. In this fcripture are two things obfervable, 1. The introduction to the prayer, 2. The prayer itfelf which confifts of three parts. (1.) A preface. (2.) Petitions. (3.) The cone I if ion. i. The introduction to the Lord's prayer, After this manner pray ye. ,] Our Lord Jefus, in thefe words, prefcribed to his difciples and us a directory for prayer. The ten command- ments are the rule of our life, the creed is the fum of our faith, and the Lord's prayer is the pattern of our prayer. As God did prefcribe Mofes apattern of the tabernacle, Exod. xxv. 9. fo Chrift hath here prefcribed us a pattern of prayer, After this manner pray ye, &c. The meaning is, let this be the rule and model ac- cording to which ye frame your prayers. Ad hanc regula?n preces no fir as exigere neceffe eft, Calvin. Not that we are tyed to the words of the Lord's prayer : Chrift faith not, After thefe words, pray ye ; but After this manner ; that is, let all your petitions agree and fymbolize with the things contained in the Lord's pray- er : and indeed, well may we make all our prayers confbnant and agreeable to this prayer, it being a moil exact prayer. Teriullian calls it, Breviarium totius evangelii, a breviary and compendium of the gofpel : it is like an heap of mafly gold. The exactnefs of this prayer ap- pears, 1. la the dignity of the Author : a piece of work hath commendation from the artificer, and this prayer hath commendation from the Author ; it is the Lord's prayer. As the law moral was written with the finger of God, fo this prayer was dropt from the lips of the Son ©f God. Non vox hominem fonat, ejf Deirs. 2. The exafrnefs of this prayer appears in the excellency of the matter. I may fay of this prayer, it is as fiver tried in the furnace, pu- rified fev en times, Pf. xii. 6. Never was there prayer fo admirably and curioufly compofed as this. As Solomon's fbng, for its excellency, 19 called The Jong tf Jongs ; fo may this well be called the prayer of prayers. The matter of it is admirable, 1. For its fuccincluefs, 'tis {norl- and pithy, multum in parvo, a great deal fakt in a few words. It requires more art to draw the two globes curioufly in a little map. This fhort prayer is a fyftem or body of divinity. 2. Its clearnefs. This prayer is plain v.nd in- telligible to every capacity. Clearnefs is t';e grace of fpeech. 3. Its compleatnefs. . This prayer contains in it the chief thing that we' have to afk, or God hath to bellow. life. Let us have a great efleem of the Lord's prayer : let it be the model and pattern of ail our prayers. There is a double benefit arifeth from framing our petitions fuitably to the Lord's prayer, r. Hereby error in prayer is prevent- ed : 'tis not eafy to write wrong after this copy ; we cannot eafily err, having our pattern before us. 2. Hereby mercies requefled are obtained- : for the apoftle aiTures us, God will hear us, when we pray according to his will, 1 John v. 14. And fure we pray according to his will, when we pray according to his pattern he hath fet us. So much for the introduction to the Lord's prayer, After this manner pray ye. II. The prayer itfelf, which confifts of three parts. (1.) A preface. (2. ) Petitions. (3,) The conclufion. Firfl, The preface to the prayer: (r.) Oa-r Father. (2.) Which art in heavejt. with the firft words of the preface. Our Father'] Father is fometimes taken per-- fonally, John xiv. 28. My Father is greater than I : but Father in the text is taken eflen- tially for the whole Deity. This title, Father, feacheth us to whom we muft addrels ourfeives in prayer ; to God alone. Here is no fjch thing rn the Lord's prayer, as, O ye faints or angels that To begin V OF THE PREFACE TO THE LORD'S PRAYER. that are in heaven, hear us; but, Our Father which art in heaven. Qu. /// what order mufl we direct our pray- ers to God? Here is only the Father named ; may not we direct our prayers to the Son, and Holy Ghoft ? Anf. Though the Father only be named in the Lord's prayer, yet the other two Perfons are not hereby excluded : the Father is men- tioned becaufe he is firft in order j but the Son and Holy Ghoft are included, becauPe they are the Pame in effence. As all the three perfons fubfift in one Godhead ; Po, in our prayers, tho' we name but one Perfon, we rauft pi'ay to all. To come then more cloPely to the firft words oP the prePace, f_ Our Father. ] Princes on earth give themlelves titles exprefTing their greatnePs, as High and Mighty : God might have done Po, andexpreffed hinilelf thus, Our King of glory, our Judge »• but he gives him- felf another title, Our Father, an expreffion oP love and condePcenPion. God, that he might encourage us to pray to him, reprefents himielP under this Pweet notion oP a Father, Our Fa- ther. Dulce nomen Patris. The name Jehovah carries majefty in it, the name Father carries mercy in it. Qu. i. In what fenfe is God a Father? Anf. i. By creation ; it is he that hath made us, Ads xvii. 28. We are his off-fpring, Mal.ii. 10. Have we not all one Father? Hath not- one God created us ? but there is little comPort in this ; for lb God is Father to the devils by creation ; but he that made them will not Pave them. 2. God is a Father by election, having chofen a certain number to be his children, whom he will entail heaven upon, Eph. i. 4. He hath cho- fen us in him. 3. God is a Father by Ppecial grace ; he con- Pecrafes the elect by his Spirit, and infuleth a fupernatural principle of holinePs, therefore they are (aid to.be born of God, J JohnW'i. 9. Such only as arc Panctified can Pay, Our Father which art in heaven. Qu. 2. What is the difference between God being the Father of Ch rift, and the Father of the elect ? Anf. God is the Father of Chrift in a more glorious tranfeendent manner. Chrift hath the primogeniture ; he. is the eldc-ft Son, a Son by eternal generation, Prov. viii. 23, I was ft up from everlafting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. iPa.liii. 8. Who Jhall declare his generation ? Chrift is a Son to the Father ; yet Po as he is of the Pame nature with the Father, having all the incommunicable properties of the Godhead belonging to him : but we arc Pons of God by adoption and grace, Gal. iv. 5. That we might receive the adoption offons. Qu. 3. What is that which makes God out- Father ? Anf Faith : Gal. iii. 26. Ye are all the chil- dren of God by faith in Chrift Jefus. An un- \ believer may call God his _Crjeatpr, and his j Judge, but not bis Father. Faith doth legiti- mate us, and make us of the blood-royal of heaven : Ye are the children of God by faith. Baptifm makes us church-members, but faith makes us children : without faith the devil can fhow us as good a coat of arms as we. Qu. 4. How doth faith make God to be out- Father ? Anf. As fai.ih is an uniting grace ; by faith we have coalition and union with Chrift and Po the kindred comes in ; being united to Chrift, the natural Son, we become adopted Pons : God is the Father oP Chrift ; faith makes us Chrift's brethren, Heb. ii. 11. and Po God comes to be our Father. Qu. 5. Wherein doth ii appear that God is the be ft: Father ? Anf. 1. In that he is moft antient, Dan. vii. 9. The Antient of Days did fit. A figurative reprePentation of God who was before all time : this may caufe veneration. 2. God is the beft Father, becauPe he is per- fect, Matth. v. 48. Your Father which is in hea- ven is perfect ; he is perfectly good. Earthly fathers are Pubject to infirmities : Elias (tho' a prophet) was a man of like pafpons, Jam. v. 17. but God is perfectly good. All the perfection we can arrive at in this liPe is Pincerity : we may a little rePemble God, but not equal him ; he is infinitely perPedt. 3. God is the beft Father, in rePpect oPwiP- dorn, 1 Tim. i. 17. The only wife God. He hath a perfect idea of wifdom in himfelP: he knows the fitteft means to bring about his own de- figns ; the angels light at his lamp. In parti- cular, this is one branch of his wifdom, that he knows what is beft Por us. An earthly parent knows not, in Pome intricate caPes, how to ad- vife his child, or what may be beft for him to do : but God is a moft wife Father, he knows what is beft for us, he knows what comfort is beft for us ; he keeps his cordials for fainting, 2 Cor. vii. 6. God who comforteth them that are OF THE PREFACE TO THE LORD'S PRAYER, 1'7 T ore cafi down : he knows when affliction is beft for us, and when it is fit to give a bitter potion, i Pet. i. 6. If need be, ye are in heavinefs. He is the only wile God; he knows hovMo make evil things work for good to hi? children, Rom. viii. 28. He can make a fovereign treacle of poifon : thus he is the beft Father for wif- dom. 4. He is the beft Father, b'ecaufe the moft loving, John iv. 16. God is love. He who caufeth bowels of affection in others, rauft needs have more bowels himfelf; quod efficit tale : the affections in parents are but marble and a- damant, 'in companion of God's love to his children ; he gives them the cream of his love, electing love, laving love, Zeph. iii, 1 7. He will rejoyce over thee with joy, he .will reft in his love, he will joy over thee with finging \ no fa- ther like God for love ; if thou art his child, thou canft not love thy own foul fo intirely as he loves thee.. 5. God is the belt Father, for riches ; God hath land enough to give to all his children, he hath unfearchable riches, Eph. iii. S. He gives the hidden manna, the tree of life, rivers of joy, gates of pearl 1 who ever faw gates of p:arl ? God hath treafures that cannot be emptied, pleafures that cannot be ended. Earthly fa- thers, if they fhould be ever giving, they would have nothing left to give : God is ever giving to his children, yet hath not the lefs ; his riches are imparted, not impaired : like the fun that ftill fliines, yet hath not the lefs light. He cannot be poor who is infinite. 7 hus God is the beft Father; he gives more to his children, than any father or prince can beftow. 6. God is the beft Father, becaufe he can re- form his children. A father, when his fon takes bad eourfes, knows not how to make him bet- ter : but God knows how to make the children of the election better ; he can change their hearts. When Paul was breathing out perfe- cution againft the faints, God foon altered his eourfe, and fet him a-praying, Acls ix. 11. Be- hold, he prayeth. None of thole who belong to the election are fo rough-caft and unhewn, but God can polifh them with his grace, and make them fit for the inheritance. 7. God is the beft Father, becaufe he never dies, I Tim. vi. 16. Who only hath immortality. Earthly fathers die, and their children are ex- pofed to many injuries, but God lives for ever, Rev. i. 8. 1 am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the la/?. God's crown hath no fucceffors. Qu. 6, Wherein lies the dignity of fuch as have God for their Father ? Anf. They have greater honour than is con- ferred on the princes of the earth ; they nre precious in God's efteem, /fa. xliii.4. l/wceihoil waft precious in my eyes, thou haft been honour- able ; the wicked are drof?, Pf cxix. 1 10. and chaff, Pf. i. 4. but God numbers his children among his jewels, Mai. iii. 17. He writes all his ehildrens names in the book of life, Phil. iv. 9. IVhofe names are in the booh of life. Among, the Romans, the names of their fenators were written down in a book, patres eonferipti ; Go} enrolls the names of his children, and will not blot their names out of the regifler, Rev. iii, 5. / will not blot his name cut of the borA of life. God will not be afhamed of his children,, Heb.Ki. 16. God is not afhamed to be called your God. One might think it were fortieth ir.g below God, and he might difdain to father fuch children as are duft and fin mingled ; but he is not afhamed to be called our God : and that we may fee he is not afhamed of his children, he writes his own name upon them, Rev. iii. 12. / will write upon him the name of my God ;. that is, I will openly acknowledge him before all the angels to be my child ; I will write my name upon him, as the fon bears his father's name : what an honour and dignity is this ? 2. God confers honourable titles upon his children : 1. He calls them the excellent pf the earth, -Pf xvi. 2. or the magnificent, as Junius renders it. They muft needs be excellent, who are e re gio f anguine nati, of the blood-royai of heaven; they are the fpiritual phenixes of the world, the glory of the creation. God calls his children his glory, /fa. xlvi. 13. Jfrdel my glo- ry. God honours his children with the title of kings, Rev. i. 6. And hath made us kings. All God's children are kings ; though they have not earthly kingdoms, yet, 1. They carry a kingdom about them, Luke xvii. 21. The king- dom of God is- within you : grace is a kingdom fet up in the hearts of God's children ; they are kings to rule over their fins, to bind thofe kings" in chains, Pf. cxlix. 8. 2. They are like kings ; they have their infignia regalia, their enfigns of royalty and majefty. 1. They have their crown : in this life they are kings in a dif- guife ; they are nor known, therefore they are expofed to poverty and reproach ; they are kings in difguife; 1 John iii. 2. Now we are the fens of God, and' if doth not appear what we /hail be. Why, what fhall we be ? Every fon of 374 OF THE PREFACE TO THE LORD'S PRAYER. of God fh all have his crown of glory, i Pet. v. 4. and white robes, Rev. vi. 11. Robes fignify cJUmjty, zn&jwhite fignifies fanclity. 3. This is their honour who have God for their Father, they are all heirs ; the youngeft. ion is an heir. 1. God's children are heirs to the things of this life : God being their Father, they have the heft title to earthly things, they have a fanctified right to them : though they have often the lead (hare, yet they have the beft 1 ight ; and they have a bleffing with what they have, ?". c. God's love and favour. Others may have more of the venifbn,._but Goad's children KaVe more of the blefling : thus they are heirs toThTthings of this life. 2. They are heirs to the other world; heirs of falvation, Heb. i. 14. Joint heirs with Chrift, Rom. viii, 7. They are co-fLnrers with Chrift in glory. Amoag men commonly the eldeft fon carries away all, but God's children are all joint-heirs with Chrift, they have a co-partnerfhip with him in his riches. Hath Chrift a place in the celeftial manfions ? fo have the faints, John xiv. 2. In my Fathers houfe are many manfions, I go to prepare a place for you. Hath he his Father's Jove ? fo have they, Pf. cxlvi. 8. John xvii. 26. That the love iv herewith thou haft loved me, may be in them. Doth Chrift fit upon a throne ? fo do God's children, Rev. iii. 21. What an high honour is this ? 4. God makes his children equal in honour to the angels, Luke xx. 36. They are equal to the angels : nay, thofe faint?, who have God for their rather, are in fome fenfc fuperior to the angels; for jefus Chrift having taken our na- ture, naturam noftram nobilitavit, Aug. hath ennobled and honoured it above the angelical, Heb. it. 16. God hath made his children, by adoption, nearer to himfelf than the angels. The angels are the friends of Chrift, and this honourhave all the faints. Thus you fee the .dignity of fuch as have God for their Father. What a comfort is this to God's children, who are here defpifed, and loaded with calumnies and invectives r t 4. 14. ffe are made as the filth 'of the world, &c. But God will put ho- nour upon his children at the laft day, and qfow.ii them with immortal bills, to the envy of their ndverfiiries. Qu. 7. ffoiv may ive know thut Cod is our Father? J! I cannot fay, our Father : the Jews loafed that God was their lather, John viii. ;o ' Wre have one Father, even God. Chrift fells Jhsm their: pedigree, v. 44. Ye are of your father the devil. They who are of fatanical fpirits, and make ufe of their power to beat down the power of Godlinefs, cannot fay, God is their Father', they may Jay, our father which art in hell. Well then, how may we know that God is our Father ? Anf (1.) By having a filial difpofition : this is feen. in four things, 1. To melt in tears for fin : a. child weeps for offending his father. "When Chrift looked on Peter, and he retnera- bred his fin in denying Chrift, he fdi a-weep- ing. Clemens Alexandrinus reports of Peterf he never heard a cockcrow, but he wept. This is a fign that God is our Father ; #hen the heart of ftone is taken away, and there is a gra- cious thaw in the heart ; it melts in tears for fin ; and he who hath a child-like heart, mourns for fin in a fpiritual manner, as it is fin : he grieves for it, 1. As it is an act of pol- lution. Sin deflowers the virgin-foul ; it de- faceth God's image ; it turns beauty into defor- mity ; 'tis called the. plague of the heart, l Kings viii. 38. It is the fpirits of evil diftilled. A child of God mourns for the defilement of fin ; fin hath a blacker afpecl: than hell. 2. He who hath a child-like heart, grieves for fin, as it is an act of enmity. Sin is diametrically oppofite to God. It is called a walking contrary to God, Lev. xxvi. 40. If they foall confefs their iniqui- ty, and that they have walked contrary to me. Sin doth all it can to fpight God ; if God be of one mind, fin will be of another : fin would not only unthrone God, but it ftrikes at his ve- ry being; if fin could help it, God fhould be no longer God. A child-like heart grieves for this ; O, faith he, that I fhould have fo much enmity in me, that my will fhould be no more fubdued to the will of my heavenly Father ! This fprings a leak of godly forrow. 3. A child-like heart weeps for fin, as it is an act of ingratitude: fin is an abufe of God's love; it is taking the jewels of God's mercies, and mak- ing ufe of them to fin : God hath done more for his children than others ; he hath planted his grace, and given them fome intimations of his favour : and to fin againft kindnefs, dyes a fin in-grain, and makes it crimfbn : like Abfa- lom, who, as foon as his father kiffed him, and took him into favour, plotted treafbn againft him : nothing fo melts a child-like heart in tears, as fins ofunk'mdnefs : O that I fhould fin againft the blood of a Saviour, and the bowels of a Father ! I condemn ingratitude in my child, yet I am runty of ingratitude againft my heavenly e>" OF THE PREFACE TO THE LORD'S PRAYER. 375 heavenly Father : this opens a vein of godly lbi-row, and makes the heart bleed afrefh : cer- tainly this evidenced) God to be our Father, when he hath given us this child-like frame of hem t, to weep ibr fin as it is fin, an aft of pol- lution, enmity, ingratitude : a wicked man may mourn for the bitter fruit of fin, but only a child of God can grieve for the odious nature of iin. (2.) A filial (or child-like) difpofition is to be full of fympathy : we lay to heart the dishonours reflected upon our heavenly Father ; when we lee God's v/orfhip adulterated, his truth mingled with the poifbn of error, it is as a fword in our bones to fee God's glory fufFer, Pf. cxix. 1 £8. I behe'd the tranfgreffors and was grieved : Homer defcribing Jgamemnons grief, when he was forced to facrifice his daughter I- phigenia, brings in all his friends weeping and condoling with him ; Co, when God is dishon- oured, we fympathize, and are as it were clad in mourning. A child that hath any good na- ture, is cut to the heart to hear his father re- proached : an heir of heaven takes a difhonour done to God more heinous than a difgrace done to himfelf. (3.) A filial difpofition, is to love our hea- venly Father ; he is unnatural that doth not love his father. God, who is crowned with excellency, is the proper object of delight ; and every true child of God faith, as Peter, Lord, thou hioxvefl that I love thee. But who will not fay he loves God ? if ours be a true ge- nuine love to our heavenly Father, it may be known, \ft. By the effects : 1 . Then we have an holy fear; there is a fear which arifeth from love to God, that is, we fear the lofs of the vi- fible tokens of God's prefence, 1 Sam. iv. 13. Eli s heart trembled for the ark. It is not (aid his heart trembled for his two fbns Hophni and Phineas ; but his heart trembled for the ark, becaufe the ark was the fpecial fign of God's prefence ; and if that were taken, the glory was departed. He who loves his heavenly fa- ther, fears left the tokens of his prefence fhould be removed, left prophanenefs mould break in like a flood, left popery fhould get head, and God fhould go from a people : the prefence of God in his ordinances is the glory and ftrength of a nation. The Trojans had the image of Pallas, and they had an opinion that as long as that image was preferved among them, they fhould never be conquered ; Co long as God's prefence is with a people, folong they are fafe ; every true child of God fears left God fhould go, and the glory depart. Try by this, whe- ther we have a filial difpofition ; do we. loyt God, and doth this love caufe fear and jealouly f are we afraid left we fhould lofe God's prefence, left the fun of righteoufnefs remove out of out horizon ? Many are afraid left they fhould lofe fome of their worldly profits, but not left they lofe the prefence of God ; if they may' have peace and trading, they care not what become of the ark of God. A true child of God fears nothing fo much as the lofs of his father's pre- fence, Hof \x. 12. Wo to them when 1 dtpart from them. 2. Love to our heavenly Father is feen by loving his day, [fa. lviii. 13. If thou call the fabbath a delight. Theantients called this regiita dierum, the queen of days. If we love our Father in heaven, we fpend this day in devotion, in reading, hearing, meditating : on this day manna falls double. God fanctiried the fabbath ; he made all the other days in rise week, but he hath fanctified this day ; this day he hath crowned with a bleffing. 3. Love to our heavenly Father is fecn by loving his chil- dren* I John v. 1. Every one that loveth h'nh that begat, loveth him affo that is begotten of him. If we love God, the more we fee of God in any, the more we love them ; we love them, though they are poor : a child loves to fee his father's picture, though hung in a mean frame ; we love the children of our Father, tho' they are perfecutcd, 2 Tim. i. 16. Onefiphofus was not afhamed of my chain. Conflantine did kifs the hole"of Paphnu/ius's eye, becaufe he fuffer- ed the lofs of his eye for Chrift : it appears they have no love to God, who have no love to his children ; they care not for their company ; they have a fecret difguft and antipathy r.gainft them : hypociites pretend great reverence to the faints departed, they canonize dead faints', but perfecute living: I may fay of theil-, 'a's the apoftle, Heb. xii. 8. They are baflardi, not fons. i\ih, Effect of love, if we love otifr heaven- ly Father, then we will be advocates for him. and ftand up in the defence of his truth : h< who loves his father will plead for him wheti he is traduced and wronged : he hath no child- like heart, no love to God, who can hear God's name difhonoured, and be filent. Doth Chrift appear for us in heaven, and are we afrpd to appear for him on earth ? Such as dare not own God and religion in times of danger, God will be afhamed to be called their God ; it would be a reproach to him to have fuch chil- dren as will not own him. idly. A child-like: X x ii* OF THE PREFACE TO THE LORD'S PRAYER. Jove to God is known, as by the effects, fo by the degree ; it is a fuperior love. We love our Father in heaven above all other things ; a- bove efrate or relations, as oil runs above the water, Pf. lxxiii- 25. A child of God feeing a ilipercmineney of goodnefs, and a conftellation of all beauties in God, he is carried out in love to him in the higheft meafure : as God gives his children fuch a love as they bellow upon the wicked, electing love; fo God's children give fuch a love as they beftow upon none elfe, adoring love ; they give him the flower and fpiflts of their love ; they love him with a love joyned with worfhip, this fpiced wine they keep only for their Father to drink of, Cant. viii. 2. (4.) A child-like difpofition is Ceen in honour- ing our heavenly Father, Mai. i. 6. A fon ho- uiureth his father. Qu. How do we /how eur honour to our Fa- ther in heaven ? Auf. 1. By having a reverential awe of God upon us, lev. xxv. 17. Thou /halt fear thy God. This reverential fear of God, is, when we dare do nothing that he hath forbidden in his word, Gen. xxxix. 9. #ow can I do this great wickednefs, and Jin againft God^ ? It is the part of the honour a fori gives to his father, be fears to difpleafe him. (2.) We (how our honour to our heavenly Father, by doing all we can to exalt God, and make his excellencies ihine forth; though we cannot lift up God higher in heaven, yet we may lift him higher in cur hearts, and in the efteem of others. When we fpeak well of God, fet forth his re- nown, difplay the trophies of his goodnefs ; when we afcribe the glory of all we do to God, when we are the trumpeters of God's praife ; this is an honouring our Father in heaven, and a certain fign of a child-like heart, Pf 1. 23. V/hefo effereth praife, glorifietk me. 2. We may know God is our Father, by re- fembling of him : the child is his father's pic- ture, Jud%. viii. 18. Each one refembled the children of a king: every child of God refem- feies the king of heaven. Herein God's adopt- ing children and man's differ : a man adopts one for his fon and heir, that doth not at all refemble bim ; but whofoever God adopts for his child, is like him ; he not only bears hi3 heavenly Fathers name, but image, Col. i'u. ic. And have put on the new man, which is renew- ed aft-r the image cf him that created him. Me who hath God for his Father, refembles God iu holinefs : holineis is A'e glory of the Godhead, Exod. xv. 11. The holinefs of God is the intrinfic purity of his efTence. He who hath God for his Father, partakes of the di- vine nature; though not of the divine efience> yet of the divine likenefs : as the feal fets its print and likenefs upon the wax, fo he who hath God for his Father, hath the print and effi- gies of his holinefs ftamped upon him, Pfcv\. 1 6. Aaron the faint of the Lord. Wicked men defire to be like God hereafter in glory, but do not affect to be like him here in grace ; they give it out to the world that God is their Father, yet have nothing of God to be feen in them, they are unclean : they not only want his image, but hate it. 3. We may know God is our Father, by having his Spirit in us : 1. By having the in- tercefiion of the Spirit ; 'tis a fpirit of prayer, Gal. iv. 6. Becaufe ye are fons, God hath fent forth the Spirit of his Son injo your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Prayer is the foul's breathing itfeifinto the bofomofits heavenly Father : none of God's children are born dumb; Impht Spirit us fanclus organ um fuum, is tan- quam pila chordarum tangit Spiritus Dei corda fanclorum, Profper. Acts ix. it. Behold, he prayeth v but it is not every prayer evidenceth God's Spirit in us. Such as have no grace may excel in gifts, and affect the heart3 of others ire prayer, when their own hearts are not affected ; as the lute makes a fweet found in the ears of others, but itfelf is not fenfible : how therefore fhall we know our prayers are indited by God's Spirit, and fo he is our Father ? Anf. 1. When they are not only vocal, but mental ; when there are not only ^gifts, but groans, Rom. viii. 26. The befl mufic is in concert ; thebefl: prayer is when the heart and tongue joyn together in concert. 2. When they are zealous and fervent,. Jam. v. 16. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. The eyes melt in prayer, the heart burns. Fervency is to prayer, as fire to the incenfe ; it makes it afcend to heaven as a fweet perfume. 3. When prayer hath faith fprinkled in it ; prayer is the key of heaven, and faith is the hand that turns it, Rom. viii. 15. We cry, Abba, Father. We cry, there is fervency in prayer : Abba, Father, there is faith. Thofe prayers luffer fhipwreck, which dafh upon the rock of unbelief. Thus we may know God is oqr Fa- ther, by having his Spirit praying in us ; as Chrift intereeeds above, fo the Spirit interceeds within. OF THE PREFACE TO THE LORD'S PRAYER. 377 within. 2. By having the renewing of the fpirit, which is nothing elfe but regeneration, which is called a being born of the fpirit, John iii. 5. This regenerating work of the fpirit is a transformation, or change of nature, Rom. >>!. 1. Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. He who is born of God, hath a new heart : new, not for fubftance but for qualities. The firings of a viol may be the fame, but the tune is alter'd. Before this re- generation, there are fpiritual pangs, much heart-breaking for fin. Regeneration is called a circumcifion of the heart, Col. ii. 11. In circumcifing there was a pain in the ftefh ; fo in this fpiritual circumcifion there is a pain in the heart, there is much forrow arifing from the fenfe of guilt and wrath. The jaylor's trembling, Acls xvi. 30. was' a pang in the new birth. God's fpirit is a fpirit of bondage, before it be a fpirit cf adoption. This blefled work of regeneration fpreads over the whole foul; it irradiates the mind, it confecrates the heart, and reforms the life : tho' regeneration be but in part, yet it is in every part, 1 Thejf.v. 23. regeneration is the fignature and ingraving of the holy Ghoft upon the foul ; the new oorn chriftian is befpangled with the jewels of the graces, which are the angels glory. Regenera- tion is the fpring of all true joy : at our firft birth we come weeping into the world, but at our new birth there is caufe of rejoycing : for now, God is our Father, and we are begotten to a lively hope of glory, 1 Pet. i. 3. We may try by this our relation to God. Hath a rege- nerating work of God's Spirit pr.iTed upon our fouls ? are we made of another fpirit, humble and heavenly ? thi-s is a good fign of fonfhip, and we may fay, Our Father which art in hea- ven. 3. By having the conduct of the Spirit ; we are led by the Spirit, Rem. viii. 14. As many as are led by the Spirit of Cod, they are the fons of God. God's Spirit doth not only quicken us in our regeneration, but leads us on till we come to the end of our faith, falvation. It is not enough the child have life, but he mud: be led every ftep by the nurfe, Hof. xi. 3. 1 taught Ephraim te go, taking them by their arms. Their arms, as the Jfraelites had the cloud and pillar of fire to go before them, and be a guide to them ; fo God's Spirit is a guide to go be- fore us, and lead us into all truth, and counfel us ia all our doubts, and influence us in all onr actions, Pf. lxxiii. 24. Thou Jhaft guide me by thy CQunfck* Nojae can call God Father, but fuch as have the conduct of his Spirit. Try then what fpirit you are led by : fuch as are led by a fpirit of envy, lufr, avarice, thefe are not led by the Spirit of God ; it were blafphe- my for them to call God Father : thefe are led by the fpirit of Satan, and may fay, Our Father which art in hell. 4. By having the witnefs of the Spirit, Rom. viii. 16. The Spirit Itfelf beareth witnefs with our fpirit, that we are the children of God. This witnefs of the Spirit, fuggefting that God is our Father, is not a vo- cal witnefs, or voice from heaven : the Spirit in the word wltnefftlh : the Spirit in the word faith, he who is fo qualified who is a hater of fin, and a lover of holinefs, is a child of God, and God is his Father : if I can find fuch quali- fications wrought, here is the Spirit witneiling with my fpirit, that I am a child of God. Be- fides, we may carry it higher; the Spirit eff God witncfTeth to our fpirit, by making more than ordinary impreflions upon our hearts, and giv ing fome fecret. hints and whifpers. that Go i hath purpofes of love to us : here is a concur- rent witnefs of the Spirit with conference, that we are heirs of heaven, and God is our Father ; this witnefs is better felt than expreffed : this witnefs fcatters doubts and fears, filenceth temptations. But what mall one do that hath not this witnefs of the Spirit ? if we want the witnefs of the Spirit, let us labour to find the work of the Spirit : if we have not the Spirit teftifying, labour to have it fanctifying, and that will be a fupport to us. 4. If God be our Father, we are of peaceable fpirits, Matth. v. 9. Blejfed are the peace-mak- ers, they /hall be called the children of God. Grace infufeth a fwecf, amicable difpofition ; it files off the ruggednefs of mens fpiriis ; it turns the lion-like fierceness into a lamb-like gentle- nefs, Jfa. ix. 7. They who have God to be their Father, follow peace as well as holinefs. God the Father is called the God of peace, Heb. xiii. 2C. God the Son, the prince of peace, Ifa. ix. 6. God the Holy Ghoft is a Spirit of peace ; it is called the unity of the Spirit In the bond of peace, Eph. iv. 3. The more peaceable, the more like God. It is a bad fign God is not their Father, \fl, Who are fierce and cruel, as if, with Romulus, they had fucked the milk of an wolf, Rsm. iii. 17. the way of peace have they not known, they fport in mifchief ; thefe arc they who are of a perfecuting frirp, as Maxl- fniut, Dhc!.f:\my Anti:cb: 2 Kings v. 23. Be content, take two talents. So faith God to his child, I am thy Father, take two talents. Take health, and take my love with it : take an eflate, and take my love with it : take two talents: God's love is a fweetning ingredient into every mercy. Qu. How doth it appear that a child of Cod bath worldly things in love ? Anf. r. Becaufe he hath a good title to them. God is his Father, therefore he hath a good ti- tle. A wicked man hath a civil title to the creature, but no more ; he hath it not from the hand of a father : he is like one that takes up cloth at the di aper's, and it is not paid for : but a believer hath a good title to every foot of land he hath ; his Father hath fettled it upon him. 2. A child of God hath worldly things in love, becaufe they are fan&ified to him, (1.) They make him better, and are load/Tones to draw him nearer to God. (2 ) He hath his Fa- ther's bleiTmg with them. A little bleft is fweet, Exod. xxiii. 25. He fhall blefi thy bread and thy water. Efau had the venifon, but Jacob got the bleffing. While the wicked have th*_ir meat fawced with God's wrath, Pf. Ikxviii. 30, 3*. believers have their comforts feafoned with a bleffing. It was a fecret bleiEng from God made Daniel's pulfenourimhim more, and make him look fairer than they hat ate of the king's meat, Dan. i. 15. 3. A child of God hath worldly things in love, becaufe whatever he hath is an earned of more : every bit of bread is a pledge and earnell of glory. (2.) God being a Father, if he frown, if he dips OF THE PREFACE TO THE LORD'S PRAYER. 37-9 dips his peu in gall, write bitter things; if he corrects, 'tis in love : a father loves his child as well when he doth chailife and difcipiine him, as when he fettles his land on him, Rev. ii. ro. As many as 1 love, I rebuke. Afflictions are fharp arrows (faith Gregory Nazianzen) but they are (hot from the hand of a loving Father. Correclio eji virtutis gynnnafium ; God afflicts with the fame love he gives Chrift ; he doth it to humble and puriiie : gentle correction is as neceiTary as daily bread ; nay, as needful as or- dinances, as word and facraments. There is love in all, God fmites, that he may fave. (3.) God being a Father, if he defert and hide his face from his child, it is in love. Dc- fertion is fad in itfelf, a fhort hell, Job vi. 9. When the light is withdrawn, dew falls. Yet we may fee a rainbow in the cloud, the love of a Father in all this. if}. God hereby quickens grace. Perhaps grace lay dormant, Cant. v. 2. It was as fire in the embers ; and God withdraws comfort, to invigorate and exercife grace : faith is a liar fometimes mines blighted in the dark night of defertion, Jonah ii. 4. 2d/y. When God hides his face from his child, yet ftill he is a Fa- ther, and his heart is towards his child : as Jc- feph, when he fpake roughly to his brethren, and made them believe he would take them for fpies; ftill his heart was full of love, and he was fain to go afide and weep : fo God's bowels yern to his children, when he feems to look ftrange, Ifa. liv. 8. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee, but with everlaf/ing kindnefs will I have mercy on thee. Though God may have the look of an enemy, yet ftill he hath the heart of a father. 3d. Branch or Inference. Learn hence the fad cafe of the wicked : they cannot fay, Our Father in heaven ; they may fay, Our Judge, but not, Our Father; they fetch their pedigree from heil, John viii. 44. Ye are of your father the devil. Such as are unclean and profane, are the fpuri- ous brood of the old ferpent, and it were blaf- phemy for them to call God Father. The cafe of the wicked is deplorable ; if they are in mi- fery, they have none to make their moan to ; God is not their Father, he difclaims aJl kin- dred with them, Mat. vii. 23. I never knew you, depart from me, ye that work iniquity : the wicked, dying in their fins, can expect no mercy from God as a Father : many fay, He that made them will fave them ; bur, Ifa. xxvii. it. It is a people of no under funding, therefore he that made than, will not have mercy on them. Tho' God was their Father by creation yet becaufe they were not his children by ador* tion, therefore he that made them wo aid uoija&e. them. Ufa II. Of exportation. To perfuade sj£ who are yet ftrangcrs to Cod, to labour tc> come into this heavenly kindred : .never leave till you can fay, Our Father which art in hea- ven. Qu. But will God be a Father to me, who have profaned his name, and been a great fin- ner P Anf. If thou wilt now at laft feek to God by " prayer, and break off thy fins, God hath the bowels of a Father for thee, and will in noways caft thee out. When the prodigal did a rife and go to his Father, his father had companion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and k'tjfed him. Luke: xv. 20. Tho' thou haft been a prodigal, and aim oft fpent all upon thy lulls, yet, if thou wilt give a bill of divorce to thy fins, and flee to God by repentance, know that he hath the bowels of a father : he will embrace thee in the arms of his mercy, and feal thy pardon with a kifs. What tho' thy fins have been heinous ? the wound is not fo broad as the plaiiter of Chrift's blood. The fea covers great rocks ; the lea of God's compaihon can drown thy great fins ; therefore be not difcouraged, go to bod, refolve to caft thyfelf upon his fatherly bowels ; God may be entreated of thee, as he was of Manaffeh, 2 Chron. xxxiii. 13. He prayed unto the Lord, and he was entreated of him. Ma- nafleh made the ftreets run with blood ; yet when his eyes ran with tears, God's fatherly bowels began to melt, aiid he was entreated of him. U/e HI. Of comfort. To fuch as can upon good grounds call God Father. There's more fweetnefs in this word Father, than if we had ten thoufand worlds. David thought it a great matter to be fon-in-law to a king, 1 Sam. xviii. 18. What is my father's family, that I fhould be fon-in-law to the king ? But what is it to be born of God, and have God for our Father ? Qu. Wherein lies the happinefs of having God for our Father ? dnf 1. If God be our Father, then he will teach us. What father will r^fufe to counfel his fon ? doth God command parents to inftrucl their children, Deut. iv. 10. and will not he in- ftruct ,his I Ifa. xlviii, 17. 1 am the Lord thy Cod, which teacheth thee to profit. Pf. Ixxi. 17. 0 OF THE PREFACE TO THE LORD'S PRAYER. - 0 God., thou haft taught me from my youth. If 3od be our Father, he will give us the teachings of his Sfirit ; The natural man re- / "ives not the thjngj of God, neither can he know them, I Cor. ii- 14. The natural man may have excellent notions in divinity, but God mud teach us to know the myfterics of the gofpel after a fpiritual manner. A man may fee the figures upon a dial, but he cannot tcjl how the day goes, unlefs the fun {hi ae : we may read many truths in the Bible, but we cannot know thern favingly, till God, by his Spirit, fhine upon our foul. God teacheth not only our ear, but our heart : he not only in- forms our mind, but inclines our will : we never learn till God teach us. If God be our Father, he will teach us how to order our affairs with '.if.retion, Pf. cxii. 5. How to carry ourfelves wifely, 1 Sam. xviii. 5. David behaved him- Jtlf ' wifeiy. He will teach us what to anfwer when we are brought before governors ; he will put words into our mouths, Matth. x. »8, 19, 2o. Ye Jhall be brought before governors and kirtgs for my fake : but take no thought how or %< hat ye jhall [peak : for it is not ye that fpeak, but the Spirit of your Father which fpeaketh in you. 2. If God be our Father, then he hath bowels of affection towa"ds us. If it be Co unnatural for a father not to love his child, can we think God can he defective in his love ? All the af- fections of parents come from God, yet are but a fparlj from his flame. He is the Father of mercies, 2 Cor. i. 3. He begets all the mercies towels In the creature : his love to his children, is a love which paffeth knowledge, Eph. iii. 19, It exceeds all dimenfions j it is higher t! ni'.i heaven, it is broader than the f?a. That "ou may fee God's fatherly love to his children ; ;. Confider God makes a precious valuation of !'l;em, Ifa. xliii. 4. Since thou waft prichus in :■? . y fight. A father prizeib hi? child above his jew- els ; their names are precious, for they have God's own name written upon them, Rev. iii. 1 2. I will writs upon him ihoiamc of my God. '! heir prayers are a precious perfume ; their. tears God bottles, Pf. lvi. %. God efteems his children as a crown of glory in his hand, Ijd. Ixv, 3. (2.) God loves the places they were born in' the better for their fikts, Pf. lxxxvii. 6. Of Zion it /hall be faidy This man was born there ; this and that believer was born there : God loves the ground his children tread upon ; hence JuJea, the feat of God's children and chofen, God calls a de- lightfome land, Mai. iii. 12 It was not only pleafant for fituation and fruirfulnefs, but be- caufe God's children, who were his Hephfibah, or delight, lived there. (3.) He chargeth the great ones of the worid not to prejudice his children^, their perfons are facred, Pf. cv. 14. He fuffered no man to do them wrong ; yea, he reproved kings for their fakes, faying, Touch not mine anointed. By anointed, is meant the children of the high God, who have the uncti- on of the Spirit, and are fet apart for God. (4.) God delights in their company, he loves to fee their countenance, and hear their voice, Cant. ii. 14. He cannot refrain long from their company : let but two or three of his children meet and pray together, he will be fure to be among them, Matth. xviii. 20. Where two or three are met together in my name, I am in the midft of them. (5.) God bears his children in his bofom, as a nurfmg-father doth the fuck- ing-child, Numb. xi. 12. Ifa. xlvi. 4. To be carried in God's bofom, {hows how near his children ly to his heart. (6.) God is full of folicitous care for them, 1 Pet. v. 7. He car' eth for you. His eye is (till upon them, they are never out of his thoughts. A father can- not always take care for his child, he fometimes is afleep ; but God is a Father that never fleeps, Pf exxi. 4. He neither flumbr eth nor fieepeth. (7.) He thinks nothing too good to part with to his children : he gives fcfcbna the kidneys of the wheat, and honey out ot the rock, and Wine on the lees well refined. Ifa. xxv. 6. He gives them three jewels more worth than heaven, the blood of his Son, the grace of his Spirit, the light of his counte- nance. Never was there fuch an indulgent, affectionate Father. (3.) If God hath one love better than other, he beffows it upon them ; they have the cream and quinteiTence of his love ; He will rej&yce over thee, he will reft in his love, Zeph. iii. 17. God loves his children with fuch a love as he loves Chrur, John xvii. 26. It is the fame love, for the un- changeablenefs of it: God will no more ceafe to love his adopted forfls than he will to love his natural Son. 3. If God be our Father, he will be full of fympathy, Pf. ciii. 13. As a father pltieth his children, fo the Lord pit'wth them that fear him. Jer. xxxi. 20. //r£phrail»>«y dearfonl my bowels are troubled for him. God pities his children in two cafes ; ( 1 .) In cafe of infirmities. (2.) Injuries. (1.) In OF THE PREFACE TO THE LORD'S PRAYED i$i (i.) In cafe of infirmities. If the child be deformed or hath any bodily diftemper, the father pities it: if God be our father, he pirtes our wcakneffes ; and he fo pities them as to heal them, Ifa. lvii. i3. / have ft en his ways, and will heal him. As God hath bowels to pi- ty, fo he hath balfam to heal. (2.) In cafe of injuries. Every blow of the child goes to the father's heart : when the faints furfer, God doth fympathize, If a. lxiii. 9. In all their afflictions he was afflicled. He did, as it were, bleed in their wounds. Saul, Saul, why perfecutefl thou me P "When the foot was trod on, the head cried out, Judges x. 16. God's foul was grieved for the children ^/Tfrael. As when one firing in a lute is touched, all the reft of the firings found : when God's children are ftricken, his bowels found, Zech.M. 8. He that toucheth you, touch eth the apple of my eye. 4. If God be our father, he will take notice of the leaft good he fees in us : if there be but a figh for fin, God hears it, Pf. xxxviii. 9. My groaning is not hid from thee. If there be but a penitential tear comes out of our eye, God fees it, If a. xxxviii. 5. / havefeen thy tears. If there be but a good intention, God takes notice, 1 Kings viii. 18. Whereas it was in thy fyeatt to build an houfe to my name, thou didfi well that it was in thine heart. God punifheth in- tentional wicked nefs, and crowns intentional goodnefs, Thou didfl well that it was in thine heart. God takes notice of the leaft fcintilla^ the leaft fpark of grace in his children, 1 Pet. iii. 6- Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord : the Holy Ghoft doth not mention Sarah's un- belief, or laughing at the promife j he puts a finger upon the fear, winks at her failing, and only takes notice of the good that was in her, her obedience to her husband ; fhe obeyed Abra- ham "calling him lord. Nay, that good which faints fcarce takejiotice of in themfelves, God in a fpecial manner obferves, Mat. xxv. 35. / was an hungred and ye gave me meat, I was thirfiy and ye gave me drink. Then fhall the righteous fay, Lord, when faw we thee an hun- gred, and fed thee ? They did as it were over- look and difclaim their own works of charity, yet Chrift doth take notice, / was an hungred and ye fed me. What comfort is this ! God fpies the leaft good in his children : he can fee a grain of corn hid under chaff, grace hid under cor- ruption. 5. If God be our father, he will take all we do in good part. Thofe duties we ourfelves, cenfure, God will crown. When a child of God looks over his beft duties, he fees fo much fin cleaving to him, that he is even con- founded : Lord, faith he, there is more fulphur than incenfe in my prayers. But, for your com- fort, if God be your father, he will crown thofer duties which you yourfeives cenfure.- God fees there is fincerity in the hearts of his children, and this gold, (though light; fhall have grains of allowance ; though there may be defects irt the fervices of God's children, yet God will not caft away their offering, 2 Chron. xxx, 20. The Lord healed the people. The tribes of Ifrael being ft'raitned in time, wanted fome legal pu- rifications ; yet, becaufe their hearts were right,. God h.aled them ; he pardoned them. God ac- cepts of the good will, 2 Cor. viii. 12. A fa- ther takes a letter from his Con kindly, though there are blots or bad Englifh in it. What bus- ings are there in our holy things I let our' father in heaven accepts ; faith God, it is my child, and he will do better; I will look upoti him, through Chrift, with a merciful eye. 6. If God be our father, then he will correct us in meafure, Jer. xxx. 1 1. I will correcl the" in meafure ; and that two ways ; 1/?. It fhall be in meafure, for the kind ; God will not lay upon us more than we are able to bear,- 1 dr. x. 13. He knows our frame, Pf. ciii. 14. He knows we are not fteel or marble, therefore will deal gently, he wilt not over-afRict : as the phyfician that knows the temper of the body, will not give phyfic too ftrong for the body j nor will he give one drahm or fcruple too much.- God hath not only the title of a father, bur. the bowels of a father; he will not lay too heavy burdens on his children, left their fpi- rits fail before him. 2dly, He will correct in meafure, for the duration ; he will not ler the affliction ly on too long, Pf. exxv. 3. The rod of the wicked, fhall not reft upon the lot of the righteous. It may be there, and not reft, Ifa.- lvii. 16. I will not contend for ever. Our hea- venly father will love for ever, but he will not contend for ever. The torments of the damned are for ever, Rev. xiv. 11. The f moke of their torment afcendeth up for ever and ever. The wicked fhall drink a fea of wrath, but God's children only tafte of the cup of affliction^ and their heavenly father will fay, tranfeat calix, let this cuppafs away from them, Ifa. xxxv. 10, A fting a wing. 7. If God be our father, he will intermix mercy with all our afflictions : rf he gives us wormwood 382 Or THE PREFACE TO THE LORD'S PRAYER. wormwood to drink, he will mix it with hone}'. In the ark, the rod was laid up, and manna; with our father's rod there is always fome man- na. After' s fhocs ivcre iron and brafs, but his foot was dipt in oil, Gen. xxxiii. 24. Affliction is the ftioe of brafs that pincheth ; but there is mercy in the affliction, there is the foot dipt in oil. When God afflicts the body, he gives peace. of confcicnce ; there is mercy in the affliction. An affliction comes to prevent falling into fin ; there is mercy in the affliction. Jacob had his thigh hurt in wreftling; there was the affliction : but then he faw God's face, and received a bleffing from the angel, Gen. xxxii. 30. There was mercy in the' affliction. In every cloud a child of God may fee a rainbow of mercy mining. As the limner mixeth dark fhadows and bright co- lours together ; fo our heavenly father mingles the dark and bright together, crofies and blef- fings ; and is not this a great happinefs, for God thus to chequer his providences, and mingle goodnefs with feverity ? 8. If God be our father, the evil one (hall not prevail againft us. Satan is called the evil^ one, emphatically: he is the grand enemy of the faints ; and that both in a military fenle, as he fights againft them with his temptations ; and in a forenlkal or law-fedfe, as he is an accufer, and pleads againft them •, yet neither way mall he pievail againft God's children. As for his mooting his fiery darts, God will bruife Satan ihortly under the faints feet, Rom. xvi. 20 . As for his acculing, Ghrift is advocate for the faints, and anfwers all bills of indiftment brought in againft them. God will make all Satan's temp- tations promote the good of his children, ift. As they fet them more a-praying, 2 Cor. xii. 8. Temptation is a medicine for fecurity. idly, As they are a means to humble them, 2 Cor. xii. 7. Left Ifhould be exalted above meafure, there wds given me a thorn in the ftefh. The thorn in the flefh was a temptation; this thorn was to prick the bladder of pride. $dly, As they eftablilh them more in grace : a tree fhaken by the wind is more fettled and rooted : the blow- ing of a temptation doth but fettle a child of God more in grace. Thus the evil one, Satan, ihall not prevail again 11 the children of God. 9. If God be our father, no real evil fhall befal us, Pf. xci. 10. There flail no evil befall thee. It is^not laid, no trouble ; but, no evil : God's children are privite'dged perfons ; they arc priviledged perfons ; they are privileged from the hurt of every thing, Luke x. 19. Ae- tbttig (hall by any trypans hurt you. The hurt and malignity of the affliction is taken away : affliction, to a wicked man hath evil in it ; it makes him vrorfe,Rev. xvi. 9. Men were fcorcb- ed with great heat, and bla/phemed fhe name of God. But no evil befals a child of God ; he is bettered by affliction, Heb. xii. 10. That ye may be made partakers of his holinefs. What hurt doth the furnace to the gold ? It only makes it purer : What hurt doth affliction to grace ? Only refine and purify it. What a great privi- lege is this, to be freed, though not from the ftroke of affliction, yet the fting ! No evil fhall touch a faint : when the dragon hath poifoned the water, they fay, the unicorn, with his horn, doth draw out the poifon : Chrift hath drawn put the poifon of every affliction, that it can- not prejudice a child of God. Again, no evil befals a child of God, becaufe no condemnation, Rom. viii. I. No condemnation to them in Chrift Jefus. GOd doth not condemn them, norcon- fcience doth not condemn them. Both jury and judge acquit them; then no evil befals them, for nothing is really an evil but thai which damns. 10. If God be our father, this may make us go with cheerfulnefs to the throne of grace : were a man to petition his enemy, there were little hope : but when a child petitions his fa- ther, he may come with confidence to fpeed. The word father works upon God, it touch- eth his very bowels. What can a father deny his child ? If a Son ask bread, will he give him a ftone ? Matth. vii. 9. This may embolden us to go to God for pardon of fin, and further degrees of fanctity. We pray to a father of mercy, fitting upon a throne of grace, Luke xi. 13. If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more fljall your heavenly father give his fpirit to them that ask him? This did quicken the church, and add wings to prayer, Jfa. lxiii. 15. Look down from heaven. Ver. 1 6. Doubt lefs thou art our father. Who doth God keep his mercies for, but his children ? Three things may caufe boldnefs in prayer : we have a father to pray to, and the fpirit to help us to pray, and an advocate to prefent our prayers. God's chil- dren fhould in all their troubles run to their heavenly father, as that fick child, 2 Kings iv. 19. He faid unto his father, my head, my head. So pour out thy complaint to God in prayer, father, my heart, my heart: my dead heart, quicken it; my hard heart, fofteji it in Chrift' s blood. OF THE PREFACE TO THE LORDS PRAYER. 3*3 blood. Father, my heart, my heart. Sure God, that hears the cry of the ravens, will hear the try of his children. it., If God be our father, he will ftand be- tween us and danger ; a father will keep off danger from his child. God calls himfelfScutwn, a fhield : a fhield defends the head, guards the vitals; God (hields ofFdanger from his children, Acls xviii. 10. lam with thee, and none ft? all Jet on thee to hurt thee. God is an hiding-place, Pf xxvii. 5. God preferved Alhanafius ftrange- ly ; he put it into his mind, to depart out of the houfe he was in, the night before the ene- mies came to fearch for him. As God hath a breaft to feed, fo he hath wings to cover his chil- dren, Pf. xci. 4. He Jhall cover thee with his feathers , and under his wings [halt thou truj}. God appoints his holy angels to be a lifeguard about his children; Heb. i. 14. Never was any prince fo well guarded as a believer. The angels, iff. Are a numerous guard,' 2 Kings vi. 1 7 . The mountain was full of horfes round about Elifha. The horfes and chariots of fire were the angels of God, to defend the prophet Elifha. idly, A flrong guard; one angel, in a night, flew an hundred and fourfcore and five thou fan d, 2 Kings xix. 32. If one angel flew fo many, what would an army of angels have done ? yily, The angels are a fwift guard ; they are ready in an inflant to help God's children i therefore they are defcribed with wings, to fliow their fwiftnefs ; they fly to our help, Dan. ix. 21, ^3. At the beginning of thy Jupplication the commandment came forth, and I am come to thee? Here was a fwift motion for the angel to come from heaven to earth between the beginning and ending of Daniel's prayer. $thly. The angels are a watchful guard ; not like Saul's guard, afleep when their lord was in danger, r Sam. xxvi. 12. The angels area vigilant guatd, they watch over God's children to defend them, Pf. xxxiv. 7. The angel of the Lord encampeth roundabout them that fear him. There is an invifible guardian fliip of angels about God's children. 12. If God be our father, we fhall not want any thing that he lees it good for us, Pf. xxxiv. 10. They that feek the Lord fhall not want any good thing. God is pleafed fometimes to keep his children to hard commons, but it is good for them : ftieep thrive beft on fliort paflurc ; God fees too much may not be good : plenty breeds furfeit. Luxuriant animi rebus fee undis. God fees it good fometimes to diet his children, and keep them fhort, that they may run the heavenly race the better : it was good for Ja- cob there was a famine in the land : it was a means to bring him to his fon Jofeph : So it is that God's children fee the world's emptinefs, that they may acquaint themfelves more with Chrift's fulnefs. If God fee it be good for them to have more of the, world, they (hail have it: God will not let them want any good thing. 13. If God be our father, all the promifes of the Bible belong to us : God's children are called heirs of the premife, Heb. vi. 1 7. A wicked man can lay claim to nothing in the Bible but the Curfes ; he hath no more to do abfolutely with the promifes, than a plowman hath to do with the city charter : the promifes are chil- drens bread; the promifes are xnulilralia Evan- gelii, the breads of the gofpel milking out con- folations ; and who are to fuck of tru-fe breads but God's children ? The promife Of pardon i* for them, Jer. xxxiii. 8. I will pardon ail their iniquity, whereby they have finned again/} me. . The promife of healing is for thatu /fa Ivii, J8. The promife of hlvauon, Jc-r. xxiii. 6. Th 4 OF THE PREFACE TO THE LORD'S PRAYER. (2.) God's children conquer their enemies by heroic patience. A patient Chriftian, like the anvil, bears all ftrokes invincibly: thus the martyrs overcame their enemies by patience. Nay, God's children are more than conquerors, Rom. viii. 37. IV c are more than conquerors. How are God's children more than conquerors. Becaufe they conquer without lofs, and becaufe they are crowned after death, which other con- querors arc not. 15. If God be our father, he will now and then lend us lbme tokens of his Love. Cod's children live far from home, and meet forne- times with coarfe ufagefrom the unkind world ; therefore God, to encourage his children, fends them femetimes tokens and pledges of his love : What are thefe ? He gives them a return of prayer, there is a token of love ; he quickens and enlargeth their hearts in duty, there is a token of love ; he gives them the firft-fruits of his fpirit which are love-tokens, Rom. viii. 23. As God gives the wicked the fir ft fruits of hell, horror of confeience and defpair : fo he gives his children the firft-fruits of his fpirit, joy and peace which are foretaftes of glory : fome of God's children having received thefe tokens ot love, from their heavenly father, have been fo transported, that they have died for joy, as the glafe oft breaks with the ftrength of the wine put into it. 16. If God be our father, he will indulge and fpareus, Mai. iii. 17. I will /pare them, as a man fpareth his own Jon that ferveth him. God's fparing his children, imports this, his clemency towards them ; he doth not punifh them as he might, Pf. ciii. 10. He hath n:t dealt with us according to our fins. We oft do that which merits wrath, grieve God's fpirit, relapfe into fin ; God pafleth by much, and fpares us: God did not fpare his natural fon, Rom.v'ni. 32. Yet he will fpare his adopted ions ; God threat- ned Ephraim, to make him as the chafFdrrVen with the whirlwind, but he foon repented, llof. xiii. 4. Yet I am the Lord thy God, ver. 10. 7 vjill be thy king. Here God fpared him, as a father fpares his fon. lfrael oft provoked God with their complaints, but God ufed clemency towards them, he oft anfwered their murmur- ings with mercies ; here he fpared them, as a father fpares his fon. 17. If God be our father, he will put honour and renown upon us at the laft day. i. He will clear the innocency of his children. God's chil- dren in this life are ftrangely mifreprefented to the world ; they are loaded with invectives, they are called factious, feditious : Elijah, the troubler of lfrael ; Luther was called the trumpet of re- bellion ; Athanajius was accufed to the emperor Conftantine, to be the raifer of tumults ; the pri- mitive Ghriftians were accufed to be infant icidii, inceflus rei, killers of their children, guilty of inceft ; as Tertullian. St. Paul reported to be a pcftilent perfon, Ails xxiv. 5. Famous IVick- //j^* called the idol of the hereticks, and that he died drunk. If Satan cannot defile God's chil- dren, he will difgrace them ; if he cannot ftrike his fiery darts into their confeience, he will put a dead fly into their name: but God will one day clear his childrens innocency, he will roll away their reproach, as God will make a refurrection of bodies, fo of names, Ifa. xxv. 8. The Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces, and the rebuke of his people jhall be take away. God will be the faints compurgator, Pf. xxxix. 6. He jhall bring forth thy righte- oitfnefs as the light. The night calls its dark mantle upon the moll beautiful flowers \ but the light comes in the morning and difpels the darknefs, and every flower appears in its orient brightnefs. So the wicked may, by mifreports, darken the honour and repute of the faints ; but God will difpel this darknefs, and caufe their names to mine forth : He Jhall bring forth thy rightecufnefs as the light. As God did ftand up for the honour of Mofes, when Aaron and Miri- am went about to eclipfe his fame, Numb. xii. 8. Wherefore then were ye not afraid to /peak a- gainji my fervant Moles ? So will God fay ©ne day to the wicked, wherefore were not ye afraid to defame and traduce my children ? They hav- ing my image upon them, how durft ye abufe my picture f At laft God's children fhall come forth out of all their calumnies, as a dove covered with filver, and her feathers with yellow gold, Pf. ixviii. 13. 3.. God will make an open and ho- nourable recital of all their good deeds : as the fins of the wicked fhall be openly mentioned, to their eternal infamy and confufion ; fo all the good deeds of the faints fhall be openly men- tioned, and then flmll every man have praije of God, 1 Cor. iv. 5. Every prayer made with melt- ing eyes, every good fervice, every work of cha- rity, fnall be openly declared before men and an- gels, Mat. xxv. 35. 1 was an hungred, and ye gave me meat ; thirfty, and ye gave me drink; naked, and ye clothed me. Thus God will fet a trophy ©f honour upon all his children at the laft day ; V then OF THE PREFACE TO THE LORD'S PRAYER. 385 then /hall the righteous Jh'ine forth as the fun in the kingdom of their father, Mat. xiii. 43. 18. If God be our father, he will fettle good land of inheritance upon us, 1 Pet. 1.4. Blejfed be the Cod and father of our Lord Jefus, who hath begotten us again to a lively hope, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled. A father may be fallen to decay, and have nothing to leave his fon but his bleffmg ; but God will fettle an inheritance on his children, and an inheritance no lefs than a kingdom, Luke xii. 32. It is your Father's good pleafure, to give you a kingdom. This kingdom is more glorious and magnificent than any earthly kingdom; it is fetout by pearls and precious ftones, the richeft Jewels, Rev. xii. 19. What are all the rarities of the world to this kingdom ? The coafts of pearl, the iflands of fpices, the rocks of diamonds ? In this heavenly kingdom is that which is fa- tisfying, unparalleled beauty, rivers of pleafure, and this for ever, Pf. xvi. 11. At thy right-hand are pleafures for evermore. Heaven's eminency is its permanency; and this kingdom God's children mail enter into immediately after death : there is a fudden tranfition and paflage from death to glory, 2 Cor. v. 9. Abfent from the body, prefent "with the Lord. God's children fliall not ftay long for their inheritance ; it is but winking, and they mall fee God. How may this comfort God's children, who perhaps are low in the world I Your father in heaven, will fettle akingdom upon you at death, fuch a king- dom as eye hath not feen ; he will give you a crown not of gold, but glory ; he will give you white robes lined with immortality. // is your Father's good pleafure, to give you a kingdo?n. 19. If God be our father, it is comfort, 1. In cafe of lofs of relations : haft: thou loft a father ? Yet, if thou art a believer, thou art no orphan, thou haft an heavenly father, a father that never dies, 1 Tim. vi. 16. Who only hath immortality. 2. It is comfort, in cafe of death : God is thy father, and at death thou art going to thy father: well might Paul fay death is yours, 1 Cor. iii. 2. It is your friend, that will carry you home to your father. How glad are children when they are going home ? This was Chrift's comfort at death, he was going to his Father, John xvi. 28. / leave the world, and go to the father. And, John xx. 17. I afcend to my father. If God be our father, we may with comfort at the day of death, refign our fouls into his hand : fo did Chrift, Luke xxiii. 46. Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit. If a child hath any jewel, he will in time of danger, put it into his father's hands, where he thinks it will be kept nioft iafe : our foul is our richeft jewel ; we may at death refign our fouls into God's hands, where they will be later than in our own keeping ; Father, into thy hands 1 commend my fpirit. What a comfort is this, death carries a believer to his father's houfe, where are delights unfpeakable and full of glory .' How glad was old Jacob, when he faw the wagons and chariots to carry hirn to his fbn Jejeph ? The text faith, His fpirit revived, Gen. xlv. 27. Death is a triumphant chariot, to cany every child of God, to his father's manllon- houfe. 20. If God be our father, he will not dis- herit his children ; God may for a time defert them, but not difmherit them. The fons of kings have been fometimes difmherited by the cruelty of ufurpers ; as, Alexander the Grsat his fon was put by his juft rigr.t, by the vio- lence and ambition of his father's captains : but what power on earth, fhall hinder the heirs of the promife from their inheritance ; men cannot, and will God cut off the entai! ? The ? Arminians hold falling away from grace, and ] fo a child of God may be deflated of his inhc- ( ritance : but I fliall fhow that God's children can never be degraded or difmherited, their heavenly father will not caft them olYfroin belno children. 1. It is evident God's children can- not be finally diiinheiired, by Virtue oftht <: nal decree of heaven. God's decree is the vrrv pillar and bjffis on which the faints perfevefanci depends; God's decree ties the knot of adoption fo faft, that neither fin, death or Hell, can break it afunder, Rom. viii. \o. Whom he did predomi- nate, them he alfo c'atfcM, &c. Pi -deiMnation is nothing elfe but Gods decreeing a certain num- ber to be heirs of glory, on whom he wilT fettle the crown ; whom he predeftinates, hegiorir - What fliall hinder God's electing love, or ftrafte his decree null and void ? 2. Beftdes God's cree, he hath engaged himfelf by promife, t! •• ft the heirs of heaven fhall neve; be out by theft inheritance. God's promifes are rixSi like bin;. in a lottery, but as a fealed deed which cannot be reverfed : the promifes are the flints royal charter ; and this is one promife that their hea- venly father will not difmherit thenx,Jer. xxxii. 40. / will make an ever laf Hug covenant wPM> them, that I will not turn away from them ; [ I will put my fear in their hearts, that they Ji: not depart from me. God's fidelity, winch is Y y 2 the ,86 OF THE PREFACE TO THE LORD'S PRAYER. the rieheft pearl of his crown, is engaged in this promife for his childrens perfeveranee ; / will not turn away from them. A child of God can- not fall away, while he is held fa ft in thefe two arms of God, his love, arid his faithfulnefs. 3. Jefus Chrift undertakes, that all God's children by adoption (hall be preferred, in a ftate of gratfe till they inherit glory: as the heathens feign- ed of Atlas j that he did bear up the heavens from falling ; Jefus Chrift is that bkfled Atlas, that bears up the faints from falling away. Qli. I. How doth Chrifi prefcrve the faints p races, till they come to heaven ? Anf. 1. Jnfluxu fpiritus. Chrift carries on grace in the foul of the eleft, by the influence and co-operation of his fpirit: Chrift doth, fp'ir'itu, continually excite and quicken grace in the godly ; his fpirit doth blow up the fparks of grace into a holy flame; Spiritus eft vita- tins Chrifi i; the fpirit is Chrift's vicar on earth, his proxy, his executor, to fee that all that Chrift hath purchafed for the faints be mad* good : Chrift hath obtained an inheritance in- corruptible for them, t Pet. i. 4. and the fpirit of Chrift is his executor, to fee that his inheri- tance be fettled upon them. 2. Chrift carries on perfeveringly in the fouls of the ele£l, vi ora- tionis, by the pre valency of this intercemon, Heb. vii. 2$. He ever lives to make interceffion for them. Chrift prays that every faint may hold out in grace till he comes to heaven ; can the children of fuch prayers perifti ? If the heirs of heaven fliould be difinherited, and fhall fall fhort of glory, then God's decree rauft be re- verfed, his promife broken, Chrift's prayer frus- trated, which were blafphemy to imagine. 4. That God's children cannot be difinherited or put by their right to the crown of heaven, is evident from their myftical union with Chrift. Believers are incorporated into Chrift, they are knit to Chrift, a? the members to the head, by the nerves and ligaments of faith, fo that they cannot be broken off, Eph. i. 22, 23. The church -which is his body. What was once faid of Chi ill's natural body, is as true of his myftical, A bone ef it fhall not be broken. As it is impoflible to fever the leaven and the dough when they are once mingled and kneaded together ; fo it is impoffible, when Chrift and believers are once^ united, that they fhould ever, by the power of death or hell, be Separated. Chrift and his Spiritual members make one Chrift: now, is it polfible that, any part of Chrift mould pei iih ? How can Chrift want any part of his body myftical and be perfect ? Every member is an ornament to the body, and adds to the honour of it : how can Chrift part with any myftical member, and not part with ibme of his glory too ? So that by all this it is evident, that God's children mud needs perfevere in grace, and cinnor be difinherited. If they could be difin- herited, then the Scripture could not be Suliilled, which tells us or glorious rewards for the heirs of promife, Ff. lviii. 11. Doubt lefs there is a reward for the righteous. Now, if God's adopt- ed children fliould Sill away finally from grace, and mifs of heaven, what reward were there for the righteous : and Mofes did indifcreetly to look for the recompense of reward, and fo there would be a door opened to defpair. Obj. This doclrine of Cod's children perfever- ing, and having the heavenly inheritance fettled on them, may caitfe carnal fecurity} and make them lefs circumfpeci in their walking- Anf. Corrupt nature may, as the Spider, Suck poiSon from this flower ; but a fober Chriftian, who hath felt the efficacy of grace upon his heart, dares not abufe this doclrine : he knows perfeveranee is attained in the ule of means, therefore he walks holily, that fo- in the ufe of means he may arrive at perfeveranee." St. Paul knew that he fliould not be difinherited, and that nothing could feparate him from the love of Chrift : but who more holy and watch- ful than he ? 1 Cor. ix. 27. / keep under my body ; and, Phil. iii. 14. J prefs towards the mark. God's children have that holy fear in them, as keeps them from Security and wantonnefs ; they believe the promife, therefore they rejoice in hope; they fear their hearts, therefore they watch and pray. Thus you fee what ftrong confolation there is for all the heirs of the promife. Such as have God for their father are the happieil perfons on earth ; they are in Such a condition that nothing can hurt them ; they have their father's blefling, all things conSpire for their good; they have a kingdom fettled on them, and the entail can never be cut off. How may God's children be comforted in all conditions, let the times be what they will r their Snher is in heaven he rules all : if troubles arife, they fhall but carry God's children So much the Sooner to their Sather. The more violently the wind beats again ft the Sails oSa fliip, the Sooner the fliip is brought to the haven ; and the more fiercely God's children are afiaulted, the fboner they come to their father's houfe, 1 Theff. iv. 18. OF THE PREFACE TO THE LORD'S PRAYER. &T 1 8. Wherefore comfort cue another ivith thefc words. Ufe 4. Of exhortation. Let us behave and carry ourfelves as the childien of fuch a father, in feveral particulars. 1. Let us depend upon our heavenly Father in all our ftraits and exigencies : let us believe that he will provide for us. Children rely, up- on their parents for the fupply of wants : if we trull God for (alvation, (hall we not truft him for a livelihood ? There is a lawful provident care to be ufed, but beware of a difrxuftful care, Luke xii. 24. Gonfider the ravens, they neither foiu nor reap, and God feedeth them. Doth God feed the birds of the air, and will he not feed his children ? V. 27. Confider the lilies how they grow ; they fpin not : yet Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of thefe. Doth God clothe the lilies, and will he not clothe his lambs ? Even the wicked tafte of God's bounty, Pf. lxxiii. 7. Their eyes jl and out with fatnefs. Doth God feed his flaves, and will not he feed his family ? God's children may not have.fo liberal a fhare in the things of this life, but little meal in the barrel ; they may be drawn low, but not drawn dry ; they fhall have fo much as God fees is good for them, Pf xxxiv. 10. They that feek the Lord /ball not want any good thing. If God gives them not ad voluntatem, he will ad fanitatem ; if he gives them not always what they crave, he will give them what they need ; if he gives them not a feaft, he will give them a viaticum, a bait by the way : let God's children therefore de- pend upon God's fatherly providence ; give not way to diltrultful thoughts, difrrafting cares, or indirect means ; God can provide for you with- out your fins, 1 Pet. v. 7. Ca/ling all your care upon him, for he careth for you. An earthly parent may have affection for his child, and would provide for him, but fometimes he is not able ; but God can create a fupply for his chil- dren, yea, he hath promifed a fupply, P/Txxxvii. 3. Verily thou fo alt be fed. Will God give his children heaven, and will he not give them e- nough to bear their charges thither ? will he give them a kingdom, and deny them daily bread ? O depend upon your heavenly Father ; he hath faid, he will never leave you nor for- fake you, Heb. xiii. 5. 2. If God be our Father, let us imitate him : the child doth not only bear his father's image, but doth imitate him in his fpeech,gefrure, be- haviour ; if God be our Father, let us imitate him, Eph. v. 1. Be ye followers of Cod as dear children. \. Imitate God in forgiving injurie., Ifa. xliv. 22. / have blotted out as a thick cloud thy tranfgreffwns. As the fun fcatrers not on- ly thin mifls, but thick clouds, fo God pardon.; great offences ; imitate God in this, Eph. iv. 32. Forgiving one another. Cranmer was a man of a forgiving fpirit, he did bury injuries, and requite good for evil : he who hath God for his Father, hath God for his pattern. 2. Imi- tate God in works of mercy ; He loofeth thes prij oners, Pf. cxivi. 7. He opens his band, and Jatisfieth the defire of every living thing, PL cxlv. 16. He drops his fwect dew as well up- on the thiftle as the role : imitate Cod in works of mercy, relieve the wants of others, be rich, in good woiks, Luke vi. 36. Be merciful, as ycur Father a If a is merciful. Be not fo hard-hearted , as to fh.ut the poor out of the linss of commu- nication. Dives denied Lazarus a crumb of bread, and Dives was denied a drop of Water. 3. If God be our Father, let us fubmit pati- ently to his will; if he lay his ftrokes on us, they are the corrections of a Father, not the punifhments of a judge -.- this made Chrift fo pa- tient, John xviii. 11. Shall I not drink the cup which my Father hath given me ? He fees we need affliction, 1 Pet. i. 6. he appoints it as a diet-dr-ink to purge and fanctify us, Ifa. xxvii. 9. therefore difpute not, but fubmit, Heb: xii. 9. We had fathers of the flefh which correclcj us, and we gave them reverence : they might correft out of an humour, but God doth if for our profit, Heb. xii. 10. Therefore %, as Eli, 1 Sam. iii. 18. // is the Lord, let him do what feemeth him good. What gets the child by ffruggling, but more blows ? what got Ifratl by their murmuring and rebelling, but a Icjhger and more tedious march, and atJaft their car- cafes fell in the wildernefs ? 4^ If God be our Father, let this caufe in us a child-like reverence, Mai. i. 6. If 1 he a fa- ther, where is my honour ? this is a part of the honour we give to God, when we reverence and adore him :■ if you have not always a child-like confidence, ' yet always have a child-like reve- rence. And how ready are we to run into ex- tremes, either to defpond or grow wanton ? Becaufe God is a Father, therefore do not think you may be fecure and take liberty to fin ; if you do, God may carry it fo as if he were no Father, he may throw hell into your confeience. "When David prefumed upon God's paternal affection, and began to wax wanton nndu ss O* ri*JE i KK TO THE LORD'S PRAYER. meiey, Cod made him pay dear fur it, he with- drew the ienfe of his love ; and though he had the heart of a Father, yet he had the look of an enemy. David prayed, caufe me to hear the -voice of joy, Pf. lh 8. He lay feveral months in defertion, and it is thought he never recovered his full joy to the day of his death. Oh keep alive holy fear ; with a child-like confidence, prefer ve an humble reverence : the Lord is a father, therefore love to ferve him ; he is the mighty God, therefore fear to offend him. 5. If God be our Father, let us walk obedi- entially, 1 Pet. i. 14. As obedient children. "When God bids you be humble and felf-deny- ing, deny yours, part with your bofom-fin : be ibber in your attire, favoury in your fpeeches, grave in your deportment, obey your Father's voice ; open to God, as the flower opens to the fun ; as you expert your Father's bleffing, obey him in whatever he commands, firft and fecond table duties. A lutanift, that he may make fweet my fie, toucheth upon every firing of the lute ; the ten commandments are like a ten- ftringed infrrument, touch upon every firing, obey every commandment, or you cannot make •fweet melody in religion. Obey your heavenly Father, though he commands things contrary ro fiefh and blood. 1. When he commands co mortify fin, that fin which hath been dear to you ; pluck out this right eye, that you may fee the better to go to heaven. 2- When he commands you to fuffer for him, be ready to obey, #&s x*;i, 13. Every good Chriftian hath a fpirit of martyrdom in him, and is ready ra- ther to fuffer for the truth, than the truth mould fuffer. Luther faid he had rather be a martyr, than a monarch. Peter w.'w crucified with his head downwards, as Eufebius. Ignatius called his chains his fpiritual pearls, and did wear his fetters as a bracelet of diamonds. This is to carry it as God's children, when we obey his voice, and count not our lives dear, fo that we may fhow our love to our heavenly Father, Rev. xii. 11. They loved not their lives to the death. 6. If God be your Father, fhow it by your cheerful looks, t Via t you are the children of fuch a Father. Too much drooping and defipon- dency difparageth the relation you fland in to Godi What though you meet with hardufage in the world • You are now in a Arange land, hir from h< -ne ; it will be fhortly better with yoa, when you are in your own country, and -our Father hath you in his arms- Doth not the heir rcioyce in hope? lhall the fons of a king walk dejected ? 2 Sam. xiit. 4. Why art thou, being the king's /on, lean ? is God an un- kind Father ? are his commands grievous ? hath he no land to give to his heirs ? why then d-y God's children walk fo fad ? Never had chil- dren fuch privileges as they who are of the feed-royal of heaven, and have God for their Father ; they fhould rejoyce therefore, who are within a few hours to be crowned with glory. 7. If God be our Father, let us honour him. by walking very holily, 1 Pet. i. 16. Be ye holy, for I am holy. A young prince afking a philofopher how he fhould behave himfelf, the philofopher faid, Memento te filium ejje regis, Remember thou art a king's fon : do nothing but what becomes the fon of a king: fo remember you are the adopted fons and daughters of the high God, do nothing unworthy of fuch a rela- tion. A debauched child is the difgrace of his father. Is this thy fon's coat r faid they to Ja- cob, when they brought it home dipped in blood, Gen. xxxvii. 