/.. /.■*•- c %cs 10/ a. y PRIM1TIJE W ULTIMA: OR, HE E. f LABOURS AND LAST REMAINS THAT WILL MEET THE PUBLIC EYE, IN SEVERAL PRACTICAL DISCOURSES, EMINENTLY CALCULATED FOR ALARMING SINNERS AND HYPOCRITES IN ZION, AND AFFORDING INSTRUCTION, CORRECTION, AND CONSOLA- TION, TO GENUINE BELIEVER?, OF THE LATE REV. AND LEARNED Mr THOMAS BOSTON, MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL AT ETTRICK, AUTHOR OF THE FOURFOLD STATE, Wf. bY. Now firft Publiflied from his Manuscripts. Heb. xi. 4. — By ?'.% he being dead, yet fpeaketh . IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. III. EDINBURGH?:.- " ;=-, \ PRINTED BY AND FOR J. PILLANS & $0*4, NOR*TH CCL STREET : SOLD BY THEM, AND BY >p ST -OF' -';'&£ |A BOOKSELLRRS IN GREAT E l80I. Entmrzd in Stationers Hall, CONTENTS, Pag. Ser. XL V. The folly of turning afidc from the Lor*!, - 5 j Sam. xii. i\. — " And turn ye not aTide ; for then fbould ye go after vain tilings, which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain." XL VI. Jefus completely qualified for his work, - - - 1 8 Ifa. lxi. i. — " The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, becaufe the Lord hath anointed me." XLVII. The fame fubje& continued, 35 XLVIII. Jefus a preacher of good tidings to the meek, ' " " 53 Ifa. xli.'i. — " The Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek." XLIX. The fame fubjed continued, - 73 L. Jefus binds up the broken hearted, 87 Ifa. lxi. 1. — " To bind up the brokenhearted. LI. The fame fubjedl: continued, - 104 LII. Jefus proclaims liberty to the captives, 119 Ifa. lxi. 1. — " To proclaim liberty to the captives." LIII. The fame fubjecl: continued, - 13a LIV. Jefus opens the prifon-doors to the prifoners, - - - 152 Ifa. lxi. 1. — " And the opening of the prifon to them that are bound." LV. The fame fubjecl continued, - 176 ( 4 ) Pa s* LVI. Departing from iniquity the duty of all who name the name of Jefus, - 203 2 Tim. ii. 19. — " And let every one that nameth the name of Jefus depart from iniquity." LVIJ. The fame fubjeft continued, 220 LVIII. The fame fubjccl: continued, 236 LIX. The fame fubjecl: continued, - 252 LX. The inward frame fnould correfpond with the outward profeffion, - 27 8 Deut. v. 29. — " O that there were fuch an heart in them, that *they Would fear roe, and keep ail my commandments always, thatit might be well with them, and with their children for ever."- LXI. The fame fubjecl continued, - 294 LXII. The fame fubjed continued, 311 LXI II. A rich feaft prepared for hungry fouls, - - . - 330 Ifa. xxv. 6. — " And in this mountain fhall the Lord of hods make unto all people a feaft of fat things, a feaft of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined." LXIV.The diftinguifhing privilege of God's faithful fervants, - - 348 Exod. xxiv. ti. — " And upon the nobles of the children of Ifrael he laid not his hand ; alfo they law God, and did eat and drink." LXV. Gofpcl privileges wonders of grace, 37c Same text as Sermon LXIV. LXVI. God not aflianried to be called his people's God, - - - 383 Heb. xi. 1 5. — " Wherefore God is not afhamed to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city." SERMONS. THE FOLLY OF TURNING ASIDE FROM THE LORD *. SERMON XLV. x Sam. xii, 21. And turn ye not aftde ; for then Jhould ye go after vain things , which cannot profit nor deliver , for they are vain. YE have been profeiling to foriake your wan- dering life through the empty creation, and to turn to the Lord as your portion, as your foul's reft, and as your great Lord and Mafter from henceforth. There is one thing of which I would perfuade you, the faith of which would keep you ever with him ; and this is, that if you were to change every day, you can never do better, never do fo well. This is the fcope of our text ; in which we have Samuel's reafon to the Ifraelites for their not turning afide from the Lord in any cafe \ Vol. III. A which * Delivered at GalaQiie's, on Sabbath, Sept. 6. 1719* THE FOLLY OF TURNING which is, (i For then fhould we go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain/' Thefe words (without any fupplement,- and to the fame ftrnfe, but more forcibly exprefled) may- be read word for word thus : " And ye fhall not turn afide, but after vain things," &c. ; that is, ye cannot turn afide, but you mult, by doing fo, go after vain things. The text is a defiance held out to men in their attempts to mend their condi- tion by departing from the Lord. In which there is, i. A cafe fuppofed, which is, That they mould turn afide from the Lord ; and having done fo, they have the wide world to chufe upon, let them take to the right hand, or to the left, chufe the belt they can pitch on, feme or all, that what is wanting in one, may be made up in another. This is the ut- moit extent to which it can be carried.- ^-There is, 2. The determination in this cafe, which is cxprefied in the text with all confidence. Ye fhall not, ye cannot for your hearts, turn afide, but after vain things ; I defy you to find cut a fubflan- tial good for yourfelves in the whole creation, fe- parate from God. Betake yourfelves to what you will, to idols that are fo already, to other things to make idols of them, make your belt of them, you fhall never make more of them than vanity, they are unprofitable, empty, helplefs nothings. — From this fubjeel I take the following Doctrine, That no man (hall mend his condi- tion, but will ruin it, by turning afide from the Lord, let him turn to what hand foever he will. — For iijuflrating this doctrine, I (hall, I. Offer feme things for explaining this point. H. Evince the truth of this weighty point. HI. A£IDE FROM Tllii LORD. J III. Add the practical improvement. We are then, I. To offer Corns things for explaining thn point. — Here I obferve, 1. That no man, by turning afide from the Lord, ihall mend his condition, but ruin it, in point of reft to his heart, and fatisfatftion to the defircs of it : Ifa. lvii. 19. 20. " I create the fruit of die lips ; peace, peace to him that is far off", and to him that is near, faith the Lord •, and I will heal him. But the wicked are like the trou- bled fea, when it cannot reft, whole waters ca(l up mire and dirt. There is no peace, faith my God, to die wicked.'' Every man's heart within him is naturally an hungry, empty thing, which muft be filled from fomething without itfelf, or It cannot reft. Some, heating of the foul's fatisfac- tion to be had in God, come away to ordinances, and are for a time found about the Lord's hand, like the mixed multitude from Egypt among the Ifraelites. They do not at the very fir ft fini that iatisfaction for which they look, and they cannot wait ; but for hafte to be filled, they go back to the world and their lulls. In this cafe, the more hafte, the lefs faced, they are farther from it than ever. — I dbferye, 2. That no man, by turningtalide from the Lord, fhall mend his condition, but ruin it, in point of co.rfort and eafe to his conscience : Pfal. xxxii. 3. 5. "When I kept filence, my bones waxed old, through my roaring all the day long, I acknowledged my fm unto thee, and mine ini- quity have I not hid. I faid, I will confefs my tranigreflions unto the Lord ; and thou forgavelt the iniquity of my fin." This is the true way to get eafe. Put forr.e awakened (inners feek eafe A 2 by THE FOLLY OF TURNING by their tears, confeffi^ns, refolutibns, and the like, not by the blood of Chrift : but, alas ! thofe platters will not flick, they will never draw out the thorn of guilt. Some divert the pain of con- fcience, by filling their hands and heads with bufmefs, like Cain. Some ftiile it by finning, vlc more over the belly of convictions. But the lore healed with any of thefe, which are but mere palliatives, will break out more dreadfully than ever, though perhaps not till there is no remedy. And how is rhe cafe thus mended ? is it not ruined ? — I obferve, 3. That no man, by turning afide from the Lord, fhall mend his condition, but ruin it, in point of his intereft and advantage : Jer. ii. 13. '< For my people have committed two great evils ; they have forfaken me the fountain of living wa- ters, and hewed them out citterns, broken citterns, that can hold no water." He who changes, ohan- ges for what he accounts the better for himfelf ; yet men often find themfelves difappointed. No- thing draws perfons more away from God than intereft ; but heaven fhall be turned nethermoft, and earth uppermoft in the univerfe, ere any man, manage as fecurely as he will, fhall ever be a gainer by turning afide from God. For this ye have the concurring feftimeny of all true peni- tents, whefe eyes have been opened : Hof. ii. 7. " And (he mall follow after her lovers, but (he fhall not overtake them ; and ihe fhall feek them, but mall not find them -, then (hill (he fay, I will go and return to my firlt hufbind, for then was it better with me than now." — I obferve, 4. That no man, by turning afide from the Lord, will better his condition, but ruin it, in point of fecurity from evil: Pro v. xxviii. 18. " Whofo walketh uprightly, fhall be faved ; but he ASIDE FROM i HE LORD. 9 hq that; is pervcrie in his ways, fhall fall at once." ,Sin often promifes, buf can never afford a fblid ihelter. Any hiding-place or defence to which perfons betake themfelves, turning away from God, is but vanity, and cannot deliver ; nay, it expofes them to the way of evil: Amos, v. nj. " As it a man did flee from a lion, and a hear met him j or went into the houfe, and leaned his hand upon the wall, and a ferpent bit him." The Jews, ir k their crucifying of Chrift, are a (landing wlthefs to this : John, xi. 48. " If we let him alone," faid they-, " all men will believe on him, and the Ro- mans fhall come, and take away both our place and nation." Matth. xxii. 7. " But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth : and he fent forth his armies, and deftreyed thofe murderers, and burnt up their city." — We now come, III To evince the truth of this weighty point, That no man fhall mend his condition, but will ruin it, by turning afide from the Lord, let him turn to what hand foever he will. — We (hall do this, FirJIy By confidering to what a perfon turns afide when he turns from God. Secondly , By taking a view of what he turns ?.<■ fide from. And, Thirdly, By infpe£Hng the pretended gain which he acquires by turning afide from the Lord. Fhrft) We are to evince the truth of this weigh- ty point, by confidering to what a perfon turns afide when he turns from God. It is but vanity, which cannot profit or deliver. There are but two things to which a perfon can turn afide, though A3 the 10 THE FOLLY 01 TURNING the particulars are numberlejfe. The character agrees either, i. To fin, that is, to finful ways, courfes, or practices. And while there is a God in heaven to avenge the affront, no man (hall mend his con- dition in this way. You will not, indeed, want an invitation to turn afide, and go in at this door ; but know for a Certain that it will ruin you, for " the dead are there, and her guefts are in the depths of hell," Prov. ix. 18. Sin is the way in which you will never find reft to your fouls ; on the contrary, it will produce a fling to your con- ference, a cenftant reftleffnefs to your heart, and eternal ruin to the whole man, if mercy recover you not, and bring you back to God. — Or the character agrees, 2. To the creature, to which, when men are turning afide from God, they turn to feek their hap- pinefs. This comprehends all created comforts v/'iatfoever. Of them we have two things to fay. (r.) They are all uncertain, a per fon can never get a fure hold of them : Prov. xxiii. 5. <( Wilt thou fet thine eyes upon that which is not ? for riches certainly make themfeives wings, they flee away as an eagle towards heaven." Unchange- ableneU is an efLntial property of that which makes truly happy and fully fatisfies, for otherwife the very fear of \oCmg the thing mars the full reft of the heart in it But where is this to be found but in God ? The creature is fo uncertain, that there is not one moment in which we may not ei- ther be taken from it, or it from us ; fo that a perfon may reft as well on the top of a wheel, as on any creature. And turning afide from God to it, is turning from the fountain to a ciftern, which, in that very moment when a perfon goes to drink out of itj may run dry. (2.) ASIDE FROM THE LORD. II (2.) They are utterly infufficient. It is not in them to anfwer the cravings of the human heart, of an immortal foul. Hence it is faid, Ifa. lv. 2. « Wherefore do ye fpend money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which fatis- fieth not ?" [1.] There is no fuitabknefs in them to the foul, for they are not commenfurate to the defires of it ; God only is fo, being an infinite good. Wherefore, wherever you go to make your bed among them, you will find it lhorterthan you can ftretch yourfelf upon. [2. J They have no di- vine appointment for that end, without which grafs would be no more fatisfying to the flocks than fand. God has kept the fatisfying of the foul to himfelf, as his peculiar prerogative. — Therefore the turning afide to fuch emptinefs can never make a man happy Here, however, may be Hated this Objeclion, What ! does not every body know that there is a goodnefs in the creature ? Anfwer^ But every body fhould likewife know that it is un- certain and infufneient, and therefore not worth the turning afide to from a good God. Befides, know this farther, that no creature can be to thee mere than this God, from whom thou turned a- fide, makes it to be. So thou mayeft get it, and at the fame time there may come a withering curfe with it, that thou ihalt find no more fap in it than Haman in his riches, family, honours, which, by his own confefiion, availed him nothing, Either,. v. 1 3, Yea, thy ruin may rife from it, as Achan's from the golden wedge. Secondly^ For evincing the truth of this weighty point, confider what a perfon turns afide from, when turning afide from God. He turns from an upmaking portion ; Pfal. lxxiii. 25. " Whom have :2 THE Fv.LLzf OF TURNING have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none up- on earth that I defire besides thee." Cleave to the Lord, turn not afide from him : For, I. Thou art enriched for time : I Tim. iv. S« " Gcdiinefs is profitable unto all things, having the promife of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." The everlafting covenant fe- cures all that thou needed. Thy provifion is fure : Pfal. xxxvii. 3. " Truft in the Lord, and do good ; fo (Ira It thou dwell in the land, and verily thou ihait be fed." Ifa . xxxiii. 1 6. « He (hall dwell on high, his place of defence {hall be the munition of rocks ; bread (hall be given him, his water mail be fure." Thou (halt not want lodging : Pfal. xc. 1. "Lord, thou haft been our dwelling-place in ail generations." Fear not want of cioathing : Matth. vi. 30. " For if God fo cloathe the grafs of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is can: into the oven, {hall he not much more cloathe you, O ye cf little faith ?" What want ye more, then ? Why, fome would have land alfo. Then cleave to Chrift as thy Lord and Hufband. He is Lord of all the land in the world ; the earth mall be thine in the right of thy Hufband : Mat. v. 5. " BlefTed are the meek, for they (hall inherit the earth." But what will a perfon do for money ? Why, cleave to the Lord : Job, xxii. 24. 25, " Then fhalt thou lay up gold as dull:, and the gold of Ophir as the ftones of the brooks. Yea, the Almighty {hall be thy defence, and thou {halt have plenty of filver,"— Here fome may propofe this ObjeElion^ Thefe are fine words, but what will they bring into our mouth, or on our back, what will they bring into the coffers ? Anf-wer, They are God's words, and his words are better than all the world's good deeds. Some to whom God fas ASIDE Fr.OM THE LORD. IQ has no fpecial love, he gives them their portion in ' their hand, and fets them off; others, who are his dear children, he gives them the good words of a promife, and keeps them at home with him- felf. Say now, which of thefe have the bed of it ? The following words determine it : Matth. xxv. 34. " Then (hall the Kin? fay unto them on his right-hand, Come, ye bielled of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." God approves not of -thofe men who fay to the needy, " Depart in peace, be ye warmed, and be ye filled ; notwithftandmg, they give them not thofe things which are needful to the body," Jam. ii. 16. And will He himfelf treat his people fo ? No, no. Many a faint has trufted to thefe words, when they had nothing elfe to trull to, and they have all been made out to them : Pfel. xxxiv. 8. 9. " O tafte and fee that the Lord is good ! bleffed is the man that trufleth in him. O fear the Lord, ye his faints ! for there is no want to them that fear him." The unbelie- ver's miftake is, that God's bond cannot be paid, but in giving the very thing itfeif. Even this is often done, but he alio gives his people more fre- quently what is as good. Mofes, wanting meat forty days, had no reafon to complain, when God in thofe days took away his ftomach, and fatisfied him otherwife than by meat. Adam lived well when the heavens weie the roof of his houfe, and God was his God. And the enjoyment of God dill will abundantly compenfate the want of all thefe things. 2. Cleave unto the Lord, turn ncr afide from him, and thus thou art enriched for eternity, 1 Tim. iv. 8. quoted above. Come death when it will, what then ? thou (halt be carried where thy hap- pinefs fhall be completed : John, xiv. 2. " in my Fatherl 14 THE FOLLY CF TURNING Father's houfe are many manfions ; if it were not fo, I would have told you : I go to prepare a place for you." The law cannot debar thee from this happmefs, it is fatisfied •, juitice has nothing to fay again (I thee, for the debt is paid : God is thy God •, and the tongue of men, nor of angels, can- not fully exprefs this privilege. Thirdly, The truth of this weighty point in the text will farther appear, by impeding the pre- tended gain which is acquired by turning afide from the Lord. —It may all be fummed up in theie two particulars. i. It is nothing : Prov. xxiii. 5. (quoted above}. All the gain is but children's gain, which they have won ciT their fellows, of which grown per- ions make no account *, and as little will a fpiri- tual heart account of gain got by turning afide from the Lord. It is a poor trade where a perfoa is not gaining for his foul •, and no perfon will gain for this by turning afide from God. 2. It is worie than nothing. Whatfoever thou thinkeil thou gaineft by turning afide from the Lord, a thouiand times more is going to deftruc-. tion in the mean time. Count what thou giveft out, as well as what thou getteft in, and thou wilt focn fee the gain worie than nothing : Matth. xvi. 26. U For what is a man profited, if he (hall gain the whole world, and lofe his own foul ? or what (hall a man give in exchange for his foul r ' From all which it is eviden:, that no man mail better his condition, but ruin it, by turning afide from the Lord, let him turn to what hand fcever he will. — I now proceed, III. To make iome improvement of this fub- iect, in an ufe of information. — Hence, i. You ASIDE FROM THE LORD. 1 5 1 . You who have never yet turned to the Lord, but have been going afide from him all your days, know, that ye are yet in a ruinous condition ; there is nothing you can call yours, but what is vanity, and cannot profit or deliver. Ye will not be per- fuaded of this ; but remember it is explicitly told you ; and if grace do not open your eyes to fee it timely, death will open them to fee it when it is out of time to mend the matter. 2. Backfliders, be all of you convinced of the foolifh choice ye have made, repenc, and turn a- gain unto the Lord. What have you gained by your departures from hirri ? Where is the advan- tage of the fad exchange ? Blafled profits ! fhort- lived pleafures ! leaving a fting behind them in the confeience ! thefe will not compenfate for what yc have loft. 3. Ye who have got near God in this ordinance, ye may fee that it is your duty and intereft, by a holy tender walk, a living by faith, to hold where you are. If you flep afide from God, you may well mar your cafe, you will never mend it this way. Entertain no curiofity to be on the other fide of the hedge ; fatisfy yourfelves that there is nothing there but vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain : Ifa. xxx. 7. " For the Egyptian (hall help in vain, and to no purpofe ; therefore have I cried concerning .this, Their Itrengih is to fit ftill." 4. Difappointed communicants may hence be fiuisfied, that if you love your own fouls, it is not for your profit to go afide to another door, to get your lofs at the dcor of God's houfe made up ano- ther way. Your cafe, it is likely, is fad, and Satan will ftrike in with the occafion to make you a fair offer. But know of a truth, if you embrace it, inflead of mending your condition, you (hall make your 10 THE FOLLY OF TU/N1NG your fad cafe yet fadder. Be peremptory in your refolutions, that you will wait upon the Lord, and not give over, how long fcever ye be without fenfible fuccefs : Gen. xxxii. 26. "And the angel faid to Jacob, Let me go, for the day breaketh ; and he faid, I will not let thee go, except thou blefs me." Go thou, and do likewife. 5. Ye carnal ones, who are weary of waiting on about the Lord's hand, and are longing to be back to the world as your element, faying in your heart, " When will the Sabbath be over ?" ye may fee the propriety of checking thefe carnal motions \ flir up yourfelves to feek the Lord, and to improve the prefent opportunity for making a happy fettle - ment for your fouls ; otherwife, if ye mifs fuch an occafion of mending your condition, ye know not if ever ye fhall have it again ; and by neglect- ing it, ye run towards the ruining of your fouls. Let all be exhorted to cleave to the Lord, and tremble at the thought of turning afide from him. Be exhorted, with purpofe of heart to cleave unto the Lord, Ads, xi. 23. Turn not afide from his precious truths, his holy ordinances, the way of holinefs and tendernefs in the whole of your ccnverfation ; but cleave to the Lord, his Word, his way, and to whatever bears his Jt am p. Turn not afide, whatever may be the temptation or allurement. Know of a truth, that it is but poifon prefented in a golden cup to you, which will work the ruin of your condition ; it is but a gilded vanity, to cheat you c ut of a fubftantial good : it is what will not fail to be bitternefs in the end. Have your eyes in your head, then, and forfeit not Gcd's favour or fmiles for lying vanities. Again, Turn not afide, whatever be the hazard of holding on. Let devils and men run that as high ASIDE FROM THE LORD. 17 high as they will, as fure as God's word is truth, the greateft hazard is ever on the other fide •, and they who turn afide run the mod fearful rifk.— Wherefore, take it home with you, lay it up in your hearts, and improve it in your daily walk; de- cide all your controverfies with temptation, ma- naged by a fubtile devil, a carnal heart, or the men of the world, by this, — That you cannot turn afide, but " after vain things, which cannot profit, nor deliver, for they are vain." Amen. Vol. III. B jesus JE:U3 COMPLETELY QUALIFIED TOP. HIS WORK*. SERMON XLVL Is a. lxi. I. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me. becaufe the Lord hath anointed me. THIS text is that upon which our Lord Jefus himfelf preached to the congregation of Naza- reth, Luke, iv. \6. — 19. And if ye tfk of whom the prophet fpake, Jefus tells you, ver. 21. that it was of him. Though the prophet perhaps had an eye to himfelf, and to the promifed deliver- ance from the Babylonifh captivity ; yet certain- ly Chrift, and the fpiritual deliverance by him, is the principal fubjecl. Jefus is here defcribed as the Mediator between God and man In the words we have two things. 1. The glorious qualifications of our Mediator : The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me. Here are the three perfons of the Trinity diftinguifLed. The Lord God, his Son, and his Spirit. Our Lord Jefus * Delivered ?ept. 17 is. JiSU3 COMPLETELY QUALIFIED, &C. 1 9 Jefus being both God and man, the Holy Spirit, with all his gifts, was put on the man Chrift. At his baptifm the Spirit defcended upon him like a dove, Matth. iii. 16. On him alfo the Spirit refted, and never again departed from him, but continued filling him at ail times with graces and gifts for the discharge of his great truft. So that he fays the Spirit is upon me, not is come upon me. — We have, 2. The reafon of thefe glorious qualifications. This was, becaufe they were neceftary for the of- fice to which he was called : Becaufe the Lord God hath anointed me. It behoved him to bs both God and man. As he was God, he could have no- thing added to him-; but as he was man, it behoved him to be endowed with unparalleled qualifications for this unparalleled office. — Here confider his call to the work. The Lord anointed him, as prophets, priefls, and kings were wont to be, and thus were called and (ti apart to their refpective of- fices •, in like manner was Chrift called of the Fa- ther to the Mediatorial works, not with material oil, as they were, but with the Holy Spirit, which was (ignified by that oil. Again, confider his million : The hoid/ent him. He did not come un- fent to the world ; but his Father having called him, and furnifhed him for the work, fent him away to exercife his commiflion, and to perform his work. Confider, next, the work he was called to, and fent out upon. Confider this work with refpecr, to Chrift himlelf ; and it is threefold. Firji) As a prophet or preacher of the gofpel, re- vealing the Father's mind. Secondly, A prieft or healer, a fpiritual phyfician, for fin-fick fouls, to bind up the broken hearted. Thirdly , As a king, to iiTue out proclamations, far more joyful than B 2- thofe. 20 JESUS COMPLETELY QUALIFIED thofe of Cyrus to the captives, as the fpiritual captivity and imprifonment is far worfe than a cor- poral one. — Confider the work as it refpe&s the different forts of people with whom he has to deal ; and it is twofold. Fuji, Some of them have fome good in them wrought by his Spirit j and of thefe, fome are the meek, others are bro- ken hearted. Secondly, Some of them have no good in them, they are captives, prifoners to Sa- tan. Both forts are in his commifhon, as perfons he has to deal with. — Confider this work as it re- fpecls the different cafes of thefe forts of perfons ; and it is fourfold. i/?, To the meek, he has to carry good tidings. idly, To the broken- hearted, he has to bind up their wounds, 3^/y, To the captives he has to give deliverance, and /\thly, To the prifoners he has to open the pvifon-doors. Thus he is, by the Father's fpecial appointment, to give fuitable help to each cafe. A more par- ticular explication of thefe things will be given as we advance in the fubjeft. Now, here is a great work"; and becaufe of it, (or, as it is in the Hebrew, anfwerable to it), he is endowed with the Spirit, with his graces and gifts, without which he could not be qualified for it. The fubjecl of our prefent difcourfe, is our Lord's qualification for his work : The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me. Here our Lord com- mends himfelf to poor fmners, that they may come to him, and be happy in him. "Who can commend him to purpofe but himfelf ? He commends him- felf to us, from the fulnefs of the Spirit lodged in him, as in Rev. iii. i. " And unto the angel of the church of Sardis write, Thefe things faith he that hath the (cv^n Spirits of God, and the feven liars." As when the foul is gone, the body can move TOR HIS WORK. 2x r.ove and act no mere ; fo where tbe Spirit of God is gone from men, they can do no more good. While deftitute of the Spirit, they are (hut up un- der an uninterrupted barrennefs. Nov.-, this is the natural cafe of the whole world. To the world, then, under the want of the Spirit, Chrifh here makes public proclamation, where the Spirit is to be found ; as if he had faid, < O all ye fpiritlefs, lifelefs finners, .dead to grace and goodnefs, be it known unto you, the Spirit of the Lord God is upon ??; becc.ufe he hath fent me to preach good tidings to the meek. How Oiall the poor meek ones, who fee nothing in them or about them to recommend them to God, be- lieve the good tidings, without the Spirit of faith ? How can the broken hearted have their wounds bound up without the healing Spirit ? How can the captives and prifoners be delivered, unlefs the Spirit break off their fetters. — Confider, LaJ/y, That it is from Jefus Chrift that all who partake of the Spirit do receive the Spirit j there is no_ other channel of conveyance: John, i. 16. " Out of his fulnefs have all we received, and grace for grace." John, vi. 63. " It is the Spirit that quickeneth : the words that I fpeak unto you are fpirit, and they are life." It is he who fends the Spirit, John, xv. 16- It is true, the Father is faid to give the Spirit to them that afk him, Luke, xi. 13.-, but it is ltill in Chrift's name, and for his fake, John, xiv. 29. Therefore he is called the Spirit of God's Son, whom he fends forth into the hearts. of his people. — We now proceed, III. To confider the reafonablenefs and fuitable- nefs of this glorious device, of the Spirit being put on Chrin: to be communicated to poor finners. 1. It is moil fuitable to the Father's honour, that guilty criminals pirtaks of his Spirit through a Mediator; Gjd locked on all the fallen race of mm, and cotiid be pleafei with none of them: PfaL 2<5 JESUS COMPLETELY QUALIFIES Pfal. xiv. 3. " They are all gone afide ; they are altogether become filthy." But behold his own Son became man ! and he is well pleafed with him, with his perion and mediation, and therefore with finners in him, Matth. iii 17. In Chrift he meets- with the Tinner ; and his juftice being fatisfied by him, he may, with fafety to his own honour, com- municate with the poor creatures, and they re- ceive his Spirit, as members of his own Sen, their glorious Head. 2. It is mod fuitable to the honour of the Son,, who is appointed head over all things to the church, which is his body, Eph. i. 23. This is that ho- nour which his Father has put upon him, that he be the great fleward of heaven, the truftee for all the elefi: of God, the great difpenfer of the Fa- ther's favours, to the objects of everlafting love. And as Pharaoh put an honour upon Jofeph, by ordering his petitioners to go to Jofeph ; fo does the Father put honour upon Chrift, his own well- beloved Son, by a fimilar appointment. 3. It is molt fuitable to the honour of the Holy Spirit •, for in this manner the gift of the Spirit appears to be by the infinite value of the blood of the Son of God : Rev. v. 6. " The Lamb flain hath icvtn horns and feven eyes, which are the feven fpirits of God fent forth into all the earth." No receiving of this holy fire, but from the altar where a Saviour was flain. No communicating of that Spirit, but through the blood of the Re- deemer. Lajlhy It is moft fuitable to the Tinner's cafe ; for Chrift is bone of our bone, and flefh of our fleih. He is our near kinfman, through whom we come to God boldly : Eph. iii. 1 2. " In whom we have boldnefs and accefs with confidence by the faith of him." We are not able to behold an unvailed God, FOR HIS WORK. 2"J God, his glory would dazzle and confound us> but through the vail of the flein of Chrift, w e may behold him, and live. — We now come, IV. To a practical improvement of the fubje£h And this, Mrft % In an ufe for information. i. This lets us fee the tranfcendent glory and beauty of Jefus Chrift. Pharaoh could fay of To- feph to his fervants, Gen. xlviii. 38." Can we find fuch a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is ?" How does the firmament fhine with the ftars which fparkle in it ! How beautiful is the earth, when decked with the variety of the gifts of nature in the fpring ! But what are all thefe to the Mediator's glory and beauty, in whom all the gifts and graces of God's Spirit do center: Pfal. xlv. 2. "Thou art fairer than the fons of men ; grace is poured into thy lips." There is no man, however well qualified, that excels in all things, there is a want in every individual, but no want in Chrift : Song, v. 16. " Yea, he is al- together lovely." (Heb. He is all defires^). — We may learn, 2. The abfolute fulnefs and fufliciency of Chrift to make the finner who comes to him perfectly happy ; he gives them reft, Matth. xi. 28. There is a fulnefs of the Spirit in him to anfwer all their neceflities, be what they will. Behold the whole conftellation of gifts and graces in our exalted ^Redeemer. Every good gift, natural, moral, or religious, come from this Spirit. Some have one gift of him, fome another ; but our Lord Jefus Chrift has all, which s more than all the excellencies to be found in angels and men. And -what can he want to beftow, who has the Spirit to 28 JESUS COMPLETELY QUALIFIED to give to thofe who come to him ? — We may learn, 3. The freedom of grace in Chrift. He has all, and he communicates all freely. The fpring runs freely without price or hire. It is a pleafure to have a full bread fucked ; and it is a pleafure to our blefTed Redeemer to do good and to commu- nicate to undeferving finners. — We may fee, 4. The abfolute need we have of Chrift. Ye are ruined without the Spirit, ye will pine away in your guilt, ruft away in your conuptions, and, like dead corpfes, be buried out of God's fight, if ye get not the Spirit ; and ye cannot have the Spirit but from Chrift. This is the only market opened to relieve your neceffities. ■Lqft/y, Ye are inexcufeable if ye continue with- out the Spirit, for you may have the Spirit if you come to Chrift ; but, alas ! he may fay of us, as John, v. 40. " Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life." I would raife your dead fouls, I would quicken you, I would make you as a well- watered garden •, but alas ! ye care not for the Spirit: Prov. i. 25, " Ye have let at nought all my coun- fel, and would none of my reproof." — We fhall improve this fubjetl:. Secondly, In an ufe of exhortation. 1. I would exhort you, then, to come to Chrift, that ye may partake of his Spirit. Chrift is fay- ing to you this day, The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me. Come, and I will pour him out up- on you. Alas for the want of the Spirit this day ! it appears fadly in the whole church, in the con- gregation, in neighbourhoods, and in families. There is enough of a felfifh, devilifh, carnal, worldly, profane, and formal fpirit, but little of a holy heavenly fpirit, to be feen this day. But we may FOR HIS WORK. 2$ mat get the fpirit, if we will by faith come to Chriit for it. O that we were all moving to him for this fpirit ! — To be more particular, we would exhort you, i . Come to Chrift, O thou dead and lifelefs fin- ner, who art lying rotting under the power of thy lulls, who haft a heart within thee which cannot repent and mourn, or let go the dead grip it has taken of the world, and of fmful courfes. His Spirit is a fpirit of life, which will make the dry bones live, the withered foul flourifh as an herb, the heart, which is like a clog now in duties, to be like the chariots of Aminadib: Eph. v. 14. " Awake, thou that ileepeft, and arife from the dead, and Chrill will give thee light," 2. Come, drooping, fainting, difpirited foul, who art harafie.4 with terrors, pierced with fear- ful apprehenfions, whofe heart is like a (lone, dy- ing within thee. His Spirit is a fpirit of light, life, and comfort; he binds up the broken hearted, makes light to arife to thofe who go mourning without the fun, takes off the fackcloth, and girds with gladnefs. 3. Come, hard-hearted fmner, whom nothing can move, neither judgements nor mercies, who canlt not mourn either for thy own fins, or the fins of the generation. His Spirit can foften the heart. He will take away your ftony heart, and give you an heart of flefh. An outpouring of the Spirit, would melt down the heart, and diilblve it in tears of godly forrow, this would break the bands of iron and brafs : Zech. xii. 10. " And I will pouroutup- on the houfe of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerufalem, the fpirit of grace and of fupplication ; and they (hall look upon me whom they have pier- ced, and they fhall mourn for him, as one rnourn- Vol. III. C eth 30 JESUS COMPLETELY QUALIFIED eth for his only fon •, and • (hall be in bitter- nefs for him, as one that is in bitternefs for his firft-born." 4. Come, tempted finner, who art harafled with temptations, and art ready to fay, One day I fhali fall before this great adverfary. The Spirit is a fpirit of power, 2 Tim. i. 7. It may be, that temp- tations come in on thee like a breaking forth of waters, threatening to fweep all before them ; but come to Chrift for his Spirit, who is able to ftem the tide, to create peace, and to make thee more than a conqueror. 5. Come, unfruitful finner. The Lord is at much pains with you by ordinances and providen- ces, yet you are barren ! you bring forth no fruit anfwerable to the pains of the Hufbandman. What is the reafon the Spirit comes not with the word and providences ? But you may have the Spirit from Chrift, and this would make you fruitful : Eph. v. 9. " For the fruit of the Spirit, is in all good- nefs, and rightcoufnefs, and truth." The blowing of thatwind fromheavenwould makethefpices flow out, Cant. iv. 16. and caufe you to make progrefs in your journey to the Zion above. 6. Come, unholy finner. The Spirit which Chrift has to give, is a fpirit of holinefs, Rom. i. 4. He works like water in warning the polluted foul, like fire in burning up corruption. He is the great principle of holinefs, who works it wherever he comes, and makes of the very word a veflel fit for the Mafter's ufe. La/My, Come to Chrift for his Spirit, whatever your cafe be ; you will find a fuitable cure from him, by the fulnefs of the Spirit in him ; he is fuit- ed for every cafe that is put in his hand : Col. ii. 9. 10. " For in him dwelleth all the fulnefs of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, who FOR HIS WORK. 3 1 who is the head of all principalities and powers." He will be eyes to the blind, light to them that fit in darknefs, legs to the lame, meat to the hungry, drink to the thirfty, cloathing to the naked ; all in all. — To prevail with you in coming to Chrift for the Spirit, I would oifer you the following Mo- tives. Mot. i. The Spirit of the Lord is absolutely ne- ceiTary for you to have, you cannot want him, you mud have him. The world may as well want the fun, moon, and ftars, as you can want the Spirit •, for without the Spirit ye can do nothing but fin. When the foul is away, the body is dead, and can do nothing but lie and ~ot in a grave : And when the Spirit of God is not in a man, he is dea • in fm, and can do nothing but iin : John, vi 6 <. " It is the fpirit that quickneth, the flefh profiteth nothing : the words mat I fpeak unto you, they are fpirit, and they are life." Ye cannot have a good and acceptable thought, nor perform any duty acceptable : John, iv. 24. " God is a Spirit, and they that worfhip him, muft worfnip him in fpirit and in truth." So that all pains are loft upon thee, as on the dead tree, to which fummer and winter are alike. — Again, without the Spirit, ye are none of ChrifVs, Rom. viii. 9. " If any man have not the Spirit of Chrifc, he is none of his." All thofc who are Chrift's,they are fealed and mark- ed with the Spirit of Chriit : Eph. i. 13. « In whom alfo, after that ye believed, ye were fealed with the Holy Spirit of promife." Men fet their mark on their fheep, and therefore fays one, If iuch a one be one of my fheep, iff has fuch a mark ; fo fays our Lord, If one of my fiieef>, he has my Spirit in him ; and fo without the Spirit, without Chrift, and without the Father, therefore without the Spirit, without God in the world. — Farther, C 2 without 32 JESUS COMPLETELY QUALIFIED without the Spirit, ye are undone for ever ; for fo ye are without God, and therefore without hope, Eph. ii. 1 2. The dead corpfe may be kept a while, but when there is no hope of the return of life, it is buried in a grave ; fo, without the Spirit, ye may be kept a while through God's patience, but the end will be, to be caft into the pit, and buried out of God's fight in fiery flames. Mot. 2. You cannot have the Spirit but from Jefus Chrift. The blefled Mediator is the bowl from which this holy oil is conveyed to all the lamps which burn with it. The Spirit, fays he, is on me : i John, ii. 20. li But ye have an unction from the holy One, and ye know all things," ver. 27. " But the anointing which ye have received of him, abideth in you." The Egyptians muft have ftarved, if they had not been fupplied with corn by Jofeph, for he had all the corn at his difpofal •, and we mufl be for ever without the Spirit, if we receive him not from Chrift. The Spirit dwells in none but as members of Chrift ; and whence mail the members have life but from the Head ? Mot. 3. Ye may have the Spirit, and that freely, from Chrift: Prov. i. 23. " Turn ye at my reproof ; behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you, I will rn?ke known my words unto you." And the pro- mi fe is very bountiful, ye may have all free of cofi : Rev. xxii. 17. " And whofoever will, let him take the water of life freely." The Spirit on Chrift is that water of life which gives life to the dead, and life more abundantly to the living ; and the terms are, Afk of him, and he will give thee living water, John, iv. 10. Not only drops of the fpirit, but the fpirit poured out, floods of the fame: Ifa. xliv. 3. " For I will pour water upon him that is thirfty, and floods upon the dry ground ; I will pour my fpirit upon thy feed, and my blefT- ing FOR KIS WORK. 53 ing upon thine offspring." John, vii. 38. 39. " He that believeth on me, as the fcripture hath faid, out of his belly fhall flow rivers of living water. (But this fpake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him mould receive ; for the Holy Ghoft was not yet given, becaufe that Jefus was not yet glorified)." Lajily, By way of motive, if ye will not come to Ghrift for the Spirit, ye judge yourfelves unwor- thy of eternal life, ye are flighters of Chrift, and dreadful will your reckoning be : Prov. i. 24. — 27. i( Becaufe I have called, and ye have refufed : I have ftretched out my hand, and no man regarded. But ye have let at nought all mycounfel, and would none of my reproof. I alfo will laugh at your ca- lamity ; I will mock when your fear ccmeth ; when ycur fear cometh ai defolation, and your deftruction cometh as a whirlwind •, when diftrefs and anguifh cometh upon you." It will be more tolerable for thofe who never heard where they might partake of the Spirit than for you. Jn conciufion, I fhall only add the following Di- RECTJONS. 1. Pray earneftly for the Spirit, in the name of Chrift ; you have a promife of the Spirit ; fays God by Ezekiel, xxxvii. 27. " And I will put my fpirit within you." And faid Jefus, " If ye then being e- vil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more fhall not your heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them that afk him ?" Take courage then, believe the promife, prefs it, and depend upon it. 2. Unite with Jefus Chrift, accepting him iq the gofpel-offer, and giving yourfelves away free- ly to him. Bring your dead foul to the Lord of life, and he will breathe in it, and ye {hall be like the dead man laid in the fepulchre of Elifha, C 3 vho 34 JESUS COMPLETELY QUALIFIED, &C, who revived, and flood upon his feet, when- ever he touched the prophet's bones, 2 Kings, xiii. 21. Laflly, Wait and look for the Spirit in Chrift's ordinances, efpecially the preaching of the gofpel. They who would have the wind to blow on them, go out into the open air •, though they may for the prefent mifs it, they wait till it blows, when in like manner exercifed, then you fhall know that the miniftration of the Spirit is glorious, 2 Cor. iii. 8. Amen. JESUS JESUS COMPLETELY QUALIFIED FOR HIS WORK, SERMON XLII. IsA. Ixi. I . The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, becaufe the Lord hath anointed me . T T NDER this part of the text, we propofe to \^j confider the neceflity of the fulnefs of the Spirit being lodged in Chrift. It was neceflary, becaufe the Lord had anointed him unto, and fent him forth upon the Mediatory work. The great- nefs of that work required it. — Here I obferve the following Doctrines. Doct. I. That our Lord Jefus Chrift was by the Father anointed to, and fent forth upon, the Mediatory work. — Or, in other words, That our Mediator, the Lord Jefus, was anointed by the Father unto this office, and fent forth by him to this work. Doct 36 JLSUS COMPLETELY QUALIFIED Doct. II. That the work upon which Jefus the Mediator was fent forth, neceiTarily required the fulnefs of the Spirit to be lodged in him. — We begin with Doct. I. That our Lord Jefus Chrift was by the Father anointed to, and fent forth upon, the Me- diatory work. — Or, in other words, That our Mediator, the Lord Jefus, was anoint- ed by the Father unto this office, and fent forth by him to this work. — In illuftrating this doc- trine, I mail, I. Consider the anointing here mentioned. II. Speak of the fending which flowed from and followed upon it. III. Make fome practical improvement. I. I Am to confider the anointing here mention- ed. In attending to this, I fhall,^/?, fhew what is meant by this anointing. Secondly, Wherewith Chrift was anointed. Firfty We are to fhew what is meant by this- anointing. Under the Old Teftament, anointing was a ceremony u fed for confecrating kings, priefts, and prophets : thus David was anointed king, Aaron was anointed prieft, Elifha anointed a prophet. This ceremony fignified two things : — The desig- nation of the perfon to the office. It being a fign, by the divine appointment, that this was the per- fon whom God had called to this work 9 it was al- fo a difcovery of the divine purpofe, as thereby the perfon was confecrated to the office ; though fome- times it was long after that he got his orders to proceed to the actual exercife of it. Thus Samuel,, by the command of the Lord, anointed David king long before he alTumed the government, 1 Sam. xvi. FOR HIS WORK. 3/ xvi. 13.— Again, this ceremony alfo fignified the endowment of the perfon with abilities and quali- fications neceflary to fit him for the work. Thus, when Saul was anointed king, God gave him an- other heart, 1 Sam. x. 13. " And when David was anointed king, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him from that day forward," 1 Sam. xvi. 13. Accordingly, Chrift's anointing fignifies two things. 1. His defignation to the Mediatory office. The Father pitched upon his Son, and fet him apart for this grand work, to recover a ruined world. He made choice of him to be the repairer of the great breach, and put the breach under his hand. Hence he is called God's ele£r. or chofen one ; Ifa. xlii. 1. " Behold (fays God) my fervant whom I uphold, mine elecl: in whom my foul delighteth." Chrift's anointing fignifies, 2. His being fitted and furnifhed for that office to which he was defigned and let apart : John, iii. 31." For he whom God hath fent, fpeaketh the words of God, for God giveth not the Spirit bymea- fure unto him." Hence it is faid of him, that he is able to fave them to the uttermoft that come un- to God by him, feeing he ever liveth to make in- terceiiion for them." It was an unparalleled work, and fo unparalleled qualifications were necefTary for it. He was pitched upon to be. the Father's fervant in the great work of recovering an elecl; world. He was infinitely wife who made the choice, and therefore could not but pitch on a fuit- able perfon : He was alfo infinitely powerful, and all fufficient, and therefore could tally qualify him for it. We have both the cliDice and the furni- ture together: Ifa. xlii. 1. "Behold my fervant whom I uphold, mine elecl: in whom my foul de- lighteth : I have put my fpirit upon him j he {hall bring 38 JESUS COMPLETELY QUALIFIED bring forth judgement to the Gentiles." And this is the import of the anointing.— But let us view it more particularly, In the defignation or choice made by the Father. Infinite wifdom appeared in it moft confpicuoufly, with infinite love to an ele£r. world. When the divine decree and purpofe of man's redemption was laid down by the Trinity, the great thing next to be confidered was, who mould undertake the work, and be the Redeemer. No mere man could be chofen, for none could have a back to bear fuch a burden. All were guilty, and could not fatisfy for their own fin, far lets purchafe faivation for others. No angel could be chofen, for even they, with their Hock, could not have been able to have difcharged the debt, in regard it was infinite; wherefore the Father made choice of his own Son, as a perfon who could undertake it : Pfal. lxxxix. 19. 20. " Then thou fpakeft in vifion to thy hcly One, and faiclft, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chofen out of the people ; I have found David my fervant, and with my holy oil have I anointed him." He being the Son of God, it doubtlefs became the divine perfections to pitch on him, as one who was to purchafe for us the adop- tion of fons, and to bring many children to glory. — Let us view this anointing, In qualifying him for the work-in which the fame love and wifdom appears. Our Mediator had to die, for " without (heading of blood, there could be no remifficn of fin." The divine nature was not ca-, pable of dying, therefore he prepared him a body : Heb. x. 5. " Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he faith, Sacrifice and offering thou would It not, but a body haft thou prepared me." The fame nature which finned had to fufFer ; therefore he did not create him a body out of nothing, but prepa- red FOR HIS WORK. 39 red him one of the feed of Adam. He was cho- fen out of the people : Gal. iv. 4. « God fent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law." But farther, our nature was corrupted, and ourflefh finful flefh ; therefore it could not be immediately- united to the divine nature ; wherefore he fan£H- fied the fubftance of which that precious body- was formed, and made him a holy human nature : Heb. vii. 26. " For fuch an High-pried became us, who is holy, harmlefs, undented, ieperate from fmners, and made higher than the heavens." While what the human nature could do or fuffer, would not have pofTeiTed fufficient virtue, if fepara- ted from the divine ; therefore he unites it with it, John, i. 14. " And the word was made flefh, and dwelt among us." And hence the human nature was filled with all gifts and graces necefTary to it, for that part which it was to a£r, in the great work, — Let us now, Seco?id/y, Inquire wherewith Chrift was anointed. Not with material oil, but with the Spirit, fignified by it : Pfal. xlv. 7. " God thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladnefs, above thy fellows." And while the defignation of the perfon was from eternity, the Spirit's defcending upon him like a dove at his baptifm, was the difcovery of that eter- nal choice, and ferved for the vifible defignation of him to the world: Matth. iii. 16. 17. " And Jefus, when he was baptifed, went up ftraight way out of the water : and, lo ' the heavens were opened unto him, and he faw the Spirit of God defcend- ing like a dove, and lighting upon him : And, lo ! a voice from heaven, faying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleafed." And by the fame Spirit it was that he was qualified and fitted for the Mediatory work, his holy human nature be- ing with it. — If it be inquired, how his having been 40 JESUS COMPLETELY QUALIFIED been anointed can be the reafon of the Spirit's be- ing upon him, when the Spirit was that with which lie was anointed ? I aiuwer, That Chrift's having been anointed with the Spirit to qualify him for the Mediatory work, is a very proper reafon why the Spirit was lodged and continues to be in Chrift, to be communicated from him to the members of his myftical body. II. We are now (hortiy to fpeak of the fending of Chrift by the Father. As he anointed, fo he fent him. This" means the Father's calling him out unto the exercife of his office for which he had been defigned, and for which he had been quali- fied. He was feafonably lent to the work by the Father, and he willingly came and put hand to it, for his Father's glory, and the f.Uvation of poor fin- ncrs : Pfal. xl. 87. " Then faid he, Lo I come •, in the volume of the book it is written of me, I de- light to do thy will, O my God ! Yea, thy law is within my heart." We may obferve three periods of this fending. Thcjirft period was at Adam's fall, when all mankind was newly ruined by the firft fin ; then the Mediator came and looked on the ruins of the world, Gen. iii. 8. ; preached deliverance to the captives, ver. 15. telling them that the feed of the woman mould bruife the head of the ferpent. He healed the broken hearted, by covering Adam and his wife with coats of fkin, ver. 2 1, even the fkins of facrifices, a type of the righteoufnefs of a flam Redeemer. Thus he underpropped the world by his mediation, when all was fhaken loofe by man's difcbedience. He began immediately to repair the breach, and kept the world from abfolute and irre- parable ruin. The FOR HIS WORK. 41 iiie fecond period was at his birrb, in the ful- nefs of time, when he became man. being born of the virgin : Gal. ir. 4. " When the fulhefs of the time was come, God lent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law." The world was then In a deplorable condition •, the knowledge of the true God was loft among the Gentiles, religion was corrupted among the Jews, fome few were groaning for the confolation of Ifrael. Then he came in the flefh, being born of a mean woman, and laid in a manger ; but at his birth the angels fung, as in Luke, ii. 14. " Glory to God in the higheft, and on earth peace^ good-will towards men.'' The third period was when he entered on the public exerciie of his miniftry at his baptifm ; then was he, in a fpecial manner, fent out on that work to which he was called; Matth. iii. 17. "This i> my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleafed." Matth. iv. 17. " From that time, Jefus began to preach, and to fay, Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand." Then he went about his work, preach- ing the gofpel, to bring fmners to God *, he alfo became obedient unto the death, .according to the everlafting covenant between him and his Father. III. We now proceed to make fome pra&ica! improvement. ift, In an ufe of information. 1 . This fubjecl: informs us, that the falvatioti of fmners was the concern of a whole Trinity. How great a work mud it be, when the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft, each afted theif part for bringing it about. The Father fent the Son, the Son fubmitted to be fent as Mediator, and by the Holy Spirit he was fitted for the work. Never, then, think little of that falvation, which re- Vol. III. D quired 4^ JESUS CMI'LETLLi QUALIFIED quired focli caufes and authors to bring it about. — It informs us, 2. That Jefus Chrift is perfectly able to fave finners : Heb. viL 25. " He is able to fave to the uttermofL" He was the. Father's choice to that great woik, which may aflure us he was an able hand for it. He has all given him to fit him for it, which the fulnefs of the Godhead affords. The Father had never taken him cautioner, if he had not been perfectly able to pay the debt. He had never laid the Tinner's help upon him, if he had not been able to bear the weight of it. 3. See here the manifold wifdom of God, how- it is difplayed in the contrivance of falvation through Chrift. The firft creation was a work of wifdom ; but the fecond was more fo ; the confufed heap at fir ft was little in comparifon of the confufion fin brought into the world, but divine wifdcm brought order out of this confufion. Truth meets with li.crcy, rigliteoufnefs and peace embrace each other, iin is punifhed, and the finner fpared. Out of the greateft affront to God, rifes the cccar.on of his greateft glory, his Son's obedience iuilesd ci theirs. When at the fall hell rejoiced, angels flood afto- nifhed, and men lay groveling in the depth of inifery, wifdom found out a way of recovery, to the marring of the devil's joy, the dtflipating man's fears, and giving angels a myftery of wifdom to pry into : Eph. hi. 10. " To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers hi heavenly pla- ces, might be known by the church the manifold wifdom of God, according to the eternal purpefe which he purpofed in jefus Chrift our Lord." 4. See here the amazing mercy of God to objects in the deep=ft mifery. To have given rebel finners ..- years refpite from their due puniihment, to have FOR IIJS WoRX. 4^, hare locked them up' in hell, to be releafed after fome millions of years, would have glorified mer- cy ; but for an offended God to provide a Media- tor himfelf, proclaims the height and depth of in- finite mercy. 5 See here the love of God to poor (inner-. The love of the Father is wonderful, in fending his own Son to recover Tinners by his obedience and death : John, iii. 16. " God fo loved the world, that he gave bus Son, his only-begotten Son, unto the death, the molt bitter death, even the death or the crofs."— -The love of Chrift, which undertook that heavy work for poor Tinners. Here is love admirable in all its dimeniions : Chrift coming in the room of finners. If ye doubt his love, look into his pierced fide, and behold its glowing- there. —The love of the Spirit dwelling in Chriit, as ths Head, to enliven poor finners as his members, being in him, exciting, moving him forward to the work, and fitting him for it. — I mail only add an ufe of exhortation. O ! firs, let Chrift be your choice, as he was the Father's. His Father is well pleafed with him, be you alfo well pleafed with him Employ him in your every cafe, put all your cafes in his hand, lay your help where the Father hath laid it. Receive him whom the Father hath fent, receive him for all the ends to which the Father hath anointed and fent him. He is called Mefliah, and Chriit, to denote liis being anointed as the Prophet, Prieft, and King of his people \ he was anointed for all thefe offices, receive and improve him in them all. He is anoint- ed, as the great Prophet, to declare the mind of God to finners : Ifa. Ixi. i. He is to " preach good tidings to the meek/' Receive him for .your Pro- phet, and teacher ; renouncing your own wifdom, . lit yourfelvestobe taught by his word and Spirit ; 33 2 and 44 J£SUS COMPLETELY QUALIFIED and go to him for direction in all cafes. He is an anointed Prieft : Pfal. ex. 4. " The Lord hath fworn, and will not repent, thou art a Prieft for ever after the order of Melchifedec." Receive him as your Prieft, laying the weight of your fouls on his fa- crifice and mtercefSon ; renouncing all confidence in yourfelves. Carry year gtJilt to him, to be car- ried off by his atonement, and put all your fpiri- tual fac;inces in his hand, for only cut of his hand will they be accepted. He is anointed King : Pfal. ii. 6. " Yet have I fet my King upon my holy hill of Zion." Submit yourfelves a willing people to the royal Mediator, to receive his command- ments, to live according to his laws, to purfue the intereft of his kingdom in the world, and to fight under his banner againft the devil, the world, and the flefh ; fince for thefe ends he is fent, and has come, it lies on us to receive him as fuch. And that tins may have weight with you, conhder, (1.) Who fent him; the Father, the firft perfon of the glorious Trinity: John, v. 37. " The Fa- ther himfelf," faid he,. " that hath fent me, hath borne witnefs of me." And will we not welcome him whom the Father hath fent, and entertain him for the ends for which he is fent ? The Father had a concern for the falvation of loft fmners, and hath fent them. a deliverer, a Saviour. How will you anfwer if you flight him ? — Confider* (2.) Who is fent. The Father hath put an honour on man, beyond what he hath put on angel?, in that he fent a Saviour for the one, not for the other-. Had he jjpiit a lower perfon, an angel, with v.h..: profound refpeel ought we to have received him as ihe meffengcr of the Lord ? how much more when he hath fent his own Son ? — Confider, (3.) The errand and defign on which he was fent; uamely, to recover a loll world, to make up the peace Fca uis vvoki:. 45 peace between God and finners : Luke,, xix. 10. « For the Son of man is come 10 feck and to fave that which was loft." O ! may not his errand make him a welcome meffenjger to the world ? If we will not receive him on this errand, we are felf-deftroyers a fecoad time, who having firft given ourfelves a dreadful wound, in the next place re- \c€t the Saviour, the PhyGcian fent to us.— Con- fider, (4.) The work he was fent upon for this end ; doing-work, differing -work. His doing-work we- have in our text, it will be pleafing and acceptable to fenfible fmners. His fuffering-work was hard work, but was a necefiary foundation for the other. He preached good tidings, but he brought them from his own death. He bindeth up the broken- hearted, but the healing medicine is his own blood •> he proclaims deliverance, but the ranfom was his own life.-- Confider, (5.) Whence and whither he was fent ; from the Father's bofom to this earth, where he was enter- tained with all evil treatment, till they nailed him to a crofs, and he was buried in a grave, Phil. ii. 6. — 8. He was lent from the regions of blifs to this lower world, and refufed not the journey ; he was fent from the halleluiahs of angels, to endure the contradiction of fmners againft himfelf. And when he is come, will we not receive him ? La/lly, Confider the neceffity of this million : Pfai. xl. 6. " Sacrifice and offering thou didft not defire ; mine ears haft thcu opened ; burnt-offer- ings and fin-offerings ha 1 thou not required ; then faid I, Lo ! I come." The world had unrverfally perifhed without remedy if he had not come. < le bare up the pillars thereof, and warded off tin of juftice, by laying his own neck on the blocjp. And now that he is come, he muft be embraced D 3 and $5 JESUS COMPLETELY (QUALIFIED and improved, elfe we pe-rifh y for, Ads, iv. i 2. « Neither is there falvatioii in any other : for there is none other name under heaven, given among, men, whereby we mud be faved." There is no other laiyation to look to: Heb. ii. 3. " How then mail we efcr ; pe, if we neglect fo great falvation r" — I fliall now go on to illuftrate very briefly, DoctriKe II. That the work upon which the Mediator was lent forth, neceflarily required the fulneft cf the Spirit to be lodged in him. In illuftrating this, all that I intend is, To con- firm the point briefly, and then conclude with a very (hart improvement. To confirm this point, we need do no more but give a fhort account of ChrhTs Mediatory work. 1. Chrill is the Days-man betwixt God and tin- ners. He was employed to take cognifance of the difference between the two parties, to decide who it was had done the wrong, and on what terms- they might be reconciled. Hence we read, John, v. 22. " For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed ail judgement unto the Son." He has framed the covenant of reconciliation, as Media- tor between the parties : Song, iii. 9. « King So- lomon made himfelf a chariot of the wood of Le- banon." I11 him is found what Job fo much de- iircd, Job, ix. 33. " a days-man to lay his hands upon both '" namejy, to keep the diiTenting parties afunder, led they mould fall foul of one another. This the Mediator had to do ; this he did when he timeoufly ftept in betwixt an offended God and guilty finnersj like the ram caught in the thicket, when Lfaac was lying bound on the altar, which flopped the execution, and held the hand of juftice, Pfal. vi, 7. (quoted above).