32.fi) when we fee a perfon defiled with malice, paffion, drunkennefs, we may fay, is this the coat of God's adopted fon ? doth he look as an heir of glory r 'Tis a blafpheming the name of God, to call him Father, yet live in fin. Such as profefs God is their Father, yet live unholily, they will flander and defraud ; thefe are as bad to God as heathens, Amos ix. 7. Are ye not as children of the Ethiopian to me, 0 children of Ifrael, faith the Lord? The Ethio- pians were uncircumcifed, a bafe, ill-bred peo- ple ; when Ifrael grew wicked, they were no better to God than Ethiopians. Loofe, Icanda- lous livers under the gofpel are no better in God's efteem than pagans and Americans ; nay, they fhall have an hotter place in hell. O let all who profefs God to be their Father, honour him by their unfpotted lives. Scipio abhorred the embraces of an harlot, becaufe he was the general of an army : abftain from all fin, be- caufe you are born of God, and have God for your Father, 1 Theff. v. 22. Abftain from all appearance of evil. It was a laying of Auguflus, an emperor mould not only be free from crimes, but from the fufpicion of them. Ey an holy life you would bring glory to your heavenly Father, and caufe others to become his children: Efl pellax virtutis odor. Caujinus in his hye- roglyphics, fpcaks of a dove, whofe wings be- ing perfumed with fweet ointments, did draw the other doves after her : the holy lives of, God's children is a fweet perfume to draw o- thers to religion, and make them to be of the family OF THE PREFACE TO THE LORDS FRAYE&. 3'9 family of God. Juflin Martyr faith, That which converted him to chrifianity, was the beholding the bla mele fs lives of the Chrifti- ans. 8. If God be our Father, let us love all that are his children, Pf cxxxiii. 1. How pie af ant is it for brethren to dwell together in unity : 'tis compared to ointment, vtr. 2. for the fweet fragrancy of it. 1 Pet. ii. 27. Love the brother- hood. Idem eft motus anima? in imaginem 61 rem. The faints are the walking pictures of God : if God be our Father, we love to fee his picture of holinefs in believers; we pity them for their infirmities, but love them for their graces ; we prize their company above others, Pf. cxix. 63. It may jufrly be fufpe&ed that God is not their Father, who love not God's children ; though they retain the communion of faints in their creed, yet they banifh the com- munion of faints out of their company. 9. If God be our Father, let us mow heaven- ly-mindednefs : they who are born of God, do let their affections on things that are above, Col. ill . 2. O ye children of the high God ! do not difgrace your high birth by fordid covetoufnefs. "What, a fbn of God, and a flave to the world ! what, fprung from heaven, and buried in the earth ! For a Chriftian, who pretends to de- rive his pedigree from heaven, yet wholly to mind earthly things, is to debafe himfelf ; as if a king fhould leave his throne to follow the plough, Jer. xlv. 5. SeekeJ? thou great things for thyfelf* As if the Lord had faid, What thou Barak, thou who art bom of God, a-kin to an- gels, and by thy office a Levite, do ft thou debafe thfelf) and fpot the f ilver wings of thy grace, by beliming them with earth ? SeekeJ? thou great things ? Seek them not. The earth chokes the fire : earthlinefs chokes the fire of good affec- tions. 10. ult. If God be our Father, let us own our heavenly Father in the worft times; ftand up in his caufe, defend his truths. Athanafius owned God, when moft of the world turned Brians. If fufferings come, do not deny God : he is a bad fbn, who denies his father. Such as are afhamed of God in times of danger, God will be afhamed to own them for his children, Mark viii. 38. Whofoever therefore fhall be a- Ihamed of me and my words in this adulterous generation, of him alfo fhall the Son of man be afhamed, when he comes in the glory of his Fa- ther, with his holy angels. So I have done with the firft part of the preface, Our Father. II. The fecond part of the preface (which I fhall but briefly touch on) is, IV Inch art in hea- ven. God is faid to be in heaven, not that he is fo included there, that he is no where elle j for the heaven of heavens cannot contain him% 1 Kings viii. 27. But, the meaning is, God is chiefly refident in the empyrean heaven, which? the apoftle calls the third heaven, 2 Cor. xii. 2. there God doth moft give forth his glory to his faints and angels. Qu. What may we learn from this, that God. is in heaven ? Anf r. Hence we learn that we arc to raife our minds in prayer above the earth. God is no where to be lpoken with but in heaven. God never denied that fool his fait, who went as far as heaven to afk it. 2. We learn, from God's being in heaven, his fovereign power. Hoc vocabulo iritelligitur ovinia fnbejfe ejus imperio, Calvin. Pf.c'AV. 3, Our God is in the heavens, he hath done what- ever he pfeafed. God being in heaven governs, the univerfe, and orders all occurrences here below for the good of his children : when the flints are in ftraits and dangers, and fee no way of relief, he can fend from heaven, and help them, Pf lvii. 3. He fall fend from hea- ven, and five me. 3. We learn God's glory and majefty : he is in heaven ; therefore he is covered with light, Pf. civ. 6. Clothed with honour, Pf. civ. 1. and is as fir above all worldly princes, as heaven is above earth. 4. We learn, from God's being in heaven, his omnifciency ; All things are naked, and un- masked to his eye, Heb. iv. 13. Men plot and contrive againft the church ; but God is in hea- ven, and they do nothing but what our Father fees. If a man were on the top of an high tower or theatre, he might thence fee all the people below : Got\ is in heaven, as in an high tower or theatre, and he fees all the tranfacT::- ons of men. The wicked make wounds in the backs of the righteous, and then pour in vine- gar ; God writes down their cruelty, Exod. iii. 7. I have feenthc affliclicns of my people. God is in heaven, and he can thunder out of heaven upon his enemies, Pf.xvui. 13. The Lord thun- dered in the heavens ; yea, be fen? out arrows, and fcaitered them, and L '.-.ot cut lightnings, and difcomfited them. 5. We learn, from God's oeing in heaven, comfort for the duMreh of God ; when they pray fo .their Firther; the way to heaven cannot be 39? OF THE PREFACE TO THE LORD'S PRAYER. be blocked up. One may have a father living in foreign parts, but the way, both by iea and by land, may be Co blocked up, that there is no coming to him : but thou, faint of God, when thou prayelt to thy Father, he is in heaven ; and though thou art never fo confined, thou mayeit have accefs to him. A prifon cannot keep thee from thy God : the way to heaven can never be blocked up. So I have done with the word Father : I (hall next fpeak of the pronoun Our, Father. Chrift, by this word {Our,) would teach us thus much; That in all our prayers to God, wefijould act faith. Our Father ; Father, denotes reve- rence ; Our Father, denotes faith. In all our prayers to God we fhould exercife faith, Our Father. Faith is that which baptizeth prayer, and gives it a name ; it is called the prayer of faith, James v. 15, Without faith it is (peak- ing, not praying. Faith is the breath of pray- er ; prayer is dead, unlefs faith breathe in it. Faith is a neceffary requifite in prayer. The oil of the fanctuary was made up of Tweet fpid s, pure myrrh, caffia, cinnamon, Exod. xxx. 23. Faith is the chief fpice, or ingredient into pray- er, which makes it go up to the Lord, as fweet in ce rife, Jam. i. 6. Let him ask in faith. Mat. xxi. 22. Whatfoever ye /hall ask in prayer, be- lieving, ye {hall receive. Invoco te, Domine, quanquam languida & itnbecilla fide, tamen fide ; Lord, (("aid Cruciger) I pray, though with a weak faith, yet -with faith. Prayer is the gun we (hoot with, fervency is the fire that difchargeth it, and faith is the bullet which pierccth the throne of grace : prayer is the key of heaven, Fiith is the hand that turns it ; pray in faith, Our Father, Faith mud take prayer by the hand; or there is no coming nigh to God ; pray- er without faith is unfuceefsful. If a poor handy-craftfimn, that lives by his labour, hath footled his tools, that he .cannot work, how (hall lie (i)bfifl : Prayer is the tool we work with, which procures all good for us : but unbelief f/.oils and blunts our prayers, and then we can get no blefling from God : a prayer that is iaithlefs is fruitlefs. As Jofipb laid, Tou fhall not fit my face, unlefs yon bring your b> other Benjamin with you, Gtn. xliii. 3. So prayer cannot fee God's face, unlefs it bring its brother faith with it. What is (aid of Ifrael, They cull not enter in becaufe of unbelief , Heb. iii. 19. is as tme of prayer, it cannot enter into heaven, becaufe of unbelief. This makes prayer ofren furFer fhipwrcck, becaufe it dafheth upon the rock of unbelief. O fprinkle faith in prayer. We muft fay, Our Father. Qu. I. What doth praying in faith imply ? Anf. Praying in faith implies the having of faith ; the act implies the habit. To walk im- plies a principle of life ; fo to pray in faith im- plies an habit of grace. None can pray in faith but believers. Qu. 2. What is it to pray in faith ? Anf 1 . To pray in faith, is to pray for that which God hath promifed ; where there is no promife, we cannot pray in faith. 2, To pray in faith, is to pray in ChriftV meritorious name, John xiv. 13. Whatfoever ye fhall ask in my name, that will I do. To pray in ChrifVs name, is, to pray in the hope and confidence of Chrift's merir. When we pre- fent Chrift to God in prayer ; when we carry the Lamb (lain in our arms ; when we fay, Lord, we are f inner s, but here is our furety ; for ChrifVs fake be propitious : this is coming to God in ChrifVs name ; and this is to pray in faith. 3. To pray in faith, is, in prayer, to fix our faith on God's faithfulnefs, believing that he doth hear, and will help; this is a taking hold of God, Ifa. lxiv. 7. By prayer we draw nigh to God, by faith we take hold of him, 2Chron. xiii. 14. The children o/*Judah cried unto the Lord; and this was the crying of faith, v. i9. They prevailed, becaufe they relied on the Lord Cod of their fathers. Making fupplication to God, and flaying the foul on God, is praying in faith. To pray, and not rely on God for the granting our petitions, irrifio Deitf}, faith Pelican; it is to abufi- and put a /com on Cod. By praying we feem to honour God, by not be- lieving we affront him. In prayer we fay, Al- mighty, merciful Father; by not believing, we blot out all his titles again. Qu. 3. Now may we know that we do truly pray in faith ? We may fay, Our Father, and think we pray in faith, when it is in prefump- tion ; how therefore may we know that we do indeed pray in faith ? Anf i . When our faith in prayer is humble : a prefumptuous perfon hopes to be heard in prayer, for fome inherent worthinefs in him- felf ; he is fo qualified, and hath done God good fervice, therefore he is confident God will hear his prayer : fee an inftance, Luke xviii. 11, 12. The Pharijee flood and prayed thus, Cod, I thank thee, that I am not as it her ?run are} extortioners, u/yujf : I faft twice in the week .- OF THE PRFFACE TO THE LORD'S PRAYER. ■39« week; I give tithes of all that I poffifs. This was a prefumptuous prayer ; but a fmcere heart cloth as well aft humility in prayer as faith, l.uke xviii. 13. The publican, ft an ding afar off, 'Mould not lift up fo much as his eyes to heaven , hut fmote upon his breaft, faying, God he merci- ful to me a f inner. God be merciful, there was faith; to me a ftnner, there was humility, and a CciiCc of unworthinefs. 2. We may know we pray in faith, when, though we have not the prefent thing we pray for, yet we believe God will grant, therefore we will flay his leifure. A Ghriftian having a command to pray, and in a promife, he is re- iblved to follow God with prayer, and not give over .- as Peter, he knocked, yet the door was not opened; but he continued knocking, and at lad it was opened, Acls xii. 1 6. So a Chriftian prays and prays, but hath no anfwer ; but he will continue knocking at heaven's door, know- ing an anfwer will come, Pj. Ixxxvi. 7. Thou tuilt anfwer me. Here is one that prays in faith. Chrift faith, Pray and faint not, Luke xviii. 1. A believer, at Chrift's word, lets down the net of prayer, and though he catch nothing, he will caft the net of prayer again, believing that mer- cy will come. Patience in prayer is nothing but faith fpun out. Ufe. I. It reproves them that pray in forma- lity, not in faith : they queftion whether God hears or will grant, Jam. iv. 3. Ye ask and receive not, becaufe ye ask amifs. He doth not fay, ye ask that which is unlawful ; but, ye ask amifs : When men pray, and believe not, they ask amifs, and therefore they receive not. Unbe- lief clips the wings of prayer, that it will not flee to the throne of grace ; the rubbim of unbelief flops the current of prayer. Ufe II. Of exhortation. Let us fet faith awork in prayer, [Our father. ,] The husbandman fows in hope : prayer is the feed we fow ; when the hand of faith fcatters this feed, it brings forth a fruitful crop of bleffing, prayer is thefhip we fend out to heaven; when faith makes an ad- venture in this fhip, it brings home large returns of mercy. O pray in faith, fay. Our father. And that we may aft faith in prayer, confider. C 1 .) God's readinefs to hear prayer. Deus para- tus ad vota exauditnda, Calvin. Did God forbid all addreflcs to him, it would put a damp upon the ti ade of prayer ; but God's ear is open to prayer. It is one of the names by which God is known, Pf. Ixv. 2. 0 thou that heareft prayer. The dediles among the Romans had their doors al- ways ftatviing open, that all who 'had petitions might have free r.cccfs to them. God is both ready to hear, and grant prayer: this may en- courage faith in prayer. And, w'hereas fomc may fay, they have prayed, but have had no anfwer. 1. God may hear prayer, though he do not prefently anfwer : we write a letter to a friend, he may have received it, though we have yet had no anfwer of it. Perhaps thou prayeft for the light of God's face ; God may lend thee an ear, though he doth not (how thee his face ; 2. God may give an anfwer to prayer, when we do not perceive it. His giving aij heart to pray, and inflaming the affections ifi prayer, is an anfwer of prayer, Pfal. exx xviii. 3; In the day that I cried, thou anfwer e deft me ana flrengthenedft with fir ength in my foul. David's inward fhength was an anfwer of prayer, there- fore let God's readinefs to hear prayer encourage faith in prayer. 2. That we may ncl: faith in prayer, confider, we do not pray alone ; Chrift prays over our prayers again : Chrift's prayer is the ground why our prayer is heard. Chrift takes the drofs our of our prayer, and prefents nothing to his father but pure gold. Chrift mingles his fweet odours with the prayers of the faints, Rev. v. 8. Think of the dignity of his perfon, he is God; and the fweetnefs of his relation, he is a fon. O what encouragement is here] to pray in faith ! Our prayers are put into the hand of a mediator. Chrift's prayer is mighty and powerful. 3. We pray to God for nothing, but what is pleafing to him, and he hath a mind (a grant : if a fon ask nothing but what his father is willing to beftow, this may make him go to him with confidence. When we pray to God for holy hearts, there's nothing more pleafing to him, 1 Theff. iv. 3. This is the will of God, even your fanclification. We pray that God would give us an heart to love him, and there! is nothing he more defires than our love. How may this make us pray in faith, when we pray for nothing but what is acceptable to God, and which he delights to beftow r 4. To encourage faith in prayer, confider the many fweet promifes that God hath made to prayer. The cork keeps the net from fink- ing ; the promifes are the cork to keep faith from finking in prayer. God hath bound him- felf to us by his promifes : the Bible is befpangled with promifes made to prayer, /fa. xxx. 19. He will be very gracious to thee at the voice of thy cry. The Lord is rich u f ene- mies in the birth, it hath routed their forces ; Mofes's prayer againft Amalek did more than Jofhua's fword ; and may not this hearten and corroborate fmh in prayer ? 8. If all this will- not prevail, confider how heartlefs and comfortlefs it is to pray, and not in faith : the heart mifgives fecretly, God doth not hear, nor will he grant. Faithlefs praying mud needs be comfortlefs; for there is no promife made to unbelieving prayer. It is fad failing where there is no anchoring, and fid praying where there is no promife to anchor upon, James i. 7. The difciples toikd all night and caught nothing : the unbeliever toils in prayer and catchcth nothing; he re- ceives not any fpiritual bltffings, pardon of fm, or grace : as for the temporal mercies the unbeliever hath, he cannot look upon them as the fruit of prayer, but as the overflowings and fpillings of God's bounty, oh therefore labour to exert and put forth faith in prayer. Obj. But there is fo much fin cleaves to my prayer, that I fear it is not the prayer of faith, and God will not hear it. Anf. If thou mourned for this, it hinders not but that thy prayer may be in faith, and God may hear it : weaknefs in prayer fhall net make void the faints prayers, Pf xxxi. 22. Ifaid in my hafie, I am cut off. There was much unbelief in this prayer: lfaid in my hafte; in the Hebrew, in my trembling. David's Faith did tremble and faint, yet God heard his prayer. The faints paffions do not hinder the faints prayers, James v. 17. Therefore be not difcouraged ; though fin will cleave to thy holy offering, yea thefe two things may comfort, thou mayfr. pray with faith, though with weaknefs j and God fees the fincerity, and will pafs by the infirmity. Qu. How fhall we do to pray in faith ? Anf. Implore the fpirit of God : we cannot fay, our father, but by the Holy Ghoft. God's fpirit helps us, not only to pray with fighs and groans, but with faith. The fpirit carries us to God, not only as to a creator, but a father, raL iv. 6. He hath fent forth the fpirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, abba, father. Crying , there the fpirit caufeth us to pray with fervency, abba father. There the fpirit helps us to pray with faith. Prayer is the key of heaven, the fpirit helps faith to turn this key, and then it unlocks heaven. ©F t 3P3 3 OF THE FIRST PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. Matth, vi. 9. Hallowed be thy Name. HAving fpoken of the introduction to the Lord's prayer, fifter this manner pray ye; and the preface, Our father which art in hea- ven : I come now, thirdly, to the prayer itfelf, which confifts of feven petitions : a fhort body of divinity is contained in them. I begin with the firft petition. I. Hallovjed be thy name. In the Latin, it is, fanclificetur nomen tuum, fanclifled be thy name. In this petition, hallowed be thy name, we pray, that God's name may mine forth glori- oufly, and that it may be honoured and fancti- fied by us, in the whole courfe and tenor of our lives. It was the angels fong, glory be to God in the higheft ; that is, let his name be glorified and hallowed. This petition, hallowed be thy name, is let in the forefront to fliow, that the hallowing of God's name is to be preferred before all other things ; 1. It is to be preferred before life ; we pray, Hallowed be thy name, be- fore we pray, Give us this day our daily bread. It is to be preferred before falvation, Rom. ix. 1. God's glory is more worth than the falvation of all mens fouls. As Chrift faid of Jove, Mat. xxii. 37. This is the firft and great com- mandment ; Co I may fay of this petition, Hal- lowed be thy name, it is the firft and great pe- tition ; it contains the moft weighty thing in religion, God's glory. When fbme of the other petitions fhall be ufelefs and out of date, we mall not need pray in heaven, Give us our daily bread, becaufe there fhall be no hunger ; nor, Forgive us ourtrefpajfes, becaufe there fhall be no fin ; nor, Lead us not into temptation, becaufe the old ferpent is not there to tempt : yet the hal- lowing of God's name fhall be of great ufe, and requeft in heaven ; we fhall be ever finging hallelujahs, which is nothing elfe but the hal- lowing of God's name. Every perfon in the blefTed trinity, God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, muft have this honour •, to be hallowed ; their glory being equal, and their majefty co- eternal. Hallowed be thy name. To admire God's nameisnot enough ; weimyadmii a conqueror: but when we lay, Hallowed be thy name, we U.i God's name above every name, and not only ad« mire him, but adore him ; and this is proper only to the Deity. For the further explication,, I fhall propound three queftions : 1. What is meant by God's name ? 2. What is meant by hallowing God's name P 3. When may we be faid to hallow or fanclify God's name ? Qu. 1. What is meant by God's name? Anf 1. By God's name is meant his efTence, Pfi xx. I. The name of 'the God of "Jacob defend thee ; that is, the God of Jacob defend thee. 2. By God's name is meant any thing by which God may be known ; as a man is known by his name, God's name is his attributes, wifdom, power, holinefs, goodnefs ; by thele God is known by his name. Qu. 2. What is meant by hallowing of God's name ? Anf To hallow, is a communifeparare, to fet apjirt a thing from the common ufe, to fome facred end. As the vefFels of the fanctuary were faid to be hallowed ; Co to hallow God's name, is to fet it apart from all abufes, and to ufe it holily and reverendly : in particular, hallowing, of God's name is to give him high honour and veneration, and render his name facred. \V"e can add nothing to God's efTential glory; but we are faid to honour and fanclify his name, when we lift up in the world and make him appear greater in the eyes of others. When a prince is crowned, there is fomething added really to his honour ; but when we go to crown God with our triumphs and hallelujahs, there is nothing added to his ehential glory : God cannot be greater than he is, only we may make him appear greater in the eyes of others. Qu. 3. When may we be faid to hallow and- fanclify God's name ? Anf 1. When we prpfefs his name. Our meeting in his holy aifembly is an honour done to God's name ; this is good, but it is not enough. All that wear God's livery by profeflion, are not true fervants ; there are fome profWTors,. Cliriil will at the laft day piofefs againfr, Mat. Z z 2 vii. 594 OF THE FIRST PETITION IN THE L6R1V5 PRATEJt' vii. 23. I will prof efs I never knew you. There- fore, to go a little further. 2. We hallow and fanttify God's name, when we have an high appretiation and efteem of God ; we fet him higheft in our thoughts ; The Hebrew word to honour, fignifies to efteem. precious : we conceive of God in our minds as the moll fuperexcellent and infinite good ; we apprehend in God, a conftellation of all beauties and delights ; we adore God in his glo- rious attributes, which are the feveral beams by which, his divine nature mines forth ; we adore God in his works., which are bound up in three great volumes, creation, redemption, providence : We hallow and fandtify God's name, when we lift him higheft in our fouls ; we eiteem him a fupereminent and incompre- henfible God. 3. We hallow and fanclify God's name, when we trull in his name, Pf xxxiii. 21. We have trufied in his holy name : no way can we bring more reverence of honour to God, or make his crown mine brighter, than by con- fiding in him, Bom. iv. 20. Abraham was Jirong in faith, giving glory to God : there was an hallowing of Gods name : as unbelief (fains God's honour, and eclipfeth his name, 1 John v. 10. He that believeth not, makes Coda liar ; fo faith doth glorify and hallow God's name : The believer trulls his bell jewels in God's hands, Pf. iii. 5. Into thy hands I commit my fpirit : faith in a mediator doth more honour 'and fanflify God's name, than martyrdom, or the moll fublime afts of obedience. 4. We hallow and fanftify God's name, when we never make mention of his name, but with the higheft reverence ; God's name is facred, and it mull not be fpoken of, but with veneration : the fcripture, when it fpeaks of God, gives him his titles of honour, Gen. xiv. 20. Bleffed be the mo ft high God : Neh. ix. 5. Bleffed be thy glorious name which is exalted above all praife : to fpeak vainly or (lightly of Cod, is a profaning his name, and is a taking his name in vain : let his name be hallowed ; by giving God his venerable titles, we do as it were hang his jewels on his crown. 5. We hallow and fancYrfy God's name, when we love his name, Pf. v. n. Let them that love thy name be joyful: and that love which is honouring God's name, mull be a fpecial difcriminating love, the cream and flower of our love ; fuch a love as we give to none befides ; as the wife honours her hulband, by giving him fuch a love as me gives to noneelfe, a conjugal Jove ; fo we hallow God's name, by giving him fuch love as we give to none elfe, a love joined with wormip, Pf xlv. 11. He is thy God, and worfhip thou him. 6. We hallow and fancTify God's name, when we give him an holy and fpiritual wor- mip : 1. We give him the fame kind of wor- fhip that he hath appointed: Lev. x. 3. I will be fanflified of all them that come nigh to me ; that is, I will be fan welcome Chrift. When God's glory weighs heavieft in the balance, and we are wil- ling to fufFer the lofs of all, rather than God's name fhould fufFer, now we do, in an high de- gree, hallow God's name. 16. ult. We do hallow and fanclify God's- name, by an holy converfation, 1 Pet. ii. 0. Te are a royal prieflhood, a peculiar people ; that ye fhould /hew forth the praifes of him who hath called you. As an unholy life doth dis- honour God's name, Rom. ii. 24. The name of God is blafphemed among the Gentiles through you ; fo by our holy and Bible-converfation wc honour God's name. An holy life fpeaks louder than all the anthems and praifes in the world : tho' the main work of religion lies in the heart, yet when our light fo fhines, that others behold it, now they glorify God ; when our lives fhine, now GoJ s name fhines. The Macedonians ufed one day in the year to wear th'e -picture of Alexander fet with pearl and coftly jewels; Co, when we carry the picture of Chrift about us Ml 193 OF THE FIRST PETITION IN THE LORDS PRAYER. in our holy example, now we bring honour to God's name. life. I. See the true note and character of a godly perfbn ; he is a fanflifier. of God's name, Hallowed be thy name. A true faint doth ambi- tioufly endeavour to advance God's name : this is the queftion he afks himfelf in every thing he is going about : Will this action tend to the ho- nour of God's name ? will this exalt God ? This was St. Paul's chief defign, that Chrijl might he magnified, Phil. i. 20. viz. that the crown upon his head might flourifh : a godly man thinks it is fcarce worth the while to live, if he may not bring fome revenues of honour to God's name. Ufe. II. I may here take up a fad lamentati- on, and fpeak, as the apoftle Paul -weeping, Phil. iii- 1 8. To consider how God's name, inftead of being hallowed and fanctified, is difhonoured. God's name, which is more worth than the fal- vation of all mens fouls, fufFers deeply. We are apt to fpeak of our fufferings ; alas ! what are all our fufferings ? God's name is the dear- eft thing he hath : how do men fland upon their name and honour ? God's name is this day difhonoured, it is like the fun in an eclipfe. Theodofius took it heinoufly when they threw dirt upon his ftatue ; but now (which is far worfe) difgrace is thrown upon the glorious name of Jehovah. God's name, inftead of be- ing hallowed, is difhonoured by all forts, (i.) By Heathens, (2.) Turks, (3 .) Jews, (4.) Papifls, (5.) Proteftants. 1. By heathens: they have a knowledge of a Godhead by the light of nature, Rom. i. 19, 20. but they difhonour God, and fin againft the light of nature. The Egyptians worfhip an ox ; the Perfians worfhip the fun ; the Grecians and Ro- mans, Jupiter j and the Parthians worfhip the devil. 2. God's name is difhonoured by the Turks : they adore Mahomet their great prophet, as one divinely infpired : Mahomet was of an impure, vicious life ; Mahomet plucks the crown from Chrifl's head, denying his Deity. 3. God's name is difhonoured by the Jews, who give not equal honour and adoration to God the Son, as to God the Father : they ex- pert a Meffiah yet to come, feculum futunan ,• they believe not in Chrift, they blafpheme him, and flight righteoufneis imputed ;• they vilify the Ghriftian fabbath. 4. God's name is dishonoured by the papifls. Popery is a God-di [honouring teligion ; they difhonour God's name, (1.) By their idolatry, which is fpiritual adultery, Ezek. xxiii. 37. I- dolatry is to worfhip a falfe God, or the true God in a falfe manner; this they are guilty of. 1. They difhonour God by their idolatry, in making graven images, and giving the fame honour to them as is due to God : images are teachers of lies, Hab. ii. 18. they reprefent God in a bodily fliape. 2. By their idolatry in the mafs; worfhipping the hoft, and offering it up as a facrifice for fin ; the apoftle faith, Heb. x. 14. By one offering Chrijl hath perfected them that are fancl'ufied : but, as if Chrifl's offering on the crofs were imperfect, they offer him up daily in the mafs, which is a difhonour done to Chrift's prieflly office. (2.) The papifls, in- ftead of hallowing God's name, difhonour God's name, by locking up the fcriprures in an un- known tongue ; they, as the Phiiiftines, pluck out the peoples eyes, and then make fport with them : the Bible is a filming light, bat they draw a curtain over it; they take away the key of knowledge, Luke xi. 52. And hinder God's glory, by hindering mens falvation. (3.) In- ftead of hallowing God's name, they difhonour it, by giving men indulgences. They fay, the pope, as Peter's fucceffor, hath power to grant indulgences, by virtue whereof, men are fet free in the fight of God. 1. It is to fteal a flower from the crown of heaven. The pope afTumes a power to pardon, which is God's prerogative- royal, Matth. ii. 7. Who can forgive fin but God only ? 2. The pope, by his indulgence, encou- rageth men to fin. What need the papifls caie what fins they commit, when they have a li- cence and patent from the pope to bear them harmlefs ? (4.) Inftead of hallowitsg God's name, they difhonour God's name, by their in- vocation to faints. We are to pray only to God, Matth. vi. 6. Pray to thy Father ■ nor, pray to a faint, or the virgin Mary, but pray 10 your Father in heaven : we may pray to none, but whom we may believe in, Ram. x. 14. The faints in heaven are ignorant of our grievances, If a. Ixiii. 16. Abraham is ignorant of us. (5.) Inflead of hallowing God's name, they difhonour it, by their luxury and unclean- nefs ; they allow of flews. At Rome, forni- cation keeps open fhop, and is in fome cafes preferred before honourable matrimony ; urbs eft jam tota lupanar. (<5.) Inftead of hallow- ing God's name, they difhonour it, by their biafphemies. They give equal, nay, more ho- nour to the virgin Mary than to Chrift ; they afcribc OF THE FIRST PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 399 alcribe more to her milk, than his blood j they call her ScalaCoeli, the ladder of heaven ; Janua. paradiji, the gate Paradife. In their Jaoxologies they fay, pr'aife be to the Virgin Mary, and a If a to Chrift* What blafphemy is this, to let creature above the creator ! They fay to her, 0 fslix puerpera,noftra piaris fee/era! O happy mother of a fon that purgeft away our crimes! (7„)Inftead of hallowing God'sname they dimonour it, by their lies : their golden legend is an impofture, and is full of lying wonders : They mow John Bapti/Fs fore-head for a relique in Spain, yet his whole head they affirm to befeen in St. Sylvefterm Rome \ they fhow St. Peters fhadow at Rome : indeed we read of St. Peters fhadow, Acls v. 15. But 'tis ftrange how the Papifts could catch his fhadow, and keep it by them fo long. (8.) In- ftead of hallowing God's name, they difhonour it, by baptizing fin urith the name of virtue. Breach of oaths is with the papifts a virtue. If a man hath bound his foul to God by an oath, yet to violate this oath is virtuous, if it may propagate the catholic caufe. Killing thofc who are of a different religion, is not only venial, but a virtue among catholics. Deftroying two hun- dred thoufand of the Albigenfes, who were pro- teftants, was commended as a glorious action, honoured with a triumph at Rome, and crown- ed with his holinefs's bleffing. Is not this an high difhonour to God, to gild over the fouleft crimes with the name of virtue and piety ? (9.) Inflead of hallowing God's name, they difhon- our ir, by their damnable aflertions ; 1, The papifts affirm, that the pope is above fcripture; that he may difpenfe with it, and, that his ca* nons bind more than the word of God. 2. They teach merit by good works : but, if a de- bitor cannot pay his creditor, how can he me- rit at his hands ? 3. That the fcripture is not a perfect rule of faith, and manners; therefore they eik it out with their traditions, which they hold to be of equal authority. 4. They teach, that an implicit faith is faving ; tho' one may have an implicit faith, yet be ignorant of all the articles of religion. 5. They fay, that the inward aft of the mind, is not required in God's worfhip : diverfion of the mind in duty, though one prays and never thinks of God, is no fin, faith Angelus and Sylvefter, and other papifts. 6. The papifts make habitual love to God unnecdlary : it is not needful, faith Bcllar- mine, to perform any acts of religion out of love to God. Staple ton and Cajetan affirm, that the precept of loving God with all our heart is not binding ; by which they cut afunder the finews and foul of all religion. Thus, inftead of ho* nouring God's name, the papifts difhonour it. Let us pray heartily, that this Romifl) religion may never get footing again in this nation : God grant that this poifonful weed of popery may never be watered here ; but that, it being a plant which our heavenly Father hath not planted, it may be rooted up. 5. God's name is di (honoured by carnal pro- teftants. How is God's name this day diflion- oured in England ? his name is like the fun in an eclipfe. Chriftians, inftead of hallowing God's name, reproach and difhonour it. (1,) By their tongues. (2.) By their lives. 1. By their tongues : (1.) They fpeak irreve- rently of God's name: God's name is (acred Dent, xxviii. 58. That thou may eft fear this glorious and fearful name, the Lord thy Cod., The names of kings are not mentioned without giving them their titles of honour, high am mighty ; but men fpeak irreverently of God, as if he were like one of them, Pf 1. 2 r. This is ' a taking God's name in vain. (2.) They fwear by his name. Many feldom name God's name, but in oaths : how is God difhonoured, when men rend and tear his name by oaths and im- precations ! Jer. xxiii. 10. Becaufe of fa fearing the land mourns. If God will reckon with men for idle words, fhall not idle oaths be put in the account-book ? O but, faith one, I cannot help it ; it is acuftom of fwearing I have got, and, I hope, God will forgive me ! Anf. Is this a good plea, a cuftom of fwearing ? This is no excufe, but an aggravation of fin : as if one that had been accufed for killing a man (hould plead with the judge to (pare him, becaufe it was his cuftom to murder ; this were an aggravation of the offence : will not the judge fay, thou fhalt the rather die ? fo it is here. 2. As men difhonour God by their tongues, fo by their lives. What is it to fay, Halkwed be thy name, when in their lives they profane his name ? They difhonour God by their £- theifm, fabbath-breaking, uncleannefs, perjury, intemperance, injuftice, men bang out a flag cf defiance againft heaven. As the Thracians, when it thunders, fhot their arrows again! heaven ; fo men fhoot their fins as bearde^ ar- rows againft heaven. Sinners are hardned fin, they defpife counfel, they laugh at reproof, they have caft off the veil of modefty. Satan bath taken fuch full poiTcinon of them, that A a a when 4©e OF THE FIRST PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRATER. when they fin, they glory in their fhame, Phi!. iii. 19. They brag how many new oaths they have invented, how oft they have been drunk, how many they have defiled ; they declare their fin as Sodom : fuch horrid impieties are com- mitted, that a modeft heathen would blufh at. Men, in this age, fin at that rate, as if either they did not believe there were. an heli, or as if they feared hell would be full ere they could get thither. Was God's name ever fo openly dif- honoured ? All our preaching will not make them leave their fins. What a black veil is drawn over the face "of religion at this day? Vivimus in temporum feed bus -Sen. We live in the dregs of time, wherein the common more of wickednefs runs : phyficians call it [Gr. ka- cbexia,~] when there is no part of the body free from diftemper. England hath a kachexy ; it is all over difeafe : The whole head is fick, the whole heart is faint, Ifa. i. 6. As black vapours rifing out of the earth, cloud and darken the fun ; fo the fins of people in our age, like hel- lifh vapours, caft a cloud upon God's glorious name. , O that our eyes were like limbecks, dropping the water of holy tears, to confider how God's name, inilead of being hallowed, is polluted and prophaned ! And, may not we juftly fear lbme heavy judgments ? can God put up our affronts any longer ? can he endure to have his name reproached ? will a king fuffer his crown-jewels to be trampled in the duft ? do not we fee the fymptoms of God's anger ? do we not fee his judgments hovering over us ? Sure God is whetting his fword, he hath bent his bow, and is preparing his arrows to fhoot. Qualis per arva leo fulvam minaci fronte con' cutiens jubam. Sen. Trag. The body politic is in a paroxyfm, or burning fit ; and may not the Lord caufe a fad phlebotomy ? Seeing we will not leave our fins, he may make us lofe our blood. May we not fear that the ark ihould remove, the vifion ceafe, the frars in God's church be removed, and we fhould fol- low the gofpel to the grave ? When God's name, which fhould be hallowed, is prophaned among a people, it is juft with God to write that difmal epitaph upon a nation's tomb, The glory is departed. And, that I may fpeak to the con- fidences of all, and deal impartially, it were well if only the prophane party were guilty ; but, may not many profeflbrs be called to the bar, and indifted of this, that they have dif- honoured God's name? 2 Chron. xxviii. 10. /ire there net with you, even with you, fins a- ga'inft the Lord your God? Are there not the fpots of God's children I Deut. xxxii. 5. If you are diamonds, have you no flaws ? have not you your vanities ? if your difcourfe be not pro* phane, is it not vain ? have not you your itlf- feekings, rafh cenfures, indecent d refits : if the wicked of the land fwear, do not you fometimes Dander ? if they are drunk with wine, are not you fometimes drunk with paffion ? if their fin be blafpheming, is not your fin murmuring ? Are there not with you, even with you, fins a- gainft the Lord? The fins of God's children go nearer to his heart, than the fins of others, Deut. xxxii. 19. When the Lord faw it, he ab- horred them, becaufe of the provoking of his fans and daughters. The fins of the wicked anger God, the fins of his own people grieve him ; he will be fure to punifh them, Amos iii. 2. You only have I known of all the families of the earth ; therefore I will punifn you for all your iniqui- ties. O that our head were- waters, that we could make this place a bochim, a place of weep- ers, that God's children might mix.blufhing with tears, that they have fo little hallowed, and fo much eclipfed God's name ! Truly God's own people have finned enough to juftify God in ali his fevere acTmgs againft them. life III. Of exhortation. Let us hallow and fan- ctifyGdd'sname: did we butfeeaglimpfeofGod's glory, as Mofes did in the rock, the fight of this would draw adoration and praife from us : could we fee God face to face, as the angels in heaven do, could we behold him fitting on his throne like a jafper-flone,i?fz;..iv. 3. we fhould prefently, at the fight of this glory, do as the twenty-four elders, Rev. iv. 10. They worfhip him that liveth for ever, and caft their crowns before the throne, faying, thou art worthy, 0 Lord, to receive glory , honour, and power. That we may be ftirred up to this great duty, the hallowing, adoring and fanctifying God's name, confider, 1. It is the very end of our being ; why did God give us our life, but that our living may be an hallowing of his name ? why did he give us fouls but to admire him ; and tongues, but to praife him ? The excellency of a thing is, when it attains the end for which it was made : the excellency of a fiar is to give light, of a plant to be fruitful ; the excellency of a Chri- stian, is toanfwer the end of his creation, which is to hallow God's name, and live to that God by whom he lives. He who lives, and God hath no honour by him,buries himfelf alive, and expofeth himfelf to a curfe. Chrift curfed the barren fig-tree. 2. God's OF THE FIRST PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. .401 2. God's name is Co excellent, that it deferves fo be hallowed, Pf viii. g. How excellent is thy name in all the earth! Pf. civ. 1. Thou nrt clothed with honour and majefly, as the fun .hath its brightnefs, whether we admire it or no ; ib God's name is illuftrious and glorious, whe- ther we hallow it or no. In God are all mining perfections, holinefs, wifdom, mercy ; he is worthy to be praifed, 2 Sara. xxii. 4. God is dignus honore, worthy of honour, love, ador- ation. "We oft bellow titles of honour upon them that do not deferve them; but God is worthy to be praifed; his name deferves hal- lowing ; he is above all the honour and praife which the angels in heaven give him. 3. "We pray, hallowed be thy name ; that is, let thy name be honoured and magnified by us. Now, if we do not magnify his name, we con- tradict our own prayers; to lay, hallowed be thy name, yet not to bring honour to God's name, is to take his name in vain. 4. Such as do hallow God's name, and bring revenues of honour to him, God wiU get his honour upon them, Exod. xiv. 17. V 11 get me honour upon Pharaoh. Pharaoh would not hal- low God's name; Who is the Lord, that Ifiould ebey him? Well, faith God, if Pharaoh will not honour me, I will get rne honour upon him. When God overthrew him and his chariot in the fea, then he got his honour upon him; God's power and juftice were glorified in his deftruction. There are fome whom God hath raifed to gieat power and dignity, and they will n ->nour God's name, they make ufe of their] "honour God, they calf reproach upon God's rianie, and revile his fervants : veil, they who will not honour God, he will get his honour upon them in their final ruin. Herod did not give glory to God, and God dij get his glory upon him, Ails xii. 23. The angel of the Lord fmote him, becaufe he gave not God the glory, and he was eaten of worms. 5. It will be no fmall comfort to us when we come to die, that we have hallowed and fanclified God's name : it was ChrifVs honour a little before his death, John xvii. 4. / have glorified thee on the earth. ChrifVs redeeming mankind was an hallowing and glorifying of God's name; never was more honour brought to God's name, than by this great undertaking of Chrift : now, here was ChrifVs comfort be- fore his death, that he had hallowed God's name, and brought glory to him. So, what a cordial will this be to us at lair, when our whole life hath been an hallowing of God's name:" Wt have loved him with our hearts, praifed him with our lips, honoured him with our lives ; we have been to the praife of his glory, Eph. i. 6. At the hour of death, all your earthly comforts will vanifh ; to think how rich you have been, or what pleafures you have enjoyed upon earth, this will not give one drahm of comfort : what is one the better for an eftate that is fpent ? But now, to have confeience witnelTmg, that voh have hallowed God's name, your whole life htth been a glorifying of him, what fweet peace and fatisfaction will this give ? That fervant who hath been all day working in the vifteyard, how glad is he when evening comes, that he ifnll re- ceive his pay ! fuch as have fpent th*ir lives in honouring God, how fweet will death be, when they fhall receive the recompence of reward i What comfort was it to Hezckiab, when he was on his fick-bed, and could appeal to God, Ifa. xxviii. 3. Remember , Lor d, how I have walked be- fore thee with a perfeel heart, and have done that which is good in thy fight ? I have hallow- ed thy name, I have brought all the honour I could to thee, / have done what is good in thy figM> 6. There is nothing loft by what we do f- dy and foul into hell, Luke xii. 5. As one wedge drives out another, fo the fear of God would drive out all bafe carnal fear. Let us fear that God, whole throne is fet above all kings ; they may be mighty, but he is almighty. Kings have no power, but what God hath given them ; their power is limited, his is infinite. Let us iear this king, whofe eyes are as lamps of fire, Rev. i. 14. The mountains quake at him; and the recks are thrown down by him ; Nahum i. 9. If he {lamps with his foot, all the creatures are prefently up in a battalio to fight for him. O tremble and fear before this God : fear h ja- nitor anbna?, it is the door-keeper of the foul, it keeps fin from entering, Gen. xxxix. 9. How can I do this great wickednefs, and fin again]} God ? Branch 3. If God be fo glorious a king, he hath jus pita? & necis, he hath the power of life and death in his hand. Let all the potentates of the earth take heed, how they employ their power again ft the king of heaven : they em- ploy their power againft God, who with their fceptre beat down his truth, which is the mofl orient pearl of his crown; who crufh and per- ilcute his people, who are the apple of his eye, Zech. ii. 8. Who trample upon his laws and royal edicts, which he hath fet forth, Pf. ii. 3. What is a king without his laws ? Let all that are inverted with worldly power and grandeur, take lived how they oppofe the King of glory : the Lord will be too hard for all that come a- gainft him, Job xl. 9. Haft thou an arm like God'', wilt thou nrrafure arms wiihthe Almighty ? fhall a little child go to fight with an archangel ? :, xxii. 14. Can thy heart endure, or can thy hands be firong in the day that //ball deal with thee ? Chrift will put all his enemies at Lift under his feet, Pf ex. 1. All the multi- tude of the wicked, who fet themfelves againft God, fhall be but as fo many clufters of ripe grapes, to be caft into the wine-prefs of the wrath of God, and to be trodden by him till their blood comes forth. The King of glory will come off victor at lift : men may fet up their ftandard, but God always fets up his trophies of victory. The Lord hath a golden fceptre, and an iron rod, Pf. ii. 9. Thofe who will not bow to the one, (hall be broken by the other. Branch 4. Is God fo great a king, having all power in heaven and earth in his hand? Let us learn fubjection to him. Such as have gone on in fin, and by their impieties hung out a flag of defiance againft the King of heaven, oh come in quickly, and make your peace, fubmit to God, Pf. ii. 12. Kifs the Son, left he be angry. Kifs Chrift with a kifs of love, and a kifs of o- bedience : obey the King of heaven, when he fpeaks to you by his minifters and ambafTadors, 2 Cor. v. 20. When God bids you flee from fin, and efpoufe holinefs, obey, him ; to obey is better than facrifice. To obey God (faith Lu- ther') is better than to work miracles. Obey God willingly, Ifa. i. 19. That is the belt obe- dience:, that is cheerful, as that is the fweeteft honey which drops out of the comb : obey God fwiftly, Zech.v. 9. / lift up mine eyes, and be- hold two women, and the wind was in their wings. Wings are fwift, but wind in the wings denotes great fwifmefs; fuch fhould our o- bedience to God be. Obey the King of glory. Ufe III. Comfort to thofe who are the fub- je&s of the King of heaven ; God will put forth all his royal power for their fuccour and com- fort. 1 . The King of heaven will plead their caufe, Jer. Ii. 36. I will plead thy caufe, and take ven- geance for thee. 2. He will protect his people : he lets an invifible guard about them, Zech. ii. 5. / will be a wall of fire to her round about. A wall, that is defenfive ; a wall of fire, that is offen- five, 3. When it may be for the good of his peo- ple, he will raife up deliverance to them, 1 Chron. xi. 4. The Lord faved them by a great deliver- ance. God reigning as a king, can fave any way : by contemptible means, the blowing of trumpets, and blazing of lamps, Judges vii. 20. By contrary means, he made the fea a wall to Jfrael, OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. Ifrael, and the waters were a means to keep them from drowning. The fiAVs belly was a fhip in which Jonas Ailed Hue to fhore. Cod will never want ways of faving his people ; ra- ther than fail, the very enemies /hall do his work, 2 Chrcn. xx. 23. lie fet Amnion and Mount Stir one againft another. And as God will deliver his people from temporal danger, lb from fpiritual, from fin, and from hell ; Je- fus hath delivered us from the wrath to come, i TheiT. i. 10. Ufe IV. Terror to the enemies of the church. If God be king, he will fet his utmc.ft ftrength againft them, who are the enemies of his king- dom, Pf. xcvii. 3. A fire goes before him and burneth up his enemies round about. 1. He will fet himfelf againft his enemies : he will fet his attributes againft them, his pow- er and juftice ; and, Who knows the power of his anger ? Pf. xc. 11. 2. God will fet the creatures againft them, Judges v. 20. Theftars, in their courfe, fought againft Sifera. Teriullian obferves, that, the Perfians fighting againft the Ghriftians, a migh- ty wind arofe, which did make the Perfians arrows to fly back in their own faces. Every creature hath a quarrel with a finner : the ftone out of the wall, Hab. ii. 11. The hail and the froft, Pf lxxviii. 47. He deftroyed their vines with hail, and their fycomore-trees with fr of}. 3. God will fet men againft themfelves. 1, He will fet confidence againft them j and how terrible is this rod, when turned into a ferpent ! Melanclhon calls it Erinnis confeientia?, a hellifh fury: it is called vermis confeientia?, the worm of confidence, Mark ix. 44. What a worm did Spira feel in his confeience ? He was a terror to himfelf: the worft civil wars are between a man and his confeience. 2. God will fet the difeafes of mens bodies againft them, 2 Chron. xxi. j 8. The Lord f note Jehoram in his bowels with an incurable difeaje. God can raife an ar- my againft a man, out of his own bowels : he can fet one humour of the body againft another ; the heat to dry up the moifture, and the moi- fture to drown the heat : the Lord needs not go far for inftruments to punifh the finner'; he can make the joints of the fame body to finite one againft another, as Dan. v. 6. 3. God will fet mens friends againft them ; where they ufed to have honey, they fhall have nothing but aloes and wormwood. When a mans ways pleafe the Lord, he fhall make his enemies to be his friends, Prov. xvi. 7. But when he oppofeth 4*5 God, he makcth his friends to be his enemies. Commodus the emperor, his own wife gave him poifon in perfumed wine. Sennacherib's two fons were the death of him, 2 Kings xix. 37. 4. God will ict Satan againft them, Pf. cix. 6. Let Satan jland at his right-hand. What doth Sa- tan at the linner's elbows ? 1. He helps him to connive fin. 2. He tempts him to commit iin, 3. He terrifies him for fin. He that hath Satan thus Handing at his right-hand, is fure to be fet at God's left-hand. Here is the mifery of fuch as oppofe God's royal fceptre, he will fet every thing in the world againft them : if there be either juftice in heaven, or fire in hell, fin- ners (nail not be unpunished. Ufe Lft, If God be fuch an abfolute monarch, and crowned with fuch glory and majefty, let us ali engage in his fervice, and ftand up for his truth and worfhip ; dare to own God in the worfl time ; he is King of kings, and is able to reward all his fervanrs ; we may be lofers for him, wc fhall never be lofers by him. "We are ready to fay, as Atnaziah, 2 Chron. xxv. 9. What fn all I do for the hundred talents I If I appear for God, I may Iofe my eftate, my life : I fay with the prophet, God is able to give you much more than this ; he can give you, for rheprefent, in- ward peace, and, for the future, a crown of glory which fides not away. Qu. V/hat kingdom doth Chrifi mean here ? Anf. Negat. 1. He doth not mean a political or earthly kingdom. The apoftles indeed did defire, 1. Chrift's temporal reign, Ails i. 6. When wilt thou reftore the kingdom to Ifrael ? but Chrift faid, his kingdom was not of this world, John xviii. 36. So that, when Chrift taught his difciples to pray, thy kingdom come, he did not mean it of any earthly kingdom, that he fhould reign here in outward pomp and fplendor. 2. It is not meant of God's provi- dential kingdom, Pfalm ciii. 19. His kingdom ruleth over all ; that is, the kingdom of his providence. This kingdom we do not pray for, when we fay, Thy kingdom come ; for this king- dom is already come : God exercifeth the king- dom of his providence in the world, Pfal. Ixxv. 7. He putteth down one, andfetteth up another. Nothing ftirs in the world but God hath an hand in it : he fets every wheel a-working ; he hum- bles the proud, and raifeth the poor out of the duft, to fet them among princes, 1 Sam. ii. 8. The kingdom of God's providence ruleth over all ; kings do nothing but what his providence permits and orders, Acts iv. 27. This kingdom of 4o6 OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. of God's providence we do not pray fhould come, for it is already come. What kingdom then is meant here, when we fay, Thy kingdom ccmc ? Anf. Pofitively. There is a twofold kingdom meant here. i. The kingdom of grace, which kingdom God exercifeth in the confciences of his people : this is regnam Dei mikron, God's leffer kingdom, Luke xvii. 21. The kingdom of Cod is within you. 2. The king- dom of glory, which is fometimes called, the kingdom of God, Luke vi. 20. And the king- dom of heaven, Matth. v. 3. When we pray, Thy kingdom come. 1. Here is fomething ta- citly implied, that we are in the kingdom of darknefs. 1. We pray that we may be brought out of the kingdom of darknefs. 2. That the devil's kingdom in the world may be demolifh- o.d. (2.) Something pofitively intended, a,d- •veniat regnum gratia? 6" glories. 1 . We pray, that the kingdom of grace may be fet up in our hearts, and increafed. 2. When we pray, Thy kingdom come ; we pray, that the kingdom of glory may haften, and that we may, in God's good time, be tranflated into it. Thefe two kingdoms of grace and glory, differ not fpeci- fically, but gradually ; they differ not in na- ture, but only in degree. The kingdom of grace is nothing but the inclination or begin- ning of the kingdom of glory : the kingdom of grace is glory in trie feed, and the kingdom of glory is grace in the flower : the kingdom of grace is glory in the day-break, and the king- dom of glory is grace in the full meridian : the kingdom of grace is glory militant, and the kingdom of glory is grace triumphant. There is fuch an infeparable connection between thefe two kingdoms, grace and glory, that there is no palling into the one kingdom but by the other, At Athens there were two temples, a temple of virtue and a temple of honour ; and there was no going into the temple of honour, but through the temple of virtue : fo the king- doms of grace and glory are fo clofe joined to- gether, that we cannot go into the kingdom of glory, but through the kingdom of grace. Ma- ny people afpire after the kingdom of glory, but never icVok after grace; but thefe two, which God hath joined together, may not be put r.funders the kingdom of grace leads to the domof giory. \. I begin with the firft thing implied in petition. Thy king&epi come : it is implied, ;-'• tt v. ■ life in the kingdom of darknefs; and paivj tl sit we may be brought out of the kingdom of darknefs : the flare of nature is a kingdom of darknefs : 'tis a kingdom ; fin is jfaid to reign, Rom. vi. 1 2. And 'tis a kingdom of darknefs ; it is called, the power of darknejsy Col. i. 13. Man, before the fall, wa,s illuminat- ed with perfect knowledge, but this light is now eclipfed, and he is fallen into the kingdom of darknefs. Qu. How many ways is a natural man in the kingdom (f darknefs i Anf. 1 . He is under the darknefs of igno- rance, Eph. iv. 18. Having the underflandinmpous worfhip, which doth fo dazzle carnal eyes. 5. We may know the kingdom of grace is come into us, by antipathy and oppofltion a- gainft every known fin, Pf. cxix. 104. / hate every falfe way. Hatred is [Gr, Profta gene, Arift.~] againft the whole kind : hatred is im- placable : anger may be reconciled, hatred can- not. A gracious foul not only forfakes fin (as a man forfakes his country never to return to it more) but hates fin ; as there is an antipathy between the crocodile and the fcorpion. If the kingdom of God be within us, we not only hate fin for hell, but we hate it as hell, as being con- trary to God's holinefs and our happinefs. 6. "We may know the kingdom of grace is come into us, when we have given up ourfelves to God by obedience ; as a fervant gives up him- felf to his mafter, as a wife gives up herfelf to her hufband, Co we give up ourfelves to God by obedience: and this obedience is, 1. Free; as that is the fweeteft honey which drops from the comb. 2. Uniform ; we obey God in one thing as well as another, Pf. cxix. 6. Then /hall 1 not be a/hamed : or, as it is in the Hebrew, I Jhall not blufh when I have refpeel to all thy com- mandments. A good chriftian is like a pair of compafTes, one foot of the compafs ftands upon the centre, the other part of it goes round the circle ; fo a chriftian by faith ftands on God the centre, and by obedience goes round the circle of God's commandments : a fign the kingdom of grace is not come into the heart; when it doth not reign there by univerfar' obedience. Hypocrites would have Chrift to be their fa viour, but they pluck the government from his moul- ders, they will not have him rule : but he who hath the kingdom of God within him, fubmits chearfully to every command of God ; he will do what God will have him do ; he will be what God will have him be: he puts a blank paper into God's hand, and faith, Lord, write what thou wilt, I will fubferibe. BlefTed is he that can find all thofe things in his foul, He is all glorious within, PC xlv. 13. He carries a kingdom about him, and this kingdom of grace will certainly bring to a kingdom of glory. 1 fhall anfwer fome doubts and objections, a chriftian may make againft hiaifclf, Obj. I fear the kingdom of grace is not yet come into my heart. Anf. When a chriftian is under temptation, or grace Iks dormant, he is not fit to be his own judge; but in this cafe he muft take the wit- nefs 9f others who have the fpirit pf djfeernihg. But let us hear a chriftian's objections againft himfelf, why he thinks the kingdom of grace is not yet come into his heart. Obj. 1. I cannot difcern grace. Anf. A child of God may have the kingdom of grace in his heart, yet not know it. The cup was in Benjamin's fack, tho' he did not know it was there ; thou mayeft have faith in thy hearty the cup may be in thy fack, tho' thou kno'weft it not. Old Jacob wept for his fon Jofeph, when Jofeph was alive ; thou mayeft weep for want of grace, when grace may be alive in thy heart. The feed may be in the ground, when we do not fee it fpring up ; the feed of God' may be fown in thy heart, tho' thou doit not perceive the fpringing of it up. Think noe grace is loft, becaufe it is hid. Obj. 2. Before the kingdom of grace come in- to the heart, there mufl be fome preparation for it : the fallow ground of the heart muft be broken up : I fear the plow of the law hath not gone deep enough, I have not been humbled e- nough, therefore I have no grace-, Anf. God doth not prefcribe a juft proportion offorrow and humiliation: the fcripture men- tions the truth of forrow, but not the meafure. Some are more flagitious finners than others* thefe muft have a greater degree of humiliation. A knotty piece of timber requires more wedges to be driven into it. Some ftomachs are fouler than others, therefore need ftronger phyfic* But wouldft thou know when thou haft been humbled enough for fin ? i„ When thou art weary of thy fin, and fick of love to Chrift t what doth God require forrow for, but as fauce to make fin relifh bitter, and Chrift fweet ? 2„ "When thou art willing to let go thy fins. Then the gold hath lien long enough in the furnace, when the drofs is purged out ; fo> when the love of fin is purged out, a foul is humbled e° nough to divine acceptation, tho' not to divine farisfaction. Now, if thou art humbled enough, (tho' not fo much as others) what needa more ? Trufira fit per plura, &c. If a needle will let out the impofthume, what needs a lance ? Be not more cruel to thyfelf than God- would have thee. Obj, 3. If th« kingdom ef Cod were within me. 414 OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. me, it would be a kin*dim of power ,■ it -would enable me to ftrve God -with vigour of foul : but 1 have a fpirit of infirmity upon me, lam weak and impotent, and untuned to every holy ac- tion. Anf, There is a great difference between the weakoefs of grace,, and the want of grace: a man may have life, tho' he be fick and weak, "Weak grace is not to be dcfpifed, bur cherish- ed : Chrift will not break the bruifed reed. Do not argue from the weaknefs of grace to the nullity. i. Weak grace will give us a title to Chrift, as well as a flxong. Weak faith juflifles as well as flrong. A weak hand of faith will receive the alms of GhrilVs mercies. 2. Weak faith is capable of growth. The feed fprings up by degrees, firft the blade, and then the ear, and then the full corn in the end; the faith that is fhongeft was once in its infancy. Grace is like the waters of the fanctuary, which did rife higher and higher: be notdifcouraged at thy weak faith ; tho' it be now but blofTom- ing, it will by degrees come to more matu- rity. 3. The weakefl: grace fhall perfevere, as well as the ftrongeft. A fucking child was fafe in the ark, as Noah. An infant-believer, that is but newly laid to the breaft of a promife, is as fafe in Chrift, as the molt eminent heroick faint. Obj. 4. I fear the kingdom of grace is not yet come, becaufe I find the kingdom of fin fo frrong in ?ne. Had 1 faith, it would purify my heart ; but . I find much pride, worldlinefs, paMon. Anf. The beft of the faints have remain- ders of corruption, Dan. vii. 12. They had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were pro- longed for a feafon. So in the regenerate, tho' the dominion of fin be taken away, yet the life it is prolonged for a feafon. What pride was there in Chrifl's own difciples, when they firove which mould be greateft ? the iffue of fin will not be quite flopped till death. The Lord is pleafed to let the in-being of fin continue, to humble his people, and make them prize Chrift the more ; but, becaufe you find corruptions frirring, do not therefore prefently un faint your ielves, and deny the kingdom of grace to be come into your fouls. That you feel fin, is an evidence of fpirirual life; that you mourn for fin, what are thefe tears but fruits of love to God ? that you have a combat with fin, argues antipathy ngainft it ; thofe fins which you did once were as a crown on your head, are now as fetters on the leg; is not all this from the fpirit of grace in you ? fin is in you, as poifon in the body, which you are fick of, and ufe all fcripture antidotes to expel. Should we con- demn all thofe who have the indwel ing of fin, nay, who have had fin, (at Tome times) pre- vailing, we fhould blot fome of the beil faints out of the bible. Obj. 5. Where the kingdom of grace comes, it [oft ens the heart : but I find my heart frozen and congealed into hardnefs, I can hard- ly faueeze out one tear. Do f ewers grow on a rock ? can there be any grace in fuch a rocky heart ? Anf. 1. There may be grief where there are no tears ; the beft forrow is rational. In your judgment you efteem fin the mod hyberbolical evil, you have a difguftand difplacency againfr fin ; this is a rational forrow, and fuch as God will accept. 1. A chriftian may have fome hardnefs in his heart, yet not have an hard heart ; fubjeclum a pra?fiantiori parte. A field may have tares in it, yet we call it a field of wheat ; in the beft heart is a mixture of hardnefs, yet becaufe there is fome foftnels and mehing, God looks upon it as a fbft heart : therefore, chriftian, dif- pute not againft thyfelf, if thou canft find but one thing, That tl>e frame and temper of thy foul be holy. Art thou ftill breathing after God, delighting in him ? *i3 the completion of thy foul heavenly ? canft thou fay, as David, PC. exxxix. 17. IVhen I awake, I am fill with thee ? As colours laid in oil, or a ftatue carved in gold, abide, fo dorh an holy completion ; the foul is ftill pointing towards God. If it be thus with thee, aflurff thyfelf the kingdom of grace is come into the fotitf; be not unkind to God, to deny any work of his fpirit which he hath wrought in thee. Ufe I. Of exhortation. Labour to find that this kingdom of grace is fet up in your hearts : while others afpire after earthly kingdoms, la- bour to have the kingdom of God within you Luke xvii. 21. The kingdom of grace rauft come into us, before we can go into the king- dom of glory. Motives. \fl. Motive. This kingdom of God within us is our (piritual beauty : the kingdom of grace adorns a perfon, and fets him off in the eyes of God and angels. This makes the kings daughter all gloricms within, Pf. xlv. 13. Grace fheds OF THE SECOND PETITION IN T H E I O R D 'S PRAYKR. 4. along with it. C c c 416 OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LOR D'S PR ATER. life II. Such as have this kinm_!;:;7. of God fet up in :i;cin, it calls for gratulation and thanksgiving: what will you be thankful for, if not for a kingdom ? Grace is the beft blefling, it is the refult and product of God's electing love: God, in letting up his kingdom of grace, hath done more for you, than if he had made you kings and queens^ for now you are born of God, and of the blood-royal of heaven. O admire and exalt free-grace ; make God's praife mies, to fuffer affliction. 'Tis not eafy to fuf- fer; a man muft deny himfelf before he take up the crofs. The way to heaven is like the way which Jonathan and his armour-bearer had in climbing up a fteep place, i Sam. xiv. 4. There was a /harp rock on the one fide, and a /harp rock on the other. It requires much ftrength to climb up this rocky way. That grace which will carry us through profperity, will not carry us through fufferings : the /hip glorious, PC. lxvi. 2. The apoftle feldom men- needs ftronger tackling to carry it through a tions the work of grace, but he joins praife, ftorm than a calm. Now, when we are lb Col. i. 12. Giving thanks to the father, "who ftrong in grace, that we can bear up under hath made us meet for the inheritance of the affliction, without murmuring or fainting; here faints in light. If God hath crowned you with is the kingdom of grace increafed. What migh- the kingdom of grace, do you crown him with ty ftrength of grace had he, who told the your praifes. emperor Valentinian, you may take away my 2. The fecond thing intended by our Savi- life, but you cannot take away my love to our in this petition is, that the kingdom of the truth. grace may increafe, that it may come more in- 3. Then the kingdom of grace increafeth, to us : and this may anfwer a queftion. Qu. Why do w* pray, thy kingdom come, when the kingdom of grace is already come into the foul? Anf. Though the kingdom of grace be al- ready come into us, yet ftill we muft pray, thy kingdom come ; namely, that grace may be in- creafed, and that this kingdom may flourifli ftill more in our fouls. Till we come to live among the angels, we (hall need to pray this prayer, thy kingdom come ; Lord, let thy king- dom of grace come in more power into my foul, let grace be more augmented and in- creafed. Qu. (1.) When doth the kingdom of grace in- when a Chriftian hath moft conflict with fpi- ritual corruptions, he not only abftains from grofs evils, but hath a combat with inward, hidden, clofe corruptions ; as pride, envy, hypocrify, vain thoughts, carnal confidence : thefe are fpiritual wickednefles, and do both defile and difturb, 2 Cor. vii. 1. Let us cleanfe curfelves from all filthinefs of the flefh and fpi- rit. Which fhows there are two forts of cor- ruptions, one of the flefh, the other of the fpirit. When we grieve for, and combat with fpiritual fin (as being the root of all grofs fins) now, the kingdom of grace increafeth, and fpreads its territories in the foul. 4. Then the kingdom of grace flourifheth, creafe in the foul? When is it a fiourifhing when a Chriftian hath learned to live by faith, kingdom ? Anf When a Chriftian hath further degrees added to his graces; there is more oil in the lamp, his knowledge is clearer, his love is more enflamed : grace is capable of degrees, aud may rife higher as the fun in the horizon. It is not with us as it was with Chrift, who, re- ceived the fpirit without meafure, John iii. 34. Chrift could not be more holy than he was; but our grace is receptive of further degrees, we may have more fanctity, we may add more cubits to our fpiritual ftature Gal. ii. 20. / live by the faith cf the Son of God. There is the habit of faith, and the drawing of this habit into exercife : for a Chriftian to graft his hope of falvation, only upon the ftock of Chrift's righteoufnefs, and make Chrift all in juftification ; to live on the promifes, as the bee on the flower, and fuck out the fweetn fs of them; to truft God where we cannot trace him ; to believe his love thro' a frown : to perfwade ourfelves, when he hath the face of an enemy, yet he hath the heart of a father : when we are arrived at this, here 2. Then the kingdom of grace increafeth, is the kingdom of grace fiourifhing in our when a Chriftian hath gotten more ftrength fouls. than he had, Job xvii. 9. He that hath clean hands /hall be ftronger and ftronger, Heb. He /ball add to his ftrength. A Ch iftian hath ftrength to refill temptation, to forgive his ene- 5. When a Chriftian is arrived at holy zeal, Numb. xxv. 13. Phineas was zealous for his God. Zeal is the flame of the affections, it turns a faint into a feraphim : a zealous Chrif- tian OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 417 tian is impudent when God is dishonoured, Rev. ii. 2. He will wreftle with difficulties, he will fwim to Chrift through a Tea of blood, Acls xxi. 13. Zeal loves truth when it is dtf- pifed and oppofed, Pf cxix. 126. They have made void thy law, therefore I love thy law. Here is grace increafing, like the fun in the horizon. Zeal refembles. the Holy Ghoft, Ails ii. 2. There appeared cloven tongues like as fire, and it fat upon each of them. Tongues of fire were an emblem of that fire of zeal, which t-he fpirit poured upon them. 6. Then the kingdom of grace increafeth, Vfhen a Chriftian is as well diligent in his par- ticular calling, as devour in his general. He is the wife Chriftian, that carries things equally ; that doth Co live by faith, that he lives in a calling. Therefore it is worth our notice, when the apoftle had exhorted the Thejfalonians to increafe in grace, 1 Thejf. iv. 10. He prefently adds, v. 11. And that you do your own bufinefs, and work with your hands. This is a fign grace is increafing, when chrifKans go cheerfully a- bout their calling. Indeed to be all the day in the mount with God, and to have the mind fixed on glory, is more fweet to a man's felf, and is an heaven upon earth : but to be con- verfant in our callings, is more profitable to others. I may allude to that of St. Paul. To be with Chrift is beft for me; yet to abide here is more needful for you, Phil. i. 24. So, to converfe with God in prayer and fweet me- ditation all the week long, is more for the com- fort of a man's own perfon ; but to be fome- times imployed in the bufinefs of a calling, is more profitable for the family to which he be- longs. It is not good to be as the lilies, which toil not, neither do they fpin. It fhows the increafe ofgrace, when a Chriftian keeps a due decorum : he joins piety and induftry, when zeal runs forth in religion, and diligence is put forth in a calling. 7. Then the kingdom of grace encreafeth, when a Chriftian is eftabjifhed in the belief and love of the truth. The heart by nature is a fhip without balaft, it wavers and fluctuates. Beza writes of one Bolezius, his religion changed as the moon and planet Mercury. Such as are wandering ftars, will be falling ftars : but when a foul is built on the rock Chrift, and no winds of temptation can blow it away, now the king- dom ofgrace flouriiheth. One calls Athanafius, Adamas Ecclefiae, an invincible adamant, in r«fpecl of his ftabiiitj in the truth, Col. ii. 7. Rooted and built up in htm ; the rooting of a tree evidenceth the growth. 8. Then the kingdom ofgrace increafeth it\ a man's own heart, when he labours to be inftrumental to fet up this kingdom in others. Though it is the greateft benefit to have grace wrought in ourlelves, yet it is the greateft ho* nour to be inftrumental to work it in others. Gal. iv. 19. Of whom I travail in birth tillChrif be formed in you. Such as are mafters of a fa- mily, mould endeavour to fee the kingdom of grace fet up in their fervants ; fuch as are godly parents, let not God alone by prayer, till you fee grace in your children : what a comfort would it be to you, to be both the natural and fpiritual fathers of your children ? Auftin faith, his mother Monica travailed with greater care and pain for his new birth, than his natural. This fhows the increafe ofgrace, when we la- bour to fee the kingdom of grace ikt up in others ; then the water abounds in the river, when it overflows and runs into the meadows ; then grace increafeth in the foul when it hath influence upon others, and we endeavour their falvation. Q13. 2. IVherein appears the needfulnefs of this, that the kingdom of grace jlxould be encreafed P 1. This is God's defign in keeping up a Hand- ing miniftry in the church to incieafe the kingdom ofgrace in men's hearts, Eph. iv. 8. He gave gifts unto men ; that is, minifterial gifts: why for v. 12. For the edifying of the body of Chrifl. Not only for converfion, but for augmentation: therefore the word preached is compared not only to feed, but to milk; becaufe by this breaft-milk, God defigns our growth in grace. 2. We had need have the kingdom ofgrr.ee increafe, in refpeft we have a great deal of work to do, and a little grace will hardly carry us thorow. A Chriftian's life is laborious, fo many temptations to refill, fo many promifes to be- lieve, fo many precepts to obey, that it will require a great deal of grace : a Chriftian muft not only pray, bur pray fervently, fames v. 16. Not only repent, but be zealous and repent, Rev. jii. 19. Not only love, but be fick of love, Cant. ii. 5. How had he need therefore have the king- dom ofgrace enlarged in his foul ? As his work increafeth upon him, fo his grace had need inereafe. 3. If the kingdom ofgrace doth not increafe, it will decay, Rev. ii. 4. Thou haft left thy fir/i Uve. Grace, for want of increafing, is fome- C c c 2 time': 4ii OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE L 0 R D »S P R A"V£R. rimes like a winter-plant, all the Tap runs to the root, and it looks as if It were dead, Rev. ill - 2. Strengthen the things that remain, which are ready to die : though grace cannot expire, it may wither j and a withering Chriftian lofeth much of his beauty and [Vagrancy : what great need have we then to pray, thy kingdom come, that this kingdom of grac; may be increaied r If grace be not improved, it will foon be impair- ed. A Chriftian, for want of increaling his grace, lofeth his ftrength ; he is like a fick man, that cannot either walk or work; his prayers are fick and weak, he is as if he had no life in him, his faith can hardly fetch breath, and you can fcarce feel the pulfe of his love to beat. i\. To have grace increafing, is Ratable to Chiiftianity : Chriftians are called trees of righteoufnefs, If a. lxi. 3. The faints are not only jewels for fparkling luftre, but trees for growth; they are called the lights of the world, Phil. ii. 15. Light is ftill increafing- Firft: there is the crepufculum, or day-break, and fo it fhines brighter to the meridian. They who are the lights of the world muft increafe till they come to the meridian of glory. Not to grow is fufpicious ; painted things grow not. 5. As the kingdom of grace increafeth, fo a Christian's comforts increafe. Comfort belongs to the bene effe, or well being of a Chriftian ; it is like fweet meat, delicious to the tafte, Pf xciv. j 9. The more grace, the more joy. As the more fap in the root, the more wine in the grape. Who did more increafe in grace than David ? And who more in confolation, Pf iv. 7. Thou haft put gladnejs in my heart. Grace turns to joy, as. milk to cream. Qu. (^3.) How may they he comforted) who bewail their want of growth, and weep that they cannot find the kingdom cf grac-e in- creafe ? Anf r . To fee and bewail our decay in grace, argues not only the life of grace, but growth. 'Xis a fign a man recovers and gets ftrength, when he feels his weakaefs: it is a #ep forward in grace, to fee our imperfections. The more the Spirit fhines in the heart, the more evil it difcovers; a Chriftian thinks it woife with him than it was, whereas his grace may not grow lefifer, but his light greater. 2. If a Chriftian doth not increafe in one grace, he may in another ; if not in knowledge, he may in humility. If a tree doth not grow fo much ill the branches, it may in the root : to grow downwards in the root, is a good growch. 3. A Chriftian mny grow lefs in affctVon, when he grows more in judgment. As a mu- fician when he is old, his fingers are ftjff, and not fo nimble at the lute as they were, but he phys with more art and judgment than before: fo a Chriftian may not have fo much affection in duty as at the firft converfion, but he is more folid in religion, and more fettled in his judg- ment than he was before. 4. A Chriftian may think he doth not in- creafe in grace, becaufe he doth not increafe in gifts; whereas there may be a decay of natural parts, the memory, and other faculties, when there is not a decay of grace. Parts may be impaired, when grace is improved : be not difcouraged, it is better to decay in parts, and be inlarged in grace, than to be inlarged in parts, and to decay in grace. 5. A Chriftian may increafe in grace, yet not be fo fenfible of it. The feed may grow in the earth, when we do not perceive it to fpring up: the grace may grow in time of delation, and not be perceived. So I have done with the firft: thing intended in this petition, thy kingdom come ; we pray that the kingdom of grace may come into our hearts, and that it may increafe and flourifh. I fhould come to the fecond thing intended in this petition, that the kingdom of glory may hafien, and that we may in due time be tranflated into it. When we pray, thy kingdom come, here is fomething pofitively intended; we pray, (1.) That the kingdom of grace may be fet up in our hearts. (2-) That it may increafe and flourifh. (3.) That the kingdom of glory may baften, and that God would in his due time tranllate us into it. 1. What this kingdom of glory is. 2. What are the properties of it. 3. Wherein it exceeds all other kingdoms. 4. When this kingdom comes. 5. Wherein appears the certainty of it. 6. Why we fhould pray for its coming. Firft, What this kingdom of glory is. Anf By this kingdom is meant, that glorious eftate which the flints fhall enjoy, when they /hall reign with God and angels for ever. If a man ftand upon the fea-fhore, he cannot fee all the dimenfions of the fea, the length, breadth, and depth of it; yet he may fee it is of a vafl: extenfion : fo, though the kingdom of heaven b» 0 THE FIRST PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 4'9 be of that incomparable excellency, that neither tongue of rru'n or angels can exprfcfsif yet wc rn;iy conceive ofit to be an exceeding glorious thing, iiich as eve hath not Teen. Concerning the kingdom of heaven, I ftlo.il fbo.v what, (i.) It Implies. (.2.) It imports. ( i.) Wh .it it implies. Anf. It i npli s a ble.Ted freedom from all evil. 2. What it in! ports. Artf. it imports glorious fruition of all good. i.'What the kingdom of heaven implies. Anf. It implies a freedom fom all evil. i. A freedom from the neceflities of nature. We aie in this life fubject to many necellities; we need food to nourifh us, clothes to cover us, armour to derend us, fleep to refrefh us ; but in the kingdom of heaven there is no need of thefe things : and it is better not to need them, than to have them ; as it is better not to need crutches, than to have crutches. What need will there be of food when our bodies mall be made fpiritual ? i Cor. xv. 44. Tho' not fpiritual for fubftance, yet for qualities. "What need will there be of clothing, when our bodies ihall be like Chrift's glorious body ? What need will there be of armour, when there is no enemy ? What need will there be of fleep, when there is no night? Rev. xxii. 5. The faints mail be freed, in the heavenly kingdom, from thofe neceflities of nature to which they now ly expofed. 2. In the kingdom of heaven we fhall be freed from the imperfections of nature. Since the fill our knowledge hath fufFered an eclipfe. (1. Our natural knowledge is imperfect, it is checquered with ignorance. There are many hard knots in nature, which we cannot eafily unty : why the fea mould be higher than the earth, yet not drown it ? What way the light is parted ? Job xxxviii. 24. AVhat is the reafon of all the occult qualities, iympathies, and antipathies ? He who fees cleareft, hath a mift before his eyes, Socrates faid on his death-bed, there were many things he had yet to learn. Our ignorance is more than our knowledge. (2.) Our divine knowledge is imperfect ; we know but in part, faith Paul, 1 Cor. xiii. 9. Though he had many revelations, and was wrapt up into the third heaven. We have but dark conceptions of the trinity, Job xi. 7. Canfr thou by fearching find out Cod ? Our narrow capacities will no more contain the trinity, than a little glafs-viai will hold all the water in the fca : we cannot unriddle the ray fiery of the Incarnation, the human nature afiumed into the perfon of the foil of God ; the human nature not God, yet untied with God ; we fee now in Aaugviate, in a glafi darkly ; but in the kingdom of heaven the vail Ihall be taken off, all imperfections of nature (hall be done away. When the fun- light of glory Ihall begin to Ihine in the hea- venly horizon, all dark fliadpws of ignorance Ihall fly away, our lamp of knowledge ihall burn bright, (he Ihall have a full knowledge of God, though not know him fully. 3. In the kingdom of heaven we Ihall be freed from the toilfom labours of this li'e. God enacted a law in paradife, in the fvjeat of thy brows thou fl>alt tat bread, Gen. iii. q. There is the labour of the hand in manufacture, and the labour of the mind fan itudv, Eccl. i. 8. All things are full of labour ; but in the kingdom of heaven we Hull be freed from our labours. (1.) There needs no labour, when a man hath got to the haven, he hath no more need of failing. In heaven there needs no labour, bwcaufe the faints ihall have that glory which they laboured for. 2. There ihall be no labour, Rev. xiv. 15. They re J} from their labours. As God, when he had finifhed the work of creation, refted from his labours, Gen. ii. 2. So, when the faints have finifhed the work of fanctification, they reft from their labours. Where fliould there be reft, bur in the heavenly centre ? Not that this fweet reft in the kingdom of heaven excludes all motion, for fpirits cannot be idle ; but the faints glorified fhall reft from all wearifom employment; it (hall be a labour full of eafe, a motion full of delight; the faints in heaven fhall love God, and what labour is that ? Is it any labour to love beauty r They ihall praife God, and that is delightful : when the bird fings, it is not fo much labour as a pleafure. 4. In the kingdom of heaven, we fhall be freed from original corruption : this is caufi caufati, the root of all actual fin. There would be no. actual fin, if there were no ori- ginal; there would be no water in the ftream, if there were none in the fountain. Original fin is incorporated into our nature; it is as if the whole mafs of blood were corrupted. This makes a Chriftian weary of his life ; he offends that 4io OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. that God whom he loves. What would a Chriflian give to have his chains taken off, to be rid of vain thoughts ? How did Paul (that bird- of paradile) bemoan himfelf for his fins? Rom. vii. 24. We cannot a£l either our duties or our graces without fin. The foul that is moft refined and clarified by grace, is not without fume dregs of corruption ; but in the kingdom of heaven the fountainof original fin mall be quite dried up : what a blefied time will that be, never to grieve God's fpirit more ! in heaven are virgin-fouls ; there is beauty which is not flaiiied with lull : nothing enters there th.it defiles, Rev. xxi. 27. 5. In the kingdom of heaven, wc fhall be freed from all Tbrrows, Rev. xxi. 4. There fhall be no more for row. Our life here is in- terlarded with trouble, Pf. xxxi. 10. Either lofles grieve, or law-fuits vex, or unkindnefs breaks the heart. We may as well feparate inoifiure from air, or weight from lead, as troubles from man's life. Quid eft diu vivere, n'tfi diu torqueri ? Aug. But, in the kingdom of heaven, forrow and fighing fliall flee away. Here the faints fit by the river weeping, but one fmile from Chrifl's face will make them forget all their fufferings ; their water then (Kali be turned into wine, their mourning into iiiufic. 6. We fliall, in the kingdom of heaven, be freed from the immodefty of temptation. Sa- tan is not yet fully caft into prifon ; but is like a prifoner that goes under bail, he walks about tempting, he labours to trappan us into fin ; he is either laying of fnares, or (hooting of darts. Stat in procinclu diabolus. He laid a train of temptation to blow up the caftle of Job's faith. This is as great a grief to the be- liever to be followed with temptations to fin, as it is for a virgin to have her chaflity af- faulted: but, in the kingdom of heaven, the faints fhall be freed from the red dragon ; he is caft oMt of paradife, and fhall be for ever locked up in chains, Jude 6. 7. In the kingdom of heaven, we fhall be freed from all vexing cares. The Greek word for care, comes from a primitive which figni- fies, to cut the heart in pieces. Care difcruciates the mind, it walks the fpirits, it eats out the comfort of life.. Care is an evil fpirit that haunts us ; care to prevent future dangers, and prefervc prellnt comforts. All care is full of fear, and fear is full of torment, 1 John iv. j}J, God threatens it as a judgment, Ezek, xii 19. They fhall eat their bread with carefulnefs. Every comfort hath its care, as every rofe hath its prickle ; but in the kingdom of heaven, we (hall (hake off this viper cf care. What needs a faint glorified to take any care, who hath all things provided to his hand ? There is the tree of life bearing all forts of fruit. When the heart fhall be freed from fin, the head fhall be freed from care. 8. We fhall, in the kingdom of heaven, be freed from all doubts and fcruples. In this life the bed faint hath his doublings, as the bright- ell flar hath its twinkling. If there were no doubtings, there would be no unbelief: aflurance itfelf doth not exclude all doubting, Pf. xxvi. 3. Thy loving-kindnefs is before mine eyes ; but at another time, Pf. Ixxxix. 49. Lord, •where are thy former loving-hindneffes ? A Chriflian is like a fhip at anchor, which, tho* it be fafq, yet it may (bmetimes be to/Ted upon, the water. Sometimes a Chriflian queftions his interefl in Chrifl, and his title to the promife; and thefe doubtings, as they eclipfe a Chriflian's comfort, fo they are a bearing falfe witnefs a- gainfl the fpirit. But, when the faints fhall come into the kingdom of heaven, there (hail be no more doubtings : then a Chriflian fhall fay, as Peter, now 1 know of a furetyf that the Lord hath fent his angel, and delivered me, Acls xii. n. So, now I know, that 1 am patted from death to life, now I am gone beyond all rocks, I have fhot the gulph, now I am in my Saviour's embraces for ever. 9. We fhall, in the kingdom of heaven, be freed from all fociety with the wicked. Here we are forced fometime to be in their company, Pf. cxx. 5. Wo is me that I dwell in Mefech, andfojourn in the tents of Keclar, Kedar was Ifmaets fon, whofe children dwelt in Arabia, a profane, barbarous people. Here the wicked are dill raifing perfecutions againft the godly, and crucifying their ears with their oaths and curfes : Chrifl's lilly is among thorns ; but in the heavenly kingdom there (hall be no more any pricking briar, Mat. xiii. 41. The Son of man fhall fend forth his angels, and they fhall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend. As Mofes faid, Exod. xiv. 13. Stand ftill and fee the falvation of the Lord; for the Egyptians whom ye havefeen to 'day, ye fhall fee them a:ain no more for ever : So will God fay, fland flill and fee the falvation of God ; thefe your ene- mies, that vex and molcfl you, you fhall fee them again no more for ever. At that day, God OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 42? God will fepnrate the precious from the vile; then Chrifl will thoroughly purge his floor, he will gather the wheat into the garner, and the wicked, which are the chaff, fhall be blown into hell. 10. W& fhall, in the kingdom of heaven, be freed from all figns of God's difpleafure. Here God may be angry with his people : though he hath the heart of a father, he may have the look of an enemy ; this is fid. As when the fun is gone the dew fills; when the light of God's face is gone, tears drop from the faints eyes. But, in the kingdom of heaven ; there fhall be no fpiritual eclipfes, there (hull never appear any tokens of God's difpleafu e; the faints fhall have a conftant afpeft of love from God, they (hall never complain any more, as Cant. v. 6. My beloved hath withdrawn himfelf 11. We fhall, in the kingdom of heaven, be freed from all divifions. That, which is the faddeft thin;* in the world, is to fee divifions a- mong them that are good. 'Tis fad, that fuch as have one faith, yet fnould not be of one heart: Ephraim envies Judah, and Judah vex- eth Ephraim ; 'tis matter of tears, to fee thofe who are united to Chrifr, to be divided one from another. The fbldier's fpear pierced Chrift's fide, but the divifions of faints wound his heart. But, in the kingdom of heaven, there fhall be bo vilifying one another, or cenfuring : thofe, who before could hardly pray together, fhall praife God together ; there fhall not be one jarring firing in the faints mufic. 12. We fhall, in the kingdom of heaven, be freed from vanity and difTatisfa&ion. What Job faith of wifdom, chap, xxviii. 14. The depth faith, It is not in me ; and the fea faith, It is not in me. The fame may I fay concerning fatis- faction ; every creature faith, It is not in me. Take things mofl pleafing, and which we pro- mife ourfelves mofl content from, ftill out the fpirits and purefl quinteffence of them, and we mall fay, as Solomon did, Eccl. ii. 11. And, be- hold, all was vanity. God never did, nor will put a (atisfying vertuc into any creature. In the fweetefl mufic the world makes, either there is fome firing wanting, or air of tune. Who would have thought that Haman, who was (b great in the king's favour, he Jet his feat above all the princes of the provinces. Efth. iii. 1. Yet for the want of the bowing of a knee he is dif- fatisfied ? But in the kingdom of heaven, we fhall be freed, from thefe diiratisfacYions. The world is like a landfkip, you may fee gardens and fruit-trees, curioufly drawn in tb,e landfkip, but you cannot enter into them; but you may en-er into the joys of heaven, enter thou inta the joy of thy Lord. The foul fhall be latisfied while it bathes in thofe rivers of pleafure at GoJ's right-hand ; I jhall be fapsfied, when t awake, with thy likenefs, Pf. xvii. 15. Thus you fee what ihe kingdom of glory implies ; namely, a blefTed freedom from all evil. 13. We fhall, in the kingdom of heaven, be freed from the torments of hell, 1 TheJJ. i. 10. Jefus, which delivered us from the wrath to- come. (1.) The multiplicity of thefe torments. In this life, the body is ufually exercifed but with one pain, the flone or head-ach ; but in hell there is a diverfity of torments, there is darknefs to affright, fire to burn, a lake of fulphur to choke, chains to bind, the worm to gnaw. (2.) The torments of hell will feize upon e- very part of the body and foul ; the eye ihall be tortured with the fight of devils ; the tonque that hath fwore fbmany oaths, fhall be tortured, Luke xvi. 24. fend Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool ?ny tongue. The memory fhall be tormented to remember what mercies have been abufed, what feafons of grace negletted ; the conference fhall be tor- mented with felf-accufations. (3.) In the pains of hell there is no mitiga- tion, no mixture of mercy. In this life, God in anger remembers mercy, Nab. iii. 2. But in hell, there is no alleviation, or lefTening of the pains : as in the facrifice of jealoufy, Numb. v. 15. God would have no oil or frankincenfe pat to it ; fo in hell there is no oil of mercy to le- nify the fufferiogs of the damned, no incenfe of prayer to appeafe God's wrath. (4.) In the pains of hell there is no inrermif- fion. The poets feign of Endymion, that he got leave of Jupiter always to fleep. What would the damned in hell give for one hours fleep ? Rev. xi v. 1 1 . They reft not day nor night. They are perpetually upon the rack. (5.) In the pains of hell there is no expira- tion ; they mull always Iy fcorching in flames of wrath, Rev. xiv. 11. The fmoke of their tor- ment afcendeth up for ever and ever : bur, in the heavenly kingdom, the ele£t fhall be freed from all infernal torments; Jefus hath deliver- ed us from the wrath to come. A prifon is not made for the king's children. Chrifl drank that bitter cup of God's wrath, that the faints mioht never drink it. ° Seccndfy9 421 OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYCK, Secondly, la the kingdom of heaven there is a glorious fruition of all good. Had I as miny tongues as hairs on my head, I could not fully d-rfcribe this j I may lay, as Judges xviii. 9, to. heaven is called, the excellent glory, 2 Pet. i. i". I may as well fpan the firmament, or dr^in the ocean, as (et forth the glory of this kingdom. O'v;;; acn hal'ct bypgrkplem ; the kingdom of heaven is above all hyperbole. "Were the fun ten ihov.fmd times brighter than it is, it could not parallel t'neluftre of this kingdom; dpel/es's perrcH would blot, angels tongues would leffen it ; I can but give you the skiagraphia, or dark Ih ".low of it ; expect not to fee it in all its o- rieM!t co'ours, till you are mounted above the ftars. But let us not ftand afar off, as Mofes, to behold this Canaan, but enter into it, and talre the honey. Concerning the fruitions and privileges of this heavenly kingdom. i. We ihail have an immediate communion with Cod himfelf, who is the inexhaufted fea of all happinefs : this divines call, the beatifical v'ljhn. The pfalmift did triumph in that enjoy- ment be had of God in this life, Pf. lxxiii. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee ? If God, en- joyed by faith, doth give fo much comfort to the f juI ; how much more, when he is enjoyed by immedhte vifion ! Here we fee God but darkly through the glafs of ordinances, but, in the kingdom of heaven we (hall fee h\m face to face, 1 Cor. xiii. 12. We fhall have an intel- lectual fight of God, i. e. we fhall fee him with the eyes of our mind ; we fha.ll know God as jnuch as the angels in heaven do, Matth. xviii. 10. and 1 Cor. xiii. 12. We fhall know as we are known. We fhall have a full knowledge of God, tho' not know him fully; as a veffel in the fea, is full of the fea, tho' it holds not all the fea. To fee and enjoy God, will be moft delicious ; in God are beams of majefty, and bowels of mercy. God hath all excellencies concentered in him, bonum in quo ovinia bona. If one flower fhould have the fweetnefs of all flowers, how fweet would that flower be? All' the beauty and fweetnefs which lies fcatteredin the creature, is infinitely to be found in God ; therefore, to fee and enjoy him, will ravifh the foul with delight. We fhali fo fee God as to love him, and be made ftnfible of his love: and, when we (hall have this fweet communion with G.>d, then God (hall be all in all, 1 Cor. xv. 28. light to the eye, manna to the tafle, mufic to the ear. l. We (hall, In the kingdom of heaven, with thele eyes, fee the glorified body of Jefus Chrilb This our Saviour makes a great part of the glory of heaven, to view the glory of his human nature, John xvii. 24. That they may behold my glory. When Chrift was transfigured upon earth, 'tis laid, That his face did fhine as the fun, and his raiment was white as the light, Matth. xvii. 2. If the glory of his transfigu- ration was fo great, what will the glory of his exaltation be ? Much of the glory of God (bines in Chrift, by virtue of the hypoftatical union, Col. ii. 9. In whom dwells the fulnefs of the Godhead bodily. Through Chrift's humanity, as through a bright mirror, we may fee fome beams of the Divine Majefty fhine forth. Put a back of fteel to a glafs, and you may fee a face in it : Chrift's human nature is as a back of fteel put to the divine nature ; thro' this we may fee God, and then our capacities fhall be enlarged to a wonderful degree, to receive this glorious object ; and we fhall not only fee God's glory, but fome of his glory fhall be put upon us. Non tan turn aderit gloria, fed 'merit y Bern. A beggar may behold the glory of a king, and not be the happier ; but Chrift's glory fhall be ours, We fliall be like him, 1 John iii. 2. We fhall fhine by his beams- 3. We fhall, in the kingdom of heaven, en- joy the fociety of an innumerable company of angels, Heb. xii. 22. Qu. But, is there not enough in God to fill the foul with delight ? Can the fight of angels add to the foul's happinefs ? What need is tktre of the light of torches, when the fun jhines ? Anf Befides the divine effence, the fight of angels is defireable ; much of God's curious workmanlhip (hines in the angels ; the angels are beautiful, glorious creatures : and as the feveral firings in a lute make the harmony fweeter, and the feveral ftars make the firma- ment brighter, fo the fociety with smgels will make the delight of heaven the greater ; and we fhall not only fee the angels with the glo- rified eye of our underftanding, but converfe with them. 4. We fhall, in the kingdom of heaven, have fweet fociety with glorified faints, then the communion of faints will be illuftrious. O what a bleffed time will it be when thofe who have praved, wept, fuffercd together, fhall re- joyce together ! We fhall fee the faints in their white linen of purity, and fee them as fo many crowned kings ; in beholding the faints glori- fied, OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 423 lied, we fhall behold an heaven full of funs. Some move the qucltion, whether we mall know one another in heaven ? Surely our know- ledge mail not be diminifhed, but increafed. It is the judgment of Luther and Anfelm, and ma- ny other divines, that we mall know one an- other; yea, the faints of all ages, whofe faces wc never faw : and, when we mall fee the flints in glory without their fpots, viz. their infirmi- ties, pride and paffion, this will be a glorious light. We fee how Peter was tranfported, when he faw but two prophets in the transfi- guration, Mattb. xviL 3. bur, what a blefTed fight will it be, when we mail fee fnch a glori- ous company of prophets, and martyrs, and ho- ly men of God ! How fweet will the mulic be, when they mail all fing together in concert in the heavenly choir ! And tho', in this great af- fembly of faints and angels, one fiar may differ from another in glory, yet no luch weed as envy fliall ever grow in the paradife of God ; then there mall be perfect love, which, as it cafls out fear, fo alfo envy ; tho' one vefTel of glory may hold more than another, yet every veffel fhall be full. 5. In the kingdom of heaven there mall be incomprehenfible joy. Ariftotle faith, joy pro- ceeds from union. When the faints union with Chrift is perfected in heaven, then their joy (hall be full ; all the birds of the heavenly paradife fing for joy. What joy when the faints fhall fee the great gulf fhut, and know that they are pa/Ted from death to life ! What joy, when they are as holy as they would be, and as God would have them to be! What joy to hear the mufic of angels, to fee the golden banner of Chi ift's love difplayed over the foul, to be drink- ing that water of life which is quintefTential, and is tweeter than all neclar and ambrofia! What joy, when the 'faints (hall lee Chrift clothed in their flefh, fitting in glory above the angels J Then they (hall enter into the joy of their Lord, Matth. xxv. 21. Here joy enters into the faints, in heaven they enter into joy. O thou faint of God, who now hangeft thy harp upon the willows, and mingleft thy drink with weeping, in the kingdom of heaven thy water fhall be turned into wine,- you mail have fo much felicity, that your fouls cannot wifh for more. The fea is not fo full of water, as the heart of a glorified faint is of joy : there can be no more forrow in heaven, than there is joy in hell. 6. In heaven there is honour and dignity put upon the faints : a kingdom imports ho* nour. All that come into heaven are kings ; they have, 1. A crown, Rev.'u. 10. Dabo tibi, the crown of life ; corona eji inftgne regice pc tejhtis. The crown is not lined with thorns, but hung with jewels ; it is a never-fading crown, 1 Pet. v. 4. 2. The faints in heaven have their robes ; they exchange their fack- cloth for white robes, Rev. vii. 9. I beheld a great multitude which no man could number, clothed in white robes. Robes fignify their glory, white their fancYity. And, 3. They fit with Chrift upon the throne, Rev. iii. 21. We read, 1 Kings vi. 33. the doors of the holy of holies were made of palm-trees, and open flow- ers covered with gold; an emblem of that vic- tory and that garland of glory which the faints fhall wear in the kingdom of heaven. When all the titles and enfigns of worldly honour fliall ly in the duft, the mace, the filver flar, the gar- ter, then fhall the flints honour remain. 7. We fliall, in the kingdom of heaven, have a blefTed reft. Reft is the end of motion ; hea- ven is centrum quietativum anima?, the biefled centre where the foul doth acquiefce and reft. In this life, we are fubject to unquiet motions and fluctuations, 2 Cor. vii. 5. We are troubled on every fide ; like a fhip on the fea, having the waves beating on both fides : but in the kingdom of heaven there is reft, Heb. iv. 9. How welcome is reft to a weary traveller? When death cuts afunder the firing of the body, the foul, as a dove, flies away, and is at reft. This reft is when the faints fliall ly on Chrift's bofom, that hive of fweetnefs, that bed of per- fume. 8. The faints fhall, in the kingdom of heaven, have their bodies richly befpangled with glory j they fhall be full of clarity and brightneis. A<. Mofes's face fhined, that Ifrael were notable to behold the glory, Exod. xxxiv. 30. The bodies of the flints fhall fhine feven times brightei than the fun, faith Chryfoftom ; they fhall "have fuch a refplendency of beauty on them, that the angels fhall fall in love with them ; and no wonder, For they jhdll be made like ChrijVs glo- rious body, Phi. iii. 21. The bodies of faints glo- rified need no jewels, when they fhall fhine like Chrift's body. 9. In the heavenly kingdom is eternity ; 'tis an eternal fruition, they mall never be put out of the throne, Rev. xxii. 5. They Jhall reign for ever and ever. It is called, the everlafting kingdom, 2 Pet. i. 11. and an eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. iv. 17. The flowers of paradife, D d d of 424 OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. of which the faint's garland is made, never wi- ther. If there could be a ceffation of heaven's glory, or the faints had but the leaft fear or fuf- picion of lofing their felicity, it would infinite- ly abate and cool their joy ; but their kingdom is for ever, the rivers of paradiie cannot be dried up, Pf. xyi. n. At thy right-hand are pleafuresfor evermore. The kingdom of hea- ven was typified by the temple, which was built with ftone, covered with cedar, overlaid with gold, to fhow the fixed permanent flate of glory, that kingdom abides for ever. Well may we pray, Thy kingdom come. Having fpoken of the kingdom of grace, and how we may know that kingdom is fet up in our hearts, I am next fpeaking of the kingdom of glory, or heaven. 1. What is meant by the kingdom of heaven. 2. What are the properties of this king- dom. 3. Wherein this heavenly kingdom excels all the kingdoms upon earth. 4. When this kingdom (hall be bellowed. 5. Wherein appears the certainty and infal- libility of it. 6. Why we mould pray for the coming of this kingdom. Qu. 1. What is meant by the kingdom of hea- ven ? Anf. 1 . It imports a bleffed freedom from all evil. 2. It implies a glorious fruition of all good. (1.) Immediate communion with God, who is the inexhaufted fea of all happinefs. (2.) A vifible beholding the glorified body of Jefus Chrift. (3.) A glorious vifion of faints and angels. (4.) Dignity and honour, the $rown, and white robes. (5.) A bleffed reft. Qu. 2. What are the properties or qualifica- tions of the kingdom of heaven ? Anf 1 . The glory of this kingdom is folid and fubftantial ; the Hebrew word for glory fignifies a weight, to mow how folid and weighty the glory of the celeftial kingdom is : the gl&y of the worldly kingdom is airy and imaginary, like a blazing comet, or fancy, Ac~is xxv. 23. Agrippa and Bernice come with a great pomp, with a great fancy, Job xxvi. 7. The earth hangs like a ball in the air, without any thing to up- hold it. The glory of the heavenly kingdom is fubftantial, it hath twelve foundations, Rev. xxi. 14. That which God and angels count glory, is true glory. 2. The glory of this kingdom is fathfying, Pf. xxxvi. 9. With thee is the fountain of life. How can they choofe but be full, who are af the fountain-head ? Pf xvii. 15. When I a- wake, I /hall be fatisfied with thy likenefs, i. c. when I awake in the morning of the refur regi- on, having fome of the beams of thy glory min- ing in me, I flin.ll be fatisfied. Job xxviii. 14. The creature faith concerning farisfacYion, It is not in me. If we go for happinefs to the creature, we go to the wrong box ; only hea- ven's glory is commenfurate to the vaft defires of an immortal foul. A cbriftian, bathing him- felf in thefe rivers of pleafure, cries out in a di- vine extafy, I have enough. The foul is never fatisfied till it hath God for its portion, and heaven for its haven. Diffatisfa<5tion arifeth from fome defe£t, but God is an infinite good, and there can be no defect in that which is in- finite. 3. The glory of heaven's kingdom is pure and unmixed ; the ftreams of paradife are not muddied, omnia clara, omnia jucunda : there, that gold hath no alloy : no bitter ingredient in that glory, but pure as the honey drops from the comb ; there is a rofe grows without prickles, the rofe of Sharon ; there, is eafe without pain, honour without difgrace, life without death. 4. The glory of this kingdom is conftanfly exhilarating and refrefhing ; there is fulnefs, but no furfeit. Worldly comforts, tho' fweet, yet in time grow ftale : a down-bed pleafeth a-while, but within a-while we are weary, and would rife. Too much pleafure is a pain : but the glory of heaven doth never furfeit or naufeat ; the reafon is, becaufe, as there are all rarities imaginable, fo every moment frefh. delights faring from God into the glorified foul. 5. The glory of this kingdom is diftributed to every individual faint : in an earthly kingdom, the crown goes but to one, a crown will fit but one head ; but in that kingdom above, the crown goes to all, Rev. i. 6. All elect are kings. The land is fettled chiefly upon the heir, and the reft are ill provided for: but, in the king- dom of heaven, all the faints are heirs, Rom. viii. 17. Heirs of God, and co-heirs -with Chrift. God hath land enough to give to all his heirs. 6. Lucid and tranfparent. This kingdom of heaven is adorned and befpangled with light, 1 Tim. vi. 1 6. Light is the glory of the creati- on, Eccl. xi. 7. The light is fweet. Hell is a dark dungeon, Matth. xxii. 13. Fire, but no light. OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 425 light. The kingdom of heaven is a diaphanum, all embroidered with light, clear as cryftal. How can there want light, where Chrift the fun of righteoufnefs difplays his golden beams ? Rev. xxi. 23. The glory of the Lord did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 7. The glory of this kingdom is adequate and proportionable to the defire of the foul. In creature-fruitions, that which doth commend them, and fet them off to us, is fuitablenefs : the content of marriage doth not Iy either in beauty or portion, but the fuitablenefs of dif- pofition. The excellency of a feaft is, when the meat is fuited to the palate : this i? one in- gredient in the glory of heaven, it exactly fuits the defires of the glorified faints ; we fhall not fay in heaven, here is a difh I do not love ! There fhall be mufic fuits the ear, the anthems of angels ; and food that fuits with the glori- fied palate, the hidden manna of God's love. 8. The glory of this kingdom will be feafon- able. The feafbnablenets of a mercy adds to the beauty and fweetnefs ; it is like apples of gold in pictures of filver. After an hard win- ter in this cold climate, will it not be feafbn- able to have the fpring- flowers of glory appear, and the finging of the birds of paradife come ? when we have been wearied, and even tired out in battle with fin and Satan, will not a crown be leafbnable ? 3 Qu. Wherein the kingdom of heaven infi- nitely excels all the kingdoms of the earth ? Anf. I. It excels in the architeft : other kingdoms have men to raife their ftructures, but God himfelf laid the firft ftone in this king- dom, Heb. xi. 10. This kingdom is of the greateft antiquity ; God was the firft king and founder of it ; no angel was worthy to lay a ftone in this building. 2. This heavenly kingdom excels in altitude; 'tis higher fituated than any kingdom ; the higher any thing is, the more excellent : the fire, being the moit fublime element, is molt noble. The kingdom of heaven is feated above all the vifible orbs : there is, 1 . The airy hea- ven, which is the fpace from the earth to the fphere of the moon. 2. The flarry heaven, the place where are the planets of an higher e- levation, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars. 3. The ccelum empyra-um, the empirean heaven, which Paul calls the third heaven : where Chrift is, there is the kingdom of glory fituated. This kingdom is fo high, that no fcaling ladders of enemies can reach it ; fo high, that the old fer- pent cannot fhoot up his fiery darts to it. If wicked men could build their nefrs among the fiars, yet the leaft believer would fliortly be a- bove them. 3. The kingdom of heaven excels all other in fplendor and riches ; it is defcribed by pre- cious flones, Rev. xxi. 19. What are all the rarities of the earth to this kingdom, coafts of pearl, rocks of diamonds, ifhnds of fpices r what are the wonders of the world to it, the Egyptian pyramids, the temple of Diana, the pillar of the fun offered to Jupiter ? what a rich kingdom is that where God will lay out all hi* coft ? Thofe who are poor in the world, yet, as fbon as they come into this kingdom, grow rich, as rich as the angels : other kingdoms are inriched with gold, this is inriched with the Deity. 4. The kingdom of heaven excels all other kingdoms in holinefs. Kingdoms on earth are for the molt part unholy : there h a common more of luxury and uncleannefs running in them : kingdoms are ftages for fin to be acted on, Ifa. xxviii. 8. All tables are full of vomit. But the kingdom of heaven is fo holy, that it will not mix with any corruption, Rev. xxi. 27. There Jhall enter into it nothing that de- fileth. 'Tis Co pure a foil, that no ferpent of fin will breed there : there is beauty which is not ftained with luft, and honour which is not fwelled with pride. Holinefs is the brighteft jewel of the crOwn of heaven. 5. The kingdom of heaven excels all other kingdoms in its pacific nature ; 'tis regnum pa- ds, a kingdom of peace. Peace is the glory of a kingdom ; pax una triumphis innumeris melior. A king's crown is more adorned with the white lily of peace, than when it is befet with the red rofes of a bloody war. But where fhall we find an uninterrupted peace upon earth ? Either home-bred divifions, or foreign invafions, 2 Chron. xv. 5. There -was no peace to him that went out, or to him that came in. But the kingdom of heaven is a kingdom of peace j there are no enemies to conflict with ; all Ch rift's enemies fhall be under his feet, Pf. ex. t. The gates of that kingdom always fland open, Rev. xxi. 25. The gates Jhall not be Jlmt at all ; to fhow, that there is no fear of an af- fauk of an enemy ; the faints, when they die, are faid to enter into peace, Ifa. lvii. 2. There's no beating of drums, or roaring of cannons, but the voice of harpers harping, in token of D d d 2 peace, 426 OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRA*ER. peace, Rev. xiv. 2. In heaven, right eoufnefs and peace kifs each other. 6. The kingdom of heaven excels in mig- nitude; it is of vaft: dimensions. Though the gate of the kingdom be (trait, we muft pafs in- to it through the ftrait gate of mortification ; yet, when once we are in, it is very large ; though there be an innumerable company of faints and angels, yet there is room enough for them. The kingdom of heaven may be called by the name of that well, Gen. xxvi. 22I Jacob called the name of it Rehoboth ; for he faid, now the Lord hath made room for us. Thou, who art now confined to a fmall cottage, when thou comeft into the celeftial kingdom, thou malt not be ftraitned for room. As every flar hath a large orb to move in, fo it mail be with the faints, when they (hall mine as (tars in the kingdom of heaven. 7. The kingdom of heaven excels for unity ; all the inhabitants agree together in love : love will be the perfume and mufic of heaven ; as love to God will be intenfe, fo to the faints. Perfect love, as it cafts out fear, fo it carts out envy and difcord. Thofe Chriftians who could not live quietly together on earth (which was the blemifli of their profeflion) yet, in the kingdom of heaven, the fire of ftrife (hall ceafe ; there (hall be no vilifying, or cenfuring one another, or raking into one another's fores, but all (hall be tied together with the heart-firings of love ; there Luther and Zuin- glius are agreed : Satan cannot put in his cloven foot there to make divifions ; there (hall be perfect harmony and concord, and not one jarring firing in the faint's mufic. It were worth dying to be in that kingdom. 8. This kingdom exceeds all earthly in joy and pleafure ; therefore it is called paradife, 2 Cor. xii. 4. For delight : there are all things to caufe pleafure j there is the water of life pure as cryftal ; there is the honey-comb of God's love dropping; 'tis called, entring into the joy of cur Lard, Matth. xxv. 23. There are two things eaufejoy. (1.) Separation from fin : fin creates Ibrrow; but when this viper of fin (hall be (haken ofF, then joy follows. There can be no more ior- fow in heaven, than there is joy in hell. (2.) Perfect union with Chrift : joy, as Ari- fiotle faith, flows from union with the object:. When our union with Chrift (hall be perfect:, then our joy (hall be full: if the joy of faith be fo great, 1 Pet. i. 8. Then what will the joy of fight be ? Jofeph gave his brethren provi- fion for the way, but the full (ac'ks of corn were k^pt till they came at their father's houfe s God gives the faints a tafte of joy here, but the full lacks are kept till they come to hea- ven. Not only the organical parts, the outward fenfes, the eye, ear, tafte (hall be filled with joy; but the heart of a glorified faint (hall be filled with joy. The underftanding, will and affections are fuch a triangle, as none can fill but the trinity : there mud needs be infinite joy, where nothing is feen but beauty ; nothing is tailed but love. 9. This kingdom of heaven excels all earth- ly in felf-perfection : other kingdoms are de- fective, they have not all provifion within themfelves, but are fain to traffic abroad to fupply their wants at home : king Solomon did fend to Ophir for gold, 2 Chron. viii. 18. But there is no defect in the kingdom of heaven; it hath all commodities of its own growth, Rev. xxi. 7. There is the pearl of price, the morning-frar, the mountains of fpices, the bed of love ; there are thofe facred rarities, wherewith God and angels are delighted. 10. This kingdom of heaven excels all o- ther in honour and nobility. It doth not only equal them in the enfigns of royalty, the throne and white robes ; but it doth far tranfeend them : other kings are of the blood-royal; but they in this heavenly kingdom are born of God : other kings converfe with nobles ; the faints glorified are fellow-communers with angels ; they have a more noble crown, 'tis made of the flowers of paradife, and is a crown that fadeth not away, 1 Pet. v. 4. They fit on a better throne : king So/omen, 1 Kings x. 18. fat on a throne of ivory overlaid with gold ; but the faints are in heaven higher ad- vanced, they fit with Chrift upon his throne, Rev. iii. 21. They (hall judge the princes and great ones of the earth, 1 Cor. xvi. 2. This honour have all the Hunts glorified. ix. This kingdom of heaven excels all o- thers in healthfulnefs. Death is a worm that is ever feeding at the root of our gourd ; king- doms are oft hofpitals of fick perfons ^ but the kingdom of heaven is a molt healthful climate : phyficians there are out of date ; no difteraper there, no palling bell, or bill of mortality, Luke xx. 36. Neither can they die any more. In the heavenly climate are no ill vapours to breed difeafes, but a fweet aromatical fmell coming OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 4*7 oaming from Chrift ; all his garments fmell of myrrhe, aloes and caffia. 12. This kingdom of heaven excels in du- ration, it abides for ever. Suppofe earthly kingdoms to be more glorious than they are, their foundation of gold, their walls of pearl, their windows of fapplvre ; yet they are cor- ruptible and fading, Hof. i. 4. / -will caufe the kingdom to ceafe. Troy and Athens now ly buried in their ruins ; jam feges eft ubi Troja fiat. Mortality is the diigrace of all earthly kingdoms ; but the kingdom of heaven hath eternity written upon it, ic is an everlaft- ing kingdom, 2 Pet. i. 11. 'Tis founded upon a ftrong bafis, God's omni potency ; this king- dom the faints fkall never be turned out of, or be depofed from their throne, as fome kings have been, viz. Henry vi. isc. But (hall reign for ever and ever, Rev. xxii. 5. How mould all this affect our hearts ? What fhould we mind but this kingdom of heaven, which doth more outfliine all the kingdoms of the earth, than the fun outfhines the light of a taper ? 4. Qu. When this kingdom ft) all be be flowed ? Anf. This glory in the kingdom of heaven fhall be begun at death, but not perfected till the refurrecYion. 1. The faints fhall enter upon the kingdom of glory immediately after death ; before their bodies are buried, their fouls fhall be crowned, Phil. i. 23. Having a defire to depart, and to be with Chrift : from this connection, departing, and being with Chrift, we fee clearly that there is a fubitus trjufitus , fpeedy paffage from death to glory : no fooner is the foul of a believer divorced from the body, but it prefently goes to Chrift, 2 Cor. v. 8. Abfent from the body, prefent with the Lord. It were better for be- lievers to ftay here, if immediately after death they were not with Chrift in glory; for here the faints are daily increafing their grace; here they may have many proelibamina, fweet taites of God's love : fo that it were better to flay here, if their foul fhould fleep in their body, and they fhould not have a fpeedy fight of God in glory : but this is the eonfolation of believers, they fhall not flay long from their kingdom ; it is but winking and they fhall fee God. It will be a blefTed change tt>a believer,, from a defert to a paradife, from a bloody battle to a victorious crown ; and a fudden change ;, no fooner did Lazarus die, but he bad a convoy ©f angek to conduct his foul to the kingdom of glory. You who now are full of bodily dif- eafes, fcarce a day well, Pf. xxxi. 10. My life is fpent with grief ; be of good comfort, you may be happy before you are aware ; before another week or month be over, you may be in the kingdom of glory, and then all tears fhall be wiped away. 2. The glory in the kingdom of heaven, will be fully perfected at the refurrecYion, and general day of judgment; then the bodies and fouls of believers will be reunited : what joy will there be at the reunion and meeting together of the foul and body of a faint ! O what a welcome will the foul give to the body t O my doer body, thou didft often join with me in prayer, and now thou fhalt join with me in praife ; thou wert willing to fuffer with me, and now thou fhalt reign with me; thou wert fown a vile body, but now thou art made like ChrifVs glorious body ; we were once for a time divorced, but now we are married, and crowned together in a kingdom, and {hall mutually congratulate each other's felicity. 5. Qu. Wherein appears the certainty and Infallibility of this kingdom of glory ? Anf. That this blefTed kingdom fliall be be- flowed on the faints, is beyond all difpute. 1. God hath promifed it, Luke xii. 312.. Ith your Father's good pleafure to give you a king' dom. Luke xxii. 29. / appoint unto you a king- dom [Gr. diatithemai] I bequeath it as my la ft- will and teftament. Hath God promifed a kingdom, and will he not make it good ? God's promife is better than any bond, Tit. i. 2. In hspe of eternal lifeY which God that cannot lie, hath promifed. The whole earth hangs upon the word of God's power ; and cannot our faith hang upon the word of his promife? 2. vFhere is a price laid down for this king- dom. Heaven is not only a kingdom which God hath promifed^ but which Chrift hath purchaiejl : it is called a purchafed pofleilion,. Eph. i. 14. Though this kingdom is given us freely, yet Chrift bought it with the price of his blood ; ChrifVs blood is an heaven-procu- ring bloody Heb. x. 19. Having boldnefs to enter 'into the holitft (i. e. into heaven) by the blood of Je/us. Crux Chrifti clavis paradift, Ch rift's blood is the key that opens the gates of heaven. Should not the faints have this kingdom,, then Chrift fhould lofe hispurchafe : Chrift on the crofs was in hard travail,, lfa. xiii. 1 1 . He travailed, to bring forth falvation to the elect ; fhould not they poflefs the kingdom when they die, Chrift fhould 428 OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. lofe hiD travail, all his pangs and agonies of foul upon the Crofs Gv ild be4b vain. 3. Chrift prays that the faints may have this kingdom fettled upon them, John xvii. 24. Father, I will, that they alfo whom thou haft given me, be with me where I am, i. e. In heaven. This is Chrift's prayer, that the faints might be with him in his kingdom. And be bel'pangled with fome of the beams of his glory : now, if they fhould not go into this heavenly kingdom, then Chrift's prayer would be fi unrated ; but that cannot be, for he is God's favourite, John xi. 42. I know thou hear- eji me always ; and befides, what Chrift prays for, he hath power to give : obferve the man- ner of Chrift's prayer, Father, I will; father, there he prays as man; I will, there he gives as God. 4. The faints muft have this blefTed king- dom by vertue of Chrift's afcenfion, John xx. 17. I afcend to my father and your father, to my God and to your God. Where lies, the comfort of this? Here it lies, Jefus Chrift afcended to take poffeffion of heaven for all be- lievers. As an husband takes up lr . in an- other country in the behalf of his wife ; fo Ghrift went to take pofTeifion of heaven, in the behalf of all believers, John xiv. 2. / go to prepare a place for you. My afcenfion is to make all things ready againfl your coming : I go to prepare the heavenly manfions for you. The flefh that Chrift hath taken into heaven, is a fure pledge that all our flefh and bodies (hall be where he is ere long. Chrift did not afcend to heaven, as a private perfon, but as a public perfon, for the good of all believers ; his afcenfion was a certain fore-runner of the faints attending into heaven. 5. The elect muft have this blelfed kingdom, in regard of the previous works of the fpirit in their hearts. They have the beginning of the kingdom of heaven in them here ; grace is heaven begun in the foul : befides, God gives them prim'it as fpiritus, the firft-fruits of the fpirit, Rom. viii. 23. Thefe firft-fruits are the comforts of the fpirit. The firft-fruits under the law were a certain fign to the Jews of the full crop or vintage which they mould after receive : the firft-fruits of the fpirit, con- futing of joy and peace, do affure the faints of the full vintage of glory they (hall be ever reap- ing in the kingdom of God ; and the faints in this life are faid to have the earneft of the fpi- rit in their hearts, 2 Car. v. 5. As an earneft is part of payment, and an afTurancc of pay- ment in full to be made in due time ; fo God's fpirit in the hearts of believers, giving them his comforts, beftows on .them an earneft tafte of glory, which doth further affure them of that full reward, which they (hall have in the kingdom of heaven, 1 Pet. i. 8. Believing, ye rejoyce, there is the earneft of heaven, v. 9, Receiving the end of your faith, falvation, there is the full payment. 6. The elect muft have this blefTed kingdom, by virtue of their coalition and union with Jefus Chrift. They are members of Chrift, therefore the muft be where their head is. Indeed the Arminians hold, that a juftified perfon may fall from grace, and fo his union with Chrift may be difT.ived, and the kingdom loft; but I will de- mand of them, can Chrift lofe a member of his J-ody ? Then he is not perfect ; and if Chrift may lofe one member of his body, why not as well all, by the fame reafon ? And fo he (hall be an head without a body : but be aflured a believer's union with Chrift cannot be broken, and fb long he cannot be hindred of the king- dom, John xvii. 12. What was faid of Chrift's natural body is as true of his myftical, John x. 39. A hone of him fhall not bs broken. Look how every bone and limb of Chrift's natural body was raifed up out of the grave, and car- ried into heaven : fo fhall every member of his myftical body be carried up into glory. 7. We read of fome who have been tranflated into this kindom. Paul hdd a fight of it, for he was caught up into the third heaven, 2 Cor. xii. And the converted thief on the crofs was tran- flated into glory, Luke xxiii. 43. Tbis day Jlialt thou be with me in paradife. By all that hath been faid, it is moft evident, that believers have a glorious kingdom laid up for them in rever- fion, and that they fhall go to this kingdom when they die : there are none that doubt of the certainty of the heavenly kingdom, butfuch as doubt of the verity of f cripture. 6. Qu. Why we Jhould fo earneflly pray for this heavenly kingdom, thy kingdom come ? Anf 1. Becaufe it is a kingdom worth the praying for; it exceeds the glory of all the earthly kingdoms, it hath gates of pearl, Rev. xxi. 21. We have heard of a cabinet of pearl, but when did we hear of gates of pearl? In this kingdom is the bed of love, the mountains of [pices ; there are the cherubims, not to keep us out, but to welcome us into the kingdom. Heaven is a king- dom worth the praying for; there's nothing wanting OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 42? nothing wanting in that kingdom, which may compleat the faints happinefs ; for, wherein doth happinefi coniift I Is it in knowledge ? We /hall know as we are known : it is dainty fare we fhall be at the marriage /upper of the lamb. Is it in rich apparel ? We (hall be clothed in long white robes : is it in delicious mufic i We fhall hear the choir of angels finging : is it in domi- nion ? We mail reign as kings, and judge angels : Is it pleafure r We mall enter into the joy of our Lord. Sure then this kingdom is worth praying for, Thy kingdom come. Would God give us a vifion of heaven a while, as he did Stephen xvhofaw heaven opened, Acts vii. 56. We mould fall into a trance; and being a little recovered out of it, how importunately would we put up this petition, Thy kingdom come ? 2. We muft pray for this kingdom of glory, becaufe God will not beftow this kingdom on any without prayer, Rom. ii. 7. They who feek for glory and immortality, and how do we feek but by prayer ? God hath promifed a king- dom, and we muft by prayer put the bond in fuit : God is not fo lavifh as to throw away a kingdom on them who do not ask it. And certainly, if Chrift himfelf, who had merited glory, did yet pray for it, John xvii. 5. Now, 0 father, glorify me with thy own felf: how much more ought we to pray for the excellent glory, who have this kingdom granted as a charter of God's mere grace and favour. 3. We muft pray that the kingdom of glory may come, that by going into it, we may make an end of finning. I think fometimes, what a blefled time it will be, never to have a linful thought more 1 though we muft not pray, Thy kingdom come, out of difcontent, becaufe we would be rid of the troubles and croffes of this life. This was Jonah's fault ; he would die in a pet, becaufe God took away his gourd ; Lord (faith he) take away my life too, Jonah iv. 8. But we muft pray, Thy kingdom come, out of an holy defign that the fetters of corruption may be pulled off, and we may be as the angels, thofe virgin-fpirits, who never fin. This made the church pray, Rev. xxii. 20. Veni Domine Jefu. 4. Becaufe that all Chrift s enemies fhall be put under his feet : the devil fhall have no more power to tempt, nor wicked men to ,ser- fecute; the antichriftian heirarchy fhall be pulled down, aud Zisn's glory fhall fhine as a lamp, and the Turki/h ftrength fhall be broken. 5. We muft pray earneftly that the kingdom of glory may come, that we may fee God face to face, and have an uninterrupted and eternal communion with him in the empyrean heaven. I\\ofes defired but a glimpfe of God's glory, Exod. xxxiii. 18. How then fhould we pray to fee him in all his embroidered robes of glory, when he fhall' fhine ten thoufand times brighter than the fun in its meridian fplend- our ! here, in this life, we do rather defire God, than enjoy him ; how earneftly therefore fhould we pray, thy kingdom of glory come ! the be- holding and enjoying God will be the diamond in the ring, the very quintefTence of glory. And muft we pray, thy kingdom come? How then are they ever like to come to heaven, who never pray for it ? Though God gives fome profane perfons daily bread, who never pray for it; yet he will not give them a kingdom, who never pray for it. God may feed them, but he will never crown them. Ufe I. Of information. 1. Branch. From all this you fee then, that there is nothing within the whole fpherc of reli- gion impoftd upon unreafbnable terms. When God bids us ferve him, it is no unreasonable requeft, he will out of fiee grace in-throne us in a kingdom. When we hear of repentance, fleeping our fouls in brinifh tears for fin ; or of mortification, beheading our king-fm, we are ready to grumble, and think this is hard and unreafonable : but, do we ferve Cod for nought? Is it not iufmite bounty to reward us with a kingdom? This kingdom is asfar above our thoughts, as it is beyond our deferrs. No man can fay, without wrong to God, that he is an hard mafter; though he fets us a- bout hard work, yet he is no hard mafter : God gives double pay ; he gives great vails in his fervice, fwtet joy and peace ; and a great reward after, an eternal weight of glory. God gives the Jpring-flowers, and a crop ; he fettles upon us fuch a kingdom as exceeds our faith. Prcemium quod fide non attingitury Aug. '.uch as mortal eye hath not feen, nor can it enter into the heart of ynan to conceive, 1 Cor. ii._y. Alas, what an infinite difference is there between duty enjoyned, and the king- dom prepared ! what is the fhedding of a- tear to a crown ? So that God's commands are not grievous, 1 John v. 3. Our fervice cannot be lb hard, as a kingdom is fweet. 2. Branch. Sec hence the royal bounty of God to his children, that hf hath prepared a kingdom for them., a kingdom befpangled! with gloiy: it is LitinitJy abov< ' I 43* OP THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. we can draw ofit in our thoughts. The pain- ter going to draw the pitture of Helena , as not being able to draw her beauty to the life, drew her face covered with avail; fo. "When we fpeak of the kingdom of heaven, we mull draw a vail, we cannot fet it forth in all its orient beauty and magnificence ; gold and pearl doth but faintly (hadow it out, Rev. xxi. The glory of this kingdom is better felt than ex- preffed. i. They who inherit this kingdom are a- micli flolis a/bis, clothed with white robes , Rev. vii. 9. White robes denote three things: (1.) Their dignity; the Perjians were arrayed in white, in token of honour. (2.) Their purity; the magiftrates among the Romans were clothed in white, ergo called candidati, to-* (how their integrity: thus the queen the lamb's wife is arrayed in fine linen, pure and white, which is the righteoufnefs of the faints, Rev. xix. 8. (3.) Their joy : white is an emblem of joy, Eccl. ix. 7. Eat thy bread with joy, let thy garments be always white. 2. The dwellers in this kingdom have palms in their hands, Rev. vii. y. In token of vi- ctory. They are conquerors over the world ; and, being victors, they now have palm- branches. 3. They fit upon the throne with Chrift, Rev. :ii. 21. When C'afar returned from conquering his enemies, there wa3 fet for him a chair of {rate in the fenatc, and a throne in the theatre. Thus the faints in glory, after their heroic vi- ctories, (hall fit upon a throne with Chrift. Here is royal bounty in God, to beftow fuch an illuftrious kingdom upon the faints. 'Tis a mercy to be pardoned, but what is it to be crowned ? 'Tis a mercy to be delivered from wrath to come, but what is it to be inverted into a kingdom r Behold, what manner of love is this ! Earthly princes may beftow great gifts and donatives upon their fubje&s, but they keep the kingdom to themfelves. Tho' king Pharaoh advanced Jofeph to honour, and took the ring off his finger and gave him, yet he would keep the kingdom to himfelf, Gen. xli. 40. Hut God inthrones the faints in a kingdom ; God thinks nothing too good for his children ; we are ready to think much of a tear, a prayer, or to facrifice a fin for him ; but he doth not think much to beitow a kingdom upon us. 3. Branch. See hence, that religion is no ig-> nominious, disgraceful thing. Satan labours to -01ft all the odium and reproach upon it that he can ; that it is a devout frenzy, folly in-grain, Atts xxviil. 22. As for this feci, we know that it is every where fpoken again/}. But wife men meafure things by the end ; what is the end of a religious life? It ends in a kingdom. Would a prince regard the (lightings of a few fa- natics, when he is going to be crowned ? You who are beginners, bind their reproaches as a crown about your head, defpife their cenfures as much as their praife ; a kingdom is a-coming. 4. Branch. See what contrary ways the god- ly and wicked go at death ; the godly go to a kingdom, the wicked to a prifon : the devil is the jaylor, and they are bound with the chains ofdarknefs, jude 6. But what are thefe chains? Not iron-chains, but worfe ; the chain of God's decree, decreeing them to toiment; and the chain of God's power, whereby he binds them faft under wrath : this is the deplorable condi- tion of impenitent finners, they do not go to a kingdom when they die, but to a prifon. O think what horror and dtfpair will poflefs the wicked, when they fee themfelves ingulphed in mifery, and their condition hopelefs, helplefs^ endlefs ; they are in a fiery prifon, and no pof- fibility of getting out. A fervant under the law, who had an hard mafrer, yet every feventh year was a year of releafe when he might go free ; but in hell there is no year of releafe when the damned (hall go free ; the fire, the worm, the prifon, are eternal. If the whole world, from earth to heaven, were filled with grains of fand, and once in a thou- fand years an angel mould come and fetch a- way one grain of fand, how many millions of ages would pafs before that vafl: heap of fand would be quite fpent : yet, if after all this time the finner might come out of hell, there were fome hope ; but this word ever breaks the heart with de(pair. 5. Branch. See then that which may make us in love with holy duties ; every duty fpiritu- ally performed brings us a ftep nearer to the kingdom : finis dat amdbilitatem mediis. He whofe heart is fet on riches, counts trading pleafant. becaufeit brings in riches: if our hearts are fet upon heaven, we fhall love duty, becaufe it brings us by degrees to the kingdom ; we are going to heaven in the way of duty. Holy du- ties increafe grace ; and as grace ripens, fo glory haflens : the duties of religion are irkfome to fleih and blood, but we mould look upon them as fpiritual chariots to carry us apace to the heavenly OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 43' heavenly kingdom. The proteftants in France called their church paradife ; and well they might, becaufe the ordinances did lead them to the paradife of God. As every flower hath its fweetnefs, fo would every duty, if we would look upon it as giving us a lift nearer heaven. 6th. Branch. It (hows us what little caufe the children of God have, to envy the profperity of the wicked. Quis eerarto quis pleniloculis indi- get, Sen. The wicked have the "waters of a full cup wrung out to them, Pf. Ixxiii. 10. As if thty had a monopoly of happinefs, they have all they can defire ; nay, they have more than their heart can wifh, Pf. Ixxiii. r. They fleep them- felves into pleafure, Job xxi. 12. They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoyce at the found of the organ. The wicked are high, when God's people are low in the world : the goats clam- ber up the mountains of preferment, when ChrilVs fheep are blown in the valley of tears ; the wicked are clothed in purple, while the godly are in fackcloth ; the profperity of the wicked is a great ftumbling-block : this made Averroes deny a providence, and made Afaph fay, Surely J have cleanfed my heart in vain, Pf. Ixxiii. 12. But there is no caufe of envy at their profperity, if we confider two things. 1. This is all they muft have, Luke xvi. 25. Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receiv- ed/} thy good things : thou had ft all thy heaven here. Luther calls the Turkifh empire a bone which God cafts to dogs. 2. That God hath laid up better things for his children ; he hath prepared a kingdom of glory for them ; they {hall have the beatifical vifion ; they (hall hear the angels fmg in con- cert ; they fhall be crowned with the pleafures of paradile for ever. O then envy not the fiou- riihing profperity of the wicked ; they go thro' fair way to execution, and the godly go thro' foul way to coronation. 7. Branch. Is there a kingdom of glory a- coming ? Then fee how happy all the faints are at death, they go to a kingdom ; they (hall fee God's face, which mines ten thoufand times brighter than the fun in its meridian glory. The godly at death (hall be inftalled into their honour, and have the crown-royal fet upon their head. They have, in the kingdom of heaven, the quinteffence of all delights ; they have the water of life clear as cryftal ; they h. dinalfloip in Paris. I may fay, as Eccl. ix. 3. Madnefs is in their heart, J yfimachus, for a draught of water, loft his empire ; fo for a draught of finful pleafure thefe will lofe heaven. We too much refemble our grandfather Adam who for an apple loft paradife: many for triffles, to get a (hilling more in the (hop or bufhel, will venture the lots of heaven. This will be an aggravation of the finners tor* ment, to think how foolifhly he was undone; for a flafh of impure joy he loft an eternal weight of glory. Would it not vex one who is me lord of a mannor to think he fhould part with his ftate!y inheritance for a fit of mufic i Such are they who let heaven go for a fbng. This will make the devil infult at the laft day to think how he hath gull'd men, and made them lofe their fouls and their happinefs for lying vanities. If Satan could make good his brag, in giving all the glory and kingdoms of the world, it could not countervail the lofs of the celeftial kingdom. All the tears in hell are not fufficient to lament the lofs of heaven* life II. Of reproof. i .. Branch, It reproves fuch as do not at all look after this kingdom of glory ; as if all we fay about heaven were but a romance, they do not mind it. That they mind it not, appears, becaufe they do not labour to have the king- dom of grace let up in their hearts: if they have fome thoughts of this ^ngdom, yet it is in a dull carelefs manner ; they ferve God, as if they ferved him not ; they do not vires exerere, put forth their flrength for th heavenly kingdom. OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 433 kingdom. How induftrious were the faints of old for this kingdom? Phil. iii. 13. Reach- ing forth unto thofe things which are before ; the Creek word is epekteinominos, ftretching out the neck ; a metaphor from racers, that (train every limb, and reach forward to lay hold on the prize. Luther fpent three hours a-day in prayer. Anna, the prophetefs, departed not from the temple, but ferved Cod with fafiing and prayers night and day, Luke ii. 37. How zea- lous and induftrious were the martyrs to get into this heavenly kingdom ! they wore their fetters as ornaments, fnatched up torments as crowns, and embraced the flames as cheerfully as Elijah did the fiery chariot, which came to fetch him to heaven ; and do we not think this kingdom worth our labour ? The great pains the heathens took in their Olympic race, when they ran but for a crown made of olive inter- mixed with gold, will rife up in judgment againfr. fuch as take little or no pains in feeking after the kingdom of glory. The dulnefs of many in feeking after heaven is fuch, as if they did not believe there was fuch a kingdom ; or as if it would not countervail their labour; or, as if they thought it were indifferent whether they obtained this kingdom or no, which is as much as to fay, whether they were faved or no ; whe- ther they were crowned in glory, or chained as galley-flaves in hell for ever. 2. Branch. It reproves them who fpend their fweat more in getting the world than the kingdom of heaven, Phil. iii. 19. Who mind earthly things. The world is the great Diana they cry up, as if they would fetch happinels out of the earth which God hath curfed ; they labour for honour and riches. Many are like Korah and Dathan, the earth fwallowed them upy Numb. xvi. 32. So the earth fwallows up their time and thoughts : theft, if they are not pagans, yet they are infidels ; they do not believe there is fuch a kingdom : they go for Chriftians, yet queftion that great article in their faith, life everlafiing : thefe, like the ferpent, lick the dufl. O what is there in the world, that we fhould fo idolize it ! when Chrifl: and heaven are not regarded ? What hath Chrifl: done for you ? Died for your fins : what will the world do for you ? Can it pacify an angry confcience ? Can it procure God's favour? Can it flee death? Can it bribe our judge ? Can it purchafe for you a place in the kingdom of heaven ? O how are men bewitched with worldly profits and ho nours ! that for thefe things they will let go paradife. It was a good prayer of St. Bernard, Sic poffideamus mundana, ut non perdamus sterna Lo, let us fo poflefs things tempo- ral, that we do not lofe things eternal. 3. Branch. It reproves fuch who delay and put off feeking this kingdom till it be too late ; like the foolifh virgins who came when the door was fhut. Mora trahit periculum. Peo- ple let the lamp of life blaze out ; and when the fymptoms of death are upon them, and they know not what elfe to do, now will look up to the kingdom of heaven: Chrifl: bids them fee God's kingdom firft, and they will feek it lafr ; they put off the kingdom of hea- ven to a death-bed, as if it were as eafy to make their peace, as to make their will. How many have loft the heavenly kingdom, through delays and procraflinations ? Plutarch reports of Archias the Lacedemonian, being among his cups, one delivered him a letter, and defired him to read it prefently, being of ferious bufi- nefs; faith he, feria eras, I will mind ferious things to morrow ; and that night he was /lain. Thou that fayeff, thou wilt look after the king- dom of heaven to morrow, knoweft not but that thou mayeft be in hell before to morrow : fometimes death comes fuddenly, it flrikes with- out giving warning. What folly is it putting off feeking the kingdom of heaven till the day of grace expire, till the radical moiflure be fpent? As if a man fhould begin to run a race when a fit of the gout takes him. 4. Branch. It reproves fuch as were once great zealots in religion, and did feem to be touched with a coal from God's altar, but fince they have cooled in their devotion, and have left off the purfuing theceleftial kingdom, Hof. via. 3. Ifrael hath cafl off the thing that is good: there is no face of religion to be feen ; they have It ft off the houfe of prayer, and gone to play- houfes ; they have left off purfuing the heavenly kingdom. Qu. Whence is this P Anf. 1. For want of a fupernatural principle of grace. That branch muft needs die, which hath no root to grow upon. That which moves from a principle of life lafls, as the beating of the pulfe ; but that which moves only from an arti- ficial fpring, when the fpring is done, the mo- tion ceafeth : the hypocrite's religion is artificial, not vital, he acts from the outward fpring of ap- plaufe or gain, and if that fpring be down, hi .. motion toward heaven ceafeth. E e e 2 2. From 434 OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 2. From unbelief, Heb. iii. 12. An evil heart of unbelief departing from the living God. Pf. Ixxviii. 22. They believed not in Cod. v. 41. They turnedback Sinners have hard thoughts of God, they think they may pray and hear, yet never the better. Mat. iii. 14. They queftion whether God will give them the kingdom at laft ; then they turn back, and throw away Chi id's colours ; they diltrufl God's love, no wonder then they defert his fervice : infidelity is the root of apoftscy. 3. Men leave off purfuing the heavenly king- dom ; it is from feme fecret luft nourifhed in the foul, perhaps a wanton or a covetous lull. Demas for love of the world forfook his religion, and afterwards turned a prieft in an idol-temple. One of ChrifVs own apofiles was caught with a filver bait. Covetoufnefs will make men betray a good caufe, and make fhipwreck of a good conftience : if theie be any lull unmodified in the foul, it will bring forth the bitter fruit either of fcundal or apoflacy. 4. Men leave off purfuing the kingdom of heaven out of timoroufnefs ; if they perfifl in religion, they may lofe their place of profit, perhaps their lives. The reafon (faith Ariflotle) why the camelion turns into fo many colours, is through exceffive fear. When carnal fear prevails, it makes men change their religion, as faft as the camelion doth its colours. Many of the Jews who were great followers of Chrifr, when they faw the fwords and ftaves, deferted him. What Solomon faith of the fluggard, is as true of the coward, he faith, there is a lion in the way, Prov. xxii. 13. He fees dangers before him; he would go on the way to the kingdom of hea- ven, but there is a lion in the way. This is dif- mal, Heb. x. 3S. If any man draw back (in the Creek, if he fteals as a foldier from his colours) my foul fa all have no pleafure in him. Ufe III. Of trial. Let us examine whether we fhall go to this kingdom when we die : heaven is called a kingdom prepared, Mat. xxv. Qu. How floall we know this kingdom is pre- pared for us ? Anf. If we are prepared for the kingdom. Qu. How may that be known? Anf. By being heavenly perfons : an earthly heart is no more fit for heaven, than a clod of duft is fit to be a ftar : there is nothing of Chrift or grace in fuch an heart. It were a miracle to find a pearl in a gold-mine j and it is as great a miracle to find Chrift the pearl of price in an earthly heart. Would we go to the kingdom of heaven r Are we heavenly ? 1. Are we heavenly in our contemplations ? Do our thoughts run upon this kingdom ? Do we get fometimes upon mount Pifgah, and take a profpect of glory ? Thoughts are as travellers: mod: of David's thoughts travelled heaven's road, Pf exxxix. 17. Are our minds heaven- lized ? Pf. xlviii. 12. Walk about Zion, tell the towers thereof, mark ye well her bulwarks. Do we walk into the heavenly mount, and fee what a glorious fituation it is ? Do we tell the towers of that kingdom while a Chriftian fixeth his thoughts on God and glory, he doth as it were tread upon the borders of the heavenly kingdom, and he peeps within the vail : as Mofes, who had a fight of Canaan, though he did not enter into it ; Co the heavenly Chriftian hath a fight of hea- ven, though he be not yet entred into it. 2. Are we heavenly in our affections ? Do we let our affections on the kingdom of hea- ven ? Col. iii. 2. If we are heavenly, we defpife all things below in comparifon of the kingdom of God ; we look upon the world but as a beau- tiful prifon,and we cannot be much in love with our fetters, though they are made of gold ; our heart is in heaven. A ftranger may be in a foreign land, to gather up his debts owing him, but he defires to be in his own kingdom and nation ; fo we are here a while in a ftrange land, but our defire is chiefly after the kingdom. of heaven, where we fhall be for ever. The world is the place of a faint's abode, not his delight : is it thus with us ? Do we like the patriarchs of old, defire a better country, Heb. xi. 16. This is the temper of a true faint, his affections are fet on the kingdom of God ; his anchor is cafl in heaven, and he is carried thither with the fails of defire. 3. Are we heavenly in our fpeeches ? Chrifr, after his refurrection, did fpeak of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, Acls i. 3. Are your tongues tuned to the language of the heavenly Canaan ? Mai. iii. 16. Then they that feared the Lord,fpake often to one another. Do you in your vifits feafon your difcourfes with heaven ? There are many fay, they hope they fhall be faved, but you fhall never hear them fpeak of the kingdom of heaven ; perhaps of their wares and drugs, or of fome rich purchafe they have got but nothing of the kingdom. Can men travel together in a journey, and not fpeak a word of the place they arc travelling to? OF THE SECOND PETITION to ? Are you travellers for heaven, and never (peak a word of the kingdom you are travelling to ? Herein many difcover they do not belong to heaven, for you lhall never hear a good word come from them, verba funt fpecuia mentis, Bern. The words are the looking-glafs of the mind, they (how what the heart is. 4. Are we heavenly in our trading ? is our traffic and merchandize in heaven ? do we trade in the heavenly kingdom by faith ? A man may live in one place, and trade in another ; he ••may live in Ireland, and trade in the IVt ft- In- dies : fo, do we trade in the heavenly kingdom ? They (hall never go to heaven when they die, who do not trade in heaven while they live. Do we fend up to heaven vollies of fighs and groans ? do we fend forth the fhip of prayer thither, which fetcheth in returns of mercy ? is our communion with the Father and his Son Jefus ? 1 John i. 3. Phil. iii. 20. 5. Ate our lives heavenly ? do we live as if we had feen the Lord with bodily eyes ? do we emulate and imitate the angels in fanclity ? do we labour to copy out Chrift's life in ours ? 1 John i. 6. 'Twas a cuftom among the Ma- cedonians, on Alexander's, birth-day, to wear his picture about their necks fet with pearl and diamond : do we carry Chriifs picture a- bout us, and refemble him in the heavenlmefs of our converfation ? If we are thus heavenly, then we fh.dl go to the kingdom of heaven when we die : and truly there is a great deal of reafon why we mould be thus heavenly in our thoughts, affections, converfation, if we confider, (1.) The main end why God hath given us our fouls, is, that we may mind the kingdom of heaven : our fouls are of a noble extraction, they are a-kin to the angels, a glafs of the Tri- nity, as Plato fpeaks. Now, is it rational to imagine, that God would have breathed into us fuch noble fouls only to look after lenfual ob- jects ? were fuch bright flats made only to fhoot into the earth ? were thefe immortal fouls made only to feek after dying comforts ? Had this been only the end of our creation, to eat and drink, and converfe with earthly objects, worfe fouls would have ferved us ; fenfitive fouls had been good enough for us : what need our fouls be rational and divine, to do only that work which a beaft may do ? (2.) Great reafon we fhould be heavenly in our thoughts, affections, converfation, if we con- IN THE LORD'S P R A Y L R*. .435 fider what a blefTed kingdom heaven is^ it is beyond all hyperbole : earthly kingdoms do fcarce deferve the names of cottages compared with it. We read of an angel coming down from heaven, who did tread with his right-foot upon the fea, and with his k-fr-foot on the earth, Kev.x. 2. Had we but once been in the heavenly kingdom, and viewed the fuptilative glory of it, how might we, in an holy (com, trample with one foot upon the earth, and with the other foot upon the fca ? There are rivers of pleTure, gates of pearl, fparkling crowns, white robes ; may not this make our hearts hea- venly ; it is an heavenly kingdom, and only fuch go into it as are heavenly. Uje IV. Of exhortation, To all in general, 1 Branch. If there be fuch a glorious king- dom to come, believe this gi eat truth, bocinians deny it. The Rabbins fay, the great difpute be- tween Cain and Abel was about the world to come j Abel affirmed it, Cain denied it. This fhould be engraven upon our hearts as with the point of a diamond, there is a blefTed kingdom in reverfion, Pf. lviii. 1 1. Doubtlefs there is a reward for the righteous. Let us not hefitate thro' unbelief; doubting of principles is the next way to denying them. Unbelief, as Sam* pfon, would pull down the pillars of religion. Be confirmed in this, there is a kingdom of glory to come ; whoever denies this, cuts afunder the main article of the creed, life everlafting. 2 Branch. If there be fuch a bleffed kingdom of glory to come, let us take heed left we mifs of this kingdom; let us fear left we loie heaven by fhort (hooting. Trembling, in the body a malady, in the foul a grace. This fear is not a fear of diffidence or diftruft, fuch a fear ns dif- courageth the foul, for fuch a fear frights from religion, it cuts the finews of endeavour ; but this holy fear, left we mifs of the kingdom of heaven, is a fear of diligence ; it quickens us in the ufe of means, and puts us forward that we may not fail of our hope, Heb. xi. 6. Noah, being moved with fear, prepared an ark. Fear is a watch-bell to awaken fleepy chriftians ; it guards againft fecurity ; it is a fpur to a fluggifh. heart : he who fears he fhall come fhort of his journey, rides the fafter. And indeed this ex- hortation to fear, left we mifs of this kingdom, is moft neceffary, if we confider two things ; Fir/?, There are many who have gone many frept in the way to. heaven, yet have fallen fhort of it, Mark xii. 34. Thou art not jar from the kingdom 436 OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. kingdom of God; yet he was not near enough. Qu. Hoii' many Jieps may a man take in the way to the kingdom of \ God, yet mifs of it ? Jnf. I. He may be adorned with civility, he may be morally righteous, he may be prudent, juit, temperate, he may be free from penal {la- ttices j this is good, but not enough to bring a man to heaven. 2. He may hang out the flag of a glorious piofcffion, yet fall fhort of the kingdom. The lcribcs and pharifees went far; they fat in Mo* fs's chair, were expounders of the law ; they prayed, gave alms, were ftrift in the obfervati- ,on of the fabbath ; if one had got a thorn into his foot, they would not pull it out on the fab- bath-day, for fear of breaking the fabbath ; they were fo externally devout in God's worfhip, that the Jews thought, that if but two in all the world went to heaven, the one (hould be a Jcribe, and the other a pharifee : but the mantle of their profeffion was not lined with fincerity ; they did all for the applaufe of men, therefore they miffed of heaven, Matth. v. 20. Except thefick-fit is foon over. 2. A finner weeps, but goes on in fin ; his fins are not drowned in his tears . 5. A man may have good defires, yet mifs of the kingdom, Numb, xxiii. 10. 0 that I might die the death of the righteous ! Qu. Wherein do thefe defires come fhort P Jnf. 1. They are fluggifh. A man would have heaven, but will take no pains. As if one fhould fay he defires water, but will not let down the bucket into the well, Prov. xxi. 25. The defire of the flothful kills him, his hands re- fufe to labour. 2. The finner defires mercy, but not grace ; he defires Chrift as a faviour, but not as he is the Holy One; he defires Chrift only as a bridge to lead him over to heaven. Such defires as thefe may be found among the damned. 6. A man may forfake his fins, oaths, drun- kennefs, uncleannefs, yet come fhort of the kingdom. Qu. Whence is this ? Jnf. 1 . He may forfake grofs fins, yet he hath your righteoufnefs exceed the righteoufnefs of no relu&ancy againft heart-fins, pride, unbelief, the fcribes and pharifees, ye fhall in no cafe en ter into the kingdom of God. •3. A man may be a frequenter of ordinances, and yet mifs of the kingdom. 'Tis a good fight to fee people flock as doves to the windows of God's houfe ; 'tis good to ly in the way where Chrift pafleth by : yet, be not offended, if I fay, one may be an hearer of the word, and fall fhort of glory ; Herod heard John Baptifl glad- ly, yet beheaded John, infiead of beheading his fin : the prophet Ezekiel's hearers did come with as much delight to his preaching, as one would do to a fit of mufic, Ezek. xxxiii. 32. Thou art to them as a lovely fong of one that hath a pleafant voice, and can play well on an injlrument ; they hear thy words, but they do them not. What is it to hear one's duty, and not do it ? As if a phyfician prefcribe a good receipt, but the patient doth not take it. 4. A man may have fome trouble for fin, and weep for it, yet mifs of the heavenly king- dom. Qu . Whence is this ? Jnf. 1 . A finner's tears are forced by God's judgments ; as water which comes out of a ftill is forced by the fire. 2. Trouble for fin is tranfient, it is quickly over again. As fome that go to fea are fea-lkk, but when they come to land they are well again : fo hypocrites may be fermon-fick, but this trouble doth not laft, and the firft rifings of malice and concupifcence. Tho' he damms up the ftream, yet he lets alone the fountain ; tho' he lop and prune the branch- es, yet he doth not ftrike at the root of it. 2. Tho' he leaves fin (for fear of hell, or becaufe it brings fhame and penury) yet he ftill loves fin, as if a fnake fhould caft her coat, yet keep her poifon, Hof iv. 8. They fet their heart on their iniquity. 3. 'Tis but a partial forfaking of fin ; tho' he leaves one fin, he lives in fome other. Herod reformed very much, Mark vi. 20. He did many things ; but he lived in inceft. Some leave drunkennefs, and live in covetoufnefs ; they forbear fwearing, and live in flandering. It is but a partial reformation, and fo they mifs of the kingdom of glory. Thus you fee there are fome who have gone many fteps in the way to heaven, yet have come fhort. Some have gone fb far in profeffion, that they have been confident their eftate hath been good, and they fhould go to the kingdom of heaven, yet have miffed it, Luke xiii. 25. When once the majrer of the houfe is rifen up, and hath fhut to the door, and ye begin to fland without, and to knock, faying, Lord, Lord, open fo us. How con- fident were thefe of falvation ! they did not be- feech, but knock, as if they did not doubt but to be let into heaven ; yet to thefe Chrift faith, I know you not whence you are; depart from me, ye workers of iniquity. Therefore fear and tremble, OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 437 tremble, left any of us mils of this kingdom of heaven. Secondly, This fear is necefTary, if we con- fider what a lofs it is to lofe the heavenly king- dom. All the tears in hell are not lufficient to lament the lofs of heaven : they who lofe the heavenly kingdom, lofe God's fweet prefence, the ravifhing views and fmiles of God's glori- ous face. God's prefence is the diamond in the ring of glory, Pf. xvi. 11. In his prefence is fulnefs of joy. If God be the fountain of all blifs, then, to be feparated from him, is the fountain of all milery. They who lofe the heavenly kingdom, lofe the fociety of angels ; and, what fweeter mufic, than to hear them praife God in concert ? They lofe all their treafure, their white robes, their fparkling crowns ; they lofe their hopes, Job viii. 14. Whofe hope fhall be cut off. Their hope is not an anchor, but a fpider's web. If hope deferred makes the heart fick, Prov. xiii. 12. what then is hope difappointed ? They lofe the end of their being. Why were they created, but to be enthroned in glory ? Now, to lofe this, is to lofe the end of their being, as if an angel mould be turned to a worm. There are many aggravations of the lofs of this, heavenly king- dom. 1 . The eyes of the wicked fhall be opened to fee their lofs ; now they care not for the lofs of God's favour, becaufe they know not the worth of it. A man thatlofeth a rich diamond, and took it but for an ordin iry (tone, is not much troubled at the lofs of it ; but when he comes to know what a jewel he loft, then he la- ments. He, whofe heart would never break at the fight of his fins, fhall now break at the light of his lofs. Phinehas his daughter, when fhe heard the ark was loft, cried out, The glory is departed, 1 Sam. iv. 21. When the finner fees what he hath loft, he hath loft the beatifical vi- fion, he hath loft the kingdom of heaven ; now he will cry out in hoiror and defpair, The glory, the everlafling glory is departed. 