— He is a days-man, to keep them ro a iiis work. 4.7 them together, left they Should quite feperate, and the reconciliation of the parties blow up. Thus Chriit deals with Gnners, who otherwife would run away from God, and never come in terms with him. Thus he did with our firft parents* whom he brought out of their hiding-place, to fet matters on a new footing. 2. He is the MefTenger that goes betwixt the parties, intimating the mind of the one to the other, in order to make reconciliation. And in this rcfpecl Mcfes was a typical mediator : Deut. v. 5. " I Hood between the Lord and you at that time, to mew you the word of the Lord; for ye were afraid by reafon of the fire, and went not up into the mount.'"' 80 CI rid is called ;he Meflenger of the covenant, Mai. iii. 1. He brings the Lord's mind to poor fmners, unfolds the thoughts of love which were from eternity in his breait : John, i. 18. " No man hath ken God at any time, the only-begotten Son, who is in the bofom of the Father, he hath decla- red him." Thus he brings down the covenant out of the regifter of heaven, and proclaims it to re- bels : And if there be any among them content to come into it, and who accept of it, he reports their acceptance to his Father : John, xvii. 8. " For I have given unto them the words which thou gaveft unto me, and they have received them, ( and have known furely that I came out from thee ; and they have believed that thou didft fend me." 3. He is a Surety betwixt the parties, and there- fore is called the furety of a better teftament, Heb. vii. 22. ; engaging and taking burden upon him on their behalf, that fo the peace may be firm and lading. — Chriil, the Mediator, is iurety for man to God. In the firft covenant, man had no furety for himfelf 5 and there needed none. He was able to do all that was required of him ; for he was in good 4 8 JESUS COMPLETELY QUALIFIED Efood cafe-, there was no flaw in his eftate-, but in hib fallen ftate, God would not take his word, nor his moft folemn engagement ; it behoved him to have a furety to undertake for him, and that both by way of fatisfacHon and caution. Man was bro- ken, was drowned in debt which he never would be able to pay, and fo he needed a furety to make fatisfatlion, who frrould be able, and would en- gage himfelf to pay the debt. Chrift the Media- tor then became furety for the broken man, un- dertook to pay all his debt, gave in his bond for it in the covenant of redemption, which the Father accepted : Pfal. lxxxix. 19. "I have laid help up- on one that is mighty ;" he engaged body for body, life for life, like Judah for Benjamin, Gen. xliii. 9. ; in the fulnefs of time he paid the debt, and got up the difcharge at his own refurretlion from the dead. Man was falfe and fickle, and not to be trufted ; fo needed a cautioner who would bind for his good behaviour. Chrift became cautioner for the poor prodigals, engaging himfelf that they (hall confent to the covenant: John, vi. 37. " All that the Father giveth me, fhall come to me : and him that cometh to me, I will in no wife cad out." And that having contented, they fhall hold by it, and never fall away totally and finally : John, x. 28. " And 1 will give unto them eternal life, and they fhall never perifh, neither mall any one pluck them out of my hand." By his Spirit of faith and holinefs, which he puts in them, he accordingly fe- cures them. — He is alfo furety for God to man. He undertook that God's part of the covenant mail, bepun&ually fulfilled to us: 2 Cor. i. 20. "For ail the promifes of God in him are yea, and in him amen, to the glory of God by us." It is true, the infinite veracity and power of the principal leaves no need of IOK HIS WORK. 49 of a furety, in refpe£l of himfelf ; but poor guilty finners, fenfible of their own unworthinefs, are timorous, miibelieving, diftruftful creatures •, and therefore, that they may be helped to believe, there is a furety of their own nature, even the man Chriit Jefus, granted unto them. That all the promifes of God in the covenant, fhall be fulfilled to thofe who come into it, he has completely enfured. He has given his cautionary word : John, v. 24. " Verily, verily, I fay unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that fent me, hath everlaft- ing life, and fhall not come into condemnation, but is pa/Ted from death to life." He hath given his Spirit as the earneft and feal cf the promifes, Eph. i. 13. " In whom alfo, after ye believed, ye were fealed with the holy Spirit of promife, which is the earneft of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchafed pofleflion, unto the praife of his glo- ry." He has given them the firft-fruits of the Spirit in themfelves, Rom. viii. 23. He has alfo given theni the Sacrament. He has gone to death with it, faying, " This is my blood of the New Teftament, which is fhed for many, for the remifllon of fins," Matth. xxvi. 28. 4. He is an IntercerTor betwixt the parties: Ifa.liii, 1 2. " He makes intercetTion for the tranfgreffors." He, by his interest, manages betwixt the Lord and poor Tinners, to fet matters right, and keep them ib. This is that which relates to the application of his redemption, and puts life in the Mediator's deatli, that it may be efficacious to his chofen ones. As the High-Prieft appeared in the holy of holies, prefenting the blood of the facrifice to the Lord •, fo does Chriit appear in heaven to intercede for thofe for whom he has died. And he intercedes, — as a Peace-maker, who actually makes peace betwixt God and every beUeving firmer: Hence, Heb.xii.24. he 50 JESUS COMPLETELY QJJALIFILD he is <( Jefus the Mediator of the new covenant •," andiiis blood is "the blood of fprinkling, that fpeak- eth better things than that of Abel." By his means, he who was before an enemy is reconciled to God, brought "within the bond of the covenant of peace, and gets a right to ail the benefits of it. As by his gracious Spirit he extinguishes the real enmity of the Tinner agaiiift God, i'o by his interceJion he removes the legal enmity in God againft the Tin- ner. — He intercedes as the Secretary, or favourite courtier of heaven, bringing in the Tinner into the comfortable gracious prefence of God, procuring him accefs to God, and communion with him in duties : Eph. iii. 12. " In whom we have boldnefs and accefs, with confidence, by the faith of him." Thus, through the vail of his flefh, the believing Tinner draws nigh to God, and God draws nigh to him with his quickening, fancYrfying, and com- forting influences. The Tinner looks on God with the confidence a child does on a father. — He in- tercedes as a Refident at the court of heaven : Heb. ix. 24. " He is entered into heaven it- Telf, now to appear in the prefence of God for us." And by this means he maintains that peace which he has made betwixt God and believers : Rom. v. 1. « Being juftiiied by faith, we have epace with God, through our Lord Jefus Chiiil :" He keeps the believer's trade with heaven open and free for them: Rom. v. 2. " By whom alfo we have accefs by faith, into this giace, wherein we ftand, and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God." He removes any emergent differences, Ifa. liii. 12.; and fo enfures, by the covenant of peace, that there can never be a total rupture betwixt heaven and them : Heb. vii. 25. " Wherefore he is able to fave them to the utter mod that come to God by him, feeing he ever liveth to make intercefiion FOR HIS VV02K. 5 I far them." — He intercedes as an Advocate at the bar of God : I John, ii. i. " If any man fin, we hive an Advocate with the Father, Jefus Chrift the righteous." He pleads their caufe before God, upon the ground of his own fufferings, againft all their accufers and whatever is charged upon t;»em, fo that they are freed from condemnation, their light and title to heaven is (till vindicated, not- withftanding their many failures; and wrath can go no farther againit them than temporary llrokes. — lie intercedes as a Solicitor for his people be- fore the Lord. He prefents their petitions, and folicits for the granting of them. With much in- cenfe he offers the prayers of all faints upon the golden altar which was before the throne, Rev. viii. 3. They have many wants, both as to tem- poral 'and fpirituai things. They mud go to God for them, and put up their petitions. But he mult prefent them, elfe they cannot be heard. 5. lie is the Adminiftrator of the covenant, God's deputy-governor, to difpofe of the benefits of the covenant, and to manage the whole matter betwixt the Lord and finners : Matth. xxviii. 18. " All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." As Jofeph was fet over the land of Egypt, fo he is fet over his Father's houfe, all commerce betwixt the Lord and finners being through hi; mediation. As they can offer nothing to God ac- ceptably, but through him ; fo they can receive no benefit from heaven but through his hand : John, v. 22. " For the Father judgeth no man, but hath eemmitted all judgement unto the Son." He has to bring the eleel to confent to the covenant ; to rule and govern them in it; to protect, provide, and furniiri them with all neceffaries through the wiklerrefs ; and, finally, to give them the crown and kingdom at lail ; this is the office and work to which Chrift was anointed ; neither men nor an- gels 5"2 JESUS COMfiETELT fcUALIFIEB gels could be fit for fuch a truft. Could any ma- nage it without a fulnefs of the Spirit lodged in him r therefore, as in John, v. 22. (quoted above), and in ver. 23. " All men fhouid honour the Son, even as they honour the Father : he that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father that fent him." All men fhouid honour the Son, for none but one who had the fulnefs of the divine perfections could be capable of fuch a truft. Who elfe was fit to be days-man between God and finners ? Who elfe could be the mefienger of the covenant, for who hath known the mind of the Lord, but his only- begotten and well-beloved Son, who from eternity lay in his bofom ? I conclude with a very fhort improvement. 1. Learn hence, that the work of the filvation of finners, reftoring them to the favour of God, and to make them happy, is a great work, and a work which was not eafiiy accomplished. .It was a work above the power of men or angels, a work not to be performed but by him who has all power in heaven and earth. Think on this, ye that judge it fuch an eafy thing to obtain mercy; and allure thyfeif it is a work which can never be done but by ChrifVs own hand. 2. Highly efteem -and honour Chrift, particu- larly by believing in him, who is thus qualified for this great work. O what need of the fulnefs of the Spirit in him to fupport him under the load of the eiedTs debt, — in order to the difcharging it, — and to touch and turn the hearts of finners unto God! La/Jfyi See your abfolute need of Chrift. Ycu mull have an intereft in him, elfe you cannot be faved. His mediation only can fave you from the wrath of God, and from the lowed hell. Amen. JESUS JESUS A PREACHER OF GOOD TIDINGS T6 THE MEEK. SERMON XLVIII. IjA. lxi. I. The Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek. IX thefe and the following words, we have re- prefented the great, the important work for which Jefus was appointed, and to which he was fpecially called by his heavenly Father, — work for which he was completely qualified, by the Spirit of the Lord God being upon him. We propofe to confider the i'everal parts of this work, in that or- der in which they are fet before us ; and' accor- dingly begin with that part, his having « to preach good tidings to the meek." — In which words we have, i. The work itfelf in which the Son of God was employed, and to which he was called : T$ preach good tidings. He was a minifter by office : Rom. xv. 8. " Now I fay, that Jefus Chrift was a minifter of the circumcifion, for the truth of God, to confirm the promifes of God made to the fathers ;" the great minifter of the gofpel. He Vol. III. E was 54 JESUS A PREACttER OF GOOD was the bed among men ; he brought good tidings, the bell of tidings ; by thefe tidings is meant the gofpel, Luke, iv. 1 8. This is the good news, the tidings of peace and falvation, which Jefus brought from heaven to earth. — We have, 2. The fpecial object: of this part of the work, the meek. The word* fignifies, fuch as are meek, humble, and fubmiflive, being made fo by pover- ty and affliction. In the parallel place, it reads poor, and the one explains the other. If it is in- quired, what poor ones are meant ? I think it is plain, it is not thofe who are mean in the world, but the poor in fpirit, for thefe poor ones are meek. Thefe meek poor ones are clalTed with the broken-hearted, and both diftinguifhed from the captives and prifoners, by the original accentuation. So that by the meek here is meanr, the poor in fpi- rit, thofe who, as being convinced by the law, have feen themfelves to be poor, that they have nothing in which they could Hand before God as righteous, but look on themfelves as wretched, and mife- rable, and poor, and blind, and naked, Rev. in* 17. And it is remarkable, that cur Saviour's fer- mon on the mount begins with good tidings to i'uch perfons : Matth. v. 3. " BlelTed are the poor in fpirit : for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." But here there occurs a queftion : Was Chrift to preach the good tidings of the gofpel to none but thefe ? To this I anfwer, The gofpei was in itfelf good tidings unto all: Luke, ii. 10. " And the angt. j l faid unto them, Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which {hall be to all people. '' Our Lord preached to all who heard him prcmifcuoufly thefe good tidings, but in etTe£t: they were not good to any but to the poor in fpirit sti^ohg them. None but thefe could relifh the g&ddnefs of them; to others they were taftelefs, but TIDIKGS TO THE MEEK. SS but to the poor in fpirit, they funk like a refrefh- ing oil into their bones. — From thefe words I take the following Doctrine, That as the tidings of the gofpel will indeed be good and welcome tidings to thofc who are meek, and poor in fplrit, fo Jeius is, by his heavenly Father, employed on the great work of preaching the good tidings of the gofpel to fmners, efpecially to fuch who are meek, and fpiritually poor in their own eyes. — In handling this doctrine we propofe, I. To confider this meeknefs and poverty, and (hew who are thefe meek poor ones, II. To explain the good tidings of the gofpel., and, as we go along, fhew that they are good aui welcome tidings to fuch perfons. III. Shew how this great work of preaching is, and hath been performed by Chrift. IV. Give the reafons of the doctrine. V. Make fame practical improvement of the whole. — We are then, I. To confider this meeknefs and poverty, and (hew who are thefe meek poor ones. — As to this, we obferve, that this meeknefs comprehends in it, i. A preihng (cine of utter emptineA in one's felf: Rom. viii. 18. " For I know that in me (that is in my lieuh) dwelleth no good thing." A poor man going abroad, fees this and the other thing, in the homes of the rich •, but when he comes home, he fees none of them there. Thus, the meek poor foul looks through himfelf, and there, as in himfelf, he fees nothing but emptinefs of all goodnefs, no holinefs, wifdom, nor ftrength. The heart, which mould be the garden of the Lord, E % appear© - $6 JESUS A PREACHER OF GOOD appears as a bare muir, a wild, a wafte. He is ready to cry out, O barren, dry, faplefs heart and nature of mine ! Agur looks for knowledge, and he fays, Prov. xxx. 2. 3. " Surely I am more brutifh than any man, and have net the under- Handing of a man. I neither learned wikiom, nor have the knowledge of the holy." The prodigal looks to his provifions, 2nd fays, " How many hi- red fervants of my father have bread enough, and to fpare, and I perifh with hunger ?'' Paul reckons up his whole felf, and the fum total is nought : 2 Cor. xii. 11." For in nothing am I behind the very chiefeft apoftles, though I be nothing." — This meeknefs comprehends, 2. A pre fling fenfe of finfulnefs : Rom. vii. 14. « "We know that the law is fpintual, but I am car- nal, fold under fin." He looks to the whole of himfelf, and he fees nothing on him but rags ; a finful nature, a corrupt heart, unclean lufts, and an unholy life. He mud rank his righteoufnefs w r ith his unrightoufhefs, his duties with his (ins, for he is defiled with them all : Ifa. Ixiv. 6. " But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righ- teoufnefTes are as filthy rags, and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." Thefe meek poor ones fee themfelves the very picture of rank poverty, having only fil- thy rags, death painted on their face by want, and overgrown with the vermin of filthy lufts. They fee themfe'ves not onlv nothing, but worfe than nothing, while they look over thefe frightful ac- counts of the debt of fin, which (land againft them, and for which they have nothing to pay. — This meeknefs comprehends, 3. A prefling fenfe of mifery by fin. Like the prodigal, they fee themfelves ready to perifh with hunger. Debt is a heavy burden :o an honeft heart, TIDINGS TO THE XZLK. 57 heart, and fiithinefs to one that defires to be clean : Rom. vii. 24. " O wretched man that T am, who fhall deliver me from the body of this death ?" They look about them, and lee themfelves in a cloud of miferies, ariung from their fins. Their po- verty prefTeth them down. They are obliged to do many things which otherwife they would not, and cannot attain to other things which they defire to arrive at: Rom. vii. 19. " For the good that I would, I do not j but the evil which I would not, that I do." It feparates them from that commu- nion with God which they would otherwife en- joy, makes them fit within, mourning without th.e fun, when otherwife they might walk abroad in the light of the Lord's countenance. This -preiTeth their fouls to the dud. — It comprehends, 4. A fenfe of utter inability to help one's felf : 2 Cor. iii. 5. " Not that we are fufficient of our- felves to think any thing as of ourfelves." They fee themfelves in the mire, but unable to help themfelves out ; therefore thefe poor men cry un- to the Lord, Pfal. xxxiv. 6. They fee an emptinefs and weaknefs in all their external privileges, their gifts, duties, yea, their graces, to lave and help them. They coijnt all things but lofs for Chrift, and wifh to be found in Chrift, not having on their own righteoufnefs, which is of the law. They find the fling in their confciciice, but cannot draw it out ; guilt is a burden, but they cannot throw it off-, lulls are ftrong and uneafy, but they are not $»Je to matter them-; and this preiTes them fore. — ■ This meeknefs comprehends, 5. A fenfe of the abiblute need of a Saviour, and of help from heaven : 2 Cor. iii. 5. " Bjt our fuf- ficiency is of God." The pride of the fpirit is beat down, they lie down at the Lord's feet, faying, Jer. xxxi. 1 8. « Thou haft chaftifed me, and I was £ 3 chaftifed;. 58 JESUS A PREACHER OF GOOD chaftifed, as a bullock unaccuftomed to the yoke t turn thou me, and I fnall be turned, for thou art the Lord my God." They fee they will be ruin- ed if their help come not from above. Their cafe appears defperate to all remedies, but thofe which are under the management of an eternal omnipo- tent hand. They fay to their fouls, as the king of Ifrael faid to the woman in the time of famine, " If the Lord do not help thee, whence mall I help thee?' 7 - — It comprehends, 6. A fenfe as to utter unworthinefs of the Lord's help ; they fee nothing which they have to re- commend them to the Lord's help. They dare not ftaiid upon worth, like thofe proud beggars, who would have others to value them, and who value themfelves, on what they have been or done. Like the centurion, they fay, " Lord, I am not worthy that thou fhouldit come under my roof." Hence there is a word put in for them, Ifa. lv. 1. u Ho ! every one that thirtieth, come ye to the wa- ter, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat ; yea, come, buy wine and milk, without money and without price." They own the Lord would be juft, if he fhould never vouchfafehis mercy and grace to them, but exclude them for ever from Lis prefence : Jer. iii. 22. " It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not confumed, becaufe his companions fail rot." They fee a lothfomenefs in the heft things about them, in their reforma- tion, mourning, their defires of Chrift, wreftling, and prayers for mercy ; fo that they conclude, if ever he notice them, it muft be altogether for his own name's fake. — This meeknefs compre- hends, 7. An earned defire as to the fupply of foul-wants: Mat. v. 6. " BlefTed are they which do hunger and thirft TIDINGS TJ THE MEEK. 5y thirft after righteoufnefs, for they fhall be filled.'' A greedy man, we fay, is always poor, becaufe natural poverty confifts rather in the delire of what we want, than in the want itfelf. There are many who want fpiritual good things, yet are not poor in fpirit, becaufe they are not pained with the want of them. But the poor in fpirit are pained with the want of fpiritual good things. They pant for them, Pfal. xlii. i. •, long for them, thirlt for them, Pfal. lxiii. i. Hence we read of the expectation of the poor, which fhall not perifli for ever, Pfal. ix. 1 8.— It comprehends, Lafllyt A hearty contentment in fubmitting to any method of help which the Lord will prefcribe : Acts, ix. 7. " Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" Beggars mufl not be chufers; thefe meek poor ones are content with Chrift on any terms, while others (land contending about them. Neceflity has no law, and hunger will break through ftone-walls. Whofo are thus fituated, will be for a Saviour, a righteoufnefs, and holinefs, at any rate. They are content to be taught, content to be managed : Pfal. xxv. 9. " The meek will he guide in judge- ment *, and the meek will he teach his way." They are content to part with all, for the enrich- ing pearl of great price. — We are now, II. To explain the good tidings of the gofpel, and, as we go along, (hew that they are good and welcome tidings to fuch perfons. The poor in fpirit are wounded by the law; the gofpel brings a healing medicine to thefe wounds. It fuits their cafe fully, and declares to them the good news of a falve for all their fores. Solomon tells us, Prov. xxv. 25. " As cold waters to a thirfty foul, fo is good news from 2 far country." Appli- cable ©O JESUS A PREACHER OF GOOD cable this ro nothing fo much as the good tiding-. brought us from heaven in the gofpel. I cannot e- numerate all the articles of thefe good tidings, but. ihall take notice of the following. i. The gofpel-tidings are tidings of a complete falvation. And are not thefe good tidings ? Luke,, ii. ii. " For unto us is born a Saviour, who is Chrift the Lord.'' O! loft Turners, there is a falva- tion purchafcd for you, a great, a complete ialva- tion, a falvatioa from fin, Matth. i. 21. and from the wrath of God, John, iii. 16. It is offered to you, and offered freely, though it was dear bought; it is offered without money and without price, Ifa. lv. 1. If ye afk what ye (hall do to be faved ? Believe in the Lord Jefus Chrift, and ye ihail bo faved. Though you are loft, though you have deftroyed yourfelves, yet here is help for you. Though ye are infenfible finners, the tidings are to vou ; it will in particular be good and welcome tidings to the meek poor ones, who fee their loft and undone condition. A Saviour will be as welcome a fight to them, as a rope call out from the lhore will be to a drowning man. They will eagerly embrace the Saviour and his falvation : Song, i. 3. " Becaufe of the favour of of thy good ointments, thy name is as ointment poured forth ; therefore do the virgins love thee." — — Thefe tidings relate, 2. To a redemption, to a ranfom paid : Gal. iii. 13. « Chrift hath redeemed us from the curfe of the law, being made a curfe for us." Sin and Satan made war upon the world, and overcame them all in Adam > fo that by nature we are cap- tives and (laves. No more God's free men, nor our own men, but ilaves •, and the rattling of the chains of divers lufts upon us are evidences of it. But good tidings, O captives ! the King's Son, out of TIDINGS TO THE MEEK. 01 ©f his princely bounty, has purchafed for you re- demption, he has paid a complete ranfom, even his own blood ; and whofoever will, may come to him. Your freedom is bought ; come, take the benefit of it, by following him out of the land of your captivity: Zech. ix. 11. 12. " As for thee alio, bv the blood of thy covenant, I have fen: forth thy prifoners out of the pit wherein is no water •, turn ye to the ilrong hold, ye prifoners of hope." But what avails this to thofe who account it a kind captivity, who love their matter, and his drudgery work ? they will not come to Jefus. But never were the tidings of a ranfom fo welcome to a flave in Turkey, as thefe are to meek poor ones, who are groaning under their bondage, and breath- ing for the liberty of the fons of God. — Thefe tidings relate, 3. To an indemnity, a pardon to criminals who will come to Jefus : Acls, xiii. 38. 39. " Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the for- givenefs of fins : And by him all that believe are juftified from all things, from which ye could not be juftified by the law of Mofes." The world of mankind, God's natural fubjects, have joined his grand enemy, and rifen up in rebellion againft their fovereign Lord. The law has proclaim- ed us all traitors, juilice demands vengeance on the criminals, and we cannot cfcape by flight or by might. But good tidings, O criminals ! The glorious Mediator has got an act of grace, of in- demnity and pardon, palled in the court of heaven, i:i favour of a ruined world, bearing, that whofo- ever will come in, and lay down their arms, (hall have a full and free pardon, written, for the bet- ter iVcurity, in the blood of the Mediator. It is proeLaned to you, Iia. iv. 7. « Let the wicked forfakc 6t JESUS A FREACHER OF GOOD forfake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." In this indem- nity, there are no exceptions : Ifa. i. 18. " Come now, let us reafon together, faith the Lord : Tho' your fins be as fcarlet, they fhall be as white as fnow ; though they be red as crimfon, they (hall be as wool." Now, whatever this be to others, it will be welcome : : lings to the meek poor ones, whole confeiences ire galled with the fting of fin, bowing down under a fenfe of guilt. Never was a pardon more welcome to a malefactor on the fcaffold, than this will be to them : Ifa. xxxiii. 24. " And the inhabitants (hall not fay, I am fick j the people that dwell therein fhall be forgiven their iniquities." — Theie tidings relate, 4. To a glorious phyfician of fouls, who never milTcs to cure his patients: Matth. i\. 12. 13. " They that be whole need not a phyfician, but they that are fick. I am not come to call the righteous, but finners, to repentance." That for- bidden fruit which was eaten by our fird parents, has entailed dreadful difeafes on all their pofterity ; fo that this world is no better than an hofpita!, where there is not one found perfon j and the fick- ueff is unto death. But good tidings, O fin-fick foul ! There is a glorious Phyfician come from heaven, who will cure all who will come to be cured by him. He cures infallibly ; his blood cleanfeth from all fin. He cures freely : Hof. xiv. 4. " I will heal their backfliding, I will love them freely." He rejects no patients : John, vi. 37. " Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wife caft out." The medicine of his blood and Spirit removes all difeafes. What is thy diierSe P Is it a ftony heart ? He takes it away, and gives an heart TIDINGS TO THE MEEK. 6? heart of flefli. Is it blindnefs, deafnefs, dumb- nefs, lamenefs ? He makes the blind to fee, the deaf to hear, the dumb to fpeak, and the lame to walk. Is it the falling evil of backfliding ? the con- fumption or decay of grace ? the running iifue of predominant lulls ? the fever of raging lufts ? the univerfal leprofy of the corruption of nature ? All thefe he can cure, for he healeth all manner of difeafes. They who fee not their difeafes, will indeed flight him ; but it will be good tidings to the meek poor ones, who are groaning under thefe difeafes. O ! then, will fuch an one fay, I will take my flony heart to him, my blindnefs to him, Sec. — Thefe tidings are the tidings, 5. Of a feaft : Ifa. xxv. 6. " And in this moun- tain (hail the Lord of hods make unto all people a feaft of fat things, a feaft of wines on the lees, of fat things fall of marrow, of wines on the lees, well refined." Since man has left Gcd y he has had nothing to feed upon, but the duft with the ferpent, 01 the hulks of created things with the fwine. He has never been fatisficd, he never could get enough ; (till red hunger has been upon him, like thofe who eat but are not fatisned, But gocd tilings, O famiihed finners ! our Lord jefus Chrift has made a feaft for hunger-bitten finners, and they are all invited to it : Ifa. lv. 2. " Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye thac which is good, and let your foul delight itfelf in fatnefs." It is the belt of feafts, where the foul may feed to the full. Jefus himfeif is the maker, and alfo the matter of it j all the benefits of the covenant are the provinon which are ferved up at this feaft, he who eats thereof fhall never die. It is true, that moli men put no value upon it : Prov, xxvii. 7. " The full foul loatheth an honey-comb.^ Dut, Pfal. xxii. 26. « The meek {hall eat and be fatisned." 64 JESUS A PREACHER OF GOOD fatisfied." It will be good tidings to hungry fouls, who are fick of the dull and cf hulks, and are long- ing to eat bread in their Father's houfe, where there is plenty and to fpare. — Thefe tidings relate, 6. To a treafure : 2 Cor. iv. 7. " But we have this treafure in earthen veffels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." Man was broken by his fall ; he loft all his goods, and all his credit in heaven ; fo that abfolute poverty reigns among Adam's fons, who have neither in them nor on them for the prefent neceflity, and befides are drowned in debt to the juftice of God. But good tidings, poor finners ! There is a treafure hid in the field of the gofpel, which will enrich you •, and by the gofpel you are pointed to it. O buy the field ! Matth. xiii. 44. In this field are the moft precious things, precious promifes, and within them precious Chrifu, with all his merits ; gold tried in the fire, white raiment and eye-falve, Rev. iii. 1 8. Here is variety of all good things, and abundance. They who are rich in their own eyes will not value this treafure ; but to the meek poor ones, it will be glad tidings. They will readily do as the man," Match, xiii. 14. who fold all that he had, and bought the field in which the great treafure was hid. — Thefe tidings relate, 7. To a marriage, a moft happy match for poor finners : Hof. ii. 19. 20. " And I will betrothe thee unto me for ever ; yea, I will betrothe thee unto me in righteoumefs, and in judgement, and in loving kindnefs, and in mercies ; I will even be- trothe thee unto me in faithfulnefs, and thou (halt know the Lord." The Bridegroom is the royal Mediator, who is content to match with poor cap- tive fouls. We are naturally of the houfe of hell : John, viii. 44. " Ye are of your father the devil, and the lufts of your father ye will do." Thi3 be- ing TIDINGS TO THE MEEK. 65 ing our cafe, we could have no hopes of being comfortably difpofed of. But good tidings, O chil- dren of the devil's family ! You may be married to the Son of God, who for that end has taken on our nature ; he fays, Matth. xxii. 4. (i All things are ready : come unto the marriage." This match is the mod honourable, the richeit, the happieft, of which we are capable. There is nothing to hinder the match, he will make you lovely ; and, what is more, he will make you willing. Molt men defpife this marriage, they prefer their farms and merchandife to it. But the poor meek ones will as gladly embrace it, as ever a captive wo --.an, to fave her life, would match with the moft de- ferable conqueror — Thefe tidings relate, 8. To a victory, a glorious victory : Ifa. xxv. 8. " He will fwallow up death in victory ; and the Lord will wipe away tears from all eyes." There is no getting to the heavenly Canaan, with- out fighting our enemies *, which would, if potTible, keep us out there. We are not able for them ; fin, Satan, and death, are too ftrong for us. But good tidings ! Chrift has fought that battle, and obtained a glorious victory ; he offers you a fhare of the victory and fpoi's : Rev. iii. 21. " To him that overcometh, will I grant to fit with me in my throne, even as I alfo overcame, and am fet down with my Father in his throne." Join the conqueror, come up at his back againft your fpiritual enemies, and ye (hall be more than con- querors, through him that loved us, Rem. viii. 37. They who have not yet broke their cove- nant with death, and agreement with hell, will flight this victory. But it will be good tidings to the meek poor ones, who would .ain break through the hoft of their fpiritual enenr.es, but know not how to make it out. — Thefe tidings re- late, Vol. III. F Lajtt^ 66 JESUS A PREACHLR OF GOOD Lnfily, To a peace, a mod deferable peace : Eph. ii. 14. " For he (Chrift Jefus) is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us." Sin made difcord, and broke the peace between hea- ven and earth ; fo that God and the (inner be- came enemies. All accefs to God, ali commu- nication betwixt heaven and earth, was blocked up. But good tidings ! Chrift has made peace by his own blood. It is offered to you, Ifa. xxvii. 4. 5. « Fury is not in me : Let him take hold of my drength, that he may make peace with me, and he mail make peace with me." It is a firm peace, on the mod folid foundation, a lading peace which will never terminate, a peace which will ere long be complete in all its parts ; peace ex- ternal, internal, eternal.— This will be good ti- dings to the meek poor ones, who are wounded with the apprehenfions of God's anger, and af- frighted with the thoughts of his wrath. — We are, then, III. To fliew how this work of preaching is and hath been performed by Jefus Chrift. — As to this, we obferve, That he performed it under the Old Teftament, and under the New Teftament difpenfation. Fir/l, He performed this work under the Old- Tedament difpenfation. — Under this difpenfation, 1. The fird proclamation of thefe tidings was done perfonally by himfelf in paradife, to the compendized world, our fird parents : Gen. iii. 15. " And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy feed and her feed : it fhall bruife thy head, and thou (halt bruife his heel." The Son of God appearing in human rnape, as a prelude of his incarnation, fat as their tidings to the meek. 67 their Judge, and, as the Interpreter of his Father's mind, preached the firft gofpel to them in that promife, which contains the fubftance and a- bridgement of the whole gofpel. He was abfd- lutely the firft, in all refpects, who preached the good tidings of the gofpel. 2. The fecond proclamation was, by his am- baffadors in his name, who were of two forts : — . Extraordinary, namely, the prophets whom he infpired infallibly to teach the people : 2 Pet. i. 21. " For the prophefy came not in old time by the will of man : but holy men of God fpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoft." — And or- dinary teachers, fuch as priefts and Levites un- der the law, priefts and others before the law. And in refpeel: of this preaching by men in his name, he is faid to have preached to thofe who lived before the flood : i Peter, hi. 19. " B ■: which alio he went, and preached unto the fpirits in prifon." — There was alfo a proclamation, 3. By his written word, Deut. xxx. 11, — 14. This is his own word, where the meek poor ones m2y always find the glad tidings of faivati Before it was written, they never wanted infpi- red men, and when it was written, though for a time, they might want prophets, yet this they had always from hirn as an infallible rule. 2d!y, He preached and preaches under the New- Teftament difpenfation. — This he did, 1 . By his own perfonal preaching in the days of his flefh, when he went about among the Jews, preaching to them as the Minifter of the circum- cifion : Rom. xv. 8. " Now I fay, that Jefus Chriit. was a minifter of the circumcifion for the truth of God, to confirm the promifes made un- to the fathers." So that he hirnfelf, by him- fitlf, aid begin this difpenfation. The gofpel at F 2 the 68 JESUS A PREACHER OF GOOD the firft began to be fpoken by the Lord, Heb. ii. 3. " He fpake as never man fpake, and taught as one having authority." - He did it, 2. By infpiring his apoftles to preach and write the do&rines of falvatlon, contained in the New Teftament, on whom he poured out his Spirit, and by their writings, they being dead, yet fpeak to us from him and by him. — He does it, 3. By railing up and continuing always a go- fpel-miniftry in the church: Eph. iv. 11. — 13. " And he gave fome, apoftles ; and fome, pro- phets ; and fome, evangelifts ; and fome, paftors and teachers *, for the perfecting of the faints, for the work of the miniftry, for the edifying of the body of Chrift : Till we all come to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the meafure of the Mature of the fulnefs of Chrift." And with them he has promifed to be prefent always, even unto the end of the world, Matth. x^viii. 20. Theis preach in his name, as deputed by him to declare thefe good tidings. Thus you lee this work is performed by the Son of God, not only by himfelf, but by his fer- vants in his name. And though the miit.akes, error:., and unfaithfulnefs of ordinary minifters, both under the Old and New Teftament, are folely their own, their preaching of the true doc- trine of the gospel is indeed his ; they are but as it were the voice, he is the fpeaker. For He gave and gives the gifts whereby they are fitted to preach the gofpel. All their tapers are lighted at his mining lamp : John, i. 9. " That was the true light, which hghteth every one that cometh into the world." Their wifdom and know- ledge in divine myfterics is given them by him, for the good of his church, Eph. iv. 8. Their ccmmiiTion TIDINGS TO THE MEEK. "<', commiffion is frcn him, and from him they de- rive their power and authority, Matth. xxviii 19. 20. They are his mmifters and feTvants fent out upon his work, and to him they muit give an account. Lafttji The efficacy of their miniftry is folely owing to him and his Spirit, 1 Cor. iii. 7. " So then, neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth ♦, but God that giveth the Increafe." He makes it effectual to his elect ones, — We are, IV. To- give "the rcnfons of the doctrine, 01 fhew, That none but he was fit to be employed in this work. — This will appear if we conficier, 1. That none but he could reveal the fecrets of love, which were hid from eternity in the bread of God : John, i. 18. " No man hath feen God at any time ; the only begotten Son, who is in the bolcrn of the Father, he hath declared him." Neither man nor angel could open up thefe. But he was privy to his Father's counfels, as being in the bofom of his Father from all eternity. . 2. None but he was fit to be an univerfal preacher to all perfons for whom thefe tidings were de- figned, and to whom they were to be carried, and this in all ages. Who d(e could have the great charge of this weighty bufmefs ? This required one of infinite wifdom, and one every where pre- fent. Lajily, Whofe teftimony but his could be a fufficient ground of faith in this, of all matters the rnoft important ? Here lies the weight of God's honour, and the falvation of an elect world ; and this required no lefs folid a bottom, than the teftimony of Truth itfelf. F 3 Til?: THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUE IX SERMON XL1X.. Is A. !xi. I. 27j Since hypocrites may have a relifh of the good tidings of the gofpel, how (hall I diftin- guifh between their relifh and the relifh of a fin- cere Chriftian, who is meek and poor in fpirit ? — To this I Anfiver^ Hypocrites may have fome defires, and wait upon public ordinances, Ifa. lviii. 2. Like the ftony- ground hearers, they may receive the word jovtully, Matth. xiii. 20. ; but yet there are great differences betwixt*theirde fires and thofe of a fincerc Chriftian. — Such as, 1. The fincere Chriftian relifhes the good ti- dings of the gofpel as good, yea, as the beft for him, fo as that he can lay the weight of his falva- tion, for time and eternity, upon this word, and chufe it for his portion, Pfal. cxix. 1 1 1. •, where- as the hypocrite may relifh them as good, but net as the beft for him : So that, for all the relifh he has of the word, he has another thing which he looks .f _ tidin-s to t::e mlek. 7 7 looks on as Mill better for him. He hns fome- thing elfe on which he is difpofed to lay at lead part of his weight before the Lord j for lie is never poor in fpirit, nor fhaken out of his own righ- teoufnefs. But the Chriftian has no confidence in the flefli, Phil. iii. 3. 2. The Chriftian gets his reliih for the gofpel, by feeling the extreme bitternefsof fin : Acl:s, ii. 37. « When they heard this, they were pricked to the heart, and faid unto Peter and the reft cf the apoftles, Men and brethren, what mail we do ?" But the hypocrite comes eafier by his : " When he hears the word, he anon with joy re- ceives it," Match, xiii. 20. No man can reliih health at the rate one does who is brought bad: from the gates of death. Many reiifh the fweett- nefs of the word to whom fin was never made bitter ; or if it was, it was never the bittereft of all things. Hence the reliih for fuch is very Su- perficial. But God puts in more and more bittcr r nefs in fin to his own people, till it becomes gi all bitters the bittereft ; and then they truly reliih the good tidings of the gofpel. 3. The Chriftian's reiifh for the gofpel is the moil powerful and overcoming reiifh which he has. The hypocrite's is not 10: Pfal. xxvii. 4. u One thing have I defired of the Lord, that will I feek after, that I may dwell ia the houie of iiiQ Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple." So fays the Chriftian, but of the hypocrite it is faid, Ezek. xxxiii. 31. " They come unto thee as the people cometh, and they fit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them ; for with their mouth they mew much love, but their heart goeth after their co- vetoufnefs." The lincere Chriftian ehufes Chrift Vol. III. . G peremptorilv 78 JESUS A PREACHER OF GOOD peremptorily, if they fhould beg with him. They fee fuch a fuitablenefs in him to their cafe, that they muft have him on any terms ; whereas the hy- pocrite gets only half a look of Chrift in the gofpel. Hence he has only half affection for him, a kind of hankering after him. Chrift is fweet to them, but (till fome one lull is fweeter ; fo that, like Orpah, they leave him, but not without fome af- fection for him. But the Chriftian-iike Ruth cleaves unto him, and thereby is brought to ho- nour. Lajlly, The Chriftian relifnes all the tidings of the gofpel in ever)' particular of them, whereas the hypocrite has always fomething in them which he does not approve of. The Chriftian without ihame has refpe£t to all God's commandments, Pfal. cxix. 6. He relifhes the goodnefs of the promifes, and alio the holinefs of the command- ments. " He efteems all God's precepts concern- ing all things to be right," ver. 128. Herod heard John gladly till his beloved lull was touch- ed. And fo do many, they leve the word, with the exception of that which ftrikes againft their beloved lufts. This fubject. may be improved, Thirdly^ in an ufe of exhortation. As ever you would relifh the good tidings of the gofpel, labour to be meek and poor in fpirit. Would you have your fouls refrefhed at ordinan- ces ? Would you partake of the goodnefs of our Lord's houfe, and find that in ordinances, which is the hidden manna, which the carnal world knows not of ? Well, take this courfe ; it is the way to prepare yourfelves for it. 1. Keep up always a deep fenfe of your own finfulnefs, wretchednefs, and abfolute need of Chrift. Our Lord was called the friend of pu- blicans, TIDINGS TO THE MEEK. 7£ blicans and Tinners, becaufe they who faw the leaft- good in themfelves got mod of his converfe : I Pe:. v. 5. " God refifteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble." The low valleys have the waters running in them, when they run off the high hills as faft as they come on : Ifju xl. 4. M Every valley fhall be exalted, and every moun- tain and hill mall be made low." The man who feels his difeafe prizes the remedy, while he who is raving and infenfible disregards it. 2. Be of a teachable difpoiition ; this is true meeknefs : Pfal. xxv. 9. " The meek will he teach his way." They who fit down to judge the word, rather than to be judged by it, may meet with what may difguft or pleafe their fancy, but are out of the way of the true fpiritual relifh for the word: James, i. 21. "Wherefore, lay apart all filthinefs and fuperfluity of naughtinefs, and re- ceive with meeknefs the ingrafted word, which is able to fave your fouls." How many a weak Christian's foul is refremed with that word, in which men who have knowledge, but not grace, find nothing. They will be fure to profit who lie down at the Lord's feet, to learn and receive the word as the word of God. 3. Be much in reviewing and mourning over your fpiritual wants. Look not fo much to what you have attained, as to what you are yet fhort of. Imitate Paul, in " forgetting the things that are behind, and reaching forth to thofe things that are before," Phil. hi. 13. Mourn over your dark- pefs, deadnefs, :\nd unholinefs. Let thefe be your continual burden, and you fhall not want a word in feafcn, Ifa. 1. 4. Jefus hath the tongue be learned, to fpeak a word in feafon to him that is weary. This would make you lie at the catch for a word from the Lord, like Bciihacad's G 2 f? r tO JESUS A PREACHER OF GOOD i fervants in another cafe, and receive the Lord's mefiage greedily, as what in one way or another will profit you. 4. Cry much to God For communion with 'him in gcfpelorcinances. Come to ordinances in a believing expectation of enjoying it. Set vour- ielves to receive the gofpel as the Lord's word to you, which worketh effectually in you that be- lieve. The Lord appoints finners to meet with him there, faying, " In all places where I record my name, I will come unto thee, and I will blefs thee," Excd. xx. 24. Propofe a meeting with him there alio, and you may be fure it will hold. Like Jacob, you will prev?'.i with God to blefs you, Hof. xii. 4. cempare Gen. xxxv. 1. Chrift had promifed the Spiri:, and ccmrnanded the dif- ciples to wait for him, A€fcs, i. 4. They conti- nued in prayer, ver. 14. See the fruit of it, chap. ii. Lafil\> Be thankful for the lealt, of God's mercies, and be fubmkTive to the Lord under every trying cifpenfation, as fenfible of your utter unworthi- nefs. "When was it that Jacob got the bleiTing ? Was it not when in this 'frame, * " I am not wor- thy," faid he, " of the lead of all the mercies, and of all the truth which thou haft fhewed unto thy fervant ; for with my ftaff I paffed ever this Jor- dan, and now I am become two bands." A knit of unworthinefs as to the leaft mercies, cannot mifs to produce in you a reliih for the great mer- cies of the gofpel. There are many complaints as to the want of fence in ordinances. There is not that in them which was in former times. — • - I - tl ':me of this on minifters \ and I not either a godly minifter in , or a ^odly Chriftian, acting as fuch, who TIDINGS TO 1H£ ' MElj. 8l who dare refufe that he has a real fhare in it. — The clean, to caft ftones at the guilty ^ muft come out from among thofe minifters «nd people who are ftrangers to their own hearts, and fee better into others than they do into themfelves. But however it be, I dare pfomife, in the name of the Lord, that the hungry fhall not be fent empty away. The meek poor ones fhall be feuded in ordinances ; and their hungry fouls fhall be re- freshed with the gofpel, fare with others as it will : Pfal. xxii. 24. " The meek fhall eat, and be fatisfied." Matth. v. 6. " BlefTed are they which do hunger and thirft after righteoufnefs, for they fhall be filled." — O ! but the ipiritual re- lifh for the word is well worth all the trouble which is necefTary for having it. For, 1. This is the hidden manna peculiar to God's hidden ones on earth: " To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna," Rev. ii. 17. We read, Exod. xvi. 13. 14. of a dew un- der whi&h the manna lay. The ordinances are that dew •, communion with Chrifl in ordinances, by relifhing his word, is the manna under it. The ordinances are the cabinet ; this is the opening of the cabinet, and the finding of the jewel, the drawing by the vail, and beholding the glory; the digging up the field, and falling on the treafure ; the breaking the (hell, and getting out the pearl. 2. This would make the Sabbath the moft plea- fant day in all the week, the hours of worfhip the moft pleafant hours, which now to moil: are a wearinefs. See how the gofpel, felt in its power, doth affect : Ifa. ix. 3. " They joy before thee according to the joy in harvefl, and as men re- joice when they divide the fpoil." Compare ver. 2. If you had ever any experience of this relifh, dare you fay but that thefe were your golden days, even G 3 the 8 2 JESUS A TEACHER OF GOOD the beft time ever you had in your life, and that ail the world could never make up your lofs fmce you wanted them ? You who never tailed of it, beiieve others, fince you are not capable of judging in the matter : Pfal. lxxxiv. 10. " For a day in thy courts is better than a thouiand." Believe thcfe who have got that at ordinances, which has made them joyfully embrace perfecution, banifh- ment, a fcaffold, and a fire. 3. This would readily hang about you all the week, in a hcly, favoury, tender difpofiticn, and make you rejoice at the return of the Sabbath : Pfal. cxxii. j. "I was glad when they faid unto me, Let us go into the houfe of the Lord." It is good being in Chrift's company in his fancluary -, wherever they go afterwards, they fmeil of his good ointments ; knowledge is taken of them that they have been with Jefus, A&s, iv. 13. Re- member what is faid of the gofpel, 2 Cor. ii. 1 6, ct To the one we are the favour of death unto death, and to the other the favour of life unto life." Alas ! how rank and unfavoury are the converfations of mod, becaufe they never get a relifh for the word. 4. This would make you ufeful Chriftians. The woman of Samaria, as foon as me relifhed the gofpel, ihe got another fpirit. As fhe had been formerly a prop of the devil's kingdom, and an agent for him in the place where fhe lived ; ihe now, when converted by grace, turns ufeful for others. This would make you naturally com- mend the way of God to ethers, would make ycu ufeful in your families, in the congregation, and in the country-f:de. Lajtiy, This would be a heaven on earth. What ' is the happinefs of the faints in glory ? They en- joy TiDis'Gi to the melk. S3 joy God, and this in the utmoft perfection. You ihould relifh that enjoyment of him, which in your meafure you have for the prefent, as a pre- lude, an earned of what fhall be your privilege hereafter. T shall have done with a word to all in gene- ral, and in particular to meek poor ones. — To all in general, I would fay, Entertain the good tidings of the gofp.l, flight them not, give them a fu; table entertainment. Believe them as undoubted trutas. When God fpeaks, it is reafonable we believe; for he is Truth, he is the faithful and true Witnefs, Rev. iii. 14. The carnal mind is apt to fail into unbelief of the gofpel, which reflects great disho- nour upon God: 1 John, v. 10. " He that be- lieveth not God, hath made him a liar, becaufe he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son." And this alfo" makes the gofpel unprofit- able to ouiielves : " The word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it," Heb. iv. 2. — Embrace thefe tidings joyfully and thankfully ; they are tidings of great joy, and fhould be received with the greateft joy and chearfulnefs ; as a malefactor on the fcarrbld fhould receive the tidings of a pardon, or as an in- demnity would be received by thofe who have forfeited their lives by their treafon. And the greater the danger is from which the gofpel pro- claims deliverance, the more welcome mould the tidings be. —Finally, lay the weight of your fouls on thefe tidings for time and eternity, fall in with the gofpel-contrivance, and embrace the covenant as well ordered in all things and fure, Matth. xiii. 44. Embrace the falvation ; come away with the Redeemer, accept the ranfom, accept the in- demnity, put your cale in the hand of the great Phy- fician 3 84 JESUS A PREACHER OF GOOD fician, and all (hall be well. To prevail with you as to this, confider, for motives, From whence the tidings come. It is f rom a far country, from heaven, the throne of God, yea, the depths of the counfel of God, John, i. 18, Behold tidings of love and good will from hea- ven, of a mercy-feat fet up there for poor fmners, from whence they could have looked for nothing but wrath 1 — Confider, Who brings the tidings, the Son of God. O ! glorious meffenger, who left the Father's bofom and came down into this earth, to proclaim the glad tidings. And now that he is afcended into heaven, he has fent his minifters in his name to proclaim them, with this certification, That he who heareth you, heareth me ; and he who defpifeth you, defpifeth me ; and he who defpifeth me, de- fpifeth him that fent me. — Confider, What are the tidings. Tidings of a falvation, a redemption, &c. They are good tidings, the befl of tidings that ever came into the world.- — Good to refrefh and revive the fpirits of thofe whom nothing elfe can comfort, even finners de- prefled under apprehenfions of wrath. And the more to be efteemed that they are peculiar to fin- ful men, not fallen angels. " Unto you, O men ! I call, and my voice is to the fens of men." — • Confider, The need there was of thefe tidings in the world. Never did tidings come fo feafonably to any, as thofe of the gofpel to the world ruined by fin. We were as Itaac, with the knife at our throat, when the tidings came of Jefus Chrifl, as the ram caught in the thicket. Let us but fup- pofe the world without the gofpel, we will then have a fiery law, flaming on our faces, and nc way TIDINGS TO THE MEEK. 8-^ way whatever to efcape. Thus will we fee the fejfonablenefs of gofpel tidings. To meek poor ones, in particular, I would fay, O ! fenfible fmners, preffed with the lenfe of your fptrirual wants, your fmfulnefs, mifery, inability to help yourfelves, you who fee your abfolute need cf Chrift, and withal your unworthinefs of his help, who are longing for fupply, and content with Chrift on any terms, to you is the word of this falvation fent, particularly ; come away, and joyfully embrace thefe good tidings. To influence you to this, confider, That your names are particularly in ChrifVs commrflion. He was fent to preach good tidings to the meek. The Lord knows that the poor convinced (inner will have many doubts and fears, which will be hard for him to overcome, fo as to get the tidings believed. Therefore, as in Mark, xvi. 7. the angel faid unto the women, " Go your way, tell his dilciples, and Peter, that he goeth before you into Galilee, there (hail ye lee him, as he laid unto you." So here particular notice is taken of the meek. God has a fpecial eye on the outcasts of Ifraei to bring them in to himfelf, Ifa. lv. 1. Again, confider, That the grand end for which the Lord disco- vers to you your fpiritual poverty is, that you may come to Chrift for fupply : Gal. hi. 24. To fum up all in a word, a Chriitian's finfuineis, with the bitter fruits fpringing from iiis fin ; thefe are what are breaking to his heart. He THE BROKEN-HEARTED. £/> He is not what God would, nor what he would have himfelf to be. He is diilatisfied with him- felf", yet cannot right his cafe : Rom. vii. 19. " For that which I do, I allow not -, for what I would, that I do not •, but what I hate, that do I." He brings miferies on himfelf by his fin, and therefore is fadly broken under the thought of his cafe We now proceed, III. To fhew what fort of a heart a broken heart is. — As to this we obferve, 1. That it is a contrite or bruifed heart : Pfal. Vi. 1 7. " The facrifices of God are a broken fpirit ; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not defpife." Not only broken in pieces like a lock, but broken to powder, and fo fit to receive any impreflion : So the word fignifies. The heart, though before fometimes like an" adamant, which mercies could not melt, nor judgements terrify, is now kindly broken and bruifed betwixt the upper and nether miil-ftone > — the upper mill- {lone of the law, a fenfe of God's wrath againft fin ; and- the nether rnill-ftone of the gofpel, of di- vine love, mercy, and favour, manifefted in word and providences.— If one going to break a hard Hone, would lay it firm upon another hard ftone, which will not yield underneath it, then, when you ftrike, it will either not break at all, or if it do, it will not break in fhivers : But either lay it hol- low, or on a foft bed, and it will break all in fhivers. Thus, lay the hard heart upon the hard law, and ftrike it with the molt dreadful threat- enings of hell and damnation, it either will not break at all, or at leail it will not break fmall. But lay the hard heart on the bed of the gofpel of mercy and love, and then let the hammer of the law it r ike, the heart will go afunder. Legal preaching, $6 JESUS BINDS UP preaching, which cafts a vail over gofpel-grace, is not the way to make good Chriitians. Joel lays the hearts of his hearers on mercy, then fetches his flroke with the hammer of the law, and cries, chap. ii. 13. " Rend your heart, and not your garments, an! turn unto the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, flow" to anger, and of great kindnefs, and repenteth him of the evil." But it is the Spirit of the Lord that carries home the ftroke, elfe it will not do. — A broken heart is, 2. A pained heart, an aching heart : Acls, ii, 37. " When they heard this, they were pricked to the heart, and raid unto Peter and the reft of the apoilles, Men and' brethren, what fhall we do ?" Bruifmg or breaking a living member is not without pain. God wounds the guilty con- icience, that the finner may fee and find what an evil and bitter thing finis: Jer. ii. 19. "Thine own wickednefs fhall correct thee, and thy back- flidings mail reprove thee •, know therefore, and fee, that it is an evil thing and a bitter, that thou haft forfaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, faith the Lord God of hofts." The deeper that the wound is, the forer the heart is broken. — It is pained with forrow : Prov. xv. 13. " By forrow of the heart the fpirit is broken." A broken heart is a forrowful heart for fin, for the offence given to God, the difhonour put on him by it, and the evil brought on one's felf. Thus the broken-hearted finner is a mourning finner, Zech. xii. 10. The fpirit of heavinefs fits down on the man, till Chrift bind up his wound ; his joy is turned into lamentation. — The heart is pain- ed alfo with remorfe for fin, Acls, ii. 37. Eve- ry remembrance of his folly gives him a twitch by the fcourge of confidence. He calls himfelf fool and beaft for fo requiting the Lord. He is hear- tily THE BROKEN-HEARTED. 97 tily difplcafed with himfelf on that account : Job, xfii. 6. " Wherefore I abhor myfelf, and repent in duft and afhes." lie fmites on his brealt, as worthy to be pierced, Luke, win. 13.-, and fmites on his thigh, as worthy to be broken for what he has done. — Again, it is pained with anxiety and care how to be faved from fin : Acts, xvi. 30. " What fhall I do to be foved ?" It brings a bur- den of care upon his head, how to get the guilt removed, the power of it broken, and to get it expelled at length. Never was a man more an- xious about the cure of a broken kg or arm, than the broken-hearted firmer is to get his foul-wounds healed, and to be free of fin, which is his greaterl crofs. — The heart is pained with longing defires after grace : Pfal. cxix. 20. " My foul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgements at all times." The broken-hearted finner, fen- iible of his fpiritual wants, longs for the fupply of them, pants for it as a thirfty man for water ; and the delay of anfwering thefe defires makes a fick heart : Prov. xiii. 12, " Hope deferred, ma- keth the heart fick." — A broken heart is, 3. A fhameful heart. The whole heart in fin is impudent ; but the broken heart is filled with fhame. Ezra faid, chap. ix. 6. " O my God, I am afhamed, and blufh to lift up my face to thee, my God : for our iniquities are increafed overour head, and our trefpafs is grown up unto the hea- vens." The man hangs down his head before the Lord, as net able to look up, Pfal. xl. 12. He fees himfelf (tripped of his beautiful garments, and is afhamed of his fpiritual nakednefs, and, with the publican, he cannot lift up his eyes. He is fallen into the mire, and is afhamed to come before God in his defilement, Ifa. lxiv. 6. His vain expectations from the way of fin are baulked, and 9% JESUS BINDS UP and fo he turns back afhamed. His reproach is difcovered, he is convicted of the bafeft ingrati- tude, and fo is filled "with fhame. As the thief is afhamed when he is found, fo is the houfe of Ifrael afhamed, Jer. ii. 26. — A broken heart is, 4. A foft and tender heart, for a broken and a hard heart are appofed to each other: Ezek. xxxvi. 26. " I will take away the {tony heart out of your flefh, and I will give you an heart of flefh." When the Spirit of the Lord breaks the heart with go- ipel-grace, he melts it down, and foftens it, takes away that fbonii*^fs, ftifFnefs, hardnefs, that cleaves to the heart in its natural Hate. The broken-hearted fmner, however, will very probably fay, Alas ! I find my heart a hard heart. — To this I anfwer, To find the hardnefs of heart, and to be weighted and grieved with it, is a fign of tendernefs, even as groaning is a fign of life : 2 Cor. viii. 1 2. " For if there be firit a willing mind, it is accepted ac- cording to what a man hath, and not according to what he hath not." There is no heart in this world but there is fome hardnefs in it. There may be tears where there is no broken heart, as in Efau, and there may be a broken and tender heart where tears are not. Try, therefore, the tendernefs of your hearts by the following marks. Are your hearts kindly afFecled with provi- dences ? Thou meeteft with a mercy, and it is a wonder to thee that the Lord fhould be fo kind to fuch an unworthy wretch. Thou fayeit as Ja- cob, " I am not worthy of the leaft of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou halt (hewed unto thy fervant," Gen. xxxii. 