2. A f cond aggravation of the lofs of this kingdom will be, that finners fhall be upbraided by their own conference : this is the worm that never dies, Mark ix. ^4 viz. a feF-accufmq; mind. When finners fhall confider th^y were in a fair way to the kingdom ; they had a puf- fibilicy of falvation, tho the door of heaven was ftrait, yet it was open ; they had the means of grace ; 'he jubilee of the gofpel was proclaimed in their ears ; God called, but they refufed ; Jefus Chrift offered them a plaifW of^ his ewtt blood to heal them, but they trampled it under foot ; the holy Spirit flood at the door of their heart, knocking and crying to them to receive Chrift and heaven, but they repulfed the Spirit, and fent away this dove ; and now they have, thro' their own folly and wilfulnefs, loft the kingdom of heaven : this felf-accufing confer- ence will be terrible; like a venemous worm gnawing at the heart. 3. A third aggravation of the lofs of heaven will be, to look upon others that have gained the kingdom ; the happinefs of the blefTed will be an eye-fore, Luke xiii. 2«. There fhall be weeping and gnafhing of teeth, -when ye fhall fee Abraham, and Ifaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of Cod, and you your- ftlves thruj} out. When the wicked fhall fee thofe whom they hated and fcorned, to be ex- alted to a kingdom, and fhine with robes of glory, and they themfelves mifs of the kingdom, this will be a dagger at the heart, and make them gnafh their teeth for envy. _ 4. A fourth aggravation is, this lofs of the kingdom of heaven is accompanied with the punifhment of fenfe. He who leaps fhort of the bank, falls into the river; fuch as come fnort of heaven, fall into the river of fire and brim- ftone, Pf. xc. 1 7. The wicked fhall be turned into hell : and how dreadful is that ! if, when but a fp ark of God's anger lights into the con- fcience here, it is fo torturing, what will it be to have mountains of God's wrath thrown out upon the foul? Pf. xc. »i. VI ho knoweth the power of thine anger ? The angel never poured out his vial, but fome wo followed, Rev. xvi. 3 When the bitter vials of God's wrath are poured out, damnation follows Dives crie3 out, 0 I am tormented in this /lame, Luke xvi. 24. In hell there's not a drop of mercy. There was no oil or frankmcenfe ofed in the facrifics of jealoufy, Numb. v. 15. In hell no oil o. mer- cy to lenify the iufferings of the damned, nor incenfe of prayer toapp.-af od's wrath. 5. A fifth aggravation of the I. >fs of this kingdom will be, to confider on whar eafv and realonable tern me 1 might have bad this kingdom. It Jee«J God had commanded im- poffibles, to h latisfkd juftio. in their own perions. it ... - en ano her matter; but what God did demand was reafonabh,- only to do that which was for their good, to accept of Chrift for their !oi tjd hofba d, only to part with that which would damn thuni, it they kepj their 43-3 OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. their fins ; thefe were the fair terms on which they might have enjoyed the heavenly king- dom : now, to lofe heaven, which might have been had upon ibch eafy terms, will be a cut- ting aggravation ; it will rend a tinner's heart with rage and grief, to think how eailly he might have prevented the lofs of the heavenly kingdom. 6. It will be an aggravation of the lofs of heaven for finners to think how active they were in doing that which loft them the king- dom ; they were felo de fe. What pains did they take to refill the Spirit, to ftifie confeience 1 They finned, while they were out of breath, Jer. ix. 5. They weary tbemfelves to commit in- iquity. What difficulties did men go tluough ? what did they endure for their fins ? how much ma me and pain ? how fick was the drunkard with his cups h how fore in his body was the adulterer ? and what marks of fin did he carry about him ? what dangers did men adventure upon for their lufts ? They adventure Gods wrath, and adventured the laws of the land. O how will this aggravate the lofs of heaven ! how will this make men cuife themfelves, to think how much pains they were at to lofe happinefs? how will this fling mens confer- ences, to think, had they but taken as much pains for heaven as they did for hell, they had not loll it. 7. Aggravation of the lofs of this kingdom, it will be an eternal irreparable lofs ; heaven, once loft, can never be recovered. Worldly lo/Tes may be made up again : if a man lofe his health, he may have it repaired by phyfic ; if a man be driven out of his kingdom, he may be reftored to it again, as king Nebuchadnezzar was, Dan. iv. 36. My honour returned to me, and I was eflablifhed in my kingdom. King Henry VI. was depofed from his throne, yet reftored again to it. But they who once lofe heaven, can never be reftored to it again : after millions of years, they are as far from obtain- ing glory as at fir ft. Thus you fee how need- fuf this exhortation is, that we fhould fear left we fall (hort of this kingdom of heaven. Qu. What fl) all we do, that we may not mifs of tins kingdom of glory ? Anf i. Take heed of thofe things which will make you mifs of heaven. 1. Take heed of Spiritual iloth. Many christians are fettled up- on their lees, they are loth to put themfelves to too much pains. It is faid of Ijrael, They defpifed the pie af ant land, Pf. cvi. 24. Canaan was a paradife of delight, a type of heaven : ay, but fome of the Jews thought it would coft them a great deal of trouble and hazard in the getting, and ihey would rather go without it ; They defpifed the pie af ant land. I have read of certain Spaniards that live where there is great ftore of fifn, yet are fo lazy, that they will not be at the pains to catch them, but buy of their neighbours ; fuch a fmful (loth is upon the moll, that tho' the kingdom of heaven be offered to them, yet they will not put themfelves to any labour for ir. They have fome faint velleitics and defires, O that I had this kingdom ! Like a man that wifheth for venifon, but will not hunt for it, Prov. xiii. 4. The foul of the fluggard wifheth, and hath nothing. Men could be con- tent to have the kingdom of heaven, if it would drop as a ripe fig into their mouth, but they are loth to fight for it. O take heed of fpirit- ual iloth ; God never made heaven to be a hive for drones. We cannot have the world with- out labour, and, do we think to have the king- dom of heaven r Heathens will rife up in judgment againft many chriftians : what pains did they take in their Olympic races, when they ran but for a crown of olive or myitle inter- mixed with gold ; and do we ftand ftill when we are running for a kingdom ? Prov. xix. 15. Sloihfulnefs cajJeth into a deep fleep. Sloth is the foul's fleep. Adam loft his rib when he was afleep. Many a man lofeth the kingdom of heaven when he is in this deep fleep of iloth. 2. Take heed of unbelief. Unbelief kept If- rael out of Canaan, Heb. ill- 19 So we fee they could not enter in, b.ecaufe of unbelief. And it keeps many out of heaven. Unbelief is an en- emy to falvation, 'tis a damning fin ; it whifpers thus, To what purpofe is all this pains for the heavenly kingdom ? I had as good fit ftill ; I may come near to heaven, yet come ihort of heaven, Jer. xviii. 12. And ihey faid, there is no hope. Unbelief deflroys hope ; and if you once cut this finew, a chrillian goes but lamely in religion, if he goes at all. Unbelief raifeth jealous thoughts of God, it reprefents him as a fevere judge ; this difcourageth many a foul, and takes it off from duty. Beware of unbelief ; believe the promifes, James iii. 25. God is good to the foul that feeks him; feek him eaineflly, and he will open both his heart and heaven to you. Deus volentibus non deefi ,• do what you are able, and God will help you. While you fpread the finis of your endeavour, God's fpirit will OF THE FIRST PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. will blow upon thefe fails, and carry you fwift- ly to the kingdom of glory. 3. If you would not raifs of the heavenly kingdom, take heed of miftake, imagining the way to the kingdom of heaven to be eafier than it is; 'lis but a figh, or, Lord have mercy. There's no going to heaven per fall um ; one cannot leap out of Dalilah's lap into Abraham's bofom. The finner is dead in trefpaffes, Eph. ii. 1. Is it eafy for a man to reftore himfelf to 'life ? is regeneration eafy ? and, do you fancy this eafy ? The way to the kingdom is not eafy, but the miftake about the way is eafy. 4. If you would not mifs of the heavenly kingdom, take heed of delays and procraftina- tions. Mora trahit periculum. It is an ufual delufion, I will mind the kingdom of heaven, . but not yet ; when I have gotten an eftate and grown old, then I will look after heaven : and, on a fudden, death furprizeth men, and they fall fhort of heaven. Delay ftrengthens (In, hardens the heart, and gives the devil fuller pofTcffion of a man. Take heed of adjourning and putting off feeking the kingdom of heaven, till it be too late. Ccefar, deferring to read a letter put into his hand, was killed in the fe- naie-houfe. Confider how fhort your life is ; 'tis a taper foon blown out. Animantis cujuf- que vita in fuga efl. The body is like a veiTel tuned with breath, ficknefs broacheth it, death draws it out. Delay not the bufinefs of falva- tion a day longer ; fometimes death ftrikes, and gives no warning. 5. If you would not come fhort of the king- dom of heaven, take heed of prejudice. Many take a prejudice at religion, and on this rock dafh their fouls. They are prejudiced at Chrift 's peribn, his truths, his followers, his ways. (1.) They are prejudiced at his perfon, Mat. xiii. 57. And they -were offended in him. What is there in Chrift, that men mould be offended at him ? He is the pearl of price, Matth. xiii. 46. Are men offended at pearls and diamonds ? Chrift is the wonder of beauty, Pf.xlv. 2. Fair- er than the children of men. Is there any thing in beauty to offend ? Chrilt is the mirror of mercy, Heb. ii. 17. Why mould mercy offend any ? Chrift is a redeemer ; why fhould a cap- tive flave be offended at him who comes with a fum of money to ranfomhim ? the prejudice men take at Chrift is from the inbred pravity of their hearts. The eye that is fore cannot endure the light of t&e fun ; the fault is not m the fun, but in the (bre eye. There are two things in Chrift, men are prejudiced at : r. Hii meannefs. The Jews expected a monarch for their Meffiah ; but Chrift came not with out- ward pomp and fplendor : his kingdom was not of this world. The ftars which are feated v.\ the lighteft orbs, are leaft feen : Chrift, who ii the bright morning-liar, was not much feen ; his divinity was hid in the dark lanthorn of his humanity ; all whofawthe man did not fee the Meffiah : this the Jews ftumbled at, the meannefs of his perfen. 2. Men are prejudiced at Chrift's ftriclnefs ; they look upon Chrift as auftere, and his laws too fevere, Pf ii. 3. Let us break their bands, and caji away their cords from us. Tho', to a faint, Chrift's laws are no more burden fome than wings are to a bird ; yet, to the wicked, Chrift's laws are a yoke, and they love not to come under reftraint ; hence it is they hate Chrift. Tho' they pretend to love him as a faviour, yet they hate him as he is the holy one. (2.) Men are prejudiced at the truths of Chrift. 1. Self-denial. A man muft deny his righteoufnefs, Phil. iii. 9. His duties and mora- lities : he will graft the hope of falvation upon the ftock of his own righteoufnefs. 2. He muft deny his unrighteoufnefs. The fcripture feals no patents to fin ; it teacheth us to deny all ungodlinefs and worldly lufis, Tit. ii. 1 j . We muft divorce thofe fins which bring in pleafure and profit. 3. Forgiving of injuries, Mark xi. 25. Thefe truths men are prejudiced at j they can rather want forgivenef3 from God, than they can forgive others. (3.) Men are prejudiced at the followers of Chrift. 1. Their paucity ; there are but few (in comparifon) that embrace Chrift : but why fhould this offend? Men are not offended at pearls and precious ftones, becaufe they are but few. 2. Their poverty ; many that wear Chi ill's livery are low in the world : but why fhould this give offence ? \fi. Chrift hath better things than thefe to beftow upon his followers ; the holy anointing, the white ftone, the hidden manna, the crown of glory, zdly, All Chrift s followers are not humbled with poverty ; A- braham was rich with gold and filver, as well as rich in faith : tho' not many noble are called, yet fome noble, Acls xvii. 12. Honourable wo- men which were Greeks believed. Conflantine and Theodojius were godly emperors. So that this ftumbiing-block is removed. 3. Their (candais. Some of Chrift's followers, under a Fff mad; 44° ©F THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. ma(k of piety, commit fin ; this begets a pre- judice againit religion : but doth Chrift or-liis gofpel teach any fuch thing ? The rules he pre- scribes are holy ; why fhould the mailer be thought the worfe of, becaufe fome of his ier- vants prove bad ? (4.) Men are prejudiced at the ways of Chrifr; they expofe them to fufferings, Mat. xvi. 24. Let him take up his crofs and follow me. Many fhimble at the crofs. There are, as Tertullian, delicatuli, filken chriftians, who love their eafe ; they will follow Chrifr. to mount Olivet, to fee him transfigured, but not to mount Golgotha, to fuffer with him. But, alas, what is affliction to the glory that follows ! The weight of glory makes affliction light, Adimant caput, non eo- ronam. O take heed of prejudice ; this hath been a ftumbling-ftone in mens way to heaven, and hath made them fall fhort of the kingdom. 6. If you would not mifs of the kingdom of heaven, take heed of prefumption. Men pre- sume all is well, and take it as a principle not to be difputed, that they (hall go to heaven. The devil hath given them opium, tocaft them into a deep fleep of fecurity. The prefumptu- ous firmer is like the leviathan, made without fear : he lives as bad as the worit, yet hopes he (hail be fa\ed as well as the belt ; he bltjleth hirnfelf and faith, he Jhall have peace, though he goes on in fin, Deut. xxix. 19. As if a man mould drink poifon, yet not fear but he (hould have his health. But whence doth this pre- fump tubus hope arife ? Surety from a conceit that God is made up all cfme.cy. 'Tis true, God is merciful, but withal he is jufl too, Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. Keeping mercy for thoitfands. and that will by no means clear the guilty. If a king did proclaim, that only thofe mould be pardon- ed who came in and fubmitfed ; fhould any, {till perilling in rebellion, claim the benefit of that pardon, doft thou hope for mercy, who Wilt not lay down thy weapons, but (land out in re- bellion againft heaven ? None might touch the ark but the priefts ; none may touch this ark of God's mercy, but holy, confcxiared perfons. Prefumption is, heluo animarum, the great de- vourer of fouls. A thoufand have miffed of heaven, by putting on the broad fpecca^ks of prefumption. 7. If you would not mifs of the heavenly kingdom, take heed of the delights and pleafures of the flefh : foft pleafures harden the heart, many people cannot endure a ferious thought, but are for comedies ancl romances j they play away their falvation. Homines capiuntur V9- , luptate, ut pifces hamo, Cicero. Pleafure is the fugared bait men bite at, but there is an hook under, Job xxi. 12. They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoyce at the found of the organ. And a parallel fcripmre, Amos vi. 4. That ly upon beds of ivory, that chant to the found of the viol, that drink wine in bowls, and anoint thtmfelves with chief ointments. The pleafures of the world do keep many from the pleafures of paradife. "What a (name is it, that the foul, that princely thing, which fways the fceptre of reafon, and is a-kin to angels, mould be eo- flaved to finful pleafure ! Beard, in his thea- tre, fpeaks of one who had a room richly hung, with fair pictures, he had molt delicious mufic, he had the rareit beauties, he had all the candies and curious preserves of the confectioner ; thus did he gratify his fenfes with pleafure, and fwore he would live one week like a God, tho' he were fure to be damned in hell the next day. Diodorus Siculus obferves, that the dogs of Sicily, while they are hunting among the fweet flowers, lofe the fcent of the hare'; fo, many, while they are hunting after the fweet pleafures of the world, lofe the kingdom of heaven. 'Tis (faith TheophylacJ) one of the worft fights, to fee a finner go laughing to hell. 8. If you would not fall fhort of the kingdom of heaver-, take heed of Worldly-mindednefs : a covetous fpirit is a dunghili-fpirit, it chokes good affections, as the earth puts out the fire. The world hindred the young man from following Chrift, abiit trifiis, he went away forrowful, Luke xviii. 23. which extorted thefe words from our Saviour, v. 24. How hardly fio all they that have riches enter into the kingdom of Cod ? Divitiae Jaecuii funt laquei diaboli, Bern. Riches are golden fnares. If a man were to climb up a ltecpy rock, and had weights tied to his legs, it would hinder him from his afcent : too many golden weights will hinder us from climbing up that fteepy rock which leads to heiven, Exod. xiv. 3. They are hit angled in the land, the wildernefs hath /hut them in. So it may be faid of many, they are intangled in earthly affairs, the world hath (hut them in ; the world is no friend to grace : the more the child fucks, the weaker the nurle is ; and the more the world fucks and draws from us, the weaker our grace is, 1 John ii. 15. Love not the world. Had a man a monopoly of all the weaith of the world ; were he able to empty the weftern OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 441 weftern parts of gold and the eaftern of fpices ; could he heap up riches to the ftarry heaven, yet his heart would not be filled : covetoufhc-fs is a dry dropfy. Joffjua, who could ftop the courfe of the fun, could not ftop Achan in his covetous purfuit of the wedge of gold ; he whofe heart is locked up in his cheft, will be locked out of heaven. Some mips, that have efcaped the rocks, have been caft away upon the lands ; many, who have efcaped grofs fins, have been caft away upon the world's golden funds. 9. If you would not come fliort of the king- dom of heaven, take heed of indulging any fin : one milftone will drown, as well as more; and one fin lived in will damn, as well as niore. Ubi regnat peccatum, von potefl regna- re dei regnum, Hierom. If any one fin reign, it will keep you from reigning in the kingdom of heaven. Efpecially keep from fins of pre- fumption, which watte confcience. V aft are con- feientiam, Tertul. And the fin of your natural cor., Hi union ; the peccatum in deliciis, Aug. The darling-fin, Pf xviii. 23. 1 have kept my f elf from mine iniquity, that fin which my heart would fooneft decoy and flatter me into. As in the hive there is one mafter-bee, fo in the heart one mafter-fin : O take heed of this ! Qu. How may this fin be known? Anf (1.) That fin which a man cannot en- dure the arrow of reproof fliould fhoot at, that is the bofom-fin .* Herod could not brook to have his inceft meddled with, that was a noil* me-t anger e : men can be content to have other fins declaimed againft ; but if a minifter put his finger upon the fore, and toucheth upon one fpecial fin, then igne micant oculi, they are imaged, and fpit the venom of malice. 2. That fin which a man's heart runs out moft to, and he is moft eafy captivated by, that is the Dalilah in his bofom. One man is overcome with wantonnefs, another by •worldlinefs. It is a fad thing a man fliould be fo bewitched by a beloved fin, that, if it aflc him to part with not only one half the king- dom, but the whole kingdom of heaven, he muft part with it to gratify that luff. 3. That fin which doth moft trouble a man and fly in his face in an hour of ficknefs and diftrefs, that is the fin he hath allowed himfelf in, and is his complexion-fin ; when Jofpl/s brethren were diftrcfled, their fin in felling their brother came into their remembrance, &en. xlii. 21. We are verily guilty concerning our brother, &c. So, when a man is upon his fick-bed, and confcience mall fay, thou h.tft been guilty of fuch a fin, the fin of flandeiing, or uncleannefs, confcience reads a man a fad lecture; it affrights him moft for one fin, thtt i€ the complexion -fin. 4. That fin which a man is lotheft to part with, that is the endeared fin : Jacob could of all his fons moft hardly part with Benjamin, Gen. xlii. 35. Will ye take Benjamin away ? So faith the firmer, this and that fin I have left, but muft Benjamin go too ? Muft I part with this delightful fin ? That goes to the heart As it is with a caftle that hath feveral forts a- bout it; the firft and fecond forts are yielded; but when it comes to the main caftle, the go- vernor will rather fight and die than yield that ; fo a man may fufler fome of his fins to be demolifhed ; but when it comes to one, that is like the taking of the caftle, he will never yield to part with that ; finely that is the mafter-fin. Take heed efpecially of this fin ; the ftrength of fin lies in the beloved fin: this is like an humour ftriking to the heart, which brings death. I have read of a monarch, that being purfued by the enemy, he threw away the crown of gold on his head, that he might run the fafter ; fo that fin, which thou didft wear as 71 crown of gold, throw it away, that thou mayft run the fafter to the kingdom of heaven : O, if you would not lofe the glory, mortify the beloved fin ; fetit, as Uriah, in the forefront of the battle to be flain : by plucking out his right-eye you {hall fee the better to go to heaven. 10. If you would not fall fliort of the king- dom of heaven, take heed of inordinate pafllon ; many a fliip hath been loft in a ftorm, and many a foul hath been loft in a ftorm of unruly paf- fion. Every member of the body is infected with fin, as every branch of worm-wood is bitter ; but the tongue is full of deadly poifont James iii. 8. Some care not what they fay in their pafllon ; they will cenfure, flander, with evil to others: how can Chiift be in the heart, when the devil hath taken pofltfilon of the tongue ? Paffion difturbs reafon, it is brcvis in- fcuiia, a fliort frenzy. Jonah in a paffion flies out againft God, Jon. iv. 9. / do well to be angry to the death. What to be angry with Go J, and to juftifie it? I do well to be angry, t] man was not well in his vvits, p. iiion unfits rot prayer, 1 77w.ii. 8. I will, therefore, that m pray, lifting up holy hands without wrath. He Y f f 2 that 442 OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. that prays in wrath, may lift up his hands in p -syer, but he doth not lift up holy hands. Wrath, when it is hot, (oon boils over ; Co, when the heart is heated with anger, it foon hoi's over in fiery paffionare fpeeches. Some curfe others in their paffion : they whofe tongues aie (et on fire, let them nke heed that they do not one day in hell defire a drop of water to coo! their tongue. O, if you would not mifs oF the heavenly kingdom, beware of giving way to your unbridled paiSons. Some fay, words are but wind; but they are fuch a wind as may blow them to hell. I i . IP you would not fall (bort of the heaven- ly kingdom, beware of too much indulging the fenfual appetite, Rom. xiii. t 4. Make no provljion for the flifh. The Greek word, pronoiat pole in-, to make provifion, fignifies to be caterers for the flefli, Phll.'iW. 19. Whofe god is their belly. The throat is a flippery place ; Judas received the devil in the fop ; and often the devil Aides down in the liquor : excefs in meat and drink clouds the mind, chokes good affections, pro- vokes luft ; many a man digs his own grave with his teeth : the heathens could fay, magnus fum 6" ad major a natus quam utfim corporis tn&i manciplum. Sen. He- was higher born than to be a llave to his body. To pamper the body, and neglect the foul, is to feed the flave, and to flarve the wife. Take fuch a proportion of food as imy recruit nature, not forfeit it : excefs in things lawful hath loft many the kingdom of heave n. A bee may fuck a little honey from the I af but put it in a barrel of honey, and it is drowned : to fuck temperately from the creature God al- lows ; but excefs i'ngulphs men in perdition. 12. If you would not fill fhort of the king- dom of heaven, take heed of injuftice in your dealings ; defrauding lies in two things, firfr, mixing commodities: as if one mix bad wheat with good, and fell it for pure wheat, this is to defraud, /fa. i. 22. Thy wine is mixed with water, fecond. Giving leant meafure, Amos v. 8. Making the ephah fmall. Ephah was a meafure which the Jews ufed in felling; they made the ephah fmall, they fcarce give meafure. I wifh this be not the fin of many, Hof xii. 7. He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are In his hand. Can they be holy, which are not juft ? Mlcah vi. 1 1 . Shall l count them pure with the wicked balances ? is his heart lincere, who hath filfe weights ? This hath m'ade many they could not reach heaven, be« caufe of their over-reaching. 13. If you would not mifs of the kingdomi of heaven, take heed of evil company: there is a neceflary commerce with men in buying and felling, elfe, as the apoftie faith, We muft go out of the world, 1 Cor. v. to. but do not voluntarily choofe the company of the wicked, 1 Cor. v. 1 1. / have written to you not to keep company. Do not incorporate into the foeiety of the wicked, or be too much familiar with them : the wicked are God-haters ; and, zChrcn. xix. 2. Shoiddft thou join with them that hate the Lord ? A Ghriftian is bound by virtue of his oath of allegiance to God in baptifm, not to have intimate converle with fuch as are God's fworn enemies ; it is a thing of bad report: what doth ChrifVs dove among birds of prey ? What do virgins among harlots. The company of the wicked is very de- filing, it is like going among them that have the plague, Prov- vi. 2T. He that toucheih pitch, /hall be defiled. PC. clx. 35. They were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. If you mingle bright armour with rufty, the bright armour will not brighten the rufty, but the rufty armour will fp.Vtl the b "ight. Such as have had religious education, and have fome inclinations to good, yet Dy mixing among the wicked, they will be a-p* to receive hurt : the bad will fooner corrupt the good than the good will convert thr bad Pharaoh learned Jofeph to fwear, but Jofph did not learn Pharaoh to pray. There is a ftrange attractive power in ill company to corrupt and poifon the beft difpofitions ; they damp good affections. Throw a fire-ball into the fnow, and it is foon quenched. A- mong the wicked you lofe your heat of zealous affections : by holding familiar correfpondence with the wicked, one mall hear them diffwading him from ftrict Godlinefs, that it will debar him cf his liberty and pkafure, Ac~ls xxviii. 2. This feci is every where fpoken agalnfb. Here- upon he, who before did look towards heaven, begins to be difcouraged, and gradually de- clines from good nefs. ([.) There fteals upon him a diflike of his former religious courfe of life ; that he was righteous over-much, ftricter than needed. (2.) There is inftilled into his heart a fecret delight of evil: he begins to like foolifh fcur- rilous difcourfe ; he can hear religion fpoken againft, and be filent, nay, well pleafed ; he loves vanity, and makes a fport of fin- (3.) He is by degrees fo metamorpholed. And made like the company he converfeth with, that he now grows into a difguft and hatred. OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 443 hatred of his farmer fober ways; he is III - nffefted towards good men, he is transformed into fcoffing Ifhmael, a breathing devil ; and becomes at laft as much as the child of hell, as any of that gntcetefs damned crew he con- vened with : and what is the end of all ? A blot in the name, a moth in the eftate, a worm in the confcie.ae. 6, if you would not mifs of the kingdom of heaven, beware of evil company. Bad company is the bane and poi- .f m of the youth of this age : fuch as were once foberly inclined, yet by coming among the profane, they grow familiar, till at lull they keep one another company in hell. 14. If you would not mifs of the kingdom of heaven, take heed of parlying with the fleftiy part; the fLfh is a bofom-tr ;iror. When an cnem, is gotten within the walls of a caftle, it is in great danger to be taken. The flefh is an enemy within : the ilefh is a bad coun- fellor; the flefh faith, there is a lion in the way; it difcourageth from a religious ftricl- nefs : the fiedi faith, waj}e ? as Peter did to Chrift, fpa>-e thyfelf: the flefh faith, as Judas, what need* all this wafte ? What needs this praying ? Why do you wafte your ftrength and fpirirs in religion ? What needs all this wafte ? The flefh cries out for eafe and pleafure. Plow many, bv confulring with the flefli, have loft the kingdom of heaven ! 15. If you would not fall fhort of heaven, take heed of earn, il relations : our carnal friends are often bars and blocks in our way to heaven : they will fay, religion is precifenefs and Angu- larity. A wife in the bofom may be a tempter ; Job's wife was Co, Job ii. 9. Dofl thou fiill re- tain thy integrity? Curfe God, and die. What flill pray ? What doft thou get by ferving God ? Job, where are thy earnings ? What canft thou fhow thou haft had in God s fervice, but boils and ulcers ? And doft thou ft ill retain thy integrity ? Throw off God's livery, renounce religion. Here was a tentation handed over to him by his wife: the woman was made of the rib, the devil turned this rib into an arrow, and would have (hot Job to the heart, but his faith quenched this fiery dart. Beware of car- nal relations : we read that fome of Chrift s kindred laid hold on him, and would have hun- dred him when he was going to pteach, Mark in. 21. They /aid, he is befide ' himfelf. Our kindred fometimes would ftand in our way to heaven, and, judging all zeal rafhnefs, would hinder us from being faved : fuch carnal rela- tione Spira had ; for, advifing with them whe- ther he (hould remain conftant in his orthodox opinion, they perfuaded him to recant ; and fo, abjuring his former faith, he fell into horror and defpondency of mind. Galeacius marquis of Vi-"-, found his carnal relations a great block in his way ; and what ado had he to break through their tentations? Take heed of a fnare in your bofom. It is a brave faying of Jerom, fi mater mihi ubera oflcndat, &c. If my parent fhould perfuade me to deny Chrift, if my mother fhould fhow me her breaft that gave me fuck, if my wife fhould go to charm me with her embraces, I would forfake all, and fly to Chrift. 16. If you would not fall fhort of the king- dom of heaven, take heed of falling off ; beware of apoftacy ; he miffeth of the prize, who doth not hold out in the race; he who mikes fiiip- wrack of the faith, cannot come to the haven of glory. We live in the fall of the leaf: rrjen falj from that goodnefs they feemed to have; fome are turned to error, others to vice; fome to drinking and dicing, and others to whoring ; the very mantle of their profeftion is fallen off: It is dreadful for men to fall off from hopeful beginnings. The apoftate (faith Tertju'lian) feems to put God and Satan in the ballance, and, having weighed both their fervices, prefers the devil's fervice, and proclaims him to be the beft mafter ; in which refpeft, the apoftate is fiid to put Chrift to open fhame, Heb. vi. 6. This is laid at lift, Heb x. 38- If you would not mifs of the glory, take heed of ap >ftacy ; thofe who fall away, muft needs fill fhort of the kingdom. 1. If we would not come fhort of this heavenly kingdom, let u = be much in the exercife of felf- deilial, Mat. xvi. 24. If any man -will come after vie, let him deny himfelf. He who would go to heaven mu t deny felf-ri hteoufh;:fs- Cavtndum ejl a propria juftitia ; Phil. iir. 9. That I may be found in him. not having my own right eoitfnefs. The fpider weaves a web out of her own bowels; an hypocrite would fpin a web of falvation out of his own righteou'hefs, we muft deny our civi- lity in point or juftification. Civility is a good ftaff to walk with among men, but it is a bad ladder to climb u\) toheaven. We muft deny our holy things in point of juftification. Alas, how are our duties chequer'd wiih fin ! put gold in the fire, and there comes out dcofs ; cur moft golden fervices are nvxed with unbelief. Deny felf-nghttoufnefs ; ufe duty, but truft to Chrift. A'oah's dove made ufe of her wings to fly, but truftcd 444 OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. trultcd to the ark for fafety: let duties have your diligence, but not your confidence. Self- denial is via ad regnum ; there is no getting in- to heaven, but through the {trait gate to felf- dcnial. 2. The Second "means for the obtaining of the kingdom, is ferious confideration : molt, men fall Short of heaven, for want of confi- deration. 1. Confideration. We mould often confider what a kingdom heaven is : it is called regnum paratum, a kingdom prepared, Mat. xxv. 34. which implies fomething that is rare and excel- lent. God hath prepared in his kingdom, fuch thjngi as eye bath notfeen nor ear heard, 1 Cor. ii. 9. Heaven is beyond all hyperbole. In particular, in this celeftial kingdom are two things. (\.) A Stately palace. (2.) A royal ■tea St. (t.) A (lately palace. (1.) It is large, and hath feveral (lories : for the dimenfions of it, it is twelve thoufand furlongs, Rev. xxi. 15. Or, as it is in lbme Greek copies, twelve times twelve thoufand furlongs, a finite number put for an infinite; no arithmetician can number thefc furlongs t though there be an innumer- able company of faints and angels in heaven, yet there is infinitely enough of room to re- ceive them. (2.) The palace of this kingdom is lucid and tranfparent ; it is adorned with light, tl.K- light is fiueet. Hell is a dark dunge- on, but the palace above is belpangled with light, Col. i. 12. Such illuftrious beams of glo- ry fliine from God, as fhed a brightness and fplendour upon the empirean heaven. (3.) This palace of the kingdom is well fituated for a good air and a plcafant profpecl : there js the bell air, which is perfumed with the odours of Ghrill's ointments ; and a mod plea- sant proSpcct of the bright morning liar. (4.) The palace is rich and fumptuous ; it hath gates of pearl. Rev. xxi. 21. It is enriched with white robes and croWns of glory; and this palace never falls to decay, and the dwel- lers in it never die. Rev. xxii. 5. They Jhall Y.eign for ever and ever. (2.) A royal feall. It is called, the mar- riagc-fupper of the lamb, Rev. xix. 9. Which Bnliinger and Gregory the great, underfrand of the 'magnificent fupper prepared in the king- dom of heaven. A glorious feaft it will be, in j-eipec't oi the founder, God ; the glorified faints Shall feafl their eyes with God's beauty and their hearts with his love ; a delicious feafl it will be, in refpect of the fellivity and holy mirth ; what joy when there Shall be the An- thems and triumphs of glorified Spirits ? When faints and angels (hall twifl together in an in- feparable Union of love, and ly in each others fweet embraces : a royal banquet it Shall be, where there is no furfeit, becaufe continually a frefh courfe is ferved in. The ferious con- sideration what a kingdom heaven is, would be a means to quicken our endeavour in the purfuit after it. What caufeth men to make voyages to the Indies, but the confideration of the gold, and fpices which are to be had there ? Did we Survey and contemplate the glory of heaven, we Should foon take a voyage, and never leave till we had arrived at the celeflial kingdom. 2. Confideration, how it will trouble you, if you Should perifh, to think you came Short of heaven for want of a little more pains. The prophet Elifha bid the king of lfrad fmite the ground fix times, and he fmote but thrice, and Stayed, 2 Kings xiii. 19. And he loft many vLj£c«- ries by it; So, when a man Shall think thus, I did fomething in religion, but did not do enough, I prayed, but it was coldly ; I did not put coals to the incenfe ; I heard the word, but did not meditate on it, I did not chew the cud ; I fmote but thrice, and I Should have fmitten Six times ; had I taken a little more pains, I had been hap- py, but I have loft the kingdom of heaven by Short -Shoo ting : the confideration how terrible the thoughts of this will be, that we Should loSe heaven for want of a little more pains, will be a means to Spur on fluggifh hearts, and make us more diligent to get the kingdom. 3. The third means for obtaining this king- dom, is to keep the daily prayer, Pf cix. 4. / give my f elf to prayer. Prayer inflames the af- fections, and oils the wheels of endeavour : prayer prevails with God, it unlocks his bowels, and then he unlocks heaven ; all that have got to heaven, have crept thither upon their knees : the faints now in heaven, have been men of prayer ; Daniel prayed three times a day, Jacob wreftled with God in prayer, and as a prince prevailed : this prayer mull be fervent, elfejt is thuribidum fine prunis, as Luther, a golden cenfer without fire. O follow God with prayers and tears; fay as Jacob to the angel, Gen. xxxii. 26. I will not let thee go, except thou blefs me. Prayer invbicilnlem ; Luther, it conquers the Omnipotent, Elijah by prayer opened heaven ; by OF THE ^SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 445- by ardent and conftant prayer, heaven is at Lift opened to us, 4. If you would obtain the heavenly king- dom', get a love to j^aven. Love puts a man upon the ufe of all means to enjoy *the thing loved. He that loves the world, how active is he ? He will break his deep and peace for it: he that loves honour,. what hazards will he run ? He will fwim to the crown in blood. Jacob loved Rachel, and what would not he do, tho' it were ferving a two feven-years apprentice- fhip for obtaining her ? Love carries a man out violently to the object loved. Love is like m wings to the bird, like fails to the (hip, it car- ries a Ghriftian full fail to heaven : heaven is a place of reft and joy, it is paraalife, and will you not love it ? Love heaven, and you can- not mifs it : love breaks through all oppofition, it takes heaven by ftorm: love, though it labour, is never weary ; it is like the rod of myrtle in the traveller's hand, which makes him frefli and lively in his travel, and keeps him from beii\g weary. 5. If you would obtain the kingdom of hea- ven, make religion your bufinefs. What a man looks upon as a parergon, a thing by the by, he doth not much mind. If ever we would have heaven, we muft look upon it as our main concern, other things do but concern our livelihood, this concerns our falvation ; then we make religion our bufinefs, when we wholly devote ourfelves to God's fervice, Pf. exxxix. 18 We count thofe the beft hours which are fperit with God ; we give God the cream of our affections, the flower of our time and ftrength ; we traffic in heaven every day, we are merchants for the pearl of price. He will not get an eftate who doth not mind his trade ; he will never get heaven, who doth not make religion hi? m.iin bull ids. 6. If you would obtain the kingdom of hea- ven, bind your hearts to God by facred vows. Vow ro the Lord, (that by his grace) you will be more intent upon heaven than ever, Pf. lvi. 12- Thy vows are upon me, 0 God. A vow binds the votary to duty ; he looks upon him- felf as obliged by his vow to cleave to God. Bees, when they fly in a great wind, ballait them-f elves with little ftones, that they may not be carried away with the wind ; fo we muft fortifie our- felves with ftrong vows, that we may not be carried away from God with the violent wind of temnration. No queftion, a Chriftian may iiiake fuch a vow, becaufe, the ground of it is morally goodj he vows nothing but what he is bound to do by virtue of his baptifmal vow, namely, to walk with God more dolly, and to purfue heaven more vigorously. 7. If you would obtain the kingdom, em- brace all feafons and opportunities for your fouls, Eph. v. 15. Redeeming the time. Oppor- tunity is the cream of time ; the improving the feafons of grace is as much as our filiation is worthy The mariner, by taking the prefent feafon while the wind blows, gets to the havan \ by taking the prefent feafon, while we have the means of grace and the wind of the fpirit blows, we may arrive at the kingdom of hea- ven. We know not how long we mail enjoy the gofpel; the feafons of grace, like Nbah\ dove, come with an olive branch in their mouth, but they foon take wings and fly. Though they are fweet, yet fwift. God may remove the golden candleftic from us, as he did from the churches of 0a. We have many l\w\ fymp oms Cray hairs are here and there iiprn us, Hof. vii. 9. Therefore let us lay hold upon the pre- fent feafons ; they that fleep in feed- time, will beg in harveft. 8. If you would go to the kingdom of hea- veo, you muft excubias agere, keep a daily watch, Mark xiii. 37. I fay unto all, watch. Many have loft heaven for want of watchful- nefs. Our hearts are ready to decoy us into fin, and the devil lies in ambulhby his tempta- tions ; we muft every day fet a f'py ; and keep centinel in our fouls, Hab. ii. 1. 1 will ft and upon my watch. (1 ) We muft watch our eyes, Job xxxi. r. / made a covenant with my eyes. Much fin comes in by the eye : IVhtn F.ve fiw the tree was good for food, and pie a Cant for the eye, then fhe took, Gen. iii. 6. Firft (he looked, and then (he lufted : the eye by beholding an im- pure object, lets the heart on fire : the devil oft creeps in at the window of the eye. Watch your eyes. (2.) Watch your ear. Much poifon is con- veyed through the ear. Let your ear be open to God, and (hut to fin. (3.) Watch your hearts : we watch fufpicious perfons, The heart is deceitful, jer. 'Xvii. 9. "Watch your heart, 1. When you are about holy things, it will be ftealing out to vanity. When I am at prayer, faith St. Hierom, aut per porticum demnbuio, aut de foenere computo; either I am walking through galleries, or calling up accounts. 2. "Watch your hearts wherr you are 44<5 OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S f RAYER. are in company. The Bafilisk poifons the herbs he breathes on ;. the breath of the wicked is infectious. Nay* watch your hearts when yoa are in good company ; fuch as have fome good in them, yet may be fome grains too light ; they may have much levity of difcourfe ; and, if no fcum boils up, yet too much froth. The devil is fubtil, and he can as well creep into the dove, as he did once into the ferpent. Satan tempted Chrift by an apoftle. 3. Watch your hearts in profperity ; now you are in danger of pride. The higher the water of the Thames rifeth, the higher the boat is lifted up ; the higher that mens eftates r'fe, the higher their hearts are lifted up in pride. In profperity, you are in danger not only to forget God, but to lite up the heel againil him, Deut. xxxii. 15. Je- furun waxed fat, and kicked. It is hard to carry a full cup without fpilling, and to carry a full profperous eftate without finning. Turpi fregeruntfecula luxu dhitiae nvAUs. Sen. Trag. Sampfiit fell afleep ' in Dalilah's lap, many have fallen fo fa ft afleep in the lap of prof- perity, that they have never awaked till they have been in hell. 4. Watch your hearts after holy duties. When Chrift had been pray- ing and fafting, then the devil tempted him, Mat. iv. 23. After our combating with Satan in prayer, we are apt to grow fecure, and put our fpiritual armour off, and then the devil falls on and wounds us. O if you would get.bea- ven, be always upon your watch-tower, fet a fpy, keep clofe eentinel in your fouls ; who would not watch when it is for a kingdom ? 9. If you would arrive at the heavenly king- dom, get thofe three graces, which will undoubt- edly bring you thither. (i.) Divine knowledge: there is no going to heaven blindfold. In the creation, light was the firft thing that was made; fo it is in the new creation : knowledge is the pillar of fire that goes before us, and lights us into the heavenly kingdom. It is light muft bring us to the Inheritance in light, Col. i. 12. (2.) Faith: faith ends in falvation, 1 Pet., i.O. Receiving th? end of 'our faith, falvation. He who believes, is as fure to go to heaven, as if he were in heaven already, Acls xvi. 31. Faiih toucheth Chrift ; and can he mifs of heaven, who toucheth Chrift? Faith unites to Chrift; and, mail not the members be where the head is ? All have not the fame decree of faith ; we muft diftinguifh between the direct aft of faith, and the reflex aft, affiance and aflurance ; yet the leift feed and fpark of faith gives an undoubted tirle to the heavenly kingdom. I am juftified becaufe I believe, not becaufe I know I believe. (3.) Love to God : hqfven is prepared for thofe that love God, 1 for. ii. 9. Love is the foul of obedience, the touch-ftone of finctrity, by our loving God, we may know he loves us, 1 John iv. 1 9. And thofe whom God loves, he will lay in his bofom. Ambrofe, in his funeral- oration for Theodofius, brings in the angels hovering about his departed foul, and being ready to carry it to heaven, afked him, what that grace was he had practifed moj? upon earth ? Theodofius replied, Dilexi, Dilexi, I have loved, I have loved ; and ftraightway he was, by a convoy of angels, tranflated to glory. Love is a facred lire kindled in the breaft ; in the flames of this fire, the devout foul afcends to heaven. 10. If we would obtain.' this heavenly king- dom, let us labour for fincerity, Pro. xxviii. 18. IVhofoever walketh uprightly, /hall be faved. The fincere Chriftian may fall fhort of lbme degrees of grace, but he never falls fhort of the kingdom ; God will p.ifs by many failings, where the heart is right, Numb, xxiii. 21. True gold, though it be light, hath grains of allow- ance, Pf. Ii. 6. Thou dejirejl truth in the in- ward parts. Sincerity is the fauce which feafons all our affections, and makes them fa- voury ; it is the ingredient into every grace-: it is called faith unfeigned, 2 Tim i. 5. and love in fincerity, Eph. vi. 24. Coin will not go current that wants the king's ftamp ; grace is not current, if it be not ftamped with fincerity. Glorious duties fowred with hypocrify are re- jected, when great infirmities fweetned with lincerity are accepted. If any thing in the world bring us to heaven, it is fincerity. Sin- cerity fignifies plainnefs of heart, Pf. xxxii. 2. In whofe fpirit there is no guile. The plainer the diamond i3 the richer. (1.) Sincerity is when we ferve God with our heart ; we do not only worfhip him, but love him. Cain brought his facrifice, but not his heart : this is God's delight, a facrifice flam- ing upon the altar of the heart. A fincere Chriftian, though he hath a double principle in him, flefh and fpirit, yet he hath not a double heart, his heart is for God. (2.) Sincerity is when we aim purely at God in all we do. The glory of God is more worth than the falvation of all mens fouls. A fincere Chriftian, though he comes fliort "in duty, yet is 0F THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. he takes a right aim. As the herb Heliotrqpium turns about according to the morion of the fun ; fb a godly man's actions do all move to- wards the glory of God. ii. If we would obtain the heavenly king* dom, let us keep up fervency in duty. What is a dead form without the power ? Rev. Hi. 16. Bedkiufe thou art hike-warm, neither hot nor cold, I will fpue thee out of my mouth. Ferven- cy puts life into duty, Rom. xii. tl. Fervent in fpirit , ferving God, Gr. — Zeontes, boiling §ver. Chrift prayed yet more earneflly, Luke xxii. 44. When the fire on the golden confer was ready to go out, Aaron was to pur more coals to the incenfe ; praying with uevodon, is putting more coals to the incenfe. Ir is not formality, but fervency, will bring us to hea- ven : the formalift is like Ephraiw, a cake not turned, hot on one fide, and dough on 'he ether. In the external part of God's worfhip, he feems to be hot ; but as ior die ipintunl part of God's worfhip, he is cold. Oh, if you would have the kingdom of heaven, keep up heat and fervour in duty. Elijah was carried tip to heaven in a fiery chariot ; if you would go to heaven, you raufl be carried thither in a fiery chariot of zeal : it is violence that takes the kingdom of heaven. 12. If we would arrive at the heavenly kingdom, let us cherilh the motions of God's fpirit in our hearts. The mariner may fpread1 his fails, but the fhip cannot get to the haven without a gale of wind ; fo we may fpread the fails of our endeavour3 but we cannot get to the haven of glory,, without the north and fouth-wind of God's fpirit blow; how nearly therefore doth it concern us to make much of the motions of God's fpiiif, motions to prayer, motions to repentance? iS'7n. v. 24. When thou heareft tbe\ found of a going in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that then thou /halt beflir thy felf, for then fhaU the Lord go out before thee: So, when we hear, as it were a voice within us, a fecret infpiration flirting us up to good duties, we mould then beftir ourfclves ; while the fpirit works in us, we mould work with the fpirit. Many men have God's fpirit Ariving with them, he puts good motions in their hearts and holy purpofes ; but they, ne- _glecYmg to profecute thefe good motions, the fpirit is thereby grieved ; and, being grieved, withdraws its affiftancc ; and, that affiftance being gone, there is no getting to heaven. Oh make roach of the motions of the fpirit, it is as 447 much as your falvation is worth. The fpirir of God is compared to fire, ..y obtain the kingdom of glory ? If time be fo fhort, why do we wafle it about things of lefs moment, and neglect the one thing needful, which is the kingdom of heaven ? A man that hath a great work to be done, and but one day for the doing of it, had need work hard: we have a great work to do, we are A riving for a kingdom, and, alas r we are not certain of one day to work in ; therefore what need have we to beflir ourfc-lves, and what we do for heaven, to do it with all our might ? 5. To excite our diligence, let us confider how inexcufable we feall be, if we mifs of the kingdom of heaven. Who have had fuch helps- for heaven as we have had ? Indians who have mines of gold, have not fuch advantages for glory as we; they have the light of the fun, moon and flars, and the light of reafon, but this is not enough to light them to heaven 1 but we have had the light of the gofpel min- ing in our horizon ; we have been lifted up to heaven with ordinances ; we have had the word in feafon and out of Icafon. The ordinances are the p.' pes of the fanctuary, which empty the golden oil of grace into the foul ; they are fcala Panulif, the ladder by which we af- cend to the kingdom of heaven, Deut. iv. 7. What nation is there fo great who hath God fo nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon hhnfer ? "We have had heaven 4-4 OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. heaven and hell fet before us, we have h*d coun- sels of friends, warnings, examples, the motion* and infpirations of the Holy Ghoft ; how mould all thefe fpurs quicken us in our pace to hea- ven ? Should not that (hip fail apace to the ha- ven, which hath wind and tide to carry it ? The tide of ordinances, and the wind of the fpirit. Surely if we, through negligence, mifs of the kingdom of heaven, we (hall have nothing to fay for ourfelvcs ; we mail be as far from ex- eufc as from happinefs. 6. You cannot do too much for the king- dom of heaven : you cannot pray too much, fa notify the fabbath too much, love God too much ; you cannot overdo. In fecular things a man may labour too hard, he may kill him- frlf with working; but there is no fear of working too hard for heaven. In virtute non fight; and a true hope of glory makes a ChrifHan \igoroufly purfue glory. Here is a fpiritual touchftone to try our grace by : if we have the anoining of the fpirit, it will oil the wheels of our endeavour, and make us lively in our purfuit after the heavenly kingdom. No fooner had Paul grace infufed but prefently, Behold he prays, Acts ix. n. The affections arc by divines called the feel of the foul ; if thefc feet move not towards heaven, it is becaufe there is no life. 8. Your labour for heaven is not loft : per- haps you may think it is in vain that you have ferved God ; but known that your pains are not loft. The feed is caft into the earth, and it dies, yet at lad it brings forth a plentiful crop ; fo our labours feem to be fruitless, but at laft they bring you to a kingdom. Who would eft verendurn ne quid nimium fit, Seneca. The not work hard for one hour, when, for that world is apt to cenfure the godly, as if they hour's work, he mould be a king as iong as he were too ze in religion lous, and did overlirain themfelves Indeed a man may follow the world too much, he may make too much hafte to be rich : the ferry-man may take in too many paffengers into his boat, to the finking of his boat; fo a man may heap up fo much gold and filver, as to fink himfelf in perdition, i Tim. vi. 9. But one cannot be too earned and zealous for the kingdom of heaven ; there is no fear of excefs here, when we do all we can for heaven, we come (hort of the golden rule fet us, and of Chrift's golden pattern ; when our faith is higheft, like the fun in the meridian, yet Aill there is fomething lacking in our faith, 1 Theff. iii. 1. fo that all our la- bour for the kingdom is little enough. When a. Chriftian hath done his belt, yet (till he hatk tins, and wants to bewail. lived ? And let me tell you, the more labour you have put forth for the kingdom of heaven, the more degrees of glory you (hall have. As there are degrees of torment in hell, Mat. xxii. 14. fo of glory in heaven. As one ftar differs from another in glory, fo (hall one faint, 1 Cor. xxv. 4.1. Though every veiFel of mercy (hall be full, yet one velTel may hold more than another. Such as have done more work for God, (hall have more glory in the heavenly kingdom. Could we hear the faints departed fpeaking to us from heaven, fure they would (peak after this manner : were we to leave heaven a while; and live on the earth again, we would do God a thoufand times more fervice than ever we did; we would pray with more life, act wttk more zeal ; for now we fee, the more hath been our labour, the greater is our reward ia By this you may judge of the ftate of heaven your fouls, whether you have grace or no, by your earneil purfuit after the heavenly king- dom. Grace infufeth a fpirit of activity into -a perfon ; grace doth no: only ly dormant in the foul ; ir is not a (leepy habit, but ir makes a Chriftian like a feraphim, fwift and winged in his heavenly motion : grace is like fire, it makes one burn in love us God ; arid, the more he loves him, the more he preile.'h forward to heaven, where he may fully enjoy him. Hope is an active grace, it is called a lively hop?, i Per. i. 3. Hope ii like the fpnng in the watch, it (Its all the wheels of the foul a run- ning/, hope of a crop makes the husbandman . fpw his (ccd; hope of victory makes the foldier 9. While we are labouring for the kingdom, God will help us, Ezck. xxxvi. 27. /will pnt my fpirit within you, and caufe you ts -walk i* my ftatutes. The promife encoura^eth us, and God's fpirit enableth us. A matter gives his fervant work to do, but he cannot give him ftrength to work : but God, as he outs us out work, fo he gives us ftrength, Pf. lxxxvk. 16. Give thy ftrength unto thy fervant. God not only gives us a crown when we have done running, but gives us legs to run ; he gives exciting, a (Tilling grace ; kxjubet, gratia juvat : the fpirit helping us in our wo*k for heaven, makes it eafy. If the load-irone draw the iron, it is not hard for the iron to move: If God's fpirit U <& OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. /r55 fpirit draws the heart, now it moves towards heaven with facility and alacrity. 10. The more pains we have taken for he a - ven> the Tweeter Heaven will be when vye come there. As when an husbandman Hath been gracing trees, or letting flowers in bfe garden, it is ple'3'fant to review and look ever bis la- bours; Co, when in heaven we thai! remember our former zeal and earneftriefs Cor t|ie king : >m, it will iweeten heaven, and add to the joy of it. For a chriftian to think, fuch a day 1 fpent in examining my heart, iuch a day I was wr.pi ■: Go forth, my foul, go forth, what feareft thou ? Let them fear death, who do not fear fin ; but let not Gad's children be over-much troubled at the grim face of that meflengcr, which brings them to the end of their forrow, and the beginning of their joy. Death is yours, 1 Cor. iii. 22. it is a part of the believer's inventory. Is a prince a- fraid to crofs a narrow lea, who fliall be crowned when he comes to more ? Death to the faints fliall be an ufher to bring them into the prefence of the king of glory : this puts lilies and rofes into the ghaflly face of death, and makes it look amiable. Death brings us to a crown of glory which fades not away : the day of death is better to a believer, than the day of his birth ; death is adit us ad gloriam, an entrance into a bleffed eternity. Fear not death, but rather Jet your hearts revive when you think thefe ratling wheels of death's chariot are but to carry you home to an everlafting kingdom. nal weight of glory, 2 Cor. iv. 17. 1. A weight of glory. Things which are precious, the more weighty, the more they are worth, the more weight is in a crown of gold, the more it is worth. 'Tis a weight of glory. 2. An eternal weight of glory. Did this glory la ft for awhile, it would much abate and imbitter the joys of heaven : but the glory of that kingdom runs pa- rallel with eternity; God will be as a deep fea of bleflednefs, and the glorified faints (hall for ever bathe themfelves in that ocean. One day's wearing the crown, will abundantly pay for all the faints fufferings ; how much more then when they fh all reign for ever and ever? Rev. xxii. 5. O let this fupport under all the calami- ties and fufferings In this life : what a vaft dif- ference is there between a believer's fufferings and his reward, Rom. viii. 18. The fufferings of this prefent time are not worthy to be compared •with the glory which fhall be revealed in us. For a few tears, rivers of pleafure ; for mourn- ing, white robes. This made the primitive chriftians laugh at imprifonments, and fnatch up torments as fo many crowns : though now we drink in a wormwood-cup, here is fugar in OF THE THIRD PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. Matth. vi. 10. Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven. WE come next to the third petition, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. This petition confilis of two pa:ts. I. The matter, Doing of Cod's will. II. The manner, As it is in heaven. I. The matter of this petition is, The doing ef Cod's will. Thy will be done. Qu.' 1. What is meant by the vntl of Cod ? Anf. There is a twofold will. (1.) Voluntas decreii. God's fecret iViM, or the will of his de- cre« j we pray not that God'9 fecret will may be done by us. This fecret will cannot be known, it is locked up in G^d's own breafl, and neither maa nor angel hath key to open it. 01 OF THE THIRD PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAVER. (2.) Voluntas revelata, God's revealed will. This revealed will is written in the book of fcripture, the scripture is a declaration of God's will, it difcovefs what he would have us do in order to our falvation. Qu. 2. What do we pray for in thefe words, Thy will be done ? Anf. We pray for two things; 1. Fer acYive obedience ; that we may do God's will actively in what he commands. 2. For paiTive ; that we tnky fabmit to God's will patiently in what he irjfii&s. We pray, that we may do God's will actively, fuhlcribe to all his commands, beiieve in Jefus, the cardinal-grate, Wad n°ty lives. So jUttflin. tipon the petition, Nobis a Deo pre caviar obediential* ; we pray that we may actively o- bcy God's will. This is the sum of all religion, the two tables epitomized, the doing of Get s mill: thy will be done. We muft know God's will before we can do it : knowledge is the eye •which mull direct the foot of obedience. At Athens there was an altar fet up, To the unknown God) Acts xvii. 23. It is as bad to offer the blind to God as the dead. Knowledge is the pillar of fire to give light to practice ; but tho' know- ledge is requifite, yet the knowledge of God's v, ill is not enough without doing his will : thy 11 ill be done. If one had a fyflem of divinity in his head ; if he had all knowledge, I Cor. xii. 2. yet, if obedience were wanting, his knowledge were lame, and would not cany him to heaven. Knowing God's will may make a man admired, bat fit is doing God's will makes him bleffed : knowing God's will without doing it, will not crown us with happinefs. 1. The bare knowledge of God's will is inef- ficacious, it doth not better the heart. Know- ledge alone is like a winter-fun, which hath no heat or influence ; it dorh not warm the affecYt- ons, or purify the conscience. Judas was a great luminary, he knew God's will, but he was a traitor. 2. Knowing without doing God's will, will make one's cafe worfe ; 'twill heat hell the hotter, Luke xii. 47. The fervant which knew his Lord's will, and did not according to his will, jhall he beaten with many flripes. Many a man's knowledge is a torch to light him to hell. Thou who hall knowledge of God's will, but doll not do it, wherein doll thou excel an hypocrite ? nay, wherein doft thou excel the ■devil, who transforms h 'my elf into an angel of tiuht ? 'Tis improper to call fuch chiiflians, who are knowers of God's will, but not doers of it. 'Tis improper to call him a tradefman who never wrought in his trade ; fo to call hirn a christian, who never wrought in the trade of religion. Let us not reft in the knowing of God's will. Let it not te laid of us, as Plur tarch (peaks of tie Grecians, Th.y \new w hat was jut}, but did it not. Let us fet upon this, the doing of God's will, 't~hy will be done. Qu. 3. Why is the d^ing of God's will Jh re* quljite? - Anf. 1. Out of equiiy. God mayjuftly claim a right to our Obedience : he t* our founder, and we have our being from him ; and 'ti- but equal that we mould do his will, at while word we were created. God is our penefaftor, 'tis jjit that, if Godi give us our allowance, we ihould give hira our allegiance. 2. The great dtfigp of God in the word is, to make us doers of his will. \fi. All God s royal edicts and precepts are to bring us to this, to be doeis of his will -, whit needed God been at the pains to give us the copy of his law, and write it out with his own finger elfe ? The word of God is not only a rule of knowledge, but of duty, Deut. xiii. 4. and xxvi. «6. This day the Lord thy God hath commanded thee t9 do thefe ftatutes, thou fhalt therefore keep and do them. If you tell your children what is your mind, it is not only that they may know your will, but do it. God gives us his word, as a mailer gives a fcholar a copy, to write after it ; he gives it as his will and teflament, that we mould be the executors to fee it performed. idly. This is the end of all God's promifes, to draw us to God's will ; the promifes are load- ftones to obedience, Deut. xi. 27. A bleffing if ye obey ; as a father gives his lbn money to bribe him to obedience, Deut. xxviii. 1. If thou jhalt hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and do all his commandments, the Lord thy God will fet thee on high above all the nations of the earth ; bit jfed fhalt thou be in the city and in the field. The promifes are a royal charter fettled upon obedience, idly. The minatory part of the word, the threatnings of God, Hand as the angel with a flaming (word to deter us from fin. and make us doers of God's will, Deut. xi. 28. A curfs if ye will not obey. Pf. Ixviii. 2 i • God J. hall wound the hairy fcalp of every one that goes on J} ill in his trefpajfes. Thefe threat- nings do often take hold of men in this life ; they are made examples, and hung up in chains to fcare others from difobediencc. 4/y. All God's providences are to nuke us doers of his will. OF THE THIRD PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 4*3 will. As God makes ufe of all the feafbnsofthe year for harvefl, fo all his various providences are to bring on the harvefl: of obedience. I. Afflictions are to make us do God's will, 2 Chron. xxxiii. \i. When ManafTeh was in af- fliclion, he he/ought the Lord, and humbled him- fe If greatly. The rod hath this voice, be doers tif God's will. Affliction is called a furnace, Ifa. xxxvii. 19. The furnace melts the metal, and then it is cafi into a new mould. God's furnace is to melt us and mould us into obedience. 2. God's mercies are to make us do his will, Horn. xii. I. I befcech you by the merits of God, that ye prefent your bodies a living facrifice. Body is by a fynecdoche put for the whole man ; if the foul mould not be prefented to God as well as the body, it could not be rc-afonable fervice ; now, faith the apoftle, I befeech you by the mercies of God prefent your/elves a living fa- crifice. Mercies are the Arongefl obligations to dirty ,Hof. xi. 4. / draw them with the cords of a man ; that is, with golden cords of mercy. In a word, all that is written in the law or gofpel tends to this that we mall be doers of God's will, Thy will be done. 3. By doing the will of God, we evidence ftneerity. As Chrifl faid in another fenfe, John X. 25. The works which I do, bear witnefs of me : So, it is not all our golden words, if we could fpeak like angels, but our works, our doing of God's will, which bears his witnefs of our fin- cerity. We judge not of the health of a man's body by his high colours, but by the pulfe of the arm, where the blood chiefly Airs ; lb a Chriltian's fondnefs is not to be judged by his profeflion ; what is this high colour ? but the eftimate of a Cbriflian is to be taken by his obe- diential acling, his doing the will of God ; this is the heft certificate, and letters teflimonial to mew for heaven. 4. Doing Gdd's will much propagates the gofpel ; this is the diamond that fparkles in re- ligion. Others cannot fee what faith is in the heart; but when they fee we do God's will on earth, this makes them have a venerable opi- nion of religion, and become profclytes to it. Julian, in one of his epiftles, writing to Ar- fatius, faith, that the Ckriftian religion did much flourijh, by the fancliiy and obedience of them that profeffed it. 5. By doing God's will, we (how our love to ChriA, John xiv. 21. He that hath my command- ments, and keepetb than, he it is that loveth vie. What greater love to Chrift, than to do his will, though it cols our own ? Every one Would be thought to love Chrift ; but, how mail that be known but by this ? Do you da his will on earth ? Neque frineipeip vem rnur, fi odio ejus leges kabemus, lfid. It is a vain thing for a man to fay he loves Chrift's perfon, when he flights his commands. Not to do God's will on esrth, is a great evil. Ir is, (t.) Sinful. (2.) Fool i To. (3.) Dangerous. (1.) It is finful. (;.) We go againft our prayers ; we pray, fiat voluntas tua, thy will be done, and yet we do not obey his will ; we confute our own prayer. (2.) We go agai: •:'. our vow in baptifm ; we have vowed to fight under the Lord's banner, to obey his lecptre, and this vow we have often renewed in the Lord's fupper : if we do not God's will on earth, we are forefworn, and God will ind;ct us of perjury. (2.) Not to do God's will on earth, is fooi- ifh ; (1.) Becaufe there is no (landing it out againft God. If we do not obey him, we can- not refill him, 1 Cor. x. 22 Are we ftrong- er than he ? Job xl. 9. Haft thou an arm like God ? Canfl thou me dure ;ums with him ? To oppofe God, is, as if a child fliould fight with an archangel ; as if an heap of briars fhould put themfelves into a battalia againft the flame. (2.) Not to do God's will : is fool- ifh ; becaufe, if we do not God's will, wc do the devil's will. Is it not folly to gratify an enemy I To do his will that feeks our ruin ? Qu. But, are any fo wicked as to do the devil's will? Anfi Yes ; John viii. 44. Ye are of your fa* ther the devil, and the luft of your father you will do. When a man tells a lie, doth he not do the devil's will ? Acts v. 3 Ananias, why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Ghofii ? (2-) Not to do God's will is dangerous; it brings a fpiritual premunire. If God's will be not done by us ; he will have his will upon us ; if we obey not God's will in commanding, we fhall obey his will in punifhing, 2 Theff. i. 7. The lord Jcfus fhall be revealed with his mighty angels in flames of fire, taking yehgence on them that obey not his gofpel. Either we muft do God's will, or fuller it. 6. Whatever God wills us to do* is for our benefit: behold here felf-intereft. As ifa king commands his fuhject to dig in a mine of gold, and then gives him nil the gold he hath digged •" God bids us do his will, and this is for our I i i good, 46*4 OF THE THIRD PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. good, Deut. x, 13. Aid now, 0 Ifrael, what doth the' Lord thy Ccd require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, and keep the command- ments of the Lord, -which I command thee this day for thy good ? It is God's will we fhould repent, and this is for our good, repentance ufuefs in remiffion, A£is ill _ 9. Repent, that your fins may be blotted out. It is God's will that we fhould believe ; and why is it, but that we fhould be crowned with fdvation ? Mark xvi. 16. He that believes Jhall be faved. What God wills is not To much our duty, as our privilege ; he bids us obey his voice, and it is greatly for our good, Jer. vii. 23. Obey my voice, and I will be your God. I will not only give you my angels to be your guard, but myfelf to be your portion ; my fpirit fhall be yours to fanclify you, my love (hall be yours to comfort you, my mercy mall be yours to feve you. I will be your God. 7. To do God's will, is oar honour. A perfon thinks it an honour to have a king ipcak to him to do fuch a thing: the angels count it their highell honour in heaven to do God's will ; Jervire Deo regnare ejf, to ferve God, is to reign. Non cnerant nos, fed ornatit, Salvian. How cheerfully did the rowers row the barge that Carried Cefar ! to be imployed in his barge was an honour: to be employed in doing God's will is infigne honoris, the high- eft ejifign of honour that a mortal creature is capable of. ChriiVs precepts do not burden us, but adorn us. 8. To do God's will on earth, mnkes us like Chrifr, and a-kin to Chrift. (1.) It makes us like Chrift : is it not our prayer that we may be like Chrift ? jefus Chrift did his father's will, John vi. 38. I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that feat me. God the father and Chrift, as they have but one eiTence, fo but one will ; Chrift's will was melted into his father's, John iv. 34. My meat is tf> do the will of him that fent me. By our doing God's will on earth, we refembie Chrift, nay, we are a-kin to Chrift, and are of the blood- royal of heaven. Alexander edited himfelf eoufm to the gods ; what honour is it to be ?-kin to Chrift ! Mat. xii. 50. Whofoever fhall do the will of my father which is in heaven, the fame is viy brother, and fifler, and mother. Did king Solomon arife off his throne to meet his mo- ther, and fet her on a throne by him ? 1 Kings Hi. 19. fuch honour will Chrift beftow on fuch as are doers of Gold's will, he will falute them as his kindred, and fet them on a glorious throne in the amphitheatre of heaven. 9. Doing God's will on earth brings peace in life and death. (1.) In life, Pf jdx. if. In keeping thy precepts there is great reward, not only after keeping them, but in keeping them ; when we walk clofly with God in obedi- ence, there is a fecret joy let into the foul, and. how fviftly and cheerfully do the wheels of the foul move when they are oiled with the oil of gladnefs ? (2.) Peace in death. When He- zekiah thought he was about to die, what gave him comfort? This, that he had done the will of God, lfa. xxxviii. 3. Remember, 0 Lord, I befeech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and have don£ that which is good in thy fight. It was Augu/lus's wifh, that he might have an eafy death, without much pain. If any thing make our pillow eafy at death, it will be this, we have endeavoured to do God's will on earth. Did you ever hear any cry out on their death-bed, that they have done God's will too much ? No; hath it not been, that they have done his will no more, that they come fo ihort in their obedience ? Doing God's will, will be both your comfort and your crown. 10. If we are not doers of God's will, we fhall be looked upon as contemners of God's will : let God fay what he will, yet men will go on in fin ; this is to contemn God, Pf.x. 13. Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? To contemn God is worfe than to rebel. The tribes of Ifrael rebelled againft Rehoboam, be- caufe he made their yoke heavier, 1 Kings xii. 16. But to contemn God is worfe, it is to flight Him ; to contemn God is to put a fcorn upon him, and affront him to his face ; and an affront will make God draw his fword. Thus I have anfwered that queftion, why doing God's will on earth is fo requifite ? It is neceffary as falvation. 4. Qu. In what manner are we to do God's will that we may find acceptance ? The manner of doing God's will is the chief thing. The fchoolmen fay well. Modus ret caditfub praecepto, " the manner of a thing is as well required as the thing itfelf :" lfa man build an houfe, if he doth not it according to the mind of the owner, he likes it not, but think* all his charges loft ; fo if we do not God's will in the right manner, it is not accepted ; we mufi not only do what God appoints, but as God ap- points: here lies the very life-blood of religion. So I come to anfwer this great queftion, In what manner OF THE THIRD PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. manner are we to do God's will, that we may find acceptance ? Anf. We do God's will acceptably, when we do duties spiritually, Phil. iii. 3. We wzr- jhlp Cod in the fpirit. To ferve God fpirit- ually, is to do duties ab interno principio, from an inward principle: the Pharifees were vex- ed about the external part of God's worihip ; how zealous were they in the outward obier- vation of the fabbath, charging Ghrift with the breach of it ? But all this was but outwafid obedience, there was nothing of fpirituaiity in it : then we do God's will acceptably, when we ferve hira from a renewed principle of grace. A crab-tree may bear as well as a pear- main, but it is not fo good fruit as the other, becaufe it doth not come from lb i'weet a root : ag unregenerate perfon may do as much exter- nal obedience as a child of God, he may pray as much, hear as much, but his obedience is harfh and fowre, becaufe it doth not come from the fweet and pleafant root of grace; the in- ward principle of obedience is Faith, therefore it is called the obedience of faith, Horn. xvi. 26. But vjhy muft this Jiiver t breed of faith run through the -whole -work of obedience ? Anf. Becaufe faith looks at Ghrift in every duty, it toucheth the hem of his garment ; and through Ghrift, both the perfon and the offer- ing are accepted, Eph. i. 6. 2. We do God's will acceptably, wken we prefer his will before all other ; if God wills one thiug, and man wills the contrary, we do not obey man's will, but rather God's, Acls iv. 19. Whether it be right to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. God faith, thou /halt not make a graven image; king Nebuchadnezzar let up a golden image to be worihipped ; but the three children, or rather champions, refolve God's will ihali take place, and they would obey him, though wit'- the lofs of their lives, Dan. iii. 18. Be it known unt9 thee, 0 king, that we will not ferve thy Gods, nor worfhip the golden Image which thou kaf} ftt up. 3- We do God's will acceptably, when we do God's will as it is done in heaven, that is, as the angels do it-: to do God's will as toe angels, fimilitudinem notat, non a?quaUtat:m, Brugenfis ; denotes this much, that we are to refemble them, and make them our pattern. Though we cannot equal the angels in doing €od's will, yet ve muft imitate them ; a child 40*5 cannot write fo well as the fcrivener, yet he imitates the copy. In particular, 1. We do God's will as the angels do it ia heaven, when wc do God's will regularly, fi»e deflexu, we go according to the divine inftitu- turns, not decrees of counfels, or traditions : this, is to do God's will as the angels ; they do it regularly they do noting but what is commanded; angels are not for ceremonies- ns there are fhtute-laws in the land which bind- io the fcriptufe is God's ftatute-law, which we rouft exaclly obferve. The watch is fet by the dial ; then our obedience is right, when it"gocs by the fun-dial of the word. If obedience hath not the word for its rule, it is not doing God s will, but our own; it is will-worfhip, Deut. xii. 32. The Lord would have Mojbs make the ta- bernacle according to the pattern, Exod.xxv. 40. if Mofis had left out any thing in the pat- tern, or added any thing to it, it would have been very provoking; to mix any thing of our own deviling in God's wor/hip, is to go be- fide, yea, contrary to the pattern; God's wor- fhip is the apple of his eye, that which he is molt tender of; and there is nothing he hath more (hewed his difpleafure againfr, than the corrupting his worihip. How fevereiv did God punifh Nadab and Abihu for offering "up ftrange fire ? Lev. x. 2. that is, fuch fire as God had not lunctihsd on the altar ; whatever is not divinely appointed, is offering up ftrange fire. There is in many, a ftrange itch after fuperftition ; they love a gaudy religion, are more for the pourn of worfhip than the purity : this cannot beplea- fing to God ; for, as if God were not wife enough to appoint the manner how he will be ferved, man will be fo bold as to prefcribe him. To thruft human inventions into facred things, is a doing our own will, not God's ; and he will fay, quis quaefivit hoc? Who hath required this at your hand ; Ifa. i. 12. Then we do God's will as it is done in heaven, when we do it re- gu'arly, we reverence God's inflitutions, and the^ mode of worfhip, which hath the flamp of divine authority upon it. 2. We do God's will as it is done by rite angels in heaven, when we do it intirely, fine mutilatione, we do all God's will. The angels in heaven do all that God commands, they leave nothing of his will undone, Pf exxx. 20. Ye his angels that d$ his commandments. If God lend an angel to the virgin Mary, he goes on God's errand; if he gives his I » 1 2 angels ■>,66 OF THE THIRD PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. angels a charge to minifter for the faints they obey, Heb. i. 14. It cannot ft and with angelical obedience, to leave the leaft iota of God's will unfulfilled : this is to do God's will as the angels, when we do all his will, quit quid propter Deum fit, eequaliter fit. This was God's charge to Ifrael, Numb. xv. 49. Remtmher to do all my commandments. And it was fpoken of David, Acts xiii. 22. / have found David, a man after mine own heart, who jh all perform all my will, Gr. all my wills. E- vcry command hath the fame authority ; and if wc do God's will uprightly, we do it uniform- ly, we obey every part and branch of his will, we join firft and fecond table. Surely we owe that to God our father, which, the papifts fay, we owe to our mother the church, unlimited obedience ; we mult incline to every command, as the needle moves that way which the load- ftone draws . (2.) This difcovers the unfoundnefs of many, v ho do God's will by halves, they pick and c-hoofe in religion, they in fbme things comply with Gocl's will, but not in others ; like a 'found red horfe, who lets but fome of his feet on the ground, he favours one foot. He who is to play upon a lute, mud flrike upon every firing, or he fpoils all the mufic. God's com- mandments may be compared to a ten-fh inged lute, we rnuft obey God's will in every command, fhike upon every firing, or we can make no good melody in religion. The badger hath one foot fhorter than the other ; hypocrites are fhorter in Ibme duties than others ; fome will jsray, not give alms ; hear the words, not for- give their enemies ; receive the facrament, not make reititution : how can they be holy, who are not jaft r Hypocrites profefs fair, but when it comes to iacrificing the Ifa'ac, crucifying the beloved fin, or parting with fome of their eftate for Chriit, here they flick, and fay as Naatnan, 2 Kings v. 18. In this thing, the Lord pardon thy fcrvant. This is far from doing God's will ^s the angels do ; God likes not fuch as do his ■will by halves r if your fervant mould do fome of your work, which you let hiiu about, but not ail ; how would you like that ? Obi. But -who is able to do all God's will? 'Anf. Tho' we cannot do all Cod's will legal- ly,'yet we may evangelically ; which is ; (1.) Whea we mourn that we can do God's will no better ; when we fail, we weep, Rom. r(i>) When it is the defiie of our foul to do God's whole will, Pf. cxix. 5. 0 that my way* were directed to keep thy precepts. What a child of God wants in flrength, he makes up in defire, in magnis voluiffe fat tfl. (3.) When we endeavour quoad conatum to do the whole will of God. A father bids his child lift fuch a burthen, the child is not able to lift it, but he tries, and dees his endeavour to lift it j the father accepts of it, as if he had done it : this is to do God's will evangelically, and God is pleafed to take it in good part ; though it be not to fatisfaclion, yet it is to ac- ceptation. 3. We do God's will as it is do ne heaven by the angels, when we do it fincerely, fine fuco. To do God's will fincerely, lies in two things, 1 . To do it out of a pure refpect to God's command' 2. With a pure eye to God's glory. 1. To do God's will out of a pure refpeft to God's command. Abrahams facrificing [faae was contrary to flefh and blood; to facrifice the fon of his love, the fon of the promife, and that no other hand but the father's own mould do this, here was har.d fervice : bur, becaufe God commanded it, out of pure reflect to the command, Abraham obeyed : this is to do God's will aright, when tho' we feel no prefent joy or comfort in duty, yet, becaufe God commands, we obey ; net comfort, but the command is the ground of duty : thus the angels do God's will in heaven; God's command is the weight fets the wheels of their obedience a-going. 2. To do God's will fincerely, is to do it with a pure eye to God's glory. The pharifees did the will of God in giving alms ; but that which, was a dead fly in the ointment, was, that they did not aim at God's glory, but vain glory ; they blew a trumpet. Jehu did the will of God in destroying the ifarf/-worfhippers, and God com- mended him for doing it ; but becaufe he aimed more at fettling himfelf in the kingdom, than at the glory of God, therefore God lookt upon it no better than murder, and faid he would a- venge the blood of Jezrert upon the houfe of Jehu, Hof. ii. 4. Let us look to our ends in obedience ; tho' we moot fhort, let us take a right aim : one may do God's will, yet not with a perfect heart, 2 Chron. xxv, 2. Amaziah did that which was right in the fight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart. The action was right for the matter, but his aim was not right : that aftion which wants a good aim, wants a good OF THE THIRD PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 46> good iiTue ; he doth God's will rightly, that doth it uprightly, his end is to honour God, and lift up his mi me in the world. A gracious foul makes God his centre. As Joah, when he had taken Kabbah, lent for king David, that he might. carry away the glory of the victory, 2 Sam. xii. 27, fo wl en a gracious foul hath done any dut} he defires that the glory of all maybe given to jod, 1 Pet. iv. 11. That in all things Cod mi v b v> lifted. This is to do God's will as the angels, when we not only advance God's glory, but defign his glory : the angels are faid to caft their crowns before the throne, Rev. iv. 10. Crowns are fighs of greatelt ho- nour, but thefe crowns the angels lay at the Lord's feet, to (how that they alcribe the glory of all they do to him. 3. We do God's will as it is done in heaven by the angels, when we do it willingly, Jine murmur atione. The angels love to be employ- ed in God's fervice ; 'tis the angels heaven to ferve God : they willingly defcend from heaven to earth, when they bring meffages from God, and glad tidings to the church ; now, heaven being a place of fuch joy, the angels would not leave it a minute of an hour, only that they take fuch infinite delight in doing God's will. We do refemble the angels, when we do God's will willingly, 2 Chron. xxviii. 9. And thou Solomon, my Jon, ferve the Lord -with a willing mind. God's people are called a willing people, Pf ex. 3. Heb. a people of willingneiTes ; they give God a free-will-offering ; tho' they cannot ferve him perfectly, they ferve him willingly : a hy- pocrite, tho' he doth facere bonum, yet not velle, he hath no delight in duty ; he doth it rather out of fear of hell, than love to God ; when he doth God's will, yet it is againft his will, Virtus nokntium nulla eft. Cain brought his facrifice, but grudgingly ; his worfhip was rather a tafk than an offering, rather penance than a facri- fice ; he did God's will, but againft his will ; we mult be carried upon '.he wings of delight in every duty. Jfrael were to blow the trumpets when they offered burnt-offerings, Numb. x. 10. Blowing the trumpets was to mow their joy and cheerfulnefs in ferving God ; we mult read and hear the word with delight, Jer. xv. 15. Thy •word was found, and I did eat it, and it was unto me the joy and rej eyeing of my heart. A pious fbul goes to the word as to a feaff, or as •ne would go with delight to hear mufic. Slei- dan reports, that the proteftants in France had a church they called paradife? becaufe, when they were in the houfe of God, they thought tbemfelves in paradife : the faints flock as doves to the windows of God's houfe, Ifa. lx. 8. Who are thefe that flock as doves to the windows ? Not a truly regenerate petfon is always in the fame cheerful temper of obedience ; he may fometimes find an indifpcfition and wearinefs of fbul, but his wearinefs is his burden,, he is weary of his wearint-ft,' he prays, weeps, ufcth all means to regain that alacrity and freedom in God's fer- vice that he was wont to have : this is to do God's will acceptably, when we do it willingly; 'tis this crowns all our fervices ; delight in duty is better than duty. The mufician is not com- mended for playing long, but well ; 'tis not how much we do, but how much we love, Pf. cxix. 97. O how love I thy law ! Love is as mufk among linen, that perfumes it ; love per- fumes obedience, and makes it go up to heaven as incenfe. This is doing God s will as the an- gels in heaven do it ; they arc ravifhed with de- light while they are praifing God, therefore the angels arc faid to have harps in their hands, Rev. xv. 2. as a fign of their cheerfulnefs in God's fervice. 4. We do God's will as the angels in heaven, when we do God's will fervently, fine remiffione, Rom. xii. I J. Fervent in fpirit, ferving God : a metaphor from water when it feethes and boils over ; fo our affe&ions fhould boil over in zeal and fervency : the angels ferve God with fervour and intenfenefs ; the angels are called feraphims, from an Hebrew word which figni- fies to burn, to fhow how the angels are all on fire, Pf. civ. 4. they burn in love and zeal in do- ing God's will ; grace turns a faint into a fera- phim ; Aaron rauil put burning coals to the incenfe, Exod. xvi. 12. Incenfe was a type of prayer, burning coals of zeal, to fhow that the fire of zeal mult be put to the incenfe of prayer. Formality ftarves duty; when we feive God dully and coldly, is this like the angds ? Duty without fervency is as a facrifice without fire ; we fhould afcend to heaven in a fiery chariot of de- votion. 5. We do God's will as the angels in heaven, when we give God the belt in every fervice. Numb, xviii. 29. Out of all your gifts, ye fbatt- offer of all the befi thereof. Numb, xxviii. 7. In the holy p'ace /halt thou caufe the flrong wine to be poured unto the Lord for a drink-offering. The Jews might not offer to the Lord wine that was fmall or mixed, hut the flrong wine, to imply, that;we mull offer to Ggd the befh, lie 468 OF THE THIRD PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. the ftrongeft of our affections: if the fpoufehad a cup more juicy and fpiced, Ghriil mould drink of that, Cant. viii. 2. 1 would caufc thee to drink tf fpiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranate. Thus the angels in heaven do God's will, they ferve him in the beft manner, they give him their fcraphic high-ftringed praifes : he who loves God, gives him the cream of his obedi- ence. God challenged the fat of all the facri- fices as his due, Lev. iii. 16. Hypocrites care not what fen ices they bring to God, they think to put him off with any thin..;, they put no coll in their duties, Gen. iv. 3. Cain brought of the fruit of the ground. The holy Ghoft took no- tice of Abel's offering, that it was coftly, He brought of the firjilings of his fleck, and of the fat thereof Gen. iv. 4. But when he fpeaks of Cains offering, he only faith, He brought of the fruit of the ground. Then w« do God's will aright, when we d© offer pinguia, we dedicate to him the beft. Domilian would not have his image carved in wood or iron, but in gold. God will have the belt we have, golden fer- vices. 6. We do God's will as the angels in heaven, when we do it readily, and fwiftly : the angels do not difpure or reafon the cale, but as foon as they have their charge and commiflion from God: they immediately obey ; and, to (how how ready they are to execute God's will, the cherubims, reprefenting the angels, aredefcrib- ed with wings, to fliow how fwift and forward they are in their obedience, it is as if they had wings, Dan. ix. 2,1. The man Gabriel (that was an angel) being caufed to fly fwiftly. Thus mould we do God's will as the angels ; as foon, as ever God fpeaks the word, we mould be am- bitious to obey : alas! how long is it fometimes ere we can get leave of our hearts to go to a duty? Chrift went more readily adcrucem than we to the throne of grace ; how many difputes and excufes have we ? is this to do God's will -as ihe angels in heaven do it ? O let us (hake off this backwardnefs to duty, as Paul (hook off the viper, Nefcit tarda molimina fpiritus fancli gratia ; Zech. v. 9. / faw two women, and the 'wind was in their wings. Wings are fwift, but wind in the wings are great iwifmefs ; fuch readiuefs (hould be in our obedience- As Peter, as foon as ever Chrift commanded him to let down his net, at Chrift's word he presently let down the net, and you know what fuccefs he had, Luke v. 4. It was prophefied of fuch as v.£r.e brought home to Chrift, Pf. xviii. 44. As foon as they hear of me, they fhall obey me. 7. We do God's will as the angel* in heaven, when we do it conflantly ; ever v^eary of doing God's will, they ferve G.J i.y nc\ night, Rev. vii. 17. thus imitate the angels, Pf. cvi. 3. BJeJfe, , that doth righteoujhefs at all times. Conjftancy crowns obedience. Non cepiffe, fed per \ utis eft, Gypr. Our obedier.ee ir.ui fire of the altar, which was continually kept burn- ing, Le v. vi. 13. Hypocrite* foon give over do- ing God's will ; like the chryfolite which is of a golden colour, in the morni lg i is very bright to look on, but towards evening it grows dull; and hath loft its fpltndor. We (hould continue in doing God's will, bepairfe of that great lots that will befal us if we give over doing God's will. (1.) A lofs of honour, Rev. iii. ri. That no man take thy crown •, implying, if the church of Philadelphia left off her obedience, (he would lofe her crown, viz. her honour and reputation. Apoftacy creates infamy : Judas came from an apoftle to be a traitor, it was a dishonour. (2.) If we give over our obedience it i^ a lofs of all that hath been already done ; aj if on* (hould work in (ilver, and then pick out all the flitches. All a man's prayers are loft, all the fabbaths he hath kept are loft, he doth unravel all his good works. Ezek. xviii. 24. All his righ- teoufnefs that he hath done /hall not be mention- ed. He undoes all he hath done ; as if one draw a curious picture with the pencil, and then come with his fpunge and wipe out all again. (3.) A lofs of the foul and happinefs : we were in a fair way for heaven, bur, by leaving off dping God's will, we mifs the excellent glory, and are plunged deeper in damnation, 2 Pet. ii. 21. It had been better not to have known the way of right eoufnef s, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment. Therefore let us continue in doing God's will j conftancy lets the crown upon the head of obe- dience. Thus you fee how we are to do God's will acceptably. Ufe I. Branch 1. See hence our impstency, we have no innate power to do God's will : what need we pray, thy u ill be done, if we have power of our/elves to do it ? I Wonder free- wiilers pray this petition. 2 Branch. If we are to do God's will o* earth, as it is done by the angels in heaven, fee then the folly of tbofe who go by a wrong pat- tern ; they do as the moil of their neighbours do; OF THE THIRD PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 469 do ; if they talk vain on the fabbath, they do but as their neighbours do ; if now and then they fwear an oath, it h the cuftom of their neighbours to do fo, but we are to do God's will as the angels in heaven : do the angels do filch ihings ? We muft make the angels our patterns, and not our neighbours : if our neigh- bours go to hell, fhall we go thither too for company ? 3. Branch. See here that which may make us long to be in heaven, then we (hall do God's wiii perfectly, as the angels do : alas, how de- fective are we in our obedience here ! how far do we fill fhort ? We cannot write a copy of holinefs without blotting ; our holy things are blemifhecj, like the moon, which, when it mines brighteil, hath a dark fpot in it: but in heaven we fhall do God's will perfectly, as thj* angels in glory. Vf: If. Of reproof. 1 Branch. It reproves fuch as do not God's will : they have the knowledge of God's will, (knowledge they count an ornament) but though they know God's will, yet they do it not. (1 .) They know what God would have them avoid : they know they mould not fwear, Mat. v. 34. S-wear not at all. Jer. xxiii. 10. For this Jin the land mourns. Yet though they pray, hallo-wed be thy name, they profane it by (hoot- ing oaths like chain-bullets againfl heaven : they know they mould abftain from fornication and uncleannefs, yet they cannot but bite at the de- vil's hook, if he bait it with flefh, Jude 7. (2.) They know what God would have them practife, but they leave undone thofe things -which they ought to have done. They know it is the will of God they mould be true in their promife, juft in their dealings, good in their relations ; but they do not the will of God : they know they mould read the fcriptures, confult with God's oracle ; but the Bible, like rufty armour, is hung up, and feldom ufed ; they look oftener tipen a pack of cards than a Bible : they know their houfes fhould be pale/Ira? pietatis, nurle- ries of piety, yet have no face of religion in them ; they do not perfume their houfes with prayer. What hypocrites are thefe to kneel down in the church, and lift up their eyes to heaven, and fay, thy -will be done, yet have no care at all to do God's will ? What is this, but to hang out a flag of defiance againft heaven, Snd rebellion is as the fm of witchcraft, 2 Branch. It reproves thofe whodo not God's will in a right acceptable manner. (1.) They do not God's will entirely, all God's will : they will obey God in fome things, but not in others ; as if a fervant fliould do- fbme of your work yon fej him about, but not the reft. Jehu deftroyed the idolatry of Baal, but let the golden calves of Jeroboam fund, 2 Kings x. 30. Some will obftrve the duties of the fecond table, but not the firfr. Others make an high profeffion, as if their tongues had been touched with a coal from God's altar, but live idly, and out of a calling ; thefe the apoftle- cornplains ofj 2 TheJJ'. in. 11. Hre hear there are Jome "which '•walk among you diforderly% •working not at all. Living by faith, and liv- ing in a calling, muft go together : this is an e- vil thing, not to do all God's will. (2.) They do not God's will ardently, they do not put coals to the incenfe ; nor cheerfully, they bring their facrifice, but not their heart : this js far from doing God's will as the angels;; this lofeth the reward : how can God like this, to ferve him as if we ferved him not ? How can God mind our duties, when we oinfelvcs fcarce mind them ? Uje III. Of examination. Let us examine all our actions, whether thejr are according to God's will. The will of God is the rule and ftandard, 'tis the fun-dial by which we muft fet all our actions : he is no good workman, that doth work by rule ; he can be no good chriftian who goes not according to the rule of God's will. Let us examine our actions whether they do quadrare, agree t£ the will of God : are your fpeeches according to God's will? are our words favoury, being fea- fbned with grace r is our apparel according to God's will ? 1 'Tim. ii. 9. In like manner, that •women adorn themfelves •with modej} apparci : not wanton and gayifh to invite comers. Our diet, is it according to God's will ? do we hold the bridle of temperance, and only take ib much as may rather fatisfy nature than furfeit it ? Too much oil chokes the lamp. Is our whole carriage and behaviour according to God's will ? are we patterns of prudence and piety ? do we keep up the credit of religion, and fhine as lights in die world ? We pray thy will be done as it Is in heaven ; are we like our pattern i would the angels do this if they were on earth ? w ould Jefus Chrift do this ? This is to chrifh'anize, this is to be faints of degrees, when we iive cur prayer* 47° OF THE THIRD PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. prayer, and our actions are the counter-pane of God's will. VfelV. Of exhortation. Let us be doers of the will of God, thy -will be done. i. It is our wifdom to do God's will, Dent. iv. 6- Keep and do theft flatutes, for this is your wifdom. 2. It is our Tafety. Hath not mifery always attended the doing of our own will, and hap- pin.efs the doing of God's will ? (i.) Mifery hath always attended the doing of our own will. Our fir ft parents left God's will to fulfil their own, in eating the for hidden fruit ; and what came of it ? The apple had a bitter core in it, they purchafed a curfe for themfelves and all their posterity. King Saul left God's will to do his own ; he (pares Agag, and the belt of the fheep, and what was the if- fue, but the lofs of his kingdom ? (2.) Happinefs hath always attended the do- in? of God's will. Jofeph obeyed God's will, in refuiing the embraces of his miftrefs ; and was not this his preferment ? God's raifed him to be the fecond man in 'he kingdom. Daniel did God's wlil contrary to the king's decree ; he bowed his knee in prayer to God, and did not God make ail Perfia bow their knees to Daniel? {3.) The way to have our will, is to do God's will. Would not we have a blcfrmg in our e- ftate ? then let us do God's will, Dtut. xxviii. 1. 3. if thou fnalt hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, to do all his commandment 's, the Lord thy Cod will fet thee on high above nil the nations of the earth : bleffcd (halt thou be in the city, and bleffed Jbalt thou be in the fid J. . This is the way to have a good harveft. Would we have a bl effing in our fouls ? then let us do God's will, Jtr. vii. 23. Obey my voice, and I will be your God ; I will entail myf If upon you as an everlafting portion ; my grace mall be yours to fancYify you, my mercy fhall be yours to five you. You fee you lole nothing by doing God's will, this is the way to have your will; let God have his will in being obey- ed, and you mall have your will in being la- ved. Qu. How fhall we come to do God's will a- right ? Anf. 1. Get found knowledge; we mufl know God's will before we can do it : knowledge is the eye to direct the foot of obedience. The papitls make ignorance the mother of devotion, but Chrift makes ignorance the mother of er- ror, Matth. xxii. 20. Te err, not kn>>wix~dwith my voice, I poured out my comprint before him. We may (being un- der oppreilion) tell God how it is with us, and defire him to write down our injuries Shall not the child complain to his father when he is wronged ? An holy complaint may ftand with patient fubmilTion to God's will: bur, though we may complain to Gud, we mufr not com- plain of God. Qu 3. What it is cannot fiand with patient fubmijfion to God's will? Anf. 1. Difcontentednefs with providence. Difcontcnt hath a mixture of grief and anger in it, and, both thefe, mull needs raife a ftorm of paflion in the foul. God having touched the apple offeror eye, and fmitten us in that we loved, we are touchy and fullen, and God fhall not have a good look from us, Gen. iv. 6. Why art thou wroth ? Like a fullen bird, that is an- gry, and beats herfelf againft the cage. 2. Murmuring cannot fland with fuhmiffi- on to God's will : murmuring is the height •f impatieu«e, it is a kind of mutiny in the foul againft God, Numb. xxi. 5. The people /pake again]} Cod. When a cloud of forrow is gathered in the foul, and this cloud doth not only drop into tears, bit out of this cloud comes hail-ftones, murmuring words againft God, tiiis is far from patient fubmilTion to God's will. When water is hot the fcum boils up; when the heart is heated with anger a- gainft God, then this fcum boils up. Murmur- ing is very evil; it fprings, 1. From pride: men think they have defer ved better at God's hands ; and, when they begin to fwell, they ipit poifon. 2. Diftruft ; men believe not that God can make a treacle of poifon, bring good out of' all their troubles, therefore they mur- mur, Pf. cvi. 24. They believed not his word, but murmured. Men murmur at God's provi- dences, becaufe they diftruft his promifes; God hath much ado to bear this fin. Numb, xiv. 27. This is far from fubmilTion to God's wilL 3. Difcompofednefs of fpirit cannot ftand with quiet iubmiffion to God's will. When a man faith, I am fo encompofed with trouble, that I know not how to get out ; head and heart are fo taken up, that a perfon is not fit to pray. When the firings of a lute are fnar- led, the lute can make no good mufic; fo, when a Chriftian's fpirits are. perplexed and difturbed, he cannot make melody in his heant to the Lord. To be under a difcompofure of mind, is as when an army is routed, one runs this way, and another that, the army is put into diforder; fo, when a Chriftian is in an hurry of mind, his thoughts run up and down diffracted, as if he were undone ; this cannot fland with patient fubmiffion to God's will. 4. Self-apology cannot ftand with fubmiffion to God s wrll ; inftead of being humbled under God's hand, a perfon jufiifies himfelf. A proud firmer ftands upon his own defence, and is ready to accufe God of unrighteoufnefs, which is, as if we fhould tax the fun with darknefs : this is far from fubmiffion to God's will. God fmote Jonah's gourd, and he fiands upon his own vindication, Jonah iv. 9. / do well to be angry, to the death. What, to be angry with God ! and to juflify this, / do well to be angry ! this was flrange to come from a prophet, and was far from this prayer Chrift hath taught us, Thy will be done ? Qu. 4. II hat this patient fubmiJpQn to God's •will is ? K k k Anf 47-1 OF THE THIRD PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. Anf. It is a gracious frame of foul, whereby a Chriftiah is content to be at God's difpofe, antl doth acquiefce in his wifdom, i Sam. iii. 1 8 . It is the Lord, let him do what femeth him good, Acls xxi. 14. The will of the Lord he done. That I may further illuftrate this, I mall ihow you wherein this fubmiflion to the will of God lies ; it lies chiefly in three things. (1.) In acknowledging God's hand; feeing God in the affliction, Job v. 6. Affliclira arifth not cut of the dufi.t it comes not- by chance. Job did eye God in all that befel him, Jcb i. 22. 1 i.e Lord hath taken away ■ He complains net of the Chaldeans, or the influence of the plants ; he looks beyond feeond caafes, he fees God in the affliction, Thi Lord hath taken away. There can be no fubmiflion to God's will, till there be an acknowledging of God's hand. (2.) Patient fubmiffion to God's will lies in our juftifying of God, Pf. xxii. 2. 0 my God, I cry unto thee, yet thou heareft not, thou turn ft a deaf ear to me in my afflielion ; v. 3. But thou art holy. God is holy and jufr, not only when he punifheth the wicked, but when he afflicts the righteous. Though God put worm- wood in our cup, yet we vindicate God, and proclaim his righteoufnefs. As Mauritius the emperor, when he faw his fon (lain before his eyes, juflus es Domine, righteous art thou, O Lord, in all thy ways. We juftify God, and confeis he punifheth us lefs than we deferve, Ezra ix.. 13. (3.) Patient fubmiflion to God's will lies in the accepting of the puniihment, Lev. xxvi. 41. And they tJreu accept of the punijloments of their iniquity. Accepting the punifhment ; that is, taking all that God doth in good part. He who accepts of the puniihmenr, faith, good is the rod of the Lord ; he kifleth the rod, yea, blefluh God that he would ufe fuch a merciful feverity, rather to afflict him than to lofe him. This is patient fubmiflion to God's will. This patient fubmiflion to God's will in af- fliction (hows a great deal of wifdom and piety. The fkill of a pilot is moil: difcernedin a liorm, and a Ghriftian's grace in the florm of affliction ; and indeed this fubmiflion to God's will is mod requifite for us while we live in this lower region. In heaven there will be need of patience, no more than there is need of the .ftar-light when the fun (nines. In heaven there will be all joy, and what need of patience then ? It requires no patience to wear a crown of gold ; but while we live here in a valley of tears, there needs patient fubmiflion to God's wiM, Heb. x. 36. Ye have need of patience. 1. The Lord (bmetirn.es lays heavy affliction upon us, Pf xxxviii. 2. Thy hand preffeth me fore. The word in the origintl for affticledy (ignifies to be melted. God fometimes melts his people in a furnace. 2. God fometimes lays divers afflictions upon us, Job xix. i". He multiplies my wound. God (hoots divers forts of arrows ; (1.) Sometimes God afflicts with poverty. The widow had nothing left her, fave a pot of oil, 1 Kings xvii. 12. Poverty is a great temptation. To have an eflate reduced al~ moil to nothing, is hard to flefh and blood, Ruth i. 20. Call me not Naomi, but Marah : / went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty. This expofeth to contempt; when the prodigal was poor, his brother was afhamed to own him Luke xv. 30. This thy fon ; he laid not, this my brother, but this thy fon ; he fcorned to call him brother. When the deer is (hot and bleeds, the reft of the herd pufh it away ; when God (hoots the arrow of poverty at one, others are ready to pufh him away. When Terence was grown poor, his friend Sci~ pio caft him off". The mules (.Jupiter s daugh- ters) the poets feign, had no fuiters, becaufe they wanted a dowry. (2.) God fometimes afflicts with reproach. Such as have the light of grace fhining in them, yet may be eclipfed in their name. The pri- mitive Chriflians were reproached as if they were guilty of incefl, faith Tertullian. Luther was called, a trumpeter of rebellion. David calls reproach an heart-breaking, Pf. lxix. 20. this God lets his dear faints be oft exercifed with. Dirt may be caft upon a pearl ; thofe names may be blotted, which are written in the book of life. Sincerity, though it fhields from hell, yet not from (lander. (3.) God fometimes afflicts with the lofs of dear relations, Ezek. xxiv. 16. Son of man, behold I take away from thee the dejire of thins eyes with a ftroke. This is like pulling away a limb from the body. He takes away an holy child ; Jacob's life was bound up in Benjamin, Gen. xliv. 30. and that which puts teeth into the crofs, and is worfe than the lofs of children is, when they are continued as living crofles ; where the parents expected honey, there to have wormwood. What greater cut to a godly parent, than a child who difclaims his father's God ! a corroflve applied to the body may do well, but OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE I, ORD'S PR A YE R. 4:3 bat a bad child is a corrofive to the heart. Such an undutiful fon had David, who con (pi red treafon, and would not only have taken away his father's crown, hut his life. (4.) God fometimes afflicts with infirmnefs of body ; fcarce a well day. Sicknefs takes away the comfort of life, and makes one in death oft. Thus God tries his people with various afflictions, fo that there is need of patience to fubnit to God's will. He who hath divers bullets lhot at him needs armour ; when divers afflictions aiTault, we need patience as armour of proof. 3. God fometimes lets the affliction continue Jong, Pf. Ixxiv. 9. As it is with difeafes, there are ibme chronical, that linger and hang about the body fevetal years together ; fo it is with affliction, the Lord is pleafed to exercife many of his precious ones with chronical affliction, fuch as ly upon them a long time: So that in all thefe cafes we need patience and fubmiffive- nefs of fpirit to Gods will. Ufe I. It reproves fuch as have not yet learn- ed this part of the Lord's prayer, Thy will be done ; they have only (aid it, but not learned it. If things be not according to their mind, if the wind of providence croff-'th the tide of their will, they are difcontented and querulous. "Where is now fubmiffion of will to God ? To be difpleafed with God, if things do not plcafe us, is this to ly at God's feet, and acquiesce irr his will? This is a very bad temper of fpirit, and God mayjuftly punifh us by letting us have our will. Rachel cried, Give ?ne children or I die. Gem xxx. 1. God let her have a child, but it -ofl: her her life, Gen. xxxv. 16. Jfrael not content v.ich manna (angels food) they mud have qui'ils to their manna, God punifhed them by letting them have their will, Numb.x'u 31. There v.:.- t forth a wind from the Lord and brought quails : ver. 33. And -while the fiefh was yet between their teeth, the wrath of the Lord was kindled againji them, and the Lord fmote the?n with a great plague. They had better been without their quails, than had fuch fowre fauce to them. Many have importunately de- fired the life of a child, and could not bring their will to God's, to be content to part with it ; and the Lord hath punifhed them by letting them have their will ; the child hath lived and been a burden to them. Seeing their wills croffed God, their child fhall croft them. Ufe II. Of exhortation. Let us be exhort- ed, whatever troubles God doth eaLercifc us with, mould we fay, that which pleafeth God pleafeth us, thy will be done. Some have not yet learned this art of fubmiffion to God ; anj {fury he who wants patience in affliction, is like a foldier in battle' who wants armour. Qu. Jl hen do we not, as we ought , fuhpiit to God's will in affliclic;; ? /Inf. (1.) When we have hard thoughts of God, and our hearts begin to 1'wcll again ft him. 2. When we are fo troubled at our prelcnt affliction, that we are unfit for duty. We can mourn as doves, but not pray or praiie God. We are Co difcompofed, that we are not fit to hearken to any good counfel, Exod. vi 9. They hearkned not to Mofcs for anguifl: of fpi~ rit. Jfrael were fo full of grief under their prefent burdens, that they minded not what Mofes faid, though he came with a mefTage from God to them ; they hearkned not to Mofea for anguifh of fpirit. 3. We do not fubmit as we ought to God's will, when we labour to break loofe from affli- ction by indirect means. Many, to rid them* felves out of trouble, run themftlves into fin ; when God hath bound them with the cords of affliction, they go to the devil to loofen their bands. Better it is to flay in affliction, than to fin ourfelves out of affliction. O let us learn to ftoop to God's will in all afflictive providences. Qu. But how flj.ill we bring ourfelves to this Chrifiian temper in all occurrences of pro- vidence, patiently to acqaie fee in God's w)l , and fay, thy will be done? We know not what trials perfontl or national we may be cxercifd with. We feem now to be uttder the' planet Sa- turn, which hath a malignants.afpe£i. Ounfhip is fierned fo (trangzy, that we are in danger, on one hand, of the funds, en the other band,-./' the rocks. If ajfliclion comes, how Jbsjl wc keep a Chrifiian d:coru?n>. How fh all webe.zr things with equanimity of mind, and fay, thy will be done ? . Kkki An.. 474 OF THE THIRD PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. Anf. The means for a quiet refignation to God's will in affliction are, 1. Judicious consideration, Eccl. vii. 14. In the day of adverflty confider. When any- thing burdens us, or runs crofs to our defires, did we but fit down and confider, and weigh things in the balance of judgment, it would much quiet our minds, and fubjecr our wills to God ; in the day of adverfity confider. Con- sideration would be as David's harp, to charm down the evil fpiri: of fVowardnels and difcontent. Qu. But what f)ould ive confid-r ? Anf. Thar which may make us fubmit to God in affliction, and fay thy wi/l be done, is, 1. To confider, that the prefent ftate of life is fubject to affliction, as a feaman's life is fubjecr. to ftorms ; ferre quamfortem oirmes pa- tiuntur nemo recufat : Job. v. 7. Man is born to troubles he is heir apparent to it; he comes into the world with a cry, and goes oat vtith a groan. Ea lege nati fumus. The world is a place where much wormwood gio 3, Lam. in. 15. He hath filled me with bittemefs, IJc:t. with bitiernejfes he hath made me drunk with warm- wood. Troubles ariie like fparks out of a fur- nace. Afflictions are foriSe of the rhorns which the earth after the curfe brings forth. We may as well think to flop the chariot of the fun when it is in its fwift motion, as put a ftop to trouble : the confideration of this, our life is expofed to aclipfes and fufferings, mould make us fay with patience, thy will be dene. Shall a mariner be angry that he meets with 3 frorm at fea? 2. Confideration, God Lath a fpecial hand in the difpofal of all occurrences that fall out. Job eved God in the affliction, chap. i. 21. The Lord hath taken away. He doth not complain of the S abeam, or the influences of the planets; he looked beyond all fecond caufes, he fiiw God in the affliction, and that made him cheerfully fubmit, bleffed be the name of the Lord. And Chi iff looked beyond Judas andPilate,hc looked to God'3 determinate counfel in delivering him Xip to be crucified, Acts iv. 26. this made him &y, Mat. xxvi. 39. Father, not as I will, but as ■thou wilt. It is vain to quarrel with inftru- jaents : wicked mew are but a roJ in God's hand, ifa. %.. 5. 0 Affyrian, the rod of my anger. 'Whoever brings an affliction, God fends it: the ccnfi deration of this would make us fay, thy will be done ,■ what God doth, he fees a reafon for. We read of a wheel within a wheel, E&ek. i. 15. The outward wheel, which twins all, is providence ; the wheel within this wheel, is God's decree ; this believed, would rock the heart quiet. Shall we mutiny at that which God doth? We may as well quarrel with the works of creation, as the works of providence. 3. Confideration, which may make us humbly to fubmit to God's will, is, that there is a necel- fity of affliction, I Pet. 1 6. (if need be) ye are in heavinefs. It is needful fome things be kept in brine : afflictions are needful upon feveral accounts, (1.) To keep us humble. Oftimes there is no other way to have the heart low, but by being brought low, 2 Chr. xxxiii. 12. When Manaffeh was in affliction he humbled himflf greatly. Corrections are corrofives to eat out the proud flefh, Lam. iii. 19. Remembering my mifery, the wormwood and the gall, my foul is troubled in me. (2.) It is neceffary that there fhould be af- fliction ; for if God did not fometimes bring us into affliction , how could his power be feen in bringing us out ? Plad not ifrael been in the Egyptian furnace, God had loft his glory in their deliverance. (3.) If there were no affliction, then many parts of fcripture could not be fulfilled. God hath promifed to help us to bear affliction, Pf. xxxvii. 24, 39. how could we experience God's fupporting us in trouble, if we did not fometimes meet with it ? God hath promifed to give us joy in affliction, John xvi. 20. how could we tafle this honey of joy, if we were not fome- times in affliction ? Again, God hath promifed to wipe away tears from our eyes, Ifa. xxv. 8. how could God wipe away our tears in hea- ven, if we never fhed any ? So that, in feveral refpects, there is an abfolute neceffity that we fhouid meet with affliction; and, fhall not we quietly fubmit ? and fay, Lord, I fee there is a neceffity of it ; thy will be done. 4. Confideration, to make us fubmit to God's will in affliction, is, that whatever we feel, it is nothing but what we have brought upon our- fclves; we put a rod inro God's hand to chaftife us. Ghrifiian, God lays thy croffes on thee, but it is of thy own making. If a man's field be full of tears, it is nothing but what he hath fown in it ; if thou reapefi a bitter crop of af- fliction, it is nothing but what thou thy felf haft fown. The cords that pinch thee are of thy own twifting ; me-rne adfum qui feci. If chil- dren will eat green fruit, they may thank them- selves if they are lick ; if we cat the forbidden fruU OF THE THIRD PETITION IN THE LORD^S PRAYER. *7* fruit, no wonder to feel it grip. Sin is rhe Tro- jan horfe, that lands an army of afflictions upon us, Jer. iv. 15. A voice publiftieth af- fliction; v. 18. Thy "way and thy doings , have procured thefe things u,;.'o thee; this is thy wick- ednejs. If we b}r fin run ourfelves into arrears with God, no wonder if he fct affliction as a (ergeant on our back to arrefl: us. This may make us patiently fubmit to God in affliction, and fay, Thy will be done. We have no caufe to compjain of God, it is nothing but what our fins have merited, Jer. ii. i~. Haft not thou procured this unto thy felf? The crofs, though it be of God's laying, it is of our own making ; fay then, as Micah vii. 9. / will bear the indig- nation of the Lord, becaufe I havejinned againft bim. 5. Confideration, to caufe fubmiflion to God's will in affliction, God is now about to make an experiment, he doth it to prove and try us, Pf. lxvi. io. Thou, 0 God, haft tried us as Jiher is tried, thou laidft affliction upon our loins. If there were no affliction, how mould God have an opportunity to try men ? Hy- pocrites can fail in a pleafure-boat, ferve God in profperity; but when we can keep clofe to God in times of danger, when we can truft God when we have no pawn, and love God when we have no fmile, here is the trial of fincerity ! this may make us fay, thy will be done. God is only trying us ; what hurt is in that ? "What is the gold worie of being tried ? 6- Confiderarion, to make us fubmit to God in affliction, and fay, thy will be done, 'is, that in all our crofTej God hath a kindnefs for us. As there was no night fo dark, but Ifrael had a pillar of fire to give light; fo there is no condition fo cloudy, but we may fee that which gives light of comfort: Pavid would fing of mercy and judgment, Pf. ci. 1. This may make our wills cheerfully fubmit to God's, to confide- in every path of providence we may fee a foot-ftep of kindnefs. Qii. What kindnefs is there in affliction, when Cod feeins mo ft unkind ? Anf. r. There is kindnefs in affliction, in that there is love in it. God's rod, and God's love may ftand together, Neb. xii. 6. Whom the Lord loveth he chaftneth : whom he cockcr- eth above the reft ; fo Mercer. As Abraham, when he lift up his hand to facrifice Ifaac, loved him ; fo when God afflicts his people, and feems to facrifice their outward comforts, yet he loves them : the husbandman loves his vine, when he cuts it and makes it bleed ; and, mall not we fubmit to God? mall we quarrel wich th.-r which hath kindnefs in it, which comes in love? The chirurgeon hinds the patient, and lanceth him, but no wife man will quarrel with the chirargeon, it is in love, and in order to a cure. ^ 2. There is kindnefs in affliction, in that God deals wi;h us now as children, Heb. xii. 7. If you endure chaining, God deais with you as fons ; Gud had one fon without fin, bur no fon without frripes. Affliction is a badge of adoption; it is Dei Jigilium, faith TertuUian, it is God's feal by which he marks us for his own. When Munfttr, that holy man, lay lick, his friends asked him how he did ? He pointed to his fores, faying, Hae funt gemmae Dei, thefe are the jewels with which God decks his children. Shall not we then fay, Thy will be done ? Lord, there's kindnefs in the crofs, thou ufeth us as children. The rod of difcipline is to fit us for the inheritance. 3. There is kindnefs, that God hath, in all our afflictions, left us a promife; in ths mod cloudy providences, the promife appears as a rain-bow in the cloud. (1.) Then we fhall have God's promife with us Pf. xcu 15. / will be with him in trou- ble. It cannot be ill with that man with whom God is ; I will be with him, i. e. To fupport, fandtify, fweeten ; God's prefence is a fweetning ingredient into every affliction. I had rather be in prifon, and have God's pre- fence, than be in a palace, and want it. (2..) Promife, that he will lay no more up- on us than he will enable us to L>ear> 1 Cor. x. 13. God will not try us beyond our ftreng'h ; either God will make the yokj lighter, or our faith ftronger .- may not this mike us fubmit our wills to God, when afflictions have Co much kindnefs in them ? In all our trials God hath left us promiles, which are like manna in the wildernefs. 4. This is great kindnefs, that all the trou- bles that befal us mall be for our profit, //*>, xii. 10. Be for our profit : Qu. But what profit is in ajfUtlion ? Anf. 1. Afflictions are difcipiinary, they teach us, Schola crucis, Schola lucis. Many pfalms have this infeription : Mafchil, a pfihn giving inftruction : affliction many have this infeription upon it, Mafchil, an affliction giv- ing inftruction, Micah vi. 9. Hear ye the rod. Luther faith, he could never rightly under/land fome 476 OF THE THIRD PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. fome of the pfalms, till he was in affliction, Judg. viii. 1 6. Gideon took thorns of the wi/- dernefs, and briars, and -with them he taught the men c/Succoth : God by the thorns and briars of affliction teacheth us. (t.) Affliction (bows us more of our own hearts than ever. Water in a glals-vial looks clear; but fet it on the fire, and the fcum boils up ; when God fe'ts us upon the fire, then we fee that corruption boils up which we did not difcern before. Sharp afflictions are to the foul as a foaktng rain to the houfes, we know nor that there are fuch holes in the h till the fliower comes, and then we fee it drop down here and there; fo, we before did not know that there were fuch unmortified iufts in the foul, till the ftorm of affhetion Comes, then we fpy unbelief, impatience, carnal fear, we fee it drop down in many places. Thus afflic- tion is a facred colly rium, it clears our eye-fight ; the rod gives wifdom. (2.) Affliction brings thofe fins to rememb- rance, which before we ''burled the grave of forgetfulnefs. Jofcph's brethren, for twenty years together, were not at all troubled for their fin in felling their brother; but when they came into Egypt, and began to be in ftraits, then their /fin in filing their brother came into their remembrance, and their hearts did fmite the 1. Gen. x!ii. 21. They /aid one to another, we are verily, guilty concerning our brother. When a man is in diflrefs, now his fin comes frefh into his mind ; confcicnce makes a rehearfal-fermon of all the evils which have pafild in his life ; now his cxpence of precious time, his fabbath-breaking, his flight- ing of the word, come into his remembrance, and he goes out with Peter and weeps bitterly. Thus the rod gives wifdom, it (hows the hidden evil of the heart, and brings former fins to remembrance. 2. There is profit in affliction, as it quick- ens a fpirit of prayer, premuntur juji't ut pref- Jl clameut. Jonah was afleep in the fhip, but at prayer in the whale's belly. Perhaps, in a time of health and profperity, we prayed in a cold and formal manner, we- put no coals to the incenfe, we did fcarce mind our own prayers, and how (h'ould God mind them ? J\ow, God fends fbme crofies or other to make us flir up ourfelves to take hold of God : when Jacob was in fear of his life by his brother, then he wreilles with God, and weeps in prayer, and would not leave God till he blelled him, Hof. xii. 4. It is with many of God's children, as with thofe who formerly had the fweating ficknefs in this land, it was a ilecpy difeafe, if they flept they died; therefore, to keep them waking, they were fmitten with rofemary branches ; fo, the Lord ufeth affliction as a rofemary branch to keep us from fleeping, and to awaken a fpirit of prayer, Jfa. xxvi. 16. They poured out a prayer, when thy chai- ning hand was upon them ; now their prayer pierced heaven : in times of trouble we pray feelingly, and we never pray Co fervently as when we pray feelingly ; and, is not this for our proh; r rfliction is for our profit, as it is a means to expectorate and purge out our fin, Ifa. xxvii. o. By this therefore (hall the iniquity of Jacob he purged. Affliction is God's phyfic to expel the noxious humour, it cures the impoflhume of pride, the fever of luft; and, is not this for our profit \ Affliction is God's file to fetch off our ruft, his flail to threfh off our hufks : the water of affliction is not to drown us, but to wafh off our fpots. 4. To be under the black rod, is profitable, in that hereby we grow more ferious, and are more careful to clear our evidence for heaven : in times of profperity, when the rock poured out rivers of oil, Job xxix. 6. Wc were care- lefs in getting, at leaf! clearing our title to glo- ry. Had many no better evidences for their land, than they have for their fdvation, they were but in an ill cafe; but when an hour of trouble comes, we begin to look after our fpirit- ual evidences, and fee how things fland between God and our fouls; and, is it not for our profit to fee our interefi: in Chrifr. more cleared than ever ? 5. Affliction is for Aur profit, as it is a means to take us more off from the world ; the world oft proves not only a fpeeder's web, but a cockatrice egg: pernicious worldly things are. great inchantments, they are retinacula f'pei, Tertul. They hinder us in our pailage to heaven. If a clock be overwound, it flands flill ; Co, when the heart is wound up too much to the world, it flands flill to heavenly things : af- fliction founds a retreat to call us off the im- moderate purfuit of eaahly things : when things are frozen : and congealed together, the only way to feparatc them, is, by fire ; ib, when the heart and the world are congealed together," God hath no better way to feparate them, than by the fire of affliction. 6. Affliction OF THE THIRD PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 477 6. Affliction is our profu, as it is a refiner ; it works us to further degrees of' fSnctary, Heb. xii. JO. He for our projit, that iut might bt par* takers of his holinefu The veifrls of m^cy arc the brighter for fcouring s yon pour water on your linnen when you would whiten it; God pours the water of affliction upon us, to lay our fouls a-whitening. The leaves of the fig-tree, and root are bitter, but the fruit i3 fweet : afflictions are in themfelves bitter, but they bring forth the fweet fruits of righteoui- nefs, Heb. xii. ij. This may make us fubmit to God, and fay, Thy will be done ; there'.s kindnefs in affliction, it is for our fpirituai profit. 5. There's kindnefs in affliction, in that there is no condition fo bad, but it might be worfe ; when it is duikifli it might be darker : God doth not make our crofs lb heavy as it might, he doth not ltir up all his anger, Pf. Ixxviii. 38. He doth not put fo many nails in our yoke, fo much wormwood in our cup, as he might. Doth God chaftife thy body ? He might torture thy confcience. Doth he cut thee fhort ? He might cut thee off: the Lord might make our chains heavier. It is a burning fever ? It might have been a burning lake : Doth God ufe the pruning knife to lop thee? He might bring his axe to hew thee down, Ezek. xlvii. 3. The waters were up to the ancles. Do the waters of affliction come up to the ancles ? God might make them rife higher ; nay, he might drown thee in the waters. This may make us fubmit quietly, and fay, Thy will be done, becaufe there is fo much kindnefs in it ; whereas God ufeth the rod, he might ufe the fcorpion. 6. There is kindnefs in affliction, in that your cafe is not fo bad as others ; they are al- ways upon the rack, they fpend their years with fighiug, Pf. xxxi. 10. Have you a gentle fit of the ague ? Others Cry out of the frone and frrangullion : Do you bear the wrath of men ? Others bear the wrath of God ; you have but a fingk1 trial, others have them twill- ed together ; God flioots but one arrow at you, he (hoots a fhower of arrows at others : is there not kindnefs in all this ? AVe are apt to fay, never any fuffered as we? Was it not worfe with Lazarus, who was fo full of fores, that the v^s re )k pity on him, and lick- ed his fores ? Nay> was it not worfe with Chrift, who lived poor and died curled ? May not this caufe us to fay, Ihy will be done I There is kindnefs in it, that God tk.ds n >t fo feverely with us as with others. 7. There is kinc.vJi; in affliction, in that (it we belong to G >d) it : all the hell we (hall have. Some have tvvwi hells, tiu-y in their body, ntm coc.fcknce { her hell, and another hell is to coffee, uaqui u< fire. Judas had two hells, I at a child ol Inth but one hell. Lazarus had all his btfll here; he was full of foics, bur had a convoy of angels to carry him to haven when he dieo. Say then, Lo, if this be the wo ft I fhall have, if this be all my hell, I will patiently acquiefce, Thy will be done. 8. There is kindnefs in that God gives gra- cious fupports in affliction; if he ftrikes with one hand he will fupport w'nh the other, Dent. xxxiii. 27. Underneath are the everlafiinq arms. There is not the leaf! trial, but, if God did defert us, and not affilf. us with his grace, we fiioukl fink under it : the frown of a great man, the fear of reproach ; Peter was frighted at the voice of a maid, Mat. xxvi. 60. O there- fore, what mercy is it to have Chrifr. ftrengthen us, and as it were bar the heavieft part of the crofs with us. One did, I have no ravifhing joys in my ficknefs, but I blefs God, I have fweet fupports : and fhould not this caufe fub- miflion to God's will, and make us fav, if thou art fo kind as to bear us up in affliction, that we do nor faint, put us into what wine-pr^fs thou pleafeft, Thy will be done. 9. There is kindnefs in affliction, in that it is preventive. (1.) God by this ffroke of his, would prevent fame fin : Paul's thorn in the fiejh w^ to pre- vent his being lifted up in pride, 2 Cor. xii. 7. As affliction is fometimes fent for the pun idl- ing of fin, Co fometimes for the preventing of fin. Profperity expoleth to much evil ; it is hard to carry a full cup without fpilling, and a full eflate without finning. God's people know not how much they are beholding to their affliction, they might have fallen into fomc ilai.dal, had not God fct an hedge of thorns in their way to flop them ; what Kind- nefs is this ? God lets us fall into fufferings, to prevent falling into fhares.- C.y, then Lord, do as it feems good in thy fight, Thy will be done. (2. ; God by affliction would prevent dam- nation, 1 Cor. xi. 32. We are correcltd in the -world, that we may not be condemned with the worij. A man, by falling into the briars, is' la- v«4 478 OF THE THIRD PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. ▼ed from falling into the river : God lets us fall into the briars of affliction, that we may not drown in perdition. It is a great favour when a lelTer punifhment is inflicted, to prevent a greater : is it not clemency in the judge, when he lays forne light penally on the prifoner, and laves h i 3 life ? Co, when God lays upon us light affliction, and faves us from wrath to come. As Pilate faid, Luke xxiii. 16. I will chafiife him, and let him go : fo God chaftifeth his chil- dren, and lets them go, frees them from eter- nal torment. What is a drop of forrow the godlv tafle, to that fea of wrath, the wicked mall be drinking of to all eternity? O what kindnefs is here ! may not this make us fay, thy will be done ? It is preventing phyfic. 10. There is kindnefs, in that God doth mix his providences, Hab. iii. 2. In anger he re- members mercy. Not all pure gall, but fome honey mixed with it. Afher\ fhoes were iron tnd brafs, but his foot was dipped in oil, Gen. xxxiii. 24. Affliction is the fhoe of brafs, but God caufeth the foot to be dipped in oil. As the limner mixeth with his dark fhadows bright colours ; fo the wife God mingles the dark and teright colours, erodes and bleffings. The body is afflicted, but within is peace of conference ; there is a bleffing. Jofph was fold into Egypt, and put in prifon : there was the dark fide of the cloud. Job loft all that ever he had, his flcin was clothed with boils and ulcers ; here was a fad providence. But God gave a tefli- mony from heaven of Jobs integrity, and did afterwards double his eflate, Job xlii. 10. The Lord gave Job twice as much ,- here was the goodnefs of God feen towards Job. God doth chequer his works of providence, and fhall not we fubmit and fay, Lord, if thou art fo kind, mixing fo many bright colours with my dark condition, thy will be done. 1 1 . There is kindnefs in affliction, in that God doth moderate his ftroke, Jer. xxx. if. / will correel thee in meajure. Gud will in the day of his eaft-wind flay his rough wind, Ifa. xxvii. 8. The phyfician that underflands the crafis and temper of the patient, will not give too ftrong phyfic for the body, nor will he give one drahm or fcruple too much : God knows our frame, he will not over-afflict ; he will not irreich the firings of his viol to> hard, leir they break. And, is there not kindnefs in all this ? may not this work our hearts to fubmiffion ? Lord, if thou ufeft fo much gentlenefs-, »»d «©rre&eil in meafure, thy will be dona. 12. There is kindnefs in affliction, in that God often fweetens it with divine confolation, 1 Cor. i. tf. If ho com/or teth us in all our tri- bulation. After a bifter potion, a lump of fu- gar. God comforts in affliction. (r.) Partly by his word, Pf. cxix. 50 This h my , omfort in my affliction, for thy word hath quickned me. The promifes of the word are a fliop of cordials. (2.) God comforts by his fpirit. Philip, land- grave of Heffr, faid, that in his troubles Se di- vinas martyrum confolationes fenfijfe, he felt the divine confolarioas of the martyrs. David had his pilgrimage-fongs, Pf. cxix. 54. and St. Paul his p'ifon-rfongs, Acis xri. 2.5. Thus God can- dies eur wormwood with fugar, and makes us gather grapes of thorns. Some of the faints have fuch ravifhing joys in affliction, that they had rather endure their fufferings, than want their comforts : O how much kindnefs is ia the crofs ! In the belly of this lion is an honey- comb : may not this make us cheerfully fubmit to God's will, when God lines the yoke with comfort, and gives us honey at the end of the rod ? 13. There is kindnefs in affliction, in that God doth curtail and Jkorten it ; he will not let it ly on too long, Ifa. lvii. < 6* I will not contend for ever, lefi the fpirit fhould fail me. God will give his people a writ of eafe, and proclaim a year of jubilee ; the wicked may plow upon the backs of the faints, but God will cut their traces, Pf exxix. 4. The goldfmith will not let his gold ly any longer in the fur- nace, than till it be purified. The wicked rnufl drink a fea of wrath, but the godly have only a cup of affliction, Ifa. li. 17. and God will fay, Let this cup pafs away. Affliction may be com- pared to froft, it will break, and fp ring -flowers will come on, Ifa. xxxv. Sorrow and fjghing Jhall fiy away, /iiBiction harii a fling, but wiihal a wing, forrow fhall fly away j this land- flood fhall be diied up. If then there be fa much kindnefs in the crofs, God will caufe a ceffation of trouble ; lay then fiat voluntas tua, thy will be done. 14. Ulf. There is kindnefs in affliction, in that it is a means to make us happy. Job v. 17. Behold, happy is the «?#&_ whrnn God correcleth. This feerr.s ftrange to flefli and blood, that af- fliction fhould make one happy : when Mofes faw the bufti burning and not con fumed, 1 w';U (faith he) turn- afide and fee this Jir a >%ge fight t Exod. iii. 3. So here is a ftrangc fight, a man afflicted* OF THE THIRD PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 4*9 tfRicled, yet happy. The world counts them happy who can efcape affliction, but happy is the man whom God corrccleth. Qu. But how do afflictions contribute to our kappinefi ? Anf. i . As they are a means to bring us nearer to God ; the loadftone of profperity doth not draw us Co near to God, as the cords of afflicti- on ; when the prodigal was pinched with want, then faith he, / will arife and go to my father, Luke xv. 1 8. The deluge brought the dove to the ark : the floods of forrow make us haften to Chrift: 2. Afflictions make us happy, as they are ma- nuducYions to glory. The ftorm drives the fliip into the harbour : happy is that ftorm which drives the foul into the heavenly harbour. Is it not better to go through affliction to glory, than through pleafure to milery ? Not that affliclions merit glory : no crofs ever merited, but that which Ch;iA endured ; but they do difponere, fit, and prepare us for glory. Think, 0 chriftian, what affliclion leads to, it leads to paradile, where are rivers of pleafure always running : may not this make us cheerfully fub- mit to God's will, and fay, Lord, if there be Co much kindnefs in affliclion, if all thou doft is to make us happy, thy will be done. 7. Confideration, it is God'? ordinary eourfe, to keep his people to a bitter diet-drink, and exercife them with great trials. Affliclion is the beaten road all the faints have gone in : the lively Hones in the fpiritual building have 1 all hewn and polifhed ; Chrift's lily hath grown among the thorns, 2 Tim. iii. 12. All that will live gody in Chrift Jefus /hall fuffer ferfecuticn '1 is too much for a chriftian to have two heavens, that is more than Chrift had. It h..th been ever the lot of the faints to en- counrer with fore trials: both of the prophets, James v. 10. Take, my brethren, the prophets for an example of Jujfering affliclion : And of the apoftles ; letcr was ciucified with his head downward, James beheaded by Herod, John banifhed into the ifle of I atmos, the a- poftle Thomas thruft thorow with a fpear, Mat- thias (who was chofen apoftle in Judas\ room) was ftoned to death, Luke the evangelilt hang- ed on an olive-tree. Thoie faints, of whom the world was not worthy, did pafs under the rod, Heb. xi. 36. Chrift's kingdom is regnum crucis, this is the way God hath always gone in : fuch as God intends to fave from hell, yet he doth not fave from the crofs. The ceniidc- ration of this mould quiet our minds in afflicli- on, and make us fay, thy will be done. U) \v think Cod will alter his eourfe ofproviden.ee for us ? why fhould we look for exemption rVoM trouble, more than others? why fhould we think, to tread only upon rofts and violets, when pro- phets and apoftles have marched through the briars to heaven ? 8. Confideration, God hath done that for thee, chriftian, which may make thee content to fuf- fer any thing at his hand, and fay, thy will bs done. (1.) He hath adopted thee for his child. Da- vid thought it no fmall honour to be the king's fon-in-law, 1 Sam. xviii. 18. What an honour is it to derive thy pedigree from heaven, to be born of Cod ? why then art thou troubled, and murmureft at every llighl crofs ? As Jonadab faid to Amnon, 2 Sam. xiii. 4. Why art thou, being the king's fen, lean ? So, why art thou, who art fon or daughter to the king of heaven, troubled at thefe petty things ? what, the king's fon, and look lean ! This may quiet thy fjnrir, and bring thy will to God's ; he hath dignified thee with honour, he made thee his fon and h.ir, and will entail a kingdom on thee. (2.) God hath given thee Chrift. Chrift is communis thefaurus, a magazine and ftore-houfc of all heavenly treafure ; a pearl of price to en- rich, a tree of life to quicken ; he is the quin- teffence of all bleffings : why then art thou dif- contented at thy worldly croffes ? They cannot be fo bitter as Chrift is fweet. As Seneca faid once to Polybius, why dofi thou complain of hard fortune, falvo Cacfare ? Is not Cxfar thy friend ? So, is not Chrift thy friend ? He can never be poor, who hath a mine of gold in his field ; nor he who hath the unfearchable riches of Chrift: fay then, Lord, thy will be done; tho' I have my crofs, yet I have Chrift with it. The crofs may make me weep, but Chrift wipes off all tears, Rev. vii. 17. (3 ) God hath given thee grace. Grace is the rich embroidery and workmanfhip of the holy Ghoft ; it is the facred unction, 1 John ii. 27. The graces are a chain of pearl to adorn, and beds of fpices which make us a fweet odour to God : grace is a diftinguifliing blefTing, Chriit gave Judas his purfe, but not his fpirit. May not this quiet the heart in affliction, and make it fay, thy will be done ? Lord, thou haft given, that jewel which thou beftoweft only on the e- lecl : grace is a feal of thy love, it is both food and cordial, it isanearnefl of glory. L 1 1 9. Con- OF THE THIRD PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 450 9. Confideration, When God intends the greateft mercy to any of his people, he brings them low in affliction. God feems to go quite crofs to fenfe and reafon ; when he intends to raife us higheft, he brings us loweft. As Mofes's hand, before it wrought miracles, was leprous ; and Sarah's womb, before it brought forth the fon of the promife, was barren ; God brings us low before he raifeth us, as water is at the low- eft ebb before there is a fpring tide. (1.) It is true in a temporal fenfe. When God would bring 1/rael to Canaan, a land flow- ing with milk and honey, he lirft leads them through a fea and a wildernefs. When God intended to advance Jofeph to be the fccond man in the kingdom, he caft him fi;ft into pri- fon, and the irons entred into his foul, Pf. cv. 18. God ufually lets it be darken- before the morning-ftar of deliverance appears. (2.) It is true in a fpiritual fenfe. When God intends to raife a foul to fpiritual comfort, he firft lays it low in defertion, Ifa. xii- 1. As the limner lays his dark colour firft, and then lays his gold colour on it ; fo God firft lays the foul in the dark of defertion, and then he lays his golden colour of joy and confohuion. May not this make us cheerfully fubmit, and fay, Thy -will be dons ? Perhaps now God afflicts me, he is about- to raife me, he intends me a greater mercy than I am aware of. 10. Confideration, the excellency of this frame of foul, to ly at God's feet and fay, Thy will be done. (1.) A foul that is melted into God's will (hows variety of grace. As the holy ointment was made up of feveral aromatic fpices, myrrh, cinnamon, caflia, Exod. xxx. 23. fo this fweet temper of foul, fubmiffion to God's will in af- fliction, hath in it a mixture of feveral graces : in particular, it is compounded of three graces, faith, love, humility. 1. Faith: faith believes God doth all in mercy, that affiicYion is to mor- tify fome fin, orexercife fome grace ; that God corrects in love and faithfulnefs, Pf. cxix. 75. the belief of this, caufeth fubmiffion of will to God. 2. Love thinks no evil, 1 Cor. xiii. 5. Love takes all God doth in the belt fenfe, it hath good thoughts of God ; this caufeth fub- miffion, thy will be done. Let the righteous God fmite me (faith love) it mall be a kindnefs, y«a, it fhall be an excellent oil, which (ball not break my head. 3. Humility : the humble foul looks on its fms, and how it hath provoked God ; he faith not his afflictions are great, but his fins are great ; this make3 him ly at God's feet, and fay, / will bear the indignation of the Lord, becaufe I have finned againf} him, Micah vii. 9. Thus a fubmiffive frame of heart is full of grace, it is compounded of feveral graces ; it pleafeth God to fee fo many graces at once fweetly exercifed ; he faith of fuch a chriftian, as David of Goliah's fword, 1 Sam. xxi. 9. None like that, give it me. (2.) He who puts his fiat is placet to God's will, and faith, thy will be done, mows not only variety of grace, but ftrength of grace. It ar- gues much ftrength in the body, to be able to endure hard weather, yet not to be altered by it ; fo to endure hard trials, yet not faint or fret, (hows more than ordinary ftrength of grace. You that can fay, you have brought your wills to God's ; Cod's will and yours agree, as the copy and the original ; let me affure you, you have outftript many chriffians, who perhaps fhine in an higher orb of knowledge than you. To be content to be at God's difpofe, to be any thing that God will have us, fhows a noble he- roic foul. It is reported of the eagle, it is not like other fowls ; thejr, when they are hungry, make a noife, the ravens cry for food, but the eagle is never heard to make a noife, though it wants meat, and it is from the noblenefs and greatnefs of its fpirit ; the eagle is above other fowis, and hath a fpirit fuitable to its nature j fb it is an argument of an holy gallantry and magnitude of fpirit, that whatsoever crofs pro- vidences befal a chriftian, he doth not cry and whine as others, but is filent, and lies quietly at God's feet t. here is much ftrength of grace in fuch a foul, nay, the height of grace. When grace is crowning, it is not fo much to fay, Lord, thy v)ill be done ; but when grace is con- flifling, and meets with croffes and trials, novfc to lay. thy will be done, is a glorious thing in- deed, and prepares for the garland of honour. 11. Confideration, perfons are ufually better in adverfity than in profpei ity, therefore ftoop to God's will. A profperous condition is not always fb fafe : 'tis true, it is more pleafing to the palate, and every one defires to get on the warm fide of the hedge, where the fun of prop perity mines, but it is not always beft ; in a profperous cftate, there is more burden : many look at the fhining and glittering of profperity, but not at the burden, plus oneris. (1 .) The burden of care, therefore Chrift calls riches, care, Luke viii. 14. A rofe hath its prickks, fo have riches : we think them happy r that OF THE THIRD PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 45 1 flfcflt -flour' #i filks and cloth of gold, bur vt fee lioul lcs and cares that attend t: fh.pe may have filver-lace on it, vet jpinch the foot. Many a man that goes to his ■day-labour, lives a more contented lite, than he that hath his thoufands per annum- Difqureting care is the mains genius, the evil fpirit that haunts the rich man : when his chefts are full of gold, his heart is full of care how to encr< aie, or how to fecure what he hath gotten : he is fometimes full of care whom he fhrtll leave it to. A large eftVe, like a long trailing garment, is oft more troublefome than ufeful. 2. In a profperous eftate there is the burden of account. Such as are in high piaccs, have a fir greater account to give to God *h.m others, Luke xii. 48. Unto whomfoever mu :b is given, tf him fhall be much required. 1 he more gold- en talents any are entrufted with, the more they have to anfwer for ; the more their revenues, the more their reckonings. God will fey, I gave you a great eftate, what have you < one with it ? how have you empk-yed it for my glory ? I have read of Philip king cf Spain, when he was to die, he faid, 0 that I had ne- ver been a king ! 0 that I had lived .? private folitary life .' Here is all the fruit of my king- dom, it hath made my accounts hcavur. So then, may not this quiet our hearts in a low juiveife condition, and make us fay, Lord, thy ivi'l be done ? as thou haft given me a lefs por- tion or wo. Idly things, fo I have a lefs burden of care, and a lefs • u den of account. 2. A profperc.? c in more danger of falling, they art fid je£fc to m^nv ten nntions ; their tabic- is oft ;;jarc. Beliogababts made ponds of fweet watei »o bathe ir ; millions a»e drowned in the fweet waters ci pleafur^. A great fail overturns the veffel ; hoTv m :i y, by having too great fails of profperity, have nod their fouls overturned? It muft Le a ftiong head that bears heady wine; he h«3 netd have much wifdom and grace that knows now to bear an high condition. It is hard to carry a full cup without fpilling, anda full eftate v. iihout finning. Agur feared, if he were full, he mould deny Cod, and fay, Who is the Lord? Prov. xxx. 9. Profperity breeds, 1. Pride: the children of Kohath were in an higher eflate than the reft of the Levites, they were employed in the taber- nacle about the moft holy things of all, Numb. iv. 4. they had the firft lot, Jojh. xxi. 10. but as they were lift d up above others of the Levites in honour, fo in pride, Numb. xvi. 4. In the Thames, when the tide rifeth higher, the boat' rifeth higher; fo, when the tide of an eftetc rifeth higher, many mens hearts rife higher in pride. 2. Profperity breeds fecurity. Sampfin fell afleep in Datitah's L\p, fo do men in the lap ( ; eafe and plenty : the world's golden lands are quick-finds. How hard is it for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven? Luke xviii. 24. The conlideration of this fhould make us fubmit to God in adve.fity, and fay, thy will be clone. God fees what is heft for us ; if we have lefs '.{late, we are in lefs danger ; if we w ini the honours of others, fo we want their temp canons. t2. Oonfideration, the having of our wills melted in'o God's, is a good fign that the pre- fent affliction is ianctified : then an affliction is lana.f .d, when it attains the end foi which it was f nt; The end why God fends affliction, is to calm the fj-i'it, to fubdue the will, and bring it to God's v, ill ; when this is done, af- fliction hath attained the end for which it came ; ir is fanctified, and it will not be long ere it be removed. When the fore is healed, the fmart- ing plaifler is taken off. 13. Conlideration, how unworthy it is of a chriilian to be rroward and unfubmifflve, and not bring his will to God. (1.) It is below the fpirit of a chriftun. The fpirit of a chriflian is dove-like, 'tis meek and fedate, Willing to be at God's difpofe ; Not my wi'l, but thy will be done, Luke xxii. 42. A chriftian fpirit is not fretful, but humble; not craving, but contented. See the picture of * chrifUari fpirit in St. Paul, Phil. iv. 12. I know how to be abafed, and how to abound. Paul could be either higher or lower, as God faw good ; he could fail with any wind of provi- dence, either a profperous or bioifterous gi:!e, his will was melted into God's will : now to be of a crofs fpirit, that cannot fubmit to God, is unworthy of the fpirit of a chriflian; 'tis lik« the bird, that, becaufe 'tis pent up in the cage, and cannot fly in the open air, beats himfelf a- gainft the cage. (2.) A froward unfubmifflve frame, that c-.n- not fubmit to God's will, is unworthy of a chriflian's profelfion : he profefleth to live by faith, yet repines at his condition, Faith Ijves not by bread alone, it feeds on piomifes, it makes future glory prefenr ; faith fees all in God ; IVhcn the fig-tree doth not btojjom, faith can LI 1 2 j*y 45* OF THE THIRD PETITION JK THE LORD'S PRAYER, joy in the God of its fahation, Hab. Hi. 17. Isow, to be troubled at the prtfent eftate, be- caufe low and mean, where is faith ? Sure that is a weak faith, or no faith, which muft have crutches to fupport it. O be afhamed to call thyfelf believer, if thou canft not truft God, and acquiefce in his will, in the deficiency of outward comforts. (2) To be of a froward unfubmiflive fpirit, that cannot furrender its will unto God, is un- worthy of the high dignities God hath put upon a chriftian. 1. He is a rich heir; he is exalt- ed above all creatures that ever God. made, ex- cept the angels; yea, in fome fenfe, as his na- ture is joined in an hypoftatical union to the divine nature, Co he is above the angels : O then, how is it below his dignity, for want of a few earthly comforts, to be froward, and ready to. quarrel with the Deity ? is it not unworthy of a king's fon, becaufe h£ may not pluck fuch a flower, to be difcontented and rebel againft his royal father ? 2. A chriftian is efpoufed to Je- fus Chrift : what, to be married to Chrifl, yet froward and unfubmiflive ? haft not thou enough in him ? as Elkanah faid to Hannah, 1 Sam. i. 8. Am not 1 better than ten fons ? is not Chrift better than a thoufand wor'dly comforts? Om- nia bona in fummo bono. 'Tis a difparagement to Chrifl, that his fpoufe mould be froward, when flie is matched into the crown of heaven. (4.) To be of a froward unfubmiflive fpirit, i: unsuitable to the prayers of a chriftian ; he prays, thy will be clone : it is the will of God he fliould meet with fuch troubles, whether ficknefs, lofs of eftate, crofTes in children, God hath de- creed, and ordered it ; why then is there not fubmiffion ? why are we difcontented at that which we pray for ? It is a faying of Latimer, fpeaking of Peter, who denied his mailer, Peter, faith he, forgot his prayer, for that was, hallo-wed be thy name. So, oft we forget our prayers, nay, contradict them ; for we pray, thy will be done. Now, if unfubmiffivenefs to God be fb unworthy of a chriftian, fhould not we labour to bring our wills to God's, and fay, Lord, let me not difparage religion, let me do nothing Mn worthy of a chriftian. 14. Confideration, frowardnefs and unfub- jniffivenefs of will to God, is very finful. (1.) It is finful in its nature ; to murmur When God crofTeth us in our will fliows much tmgodiinefs. The apoftle Jude fpeaks of un- godly ones, r. 15. and that we may better know who thefe are, he fets a. mark upon them, v. 16. Thefe are murmurers. Some think they are not lb ungodly as others, becaufe they do not fwear, or are drunk, but you may be ungodly in murmuring; there are not only ungodly- drunkards; but ungodly murmurers ; nay, this is the height of ungodlinefs, namely, rebellion. Kcrah and his company murmured againft God, and fee how the Lord interprets this, Numb. xvii. 10. Bring AaronV rod to be kept for a token again/1- the rebels • to be a murmurer, and a rebel, is, in God's account, all one ; Numb. xx. 13. This is the -water of Met ibah, becaufe the children of Ifrael ftrove -with the Lord. How did they ftrive with God, becaufe they murmured at his providence, v. 3. What wilt thou be a rebel againft God > It is a fhame for a fervant to ftrive with his mafter, but what is it for a creature to ftrive with its maker. (2.) To quarrel with God's providence, and be unfubmiifive to his will, is finful in the fpring and caufe ; it arifeth from pride. 'Twas Satan's temptation, ye fliall be as Gods, Gen. iii. 5. A proud perfon makes a god of himfelf, he difdains to have his wiil crofted ; he thinks himfelf better than others, therefore he finds fault with Gods wifdom, that he is not above others. (3.) Quarrelfbmenefs and unfubmiffivenefs to God's will, is finful in the concomitants of it. 1. It is joined with finful rifings of the heart. (1 ) Evil thoughts arife. We think hardly of God, as if he had done us wrong, or, as if we had deferved better at his hands. (2.) Paffions begin to arife ; the heart fecretly frets againft: God. Jonah was crofted in his will, and paf- fion began to boil in him, Jonah iv. 1. He -was very angry. Jonah's fpirit, as well as the fea, wrought, and was tempeftuous. 2. Unfub- miffivenefs of will is joined with unthankful- nefs, becaufe in fome one thing we are afflict- ed, we forget all the mercies we have ; we deal with God, juft as the widow of Sarepta did with the prophet : the prophet Elijah had been a means to keep her alive in the famine, but as foon as her child dies, fhe quarrels with the prophet, 1 Kings xvii. 18. 0 thou man of God, art thou come to flay my fon? So do we deal with God ; we can be content to receive bleffings at his hand, but as foon as he doth in the leaft thing crofs us in our will, we grow touchy, and are ready in a paffion to fly out againft him: thus God lofeth all his mercies, and is not this high ingratitude ? (4.) Frowardnefs and unfubmiffivenefs to God's OF THE THIRD PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 453 God's will, is evil in the effecV. i. Ii unfits for duty: it is bad failing in a dorm, and it is ill praying when the heart is dormy and un- quiet: it is well if fuch prrweis do not differ ftilp-wrack. (>.) Unfubmiffivcnefs of fpirit fometimes unfits for the ule of reafbn. "Jonah was difcontented, becaufe he had not his will ; God withered the gourd, and his heart fretted againlt. God; and in the midft of his paflion, he fpake no better than nonfenfe and blafphe- . my, Jonah iv. 9. / do -well to be angry to the death. Sure he did not know well what he faid : what, to be angry with God, and die for anger : He fpeaks as if he had loft the ufe of his reafon. Thus unfubmiffivenefs of will is finful in itjs nature, caufes, concomitants," ef- fects; may not this martyr our wills, and bring our wills to God in every thing, making us fay, thy iv'tll be done. 15. Confideration, unfubmiffivenefs to God's will is very imprudent, we get nothing by it, it doth not eafe us of our burden, but rather makes it heavier. The more the child druggies with the parent, the more it is beaten ; when we druggie with God, and will not fubmit to his will, we get nothing but more blows. In- ftead of having our cords of affliction loolened, we make God tye them the itraiter. Let us then fubmit and fay, Lord, thy will be done. "Why mould I fpin out my own trouble by im- patience, and make my crofs heavier ? What got Ifrael by their frowardnefs, they were with- in eleven days journey of Canaan, they fell a •murmuring, and God leads them a march of forty years longer in the wildernefs. 16. Confideration, the mifchief of being un- fubmifllve to God's will in affliction, it lays a man open to many temptations. When the heart frets againd God by difcontent, here's good fifhing for Satan in thefe troubled waters, i^e ufually puts difcontented perfons upon in- direct means. Job's wife fretted (fo far was (he from holy fubmiiTion) and die prefently puts her husband upon curfing of God, Job ii. 9. Curfe God and die. What is the reafon why fome have turned witches, and given themfelves to the devil, but out of envy and difcontent, becaufe they have not had their will. Others being under a temptation of poverty, and not having their wills in living at fuch an high rate as others, have laid violent hands upon them- felves. O the temptations that men of difcon- tented fpirits are expofed to ! Here (faith Satan) b good fifhing for me. 17. Confideration, how far unfubmiffivenefs of fp'nit is from that temper of foul which God requires in affliction. God would have us m patience poflefs our fijuls, Lu' e xxi. 19. The Creek word for patience, fignifies to bear up under a burden without fainting or fretting ; but to be froward in affliction, and quarrel with Cod's will, where is this Chridian patience ? God would have us rejoice in affliction, James i. 2. Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations ; that is, afflictions, count it joy, be as birds that fing in winter, 1 Thejf. i. 6. Te received the word in affliction with joy. Paul could leap in his fetters, and fing in the docks, dels xvi. 25. How far is a difcontented foul from this frame; he is far from rejoycing in affliction that hath not learned to fubmit. 18. Confideration, what is it makes the differ- ence between a Godly man and an ungodly man in affliction, but only this, the Godly man fubmits to God's willt the ungodly man will not fubmit:" a wicked man frets and fumes, and is like a wild bull in a net. He in affliction blafphemes God, Rev. xvi. 9. Men werefcor- ched with great heat, and blafphemed the name of Cod. Put a done in the fire, and it flies in your face; doney hearts fly in God's race. A duff that is rotten, the more it is rubbed,, the more it frets and tears ? When God afflicts the finner, he tears himfelf in anjer : but a Godly man is fweetly fubmifflve to God's will; this is his fpeech, fhall not 1 drink the cup which my father hath given me? Spices, when they are bruifed, fend out a fweet fragrant fmell ; when God biuifeth his faints, they feud out the fweet perfume of patience. Servu.'us, an holy man, long afflicted with the pally, yet this was his ordinary fpeech, laudetur Deus, let God be praifed ; O let us fay, thy will be done ; let t>s bear that patiently which God inflicts judly, elfe how do wc fliow our grace ? What differ- ence is there between us and the wicked in af- fliction ? 19. Confideration, not to fubmit to God's providential will, is highly provoking to God. Can we anger God more than by quarreling with him, and not let him have his will ? kin^s do not love to have their will oppofed, though they may be unjud : how ill doth God take it, when we will be difputing againd his righteous will? It is a fin God cannot bear, Numb. xiv. 26. 