10. It melts thy heart into an earned defire of holinefs, knowing that the goodnefs of God leadeth thee to repentance. — Again, thou meeteft with a re- buke of providence, fhewing thee that thou art out THE ERCKEK-HEARTLV. of the way, and thou dared not venture far- ther that way. This is a good fign : Prov. xvii. 10. "A reproof enters more into a wife man, than a hundred itripes into a fool." — Again, do the threatenings of the Lord's word awe thy heart, not only in refpett of grofs outbreakings, but in the courfe of thy daily walk ? Ifa. lxii. 2. « but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite fpirit, and trem- bleth at my word." Art thou afraid of the Lord's difpleafure more than of any thing elfe, and muft thou (land at a diftance from thefe things which the world makes light of on that account ? This is a fign of a tender heart. This reflection was com- fortable to Job, chap. xxxi. 23. " For deflruclion from God was a terror unto me ; and by reafon of his highnefs I could not endure." Now this had a tendency to keep him free from all fin. — Finally, have the Lord's commandments an awful autho- rity on thy confeience, fo that thou art tender of offending him, and trampling on them ? A hard heart can eafily digeft an offence againft God, but a tender heart refpeeb ail his commandments, Pfal. cxix. 6. A burnt child dread; the fire ; and the (inner whofe heart Las b^en broken for fin dreads fin as the greateft evil. There are fome who will be very tender at their prayers, it may- be that they weep and pray ; but then fearful un- tendemefs appears in their ordinary walk. But drew me the perfon who is in the fear of the Lord all the day long, who is afraid' to fay or do an ill thing : I fay, this is the tender perfen, though hv< prayers mould be filled from beginning to end with .omplaints of hardnefs of heart; not the other : 1 John, v. 3. " For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments ; and his command- ments are not grievous." — A broken heart is, 5- A 100 JESL'3 BINDS UP 5. A rent heart: Joel, ii. 13. " And rend your hearts, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God." The plough of humiliation and repentance is drawn through the heart, which tears up the fallow-ground, and pierces to the very foul. Many a man's heart is rent with re- morfe, or rather mangled, which is never tho- roughly rent ; and fo their wound goes together again after fome time, and they are as before. But the truly broken heart is rent to purpofe, till the plough reach to the root of fin. Here there maybe propofed this queftion, What is the difference of thefe rentings ? To this I an- fwer, An unrenewed man's heart may be rent for fin, but it is not rent from it. The heart truly broken is not only rent for, but from fin ; not only affrighted at, but framed into a hatred of it, Ezek. xxxvi. 31. "Then (hall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and fhall loathe yourfelves in yourown fight for your iniquities, and for your abominations." The heart is fo broken, that the reigning love of fin runs out of it, as water out of a cracked veflel, or as filthy matter out of a wound which is laid open. He digs deep, as the wife builder ; the other, like Balaam, who profcfled a regard to the authority of God, but (till loved the wages of iniquity. — Again, the rent of the former either cloies too foon, as thofe who quickly fail fecure again, get- ting eafe by bribing their confciences •, or it never was clofed at all, falling under abfolute defpair, like Judas. But the other is at length healed, yet not till the great Phyiician takes the cure in hand. The wound is kept open, and the foul refufeth healing, till the Lord looks down and beholds from heaven, as in Lam. iii. 50. The wound is too deep to be iriL BR,OK£N-HEART£D« 101 be cured, but by his blood and Spirit, yet not (o deep, but that Tome ray of hope is always left ; there is a " who knows but the Lord will yet re- turn ?" — The broken heart is, 6. A pliable heart. The hard heart is a heart of ftone, unpliable. When the Spirit breaks the heart for fin, he makes it a heart of flefh, Ezek. xxxvi. 26. Hearts which the grace of God has not touched, are like young horfes not ufed to the faddle, young bullocks unaccuftomed to the yoke; they are unpliable and unmanageable, becaufe. they are not yet broken, Jer. xxxi. 18. But if ever any good be made of that heart of thine, the Spirit of God will break it ; however wild and un- traceable it bs, the Spirit will make it pliable. — He will make it pliable to the will of his com- mandments, faying, " Lord, what wouldfh thou have me to do ? and what (hall we do ?" A£ts, ii. •37. They had often heard before what they fhould do, but they would not comply ; but now, unce their hard heart is broken, they are very pli- able. Many a time the unner's heart gets fuch a piercing thruft in his unful courfe, that one would think, furely he will comply now. Yes, but the; heart is- not broken yet, therefore the man will not comply, according as Solomon reprefeius it in the cafe of the drunkard, Prov. xxii. 29. 32. and 34. " They have ftricken me, {halt thou fay, and I was not fick ; they have beaten me, and I felt it not ; when fhall I awake ? I will ieek it yet again." But if God have any theughts of love to him, the Spirit of God wili tske the cafe in his own hand ; and were he as ftiff as the devil and his hard heart can make him, he will b^cak him to that rate, that he fhall ply as wax ere he have done with him, Witneis Saul die persecutor, Vol. III. I who J02 who was fo foftened, that he*cried, " Lord, what wouldft thou have me to do ?" A&s, ix. 6 The heart becomes pliable alfo to the will of his pro- vidence : Pfal. li. 4. " That thou mightell be jus- tified when thou fpeakeit, and be cleared when thou judgeft." An unrenewed heart is a murmur- ing one under the hand of God, and will readily chufe to fin rather than fuffer. But the broken heart will fay, Give me thy favour, and take from me what thou wilt : Luke, xiv. 26. " If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and fifters, and his own life alfo, he cannot be my dif- ciple." Sometimes one meets with an affliction, and they cry out they are broken, they are not able to bear it. God fends them a heavier one, they are ftricken till they leave off weeping, and withal opens the heart-vein to bleed for fin, and 10 in fome fort they are made to forget their af- fliction. And it is their great concern to get their foul's difeafe healed, let God do with them otherwife as he will. — A broken heart is, LaJ}ly y A humble heart: Ifa. lyii. i v quoted above. The hard heart is a gathered boil ; when it is broken, it is difcufTed. As foon as the heart is broken under a fenfe of fin, pride and felf-con- ceit vanifh away j and the more broken-hearted that a perfon is, the lefs proud. Paul was a proud perfecutor, but the Lord laid the pride of his heart, when he broke it, Acts, ix. 4 5. Heze- kiah, in his brokennefs of heart is very humble : « I mall go foftly," faid he, " all my years in the bitternefs of my foul," Ifa. xxxviii. 16. O ! if the proud and empty profeflbrs of this day had a tafte of this broken heart, it would foon lay their gay feathers, let out the ulcers of pride, felf-con- ceit, THE BROKEN-HEARTED. 103 ceit, which are fwollen fo big in many a poor foul. It would turn the faying, " Stand by, for I am ho- lier than thou," unto " Depart from me, for I am a Gnful man." It would make them think little of what they have been, of what they are, and of what they have done or differed ; little of what all their attainments, gifts, yea, and graces alfo, if they have any, are. 1 - THE HE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED. SERMON LI. IsA. lxi. i. — To bind up the broken hearted. HAving confidered that brokennefs of heart which is here meant, — what about fin the heart is broken for,— -and defcribed the nature of a broken heart, — we go on, as was propofed, IV. To ihew how the Lord Chrift binds up and heals the broken hearted.- -The great Phyii cian ufes two forts of bands for a broken heart, he binds them up with inner ar,d with outward bands. i. "With inner bands, which go n eared the fore, the pained broken heart. And thefe are two The firit inner band is, Chrift's own Spirit, the Spirit of adoption. The hearts of the difciples. were fore broken at the news of Jefus leaving them, and it behoved them to bleed a while. But he te ] ls them, he would JESUS BINDS UP, &C. 10$ would fend a healing band for their broken hearts: John, xiv. 16. " And I wiil pray the Father," iaid he, " and he (hall give you another Com- forter, that he may abide with you for ever." Our Lord breaks his people's hearts by his Spirit, and yet by the fame Spirit binds them up again. — In the fir ft work he is the Spirit of bondage, and fome may be long under his hand this way. Hence we read of fome " who, through fear of death, were all their life-time iubjecr. to bondage," Heb. ii. 15. The Old-Teftament church had much of this Spirit, " I am afflicted," fays the pfalmift, Pfal. lxxxviii. 15. « and ready to die, from my youth up ; while I fuffer thy terrors, I am detracted." — In the next work, he is the Spi- rit of adoption: Rom. viii. 15. " For ye have not received the fpirit of bondage again to fear \ but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, where- by we cry, Abba, Father." He comes quicken- ing, ianctifying, reviving, and comforting the foul. Therefore pray with David, Pfal. Ii. 1 1. 1 2. "Take not thy holy Spirit from me ; reftore unto me the joy of thy falvation, and uphold me with thy free Spirit " The fecond inner band is, Faith in Chrift, (the band of the covenant), which he works in the heart by his Spirit. Faith is a healing band, for it knits the foul, Ephef. ni. 17. " That Chrift may dwell in your hearts by faith." The woman with the bloody iflue, when ihe got a touch of the hem of Chrift's garments, was prefently made whole. Thus the broken- hearted {inner, when he gets hold of Chrift by faith, is bound up with him in one myftical body, virtue comes from him for the foul's healing. The virtue of his .blood takes away guilt ; the virtue of his Spirit breaks the power of fin. The apoftle prefcribes this healing band to the I 3 broken- 10(5 JESUS BINDS UP broken-hearted jailor: Acts, xvi. 31. " Believe in the Lord Jefus Chrift, and thou (halt be faved, and thy houfe ;" and the more faith that there is, the band will be the ftronger, and the foul the :ooner healed. Much unbelief, and little faith, keep the wounds of the foul long open : Pfal. xxviL 13, " I had fainted unlefs I had believed to fee the goodnefs of the Lord in the land of the living." A broken-hearted fmner ftaving off and difputing againft his believing, is like a chiid which has a broken leg, doing what he can to rear cii the bands with which it mud be bound np ; but he muft admit them, or his leg will never ' heal : John, xi. 4c " Jefus faith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that if thou wouldit believe, thou ihouldft fee the glory of God :" Peter walking on the water, was like to break and fink quite, Matth. xiv. 3c. ; the caufe was his unbelief, ver. 31. " Jefus faid unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didft thou doubt ?" — There are alfo, 2. Outward bands for a broken heart. — Thefe ;dfo are two. Thcjirji outward band is his own word, efpe- cially the promifes of the gofpel. This band Peter held cut to the broken-hearted company, Acts, ii. 38. 39. " Repent,' 5 faid he, " and be baptifed every one of you, in the name of Jefus Chrift, for the remiiTion of fins, and ye (hall re- ceive the gift of the Holy Ghoil j for the promife is unto you, and to your children, and to all that r.re afar eft, even as many as the Lord our God fhall call." This word has a fovereign virtue for healing, Pfal. cv ii. 2c. " He fent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their de- ilruciions." Our Lord wraps up a promiie, in a foft band of love ; and he makes them lay it to with their own hands 3 and the more clofely they tie THE PKCKhN HEARTED. ICf tie it about their broken hearts with the hand of faith, they will be the fooner whole. Say not, What can a word do ? An encouraging word from men will wonderfully raife a carnally-de- je£fced mind ; and if fo, certainly the Lord's word will heal a bioken heart. A promife will be, in this cafe, like the opening of a box cf perfumes to one ready to faint away : Song, i. 3. " Becaufe of the favour of thy good ointments, thy name is like ointment poured forth, therefore do the vir- gins love thee." The feccnd outward band is his own feals of the covenant, Acts, ii, 38. quoted above. Thefe feals r.re for our ingrafting into, and having communion with Jefus Chrilt, and fo are molt fit means to bind up hearts broken under a fenfe of fin, when they are partakers of thefe in faith. Hence many have been healed at fuch occafions ; though indeed the wa- ter is not moved at all times, or at lcafl the broken- hearted finner does not always ftep into it. It was an ancient cufhom, though that will not jufti- fy it, to put a white garment on perfons when they were baptifed. But furely our Lord has' ta- ken off the fpirit of heavinefs, and given the gar- ment of praife to many at fealing ordinances. The eunuch, after he was baptifed, went on his way rejoicing. The forrowful difciples were alfo made glad, when after his refurrecticn Jefus made himfeir known to them in the breaking of bread, Luke, xxiv. 35. All thefe bands are the Phyfi- cian's abfolute property. The poor patient has xiothing of his own to be a band to his wounds. The Spirit is the Spirit of Chrift •, faith is his work ; the word and facraments are his ordi- nances, and their efficacy is all from him ; and thus he heals them. His kindnefs in this inftance, we may take up in thefe three things. 1. They 108 JESUS BIN'DS l/P (i.) They are juftified and pardoned : Job, xxxiii, 23. 24. « If there be a meffenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thoufand, to fhew unto man his uprightnefs : Then he is gracious unto him, and faith, Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ranfom." The fling of guilt is taken away, that poifon is carried off, by a full and free pardon. Thus the lick man is whole : Ifa. xxxiii. 24. " And the inhabi- tant fhall not fay, I am fick ; the people that dwell therein (hall be forgiven their iniquity." The blood of Chrift, with which by faith the foul is bound up, cleanfes the wound, and heals it : 1 John, i. 7. " But if we walk in the iight, as he is in the light, we have fellowfhip one with ano- ther, and the blood of Jefus Chriit his Son clean- feth us from all fin." (2.) They are fanctified : 1 Cor. vi. 11. " And fuch were feme of you ; but ye are wafhed, but ye are fanclified, but ye are juftified, m the name of the Lord Jeius, and by the Spirit of our God." The Spirit is a fan£Ufying fpirit ^ faith a fanctifying grace : A£ts, xv 9. " And put no difference between us and them, fa notify- ing their hearts by faith." The facraments are fanctifying ordinances: 1 Cor. xii. 13. " For by one Spirit, we are all ba pined into one body,— and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." By thefe the power of corruption, as to its reign, is broken ; lulls are gradually killed, and grace is made to grow. LaJHy> They are comforted : Job, xxxiii. 25. 76. " His flefh fhall be frefher than a child's : He fhall return to the days of his youth : He fhall pra) unto God, and he fhall be favourable unto him : and he fhall fee his face with joy : for he will render unto man his righteouihefs." All thefe THE BROKEN-HEARTED- 100, thefe bands have a comforting and alfo a refrefh- Ing virtue. They bring the oil of joy fooner or later to the foul. The way of the Phyfician in this is, "According to thy faith, fo be it unto thee." And thus the broken-hearted eat of the hidden manna, they get the white Hone, and in the Hone anew name written, Rev. ii. 17. V. It now remains that we make fome im- provement of this fubject.-— It may be improved in uies of information, — reproof, — confolation, — and exhortation. Firft, In an ufe of information. 1. This Chews us the love and good-will of God to help poor finners, efpecially broken-hearted ones. He has provided a glorious Phyfician for them, having remembered us in our low eftate. O the love of the Father in inverting his Son with this office ! O the love of the Son in undertaking it ! Efpecially confidering, what it behoved him to undergo, in order to provide the medicines ; his own heart had to be broken, that finners might be healed. — We may learn, 2. The precioufnefs of our fouls, and with all the defperatenefs of the difeafes of fin. Sure it behoved to be a defperate difeafe, and the patient at the fame time very precious in the Lord's light, for which he employed fuch a Phyfician. A phy- fician of lefs value than an incarnate God, would have been a phyfician of no value for a broken- hearted finner. No medicine lefs than his blood could have been elTe&ual, elfe the Saviour's heart had never been broken for blood to cure it. — We may fee, 3. To whom we muft go with our hard hearts. O the reigning plague of hardnefs of heart this day among all ranks ! Ordinances, providences, mercies, i IO JESUS EIKDS UP mercies, judgements, cannot break them. Alas I There is little occafion to fpeak to broken-hearted finners this day ; it is the lead part of our work, to get their hearts healed. We cannot go with whole hearts, as broken. What can we do with them ? Carry them to Chrift. He who can heal broken hearts, can furely break whole hearts. He is exalted a Prince and a Saviour, to give repen- tance to Ifrael, and forgivenefs of fins, A£ts, v. 30. A look of him would do what nothing elfe can do. When the Lord Jems looked on Peter, then Peter remembered his fins, and went out, and wept bitterly, Luke, xxii. 62. — We (hall im- prove this fubject, Secondly, In an ufe of reproof. — This doctrine reproves and condemns, 1 . Thofe who, when their hearts are any way broken for fin, go not to Chrift, but to phyficians of no value : Hof. v. 13. " When Ephraim faw his ficknefs, and Judah faw his wound, then went Epnraim to the AfTyrian, and fent to King Jareb ; yet could he not heal you, nor cure you ot your wound." The Spirit of the Lord is at work with the hearts of many to break them for fin, who mar all by their hafte to be healed, which carries them to other phyficians than Chrift, who may palliate the difeafe, but never can effectually cure it. Thefe are, — the lav/, which is now weak through the flefh, Rom. viii. 3. The law may wound the foul, but can never heal it :'Rom. iii. 20. " By the deeds of the law fhall no flefh living be juftified in his fight, for by the law is the know- ledge of fin." Yet many go to it for healing, name- ly, when they go about to pacify their coniciences, wot by a believing application and fprinkling of ChrilVs blood, but by their own prayers, vows, Tepentance, amendment of their ways, and the like. THE B vQKEK- HEARSED. RPI like. The law indeed may give them a paili itiver; by thefe things their consciences may be bin: and bribed, but the difeafe is ft'dl rooted in them, and will break iorth again at lait, when there is no remedy, if not fooner, by the mercy of God, to prevent their final ruin. — Throng of worldly bufinefs. When Cain's heart was wounded, and he could not get out the (ling which galled his confeience, he went to this phyfician, he went from the prefence of the Lord, and built a city, Gen. iv- 16. 17. To this many run at this day, who, when their consciences begin to ftir within them, fill their heads and hands with bufinefs} till they get confeience quiet. This palliates the dif- eafe by way of diveriion, while it will make it only like a gathered dam, which will at length break down the wall, and overwhelm the foul with ag- gravated forrows : Ha, .nxx. 13. " Therefore this iniquity (hall be to you as a breach ready to fall, fwelling out in a high wall, whole breaking Co- meth fuddenly at an inftaiit." — jovial company. So Saul, in his diftrefs of mind, inftead of calling for his Bible to read on, calls tor muficians to play to him. And it is not to be doubted, that many a man's convictions are drowned in the ale-home, hufhed to filence at revelling-meetings, thefe fup- ports of the ^evil's kingdom, people are lb fond of •, and many good motions are fpoiled and laugh- ed away. This palliates the difeafe by fearing the confeience, and making it fenfelefs. But it will- awaken again on them like a lion roufed up, and rent the caul of thefe hearts which have been fo healed, Hof. xiii. 6. 8. — This doctrine reproves, 2. Thofe who offer themfelves phyficians to the broken in heart, in oppofition to Chrift and his method of cure. There are fuch agents for the devil, who, like the Pharifees, will neither enter 112 JESUS BINDS LT enter in themfclves, nor fuHlr thofe who Would to enter. Like Elymas the forcerer, they feek to turn away men from the faith, Acts, xiii. 8. They no iboner difcern any beginning fetioufnefs in others, but they fet themfelves to crufh it in the bud by their wicked advices, mockings, taunt;, and licentious enfnaring examples, To thefe [ may fay, as in Acls, xiii. 10. " O fu]l of all fub- tilty and all mifchief, thou child of the devil, thoj enemy of all righteoufnefs, wilt thou not ceafe to pervert the right ways of the Lord i" The blood of the fouls of fuch as perifh by thefe means will lie at the door of fuch perfons, and be required of them. Laftly, Thofe are reproved, who, as their oute- rs, dare not go to thefe pfryficians of no value, yet do not come to Crnhr., which is their fin : PfaJL Ixxvii. 2. u My foul refufed to be comfort- ed." It is unbelief which makes it fo, and Sa- tan will do what he can to carry ic on, to deter the fmner from the great Phyfician. But has the Father accepted Chrift a phyfician for broken- hearted tinners ? Surely, then, they may come, and welcome ; nay, they mull come, or elfe they will never be healed. — We ihall now improve fubiect, thirdly, In an u.fe of comfort to tjh are truly broken-hearted for fin in a gofpel-fenfe. Yon have an able Phvilcian, who both can and will cute you, even though Satan may be ready to tell you that your cnit is pair. cuie. There is great grounder comfort for fuch. (i.) Your name is in Chrift's commiiTion. (2.) You know your dif- eafe, and this is a confulerable ilep to the cure. (3. ) Never any died of your difeafe : Pfal. cxlvii. 3. " He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeih 2 up the Baoken-:;earted. 113 thck wounds." — Here, however, may be pro- posed this OhjeBion-y My heart has been long broken for fin, and yet there is no appearance of being healed : Jer. xiv. 19. " Haft thou utterly rejected Judah ? hath thy foul loathed Zion ? why haft thou (mitten us, and there is no healing for us ? we have looked for peace, and there is no good, and for the time of healing, and behold trouble." — To this I Anjkveni Thy foul may be healed of the difeafe of fin, and thy guilt removed, even the power of. fin may be broken, though thy trouble does re- main. David's fin was put away, 2 Sam. xii. 13. yet he cries out of broken bones, Pfal. li. 8. — *I would advife you to wait patiently on the great Phyfician, and in due time he will bind thee up. Limit him not to times and feafons, which are in his own hand \ he beft knows how to manage his patients. Some he keeps long in trouble, to pre- vent pride and fecurity, into which they are apt to fall : others he foon cures, to prevent defpair or utter defpondency, to which they are mod liable. — It only remains that this fubject be im- proved, Lajlly, In an ufe of exhortation. — This fhall be addrefTed to three forts of perfons. x I would exhort whole and hard hearted finners to labour to get broken hearts, hearts kindly broken for fin. — To prevail with you in complying with this exhortation, I offer the following Motives. Ma. 1. Confider the evil that there is in hard- nefs of heart. — It is very difpleafing in the fight of God: Jefus was grieved with the hardnefs of men's hearts, Mark, iii. 5. It grieves his Spirit, and highly provokes him, fo that God is ever angry with the hard-hearted finner. Suppoie a man to be under never fo great guilt, but his heart is bro- Yol, III. K ken I 14 JESUS BINDS UP l;en or account of it, God is not fo difpleafed with him as with thofe who, whatever their guilt be, are hard-hearted under it. — It fences the heart againft receiving any benefit by the means of fal- vation. Till this hardnefs be removed, it makes the heart proof agakift ordinances and providences : Pfal. xcv. 8. " Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wildernefs." Confider, as it is with the dead tree, even in the fpring, all labour is loft upon it ; fo is it with the hard-hearted finner. God fpeaks by his word and Spirit, by mercies and judgements 5 but nothing makes imprelTion on the hard heart, yea, the moli foftening means leave it as they found it, or moft probably in a worfe ftate. — It binds up the heart from all gracious motions : Rom. ii. 4. 5. " Or defpifeft thou the riches of his goodnefs, and forbearance, and long- fuffering, not knowing that the goodnefs of God leadeth thee to repentance ? But after thy hardnefs and impeni- tent heart treafureft up unto thyfelf wrath againft the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgement of God." This hardnefs is an iron band on the will, a ftoninefs in the heart, a hard freeze on the afre&ions, fo that the finner cannot repent, mourn, or turn from his evil courfes. It fo nails him down in his wicked way, that he can- not move God-ward, cannot relent of his folly, though his danger be clearly before his eyes. — In a word, it is the highway to be given up of God. Natural and acquired hardnefs lead the way to judicial hardnefs : Rom. xi. 7. " The election hath obtained it, and the reft were blind- ed." When men harden their hearts againft re- proofs and warnings, God many a time vifits them with a curfe, fo that they (hall never after have THE BROKEN-HEARTED. 11$ have power to relent and yield : Hof. iv. 17. " Ephraim is joined to idols : let him alone." Mot. 2. Confider the excellence of a broken heart. It is very pleafing in the fight of God, and precious : Pfal. li. 17. " The facrifices of God are a broken fpirit ; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not defpife." He looks to fuch, while he overlooks others, Ifa. lxvi. 2. He is near to them, while far from others, Pfal. xxxiv. 18. It is the way to get good of all the means of ialvation ; and it is the root of gracious motions in the foul. However low they lie, God will take them up, and take them in : Pfal. cxlvii. 3. " He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds." Mot. 3. The hardeft heart will break at length, if not in a way of mercy, yet in a way of judge- ment : Prov. x:dx. 1. « He that, being often re- proved, hardeneth his neck, (hall fuddenly be de- itroyed, and that without remedy." (Heb. broken, pnd no healing). Thy fins are breaking to the Spirit of God, Ezek. vi. 9. Allure thyfclf that rlie {tone will roll back on thyfclf iboner or later ; it it do not kindly break thee in a way of repent- ance, it will grind thee to powder in the way of wrath. — To fuch we would give the following di- rections briefly. Believe the threatenings againft fin, and apply them : Jonah, ill. 5. « So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fait, and put on iackcloth, from the greateft of them even to the ieaft of them." This belief worketh fear, and fear worketh forrow. And though this be but legal humiliation, yet this is ordinarily a mean fan£tihed of God to bring forward the elect (inner to Chrift, as it was when Noah builded the ark, Heb. xi. 7. — Ponder thy manifold fins, on the one K 2 hand* Il6 JESUS BINDS UP hand j and the rich mercies with which thou haft been vifited on the other. This is a proper mean to bring the heart into a broken difpofition : Rom. H. 4. " The goodnefs of God leadeth to repent- ance." Believe and meditate en the fufrerings of Chrift for fin. Look hew he was broken for it in a way of fufFering, till thy heart be broken for it in a way of repentance : Zech. xii. 10. (quoted above). We addrefs ourfslves, in the next place, to bro- ken-hearted finriefs. To fuch we fay, Come to Chriit as a Phyfician for binding; up and healing your Icen hearts. You have fufficient encourage- mtnt to put your cafes in his hand. — It is a part of the work exprefsly put upon him by the Fa- ther, to bind up your wounds. — He has a mo ft tender fympathy for fuch broken-hearted ones : Ifa. Ixiii. 9. : Rom. i. 23. " There is a law in their members, which bringeth them into captivity to the law of fin and death." 5. If they get any thing that is valuable, they cannot get it kept, it is torn from them by the conqueror. As the Babylonians wafted and in- fulted the Ifraelites, when they carried them away captives, fo does Satan wade and intuit his cap- tives, Pfal. cxxxvii. 3. Sometimes the natural man gets a convi£Hon of fin or duty darted in on him, and this produces relentings for fin, and re- folutions to amendment of life ; but they do not continue. Alas ! how can they, while they are Satan's captives, who will not fufFer them to think of entertaining them, more than Pharaoh would endure the Ifraelites to think of leaving his Ser- vice. Nay, he refts not till they have thrown ^hem away. 6. They 124 JESUS PROCLAIMS LIBERTY ' 6. They are fo fecured, as that they cannot g:t away, they are kept by the ftrong man under the power of darknefs, Col. i. 13 There is a gulf nx- ed between them and all fpiritual good, fo that they cannot pafs. Satan has his guards on them, whom they cannot efcape to come back to the Lord. He has them fettered with divers lufts, which they cannot {hake off. And, iri a word, nothing lefs than a power ftronger than all the powers of hell, can make way for the deliverance of a captive. Loftily If they but offer to make efcape, they are more narrowly watched, ftronger guards fet on them, and more work put in their hands ; as Pharaoh did with the Ifraeiites, the devil does with his captives, Rom. vii. 9. 10. 11. Hence many never go fo far wrong, as on the back of communions, eonvi&ionfe, or times of more than ordinary ferioufnefs, the powers of hell being joined together to flop the fugitive. —We now proceed, III. To fpeak of the properties of this captivity. Here we obferve, that it is, 1 . A fpiritual captivity, a captivity of the foul. The foul is the molt precious part of the -man : and therefore the captivity of it muft be the moil deplorable. All the captivity of men, if they were captives to the Turks or the raoft barbarous nations, extends but to the body. He whofe body is in the power of another, his foul and thoughts are as free as thofe of any. But Satan lays his bands upon the inner man, and, go the body as it will, he holds fall the man, in fo far as he holds fait the foul. And, 2. It is univerfal. It extends to all the powers and TO TI!' ? . CAP! IVES. I 25 and faculties of the foul, the inner man. The natural man's mind is Satan's captive : 1 Cor. ii. 14. " The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God ; for they are fooKftinefe unto him •, neither can he know them, becaufe they are fpiritually difcerned." The Lord formed the mind of man in him, and endowed it with knowledge, to be the guide of fhe whole man in the way of hap- pinefs ; to be the eye of the foul, to diltinguim be- twixt fin and duty; and the pilot, to direct his courfe through the feveral rocks and quickfands that lay betwixt him and the more of the upper Canaan. But in the engagement betwixtSatan and mankind, being wounded by the deceit of the tempter, Gen. iii. 5. it fell into the hands of the enemy, who robbed it of its light, and fhut up finners in darknefs. Hence they are faid to be darknefs, Eph. v. 8. They can- not fee the way to efcape : and withal, there is (truck up a falfe light in the mind, which, like wild-fire, leads the foul into pits and fnares, caufmg it to put fweet for bitter, and bitter for fweet, good for evil, and evil for good. They thus " glory in their fhame, and mind earthly things," Phil. iii. 19 — Again, the will is his cap- tive. They have a ftony heart, Ezek. xxxvi. 16. The Lord having endowed this faculty with righteoufnefs, and ftraightnefs with his own will, for, Eccl. vii. 29. « God made man upright," gave the will dominion over the man, that nothing, good or evil, could be done by him without it. But behold it fell likew-ife into the enemy's hands, who hath given it fuch a fet to the wrong fide, that no created power can again ftraighten it : Hence, 2 Thef.iii. 5. " The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God." He only can do it. Sa- tan holds it fo faft, that it cannot move without the Vol. Ill, L circle 126 JESyS I;1CCLAi;.I5 LIBERTY circle of evil he has drawn about it, nor cr.n it will any thing truly good in a right manner: Phil. ii. 1 3. " It is God that worketh in us, both to will and to do of his good pleafure." Satan hath loaded it with fuch heavy chains, that it cannot come to Chriil at his call, more than a mountain of brafs can come to a man at his call. " No man," faith Jefus, " can come unto me, except the Father who fent me draw him." — Farther, the affections alio are Satan's captives : Gen. vi. 5. " And God faw that the wickednefs of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." The af- fections being made perfectly holy, were fubjecr.- ed to the guidance of the mind, and the command of the will, and were fet in the foul to execute its holy contrivances and will. But they alfo were taken in this war with hell ; loofed from this bond of fubje&ion to the underftanding and will in thcfe things, but nailed to Satan's door-pofts to ierve him and his work in the foul for ever •, fo that they have no heart for the price put into their hand to get wifdom, and can have no heart to it. But the natural man's joys and delights are ar- retted within the compafs of carnal things, to- gether with his defires, forrows, and all his other afTecl-ions. 3. It is a hard and fore captivity. The Egyp- tians and Babylonians never treated their captives at the rate Satan does his. They are held bufy, and even bufy working their own ruin, kicking againll the pricks, digging for the grave as for hid treafures. It is their conftant work to feed their lulls, to (tarve their fouls ; and the defign cf their matter is, that the one may ruin the other. It is their daily employment, to weave fnares for their TO THE CAPTIVES. I 27 their awn feet, twift cords to bind then- (lives over to definition, and dig pits into whieh they may , fall, and never rife again. In fo far as fin is their work, they wrong their own fouls, Prov. viii. 36. and (hew themfelves in love with death. — This captivity is, 4. A perpetual captivity. A few years cap- tivity among men, how grievous is it ! And men will do what they can to be ranfomed. But this conquerer will never quit his captives, unlefs they be taken from him by Almighty power. Death at fartheft loofes other captives : " For in the grave," fays Job, iii. 18. 19. " the prifoners reft together, they hear not -the voice of the op- preflbr y and the fervant is. free from his mailer." D'pt thofe who die Satan's captives are fo far from being free, that they are enfured to him for ever and ever. Ln/?Iy, It is a voluntary captivity, and thus the more hopelefs : 1 Tim. ii. 26. il They are taken captive by Satan at bis will." They need not to be driven. They do not only go, but they run at his call : Rom. iii. 15. " Their feet aie fwift to med blood." Though they were taken in war, and born captives, yet now he is their mafter, by their own conieai and choice^ while theychufeto ferve the devil, and cannot be brought to give themfelves to the Lord. It is a bewitching capti- vity. The imner once captive to Satan, never cares for his liberty, unlefs grace changes his heart. lie glories in the badges of his ilavery ; iovts his work heartily, and is well pleated with. his condition. The gracious proclamation of li- berty by Chrift founds in his ears \ but he fays, I love my mafter, I will not go out free.— We are now, L 2 IV. To 128 JESUS PROCLAIMS LIBERTY IV. To make fome practical improvement, fiirft, In an life of conviction. Know then, and be convinced, O unconverted finner ! that thcu art the devil's captive. Are there not many who have never troubled their heads about their ftate, who never have had any thing like a work of grace or converfion upon their fpirits ? many in whom their hopeful beginnings have been all marred ? I would fay to every fuch one, Thou haft been hearing of the cafe of the. devil's captives, and thcu art the man, thcu art the woman, as fall: in his power as ever prifcners of war were in the hands of their conquerors. You will not believe it, and this is your fin, and alfo your mifery, Rev. iii. 17. Ycu will be ready to fign your- felves, and defy the devil ; though you have never been, by regenerating grace, delivered from the power of darknefs, and tranilated into the king- dom of Gcd's dear Son, Col. i. 13. But this is Satan's way with his captives, to put out their eyts : 2 Ccr. iv. 4. " He blinds the minds of them who believe not, left the light of the glorious gerfpel of Chrift, who is the image of God, fhould ihine unto them -" that they cannot know where they are, or who it is that has got hold of them. -Do you think, that it is only witches and v;izards who are the devil's captives I r*u, no, Satan may have a full pofTefhon of thy foul, though his name with thee be net Legion. Even praying people, i;nd great pretenders to religion, to righteoufnefs, and fobriety, and thofe who have turned to a itric~t courfe of life, much more to making a pro- feffion of religion, may ftill be children of hell, as our Saviour called the Scribes and Pharifees, Matth xxiii. 15. And all unregenerate ones are children of wrath, and the devil's captives. He is " the fpirit that now worketh in the children of TO THE CAPTIVES. I 2£ of difobedience -" and they are « the children of wrath," Eph. ii. 2. 3. Will you apply what was fpoken before for your conviction ? — Try your- felves. 1. Art thou not, O unconverted finner ! car- ried off from God's gracious prefence, into the kingdom of Satan, the kingdom of darknefs ? What knoweft thou of the light of God's counte- nance fhining on thy foul ? Certainly thou waft once darknefs, Eph. v. 8. Has there any fpiritual faving light broke up in your foul yet ? Has the long night of thy natural Hate had a morning yet ? Or are you not in the ftate in which you was born ? If you be net in darknefs, what means vour works of darknefs, and your not difcerning the tranfeendent excellence of Chrift ? 2. Are you not robbed and dripped of your fpiritual ornaments? Where is the flight of the mind, the righteoufnefs of the will, the holinefs of the affections, which man had before he fell into the enemy's hands, and which are reftored in fome meafure to the ranfomed of the Lord ? 3. Are you free to righteoufnefs ? are you not under the power of the conqueror ? How is it then that you have no power to refift a tempta- tion, that Satan can fo eafily carry you the way you know to be wrong, over the belly of reafon and confeience ? Nay, are not your lulls upon you like fetters, that you cannot move away from carnal things God-ward ? 4. Are you not quickly fpoiled of any begin- nings of good which you fometimes meet with ? You hear the word, but do net the fowls pick it away from you ? Have not all your convictions and refolutions gone off by degrees like a morning cloud ? How quickly has all the noife within your L 3 breaft IJQ JESUS FROCLAIMS LIBERTY bread been hufhed, and you ss much again in love with your lufts as ever ! Admit the conviction, then, for they who never faw themfelves Satan's captives are never yet made Chrift's free-men, John, viii. 32. 33. 44. 45. What think you, k the work of grace carried on in the foul as a morning-dream ? Are the devil's captives brought away, and never know that they were his captives ? What way can a foul embrace the proclaimed liberty to the captives, who never faw itfelf in this condition ?— Confider, that this will be the fir ft ftep to your liberty. The gofpel is fent " to open your eyes, and to turn you from darknefs to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that you may receive forgivenefs of fins, and an inheritance among them which are fan ttiiied by faith that is in Chrift," Acts, xxvi. 18. Chrift's Spirit begins his work with convic- tion of fin and mifery. He makes the captives to lee where they are, whofe they are, and what is the; cafe. This roufes them out of their lethar- gy, n.akes them prize this liberty ; it makes them glad to come away with their deliverer : « O If- rael, thou haft deftroyed thyfelf, but in me is thine help. 5 ' — This fubject may be improved, Secc?idly> In an ufe of exhortation. O captive exiles ! haften to be lcofed, that you may rot die in the pit, ar.d that your bread may not fail, I fa. li. 14. Stir up yourfelves to regain your liberty, and remain no longer at eafe in your captive condition. — Confider, 1. That a ihort time's continuance in this ftate will put you beyond a pcflibility of liberty : Eccl. ix. 10. " Wtoatfoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with nil thy might ; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wifdcm, in the grave, whither tjiou £oeft£ Thy life is. uncertain, and TO THE CAPTIVES. 1 3 I if death carry thee off in this condition, thou wilt be carried to the lower prifon, and then farewell liberty for ever and ever : Luke, xiii. 24. 25 " Strive to enter in at the {trait gate ; for many, I fay unto you, will feek to enter in, and fhall not be able. When once the mailer of the houfe is rifen up, and hath {but the door, and ye begin to (land without, and to knock at the door, faying, Lord, Lord, open to us ; and he (hall anfwer and fay unto you, I know you not, whence ye are." The fervant under the law, who, though he refufed his liberty at the end of fix years, yet received it in the year of jubilee. But whofo in this life refufe to come away from Satan's fervice, mall never fee a time afrer fot it. And when thou art clofed up in the net, it mud be without remedy ; it will be no comfort to think that you did not imagine it would have come to this. — Confider, 2. That now is the time of liberty : 2 Cor. vi, 2. M Behold, now is the accepted time ! behold, now is the day of falvation !" Chrift has paid a ranfom for Satan's captives, and the liberty 13 pro- claimed in the gofpel. Strike in with the feafon of grace, and come away with the Deliverer upon the giacious proclamation. Hear what Chrift is faying to you, Song, ii. 10. " Rife up, my love, my fair one, and come away." THE THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED. SERMON LIU. Is A. !xi. I. — To proclaim liberty to the captives. HAVING, in the preceding difcourfe, fpoke to the firft of the doctrines which we took from this part of the iubject, we go on to Doct. II. That Jefus Chrift, with the exprefs confent of his Father, has ifTued out his royal proclamation of liberty to Satan's captives : He hathfent me to proclaim liberty to the captives. In illuftrating this doctrine, we mall, I. Shew what this proclamation is. II. Explain what liberty is proclaimed in the gofpel to Satan's captives. III. Mention fome of the circumftances attend- ing this proclamation. And then, IV. Subjoin the improvement of the fubjecl:. We JESUS PROCLAIMS; &C"a 133 We are, I. To {hew what this proclamation is. Thi3 royal proclamation ifiued out by Jefus Chrift, is the gofpel, the glad tidings of falvation. The gofpel is the proclamation of the King cf heaven to poor finners, in which he proclaims liberty to all the captives of Satan, to whom it comes. The law lays the heavy yoke of the curfe upon finners, the gofpel brings the offer of liberty.— Here we obferve, 1. That it is a jubilee-proclamation. You have the law of jubilee, which was every fiftieth year, when {t\en time9 feven were over : Lev. xxv. 10. " And ye fhall hallow the fiftieth year, and prcclairn liberty throughout all the land, unto ?M the inhabitants thereof ; it mall be a jubilee unto you ; and ye {hall return every man into his pofTeilion, and ye (hall return every man unto his family." It was proclaimed by found of trum- pet, on the day of atonement, ver. 9. then all the poor flaves got their liberty, whether their mailers were willing to part with them or not j and all thofe who had been obliged to mortgage or fell their lands returned to the peffeffion of them a- gain. And fo it was a proclamation which made many a heart glad. Now, the gofpei is fuch a proclamation, and the time of it is a year of ju- bilee. Jefus came, Ifa. Ixi. 2. " To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of venge- ance of our Qod, to comfort all that mourn •," compare 2 Ccr. vi. 2. " Behold, now is the accept- ed time ! behold, now is the day of falvation !" O ! good news, finners, there was a day of atonement on the crofs, and now the trumpet of the gofpel foundeth, and there is a proclamation, bearing that Satan's captives may now have their liberty, tho' their mailer be not willing to part with them ; that 134 JESUS P ACCLAIMS LIBERTY that the mortgaged inheritance of heaven and God's favour, though forfeited, may be poflerTed *, poor criminals 2nd bankrupts may return to them • ; - 1 2. It is a cono^eror's proclamation to captives. Ihe king e£ Babylon took the Jews captive, and held them feventy years in captivity ; but God railed up Cyrus, Ifa. xlv. 1. — 4. and he overturned the Babylonian empire ; the deftruction of that kingdom was the deliverance of the Jews, for lie proclaimed liberty to them to return to their own land. This alfo was a type of the go! pel- procla- mation . Satan warred againft mankind, he car- ried them all captive into his own kingdom •, and there was none to deliver out of his hand. But King Jefus has engaged him, routed all his forces, overturned his kingdom, and taken the kingdom to himfelf : Col. ii. 15. " And having fpo ; ied principalities and powers, he made a (hew of them openly, triumphing over them in it." I John, iii. 8. " Tor this pmr.ofe the Son of God was manifested, that he might deftroy the works of the devil." And now being fettled on his throne, his royal proclamation is ifTued out, that Satan's captives may again return into the kingdom of God We mall now, II. Explain what liberty is proclaimed in the goipeJ to Satan's captives. This is the great fubjeel: of the proclamation ; ;md that you may fee the riches of this proclama- tion, know that Chrifr. by the gofpel proclaims to every poor (inner to whom it comes, j . Liberty from the power and ilavery of Sa- tan : Acts, xxvi. 18. " He turns them from the power of Satan unto God." Every one who is willing TO THE haphves. willing to quit their old mailer the devil, may come away without his leave. You are welcome to Jefus the conqueror, and the conquered tyrant fhall not have power to keep you. Now, " the Spirit and the bride fay unto you, Come ; and let him that heareth lay, Come; and let him that is a third come ; and whofoever will, let him take of the water of life freely," Rev. xxii. 17. He is a ftronji cue, but there is a ftronger one than he, who will break his yoke from off your necks, make his iron fetters to give way, like ropes which are burnt with fire. And though, as long as you are here, he will be molefting you, yet he fhall never, never gain his former power over you, and you fhall at length be completely freed from the leafl moleftation by him : " The God of peace fhall bruife Satan under your feet fhortly," Rom. xvi, 20. — He proclaims, 2. Liberty from the law as a covenant of works: Rom. vi. 14. " You are not under the law, but under grace." Satan's captives are under the law as a covenant of works, and it lays a heavy yoke upon them, namely, perfect obedience, under the pain of the curfe, Gal. iii. 1 o. " For as many as are of the works of the law, are under the curfe, for it is written, Curfed is every one that conti- nueth not in all things written in the book of the law, to do them." This curfe they carried away with them when they went into captivity, and it abides on them always, till they be loofed from it. Now, Chrift proclaims liberty from this curfe, of- fers to bring finners from under the dominion of the law, to be under grace, where there is no more curfe: Gal. iii. 13. " Chrift hath redeemed us from the curfe of the law." Here they are provided with a righteoufnefs imputed to them, and not let to feek it by their own works ; where, in I36 JESUS PROCLAIMS LIBERTY in cafe of Giuung, the utmoft penalty is fatherly chaftifement, Pfal. lxxxix. 30. — 33. Thus he offers to take off the law's yoke, to fet you with- out the reach of its curie, and to lay on his own yoke, which is eafy, Matth. xi. 29. — Jefus pro- claims, 3. Liberty from the dominion and bondage of fin : Rom. vi. 14. " Sin mall not have dominion over you.'' Satan's captives are all the drudges of fin. It does not only dwell in them, as it does in the bed, but it reigns over them, fills their hearts and hands continually with its work, {o that they can do nothing elfe but fin : Pfal. xiv. 3. " There is none that doeth good, no not one." It lays its commands on them, which are a law which they cannot difpute, but muft obey ; it has its feveral lufts in the heart, which are chains to them as its captives, the handles by which it holds them, and drags them after it. Now, Chrift pro- claims liberty from this, and his Spirit effects it : Rom. viii. 2. u The law of the Spirit of life in Chrift Jefus, makes them free from the law of fin and death." He will break fin's dominion, loofe the chains of unmortified lufts, and fet the prilbners free : John, viii. 32. " Ye ihall know the truth, and the truth fhall make you free." And though fin may dwell for a feafon, as an unclean, unwel- come gueft, he will at length extirpate it wholly. He proclaims, 4. Liberty from the ruining influence of this prefent evil world : Gal. i. 4. " Who gave himfelf for our fins, that he might deliver us from this prefent evil world, according to the wili of God and our Father." This world has a ruining in- fluence on Satan's captives. The things of this world work their deftru£t.ion, the fmiles of it are killing: Prov. i. 32. « The profperity of fools fhall TO IHE GABIlVftfi 137 fhall tfeftroy th'enh •," their bieffings are turned to curies j the frowns or it are eiifnaring and de- itructive. The god of this world mixes every cup with poifon. The men of this world are ruining one another ; and therefore it is faid, " Save yourfelves from this untoward generation," Acts, ii. 40. There is* a plague in Satan's family, and each member ferves to infect another, to con- vey fin and death to his fellow. But Jefus proclaims liberty from this peit-houfe ; you may be drawn out pf it, Jefus will pluck you as a brand out of the fire; why flay in it, while he proclaims liberty to you from it ? — Jefus proclaims, 5. Liberty from the fear, the terror of death and hell : Heb. ii. 15. " He delivers them who, through fear of death, were all their lifetime fub- ject to bondage." Satan's captives may for a time be fecure, fearing nothing ; but as foon as their confcience awakens, they will be filled with horror, as perceiving the approach of death and hell towards them ; they can have no comfort- able view of another life. Chrift proclaims li- berty from this ; if you will come to him, con- fcience fhall be pacified with the fprinkling of his blood, ye fhall be fet beyond the polTibility of pe- rifhing ; he will be to you an Almighty Saviour. — He proclaims, 6. Liberty from the fling of death and the evil of afflictions. Though Chrift, in his gracious proclamation, does not promife that fuch as obey his will in it mail never be afflicted \ yet he pro- mifes that afflictions fhall be fo far from doing them hurt, that they fhall do them good : Rom. viii. 28. " And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpofe :" That though they die, death fhall be to them unftinged, Vol. III. M Job:., 238 JESUS PROCLAIMS LIBERTY John, viii. 51." Verily, verily, I fay unto you, If a man keep my faying, he (hall never fee death." So that they may meet it with that triumphant fong» 1 Gor. xv. 55. "O death! where is thy fling ? O grave ! where is thy victory ?" It mall not be to them what it is to Satan's captives *, the ierpenrs ftirg, with which it kills the ferpent's feed, ftijrli be taken away ere it comes near them. — Jefus proclaims, 7, Liberty from the power of the grave : 1 Cor. xv. 55. quoted above. Ver. 57. " Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory, through Jefus Chriit our Lord." Satan's captives are laid up in their graves as in prifons ; and when they come out of them at the refurre&ion, death and the power of the grave will be flill hanging about them ; fo that they fhall but change one grave for a worfe, namely, for the lake of fire. But ChrihVs ranfomed ones, who come away on his proclama- tion of liberty, though they go to the grave, yet the power of it over them fhall be broken, death (hall have no more power ever them for ever. — He proclaims, S. Liberty from condemnation : Rom. viii. 1. " There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Chrift Jefus." All Satan's cap- tives are condemned malefactors: John, hi. 18. " He that b^lieveth not is condemned already." And the fentence fhall be folemnly pronounced againft them at the great day ; and fo they fhall be led away " into everlafting burnings, prepared for the devil and his angels," Matth. xxv. This is terrible ; but Chrift proclaims liberty from it. So foon as thou embraceft the offered liberty, the guilt of eternal wrath fhall be done away, thou fhalt be beyond the reach of condemnation ; your (landing on the right hand is fecured, and the fen- tence TO THE CAPTIVES. I 39 tence of folemn abfolution fhall follow. — He pro- claims, 9. Liberty of free accefs to Go 1, with holy bold net's : Rom. v. 1.2. " 13eing juihfied bv faith* we have peace with God through our Lord Jefus Chri't, by whom alfo we have accefs by faith in- to this grace wherein we itand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." Now, the captive exiles are baniihed from the prefence of God ; they can have no accefs to him, nor communion with him. But our Lord, by his death, has opened the two- leaved gates of his Father's houfe, and gives free liberty, by open proclamation, to Satan's captives, leaving their mafter to come in. They have ac- cefs by one Spirit to the Father.— Jefus proclaims, Lajihi Liberty, that is, freedom of fpirit in the fervice of God : 2 Cor. Hi. 1 7. " Where the Spi- rit of the Lord is, there is liberty." The Spirit of Chrift is called a free fpirit, becaufe he makes free. Satan's captives may yield fome obedience to God, i»ut it is burdenfome, becaufe they act therein as ilaves, from a flaviih fear of hell and wrath. But ChriiYs free nten act, from a nobler principle, love: Rom. viii, 15. «« For ye have not received the fpirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the fpirit of adoption, whereby ye cry, Abba, Father :" — 1 John, iv. 1 8. " There is no fear in love, but perfect love cafteth out fear ; becaufe fear hath torment : he that feareth is not made per- fect in love." — We now proceed, III. To mention fome of the circumftances at- tending this proclamation — Here we obferve, l. That the law on which it is founded was the eternal agreement of the glorious Trinity for man's redemption. The eternal law of love and good- will to poor iinners, by which it was provided, M 2 that 140 JESUS PROCLAIMS LIBERTY that upon the Son of God's laying down his life a ranfom for an elect world, they mould be deli- vered from the captivity of fin and Satan, and be made God's freemen •, which the eternal Son en- gaged to do. Accordingly, in the fulnefs of time he did it, and thereby purchafed their liberty. — We obferve, 2. That the proclamation was drawn up, and is recorded in the Bible, by the Holy Spirit : Ifa. lv. i. " Ho ! every one that thirfleth, come ye to the waters •, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy 2nd eat ; yea, come, buy wine and milk, without money and without price." And what is the whole Bible but a declaration of this liberty, with pro- mifes to thofe who accept of, and threatenings to thofe who refufe it. The truth and reality of this declaration is fealed by the blood of Chrift : " This," faid he, " is the New Teftament in my blood." So that there is not the leafl ground to doubt its truth. — We obferve, 3. That this proclamation is iffued out by our Lord Jefus Chrift, with the confent of his Father and the Spirit. The Father has fent him to proclaim liberty to the captives. The Spirit fays, Come. A whole Trinity invites Satan's captives to liberty. They have no will that the captive exile mould die in the pit : Ezek. xviii. 23. " Have I any pleafure at all that the wicked mould die ? faith the Lord God ; and not that he mould return from his ways, and live ?" — We obferve, 4. That this proclamation is directed to men, to the fons of men : Prov. viii. 4. " LTnto you, O men, do I call, and my voice is to the fons of men." Not to fallen angels, they are excluded from the benefit of the purchafed liberty. But the captives in the land of the living, thefe prifoners of hope, to them is the proclamation directed, without ex- ceDtiou TO THE capiives. r 4 1 eeption of great, yea, even the greateft of Turners : Rev. xxii. 17. " Whofoever will, may take of the water of life freely." — Ifa. i. 18. "Come now, and let us reafon together, faith the Lord ; though your fins be as fcarlet, they fhall be White as mow j though they be red like crimfon, they fhall be as wool." Such are invited, though they have often refufed their liberty, and though they have gone back into their captivity We obferve, 5. That the firft crier of this proclamation was the Son of God in his own perfon. He made this proclamation firft in paradiie : Gen. Hi. 15. " The feed of the woman fhall bruife the head oi the fer- pent." Afterwards he took on him man's nature : Then came and proclaimed it : Heb. ii. 3. " The gofpel at the firil began to be fpoken unto us by the Lord." And he fealed it with his mod precious blood, though there were but few who came a~ way upon the proclamation made by him : " Who hath believed our report ? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed ?" is the complaint of the prophet Ifaiah. — We obferve, 6. That, being afcended into heaven, he has appointed criers in his name, the mmifters of the gofpel, to publifh this proclamation, and to invite tinners to accept of this liberty : 2 Cor. v. 20. " Now then, we are embaffadors fcr Chrift, as though God did befeech you by us : we pray you, in Chrifl's flead, be ye reconciled unto God." This is our work, to proclaim it unto you, to make you fenfible that liberty is purchafed, and of- fered unto you. We are the voice of the great crier •, Chrill cries to you by us. — We obferve, Lajily, That the place where the proclamation is ordered to be made is in this world : Mark, xvi. 15. " Go ye," faid Jefus to his difciples, « into M 3 . all: 142 JESUS PROCLAIMS LIBERTY all the world, and preach the gofpel to every crea- ture." As for thofe who are gone into the other world, the proclamation can reach them no more-, the prifoners there are without hope. But while you are in this world, the proclamation is to you, and particularly when in thofe public aflemblies, where the Lord's people are gathered together to hear it : Prov. i. 20. 21. " Wifdom crieth with- out, (he uttereth her voice in the ftreets ; (he crieth in the chief place of concourfe, in the open- ings of the gates, in the city fhe uttereth her words." —It only remains, IV. That we make fome improvement of the fubje£r.. This fhall be confined to an ufe of ex- hortation. We would exhort you, O captives of Satan ! to comply with the defign of this proclamation of li- berty •, we befeech you, receive not this grace of God in vain. — To be more particular, we exhort you, 1. To be convinced of % your ftate of captivi- ty, deceive not yourfelves with thoughts of liber- ty, while you are really ferving divers lufts. Till you fee your captive ftatc, what hope can there be of good to be obtained by the proclamation of liberty ? — We exhort you, 2. To be willing to come away and forfake your old m after and his fervice. Ah !. may not the time pad fufrice to have done the will of the ilefTi ? 1 Pet. iv. 3. You have been long under this cap- tivity ; had the youngeft of you been as long a Have to any man as you have been to Satan, you would have been weary of your fituation long ere now. O ! drive that, your fpirits may be raifed to- wards your being free, and walk no more content- edly in your chains of divers lulls. You will lay, you TO THE CAPTlVESi tou are not able to come away ; but if you were willing, you would not be allowed to remain in your captive date. — We exhort you, 3. To be ail'ected at the heart with the news of the proclamation of liberty. Do not hear it unconcernedly, but hear as thofe who are nearly concerned in the matter. Take a view of the Wretched ftate you are in, and wonder that there is yet hope. How glad were the Ilraelites in E- gypt and Babylon of the notice they had of their liberty ! Thy captivity is a thoufand times worfe, and thy heart fhould leap within thee at the voice of the deliverer. — We exhort you, Laftiy, To accept of the proclaimed liberty, and come away with the deliverer. Give up with your nid mailer, lay by his work, bid farewell to his kingdom, as never to remain more in it. Shake off your fetters refolutely, and embrace cordially the offered liberty of the fons of God. — To pre- vail with you in doing this, we prefent you with the following Motives. Mot. 1. Confider that the captivity you are in is a mo ft miferable bondage and ilavery ; Egyp- tian, Babylonifh, and Tuvkifh ilavery and capti- vity, all in one, are not fufficient to reprefent it. And this will appear, if you conGder, {1.) That the mailer is the devil. While thou art in thy natural ftate, thou art the devil's cap- tive and bond-fervant, 2 Tim. ii. 26. and that by a threefold title, — as taken in war, 2 Pet. ii. 19. — as bought by him at a low rate, " ye fold yourfelves for nought," Ifa. lii. 3. and — as born in his houfe, Matth. xxiii. 15. Therefore ye are called to for- get that houfe, Pfal. xlv. 10. and to come out of his family, and touch not the unclean thing, 2 Cor. vi. 17. How wretched mufh that bondage be where the devil is mafter ! Sure he is a cruel and IJ4 JESUS PROCLAIMS LIBERTY and mercilefs matter, who will take pleafure in thy miferies. Do we efteem the cafe of thofe wretches (o horrible, who, by exprefs compact, are become his ? and will we yet contentedly con- tinue in bondage to the fame mailer ? — Confider, (2.) That the work is fin, called the works of darknefs, Rom. xiii. 12. None of his captives are fuffered to be idle, he puts a tafk in their hands, which they rauft fulfil. One of two things they are always doing, while out of Chrill y — either weaving the fpider's web, working that which will not profit at the latter end, more than fuch a web will be a garment ; or — hatching the cockatrice- egg, doing mifchief and wickednefs, that will re- coil upon you, to your own deftruclion. This dunghill-work Satan employs his captives in, is moil unbecoming the heaven-born foul Con- fider, (3.) That the provifion and entertainment, is bad and unfatisfying : Ifa. lv. 2. " Wherefore do you fpend money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which fatisfieth not ?" The beft of this fort, which the natural man has, is to eat duft with the ferpent, to fuck the breaft of filthy lulls, which, though it may feaft one's cor- ruptions, poifons the foul \ or to eat hufks with the fwirie, Luke, xv. 16. to feed on the empty things of the world, which can afford no nourish- ment. Thus, while you afk from him4)read, he gives you a ftone ; while you afk a fifh, he gives you a fcorpion. — Confider, (4.) That the wages of this work is death: Rom. vi. 23. " For the wages of fin is death." Preient death, fpiritual, in the feparation of their fouls from God, for from every natural man God is depart- ed, whether he knows it or not. Death tempo- ral, to come, armed with its fling, and provided with TO THE CAPTIVES. 145 with the envenomed arrows of the curfe. And death eternal in hell, where they (hall be ever dying, but never {hall die. O ! ihall not the con- fident ion of thefe things move you to accept of liberty, and come away from fuch a mafter, fuch work, fuch provifions, and fuch wages ? Aiot. 2. The liberty proclaimed is moll excellent and glorious liberty, Rom. viii. 21. ; the glorious liberty of the fons of God -, which may create the mod furpaflmg joy in the world. The glory and excellency of it will appear, if we confider, (r.) The purchaftr of it is Chrift the King of glory. He it is by whom we have the goipel- jubilee proclaimed in the text. He is the victo- rious Monarch, who has overcome Satan, and gives liberty to his captives. He is our near kinf- inan, who has redeemed us by payment of a price, a coftiy price, even his own precious blood. It was the honour of the Jews, that they had their liberty by Cyrus ; but how much more honour- able is it, to have liberty by Chrift ! And when fuch an on&has purchafed for us liberty, will not you accept it ? — Confider, (2.) The ranfom paid for it : 1 Peter, i. 18. 19. " Forafmuch as ye know that ye were net re- deemed with corruptible things, as filver and gold, from your vain convention, received by tra- dition from your fathers •, but with the precious blood of Chrift, as of a lamb without blemifh, and without fpct." Never was fuch a ranfom paid for the greateft captive king among men, as for us wretched Turners ; even the blood of God. He compaiiionated the cafe of the poor captives, laid by the robes of his glory, put his neck under the yoke of the law, endured the wrath of God, the fting of death, and the rage of hell; and all to pur- chafe this liberty for us. — Confider, (3.) The I46 JESUS PROCLAIMS LIJBEMY (3.) The party to whotti it was paid, to God, even his own Father : • jef v. 2. "• He gave him- ■ fclf an offering and 1 facrftke to God, lor a fweet- fmelling favour. " Satan is but the jailor and exe- cutioner, into whdfe hands men fell, bein'g con- demned by the Judge] to whom alofie theianfom was due. Hence, in reipecl: of Satan, his captives are faid to be redeemed without money, If. lii. 3. They are to be fet at 'liberty by main force, being violently wrefted out of his hand, Ifa. xlix. 25 — Confider, (4.) The glorious privileges attending this liber- ty. It is not a naked freedom, which yet would -be valuable, but pregnant with many precious pri- vileges. I have told you already, that it is a li- berty from the power of Satan, from the law as a covenant, &c. But befides thefe, many pofitive bleffings and privileges attend it ; fuch as, the freed captives are made free men of the New Je- rufalem, they are made citizens of heaven on earth, and are burgeiTes there : Ephef. ii. 1 9. " They are no more ftrangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the faints, and of the houfe- hold of God." They are incorporated with the fociety of faints and angels, of whom Chrift is the head. They who had their lot before in the kingdom of darknefs, their lot then falls in thefe pleafant places. — The freed captives are made chil- dren of the family of heaven : 2 Cor. vi. 18." And I willbe a father untoyou, and ye fhallbemyfons and daughters, faith the Lord Almighty." So it is the liberty of the fons of God. For God makes all the freed flaves, fons of his houfe \ and whatever children may expect from a father, able and will- ing to do for them, this they may expeel; from God. — The freed captives are all made nrit-born : Heb. xii. 23. " The general affemblv and church oi rO TH<-; CAPTIVES. I47 of the fir it-born, which are written in heaven." This excellence of dignity and power is put up- on them, they are thus highly advanced. As it was with Jofeph, he not only got his liberty, but was made lord over Egypt, where he had been a (lave : fo the freed captive is made king : Rev. i. 6. " And hath made us kings and prieils unto God and his Father." This is accompliihed in them all, Ifa. xiv. 2. " They fhall rule over their oppreflbrs." They get maftery over their lufis, and fhall at laft triumph over Satan, Rom. xvi. 20. They fhall fit and judge him, i Cor. vi. 3. They are made priefts alfo, to offer up facrifices of praife to God, Rom. xii. 1. O what a change of their work ! They are all heirs of God, and re- ceive the double portion. There is not any thing which fuch an one gets, but it is twice as much and good as that which a captive of Satan has. The blefling is the beft half ; this the captives of Satan want. — Laftly, When their minority is over, they fhall have a perfect liberty, with the affluence of all things, to an entire completing of their happinefs, Rom. viii. 21. O the glorious day abi- ding ChriiVs free men ! Now they have got the word, Roll away the (lone, Lazarus come forth: but then this will be added, Loofe him and let him go. The great day will begin their eternal jubilee; when death the laft enemy fhall be deftroyed, then fhall foul and body return to the full poffef- fionof the mortgaged inheritance, and the perfect freedom from their captivity. — Confider, (5.) The unchangeablenefs of this liberty, When once a captive is freed by Chrift, all the power and policy of hell cannot bring him back again into bondage : John, x. 28. " And I will give unto them eternal life : and they mall never perifh ; I48 JESUS PROCLAIMS LIBERTY perifh ; neither (hall any one pluck them out < * my hand." See how Paul boafts of this, Rom. viii. 38. 39. It is true, were there none to pre- ferve this liberty but the believer himlelf, it might be loft ; but it is infallibly guarded againft the gates of hell, by the unalterable decree of God, 2 Tim. ii. 19. ; by his unchangeable love and covenant; by the continual indwelling of the Spirit, and the prevalent interceflion of Chrift. LaJJly, Confider the eternity of this liberty. Death does not put a clofe to this liberty, but ra- ther gives a new beginning to it •, it {hall continue for ever, they fhall live for ever and ever in the enjoyment of it. Thus life and death are fet before you, will you accept this liberty or not ? May I not fay, " How fhall ye efcape, if ye neglecx fo great fai- vation ?" Heb. ii. 3. — Confider, 1. That it is moll unreafonable to refufe it, to remain in captivity after the proclamation of li- berty is ifiuedl Would men but make their rea- fbn judge betwixt Chrift and them, there would be no fear of the caufe, Jofh. xxiv. 15. Who would refufe their liberty, if they might be made free ? liberty from fuch a m after and fuch work, &c. ; liberty purchafed from fuch a glerious per- fon, by the glorious King, at fuch a ranfom, &c. Confult your reafon, your intereft, and will you prefer the pleafures of fin for a feafon, to the eternal rivers of pleafures at pod's right hand ? — Confider, 2. That every refufal makes your captivity the more firm and hopelefs. Satan bores the ear of finners anew to his door-poft on every refufal. Hence none fo hard to win, as thofe who have refufed many gofpel-calls. Tyre and Sidon would be much eafier wrought upon, than Choiazin and Bethfaida, TO THE CAPTIVES. I49 Bethfaida, Matth. xi. 21. Eze'<. iii. 7.; wild Americans, than Scotfm jn. For when the gofpel does not {"often the heart, it is hardened under it. — Confider, 3. That by refufmg this liberty, you become the murderers of your own fouls : Prov. viii. 39 " He that finneth againft me, wrongeth his own ibul ; all they that hate me, love death." Hear, finners, how our Lord expoftulates with you on this point, Ezek. xviii. 31. 32. " Caft away from vou all your tranfgreilions, whereby ye have tranf- greiTcd, and make you a new heart, ar.d a new fpirit ; for why will ye die, O houfe of Ifrael ? Tor I have no pleafure in the death of him that dieth, faith the Lord God : Wherefore turn your- felves, and live ye." You have the poifonous cup of your fins at your head, will ye drink it ? ye fay, ye cannot help it, ye muft dtink it off: Our Lord fays, Throw it away, it will be your death if you do not. Come to me, and I will free you from this miferable bondage to Satan and your lufts, fo that they mail not have that power over you which they have had. Well, if you will not comply, you are murderers of your own foul with a witnefs, as really as if ye did wilfully drink up a cup of poifon, or dabbed yourfelves with a fword . — Con fider, 4. That if you refufe, you make the Deliverer your enemy, and fhall not efcape, Heb. ii. 3. The Deliverer will turn your deflroyer, for ne- glecting his falvation. The Lamb of God will be as a lion to you, for flighting his offers of grace. They who know not God, and who obey not the gofpel of our Lord Jefus Chrift, fhall be punifned with everlafting deitruttion from the prefence of the Lord, and the glory of his power, 2 ThefT. i. 8. 9. As the foureft vinegar is made of the Deft Vol. III. N wins J50 JESUS PROCLAIMS LIBtRTY wine, fo the fierceft wrath arifes from flight- ing the greateft grace, Prov. i. 24. — 31. — Confi- der, 5. That ye know not how foon ye may be be- yond the reach of the proclamation of liberty, Luke, xiii. 24. 25. The voice of it is not heard on the other fide of death, to which we are faft making way. Do you not fee, as in Pfal. xc. 9. that " we fpend cur days as a tale that is told ?" A r.ew-y ear's day, and other days adjoining to it, are very ill chofen for revelling, jollity, and carnal mirth ; they fuit it nearly as ill, as does the pre- tended day of Chrift's birth, commonly called Yule-day. Alas ! they will give themfelves the loofe run in thefe things, becaufe they are now a year nearer the grave and eternity than they were ; be- caufe they are entered on a new year, the end of which it may be they fhall never fee. If people will make a difference between fuch days and others, it would be moft fuitable in thefe days, to take a folemn ferious view of eternity, and to be making preparations for that day, which will put 3n end to their years. However, let this time put you in mind of death's approach, and refufe not the offer of grace, which you will have no more, when once death has carried you off the ftage *. — Confider, JLaft/y, That your judgement will be more grievous than that of thefe who never heard the gofpel, if you do not come away upon the procla- mation : Matth. xi. 22. " But I fay unto you, It fhall more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon, at the day of judgement, than for you." Remember double (tripes are for him who knew his matter's will, and did it not ; and the hotteft place in hell * It would appear, that this dSfccurfe was delivered the ferft day, or at leaft the firft Sabb2th of a new year. TO THE CAPTIVES. IJt hell will be for gofpel-defpifers. ?>Ten may have their lulls and finful courfes cheaper in the dark corner of the earth, than in a land of light. We conclude with the following advices. — Labour to get a jufl efleem of your fouls, and a due fenfe of what concerns another life. The foul is the man, as being the beft part of the man, the lofs of which nothing can ever counterbalance : Matth. xvi. 26. "For what is- a man profited, if lie fhould gain the whole world, and lofe his own foul ? or what ihall a man give in exchange for his foul ?" The other life is the life chiefly to be cared for, fince that only is the life which will have no end ; and a man is happy or unhap- py, as his plan for that life is well or ill laid. — Be fenfible of the real drudgery of fin. It is as real a fervitude as ever was in the world, v/hile men ferve divers lulls. This is clear from the very light of nature : the confideration of the noble nature of the foul, with the experience of the ty- ranny of unruly paffions, made fome heathen moralids to lay it down as a principle, That a wile man is a free man. — Wherefore, believe that a holy life is the only true liberty : Pfal. cxix. 44. 45. " So (hall I keep thy law continually, for ever and ever. And I will walk at liberty ; for I feek thy precepts." He, then, who has the ma- fiery over his own corrupt will and inclinations, who walks in the way of God's commandments, is a perfon the mod free and eafy. — Laftly, Come to Chrift for his redeeming blood and free Spirit. Renounce the devil, the world, and the rlefh. Receive and improve Jefus as made of God un- to you, wifdorn, righteoufnefs, fanctification, and redemption. Amen. N 2 jESUS JESUS OPENS THE PRISON-DOORS TO THE PRISONERS, SERMON L1V. Isa. Ixi. I . — And the opening of the prifon to the;; that are bound. XT ERE is another benefit which, in the gofpel, [ is brought by Chrift to finners who are in their natural ftate, namely, a proclamation as to opening the prifon to the'priibners. In this there are two things. i. The miiery of a natural ftate, which is here laid out in its full extent, in three particulars. You have heard that unconverted finners are Sa- tan's captives \ this is a fad cafe, but it is yet worfe ; for, (i.) They are alfo prifoners. Every captive is not a prifoner, but all natural men, being Satan's captives, are held prifoners, fhut up in the prifon of their natural ftate. This is Satan's prifon, crammed full of his prifoners of war. But this is not all ; for, (2.) They are prifoners in chains, they are bound in JESUS OPENS THE PRISON-DOORS, &C. X53 in the prifon. Satan Ir.s his irons on them, as malefactors under fentence of death, tint they may not efcape. This is 1 till worfe than being a prifoner. But worfe than all this is here dated ; for, (3.) They are blinded too in their prifon. For the word rendered opening, does particularly re- late to the opening the eyes •, and therefore the prophet ufes it to exprefs the relieving of fuch priibners perfectly. This is evident by compa- ring Luke, iv. 18. " And recovering of fight to the blind, to fet at liberty them who are bruifed.' 5 It was a cuftom much ufed in the ealtern nations, and retained among the Turks to this day, to put out the eyes of fome of their prifoners, adding this mifery to their imprifonment. So the Phi- liltines did with Samfon, Judges, xvi. 21.; and Nebuchadnezzar with Zedekiah, 2 Kings, xxv. ". This, in a fpiritual fenfe, is the cafe of all pri- foners in their natural (late. To fum up all, O unconverted finner ! thou art Satan's captive, a captive in prifon, and a prifoner in chains •, and withal thine eyes are put out, thou art in darknefs, even darknefs itfelf. — In the words there is, 2. A fuitable remedy, full help proclaimed bv Chrift in the gcfpel. God has ic^n the mifery of the prifoners, his Son has paid the ranfom for them, and thereupon he is fent to proclaim the opening of the prilbn-doors to them, opening every way to them ; for this exprelhon comprehends the affording full remedy to their cafe ; namely, opening their prifon, — opening their chains, — ■ and opening their eyes. By his word he offers it, by his Spirit he effects it, in all his elect.— From this fubject we propofe to your confederation the following Doctrines : N 3 Doct. 154 JESUS OPENS THE FRISON-DGORS Doct. I. That every unconverted Tinner is a bound man in the prifon of a natural ftate, with his eyes put out. Doct. II. That by open proclamation in the go- fpel, Chrift offers to the prifoners in a natural ftate, an opening of their eyes, of their bands, and of their prifon-doors. We begm with Doct. I. That every unconverted finner is a bound man in the prifon of a natural ftate, with his eyes put out. For illuftrating this doctrine, we (hail, I. Speak of the imprifonment in which guilty fmners are. II. Mention the bands, chains, and fetters wherewith they are bound in the prifon of a na- tural ftate. III. Point out the darknefs and blindnefs of the prifoners in their natural ftate. I. We are to confider the imprifonment in which unconverted fmners are. This prifon is the natural unconverted ftate 5 and thus that word, 1 Pet. hi. 19. " By which alfo he went and preached to the fpirits in prifon," is by fome underftood. However, it is plain that this is meant in our text. Thus Peter faid to Simon the forcerer : Acts, viii. 23. " For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitternefs, and in the bond of iniquity." Thus fmners in their natural ftate, are faid to be all concluded under fin, and fhut up under the law, Gal. iii. 22. 23. Con- eluded or ftiut up, that is, declared to be fc. Let us confider, then, the natural ftate as a ftate of imprifonment. TO THE PRISONERS. I 55 imprifonment. Here we (hail anfwer the three following Questions : i. Whofe piifoners are they ? 2. What are the caufes of chis imprifonment? —And, 3. In what condition are natural men, as pri- soners in this their natural itate ? We begin with, ^iieft. 1 . Whofe prifoners are they ? (1.) Unconverted Turners are God's prifoners^. as the great Judge and party whom they have of- fended : Rom. \i. 32. " God hath concluded /them ail in unbelief." There are two things in a natural ftate. — The finfulnefs of it j they can do nothing bul fin. Move they cannot without that circle, more than a prifoner out of Lis prifon. — The mifery of it. They are under the curfe : Gal. iii. ic. This laft, God, as a juft Judge, in- flicted on mankind for the breach of the covenant of works ; and while this lies upon them, there can be no communion betwixt God and them, and confequently nothing but fin in them ; and fo they are all concluded under fin. (2.) They are Satan's prifoners. He acts as the jailor, and is therefore faid to have the power of death, Heb. ii. 14. Man, having freely yielded to Satan, and become his captive, was delivered up into his hand by the Judge. They are under the power of Satan, Acts, xxvi. 18. He keeps the keys of this prifon, and watchfully marks his prifoners, that none of them efcape. Nay, when the commandment is come, to deliver the elect, out of his hand, he will not yield them up, till the prifon-doors be broke open, and they are for- cibly taken out of his hand. £>ueft. 2. What are the caufes of this impri- fonment P I 56 JESUS OPENS THE PRISON-DOORS fonment ? — As to this we obferve, that they are in prifon, (1.) As debtors to divine juftice. Sin is a debt, and the worft of all debts; committing fin is contracting a debt, which finners are unable to pay. But it muft be paid ; a fatisfa&ion muft be made to juftice to the utmoft farthing. As to natural men, their debt is not forgiven. All their accounts ftand uncancelled. They have as yet no fhare in the Cautioner's payment. Therefore they are kept in this prifon juftly for their debt, and they cannot efc ape. They were laid up there for our father Adam's debt. This debt brought all mankind into the prifon, Rom. v. 12. " Where- fore, -as by one man fin entered into the world, znd death by fin ; and fo death palled upon all men, for that all have finned." The covenant be- ing- broken, we became liable to pay the penalty, and, being unable to relieve ourfelves, were fhut up in prifon under the wrath and curfe of God. They are alfo arrefted there for their own debt, contra £ted in their own perfons. Every finful thought, word, or action, is a new item in our ac- counts. And at the inftance of every broken commandment, the law arrefts the natural man in the prifon, clapping its curfe upon the finner ; fo that the longer one remains in their natural ftate, there is always the lefs hope of their deli- very. Nay, their delivery is impoflible, till the Cautioner loofe all the arrefts, by paying the whole debt. (2. ) They are in prifon as malefactors condemn- ed in law : John, iii. 18. « He that believeth not is condemned already. There is a fentence of death pafled upon all men in a natural ftate, they are condemned to die eternally ; and therefore are committed to the jailor, to keep them in the prifon. TO THE PRISONERS. I57 prifon to the day of execution, which they know not how foon it may be appointed, how foon death may lead out the prifoner to have the fen- tence fully executed upon him. — I go on to, £hiej}. 3. In what condition are natural men as prifoners in this their natural flate ? — Their condition is moft difmal ; for, (1.) They are under the wrath of God, as the malefactor put in prifon is under the wrath of his judge. Hence it is faid, Eph. ii. 3. " And were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." A natural ftate is a (late of wrath. God bears a legal e.-niity againit thee as long as thou art out of Chriit. There is a black cloud of wrath which always hovers over the head of the natural man, and never will fcatter till he be a new creature. God is ever angry, never pleated with him : Pfal. vii. it. " God is angry with the wicked everyday." — His perfon is not acceptable to God: Pfal. v. 5. " The foolilh (hall not (land in his fight, and he hateth all the workers of iniquity." Nor are his performances acceptable to God, lia. Ixvi. 3. God will have no communion nor fellow- fhip with him : Amos, iii. 3. " Can two walk to- gether except they be agreed ?" There is wrath in his word, his locks, and difpenfations towards him. (2.) They are both under the dominion of the law, and alfo under the the lafh of it : Gal. iii. 10. " For as many as are of the works of the law, are under the curfe, for it is written, Curfed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law, to do them." it has him as faft in its hands as ever a priibner was. It has him by the neck, faying, Pay what thou oweft ; and will never quit the hold through the ages of eternity, unlefs he get the Surety that is able to take it otF his I58 JE.SUS OPENS THE PRISON-DOORS his hand. Its demands are high, quite above his reach; perfect fatisfaction for what is pad; perfect obedience for what is to come. It is a merciiefs creditor, and will abate thee nothing. As iung as thou art in its power, (and that is as long as thou art in this priibn), thou muft lay thy account with the payment of the utmoft farthing. What though the fentence is not fpeedily executed ? a re- prieve is no pardon, Deut. xxxii. 35. (3.) They are under the power of Satan, as the keeper of the prifon, Acts, xxvi. 18. He has a, commanding and a reftraimiig power over them, 2 Tim. ii. 26. " They are in the fnare c : the de- vil, and taken captive by him at his wilL ' They cannot move out without the bounds of his jurif- di&ion, more than the prifoner out of the dun- geon. It is true, Satan keeps not all alike clofe, fome have the liberty of the form of godiinefs, on account of which they reckon themielves fecure as to the goodnefs of their date, and by this ddu- fiott they are held the fader in his hands. (4.) They are in a mod uncomfortable condition. If a perfon was in a palace as a prifon, it would be uncomfortable ; far more in this cate, the pit wherein is no water has nothing to refrelh the foul, Zech. ix. ji. It is true, mod natural men- are ilupid, they confider it not j they are blind, and they fee not the fhadow of death about them. But when once their eyes are opened, there is no more reft for them there •, they cry, " What fhall we do to be faved ?" They fee the hlthy prifon- garments of unmodified, unpardoned fins about them, which they can no longer wear ' at eafe. The fcanty allowance of the prifoner's diet, un- blended mercies, which can ferve for nothing but to keep in the wretched life till the day of execu- tion. (5.) They TO THE PRISONERS. 1 $f (5.) They have no fecurity for a moment's fafety ; but if their eyes were opened, they would fee themfelves every moment in hazard of dropping into the pit of hell 5 fee the natural man's cafe, Pfal. vii. 11. — 16. He is ever ftanding before God's bent bow, and has nothing to fecure him for a moment from the drawing of it. He is con- demned already, and the fentence is paft ; no day known for the execution, uncertain but every day the dead- warrant may be given out agamft him, and he led forth to execution. What can he fee to put it off, but long abuied patience which will wear out at length ? (6.) -They are fo fecured, that they can never get away without fatisfac?tion for their debts and crimes. There is no breaking this prifon. Sooner may bars of iron and gates of brafs be got over, than a prifoner can get out of the ftate of wrath without fatisfying the demands of the law. And therefore the (inner will die in this prifon, if he come not to Chrift. There is no getting out of this pit but by the blood of the covenant. For the improvement of this part of the fub- je£t, — O! Sirs, be concerned to look to the ftate of fin in this glafs, and be ye duly affecled with it, iiS the matter requires. Confider, finner, where you are, and in what condition. — Is the ftate of' iin a prifon -ftate ? Then who are the men that walk at liberty ? Is it not thefe whofe confciences are purged by faith in Chrift, whofe guilt is re- moved, who walk after the Spirit, and lead a holy, heavenly, circumfpeel: life ? Or is it thofe who, fcorning to be bound up to the rules of a holy walk, can ftretch their confciences at their nlealure, and take to themfelves a finful liberty, which others dai -, not ior their fouls, who can laugh at thofe things for which others mourn, and follow their lufts l6o JESUS OPENS THE PRrSOK-DOORS lufts to the ruin of their fouls ? Truly no. Ail that finful liberty which thofe do take, and all the pleafures which they have in it, is but the rattling of the chains of the devil's prifoners, while they go up and down in their prifon. — Is the Hate of fin a ftate m which ye can quietly fleep another night ? It is a Sodom on which fire and brim- ftone will come down. Hafte ye, and efcape for your life. Ah ! finner, can ft thou be at eafe in a ftate of wrath ? The world, it may be, fmiles upon thee ; it may be that it frowns ; but what of either of thefe, while God is angry with thee every day ? Thou haft perhaps ibmething for many years for thy body, it may be nothing ; but what fecurity haft thou for thy foul, when de^th fhall call thee hence, thou knoweft not how foon ? — Is the work of converfion to God a flight bufmefs, about which perfons are under fmall neceffity to trouble their heads ? Surely it is a molt weighty bufinefs, which, if it be not done, there is nothing at all done for eternity. Let men in an unconverted ftate put on what appearances of religion they will, perform what duties they will, they are but dead works, wrought in Satan's prifon, and leave the worker in a ftate of death. Turn, turn ye, then, from your fins unto God, cry for regenerating fanclify- ing grace, reft not till you get it. — Will you not eagerly embrace the offer made you in the pro- clamation of opening the prifon to thefe that are bound ? Chrift is come to your prifon-door, of- ' fering by his blood and Spirit to fet you free. Are you willing to come away ? or are you fo in love with your prifon as not to care for deliver- ance. -We are, II. To mention the bands, chains, and fetters, with TO THE PRISONERS. 1 6 1 with which unconverted finners are bound in the prifon of a natural (late. Thefe are twofold, God's and Satan's — There are, i. God's bands, for they are his prifoners ; and thefe are heavier than the heavier! irons ever were on prifoners ; for, (r.) There are bands of guilt and the curfe on them all, by which the law binds them over to wrath, Gal. iii. 10. Guilt is a bond binding over the finner to deferved punimment The curfe of the law devotes him to deftruction. Thefe, worfc than iron fetters, enter into the foul ; and while they lie on perfons, they cannot ftir out of the prifon, nor make their efcape. No fooner is the foul awakened to feel them, than it feels them heavier than can be borne. (2.) There are the bands of judicial hardnefs on fome. Thofe with whom the Lord has been long dealing, who will not hear, but harden them- felves againft calls, warnings, and reproofs ; many times the Lord judicially hardens them, makes hardnefs of heart their purdfhment, as it is their fin ; recals the motions of his Spirit, Hof. iv. 1 7. " Ephraim is joined to his idols, let him alone." He gives them over, faying, " He that is unjuft, let him be unjuft Mill ; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy ftill," Rev. xxii. 11.; he gives them up to their own lulls, Pfal. Ixxxi. 12. " So I gave them up unto their own hearts luft ; and they walked in their own counfels ;" and he gives them up to Satan to harden them, 2. Cor. iv. 4. " He hath blinded the minds of them which' believe not, left the light of the glorious gofpel of Chrift, who is the image of God, fhould mine unto them." So that under the moft foftening means they grow worfe and worfe, harder and harder, Ifa. vi. Vol. III. O 9. ie» J 62 JESUS OrENS THE PRISON-DOORS 9. 10. Thefe arc fearful bands ; but befides thefe there are, 2. The devil's bands, which he puts on his pri- foners in their natural date, to fecure them, that they may not come out of it to Chriit., may not be converted, may not be turned from their fins unto God. Thefe are many *, fuch as, (iO The band of prejudices. Thefe are fo fixed on natural men, that Jefus fays, Matth. xi. 6. " BleiTed is he whofoever mall not be offended in me." Satan dreffes up religion and true ho- linefs in fuch a monftrous fnape, that they are af- frighted at it, they cannot wifn it, they can never get a heart to it ; and therefore they entertain Chrift's meffage, as Nabal did David's, 1 Sam. xxv. II. ( Shall we,' fay they, 'give up with that pleafant t>T profitable way, in which we are, and betake ourfelves to a way that mud needs be a continual wearinefs V This is a ftrong band, but when the eyes are opened, and God's ways are tried in ear- neft, it would break like an untwined thread : Prov. iii. 17. " Her ways are ways of pleafant- riefs, and all her paths are peace." Come and fee, — There is, (2 ) The band of ill company. Satan does as the Romans did with fome of their prifoners, he binds his prifoners together, fo that one helps to hold fail another, to their ruin : Prov xiii. 20. " A companion of fools fhall be deftroyed." Thus there are bundles of drunkards, fwearers, Sabbath pro- lan* rs, defpifers of what is good, worldlings, to "whom the world is the chief good ; and every one o. the bundle is a fnare t > the foul of another. With an eye to this is the 'jrrible fentence given, Matth. xiii. 30. " Gather ye tog-~her firft the tares, and bind fliem in I undies to burn them." Therefore is the gofpel-invitation, Prov. ix. 5. 6\ « Come, A TO THE PRISONERS. 1 6 M Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled. Forfake the foolifh, and live, and go in the way of underftanding." • There is, 3. The band of earthly-mindednefs. This held them fad who were bidden to the gofpel-fupper, Luke, xiv. 16. — 20. T{k wretched world had its bauds on everyone of them, fo that they could not ftir to come. They mud look to this and the other bufmefs, that they do not lofc the:: advan- tage -, and while the devil's fervant is thus bufy here and there, looking well to this and that, the immortal foul, with the keeping of which God charges him, is loft. The pleafures of the world, like Syren fongs, arreft them like iron fetters co- vered with filk ; thefe fecure them. The cares of the woild, like a thicket, entangle them, they; cannot get leifure for them to mind their fouls ; and the weary eaith ever interpofing betwixt :hem and the Sun of Righteoufnefs, they are thus kept in a dark prifon There is, 4. The band of unbelief. This is fuch an one us no lefs than the arm of the Lord can take off: Ifa. liii. 1. " Who hath believed our report ? and to w!iom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed ?" Men hear the word, but they do not believe it ; , they believe not the dodlrine of the gofpel, they count it fooliilviefs, 1 Cor. i. 23. The promifes they do not believe, they count them but lair words, and will not quit thei* certainty in a finful courfe for the hone of them, Heb. iv. i. 2. n. The threatenings they confider as mere fcarecrows, and in fpite ot them promife themfelves peace : Deut. xxix. 19. " And it fh.il! come to pafs, when he heareth the words of this curfe, that he blefs himfelf in his heart, faying, I (hall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, O 2 to 164 JESUS OPENS THE PRISON-DOORS to add drunkennefs to thirft." They believe not their need of Chrift, and therefore they flight and rejedt. him. — There is, 5. The band of flothfulnefs. This ties down the natural man in his prifon-bed, faying, Prov. vi. 10. " Yet a little fleep, yet a little dumber, ?. little folding of the hands to fleep." It hangs fo heavy upon his legs, that he cannot move them in the way of God : Prov. xxvi. 13. " The floth- ful man faith, There is a lion in the way." " A lion is in the (Ireets, yet his feet are fwift to evil," Ifa. lix. 7. This band is fo heavy on his head, that he cannot lift up his eyes ; and on his hands, that he cannot lift them to his mouth for his foul's behoof: Prov. xxvi. 15. " The flothful hideth his hand in his bofom •, it grieveth him to bring it a- gain to his mouth." This is a hellifh gulph on earth, that f wallows up convictions, refolutions, motions of good, and the like. They could be content to be better, if Go'd would work with them as with flocks and flones, which are at no pains for their own polifhing. They can fpend whole days, and even nights, for the world and for their hafts ; but to fpend a day, or a considerable part of a day, in clearing their accounts, and fay- ing down their meafures for eternity, this is what they cannot be troubled with. — There is, 6. The band of delays. This held Felix fait, when the reit of the bands on him were like to give v/ay, Acl:s, xxiv. 25. When trembling un- der Paul's preaching, he faid, « Go thy way for this time ; when I have a more convenient feafon, 1 will call for thee." The prifoners, many of them, are not refolved not to come out, only they put it off, refolving to do it afterwards. The young put it eif till they be old, the old till death come to their bed-fide. Some make one refolution, and fome TO THE PRISONERS. l6 iome another, to turn to the Lord ; and though the time comes which they had fet, yet they il ill put it off again to another time ; and fo on, till death comes at length, and fweeps them err"", ere they have power to execute their good purpofei. — There is, 7. The band of delufion : Ifa. xliv. 20. « He feedeth on afhes ; a deceived heart hath turned him afide, that he cannot deliver his icul, nor fay, Is there not a lie in my right-hand : : ' — They are under a fearful delufion as to theirftate, like L20- dicea, Rev. iii. 17. « Becaufe thou fayed, I am rich, and increafed in goods, and have need of nothing ; and knoweft not that thou art wretched, and miferable, and poor, and blind, and naked.'* As one is refufed admiffion by miftake, fo Chrift is often kept at the door •, for the poor deluded Tinner thinks he is in already. — They abide fafi: in the gall of bitternefs, becaufe they imagine them- felves to be got out of it already. They remain unconverted, becaufe they reckon themfelves al- ready converted. This is a moft dangerous cafe t which fhould Itir us all up to an impartial exami- nation of our ftate : Ifa. 1. 11. " Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compafs yourfelves about with fparks : walk in the light of your fire, and in the fparks which you have kindled. This ye fhall have of mine hand, ye mail lie down in forrow." — There is, Laftly, The band of divers lufls : 2 Tim. iii. 6. " Laden with fins, led away with divers lulls." They are laden with them, as ever a prifoner was with irons, fo that by them Satan holds them fad. Unmortined lufls crawl up and down, preying on their fouls, and keeping them in a ftate of death. They hang about them, crying, Give, give, fo that they can get nothing done to purpofe for eter- O 3 njty„ l66 JESUS Oi'LKS IliE PRISON-DOORS nity. And fo many unmortified lufts as there arc about a man, Satan has fo many handles to hold him by. A lull of covetoufnefs, of pride, fenfuality, and the like, will hold a man fait.. This part of the fubject may be improved in an «fe of lamentation. This is a lamentation, and may be for a lamen- tation, over all the unconverted, as bound men in the prifon of a natural date. Thou art little con- cerned with it, but the mifery of the cafe deferves tears of blood. For — thou art laid up in cuitody at the inftance of God's law and juftice, as a debt- or and criminal. Asa debtor, thou fhalt not be let out till thou haft paid the utmoft farthing. But, alas ! thou haft nothing wherewith to pay ; men and angels cannot help thee •, their united ftock is not fufficient to pay off the debt of fin, As a criminal, thou canft not be let out, till thou abide thy trial •, and terrible will it be whenever God calls thee to it j when thy indictment is read, and thou art tried for thy "life according to law, what canft thou fay ? thy crimes are undeniable. — Thou canft not get out by force or fraud, flight or might. Thou art God's prifoner, as the of- fended party. What canft thou do or fay that is rot known to him who fees all things ? Whither canft thou flee, where his hand will not find thee out. — Thou art Satan's prifoner as thy jailor. He has malice enough to prompt him to watch and .keep thee, power enough to hold thee ftill. His iron-bands and chains are upon thee in the prifcn- houfe, how canft thou efcape ? Look tc the bands en thee in the prifon ; look on them, and mourn, and lament thy cafe. There are bands on thee of God's laying on, and who but he then can take them off? for lie fhutteth, and no man can open, JEUv. iii. 7. Thou &rt bound under the curfe of the ro 1HZ PRISONERS. l6j the law, raid God his bound thee ; to whom car.ft thou apply to locfe thee ? If men lay on bands, God can loofe the prifoner, whether they will or not : " The Lord loofeth the prifoners," Pfal. cxlvi. 7. But if God lay on the bands, the whole creation may (land and commiferate the prifoner. They may drop a tear, but neither angels nor men- can loofe him. There are bands on thee of Satan's laying on •, and thefe mud be fad ones which are laid on by that hand. He is the ilrong man ; it; mull be a ftronger than he who can loofe them ; this is beyond thy reach. Thou doft not feel God's bands, but walked lightly under them. Thou entertainer!: and takeft a pleafure in Satan's chains, in your company, finful pleafures, and" the like. This makes thy efcape the more hope- lefs ; while thou rejoice! 1 ! in thine iron fetters, as if they were chains of gold, it is an evidence that thou artbefide thyfelf. — Finally, Thefe bands will infallibly fecure thy ruin, if thou be not loofed in time -, thou wilt die in the prifon, if thou be not timeoufly brought out. There is but one itf p be- twixt thee and death, eternal death. If thou die in the prifon of an unconverted ftate, thou wilt go to the prifon of hell, where the prifoners are kept without hope of any releafe. This being the cafe, fee to yourfelves in time, prifoners of hope ! Labour to be loofed from your bands, that you die not in the pit. — To fuch 1 would offer the following Advices. 1. Awake, and feel the weight of the bands on thee ; there is no hope of thy deliverance while thou walked lightly under them. Mourn over your guilt, your unbelief, and long for deliver-* ance. 2. Put your cafe in the hand of the great Cau- tioner, who is willing and able to relieve you. Employ X<5S JESUS OPEN'S THE PRISON-DOORS Employ the Advocate, who will certainly carry the plea in your favour. He will not do as the butler who forget Jofeph, though employed to ufe his intereit to bring him out of prifon \ but by the blood of his covenant Jefus will deliver you. 3. Give in your petition to your Judge : Job* ix. 15. " I would," fays Job, '« make my fuppli- cation to my Judge." Pray, pray, ye prayerlefs perfons ; pray every day, pray always, ye who pray only now and then ; a fign that ye have to be- gin this exercife, to pray to purpofe. Pray fe= riouHy, fervently, importunately, ye that are for- mal in prayer. Your life lies at ilake ; there is no time to trifle. 4. Haflen your trial, that your plea may be heard before a throne of grace ; for if you mifs that tribunal, it will come before another at death and judgement, when it will be impoflible for you to (land. There are two tribunals for fuch pri- soners, — the tribunal of mercy and grace, and the tribunal of juftice. There is, the tribunal of mercy and grace, to which the finner is brought in the work of convention, in time, in this world. Hither the elect prifoner is brought, and ftands trembling, while other prifoners lie ftill in the prifon, jovial and eafy. Here he is accufed, con- victed, and condemned ; he fubferibes' to the e- quity of the fentence ; but, by the provifion made in this court for criminals, he comes off acquitted from the fentence of death, to return to the prifon no more There is the tribunal of juftice, to which the finner is brought at death and the laft day. Here the prifoner, in his natural flate, is fifted, accufed, convicted, and condemned with- out remedy: Matth. xxii. 13. "Then faid the king to the fervants, Bind him (that wants the wedding-garment) hand and foot, and take him away, TO THE PRISONERS. 169 away, and caft him into itter darknefs ; there {ball be weeping and gnafliing of teeth." And from hence h^ is ient into the prifon of hell. At the one or the other of their tribunals, all the pri- foners muft appear for their trial. To the mil, I would have you to haften your caufe ; for it has advantages which the other has not. In the firft, the law is fubiervient to the gofpel, and condemns, to make the finner flee to the Mediator : Gal. iii. 24. " Wherefore the law was our fchooimafter to bring us unto Chrift, that we might be juftified by faith." In the fecond, the law condemns, to make the (inner s cafe absolutely hopelefs. The one makes the Tinner fick unto life and everlafting health, the other to death. At the one, a perfon may have the advantage of a Surety to undertake for his debt, of an Advocate to plead for him, I John, ii. 1. "If any man fin, we have an Advo- cate with the Father, Jefus Chrift the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our fins." He never fails to brin? his client's caufe to a comfortable o iffiie. But at the other, there is no Cautioner, no Advocate ; the prifoner muft act ail f-o: himfelf j yea, the Cautioner and Advocate is judge to con- demn him. — Finally, at the one, there is a covert cf blood for the condemned man to flee under, where the fentence of death cannot take effeft. There are horns of an altar, from which juftice cannot take him, and a city of refuge, where he {hall be fafe. But none of thefe are to be had at the other j therefore hafte the trial —We now proceed, III. To confider the darknefs and blindnefs of the prifoners in a natural ftate. Here it will be neceilary to attend to three things. Firj't, The nature of this blindnefs, Secondly, The kinds of 170 JESUS OPHNS THE PlUSON-DOORS It incident to thefe priibners. And, tlnvdl^ The efre&s of it upon them. —Let us attend, Firfty To the nature of this biindnefs. And here we may obferve, that it is a fpiritual, and not a bodily defect. Though they have their eyes in their heads, th.ir poor fouls are full of dark- nefs : Eph. v. 8. " Ye were fometimes darknefs." Though they may h?.ve a natural and literal know- ledge of fpiritual tilings, yet they want the fpiri- tual and faving light of life : 1 Cor. ii. 14. " The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolifhnefs unto him ; neither can he know them, becaufe they are fpiritually dif- cerned." How manifeftly are thefe diftinguiined ! Though they, have the knowledge of the hiftory of thefe things, yet they are ftrangers to the my fiery of them. Thus it is faid, Deut. xxix. 4. " Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to fee, and ear's to hear, unto this day." —Again, it is total biindnefs. They are not only dark, but darknefs itfelf, Eph. v. 8. There is not the lead gleam of faving light in their fouls ; they are abfolute ftrangers to, and unacquainted with God in ChrifL Their fervice in religion is to an unknown God. They know not Chriil ; there is a tranfcendent glory in him-, but they cannot per- ceive it. They are ftrangers to themfclves ; they are wretched and miferabie, but know it not, Rev. iii. 17. They fee not their fins in their own ugly colours, in their natural deformity.— Let us, Secondly , Attend to the kinds of biindnefs inci- dent to thefe prifoners. There is— a naturai # blind- nefs common to all of them. All Adam's children •are born blind: Rom. iii. 11. "There is none that underftandeth, there is none that feeketh af- ter God." Our minds naturally are void of faving light, we have loft faving knowledge, with other TO THE PRISONERS. 1J1 parts of God's image. Hence, whenever grace opens the eyes, people are as it were brought into a new world, feeing things they never faw before, and feeing them in that manner in which they never faw them before. — Again, There is an acquired blindnefs, which they procure to themfelves . Eph. iv. 1 8. M Having the understanding darkened, be- ing alienated from the life of Cod through the ignorance that is in them, becaufe of the blind- nefs of their heart." The power and prevalence of lulls blind them more and more to the true in- tereft of their fouls. The light fhines about them, but they hate it ; it glances in their faces from the word and providence, but they (hut their eyes, and will not let it in : Ifa. xxvi. 1 1 . " Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not fee." They by this means ftrengthen their difeafes •, and the longer they continue in it, there is the Ids hope. — Finally, There is a judicial blindnefs : Ifa. vi. 9. 10. «« And he faid, Go and tell this people, hear ye indeed, but underftand not ; and fee ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and fhut their eyes." They rebel againft the light, they abufe that light which they have, they will not open their eyes to clear light, and God judicially fhuts them. He withdra ,vs the common influence of his Spirit from them, and they are infatuated, fo that they cannot fee their own true intereit, but a£t as fools and madmen in matters of the greateft importance. They are " delivered ever to a reprobate mind, to do thofe things which are not convenient," Rom. i. 28. They are aifo delivered to Satan, who, as the executioner of juftice, binds them more and more : 2 Cor. iv. 4. " He blinds the minds of them that oelieve not." — We are to attend, Thirdly) To the effects of this blindnefs on the prifeners* 172 JESUS OPENS THE PRTSOY-DOGRS prifcners. Thefe are many : I mention the fol- lowing. - There is i. A fituation tmly uncomfortable and piteous. They are fitting in darknefs, and in the region and fhadow of death, Matth. iv. 16. What a melan- choly cafe were the Egyptians in during the three days darknefs, while the Ifraelites had light in all their dwellings ! It was among the lad and word of their plagues. Surely light is fweet ; and the more excellent the light is, it mud be the fadder to be deprived of it. The light of God's grace and fa- v ur is the mod excellent light, and therefore heaven is called light, and hell is darknefs, utter darknefs ; no gleam of comfort in hell. A natural flare is the fuburbs of hell, and no real comfort in this condition, but a pofhbility of help. There- fore the faints pity them, as in a mod piteous con- dition. Jeruf-dem's cafe drew tears from our Sa- viour's eyes. Luke, xix. 41. 42. There is, 2. tXnacquaintednefs with their own date of Gnfulnefs and mifery, Rev. hi. 17. — Their mifery; th, v are blind," thev fee not the hazard they are in of dropping every moment into the pit. The meflengers of death are approaching them, the fword of judice is hanging over their heads, figns of approaching ruin are on them and about them ; others fee it, but not themfelves : Hof. vii. 9. u Strangers have devoured his drength, and he knoweth it not ; yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth it not." The prodigal never faw his ftarving ccrdition, till he came to himfelf, Luke, xv. 1 7. — Their finfulnefs alfo ; of this they are ignorant : Rom. vii. 9 " For I vas alive without the law once ; but when the com- maadment came, fin revived, and I died." As in a houfe, the motes flying thick there are not perceived till the fun- beams enlighten it-, fo, till the TO THE PRISONERS. I 73 the Lord open the eyes of the blinded firmer, he fees not thofe fwarms of living lufls which are preying on his dead foul, the innumerable evils which compafs him about, thofe multiplied pieces of guilt which are binding him over to deilru&ion. 3. They are eafily enfnared and deceived in mat- ters of the grated concern. Our Lord Jefus pro- nounces a woe to the world becaufe of offences, Matth. xviii. 7. becaufe ftumbling-blocks laid be- before the blind cannot but have moll pernicious effects. The world is full of mares laid by Satan and his inftruments ; and the blindnefs of the mind expofes men to the utmoft hazard by them. How eafily are they cheated out of their greateit interefts for another world, and made to hug a fhadow in- ftead of the fubftance, and embrace a fcorpion in- stead of a nfh, and ftones inftead of bread ; becaufe, though they be eagle-eyed in the things of time, they are like bats and owls as to the light of life. Like Efau, for one morfel of meat they fell this birth-rieht, Hcb. xii. 16. 4. They get no good of the light of the gofpel, but (tumble at noon -day, as in the dark. They receive this grace in vain. The night and day are alike to the blind, winter and fpring to the dead tree. And hence men live under the gofpel as loolcly, profanely, and carelefsly, as if they were living in the dark corners of the earth. The light of the gofpel, like a mining fun, has arifen, teach- ing us, that, " denying ungodlinefs and worldly luffs, we ihould live foberly, righteouily, and godiily, in this prefent world," Titus, ii. 12. But tnfl a of going like men to their proper work, the) .ike wild beaffs go to their dens, and lie at eafe, neither working out their own falvation, nor doing any good to others. The light is fet up to Vol. III. P them, 174 JESUS OPENS THE PRISON-DOORS them, but their works are works of darknefs, and fo they hate the light. 5. They are precipitating themfelves into the utmoft hazard to their fouls, without fear : Pfal. xxxvi. 1. " The tranfgreflion of the wicked faith within my heart, that there is no fear of God be- fore his eyes." How fearlefsly do men venture themfelves into the forbidden ground, rufh in the way of fin on the fword- point of juftice : Jerem. viii. 6. " I hearkened, and heard, but they fpake not aright ; no man repented him of his wicked- nefs, faying, What have I done ? every one turn- ed to his courfe, as the horfe rufheth into the battle." They drink up iniquity as the ox the water, being in that cafe as blind men drinking up a cup of poifon, which they know not to be fuch. —There is, <5. Deep fecurity in the moft dangerous condi- tion, as not feeing what is before them. They go on in their courfes, as the finners did before the flood, Matth. xxiv. 38. They are expofed every day to the utmoft hazard, yet they are fe- cure. They {land before God's bent bow, as a mark to his arrows, yet they are at cafe. Wrath is purfuing them, yet they are not concerned to flee from the wrath to come. They are jovial while about the pit's mouth, and even though they are in hazard every moment of fairing into it. Lqft/y, To fum up all in a word, this blindnefs nils the whole man in heart and life with darknefs and confufion : Matth. vi. 23. " But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body (hall be full of darknefs ; if, therefore, the light that is in thee be darknefs, how great is that darknefs !" A perfon can do nothing which is good in this cafe, he lies open to all evil both of fin and mifery. And this darknefs, unremoved, will make way for eternal darknefs. Having, TO THE PRISONERS. 1)5 Having, as we proceeded, made fome practical improvement, in conclulion, we fhall only exhort you, i . To be convinced of this your natural dark- nefs ; believe it from the Lord's word, and believe your hazard from it, though otherwife ye do not ice it. 1, See your need of Chrift to open your eyes. Pray for the Spirit ; fay, with the blind man, iS Lord, that mine eyes may be opened." Lciftly, From what has been faid on the feveral parts of ChriiVs commimon with refpeci to natu- ral men, unconverted finners may get a broad view of their mifery. Ye are Satan's captives, yea, prifoners, God's prifoners, the devil's prifoners, prifoners in bands, and blinded prifoners. Be deeply affected with your condition, and be per- fuaded, as prifoners of hope, to turn to your ftrong-holds, while you have accefs to them. — While it is called to-day, harden not your hearts, but hearken to his voice, proclaiming that he is " anointed to open the prifon to them that are bound/' P 2 THE THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED. SERMON LV. IsA. lxi. I. — And the opening of the prifon to them that are bound. H Avikg attended to the firft doctrinal point on this fubje£t, we now go on to DocT. II. That, by open proclamation in the go- fpe), Jefus offers to prifoners in a natural ftate, an opening of their eyes, a loofmg of their bands, and a bringing them out of their pri- fons. We ihall illuftrate the different parts of this doctrine, under the following heads. I. We fhali fhew, that Chrift offers to fuch an opening of their eyes, the recovery of their fpiri- tual fight, and to bring them from darknefs unto light. II. We fhall fhew how Chrift takes off the de- vil's bai:ds from thefe prifoners. III. We JESUS OPENS, &C, 177 Jit. We fliall (hew, that Chrift offers to prison- ers in a natural (late, an opening of their prifons, and a bringing them out of thefe. The improvement of each will be added as we proceed. — We are then, I. To mew, that Chmt offers to prifoners in a natural (late, an opening of their eyes, the reco- very of their fpiritual fight, and fo to bring them from darknefs unto light. What, do fuch fay, is in this offer ? Certain it is that faving illumination is hereby offered to you : Rev. iii. 18. " I counfel thee," fays he, « to a* noint thine eyes with eye-falve, that thou mayefi fee." This is a glorious and moft neceffary bene- fit, a thou fa nd times more neceffary than light to thofe who are naturally blind. The unrenewed world lie in darknefs, they will not, they cannot fee. There is a long and dark night upon them. Chrift offers to bring a morning unto their fouls, to make the day-ftar arife there ; yea, the Sun of righteoufnefs to fhine there. There is a thick mi: : about you, fo that you cannot fee your way, but fpend your life in endlefs wanderings among deep pits. He will, by the fpirit of his mouth, difpel it, and make light to arife up, that ye may fee clearly about you- Your eyes are clouded and blinded : he will make the fcales to fall off from them j and this will give you a threefold fight.— There is, 1. A fad and melancholy fight, the faddeft ever you faw, which will make the lighted heart among us all heavy ; and this is a fight of yourfelves in your univerfal finfulnefs and defilement. This pricked Paul's hearers to the heart, Acts, ii. 37. It ftruckPaul with thepalenefs of death-, for V i was alive," faid he, " without the law once : but when P3 the 8 JESUS OPENS THE FRISON-DOORS' the commandment came, fin revived, and I died/'" Rom. vii. o. Men naturally are Grangers to themfelves, but when the prifoner's eyes are open- ed, he gets a broad view of his finful felf.— He- fees a corrupt nature, from which no good can come \ averfe to good, and prone to evil ; not to be changed, but by a miracle of grace : Rom. vii. 24. " O wretched man that I am ! who fhall de- liver me from the body of this death ?" He fees a coirupt, defperately wicked heart : " The heart is deceitful above all things, and defperately wicked ; who can know it ?" Jer. >:vii. 9. There is an emptinefs cf all good \ a fulnefs of all evil, the feed and root of all abominations which are done in the world, living lulls of all kinds, like fo many vermin in their neft, Mark, vii. 21.; a conti- nual fteam of aelaal firming and lulling, arifmg from hence on the fteam cf a clunghilL — Further, he fees a finful life and converfacicn, woven into one continued piece of fin, where the parts fome- time thought good will appear even black as hell, like the reft \ unclean lips, all ever defiled with vanity or viienefs \ an unclean life, which is unfruitful and unprofitable for God and for themfelves •, full of fins againft the holy law of God, committed againft much light and love, as well as checks by word and providence, See. "When the Lord comes to the prifoner, and opens his eyes, he take him and leads him through his heart and life ; then what a fad fight does he get ! then will he cry, as in Job, xl. 4. " Behold, I am vile : What {hall I anfwer thee ? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth." Then is accomplifhed thefe words " [hine own wickednefs fhall correct thee, and thy backiliuings fhall reprove thee : know therefore, and fee that it is an evil thing and a bitter that thou haft forfaken the Lord thy God, TO THE PRISONERS. 1 79 God, and that my fear is not in thee, faith the Lord of holts," Jer. ii. 19. — There is, 2. A terrible and frightful fight, which will make the flouted heart to tremble, fo that they fhall fay, as Mofes did at the burning mount, " I exceedingly fear and quake." And this fight is threefold. — There is a fight of an abfolute God, in the glory of his holinefs and juftice, Lev. x. ?. Men's eyes are naturally with-held, fo that they fee not what a God they have to do with, PfaL I.21. They think he is altogether fuch an one as themfelves ; but fays he 3 " 1 will reprove thee, and fet them (your fins) in order before you." When their eyes are opened, they arc cured of their fatal miftake : Habbak. i. 13. " Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canft not look on iniquity." They fee him en a throne of jufdee, angry with the. wicked every day \ a hater of every fin, a fevere avenger of fin from the leafl to the greateft, with whom no fin is accounted a frnall thing. There is a fiery ftream iffuing out of his mouth, to devour his adverfaries, as enga- ged, by his word and nature, to magnify the law and make it honourable. .This terrible fight will give the {inner experience of the pfalmift's cafe, Pfal. lxxiii. 3. " I remembered Grd, and was troubled : I complained, and my fpirit was over- whelmed •" and hence make his heart cry out within him, as in Ifa. xxxiii. 14. " Who among us iiall dwell with devouring fire ? Who a- mong us fhall dwell with everlafting burnings ?" — Again, he gets a fight of the fiery law in its abfolute purity, extenfivenefs, and feverity : Rom. vii. 9. " For I was alive without the law once ; but when the commandment came, fin revived, and I died." The law, to the blinded firmer, is like a looking-glafs covered over with duft, in which 3 §0 JESUS OPENS THE PRISON-DOORS which the man never fees the true fhadow of him- felf. But when the finner's eyes are opened, the glafs is rubbed clean, and fhines bright, to his terror and aftonifhment. Then it discovers the damnable nature of fome things he thought good, the heinoufnefs of what he reckoned frnall faults, and makes all his fins greater than ever he thought them. He fees the threats and curfes of the law, no more as fcarecrows, or as the fhadows of the mountains, but more fure than heaven or earth to have their eftec~t. And then one word of it will go deeper with him, than a th ufand ufed to do.— Further, he gets a fight of himfelf, in his miferable, loft, and undone eftate. Like the pro- digal, he comes to himfelf, and fees that he is periming with hunger. He fees himfelf to be ruined, to be a felf-deftroyer ; a dead man in law, devoted to deftru&ion by the curfe of the law ; under fentence of eternal death, pronounced by the Ju ge of all, and regiftered in the Bible ; bound with the threatenings of the law. as io many cords of death ; and withal, utterly unable to extri- cate himfelf out of this gulph of fin and mifery : Rom. v. 6. " For when we were yet without ftrength, in due time Chrift died for the ungodly." 3. They get a comforting and heart-reviving fight, the moll comfortable they ever faw, which will make the molt heavy heart joyful. And this is a fight of Chrift in the glory of his Mediatory office : Ifa. xxxiii. 17. " Thine eyes fhall fee the King in his beauty, they fhall beheld the land that is very far off." They fee Jefus (landing — as a Prophet, difcovering thofe thoughts of love, which were from eternity in the breaft of Chrift's Father, toward thefe prifoners. - Standing as a Priefl as he had been {lain, at the Father's right hand, making TO THE PRISONERS. l8l making interceiTion for the prifcner's freedom. — And as a King, having the fdvereign command of life and death, and having the keys of the prifon in his hand, to take out the prifoner when he will. O glorious fight for the prifoners ! when their eyes are opened. It is a threefold fight. — It is a light of the tranfceiidant excellency and iovelinefs of Jefus, Ifa. xxxiii. 17. (quoted above.) Yv'hile the prifoner lay in darknefs, he was ready to fay to every lover of Chriit., " What is thy beloved more than another beloved ?" Cant. v. 9. There was then to him more glory in a vain world, in the luft of the eye and the pride of life, than in Chriit. But now that his eyes are opened, he fees a glory in him, which darkens all created ex- cellency, as the rifmg fun makes the ftars to hide their heads. He appears now as the pearl of great price, Matth. xiii. 46. All the perfections of the divine glory fhine forth in him; thefe appear in the face of Chrift, as in a glafs, of which the prifoner now gets a view. And then none but Chrift for him : Pfal. lxxiii. 25. " Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none upon earth that I de- fire bende thee." — Again, he gets a light of his fulnefs for, and fuitablenefs to the cafe of the pri- foner. Like the prodigal, Luke, xv. 1 7. he fees that in his father's houfe there is bread enough and to fpare. He fees then that he needs lock to no other quarter for help ; that there is an all-fufficient fulnefs of it in Chriit. Does the prifoner confider his vaft debts? Chriit is a cautioner, a mi|hty one. Does he confider his crimes ? Chriit ciie-a to fatis- fy for them. He has power over the jailor, and can bind the ftrong man, loofe and bring out the prifoner. Is he defiled in his prifon-garments ? Chriit has white raiment to put on him, in ex- change for thefe. Are there iron gates in the way I l82 JESUS OPENS THE PRISON-DOORS way ? yea, irons on the prifoner's legs ? He breaks the bars of iron, and brings out the prifener. — Once more, he gets a fight of the willingnefs and readinefs of Chrift to communicate of his fulnefs : Heb. iv. 15. 16. " For we have not an high prieft who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities : but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without fin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." He now fees the truth and reality of gofpel-invi- tations and promifes, that they are not only fair words, as he fometime thought them, but fure and tried words : Pfal. xii. 6. " The words of the Lord are pure words; as filver tried in a furnace of earth, purified feven times." This revives the fainting heart, is the great cordial for a foul ready to perifh ; fo that the prifoner refolves to venture himfelf, and lay his whole weight on the glorious Deliverer. Before leaving this head, it may be of import- ance to inquire, what ground the blinded pri- foner has to reft upon and embrace this offer in the proclamation of the gofpel ? — As to this we obferve, 1. That there is nothing offered but what our Lord can perform and make good : Numb, xxiii. 19. " God is not a man that he mould lie ; nei- the fon of man that he mould repent : hath he fa id, and (hall not he do it ? or hath he fpoken, and (hall he not make it good r" Jefus is the true light, the light of the world ; the liar that came out of Ja- cob, Num. xxiv. 17.; the bright and morning fear, which puts an end to the dark night in the foul, Rev. xxii. 16. ; the fun of rightcoufnefs, Mai. iv. 2. He has a fulnefs of the fpirit of light in TO THE PRISONERS. I 83 in him, to communicate to dark fouls, Rev. iii. 1. — We- obferve, 2. That there is nothing offered but what he has already performed in the experience of thou- fands, who have been Satan's clofe pri Toners as well as you : Ifa. xxxv. 4. 5. 