27. New long [halt I bear with this evil congregation which murmur again ft me ? May not Godjudly fay thus, how long fhall I ben^r with 454 OF THE THIRD PETITION IN THE LOAD'S PR AVER. with this wicked perfon, who, when any thing falls out crofs, murmurs againft me ? Ver. 28. Say unto them, as truly as I live, faith the Lord, as ye have Ipoken in my ears, fo will I do unto you. God (wears againft a murmurer, as I live > a*nd what will God do as he lived ? Ver. 29. Tour carcafes foall fall in the wildernefs. You fee how provoking a difcontented qutrrelfome fpirit is to God, it may coft men their lives, nay, their foul. God feat fiery ferpenrs among the people for their murmuring, 1 Cor. x. 10. He may fend worfe than fiery ferpenrs, he may fend hell-fire. 20. Consideration, how much doth God bear it at our hand, and fhall not we be content to bear fomething at his hand ? It would tire the patience of angels to bear with us one day, 2 Pet. n\. g. The Lord is long-fuffering towards us. How oft do we ofFend in our eye by en- vious impure glances ? In our tongues by rafh cenfuring ? but God paffeth by many injuries, he bears with us. Should the Lard punith us every rime we ofFend, he might draw his fword every day, mail God bear fo much at our hands, and can we bear with nothing at < his hands ? (hall God be patient with us, and v»e impatient with him ? Shall he be meek, and wfc murmur ? Shall he endure our fins, and mail not we endure his itrokes ? Oh let us fiy, Thy will be done. Lord, thou had been the greuelt fnlFerer, thou haft born more from me, than [ can from tfle'e. 21. Consideration, Submitting our wills to God in affliction disappoints Satan of his hope, and quite fpoils his ddign. The devil's end is in all our affliction to make us fin. The reala "why Satan i\\d finite Job in his body and efbte, was to perplex his mind, and put him into a pafflon ; he hoped that Job would have been discontented, and in a fit of anger not only have cnrfeil his birth-day, but curie his God. But Job lying at God's fctt, and bleffmg him in affliction, diftppointed Satan of his hope, and quire fpoifed his plot. Had Job murmur- ed, he had pleaied Satan 1 had he fallen into an hear, and (park's of his anger flown about, the devil had warmed himfelf at this fire of Job's pillion; but Job quierby fubinirted and hleflld God : here Satan's defign was frttftrated, and he milled of his intent. The devil hath oft deceived us ; the belt way to deceive him, is by quiet fubmiflion to God in all things, laying, thy will be done. 21. Coufideration, it may rock our hearts quiet in affliction, to confider, that to the Godly the nature of affliction is quite changed ; to a wicked man it is a cur.fe, the rod is turned in- to a ferpent ; affliction to him is but an effect of God's difpleafure, the beginning of fo rrow : but the nature of affliction is quite changed to a be« liever, it is by divine chymiftry turned into a bleffing; it is like poifon correct J, which be- comes a medicines it is a love token, a badge of adoption, a preparatory to glory ; mould not this make us fay, thy will be done ? The poy- fon of the affliction is gone; it is not hurtful, but healing. This hath rnuue the' faints not only patient in affliction, |>ut have founded forth thankfulnefs : as bells, when they have been caft in the fire, do afterwards make a fweeter found ; Co the Godly, after they have been calt into the fire of auction, have founded forth God's prnfe, Pf. cxix. . // is good for me that I have been afflicted. . joo i. tzi. Bleff- ed be the name of the Lord. ■ 23. Gonfideration, to make us fubmit o3r Will to God in affliction, is, to think how many good things we receive from God, and fhall not we be content to receive fome evil ? Jok ii. 10. Shall we receive good at the hand of Cod, and fn all we not receive evil? In the Hebre ., fhall we receive qood fom God, and not evil? This may make us fry, thy will be done. How many blefTings have we received at the hand of God's bou lty ? We have been bemiraded with mercy ; what fparing, prevent- ing, delivering mercy have we had ! the honey- comb of mercy hath continually dropped upon us, J. am. iii. 23. His mercies are new every nr.rning. Mercy conies in as conflantly as the^ tide ; nay, how many tides of mercy do we fee in one day? We never feed, but mercy carves every bit to us; we never drink but in the golden cup of mercy; we never go abroad, but mercy fets a guard of angels about us ; we never ly down in our bed, but mercy draws the curtains of protection dole about us : now, mall we receive fo many good things at the hand of God, and 'hall we not receive evil? our mercies far outweigh our afflictions; for one affliction we have a thoufand mercies ; O then let us fubmit to God, and fay, Thy will be done\ the fea of God's mercy mould fwallo'.T up a few drops of affliction. 24. Gonfideration, to bring our wills to God in aftfet'on doth much honour the gofpei : aa unfubmiffl/e Cbrillian reproacheth religion, as if it were not able to fubdue an unruly fpi- rit; OF THE THIRD PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 4*5 rit; it is weak phyfic, which cannot purge out ill humours: and lure it is a weak gofpel, if it cannot matter our dKfcpnteni, and martyr our wills : unfubniiili 'encfs is a reproach, but a cheerful refignation of our will to God fits a crown of honour upon the head of religion, it fhows the power of the gofpel, which can charm down the paffions, and melt the will into God's will ; therefore in fcripture fubmiffive patience is brought in as an adorning grace, Rev. xiv. 21. Here is the patience of the faints. 25. Conflderation, the example of our Lord Jefus, how flexible and fubmiffive was he to his Father ! he who taught us this prayer, thy will be done, had learned it himfelf ; Chrift's will was perfectly turned to his Father's will ; it was the will of his Father that he mould die for our fins, and he endured the crofs, Heb. xii. 2. It was a painful, fhameful, curfed death ; he (offered the very pains of hell equivalently, yet he willingly fubmited, Ifa. liii. 7. He opened not his mouthy he opened his fides when the blood ran out, but he opened not his mouth in repining, his will was refolved into the will of his Father, John xviii. 11. Shall I not drink the cup -which my Father hath given me ? Now the more our wills are fubject to God's will in affliction, the nearer we come to Chrift our pat Pern; is it not our prayer we may be like Chrift ? by holy fubmiffion we imitate him t his will was melted into his father's will. 26. Conflderation to fubmit our wills to God is the way to have our will ; every one would be glad to have his will ; the way to have our will is to refign it; God deals with us as we do with froward children ; while we fret and quarrel, God will give us nothing, but when we are fubmiffive, and fay, Thy will be done, now God carves out mercy to us : the way to have our will is to fubmit it. David brought his will to God, 2 Sam. xv. 26. Here am I, let him do to me as feems good to him. And after he refigned his will he had his will ; God brought him back to the ark, and fettled him again in his throne^ 2 Sam. xix. Many a parent that hath had a dear child fick, when he could bring his will to God to part with it, God hath given him the life of his child : there'b nothing loft by referring our will to God, the Lord takes it kindly from us, and it is the only way to have our will. 27. zndu/t. Conflderation, we may the more cheerfully furrender our fouls to God when we die, when we have furrendered our wills to Qod while we live. Our blefied Saviour had all along fubmitted his will to God, there was but one will between God the father and Chrift. Now Chrift "in his life-time having given up his will to his father, at death he cheerfully gives up his foul to him, Lykgxx\ik. 4: in God s wifdom ? Did we but ftudy how wife!\ God fleers all occurrences, and how he often brings us to heaven by a croft wind, it would much qu'et our fpirits, and make us fay, Thy will be .:one. God's will is guided by wifdom ; fhould God fometimes let us have our will, we would undo ourfelvcs; did he let us carve for ourfelves, we would choofe the worft piece; Lot chofe Ssdom be- cauli well watered, and was as the garden of 45<* OF THE THIRD PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. of the Lord, Gen. xiii. to, hut God rained fire upon it out of heaven, Gen. xix. 24. (3.) God's will is a jjfl will, Gen. xviii. 25. Shall not the judge of all the earth do right? God's will is regula & menfura, it is the rule of juftice; the wills of men are corrupt, there- fore unfit to give law ; but God's will is an holy and unerring will, which may caule fub- milfion, Pf. xcvii. 2. God may crofs us, but he cannot wrong us ; fevere he may be, not up.juft ; ry adverfe providence yield to God, as the wax to the impreffion of the fcal. 5. Means to fubmiffion to God in affliction, get an humble fpirit : a proud man will never froop to God, he will rather break, than bend ; but when the heart is humble, the will is pliable. What a vaft difference was there between Pha- raoh and Eli ? Pharaoh cries out, -who is the Lord, that I fiiould obey his voice 1 Exod. v. 2. But Eli faith, it is the Lord, let him do what therefore we mull ftrike fail, and fay, Thy will feems good in his fight, 1 Sam. iii. 18. See the be done. (4.) God's will is a good and gracious will, it promotes our intereft ; if it be God's will to afflict us, he mail make us fay at laft, it was good for us that we were afflicted. God's flail mall only threm off our hufks. That which is againft our will (hall not be againft our profit ; iludy what a good will God's is, and we will Cay, fat voluntas, thy will be done. '(5.) God's will is an irrefiftible will ; we may oppofe it, but we cannot hinder it : the rifmg of the wave cannot flop the (hip when it is in full (ail ; fo the rifing up of our will dirfjievice between an heart that is fwelled with p:iJe, and that which is bailafled with humi- lity ; Pharaoh faith, who is tht Lord f Eli, it is the Lord. An humble foul hath a deep fenfe of fin, he fees how he hath provoked God, he wonders he is not in hell ; therefore, whatever God inflicts, he knows it is lefs than his iniqui- ties deferve ; this m kes him fay, Lord, thy will be done. O get into an humble poilurc, the will is never flexible (ill the heart be humble. 6. Means, get your heart loofened from things below; be crucified to the world whence is againft God, cannot flop the execution of his children's frowardnefs, but when you take a- will, Rom. ix. 19. Who hath refified his will \ way their play-things? When we love the "Who can flay the chariot of the fun in its full world, and God takes away thefe things from tat'eer ? Who can hinder the progrefs of God's will ? Therefore it is in vain to conteft with God, his will fhall take place ; there is no way to overcome God but by lying at his feet. . 3. Means to fubmiffion to God in affliction is, get a gracious heart ; ali the rules and helps in the world will do but little good, till grace be infufed ; the bowl mufl have a good byas, or it will not run according to our defire ; fo till God put a new byas of grace into the foul, which inclines the will, it never fubmits to God; grace renews the will, and it mufl be renewed us, then we grow froward and unfubmifflve to God's will. Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd ; and when God fmore it, he grew fro- ward, and becaufe God had killed his gourd, kill me too, faith he, Jonah iv. 8. He who is a lover of the world, can never piay this pray- er heartily, thy will be done ; his heart boils with anger againft God ; and when the world is gone, his patience is gone too. Get morti- fied aff . ctions to thefe fi.blunary things. 7. Means for fubmiffion to God's will, get fome good pcrfwafion your fin is pardoned ; before it be fubdued ; grace teacheth felf-dental, fer'i, Domine, fen, quia feccata mea condonaU and we can never fubmit our will till we deny it. 4. Means, let us labour to have our covenant- intereft cleared, to know that Cod is our God, Pf. xlviii. 14. This God is our God. He whofe faith doth flourifh into affurance, that can fay, God is his, will fay, thy will be done. A wick- ed man may fiiy, God hath laid this affliction upon me, and I cannot help if ; but a believer faith, my God hath done it, and I will fubmit to it. He who can call God his, knows God loves him as he loves Chrift, an«( defigns his falva- fon; therefore he will witlj'St. Paul take plea- sure in reproaches, 2 Cor. x%. 10. And in eve- funt ; finite, Lord, finite where thou wilt, faid Luther, becaufe my fins are pardoned ; pardon of fin is a crowning bleffing : hath God for- given my fin, I will bear any thing, I will not murmur but admire ; I will not complain of the burden of affliction, but blefs God for removing the burden of fin : the pardoned foul faith this prayer heartily, Thy will be done. Lord nfe thy pruning knife, fo long as thou wilt not come with thy bloody ax to hew me down. 8. Mefcns, if we would have our wills fubmit to God,**let us not look fo much on the dark fide of the cloud as the light fide ; that is, let MS OF Tllt% FOURTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER, Ap not look Co much on the (mart of affliction, as the good ot affliction ; 'tis bad to pore all on the (mart, as 'tis bad for fore eyes to look too much on the fire ; but we mould look on the good of affliction ; Sampfon did not only loofc on the lion's carcafe, but on the honey-comb within it, Judges xix. 8. He turned to fee the carcafe of the lion, and behold, there was honey in the carcafe. Affliction is the frightful lion, but fee what honey there is in it : affliction humbles, purifies, fills us with the confutations of God ; here is honey in the belly of the lion ; could we but look upon the benefit of affliction, ftubbornnefs would be turned into fubmiifive- nefs, and we^hould fuy, thy will be done. 9. MeanSj pray to God that he would calm our fpirits,'and conquer our wills. It is noeafy thing to fubmit to God in affliction, there will be rifings of the heart ; therefore let us pray, that what God inflicts righteoufly, we may beir patiently. Prayer is the beft fpell or charm a- gainft impatience ; prayer doth to the heart as Chrift did to the fea, when it was tempeftuous, he rebuked the wind, and there was a great calm; fo, when the paffions are up, and the will is apt to mutiny againft God, prayer makes a gracious calm in the foul: prayer doth to the heart as the fpunge doth to the cannon, when hot, cools it. 10. Means, if we would fubmit to God's will in affliction, let us make a good interpretation «f God's dealings, take ail God doth in the belt fenfe : we are apt to mifconftrue God's deal- and put a bad interpretation upon them, , Numb. xx. 4. Ye have brought the egation of the Lord into this •wudernefil ne Jbould die there. So God hath brought this affliction udou us, becaufe he hates lis, and in; ends to deftroy us ; and fuch hard thoughts of God oaufe fullennefs and ltubbornnefs : 6 let us m.tkc a fair and candid interpretation of providence. Doth God afflict us ? Say thus, pei haps he intends us mercy in this; he will try us whether we will love him in affliction ; he is about to mortify fome fin, or exerciie fume grace ; he fmites the body, that he ma the foul. Could we put fuch a good meaning upon God's dealings, we fhould fay, thy wUI be done; let the righteous God finite me, and it foall be a kindnefs, it (hull be an excellent oilt which fhall not break my head, Pf. exit. 5. 11. and ult. Means-, if you would fubmit to God in affliction, believe that the prefent con- dition is bell for you. We are not competent judges; we fancy it is beft to have eafe and plenty, and have the rock pour out rivers ofoil ; but God lees affliction belt ; he fees our fouls thrive belt upon the bare common ; the fall of the leaf is the fpring of our grace. Co.ild we believe the prefent condition is beft, which God carves out to us, the quarrel would foon be at an end, and we fhould fit down fitisfied with what God doth, and fay, thy will be done. So much for this third petition. OF THE FOURTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. Matth. vi. 11. Give us this Day our daily Bread. IN this petition there are two things obferv- able, I. The order. II. The matter. I. The order. Firft we pray, hallowed be thy name, before, Give us this day our daily bread. Hence we learn, doct. That the glory of Cod ought to be preferred before our own perfonal concerns. Firft we pray, hallowed be thy name, thy king- thvi come, thy will be done, before we pray, give us this day our daily bread. God's glory ought to weigh down all before it ; it muft be preferred before our deareft concerns : Chrift preferred his Father's .glory before his own glo- ry as he was man, John viii. 49, 50. I honour my Father, I feek not my own glory. God's glory is that which is moft dear to him ; it is the apple of his eye ; all his richc? ly here. As Micah faid, Judges xviii. 24. What have I more ? So I may fay of God's glory, what hath he more ? God's glory is the moft orient pearl of his crown, which he will not part with, Ifa. xlii. 8. My glory will I not give to another. God's glory is more worth than heaven, more worth than the falvatiorr of ali mens fouls ; better kingdoms be demolifhed, better men and angels be annihilated, than God lofeth any part of his M m m glory- 468 OF THE FOURTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. glory. Firft we pray that God's name may be hallowed and glorified before we pray, give us our daily bread. We are to prefer Cod's glory before our neareft concerns : before there can be a preferring God's glory before our private concerns, there mud be a new birth wrought ; the natural man feeks his own fecular intereft before God's glory, John III. 31. He is of the earth, earthly. Let him have peace and trad- ing, let the rock pour out rivers of oil, Job xxix. 6. and let God's glory go which way it will, he minds it not. A worm cannot flee and fing as a lark : a natural man, whofe heart creeps upon the earth, cannot admire God, or advance his glory, as a man elevated by grace doth. Ufe. Of trial. Do we prefer God's glory before our private concerns ? doth God's glory take place ? Minus te amat qui aliquid tecum amat, quod non propter te amat, Aug. 1. Do -we prefer God's glory before our own credit ? Fama pari pajfu ambulat cum vita. Credit is a jewel highly valued ; like precious ointment, it carts a fragrant fmell : but God's glory mud be dearer than credit and applaufe : we muft be willing to have our credit trampled upon, if Gcd's glory may be raifed higher, Ac~is v. 41. The apofiles rejoyced that they were counted -worthy to fuffer fhame for his name ; that they were graced fo far as to be difgraced for Chrift. 2. Do we prefer God's glory before our relati- ons ? Relations are near, they are of our own flefh and bone ; but God's glory muft be dearer, Luke xiv. 26. If any man come after me, and bate not father and mother, he cannot be my dif siple. Here odium infuos, is pietas in Deum. If my friends (faith Jerom) fhould perluade me to deny Chrift, if my wife fhould hang about my neck, if ray mother fhould fhow me her breafts that gave me fuck, I would trample up- cnall, and flee to Chrift. 3. We muft prefer God's glory before eftate: gold is but fhining dud, God's glory muft weigh heavier. If it comes to this, I cannot keep my place of profit, but God's glory will be eclipfed ; here I muft rather fuffer in my eftate, than God's glory ■fhould fuffer, Heb. x. 34. 4- We mul1: Prefer Cod's glory before our life, Rev. xii. 11. They loved not their own lives to the death. Ignatius called his fetters his fpiritual jewels, he wore them as a chain of pearl. Cordius the martyr faid, it is to my lofs, if you bate'me any thing of my fufferings. This argues grace crefcent, and elevated in an high degree. Who but a foul inflamed in love to God, canfet God high: eft on the throne, and prefer him above all pri* vate concerns ? II. The fecond thing in the petition, is the matter of it. Give us this day our daily bread. The fum of this petition is, that God would give us fuch a competency in thefe outward things, as he fees moft expedient for us: It is much like that prayer of Agur, Prov. xxx. 8. Feed me "with food convenient for me; give me a viaticum, a bait by the way, enough to bear my charges till I come to heaven, and it fufficeth. Let me explain the words, Give us this day our daiiy bread. \Give~\ Hence note, that the good things of this life are the gifts of God ; he is the donor of all our bleffings, Give us : not on- ly faith is the gift of God, but food ; not only daily grace is from God, but daily bread; every good thing comes from God, James i. 17. Every good gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights. Wifdom is the gift of God, Ifa. xxviii. 26. His God doth inftrufi him to discretion. Riches are the gift of God, iChron. i. 12. I will give thee riches. Peace is the gift of God, PJ\ cxlvii. 14. He makes peace in thy borders. Health which is the cream of life, is the gift of God, Jer. xxx. 17. I will reflore health to thee. Rain is the gift of God, Job v. 10. Who giveth rain on the earth. All comes from God ; he makes the corn to grow, and the herbs to flourifh. Ufe I. See our own poverty and indigence : we live all upon alms, and upon free gift, give us this day. All we have is from the hand of God's royal bounty : we have nothing but what God gives us out of his ftorehoufe ; we cannot have one bit of bread but from God. The de- vil perfuaded our firft parents, that, by difo- beying God, they fhould be as gods, Gen. v. 3. but we may now fee what goodly gods we are, that we have not a bit of bread to put in our mouths, unlefs God give it us : here is an hum- bling confederation. Branch 2. Is all a gift ? Then we are tofeek every mercy from God by prayer, Give us this day. The tree of mercy will not drop its fruit, unlefs fhaken by the hand of prayer. Whatever we have, if it do not come in the way of prayer, it doth not come in the way of love ; 'tis given, as Ifrael's quails, in anger. If every thing be a gift, we do not deferve it, we are not fit for it, unlefs we afkforhis alms. And muft we go to God for every mercy ? How wicked are they, who inftead of going to God for food when they want, they go to the devil, they make a corn- pad OF THE FOURTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. pact with him; and if he will help them to a livelihood, they will give him their louls ? Bet- ter ffarve, than go to the devil for provender. I with there be none in our age guilty of this, who when they are in want, ufe indirect means for a livelihood ; they confult with witches who are the devil's oracles : the end of thefe will be fearful, as that of Saul was, whom the Lord is faid to have killed, becaufe he afked counfel at a familiar fpirit. 3. If all be a gift, then it is not a debt, we cannot fay to God, as that creditor faid, Mat. xviii. 28. Pay me what thou owe/}. Who can make God a debtor, or do any act that is oblig- ing and meritorious r Whatever we receive from God is a gift ; we can give nothing to God but what he hath given us, 1 Chron. xxix. 14. All things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. David and his people offered to' the building of God's houfe gold and filver, but they offered nothing but what God had given them, of thine own have we given thee. If we love God, God it is that hath given us an heart to love him : if we praife him, he both gives us the organ of the tongue, and puts it in tune: if we give alms to others, God hath given alms to us firfl, fo that we may fay, we offer, 0 Lord, of thine own to thee. Is all of gift, how abfurd then is the doctrine of merit ? That was a proud fpeech of a friar, that faid, reddemihi Vitam JEternarn quam debes ; tglve me, Lord, eternal life which thou oweft me. We cannot deferve a bit of bread, much ;lefs a. crown of glory. If all be a gift, then merit is exploded, and fhut out of doors. 4. If all be a gift, give us this day, .then take notice of God's goodnefs : there is nothing in us can deferve or requite God's kindnefs ; yet fuch is the fweetnefs of his nature, he gives us rich provifion, and feeds us with the finefl of the wheat. Pindar faith, it was an opinion. of the people of Rhodes, that Jupiter rained down gold upon the city. God hath rained down gotden mercies upon us ; he is upon the giving hand. Obferve three things in God's giving ; (1.) He is not weary of giving; the fprings of mercy are ever running. God did not on- ly difpenfe bleffings in former ages, but he ftill gives gifts to us ; as the fun not only enriches the world with its morning-light, but keeps light for the meridian. The, honey-comb of God's bounty is ftill dropping. (a.) God delights in giving, Micah vii. 18. 459 He delight eth in mercy. As the mother delights to give ri;e child the bread, God loves we fhouid have the breaft of mercy in our mouth. (3.) God gives to his very enemies. Wht will fend in provisions to his enemy ? Men ufe to fpread nets for their enemies, Godfpreads a table. The dew drops on the thiftle as weft as the rofe; the dew of God's bounty drops upon the worft. Thofe who have their mouth $ opened againft God, yet God puts bread in thofe mouths. O the royal bounty of God .' Pf. Ill- 1. The goodnefs of Cod endure th con- tinually. Swiniih finners God £uts jewels up« on, and feeds them every day. 5. If all be gift, fee then the odious ingrati- tude of men, who fin againft their giver. God '&eds them, and they fight againft him; he gives them their bread, and they give him af- fronts. How unworthy is this r Would we not cry, fhame of him, who had a friend always feeding him with money, and he fhouid betray and injure that friend. Thus ungratefully do finners deal with God, they do not only forget his mercies, but abule them, Jer. v. 7. Whe* I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery. O how horrid is this, to fin againft a bountiful God ? to ftrike (as it were) thofe hands that relieve us ! this gives a dye and tinc- ture to mens fins, and make them crimfon. How many make a dart of God's mercies, and fhoot at him ? He gives them wit, and they fervethe devil with it; he gives them ftrength, and they wafte it among harlots ; he gives them bread to eat, and they lift up the heel a- gainft him, Deut. xxxii. 15. Jefurun waxed fat, and kicked. Thefe are like Abfalom, who, affoon as David his father kifTed him, plotted treafon againft him, 2 Sam. xv. 10. Like the mule, who kicks the dam after flie hath given it milk. Thefe who fin againft their giver, and abufe God's royal favours, the mercies of God will come in as witneffes againft them. What fmoother than oyl r But if it be heated, what more fcalding ? What fweeter than mercy ? But if it be abufed, what more dread- ful ? It turns to fury. 6. If God gives us all, let God's giving ex- cite us to thankfgiving; he is the founder and donor of all our bleffings, let him have all our acknowledgments. All the rivers come from the fea. And thither they return again. Eccl. i. 7. All our gifts come from God, and to him muft all our praifes return. We arc apt to burn in- M m m 2 cenfe 400 Of THE FOURTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S P RAYER. cenfe to our own drag, Hab. 1. 16. To attribute all we have to our own fecond cauf„<;. (1.) Our own flail and induftry. God is the giver ; he gives daily bread, Pf cxxxvi. 35. he gives riches, Petit, viil. 18. He it is that giveth thee power to get wealth. Or, (2.) We oft afcribe the praife to fecond caufes, and forget God. Iffrierids have bellowed an eftate to look at them and admire them, but not God who is the great giver: as if one fhould be thankful to the {reward, and never take notice of the mafter of the family that provides all. O if God gives all, our eye-fight, our food, our clothing, let us facrifice the chief praife to him ; let not God be a lofer by his mercies- Praife is a more illuftiious part of God's Worfhip. Our wants may fend us to prayer, nature may make us beg 4aily bread; but it mows an heart full of ingenuity and grace, to be rendering praifes to God. In petition we act like men, in praife we aft like angels. Doth God fow feeds of mercy ? Let thankfulnefs be the crop we bring forth. We are called the temples of God, 1 Cor. iii. 16. and where mould God's praifes be founded forth, but in his temples ? Pf. cxlvi. 2. While I live will I blefs the Lord, I will fin g praifes to my God while I have any being. God gives us daily bread, Jet us give him daily praife. Thankfulnefs to our donor is the beft policy ; there is nothing loft by it : to be thankful for one mercy, is the way to have more. Muficians love to found their trumpets where there is beft cccho, and God loves to bellow his mercies where there is the beft eccho of praife : and it is not only offer- ing the calves of our lips is enough, but we muft fhow our thankfulnefs by improving the gifts which God gives us, and as it were put- ting them out to ufe. God gives us an eftate, and we honour the Lord with our ilibftance, Prov. iii. 9. he gives us the ftaff of bread, and We layout the ftrength we receive by it in his fervice: this is to be thankful; and that we may be thankful, be humble. Pride flops the current of gratitude : a proud man will never be thankful ; he looks upon all he hath, either to be of his own procuring or deferving. Let us fee all we have is God's gift, and how unwor- thy we are to receive the leaf! favour ; and this will make us much in doxology and gratitude, we will be filver trumpets founding forth God's •praife. Firft, €ive,2 Hence I note, t. That the good things of this life are the gifts of God ; he is the founder and donor. 2. From this word give, I note, that it is not unlawful to pray for temporal things; we may pray for daily bread, Prov. xxx. 8. Feed me with food convenient for me .-we may pray for health, Pf. vi. 2. 0 Lord, heal me, for my bones are vexed. As thefe are. in themfelves good. This, fo they are ufeful for us ; they are as needful for preferving the com- fort of life, as the oil is needful for preferving the lamp from going out. Only let me infert two things. 1. There is a great difference between out- praying for temporal things and fpirituai. In praying for fpirituai things, we muft be abfb- lute ; when we pray for pardon of fin, and the favour of God, and the fan&ifying graces of the fpirit, thefe are indifpenfibly nece/fary to fal- vation, and here we mull: take no denial : but when we pray for temporal things, here our prayers muft be limited, we muft pray condi- tionally fo far as God fees good for us. God fometimes fees caufe to withhold temporal things from us : they may be fnares, and draw our hearts from Godj therefore we muft pray for thefe things with fubmiffion to God's will. This was ifrael's fin ; they would be peremptory and abfolute in their defire of temporal things : God's bill of fear did not pleafe them, they muft have dainties, Numb. xi. 18. Who (hall give us ftefh to eat ? God hath given hem manna, he fed them with a miracle fromthea- ven, but their wanton palates craved more, they muft have quails ; God let them have their defire, but they had fowre fawce to their quails, Pf. lxxviii. 31. While the meat was yet in their mouths, the wrath of God came upon: them and flew them. Rachel was importunate in her defires for a child, Gen. xxx. r. Give me children, or I die : God let her have a child, but it was a Benoni, a foil of forrow, it coft her her life in bringing forth, Gen. xxxv. 18. We muft pray for outward things with fubmiffion to God's will, elCe they come in anger. 2. When we pray for things pertaining to this life, we muft defire temporal things for fpirituai ends ; we muft defire thefe things to be as helps in our journey to heaven. If we pray for health, it muft be that we may improve this talent of health for God's glory, and may be fitter for his fervice ; if we pray for a com- petency of eftate, it muft be for an holy end, that we may be kept from the temptations which poverty ufually expofeth to, and that we may be in a better capacity to fow the golden OF THE FOURTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S P RAYER. >\6t golden feeds of charity, and relieve fuch as are in want. Temporal things mufl be prayed for, for jpiritual ends. Hannah prayed for a child, and it was for this end, that her child might be devoted to God, i Sam. u- if. 0 Lord, if thou ivilt remember me, and wilt give unto thine handmaid a man-child, then I xuiligive him unto the Lord all the days of his life. Many pray for outward things only to gratify their fenfual appetite; the ravens cry for food, Pf. cxlvii. 9. To pray for outward things only to fatisfy nature, is to cry rather like ravens than chrilti- ans. We muft have an higher end in our prayers, we mult aim at heaven, while we are praying for earth. And muft we pray for tem- poral things for Spiritual ends, that we may be fitter to feek God ? Then, how wicked are they, who beg temporal mercies that they may be more enabled to fin againit, God ? James iv. 3. Ye afk,that ye may confume it upon your lufrs. One man is fick, and he prays for health, that he may be among his cups and harlots : another prays for an eftate ; he would not only have his belly filled, but his barns : and why would he be rich, that he may raife his name, or that, having more power in his hand, he may now take a fuller revenge on his enemies? This is impiety joined with impudence ; to pray to God to give us temporal things, that we may be the better enabled to ferve the devil. Ufe. If we are to pray for temporal good things, then how much more for fpiritual ? If we are to pray for bread, then, how much more for the bread of life ? if for oil, then, how much for the oil of gladnefs? If we pray to have our hunger fatisfied, much more mould we pray to have our fouls faved. Alas ! what if God mould hear our prayers, and grant us theft temporal things, and no more, what were we the better? "What is it to have food, and want grace ? What is it to have the back clothed, and the foul naked ; to have a fouth land, and want the living fprings in ChrifVs blood ; what comfort could that be ? O therefore let us be carneft for fpiritiial mercies ; Lord do not only feed me, but fan&ify me; rather an heart full of grace, than an houfe full of gold : if we are to pray for daily bread, the things of this life, much more for the things of the life that is to come. 3. From the word give, I note, that they who God hath given a large meafure of out- ward things to, yetmuft. pray, Give us daily bread. And this may anfwer a queftion. Q_u. Some may fay, we have an eftate al- ready, and what need we pray, Give us daily bread ? Anf. Suppofing we have a plentiful eftate, yet we need make this petition, Give us bread t and that upon a double account, (1.) That we may have a blefling upon our food, and all that we enjoy, Pf. exxxii. 5. / will blefs her proviflon. Man lives not by bread alone, but by every word which pt oceecleth cut of God's mouth, Mat. iv. 4. What is that but a word of bleffing? Though the bread is in our hand, yet the bleffing is in God's hand, and it mull: be fetched out of his hand by prayer : Well therefore may rich men pray, Give us out- bread, let it be feafoned with a bleffing. IftGod lhould withhold a bleffing, nothing we have would do us good ; our clothes would not warm us, our food would not nourifh us, Pf. cvi. 15. He gives them their requeft, but fent kannefs into their foul ; that is, they pined away, and their meat did not nourifh them. If God fhould withhold a bleffing, what we eat •would turn to bad humours, and haften death. If God do not blefs our riches, they will do us more hurt than good, Eccl. v. 13. Riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. So that, granting we have plentiful eftates, yet we had need pray, Give us our bread; let us have a bleffing with what we have. (2.) Though we have eftates, yet we had need pray, give, that we may hereby engage God to continue thefe comforts to us. How man)' cafualties may fall out ? How many have had corn in their barn, and a fire hath come on a fudden and confumed all ? How many 1, av had loffes at fea, and great eftates boiled away to nothing ? Ruth i. 21. / went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty. Therefore, though we have eflates, yet we had need pray, give us, Lord, give a continuance of thefe comforts, that they may not, before we are aware, take wings and fly from us. So much for this fir ft word in the petition, give. Secondly, us.'] Give us. Qu. Why do we pray here in the plural ? Why give us ? Why is it not faid, give me ? Anf. To fhow that we are to have publick fpirits in prayer ; we muft not only pray for ourfelves, but others ; both the law of God, and the law of love bind us to this, we mujl love our neighbour as ourfelves ; therefore we mufl pray for them as well as ourfelves. Every good Ghriftian hath a fellow-feeling of the want* and 4*)% OF THE FOURTH PETITION IN THE LORDS PRAYER. and miferies of others, and he prays that God would extend his bounty to them, efpecially, he prays for the faints, Eph. vi. 18. Praying el-ways for all faints. Thefe are children of the family. Ufe I- Should we have publick fpirits in pray- er, give us l It reproves fuch narrow-fphited men as move only within their own fphere ; they look only at themfelves, but mind not the caie of others; they leave others out of their prayers ; if they have daily bread, they care not though others flarve ; if they are clothed, they care not though others go naked. Chrift bath taught us to pray for others, give us; but feliifh pet Tons are fhut up within themfelves, as the fnail in the fhell, and never fpeak a word in prayer for others : thefe have no commiier- ation or pity ; they are like Judas, whofe bowels fell out. life II. Let us pray for others, as well as for ourfelves, give us ; vir bonus aliis pro deft a?- que ac fibi. Spiders work only for themfelves, but bees work for the good of others ; the uore excellent any thing is, the more it oper- ' ates for the good of others. The fprings re- f'refh others with their chryftal ftreams ; the fun enlightens others with its golden beams : the more a ChrifVian is enobled with grace, the more he befiegeth heaven with his prayers for others ; if we are members of the body myfti- cal, we cannot but have a fympathy with others in their wants, and this fympathy fets us a- praying for them. David- had a public fpirit in prayer, Pf exxv. 4. Do good, 0 Lord, unto thofe that be good : though he begins the pfalm with prayer for himfelf, Pf. li. I. Have mercy upon me, 0 God ; yet he ends the pfalm with prayer for others, v. 18. Do good in thy good pleafure unto Zion. Ufe Ilk It is matter of comfort to the god- ly, who are but low in the world, yet they have the prayers of God's people for them ; they pray not only for the increafe of their faith, but their food, that God will give them daily bread. He is like to be rich, who hath * feveral flocks going; fo they are in a likely way to thrive, who have the prayers of the faints going for them in feveral parts of the world. So much for this fecond word in the petition, Give us. Thirdly, The third word in the petition is, This day.] We pray not, Give us bread for a jnonth, or a year, but a day ; Give us this day. Qu. Is it not lawful to lay up far aft$rviards? Doth not the apoftle fay, He who provides not for his family, is worfe than an infidel, 1 Tim. v. 8. Anf It is true, it is lawful to Lay up for po- fterity ; but our Saviour hath taught us to pray, Give us this day our bread, for two reafons ; (1.) That we mould not have carking care for the future. We mould not fet our wits upon the tenter, or torment ourfelves how to lay up great efrates ; if we do vivere in diem, if we have but enough to fupply for the pie- fent, it may fuffice ; Give us this day : take no thought for to morrovj, Matth. vi. 34. God fed Ifrael with manna in the wiidernefs, and he fed them from hand to mouth ; fometimes all their manna was fpent ; and if any one had asked, them where they would have their breakfafl next morning, they would have faid, our care is only for this day, God will rain down what manna we need: if we have bread this day, do not difrruft: God's providence for the future. (2.) Our Saviour will have us pray, Give us bread this day, to teach us to live every day as if it were our lad. We are not to pray, give us bread to morrow, becaufe we do not know whether we fnall live while to morrow : but, Lord, give us this day ; it may be our lafl day we fhall live, and then we (hall need no more. Ufe. If we pray for bread only for a day, Give us this day, then you who have great eftates have cauie to be thankful ; you have more than you pray for : you pray but for one day, and God hath given you enough to fuffice you all your life. What a bountiful God do you ferve ! two things may make rich men thankful; r. God gives them more than they deferve. 2. God gives them more than they pray for. Fourthly, The fourth thing in the petition is, Our bread. Qu. Why is it called our bread, vjben it is not ours, but God's ? Anf 1. We mud unde-rftand it in a qualified fenfe ; it is our bread, being gotten by honefr. indufrry. There are two forts of bread that cannot properly be called our bread. (1.) The bread ofidlenefs. (a) The bread of violence. (1.) The bread ofidlenefs, Prov. xxxi. 27. She eateth not the bread cf Idlenefs. An idle perfon doth vivere aliena quadra, he lives at another body's cofl, and is at their finding, Prov. U 25. His hands refufe to labour. We muft not be as the drones which eat the honey that other bets have brought into tke hive t if OF THE FOURTH PETITION IN THE LORDS PRAYER. 4<*3 Jf we eat the bread of idlenefs, . this is not our own bread, 2 Theff. tin J!, 12. There are fame that walk disorderly, working not at all ; fuch we command that thsy work, and eat their own bread. The apodic gives this hint, that fuch as live idly do nor eat their own bread. (2.) The bread of violence. We cannot call this cur bread, for it is taken away ftom others: that which is gotten by Health or fraud, or any manner of extortion, is not our bread, it be- longs to another. He who is a bird of prey, who takes away the bread of the widow and fatherlefs, he ears that bread which is none of his, nor can he pray for a bleffing upon it : can he pray God to bids" that which he hath gotten unjuflly ? 2- It is called our bread, by virtue of our title to it. There is a twofold title to bread. (.1.) A fpiritual title : in and by Chrift we have a right to the creature, and may call it, our bread. As we are believers, we have the beft title to the earthly things, we hold all in capite, 1 Cor. Hi. 11. Jit things are yours : by what title, ye are Chrifl\. (2.) A civil title, which the law confers on us : to deny men a civil right to their poffeflions, and make all common, it opens the door to anarchy and confufion. Ufe. See the privilege of believers, they have both a fpiritual and civil right to what they poffefs : they who can fay, our father, can fay, our bread. Wicked men, though they have a legal right to what they poiTefs, yet not a co- venant-right ; they have it by providence, not by promife ; with God's leave, not with his love. Wicked men are in God's eye no bet- ter than ufurpers; all they have, their money and land, is like cloth taken up at the drapers, which is not paid for ; but this is the fweet privilege of believers, they can fay, our bread; Chrift. being theirs, all is theirs. O how fweet is every bit of bread dipped in GhrifVs blood ! How well doth that meat relifh, which is a pledge and earnefr. of more ! The meal in the barrel is an earneft of our angels food in pa- radife. Here is the priviledge of faints, they have a right to the earth and heaven. fifthly, The fifth and laft thing in this pe- tition is, the thing we pray for, daily bread.~\ Qu. What is meant by bread ? Anf Bread here, by a fynechdoche, fpeciei pro genere, is put for all the temporal bkffings of this life, food, fewel, clothing. Quicquid nobis conducit ad bene ejfe, Auftin. Whatever may fervefor neceffity or fober delight. Ufe. Learn to be contented with that a'low. ance God gives us. If we have bread, a com- petency of ihefe outward things, let us reft finished. We pray but for bread, Give out- daily bread; we do not pray for fuperfluitics. not for quails or venifon, but for bie^d, that which may fupport life. Though we have not fo much as others, fo full a crop, fo rich an eftate, yet if we have the flaff of bread to fhore us from falling, let us be content. Mofi: peaple are herein faulty : though they pray that God would give them bread (fo much as he fees expedient for them) yet they are not con- tent with God's allowance, but overgreedily covet more, and with the daughters of the horfe-leech,cry,^/t;c,^/t'f, Prov.xxx. 15. This vis a vice naturally ingrafted in us. Many pray Jgur's firff. prayer, give me not poverty, but few pray his Lift prayer, give me not riches, Prov. xxx. 8. They are not content with daily bread, but have the dry-dropfie of covetouf- nefs ; they are flill craving fbr more, flab. ii. 5. Who enlarge th his defire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be fatisfied. There are (faith Solomon) four things fay, it is not enough, Prov. xxx. 15. the grave, the barren womb, the earth, the fire : and I may add a fifth thing, the heart of a covetous man. Such as are not content with daily bread, but thirit infatiably after more, will break over the hedge of God's command ; and to get riches, will flick at no fin. Cut nihil fatis ejl, eidem nihil turpe, Tacitus. Therefore covetoufhefs is called a radical vice, 1 Tim. vi. 10. The root of all evils. Quid non mortalia pec~lora cogit, auri fa era fames ? The Creek word for eovetoufnefs pltonexia, fignifies an inordinate defire of getting. Covetoufnefs is not only the getting riches unjuflly, but in loving them inordinately : this is a key opens the door to all fin. Itcaufeth, 1. Theft : Ac hint's covetous humour made him fteal that wedge of gold which cleft afimder his foul from God7 Jofh. vii. 21. (2.) It caufeth treafon. What made Judas betray Chrift? It was the thirty pieces of filver, Mat. xxvi. 15. (3.) It produ- ceth murder. It was the inordinate love of the vineyard, made Achab confpire Naboth's death, 1 Kings xxi. 13. (4.) It is the root of perjury, 2 Tim. iii. 3. Men fhall be covetous;, and it follows, truce-breakers. Love of filver will make men take a falfe oath, and break a jufc oath. (5.) It is the fpring of apoflacy, 2 Tim. iv. 10. Demas hath forfa ken me having loved this prefent world. He did not only forfake- Paul'% 464 OF THE FOURTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PR AYER. Paul's company, but his do£h;ihe. Demas af- terward became a pried in an idol temple, faiih Dorotfciis. (6.) Covetoufnefs will make men idolater?, Col. iii. 5. Covetoufnefs which is ido- latry. Though the covetous man will not wor- ship graven images in the church, yet he will worship the graven image in his cc'-n. 7. Co- vetqumefs makes men give themfelves to the devil. Pope SJflvefter II'. did fell his foul to -Cons graces; there .is faith, a ChnAian believes', God doth all for the belt; and love, which thinks no evil, but takes all God doth in good part ; and patience, fubmitting cheerfully to what God orders wifely : God is much pleafed to fee fo many graces at once fweerly exer- cifed, like fo many bright liars mining in a conflellation. 4. To be content with daily bread, the al- lowance God gives, though but Sparingly, doth keep us from many ternptations, which difcon- the devil tor a popedom.. Covetous per forget this prayer. Give its daily bread, that which mav Satisfy nature, but they are infa- tented perlbns fall into when -the devil fees a liable in 1 heir defire. O let us rake heed of perfon juft of IfraeN humour, not content with this dry-dropfy, Heb. xiii. 5. Be content with manna, but mult have quails, faith Satan, here fuc'h things as ye have. Ndtura parvo demit ti- iur, Senec. That we may be content with daily bread, that which God in his providence carves out to us, and not covet or murmur ; let me propofe thefe things, 1. God can blefs a little, Exod. xxiii. 24. is good riming for me. Satan oft tempts dis- contented ones to murmuring, and to unlawful means, cozening and defrauding • and he who increafeth an eflate by indirect means fluffs his pillow with thorns, and his head will Iy very uneafy when he comes to die : if you would be He will blefs thy bread, and thy water. A blefling freed from the temptations which diScontenr. puts fweetnefs into the leaf! morfel of bread, expofeth to, be content with iuch things as ye it is like fugar in wine, Pf. exxii. 15. I will blefs have, blefs God forjaily bread. her provifiou. Daniel, and the three children 5. What a rare and admirable thing is it to ate pulfe, (which was a coarfe fare) yet, they be content with daily bread, though it be coarfe looked fairer than thofe which did eat of the and though there be but little of it ! a chriftian, king's meat, Dan, i. 15. Whence was this ? though he hatfr but a viaticum, a little meal in God did infufe more than an ordinary blefling the barrel, yet he hath that which gives him into the pulfe: God's blefling is better than the content: what he, hath not in the cupboard, king's venifon : a piece of bread with God'slove he hath in the promife ; that bit of bread he is anpels food. hath, is with the love of God, and that fawce- 2. 'bod, who gives us our allowance, knows makes it relifh fweet, that little oil in the crufe what quantity of thefe outward things is fitteft is a pledge and earned of thofe dainties he fhall tor us: a fmaller provifion may be fitter for tafleof in the kingdom of God, this makes him fome; bread may be better than dainties ; every content: .what a rare and wonderful thing is one cannot bear an high condition, no more this ! it is no wonder to be content in heaven, than a weak brain can bear heady wine. Hath when we are at the fountain-head, and have one a larger proportion of worldly things? all things we can defire ; but to be content God fees he can better manage fuch a condition, when God keeps us to fhort commons, and we he can order his affairs with difcretion, which have fcarce daily bread, this is a wonder : when perliaps another cannot; as he hath a large grace is crowning, it is no wonder to be con- eflate, fo he hath a large heart to do good, tent; but when grace is conflicting with flraits, which perhaps another hath not; this fhould now to be content is a glorious thing indeed, make us content with a fhorfer bill of fare: and deferves the garland of praife God's wifdom is that we acquiefce in, he fees what is bell for every one: that which is good for one, may be bad for another. 3. In being contented with daily bread, that which God carves to us, though it be a lefler piece, much grace is feen in this ; all the graces aft their part in a contented foul. As the holy ointment was made up of feveral fpices, myrrhe, cinnamon, caflla, Exod. xxx. 23. So, contentment hath in it a mixture of feveral 6. To make us content with daily breadt though Godflraitens us in our allowance, think ferioufly of the danger that is in an high pros- perous condition : fome are not content with daily bread, but defire to have their barns filled, and heap up filver as dufl ; this proves a fnare to them, I Tim. vi. 10. They that will be rich fall into a fnare. Pride, idlenefs, wantonnefs, are the three worms that ufually breed of plenty. Profperity oft deafens the ear againfl; God, Jer. xx. OF THE FOURTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRA1ER. 4^< XK. 21. Ifp-zkt to thee in thy profperity, but thou -faid/l, I will not hear. Soft plea lures harden the heart. In tfie body, the more fat, the lefs blood in the veins, and the lejfs fpirits ; the more outward plenty, often the leis piety. Profpe- rity hath its honey, and alfo its iring: profpe- rity like the full of the moon, makes many lunatic. The paitures of profperity are rank and forfeiting. Anxious care is the mains genius, the evil fpirit that haunts the rich man, and will not let him be quiet : when his chefts are full of money, his heart is full of care, either bow to manage or how to encreaie, or how to flcure what he hath gotten. Sunihine is plea- rant, but fometimes it fcorcheth. Should not this make us content with what allowance God give?, if we have daily bread, though not dain- ties ? Think of the danger of profperity : the fpreading of a full table may be the fpreading of a fnare ; many have been funk to hell with golden weights. The ferry-man takes in all paflingers, that he may increafe his fare, and fometimes to the finking of the boat, i 27m. vi. 9. They that -would be rich fa'l into many hurt- ful luf/s, which drown them in perdition. The world's golden lands are quickl'ands ; this may make us take our daily bread, though it be but coarfe, contentedly : what if we have lefs food, we have lefs fnare ; if lefs dignity, lefs danger : if we want the rich provifions of the world, fo we want the temptations. 7. If God keeps us to a (pare diet, if he gives us lefs temporals, he hath made it up in Ipii ituals ; he harh given us the pearl of price, and the holy anointing. (1.) The pearl of pi ice, the Lord Jefus, he is the quintefTence of all good things. To give us Chrifr, is more than if God had given us all the world. God can make more worlds, but he hath no more Chrifls to beftow: he is fuch a golden mine that the angels cannot dig to the bottom, Eph. iii. 8. From Chriit we may have, jufliikation, adoption, coronation- The fea of God's mercy in giving us Chriit (faith Luther) mould fwal- low up all our wants. (2.} The holy unction j God hath anointed us with the graces of his fpirit, Grace is a feed of God, a bloflom of eter- nity ; the graces are the impreffions of the divine nature, ftars to enlighten us, fpices to perfume us, diamonds to enrich us; and if God hath adorned the hidden man of the heart with thefe facred jewels, it ma*y well mike us content, though we have but fnorr commons, and that coarfe too. God hath given his peo- ple better things than corn and wine ; he hath given them .hat which he cannot give in angci . and which c.mnot itand with reprobation, and they may fay as David, Pf. xvi. 6. The I ere fallen to them in pleafant places, and bate a goodly heritage. I have read of Didimus and Anthony, Didimus was a blind man, but very hoiy ; Anthony alked him if he was not trou- bled for the want of his eyes, he told him he was : why (faith Anthony) are you troubled, you want that which flies and birds have, when you have that which angels have r So I fay to Chrifrians, if God hath not given you the purfe, he hath given you his fpirit ; if you want that which rich men have, God hath given you that whicii angels have, and are you not content ? 8. Lf you have but daily bread enough to fuffice nature, be content. Gonfider it is not having abundance makes the life always com- fortable ; it is not a great cage will make the bird ling : a competency may breed content- ment, when having more, they make one leis content : a ftafFmay help the traveller, but a bundle of flnffs will be a burden to him. A great eftate may be like a long trailing gar« ment, more burdenfom than ufeful. Many that have great incomes and revenues have not lb much comfort in their lives, as fome that go to their hard labour. 9. If you have lefs daily bread, you will have lefs account to give. The riches and honours of r his world, like Alchimy, make a great (how, and, with their glittering, dazle mens eyes ; but they do not conhder the great account they muft give to God, Luke xvi. 2. Give an account of thy ftevjardfhip. What good haft thou 'done with thy efiate I had thou, as a good Reward, traded thy golden talents for God's glory? Haft thou honoured the Lord with thy fubflance ? The greater revenues, the greater reckonings : this may quiet and content us, if we have but little daily bread, our account will be lefs. jc. You that have but a finall competency in thefe outward things, your provifions are ihort, yet you may be content to conhder how much you look for hereafter : God keeps the belt wine till Lift. What though now you have a fmall pittance, and are fi.d from hand to mouth ? You look for an eternal reward, white robes, fparkling crowns, rivers of pleafure. A fon is content though his father gives him but now and then a little money, "^s long as he ex- pects his father fhould fettle all his land upon Nun him 466 OF THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. him at laft ; if God give you but a little prefent, yet you look for that glory which eye hath not feen : may not you be content ? The world is but a adiverforium, a great inn : if God give you fufficient to pay for your charges in your inn, you may be content, you (hall have enough when you come to your own country. Qu. How may we be content, though God cut us fhort in thefe externals ; though we have but little daily bread and coarfe ? Anf. r . Think with ourftlves, fome have been much lower than we, who have been better than we. Jacob, an holy Patriarch, goes over Jordan with his ftaff, and lived in a mean con- dition a long time ; he had the clouds for his canopy, and ftone for his pillow. Mofts that might have been rich, fomc hiftorians fay, Phara oh's daughter adopted him for her fon, becaufe king Pharaoh had no heir, and Co Mofes was like to have come to the crown, yet leaving the honours of the court, in what a low mean condition did he live in, when he went to Je- thro his father-in-law? Mufculus, famous for learning and piety, was put to great ftraits, he was put to dig in a town-ditch, and had fcarce daily bread, yet content. Nay, Chrift, who was heir of all, yet for our fakes became poor, 2 Cor. viii. 9. Let all thefe examples make us content. 2. Let us labour to have the inrereft cleared between God and our fouls. He who can fay, My God, hath enough to rock his heart quiet in the loweft condition : what can he want who hath El-Shaddai, the all-fufficient God for his portion ? Though the netherfprings fail, yet he hath the upperfprings : though the bill of fare grow fhort, yet an interefl in God is a pil- lar of fupport to us, and we may, with David, encourage ourfelves in the Lord our God. • OF THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. Matth. vi. 12. And forgive us our debts , as we forgive our debtors. BEfore I fpeak ftriftly to the words, I (hall take notice, 1. That in this prayer there is but one petition for the body, Give us our daily bread, but two petitions for the PjuI, Forgive us our trefpajfes, kadi us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil-. Hence obferve, that we are to be more careful for our fouls, than for our bodies : more careful for grace than for daily bread; more defirous to have our fouls Hived, than our bodies fed, In the law, the weight ©f the fanftuary was twice as big as the com- mon weight, to typify that fpiritual things mufi: be of fir greater weight with us than earthly. The excellency of the foul may challenge our chief care about it. 1. The foul is an immaterial ftibftance ; it is an heavenly fpark, lighted by the breath of God. It is the more refined fpiritual part of man, it is of an angelical nature ; it hath fome fnnt refemblance of God. The body is the more dreggifh part, it is but the cabinet, which, though curioufly wrought, the foul is the jewel; the foul is near a-kin to angels, it is capax bea- titudinisy capable of communion with God in glory. 2. It is immortal; it doth never expire. It can aft without the body ; though the body dii- folve into dull, the foul lives, Luke xii. 4. The eflence of the foul is eternal, it hath a beginning, but no end ; it is a blofTom of eternity. Sure, then, if the foul be fo enobled and dignified, more care fhould be taken about the foul than the body. We make but one petition for the body, but two petitions for the foul. Ufe 1 . It reproves them that take more care for their bodies, than their fouls. The body is but the brutilh part, yet they take more care, 1. About drejfng their bodies, than their fouls. They put on their befl clothes, are drefled in' the richefl girb, but care not how naked or un- dreft their fouls are ; they do not get the jewels of grace, to adorn their inner-man. 2. About feeding their' bodies, than their fouls, they are caterers for the fiefh, they do make provifioa for the flefh, Rom. xiii. 14. they have the bed diet, but let their fouls ftarve ; as if one fhouM feed his hawk, but let his child flarve^ The body muft fit in the chair of fate, but the foul, that princely thing, is made a lacky to run 011 the devil's errand. Omnia OF THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 467 Omnia fi per das animam fervare mtr.imto. If it be well wit. me foul, it (hall be well with the body. If the foul be gracious, the body fhall be glorious, for it fhall fhine like Chrift's body. Therefore it is wifdom to look* chiefly to the foul, becaufe in fiving the foul, we ieeure the happinefs of the body. And we cannot fhew our csre for the foul more than in taking all feafens for our fouls ; reading, praying, hearing, meditating. O look to the tnain chance, let the foul be chiefly tended ; the lofs of the foul would be fatal; other lofles may be made up again. If one lofeth his health, he may recover it again ; if he lofe his eftate, he may get it up again ; but if he lofe his foul, this lofs can never be made up again. The merchant that ventures all he hath in one fhip, if that fhip be loll, he is quite broken. 2. From the connexion in the text, afibon as Chrifl- had faid, give us daily bread, he adds, find forgive us. Chrifl joins this petition of Forgivenefs of fin, immediately to the other of daily bread, to (how uo, that though we have daily bread, yet all is nothing without forgivenefs. If our fins be not pardoned, we can rake but little comfort in our food. As it is with a man that is condemned, though you bring him me«t in priibn, yet he takes little Comfort in it whhout a pardon ; fo, though we have daily bread, \et it will do us no good unlefs fin be forgiven. What though we mould have manna which was called angels food, tho* the rock fliould pour out rivers of oil, Job xxix. 6. all is nothing unlefs fin be done away. When Chrifl had faid, Give us our daily bread, he prefently adds, and forgive us our trefpajjes. Daily bread may farisfy the appetite, but for- givenefs of fin fatisfies the confeience. Ufe 1. It condemns the folly of mofl people: if they have daily bread, the delicious things of this life, they look no further, they are not folicitous for the pardon of fin $ if they have that which feeds, them, they look not after that which mould crown them. Alas ! you may have daily bread, and yet perifli. The rich man in the gofpel had daily bread, nay, he had dainties, he fared delicioufly every day, but in hell he lift up his eyes, Luke xvi, *9- Ufe 2. Let us pray, that God would not give us our portion in this life, that he would not put us off with daily bread, but that he would give forgivenefs. This is the fiiuce that would make our bread rclifh the fweeter. A fpeech of Luther, vaide proteflatus fum me nslle It. fatiari ab illo. I did folemnly protcfl, that God mould nor pur me off with outward things. Be not content with that which is common to the brute creatures, the Dog or elephant, to have your hunger iatisfied, but, befides daily bread, get pardon of fin. A drop of Chrifl's blood, a dram of forgiving mercy, is infinitely more valuable than all the delights under the fun. Daily bread may make us live comfort- ably, but forgivenefs of fin will make us die comfortably. So I come to the words of the petition, forgivr us our debts, &c. 1. Here is a term given to fin, it is a debt. 2. The confefiing the debt, our debt. '3. A prayer, forgive us. 4. A condition on which we defire forgivenefs, as we forgive our debtors. I mail fpeak of the term given to fin, it is a debt. That which is here called a debt is called fin, Luke xi. 4. Forgive us our fins. So then fin is a debt, and every finner is a debtor. Sin is compared to a debt often thoufand talents, Matth xviii. 24. 1 Why is fin called a debt? 2. Wherein fin is worfe than other debts we contract ? 3. Wherein finners have the property of bad debtors ? Qu. 1. Why is fin called a debt? Anf. Becaufe it fo fitly refembles it. 1. A debt arifeth upon non-payment of mo- ney, or the not paying that which is one's due. So we owe to God exact obedience, and not p-iying what is due, thus we come to be in debt. 2. As in cafe of non-payment, the debtor goes to priforug, fo, by our fin, we become guilty, and fland obliged to God's curfe of damnation. Though God doth a while grant a finner a re- prieve, yet he flands bound to eternal death, if the debt be not forgiven. 2. hi what ftnfe fin is the worfe debt ? Anf. 1. Becaufe we have nothing to pay; if we could pay the debt, what need we pray, forgive us ? We can't fay, as he in the gofpel, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all ; we can pay neither />r/V/f//>tf/nor interefi. Adam made us all bankrupts ; in innocency, Adam had a flock of original righteoufnefs to begin the world with, he could give God perfonal and perfect: obedience ; but, by his fin. he is quite broken, and hath beggared all his poflerity. We have nothing to pay,, all our duties are mixed with fin, and fo we cannot pay God in current coin. "5*- N n n 2 2. Sin 468 OF THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 2. Sin is the worft debt, becaufe it is againft an infinite majefty. An offence againft the perfon of a king, is crimen laefae majeftatts, ir doth enhanfc and aggravate the crime. Sin wrongs God, and fo it is an infinite offence. 7' he fchoolmen fay, omne peccatum cotitr a con- fcientiam eft quaji deicidium, i- e. Every known fin ftrikes at the God-head. The finner would not only unthrone God, but ungod him, this makes the debt infinite. 3. Sin is the worft debt, becaufe it is not a fngle, but a multiplied debt : forgive us our de'ots\ we have debt upon debt, Pf. xl. 12. Innumerable evils have compared me about. We may as well reckon all the drops in the fea, as reckon all our fpirituai debts; we can- not tell how much we owe. A man may know h's other debts, but we cannot nunber our fphitual debts. Every vain thought is a fin, Prov. xiv. 9. The thought of foolifhnefs is Jin. And what fwarms of vain thoughts have we? The fir ft rifing of corruption, though it never bloffom into outward act, is a fin; then, who can underftand his errors ? We do not know how much we owe to God. 4. Sin is the worft debt; becaufe it is an inexcufable debt in two refpects ; 1. There is no denying the debt. 2. There is no fhifting it off. (1.) There is no denying the debt; other c{ brs men may deny. If money be not paid Nfore witneffes, or if the creditor iofe the bond, the debtor may fay he owes him nothing; but there's no denying this debt of fin. If we fay we have no Jin, God can prove the debt, PJ. 1. a 1 . I will fet thyjins in order before tfye. God writes down our debts in his book of remem- brance, and God's book, and the book of con- •fcia-iCe do exactly agree, fo that this debt can- not be denied. (2.) There is no fhifting off the debt ; other J.tbts may be mifted off. t. We may get friends to pay them, but neither man nor angel can pay this debt for us : If all the angels in heaven fhould go to make a purfe, they cannot pay one of our debts. 2. In other debts men may get a protection, fo that none can touch their perfons, or fue them for the debt; but who mail give us a protecti- on from God's juftice ? Job x. 7. There is none that can deliver out of thine hand. Indeed the Pope pretends that his pardon fhall be mens protection,, and now God's juftice mall not fwe them ; but that is only a forgery, and cannot be pleaded at God's tribunal: 3. Other debts, if the debtor dies in prifon, cannot be recovered, death frees them from debt ; but if we die hi the debt to God, he knows how to recover it; as long as we h^ve fouls to ftrain on, God will not lofe his debt. Not the death of the debtor, but the death of the furety, pays a finner's debt. 4. In other debts men may flee from their creditor, leave their country, and go into for- reign parts, and the creditor cannot find them; but we cannot flee from God. God knows where to find all his debtors, Pf. exxxix. 7. Where Jloall I flee Jrom thy prefence ? if I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the ut- mofl parts of the fea, there fhall thy right-hand hold me. 5. Sin is the worft debt, becaufe it carries men, in cafe of non-payment, to a worfe pri- fon than any upon earth, to a fiery prifon ; and the finner is laid in worfe chains, chains of dirknefs, where the finner is bound under wrath for ever. Qu. 3. U herein have we the properties of bad debters ? Anf. 1. A bad debter doth not love to be called to an account. There's a day coming when God will call his debtors to account, Rom. xiv. 12. So then, every man /hall give an account for himfelf to God. But we play away the time, and do not love to hear of the day of judgment ; we love not that minifters fhould put us in mind of our debts, or fpeak of the day of reckoning. What a confounding word will that be to a- fecure finner, redde rationem, give an account of your ftewardfhip ? 2. A bad debter is unwilling to confefs his debt, he will put it off, or make lefs of it; fo we are more willing to excufe fin, than confefs it. How hardly was Saul brought toconfefiion ? 1 Sam. xv. 20. / have obeyed the voice of the Lord, but the people took ofthefpoil. He rather excufeth his fin than confeffeth it. 3. A bad debter is apt to hate his creditor. Debters wifh their creditors dead ; fo wicked men naturally hate God, becaufe they think he is a juft judge, and will call them to account; Gr. God-haters. The debter doth not love to fee his creditor. Ufe 1. It reproves them who are loth to be in debt, but make no reckoning of fin, which is the greateft debt ; they ufe no means to get ©ut OF THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 469 out of it, but run ftill further in debt to God. We would think it flrange, if writs or war- rants were againfr a man, or a judgment granted to feize iiis body and eftate, yet he is fecure and regar Jlefs, as if he were unconcerned. God hath a writ out ag.iinfl a fmner, nay, many writs, for fwearing, drunkennefs, fabbath-break- ing, yet the miner eats and drinks, and is quiet, as if he were not in debt; what opium hath Satan given men ? Vfe 2. Exhortation. If fin be a debt, I. Let us be humbled. The name of debt (faith St. Ambrofe) is grave vocabulum, grieVous. Men in debt are full of fhame, they ly .hid, and do not care to be feen. A debter is ever in fear of arreft. Canis latrat 6" cor palpitat. O let us blufh and tremble, who are fo deeply indebted to God. A Roman dying in debt, Auguflus the emperor lent to buy his pillow, becaufe (faith he J I hope it has fome virtue in it to make me fleep, on which a man fo much in debt could take his eafe. We that have fo many fpiritual debts lying upon us, how can we be at reft till we have fome hope that they are difcharged. 2. Let us confefs our debt. Let us acknow- ledge that we are run in arrears with God, and deferve that he fhould follow the law upon us, and throw us into hell-prifon. By eonfeflion wc give glory to God, JoJ)}. vii. 19 My Jon, give glory to the God of Jfrael, and make confeffion to him. Say that God were righteous if he mould ftrain upon all we have : if we confefs t«e debt, God will forgive it, 1 John ii. 9. If •we confefs our fins, he is juft to forgive. Do but confefs the debt, and God will crofs the book, Pf. xxxii. 5. J faid, I will confefs my tranfgreffion to the Lord, and thou forgavejt me. 3. Labour to get our fpiritual debts paid, that is, by our furety Chrift. Say, Lord, have patience with me, and Chrift fliall pay thee all. He bath laid down an infinite price. The cove- nant of works would not admit of a furety, it demanded perfonal obedience : but this privi- lege we have by the gofpel, which is a court of chancery to relieve us, that if we have no:hing to pay, God will accept of a furety. Believe in Ghrift's blood, and the debt is paid. Luke xi. 4. And forgive us our fins, for we alfo forgive xvery one that is indebted to us. IN the words are two parts ; 1. A petition, forgive us our fins. 2. A condition, For we alfo -forgive every one that is indebted to us. Our forgiving others is not a caufe of God's forgiving us, but it is a condition, without which God will not forgive us. Firfl, I begin with the fir ft, the petition, Forgive us our fins ; a blelTed petition ! the ig- norant world lay, Who will fhew us any good ? Pf. iv. 6. meaning a good leafe, a good purchafe; but our Saviour teacheth us to pray for that which is more noble, and will (land us in more ftead, the pardon offm, Forgive us our fins. Forgivenefs of fin is a primary bleffing, it is one of the firft mercies God bellows, Ezek. J will fprinkle clean water upon you ; that is, forgivenefs. When God pardons, there is no- thing he will flick at to do for the foul ; he will adopt, fanttify, crown. Qu. I; What forgivenefs of fin is ? Anf It is God's paffing by fin, Mic. vii. 18. 'his wiping off the fcore, and giving us a dif- eharge. .The nature of forgivenefs will more clearly appear, 1. By opening fome fcripture-phrafes. 2. By laying down fome divine aphorilins and pofitions. (1.) By opening fome fcripture-phrafes. K To forgive fin, is to take away iniquity, Job vii. 2.1. Why do ft thou not take away mine ini- quity? Ilcb. lift off. It is a metaphor taken from a man that carries an heavy burden ready to fink him, and another comes, and lifts off this burden ; fo, when the heavy burden of fin is on us, God in pardoning, lifts offthis burden from the confidence, and lays it upon Chrifl, Ifa. liii. 6. He hath laid on him the iniquities of us all. 2. To forgive fin, is to cover fin, Pf. lxxxv. 2. Thou haft covered all their Jin. This was typified by the mercy -feat covering the ark ; to fhew God's covering of fin through Chi ill. God doth not cover fin in the Antinomian fenfe, fo as he fees it not, but he do.h fo cover it, as he will not impute it. 3. To forgive fin, is to blot it out, lfa. xlii. 25. / am he that blotteth out thy tranfgreffions . The Hebrew word, to blot out, alludes to a creditor, who, when his debtor hath paid him, blot* 47<> OF THfc FI^TH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. blots out the debt, and gives him an acquittance ; fo God, when he forgives fin, blots out the debt, he draws the red lines of Chrift's blood over our fins, and fo croffeth the debt-book. 4. To forgive fin, is for God to fcatter our fins as a cloud, Ifa. xliv. 22. / have blotted out as a thick cloud your iranjgrejfions. Sin is the cloud interpofcth. God difpels the cloud, and breaks forth with the light of his countenance. 5. To forgive fin, is for God to cafi our fins o the depths of the fea, Mich. vii. 10. which into implies God's burying them out of fight, that they fhall not rife up in judgment againft us. Thou -wilt cafi all their fins int$ the depths of the fa. God will throw them in, not as cork that rifeth again, but as lead that finks to the bottom. (2.) The nature of forgivenefs will appear, by laying down fome divine aphorifms or po- rtions. Aphorifm 1. Every fin is mortal, and needs forgivenefs; I fay, mortal, that is, deferves death. God may relax the rigour of the law, but every fin merits damnation. The Papifis diftinguifh of mortal fins, and venial ': fome fins are ex furreptione, they creep unawares into the mind (as vain thoughts, fudden motions of anger and revenge) thefe, faith Bellarmine, are in their own nature venial. It is true, the greateft fins are in one fenfe venial, that is, God is able to forgive them ; but the lead fin is not in its own nature venial, but deferves damnation. We read of the lufts of the flefh, Rom. xiii. 14. And the works of the fiefh, Gal. v. 19. The lulls of the flefh are finful, as well as the works of the fiefli. That which is a tranfgreffion of the law merits damnation ; but the firil Airrings of corruption are a breach of the royal law, Rem. vii. 7*. Prov. xxiv. 9. therefore they me- rit damnation. Sov that the leaft fin is mortal, and needs forgivenefs. Aphorifm 2. If is God only that forgives fin. To pardon fin is one of the jura regalia, the flowers of God's crown, Mark ii. 7. Who can forgive fins but only Cod? It is moft proper for God to pardon fin, only the creditor can remit the debt. Sin is an infinite offence, and no finite power can difcharge an infinite offence. That God only can forgive fin, I prove thus. No man can take away fin, unlefs he is able to infufe grace:, for (as Aquinas faith) with forgivenefs is always infufion of grace; but no man can infufe grace, therefore no man on forgive fin. He only can- forgive fin, who can remit the penalty, but it is only God's pre- rogative royal to forgive fin. Obj. 1. But a chriftian is charged to forgive his brother, Col. iii. 13. Forgive one another, Anf. In all fecond-table fins, there are two diftinct things, 1 . Difobedience againf God. 2. Injury to man. That which man is required to forgive, is the wrong done to himfelf : bat the wrong done to God, he cannot forgive. Man may remit the trefpafs againfl himlilf, but not a tranfgrelTion againft God. Objecl. 2. But the fcripture fpeaks of tha power committed to miniflers to forgive fin, Jofrn xx. 23. IVhofe fever Jins ye remit, they are remitted unto them. Anf. Minifrers cannot remit fin authoritati- vely and effectually, but only declaratively. They have a fpecial office and authority to apply the promifes of pardon to broken hearts. "When a minifter fe^s one humbled for fin, yet is afraid God hath not pardoned him, and is ready to be fwallowed up of for r -quo ; in this cafe, a minifter, for the eafing of this man's confeience, may, in the name of Chrift, declare to him, that he is pardoned ; the minifter doth not forgive fin by his own authority, but as an herald, in Chrift's name, pronounceth a man's pardon. As it was with the prieft in the law, God did cleanfe the leper, the prieft only did pronounce him clean, fo it is God, who, by his prerogative doth forgive fin, the minifter only pronounceth forgivenefs to the finner, being penitent. Power to forgive fin authoritatively in one's oivn name, was never granted to any mortal man. A king may pardon a man's life, but not pardon his fin: popes pardons are infigni- ficant, like blanks in a lottery, good for nothing but to be torn. Aphorifm 3. Forgivenefs of fin is purely an act of God's free-grace. There are fome acts of God which declare his power, as making and governing the world; other acts that declare his juftice, as punifhing the guilty; other acts- that declare his free-grace, as paidoning of fi li- ners, Ifa. xliii. 25. I am he that blottetb out fin for my own name fake. As when a creditor freely forgives a debtor, 1 Tim. i. 15. / obtain- ed mercy. I was all over befprinkled with mer- cy. When God pardons a fin, he doth not pay a debt, but give a legacy. Forgivenefs is fpun out of the bowels or God's mercy ; there is nothing we can do can deferve it : it is not our prayers, or tearsjor good deeds, can purchafe pardon OF THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. pardon. "When Simon Magus would have bought the gift of the Holy.Gboft with money, thy money (faith Peter) perifj with thee, Acts viii. 20. So they who think they can buy pardon of fin with their duties and alms, their money periih with them: forgivenefs is an act of God's free-grace, here he difplays the banner of love. This is that will raife the trophies of God's glo- ry, and will caufe the faints triumph in heaven, that when there was no worthinefs in them, when they lay in their blood, God took pity on them, and held forth the golden fceptre of Jove in forgiving: Forgivenefs is a golden thre.id fpun out of the bowels of free-grace. Aphorifm or pofition 4. Forgivenefs is thro' the blood of Ch rift. Free-grace is the inward caufe moving, Chrift's blood is the outward caufe meriting pardon, Eph. i. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood. All pardons are fealed in Gh rift's blood ; the guilt of fin was infinite, and nothing but that blood which was of infinite value could procure forgivenefs. Object. But if Chrifi laid down his blood as the price of our pardon, then how can we fay , Cod freely forgives fin ? If this be by pur chafe t bow is it by grace ? Anf 1. It was God's free grace that found out a way of redemption through a mediator. Nay, God's love appeared more in letting Chriffc die for us, than if he had forgiven us without exacting any fatisfaction. 2. It was free grace moved God to accept of the price paid for our fins : that God iliould accept a furety ; that one fhould fin, and ano- ther fuffer, this was free-grace. So that for- givenefs of fin, tho' it be purchafed by Chrift's blood, yet it is by fee-grace. Aphorifm 5. In forgivenefs of fin, God remits the guilt and penalty. Remiffa culpa, remittitur poena. Guilt is an obligation to punifhment, guilt cries for juftice : now God in forgiving doth indulge the finner as to the penalty ; God feems to fay to the finner thus, though thou art fallen into the hands of my juftice, and defervej} to die, yet Infill take off the penalty ; whatever is charged upon thee /hall be difcharged. When God pardons a foul, he will not reckon with him in a purely vindictive way, he flops the execution of juftice. Aphorifm 6. By virtue of this pardon God will no more call fin into remembrance, Heb. viii. 12. Their fins and iniquities will I renum- ber no more. God will p.ifs an act of oblivion, he will not upbraid us with former unkind- 47* nefles : when we fear God will call over our lins again after pardon, look into this act of indemnity, their iniquities will I remember no more. God is faid therefore to blot out our Jin. A man doth not call for a debt when he hath croiTed the book ; when God pardons a man, his former clUpIeafure ceafeth, Hof xiv. 4. Mine anger is turned away. Qu. But is God angry with his pardoned ones * Anf. Though a child of God, after pardon, may incur God's fatherly difpleafure, yet God's judicial wrath is removed ; though God may lay on the rod, yet he hath taken away the curie .-correction may befal the faints, but not deftruction, Pf Ixxxix. 31. My loving- kindnefs I will not take away. _ Aphorifm or pofition 7. That fin is not for- given till it be repented of; therefore they are put together, Luke xxiv. 47. Repentance and remiffion. Domine, da poehiteniiam, 6 pi/lea wdu/gentiam, Fulgentius. 9. iNow in repen- tance there are three main ingredients, and all thefe mutt be before forgivenefs. 