6. " He will come and fave you. Then the eyes of the blind fhall be opened, and the ears of the deaf fhall be unftop- ped : Then the lame man fhall leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb ling : for in the wil- dernefs fhall waters break out, and ftreams in the defart." Paul was a blind Pharifee, but O how wonderfully were his eyes opened ! There have been many who were as ftupid, fecure, and blind as any, whom the day-fpring from on high hath vifited •, who fat in darknefs, but are now turned from darknefs unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God. — We obferve, 3. That there is nothing propofed to us but what he has his Father's commimon to offer and make good : Ifa. xlix. 6. " And he faid, It is a light thing that thou fhouldefl be my fervant, to raife up the tribes of Jacob, and to reftore the preferved of Ifrael : I will alio give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayeft be my falvation to the ends of the earth." Ver. 9. " That thou mayeft fay to the prifoners, Go forth ; to them that are in darknefs, Shew yourfelves. They fhall feed in their ways, and their paftures fhall be in all high places." Again, to the fame purporc, fee Ifa. xlii. 6. 7. And therefore his coming into the world is compared to the day-fpring, Luke, i. 78. which comes at its appointed time. — We ob- ferve, 4. That what is offered is offered to you. Ye are all comprehended in the proclamation : Ifa. lv. 1. " Ho ! every one that thirfteth, come ye to the I 84 JfSffS OPENS THE PRISON-DOORS waters." Whatever be vour cafe, though you be in the innermoft room of Satan's prifon in the world, ye are men, ye are fons of men : Prov. viii. 4. "Unto you, O men ! do I call, and my voice is to the fons of men." And the offer is very par- ticular, Eph, v. 14. " Awake, thou that fleepeft, and arife from the dead, and Chrift fhall give thee light."— We obferve, 5. That there is the greateft reality, truth, and fincerity in the offer : Rev.iif. 14. " Thefe things faith the Amen, the faithful and true Witnefs, the beginning of the creation of God." Never one embraced this offer who was refufed. It grieves his Spirit that finners do not fall in with it. He wept over Jerufalem for this ; and he has loft no bcwels of compaffipn by going to heaven. . This part of the fubjeci we would improve, by urging you to embrace the offered light, the faving illumination proclaimed in the gofpel ; and to come to Chrift with this errand; That your eyes maybe opened. And here I would exhort you to the following things. Be convinced of your natural darknefs and blindnefs in the tilings of God. Say not, with the Pharifees, Are we blind alio ? The'lefs thou fceft of this darknefs about thee, the greater is the darknefs upon thee. The be ft fee but in part, and mod men fee none at all in a faving manner. — Love not darknefs: John, iii. 19. " And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darknefs rather than light, becaufe their deeds are evil." As the owl loves not the mining fun, fo men wedded to their lufts hate the light, and loves to be in darknefs. They do net know God, nor his law, nor his Son, nor themieives, and they care not for the knowledge of them : Job, xxi. 14- f Therefore they fay unto God, TO THE PRISONERS. 1 85 God, Depart from us : for we defire not the know- ledge of thy ways." They are at little pains with their Bibles, and far lefs with their hearts and lives, to make them agreeable to the light of the word. Do not refift and rebel againft the light, Job, xxiv. 13. « They are of thofe who rebel againft the light ^ they know not the way thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof." Let not your lufts carry you over the belly of what light you have, left ye be judicially blinded. What light God offers you by his word, by providences, or by inward motions and convictions within your breads, beware of fighting againft it, beware of refilling and putting it out. Sometimes the Spirit of the Lord begins to throw in beams of light into the foul, at a fermon, under a rod, or fome rebuke of providence. But the finner cannot be eafy till this be again darkened. — Be fatisfied with no light, which has not a fan&ifying and purifying heat with it. The true light is called the light of life, John, viii. 12. When the Spirit of the Lord fell on the difciples, A£b, ii. there appeared tongues of fire, enlightening and warming. Dangerous is the cafe of men who keep truth a prifoner : Rom. i. 18. U For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven, againft all ungodlinefs of men, who hold the truth in unrighteoufnefs." — Lafily^ Go to the Lord for the Spirit of illumination. Pray, fearch for the fame as for hid treafures, and believe for it in the Lord Jefus. Look to him that ye may be enlightened with this faving illumination of his word and Spirit. — To " prevail with you in all thefe points, I would mention the following Mo- tives. Mot. 1 . This illumination is abfolutely neceflary for falvation. A finner will never prize Chrift, nor come to him, till his eyes are opened to fee his Vol. Ill, Q ^ fin 186 JESUS OPENS THE PRISOK-DOORS fin and mifery, what a juft God and a ftricl: law he has to deal with, what a precious and fuitable Saviour (Thrift is : John, iv. 10. " Jefus anfwer- ed, and faid unto her, If thou kneweft the gift of God, and who it is that faith unto thee, give me to drink, thou wouldft have afked of him, and he would have given thee living water." While Satan keeps hisprifoner bound, he will hold him fail. That which the eye fees not, the heart receives not. The danger may be very great, but when unknown the finner is fecure. Mot. 2. Blindnefs under the gofpel is moft in- excufeable : John, ix. 41. " Jefus faid unto them, If ye were blind, ye fhould have no fin : but now ye fay, We fee : therefore your fin remaineth." It is wilful blindnefs. Thofe who live in the dark comers of the earth, where the light of the go- fpel is net known, what wonder is it that they walk on in darknefs ? But the light of the gofpel (bines about us. Chrift offers to enlighten us by his Spirit, Eph. v. 14. If we chufe darknefs ra- ther than light, we muft lay our account with our choice being our ruin, John, iii. i y . Mot. 3. Saving illumination is the only way to true comfort, and the want of it the way to utter mifery : Col. i. 12. 13. " Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the faints in light, who hath delivered us from the power of dark- nefs, and hath tranflated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." At the blinding of the foul, Sa- tan completes the fecurity of the prifoner •, and at the enlightening of him, Chrift begins his deli- verance. In them who are faved, the light is carried on to the light of glory. In them who are loft, the darknefs is continued, till they come to endlefs and utter darknefs. — We are now, II. To TO THE PRISONERS. I 87 II. To (hew, that Chrift offers to the prifoners a loofing of thofe bands wherewith they are bound. Here it will be neceffary to (hew, — 1. How he loofes God's bands from off the prifoners. — And, 2. How he takes off the devil's bands from them. Let us then, 1. Shew how he loofes God's bands from off the prifoners. The unconverted (inner is God's prifoner under the bands of guilt, and of the curfe of the law, which bind him over to deitrucliion. Thefe he loofes and takes off the {inner by the application of his own blood : Zech. ix. 11. " As for thee alfo, by the blood of thy covenant, I have fent forth thy prifoners out of the pit wherein is no water." Here we obferve, (1.) That Jefus purchafed their freedom from thefe bands by his death and fufferings. Guilt is a ftrong tie, the curfe is a heavy chain on the prifoner ; in thefe the power of fpiritual death lay. But Jefus, by his death, procured ihe fin- ner's relaxation: Gal. iii. 13. " Chrift hath re- deemed us from the curfe of the law, having been made a curfe for us." His companion for the prifoners made him. pay for them a ranfom of his own blood. He took their bands of guilt and the curfe upon himfelf, that he might loofe them from off" them. Now he has ranfomed the pri- foners, who will accept of his delivery, and has a right to looie them from their bands \ juftice and the law having nothing to object. — We ob- ferve, (2.) That Jefus comes in the gofpel to the pri- fon-door, proclaims and makes offer of liberty to the prifoners. This he does in the text. In his name the offer is made by his meffengers ; his au- thority to lcjfe the prifoners is aliened, Matth. Q 2 xxviii. I 3b JESUS OPENS THE PRISON-DOORS xxviii. 1 8. " Jefus came and faid unto them, All power 13 given unto me in heaven and in earth.'* His ability and wiilingnefs to do it is confir- med, Heb. vii. 25. " Wherefore he is able to fave them to the uttermoft that borne unto God by him, feeing he ever hveth to make* interceffion for them." They are preffed to confent to the offer ; chr.rged upon their p^rii to comply with it j and all this to make them witling to come away out of the prifon with the deliverer. — We ob- ferve, (3.) That though the mod part give a deaf ear to the gofpel-call, will not believe their danger, but fit at eafe in their fetters^ yet fome are made a willing people in a day of power, Pf.cx. 3. By the word, faith is wrought in their hearts, Rom. x. 1 7. ; even that faith whereby the foul lays hold upon, and unites with Chrift, flees in under the covert of his biood, lays over the weight ex all its guilf upon Jefus, believing his blood to be fufficient to take it all away, and, renouncing all ether pleas, be- takes itfelf to this: Rom. iii. 25. " Whom God has fet forth to bo a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteoufnefs for the re- miffion of fins that arepaft, through the forbearance of God." Thus this blood is applied, — We ob- feive, (4.) That when this blood is thus applied, the chains are ordered to be taken off the prifoner : Job, xxxiii. 24. " Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ranfom." Yea, the chains fall off of courfe, fmce, as in Rem. viii. 1. " There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Chrift Jefus." The Cautioner's payment is pled for the debtor, and he is difchar- ged ; the criminal's caufe is carried by the Surety and Advocate, and he is abfolved. He is under the covert of blood, therefore neither law nor judice TO TU£ PRISONERS* I $5 juftice can reach him. He is brought into the bond of the covenant of grace, and fo the guilt of eternal wrath, which is the bond of the firft covenant, can hold him no longer ; guilt and the curfe being removed, judicial hardnefs has no place. 2. Let us fhew how Chrift loofes and takes off* the devil's bands from the prifoners. The unconvert- ed finner is alio the devil's prifoner ; he like- wife lays bands on the finner. Thefc are in them- felves finful lulls and practices, &c. by which he holds them as by bands. Chrift loofes from thefe by the powerful workings of his Spirit, gi- ving them grace, which breaks their bands afun- der.— He gives them, ( 1 .) Awakening grace, which roufes them up, and burfts the bands of floth, wherewith they were held, Eph. v. 14. (quoted above), and cures them of the fatal delufion which they were under as to their ftate. Like the prodigal, they come to themfclves, Luke, xv. 1 7. The finner ("Teens fe- curely in his fins and in his chains ; but the Spi- rit of God gives him a found awakening, fo that his reft in fin is difturbed, and he can no longer get lived at eafc in his- former courfes. His con- science fets upon him, and founds a terrible alarm •j'i wrath in his ears, which ceafeth not till he has fled to Chrift for refuge, and he flees without delay.— Jefus gives them, (2.) Enlightening grace, Eph. v. 14. by which the (Inner gets a diicovery of himfelf, and a diico- very of God and Chrift. He is brought, as it were, into a new world, in which every thing ap- pears in other colours than it did before. The maik. which Satan put upon the wavs of God and the ways of fin, is pulled off, and he lies the beauty^ the excellence of religion. Thus the band of preju- Q 3 * dic% I90 JESUS OPENS THE PRISON-DOORS dice is broken, die evil and danger of the wavs of* fin are expofed to them, fo that the fmful company- lie before delighted in becomes a terror to him, and he fays, " Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity, for the Lord hath heard, the voice of my weeping," Pfal. vi. 8. He fees the vanity and emptinefs of all time's things, fo that Satan can held him no longer by this pitiful handle. — Jefus gives them, (3.) Quickening and regenerating grace, by which they receive a new principle of fpiritual life : 2 Pet. i. 4. " Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promifes, that by thefe ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having efcaped the corruption that is in the world through luft." So that the ban Is of death in which they were held give way, and they become new creatures: 2 Cor. v. 17. " Therefore, if any man be in Chrift Jefus, he is a new creature j old things are pafTed away, behold ail things are be- come new." They are endowed with a new na- ture, having new motions and inclinations heaven- ward \ fo that the band of earthly-mindednefs is broken ; their will is renewed ■> Chrift becomes their choice above all, and they lay hold upon him with heart and good will, fo as that the bands of unbelief give way ; their hearts are foftened : tb.y get the heart of ftone removed, and a heart of flefh given unto them ; their affections are changed, fo that they now love the things which they before hated, and now hate thofe lufts and fmful courfes which they formerly loved. Jefus gives them, (4.) Sanctifying grace, by which the power of fin is more and more weakened in them, and the divers lufts with which they were held are morti- fied, fo that lufts cannot command them as they were to riiL paisonlrs. 19* were wont to do. Sin (hail not have dominion over you, for ye are net under the law, but under grace. The new principle ftirs in them to the practice of holinefs in all manner of life and con- verfation. Thus Chrift, entering into the foul, ftrikes off the devii's bands, and lets the finner at liberty. As an improvement of this part of our fubject, it mayjuftbe obferved, That this lets us fee that none are fd faft bound under guilt, or the power of fin and Satan, but they may be loofed. And therefore we have ground of hope in the moft hopelefs cafe. A fight of guilt is ready to make the awakened finner defpond ; but the blood of Chrift is fuffi- cient to remove it, whatever it be : " This blood tleanfeth from all fin," i John, i. 7. Though Ihe cords of guilt be manifold, which cannot be oofed from off the confeience by floods of tears, the mod bitter mournings ; yea, though above the pov/er of men and angels ; yet the blood of Chrift is of infinite Value and efficacy: Ifa. i. 18. " Come now and let us reafon together, faith the Lord : though your fms be as fcarlet, they mall be white as mew j though they be red like enmfon, they (hail be as wool." — In like manner as to the power of fin. The awakened finner will fee that it is as eafy for the leopard to change his fpots, and the Ethiopian his colour, as for him to change his heart, or free himfelf from the power of fin. He will fee that it is hard to get out from under the power of Satan and his own lufts. But remem- ber, Chrift is the ftroiiger man, he can bind Sa- tan and fpoil him of his goods. There is nothing too hard for him to do. Grace is powerful, and will always be victorious where it once begins : it converted Paul from a persecutor into a preacher ; Manaflehj I92 JESUS OrENS THE PRISON'-DOORS Mansfieh, who was like a Hon, was changed into a kmb. Therefore look to him that ye may be We proceed now, with the III. general head, to mew that Chrift offers to the prifoners in a natural itate, an opening of their pnfons, and to bring them out. Here f fhall fhew what is in this offer, 1. More generally j and then, 2. More particularly. 1. More generally, it is the bringing the Tinner into a flate of grace. There are two things in it. The Lord Jefus opening the fmner's pri- ibn br ings him, ( 1 . ) Out of the ftate of condemnation, in which lie lay from his birth till that happy hour : Rom. viii. 1. " There is therefore nowno condemnation to them who are in Chrift Jefus." The fentence of the law condemning him to eternal death is an- nulled, is taken off, and can affect him no more. He is made a free man, delivered from the curfe by him who was made a curfe. Ke is brought out from under the law as a covenant cf. works : Rom. vi. 14. " Ye are not under the law, but under grace." Though it continues to be a rule to him, yet he is neither left to feek life by his obedience to it, nor can he any more be doomed by it to eternal death for nis dilbbedience; the law being dead to him, and he to it, in this refpecl.— - Jefus brings him, (2.) Our of that ftate cf fin in which he lay ali his days before, incapable of doing any thing truly good, capable of nothing but fmning. But now the law of the Spirit of life in Chrift Jefus hath made him free from the law of fin and death, Rom. viii. 2. The prifoner in his natural ftate, with the reft of the world, lieth in wickednefs, 1 John, TO THE PRISONERS. I03 John, v. 19 ; like a dead man in hfergravc, rotting and containing. Chriil quickens the finners, opens their graves, and brings them out from un- der the reigning power of fin. In the day of con- vention, Chrift comes to the prifon-door as to the grave of Lazarus, and fays, as he did to him, Come forth. So the dead man lives, the prifoner comes out of the dungeon, out of a ftate of fin into a ftate of grace. 2. Let us confider what is in this offer move particularly. There are feveral great benefits which it propofes to us ; fuch as, (1.) The prifoner's debts are difcharged, even to the laft farthing : Col. ii. 13. " And you be- ing dead in your fins, and in the uncircumcifion of your flefh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trefpafles." They were God's prifoners, and could never come out without payment of that debt for which they were imprifoned. But the Deliverer takes all the debt onhimfelf \ he fays to his Father, as in Philem. :8. "If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account." And fa it is accounted as if they had paid it. (2.) The prifoner's crimes are forgiven, which otherwife would, have taken away his life : Ifa. xxxiii. 24. " And the inhabitant fhall not fay, I am Gck; the people that dwell therein (hall be forgiven their iniquity." The prifoner's pardon is written in the blood of his Redeemer, " This cup is the new teftament in my blood, which is fhed for you." Heb. viii. 12. " For I will be merciful to their unrightecufnefs, and their fins and their iniquities will I remember no more." The King's feal is appended to it, fo that neither law nor juflice can quarrel it: Eph. i. 13. " In whom alio after that ye believed, ye were fealed with 194 JESUS OPENS THE PRISON-DOORS with thatholy Spirit of promife." This is the white Hone given to him that overcometh, of which none knows the fweetnefs but thofe who have it. (3.) The priibner is delivered from the power of Satan, Acts. rank. 18. " They are turned from the power of Satan unto God." The jailor has no more power to keep the prifoner, nay, nor ever to bring him back ; becaufe he is not delivered by fraud, but in a legal way, by the fovereign au- thority of the King's Son, who has all power in heaven and earth. The demands which lav/ and. juftice had on the prifoner have all been fatisfied by the Deliverer, therefore he can be no longer held. — As to the priibner, (4.) His prifon-garments are taken away, and he is cloathed with change of raiment. The rags of his own righteouinef; are thrown away, and he is cloathed with the fair white raiment of Chrift's righteoufnefs put on by the hand of faith, " I counfel thee," fays Jefus, as in Rev. iii. 18 "to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayeft; be rich, and white raiment that thou mayeft be cloathed, and that the fhame of thy nakednefs-do not appear." The old man with his deeds is put off, the body of fin is deftroyed, and the new man is put on. The prifoner ftands. before his deli- verer, like Jofhua before the angel : Zech. iii. 3. 4. iC Now Jofhua was cloathed with filthy garments, and ftood before die angel ; and he aniwered and fpake to them that ftood before him, Take away the filthy garments from him •, and unto him he laid, Behold I have caufed thine iniquity to pafs from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment." (5.^ The prifoner is brought forth into the light of God's countenance, Ifa. xlix. 9. " That thou mayft fay to the prifoners, Go forth; to them that TO THE PRISONERS. 105 that are in darknefs, fhew yourfelves. They fhal! feed in the ways, and their paftures (hall be in all high places." God is in Chrift reconciled to him. He is no more his enemy, but the Tinner's friend, his confederate in the covenant of peace. The peace is made up through the great Peace-maker, Rom. v. i. " Being juftified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jefus Chrift." Though the world henceforth may hate him, and become his enemy, he has friend (hip with heaven, which may fupport him under all their hatred. (6.) The prifoner is reftored to all his forfeited privileges: Eph. ii. 17. " Now therefore ye are no more ftrangers and foreigners, but fellow-citi- zens with the faints, and of the houfehold of God." As Jofeph, being a flave, was brought out of the dungeon to Pharaoh's court, and made the ruler over Egypt *, fo in that day in which the foul is brought to the ftate of grace, he is freed from his flavery, brought out of prifon, and ad- vanced in the court of heaven. Like the poor and wife child out of prifon, he comes to reign, as in Ecclef. iv. 13. 14. for they are all made kings who are delivered by Chrift. We (hall fhut up this fubjecl: with a practical improvement of the whole. — And this, 1. In an ufe of inftrucSUon. This fubjetl affords fome leflbns to us all ; as, (1.) To be living in a ftate of fin is the molt miferable life in the world, the moft miferable life out of hell. Why are all thole fimilitucles ufed, of a captivity, an imprifonment, and this of the worft kind, but becaufe no captivity, no impri- fonment is fufticient to expreis the mifery of this captivity ? Therefore thefe fimilitudes are multi- plied, that what is wanting in one may be made up by another. And whenever the finner's eyes are 1^6 JESUS OPENS THE PRISON-DOORS are opened to fee his mifery, he will fee that the worft cafe of captives and prifoners on earth comes infinitely fhort of the miferable ftate he is in, fo foon as eternity fucceeds time. For, [i. • Of all perfons in the world, an unconvert- ed perfon Has the lead: ground to be joyful : John, iii. 36. " And he that believeth not the Son mall not fee life 5 but the wrath of God abideth on him." Some think they are young and in their bloom, and therefore they may be allowed a plea- fant jovial life. Some think like him who faid to his foul, " Soul, thou haft goods laid up for many years ; take thine eafe, eat, drink, and be merry." Every one who is not held down with worldly cares or croiTes, is ready to take his eafe, though a ftranger to Chrift and a ftate of grace. But I would fay to thee as Jehu did to Joram, 2 Kings, ix. 1 8. "What haft thou to do with peace ?" Let them live joyfully whofe prifon-doors have been opened ; they are fet free, to whom God is a friend, and who are beyond the hazard of eternal condemnation. But what reafon have you to live joyfully, who are captives, prifoners, condemned criminals, and know not but this day you may be Jed out to the execution ? If there were a drawn fword hanging over your heads wherever you went, would it not mar your mirth and jollity ? The fword of God's juftice is thus fufpended over all thofe who are out of Chrift. [2.] It would be impolfible for one to live at eafe in an unconverted ftate, if they were not blind to their own hazard and mifery : Luke, xix. 41. — 43. Ye may as well bid a malefactor be eafy under the fentenee of death and the fight of the gibbet, or a man hanging over a deep gulf by a ilender twig, as to bid an awakened fmner be eafy in his cafe, before lie get out of it. But many TO THE PRISONERS. 197 many are polling to deftru&ion down the hill, and yet are very eafy, becaufe they fee not the frightful cafe they are in. And why do they not fee it, but becaufe they {hut their eyes ? It is told them, but they will not believe it; fo after all they are as eafy as if they had been hearing an idle tale We are inftru&ed, (2.) That the delivery of a fmner out of the ftate of nature into a ftate of grace, from under the guilt and reigning power of fin, is no eafy bufinefs, but bufinefs of the greateft weight and difficulty, which ever the world was witnefs to. Confider the ranfom which had to be paid for the captives and prifoners ; the greateft ranfom ever given by men is not once to be named with it. Silver and gold, crowns and kingdoms, would not do here, but blood, even the precious blood of Chrift, 1 Pet. i. 18. 19. ; angels nor men could not furnifh it. Confider the power by which the deliverance is to be effected, no lefs than an infinite power can do it. What is the ftorming of towns, the breaking down of iron gates, and the recovering the prey from a lion, to the recovering a finner from the power of the devil ? No lefs than an omnipotent power can do this, Ifa. xlix. 24. 25. For, [1.] What way can men think ever to be deli- vered in that carelefs thoughtlefs way with which raoft part fatisfy themfelves ? Luke, xiii. 24. " Strive to enter in at the ftrait gate, for many, I fay unto you, will feek to enter in, and fhall not be able." Will drowfy wifhes and fluggiili defires, unaccompanied with fuitable endeavours, do it ? Will the leading of a carelefs life, and then begging mercy from God when they come to die, be fufficient? Will thefe things ferve inftead of the work of grace, to pluck the prey out of Satan's Vol. III. R mouth, IpS JESUS OrENS THE PRISON-DOORS mouth, to knock the devil's chains off the prifon- ers, and let them free ? By no means. [2 ] With what face C3n Tinners delay the work of converfion to God ? Is it not work hard enough to get out of Satan's grips, begin as foon as we will ? Will men venture to ftay till he has load- ed them with heavier chains, till ftronger fetters of guilt be wreathed about their necks ? Up, and be doing, lofe no time, you will find the work al* ready hard enough. To-day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. — We are inftru&ed, (3.) That there is no deliverance out ot the ftate of fin and wrath but through Jefus Chrift, Ads, iv. 12. " Neither is there falvation in any other ; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we muft be faved." Had there been another name, another perfon, Jefus had net been employed in this work. There was none but he who could do it j and we may add, that the word of finners may be delivered in and fyy him. There is no guilt above the efficacy of his blood, no power of fin above the efficacy of his Spirit. At the fame time, without him the moil blamelefs perfon who lives will be ruined for ever : John, xiv. 6. " I am the way," faid Jefus, <* no man cometh unto the Father but by me." Death will prey upon them in time, though in- fenfibly, and devour them for ever, to their ever- lafling mifery This fubjeel: inflrucfs us, Laftly, That none are delivered by Chrift, but tfiofe who are made willing to come out of their fins away with the Deliverer, and who, with the moft folemn feriouihefs, embrace the covenant. He does not fay that he will break open the prifon- doors, and bring away the priioners, fleeping or waking, willing or unwilling, carelefs to be away, or careful. No j he deals with them in a rational way, TO THE PRISONERS. I 99 way, proclaims the liberty ; if they accept of it as he offers it, well and good ; if they will not have it but on terms of their own making, they muft • remain in prifon, and perifh : John, v. 4c. <■< And ve will not come unto me, that ye mi?ht have life."— Then, (1.) If any be carelefs as to their getting out of this date, Satan is in no danger of loiing them. Though the liberty be proclaimed, they trouble noc themfelves about the matter, further than to hear it. Satan keeps his prifoners, and Chriit will never bring them away who are not made de- firous to come. Having the ofterof liberty, Jefus will leave the foul (till in bonds, if there be not a compliance with it. (2.) It concerns all who would be {dved, deli- berately to confider the gofpel-clfer and their own cafe, and make the moft folemn, ferious work of doling with Chrift, of entering into the covenant, and tranfatliiig with the Deliverer, as upon a rnatter of the Utmoft importance. Here eternity lies at (take , if they manage it to purpofe, they are happy for ever ; if they mifmanage it, they are undone. If the prifoner manages his buhnefs right with this Deliverer, he will be got out of prifon ; if he altogether tti\4s this opportunity, he muft lie (till there for ever. This fubject initrucls particularly thofe who are under bands of which they would fain be rid, what courfe they are to take. 1. Thofe who have fometimes walked at liber- ty, having had their fouls brought out of prifon by the Redeemer's blood and Spirit -, hat feem to themfelves now to be carried back into Satan's prifon again, and feel his chains heavy upon them. The Lord fometimes fufrers his own people to fall into this cafe, becaufe of their carelefs walking, R 2 their 200 JESUS OPENS THE PRISON-DOORS their grieving and vexing his Holy Spirit, where- by the Spirit is quenched, corruption is ftrength- ened, and Satan gets advantage: Ifa. lvii. 17. " For the iniquity of his covetoufnefs was I wroth, and fmote him : I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart." What fhould they do in this cafe, but own the juftice of the ftroke, apply themfelves to the Deliverer, who alone can loofe fpiritual bonds ? This is the de- fign of the difpenfation : Hof. v. 15. "I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and feek my face ; in their affliction thev will feek me early." Make new application of this blood by faith, and breathe after the commu- nications of his Holy Spirit : Ifa. lvii. 18. " I have feen his ways, and will heal heal him : I will lead him alfo, and reftore comforts to him and his mourners." He delivered them out of a miferable ftate, and will alfo deliver them out of their pre- fent uncomfortable condition. 2. Thofe who feel the bands of guilt ftrong upon their fouls, and are ready to defpond under them as bands which can never be loofed. Such ihould coniider, that there is no exception of bands from which Chrift is fent to loofe ; be they weak, be they ftrong bands, with which the (inner is bound, Chrift proclaims liberty from them ; and it is an intolerable affront to the Mediator's dignity, to entertain a thought of bands from which the infinite merit of his blood, and the all- powerful efficacy of his Spirit, cannot loofe. The dead corpfe caft into the prophet's grave was re- itored to hfj ; and fhall not the foul bound with the ftrongeft fetters of death, be fet free fo foon as quickening virtue comes from a crucified Chrift. Such, then, fhould labour to believe, that they may thus fee the glory of God. 3. Thofe TO THE PRISONERS. 2S1 3. Thofe who feel the bands of raging and unruly lufts fo ftrengthened by Satan and their own cor- ruptions, that they are ready to think that there is no breaking of them. Such fhould confider, that eur Lord often fingles out thofe in the moft hopelefs condition, to make them monuments of his rich grace. Such was the cafe of the Corin- thians, 1 Cor. vi. 9. 10. if. In the text, thofe who are blinded in the prifon have opening pro- claimed to them. Though the heart may be agi- tated like a raging fea with temptations and cor- ruptions, it will colt Jelus but a word to Rill them all in a moment : Ifa. Ivii. 19. « I create the fruit of the lips ■, peace, peace to him that is afar off", and to him that is near, faith the Lord, and I will heal him." The ftrongeft lufts fhall yield to the power of his grace, and the ftrong man flee at the rebuke of the ftronger. — We fhall only add, Secondly ■, An ufe of exhortation. You who are delivered, and have been made partakers of the liberty proclaimed in the gofpel, we exhort ycu to walk fuitably to the great deli- verance. If you be thus difcinguifhed,™ you will prize t'.e Deliverer above all : 1 Pet. ii. 7. " L T nto you, therefore, which believe, he is precious." You will fay, " Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none in all the earth that I defire be- lide thee." And the more you look back on the hazard to which you were expofed, you will love him the more. — You will prize the deliverance above all which you ever met with, or can meet with in this world : " Yea, doubtlefs, and I count all things but lofs, for the excellency of the know- ledge of Jefus Chrift my Lord." Look on this time as the time of loves. — You will long for the perfecting of this deliverance, and be endeavour- ing to get it advanced and carried on, till you be R 3 completely 202 JESUS OPENS THE PRISON-BOOR?, &C completely freed from indwelling fin : Rom. Tit. 24. " O wretched man that I am ! who (hall de- liver me from the body of this death ?"— If thus diftinguifhed, it is your duty to walk humbly and thankfully, to the praife of your Deliverer j to carry yourfelves as children of light, in a holy and heavenly converfation, and to have no fellowfhip with the works of darknefs. In fhort, it is your duty to be concerned for thofe who are ftill pri- soners, to pity them, to pray for them, and help forward their deliverance. As to you who are yet Satan's captives and pri- soners, haften to be loofed ; while the proclama- tion of liberty founds in your ears, accept of de- liverance. Confider that now is the accepted time, now is the day of falvation. Now liberty is in your offer, but it will not always be fo ; the day comes for tranfporting the prifoners into another prifon, where there are no offers nor pofTibility of efcape ; and how fcon this may be, you know not. — Refufe the liberty to-day, delay it but till to- morrow, and ye may be beyond hope. But now the captives may be loofed, the prifoners enlarged, and tha-s be blefled with an eternal freedom. Kifs, therefore, the Son, left he be angry, and ye perifh from the way ; when his wrath is kindled but a little, blefTed are all they that put their truft in him *. * This fubjecT: was finifhed in the end of February 1715, DE- DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY THE DUTY OF ALL WHO NAME THE NAME OF JESUS*. S ER'M'ON LVI. 2 TlM. ii. 19. And let every one that nameth the name of Chrift depart from iniquity. A Solemn occafion of renewing our covenant with God being before us, it is neceflary that we count the colt ere we begin to build. A Chriftian profeffion is eafy, a Chriftian practice not fo. It is melancholy to fee how many in their practice do yoke together the name of Chrift and the working of iniquity, as if they had found out that fecret of conjoining light and darknefs, Chrift and Belial, which is hid from all faints. Our text confounds this myftery of iniquity, mewing that men muft either part with Chrift, or depart from iniquity : And, fays the apoftle, let every one that nameth the name of Chrift depart from iniquity. In this verfe, the apoftle obviates that fcandal, and that (haking difcouragement, which arofe to the * This and the following difcourfes on this text were delivered in May and June 17 T9, 204 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY, the faints from the apoftacy of Hymeneus and Phi- letus, mentioned in ver. 17. Satan would fjand on the ruins of thefe men, and affright the faints with this temptation, Behold ! what loofe ground you (land upon ! thefe who are now fhip-wrecked flood once as fair for the harbour as you. To drive the botcorn out of this temptation, the a- pofde tells them, that for all' this, the foundation of the perfeverance of real faints ftands firm, as in ver. 19. " Neverthelefs, the foundation of God ftandeth lure, having this feal, The Lord know- eth them that are his." As if he had faid, The devil has got but his own, he has got none of Chrift's. They were among Chrift's fheep indeed ; they were, however, nothing but the devil's goat?, of whom he ever had a fure hold by fome iniqui- ty or other, one luft or other ; and now by this bond of iniquity he has drawn them out from a- mong the fheep of Chrift : 1 John, ii. 19. « They went out from us, but they were not of us ; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us : but they went out, that they might be made manifeft that they were not all of us." But the foundation upon which every real faint is built is fure, and can never be overturned. This is the decree of election : (r.) A founda- tion of God's own laying ; (2.} A fealed founda- tion of God's own fealing ; and therefore afford- ing the molt ample fecurity. A feal is for con- firming and ratifying a decree and purpofe ; the decree of election, including the perfeverance of the faints, as the means to the end, is fealed for this end, and that with a twofold feal : " Having this feal, The Lord knoweth them that are his," and, " Let every one that nameth the name of Chi 1(1 depart from iniquity." firft, It is fealed with God's knowledge, « The Lord . THE DUTY OF ALL, &C 205 Lord knoweth them that are his." Amongft the mixed multitude in the church, the Lord knows his own. —He knows thofe whom he has chofen, he cannot miftake them, though men may, and fome- times do, take others for them. He knows them practically, that is, he knows them, to dif- tinguifh them from others, he will take care of them that they be not loft, as one does with what lie knows to be his own ; and this fecures them. Secondly, It is fealed with effectual fanctification : Eph. iv. 30. " And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are fealed unto the day of re- demption." " Let every one that nameth the name of Chrift depart from iniquity." He fees to the fanctification of his own, caufing them to de- part from iniquity, which is the only thing which can ruin them ; and thus again they are fecured. For underftanding of this, confider, that the a- poftle here has an eye to the hiftory of Korah, Da- than, and Abiram, Numb. xvi. thefe Old-Tefta- ment apoftates who perifhed in their fin. There was a difpute betwixt them and Mofes and Aaron for the priefthood j the congregation at length thought the former as much the Lord's as the lat- ter, ver. 19. ; though at firft it feems they knew not in whofe favour to decide. Mofes refers it to God's judgement, ver. 5. " The Lord will ihew (Heb. make known) who are his, and who are holy •" importing, that the Lord knew who were his. This was the fecurity of Mofes and Aaron when the ftroke came. When the earth was to fwallow up Korah and his company, as in a fpiritual fenfe it does all apoftates, the congre- gation was, by God's appointment, charged to depart from the tents of thefe wicked men, and to touch nothing that was theirs, ver. 26. This charge was effectual to the congregation, but not to 2C6 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY, to th&fe men's wives and their children, vet, 27.; fo the latter peruned, and the former were fecured. It Teems this was a typical event, an emblem of the lure ftanchng of the faints, while hypocrites fall away and penfh. This double leal anfwers to the two parts of the covenant : Jer. xxxii. 4c. tt And I will make an Qverlalling covenant wich them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good ; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they fhall net de- parc from me" This covenant mail nor fail on God's part, for it hath this leal, {; The Lord knoweth them tha: a*e his f nor on the part of tire faints, for it hath this feal, " Let every one that nameth me name of Chriit depart: from ini- cmitv." --Let us attend, 1 . To the feal itfelf, which, in its general nature, is • c.-rnmand o: lanctirication ; in which confider, —to whom it is directed, upon whom this awful charge is laid. They are the Lord's own word?* directed to every one that nameth the name of his Son, that is, to all who profefs ChrifL And this character of profefibrs ferves not only to dif- tinguiih them from thofe without the church, who are mcapable of apoitacy ; but alfo fhews the ob- ligation laid on them to holinefs by their profef- fion, the hoiy name named by them binding them to a holy life. The .nconfiltency between the pioieihon and an unholy life, which, though men join together, God will have feparated foon-r or later, for he will {trip them either of their fair name, or their foul heart and life, in time or in eternity, Confider — the duty commanded, " to depart from iniquity," as from a thing one former- ly itood to and followed. Iniquity is that thing which we all n lturally follow as a mailer and leader j but there muit be a falling off from it, an apoi.acv. THE DUTY OF ALL, &C 207 apoitacy, or falling away from fin, (as the word imports). And this is the way to prevent apo- itacy from the Lord ; for this does import, that it is fome one iniquity or other indulged, and left to reign in the heart, which betrays profeflbrs in- to apoitacy, as Judas, Bemas, &c. — Confider, 2. How this can be a feal to fecure the faints and elect ones from apoftacy, fmce it is but a commandment ? — To this I anfwer, That the na- ture of the preceding feal would feem to have re- quired this expreiTion, " And they that are his. de- part from iniquity." But it is in form of a com- mand, to fhew that the faints depart from iniqui- ty by choice, and that they are by the Lord him- felf powerfully determined to this choice ; fo that their perfeverance is both rational and gracious. — It is a command, at the fame time it is a power- ful and efficacious command of God, like that in Gen. i. 3. " And God faid, Let there be light, and there was light ;" a command which effects what it requires in all who are his. It is fuch a command as that in Numb. xvi. 26. (quoted a- bove), which brought away from the tents of Da- than and Abiram, all who were not to be fwal- lowed up with them. And this command is go- ing through wherever the gofpel is preached, and will go till the laft day *, like a brilk wind fepara- ting the corn from the chaff, carrying away from the tents of fin all who are ordained to eternal life, though others dwell on in them ftill. Thus, though the profane and hypocrital, and all who are not the Lord's, are (till held by fome one bond of fin or other which is never broken •, yet this powerful word loofes the bands of all fin, fets them and their fins afunder, and keeps them a- funder, who, being lealed with the firft feal, are his. And all this God's emcacious word can do, as 2C8 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY, as well as keep the world from returning into its primitive mafs of confufion : Heb. i. 3. " Up- holding all things by the word of his power." And fo it is a feal fecuring them from apoftacy. — From this fubject two general doctrines may be propofed : Doct. I. That God doth charge all who name the name of Chrift to depart from iniquity. Doct. II. That God's charge to depart from ini- quity becomes infallibly effectual in all who are his, fo as that they do truly depart from iniquity, while others hold it fait, to their utter ruin. 1 begin with the Firfty That God doth charge all that name the Hime of Chrift to depart from iniquity. In illuftrating this point, I (hall {hew, I. Who they are whom the Lord charges to de- part from iniquity. II. What is implied in departing from iniquity, which God chargeth thefe to do. III. How he charges thefe who name the name of Chrift to depart from iniquity. IV. Why thefe particularly who name the name of Chrift are charged to do fo. — And then add the practical improvement. We are, I. To (hew who they are whom the Lord char- ges to depart from iniquity. The text tells you it is every one who names the name of Chrift. Thus, it is every one of you, whatever your character be. The poor pagans, amongft whom Chrift is not named, God winks a* THE DUTY OF ALL, &C 20$ at them; but he charges you, and every one of you, to depart from iniquity. — This chsrge is to you, 1. Baptifed perfons, capable to difcern betwixt good and evil \ the name of Chrift is called upon you, and you name him ; God charges you to de- part from iniquity. You are engr.ged to be the Lord's, to fight againft the devil, the world, and the flefh. You have no liberty to follow your lulls and the vanity of your minds. You are charged, as God's fubje&s, to have no more con- verfe with his enemies \ fince you have given up your names to Chrift, you are to dwell no more in the tents of fin. There is no exception of the young more than the old, but every one who nameth the name of Chrift is to depart from iniquity.-— The charge is to you, 2. Who profefs faith in Chrift, and hope of fal- vation through him. You name his name, and therefore you are charged. Although, perhaps, you will not fo much as bow a knee to God, nor have fo much as a form of godlinefs, yet you have not renounced the faith, nor your pait in Chrift ; therefore, fince you retain his name, and will be called Chriftians, depart from iniquity ; live like Chriftians, and not like thofe who never heard of Chrift. — The charge is to you, 3. Who pray to God through Chrift. You name the name of Chrift, and therefore are char- ged to depart from iniquity. Some of you, per- haps, pray only fometimes, as if you had more necefTary bu {inefs than ferving the Lord ; fome pray ordinarily, yet go on in fome finful courfe or other ; as if God was only to be ferved with fair words, and your lufts with the whole courfe of your life. But though this be your fituation, this charge God lays on you notwithstanding, Depart from iniquity. — This charge is to you, Vol. III. g 4. Who 210 DEPARTING FROM 1NIQJJITY. 4. Who profefs faith in (Thrift, and holinefs of life alfo. You name the name of Chrift, and therefore you mould depart from iniquity. Are there not many fuch, whofe lives are miferably itained in points of immorality, who walk moft unfuitably to their character, by reafon of whom the way of truth is evil fpoken of? Rom. ii. 23. " Thou that makeft thy boafl of the law through breaking the law, difhonoureft thou God ?" God charges you to walk up to your character, to your profeffion, and to depart from iniquity. — This charge is, La/Hy y To communicants, who name the name of Chrift in a moft folemn manner, by fitting down at his table, before God, angels, and men. This charge is to you. You have named this name, and glpme back to thofe iniquities of which you were convinced. Are there not fome who have ad- ventured to ftretch forth their hand to the Lord at his table, and have quickly again ftretched it out to their lufts ? To you the Lord is faying, Quit your communicating, or your iniquity, join no more an unholy life to fuch a fair and naming profeffion. We are now, II. To mew what is implied in this departing from iniquity which God chargeth us to aim at. —Here, iji, Let us inquire in what this departure, this happy apoftacy lies. And, 2cl/y, What of iniquity God charges us to de- part from. — We are, ifty To inquire in what this departure, this happy apoftacy lies. There are five things which -belong to it. — There is, I. A .giving up with our reft in fin. God fays of THE DUTY OF ALL, &C. 211 of fin to all who name Chrid, " Arife ye, and de- part, for this is not your reft ; becaufe it is pol- luted, it fhall deftroy you, even with a fore de- struction." Sinners, ye are fettled on your lees, as wine on the dregs, but there mud be a fepara- tion ; you are dwelling in a dangerous place, like Lot in Sodom ; lying among the pots, as the If- raelites in Egypt ; fleeping fecurely like the flug- gard on his bed, " while his poverty cometh as one that travaileth, and his want as an armed man." God chargeth you to awake and belli r yourfelf, to fpring to your feet, and prepare to make progrefs in the ways of hoh'uefs. — There is, 2. A going off from fin, and giving up with it : Job, xxx iv. 32. " If I have done iniquity, I will do no more." God is faying to you of fin's domi- nion, as he faid to the Ifraelites at Horeb, " Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount*, therefore up and be gone from the tents of wickednefs ; ye have dwelt too long in the bents of Mefeeh and Kedar." May not the time pad fuffice to have done the will of the flefh ? 1 Pet. iv. 3. Ye The Srft departure of the faints in con- verficn, though it be lincere, is not perfect \ but what is then begun, mull be held on in the pro- grefs of fan&ification, as a fpring v tned, runs and runs on, till the mud be wholly removed cut of the fountain. Prov. iv. 18. " The path of the juft is as the mining light, that Ihineth mere and more unto the perfecl: day." They, having this hope, purify themfelves, even as God is pure, 1 John, iii. 3. And hence their depait- ing from fin confifts in daily mortification, and li- ving more and more to righteoufnefs. Secondly y Let us inquire what of iniquity God charges us to depart from. .It is the accurfed thing, T:JE DUTY ( I thing, with which we have nothing to do. We mult depart from all fin, from the whole of it. — "\Vc muff depart, i. From under the dominion of fin : Rom. vi. 12. u . Let aot iln therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye ihould obey it in the lulls thereof." Sin has a dominion over ail who are out of Chrift. It commands their whole man. The motions of it are the laws they obey. It is a dominion which is oppofed to Chritt's •, in the one, grace reigns un- to life ; but in the other, fin reigns unto death. Chrifl offers to break the bauds of ycur yoke ; come then to him, and (hake off the yoke of your fins, renounce your allegiance, withdraw and re- fufe obedience to your old mailers ; fay, < What have I any more to do with idols V — We muff de- part, 2. From tine practice of fin, Ifo, Iv. 7. quoted above. Give up with and put an end to your fin- ful courfes ; be no longer workers of iniquity, for fuch workers will get a fad reward of their work, Matth. vii. 23. " Depart from me, ye that work ii liquity." To what purpoie do men pretend to believe in Chrift, while they are the iervants of fin ? How can one ferve two fuch contrary ma- ilers ? What avails the pretended belief of the truth, which purges not the heart and life of un- godlinefs and unrighteoufnefs : Rom. i. 18. "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven againft all ungodlinefs and unrighteoufnefs of men, who hold the truthin unrighteoufnefs." Depart then from the practice of fin, — in your outward man, your and conversation. God is faying to you this day, James, iv. 8. " Cleanfe your hands, ye fin- .ners, and purify your hearts, ye double-minded." Reform your lives, if ever you w w uld have com- munion with God here or hereafter, Ffal. xxiv. 3. 4. Ifa. L 16". " Wafli you, make you clean ; put S 3 away 2 14 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes ; ceafe to do evil." Look to your conversa- tion, fee what is in it offenfive to God, and disho- nouring to his name, and depart from all this : Lam. iii. 40. " Let us fearch and try our way?; and turn again to the Lord." — —Turn from grofs pollutions of the outward man, and live the Chri- itlan life, or give over the Chriftian name, Jer. vii. 9. — 11. There have been fober Heathen?, who were remarkable for their temperance, their juftice in dealings, and, in a word, regular lives according to the precepts of morality. But how many Chriflians are there, whofe lives are itained -with profane fwearing and curling, drunkennefs, mjuitice, difhonefty, filthinefs, and other grofs pol- lutions, by reafon of which the way of truth is evil fpoken of ! God charges you, fince ye name the name of Chrift, to depart from thefe, upon the pain of eternal exclulion from his prefence, 1 Cor, vi. 9. 10. Gal. v. 19.— 21. Wherefore, let him that did thefe things do fo no more -Turn from the lefTer pollutions of the cutward man :• .Acts, xxiv. 16. " And herein do I exercife my- felf, to have alv/ays a conference void of offence toward God and toward men." A perfon may be drowned in a rivulet, as well as in the deep fea, if they take not heed to themfelves. Vain and idle words, as well as vile and wicked one?, may ruin a man : Matth. xii. 36. 37. " But I lay unto you, that every idle word that a man (hail fpeak, they {hall give account thereof in the day of judgement. For by thy words thou lhait be jultified, and by thy words thou fhait be condemn- ed." There is a carelefs way of living, though not the way of open profanity, which yet is often- live to tender Chriitians, in which men fwim to deitru&ion in a ftream of fins that few in the world HIE DUTY OF ALL, &C. 2 I 5* world make any account of, and they go to hell without making the found of their feet to be heard by the way. Hear their doom, Pfal. cxxv. 5. " As for fuch that turn aiide unto their crooked ways, the Lord (hall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity. ,, " This I fay therefore, and teftify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind," Eph, iv. 1 7. Look to the law and to the teitimony ; cleanfe your way by thefe, Pfai. cxix. 9. If the word of God condemn your praclice, though all the world juftify it, God charges you to depart from it. — Depart from the practice of fin in the inner man, James, iv. 8. ^quoted above), Pfal. xxiv. 3. 4. Sin may be beaten from the outworks, while it has retired in fafety to the heart : there may in ap- pearance be a clean life, while the heart is foul all ever, and wickednefs is pra&ifed at eafe in the fecret chambers of imagery. Therefore God charges you, as Jer. iv. 14. " O Jerufaiem ! wafli thine heart from wdekednefs, that thou mayeft be faved ; how long fhall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee ?" Turn, then, from heart vile~ nefs. Since the heart is as open to God as the life it is of little u.fe to be as a whited fepulchre, while within we are full of rottennefs, to clean the outfide of the cup while the in fide is full of ravening. Purge your hearts of fpeculative fiithi- nefs ; away with filthy imaginations, impure thoughts, envy, covetoufnefs, malice, iPct. ii. 1.2. Be as much concerned to cruih thefe vipers in the iliell, as to refill: external actions. Turn from heart-vanity, Eph. iv. 17. (quoted above). Vain thoughts are like idle words, offenfive to God, and therefore hated and refilled by the godly : Pfal. cxix. 113. « I hate vain thoughts." Vanity of heart is the next ftep to, and paves the way for vile- nefs 1l6 DEPARTING FP.O'T INIQUITY nefs of heart and life. It is the houfe fwept and garni (feed, to which the devil returns with (even other iririts Wcfffe than hi mi elf. Therefore la- hour to get your hearts tilled with good motions and holy defines, regulated by the fear of God, warmed with his love, guarded by watchfulnefs, and fo bufied as that ye may not feed on wind, but may be taken up about what may be of good ufe, both profitable and pleafmg. -}. Depart from thedevifmgand contriving of fin. A good man may be furprited into fin, but for a man to fit down and contrive (inful actions, is to make his heart a forge for Satan. To fleep and wake in purftaing the contrivance of fin, is the character of a wicked man : Pfal. xxxvi. 4. " He devifeth mifehief upon his bed, he fetteth hjmielf in a way that is not good ; he abhorreth not evil." Thus men fet thernfelves wilfully in an ill way, which grieves the Spirit, extinguishes his motions, and waftes the confidence. Men may (hew their worldly wit in this way, that they are wife to do evil ; and they may, for a time, proiper in their ways, and bring their wicked devices to pafs, Pfal. xxxvii. 7. But fuch a habitual practice will prove a man gracelefs, r John, iii. 8. 9. and will be bitternefs in the end, for evil doers Ihall be cut off, Pfal. xxxvii. 9. Depart then from the deviling of fin, or quit the name of Chridians. 4. Depart from the love of fin : Ezek. xiv. 6. "Thus faith the- Lord God, Repent, and turn your- felves from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations." 1 John, n. 15. 16. While the love of fin reigns in the heart, though they may feem to depart from it, the dtvil has a pledge of them that they will not go far away, but that they will come again back to him. This is that which makes fo many communicants a fcandal to their THE DUTY OF ALL, &C. 217 their profeffion ; fo many who put their hand to the plough, to look back. They ftill love finful liberty, their hearts are not divorced from their lulls, and lb they return to their idols. If you name the name of Chriit., and profefs love to him, God charges you, To turn your elteem of iin into difdain and contempt of it, Ifa. ii. 20. " Caft your idols to the moles and to the bats." Let grace and holinefs have the attendant of iin and wicked nefs in your eiteem. Account them no more the happy men who take to themfelves a liberty in finful courfes, but as men who are mod miferable, vile, and pitiful, as Haves to fin, and in the road to deftruction, Pfal. xv. 4. You are charged to turn your love of fin into ha- tred and abhorrence of it, Pfal. xcvii. 10. " Ye that love the Lord, hate evil." Hate it as evil, as the word of evils, worfe than any fviTerings ; hate it as hell : Rom. xii. 9. " Abhor that which is evil." Hate it as deftructive to the foul, as dis- honouring and difpleafing to God. Abhor it as you wculd do a cup of poiibn, though a golden cup. Vour love cf it mull be turned into loathing. Look not only upon it as an ill thing, but as a fil- thy and a loathfome thing, at which one's heart is apt to (land, Ifa. xxx. 22. Ezek. xviii. 31. You have long kept at it as a fweet morfel. Let your foul apprehend its real filthinefs, fo as that you may vomit it up again. — Your former cleaving unto fin mud be turned into longing to get rid of it, Rom. vii. 24. " O ! wretched man that I am, who (hall deliver me from the body of this death ?" Long to be free of it, as a prifoner longs for the opening of the priibn-doors, as a captive for his liberty. Look on it as a burden on your back, which makes you ftoop •, as a burden on your head, which perplexes you how to get free cf it; as a burden 2l8 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY burden on your ftomaeh, which you will endea- vour to caft up. This is the heart's departing from fin, without whi> :h all other departures from it will be to little purpofe. 5. Depart from the enjoyment of the fruits of fin. The righteous man is one who defpifes the gain of oppreffion, that fhaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that ftoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and (hutteth his eyes from fee- ing of evil. When lovers part, they give back their tokens; and when a linner parts with his fin in earned, he will part with its fruits, what- ever advantages he has by them. This is fo evident even to a natural conference awaken- ed, that Judas, repenting of his betraying of Ghrift, could not longer brui:: the thirty pieces he had made by his fin ; and Zaccheus, fin- cerely repenting, is ready to make restitution, Luke, xix. 8. It was Balaam's character, he loved the wages of unri^hteoufnefs. And he who wilfully keeps the fruit of his fin, there- by nails down his own foul in a ftate of impeni- tency, fo that he cannot repent of that fin ; he binds the guilt of it on hjmfelf as with bands of iron and brafs, io that it cannot be forg while this difpofition remains. Wherefore purge out this leaven, and can; away the fruits with the tree. 6. Depart from the occafions of fin, and all temptations to it, Ezek. xiv. 6. (quoted above) : It is vain to pretend to depart from fin, when men do not watch again ft the occafions to it. They who in a fiege refolve really not to give up the town, will defend the outworks as long as they can. Thefe do not depart from, but run into fin, who caft themfelves into the way of temptations. Therefore fays Solomon : Prqv. iv. 14. 15. " En- ter 219 THE DUTY OF ALL, &C ter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pafs over it, turn from it, and pafs away." Mind the apoftle's advice, i Thef. v. 22. " Abftain from all appear- ance of evil." Occafions and temptations will feek us out while in this evil world ; but let every one who nameth the name of Chrift be upon his guard againft them. Lafi/y, Depart from the workers of iniquity : 2 Cor. vi. 17. " Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye feparate, faith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing ; and I will receive you." Let birds of a feather flock together j but if ye name the name of Chrift, depart from the tents of wicked men. True, we cannot altogether fhun them while we are in the world : but to make choice of ungodly perfons for our compa- nions, is the way to ruin : Prov. xiii. 20. " He that walketh with wife men fhall be wife : but a companion of fools fhall be deftroyed." Where- fore, if you befettingyour faces heavenward, depart from thofe whofe faces are towards hell : Acts, ii. 40." With many words did Peter teflify and exhort them, faying, Save yourfelves from this untoward generation." Pfal. xii. 7. " Thou fhalt keep them, O Lord, thou (halt preferve them from this ge- neration for ever." THE THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED. SERMON LVII. 2 TlM. ii. 19. And let every one that nameth the tiame of Chrift depart from iniquity. HAving, in the preceding difcourfe, confi- dered to M'hom the charge is addreffed, and what is imported in the charge,. " depart from iniquity," We now proceed, III. To explain the nature of this charge, or to fhew how the Lord charges thofe who name the name of Chrift to depart from iniquity. — You may know the nature of this charge given to them in the text, by thefe following properties. — It is, . An univerfal charge, and this in two refpe&s. j ft, In refpecl: of the . perfons naming. Every 9»e } i'ays the text, who nameth the name of Chrift : there is no exception in the charge, it is di- rected to all and fundry who profefs Chrift, or who THE DUTY OF ALL, &.C. 221 who are called Chriftians, whether ye be communi- cants or not. Since you are Chriftians byname, you are charged by the God who made you, to betake yourfelves to the Chriftian life, and depart from iniquity. Whether you be high and honourable, or low and mean in the world, whatever diffe- rence is betwixt you and others, God makes none in this charge. But whether young or old, you are included in the charge, and you cannot refill it, but at your higheft peril. — idly, The charge is univerfal in refpect of the fins which you are to depart from : Ezek. xviii. 31. " Caft away from you all your tranfgrefiions, whereby you have tranfgreffed, and make you a new heart and a new fpirit : for why will ye die, O houfe of Ifrael ?" They are all and every one of them difhonouring to God, difpleafmg to him, difagreeable to the holy- name by which you are called, and therefore all of them are to be departed from. — You mult part with your fafhionable fins, (with which, to be neighbour-like, you comply, though you mould be a wonder to many), as well as with unfafhionable ones, to which you have no temptation : Rom. xii. 2. " And be not conformed to this world." — You mud depart from your gainful fins, as well as thofe by which you make no profit : Matth. xvi. 26. " For what is a man profited, if he (hall-gain the whole world, and lofe his own foul ? or what fhall a man give in exchange for his foul ?" — You muft part with the fins of your calling and flation in the world, as well as thofe which he out of your road. This is an ordinary fcreen for fin ; but fee Luke, iii. 12. 13. 