1. Contrition, 2. Confeffion, 3. Converfion, (1.) Contrition, or brokennefs of heart, Ezek. vii. 1 6. They fiall be like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning every one for his own iniquity. This contrition or rending of the heart, is exprefTed fometimes- by firming on the breaft, Luke xviii. ,3. fome- times by plucking off the hair, Ezra ix. 3. fome- times by watering the couch, Pf. vi. 6. But all humiliation is not contrition : fome have only pretended forrow for fin, and Co have miffed of forgivenels ; Ahab humbled himfelf, his gar- ments were rent, not his heart. Qu. What is that remorfe and forrow which goes before forgivenefs of fin ? AnJ. It is an holy forrow, it is a grieving- for fin, quatenus fin, as it is fin, and as it is a dishonouring of God, and a defiling of'the foul. Though there was no fufkrings to follow, yet the true penitent would grieve for fin, Pf. If. 3.. My fin is ever before me. This contrition goes before remiffion, Jer. xxxi. 18, 19. I repented, I fmote upon my thigh, is Ephraim my dear fon I my bowels are troubled for him, I will fuely have mercy upon him. Ephraim is troubled for finning, and God's bowels were troubled for Ephraim ; the woman in the golpel flood at Jcfus's feet weeping, and a pardon followed, Luke vii. 47. Wherefore I fay, Her fins which are many, are forgiven her'. The feal is fet upon the wax when it melts, God ieals his pardon upon melting hearts. (2.) The- 472 Q? THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. (2,) The fecond ingredient into repentance is con/e/fon, Pf. li. 4. Agavifl the?, thee only have Ijinned. This is not Auricular confeflion, this the papifts make a facrament, and affirm, that without confeflion of ail one's fins in the ears of the pried, no man can receive forgiven- efs offiri ; the fcripture is ignorant of it, nor do we read of any general council, till the Lateran council, which was about twelve hundred years after Chrift. did ever decree auricular confeflion. Ohj. But doth not the /cripture fay , James v. 15. Confefs your fins one to another \ An/ This is abfurdly brought for auricular confeflion ; for, by this, the prieft muff as well confefs to the people, as the people to the prieft. The fenle of that place is, in cafe of public fcandals, or private wrongs, here con- feflion is to be made to others ; but chiefly, confeflion is to be made to God, who is the party offended ; again]} thee, thee only have I fin- ned. Confeflion gives vent to forrow : confef- lion muft be free without compulsion, ingenu- ous without referve, cordial without hypocrify ; the heart mult go along with the confeflion. This confeflion makes way for forgive nefs, Pf xk'xii. 5. If lid, I would confefs my fins, and thou for gave ft me. When the publican and thief on the crofs confefled, they had that par- don : the publican fmote upon his breaft, there was contrition ; and (aid, God be merciful to lite a /inner, there was confeflion; he went a- way juftified, there was forgivenefs : and the thief on the crofs, IVe indeed /uffer juflly, there was confeflion ; and Chrift ablolved him before he died, Luke xxi'i. 41. This day fi) alt thou be •with me in parad'i/e. Which words of Chrift mighr occafion that faying of St. Auftin, con- feflion fhuts the mouth of hell, and opens the gate of paradife. 3. The third ingredient in repentance is, converrion, or turning from fin, Judges x. 1^. ' We have ftnnsd, there was confeflion; v. 16. They put away their /I range gods, there was converfion. And it mull be an univerfal turning from lin, Ezek. xviii. 3 1. Caft away from you all your fran/gr^/fions. You would be loth God fliould forgive only fome of your fins : would you have God forgive all, and will not you forfake all ? He that hides one rebel, is a traitor to the crown ; he that lives in one known (in, is a traitorous hypocrite. And it muft not only be a turning from fin, but a turning unto God: therefore it is called repentance, {Ads xx. 20.) Towards Cod. The heart points towards God, as the needle to the north-pole. The prodigal did not only leave his harlots, but did arile and go to his father, Lukz xv. 17. This repentance is the ready way io pardon, Ifa. Iv. 7. Let the wicked forfuke his way, and turn to the Lord, and he will ab~ undantly pardon. A king will nor pardon a rebel whilft he continues in open hoilility. Thus you fee repentance goes before remiflion: they who never repented, cm have no ground to hope that their fins are pardoned.. 7. Aphori/m or po/ition is, that fin is not forgiven till it be repented of. Caution. Not that repentance doth merit the forgivenefs of fin, to make repentance fatisfac- tory is Popif ; by repentance- we plea/e God, but we do -not fat is/y him : alas ! Chrift's blood muft wafo our tears. Repentance is a conditi~ on, not a caufe ; God will net pardon lor repen- tance, nor yet without it: God lea's his pardons on melting hearts; repentance makes us prize pardon the more. He who cries out of his broken bones, will the more prize the mercy of having rhem fet again ; when there is no- thing in the foul but clouds of forrow, and now God brings a pardon (which is a letting up of a rainbow in the cioud, to tell the foul the flood, of God's wrath ihali not overflow.) O what joy at the fight of this rain-bow! the (bul now burns in love to God. S. Aphorifm or poftion. The greateft fins come within the com pals of forgivenefs. In- ceft, fodorny, adultery, theft, murder, which are fins of the firft magnitude, yet thefe are pardonable. Puul'\vas a blafphemer, and fo finned againfc the firft table ; a perfecuter, "and fo he finned again ft the fecond table ; yet he obtained mercy, .1 Tim. i. 13. I was all be/prink'ed with mercy. Zaccheus, an extortioner, Mary Magdalene an unchafte wo- man, out of whom (even devils were call, Manaffeh who made the ftreets run with blood, yet had their pardon. Some of the Jews, who had a hand in crucifying of Chrift, were for- given. God blots out not only the cloud, but the thick cloud, I/a. xliv. 22. Enormities as well as Infirmities. The king in the parable, for- gave his debtor that owed him icooo talents, Mat. xviii. 27. a talent w< ighed 3000 fhekels, 10000 talents contained alinoft 12 tun of gold. This was an emblem of God'? forgiving great fins, I/a. i. 18. Though j oar /ins were as fcarlei, yet they foall be white as /how. Scarlet, in the Greek is called, twice dipped) and the art of man jB&BAQt OF THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYE 47 cannot wafh out the dye again. But though our fins are of a (carlet dye, God's mercy can wafh. them away: the Tea can as well cover great rftcks as little fands. This I mention, that finners may not dejpair. God counts it a glory to him to forgive great fins ; now mercy and love tide in triumph, I Tim. I. 14; The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant, it was exuberant, it did overflow as Nilus. We muff, not meafure God by ourfelves : God's mercy excels our fins, as much as heaven doth earth, Jja. lv. 9. If great finners could not be forgiven, then great finners mould not be pi cached to; but the gofpel is to be preached to all. If they could not be forgiven, it were a diihonour to .Chi id's blood; as if the wound were broader than the plaifter. God hath firff. made great finners broken vefti'ls, he hath broken their hearts for lin, and then he hath made them golden vejfels, he hath filled them with the golden oil of pardoning mercy ; this may en- Courage great finners to come in and repent. Indeed the fin againfr. the Holy Ghofi is unpar- donable, not but that there is mercy enough in'God to forgive it, but becaufe he who hath committed this fin will have no pardon ; he dtfpights God, fcorns his mercy, fpills the cordial of Chrift's blood, and tramples it under foot, he puts away falvation from him ; but elfe the greateil fins are pardonable. When a poor fmner looks upon himfelf, and fees his guilt, and when he looks on God's juftice and holi- nefs, he falls down confounded, but here is that may be as a cork to the net, to keep him from defpair, if thou wilt leave thy fins and come to Chrift, mercy can feal thy pardon. Aphorifm 9. When God pardons a finner, he forgives all fins, Jer. xxxiii. 8. / will par- don all their iniquities. Col. ii. 13. Having forgiven you all trefpaffes. The mercy-feat covered the whole ark ; the mercy-feat was a type of forgiven efs, to fhew that God co- vers all our tranfgreffions. He doth not leave one fin upon the fcore : he doth not take his pen, and for four fcore fins write down fifty, but blots out all fin, Pf. ciii. 3. Who for give th ail thine iniquities. When I fay, God forgives all fins, I underftand it of fins pall, but fins to come are not forgiven till they are repented of. Indeed God hath decreed to pardon them ; and when God forgives one fin, he will in time forgive all : but fins future are not actually par- doned, till they are repented of; it is ablurd to think fin fhoukl be fo; given, before it is committed. 1. If all fins part and to come arc at once forgiven, then, what need a man pray for the pardon of fin? It is a vain thing to pray for the pardon of that which is already forgiven. 2. This opinion, that fins to come (as weM as part) are forgiven, doth take away and make void Chrift' s inter ctjffion : Ch lift is an advocate to intereeed for daily Jins. 1 John ii. t. But if fin be forgiven before it be committed, what need is there of Chrifl's daily interceffion ? So that God, though he forgives all fins pall to a believer, yet fins to come are not forgive!*, tiil repentance be renewed. .Aphorifm to. Faith doth necefTarily antecede fofgivenefs, there mult be believing on cr.r part, before there is forgiving on God's part, Acts x. 43. To him give all the prophets vntnefs, that through his name whofever btliiveth in himyfball receive rem'iffon of Jins. So that faith is a neceffary antecedent to forgive net's. There are two acts of faith, to accept Chrift, and to truft in Chrift, to accept of his terms, to truffc in his merits ; and he who doth neither of thefe, can have no forgivenefs; he who doth not accept Chrift, cannot have his perfon ; he that doth not truft in him, cannot have benefit by his blood. So that, without faith, no remiffion. Aphorifm it. Though juftification and fanctificution are not the fame, yet God never pardons a finner, but he doth (anttify him. Juftification and fanclification are not the fame. 1. juftification is without us, fancYification is within us. The one is by righteoufnefs im- puted, the other is by righteoufnefs imparted. 2. Juftification is equal, fanctification is grad- ual. Sandtification doth rccipere majus it minus : one is fanctified more that another, but one is not juftified more than another ; one hath more grace than another, but he is not more a believer than another. 3. The matter of our juftification is perfect viz. Chrift's righteoufnefs; but our fancVifica- tion is imperfect, there are the fpots of God's children, Dent, xxxii. 5. Our graces are mix- ed, our duties are defiled. Thus juftification and fanctification are not the fame : yet, for all that, they are not fepa rated : God never pardons and juflifies a finner, but he doth fan&ify him, 1 Cor. vi. 11. But ye are jufti- fied, but ye are fanclified. 1 John v. 6. This is he that came by water and blood, even Jefus O o o Chrift, 4/4 OF THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE. LORD'S PRAYER. Chrifl. Chrift comes to the foul by blood, that denotes remiifion ; and by water, that denotes {anctification. Let no man lay he is pardoned, that is nor made holy. And this, I the rather urge again ft the Antino?ma:is, who talk of be- ing forgiven their fin, and having a part in Chrift, and yet remain unconverted, and live in the grofleft fins. Pardon and healing go to- gether, /fa. lvii. 19. / create the fruit of the lips, peace. And I will heal htm. Peace is the fruit of pardon, and then it follows, /will heal him. Where God pardons, he purifies : as in the inauguration of kings, with the crown there is the oil to anoint : fo when God crowns a man with forgiven efs, there he gives the a- nointingoil of grace to fanctify, Rev. ii. 17. / will give him a white flonc, and in the ft one a new name. A white flone, that is abfolution ; and a new name in the -itone, that is fan- edification. 1. If God mould pardon a man, and not fanctify him, this would be a reproach to him ; then he mould love, and be weli-pleafed with men in their fins, which is diametrically con- trary to his holy nature. 2. If God mould pardon, and nof fanclify, then he could have no glory from us. God's people are formed to (new fcrth his praife, Jfa. xliii. 21. but if he mould pardon and not fan- ctify us, how could we fbew forth his praife ? How couid we glorify him I What glory can God have by a proud, ignorant, profane heart? 3. If God mould pardon, and not fanctify, then that mould enter into heaven which de- fileth ; bur, Rev. xxii. 27. Nothing fhall enter that defileth. Then God fhoukl fettle the in- heritance upon men before they are fit for it, fontrafy to that, Col. i. 12. He hath made us .>;.<:;? for the inheritance : how is that but by the divine unction ? So that, whoever God forgives, he transforms. Let no man fay his jgns are for.given, who doth not find an inhe- rent work of hoiinefs in his heart. Aphorifm 12. Where God remits fin, he imputes righteoufnefs. This righteoufnefs of Chrift imputed, is a faho to God's law, and makes full fat is fiction for the breaches of it. This righteoufnefs procures God's favour; God cannot but love us, when he fees us in Lis fon's robe, which both covers and adorns lis. In this fpotlefs robe of Chrift we outmine the angels : theirs is but the righteoufnefs of ♦features, thjs is the righteoufnefs of Gcd him- felf, 2 Cor. v. 21. That we mi^ht be made the righteoufnefs of God in him. How great a bl ef- fing then is forgivenefs ? With remiflion of'fin is joined imputation of righteoufnefs. Aphorifm. 13. They whofe fins are forgiven, muft not omit praying for forgivenefs, Forgive us our trefpaffes. Believers who are pardoned, muft be continual (inters for pardon. When Nathan told David, The Lord hath put away thy fin, 2 Sam. xii. 13. yet David after that, compofed a penitential pfalm for -the pardon of his fin. Sin, like Samfon's hair, though it be cut, will grow again. We fin daily, and muft as well a;kfor daily pardon, as for daily bread. Befides, a chrifti.m's pardon is not fo lure, but he may defire to have a clearer evi- dence of it. Aphorifm 14. A full abfolution from all fin is not pronounced till the day of judgment. The day of judgment is called a time of refrefh- ingj when fin (hall be compleatly blo'cted out, Acls iii. 19. Now God blots out fin truly, birt then it fliall be done in .a more public way; God will openly pronounce the faints abfo- lution before men and angels : their happinefs is not compleated till the day of judgment, becaufe then their pardon fhali be folemnly pronounced, and there fliall be the triumphs of the heavenly hoft. At that day it will be true indeed, that God fees no fin in his chil- dren : they fliall be as pure as the angels ; then the church fliall be pre fen ted without wrinkle, Fph. v. 27. She fliall be as free from ftain as guiit ; then Satan fliall no more accufe, Chrift will fliew the debt-book crolfed in his blood : therefore the church doth fo pray for Chrift's coming to judgment, Rev: xxii. 17. The bride faith, come Lord Jefus ,■ light the lamps, then bum the incenfe. Ufe 1. Of information. From this word, For- give, we learn that if the debt of fin be no other way difcharged but by being forgiven, then we cannot fatisfy for it. Among other dam- nable opinions of the church of Rome, this is one, man's power to fatisfy for fin. The coun- cil of Trent holds, that God is fatisfied by our undergoing the penalty impofed by the cenfure of priefts : and again, we have works of our own, by which we may fatisfy for our wrongs done to Go»d : by thefe opinions, let any judge what the popifli religion is. They intend to pay the debt they owe God themfelves, to pay it in part, and do not look to have it all for- given : but why did Chrift teach us to pray, Forgivt OF THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 475 Forgive us our /ins, if we can of ourfelves fia- tisfy God for the wrong we have done him ? This doctrine robs God of his glory, Ghriit of his merit, and the foul of faJvadon. Alas ! is not the lock cut where our flrength lay ? Are not all our works fly-blown with lm, and can fin fatisfy for fin ? This docfrine makes men their own fiviours : it is mofl abfurd to hold ; for, can the obedience of a finite creature fia- fy for an infinite offence ? Sin being forgiven, clearly implies we cannot fatisfy for it, 2. From this word us, forgive us, we learn that pardon is chiefly to be fought for ourfelves : for though we are to pray for the pardon of o- thers> James vi. \6- Pray one for another, yet in the fir ft place, we are to beg pardon fov our- felves. What, will another's pardon do us good ? Every one is to endeavour to have his own name in the pardon. A fon may be fi&ade free by his father's copy, but he cannot be pardoned by his father's pardon, he rnuit have a pardon for himfelf. In this fenfc, feirifhnefs is lawful, every one muff be for himfelf, and get a pardon for his own fins. Forgive us. 3. From this word O'JR, Our fins, we learn how juft God is in punifhftig us The text fays, our fins \ we ; . Qied for other mens fins, but om babet cle pro- pria, nifi peccatu m - - he. Therefs no- thing we can call Co pro erl) >u 3, as fin. lur daily bread we have from G< d, <. ar daily fin's we have from ourfelves. Sin is our own aft, a web of our own i pinning ; how righteous therefore is God in punifhing of us ? we low the fe< d, and God only makes us reap what we Cow, Jer. xvii. to. / give every man the fruit of his own doings. When we are punifhed, we but rafte the fruit of our own grafting. 4. From this word fins, fee from hence the multitude of fins we ftand guilty of. We pray not, forgive ns our fin, (a.s if it were only a fingie debt) but fins, in the plun.lr lb vaft is the catalogue of our fins, that David cries out, IVho can underfiand Lis errors? Pfi xix. 12. Our Cms are like the diops in the fea, like the atoms in the fun, they exceed all arithmetic. Our debts we owe to God, we can no more number, than wecoi' fatisfy ; which, as it mould humble us, to consider how full of black our fouls are, fo it fhould put us upon feeking after the pardon of our fins. And this brings to the fecond ufe, Exhortation. To labour to have the forgive- ttefs of fin fealed up to us. How can we ear, or drink, or flaep without it i Tis fad dying without a pardon ; this U to fall into the laby- rinth of defpair ; of* thio the next time. Vfe 2. Ler us labour for the forgivenefs of fin. If ever this was needful, then now, when the times ring changes, and danger feerns to b« marching towards us. Labour, I fays for the forgivenefs of. fin : this is a main branch of the. charter or covenant of grace, Heb. x. 12. Iwil be merciful to your unrighteoufntfs, and your Jins and iniquities I will remember no more. It is mercy to Ct-:d us, bur it is rich mercy to par- don us ; this is fpun and woven out of the bow- els of free-grace* Earthly things are no figns of God's love; he may. give the venijbn, but not the bkffing ; but when God feals up for- givenefs, he gives his love and heaven with it, Pf. xxi. 3. Thou JetteJ} a crown of pure gold en his head. A,crown of go!4 was a mercy, but if you look into pfahn ciii. you fhall find a greater mercy, v. 3, 4. i'/hoforgiveth all thine iniquities, who crowneth thee with loving-kin dnefs. To be ciowned with forgivenefs and loving-kind- nefi, is a far greater mercy, than to have a crown of pure gold fet upon the. he d. It was a -mercy when Chi iff cured tfe palfy man ; but when Chrift find to him, thy Jins are forgive 'i, Mark ii. 5. this was more than to have his palfy healed: forgivenefs of fin is the chief thing to be f>ught after ; and fure, ifconfeience be once torched with a fenfe of fin, there is nothing 3 man will thirft after more than forgivenefs, Pf. Ii. 3. My Jin is ever before me. This made David Co earneft for pardon, Pf li. 1. JIae mercy upon me, 0 God, blot out my Iran ons If one mould have come to David, zn<\ afked him, David, where is thy pain ? what \% it troubles thee ? is it the fear of fliarae which flHi come upon thee and thy wives ? is it the fear of a fword which God hath threatned fhall not depart from thy houfe ? He would have laid, No, h is only my fin pains me; ?ny fix is ever before me. Were but this removed by for- givenefs, tho' the fword did ride in circuit in- my family, I mould be well enough content. When the arrow of guilt (ticks in the confei- ence, nothing is fo defu able as to have this ar- row plucked out by forgivenefs. Oh therefore feek after forgiven fs of fin. Can yoil "make a fhi ft to live without it r but how will you do to die without it i will not death have a fting to an unpardoned firmer ? how do you think to get to heaven without forgivenefs ? As at fome folemnfeftivals, there is no being admitted O o o 2 unlets 47<> OF THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. unlets you bring a ticket: fo. unlefs you have this ticket to (how, forgivcnefs of fin , there is »io being admitted into the holy place of hea- ven. Will God ever crown rhqfe that he will not forgive ? 0 bs ambitious of pardoning grace. When God had made Abraham great and large promifcs, Abraham replies, Lord, -what is ail, feeing 1 go chiidkfs ? Gen. xv, 2. So, when God hath given the riches, and all thy heart ner ; for when they die, they go but to the earth; but he dying without pardon, goes into hell-torments for ever. Men are not convinced of this, but play with the viper of fin. 3. Men do not feek earntftly after forgivenefs, becaufe they are ft eking other things : they feek the world immoderately. When Saul was feek- ing after the afTes, he did not think of a kingdom. The world is a golden fnare. Divitice fa?cull can wifh, (ay to him, Lord, what is all this, funt laquei diaboli, Bern. The wedge of gold feeing I want forgivenefs ? Let my pardon be fealed in Chrift's blood. A prifoner in the T?ower is in an ill cafe, not'.vithftanding his brave diet, great attendance, foft bed to ly on, be- caufe, being impeached, he looks every day for his arraignment, and is afraid of the fentence of death ; in fuch a cafe, and worfe, is he, that fwims in the pleafures of the world, but his fins are not forgiven: a guilty conference doth impeach him, and he is in fear of being ar- raigned and condemned at God's judgment-feat. Give not then fieep to your eyes, or {lumber to your eye-lids, till you have, gotten fome well- grounded hope that your fins are blotted out. Before I come toprefs the exhonation to feek after forgivenefs of fin, I (hall propound one queftion. Qu. If pardon of fin befo abfolutely neceffary, •without it no falvation, ivhat is the reafon that fo few in the world feek after it ? If they want health, they repair to the phyfician ; if. they •want riches, they take a voyage to the Indies ; rut if they want forgivenefs of fin,lhey feem'to be unconcerned, and do not feek after it ; whence is this P Anf 1. Inadvertency, or want of confidera- tion : they do not look into their fpiiitual e- ftate, or caft up their accounts to fee how mat- ters fiand between God and their fouls, I/a. i. 3 hinders many from feeking after a pardon. Mi- nifters cry to the people, get your pardon feal- ed : but if you call to a man that is in a mill, the noife of the mill drowns the voice, that he cannot hear : fo, when the mill of a trade is go- ing, it makes fuch a noife, that the people can- not hear theminifter when he lifts up his voice, like a trumpet, and cries to them to look after the fealing of their pardon. He who fpends all his time about the world, and doth not mind forgivenefs, will accufe himfelf of folly at lafh . You would judge that prifoner very unwife, that fhould fpend all his time with the cook to get bis dianer ready, and fhould never mind getting a pardon. 4. Men feek not after the forgivenefs of fin, through a bold prefumption of mercy; they conceit God to be made up all of mercy, and that he will indulge them, tho' they take little or no pains to fiue out their pardon. 'Tis true, God is merciful, but withal he is jufl, he will- not wrong his juflice by fhewing mercy. Read the proclamation, Exod. xxxiv 6. The Lord, the Lord God merciful ; ver. 7. and that will by. no means clear the guilty. Such as go on in fin, and are fo llothful or wilful, that they will not feek after forgivenefs, tho' there be a whole ocean of mercy in the Lord, not one drop fhall fall to jyly people do not confider : they do not con- their fhare, he will by no means clear the guilty. fidcr they are indebted to God in a debt often thoufand talents, and that God will, ere long, call them to account, Rom. xiv. 12. So then e- very one of us_ fhall give an account of himfelf to Cod. But people fhun ferions thoughts ; my people do not confider. Hence it is they do not look after pardon 5. Men feek not earneftly afrer forgivenefs, out of hope of impunity. They flatter them- fclves in fin, and becaufe they have been fpared fo long, therefore fure, God never intends to reckon with them, If x. 11. He hath faid in his heart, God hath forgotten, he hides his face, he will never fee it. Arheifls think, either the 2.. Men do not feek after forgivenefs of fin, judge is blind, or forgetful ; but let finners for want of , conviclion. Few are convinced what a deadly evil fin is, it is the fpirits of mif- chief diftilled, it turns a man's glory into fhame, fcrbiings all plagues on the body, and curfes on the foul. Unlefs a man's fin be forgiven, there is not the vileft creature alive, the dog, ferpent, toad, but is in a better condition than the fiu- know, that long forbearance is no forgivenefs. God did bear with Sodom a long time, but at la ft rained down fire and brimftone upon them : the adjourning the affizes doth not acquit the prifoner : the longer God is taking the blow, the heavier it will be at laft, if finners repent not. 6. Men do not feek earneftly after forgivenefs: through. OF THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 477 through a_miitake ; they think. getting a pardon is eafy, it is but repenting at the lait hour, a figh, or a Lord have mercy, and a pardon will diop into their mouths. But, is it fo eafy to repair, and have a pardon ? tell me, O finner, is regeneration eafy? are there no pangs in the new birth ? is mortification eafy ? is it nothing to pluck, out the right eye ? is it eafy to leap out of Dahtab's lap into Abraham's bofom ? This is the draw-net, by which the devil drags million? to hell, the facility of repenting and getting pardon. 7. Men do not look after forgivenefs thro' Defpair. Oh, faith the defpondmg foul, it is a vain thing for me to expect pardon ; my fins are fo many and hainous, that fare God will not forgive me. Jer. xviii. 12. And they faid there is ho hope. My fins are huge moun- tains, and, can they ever be caft into the fea? defpair cuts the fmews of endeavour; who will ufe means that defpairs of (uccefs ? The devil fhews fome men their lins at the little end of the perfpecYtve-glafs, and they feem little, or none at all ; but he (hews- others their fins at the great end of the perfpective, and they fright them into defpair. This is a foul-dam- ning fin, JuJ.zs's defpair was worfe than his treafon. Dcfp.iir fpills the cordial of ChrihVs blood : this is the voice of defpair, ChriiVs blood cannot pardon me. Thus you fee whence it is that men feek no more eurneftly after the forgivenefs of fin. Haying an fwered this que- ftion, I fhall now come to prefs the exhortation upon every one of us, to feek earneflly after the forgivenefs of our lins. 1. Our very life lies upon the getting of a pardon : it is called the juflif cation of life, Rom. v. 18. Now, if our life lies, upon our pardon, and we are dead and damned without it, doth it not concern us above all things to labour after forgivenefs of fin ? Deut. xxxii, 47. For it is not a vain thing for you, becaufe it is your life. If a man be under a fen ten ce of death, he will let his wits a-work, and make ufe of all his friends to get the king to grant his pardon, becaufe his life lies upon it : fo we are, by reafon of fin, under a fentence of damnation; now, there is one friend at court we may make ufe of to procure our pardon, namely, the Lord Jefus : how earncit then fhould we be with him to be our advocate to the Father for us, and that he would prefent the merit of his blood to the father, as the price of our pardon ? 2. There is that in fin may make us defir« forgivenefs. Sin is the only thing that dil- quiets the foul. 1. Sin is a burden, it bur- dens the creation, Rom. viii. 22. it burdens rha confcicnce, Pf. xxxviii. 4. A wicked man i$ not fenfible of fin, he is dead in Jin ,• and if you lay a thoufand weight upon a dead man, he feels it not. But to an awakened confcicnce there is no fuch burden as fin ; when a man ferioufly weighs with himfelf the glory and purity of that majefty which fin hath offended, the precioufnefs of that fbul which fin hath polluted, the lofs of that happinefs which fm hath endangered, the greatnefs of that torment which fin hath deferved, to lay all tl is together, fiire muff make fin burden fome : and (hou'd not we labour to have this burden removed by pardoning mercy ? 2. Sin is a debr, Mat. vi. 12. Forgive us our debts ; and every debt we owe, God hath written down in his book, //";. Ixv. 6- Behold it is "written before me, and one day God's debt-book will be opened, Rev. xx. 12- The books were opened. And, is not this that which may make us look after forgivenefs ? Sin being fuch a debt as we mult eternally lie in the prifon of hell for, if ir be not difcharged ; fhall not we be earn eft with God to crofs the debf-book with the blood of his fon ? There is no way to look God in the face with comfort, but by having our debts either paid, or pardoned. 3. There is nothing but forgivenefs can give eafe to a troubled conference. There is a great difference between the having the fancy p/ra fed, and having the confience eafed : worldly things may pleafe the fancy, but not eafe the con- fcience : nothing but pardon can relieve a trou- bled foul. It is ftrange what fhifts men will make for eafe when confcicnce is pained, and how many falfe medicines they will ufe, befo-e they will take the right way for a cure. When confcicnce is troubled, they will try what mer- ry company can do ; they may perhaps drink away trouble of confcicnce ; perhaps they may play it away at cards, perh; ps a Lent-whipping will do the de_d ; perhaps multitude of bulmcls will fo take up their time, that they flrall have no lcifure to hear the clamours and aceufati >ms of confeience : but how vain are thefe attempts! ftill their wound bleeds inwardly, rl.eir heart trembles, their confeience roars, and the1 have no peace. Whence is it ? Here is the reafon, they go not to the mercy of God, and the blood of Chr.ilt, for the pardon of their fins i and hence it is they can have no eaTeL Suppoie 47 : OF THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. Suppofe a man hath a thorn in his foot, which puts him to pain ; let him anoint it, or wrap it up, and keep it warm ; yet, till the thorn be plucked out, it akes and fwells, atrd he hath no eafe ; Co when the thorn of fin is gotten into a man's confcience, there's no eafe till the thorn be pulled out; when God removes iniquity, now the thorn is plucked out. How Avas David's hearr hneiy quieted, when Nathan the prophet told him, the Lord hath put a- way thy fin, 2 Sam. xii. 13. How mould we therefore labour for forgivenefs ! till then we can have no eafe in our mind : noching but a pardon; fealed with the blood of the redeemer, cart eafe a wounded fpirit, 4. Forgive ne fs of iin is feafible ; it may be obtained. Impoffibility d i roys endeavour; but, as Ezra x. 2. There is hope in Ilrael con- cerning this. The devils aie pail hope; a fentence of death is p all. upon them, which is irrevocable ; but there is hope for us of obtain- ing a pardon, Pf. cxxx. 4. There is forgivenefs With thee. If padon of fin were not poflible, then it were not to be prayed for ; but it hath been prayed for, 2 Sam. xxiv. 10. Ibefcech thee, 0 Lord, take away mine iniquity ; and Chrifl bids us nray for it, For give us our trtfpaffes. That Is pofhble which God hath promifed, but God hath promifed pardon upon repentance, Ifa. lv. 7. Let the wicked for fake his -way, and return to the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him ; und to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Hebrew, He will multiply to pardon- That is poflible which others have obtained ; but others have arrived at forgivenefs, therefore it is have- able, Pf. xxxii.5. Ifaiah xxxviij. 16. Thou hafl caft all my fins behind thy back. This may make us endeavour after pardon, becaufeitis feafible, it may be had. 5. Confkieration, to perfuade to it, is, for- givenefs of fin is a choice eminent bleffing: to have the book cancelled, and God appealed, is worth obtaining ; which may whet our endea- vour after it. That is a rare tranfcendent bleffing, appears by three demonflrations. \Jt, If we confider how this ble fling is pur- chafed, namely ; by the Lord Jefus. There are three things in reference to Chrifl, which fet forth the choicenefs and precioufnefs of for- givenefs, i. No mere created power in heaven or earth could expiate one fin, or procure a pardon ; only Jefus Chrifl, 1 John ii. 2. He is the pro- filiation for our fins. No Merit can buy out a pardon. Paul hzd as much to boafl of as any man, his high birth, his learning, his legal righteoufnefs ; but he difclaims all in point of juflification, and lays them under Chriflrs feet to tread upon. No angel could, with all his holinefs, lay down a price for the pardon of one fm, 1 Sara. ii. 25. If a man fin again ft the Lord, who fhall intreat for him? Whatrngel durfl be fo bold, as to open his mouth to God for a delinquent iinner ? Only Jefus Chrifr, who is God-man, could deal with God's juflice, and purchafe forgivenefs. 2. Chrifl himfelf could not procure a pardon, but by dying r every pardon is the price of blood. Chrifl's life was a rule of holinels, and a pattern of obedience, Mat. in. 15. He fulfilled all righ- teoifnefs. And certainly, Chrift's active obedi- ence was of great value and metil ; but here is that which raifeth the worth of forgivenefs, Chrift's active obedience had not fully procured a pardon for us, without the fl.edding of his blood : therefore our juilification is afcribed to his blood, Rom.v. 9. Being jujiified by his blood. Chrifl did bleed out our pardon. There's much afcribed to Chrifl's interceihon, but his inter- ceflion had not prevailed with God for the for- givenefs of one fin, had not he fhed his blood. It is worth our notice, that when Chrifl is de- fcribed to John as an interceffor for his church, he is reprefented to him in the likenefs of a lamb flain, Rev. v. 6. to fhew that Chrifl rauft die, and be flain, before he can be an interceffor. 3. Chrifl, by dying, had not purchafed for- givenefs for us, if he had not died an execrable death; he endured the curfe, Gal. iii. 13. All the agonies Chrifl endured in his foul, all the torments in his body, could not purchafe a par- don, except he had been made a curfe for us, Chrifl mufl be curfed, before we could b« bleffed with a pardon. idly, Forgiveneis of fin is a choice bleffing, if we confider what glorious attributes God puts forth in the pardoning of fin. (1.) God puts forth infinite power : when Mofcs was pleading with God for the pardon of J/rael's fin, he (peaks thus, Let the power of my Lord be great, Numb. xiv. 17. God's forgiving of fin is a work of as great power as to make heaven and earth, nay, a greater : For, when God made the world, he met with no oppofition; but, when he comes to pardon, Satan oppofeth, and: the heart oppofeth. A firmer is defperate, and flights, yea, defies a pardon, till God, by his mighty power> convinced! hiai of his fin mid OF THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 47$ «nd dinger, and makes him willing to accept of a pardon. (2.) God, in forgiving fins, puts forth infinite mercy, Numb. xiv. 19. Pardon, I befeech thee, the iniquity of this people, accord- ing to the greatnefs of thy mercy It is mercy to have a reprieve ; and if there be mercy in fparing a finner, what mercy then is in pardon- ing him ? This is the ftos laclis, the cream of mercy. For God to put up fo many injuries, to wipe fo many debts off the (core, this is in- finite favour; forgivenefs of fin is fpun out of the bowels of God's mercy. ^dly, Forgiv.eiiejfs of tin is a choice bleffing, as it lays a foundation for other mercies. It is a leading mercy, t . It makes way for temporal good things* (1.) It brings health. Vv'hen Chrift faid to the palfy man, Thy fins are for- given, this made way for a bodily cure, Arife, take up thy bed and walk, Mat. is. 6. The par- don of his fin made way for the healing of his palfy. 2. It brings profperity, Jer. xxxiii. tf, 9. 2. It makes way for fpiritual good things. For- givenefs of fin never comes alone, but bath other fpiritual bleflings attending it. Whom God par- dons, he fanclifLs, adops, crowns. It is a volu- minous mercy, it draws the filver link of grace, and the golden link of glory after it. It is an high act of indulgence, God feals the tinner's pardon with a kifs. And mould not we, above all things, feek after fo great a bleffing as forgivenefs ,? 6. Confideration, that which may make us feek after forgivenefs of fin is, God's inclinable- nef to pardon, Neh. ix. 17. Thou art a God ready to pardon. In the Hebrew it is, A God cf pardons. We are apt to entertain wrong conceits of God, that he is inexorable, s'nd v, ill not forgive, Mat. xxy. 24- 1 knew thou wert an hard man. But God is a fin-pardoning God, Exod. xxxiv. 6. The Lord, merciful and gracious , forgiving iniquity, tranfgrejffion and fin. Here is my name (faith God) if you would know how I am called, I tell ypu my name, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful, forgiving iniquity. A pirate or rebel, that knows there is a proclamation out againft him, will never come in ; but, if he hears that the prince is full of clemency, and there is a proclamation cf pardon to him, if he fubmit, this will be a great incentive to him to lay down his arms, and become loyal to his prince. See God's proclamation to repenting tinners, Jer. iii. 12. Go and proclaim thefe words, and fay, return thou bachjliding rfrael, faith the Lord, and I will not caufe my anger to fall upon thee, for I am merciful. God's mercy is a tender mercy. The Hebrew word for mercy fignifies bowds. Go 1's mescy is full of fympathy, he is of a moft fweet indulgent nature, Pf lxxxvi. 5. Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive. The bee doth not more na- turalily give honey, than God fliew mercy. Obj. 1. But doth not God fern to delight in punitive acts, or acts of fever ity ? Prov. i. 26. I will laugh at your calamity. Anf Who doth God fay fo to ? See verfe 25. Ye have fet at nought all my counftl, and would none of my reproof. God delights in their deftruction who defpife his initrucHon ; but an humble penitentiary breaking off fin. and fuing out his pardon, the Lord d :!;^h :s in mewing mercy to fuch an one, Fvlicah vii. ib- He de light eth in mercy. Obj. 4. But though God be fo full of msrew and ready to forgive, yet his mercy reac ' not to all; he forgives only fuch as are elected, and I quefiion my election ? Anf. 1. No man can fay he is not elected r God hath not revealed this to any particular- man, that he is a reprobate, excepting him on- ly who hath finned the fin againfl the Holy Ghofi ; which fin thou art far enough f»m, who mournefi for fin, and feekeft after for- givenefs. 2. Thefe thoughts of non-election, that we are not elected, and that there is no pardon for us, come from Satan, and are the poifoncd arrows he flioots. He is the accuf'er • he accuf- eth us to God, that we are great finners ; and,. 'he accufeth God to us, as if he were a tyrant,. One that did watch to deftroy his creature, thefe are diabolical' fuggeftions ; fay, Get thee behind me, Satan. 3. It is finful for any to hold that he is not elected; it would t ke him off from the ufe of means, from praying, and repenting; it would harden him, and make him defperate: there- fore pry not into the drca*ia ca-!i, the fee ets of heaven. Remember what hefei the men oF Bethf)cmefl), for looking into the ark, 1 Sa»r~ vi. r9. Know that we are not to go by God's fecret will, but by his revealed will ; look in- to God's revealed will, and there we (hall find enough to cherifh hope, and encourage us to go to God for the pardon of our fins. God hath revealed in his word, //•.// he* is r: >cv, F.ph. ii. 4. That he doth not delight in. the- de/lruction of a finner, Lzek. xviii. 32. Jurat per Effcntiam, (Mufculus.) He ftvears by his evince,, 4?4> OF THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. efTence, Ezek. xxxiii. Tt. Js I live, faith the Lord Cody I have no pleafure in the death of the iviekm. Hence it is God waits fo long, r.nd puts of? the feffions from time to time, to f.e iffinners will repent, and feek to him for pardon: therefore let God's tender mercies and precious promife* encourage us to feck to him for the forgiyeneis of our fins. • Confideration 7. Not to feek earnefily for pardon, is the unfpcakable mifery of fuch as v.ant forgivenefs ; it rauft needs be ill with that malefactor that wants his pardon. 1. The unpardoned finner (that lives and dies fo) is under the greateit lofs and privation. Is there any happinefo like to the enjoying of. God in glory; this is the joy of angels, the crown of faints glorified ; but the unforgiven finner ihall not behold God's fmiling face; he fhall fee God as an enemy, not as a friend ; he mall have an affrighting fight of God, not beatifical; he (hall fee the black rod, not the mercy-feat. Sins unpardoned are like the an- gels with a flaming fword, who flopped the paf- iage to paradife; iins unpardoned Hop the way to the heavenly paradife ; and how doleful is the condition of that foul which is banifhed hd* the pl.ee of blifs, where the King of glory keeps his court ? 2. The unpardoned finner hath nothing to do with any promife ; the promifes are mulc- traiia evangelii. the breads that hold the Tincere milk of the word, which fills the foul with precious fweetnefs ; they are the royal charter: but what hath a ftranger to do to meddle with the charter r It was the dove plucked the olive-branches ; it is only the be- liever plucks the tree of the promife. Till the condition of the promife be performed, no man ,can have right to the comfort of the promife; and how fad is that, not to have one promife to fhow for heaver ? 3. An unpardoned finner is continually in -danger of the outcry of an accufing confeience. An accufing confeience is a little hell. Siculi ncn invenere tyranni tormentum majus- We tremble to heai a lion rore: how terrible are .the rorings of confeience : Judas hanged him- fclf, to qniet his confeience : a finner's confei- r_v.ee at prefent is either afleep, or feared-, but when God fhall awaken confeience either by, ^miction, or at death, how will the unpardoned ,finrierbe affrighted ? When a man fhall have all his fin? fet before his eyes, and drawn out in their bloody colours, and the worm of con- feience begins to gnaw; finner, here are thy debts, and the book is not cancelled, thou mull to hell ; O what a trembling at heart will the finner have ? 4. All the curfes of God fland in full force againfl an unpardoned finner. His very blef- fing? are curfed, Mai. ii. 2. l-.-will curfe your Wt'fflH?>s- ^'s tar^e is a fnare ; he eats and drinks a curfe. What comfort could f>ionyfius have at his feafl, when he imagined he faw a naked fword hanging by a twinethreed over his head r This is enough to fpoil a finner's banquet; a curfe like a naked fword hangs over his head r Cefir wondered to fee one of his foldiers fo merry that was in debt. One would wonder that men (hould be' merry, who is heir to all God's curfe s ; he doth not fee thefe curfes, but is blinder than Balaam's afs, who faw the angel's fword drawn. 5. The unpardoned finner is in an ill cafe at death. Luther profeffed, there were three things which he durft not think of without Chriit ; of his fins, of death, of the day of judgment. Death to a Chrifticfs foul is the king of terrors. As the prophet Ahijah faid to Jeroboam's wife, 1 Kings xiv. 6. I am fent to thee -with heavy tidings ; fo death is fent to the unpardoned foul with heivy tidings : it is God's jaylor to arreft him. Death is a prologue to damnation : in particular, (s.) Death is a voider, to take away all his earthly comforts, it takes away his fugared models ; no more drinking wine in bowls, no more mirth or mufic, Rev. xviii. 22. The voice of harpers and muficians fhall be heard no more at all in thee. The finner fhall never tafle of lufcious delights more to all eternity; his honey fhall be turned into the gall of ajps, Job xx. 14. (2.) At death there fhall be an end put to all reprieves. Now God reprieves a finner, he fpares him fuch a fit of ficknefs ; lie refpires him many years ; the finner fhould have died fuch a drinking-bout, but God granted him a reprieve; he lengthened out the filver threed of patience to a miracle : but the finner dying without repentance, unpardoned, now the leafe of God's patience is run out, and the firmer muft appear in perfon before the righteous God to receive his fenrence ; after which there fhall be none to bail him ; nor fhall he hear of a reprieve any more. 6. The unpardoned finner, dying Co, muft go into damnation ; this is the fecond de..th, mors OF THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 4$l mors fine inorte. The unpardoned foul mud for ever bear the anger of a fin-revenging God : as long as God is God, Co long the vial of his wrath /hall be dropping upon the damned foul ; ;his is an helplcfs condition. There is a lime when a finner will not be helped ; Chrift and falvation are offered to him, but he flights them, he will not be helped: and there is a time fhortly coming, when he cannot be helped ; he calls out for mercy, O a pardon, a pardon ! but then it is too late, the date of mercy is expired ; O how fad then is it to live and die unpardoned ? You may lay a grave-ftone upon that man, and write this epitaph upon it, it had been good for that man he had never been bom. Now if the mifery of an unpardoned ftate be (b unexpreffible, how mould we labour for for- givenefs, that we may not be ingulphed in fo dreadful a labyrinth of fire and brimftone to ail eternity ? 7. Such as are unpardoned muft needs lead uncomfo- table lives, Deut. xxviii. 66. Thy life fhall hang in doubt before thee, and thou fhalt be in continual fears. Thus the unpardon- ed Iinner muft needs have a palpitation and trembling at the heart ,• he, fears every bufh he fees, 1 John iv. 18. Fear hath torment in it. The Greek word for torment, Kolafis, is ufied fometimes for hell: fear huh heli in it.. A man in debt fears every ftep he goes, left be fhould be arrefted : fo the tinpardoneil finner fears, what if this night death, which is God's ftrrjeant, fhould arreft him? Job vii. 21. Why dpft not thou pardon ?ny fin P. For n oiu> fhall I fle<.p in the dujt : as if Job had find, lord, I fh all fhortly die, I fhall fie tp in the dufi ; and what fhall I do if my fins be nor pardoned ? What comfort can an unpa'doned foul take in any thing? Sure no more than a prifoner can fake in meat or mufic, that wants his pardon. There- fore, by all thtfe powerful motives, let us la- bour for the forgivenefs of fin. Obj. 1. But lam difcouraged from going to God for pardon, for 1 am unworthy of for- givenefs ; iv hat am I, that God fhould, do fuch a favour for me ? Anf God forgives, not becaufe we are worthy, but becaufe he is gracious, Exocl. xxxlv. 6. The Lord, the Lord, merciful and gracious. Cod forgives, out of his clemency : afh of pardon, are acts of grace- What wort1 inefs was there in Paul before converfion ? He was a blafphemer, and i'o he finned againft the fir ft table j he was. a perfecuter, and i'o he finned a- gainft the fecond table : but free-grace fealed his pardon, 1 Tim. i. 13. / obtained mercy; 1 was all beftrowed with mercy. What worthi- nefs was in the woman of Samaria ? She was ignorant, John iv. 22. Was unclean, v. 18. She was morofe and churliih, fhe would not give Chrift fo much as a cup of cold water, vet. 9. How is it that thou, being a Jew, a/kef I drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria ? What worthinefs was here ? Yet Chrift overlooked all, and pardoned her ingratitude ; and thcmr'i fhe denied him water out of the wall, yet he gave her the water of life. Gratia non invenil dignos, fed facit. Free-grace doth not find us worthy, but makes us worthy. Therefore, noiw'uhftanding unwonhinefs, feek to God, and Your fins may be pardoned. Obj. 2. But I have been a great finner, and fure God will not pardon me. Anf David brings it as an argument for par- don, Pf xxv. 11. Pardon mine iniquity v for it is great. When God forgives great fins, now he doth a work like himfelf. The defipuate- nefs of the wound doth the more Cet forth the virtue of Chrift's blood in curing it. Mary Magdalene, a great finner, out of whom (even devils were caft, yet uhe had her pardon. Some of the Jews, who had an hand in crucifying of Chrift, upon their repentance, the very blood they Hied did feal their pardon. Confider finj either for their number, as the finds of the lea ; or for their weight as the rocks of the fiei; yet there is mercy enough in God to for- give them, Ifn i. 18. Though your fins be as fcarlet they fhall be white as fmw. Scarlet ftg- nifics twice dipped, which no art of man can get out ; yet God- can wafh out this fcarlet dye. There is no fin excepted from pardon, but that f :i which delpifeth pardon, viz. the fin againft the holy Ghoft, Mat. xii. 31. Therefore, O finner, do not call: away the anchor of hope, but go to God for forgivenefs. The vaft ocean hath bounds let to it, but God's pardoning mercy is boundlefs. God can as well forgive great fins, as lefs ; as the fea cm as well co- ver great rocks, as little finds. Nothing hinders pardon ^ but the finner's not asking it. That a great finner fhould not defpnir of forgivenefs," confult that fcripturc, If a. xliii. 25, I, even I, am he that blotftth :ut ' fions. If you look on the foregoing word?, you would wonder how this verfe comes in, verfe 2 \. Thou hafi made me to ferve with thy fins, tJkou h.zji wearied me with t p p p the* d%2 OF THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S P RAYER. then it follows, / even I, am he that blotteth tut thy tranfgreffions. One would have thought it lhouki have run thus, Thou haft wearied me -with thy iniquities ; I, even I, am he that will pknifh thy iniquities : but God comes in a mild loving drain, Thou hafl wearied me with thy thy iniquities , I am he that blots out thy iniqui- ties. So that the greatnefs of our fins mould not difcourage us from going to God for for- giventfs. Though thou haft committed acts of impiety, but God can come with an act or in- demnity, and fty, /, even f am he that bhttcth out thy tr-anfgrefflons. God counts it his glory to dit play free-grace in its orient colour?, Rom. v. 20. IVherc fin abounded, grace did much more abound. When Jin becomes exceeding fi ful, hee-grace becomes exceeding glorioui. God's pardoning love can conquer the finner, and triumph over the fin. Confidef ; thou alrnofr- If he bids us do it, much more will he forgive a relapfing finner in cafe he repent, Jer. iii. 12. Return thou backjliding Ifrael,/br 1 am merciful^ faith the Lord. It is not falling once or twice into the mire that drowns, but lying there ; it is not once relapfing into fin, but lying in fin impenitently, that damns. Obj. 4. But God requires Jo much forrow and humiliation before remiffiony that I fear lfhall never arrive at it. Anf, God requires no more humiliation than may fit a foul for mercy. Many a chriftiait thinks, becaule he hath not rilled God's bottle Co lull of tears as others, therefore he is not humbled enough to receive a pardon. But we mi'fi know God's dealings are various ; all have not the like pangs in the new-birth : fome are won with love, the fenfe of God's mercy abufed, caufeth ingenuous tears to flow ; others are more defpairing foul, there is not fo much fin in man flagitious and hardened, and there God deals as there is mercy in God : mini's fin in conipa- rifon of God's mercy, is but as a (park to the ocean ; and who would doubt whether a fpaik could be quenched in an ocean ? Obj. 3. But I have relapfed into the fane fins, and how can I have the face to come to God for pardon of thofe fins which I have more than tnce fallen into ? Anf. I know that the Novations held that after a relapfe no forgivenefs by the church. But doubtlefs, that was an error : Abraham did twice equivocate, Lot committed inceft twice, Peter finned thrice by carnal fear j but thele repenting, had their abfolution. There is a twofold relapfe, 1. A wilful relapfe, when, after a man hath folemnly vowed him- felf to God, he falls into a league with fin, and returns back to it, Jer. ii. 25. / have loved firangersy and after them will I go. 2. There is a relapfe through infirmity, when the bent and resolution of a man's heart is againft fin, but, through the violence of temp- tation, and withdrawing of God's grace, he is carried down the flream againft his will. Now, though wilful and continued relapfes are def- perate, and do v aft are confeientiam (as Tertul.) wafte the confeience, and run men upon the precipice of damnation; yet if they are through infirmity, and we mourn for them, we may ob- tain forgivenefs. A godly man doth not march after fin as his general, but is led captive by it ; and the Lord will pity a captive-prifoner. Chrift commands us to forgive a trefpafTing krother, feventy times feven, Mat. xviii. 22. more roughly with. This is fure, that foul is humbled enough to receive a pardon, who is brought to a thorough fenfe of fin, and fees the need of a faviour, and loves him as the fairefl; of ten thoufand : thereto- e be not difcou- raged, if thy heart be bruifed for fin and bro- ken off from it, thy fin fhall be blotted out. No fboner did Ephraim fall a weeping, but God's bowels fell a working, Jer. xxxi. 20. My bowels are troubled for him, 1 will fure ly have mercy upon him. Having anfwered thele ob- jections, let me befeech you,. above all things , labour for the forgivenefs of fin: think with yourfelves how great a mercy it is ; it is one of the richeft jewels in the cabinet of the new covenant, Pf. xxxi. 2* Blefjld is he whofe ini- quity is forgiven. In the Hebrew it is blefftd- neffes. And think with yourfelves, the unpa- ralleled mifery of fuch whole fins are not for- given. Such as had not the blood of the paf- chal lamb fprinkled on their door-pofts, were deftroyed by the angel, Exod. xii. So they who have not Ghrift's blood fprinkled on them, to wafli away the guilt of fin, will fall into the gulf of perdition. And if you refolve to feek after forgivenefs, do not delay. Many fay they will go about getting their pardon, but they procraftinate and put it off lb long, till it be too late ; when the (hadows of the evening are ftretched forth, and the night of death approacheth, then they begin to look after their pardon. This hath been the un- doing of millions ; they purpofe they will look after their fouls, but they flay fo long till the ka& OF THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 483 leafe of mercy be run out ; Oh, therefore haflen the getting of a pardon ! think of the uncertainty t?f life. What fecurity have you that you {hall live another day ? I'olat ambiguis mobilis alls hora. Our life is a taper foon blown out ; it is made up of a few flying minutes. O thou dufl and allies ! thou mayeft fear every hour to be blown into thy grave ; and what if death come to arreft thee before thy pardon is fealed ? Plutarch reports of one Archias, who being among his cups, one delivered to him a letter and defired him to read it prefently, being about ferious bufinefs ; faith he,feria eras, I will mind ferious things to morrow ; and that night he was flain. Thou that fayeft, to morrow I will repent, I will get my pardon, thou mayft fuddenly be flain ; therefore to day, while it is called to day, look after the forgivenefs of fin : after a while, all the conduits of mercy will be flopped, there will not be one drop of Chrifl's blood to be had, there is no fealing of pardons after death. 2. Branch of exhortation. Let us labour to have the evidence of pardon, to know that our fins are forgiven. A man may have his fins forgiven, and not know it ; he may have a pardon in the court of heaven, when he hath it not in the court of confeience. David ' s fin was forgiven as foon as he repented. And God lent Nathan the prophet to tell him fo, 1 Sam. xii. 13. But David did not feel the com- fort of it at prefent : as appears by the peni- tential pfalm compofed after, Pf. li. 8. Make me to hear the voice of joy ; and verfc 12. Cafi me not away from thy prefence. It is one thing to be pardoned, and another thing to feel it. The evidence of pardon may not appear for a time, and this may be, 1 . From the imbecility and weaknefs of faith. Forgivenefs of fin is lb ftrange and infinite a bleiling, that a chriflian can hardly perfwade himfelf that God will extend fuch a favour to him : as it is faid of the apoflles, when Chrift appeared to them, firfr, they believed not far joy, and wondered, Luke xxiv. 41. So the foul is fo flricken with admiration, that the wonder of pardon doth almoft flagger his faith. 2. A man may be pardoned, and not know it, from the firength of temptation. Satan accufeth the Godly of fin, and tells them that God doth not love them : what, fhould fuch finners think of pardon ? Believers, are com- pared to bruifed reeds, Mat. xii, 20. And temptations to winds, Mat. vii. 15. Now, a reed is eafily fhaken with the wind. Temp« tations fhake the Godly; and though they are pardoned, yet they know it not : Job in a temp- tation thought God his enemy, Job xvi. 9. Yet then he was in a pardoned condition. Qu. But why doth Codfometimes conceal the evidence of pardon ? Anf Though God doth pardon, yet he may withhold the fenfe of it a while ; 1. Becaufe hereby he would lay us lower ia contrition. God would have us fee what an evil and bitter thing it is to offend him; we fhall therefore ly the longer flecping ourfelves in the brinifh tears of repentance, before we have the fenih of pardon, it being long before David's broken bones were fet, and his pardon fealed, the more contrite his heart was, and this was a facrifice God delighted in. 2. Though God doth forgive fin, yet he may deny the man.ifeftation of it for a time, to make us prize pardon, and make it fwectcr to us when it comes. The difficulty of obtaining a mercy enhanfeth the value : when we have been a long time tugging at prayer for a pardon of fin, and flill God withholds, but at lafl, after many figh» and tears, pardon comes ; now we efleem it the more, and it is fweeter, Quo longiut defrtur, eo Juifius laetatur, The longer mercy is in the birth, the mere welcome will the deliverance be. Let me now reaffume the exhortation to la- bour for the evidence and fenfe of pardon. He who is p and knows it not, is like one who hath an efrate befallen him, but knows it not. Our comfort conlifts in the knowledge of forgivenefs, Pf. li- 8. Make me to hear the voice of joy. This is a proclaiming a jubilee in the foul, when we are able to read our pardon ; and to the witnefs of confeience God adds the witnefs of his fpirit ; in the mouth of thefe two witneffes our joy is confirmed: O labour for this evidence of forgiveneTs. Qu. How fhall we know that cur fins are forgiven ? Anf We mufr not be our own judges in this cafe, Prov. xxviii. 26. He that truj}eth in his own heart is a fool. The heart is dc ceitful, Jer. xvi. 9, And it is folly to trufl a deceiver. The Lord only by his word mud be judge in this cafe, whether we are pardoned, or no. As it was under the law, no leper might judge himfelf to be clean ; but the pr.ieft was to pronounce him clean, Lev. xiii. 37. So, we are not to judge of ourfelves to be clean from P p p 2 the 4*4 OF THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. the guilt of fin, till we are fuch as the word of God hath pronounced to be clean. Qu. How then /hall we know by the wcrd whether our guilt is done away and our /ins pardoned ? An/, i . The pardoned finner is a great weeper. The fenfe of God's love melts his heart; that free-grace (hould ever look upon me ; that fnch crimfon fins mould be wafhed away in ChrifVs blood ! this makes the heart melt, and the eyes drop with tears ; never did any man read his pardon with dry eyes, Luke vii. 38. She /hod at his feet wee ;ng; her heart was a fpiritual limbec, out of ./hich thofe tears were diftilled. "Mary's tears were more precious to Chrifl than her oinment : her eyes which before did fparkle ■with liul, whole amorous glances had fet on fire her lovers ; now {he makes them a foun- tain, and wafherh ChrifVs feet with her tears. She was a true penitent, and had her pardon, v. 47. Wherefore, I /ay, her /ins, which xuere many, are forgiven. A pardon will make the hardeit heart relent, and caufe the ftonny heart to bleed : and, is it thus with us ? Have we been diflblved into tears for fin ? God feuls his par- don upon melting hearts. 2. We may know our fins are forgiven, by- having the grace of faith infufed, Acls x. 43. To hint give a!! the prophets witnefs, that who- mever believes in him /hall receive remi/fion of fins. In jfaving faith there are two things, abrenunciation, and recumbency: 1. Abrenun- ' ciatlon'- a man renounceth all opinion of him- felf, digged out of his own burrough ; he is quite taken oil' himfelf, Phil. iii. 9. He fees all his duties are but broken reeds; though he could weep a fea of tears ; though he had all the grace of men and angels, it could not pur- chafe his pardon. 2. Recumbency. Faith is an affent with affiance : the foul doth get hold of Chrifl, as Adonijah did of the horns of the altar, 1 Kings i. 15. Faith calls itfelf upon the ft ream ©f ChrifVs blood, and faith, If I peri/h, I perifj. If we have but the minimum quod /ic, the lafl drahm of this precious faith, we havefomething to fhew for pardon. To him give all the pro- phets witnefs that who/oever believes in him /hall receive remi/fion of Jin. 1. This faith is ac- ceptable to God, it : pleafeth God more than •flering up te n thou/and rivers of oil, than work- ing miracles, than martyrdom, or the highefr. acVs of obedience. 2. Faith is profitable to us ; k is our belt certificate to fhew for pardon : no fooner doth faith reach forth its hand to receive Chrift, but Chrifl fets his hand to our pardon. 3. Sign. The pardoned foul is a god-admirer, Micah vii. 18. Who is a God like thee, that pardonefl iniquity ? O that God mould ever look upon me, I was a finner, and nothing but a finner, yet obtained mercy ? Who is a God like thee ? Mercy hath been defpifed, yet that mercy mould fave me : Chrifl hath been crucified by me, yet his crofs crowns me. God hath difplayed the enfigns of grace, he hath fet up his mercy above my fin, nay, in fpight of it this caufeth. admiration, Who is a God like thee? A man that goes over a narrow bridge in the night, and the next morning comes and fees the danger he was in, and how miraculoufly he efcaped, he is flricken with admiration : fb, when God fhews a foul how near he was a-fall- " ling into hell, and how that thisgulph is fhuf, all his fins are pardoned, he is amazed, and cries out, Who is a God like thee that- pardonefl iniquity ? That God fhould pardon one, and paio by another ; one taken, another left ; this fills the foul with wonder and aflonifhment. 4. Wherever God pardons fin, he fubdues if, Micah vii. 1 7. He will have compa/Jion on us, he will /ubdue our iniquity. Where mens perfons are juflified, their lufts are mortified. There is in fin vis imperatoria 6" damnatoria, a command' ing power, and a condemning. Then is the con- demning power of fin taken away, when the commanding power of it is taken away. When we know whether our fins are forgiven, are they fubdued ? If a malefactor be in prifon, how fhall he know 'that his prince hath pardoned him r If the jaylor come and knock off his chains and fetters, and lets him out of prifon, then he may know he is pardoned: fo, how mall we know God hath pardoned us ? If ther fetters of fin be broken off, and we walk at li- berty in the. ways of God, Pf cxix. 55. I will walk at liberty ; this is a blelTed fign we aie- pardoned. Such as are wafhed in ChrifVs blood from their guilt, are made kings to God, Rev. i. 6. As kings they rule over their fins. 5. He whofe fins are forgiven, is full of love to God. Mary Magdalene** heart was fired with love, Luke vii. 47. Her fins, which are many, are forgiven; for /he loved much. Her love was not the caufe of her remiflion, but a fign of it. A pardoned foul is a monument of mercy, and he thinks he can never love GoU OF THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. tfs God enough ; he withes he had a coal from God's altar, to inflame his heart in love; he wiflierh he couid borrow the wings of the cher- ubhns. that he might fly fwifter in obedience : a pardoned foul is fick of love. He whoie finner is in a better condition than a proud angel. 2. God's people are a willing people : Pf ex. 3. a' people of willingnefs : love conHcaifft them : they ferve God freely /and our of choice. heart is like' marble, lockt up in impenifency, They flick at no fervice; they v. ill run through that doth not melt in love, a fign his pardon a fea, and a wildernefs ; they will follow the is yet to feal. lamb whitherfoever he goeth. 6. Where the fin is pardoned, the nature is 3. They are an heavenly people, ftars, John purified, Hof, xiv. 9. I will heal their back- xvii. 16. Ye are not of the wort I As the Jlidings, I -will love them. Every man, by na- primitm mobile in the heavens hath n niotiori ture, is both guilty and difeafed : where God of its own, contrary to the other orbs ; io God's remits the guilty, he cures the difeafe, Pf. ciii. people have an heavenly motion of foul, con- 3. Who forgiveth all thy iniquities, who healeth all thy difafes. Herein God's pardon goes beyond the king's pardon ; the king may forgive a malefactor, but he cannot change his heart, he may have a thievifh heart ftill : but God, trary to the men of the world : they ufe the world as their fervant, but do not follow ihe world as their mailer, Phil. Hi. 20, Our con- verfation is in heaven. Such as have thefe three characters of God's people, have a good when he pardons, changeth the heart, Ezek. certificiteto (hew that they are pardoned. For xxxvi. 26. Anew heart alfo will I give you. givenefs of fin belongs to them ; comfort ye A pardoned foul is adorned and embeliifh with my people, tell them their iniquity is forgiven. holinefs, 1 John v. 6. This is he that came by • S. A fign we are pardoned, if after many water and blood. Where Ghrift comes with florms we have a fweet calm and peace within, blood to juftify, he comes with water to cleanfe, Rom. v. 1. Being jufiified we have peace. After Zech. iii. 4. I have caufed thy iniquity to pafs many a bitter tear lhed, and heart-breaking, from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of the mind hath been more fedate, and a fweet raiment. I will caufe thy iniquity to pais from ferenityor ftill murk hath followed ; this brings thee, there is pardoning grace; and I will clothe tidings, God is appeafecl: whereas, before con- thee with change of raiment, there is fanclify- fcience did accufe, now it doth fecretly whifner big grace : let not him fay, he hath pardon, comfort: this is a bleffed evidence a man's fins- that wants grace. Many tell us, they hope they are pardoned, but were never fianctified ; yea, but they believe in Ghrift : but what faith is it ? A fwearing faith, a whoring faith ; the faith of devils is as good. 7. Such as- are in the number of God's people, forgivenefs of fin belongs to them, Ifa. xl. I. Comfort ye -my people, tell them their ini- quity is forgiven. are pardoned. If the bailiffs do not trouble and arreft the debtor, it is a fign his debt io compounded or forgiven; fo, if confeience do not vex or accufe, but upon good grounds whifper confolation, this is a fign the deb: is difcharged, the fin is forgiven. 9. A fign fin is forgiven, when we have hearts without guile, Pf. xxxii. 1.2. Bleffed is he whofe tranfgreffion is forgiven, unto whom Qu. How fhall we know that we are Cod's the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in -.1 ■'of God. fins and wants; this humbles. An humble 2. An heart without guile dares not allow itlelfi 4?6 0F THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE LOfclVS PRAYER. itfelf in the leaf! fin ; he avoids fecret fins. He dares not hide any fin, as Rachel did her father's images, under her, Gen. xxxi. 34. He knows God fees him, which is more than if men and angels did behold him. He avoids complexion-fins, Pf. xviii. 23. I was alfo up- right before him, and kept my felffrom my ini- quity. As in the hive there is a mafter-bee, Co in the heart there is a mafter-fin. An heart vvi hout guile takes the fac/ificing knife of mortification, and runs it through his beloved fin. 3. An heart without guile defires to know the whole mind and will of God. An un found' heart is afraid of the light, 'lucifuga, he is not willing to know his duty. A iincere foul faith, as Job xxxiv. 32. What I know not, teach fn.u me: Lord mew me whaf is my duty, and v. here- in I offend ; let me not fin for want of light; what I know not, teach thou me. 4. An heart without guile is uniform in reli- gion : he hath an equal <-ye to all God's com- minds. 1. lie i confidence of private duties ; he worth; ;• '. , his clolei as well as in the tempi . j en b< was alone, wreftied with the ant .. So a Chridian, when he '. God in prayer, and will not let i .. hath blelfed him. 2. He performs diffic duties, wherein the heart and fpirjt of religion lie, and which do crofs rlefh and blood : he is much in felf-humbling and felf-examining. Utitur fpecuiis magis quam per fpiciilis, Senec. He rather ufeth the looking glafs of the word to look into his own heart, than the broad ipecfacles of cenfure to fpy the faults of others. 5. An heart without guile is true to God's intereir. He grieves to fee it go ill with the church. Nehemiah, though the king's cup- bearer, and wine fo near, yet was fad when Zions glory was eclipfed, Neh. ii. 3. Like the tree I have read of if any of the leaves are cut, the reft of the leaves begin to fhrink up them- felves, and for a time to hang down the head ; fo a Iincere foul, when God's church fuffers, feels himfelf as it were touched in his own perfon. 2. hie rejoiceth to fee the caufe of God get ground; to fee truth triumph, piety lift up his head, and the flowers of ChrifVs crown fiourifh. This is an heart without guile, it is loyal and true to God's intereft. 6. An heart without guile is juft in his deal- ings : as he is uptight in his words, Co he is upright in his weights.. He makes conicience of the fecond tabic as well as the firft : he is for equity as well as piety, 1 Thef. iv. 6. That no mango beyond and defraud his brother in any matter. A Iincere heart thinks he may as well rob as def. aud: his rule is to do to others -what he would have them do to him. Math vii. 12. 7. An heart without guile is true in his pro- mifes : his word is as good as his bond. If he hath made a promile, though it be to his preju- dice, and doth entrench upon his profit, he will iv-' go back. The hypocrite plays fart and loofe, fees from his word ; there is no more binding him with oaths and promifes, than Samfon could be bound with green withs, Judges xvi. 7. A fincere foul faith as Jephtha, Judges xi. 3", 5. J have opened my mouth to the Lord, and I cannot go back. 8. An heart without guile is faithful in his friendfhip ;; he is what he pretends; his heart goes along with his tongue, as a well-mad« dial goes with the fun. He cannot flatter and hate, commend and cenfure. Counterfeiting of love is hypocrify. It is too ufual to betray with a kifs, 2 Sam. xx. 9. Joab took Abner by the beard to kifs him> and fmote kirn in the fifth rib that he died. Many deceive with fugar words. ';u ins ufe to judge of the health of the body he tongue ; if that look well, the body is in tb : but we cannot judge of friendfhip by tongue ; the words may be full of honey, when the heart hath the gall of malice : fure his heart is not true to God, who is treacherous to his friend. Thus you fee what an heart with- out guile is : now, to have fuch an heart is a fign fin is pardoned ; Cod will not impute fin to him in whofe Jpirit there is no guile. What a bleffed thing is this, not to have fin imputed? If our fins be not imputed, it is as if we had no fin : fins remitted, are as if they had not been committed : this is the bleffing belongs to a fincere foul, God imputes not iniquity to him in whofe jpirit is no guile.' 9. He whofe fins are forgiven, is willing to forgive others who have offended him, Eph. iv. 32. Forgiving one another even as Cod for Chrifi's Jake hath forgiven you. An hypocrite will read, come to church, give alms build hof- pitals, but cannot forgive wrongs, he will rather want forgivenefs from God than he will forgive his enemies. A pardoned foul argues thus, hath God been fo good to me, to forgive me my fins, and fhall not I imitate him in this ? Hath he forgiven me pounds, and fhall I not forgive pence. It is noted oCCranmer, nihil oblivifcifolet praeter 6F THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 4*7 pradter injuria s , Cicero. He was- of a forgiving fpirit, and would do offers of love to them that had injured him ; like the fun which having drawn up black vapours from the earth returns them back in fweet (bowers. By this touch -jrone we may try whether our fins are pardoned ; we need not climb up into heaven to fee whether our fins be forgiven, but let us look into our hearts ; are we of forgiving fpirit s ? Can we bury injuries, requite good for evil ? A good fign we are forgiven of God. If we can find all thefe things wrought in our fouls, they are happy Jigns that our fins are pardoned, and are good letters teflimonial to (hew for heaven. Ufe 3. Conflation. I (hall open a box of cordials, and (hew you fome of the glorious privileges of a pardoned condition. This is a peculiar favour, it is a fpring (hut up, broach- ed for none but the eleft. The wicked may have forbearing mercy, but only an elcift per- fon hath forgiving mercy Forglvenefs of fin makes way For fbiidjoy, Ifa. xl. 1. omf-t y, comfort ye my people, faith your God. [peak ye comfortably to Jerufalem : or, as in the Hebrt w, /peak to her heart What was this mult chc r her heart ? Tell her that her iniquity is par- doned: if any thing would comfort her, the Lord knew it was this. When Ghrifr would cheer the palfy man, Mat. tx. 2. Son, be of good cheer, thy fins be forgiven thee. It was a greater comfort to have his fins forgiven, than to have his palfy healed. This made David put on his belt cloaths, and anoint himfeif, 2 Sam. xii. 20. It was fhange, his child was newly dead, and God had told him the fvord fbould not depart from his ho ufe ; yet now he fpruceth up himfeif, he puts on his bed clothes, and anoints himfeif: whence was this ? David had heard good news; God lent his pardon by Nathan the prophet, 2 Sam. xii. 13- The Lord hath put away thy fin. This could not but revive his heart, and In token of joy he anoints himfeif. Philo faith, it was an opinion of fome of the Philofophers, that among the heavenly fpheres there was fuch fweet harmonious me- lody, that if the found of it could reach our ears, it would affect us with wonder and de- light. Sure he who is pardoned hath fuch a divine melody in his foul, as doth repleniih him with infinite delight. When Chrift had laid to Mary Magdalene, thy fins are forgiven ; he prefently adds, go in peace x Luke vii. 50. More particularly, 1. Comfort. God looks upon a pardoned foul as if he had never finned. As the cancel- ling a bond nulls the bond, and makes it as if the money had never been owing, forgiving fin makes it not to be. Where fin is remitted, it is as if it had not been committed, Jer. I. 20. So that, as Rachel wept becaufe her children were not, fo a child of God may rejoice becaufe his fins are not. God looks upon him as if he had never offended : though fin remain in him after pardon, yet God doth not, look upon him, as a finner, but as a juft man. 2. Comfort. God having pardoned fin, will pafs an W7 of oblivion, jer. xxx. 34. 1 will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their fin no more. When a creditor hath eroded the book, he doth not call for the debt again. God will not reckon with the finner in a judi-* cial way. When our fins are laid upon the head of Chrilt. our fcape-goat, they are carried into a land of forge tfulnefs. 3 Comfort. The pardoned foul is for ever fecured from the wrath of God. How terrible is God's wrath ? Pf. xc. 11. Who knows the power of thine anger ? If a (park of God's wrath when it lights into a man's confeience, fills it with fuch horror, (as in the cafe of Spira) then, what is it to be always fcorching in that torrid zone, to lie upon beds of flames ? Now, from this avenging jpvfUth of God every par- doned foul is freed : though he may tafie of the bitter cup of affliction, yet he (hall never drink of the fea of God's wrath, Rom. v. 9. Being jujlified by his blood, we fhall be faved from wrath through him. Chrifl's blood quench- eth the flames of hell. 4. Comfort. Sin being pardoned, confeience hath no more authority to ace ufe. Confeience roars againif the unpardoned finners, but it hath nothing to do to terrify or accufe him that is pardoned. God hath dificharged the finner, and if the creditor difcharge the debtor,, what hath the ferjeant to do to arrefl him ? The truth is, if God abfolve, confeience if rightly- informed, abfolves ; if once God faith thy fins are pardoned, confeience faith, go in peace. If the Iky be clear, and no florins blow there, then the lea is calm ; if all be clear above, and God fhinewith pardoning mercy upon the foul, then confeience is calm and ferene. 5. Comfort. Nothing that befals a pardoned foul (hall hurt him-, Pf. xci. 10. No evil J7j all touch thee; that i3, no dejlruclive evil. Every thing to a wicked man is hurtful, Good tilings; ar$ 4S8 OF T PI E F I F T H P E T I T I O N IN THE LORD'S PRAYER, are for his hurt. His very bleffings are turned inro a curfe, M-al. ii. 2. I will curfe your bleffings. Rlcve* and profperity do him hurt. They are not -limner a} bur infidia. Sen. Golden Jnares, Fed. v. r3. Riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. Like Hamans banquet, which did uiher in his funeral. Ordinances do a (In- ner hurt ; they are a favour of death, 2 Cor. ii. \6. Cordials themfelves kill. The bed things hint the wicked, but the worn- things which fjefal a pardoned foul (hall do him no hurt: the (ring, the poifon, the curie is gone ; his i'uid is no more hurt, than David hurt Saul, .when he cut off the lap of his garment'. 6. To a pardoned foul, every thing hath a commiflibn to do him good. AJfliclions fh:ill do him good ; poverty reproach, perfcution, Gen. 1. 20. Te thought evil againft me, but God meant it unto good. As the elements, though ofcontraiy qualities, yet God hath fo tempered them that the \ work for t lie good of the univerfe; Co the molt cfofs providences (hall woi k for good to a pardoned fowl. Correction (hall be a corrotive to eat out fin ; it !h Jl u the fweiling 6? pride, the fever of luft, o di ify oFavarice. It ih.'U be a refining fife to f ice, and make it (pat kle as gold !-'- s^nce', to a pardoned foul, dial- ; mi's euroclyi- don or crofs-wind, -'• >.■. exsyii. 1 hich, though it broke the (hifj, yet Paul -*a.-' brought to more upon the broken pieces. 7 A pardoned foul is not only exempted from wrath, but inverted wiih dignity ; as Jo- fph was not only freed from prifon, but ad- vanced to be a feconid man in the kingdom. A pardoned foul is made a f tvourite of heaven. A king may pardon a traitor, but will not make him one of his privy-council; but whom God pardons, he receives into favour. I may fay to him, as the angel to the virgin Mary, Luke i. 30. ' Thou haft found favour "with God. Hence inch as are forgiven, are faid to be crowned with loving'klndnefs, Pf. ciiL 3, 4. Whom God par- dons he crowns. Whom God abfolves, he marries himlell: to, Jer. iii. 12. lam merciful, and I will not keep anger for ever ; there is forgivenefs : and in the 1 4th verfe, I am married to you: and he who is matched into the crown of heaven, is as rich as the angels, as rich as heaven can make him. 8. Sin being pardoned, we may come with humble boielnefs to God in prayer, guilt makes i.f. afraid to go t.- God. Adam haying finned, Cictt. iii. to. 1 was afraid, and hidmyfilf. Guilt clips the wings of prayer, it fills the face with bludiing : but forgivenefs breeds confidence; we may look upon God as a father of mercy, holding forth a golden (ceptre : he that hath got his pardon, can look upon his prince wit it comfort. 9. Forgivenefs of fin makes our (erviccs ac- ceptable ; God takes ail we do in good, part/ A guilty perfon, nothing he doth pleafeth God. His prayer is turned into fin ; but when fin is- pardoned, now God accepts our offering. We regd of Jojhua (landing before the 3ngel of ' the Lord ? Jojhua was clothed with filthy gar- ments. Zech. iii. 3. That is, he was guilty of diverfe ilns : now, faith the Lord, ver. 5. Take away his filthy garments, I have caufed thine iniquity to pafs from thee: and then he flood and miniftred before the Lord, and his (ervices were accepted. 