14. You muft part with little fins, as well as with great fins ; with your darling fin, your bofom-idol, as well as with others lefs beloved •, with the fins of your con- ftitution, that fin which molt eafily befets you, Vol. III. T Heb. 2 22 m PARTING FROM IN1QJJ1TY Ileb. xii. i. 5 in one word, with all your fins of heart and life. — It is, 2. A peremptory charge : A els, xvii. 30. " And the times of this ignorance God winked at ; but now commandeth all men every where to repent." There are no ifs or ands for your keeping your fins, or any of them. Many go about to compound the matter with God. They will part with fuch and fuch a fin, they will only harbour this and that, which is but a little one, a right eye, &c •, but in vain, you muft part with all. If you would give rivers of oil, or the fruit of your body for your fins, you cannot be allowed to keep any one of thefe accurfed things. ~It is, 3. A charge for the prefent time : Pfal. xcv. 7. •' To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart," It requires obedience upon hearing of it, a fpeedy and quick compliance, like that, Pfal. cxix. 6c. " I made hafte, and delayed not, to keep thy commandments." You are not allow- ed to advife another day, whether you will depart from iniquity or not. For ought you know, it is now or never with you : 2 Cor. vi. 2. " Behold, now is the accepted time ; behold, now is the day of falvation." And if you refuf-i this once more, God may take you at your refufal, and determine your eternal ftate by it, Prov. i. 24. and down- wards. Often refufals are mo ft dangerous: Prov. xxix. 1. " He that, being often reproved, harden- tth his neck, fhall fuddertly be deftroyed, and that without remedy." — It is, 4. A charge with certification, a charge up- on your higheit peril-; Heb. xii. 25. " See that ye refute not him that fpeaketh. For if they efcaped not who refufed him tha'tfpake on earth, much more fhall not we efcape, if we turn away from him that fpeaketh from heaven." You are charged to depart from THE DUTY OF ALL, &.C. 223 from iniquity, as you will anfwer it before the Judge of* the quick and dead. There is in this in* itance a fivefold certification. — There is this cer- tification, (1.) That if you do it not, you {hall incur the high difpleafure of God : Rom. i. 18. " For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven againft 2II ungodlinefs and unrighteoufnefs of men who hold the truth in unrighteoufnefs." Who knows the. power of His wrath who is able to frown the crea- ture into the lowed abyfs of mifery ? His anger makes the hills to tremble, the mountains to fmoke j alas ! how can worm man bear it ? — There is thi s certification, (2.) That if you do it not, you mall have no communion with God in duties : Amos, iii. 3. « Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" You may go to your prayers, but God will not be found of you ; he will turn the back and not the face to you : Pfal. Ixvi. 1 8. " If i regard ini* quity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." You (hall find a feparation-wall built up between God and you : Ifa. lix, 2. " But your iniquities have feparated between you and your God, and your fins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." You may come to a communion- table, but your harboured lufts (hall feparate be- twixt God and you : this will make it a faplefs meal to you.— There is this certification, (3.) That if you do it not, your bed fervices and duties will not be accepted, but rejected as an abomination. Remember that God requires obe- dience rather than facrifices ; and it is in vain for men to think to pleafe God in the external acts of devotion, while they do not make confclence of obeying his commandments in hoiinefs of life : Prov. xxviii. 9. " He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer (hall be an T 2 abomination/' 22'4 DLPARTlJfG FROM INIQJIITY abomination." Will men dare to go over the belly of their duty enjoined them from the Lord's word, without ever aiming to comply with it, and yet think to communicate acceptably? — There is this certification, (4.) That if you do it not, you will get a curfe in (lead of a blefling in your approaches to God, Mai. ii. 2 3. God has made fome monuments of his vengeance, who have prefumed in their fins unrepented of to approach his prefence in a folemn manner, Levit. x. 1. 3. But becaufe God does not itrike men often this way, there are found thofe who, living in feeret wickednefs, come to the Lord's table to cloak their wickednefs, little con- sidering the blafting curfe to which they expofe their fouls. — There is this certification, (5.) That if you do it not, you fhall perifh in your iniquity : Heb. xii. 14. " Follow peace with all men, and holinefs, without which no man fhall fee the Lord." True holinefs is in all manner of converfation. One thing lacking will ruin and fink the ftiip of your fouls, as well as a thcu- fand. We are now, IV. To ffiew why thofe particularly who name the name of Chrift, are charged to depart from iniquity. All to whom the gofpel comes are fo charged, but thofe who profefs Chrift are in a fpecial manner thus charged. — For, 1. The practice of iniquity is a contradiction to their profeinon ; fo that they cannot have this practice but they give the lie to their profef- iion. An holy profeifion, and an unholy practice, are fuch inconfiftencies, as that the one over- throws the other ; " for what fellowship hath righ- teoufnefs with unrighteouinefs ? and what com- munion TUE DUTY OF ALL, &C 21$ m union hath light with darknefs ? and what con- cord hath Chrift with Belial ?" 2 Cor. vi. 14. 15. By their profefiion they are friends of God, by their practice they are enemies •, by the one they carry Chrift's yoke, by the other fin and Sa- tan's. Thus the life is woven into one practical lie, 2. Whofoever partakes of CbrifVs falvation, de- parts from iniquity ; for falvation from fin is the leading and chief part of Chrift's falvation: "Thou fhalt call his name Jefus, for lie (hali fave his people from their fins." Therefore none can juftly claim Chrift as his Saviour, who (till lives in tin. Hence we are told, James, ii. 17. " Thai faith without works is dead." And a holy life is juft as neceffary to evidence our intereft in Chrift, as light is neceffary to evidence that the fun is rifen. 3. The practice of iniquity in fuch, is in a pe- culiar manner offenfive to God, and grieving to his Spirit. Sin is ofTeniive to his holinefs, when- ever it is found ; but the offence is doubled in thofe who name the name of Chrift : Amos, iii. 2. " You only have I known of all the families of the earth : Therefore I wiil punil'h you for all your iniquities." Friends wounds pierce deepeft •, and the nearer that tht relation is betwixt the offender and the offended, the offence is the worfe taken, Pfal. xli. 9. and lv. 12. 13. The treachery of a traitor is more grievous than the enmity of an open enemy, and more feverely pu- niihed ; and accordingly the impiety of thofe who name the name of Chrift, is mere heinous than that of others who do not : Matth.ai. 22. " But I fay unto you, it (hall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgement, than for you." The breaking of a covenant, which all the baptiied as well as corrirnunicantshave enured into, T 3 |9 116 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY is mod aggravating, both in refpe£t of fin and pu- nifhment. See Matth. xxiv. 5 1 . Compare Jerem. xviii. 34. Laftly t It reflects a peculiar dishonour upon God ; fuch fins bring a fcandal upon that holy- name and religion which they profefs : Rom. ii. 24. " For the name of God is blafphemed among the Gentiles through you." The loofe lives of profefTors expofe religion to the ridicule and re- proach of its enemies •, fo that they are the Judafes by whom the Son of man was betrayed. Reli- gion is the worfe of them ; and it meets with worfe entertainment in the world, that workers of iniqui- ty do profefs it. We are now, V. To make fome practical improvement ; and this, Firft, In an ufe of information. — This doctrine ihews us, 1. That all and every one amongft us, by the authority of God who made us, and in whofe name we were baptifed, are obliged to depart from iniquity. You cannot keep it without re- bellion againft your fovereign Lord, v. ithout trea- chery and breach of your covenant. O that men would ferioufly reflect, on the authority they are under ! confider the charge given them from hea- ven, and how they will aiifwer for their difobe- dience to it, when God riles up to judgement. — This fhews us, 2. That for men to abftain from the facrament of the Supper, to this end that they may not be abridged of their liberty in finful courfes, is not only impious, but childim and fooliih. It is im- pious, as it is a determined difobedience to ( exprefs charge. — It is foolifh, becau. erty is already cut off from them, and renounced by them THE DUTY OF ALL, &C. 227 them, by their taking on the profeffion 2nd badge of Chriftianity. — Their abftaining from the facra- ment of theSupper, unlefs alfo they renounce their baptifm, and all their part in Chrift, will not take their name out of this charge from heaven. — We are inftructed, 3. That they are bold adventurers, and run a dreadful rilk, who come in their fins, unrepented of, and not fincerely refolved againft, and fit down at the Lord's table : 1 Cor. xi. 29. " For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drink - eth damnation to him fell, not difcerning the Lord's bodv." It is one of the moil folemn ways of na- ming the name of Chrift, to communicate at hU table. Whofo partakes of this bread and cup do folemnly and practically confefs, before God, an- gels, and men, that they take Chrift, and part with their lufts, that they proclaim an irrecon- cilable war againft the devil, the world, and the flefh, according to this charge. And for fuch to be (till in the enemy's camp, or to return after the facrament to their former known finful cour- fes, is folemnly to lie, and to mock God, the con- fequences of which will be moft terrible : Gal. vi. 7. "Be not deceived •, God is not mocked : for whatfoever a man foweth, that {hall he alio reap." 4. Behold here how the Lord's table is fenced, by a fence of God's own making : " Let every one that nameth the name of Chrift depart from iniquity." There is a great privilege before us, the making a moft folemn profeffion of the name of Chrift, and our communion v/ith him. Here in the text are God's terms of admifiion to the privileges, and thefe are moft reafonable ; which are, that thofe who (hail profefs their coming over to Chrift's fide, (hall defert the enemy's camp j if they be for the light, they mult renounce the works 22$ DEPARTING FROM INIOJJITY works of darknefs ; if they take Chrift, they muft let thefe go. You hear the terms ; lay your hand to your heart, and fee what you will do. If men will not depart from iniquity, let them not take ChrihVs name in vain. Our text debars from this holy table, whofoever will indulge themfelves in, and will not part with, any known fin whatfo- ever •, particularly, ( i.) iA\ neglecters of the duties of piety towards God. Surely pray erlefs perfons, and fuch as only call on God now and then, flighters of God's or- dinances, his word, his Sabbaths, depart not from iniquity, but live in it, and cannot with a good confcience fit down at his table. Though they may deceive men, they cannot deceive God, who fays to them, Pfal. 1. i6. 17. " What haft thou to do, to declare my ftatutes, or that thou fhouldeft take my covenant in thy mouth ? feeing thou hated inftrucYion, and cafteft my words behind thee." Depart from thefe, then, or prefume not to fit down at the Lord's table. (2.) All who make not confidence of their duty towards men, righteoufnefs, mercy, and charity. Thofe who can wrong their neighbours, by un- dermining and cheating them, picking and Heal- ing from them, by unfaithfulnefs in what they have of other men's among their hands, are fitter to join a fociety of robbers, than to fit down at a communion-table: Jerem. vii. 11. "Is this houfe, which is called by my name, become a den of robbtrs in your eyes ? behold, I have feen it, faith the Lord." See 1 Cor. vi. 9. — Thofe who (hut up their bowels from the poor and needy, who opprefs and grind the faces of others, are utterly unfit for this leal of God's mercy. — Thofe who live in hatred of their neighbours, in malice and envy, and who cannot be reconciled to, nor forgive THE DUTY OE ALL, &C. 229 forgive thofe who have done them a wrong, are unfit for this feal of God's pardon : Matth. vi. 15. " But if ye forgive not men their trefnaffes, nei- ther will your Father forgive your treipafles." Depart from thefe, or preiume not to go to the table of the Lord ; for with a good conference you cannot come there, unlefs you be refolved from the heart to be confeientious in all your re- lations, confeientious neighbours, parents, chil- dren, mailers, fervants, &c. 3. All thofe who are not fober in their lives: Titus, ii. 1 2. The gofpel u teaches, that we mould live foberly, righteoufly, and godly in this prefent world." Can a man who will not quit the table of drunkermefs, be fit for the Lord's table. Do but imagine, a perfon fitting at the Lord's table one day, and getting drunk another day ; what a monftrous and horrible thing is this ! Cor. x. 2 1. " Ye cannot drink of the cup of the Lord and the cupof devils." Thofe who are wedded to the luft of the eyes, the luft of the flefh, and the pride of life, will but get a ftroke to their fouls by fuch a fo- lemn approach. Depart from intemperance, then, and from the vain way of the world, or prefume not to approach this holy table. 4. All thofe who fuffer their tongues to go at random, and make no conscience of their words. It is the character of perfons very different from the people of God, which you have : Pfal. xii. 2. 3, 4. " They fpeak vanity every one with his neighbour : with flattering lips, and with a double heart do they fpeak : the Lord will cut off all flat- tering lips, and the tongue that fpeaketh proud things i who have faid, With our tongue will we prevail, our lips are our own : who is lord over us ?" Let f wearers and curfers take heed to this, and 1st them not deceive thqmfelves with thisj 230 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY this, that they do it only in a paffion ; let them foberly confider what agreement there is betwixt a folemn profeihon of the holy name one day, and a profaning it another ; betwixt their profemng faith in Chrift, bringing their confcienees to his blood, and their endeavours for God's bleiTing one day, and another day fwearing by their faith, their confcience, and curling themfelves or others. Ler liars, filthy fpeakers, flanderers, and back- biters, who ufe their tongues fo bufily in the fervice of the devil, know what they have to expect, if they approach the table of the Lord, Pfal. 1. 16. — 23. And let all know, that a loofe unbridled tongue will prove a man's religion vain ; and this vain religion will leave him in the lurch at length : James, i. 26. « If any man among you feem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart •, this man's religion is vain." Depart therefore from all thefe, or prefume not to approach the Lord's table. 5. All thofe who make no eonfeience of in- ward purity, the keeping of the heart : Matth. v. 8. " BlelTed are the pure in heart, for they ihall fee God." Outfide religion may give you out- ward privileges, but it will leave you to break your teeth on the ihell, witiu>ut ever enjoying the kernel of them. Speculative impurities and fins entertained in the heart, will exclude you out of heaven ; and, before the Lord, will exclude you from his table, if you are not repenting of them, and refolving, through grace, to wreitle againlt them. Depart alio from theie, or venture not to approach this holy table. 6. All thofe who entertain and indulge them- felves bl any known fin, or in the neglect of any known duty, or are not content to have their fin and THE DUTY OF ALL, &C. 23 I and duty difcovrred to them : Pfal. Ixvi. 18. " If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." One thing may mar all in the bargain betwixt Chrift and your fouls. If one luft be re- ferved and excepted, it is no bargain : Mark, x. 21. 22. " Then Jefus beholding him, loved him, and faid unto him, One thing thou lackeft ; go thy way, fell whatioever thou haft, and give to the poor, and thou (halt have treafure in heaven ; and come, take up thy crofs, and follow me. And he was fad at that faying, and went away grieved, for he had great pofleftions." Men, then, mould foberly confider, with what confeience they can fit down at the Lord's table, while they are living in fin, in that which they are convinced to be fin, and yet are never endeavouring to amend it. 5. Behold how the door of accefs to the Lord's table is opened to all true penitents, whofe hearts are loofed from, and fet againft, all fin. Thofe who would now fincerely depart from their ini- quity, and turn from it without referve to the Lord, are welcome to name the name of Chrift, they have his Father's allowance for it : Ifa. lv. 7. u Let the wicked forfake his way, and the unrigh- teous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." He faith not, that they who will name the name of Chrift muft be without iniquity ; there are none fuch in this lower world ; but they muft depart from it, they muft turn their backs on it, though it may tempt them •, they are to flee from it, though it may follow j they are to refill it, nay, even though it attack them. Who- foever, then, is brought to be weary of their for- mer finful courfes, are fincerely defirous of, and are refolving through grace to be the Lord's only, wholly, and for ever, to take Chrift for their Sa- viour 232 DEPARTING FROM JNIQUITY viour from fin and wrath, to take holinefs for thfcir way, and God's word for their rule, they have ac- cefs to the covenant, and to the feal of the cove- nant, in a comfortable way. Laft/y, This (hews us the neceffity of felf-fearch- ing, examining ourfelves, on this occafion, 1 Cor. xi. 28. Communicants mould examine themfelves beforehand as to their fins, as well as with refpecl: to their graces, fmce God has commanded every one that nameth the name of Chrift to depart frcm iniquity. Make net fuperficial work of com- municating, but examine your heart and life for the time paft, that ye may diicover what has been and what is your iniquity or iniquities, from which you are now to depart : Lamen. Hi. 40. " Let us fearch and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord." One reafon why there is fo little reformation on the back of communions is, that people do net be- forehand take a view of what is wrong, they do not confider what they are to endeavour the refor- mation of. Now, if a perfon do not knew what he mould depart from, how can he depart from it ? Wherefore, the fame authority which charges you to depart from iniquity, charges you to take a view of what has been amifs in your ways. Take fome time for this, and be as particular as you can, to fearch out the old leaven, and devote to a curie what you find out. Examine how your hearts ftand affected to your fins for the time pre- fent, whether you really repent of them or not, whether you be afhamed of them before the Lord, are heartily grieved for them, hate them, and are longing to be rid of them, to be delivered from the guilt, the {tain, the power, and the indwell- ing of them, or not. If you have not attained to this, you are, while in this cafe, utterly unfit for a communion-table. If you have, the mailer of the THE DUTY OF ALL, &C. 233 the feaft: makes you welcome. If your repentance be real, it will reach to all your known fins what- foever, without exception, both the . •. the branches, Rom. vii. 24. " O wretched man that I am ! who (hall deliver me from the body of this death ? — Examine how your hearts (land effected to them for the time to come ; if you be fincere-i ly refolvcd, through grace, on newnefs of life. Surely it is meet at all times, but efpecially before a communion-occafiou, to be thus refolved : Job, xxxiv. 31. 32. " Surely it is meet to be faid unto God, I have borne chaftifement, I will not offend any more. That which I fee not, teach thou me ; If 1 have done iniquity, I will do no more." If you cannot think to give up with your finful courfes, or to live without them, do not mock God, and bring more guilt upon your fouls, by fitting down at his table : But if you would wifh to be holy as God is holy, and, under ajenfe of your inability to fubdue fin, defire to betake yourlelf to Chnlt for his fan£Hfying Spirit, refoiving through grace to w r atch again!! fin, and refill the motions of it, ye are welcome guefts to the Lord's table. — We matt only add, Sc-ccndly, An ufe of exhortation. We exhort you to depart from iniquity, turn from your fins, llnce you name the name of Chriil. Let none think to find fhelter for their fms under this, namely, that they intend not to take the facra- ment. You have taken a facrament already, which obliges you to this, and therefore I charge one and all of you to depart from your iniquity this day If you will not, know the fame Chrift, whole name ycu name, while you will not depart from iniquity, will be your great ene- my : Luke, xix. 27. « But thofe mine enemies, which would not that I mould reign over them, bring hither and flay them before me." Sin is the great make-bate betwixt God and the (inner, Vol. III. U and 234 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY and the friendfhip with your lufts will be enmity with the Lord. Hereupon I would afk you, How think ye to live on God's ground, amongft the midft of his creatures, while God is your ene- my ? Know ye not that all the creatures are banded together againft him to whom God is an enemy ? Does not the meat thou eateft fay, Lord, if thou wilt allow me, I will chock this re- bel ? The earth, I will fwallow him up who will not depart from iniquity ? — Again, let me afk you, How will you look the king of terrors in the face ? What comfort will thefe fins which thou now holdeft faft leave thee, when the old finful tabernacle begins to fall down, the foul to flee away, and the carcafe is brought down to a grave, both to be imprifoned, the former in hell, the Jatter in the grave, till the refurreclion ? How will you bear to be raifed up, and fifted before the great tribunal, to anfwer for all thofe fins you will not now depart from, and to receive the eternal reward of your works ? Particularly, O communicants ! prefume not to fit down at the Lord's table, without departing from iniquity. Purge out the old leaven, that ye may keep the feaft. — O communicants ! will ye betray the Son of man with a kifs ? When fitting down at his table, you profefs yourfelves to be his friends, members of his family. But if you de- part not from iniquity, you will betray him as lure as Judas did, for you are in league with his enemies. And your vows at the communion-table will become like Sampfon's green withs, which were broken at the firft onfet, and you will re- turn back again with more eagernefs to thefe fins from which you never really departed : you know what will be the end of fuch conduct. — Will ye go out againft Chrift as againft a thief with fwords and ftaves ? You do it by going in your fins un- repented THE DUTY OF ALL, &C 235 repented of to his table. We are to commemo- rate his love in dying for our fins, fins which fur- niftied a Judas to betray him, nails to pierce him, and a fpear to enter into his fide. And will you prefume on this exercife, holding fall thefe fins, and refufing to let them go ? If you would proclaim war againft Chrift, inftead of fitting down at his table, you could reach him no other way, than you will do by holding fail iniquity. It is the day of his efpoufals, of his coronation ; let us not make it a day of crucifying him afrefh. — Would you fee Jefus, and in him God reconciled to your fouls, bleiTing you with the feal of your pardon, peace, and right to eternal life ? Come away to Chrift freely from your fins, make your mod be- loved lufts ftepping-ftones, over the belly of which you will come to his table, putting a bill of divorce into the hand of them all, with a fincere refolu- tion ? through grace, never to entertain them wil- lingly again. In this event, I know nothing to make the feparation betwixt him and you : Ifa. lix. » . " Behold, the Lord's hand is not fhortened, that it cannot fave ; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear." But, alas ! fome fay, 1 cannot get rid of my fins. To this I anfwer, Is thine iniquity thy burden, which thou wouldft as fain be rid of, as of an oppreffing weight ? Then thy heart is away from it, and God accepts thee in this cafe, fmcerely, though not perfectly, to be de- parted from it. It is one thing to be fitting ftill in ahoufe, willingly entertaining a gueft ; another, to be labouring to get away, though the trouble- fome gueft will not part with us. If the latter be thy cafe, you may come to the Lord at his table, with hopes of welcome, you will then be ftrength- ened for the ftruggle, and fhall get the feal of complete victory in due time. Amen. U 2 THE THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED. SER M O N LVIIL 2 Tim. ii. rg. And let every cne that nameth the name of Chrifi depart from iniquity. HAvxKG, in the preceding difcourfes, dffered all that was in -ended on the firfi doctrine taken from this fubje€t, I now proceed to a conil- deration of Doct. II. That God's charge to depart from ini- quity is infallibly effectual in all who are his, fo as that they do truly depart from iniquity, while others hold it faft to their own ruin, A£l?, xiii. 48. Matth. i. 21. — cr briefly thus, That all the elect of God fhail depart from iniquity. In explaining this, I fhall, I. Shew when and how far this charge is effec- tual in all who are his. II. I \ DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY, &C ^37 II. Evince the truth of this doctrine, that the charge is effectual in all who belong to God. III. We (hall, in the conclufion, make fome practical improvement. We are, I. To (hew when and how far this charge is effe&ual in all who are his. I fhewed before, from what of fin we are to depait. And, in ge- neral, this charge is effectual, in all the parts of it, in them who are the Lord's. But more parti- cularly, I. It is effectual in them who are his, in this life. Here the work is truly and happily begun ; they all become faints on earth, who mall be faints in heaven, Pfal. xvi. 3. Though by nature they are wild olives, growing in the foreft of the world lying in wickedness, they are plucked up and planted in the nurfery of grace, where they grow till tranfplanted into paradife ; while their fellows Hand ftill in that foreft till cut down for the fire. It is effectual in this life, in a gofpel- fenfe, though not in a law-fenfe, in refpecl: of a perfection of parts, though not of degrees. And this in three repecls : (1.) It is effectual in all who belong to God, in fo far as they come freely away from fin in con- verlion. Some may be longer in coming away than others, they may abide in the tents of wic- kednefs, after other fealed ones are gone, but they mall infallibly follow fooner or later : p'or, fays Jehovah, Joel, iii. 21. "I will cleanfe their blood that I have not cleanfed, for the Lord dwel- leth in Zion." This one and the other may often be pafled by j while others are taken, who mall certainly have a place in the building of mercy. U 3 Here 238 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY Here confider the following things : — That ail man- kind by nature lie in wickednefs : They are dead in trefpafles and fins, Eph. ii. 1. They are in the devil's camp, they are bound with the bands of wickednefs, eitranged from God and all that is truly good. They will not leave it, becaufe it is their element. — Confider alfo, that yet among them God has fome which he has chofen to life, and whom, in his eternal purpofe of love to their fouls, he has fealed as his own, to bring them away, and to make them partakers of his glory. — Confider farthes, that the alarm of the gofpel comes indefinitely to all, whether they be the Lord's or not. It comes to the devil's camp, and fays, 2 Ccr. vi. 17. " Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye feparated, faith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you." It fays as Mofes to Ifrael, in refpe£t of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, " Depart, I pray you, from the tents of theie wicked men." Or as tLe angel to Lot, " Efcape for thy life : look not behind thee, neither Hay thou in all the plain," Gen. xix. 17. — Confider, that as God knows who among them are his, fo he infallibly brings them 2way from among the reft, in obedience to the gofpel-alarm : " As many as were ordained to eternal life believe," Acls, xiii. 48. This march out of the devil's camp, was begun at the firfb preaching of the gofpel in paradiie, and is conti- nued to this day, though fometimes more, fome- times fewer go off together. And it will be con- tinued until there be not one of them that be- long to God left among them ; and then comes the end. Now, in converfion, the Spirit founding the alarm, Depart ye, depart ye; they that are the Lord's are imprefTtd by jt : fo the dead foul awakes, the THE DUTY OF ALL, &.C. 239 the impenitent heart melts, they fpring to their feet, refolved and determined to depart from the tents of fin. The devil and thofe who are his, do what they can, by allurements and threats, to hold them {till-, but under the conduct of the Captain of the Lord's holt, they march out with banners difplaved, and depart freely from iniquity ; the trumpet ftill founding, " Let everyone that nameth the name of Chrill depart from iniquity." As to the nature of their departure, we obferve the following things. [i.'l They depart from fin fincerely. They de- part from it, becaufe it is a departing from God, contrary to his holy nature and law ; thtey depart from it as fin, Luke, xv. 1 8. They who belong to God, leaving their fins, leave them not from the inferior motives only of danger to themfelves, here or hereafter ; but from higher motives alfo, becaufe they are often five to God, they dilhonour his Son, grieve his Spirit, tranlgrefs his law, and deface his image. Thus the worthy communicant reforms, and departs from iniquity. — Here, how- ever, there may be propofed this £>ue/t ion. How do they with thofe fins from which they formerly departed from lower motives only, or which left them ere they left them ? — To this I anfwer, That they do with them as men ufe to do with thofe who die by their own hands. They bu- ry them difgracefully, and throw ftones upon their graves. They look back to them, and loath them. They left them at firil for their own fake j they go farther away from them for God's fake. They neglected them before, as having no ufc for them ; they abhor them now for their intrinfic loathfome- nefs. They were hanging before betwixt heaven and earth, like Abfalom on the oak ; now they thruft the darts into their hearts, and throw them into a pit. [>] They 240 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY [2. J They depart from iniquity voluntarily : not out of conftraint, but choice : Pf. cxix. 30. " I have chofen the way of truth : thy judgements have I laid before me." They do not caft away fin only as one would do a live coal out of his bofom, be- caufe it will burn him j or a ferpent, becaufe it will fting him ; but as a loathfome, unclean thing, becaufe it will defile him. Some depart from their iniquity againft their wills. They part with it as Phaltiel with his undutiful wife, 2 Sam. iii. 16. They dwell in the tents of fin, and will not move hence, till there is no abiding longer there for them ; as the covetous man parts with the world at death, or when it is violently taken from him ; whether he will or not, he muft let it go. But this departure is not lafting, fuch will go back again, Pfal. lxxviii. 34. — 37. — And fo hence there occurs a ^ueftiott, May not a perfon be driven from his iniquity by the teiror of God ? To this I anfwer, I conceive that when the time comes, at which a perfon who belongs to God is to depart from iniquity, there are two trumpets which found in his ears. The firft trumpet is that of the law, which is fo terrible, that it makes the man's foul quake within him, and makes an earthquake in the devil's camp to him, fo that he finds no more iirm footing there, nor reft as before, but he muft flee for .his life in confternation. But if there be no more, he may flee from one part of it to another, but he will ft ill abide within the trenches. The fecond trumpet is that of the go- fpel, the ftill fmall voice, founding pardon, peace, welcome, to Chrift's camp, and to the feaft of fat things, to all thofe who will depart from iniquity. This takes the trembling finner by the heart, and makes him come away freely and voluntarily from iniquity : T:iZ DUTY OF ALL, &:*. "241 iniquity: So that, although the trumpet of the law fhould ceafe, this charms him (o as he can ftay no longer in the tents of fin, Hofea, ii. 14. «nd iii. 5. [3.] They depart from iniquity refolutely, abfo- lutely, and unconditionally, colt what it will ; they cannot, they will not, they muft not flaw Others may do as they pleafe •, but, with Jofhua, they peremptorily fay, " We will ferve the Lord," Jofh. xxiv. 15. If all the world fhould fit ftill, they will go, though they fhould go alone. Satan may frame many objections againft their depar- ture, and enter into terms for their (laying, as Pharaoh with the Israelites, about their departure from Egypt. But converting grace makes their ears deaf to all propofals of this nature. If they fhould leave all they have in the world, they mull: leave fin, Luke, xiv. 26. 5 if it fhould be never fo much to their lofs as to their temporal intereft, they will depart ; if they muft go through fire and water, make their way out of it through briars and thorns, — any thing but fin : Rev. xiv. 4. " Thefe are they who follow the Lamb whither- soever he goeth." Thefe were redeemed from a- mong men, being the firft-fruits unto God and to the Lamb. lie whofe departing from iniquity de- pends on ifs and ands, effectual grace has not yet reached his heart. [4.] They depart from iniquity fpeedily, without delays: Pfal. cxix. 60. "I made hafte, and de- layed not, to keep thy commandments." Many I purpofes come to nothing by delays. The man intends to part with fuch and fuch a fin, to comply with fuch and fuch a duty, only he can- not do it yet. And whereas there is one hindrance in his way at prefent, there are two after •, and lo the project flies up for good and all. But they who 242 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY who belong to God are matched away as brands out of the burning. They will delay no longer to depart from fin, than one delays to fling a burn- ing coal out of his bofom, or a flinging ferpent. Being determined to depart, they are determined to depart without delay, becaufe a moment's de- lay in this matter may be an eternal lofs. [5.] They depart from it univerfally : Pfal. cxix. 104. " Through thy precepts I get under- ftanding ; therefore I hate every falfe way." — Ezek. xviii. 31. " Call away from you all your tranfg re (lions whereby you have tranfgreiTed, and make you a new heart and a new fpirit ; for why will ye die, O houfe of Ifrael ?" Whofo departs from one fin fincerely, and as fin, departs from all fin known to them to be fuch ; becaufe the reafon moving him to depart from one, is to be found in all. Every fin is a deadly wound to the fcui ; and therefore, ir duc One remain uncured, the man is a dead man : Matth. v. 29. " If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cafl it from thee \ for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members perifh, and not that thy whole body fhould be cafl into hell." One fin retained will make all our reformation naught, as Abimelech, the fon of Jerubbaal's concubine, was the death of his feventy fons by his wives, excepting one, Jud. ix. 5. Hence thofe who belong to God depart from all fin without exception, however others may have their referved idols. Thus they depart from that fin which is the fin of their conflitution, rhat fin which attends their calling in the world, that fin to which they have the flrongefl and moll frequent temptations : Pfal. xviii. 23. " I was alfo upright before him, and I kept myfelf from mine iniquity." That fin which mod eafily befets us, Heb. xii. 1. is the predominant evil the heart mult be THE DUTY OF ALL, &C. 243 be loofed from, the right hand, and right eye, the one thing lacking, which mars all other things •, from which, however loth they be to part, they will be made willing to part with it in the day of power. Thus, all who belong to God do come freely away from fin in converfion •, and fo the charge is effe&ual. (2.) It is effectual in all who belong to God, in fo far as they never again return to it as formerly, but perfevere in that courfe of holinefs which is once begun. They who have once freely depart- ed from the tents of wickednefs, fhall never again come back to them, they fhall never mix again with the ungodly world, from among whom they have come out : Pfal. xii. 7. « Thou fhalt keep them, O Lord, thou (halt preferve them from this generation for ever." Converting grace fixes a gulf betwixt the two, which they fhall never re- pafs. I own a gracious foul may fall from its firft love, to carnal fluggifhnefs, remifTnefs, and indif- pofition for duties. Thus it was with the church of Ephefus, Rev. ii. 4. Yea, they may fall into fome enormous offences and grofs tranfgreflions of the law, as Peter did, and they may for fome time lie in thefe unrepented of, as David and Solomon did j and they may relapfe into the fame fins for- merly mourned over, Rev. xxii. 8. ; compare ch. xix. 10. Thus, Abraham denied his wife twice. They may thus fall after folemn engagements to the Lord, as Peter did, after the firft communion, and after gracious manifeftations, Song, v. 1. — 3. — To be more particular, [1.] They fhall never fall back to fin, with the fame heart and good- will which they had to it be- fore ; not with a full confent, but with reluctance : Rom. vii. 19. " For the good that I would, I do not ; but the evil which I would not, that do I." They £44 DEPARTING FROM INiQUiTl' They may be fin's captives while they are here, driven back to feme iniquity or other by the force of temptation *, but fin's ready fubjefts they (hall never mere be. There is a principle of grace within them, which, at the lowed ebb, will check that full fpring-ticie of fin which they were wont to have before the) departed from it, Song, v. 2. [2.3 They fhall not lie flill in fin, but (boner or later rife again tp repentance. So did Peter, Da- vid, and Soloinoji. They fhall not live in the ha- bitual practice of any known fin. Hypocrites, after folcmn engagements to God, may return and live in the habitual practice of their former lulls ; like the mixed multitude founding a retreat into Egypt, they may fall away, and never recover. But though a flraying {lave neve? be fought after, a flraying fon will be. Thofe who belong to God may fall in the way, but they fhall never fall out of God's way of holincfs : Job,~xvii. 9. "The righteous mail hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands fhall wax ftronger and ilronger." Ha- ving once departed from iniquity, they fhall hold on their way ; for — he that let them on the way {hall keep them in it : 2 ThefT. iii. 3. " The Lord is faithful, who fhall ilabliih you, and keep you from evil." The Lord is the keeper of all thofe who have departed from iniquity, and he watches night and day, Ifa. xxvii. 2. They are kept by the word of God, which is a fuihcient defence againit the powers of darknefs. Thejr 'keeper never leaves them, nor forfakes them, Heb. xiii. 5. When once Chrift takes hold of a foul, he will never part with it again, however low the pafs to which they maybe brought: Pfal. lxxiii. 23. " Neverthelefs, I am continually with thee ; thou hail: holden me by my right hand.'' None can loofe his hold, nor pluck them out of his hand, John, TH£ DOTY OF ALL, S'-C. 245 John, x. 28. — Again, they have an immortal prin- ciple within them for carrying them forward. The Spirit of Chrift dwells in them for ever, John, xiv. 16. Grace is a never-dying feed, which remain- eth in them, i John, iii. 9. This, by virtue of the covenant, fecures the continuance of their de- parture from iniquity, Jer. xxxii. 40. Hence, when the believer fteps afide from the Lord, there is ftill in him a reftlefihefs, more or lefs, until he return, like the dove into the ark, Song, v. 2. — Farther, fin can never recover that dominion over him which it has loft, and that irrecoverably : Rom. vi. 14. " For fin fhail not have dominion over you." And though, in the war with fin, corruption may fometimes get the upper hand, yet grace (hall overcome at length: Gen. xlix. 19. " Gad, a troop {hall overcome him j but he fhall overcome at the laft." 3. It is effectual, in fo far as they go farther and farther from it in the progrefs of fanctification : Prov. iv. 18. " But the path of the juft is as the ihining light, that {hineth more and more unto the perfect day:" Ifa. xl. 31. " But they that wait upon the Lord fhall renew their ftrength," &c. — Grace is of a growing nature ; and though it grows not at all times, yet it does grow. The life of a faint is a going up out of the wildernefs of this world ; and the farther he goes, he is the nearer his journey's end. And thus a gracious foul is ftill departing from iniquity, and fhall depart.— He departs, by watching againft it ; and always the more watchful, the farther from it : Pfal. xxxix. I. "I faid, I will take heed to my ways, that I fin not with my tongue ; I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me." Any diftance we can be at from fin while here, is a diftance of oppofition ; and the more the Chri- Vol. III. X ftian 246 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY ftian has his eyes in his head, to obferve the mo- tions of the enemy, to avoid occafions and temp- tations to fin, he is fet at the greater diftance from it. Unwatchfulnefs is the ruin of many. They who belong to God fhall be made to watch ; and if they be at a time taken nodding, it mall ferve to make them more awake afterwards. — Again, they fhall depart, by keeping up a druggie againft fin : Gal. v. 1 7. " For the flefh lufteth againft the fpirit, and the fpirit againft the flefh." Sin may get quiet harbour in the breaft of a hypocrite, but in thofe who are the Lord's it can get no more eafe than mud in a fpring-well, where there will be a working it out : John, iv. 14. " The water that I fhall give him," faith Jefus, " fhall be in him a well of living water, fpringing up to ever- lafting life." And this ftruggle will continue as lcng as there is a Canaanite in the land *, for it is not, as in the hypocrite, againft fome kind of fins only, but againft the whole kind of them. And the gracious foul will be groaning, longing, wreft- ling for the perfect delivery, no truce being to be made here, but the war undertaken for extirpation, Rom. vii.24.Phil. iii. 13. 14. — Finally, he departs, by growing in grace: Pf. xcii. 12. " The righteous fhall flourifh like the palm-tree ; he fhall grow like a cedar in Lebanon." Many go back to their old lufts again, becaufe, though they feem to depart from fome fins, yet, being deftitute of grace, they cannot grow in the oppofite graces, and therefore it fares with them, as in Matth. xii. 44. 43'. " Thus their laft ftate is worfe than the firft." But as a man is always the farther from his difeafe, the more that nature is flrengthened ; fo the gracious foul is fet the farther from fin, the more that the contrary graces are made to grow in him. — From this part of the fubjeft, we may learn, !. That THE DUTY OF ALL, &C. 247 1. That if ye be the Lord's people by fincere dedication, his covenant-people, ye have come a- way freely trom all your lulls, unto himfelf. You have been at his table, folemnly devoting your- felves to him: if you have dealt honeflly with him, and have not eaten and drunk unworthily, your hearts are loofed from all your idols, you have with heart and good-will turned your back on the Sodom of fmful courfes, with fincere refoiutions not to look back. However little influence this charge has had on others, it is effectual on you ; you have taken the alarm, and have begun your march out of the tents of fin, you dare no more be difobedient to the heavenly virion. If fo, it is well ; if otherwife, you have but mocked God, and wronged your own fouls. — You may learn, 2. That if you be indeed the Lord's people by covenant favingly, you will not go back to your former lulls : Luke, ix. 62. " And Jefus faid unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." You are not to return to your vain converfation. You have lifted up your hand to the Lord, and you cannot go back in point of right ; and unleis you have been dealing deceitfully with God, you will not go back. Apoflacy and backlliding take the mafk off hypocrites ; and fearful is their con- dition, for fallen liars were never genuine liars, but liars only in appearance : 1 John, ii. 19. " They went out from uS, but they were not of us ; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us ; but they went out, that they might be made manifeil that they were not of us." Think on this when temptations come, that to return into the tents of fin, is to prove yourfelves not to be the Lord's. — We may learn, X 2 Laftiy, 248 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY La/Ily, That if you be the Lord's by ele&ion, you fhall part with thofe fins which now part be- twixt the Lord Chrifl and you. For though you hide yourfelves from him who came to feek you, he notwithstanding will find you out ; and as fafl as your lufts hold you, and you them, the Lord will make you fain to caft them as fire out of your bofom, if he has any thoughts of eternal love to you. If he has not, you will get them kept, and ycu may embrace and hug them during life and through eternity ; they mall clafp about you like ferpents, flinging with endlefs defpair. But it looks fearfully ill, while the trumpet of the gofpel, day after day, and year after year, is founding an alarm to depart from fin, and others are marching away in your fight, that you are flili (laying be- hind. The life of a faint is a departing from iniquity, and this is their work while here; fo that, although it Hill cleaves unto them, yet they are not fitting down contented in it, but endeavouring the repa- ration for altogether. Thus the charge is effec- tual, in fo far as they go farther and farther from it. — Here there is another ®hieftion> But is it not often feen, that Chriflians are farther from iniquity at flrfl than ever they are afterwards ? hence many complain that their days, after a long (landing in religion, are not found to be by far fo good as when they were but young Chriflians. — In anfwer to this, I obferve, 1. That there are not a few who, though never found converts, yet had awakening grace at their fir ft fetting out in a profefhon, making a mighty reel among their affections, and a great change on their life ; which wearing away by degrees, they fettled on a lifelefs empty form of godlinefs, and fo were farther from iniquity then than ever before. But THE DUTY OF ALL, &C. 249 but this will not prove it to be fo with the truly eodly. — I obferve, 2. That Chriftians of a long (landing in reli- gion have their fleeping and decaying times, and young Chriltians alio have theirs. In Song, v. 2» we find the fpoufe afleep after great manifefta- tions *, and in Matth. xxv. 5. we find the wife, as well as the foolifh virgins, flumbering and fleep- ing. And if we compare the fleeping days of aged Chriftians with the waking days of thofe who a-re only young, no doubt the latter has the advantage of the former, even as a working boy is in lefs danger of the enemy's furprife, than a fleeping man. But fince the power of grace effectually ftirs up both from their fpiritual flumbers, it is but juft the comparifon pais betwixt them, in the waking frame. — i obferve, 3. That there is a difference betwixt the bulk of religion, and the folidity and weight of it ; the vehement commotions, and its lirmnefs. and root- ednefs. Young Chriftians may be of more bulk than the old in refpect of many glittering affec- tions, arifing from the newnefs of the thing, which are mixed with it, and afterwards go off. But with old Chriftians, though there be lefs bulk, it is more folid and weighty ; as the gold, the oftener it is in the fire, is the more refined, though not fo bulky. Young Chriftians have more vehement affections, but the old have them more regular, rooted, and firm ; thus the old is better. The longer one (lands in Chriftianity, certainly he has the more experience of the goodnefs of God, and of the corruption of his own heart, and of the danger from fpiritual enemies. Hence he mud be more refolute in folid ferious dependence upon the Lord for all ; more humble, felf-denied, and more firm againft temptation -, and, in one word, X 3 have 2$0 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY have more of a regular compofed tendernefs, with refpetl to fin and duty. And herein lies the flrefs of departing from iniquity : i John, v. 3. " For this is the love of God, that we keep his com- mandments, and his commandments are not grie- vous. Young foldiers may rufh upon the enemy with greater briflcnefs, but the old ones ftand the ground bed, and abide the mock more firmly. Where- fore, let not Chriftians of long (landing in religion be difcouraged as if they were not departing from iniquity, becaufe they do not make fuch vifible progrefs as when religion was new to them, if there remain with them a rooted tendernefs with refpecl: to any thing that may be difpleafing to God, v/ith a fincere purpofe and endeavour to keep a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man : 2 Cor. i. 12. " For our re- joicing is this, the teftimony of our confcience, that in Gtriplicity and gcdly fmcerity, not with flefhly wifdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our converfation in the world." — Add to this, a ferious longing to be freed from the body of death, Rom. vii. 24. *, and to be perfected in hoii- nefs, Phil. iii. 13. 14. For as the progrefs of the fhip in the 4 main ocean is not fo difcernible as when it was coming off from the fhore, tho' it may move as faft \ fo it is no wonder that the prcgrefs of the Chriftian of long (landing be not fo vifible as at the nrft ; or as the growth of a tree the frrft year is more difcerned than after, fo it may be with the Chriftian. Having thus (hewn how far the charge is ef- fectual m this life, we add upon this head, That it is effe&ual in all who are the Lord's people, at death ; and this in fo far as that then they perfectly depart from fin, and fin from them. THE DUTY OF ALL, &C 25 I They come then to the fpirits of juft men made perfect, Heb. xii. 23. There is a great difference betwixt the godly and the wicked in life, and a nill greater at death. — As the wicked do in life hold fait their iniquities amidft all the means of j uni- fication and fanctification offered them ; fo at death all thefe means are removed for ever out of their fight ; and thus their iniquities meet upon them, to prey on their fouls for ever. Then fin is fettled in its full power in their fouls as on its own bafe. No more hopes nor poffibility of fanctification ; and the feveral pieces of guilt, as cords of death, are twitted about them for ever, As fin in the godly is in their life loofed at the root, fo at their death it is rooted up ; as in life they depart from it fincerely, fo at death perfectly. The body of death goes with the death of the body, that as death came in by fin, fo fin may go out by death. Now, fin is in the godly as the leprofy in the walls of the houfe, which, therefore, being taken down, the leprofy is removed j when the gracious foul drops the mantle of the body, it will at the fame inftant drop all the uncleannefs cleaving to it. Amen, THE THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED, S E R M O N LIX. 2 Tim. ii. 19. And let every one that nameth the name of Chrift depart from iniquity. HAving, in the preceding difcourfe, fhown that this charge is effe&ual with all who are the Lord's, both in this life and at death, we now proceed, as was propofed, II. To evince the truth of the doctrine, that the charge is effectual in all who belong to God. - With. this view, I would have you to confider the follow- ing things. 1. Confider that it was for this purpofe that they were elected : Eph. i. 4. " According as he hath chofen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we fhould be holy and without blame, before him in love." All whom God has chofen to life, are chofen to holinefs \ fo that the decree of election in their favour, fecures their departure from iniquity. If a perfon had determined to DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY, &C, 253 to fave a certain number of madmen, going about to kill themfelves, with knives in their hands, the refoJution to fave them would import the taking the knives out of their hands ; fo here, reprobates may get their lulls kept, but the elect ftiall not. Wherefore, - as fure as the elect cannot pcrifn, and the Lord will lofe none who are his, fo fure mall all who are his depart from iniquity. There is no feparating of the means and the end, which, in God's decree, are firmly joined together. Life is the end, departing from iniquity the means ; therefore, they who are ordained to life ihall in- fallibly depart from it. — As fure as the purpofe of God cannot be broken or difappointed, fo fure ihall they who are his depart from iniquity. It is God's purpofe in election, to bring them out of their fin, to everlafting life : Eph. i. 4. " Accord- ing as he hath chofen us in him, before the founda- tion of the world, that we fhould be holy and without blame, before him in love." This purpofe cannot be broken, for fays God, " My counlel lhall ftand, and I will do all my pleafure," Ifa. xlvK 10. Therefore, they ihall de- part from iniquity ; and whoever holds it fall are itrangers to the grace of God. — Confider, that, 2. It is the end of their redemption by Chriir, Why did Chriit give himfelf for thefe who are his ? It was that " he might redeem them from all iniquity, and purify them unto himfelf, a pecu- liar people, zealous of good works," Tit. ii. 14. Why gave he himfelf for his church ? It was, that, " he might fanctify and cleanfe it, with the warning of water, by the word," Eph. v. 26. He came to fave them, but from what ? From their fins, Math i. 21. Sin had a double hold cf thofe who were his ', it held their confciences, by the cords of guilt j and held their heart, will, and affe£tions 3 254 DEPARTING FRCM INIQUITY affections, by the intereft it had go: there. Chrifh ihed his blood, by the efficacy thereof to loofe the former, and procured tl B tences of his Spirit, who, by his indwelling, might loofe the latter. Thofe for whom Chrift did not die will con- tinue in their fins, and peiifh in them. They are not willing to part with them, and the influences of the Spirit are not procured for them to make them willing. Had Chrift been to fave finners in their fins, then thofe who will not be faved from their fms might have been faved from death. But it is not fo. Thofe for whom Chrift died mail infallibly depart from iniquity •, and fuch are all thofe who are the Lord's : John, x. 15. "I lay down my life for the fheep." Other wife, the de- fign of Chrift's death is frustrated ; he died in vain, and all the promifes of a feed, made by the Father to his Son, in the covenant, turn to nothing , to imagine which is blafphemous. Chrift bare a good will to thofe who were his from eternity, and would have them made happy. But they were unholy, therefore he muft re- deem them from their iniquity, by his blood ; otherwife, the gates of the city would have re- mained clofed for ever on them. And now, that the ranfom of the blood of the Son of God is paid, is it poffible that the prifoners can remain undelivered ? Some may be apt to fay, O ! will ever Chrift fanctify fuch an unholy creature as I am ? I will furely perifli by the hand of my lufts, and will never get free of them. Why, poor foul, if this be thy exercife, to depart from thy iniquity, it is an evidence thou art his ; and it is his honour and intereft, to make thee holy, and deliver thee from the dominion, and power of thy powerful lufts, in fo far as he fhed his blood for this end. And, however worthiefs thou art in thvfelf, THE DUTY OF ALL, &C. 255 thyfelf, thou art dear bought, and therefore mufl not, canft not, be loft. 3. Confider, that it is the end of their effectual calling. They are called to be faints, Rom. i. 7. The world lies in wickednefs. Thofe who are the Lord's by election, lie among them, till the effec- tual call come, which brings them out from among them : " Wherefore, come out from among them, and be ye feparate, faith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you," 2 Cor. vi. 17. This call is neceffarily connected with election, and it can never be effectual without the foul's being brought to depart from iniquity : " Moreover, whom he did predeftinate, them he alfo called," Rom. viii. 30. The converfion of all the elect, their regeneration, their tranilation from the power of darknefs, are infallible fecured, and confequently their departing from iniquity. For what is converfion, but turning from fin unto God ? and regeneration, but arifing from the death in fin ? 4. Confider, that it is the end of all providences. Providence has an eye on all the children of men, but has a fpecial eye on thofe who are the Lord's people. Favourable difpenfations are cords of a man, to draw finners from their iniquity : Luke, i. 74. 75. and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever. r T~^HAT dreadful appearance which God made on X mount Sinai, in the giving of the law, and that effect it had upon the Ifraelites, Mofes here puts them in mind of. When the Lord fpoke with a great and terrible voice out of the darknefs and fire, the people were affrighted, and they fee their abfolute need of a mediator, and therefore de- fire Mofes would mediate betwixt God and them ; and in this event they promife all obedience. The Lord gives his verdict concerning this, which con- fifts of two parts. I, That the words were very good. If words could * Tnis and the following difcouifss were delivered in WITH T r :S 0UTW4JID PROFESSION". 2;p could have proved them faints, they would have been among the fore moil. If projnifes could have pa/Ted for performances, they had wanted neither faith nor good works : Ver. 28. "They have well faicl all that they have fpoken." They have faid two things : (1.) They had defired a mediator, ver. 27. * c Go thou near," fcid they to Mofes, " and hear all that the Lord our God mail fay •, and fpeak thou unto us all that the Lord our God fhall fpeak unto thee, and we will hear it and do it." y They faw fo much of the majefly of God, and of their own fmfulnefs, that they beg of God he would not deal with them immediately, but by a media- tor ; and this was the great end in giving the law on mount Sinai, and that with fo much terror, Deut. xviii. 15. 18. (2.) They promife obedience, that they would take the law out of Mofes mouth, and perform it ; that they would no lefs highly efteem it as co- ming by his hand, than if God mould thunder it with the greateft terror into their ears. What could look liker faith and obedience, according to the Old-Teftament difpenfation ? What could look liker accepting of the great Mediator in all his offices, according to that difpenfation of the covenant, wherein types and figures of him who was to come did fo much abound ? How ready feem they to fit down at the feet of a prophet and learn. So that upon this the Lord promifed Chrift under that very notion, Deut. xviii. 18. How plainly do they take with guilt, and {land as criminals who have nothing to fay on their own defence, acknowledge their need, and profefs their defire of an intercefTor, being unable to (land before the Lord without a fhelter, or on their own legs. How readily do they fubjecA themfelves to the *80 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND the laws of their King, and ftoop to take on his yoke without any exception whatfoever ? But all is not gold that glitters, the heart of man feldom holds foot with the tongue. 2. The other part of the verdict follows in the text : " O that there were fuch an heart in them I? By which he difcovers their hypocrify, and pre- cipitancy, their tongues running before their hearts in their engaging thcmfelves to the Lord. The Lord fpeaks thus after the manner of men, fo that they who would hence conclude, that man's will bv nature is fuch, as that it is of him- felf flexible, either to fpiritual good or evil, while the Lord (lands by as an idle ipeclator, and puts to no hand of power, may as well conclude, that God hath eyes and hands of rlefh, and that he who is not the fon of man that he mould repent, and with whom there is no variablenefs, may even with propriety repent as to what he has done. Ineffi- cacious wifhing, properly underitood, argues im- perfection. (Hebrew, who will give their heart to be fuch in them ?) Now, it is certain, God can give fuch a heart: Ezek. xxxvi. 26. " A new heart alfo will I give you." And if he will do it, who can hinder him ? Job, xi. 10. — This declaration therefore imports, (1.) That fuch an heart was not in them, for all their fair words and high pretences ; that though they looked well outwardly, yet within they were naught. They had learned to fpeak better than they were wont ; but though they had got the new tongue, they had but the old heart ltill : Deut. xxix. 4. " Yet the Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive, and eyes to fee, and ears to hear, unto this day." When they were in Egypt, they were funk into ftupidity, the inftruc- tions of the patriarchs had worn out of their minds, they had almoit forgotten their fall in Adam. WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION. 28 t Adam, and what fin was ; and though God had made the promife to Abraham, yet they were now grown proud and fecure. And though fin, and alfo death, were reigning over them, yet being without the law to evidence fin and death to their confciences, they would not charge themfelves with it, and fo found no need of a Mediator, Rom. v. 13. r 2o. But now the law being pro- claimed with fo great terror, laid their peacock- feathers a little j but though they had more know- ledge of their fin. and mifery than before, yet they had (till the old heart. —This declaration im- ports, (2.) That fuch an heart mould have been in them, it was their duty to have it, God required it of them : " Make to yourfelves a new heart." God requires the conformity of the heart, as well as of the converfation, to his will. — It imports, (3.) That the want of fuch an heart was a dead fly in all their engagements, which made all the ointment to (link : " O that there were fuch an heart in them !" The chief thing is wanting ftill, they have not yet brought up their heart to their work. — It imports, (4.) The great excellency and worth of fuch an heart. The Lord fpeaks honourably of it, as that which would bear weight in the balance of the fancluary. It is pleafing to the Lord, it is God's delight ; they want only this to make them happy. — For illuftrating this fubje&, we fhall propofe and confider the following Doctrines. Doct. I. That men often make what ought to be the mod folemn tranfa&ions with the Lord about their fouls concerns, but folemn trifling . with him. Doct. II. That a heart fincerely and fuitably cor- Vol. III. A a refponding 282 THE IX WARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND refponding with the profeflfion of a covenant- ing people, is a moll valauble and excellent thing. Doct. III. That the work of covenanting with the Lord is flight work, when it is not heart-work. Or, in other words, Solemn covenanting with the Lord is but folemn trifling with him, when the work of covenanting is not heart-work. We begin with Doctrine I. That men often make what ought to be the mod folemn tranfaclions with the Lord about their fouls concerns, but folemn trifling with him. Never was there a more folemn tranfa&ion which men had with God than what was here. Their ears were filled with the noife of the thun- der, the lightnings flamed in their eyes, they heard God himfelf fpeak, they were moft exprefs in covenanting with Gcd •, all this time their hearts were net right with him, nor found in his ftatutes. — In difcourfmg from this doctrine, we propofe, I. To (hew how far a man may go in tranfacl:- ing with, and engaging himfelf to the Lord, and yet after all he may be but trifling. II. Shew wherein this trifling and flight work in fuch a weighty bufmefs doth appear. III. Point out how people come to turn fuch folemn work into mere trifling. IV. Apply the fubjeel:. We are, then, I. To fhew how far a man may go in tranfact- ing with, and engaging himfelf to the Lord, and yet after all he may be but trifling.- -Upon this head we obferve, i.That VVIIH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION. 283 1. That a perfon may formally and exprefsly covenant with God, to be the Lord's, and yet after all be but trifling with God. So did this people, ver. 27. (quoted above). A perfon may make a covenant with God, both by word and writ, when there is no fuch heart in him, and the heart goes not along either with tongue or pen. It is an eafy tiling to fay unto the Lord, that he fhall be our God, but not eafy to fay it with the heart. The tongue is not always a faithful interpreter of the heart, cfpecially in thefe things. — We obferve, 2. That a perfon may make a very full cove- nant with the Lord, and yet after all be but tri- fling. What exception was there in this, ver. 27. " All thac the Lord our God {hall (peak unto thee, we will hear it and do it." How large a promife was this, Matth. viii. 19. " Mailer, 1 will follow thee whitherfoever thou goeft." No doubt, had their hearts kept pace with their words, they had engaged to purpofe. Had there been as few fe- cret as there were open referves, they had dealt honeftly. — We obferve, 3. That perfons may even be morally ferious in all this, thinking and refolving in the time to do as they fay. It was not a feafon for grofs diffi mu- tation, nor to make a jell of tranfacting with the Lord anent foul-concerns, when the Lord was fpealung out of the darknefs and fire to them, Perfons in this cafe are like thofe who trifle with merchants, in offering to bargain for their wares, out of meie fimplicity and ignorance as to the worth of thefe wares, who, if they had matters let in their due light, would never once propofe again fo to bid for them. The foolilh virgins law not their lamps out till it was pad time. — We ob- ferve, 4. That perfons may do all this from a knfe of A a 2 their 284 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRtSFOl.C their need of a Mediator. Thus did they in the text. What was it that brought this people to this ? Why, they had formerly engaged with a whole heart to be the Lord's : Exod. xix. 8. " And all the people anfwered together, and faid, All that the Lord hath fpoken, we will do." But now they fall more folemnly and ferioufly to work. God fets the mountain on fire for a tribunal of juftice ; there is a trumpet whofe voice waxes louder and louder j by all which God doth as it were fummon them to compear before him. There are dreadful thunder-claps to carry the fentence of death to their hearts ; there are lightning?, by the glancings of which they read the wrath of God again it fm- ners. Yet they mud not touch the mountain, left they be confumed, to teach them how fin had laid the bar as to accefs to God. This fills them with terror and fear of death, and now they feel the ncceffity of a mediator : Exod. xx. 19. " And they faid unto Mofes, Speak thou with us, and we will hear : but let not God fpeak with us, left we die." And yet, after all, " O that there were fuch. an heart in them !" We are now, II, To (hew wherein this trifling and flight; work in fuch a weighty bufinefs does appear. 1. It appears in perfons engaging themfelves to the Lord, without being at pains to prepare the Ri- ft Ives, and bring up their hearts to the duty. O what a light thing do molt people make of cove- nanting with God ! It is but the faying of a word in prayer ; and this is foon faid It is but taking the facrament ; and this is foon done. In the mean time, the heart, like Abraham's afs, is left at the foot of the hill : Gen. xxii. 5. Mat. xv. 8. « This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSIONS 2S5 mouth, and honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." They are ftranger:, to God who are flrangers to heart- work. They who find no difficulty in bringing their hearts to duties, do not bring them to them at all. The true Chriftian finds much difficulty in this. I find, fays Paul, a law, that when I would do good, evil i^ prefent with me. It is but trifling to give the hand to the Lord, while the heart is far from any- due concern about the bufmefs, and from that iblemn ferioufnefs requifite to get it rightly mana- ged. — This appears, (2.) When people engage themfelves to the fer- vice of the Lord, but do not give their hearts to him. Many engage with the Lord, as a mar- ried fervant with a mailer \ the mailer is to get his fervice, but another has his heart : Jer. xii. 2. « Thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins." The heart may remain glued to lulls, while the foul pretends to be engaging itfelf to the Lord ; and if it were not fo, there would not be fuch a fad account of many who covenant with God. This is but to trifle with God, who re- quires the heart, or nothing : Prov. xxiii. 26. " My fon, give me thine heart." Jer. xxx. 21. " For who is this that engaged his heart to ap- proach unto me ? faith the Lord." It is an ill-made fecond marriage, when there is neither the death of, nor a divorce from the firft hufband. There is no right engaging with the Lord, but where the foul forfakes all others for him, and the heart takes up its eternal reft in Chrift. —This trifling appears, (3.) When people have any fecret referees in their clofing with Chrift, as is the cafe when the heart is not well content to take Chrift with what- foever may follow this choice : Luke, xiv. 26. " If any man come to me, and hate not his father, A a 3 r.nd 286 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and fitters, yea, and his own life alfo, he cannot be my difciple." There is none make right work here, but thofe who, weighing all things, are con- tent to put a blank in Chrift's hand ; faying, " Lord, what wouldft thou have me to do ?" Acts, ix. 6. They do but trifle, who have their right- hand fins which they wifh not cut off, for they will in this cafe mar the bargain ; and alfo thofe who cannot digeft that tribulation which is in the way to the kingdom. No crofs, no crown. That heart which is not reconciled to the crofs, is not fuch an heart as is required. — This trifling ap- pears, (4.) When people overlook the Mediator in their covenant of peace with God, but tranfacl: with God for peace and pardon without refpett to the ato- ning blood of Chrift. It is natural to all men to come immediately to God without a Mediator : Exod. xix. 8. " And all the people anfwered toge- ther, and faid, All that the Lord hath fpoken, we will do." They are thus for coming without a Mediator, till the terror of God correct their rafh- nefs, and they fee what a confuming fire God is, and that, if they would be fafe, they mufl come to him under the covert of Chrift's wings. If a foul fincerely defires to come to God, the firft perfon to which they mull go, is to Chrift, the fe- cretary of heaven. For " by him we have accefs into that grace wherein we ft and," Rom. v. 2. And he is " the. Mediator of the new covenant." Heb. xii. 24. God out of Chrift is a confuming fire. But there are beafts that will touch the mountain, though they be thruft through with a dart. Would you tranfact with God a covenant of leconciliation ? then go to him on the mercy- * feat ; not the ieat of mercy merely for mercy's fake, fuch WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION - . 287 fuch a mercy-feat has no being in heaven, but only in the vain imaginations of men on earth -, but to the mercy-feat for ChrihVs fake, where mercy is abundantly diftributed with the cordial con- fent of juftice : 2 Cor. v. 19. " To wit, that God was in Chrift, reconciling the world to him- felf, not imputing their trefpaifes unto them." It is to God as vailed with flefh, that the guilty can only approach ; otherwife it is but trifling. For Jefus is " the way, and no man comcth to the Father but by him," John, xiv. 6. 5. This is turned into folemn trifling with God, by people's not taking Chrift for all, but only for making up that which they may come fnort ; thus endeavouring to patch up a gar- ment of their own righteoufnefs and of his to- gether. Thus many think to pleafe God, by doing what they can to fulfil the law, and looking to Chrift to make up that of which they come fhort. It was forbidden under the law, to wear a garment of divers forts of woolen and linen together. And they will find thtmfelves befooled, who will ad- venture their falvation on this party-coloured gar- ment : Gal. iii. 12. " And the law is not of faith ; but the man that doth them (hall live in them." A garment pieced up of fundry forts of righteoufnefs, is not meet for the court of heaven. That heart which would fhare the glory betwixt Chrift and the man himfelf, is not right with God, and will be left to its own weight. — This trifling appears, 6. By perfons making a covenant of works with Chrift -, the tenor whereof is, that if Chrift will fave their fouls, they {hall ferve him as long as they live. If Chrift will give them wages, they will give him work. If he will pay their debt, they (hall be his fervants, while they have breath in them. And upon this, men may take the fa- crament 2$$ THE IK WARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND crament to bind them the fader. And thus, i fear, many make fad work at iacraments and other ordinances. That this is but folemn trifling with God, appears, if ye confider, that this is a covenant which hath no warrant in the word of God, and therefore Chrift will never fet his feal to it, though we mould feal it with cur blood. It is quite oppoiite to the covenant of grace ; the de- iign of which is to draw the fmner into the debt of free grace, and to fet the crown only on Chrift's head, Rom. iv. 14. — 16 and si. 6. The covenant of grace, is an everlaiting covenant •, once in, never out : Ifa. Iv. 3. " I will make an everlafting covenant with you, even the fure mercies of David." But this is a tottering covenant, broken every day. This is a fervile covenant, to give Chrift fervice for falvation. The other is a filial covenant, where the foul takes Chrift and falva- tion freely offered, and fo is a fon : " For to as many as believed on him, to them gave he power to become the fons of God," John, i. 11. Therefore, they do not ferve, that they may get the inheritance ; but becaufe the inheritance is theirs,, therefore they ferve, Gal. iv. 24. and downwards. To take hold of God's covenant, is for a poor empty-handed firmer to come and live freely on Chrift -, this is to come and buy from him. In or- der to bring this charge home, I ihall mention fome evidences of the above practice.-— Such as, (1.) Perfons looking upon, and making ufe of the facrament only as feals of their vows, and not as feals of God's promifes. I do not fay but the facrament is a feal, to feal our engagement to be the Lord's ; but this is but the one half, and even the lealt half, as I take it, 1 Cor. x. 16. Why then do people fo overlook this, but becaufe, not being fhaken out of themfelves, they look more to. the WITH THE INWARD PROFESSION. 289 the confirming of their refutations, than their faith and communion with Chriit in his ful- nefs? (2.) A fecond evidence is, perfons coming to the Lord in this ordinance, rather to engage themfelves to duties, than to get ftrength for the performance" of them. (3.) A third evidence is, perfons drawing their peace and comfort, rather from their duties, and the performance of that to which they have engaged, than what Chriil makes over to fmners in the cove- nant of grace. It was not fo with David, for the covenant itfeif was all his falvation, and all his defire, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. But when the other works, he expects his wages j when he fails, he has no hope, as one who has broken covenant with Chrift. But, when the true covenanter fails in his duty,, yet all that his foul depended upon {till remains, a covenanted righteoufnefs ; all that he trufted to for his duties alfo remains, to wit, covenanted ftrength, Rom. vii- 24. 25. and viii. 1. And fo there is new application for covenant-benefits ; whereas, when many fail in their covenant, all is gone, and it mull be made over again, ere he can have any new footing. — This trifling appears, when, • 7. Perfons lay hold on Chrift with a faith of which the mighty power of God was not at the forming, Eph. i. 19. -, but is merely the product of a perfon's natural faculties. Mcft men's faith is like wild oats that grow up without the labour of the hufbandman. They come too eafily to it, to make any fure work by it. The evil heart' of unbelief is not fo eafily fhaken off as men ima- gine. Thofe who find no difficulty, do but trifle and beat the air ; if the work were heartily plied, it would not be fo eafv. — We now proceed, IIL 2p0 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND III. To inquire how people come to turn fuch folemn work intc trifling. — They do fo, i. 'ccaufe tlieyhave.no due confederation of the worth and pr.cioufnefs of their fouls, they do not fuitably value the great falvation : Matth. xxii. 5. " But they macle light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, and another to his mer- chatidife." Men will not trifle in matters which appear to them of great concern. But men who do not duly value their fouls will venture them on thev know net what. But who confidcrs eternitv, and the weight which lies on the foul's tranfacling with God ? if men had eternity in their eye, and were tranfacVmg as for eternity, communicating for eternity, they would a£t in another manner, and nor thus trifle in fo important a bufinefs. — They do fo, 2. Becaufe they know not what a God they have to do with, they think that he is altogether fuch a one as themfelves, Ffal. 1. 21. Men tranf- acl: in their duties with, they know not whom, and therefore they act they know not what : Jofh. y.xiv. 19. " And Jolhua laid unto the people, Ye cannot ferve the Lord ; for he is an holy God, he is a jealous God, he will not forgive your tranfgref- fions, nor your fins." When people have mean thoughts of God 3 they are ready to think any little thing may ferve him. — They thus trifle, 3. Becaufe they know not their own hearts, and their deceits : Jer. xvii. 9. " The heart is deceitful above all tilings, and defperately wicked ; -who can know it ?" There are many fecret biafes there, to which they do not advert. Men may be hypocrites, and not know themfelves to be fuch. The heart has a depth of deceit, which is not eafy to fathom, which will make men fay, with Saul, I have performed the commandment of the Lord, while WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION". 2pl while, after all, the bleating of the fheep will dif- cover the deceit. — They thus trifle, 4. Becaufe fin has never been made bitter enough to them. It is hard to wean us from the love of lufts, if the breads of them be not laid over with gall and wormwood. We muft dig deep, and build upon the rock. Where the fal- low ground is not plowed up, there will be a fowing among thorns, Jer. iv. 3. The content of many to take Chrift, fuch as it is, is too lightly win to be folid. — They thus trifle, 5. Becaufe they are hafty and indeliberate in their engaging. They fall a-building ere they count the coft, Matth. xiv. 25. — 3 1 . ; what is rafhly done, is but flightly done in this matter. He that would make fure work, muft lay his account be- forehand with what he may meet with in the Lord's way. Then, meet with what they will, they will not be offended. — They thus trifle, 6. Becaufe they have never got a fufficient dis- covery of their own utter weaknefs and infufE- ciency. They think they have a flock, and there- fore may trade with it, and are very ready to un- dertake, though their heart will certainly mifgive in the performance. This is building on the old foundation of nature ; whereas, there will never be fure work, till this foundation be razed. If any man will come after Jefus, he muft deny him- felf, and take up his crofs and follow him. — It only remains that, IV. We make fome application. This doctrine may help us to fee the reafon why fo many return with the dog to his vomit. There is an error in the hrft conco&ion. That you may beware of this, we would exhort you, to make fure work in your transacting with the Lord. O do not trifle in fo important 292 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND important a concern !— To guard you effectually againft this, confider the following things. 1. Confider, this is to put, fo far as you can, a folemn cheat on the great God : Gal. vi. 7. ** Be not deceived, God is not mocked ; for what- foever a man foweth, that fhall he alfo reap." It is a dangerous thing to mock God. His all-feeing eye knows how you deal with him, and can pene- trate through all your pretences. — Confider, 2. It is to put a folemn cheat on your own fouls ; you thus deceive your own fouls. If you trifle with God, you will find at length a fad difappoint- ment : Ifa. 1. 11. " Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compafs yourfelves about with fparks ; walk in the light of your fire, and in the fparks that ye have kindled. This mail ye have of mine hand ; ye fhall lie down in forrow." As ye fow, ye w r ill reap. Sow the wind of hypocrify, and you will reap the whirlwind of wrath. 3. Confider the weight of the matter ; the fal- vation or damnation of the foul is no fmall bufinefs ; if you manage it right, you may get your falvation fealed ; if not, fee Luke, xiv. 24. " For I fay unto you, that none of thofe men which were bidden, fhall tafte of my fupper." 4. Confider, if you thus trifle with God in this mat- ter, you will be difcovered. The man without the wedding-garment was foon found out. You will not hold right to the end ; you will return to the vomit ; your latter end will be worfe than your beginning. — Confider, 5. That you have a deceitful heart-, it is necelTary to be fure with it ; it will foon give you the flip, and break the bonds, if they be llightly put on. — Confider, Laftly, If you make fure work, you will find the eternal advantage of it. All the bleflings of the WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION". 293 the covenant will be your portion. You may get a feaft : " To this man will I look, faith the Lord, who is of an humble and contrite fpirit, and who trembleth at my word." I fhall clofe with the following fhort Direc- tions. Set about the work of felf-examination. In- quire particularly at your hearts, whether they be willing to take Chrift, and renounce all other lovers, and to take him wholly, only, and everlaflingly. — Pray that God may examine you, and difcover yourfelves to yourfelves ; lay yourfelves open to ielf-fearching. — La/My, Put your hearts into the Lord's hand, as fenfible that in yours they will mil- carry. « Commit thy way unto the Lord, truft alio in him, and he (hall bring it to pafs." Tol. III. B \> THE THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED. SERMON LXI. Deut. v. 29. O that there were fuch an heart in them, that they ivould fear me, and hep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever. YOU have been this day avouching the Lord to be your God. You have all had an of- fer of Chrift, and there was none heard tell of protefting againft him ; nay, did not your hearts fay within you, Even fo I take him ? Many of you have, before angels and men, fealed a covenant with him this day, and we may report to the Lord, that you have faid you are content to be his. O that there were fuch an heart in you, all would be well! Having, in the preceding difcourfe, offered all that we intend from the firil doctrine, we now proceed to Doctrine II. That a heart fmcerely and fuitably correfponding with the profeffion of a cove- nanting THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD, &C 20 5 nanting people, is a moil: valuable and excellent thing. Here I mall, I. Shew what a heart fuch a heart is. II. Make it appear, that fuch a heart is a mod valuable thing. 1. We are to (hew what a heart fuch a heart is ; and on this head, the particulars ftiall be moftly taken out of the context. — We obferve, i. That fuch an heart is a heart that has got a view of the majefty and glorious perfections of that God with whom we have to do : Deut. v. 24. " And he faid, Behold the Lord our God hath fhewed us his glory and his greatnefs, and we have heard his voice out of the niidft of the fire ; we have feen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth." The eye faw this ; all would have been right, if the glory of the Lord had thus mined in their hearts. An unenlightened heart in the knowledge of the Lord looks fo like hell, and unlike heaven, that it cannot be fuch a heart. A dark heart will make a dark confufed converfation. There is no right worshipping of an unknown God. This view of the Lord's glory is necefiary. Mofes defirec! it, Exod. xxxiii. ; and all get it in a greater or lefs degree: 2 Cor. iii 18. " But we all beholding as in a glafs the glory of the Lord, are changed into the fame image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord ." 6 ye have feen the King in his glory, and his train filling the tem- ple, it is a token of good. But, alas ! many fee the chair of ftate, who behold not the King fitting in it. 2. It is a heart filled with the fear of God. " O that thert Were fuch a heart la them, that they B b 2. would 2gQ THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESrON© would fear me." Indeed they profefled it, and they had a tolerably fufficient meafure of it, had it been but of the right ftamp, and had it got leave to have foaked kindly i.:to their hearts. But, alas ! it was only like a feud of rain violent in the time, but wetting only the furface of the ground, and foon dried up. But O for fuch a heart as would fear always ! not with a flavifh diitruftful fear, but a filial reverential fear, a fear of circumfpection. Such a heart as would keep the eye upon the ma- jefty of the Lord, would promife to keep right : Heb. xii. 28. " Wherefore, we receiving a king- dom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may ferve God acceptably, with re- verence and godly fear." A heart wanting this, will be like an unruly horfe without a bridle : Prov. xxv. 28. " He that hath no rule over his own fpirit, is like a city that is broken down, and with- out walls." 3. It is a humble heart. O how humble did they feem to be now under the fenfe of their own fin- fulnefs, and the holinefs of that God with whom they had to do ! A heart humbled indeed is a va- luable bfefling. When Chrilt lances the fwelling of the heart, ajid lets out the filthy ftufFof pride and felf-conceit, makes the man low in his own eyes* he is even preparing a- houfe forhimfel: on earth ; for the Lord " dwells with him who is of a con- trite and humble fpirit, to revive the heart of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones,' Ifa. lvii. 15. They durft not go near the mountain to touch it, they looked as they would rather have rolled themfdves among the duft of the Lord's feet. M O that there were fuch an heart in them !'' The honed heart is fhaken out of felf- confidence, for a right fight of the Lord in his glory, and of our own vilenefs, go always together : Ifa, WITH THZ OUTWARD PROFESi^'. 2p7 lia. vi. 5. " Then faid I, Yv T o is me. fori am un- done, becaufe I am a man ef unclean lips, and I dwell in the midft of a people of unclean lips 5 for mine eyes have feen the King, the Lord of holts." 4. It is a heart filled with wonder at the good- nefs of God, his condefcenfion and patience to- wards fmners, ver. 24 and 26. That foul will Wonder that God mould ever have come in fpeak- ing-terms with vile man ; that ever any thing fhould have proceeded out of his mouth, but ar- rows dipped in the vinegar of the curfe, to have flain the traitors outright. And will God thus indeed deal with man ? It will be the wonder of that foul, that God hath not com fumed it, mingled its blood with its facrihces, ftruck it dead ar the communion-table. O how wonderful- ihat they mould have fpoke with the Lord, and art yet alive ! 5. It is a heart convinced of the need of a Me- diator, and refolved to employ him in- all caufes betwixt God and them, ver. 27. It is not every one that fees their need of Chrift, >md their need of an Advocate to go betwixt God and them. But he who has fuch a heart will look on himfelf, in himfeif, as dry ftubble, as he looks on God as a confuming fire ; and all his own duties and attain- ments, as a wall of dry boards which will not keep the lire from him, but mcreafe it, and defire to have Chrift betwixt them and a holy God, as a chryflal wall, which may let through the light, but not the flame of that fire. His very name will be precious to that heart, for it is «■ as ointment poured forth," Song, i. 3. How fweet is the name of a Redeemer to a captive, and to a humbled finner, one who may lay his hands on both ! 6. It is a heart taking the Lord only for their E b 3 God 298 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND GccL They profefTed they would have no more to do with idols, though it was not long ere their hearts turned to their old bias : Exod. xxxii. 8. *« They have turned afide quickly out of the way which I commanded them, they have made them a molten calf, and have worfhiped it, and have iacrificed thereunto, and faid, Thefe be thy gods, O Ifrael, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt." But fuch a heart renounces all other lovers, gives Chrift's rivals their leave, and halts no more betwixt two opinions. If thou wouldft be perfect, fell ali, that is, part with all but Chrifc. "When a man gets fuch a heart, there is an extra- ordinary uproar made in the foul *, when it enters the man's breaft, Satan cries as thefe, " They that turn the world up-fide down, are come hither alio." There is a ftrange overturning of thrones there. As when Chriit and the gofpel came into the world, the world, which before was wholly given to idolatry, then made great reformation ; oracles were (truck dumb, idols were caft to- the moles and to the bats ; fo when the man gets fuch a heart, down goes the clay-god, the world, and Chrift mounts the throne ; neither back nor. belly muft be gods longer to the man, king felf loles his crown, which is put upon the head of Chriit, and free grace. The heart, which was divided among many lufts before, enters now on Jcfus, the beauty of the upper houfe. 7, It is a heart for the Lord's work, ver. 27. It is a heart which inclines the man who has taken Chrift's enliiting money to fight his battles ; which willingly floops to the yoke of Chrift's command- ments, and is fet to walk in the way of obedience. It is a heart reconciled to the law of God ; the foul being married to Chrift, may not be barren, but muft bring forth fruit unto God. When the Lord with the our ward PROFESSION. 299 Lord charges the heart, the bullock is tamed, and accufiiomed to the yoke. — To be more particular here, we obferve, ( 1 .) That it is a heart for univerfal obedience, ver. 27. It willies to negiecT none of God's com- mands, but to have refpect to them all, Pfal. cxix, &. When the heart is ftraight, it makes the con- verfation uniform. The Lord's (lamp on every duty recommends it to the care of fuch a heart. The heart naturally is like fome fervants who pro- mife to do all at the bargain making, but fail in the accomplishment, like the fluggard who will not plough becaufe of the cold. But fuch a heart puts a blank in the Lord's hand, and makes no exceptions. Some fins lie nearer the heart than others, fome a right eye, fome but a left toe. The right eye mult be plucked out ; thou muft put to thine own hand to this hard work, it muft be with thine own confent. Amen, fays fuch a heart ; let bofom-lufts yield to Chrift. (2.) It is a heart for conftant obedience. They limit no time. Compare the text with John, viii. 31. " Then faid Jefus to thofe Jews which be- lieved on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my difciples indeed." We have a fad ac- count of Rehoboam, 2 Chron. xii. 1. « When he was eltablifhed in the kingdom, and had ftrength- ened himfelf, he forfook the law of the Lord, and all Ifrael with him." He was like many men, who make ufe of religion like a net, who, when they have catched their prey, fold up and lay by their net. But fee the fountain of his apoftacy, ver. 14. " And he did evil, becaufe he prepared not his heart to feek the Lord $" prepared or fix- ed, or eftablifhed not his heart. But fuch an heart is for following the Lamb whitherfoever he goeth, in foul and fair weather, and will abide with Chrift 300 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND Chrifb in a ftorm, when the fummer vermin is not to be feen : Pfal. xix. 9. " The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever." Trees planted in God's vineyard, watered by his grace, having fuch a heart, are not like common trees, green only one while of the year, but thofe are ever green, and are yielding their fruit in their feafon, Pfal. vii. 3. Such an heart takes with the flock, and fo lives by its fap. (3.) It is a heart refolute in obedience. We will do it, fay they, (land in the way what will. See the portraiture of fuch a heart, Micah. iv. 5. " For all people will walk every one in the name of his God, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever." Such a heart had Caleb and Jofhua, they followed the Lord fully. It made them row againft the ftream. It gives the man courage for the arduous enter- prife. Heaven is fweet in the eyes of all ; why then do fo many go to hell ? why, they have not fuch a heart. There are difficulties in the way to hea- ven, they have no courage to grapple with thefe. They fee heaven afar, but there is a great gulph betwixt them and it, and they have not fuch a re- folute heart as to venture on it, and heaven will not drop down into their mouths. (4.) It is a heart that is content to know what is duty and what is fin : " Speak thou unto us all that the Lord our God (hall fpeak unto thee, and we will hear it and do it." And indeed that is a very rare heart j for moft people are very glad to lodge lulls-, as fome lodged intcrcommunedjseople, they are willing they fhould get houfe-room, but are defirous that they themfelves mould not fee them, fo as to know that they are there. But fuch a heart loves to know the whole counfel of God : John, iii. 20. " But he that doth truth cometh WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION. 3OI eometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifeft, that they are wrought in God." It is a none-fuch heart, which is cuntent to have aU ana- tomized and fearched out ; which in every cafe is ready to fay, " Speak, Lord, for thy fervant heareth •," which is content to fit down at (Thrift's feet and learn all •, while others lodge their lulls under difguife, and loath the difcovery of them, rebel againft the light, and (hut their eyes, till God judicially blind them, fo as that they at laft come to believe lies. (5.) It is a heart to which God's bare will is a fufncient reafon both for faith and practice. Such a heart receives the fpeaker for the word's fake, and not the word for his, but for God's fake. Such a heart receives the kingdom as a little child, who has authority enough if father or mo- ther fay it. Such a heart had Abraham ; he gets a ftrange commandment, for which he could fee no reafon but the will of God, Gen. xxii. Father and fon mult part, not to fee other more in this world, though the fon of the promife. The fa- ther himfelf muft do the deed. Here were many deaths both to the father and to the fon; but God's will was revealed, and they were about fully to obey; then fays the Lord, ver. 12. " Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him, for now I know that thou feareft God ;" that thou haft fuch a heart. — We go on to obferve, 8. It is a heart that has high and honourable thoughts of God, ver. 24. " Behold, the Lord our God hath (hewed us his glory, and his great- nefs, and we have heard his voice out of the midft of the lire : we have feen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth." His greatnefs : " O that there were fuch a heart in them!" They pro- fefied this. High and honourable thoughts of the hufband. 302 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND hufband is necefFiry to the comfort of the married ftate, and to the performance of duties. The queen {lands upon the right hand, Pfal. xlv. 9. Mean thoughts of God are the neck-break of right obedience to him. They think him fuch an one as themfelves, Pfal. 1. 31. Hence mean pitiful fer- vices are thought fufficient. They forget that he *J will be fanclificd in them that come nigh him, and before all the people he will be glorified," Levit. x. 3. Such a heart is let into the view of his greatnefs in fome meafure, fo that its conclufions will be, Pfal. xcv. 3. " The Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods." So that the foul's familiarity with God will yet be managed with a due regard to the awful greatnefs and in- finite diftance betwixt God and the creature. And this may ferve as a help to diftinguifh true com- munion with God from delufions, Heb. xii. 28.29. John, xx. 28. 9. It is a heart which the voice of God has reached, ver. 24. (quoted above). O that this voice had had as much accefs to their hearts as to their ears ! Paul fpoke, and God fpoke, and Ly- dia's heart was opened. " My fheep," faid Jefus, c< hear my voice, and J know them, and they fol- low me," John, x. 27. To honed covenanters there is fometlung more in preaching than a bare found, fomething more in facniments than bread and wine : Thefe are but the vehicles of the Lord's voice to the foul, and the ordinances are empty things when there is no divine fire infold- ed in them. There is a voice of the Lord in our mother's houfe ; in the public ordinances there is a good report of Chrift. Sinners are invited, ob- tefted, commanded to hear and believe. But Chrift comes into the inner chamber of the elecYs hearts, and there he gives his voice, which is a ma- jeftis WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION. 303 jeflic voice, a heart-melting found : Jer. xxiii. 20. " Is not my word like as a fire ? faith the. Lord ; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces ?" It thaws the frozen affections. A quic- kening voice that puts activity in the foul ; it puts the fpirit in motion, fo as that it reds not* till it has taken up its reft in God : John, vi. 63. " It it the fpirit that quickeneth, the flefh profiteth nothing : the words that I fpeak unto you, they are fpirit, and they are life." 10. It is a heart which takes up with the Lord for its God, even when he appears in the glorious robes of his perfect, holinefs. This they profeffed ; but " O that there were fuch a heart in them!'* The truth is, the carnal mind is enmity againft God ; and none but faints indeed can give thanks at the remembrance of his holinefs, Pfal. xxx. 4. God is glorious in his holinefs indeed ; but none will love him for that glory, but fuch as are partakers of the divine nature. Thofe who love him for this, love him for himfelf. And indeed fuch a heart, being a holy heart, will cleave to the foun- tain of holinefs, to the end that they may be tranf- formed into the fame image. To take God in the robes of mercy, is not ftrange ; but God's holinefs chafeth unholy hearts away from him. 11. It is a heart fenfible of that vaft diftance which fin has made betwixt God and the foul, which has got fuch a fight of its own finfulnefs, and God's holinefs, that it fees there is no tranfa cl- ing with God but by a Mediator, ver. 27. Such a heart will fay asjLuther, " I will have nothing to do with an abfolute God." Such will not offer to come into the prefence of God but as intro- duced by the King's Son, nor will defire to look on God but as vailed with flefh, knowing that a fight of unvailed majefty is enough to confound a finner, 3 04 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORREJPO <;> fmner. And truly, till the Lord touch the heart, it will not be fuch a heart, but, like a fearleis beaft, will touch the fiery mountain. Such a heart will highly prize Chrifi, and come to the Lord under the vail of Chrift's flefh, and will have no boldnefs of accefs but what flows from the blood of Chrift, Heb. x. 19. 20. 1 2. It is a heart reconciled to the whole law of God, ver. 27. It is not every heart which is fuch. They only have it, " who walketh not after the flefh, but after the fpirit." Rom. viii. 1. Hy- pocrites hearts are never reconciled to the whole law of God. They cannot fay they are not afha- med in having refpect to all God's command- ments, Pial. cxix. 6. There are always fome parts of the Bible, which hypocrites would fpend their blood on to blot them out, if that would do. Here, there is a raging lull fays yea •, there, there is a holy law fays nay \ the heart cannot be reconci- led to both at once. Both may be in the experience both of the fincere Chriftian and the hypocrite. What is the difference ? why, the hypocrite would fain have the law to his lulls, the fincere foul would have his lulls bow to the law. For he " delights in the law of the Lord after the inward man," Rom. vii. 22. And his heart will approve the law, when it forbids, accufes, and condemns his corrup- tions, ver. 16. " If then I do that which I would not, I confent to the law, that it is good." 13. It is a heart which is for taking the law only out of Chrift's hand as Mediator, ver. 27. The Mediator firft makes the peace between God and the Tinner, then bids the man work. But the law of itfelf firfr, bids Tinners work, and tells them they (hall have their peace according to their work ; which would be dreadful news to fuch a heart. Under the law to Chrift, 1 Cor. ix. 11. The WITH THE OUTWARD PRO FESSTON. 3O3 The law, cad into a gofpel-mould, is the only law fuch a heart defires to meddle with, that, " being married to Chrift, they may bring forth fruit to God," Rom. vii. 4. ; that, being by Chrift made partakers of the adoption, they may ferve as fons, not as hired fervants or flaves. Laft/y, It is a heart ready for obedience, ver. 27." The foul then (lands at mount Zion, and fays, " Speak, Lord, thy fervant heareth." They have had Chrift's banner in the banqueting-hottfe, as being ready to rife up and fight his battles, under the conduct and influence of their glorious leader. Such a heart has eaten the pafTover with its loins girt, and with a ftarY in its hand, ready for the journey. The heart that is for obedience, but not yet, is not fuch a heart ; it is but a fhifting heart, which will end in a refufal. It is but a civil way of putting off for altogether : Pfal. cxix. 5. " O that my ways were directed to keep thy ftatutes !" We now proceed, II. To (hew that fuch a heart is a molt valuable thing. — It muft be fo : For, 1 . Such a heart is God's delight : " O that there were fuch an heart in them !" T.*is would give con- tent to the heart of Chrift. This is his reft. The very prayer of the upright is his delight : Pfal. xi. "7. " For the righteous Lord loveth righteoufnefs, his countenance doth behold the upright." SucU a heart is pleafmg to God ; and it cannot be other- wife, for it is fhapen out according to his mind. The pefron who has fuch a heart is another David, a man according to God's own heart. It is a heart which, as believing, pleafeth God j a heart well pleafed with him, in which God is well plea- fed. 1. It is that heart without which the largeft Vol. III. C c profeflion, 306 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD C0RRRE3P0ND profefiion, and the moft exprefs covenanting with God, is little worth. Without this heart men do but as the Lord's enemies, they lie unto him. And it is a dangerous thing to lie unto the Lord, like Ananias and Sapphira, who died with a lit, in their mouth. They take God's name in vain. The voice indeed is Jacob's, but the hands are Efau's. It is but mocking God, and juggling with the holy One. It is but doing the work of the Lord deceitfully, and offering the blind and the lame for facrifice, which will bring down a curfe in- stead of a bleihng. Let a man be at never fo much pains in duties, yet ftill the one thing is lacking while they have not fuch a heart. 3. The want of this heart is very grievous to the Spirit of Chrift. The Lord doth thus, in the text, lament their want of it. If any thing pierce the heart of God, it is when, with a covenanting people, there is wanting fuch a heart. What can be more grievous in a married lot than when the hufband has not the wife's heart? Ezek. vi. 9. « I am broken, fays God, with their whorifh heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which go a-whoring after their idols." There can be no contentment in that condition, as Haman faid, " Yet all this availerh me nothing," Efth. v. 13. And a foul's grieving the Lord's Spirit, is a forerunner of the Lord's grieving them : Pfal. xvi. 4. " Their forrow (hall be multiplied that haftens after another god." 4. God accepts of the duty, and is well pleafed with the bargain, where there is fuch a heart : " O that there were fuch an heart in them !" There wants no more to complete thebargain betwixt them and me. Then, as they call me their God, fo would I call them my people by a faving relation. But where fuch is not, the contract betwixt Chrift and the WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION. 3O7 the fout is written indeed, but it is not figned. "Would you know, then, if Chrift be yours, with all the benefits of the everlafting covenant ? why, if you have fuch a heart, you have Chrift's heart, you are married to the Lord, and (hall never be put away. A voice of the word without, and an echo to it of the heart within, clofes the bargain : Pfal. xxvii. 8. " When thou faidft, S*ek ye my face ; my heart faid unto thee, Thy face, Lord, ' will I feek." See alfo, Jer. iii. 22. 5. Where there is fuch a heart, God will be well pleafed with the perfon, and accept the duty, though it have many defects ; albeit he be not plea- fed with thefe defects, yet in mercy he will over- look them : " O that there were fuch an heart in them !" As if he had faid, O if they were but honeft in the main, I would not be fevere on them for every efcape. The Lord will ufe the indulgence of a father for fuch infirmities : Song, v. 1. "I have drunk my wine with my milk." Milky that is, he accepts the meaned work where there is fuch an heart. A groan, a tear, a breathing after the Lord, is accepted ; as the father loves more the lifping child's expreflion of its affection to him, than all the towering compliments of a nattering tongue, 2 Chron. xv. 17.; the eye of their faith, though, like Leah's, a bleared eye, Song, iv. 9. ; the fire of their love, though weak, ver. 10. •, the hand of their confidence, though a trem- bling hand ; the anchor of their hope, though feeble, Pfal. xlvii. 11.; their feet of obedience, tho* lame like Mephiboiheth, yet fhall they be fet at the king's table ; though their very fincerity be not without a mixture of hypocrify, Gal. ii. 13. yet it holds weight in the balance ; Chrift takes their petitions, though not every way well drawn, blots out fome, fills up other things in them, and gets C 2 them 308 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND them anfwered. Their will is accepted for the deed : their grief for want of will, for the will it- felf : — all this where there is fuch a heart. 6. They will never prove ftedfait in the Lord's covenant without fuch a heart : " O that there were fuch an heart in them !" They have fpoke iair, but they will never keep a word they fav, for they ha\e not fuch a heart : Pfal. lxxviii. 37. ,!M For their heart was not right with him, neither were they flecUait in his covenant." The heart is the principle of actions \ fuch a heart is the principle of perfeverance ; and there can be no iledfafinefs v/ithout a principle : Matth. xiii. 6. *' And when the fun was up, they were fcorched, and hecaufe they had not root, they withered a- way." The tree which is fet in the ground, but noes not take root in it, will be eafily blown over. The houfe without a foundation cannot withftand the ftorm, Matth. vi. 23. They who have cove- nanted with God without fuch a heart, will make foul work, it will appear that the devil has gone down with the fop, their former lulls will be fwal- lowed over again, 2 Pet. ii. 20. — 22. Their 1 aft ftate will be worfe than the firft. Their vows will be no llronger than Samfon's withs *, their refo- lutions, like the walls of Jericho, will fall down at the found of the horn of temptation. 7. Such an heart will fence the man againft apoflacy : " O that there were fuch an heart in them !" They would not then turn away from me ; ihey would keep by their covenant : Luke, vh. 15. " But that on the good ground, are they which in an honeft and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. Cleaving to Chrift with conftancy, without apo- ftacy, is the very efTence of fuch an heart. Gold is not gold, but drof?, if it do not continue in the fire. WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION. 3O9 fire. Men's hearts may get fome light ftrokes of the Spirit, fome fleeting motions of the fame, and the heart (till unfound as the ftony ground. But if the Spirit of God and of glory reft not on the heart, it is not fuch an heart : 2 John, ii. 27. " But the anointing which ye have received of him, abideth in you ;" the fire of true love will be preferved, though it flame not, whatever cools there may be taking place. Such an heart has learned fo much of the grace of God, as to deny worldly lufts, and all forfaken lovers, when they come to court the foul. Where fuch a heart is, there is the root of the matter in the man, Job, xix. 28. ; and there is fap enough to keep in the life of it, Prov. xii. 3. " The root of the righteous mail not be moved. Yea, the Root of Jeflfe has en- gaged that this root (hall not fail," John, iv. 14. They are kept through the power of God. God is careful of the leaves of Chriitianity, Pfal. i. 3. much more of real Chriftians themfelves ; therefore fays Job, chap. xvii. 9. « The righteous fhall hold on his way ; and he that hath clean hands fhall be ftronger and ftronger." Be their light never fo weak, it will laft, yea, it will grow,, and fhine more and wiore unto the perfect day. It is the abiding feed of God. Laftly, Such a heart enriches the man who has it: "O that there were fuch an heart in them 1" they want no more to make them happy here and hereafter. Grace and glory, and all good, is the portion of thofe who have fuch an heart. Such an heart has taken Chrift, is married and knit to him, and then Chrift is your's, all is your's ; par- don, peace, and every blefling ; as he who gets a hold of the main link of a chain, draws all alter him : " There the Lord commands the bleiling, cyen life which never ends." Cc 3 We 3IO THE INWARD FRAME, &C We (hall conclude this difcourfe with befeech- ing you to be in earneft that you have fuch a heart. This is that which you all need, that with- out which you rnuft be miferable for ever. — It is a mod invaluable blefling, what you mould highly prize ; what is precious in God's efteem, and what he is urgent with you that you may pofTefs * « O that there were fuch an heart in them !' 5 THE THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED, SERMON LXII. Deut. v. 29. that there were fuch an heart xtr them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever. HAving confidered, in the two preceding dif- courfes, the firft and fecond doctrines pro- pofed from this fubjecl:, we now go on to Doct. II T. and laft, That the work of covenant- ing with the Lord is flight work, when it is not heart-work -> or, That folemn covenanting with the Lord is but folemn trifling with him, when the work of covenanting is not heart-work. In treating this point, we mail, I. Produce fome evidences, that folemn cove- nanting is often nothing but folemn trifling, and not heart- work. II. Shew when folemn covenanting is not heart- work. 312 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND III. Shew how people come to make folemn corenanting but a trifling bufinefs. IV. Shew the danger of trifling, and not ma- king heart-work of this weighty bufinefs. — And then, V. Apply the whole. We are, I. To produce fome evidences, that folemn covenanting is often nothing but folemn trifling, and not heart-work. It is of importance that you may be ftirred up to take heed to the deceits which we may difcover in this weighty bufinefs. — With this view, we obferve, i. That apoftacy and defection from the good ways of the Lord, perfons returning again openly to the fame courfes which they purfued before. This is an evidence, 2 Peter, ii. 19. — 22. Matth. xii. 45. "Then the evil fpirit goeth, and taketh with himfelf feven other fpirits more wicked than himfelf, and they enter in and dwell there ; and the laft ftate of that man is worfe than the firft. Even fo fhall it be alfo unto this wicked genera- tion." They who have no root foon wither away, Matth. xiii. 6. There are many who, fince the Revo- lution, have folemnly covenanted with the Lord at facraments, and many who have done it, when they durft not fo well avow it as now, who have given a fad account of themfelves fince that time, ha- ving returned to their former courfes of wickednefs and profanity. Fallen ftars were flars never but in appearance. To lofe both life and leaf, is a dreadful fymptom : John, xv. 6. " If a man abide not in me, he is caft forth as a branch, and is withered ; and men gather them, and caft them into the fire, and they are burned." — Another evi- dence is, 2. When WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION. 313 2. When fome lufts are maintained in Chrift's room, as when an adulterous woman takes another man inftead of her hufband. There are fome lufts from which the heart is never loofed, right eyes they cannot part with j this is fecret apoftacy from the Lord: Heb. iii. 12. " Take heed, brethren, left there be in any of you an evil heart of un- belief, in departing from the living God." When the Lord offers himfelf to Tinners, he fays, If you will take me, let thefe go their way. Some enter into a marriage- covenant with the Lord, but they give their hearts to other lovers, Pfal. xiv. 4. (quoted before). This is hypocritical dealing with God, which is a difeafe in the vitals of religion, Pfal. Ixxviii. 37. (quoted above). — Another evi- dence is, 3. Perfons making their covenant with the Lord, a cover to their lloth, and a pander to their lufts. It is fad work which perfons make of cove- nanting, when it ferves only to conjure their con- ferences, who hence can fleep more fecurely in their fins. Many are never more light, vain, and frothy, than after fuch a work ; a moft fhrewd fign of a whorifh difpofition : Prov. vii. 14. "I have peace- offerings with me. This day have I paid my vows. Therefore came I forth to meet thee, di- ligently to feek thy face." The covenant of God is a covenant of peace and war, which inclines the finner to be at peace with the Lord's friends, and at war v/ith his enemies. It makes the foul to fay to former lufts, I have learned from the goipel, to "deny ungodlinefs and worldly lufts, arid to live foberly, righteoufly, and godly, in this prefent world," Titus, ii. 12. Hence, Chrift no fooner enters the heart, but he comes as Captain of the Lord's hoft ; and the perfon's heart thus becomes the feat of war : Gal. v. 1 7. " For the 'flefh lufteth againft 3I4 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND againft the fpirit, and the fpirit againft the flefh j and thefe two are contrary the one to the other." And thefe lulls which were formerly gold chains, are now turned into heavy iron fetters : Rom. vii. 24. " O wretched man that I am, who {hall de- liver me from the body of this death ?" — Another evidence is, 4. The barrennefs of the lives of profeffors, nothing of the fruits of holinefs appearing in their lives. We are, Rachel like, barren, having no more but the leaves of a profeffion, the performance of external duties, to give us the name of Chriftians. Alas ! fire from heaven feems to have blafted many of us, and the curfe of the Lord is as a worm at our root. Married to the Lord, and yet barren, is a contradiction, Rom. vii. 4. For the very end of this marriage is, that we may bring forth fruit unto God. Where the foul is joined to the Lord, it is made the habitation of the Spirit ; and this is that which produces the fruits of holinefs : Eph. v. 9. " For the fruit of the Spirit is in all good- nefs, and righteoufnefs, and truth." Here fome may fay, Alas ! this fpeaks death to me, for do what I will, the weeds in the curfed foil of my heart fufFers no fruit to appear there. To fuch I anfwer. — There is no fruit which grows in the heart of a believer in the world, but it has a weed of corruption by the fide of it ; their faith is marked with unbelief, their hope with diflidence, their very fincerity with hypocrily. But are you at pains to pluck up thefe ? If you (hould look in- to a garden, and faw nothing but weeds in it, yet if you faw the gardener weeding it, you would conclude there mud be fomething elfe there j fo in this cafe. Will you fee if there be any thriving of under- growth in your hearts, if you be growing downward s in humility, felf-Joathing, felf-denial, depending and cleaving WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION. 315 cleaving more from a fenfe cf need to the Lord ? Eph. iv. 15. 16. Barren trees ufe not to have their branches hanging down to falute the ground, un- lefs they be broken off by a violent wind. — Ano- ther evidence is, 5. The having no communication of the life of grace from Chrift to the foul : John, xiv. 19. " Becaufe I live, ye (hall live alfo." Food and raiment are what every foul married to the Lord get from him. If the foul be truly united to Chrift, it will partake of the root and fap of the vTne : John, vi. 5 7. " He that eateth me, faith Jefus, even he (hall live by me." True faith opens a way for a ftream of blood to run through the heart, by which the foul is purged and quickened. The blood of Jefus " purges the confeience from dead works, to ferve the living God," Heb. ix. 14. But, alas ! the faith of many is like a pipe laid lhort of the fountain, and fo brings none of the water of life into the foul. Many covenant with the Lord as the feven women, Ifa. iv. 1. who take hold of one man, as it is there fa id., they will be called by his name ; for fo is Chrift's fpoufe, in token of her marriage-relation, me lofeth her name, and takes her hulband's, Ifa. xliv. 5. " One mall fay, I am the Lord's : and another fhall call himfelf by the name of Jacob.*' This will take away their re- proach before the world, and it will do much to filence the bluftering tongue of an ili-natured con- feience. Yea, but after all this, they will eat their own bread, Ifa. iv. 1. They will live upon their own {lock of natural and acquired abili- ties, for they are not, as in Matth. iii. 5. " poor in ipirit." They come not, as true believers, with a weak foul to a flrong God, an empty vefTel to a full fountain. Thus does the true believer, who fays, Gal. ii. 20. "I am crucified with Chrift : neverthelefs 3 l6 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND nevertheless I live ^ yet not' I, but Chrift liveth in ir>^ ; and the life which I now live in the flefh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himfelf for me." But the other will live on their own lufts •, Chrift gives reft to their confidences, and their lufts give reft to their hearts ; he fhall bear up their hopes, and their lufts fhall fatisfy their defires. They will wear their own apparel : Rom. x. 3. " For they being ignorant of God's righteoufnefs, and going about to eftablifh their own righteoufnefs, have not Submitted themfelves to the righteoufnefs of God." Their duties make a great figure in their own eyes, and therefore are cyphers in God's account. Hence, the more they do -and the better they do, the more are they in conceit with themfelves, and the further from Chrift. It is quite contrary with true covenanters : Phil. iii. 3. " They rejoice in Chrift Jefus, and have no confidence in the flefh :" Rev. vii. 14. " They wafh their robes, and make them white in the blood of the Lamb." — We fhall only add as an evidence, Laftly^ The having no contentment in Chrift alone. Where the foul heartily clofes with Chrift, he is to the foul a covering to the eyes : Pfal. lxxiii. 25. " Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none upon earth that I defire be fide thee." Hence the triumph of faith, even when all exter- nal things fail : Hab. iii. 17. « I will rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God of myfalvation." But, alas! how many of us have no comfort, but when the cifterns of creature-comforts are running full! how few arrive at the height of rejoicing in the Lord, when thefe cifterns are dried up ! Mat. xiii. 4 c. 46. Every perfon's houfe Hands upon two props, Chrift and the creature, but the weight 3ie& 6nly upon one of them. Take away the world from the be- liever. WITH THE. OUTWARD PROFESSION. 317 r, lie {lands firm on the rock Chrift ; take ■ \ -orld fiom the hypocrite, and all full 5 down together. A peribn may bear to have fome branch of his comforts cut off ; but when God iirikes at the root of creature-comforts, then may the hypocrite fay, Thou haft taken av/ay my gods, and what have I more ? Some can endure any thing but poverty, for covetoufnefs reigns in them ; others any thing but diirefpeft, for pride is their idol. Here again fome may fay, If this be an evidence, we know not who will make fure work, for masy time gracious perfons are as much, if not more, cad down with the lofs of creature-comforts, than others ! To this I anfwer, No doubt gracious fouls will fometimes be more joyful on the receipt of a temporal mercy, and more cafl down on the lofs of them, than others •, for the chief thing which affe&s him is the face of God appearing in it, ei- ther as favourable or frowning ; lb that they will be ready to fay on fuch an occallon, as \u Gen. xxxiii. 10. " For therefore I have feen thy face, as though I had (ten the face of God, and thou waft pleafed with me." And this will make a mole-hill mercy or crofs appear like a mountain. The godly in this cafe fetch their comfort from the Lord, others fetch theirs from fomething elfe in the world ; when one ftream runs dry, they go to another, like the prodigal before he came home. The drying up of the itreams fends the gracious foul to the fountain. We now proceed, II. To fhew when covenanting is not heart-work, but a trifling bufinefs. — It is fo, 1. When the foul is not divorced from (in. The heart is naturally glewed to fin, and it is im- Vol. III. D d poffible Jl8 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND poflible that the heart can at once be both for the Lord and lufts, Matth. vi. 24. The firft marriage muft be made void before a fecond can be made fure. They muft have their covenant with their lufts broken, who will have their covenant with the Lord fure : Hofea, xiv. 8. " Ephraim (hall fay, What have I to do any more with idols ?" Living lufts and the living Lord will not both get the throne of the heart. In the day of efpoufals, when Chrift gets the crown, lufts get the crofs. Many will be in fuit of the heart, and the heart for a time may be halting betwixt two ; bnt in a cove- nanting day with the Lord, all others muft be dis- charged : Pfal. xlv. 1 o. " Hearken, O daughter ! and confider, and incline thine ear *, forget alio thine own people, and thy father's houfe." — Here fome may inquire, How may a perfon know if their heart be divorced from fin ? Anfwer, That which makes the man and his lufts one, is the greedy grip which the heart takes of fin, it is the heart clea- ving tc its lufts : Jer. viii. 5. " Why then is the people of Jerufalem Hidden back by a perpetual backfliding ? They hold fall deceit, they refufe to return." The heart and af7e£tions in fin are like the hot iron, where the iron and the fire are very clofe together. The man's lufts are to him like a leg or an arm which is knit to the body with joints and bands. Now, where the heart is divorced, it loaths that fin which before it loved. Though fin cleaves to the man, yet he cleaves not to it, Rom. vii. 17. — 22. "Never was the captive more defirous to be loofed of his bands, than that foul to be free from fin. Like a weak honeft virgin, though it cannot (hake itfelf loofe of its grips, yet it would be content if one would fet it free. — Solemn covenanting is trifling, 2. When the foul is not divorced from the law, Rom. WITH TH£ OUTWARD PROFESSION. 319 Rom. vii. 4. u Wherefore, my brethren, ye alfo are become dead to the law by the body of Chrift; that ye fhould be married to another, even to him who is raifed from the dead, that we ihould bring forth fruit to God." Legal profciTors do but trifle with the Lord, and never make heart-work of covenanting with him. They may bind them- felves fafter and fafter to duties, but there is no engaging their hearts to the Lord of duties *, they are as they who would draw up with the hand- maid inilead of the miftrefs ; and do but bind thernfclves to the work of fpinning out their own ruin out of their own bowels. There is a genera- tion who get fome convictions of their mifery by fin, the law comes and takes them by the throat, and then they cry, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Hence they beftir themfelves, and fall a trading to gain fome thing for heaven and eternal life ; they let about fecret duties, at- tending public ordinances, and take the facrament, and the effecl: of all is but to wreath their necks fafter in the yoke of law-bondage, and to remove themfelves farther from Chrift. This is but tri- fling. — If it be inquired, How may one know if they be divorced from the law ? ycu have the word, Gal. ii. 19. "For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God." The law comes home to the foul with fuch force and power, that it cuts off all hopes of the foul's ever mending itfelf by its works ; makes the foul fee its utter emptinefs and weaknefs ; and hence it dies off, and lies at the foot of free grace, with that prayer in its mouth, Jer. xxxi. i3. " Thou haft chaitifed me, and I was chaftifed, as a bullock unaccuftomed to the yoke : turn thou me, and I fliall be turned ; for thou art the Lord my God." Then Chriil's blood is the foul's only refuge for Ddi guilt, 320 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND guilt, Chrift's Spirit for holinefs ; and the foul will have no peace but what comes from tl -.is Wood ', while many, inftead of this, lick thern- ielves whole of their wounds by confeffion, mourn- ing, prayer for pardon, and engaging not to do fo any more. But it is quite different from this, when, as above, the Spirit of Chrift leads his di- vorced bride out cf the houfe of her former huf- band to Jefus himfelf. — It is fo, 3. When the foul comes not heartily and free- ly to the Lord in his covenant, Pfal. lxxviii. 