10. Forgivenefs of fin is the fa wee which fweetens all the comforts of this life. As guilt imbittcts our comforts, it puts worm-wood into our cup; fo, pardon of fin fweetens all, it is like fugaf to wine. Health and pardon, eftate and pardon relifheth well. Pardon of fin gives a lanclified title, and a delicious tafte to every comfort. As Naaman (aid to Gehazi, 2 Kings v. ^3. Take two talents ; (b faith God to the pardoned lbul, take two talents, take the venni- fon, and take a bleiling with it; take the oil in the cruife, and take my love with it : take two talents. It is obfervable, Chrirt joins thefe two together, Give us our daily bread, forgive us our trefpafes : as if Chrirt: would teach us, there is little comfort in daily bread, unlefs fin be for- given. Forgivenefs doth perfume and drop (weetnefs in every earthly enjoyment. 11. If fin be forgiven, God will never up' braid us with our former fins. When the Pro- digal came home to his father, the father re- ceived him into his loving embraces, and never mentioned his former luxury, or fpending his eftate among harlots*: Co God will not upbraid us with former fins ; nay, he will intirely love us, we fhall be his jewels, and he will put us in his bofom. Mary Magdalen a pardoned pe- nitent, after Chrift arofe, he appeared firft to her, Mark xvi. 9. Co far was Chrift from up- braiding her, that he brings her the firff news of his relin rection. t2. Sin being pardoned, is a pillar of fupport in the lofs of dear friends. God hath taken away thy child, thy husband ; but withall, he hath taken away thy fine. He hath given thee more OF THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYEF, <*# more than he hath taken away ; he hath taken away a flower, and given thee a jewel. He hath given theeChrid and the fpirit, and the earned of glory. He hath given thee mure than he haih taken away. 13. Where God pardons fins, he beflows righteoufnefs. With remiili on of fin goes imputation of righteoufn./s, l(k. Ixi 10. / lull! greatly rejoyce in the Lord, he hath cover- ed vie with the robe of righteoufnefs. If a Chrif- tian can take any comfort in his iuherent righ- teoufnefs, which is fo ftaiaed and mixed wjth fin, O then what comfort may he take in Chrid's righteoufnefs, which is a better righ- teoufnefs than that of Adam? Adam's righ- teoufnefs was mutable; but-fuppofe it had been unchangeable, yet it was but the righteoufnefs of a man: but that righteoufnefs which is im- puted, is the righteoufnefs of h'm who is God, 2 Cor. v. 2r. 7 hat we might he made the righteoufnefs of Cod in him. O blefled privi- lege, to be reputed, in the fi-;ht orGod, righte- ous as Gbrift, having his embroideicd robe put upon the foul ! this is the comfort of qvery one that is pardoned, he hath a perfect righte- oufnefs; aod now God faith of him, thou art ail fair, my love, and there is no fpot in fbeet Cant, iv 7. 14. A pardoned foul n^eds not fear death. He may look on death with joy, who can look on forgivenefs with faith. To a par- don- \ foul death hath lofl his fling. Death, to a paidoncd finner, is like the arreting a man after the debt is paid, death may arred, but Chfift will mew the debt-hook eroded in his blood. A pardoned foul may triumph over death, 0 death, where is thy Jiing ! 0 grave, where is thy viclory ! he who is pardoned needs not fear death, it is not a deflruction, but a deliverance: it is to him a day of ju- bilee or releafe, it releafeth him from all his fins. Death comes to a pardoned foul, as the angel did to Peter, it fmote him, and beat off his chains, and carried him out of piifon; Co dofh/death to him who is p. irdoned, it fnites his bo ly, . the chains of fin fail off. Death gives a loned foul a quietus eft, it frees him from all his labours, Rev. xiv. 13. Foelix tt*hn~ fitus a labore ad requiem, Bern. Death, as it will wipe off our tears, fo it will wipe off our fweat. Death will do a pardoned Chriftian the greated good turn, therefoie it is made a part of the inventory, \ Cor. m. 22. Death is yours. Death is like the waggon which was lent for oid Jacob, it came rattling with its wheels, but it was to cany Jacob to his fon Jofeph ; fo the wheels of death's chariot may rattle, and nuke a noife',but they are to carry a believer toGhrid. While a believer is here, he is abfentfrom the Lord, 2 Cor. v. 6. He lives far from court, and cannot fee him whom his foul loves : but death gives him a light of the king of glory, in whofe pre/lnce is fulnefs of joy. To a pardoned foul, death is t ran fit us ad rcgnum ; it removes him to the place of blifs, where he (hall hear the triumphs and anthems of praife fun.g in the choir of angels. No caufe hath a pardoned foul to fear death ; what needs he fear to have his body buried in the earth, who hath his fin; buried in Chrift's wounds ? What hurt can death do to him ? It is but his ferry-man to ferry him over to the land of promife. The day of dcah to a pardoned foul, is his afcenfion-day to heaven, his coronation day, when he ih.il! he crowned with thofe delights of paradile, whic i are unfpeakable and full of glory. Thus you fee the rich confolations which belong to a p irdoned finner; well might David proclaim him blefled, Pf.xxxu- 1. Bleffcd is he whofe ini- quity is forgiven; in the Hebrew it is in the plu- ral, b ejfednfjes. Here is a plurality of bleflings. Forgivenefs of fin is like the firfl link of a chain, which draws all the links after if; it draws thefc fourteen privileges after, ir tit crowns with grace and glorv. Who then would not labour to have his fins forgiven ? Bleffcd is he whofe iniquity is forgiven , whole (H is covered. Now follow the duties of fuch as have their fins forgiven. Mercy calls for duty. Be touch in praiie and doxology, I'f. ctii. 1. B'lefs the Lord, 0 my foul, who forgive tk all thy iniquities. Hath God crowned you with pardoi ing n cv, let rhe crown of your praife upon the head of Free-grace. Pardon of fin is a difcrim'vialhig :rv:rey, a jewej hung only upon die elect; this calls for ice rmation,s or praife. Yaa will give thanks .;• daily b, and will you not much more for pardon? You will give thanks for deliverance from lick) and will you not from deliver ance from hell ; God hath done more for you in forgiving your fin, than ifhe had given you a kin d vn. And, that you may be more thankful, !o but fet the unpardoned condition before your eyes : bow fad is it to want a pardon ? All the curies of the law Hand in full force againfl P ' .an 0 rje. The unpardoned finner dying, . . .ops into the grave and hell both at once ; he muu quar- Q-q q w 490 OF THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. ter among the damned ; and will not this make you thankful, that this is not your con- dition, but that you are delivered from the wrath to come ? 2. Let God's pardoning love inflame your hearts with love to God. For God to pardon freely, without any defert of youi's, to pardon fo many offences, that he mould pardon you, and pals by others; that he mould take you out of the ruins of mankind, and, of a clod of duft and fin, make you a jewel fparkling with heavenly glory ; will not this make you love God much ? Three prisoners that deferve to die, if the king pardon one of thefe, and leave the other two to the feverity of the law, will not he that is pardoned love his prince, who hath been fo'fuil of clemency ? How fhould your hearts be endeared in love to God ? The fchoolmen diftinguifh of a twofold love, Amor gratuitus, a love of bounty ; that Is, God's love to us in forgiving : and amor debitus, a love of duty ; that is, our love to God by way of reta- liation. We mould (hew our love by admiring God, , by fweetly folacing ourfelves in him, and binding ourfelves to him in a perpetual covenant. 3. Let the fenfe of God's love in forgiving, make you more cautious and fearful of fin for the future, Pf exxx. 4. There is forgivenefs ■with thee that thou mayefl be feared. O fear to offend this God, who hath been fo gracious to you in forgiving. If a friend hath done a kind- nets for us, we will not difoblige him, or abufe his love. After Nathan had told David, The Lord hath put away thy fin ; how tender was David's, confeience ? How fearful was he of Gaining his foul with the guilt of more blood ? Pf. li. 14. Deliver me from blood -guiltinefs, 0 Cod. Men committing grofs fins after pardon, f^od changeth his carriage towards them, he mrns his fmileinto a frown ; they ly, as Jonah in the belly of hell : God's wrath falls into their •confeience, as a drop of fcalding lead into the tye ; the promifes are as a fountain fealed, not a drop of comfort comes from them. O chriftian, -do you not remember what it coft you before to get your pardon ? How long it was before your broken bones were fet ; and will you again ven- ture to fin ? You may be in fueh a condition, that you may queftion whether you belong to God or no ; though God doth not damn you, he may fend you to hell in this life. 4. If God hath given you good hope that you are pardoned, walk cheerfully, Rom. v. 11. We joy in Cod, through our Lord Jefus Chrif}, by whom we have received the atonement. Who mould rejoice, if not he that hath his pardon ? God rejoiceth when he fhews us mercy ; and fhould not we rejoice when we receive mercy ? in the faddeft times a pardoned foul may rejoice. Afflictions have a commiflion to do good, every crofs wind of providence fhall blow him nearer to the haven of glory. Chriftian, God hath pulled off your prifon fetters, and clothed you with the robe of righteoufnefs, and crowned you with loving-kindnefs, and yet art thou fad, Rom. v. 2. We rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Can. the wicked rejoice who have only a fhort reprive from hell, and not they who have a full pardon, fealed ? 5. Hath God pardoned you? Do all the fer- vice you can for God, 1 Cor. xv. 58. Always abounding in the work of the Lord. Let your head ftudy for God, let your hands work for him, let your tongue be the organ of bis praife. Paul got his pardon, 1 Tim.'x. 16. I obtained mercy. and this was as oil to the wheels, it made him move fader in obedience, 1 Cor. xv. 10- / la- boured more abundantly than they all. Paul's obedience did not move flow, as the fun on the dial ; but fwiftly, as the fun in the firmament. He did fpend, and was fpent for Chrift. The pardoned foul thinks he can never love God enough, or ferve him enough. The laft thing is to lay down fome rules or direclions, how we may obtain forgivenefs of fin. 1. We mult take heed of miftakes about par- don of fin. 1 ft. Mi fake, that omfns are pardoned, when they are not. Qu. Whence is this miftake? Anf. From two grounds. 1. Becaufe God is merciful. Anf God's being merciful, fhews, that a man's fins are pardonable. But there is a great deal of difference between fins pardonable and fins pardoned; thy fins may be pardonable, yet not pardoned. Though God be merciful, yet, who is God's mercy for ? Not for the pre fuming fnner, but the repenting /inner. Such as go on in fin, cannot lay claim to it. God's mercy is like the ark, none but the priefis might touch the ark ; none but fuch as are fpiritual priefts, facrificing their fins, may touch this ark of God's mercy. 2. Becaufe Chrift died for their fins, there- fore they are forgiven. OF THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. Anf. That Chrift died for remiflion of fin is true : but, that therefore all have remiflion, is falfe; then Judas mould be forgiven. Remif- lion is limited to believers, Acls xiii. 39. By him all that believe are jujtified ; but all do not believe ; tome flight and trample Chrift's blood lander foot, Heb.x. 29. So that, notwithstanding Ghrift's death, ail are wq/. pardoned. Take heed of this dangerous mifb.ke. Who will feek after pardon, that thinks he hath it already ? 2 trouble he meets with mould arrelr him, and bring him to judgment. If guilt be fo difmal, and breeds fuch convul- iion-fits in the confeienee, how earneft mould we be in prayer, that God would remove this guilt, and fo earneft, as to refolve to take no denial ! Plead hard with God for pardon, as a man would plead with a judge for his life. Fall upon thy knees, fay, Lord, hear one word. Why, may God fay, what canft thou fay for thyfelf, that thou fhouldeft not die? Lord, I can fay but little, but I put In my furety, Chrift fhall anfwer for me ; O look upon that blood which fpeaks better things than that of Abel ; Chrift is my prieft, his blood is my facrifi.ee, his divine nature is my altar. As Rahab was to fhew the fcarlet thread in the window, and when Jo/hua faw if, he did not deftroy her, Jo/b. ii. 18. 21. and vi. 22, 2 >. So (hew the Lord the fcarlet thread of Chrift's blood, a>nd that is the way to have mercy. But, will God fay, why (hould I pardon thee, thou haft no- wife obliged me r But, Lord, pardon me, be- caufe thou haft promifed it; I urge thy cove- nant. When a man '14 to die by the law, he calls for his book ; fo fay, Lord, let me have the benefit of my book : thy word faith, If the- /inner for/ake his evil way thou wilt pard&n a- buniLintly, Ifa. xliii. 25. Lord, I have rbrfaken my fin, let me therefore have mercy ; I plead the benefit of the book. But, fur whofe fake- (hould I pardon ? Thou canft not deferve it. Lord, for thy own name fefce ; thou haft laid, thou wilt blot out fin, for thy own name fake, Ifa. xlilt. 25. 'Twill be no eclipfing to thy crown ; how will thy mercy fhine foith, and all thy other attri- butes ride in triumph,, if thou (halt pardon me ! Thus plead with God in prayer, and refolve- not to give him over till thy pardon be fealed. God cannot deny importunity ; he delights in mercy. As the mother, faith Ch>y[bfrom, de- lights to have her breaft milked, fo God delights to milk out the breaft of mercy to- the finner. Thefe means being ufed will procure this great bltirednefs, the forgivenefs of (in. Thus I have done with the fir ft part of this fifth petition, Forgive us our Jins -, I come to the fecond part of the petition, As we forgive our debtors. Matth. vi. 12.. As we forgive our Debtors : Or,, as we forgive them that trefpafs again/? us, Proceed to the fecond part of the petition, As we forgive them that trefpafs againfl us. As we forgive ~\ This word, As, is not a note of equality, but fimilitude ; not that we equal* God in forgiving, but imitate him. This great duty of forgiving others, is a crof- fing the ftream ; 'tis contrary to flefh and blood.- Men forget kindnefTbs, but remember injuries. But it is an indifpenfible duty to forgive ; we- are not bound to tuift an enemy; but we are bound to forgive him. We are naturally prone to revenge. Revenge (faith Bomtr) is fweet as dropping honey. The heathen philofophers held revenge lawful. U'cifci te lacc/fiius pot?s, Cicero. But we learn better things out of the «rac}es of fciipture, -/Wtfnfc xi. 2±. ii b.-n ye fraud praying, forgive. Matth. v. 44-. Col. iii. 13. Jf a man hath a quarrel again/} any, eve:i as Chrift forgave you, fo a'/o do ye. Qu. 1. How can we forgive others; when ii is only God forgives Jin ? An/. In every breach of the fecond table, there are two things; an offence againft God, and a trefpafs againft man : fo far as it is an offence againft God, only he can forgive ; but fo Fa as it is a trefpafs againft man, fo we may for- give. Qu. 2- When do we forgive others ? An/. When we ftrive againft all thoughts of revenge ; if it be in our power to do our ene- mies mifchief, we will not; we wifh weil fo them, grieve at their ca'amkics, we pray for them,, we feek reconciliation with them, we fhew OF THE FIFTH PETITION IN TtfE LORD'S PRAYER. ,,c3 mew oui Ttlvcs ready on all occafions to relieve them; this is gofpel- forgiving;. Qbj. r. But I bai'e keien much injured and ttbufed, and to put it up will be a flain to my re- putation. Anf. i. To pafs by nn injury without re- venge, is noeclipfing one's credit ; the fcriprure faith, Prov. xix. H. It is the glory of a man to pafs over a iranfgreffion. 'Tis more honour to bury an injury, than revenge it : wrathfu!- nefs denotes weaknefs ; a noble heroic fpirit o- verlooks a petty offence. 2. Suppofe a man's credit mould be impair- ed with thofe whole cenfure is not to be va- lued j yet confider the folly of challenging an-, other to a due), tis little wifdom for a man to redeem his credit by lofing his life, and to run to hell to be counted valorous. Obj. 2. But the wrong he hath done me is great. AnJ. But thy not forgiving him is a greater wrong; he in injuring thee huh offended u- gainlr a man, out thou \\ riot forgiving him of- fended againft God. Ohj. 3. But if 1 '■'■■ r>ne injury, I /bail sccafion more. Anf. If tie more injui es tl -u forgiveif, the more thoe mcc-t'-'l with, thia will nuke thy grace /bine th? more Often forgiving will a !.l more^to, the weight of his (rn>.atu th weight of thy glory. If any fay, I ftrive tp exec' in other gnc?', but a^ ior this off&rgwing, I can- not do it, I dzfire in ihis to be ex'Cufed : whai doH- rhou rlk of' other graces ? the graces are infer. fe co>wex,ay m-t 1 go to law for my debt? Anf, Yes, e!fe what ufe were there of law- courts ? God hath let judges to decide cafes in law, and to give every one his right. It is with going to law, as it is with going to1 war; when the juff rights of a nation are invaded, here it is lawful to go to war: fo, when a man's dfate is trefpa-ffed upon by another, he may go to law to recover it. But the law mull be ufed in the /a/? place, when no entreaties or arbitra- tors will* prevail, then the- chancery mull decide it. Yut this is no revenge, it is not lb-much to injure another, as to right one's (elf; ihis may be, yet one may live in charity.' Vfe r. Here is a bill of indictment againft fuch as iludy revenge, and cannot put up the leaif difcourtefy. They would have God for- give them, but they will not forgive others : they will pray, come to church/ give alms; but, as Chriff (hid, Mark x. 21. Ytt lackefl thou one thing ; they lack a forgiving fpirir, they will rather want forgivenefs from God[ than they will forgive their' brother. How lad is it, that, for every flight wrong, or difyraceful word, men mould let malice boil in their hearts r would there be fo many duels, arrefts, murder?, if men bad the art of forgiving ? Revenge is the proper fin of the devil ; he is no drunkard, or adulterer, but this old ferpent is full of the poilbr, of malice: a^d what lhall we fay to them -who make profejfion of religion, yet, in- ftead oiforgivrngi puifueothes defpi'ghtftttfy ? It was prophGi.d, the wolf fluid awe 11 with toe lamb, Ifa. xi 6. But what (hall we lay, wheii fuch as prbfefs to be Iambs become wolves ? Thefe o: en the mouths of the praphane againft ■.ligion ; they will fay, thefe areas full of ran* r as any. O whither is love and mercy fled ? he Son of man did come, fhould he find charity on the earth \ I fear but little. Such as but chriHi anger and malice in their heart*, and v.-'il not forgive, how can thev pray, For- give us, as we forgive others ? Either they muff omit this petition (as Chryfoftom faith, feme did in his time) or elfe they pray again/t them (lives. Ufe 2. Let it perfvade us all, as ever we hope for falvation, to pafs by petty injuries and dif- courtelies, and labour t'o be of forgiving fpirit?, fol. UK 13. Forbearing one another, and for- giving one another. Herein we refemble God. He is ready to f-.r* give, Pf. Ixxxvi. 5 He befriends his enemies ; lit opens his hands to relieve theftp, Who open their mouths jgainft him. It v as ' ' ■ -.'.; priJd to go to relen ble God in omnifci j : but here ir is 1 v.ful 10 referable God in forgiving enemies: ihi. is ago.--!, difpofirion ; and what is godiir.ef'. but ( iod-hkenels ? 2. To forgive ison< Of the higheft' evidences af grace. Whei r«iaCe comes into the heart, it raakesamsn, as Galtb, ofanoth r fpirit, Numb. xiv. 2.\. If nukes a great nctannrphofis, It fwterens the heart, and fills ir with love and candour. When a fcion is grafted into a Ih it partakes of the nature and fap of the tree; arc] brings fo: th the fame fruit;- take a crab, graft it h:to a ptpin, it brings, form the fame" 49+ OF THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. fruit as the pepin : fo he who was once of a fowre crabby difpofition, given to revenge, when he is once ingrafted into Chrift, he par- takes of the fap of this heavenly olive, and bears fweet and generous fruit ; he is full of love to his enemies, and requites good for evil. As the fun draws up many thick noxious va- pours from the earth, and returns them in fvveet fhowers ; fo a gracious heart returns the unkindnefles of others, with the fweet influen- ces of love andmercifulnefs, Pf. xxxv. lg. They rewarded me evil J or good ; but as for me, ivhen they were fick, my clothing was fackcloth, I humbled my foul with fa/ling. This is a good certificate to fhew for heaven. 3. The blefTed example of our Lord Jefus ; he was of a forgiving fpirit: his enemies re- viled him, but he did pity them ; their words were more bitter than the gall and vinegar they gave him, but Chrifc's words were fmoother than oil ; they fpar upon him, pierced him with the fpear and nails, but he prayed for them, Father, forgive th&m ; he wept over his enemies, he flied tears for them that ilied his blood : ne- ver fuch a pattern of amazing kindnefs. Chrill bids us learn of him , Matth. xi. 29. he doth not bid us learn of him to work miracles, but he would have us learn of him to forgive our e- nemies. If we do not imitate Chrift's life, we cannot be faved by his death. 4. The danger of an implacable unforgiving fpirit: it hinders the efficacy of ordinances ; it is like an obftruclion on the body, which keeps it from thriving. A revengeful fpirit poifons our facrifice ; our prayers are turned into fin : will God receive prayer mingled with ftrange fire ? Our coming to the facrament is fin, we come not in charity ; fo that ordinances are turned into fin. It were fad if all the meat one did eat mould turn to poifon ; malice poifons the facramental cup, men eat and drink their own damnation : Judas came to the pafTover in malice, and after the fop Satan entred, John xiii. 27. 5. God hath tied his mercy to this condition, if we do not forgive, neither will he forgive us, Matth. vi. 15. If ye forgive not men their tref- pajfs, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trefpa/fes. A man may as well go to hell, for not forgiving, as for not believing. How can they expect mercy from God, whole bowels are (hut up, and are mercilefs to their trefpaffing brethren ? James ii. 13. He floall have judgment ■without mercy, that hath Jhewed no mercy > I cannot forgive, faid one, tho' I go to hell. 6. The examples of the faints, who have been of forgiving fpirits. Jofeph forgave his brethren, though they put him into a pit, and fold him, Gen. 1. 21. Fear not, 1 will nourifh you, and your little ones. Stephen prayed for his perfecuters. Mofes was of a forgiving fpirit ; how many injuries and affronts did he put up ? . The people of lfrael dealt unkindly with him, they murmured againff. him at the waters of Marah, (the water was not fo bitter as their fpirits) but he fell to prayer for them, Exod. xv. 25. He cried unto the Lord, and the Lord Jhewed him a tree, which when he had caj} intt the waters, they were made fweet. When they wanted water, they fell a- chiding with Mofes, Exod. xvii. 3. Why haft thou brought us out of Egypt, to hill us with thirjt ? As if they had faid, if we die, we will lay our death to thy charge : here was enough to have made Mofes call for fire from heaven upon them, but he paffeth by this injury, and, to fhew he forgave them, he becomes an intercejfor for them, v. 4. and fet the rock a-broach fo5 them, v. k. The prophet Elifia feafted his enemies, 2 Kings vi. 23. he prepared a table for them who would have prepared his grave. Cranmer was famous for forgiving injuries. When Luther had re- viled Calvin, faith Calvin, Etiamfi millies me diabolum vocet, Tho' he call me a devil a thou- fand times, yet I will love and honour him as a precious fervant of Chrifr. When one had a- bufed and wronged a chriftian, afking him, what wonders hath your mailer Chrifl wrought ? faith he, he hath wrought this wonder, that though you have fo injured me, yet I can for- give you, and pray for you. 7. Forgiving and requiting good for evil, is the belt way to conquer and melt the heart of an enemy. Saul having purfued David with malice, and hunted him as a partridge upon the mountains, yet David would not do him mifchief when it was in his power. David's kindnefs melted SauCs heart, 1 Sam. xxiv. 16, 17. Is this thy voice, my fon David ? And Saul lifted up his voice and wept, and faid, thou art more righteous than I, for thou hajt rewarded me good. This forgiving is heaping coals, which melts the enemy's heart, Rom. xii. 20. This is the mofl noble victory, to overcome an enemy without finking a blow, to conquer him with love. Philip of Macedon, when it was told him that one Nicanor did openly rail a- gainft him, the king, inftead of putting him te death, OF THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 49S death, lent him a rich prefent ; which did fo overcome the man, and make his heart relent, that he went up and down to recant what he had faid of the king, and did highly extol the king's clemency. 8. Forgiving others, is the way to have for- givenefs from God, and is a fign of forgivenefs. (1 .) It is the way to have forgivenefs, Mat. vr. 14. If ye forgive men their trefpaffes, your hea- venly Father will aljo forgive you. But one would think other things mould leoner procure for- givenefs from God, than our forgiving others : no furely, nothing like this to procure forgive- nefs ; for all other acts of religion may have leaven in them. God forbad leaven in the fa- crifice, Exod. xxxiv. 25. One may give alms, 5'et there may be the leaven of vain-glory in this ; the Phari/ees founded a trumpet, they did not give alms, but fell them for applaufe, Matth. vi. 2. One may give his body to be burned, yet there may be leaven in this, it may be a falfe zeal ; there may be leaven in many acts of religion, which fowres the whole lump: but to forgive others that have offended us, this can have no leaven in it, no finifler aim ; this is a duty wholly fpiritual, and is done purely out of love to God j hence it is, God rather an- nexeth forgivenefs to this, than to the highefl: and moll renowned works of charity, which are fo cried up in the world. (2.) It is a fign of God's forgiving us. It is not a caufe of God's forgiving us but a fign : we need not climb up into heaven to fee whe- ther our fins are forgiven ; let us look into our hearts, and fee if we can forgive others. Then we need not doubt but God hath forgiven us : our loving others is nothing but the reflexion of God's love to us: oh therefore, by all thcle arguments, let us be perfwaded to the forgiv- ing others. Chriftians, how many offences hath God paiTed by in us ? Our fins are in- numerable, and hainous ; is God willing to for- give us fb many offences, and cannot we for- give a few? No man can do fo much wrong to us all our life, as we do to God in one day. Qu. But hovj muji we forgive ? Anf. As God forgives us. 1. Cordially. God doth not only make a fhow of forgivenefs, and keeps our fins by him ; but doth really forgive, he paiietb an act of oblivion, Jer. xxxi. 34. So we muft not only fay, we forgive, but do it with the heart, Mat. xviii. 35. If ye from your hearts forgive not. 2. God forgives fully ; he forgives all our not for fourfcore write down Who forgiveth all thy iniquities. fins. He doth fifty, Pf. ciii. 3. Hypocrites pafs by fbme offences, "'but' retain others. Would we have God deal fo with us, to remit only fome trefpaffes, and call us to account for the reft ? 3. God forgives often; we run afrefh upon the fcore, but God multiplies pardon, /fa. lvii. 7. Peter a&s the queftion, Matth. xviii. 21. Lord, how oft fhall my brother fin againfl me, and I forgive him ? Till feven times ? Jefus faith to him, I fay not, until feven times, but, until feventy times feven. If he fay, I repent, you muflfay, I remit. ; Qu. But this is one of the highefl acls of reli- gion, ftefj and blood cannot do it : how fhall I attain to it ? Anf. 1. Let us confider, how many wrongs and injuries we have done againft God : what volume can hold our errata ? "bur fins are more than the fparks in a furnace. 2. If we would forgive, fee God's hand in all that men do or fay againft us. Did we look higher than inftruments, our hearts would grow calm, and we would not meditate revenue. Shimei reproached David and curfed ; David looked higher, 2 Sam. xvi. 11. Let him alone, let him curfe, for the Lord hath bidden him. What made Chrift, that when he was reviled he reviled nor again ? He looked beyond Judas and Pilate, he faw his father putting the bitter cup into his hand : and as we muft fee God's hand in all the affronts and incivilities we re- ceive from men, fo we muft believe God will do us good by all, if ve belong to him, 2 Sain. xvi. 12. // may be the Lord will requite me good for his curfing this day. Qulfquis detra- hit fama? mea? addet mercedi mea?, Aug. He that injures me fhall add to my reward ; he that clips my name to make it weigh lighter, fhall make my crown weigh heavier. Well might Stephen pray for his enemies, Lord lay not this fin to their charge, Acts vii. 60. He knew they did but increafe his glory in heaven ; every ftone his enemies threw at him, added a pearl to his crown. 3. Lay up a flock of faith, Luke xvii. 4, If thy brother trefpaf aga'mji thee feven times in a day, and feven times in a day turn again unto thee, and fay, I repent, thou /halt forgive him. And the apo files faid to the Lord, increafe our faith : as if they had (aid, we can never do this without a great deal of faith ; Lord iu« creafe our faith. Belieye God had pardoned you, 49-6 OF THE SIXTH PETITION IN THE LORDS PRAYER. you, and you will pardon others ; only faith can throw duft upon injuries, and bury them in the grave of forgetfulncfs. 4.' Think how thou hall fometimes wrong- ed others; and may it not be juft with- God that the lame meaiure you mete to others, fiioiild be me-jfured to you again ? Haft not thou wronged others, if not in their goods, yet in their name ? If thou haft not borne falle vvimefs again!! them, yet perhaps thou 'haft- fpoken falfly o^* them :• the confideration of this may make chriftians bury injuries in filence. 5. Get humble hearts. A proud man thinks it a difgrace to put up an injury. What caufcth lb many duels and murders, as pride ? Be clothed •with humility, 1 Pet. v. 5. He who is low in his own eyes, will not be troubled much tho' others lay him low : he knows there is a day coming, when there fhall be a refurrecVion of names as well as bodies, and God will avenge him of his adveriarics, Luke gviii. 7. And fhall not God avenge his own eleel ? The Humble foul leaves his wrongs to G >d to require, who hath faid, Vengeance is mine, Rom. xii. 19. Life, of comfort. Such as forgive, God will forgive them. You have a good argument to plead with God for forgivenefs. Lo, I am wil- ling to forgive him who makes me no frtis- fa&ion, and wilt not thou forgive me who haft received fatisfhetion in Chrift my lurety. So ends the fifth petition. OF THE SIXTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. Matth. vi. 13. And lead us not into Temptation, but deliver us from evil. ^npHis petition confifts of two parts. Fir/?, X deprecatory, LcadHs not into temptation. Secondly, petitory, But deliver us from evil. Firfi, Lead ms not into tempiation. Doth God lead into temptation? God tempts- no man to fin, James i. 13. Let no man fay -when he is tempted, I am ttmpted of God, for God tempteth not any man. God doth permit fin, btst doth not promote it. He who is an en- courager of holinefs cannot be a patron of fin. God doth not tempt to that which he hath an. antipathy ngainft. What king will tempt his fubjedls to "break thole laws which he himfelf hath eftablifhed. Qu. But is it not faid, God tempted Abra- ham ? Gen. xxii. I, Anf. Tempting there was no more than try- ing. God tiicd Abraham's faith, as a goid- imith tiies gold in the fire : but there is a great deal of difference between God's trying his peoples grace, and exciting their corruption ; he trietli their grace, but doth not excite their corruptions : man's fin cannot be juftly father'd on God. God tempts no nun. Qu. II hat then is the meaning of this, lead us not into temptation ; Anf. When we pray, lead us not into tempt a- tior ; the meaning is, we defire of God, that fee would not fuller us to be overcome by temp- tation. That we may not be g'ven up to the power of a temptation, which is when we are trapan'd into fin. Qu. 2. IVhence do temptations come ? Anf. f. Ab intra, from ourfelvis. The heart is fomes peccati, the breeder of all evil. Our own hearts are the greareft tempters : quifque fibi Satan eft, James i. 14. Every man is tem- pted iv hen he is drawn away of his own luf} . The heart is a perfect decoy. 2. Temptations come ab extra,, from Satan. He is called the Tempter, Mat-th. iv. 3. he lies in ambufh to do us miichief; fiat in procinclu diabolus, the devil lays a train of temptation to blow up the fort of our grace: the devil is. not yet fully caft into prifon, but is like a prilbner that goes under bail >. rhe world is his diocefe where he vifits; we are fure to find Satan* whatever we are doing, reading, praying, me- ditating; we jfind him within, how he came there we know" not; we are fure of his compa- nv, uncertain how we .came by it. A faint's whole life (faith Auftin) is a temptation. Elicts, who could fhut heaven by prayer, could not fhut his heart from a temptation. This is a great moieftation to a child of God ; as it is a trouble to a virgin to have her chaftity daily al- faulted. The more one is tempted to evil, the more he is hindered from good : we are in great danger OF THE SIXTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. danger of Satan the prince of the air ; and we had need often pray, Lead us not into tempta- tion. That we may lee in what danger we are of Satan's temptations, Confider,. (i.) His malice in tempting. This helHfh ferpent is fweiled with the poifon of malice. Satan envies man's happinefs : to fee a clod of duff fo near to God, and himfelf (once a glorious angel) calt out of the heaven- ly paradife, this makes him purfue mankind with inveterate hatred, Rev. xii. 12. The devil is come dexvn to you, heaving great xvrath. If there be any thing this infernal fpirit of hell can delight in, it is to ruin fouls, and bring them into the fame condemnation with him- felf. This malice of Satan in tempting mull needs be great, if we confider three things; i. That when Satan is fo full of torment, yet, that at fuch a time he mould tempt. One would think that Satan fhould fcarce have a thought free from thinking of his own mifery; yet fuch is his rage and malice, that, when God is punifhing him, he is tempting. 2. Satan's malice is great, that he will tempt where he knows he cannot prevail : he will put forth his fling, tho' he cannot hurt. He tempt- ed Chrift, Matt/?, iv. 3. If thou be the Son of oufnefs doth not prevail, he will tempt to pro 4.97 refilefs fpirit ; if we repulfe him, yet he will not defilt, but come again with a temptation. Like Marcel/us , a Roman captain Hannibal fpeuks of, whether he was conquered, or did conquer, he was never quiet. More particulaily, Satan's diiigence in tempting is feen in this, 1. If he gets the leaft advantage by tempta- tion, he purfues it to the utmofl. If his motion to fin begins to take, he follows it clofe, and prefleth to the acl of fin. When he tempted Judas to betray Chrift, and found that Judas was inclinable, and began to bite at the bait of thirty pieces offilver, he hurries him on, and never leaves him till he had betrayed his Lord and Matter. When he had tempted Splra to renounce his religion, and (aw Spira began to yield, he follows his ternpration clofe, and ne- ver left till he had made him go to the legate at Venice, and there abjure his faith in Chrift. 2. dga'm, Satan's diligence in tempting is feen in this, the variety of temptations he uferh. He doth not confine himfelf to one fort of tem- ptation, he hath more plots than one: if he finds one temptation doth not prevail, he will have another : if he cannot tempt to luft, he will tempt to pride : if a temptation to covet- Cod. He knew well enough Cmift was God as well as man, yet he would tempt him. Such was his malice againft Chrift, that#he would put an affront upon Chrift, tho' he knew he could not conquer him. He tempts the elect to blaf- phemy : he knows he cannot prevail againft the elect; yet fuch is his malice, that though he cannot ftorm the garrifon of their hearts, yet he will plant his pieces of ordnance againft them. 3. Satan's malice is great, that tho' he knows his tempting men to fin will increafe his own torment in hell, yet he will not leave off tempt- ing: every temptation makes his chain heavier, and his fire hotter, yet he will tempt. There- fore Satan being fuch a malicious revengeful fpirit, had riot we need pray that God would not fuffer him to prevail by his temptations ? Lead us not into temptation. (2.) Confider Satan's diligence in tempting, I Pet. v. 8. He xvalketh about. He neglects no time ; he who would have us idle, yet he himfelf is al vays bufied. This lion is ever hunting af- ter his prey, he compaffeth fea and land to make a profelyte; he walks about, he walks not as a pilgrim, but a fpy ; he watcheth where he may throw in the fire-ball of a temptation. He is a fufenefs : if he cannot fright men intodefrair, he will fee if he can draw them to prcfum prion : if he cannot make them prophane, he will fee if he can make them formalifts : if he cannot make them vitious, he will tempt them to be erroneous. He will tempt them to leave off ordinances; he will pretend revelations. Error damns as well as vice ; the one piftols, the ci- ther poifons : thus Satan's diligence in tempt- ing is gre;.t, he will turn every ftone, he hath feveral tools to work with ; if one temptation, will not do, he will make ufe of another. Had not we need then to pray, Lead us not into tem- ptation ? 3. Confider Satan's power in tempting. He is called the prince cf the world, John xii. 3r. and the jirong man, Luke xi. 2'. and the great red dragon, who, -with his tail cafl down the third part of the frars, Rev. xii. 5. He is full of power, being an angel ; tho' Satan hath loft his holincfs, yet not his ftrength. The devil's power in tempting is feen feveral ways : 1. He as a fpirit, having nn intellectual being, can convey himfelf into the fancy, and poifon it with bad thoughts. As the holy Ghoft doth cafl in good motions, fo the devil doth bad; he put it into Judas's heart to betray Chrift, John R r r xii'. 49* OF THE SIXTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. xiii. 2. 2. Satan, tho* he cansot comfs) the will, yet he can prefent plcafii s to the fenfes, which have a great force in them. He fet a wedge of gold before /than, and fo en- ticed him with that golden bait. 2. The devil can excite and ftir up the corruption within, and work fomc inclinablenefs in the heart with- in to embrace the temptation : thus he ftirred up corruption in David's heart, and provoked him to number the people, . I Chron. xxi. I. Satan can blow the fpark of luft into a flame. 4. Herein lies much of his power, that he be- ing zfpirit, can fo ftrangely convey his tempta- tions into our minds, that we cannot eafilydif- cern whether they come from Satan, or from cur/elves ; whether they are his fuggeftions,or the natural births of our own hearts. A bird may hatch the egg of another bird, thinking it is her own : often we hatch the devil's moti- ons, thinking they come from our own hearts. When Peter difluaded Ghrift from fuffering, fore Peter thought it came from the good affe- ction, which he did bear to his mailer, Matth. xvi. 22. little did Peter think Satan had an hand in it. Now, if the devil hath fuch a pow- er tc inftil his temptations, that we hardly know whether they be his or ours, we are in a great deal of danger, and had need pray, not to be led into temptation. Here, I know, lbme are deinous to move the queftion, Qu. How' /ball we perceive when a motion comes from our own hearts, and when from Satan > Jnf. It is hard (as Bernard faith) to diftin- guifh inter morfum ferpentis, & imrbum mentis , between thofe fuggeftions which come from Sa- tan, and which breed out of our own hearjs. But I conceive there is this threefold differ- ence. 1. Such motions to evil as come from our own hearts, fpring up more leifurely, end by degrees ; a fin is long concocted in the thoughts, ere confent be given; butufually we may know a motion comes from Satan by its fuddennefs ; therefore temptation is compared to a dart, Eph. vi. 16. becaufe it is Ihot fuddenly. David's numbering the people was a motion which the devil did inje& fuddenly. 2. The motions to evil which come from our own hearts are not fo terrible ; few are fright- ed at the fight of their own children : but mo- tions coming from Satan are more ghaftly and frightful, as motions to blafphemy and felf-mur- der. Hence it is temptations are compared to fie- ry darts, Eph. vi. for their terriblenefs, becaufe they do, as flames of fire, ftartle and affright the foul. 3. When evil thoughts are thrown into our mind, which we loth, and have relu&ancy a- gainft ; when we flrive againft them, and flee from them, as Mofes did from the ferpent, thia fhews they are not the natural birth of our own heart, but the hand of Joab is in this. Satan hath injected thefe impure motions. 4. Satan's power in tempting appears by the long experience he hath gotten in the art ; he hath been a tempter, well nigh as long as he hath been an angel. Who are fitter for action than men of experience ? who is fitter to fleer a fnip, than an old experienced pilot ? Satan hath gained much experience, by his being lb long verfed in the trade of tempting. He hav- ing fuch experience, knows what are the tem- ptations which have foiled others, and are molt likely to prevail: the fowler lays thofeTijares which have caught other birds. Satan having fuch power in tempting, we are in danger, and had need pray, Lead us not into temptation. 5. Confider Satan's fubtilty in tempting. The Greek word to tempt, fignifies to deceive. Safan> in tempting, ufeth many fubtil policies to de- ceive ; we read of the depths of Satan, Re v. iL 24. and his devices and ftratagems, 2 Cor. ii. 11. we read of his fhares and his darts ; hi» fnares are worfe than his darts: he is called a lion for his cruelty, and an old ferpent for his fubtilty ; he hath feveral forts of fubtilty in tempting. \jl. SubtHty. The devil obferves the natu- ral temper and constitution, Omnium difcutit mores The devil doth not know the hearts cf men, but he may feel their pulle, know their temper, and fb accordingly can apply himfelf. As the hufiandman knows what feed is proper to fow in fuch a foil; fo Satan finding out the temper, knows what temptation is proper to fow in fuch an heart. That way the tide of a man's conftitution runs, that way the wind of temptation blows ; Satan tempts the ambitious man with a crown, the (anguine man with, beauty, the covetous man with a wedge of gold. He provides favoury meat, fueh as the finner loveJ. id. Subtifty. Satan choofeth the fitteft fea- fon to tempt in. As a cunning angler carts in his angle when the filh will bite befr ; the devil can hit the very joint of time when a tempta- tion OF THE SIXTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. There are feveral 49.0 tion is likelieft to prevail, (ealons he tempts in. lft. In our firft initiation and entrance into religion, when we have newly given up our names to Chrift. Satan will never difturb his vaffals ; but when we have broke his prifon in converfion, now he purfues us with violent temptations. Solet inter primordia converflanls acrius infurgere, Bern. When Ifrael were got a little out of Egypt, then Pharaoh pur- lues them. Herod, aflfoon as Chrifl was born, lent to deftroy him ; fo, when the child of grace is newly born, the devil labours to ftran- gle it with temptation. When the firft buddings and bloffoms of grace begin to appear, the devil would nip thefe tender buds with the fh.rp blafts of his temptations. Indeed, at firft converfion, grace is fo weak, and tempta- tion fo ftrong, that one would wonder how the young convert efcapes with his life : Satan hath a fpight at the New Creature. id. Sea/on. The devil tempts when he finds us idle, and unimployed. We do not fbw feed in fallow ground $ but Satan fows mod of his feed in a perfbn that lies fallow. When the fowler fees a bird fit ftill and pearch upon the tree, now he (hoots it ; fo when Satan obferves us to fit ftill, now he fhoots his fiery darts of temptation at us, Matth. xiii. 25. While men Jlept, the enemy /owed tares ; fo, while men fleep in floth, Satan fows his tares. When David was walking on the leads, and unim- ployed, now the devil fet a tempting object before him, and it prevailed, 2 Sam. xi. 3. 2d. Sea/on. When a perfon is reduced to out- ward wants and flraits, now is the devil's tempt- ing time. When Chrift had fafted forty days and was hungry, then the devil comes and tempts him, with the g/ory of the world, Matth. iv. 8. When provifions grow (hort, now Satan fets in with a temptation ; What, wilt thou ftarve rather than fteal ? reach forth thy hand, pluck the forbidden fruit. How oft doth this temptation prevail ? how many do we fee, who, inftead of living by faith, live by their fhifts, and will fleal the venifon, tho' they lofe the bl effing. Sea/on 4th. Satan tempts after an ordinance. "When we have been at hearing of the word, or prayer, or facrament ; now Satan cafts in the angle of temptation. When Chrift had been fafting and praying, then came the tempter, Matth. iv. 3. Qu. Why doth Satan choofe this time to tempt in, after an ordinance f one would think this were the mo/} difadvantageous time, for now the foul is raifed-up to an heavenly frame ? Anf. \. Malice put's Satan upon it. The ordinances, that caufe fervour in a faint, caufe fury in Satan. He knows in every duty we have a delign againft him ; in every prayer wc put up a fuit in heaven againft him ; in the Lord's fupper, we take the facrament upon it, to fight under Chart's banner againft the devil ; therefore now Satan is more enraged, he now lays his fnares, and fhoots his darts, againft us. 2. Satan tempts after an ordinance, becaufe he thinks he (hall now find us more f cure. After wc have "been at the folemn worlhip of God, we are apt to grow remifs, and leave oft' former ftrictneis ; like a foldier, that after the battle leaves off his armour : now Satan watc.h- eth his time ; he doth as David did to the Amalekites, after they had taken the fpoil, and were fecure, they did eat and drink, and dance; now David fell upon them, and did fmite them, 1 Satn.x.xx. 17. So when we grow remifs af- ter an ordinance, and perhaps too much in- dulge ourfelvs in carnal delights, now Satan falls upon us by a temptation, and oft foils us. As after a full meal, men are apt to grow drow- fy ; fo after we have had a full meal at an or- dinance, we are apt to (lumber and grow fecure, and now Satan fhoots his arrow of temptation, and hits us between the joints of our armour. Scajon 5. Satan tempts after fome difcoveries of God's love. Satan, like a pirate, fets on a fhip that is richly laden ; fo, when a foul hath been laden with fpintual comforts, now the devil will be (hooting at him to rob him of all. The devil envies to fee a foul feafted with fpi- ritual joy. Jofeph's party-coloured coat made his brethren -nvy him, and plot againft him. After David had the good news of the pardon of his fin, (which muft needs fill him with confolation) Satan prefently tempted him to a new fin in numbring the people ; and fb all his comfort leaked out, and was fpilt. Seafon 6. Satan tempts when he fees us weakeft. He breaks over the hedge where it is loweft; as the fons of Jacob came upon the Shechemites when they were fore, and could make no refiftance, Gen. xxxiv. 25. At two times Satan comes upon us in our weaknefs. (1.) When we are alone ; fo he came to Eve when her husband was away, and the left able to refift his temptation. Satan hath this policy, R r r 2 he coo OF THE SIXTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. be gives his poifon privately, when no body is by; others might difcover his treachery. Satan is like a cunning (Inter, that wooes the daughter when the parents are from home ; fo, when one is alone, and none near, now the devil comes a wooing with a temptation, and hopes to have the match (truck up. (2.) When the hour of death approaches. As the poor (heep when it is lick and weak and can hardly help itfelf, now the crows ly pick- ing at it ; Co, when a faint is weak on his death- bed, now the devil lies picking at him with a temptation ; he referves his mod furious affaults till the raft. The people of lfrael were never fo fiercely affaulted, as when they were going to take pofTeffion of the promifed land; then all the kings of Canaan combined their forces againd them ; fo, when the faints are leaving the world, and going to let their foot on the heavenly Canaan, now Satan feis upon them by temptation; he tells them, they are hypo- crites; all their evidences are counterfeit. Thus, like a coward, he drikes the faints when they are down ; when death is ftriking at the body, he is ftriking at the foul. This is his fecond fubtilry, Satan choofeth the fitted: feafun when to throw in a temptation. Subtilty 3. A third fubtil policy of Satan in tempting, is, he baits his hook with religion ; the devil can hang out Chad's colours, and tempt to (in under pretences of piety. Now he is the white devil, and Transforms himfclf into an angel of light. Celfus wrote a book full of error, and he intituled it, liber veritatis, the book of truth. So Satan can write the title of religion upon his word temptations. He comes to Child with fcripture in his mouth, it is written, &c. So he comes to many, and t.qhipts them to fin, under the pretence of reli- . gion; he tempts to evil, that good may. come of it ; he tempts men to fuch unwarrantable actions, that they may be put into a capacity of honouring God the more. He tempts them to accept of preferment againd confcience, that hereby they may be in a condition of doing more good : he put Herod upon killing John Bapt iff, that hereby he might be kept from the violation of his oath. He tempts many to oppreffion and extortion, telling them, they are bound to provide for their family. He tempts many to make away with themfelves, that they may live no longer to fin againd God : thus he wraps his pbifonous pills in fugar. Who would fiifpett him when he comes as a divine, and quotes fcripture. 4. Subtilty of Satan is, to tempt to fin grad- ually. The old ferpent winds himfelf in by degrees, he tempts fird to lejfer ftn, that fo he may bring on greater^ A fmall offence may occafion a great crime ; as a little prick of an artery may occafion a mortal gangrene. Sa- tan fird tempted David to an impure glance of the eye, to look on Bathfheba ,• and that un- clean look occafioned adultery and murder. Fird the devil tempts to go into the company of the wicked, then to twid into a cord of friendfhip, and fo, by degrees, to be brought into the fame condemnation with them : this is a great fubtilty of Satan, to tempt to leffer fins fird; for thtfe harden the heart, and fit men for committing of more horrid and trem- enduous fins. 5. Subtilty. Satan's policy is to hand over temptations to us, by thofe whom we lead fu(pec~t. 1. By near friends ; he tempts us by -them who are near in blood. He tempted Job by a proxy, he handed over a temptation to him, by his wife, Job ii. 9. Doft thou fill retain thy integrity ? As if he had faid, Job, thou feed how, for all thy religion, God deals with thee;, his hand is gone out fore againd thee : what, and dill pray, and weep ? Cad off all religi- on, turn atheid ; cnrfe Cod, and die. Thus Satan made ufe of Job's wife to do his work : the woman was made of the rib, and Satan made a bow of this rib, out of which he (hot the arrow of his temptation. Per c oft am petit c:r. The devil oft dands behind the curtain, he will not be feen in the bufmefs, but puts o- thers to do his work. As a man makes ufe of a fergeanr to arred another; fo Satan makes ufe of a proxy to tempt: as he did creep into the ferpent, fo he can creep into a near relation. 2- He tempts fometimes by religious friends ; the devil keeps dill out of fight, that his cloven foot may not be feen. Who would have thought to have found the devil in Peter? When he diffwaded Chrid from differing, ma- tter, fpare thyfelf ; Chrid fpied Satan In the temptation, get thee behind me, Satan. When our religious friends, would diffwade us from doing our duty, Satan is a lying fpirit in their mouths, and would by them entice us to evil. 6. Subtilty. Satan tempts fome perfons more than others : fome are like wet tinder, who will not fo foon take tb iii. 1. if h.: can't hinder them frctts du'y, he will be fare to hinder them in duty, two ways, if}. By caufing diftra&ion in th^ fervice of God: and this he doth by propoflr h of vamiy , or by whifpering in mens ear;;, that they can fcarce mind v/hat they are doi: h,dly. 8a* by putting men Upon dob or. 1, Tn a dead formal manner j tha: lb they may fail of the fucceis. Satan knows duties done fuperficially were as good to be left undone. That prayer which doth »ot pierce the heart, will never pierce heaven. 2. He puts them upon doing duties for wrong ends. Finis fpecificat aclio- nem ; he will make them look a-fquint, and have by-ends in dut}', Matth. vi. 5. Be not as the hypocrites , for they love tc pray flan ding in the corners of the fireeis, that they ?nay befeen of men. Prayer is good, but to pray to be feen of men, this was a dead fly in the box of oint- ment ; the oil of vain-glory feeds thtir lamp ; finifler aims corrupt and fly-blow our holy things. Here is Satan's policy, either to pre- vent duty, or pervert it; either to take men off fror:i the ufe of means, or make them mifcarry in the ufe of means. 9. Subtilty. Satan can colour over fin with the name and pretence of virtue. Jlcibiades hung a curtain curioufly embroidered over a foul picture full of fiityrs ; Co Saian can put the image of virtue over the foul picture of fin. Satan can cheat men with falfe wares ; he can make them believe, that prefumption is faith, that intemperate paflion is zeal, revenge is prudence, covetoufnefs is frugality, and prodi- gality good hofpitality. Come, fee my zeal for the Lord, faith Jehu. Satan perluuded him it was a fire from heaven, when ir was nothing but the wild-hie of his own ambition; it was not zeal, but fiate-policy. This is a fubtil art of Satan, to deceive by tempting, and put men off with the dead child, infiead of the live- child ; to make men believe that grace, which is a fin ; as if one fhould write bahn-water up- on a ghfs of poifbn. If Satan hath all thefe fubiil artifices in tempting, are we not in great danger from this prince of the air ? and had we not need often pray, Lord, fuffer us not to be led into temptation ? As the terpen t beguiled Eve with his fubtilty, 2 Cor. xi. 2. let us not be beguiled by the fnares and policies of this hellifli Machiavel. Satan hath a dexterity in fubtil contrivances ; he doth more hurt as a fox, than a lion; his fnares are worfe than his darts, 2 Cor. ii. 11. We are not ignorant of his devices. 10. The next fubtilty of Satan is, he labours to enfhare us by lawful things, in Ileitis peri' mus omtjes ; more are hurt by lawful things, than unlawful, as more are killed with wine than poifon : grofs fins affright, but how many take a furfeit and die, in uling lawful things inordi- nately ? Recreation is lawful; eating and drink- ing is lawful, but many offend by excefs, and their table is a fnare. Relations are lawful, but how oft doth Satan tempt to over-love ? how oft is the wife and child laid in God's room I excefs makes things lawful become finful. II. Sub- OF THE SIXTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. ir. Subtilty of Saran is, to make the Unties of our general and particular calling hinder and juftle out one another. Our geneiaJ calling is ferving of God, our particular calling is mind- ing "our employments in the world. It is wif- 'dom to be regular in both thefe, when the par- ticular calling doth not eat out the time for God's fervice, nor the lervice of God hinder di- ligence in a calling. The devil's art is to make chriftians defective in one of thefe two: fome fpend all their time in hearing, reading, and under a pretence of living by faith, do not live in a calling : others Satan takes off duties of religion, under a pretence that they rauft pro- vide for their families ; he makes them fo care- ful for their bodies, that they quite neglect their fouls. This is the fubtilty of the old lei pent, to make men negligent in the duties either of the firft table or the fecond. 1 2. Subtilty of Satan in tempting is, to mif- reprefent true holinefs, that he may make others out of love with it. He paints the face of reli- gion full of fears, and with feeming blemilhes, that he may create in the minds of men preju- dice againft it. Satan mifreprefents religion as the moil melancholy thing, and that he who embraceth it, mud bani/h all joy out of his dio- cete ; though the apoftle faith, Joy in believ~ ing, Rom. xv. 13. Satan fuggefts that religion expofeth men to danger ; he (hews them the crols, but hides the crown from them : he la- bours to put all the difgrace he can upon holi- nefs, that he may tempt men to the renouncing of it. Satan abufeth the good chriftian, and gives him a wrong name ; the truly zealous man, Satan calls hot-headed and factious ; the patient man, that bears injuries without re- venge. Satan reprefents him as a coward ; the humble man is jow-fpirited ,- the heavenly man Satan calls fool, he lets go things that are feen, for things that are not feen : thus the devil mif- reprefents religion to the world. As John Hufs, that holy man, was painted with red devils ; fo Satan paints holinefs with as deformed, miJha- pen a face, a«s he can, that he may, by this tem- ptation, draw men off from folid piety, and make them rather leorn than embrace it. The hqn&ofjoab v. in this: Satan is tempting per- fons to arheifm, to cait off all religion. 13. Subtilty of Satan in tempting, is to draw men off from the love of the truth to embrace error 2 Theff. ii. 11. That they Jkould believe a lie. Satan is called, in fcripture, not only an unclean fpirit, but a lying fpirit. As an uri- 4°3 fpirit, fo he labour; to Juft; aiid as a lying fpii . o cor- rupt the mind with error: . :ed this is srous, becaufe man} errors do loo!: fo like the truth, as alchimy reprefents true gold. Sa- tan thus beguiles fouls. Though the fcripture blames her. tics for being the promoters of er- ror ; yet it chargeth Satan with being the chief contriver of it. They fpread the error, but tha devil \s a lying fpirit in their mouths. This is Satan's great temptation : he makes men be- lieve fuch are glorious truths, which are danger- ous impojlures ; thus he transforms himfelf into an angel of light. What is the meaning of Satan's Jo-wing tares in the parable, Mat. xiii. 25. but Satan's fowing en or inAead of truth ? How quickly had the devil broached fa He do- ctrine in the apoftles times, That it was necef- fary to be circumcifed, A'tls xv. 1. that angel* worfhip was lawful, and that Ghii/l was not'yet come in the flefh ? 1 John iv. 3. Now the de- vil rempts by drawing men to error, becaufe he knows how deadly this (hare is, and the great mifchief error will do when it comes, i . Er- ror is of a fpreading nature ; it is compared to leaven, becaufe it fowres, Matth. xvi. r r . and to a Gangrene, becaufe it fpreads, 2 Tim. 17. (1.) One error fpreads into more like a circle in the water, that multiplies into more circles: one error feldom goes alone. (2) error fpreads from one per/onto another ; it is like the plague, which infects all round about. Satan, by in- fecting one perfon with error, infects more : the error of Pelagius did fpread on a fudden into Palejrtne, Jfrica, Italy: the Jrrian error was at fir ft but a fmgle fpark, but at laft it fet almoft aJl the world on fire. 2. The devil lays this fnare of error, becaufe error brings divifi- ons into the church ; and divifions bring an opprobrium and fcandal upon the ways of God. The devil danceth at difcord : divifion deftroys peace which was Ghrift's legacy; and love, which is the bond of perfection. Not only Ghrift's coat hath been rent, but his body, by the divifions which error hath caufed. In church- es or families where^rror creeps in, what animofi- ties and factions doth it make ? it fets the father againft the fon, and the fon againft the father. What (laughters and blood'hed have been occ.ifi- oned by errors broached in the church ? 3. The d vil's policy in railing errors, is to hinder re- formation ; the devil was never a friend to re- formnion. In the primitive times, after the apoftles days, the ferpent caft out of his mouth water 5°4 OF THE SIXTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. water as a flood after the woman, Rev. xir. 15. preferve the angel ftrangers that were come into "Which was a deluge of herefies that fo he his houfe, Gen. xix. 8. Doubtlefs Satan had might hinder the progrefs of the golpel. 4. an hand in this temptation, and made Lot be- Satan tempts to error, becaufe error devours lieve that the neceflity of this action would godlinefs. TheGnoJiicks, as Ep'iphanus obferves, excufe the fin. The tradefrnan plearls a ne- were not only corrupted in their judgments, but cellity of unlawful gain, elfe he cannot live.j in their morals ; they were loofe in their lives, another pleads a neceflity of revenge, elfe his Jude 4. Ungodly men, turning the grace of our credit would be impaired : thus Satan tempt? God into lafcivioufnefs. The Famalifts ;.fter- men to fin, by telling them of the neceflity. wards turned ranters, and gave themfelves- over Nay, the devil will quote fcripture for ir, that, to vices and immoralities; and this they did, in feme cafes extraordinary, there may be a boafling of the fpirit and perfection. 5- The neceflity of doing that whicii is not jufliriable : devil's defign in feducing by error, is, he knows did not David, in cafe of neceflity, eat the error is pernicious to fouls. Error damns, as fhew bread, which -was not lawful for him, but well as vice ; poifon kills as well as piitol. 2 only the priejls ? Mat. xii. 4. Nor do we read Pet. ii. 1. They fl) all privily bring in damnable he was blamed ; then will Satan fay, why may herefies. Now, if Satan be thus fubtile in lay- not you in cafes extraordinary trefpafs a little, ing fnares of error to deceive, had not we and take the forbidden fruit > O beware of need pray that God would not fuffer us to be this temptation^ fee Satan's cloven foot in it : led into temptation ; that he would make us nothing can warrant a thing in its own natuie wife to keep out of the fnare of error, or, if we finfnl ; neceflity will riotjuftify impiety, have fallen into it, that he would give us to re- 16. Subtilty of Satan in tempting is, to draw cover our of the fnare by repentance? men to prefumption. Prefumption is a confid- 14. Another fubtilty of Satan is, to bewitch ence without ground .- it is made up of two and enfnare men, by letting pleafing baits be- ingredients, audacity and fecurity; this rempta- fore them; the riches, pleasures, honours of tion is common. There is a two-fold prefurnp- the world, Mat. iv. 9. All this will I give tion: (1.) Satan tempts men to prefume of thee. How many doth Satan tempt with this their own hearts, that they are better than they oolden apple r Pride,- idlenefs, luxury, are the are; they prefume they have grace, when they three worms which breed of plenty, 1 Tim.v\. have none, they will not take gold on trufr, p. They that will be rich fall Into temptation but they will take grace upon ■ ruff ; the fool- and fnare. Satan kills with thefe filver darts: ifn virgins prefumed that they had oyl in their how many furfeic on lufcious delights ? The veflels when they had none. Here that rule of pleafuresof the world are the great engine by Epicharmus is good, diflruft a fallacious heart. which Satan batters down mens fouls. His po- (2.) Satan tempts men to prefume of God's licy is to tickle them to death, to damn them mercy, though they are not (0 good as they with delights. The rlefh would fain be pleafed, mould be, yet God is merciful. They look and Satan prevails by this temptation; he upon God's mercy with the broad fpectacles drowns them in the fweet waters of pleafure, of prefumption. Satan fooths men up in their fuch as have abundance of the world, walk in the midft of golden fnares. We had need watch our hearts in profperity, and pray not to be led into temptation. We have as much need to be careful that we are not endangered by fins; he preacheth to them all hops, no fear ; and fo he deludes them with thefe golden dreams. Qj/am mulii cum vana fpe defctndunt ad in fe -os, Aug. Prefumption is Satan's draw- net, by which he drags millions to hell : Satan, profperity, as a man hath to be careful at a fealt, by this temptation, oft draws the Godly to fin ; where there are fome poifoncd diflies of meat. they prefume upon their privileges, or graces, 1^. Subtilty of Satan in tempting is, to plead and fo venture on occafions of fin. Jehojha- neceffity. Satan's policy in tempting men under phat twilled into a league of amity with king a plea of neceflity is this, he knows that necef- Ahab, prefiimirig his grace would be antidote fity may in fome cafes fefcra to palliate and ex- ftrong enough againfl the infection, 2 Chron. cufe a fin. It may fe.em to make a lefler evil xviii. 3. Satan tempted Peter to prefume upon good, to avoid a greater, as Lot offered toexpofe his own ftrength : and when it came to a trial, his daughters to the Sodomites, and was willing he was foiled, and came off with (hame. We lhat they fnouid defile them, that he might had therefore need pray, that we may not he led ©F THE SIXTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 5°S led into this temptation ; and with David, keep back thy fervant from prefumptuous fins, Pi. xix. 13. 17. Subtilty of Satan in tempting is, to car- ry on his defigns againft us under the highefl pretences of friendship : he tins, puts Silver up- on his bait, and dips his poilbned pills in fu- gar, Satan -doth, as forae couriers, make the greateil pretences of love, where they have the Bioft deadly haired. JaoFs fword was u(he:'d in with a kifs ; he hi/fed Abner, and then jhtote him under, the fifth rib. Satan puts off his lions flvin, and comes in Oxeps clothing ; he pretends kindnefs and friendmip: he would confult what might be for our good. Thus Sa- tan came to Chriii:, conimani tnat thtfe fiones be made bread, Mauh. iv. As if he had laid to Chriii, I fee thou art hungry, and here*there is no table fpread for thee in the wildernefs; I therefore paying thy condition, wifti thee to get fomething to eat; turn (tones to bread, that thy hunger may be fatisfkd : but Chrift fpied the temptation and with the fword of the fpirit wounded the old ferpent. Thus Satan came to Eve, and tempted her under the no- tion of a friend; eat, faith he, of the forbidden fruit; for the Lord knows, that in the day ye eat thereof ye Jhall be as Cods : as if he had faid, I perfuade you only to that which will put you in a better condition than now you are ; eat of this tree, and it will make you omnifcient, ye jhall be as gods. What a kind devil was heie r But it was a fubtil temptation, (he greedily iwallowing the bait, it undid her and all her poderity. Let us fear his fallacious flatteries. Timeo Danaos & dona ferentes. 18. Subtilty is, when Satan hath tempted men to fin, he perfwades them to keep his counfel : like them, that have fome foul difeafe, they will rather die than tell the phyfician. It were wifdom, in cafe of fore temptation, to open one's mind to fome experienced Chrifti- an, whofe counfel might be an antidote againfl the temptation : but the danger of a temptation lies in the concealing of it; it is like the con- cealing of treafon, which may prove mottal. How had we need renew this petition. Lead us not into temptation ? 19. Subtilty of Satan in tempting is, to make ufe of fit tools and engines, for the carrying on of his work; that is, he makes ufe of fuch perfons as may be likely means to promote his tempting defigns. The devil lays the plot of a temptation, and as it were cuts out the work, and then he imploys others to finifh it. (1.) Satan makes ufe of fuch as are in places of dignity. Men of renown. He knows, if he can get thefe on his fide, they may draw others into [hares 1 when the princes and heads of the tribes joyncd wich Korah, they prefenily drew a multitude into the confpiracy, Numb, xvi. 2. 10. (2.) The devil makes ufe of fuch to carry 011 his tempting defigns, as are men of wit and parts ; fuch as if it were poflible, (hould dtceivc the very elect. He mu(i have a great deal of cunning that (hall perfwade a man to be out of love with his food : the devil can nv.kc ufe of fuch heretical fpirits as (hall perfwade men to be out of love with the ordinances of God, which they profefs they have found comfart in. Many who once feemed to be flrict frequenters of the houfe of God, are now perfwaaed, by Satan's cunning inftruments, to leave off all, and follow an ignis fatuus, the light ■■ them. This is a great fubtilty of the devil, to make ufe of fuch cunning, fubtil pated men, as may be fit to carry on his tempting defigns, f'3.) Satan makes ufe of bad company to be inftruments of tempting ; they draw youth to fin. Firfl, they perfwade them to come into their company, then to twill a cord of friend- fhip, then to drink with them; and, by degrees, debauch them. Thefe are the devil's decoys to tempt others. 20. Subtilty of Satan is, he, in his temptati- on, (likes at fome grace more than other: as in tempting, he aims at fome perfons more than others ; fo he aims at fome grace more than other ; and if he can prevail in this, he knows what an advantage it will be to him. If you a(k what grace it is that Satan in his tem- ptations doth moil (Irike at ? Ianfwer, it is the grace of faith : he lays the train of his tempta- tion to blow up the fort of our faith, Fidei feu- turn percutit. Why did Chrift pray more for Peter's faith, than any other grace ? Luke xxii. 32. Becaufe Chrifr. faw that his faith was moil in danger, the devil was linking at this grace. Satan, in tempting Eve, did labour to weaken her faith, Gen. iii. 1. Tea, hath God faid, ye Jhall not eat of every tree of the garden ? The devil would perfuade her, that God had not fpoken truth; and when he had once wrought her to diflrufl, then (he rook of the tree. 'Tis called fcutmn fidei, the field of faith, Eph. vi. Sff 10 5o6 OF THE SIXTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAVER; i 6. Satan, in tempting, ftrikes moft at our fhield, he affaults our faith. True faith, tho* it cannot be wholly loft, yet it may fuffer a great eclipfe ; tho' the devil cannot by tempta- tion take away the life of faith, yet he may the lively acting ; he cannot gratiam diruere, but he may debilitare. Qu. But why doth Satan in tempting chiefly fet upon our faith I Anlvv. i. Kings xxii. 31. Fight neither with/mail or great, fave only with the King. So faith is as it were the king of the graces; it is a royal princely grace, and puts forth the moft majeftick and noble acts, therefore Satan fights chiefly with this kingly grace. I fhall fnew you the devil's policy in afTaulting faith moft. 1/?. Becaufe this is the grace doth Satan moft mi/chief; it makes the moft reflftance againft him, 1 Pet. v. 9. Whom refift, Jledfaft in faith. No grace doth more bruife the ferpenfs head than faith. Faith is both a fhield and a fword, defenfive and offenfive. (1.) It is a, fhield: a fhield guards the head, defends the vitals ; the fhield of faith caufeth that the fiery darts of temptation do not pierce us thorow. (2.) Faith is a fword, it wounds the red-dragon. Qu. How comes faith to be ftrong, that it can refift Satan, and put him to- flight ? Anf. 1. Becaufe faith brings the ftrength of Chrift into the foul ; Sampfon's ftrength lay in his hair, ours lies in Chrift. If a child be af- faulted, it runs and calls to its father for help ; fo, when faith is a/Faulted, it runs and calls Chrift, and in his ftrength overcomes. 2. Faith furnifheth itfelf with ftore of pro- mifes ; the promifes are faith's weapons to fight with. Now, as David, by five (tones in his fling, wounded Goliah, 2 Sam. xvii. 40. fo faith puts the promifes, asftones, into its (ling, I will never leave thee nor forfake thee, Heb. xiii. 5.. He will not break the bruife d reed, Matth. xli. 20. He will not fuffer you to be tempted above that ye are able. 1 Cor. x. 13. The Lord will fhortly bruife Satan under your feet. Rom. xvi. 20. None ft/all pluck you out of my Father's hands, John x. 29.. Here are five promifes, like five ftones, put in the fling of faith, and with thefe a believer wounds the red-dragon. Now faith being fuch a grace, that doth fo refift and wound Satan, he will watch his opportunity that he may batter our fhield, tho' he cannot break it. idly. Satan ftrikes moft at our faith, and would weaken and deftroy it, becaufe faith hath a great influence upon all the other graces; faith fets all the graces a-work. Like fome rich clothier, that gives out a ftock of wool to the poor, and fets them all a-fpinning ; fo faith gives out a ftock to all the other graces, and lets them a-working. Faith fets love a-work, Cat: v. 6. Faith which worketh by love. When once the foul believes God's love, this kindles love to God. The believing martyrs burned hotter in love than in fire. Faith fets repentance a-work. "When the foul believes there is mercy to be had, and that this mercy is for him, this fets the eyes a-weeping : O, faith the foul, that e- ver I fhould offend fuch a gracious God ! Re- penting tears drop from the eye of faith, Mark ix. 24. The father of the child cried out with tears* Lord, I believe. Faith fet his eyes abroach with tears ; therefore the devil hath moft fpite at faith, and by his temptations would under- mine it, becaufe it is fuch an operative grace, it fets all the other graces on work. If the de- vil cannot deftroy our faith, yet if he can di- fturb it, if he can hinder and flop the actings of faith, he knows all the other graces will be lame and unactive. If the fpring in a watch be flopped, it will hinder the motion of the wheels : if faith be down, all the other graces ■ are at a ftand. 21. Subtilty of Satan in tempting, is, iii broaching thofe doctrines that are flefh-pleafing. Satan knows the flefh loves to be gratified, it cries out for eafe and liberty '; it will not endure any yoke, unlefs it be lined and made foft. The devil will be fure fo to lay his bait of tempta- tion, as to pleafe and humour the flefh. The word faith, Strive as in an agony to enter into glory ; crucify the flefh ; take the kingdom of heaven by holy violence : now Satan, to ener- vate and weaken thefe fcriptures, comes with. temptations and flatters the flefh ; he tells men, there needs no fuch ftrictnefs : why fo much zeal and violence ? a foftlier pace will ferve ; fure there is an eafier way to heaven : there needs no breaking the heart for fin ; do but confefs to a prieft, or tell over a few beads, or fay fome Ave Maries, and this will procure you a pardon, and Vive youadmiffibn into p^radife. Or, the devil can go another way to work ; if he lees men ftartle at popery, then he ftirs up the flattering Antinomian, and he comes in an- other difguife, and faith, what needs all this coil: ? what needs repenting tears ? thefe are le- gal. What need you be fo ftrict in your obe- dience I OF THE SIXTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER, 507 dience ? Chrifl hath done all for you, you may make ufe of your chriftian liberty : this tem- ptation draws many away ; it takes them off from ftridtnefs of life. He who fells cheapefl fhall have moll cuftomers ; the devil knows this is a cheap eafy doctrine, which will pleafe the fle/h, and he doth not doubt but he fhall have cuftomers enough. 22. Suhtilty of Satan in tempting, is, in re- ference to holy duties. His policy is either to hinder from duty, or difcourage in duty, or put men on too far in duty. I. To hinder from duty, as 1 Theff. ii. 18. / "would have come once and again, but Satan hindered me. So many duties of religion had been performed, but Satan hindered. The hand of Joab is in this. There are three duties which the devil is an enemy to, and labours to keep us from. 1. Meditation. He will let men profefs, or pray and hear in a formal manner ; this doth him no hurt, nor them no good ; but he doth oppofe meditation, as being a means to compote the heart, and make it ferious. Satan can ftand your fmall fhot, fo if you do not put in this bullet: he cares not how much you hear, nor how little you meditate. Meditation is a chew- ing of the cud, it makes the word digefl, and turn to nourifhment ; meditation is the bellows of the affections ; the devil is an enemy to this. "When Chrifl was alone in the wildernefs, giv- ing himfelf to divine contemplations, then the devil comes and tempts him, to hinder him. He will thruft in worldly bufinefs, fomething or other to keep men off from holy medita- tion. , Duty, which Satan, by tempting, would keep us from, is, mortification. This is as need- ful as heaven, Col. iii. 5. Mortify your members nvhich are upon earth, uncleannefs, inordinate affecHon. Satan will let men be angry with lin, exchange Cm, refrain fin, which is keeping fm prifoner, that it doth not break out ; but when it comes to the taking away the life of fin, Satan labours to flop the warrant, and hin- ders the execution. When fin is mortifying, Sa- tan is crucifying. 3. Self examination, 2, Cor. xiii. 5. Examine ycurfelves : a metaphor from metal, that is pierced thorow, to fee if it be gold within. Self-examination is a fpiritual inquifition fet up in one's foul : a man muft fearch his heart for fin, as one would fearch a houfe for a traitor ; or, as Ifrael fought for leaven to burn it. Sa- tan, if it be poffible, will by his temptations keep men from this duty ; he ufeth a great deal of fubtilty. (1.) Here, firft he tells them, their efhte is good, and what need they put themfelves to the trouble of examination ? Though men will not take their money on truft, but will examine it by the touch-ftone, yet Satan perfuades them to take their grace on truft. The devil per- fuaded the foolifh virgins, they had oil in their lamps. (2.) Satan hath another policy, he will fhew men the faults of others, to keep them from fearching their own : fee what a proud covetous man goes there. He will allow them fpeclacles to fee what is amifs in others, but not a looking- glafs to behold their own faces, and fee what is amifs in themfelves. II. Satan's policy is, to difcourage us in duty. When one hath been about the performing of holy duties, then the devil ftands up and tells him, he hath played the hypocrite ; he hath ferved God for a livery ; he hath had Unifier ends : his duties have been full of diftraction ; they have been fly-blown with pride : he hath offered the blind and lame, and can he expect a reward from God ? Satan tells a chriftian, he hath encreafed his fin by prayer; and, by this temptation, he would make a child of God quite out of conceit with his duties, he knows not whether he had beft pray or no. III. Or thirdly, If this plot will not take, Sa- tan labours by temptation to put a chriftian on tos far in duty : if he cannot keep a child of God from duty, he will run him on too far in it. ^ For inftance, humiliation and mourning for fin is a duty, but Satan will put one on too far in it ; thou art not (faith kc) humbled enough ; and indeed Satan never thinks a man is hum- bled enough, till he defpairs. He would make a chriftiaa wade fo far in the waters of repent- ance, that he fhould wade beyond his depth, and be drowned in the gulph of defpair. Satan comes thus to the foul, Thy fins have been great, and thy yarrow fhould be proportionable to your fins. But is it fo ? canft thou fay thou haft been as great a mourner as thou haft been a finner ? thou didft for many years drive no o- ther, trade but fin, and is a drop of forrow e- nough for a fea of fin ? Mo: thy foul mult be more humbled, and ly fteeping longer in the brinifh waters of repentance. Satan would have a chriftian weep himfelf blind, and in a defpe- ratc mood throw away the anchor of hope. Sff2 New, 5°$ OF THE SIXTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. Now, left: any here be troubled with this tem- ptation, let me fay this, this is a mere fallacy of Satan ; for forrow proportionable to fin is not attainable in this life, nor doth God expect it. It is fufficient for thee (chriftian) if thou hail a gofpel-forrow ; if thou grieveft fo far as to fee fin hateful, and Ghrift precious; if thou grieved fo as to break off iniquity ; if thy re- morfe end in divorce, this is to be humbled e- nough. Then the gold hath lain long enough in the fire, when the drofs is purged out ; then a chriftian hath lain long enough in humilia- tion, when the love of fin is purged out ; this is to be humbled enough to divine acceptation. God, for Chrift's fake, will accept of this for- row for fin ; therefore let not Satan's tempta- tions drive to defpair. You fee how fubtil an enemy he is, to hinder from duty, or difcourage in duty, or put men on too far in duty, that he may run them upon the rock of defpair. Had we not then need (having fuch a fubtil enemy) pray, Lord, lead us not into temptation ? As the ferpent beguiled Eve, let us not be beguiled by this hellifn Machiavtl. 23. Subtilty of Satan in tempting to the a