34. — 37. The Lord will not meet that foul. He cares 2 lot for perfons giving the hand, when they do not give him their hearts. Indeed this is a covenant which fpeaks out the extreme naughtinefs of men's hearts, by their coming into it grudgingly and per force. The facrifice that is dragged to the altar, will not be accepted, it will run away from it again. It will be like the ftrong bough which is forcibly bowed, which will foon fly back. When the Lord comes to a foul, he deals with the heart. He touches the heart, as he touched the hearts of Saul's companions, 1 Sam. x. 26. Jer. xxxi. 3. (< The Lord hath appeared to me of old, faying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlafting love : therefore with loving kindnefs have I drawn thee." There is grace in the Lord's lips, heaven- ly rhetoric to catch a fmner's affections, Pfal. xlv. 2i When the Spirit of the Lord pours in over- coming grace, then the man pours out his heart before him, Pfal. Ixii. 8. Thus the people be- comes willing in the day of his power, Pfal. ex. 3.— Here we may fhortly ftate and confider two cafes. Cafe 1. What fhall become of thofe, then, who are driven to the Lord by terror ? I anfwer, Thofe who are etfty driven by terror, they will even leave him WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION", 32I him again when the terror is over, for terrors will break a heart of ftone, but will not melt it. At the fame time, terror may begin the work, which love will crown : Hofea, ii. 14. " Therefore, be- hold I will allure her and bring her into the wil- dernefs, and fpeak comfortably untoTier." When the Lord is to match with fmners, they are bold and perverfe, they will not fpeak to him, till he has fhot an arrow into their fleih, till he has made them prifoners of war ; and then, when he has them in chains, he makes love to them. He firft drives the finner, and then he draws him like Noah's dove into the ark, Gen. viii. 9. The Lord lets the avenger of blood in purfuit of the pocr criminal, he with a heavy heart leaves his own city, and his old acquaintances, and flees for his bare life to the city of refuge, to which he has no inclination, but muji do is a great thing. When he comes to the gates, and fees the beauty of the place, the excellencies and lovelinefs of the city charm him ; then he fays, This is my reft, here will I dwell. Cafe 2. 1 often find, when I am to go to the Lord's table, a great backwardnefs to the duty. What ihould be done in this cafe ? I anfwer, There is a great difference betwixt a man's turning his back and running away from his friend, and a fickiy man's coming flowly to him. And if I might be allowed fo to fpeak, I fhouid diilinguifh between a backward heart, and a backwardnefs upon the heart : Matth. xxvi. 41. " Watch arid pray, that ye enter not into temptation : the fpirit indeed is willing, but the flefh is weak." A backward heart is a foolifh heart, and will make fad work of a communion: Prov. xvii. 16. " Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wifdom, feeing he hath no heart to it ?" I wifh the Lord may turn D d 3 this this people from the Lord's table, till he has turned their hearts back' to himfelf •, or elfe, when they have put their hands to the plough, they will after all leave it, and injure religion more than if they had never meddled with it. But for others, our Matter allows you to come as you are able, with your burden upon your back, and lay it down at his feet: Matth. xi. 28. U Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy-laden, and I will give you reft." PfaL lxv; 3. " Iniquities prevail againft me: as for our tranfgrefiions, thou fhalt purge them away." The great Phyfician knows very \vt\l his patient comes with heart and good will, though his fieknefs and indifpofition makes him come with a flow pace. — It is trifling, 4. When the foul comes to the Lord in his covenant for peace to their consciences, but not for victory over their lulls. Many come to the Lord, as a fick man to the phyfician, to cure him of his wounds, but not to live upon his charges : Pfal. Ixxviii. 34. " When he flew them, then they fought him ; and they returned and inquired early after God." They have ufe for the blood, not fer the water, which came from the fide of Jefus. This is but half- work, not heart- work. Enemies to the fpirit of holinefs are enemies to Chrifi. I never think it the bell frame for a communion-table when pec pie fit down at the Lord's table chiefly for peace and comfort. A view of the King, a trans- forming fight which might llrengthen the foul, to have this before our eyes fitting down at the feafl, would certainly be mofi fafe. To get a touch of the hem of Chrift's garment, for Hopping the ilfue of fin, will be falutary indeed. — It is fo, 5, When the foul accepts of conditional promifes, but does not accept of and receive the Lord himfelf in abfolute proraifes. This is to agree WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION. 323 agree upon the left points of the covenant, and to neglect the main point, Heb. viii 10. The great thing God offers in the gofpel is Chrift. He is a foolifh man that would claim the benefit of the contract, while he neglects to marry the woman. It is a dreadful thing to turn the covenant of grace into a mere fervile or mere focial covenant, as pafTes betwixt neighbouring independent itates. It is moft properly a marriage-covenant, where the foul firft takes the Lord himfelf, and then looks for the benefits accruing to it by the happy match. Natural men fancy a very eafy covenant in, — " He that confeflcth his fins, mall find mercy. — Call on me, and I will anfwer thee. — What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do juftly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God ?" — He will ac- cept the will for the deed -, not confidering that all the promifes are yea and amen in Chrift ; and fuppofe they could perform the condition of thefe promifes, yet they could not have benefit by them while they have not the Lord Chrift, dwelling, living, and reigning in them. — It is folerr.n tri- fling, Laflly, When there is not an abfolute refigna- tion of the will to the will of the Lord. This is to have referves in our covenanting with the Lord. Man's will is the great rebel againft the Lord, and rauft, if we make fare work, be bound hand and foot in a covenanting day. There muft be a double refignation, (1.) To the preceptive will : Rom. vi. 1 7. " Ye have obeyed from the heart that form of do&rine which was delivered unto you." The foul muft no more marl with duty, but be content to take on the yoke of Chrift's com- mands. And they who are not content to ftand and receive the fame commands from mount Zion, which were thundered into their hearts from mount 324 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND mount Sinai before, their hearts are not for this work. ('2.) There muft be refignation to the pro- vidential will of God. It has been long a quedion betwixt the Lord and you, who (hall be mafter of your procefs, who mail carve out your lot ? Are you come to a point now ? even to that point ? rfal. xlvii. 4. " He mall chufe our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved." It is well, you are wife *, for our own will, and nothing elfe, is our wreck. We mould now, III. Shew how people come to make folcmn covenanting but a trifling buimefs. But for this, fee the third head of doctrine firic. "We proceed, then, IV. To fhew the danger of trifling, and not ma- king heart- work of this weighty bufinefs This will appear if we confidcr, I. That the Lord rejects the work : Mai. i. 13. " Ye faid alfo, Behold what a wearinefs is it, and ye have muffed at it, faith the Lord cf hofts, and ve brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the fick ; thus ye brought an offering : mould I accept this of your hands ? faith the Lord." Whatever pains peifons may be at about cove- nanting, the Lord has no regard to it while it is not heart-work, Ifa. i. 11. It is true, you may even iign the contract, but the Lord will not fubferibe it, feeing it has not the upright confent of your hearts, Pfal. 1. 16. 17. You may expert the en- tertainment recorded Matth. xxii. 12. "Friend, how earned thou in thither, not having a wedding- garment ? And he was fpeechlefs." Connder, 2. That it puts men more fecurely in Satai/s grips than before. In this fenfe that holds true which you WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION". 3? 5 you have in K\. xxviii. 22. " Now therefore be ye not mockers left your bands be made iirong " Pub- licans and tinners will enter before thtfe. Such are twice dead, where the devil goes out and returns v. ith feven other Spirits worfe than himfelf. The laft tnd of fuch a perfen Is wcrfe than his beginning. — -Confider, 3. That it expefes men to fpirituil ftrokes : Jer. xlviii. 10. " Curfed be he that doth the work of the Lord deceitfully." — Deadening fxrokes. Thefe are filent arrows which fly. from the hand of God into the foul without noife : Iia. vi. ic. " Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and fliut their eyes ; left they fee with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and underftand with their heart, and convert, and be healed." Sometimes men are like Saul among the prophets, but afterwards they are knocked in the head by the feeret judgement of God, becaufe of their hy- pocritical dealing with him, it may be at a com- munion-table, in fo much that they have never a day to do well after ; and from that time God an- fwers them not, but thty live and rot above the ground j their hearts are deadened, their affections dozened, their rifts withered, and their fouls Ma- iled : John, xv. 6. " If a man abide not in me, he is call forth as a branch, and is withered ; and jr.en gather them and caft them into the fire, and they are burned." — Quickening ltrokes, whereby the man is dreadfully alarmed, the confeience is awakened, and made like mount Sinai, where no- thing but fire and fmoak appear. God takes the filthy rags of their mock-covenanting, wraps them in brimftone, and fets them in fire about the fin- ner's ears. Their wounds which were (curfed over bleed more dreadfuiiy, while the plafter they made will not flick. — BeGdes thefe, there are ftr pkes 325 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND flrokes upon their bodies. As Nadab and Abihu, Lev. x. i. 2. A wrortg lock into the ark cell the men of Bethlnemem dear, i Sam. vi. ig. God fmote Uzzah, and he died by the ark, _ Sam. vi. 7. And the apoftle tells us, 1 Cor. xi. 30. Ci For this caufe many are weak and Gckly among you, and many fleep." — Confider, Laftk, That however quietly people may get it carried in life, it will bring them a (ad difapcint- ment at death. The houfe built on the fand fell by the florm, and great was its fall. A great fail from high hopes into deep defpair ; like the foolifh virgins, who were unexpectedly Quit out. "We are now, V. To apply the fubjecr.— Which we {hall do only in an ufe of exhortation. I would then exhort one and all of you to make heart-work and fure work in your covenanting with the Lord, and not to trifle in fo folemn a bufinefs. You have heard the danger you incur by trifling with it. But perhaps fome wiil fay with a whole heart, that as they are refolved to keep themfelves out of harm's way, they will not come to the Lord's table. To this I would anfwer, Well, will you not enter into covenant with the Lord ? if not, then you will never fee heaven : Eph. ii. 12. " Strangers from the covenants of promife, having no hope, and without Gcd in the world." Where will you appear at the great day ? Pfal. 1. 1. — 5. You mud take hold of the Lord's cove- nant, or be damned. Sirs, if ye enter at all into this work, my exhortation reaches you. You may trifle with God upon your knees, as well as at his table. And if you be not minded to refufe this covenant, why itand you back from the ieals of k ? WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION. 2 2 7 "it ? why do you not prepare ycurfclves for it ? why- flight you this love-token of our dying Lord ? I would think, if you were in earneft for the cove- nant, you not would flight the feal of it. Make fure work then. To induce you to be ferious in this weighty work, I would mention and urge the fol- lowing Motjves. Mot. i. You have need to make fure work, for you have deceitful hearts to deal with, Jer. xvii. 19. Let not the bands be put on {lightly, cr it will foon flip them all. Therefore dig deep, by ferious folemn examination of your confciences before the Lord, that you may build as on a rock. Mot. 1. Confider the weight of the bufinefs ; the bufinefs of falvation, or damnation, is not a .matter to trifle with. Sirs, life and death are be- fore you. Your eternal itate lies at the flake. I -befeech you then, by all that weight of glory that awaits the faints, as you would not ruin your fouls, which a thoufand worlds cannot repair, for the lot's of the foul cannot be made up, that you ferioufiy confider the bufinefs. Mot. 3. Confider the Lord is not trifling, but is in good/ariieft with you : " O that there were fuch a heart in them !" There is a match propo- fed betwixt the King of glory and the daughter of Zion, the Bridegroom is willing : Rev. iii. 20. « Behold I (land at the door and knock." There is nothing wanting on his part : Matth. xxii. 4. " All things are ready, come unto the marriage." How pafiionately doe^ he call for her confent in the text! And now, when the Lord is thus offering himfelf to you, why will you refufe or trifle with him ? — Here fome may propofe this, Objection. This is a flourifh which may pais well enough in a pulpit. But, O ! if the Lord were really 323 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND really offering himfdf to me, I would never refuf?. To this I anfwer, The offer is real, though mini- flerial. We have cur commidion from, our Lord to bear us cut in it, and he would do the lame-ir he were here bodily prefent : 2 Cor. v. 10. " Now then we are ambaffadors for Chriit, as though God did befeech you by us : we pray you in ChriiVs (lead be ye reconciled to God." Hence, in the days of his flefh, he offered himfelf both to thofe that did, and thofe that did not receive him. Confider, he faid to his difciples, " He that heareth you, heareth me." We are the friends of the Bridegroom j as Abraham's fervants, we are come to bring you to cur Mailer's fon. What would you have to make the offer real, if you may not take it as fuch from the mouth of his meffen- gers ? Would you have him leave his glory a fe- cond time, and come in perfon to make the offer ? Or would you have him come down in his glory ? If fo, you know not what you afc. It would fet you better to do as Abigail, bow yourfelf to the earth, and humbly accept of the offer, 1 Sam. xxv. 40. 41.— So real is the offer, that if you re- fute, ye will be damned for the refufal : Mark, xvi. 15. 16. " And he faid unto them, Go ye in- to all the world, and preach the gofpel to every creature. He that believeth, and is baptifed, fhall be faved ; but he that believeth not, fhall be damned." John, xvii. 20. " Neither pray I for thefe alone, but for them alfo which fhall believe on me through their word." See then what ye do. It is a ferious bufinefs on the Lord's part, and there is a prize in your hands v\hieh you would do well diligently to improve.— Does he indeed offer himfelf to me ? do you fay ? i.ot- withftanding my unworthinefs. Yea, ro you, we make no fcruple to offer him particularly to every one WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION. 329 one of you, the vileft of you all : Rev. iii. 20. « Behold I (land at the door and knock : if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and will fup with him, and he with me." It is not unworthinefs, but unwilling- nefs, that will mar the bargain : « The Spirit and the bride fay, Come, and let him that heareth fay, Come, and let him that is athirfl fay, Come, and whofoever will let him take the water of life freely. Vol. III. E e A A RICH FEAST PREPARED FOR HUNGRY SOULS*. SERMON LXIII. IsA. xxv. 6. And in this mountain fhall the Lord of hofis make unto all people a feafi of fat things , a feaft of wines on the lees, of fat things full of mar- row, of wines on the lees well refined. THE prophets of old prcphefied of the grace of Chrift which fnould come unto us, I Pet. i. 10. ; and of theie none more than our e- vangeiical prophet, who, in the verfe before us, foretells a rich fpiritual entertainment which mould be made by the Saviour Jcfus Chrift unto a ftar- ving world of prodigal iinners, reduced by their extravagance into extreme want. — Here there is to be obferved, i . The Maker and Matter of the feaft, the Lord himfelf ; it is a royal feaft, with which the King of Zion entertains his own fubjecls. Particularly, it is the Lord Chrift, the Son of God, who, pity- ing the famiihed condition of poor finners, was at the expence of this coftly feaft for them ; for the maker * An attion-fermon, delivered June 7. 1719. A RICH FfiAST, &C I 3 I maker of it is the fame who fwailows up death in victory, ver. 8. A warlike title is afcribed to him, the Lord of HoJls 9 for there is a banner in ChritVs banqueting-houfe ♦, and this feaft looks both back- ward and forward to a war. — You will obferve, 2. The guefts for whom this feaft is provided : It is made for all people. Net that every perfon does actually partake of it, nor that every perfon without exception is invited to it ; the event fhews the contrary, there being many to whom the found of the gofpel never comes ; but inti- mating, that the invitation is given to all who com?: in its way, without diftin&ion, or exception of any fort of perfons : Matin, xxii. o. " Go pe therefore into the highways, and ?6 many as ye (hall find, bid to the marriage." The invitation is to the Gentiles, as well as to the jews, to thefe in the highways and hedges, as well as thofe in the city. Ail who will come are welcome. — Ycu may obferve, 3. The gueft-chamber where this feaft is held : In this mountain, namely, mount Zion, that is, the church. To that fociety all muft join who would partake of this feaft. And as mount Ziou reprefents both the church militant and the churcii triumphant, fo thefe are one church, one body ; and it is one feaft, as to its fubftance, Heb. xii. 22. — 24. You will obferve, 4. The matter of the feaft : A feaft imports a- bundance and variety of good entertainment ; and here nothing is wanting which is fuitable for hun- gry fouls. This is held forth under the notion of the beft meat and drink, becaufe what thefe are to the body, the fame is the gofpel-feaft to the foul. In this valley of the world lying in wicked- nefs, there is nothing for the foul to ietd on but varrion, nothing but what would be loathed, ex- E e 2 cept 332 A RICH FEAST cept by thofe who were never ufed to better ; but in this monntain, there is a feaft of fat thin^t^ things raoft relifhing f o thofe who taite them, mdft nourishing to thofe who feed on them ; and thefe are full of tnarroiv, mod fatisfying to the foul. — In this valley of the world, there is nothing but muddy waters, which can never quench the third of the foul, but muil ruin it wirh the dregs ever cleaving to them ; but here, on this moun- tain, are wines on the lees, that is, the beft of wines, which having been kept long upon the lees, are therefore ilrong and nourifhing. And thefe wines are well reiined, being carefully drawn off, and quite feparated from tht lees or dregs, and therefore clear and Hne, They are undreggy com- forts ; they afford the moft refined fatisfacticn and delight. — From this fubjecV. we take the following Dcctrixe, That Jefus Chrift has prepared a moil rich and delicious feaft for the fouls of all thofe who will come to him, and partake of it as pre- ferred to them. In fpeaking upon this pleafarit and interefting fubjeel:, it is intended, I. To (hew the abfolute need that there is ox this provifion. II. To explain what the provifion is which Chrift has prepared for the fouls of a famiihed world, III. To confider what fort cf a feaft it is. IV. To confirm, that all people who will come, may come, and partake of this feaft. — And then, V. Conclude with a pr u r tical improvement of the fubject. PREPARED FOR HUNGRY SOULS. 333 We are then, I. To (hew the absolute need that there is of this provifion. The diitinguiming need for this provifion was the extreme neceflity of a loft world, which, by- Adam's fail, the great prodigal, was reduced to a itarving and famifhing condition. The King or" heaven fet down Adam, and his pofterity in him, to a well-covered table in paradife, in this lower world, making a covenant of friendfhip with him, and with them in him. Man confifts of an earthly part and a heavenly part, a body and a foul ; and as every thing muft have nourimment fukable to its nature, fo, although the body might, yet the foul could never be nourished by the beft produce of the earth. Therefore, by virtue of that cove- nant, it was concluded, that, upon condition of perfect obedience to it, they mould have provifion for their fouls fiom the King's country. But man being drawn into rebellion againft God, this pro-- fpe£t was loll, and their table was drawn ; Adam and all his pofterity in his loins were driven out of the gueft-chamber, the family was ruined, bro- ken, and fca'ttered, having nothing left them. — To imprefs this the more upon us, let us view how our firft father left us. 1. In point of need, he left us with hungry hearts, like the prodigal : Luke, xv. 16. " And he would fain have filled his belly with the huiks which the fwine did eat ; and no man gave unto him." Every man and woman naturally has a gnawing appetite after happinefs and fatisfaclion. This is fo interwoven with man's nature, that it never leaves him in any ftate whatever, and fo will make a part of the torment of the damned : Ifa. viii. 21. " And they {hall pafs through it, hardly belted and hungry ; and it fhall come to E e 3 pafs l 334 A RICH FEAST pafs, that when they (hall be hungry, they ma fret themielves, and curfe their King and their God, and look upward." Every one finds himfelf not felf-funicient, and therefore his foul cleaves to fomething- without itfelf to fatisfy it. Liilen, O Chriillefs (inner ! who art deftitute of holy defires, and thou fhalt hear a voice within thine own breaft, laying, Give, give, a continual noife. Look into thine own heart, and thou wilt fee it, in refpetc of defires, like a neft of young birds, all gaping for a fill, but never fatisned, ftill gaping, after all that is put in their mouths. — He left us alfo with thirfty confidences, icorched and burnt up with heat, fo that moft of them are in the dead-thraw, 2nd many of them quite feared. Hence the go- fpel-invitation is, Ifa.lv. r. U Ho ! every one that thirfteth, come ye to the waters." In a natural ilate there can be no confeience but an evil con- ference, the thorn of guilt is not pulled out of it ; it is a defiled confeience which needs to be f prink - led, Iicb. x. 22. And though a fleeping con- feience in many, yet fuch is the third of it in all the fons of Adam, that, when awakened, they cry cut, We die, we perifh, we all perifli, Luke, xv. 2. In point of fupply, he leffrus without any profpect, for all communication with heaven was flopped. War was declared againft the rebels, fo that there cculd be no tranfportation of previfions from thence, Gen. iii. 24. Truth had faid v Gen. ii. 17. " But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou fnalt not eat of it : for in the day thou eateft thereof, thou {halt furely die." And therefore, though mercy might incline to fupply a ftarving world, juftice interpofes, and pleads that there cculd be no communication betwixt God and the finners, without a fatisfaction, which they TRITARET) FOR HUNGRY SOULS. 335 they nor angels could not make ; and therefore, without fatibfaction, they mult be famiihed for ever. Thus heaven's doors were clofed on a ftar- ving world. — Now, there was a mighty famine up- on the earth, fuch as was with the prodigal, Luke, xv. 14. " And when he had fpent all, there arofc a mighty famine in that land ; and he began to be in want." Adam's fons, abandoned of Heaven, fall a-begging at the world's door, if fo be they might find reft and fatisfaclion in the creature, They go after a law-righteonfnefs, if fo be they might find a reft to their conferences. But it fares with them in this fearch, as with the unclean fpi- rit gone out of a man. He goss through dry places feeking reft, and finding none returns difap- pointed. When they have traverfed all the moun- tains of vanity for fomething to fatisfy their hun- gry hearts, they find nothing but hufks to feed on with the fwine ; which are the empty and unfatis- lying things of the world, that can never feed their fouls, Luke, xv. 16. The poor finner, out cf Chrift, is like the hungry infant, which fucks at every thing to which its mouth comes near, and fhifting about, and getting nothing, falls a- weeping ; but the appetite continuing, the infant falls a-fucking again, where formerly it was difap- pointed. Such is the life of every natural man, a continued tract of luftings after, and difappoint- ments from the creature. So that he is born weeping, lives feeking, and will die difappointed, if not brought to the feaft of fat things. Again, they find but dull: to feed on with the ferpent : Ifa. lxv. 25. " And duft fhall be the ferpent's meat ;" that is, they fuck at the defiled breafts of their lufts, which can never fatisfy, but poi- fon the foul. They cannot find their fatisfa£tion in lawful worldly comforts ; and therefore, like hungry beafts, they break over into forbidden grounds 330 A RICH FEAST :; ground, and a'i to fatisfy a gnawing appetite after happinefs. But there they are as far from their mark as ever. For, though the enjoyment of a luft may pleafe them for a while ; yet it is but like a man, eating or drinking in a dream, he awaketh, and behold he is faint, and his foul has appetite, Ha. xxiv. 8. There is a bitter dreg re- maining behind. Striking at th ; s rock for water, they caufe fire to flafh out on their faces •, and fucking at thefe breads, draw out blood inftead of milk. Travelling through the barren region of the law for fomething to fatisfy their fcorched con- fciences, they can find nothing but muddy and fait waters, which can give no eafe truly fatisfy ing, but raifes the thirft again. For the purging of the confcience is what the law cannot do, Rom. vi. 3.; compared with Heb. ix. 14. What can duties do to the purging of the confcience ? Ifa. Ixiv. 6. " But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteoufnefles are as filthy rags •, and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." Will mud warn out mud ? What can tears do for this end ? Without fhedding of blood, there is no remiilion of fins. Even our tears muft be warned in the Mediator's blood, or they will defile the confcience, and leave a new ftain in it. What can crufting to uncovenant- ed mercy do ? and fuch is the mercy of God in re- fpect. of all who are not in Chriit, Acts, iv. 12. 2 Cor. v. 19. They may make a plallcr for their wounded confciences of thefe, they may lay it on, but all their art can never make it flick, it will fall off before the wound heal. Wt come now, II. To explain what the provifion is which Chrift has prepared for the fouls of fuch a famifh- ed PREPARED TOR HUNGRY SOULS. 337 ed world. — This, in a word is his precious felf ; the Maker of the feaft is the matter of it, even Cbrift cruciiied •, his body broken for u?, is that read to which hungry fouls are. called, and which r'nc v are to feed upon : Ci Take, eat, this is my bo- dv broken for you." Gal. ii. 2c. u I am crucified with Chrift : nevertheless I live ; yet not I, but Chriit liveth in me : and the life which I now live in the flefh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himfelf for me." We have heard of mothers who have eaten their own children, but who ever gave themfelves to be meat unto them ? But Jefus died that we might live, gave himfelf to enliven and nourifh our fouls. — Let us confider, 1. The meat which is ferved up in this feaft for the hungry heart. This is ChrifVs Dody : John, vi. 55. " For my fleih is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed." Nevefc was there fuch a coltly feaft in the world as this, ChrifVs body bro- ken and bruifed by juftice, that it might be food to us. This is the provifion oifered to you ail in the word, exhibited to you, O believers ! in the fa era- ment. And ye may eat, and muil eat of it, or you will periih : John, vi. 53. " Then Jefus faid unto them, Verily, verily, I fay unto you, Except ye eat the flcm of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you." Take him by faith, receive him with a faith of application, and unite with him in the covenant; renin the fweet- nefs of Chriit, improve every part of Chriit, his low birth, his forrowful life, his bitter death, his burial, refurrection, and afceniion to heaven. — ChrifVs body is the fat things of this feaft, which will completely fitisfy the hungry heart ; To that thy foul feeding upon it by faith, mail be ftilkd and fatitfied 3 like the hungry infant, when it 33 8 a Ririi feast it is fef J io its mother's full breads : Pfal. lxxxz. ic. " Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it." How can thefe things be ? will an unbelieving world fay. We anfwer, in two things. (i.) There is a fulnefs of the fpirit of fan£tifi~ cation in him, which is communicated unto all who receive him : John i. 16. " And of his fulnefs have all we received, and grace for grace." And the more eagerly that the foul feeds on him, the more of that fpirit they receive. The nr& enter- ing of his fpirit into the foul gives life ; the further meafure of the fpirit, gives life more abundantly. And there is a double ea-ecb of the fpirit of fanc- tification received from Chrift. — [i.j The fpirit of Chriil in the foul dries up the devouring deeps of unmortined defires after the world of lufts, (lops their mouths by {tabbing them to the heart, that the foul may live fpiritually : John, iv. 14. "But whofoever drinketh of the water that I fhall give him, fhall never third ; but the water that I {hall give him, (hail be in him a well of water, fpring- ing up into everhfting life." Never thirft, that is, at the rate he did in his natural ilate. Gafp they may, as a thief upon the crofs, but they fhall never gape fo wide and fo inceiTantly as before, the foul being determined to flarve them. — [2.] The fpirit of Chrift in the foul ilirs up holy defires in the heart, which are the predominant motions and affections there : Pfal. xxvii. 4. " One thing have I defired of the Lord, that will I feck after, that I may dwell in the boufe of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in hie temple." The man's choice is altered, his denies run in another channel. Sometimes it was, Who will fhew us any good ? but now it is, Lord, lift upon us the light of thy countenance, Pfel. iv. 6. Now his longings are after fRtPARED FOR HUNGRY SOULS. 339 after the Lord, Pfal. xlii. 1. and Ixiii. 1. Hia ibrrowings are for the want of his prefence ; his comfort is in enjoying the light of his countenance. If he has a God in Chriit to be his God, you may take from him what ye will : Pfal. lxxiii. 25. " Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none in all the earth that I defire be fides thee." Let thefe defires be fatisficd, and he is filled aa with marrow and fatnefs. (2.) The fulnefs of the Godhead is in Chrift : Col. ii. 9. " For in him dwelleth all the fulnefs of the Godhead bodily." The tabernacle of meet- ing betwixt God and the finner is the flefh of Chrift ; in him they have the enjoyment of God as their God. Taking Chrift by faith, God is their's, for he and the Father are one : thus in Chrift they are complete, Col. ii. 10. They arc at the utmoft ,ftretch of their defires as to the fubftance of them ; for having God to be their God, they have all. And thus the foul may feed on all the perfections of God : on his power, as their's to protect them •, his wifdom, as their's to guide, 6ic. ; on his word and all the promifes of it, which are their's*. Here there is both plen- ty and variety. — Let us confider, 2. The drink which is afforded a-t this feaft for the thirfty ccnfcience. This is the precious blood of Chrift : John, vi. 55. « My blood is drink in- deed." This is that fpiritual drink which is of- fered in the word, and exhibited in the facrament : " This cup is the New Teftament in my blood/* If ever you would have life, you mu ft all drink of this blood, by a believing application of it to your own fouls : P.om. iii. 25. " Whom God hath fet forth tobe a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to declare his righteoufncfs, for the remiffion of fins that are paft, through the forbearance of God." — This 34° A RICH FEAST This is ■" wines on the lees, well-refined," .eirco lual for purging the confeience of the moft guilty- creature, when it is believingly applied to the foul : Heb. ix. 14. " How much more fhall the blood of Chrift, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himfelf without fpot to God, purge your con- feience from dead works to ferve the living God ? -> This blood is atoning blood, it anfwers all the de- mands of juftice, affords a covert under which a guilty creature may Hand before God, and not be condemned : Rom. viii. 1. {* There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Chrift Jefus." — It is (in-expiating blood, " fried for re- miffion of fins unto many." Lay all your guilt over on this blood. It will blot out all the items out of the debt-book of juftice ; it will draw the fting out of your confeience, for which all other perfons and things have been phyficians of no value. — It is peace-making blood. Lay the weight of your peace with God on it : " Chrift is our peace," Eph. ii. 14. — It is juftifying blood ; by it is brought in an everlafting righteoufnefs. — It is heaven-opening blood, for time, in accefs to God and communion with him on earth ; and for eter- nity, that believers in it may be ever with the Lord, Heb. x. 19. 20. How can thefe things be ? Why, in one word, this wine is the juice of the choice vine of heaven, it is the blood of the Son of God, and therefore of infinite value, 1 John, i. 16. "When the blood of bulls and of goats could avail nothing to cool the heat of fcorched confeiences, when rivers of oil, and the fruit of one's body, could avail nothing for the fin of the foul ; the Son of God took on him man's nature, and in that nature died, fhed his precious blood, to be a ranfom for elect finners, to deliver them from the pit, Job, xxxiii. 22. — 30. We PREPARED TOR HUNGRY SOUL?. 34 1 We are now, III. To confider what fort of a feafl it is. — Up- qn this we obferve, 1. That it is a feafl upon a facrifice : 1 Cor. v. 7. 8. " For even Chrift our pnflbver is facrificed for us : therefore, let us keep the feaft." Juftice was provoked by the conduct of felf-deftroying fin- ners. God's anger was incenfed againft us, and the fire of his wrath has burnt up many. And when wrath was gone out againft the world, the great High Prieft ftept in, and offered up himfelf a facrifice to atone for fin, and turn away divine wrath. Here we are called to a feafl; on that fa- crifice, to partake of its virtue and efficacy. 2. It is a covenant-feaft, Heb. xiii. 20. 21. When Jacob made the covenant wrth Laban, they feafled together on the moun:, Gen. xxxi. 44. — 54. There is no partaking of this feaft, but by the way of the covenant. All the guefls muft be covenanters, and they who are not pleafed with the covenant of friendihip and peace with God, as held forth in the gofpel, cannot tafte of this fupper. But thofe who are well pleafed with it-, and fincerely confent to it, Chrift fays to them, " Eat, O friends ! drink, yea, drink abun- dantly, O beloved !" 3. It is a marriage-feail, a marriage-fupper, Mat. xxii. 1.— 4. The Lord Chrift is the Bridegroom, and the captive daughter of Zion the bride. He offers himfelf to each of you to whom the gofpel comes, to be yours in a marriage-relation. Con- fent then to the match, and ye (hall eat of this bread, and drink of this wine which he hath mingled. He is yours, and you have all, which he hath purchafed, to feed on for time and for eter- nity. 4. It is a feafl which has a refpecl to war. The Vol. III. F f Lord 34^ A RICH FEAST Lord of hofts made it. It looks backward to that terrible encounter which Chrift had with the law, with death, with hell, and the grave, upon the account of his ranfomed ones, and that glorious victory which he obtained over them, by which Lc wi ought the deliverance of his people. The gofpel-feaft is a feaft upon the back of that victo- ry, and the Lord's fupper is particularly a feaft in commemoration of that battle and victory. It looks forward to a war : Song, ii. 4. " He brought me to the banqueting-houfe, and his banner over me was love " It is provided for and prefented to his people to animate and ftrengthen them for the fpiritual warfare againft the devil, the world, and the flefh ; and none can truly partake of it, but thofe who are refolved on thatbatrle, and are de- termined to.purfue it, till they obtain the com- plete victory at death. Lajily, It is a weaning feaft, Gen. xxiii. 8. There is a time prefixed in the decree of God, at which all who are his fhall, by converting grace, be weaned from their natural food. And with £his their fitting down to this feaft agrees. Where is the foul which is now weaned from their fuck- ing fo long at the dry breafts of the world ? that foul mail have the fweet enjoyment of this feaft ; and the more that they feed, the more they will be weaned. We now proceed, IV. To confirm, that all people who will come, may come, and partake of this feaft. Not that all may immediately partake of the facrament, but that all may and mould receive Chrift, with his benefits, oftered to them in the gofpel ; they are made moft heartily welcome. — To make this ap- pear, confuler, 1. Chrift PREPARED FOR HUNGRY SOULS. 343 1. Chrift invites all without diftlnction, even the woril of fmners, to this fpiritual feaft : Ifa. lv. 1. « Ho every one that thirtieth, come ye to the waters." John, vii. 37. " If any man third," faid Jefus, " let him come to me and drink," Rev. xxii. 17. " And whofoever will, let him take of the wa- ter of life freely." Thefe are gofpel-invitations, clogged with no conditions, comprehending all who are willing to receive Chrift, whatever their cafe is or has been. — Confider, 2. For what end does Jefus fend out his mef- fengers with a commiidon to invite ail to come, if they were not welcome ? Matth. xxii. o. " Go ye, therefore, into the highways, and as many as ye {hall find, bid to the marriage." Nay, the Lord is very exprefs in the welcome given to the worft of fmners, Jer. iii, j. Ifa. i. 18. ; and directs his mefiengers to invite the mod unworthy and un- fightly perfons to this feaft : Luke, xiv. 21. — 33. " Go out quickly," fays he, " into the ftreets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my houie may be nl!ed."_Confider, Lq/ily, That he takes it heinoufly amiis when any refufe to come: Luke, xiv. 21. " He was angry •,"' angry, becaufe thofe who were invited would not come. He not only invite? you, but you are commanded on your peril to comply with the invitation: 1 John, iii. 23. " And this is his commandment, that we ihoaid believe 01: the name of his Son Jefus Chrht.." And do what yc will, if ye (light the offer, ye cannot pleafe him ; for without faith it is irripofiible to pleafe God. — It only remains, that E f 2 V. We 344 A RICH feast V. We make fome practical improvement ; and this fliall be confined for the prefent to an uie of exhortation. i . We would exhort all hungry hearts who are fuing for fatisfa£tion in the world and their lufts, and whofe confciences have no folid reftin^-place, O ! come to Jefus Chrift in his covenant, and fit down to this feaft prepared for you and the like of you. — To prevail with you, I would mention the following Motives. Mot. i. While ye come not to Chrift, you have nothing ccmmenfurable nor fuitable to the cravings of an immortal foul. All other things are but as ftones or allies, they are not bread : Ifa. lv. 2. w Wherefore do ye fpend money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which fatis- tieth not ?" The man was a fool, who bid his foul cake eafe from what he had in his barns. Nothing lefs than a God in Chrift can ever fatisfy the cravings of an immortal foul, a foul which was created capable of enjoying an infinite good. And nothing but the blood of the Redeemer will- ever give folid peace to your confciences. Mot* 1. Should not the continued tract of difappointments ye have met with at other doors, engage you to come to Chrift's banqueting-houfe ? Jer. iii. 23. " Truly in vain is falvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of moun- tains : truly in the Lord our God is the falvation of Ifrael." Have you not always found creature- comforts greater in expectation than in fruition ? How often have ye looked tor much comfort* where you got little ? And has not your greateft crofles arifen ibmetimes from thofe quarters whence ye expected your greateft comfort ? Jldct. 3. In what ye are now puriuing, confider that PREPARED FOR HUNGRY SOLAS'.- 345* that there is not only vanity and emptinefs, which will difappoint you, but there is death in the pot, which will deftroy your fouls. There needs no more to ruin you, but that you be left to your own heart's lulls, and take your fwing. Fearful will the reckoning be, when fo much time, pains, and labour, are laid out on the purfuit of the world, and the immortal foul is quite neglected as to its eternal welfare, Ecclef. xi. 9. Mot. 4. If you will come to Chrifl, ye (hall get true reft ; reft to your hearts, reft to your confciences, Matth. xi. 28. "Whatever your want* be, there is a luitable fulnefs in him \ a fulnefs of merit, to carry off your guilt j a fountain, even the depth of the fea, to walh it away ; a fulnefs of the Spirit to kill your corruptions; of righteouf- nefs to cover your unrighteoufnefs ; of light for your darknefs •, of ftrength for your weaknefs. Laftly^ Confider, if you will come, you mall be happy for time and eternity. When the lower table is drawn, you fhali iit down at the upper, If not, you fhall never know fatisfa&ion, nor find veil to your fouls. — I would exhort, 2. Communicants to feed on Chrift at his table. Let not the feaft be in vain to you. Dead iinners, thofe deftitute of fpiritual life, are not fit guefts for the Lord's table, for they cannot feed. Such will eat and drink judgement to themfelves, not difcerning the Lord's body. — Here it may be inquired, How may one know if he has any fpi- ritual life ? To this we anfwer, Whofoever has fpiritual life will be fincerely longing to be rid of the grave-cloaths of fin : Matth. v. 6. " BlefTed are they which hunger and thirft after righteouf- nefs, for they fhall be filled." They will be con- tent to part with all fin, and refolved henceforth to oppofe every luft, as a limb of the body of Ff3 death; 34 and gave himfelf for me. Amen, THE THE DISTINGUISHING PRIVILEGE OF GOD'S FAITHFUL SERVANTS *. S E R M O N .LXIV. Exod. xxiv. 1 1. And upon the nobles of the children of Jfrael he laid not his hand : alfo they jaw G'sd, and did eat and drink. THE Lord is calling us to come up to him into the mount of folemn ordinances ; and though there may be fome who will abide at the foot of the hill, unconcerned and ftupid, like Abra- ham's fervant and the afs, I hope there are others w r ho will defire to go forward, though it is likely there may be a itruggle betwixt hope and fear about their entertainment there. How are your hearts affected upon this awful approach ? are they faying within you, as thefe Greeks, " We would fee Jefus ?" Or, as the prodigal Jew, Luke, xv. i 7. " We periih with hunger." And at the fame time with the men of Bethfheineih, 1 Sam. vi. 19. " Who is able to ftand before this holy Lord * This and the following difcourie were d< livered at Maxton, Auguft 11. and 12. 1716. THE DISTINGUISHING PRIVILEGE, &C. 349 Lord God ?" Our text gives ycu encouragement from this inftance of the nobles of Ifrael. Upon God's call they came up to the mount; and (which divides the text into two parts), fir ft, They were fafe : And upon the nobles of the children of Ijrael he laid not his hand ; Secondly, They were kindly enter- tained : Alfo they faw God, and' did eat and drink.— ~ We mail attend to thefe Separately. The firft part is, they were fafe in their ap- proach. Moles remarks this, to the praife of the divine clemency in a Mediator! through whom mi- ners may fee God, and not die. Sin has fet man at fcsch a diitance from God, and put his body into luch a weak and mouldering condition, that confcioufnefs of guilt and a fight of the divine glory meetifig together, is more than enough to exanimate and make him faint away, to break the corrupt earthern pitcher the foul dwells in to pieces. Hence it was a common opinion, that fuch a light was deadly. — Confider here, 1. The parties whofe fafety is particularly re- marked, the nobles of the children of Ifrael. Some reckon Nadab and Abihu among thefe ; but if fo, why not Mofes and Aaron ? It is plain they were ail there, ver. y, and ic. I think, however, it is only the feventy elders who are meant ; and there- fore it is exprefied emphatically in the Hebrew, in- timating, that not only was Mofes, the typical Me- diator, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, who were defigned to be priefts, preferred ; but even the el- ders, the representatives of the people, thefe alfo were fafe. — You will accordingly obferve, ibat the people are as welcome to the divine favour, and to gracious manifeflations of God, as minifters. Tho* minifters be employed to open the doors of the temple, the people Hand as fair for a fight of the glory within as they do, Though Mofes, &c. went ^50 THE DISTINGUISHING PRIVILEGE went up foremoft to the mount ; yet no man mould either value himfelf before the Lord, or be dif- couraged upon the character which he bears. Or- dinarily, people will pray that miniiters may be helped in their pubiic miniftrations, to preach, &c; but they mould even alfo be concerned, that they may be helped to believe, tafte, feel, and feed, with the reft of the children. ■ They were nobles, great men, rulers of the people ; yet they went up to the mount with Aa- ron, and fat down to the facred feaft there, after they had taken the national covenant of Ifrael with the reft of the people, ver. 8. 9 You will thence obferve, that it is the honour of the nobles of a land to fee God, and to be feen upon the mount with God, at the facred feaft, as covenanters with him. This was fome time the honour of Scot-- land's nobility and gentry, they were forward in the national covenant with God ; and we have heard the days have been, when fcai'kt-cloaks and vel- vet-hoods bare great bulk in fuch meetings as this. But, ah ! how is our golcl become drofs ! they leave thefe things nowmoftly to the common people, with- contempt of both. What wonder is it that they have been left to make themfelves the tail, and not the head ! to row us into deep waters, where the ft ate is funk, and the church is broken *, to turn Babel-builders, fo that for once the fcaftoid- inp is broken, sud the builders, with many others, heavily cruthed. For, " thefe that honour God, he will honour ; hut they that defpile him, lhall be lightly eiteemed." There wtxtfiventy of. thefe nobles, the number of the children of Ifrael when they went down to Egypt, and fo a fit number to reprefent the body of tbe people,, who were now folemnly taken into covenant with God. God faw it not meet to give this OF this fight of the divine glory to the multitude, arid to fet all down to the facred feaft on the mount ; but, fince it was covenant -entertainment, the fe- venty were brought to it, as the reprefentatives of the people. Thus alfo the New-Teitament church is reprcientcd by twenty-four elders about the throne, Rev. iv. 4. — From this you may learn, that fafe communion and fellowfhip with God is the privilege of the church of believers, the Is- raelites indeed. — That all the people of God have not alike nearnefs of accefs to God-, fome come farther forward than others. Peter, James, and John, were taken up to the mount of transfigura- tion, and not the rell of the apoftles. — That it is a mercy to have an intereft in, and relation to, thefe who are brought near to God, efpecially fuch as will acT for us in the mount with God. There may be fome young ones here, whofe fathers or mothers are to approach the table of the Lord. I would ad vile them to tell them to mind them there. Say, * I cannot go, but, O! give up my name to Chrift, content you in my name to the covenant, and tell your covenanted God, I am aifo content to be his/ Or, if you have not fa- ther or mother, tell any other godly perfon ye know. And fo may one diftrefTed Chriftian do with another : Song, v. 8- " I charge you, O daughters of Jerufalem ! if ye find my Beloved, that ye tell him that I am fick of love." We may obferve, 2. How their fafety is expreffed : He laid not his hand upon them, that is, did not hurt or deitroy them, Gen. xxxvii. 22. Though they faw God, (ver. £0.), yet they died not, their lives were pre- ferved. This imports, that he might in point of juftice have laid his hand on them. They were finful creatures ; and though they were on the mount 3J2 THE DISTINGUISHING PRIVILEGE mount of God, yet they had a finful nature with them, which did leave the marks of it even upon what they did there. But he overlooked their weaknefs, and in .mercy fpared them.- -This in- ftructs us, that when we are at our beft, if God fhould mark our iniquity, we could not Hand be- fore him. We are ever in mercy's debt, and cannot be one moment fafe without being under the co- vert of blood. Even in heaven, it is under that canopy the faints will feaft for ever, Heb. vii. 25. — It alfo imports, that the weight of his hand would have crufhed them. If he had but laid it on them, it would have done their bufmefs. If he had but put forth his hand and touched them in wrath, they would have gone like a moth with a touch of the hand. — From this we may learn the utter weaknefs and nothingnefs of the creature be- fore the Lord. He can touch it to deftruction, and can frown it back, when he will, into the womb of nothing. Why, then, fhould we drive with our Maker ? — More particularly, that the greateft of men are nothing before the great God : Upon the nobles he laid not his hand. Though they caufed terror to their inferior fellow-creatures, they were as unable to bear the terror of God as the meaneft in the camp of Ifrael. All fleih is alike before God. - You will obferve, 3. How they came to be fafe. The word nobles fignifies felecl:, feparate ones, who had been fet apart. They were fele&ed out of the covenanted body of the people, to come up into the mount to the Lord, at his call. Mofes gets an order for fo many to come up with him, ver. 1. Having that order, he firft propofes a covenant to the people, and they declare their acceptance, ver. 3.5 then he writes the words of the covenant, and the cove- nant is mod foiemnly entered iato, ratified, and fealed ; OF OODa FAITHFUL SERVA1 353 fealed •, there is an altar built ro repreknt Gcd in Chrift, ver. 4. an4 twelve pillars to rcprefent the twelve tribes. Thus theCe were the parties. Sa- crifices were offered, ver. 5. (hewing the covenant to be founded on the blood of a Mediator. The half of the blood was fprinkled on the alrar, ver. 6. (hewing it was not an abfolute God with whom they were to covenant, but a God atoned by the blood of a crucified Saviour. Then he read the book of the covenant; thus propofing it to the people ; and their fecond thoughts are as thei.r flrft, they folemnly confent to it, ver. 7.; and he fprinkles the reft of the blood on them, and fo it was fealed and ratified. Then, after all this, he and thefe felected elders go up to the mount, in obedience to the call formerly given ; and there they faw God, and were fate notwithftanding- Thus, their feparation was their fecurity. — From which you may obferve, That there is fafety in following God's call, be the calling never fo high. Had any of the people attempted to have gone whither they went, they had fmarted for it j but being called, they were fafe. Some, who meafure reverence of God more by their own carnal wif- dom than by God's word, cry out on us for not kneeling, but fitting, at the Lord's table. But though fitting be a gefture of more familiarity than kneeling, yet, feeing it is inftituted, we may ex- pect more fafety in it, than in their kneeling, which, at the Lord's table, wants both precept and example. — We now come to the Second part of the verfe. They were kindly en- tertained in their approach : Alfo (or but) they faw God, and did eat and drink. — Here obferve, 1. A glorious fight which they got. — Where confider, (1.) The objecl, God, more largely exprefled, Vol. III. G g * ver '354 TH £ DISTINGUISHING PKiYiLEGE ver. 10. "The God of Ifrael." Not 3ny vifible refernblance of the divine nature, but fome glo- rious appearance and token of God's fpecial pre- sence. Our Lord Jefus Chrift was known to the Old-Teftament church by this name, the God of Ifrael. And that this was the Son of God, feems very plain from that word, ver. I. " He faid, Come up unto the Lord." Compare ch. xxiii. 20. — 23. with Exod. iii. 2. — 8. Now, he who fends is the Father, and it is the fame who fpeaks here ; and he fpeaks of another perfon, who alfo is the Lord. And, feeing we read of his feet, ver. 10. he feems to have appeared in a glorious human fhape, as a pledge of his future incarnation. This, then, was a moft glorious fight of Jefus Chrift. Nothing is heredefcribed but what was under his feet; though the text feems to intimate they faw more, an in- conceivable glory which mortals cannot make words of. Confider, (2.) The a£t, they faw. This feeing imports fomething more than that in ver. 10. for it is evi- dent the firft part of the verfe relates to that fee- ing, ver. 10. And fo the fenfe requires fome- thing more to be in this. Accordingly, they are different words in the original ; this here fignifies to contemplate and fixedly behold ; from it our word gaze feems to be derived. It might be read, They beheld God ; importing, not a tranfient glance, but a fixed view : John, i. 14. " And the word was made flefh, and dwelt among us ; and we be- held his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth ;" which is ilill more admirable condefcenfion, and according- ly it is emphatically expreiTed. Now, confider this as following upon the folemn tranfa&ion of the covenant made by facrifice. — Jt holds out to us, (1.) That the great end of the covenant, OF GOD'S FAITHFUL SERVANTS. 2SS covenant, next to the divine glory, is the happl- nefs of the covenanters in feeing and enjoying of God. There it is completed. And beyond this the creature cannot go. — (2.) That not the fight of an abfolute God, but of a God in Chrift, is the covenanters happinefs. None can fee God in mercy but they, for there is no other way but that of the covenant ; and their happy fight is no- thing other than a fight of God in Chriit. in Chrift, all the lines of our hope meet for time and eterni- ty. — Obferve, 2. A blefied feaft of which they were partakers : JThey did eat and drink. — Here coniider, ( l.) What they did, they did eat and drink upon the mount. They feafted upon the remains cf the facrifkes of the peace-offerings, ver. 5. And this in token of their hearty fatisfaction with the covenant now made, their ready acceptance of the benefits of it, and their communion with God in purfuance of it. Thus believers their feeding on Chrift and gofpel-dainties is expreffed in fcripture : Pfal. xxii. 25. 26, " My praife fhall be of thee in the great congregation : I will pay my vows before them that fear him : The meek mall eat, and be fatisfied." Thus they were admitted to a holy familiarity with God, to eat and drink in his pretence : They faiv him, and they did eat and drink. — Confider, (2.) How they did it, with holy joy and comfort. This is implied in the connection, or oppofition betwixt the parts of the text. They were fo far from being (lain with the fight, that they were not faithlefsly frightened at it ; but, with a holy compofure of fpirit, they did eat and drink. What they faw was nqjtlike a cloudy Iky to damp them, but as a clear one to refrelh them. Holy reverence is neceffary, but faithlefs fears in folemn G g 2 approaches 356 THE DISTINGUISHING PRIVILEGE approaches to God, are difpleafmg to him, and hurtful to our own fouls, for they hinder us from eating. Happy they who can believe and fear. — From this fubject, we may take the following Doc- trines, viz. Doct. I. That a fght of God in Chrifr, and a holy familiarity with him, with all fafery, is the privilege of God's covenant-people, efpecially in thefe folemn approaches to which he calls them. II. That it is a wonder of grace that finful creatures, in their folemn approaches to God, fee God, and are familiar with him, and yet come off tee. We begin with Doct. I. That a fight of God ha Chrift, and a holy familiarity with him, with all fafety, is the privilege of God's covenant-people, efpe- cially in thefe folemn approaches to which he calls them. In handling this doctrine, we (hall, I. Shew what is that fight of God in Chrift, which is the privilege of his people in their folemn approaches to him. II. What is that holy familiarity which is their privilege in their folemn approaches to him. And then, III. Improve the fubject. We are then, I . To fhew what is that fight of God in Chrift, which is the privilege of his people in their folemn approaches to him. — There is a twofold folemn approach of God's people to him. — There is a right approach, 1. When God calls them up to the mount of myrrh, where our Lord abides till the day break, Song, OF GODS FAITHFUL SERVANTS. 357 Song, iVd 6. ; when he calls them to come up to the hill of God in Immanuel's land, where {lands the King's palace, namely, Tieaven. This call comes to the believing foul at death. Then, as Rev. iv. 1. there is a door opened in heaven to the heaven-born foul, which is now, as it were, wreflling in a mire of cor- rupt flem andblood in the body, and the voice is heard, Come up hither. This will be a folemn approach when the foul of the meaneft believer (hall go up thither, attended with a company of holy angels, and, like Lazarus, be carried by them into Abra- ham's bofom, Luke, xvi. 22.— It will come to both fouls and bodies of believers at the lafl day : Pfal. 1. 5. " Gather my faints together unto me ; thofe that have made a covenant with me by fa- crifice." And then God's covenant-people, who dwell in the duft, fhall awake from their fleep, come out of the lowly darkfome houfe of the grave, and enter into the King's palace, Pfal. lxv. — Then they fhall fee God in Chrift to the com- pleting their happinefs for ever. Then they fhall be like him, for they fhall fee him as he is, 1 John, iii. 2. We know little now of this fight in glory, 1 Cor. ii. 9. ; but it vaflly tranfcends all fights got of him here. — There it will be imme- diate, they fhall fee him face to face, 1 Cor. xiii. 12. — Perfectly transforming, 1 John, i. 2. — Ever- lafting, without interruption, without intermifliom They (hall be ever with the Lord. But on this we infill not — There is a right approach, . 2. When God calls them to come up to the mount of ordinances, to meet him at the facred feaft, as the nobles of Ifrael in the text, and as we at this time are called, to feaft on the great facrifice in the facrament. This is a fo- lemn approach. Now, what is the fight of God G g 3 in 35^ THE DISTINGUISHING FRIVILEGE in Chrifl which is the privilege here ? — As to this we obferve, (i.) That it is a believing fight of God in their nature, John, i. 14. (above). The nobles faw the Son of God in human lhape, with their bodily eyes. But the great defign of it was to {hew the privilege of the faints by faith. O glorious fight ! to fee God in our nature, the divine nature, in the perfon of the Son, united to our nature I O high privilege ! to fit at his table, and under the teach- ing of his Spirit, to fpell the glorious name Imma- nuel, God with us. O the fwetnefs of every letter and fyllab'e ! God, the fountain of all hcli- nefs and hr.ppinefs, we, the fink of all iin and mifery : yet God with us. The perfonal union, the foundation of the myftical union ; and fo an holy God and finful creatures are united through Chrift.— We obferve, (2.) That it is a fight of this God in theplaceof his fpecial refidence ; on the mount to which they were invited to, where he ftood, as it were, on a pave- ment of fapphire. It is their privilege to fee him on the mount of ordinances, at his table, the glo- rious place of his feet, Ifa. xxv. 6. 7. O the high privilege of the faints ! We were all born under a fentence of death, to fee the Lord no more in the land oi the living, and (as in Haman's cafe, Efth. vii. 8.) as the word goes out of the king's mouth, our face is covered. Some live all their days in this cafe, come to communion-tables, and go away in it. But the believer laying hold on the covenant, Chrift draws off the face-covering, and then, with open face beholding, as in a glafs, the glory of the Lord, they are changed into the fame image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. They fee the bread, the Lord. (3.) It is a fight of the glory of the place of 359 of his feet, ver. 10. It is a promife relating to gofpel-days : Ifa. lx. 13. " The glory of Lebanon fhall come unto thee, the fir-tree, the pine-tree, and the box together, to beautify the face of my fan£ruary ; and I will make the place of my feet glorious." The ark in the temple, and gofpel- ordinances in the gofpel-church. It is their pri- vilege to fee a glory there, where the world fee none •, to fee a majefty in the facrament, a fpi- ritual glory and heavenly luftre m the bread and wine at the Lord's table, as facred fymbols of the body and blood of Chrift, f Cor. xi. 29. This glory and majefty in the ordinances, muft be dif- cerned by faith ; and becaufe it is beyond the ftretch of the natural eye, therefore carnal wifdom in Rome, and the church of England, has gone a- bout to fupply its place wiih a great deal of external pomp, that may work upon the fenfes, defacing the Simplicity of the inftitution. But after all, to a fpiritual difcerner, the external glory is as far below the fpiritual glory, as artificial painting would in the eyes of the nobles have been below the natural clearnefs of the body of heaven. (4.) It is a fight of God as reconciled in Chrift, They faw God, and did eat and drink as in the houfe of their friend. This is the fight to be feen in the gofpel-glafs, 2 Cor. v. 18. — 20. A re- frelhful fight to a foul pained with the fting of guilt. Chrift has died, and his blood has quench- ed the fire of God's wrath againfl the finner ; fo that when on the mount he looks to the Lord, he fees as it were a clear fky under his feet : A fure token, that the ftorm is blown over, that there is peace from heaven, and an offended God is reconciled to us through his own Son. (5.) It is a fight of God as their God, They faw the God of Ifrael. Here lay the furpaffing fweet- nefs 36© THE DISTIX'GUISU^G PRIVILEGE nefs of their fight. Such a fight got Thomas, when his faith got up above his unbelief: John, xx. 28. " My Lord, and my God." And for this fight is the facrament efpecially appointed, that the child of God may fay, " I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave him- felf for me," Gal. ii. 20. The nature of the ordi- nance leads to it, which brings the word preach- ed in the general to every believing communicant in particular : " This is my body, broken for you." Laftly> It is a fight of tranfcendent glory in him. Nothing is defcribed but what was under his feet. For fearch the univerfe, there is no perfon, no thing like him. Even what was under his feet, is defcribed to have been as a fapphire ftone. But the bed things on earth are not fufficient to fet forth the glory even of this, and therefore it is ad- ded,