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 I THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, | 
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 BX 9318 .H68 1837 
 Howe, John, 1630-1705. 
 The Redeemer's tears wept 
 over lost souls 
 
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 REDEEMER'S TEARS 
 
 WEPT OVER LOST SOULS; 
 
 AND 
 
 TWO DISCOURSES, 
 
 ON SELF-DEDICATION, AND ON YIELDING OURSELVES TO GOD. 
 
 / 
 
 EY THI 
 
 REV. JOHN HOWE, A.M. 
 
 WITH AN INTRODUCTORY ESSAY, 
 BY ROBERT GORDON, D.D., 
 
 EniNBlRfill. 
 
 FIFTH EDITION. 
 
 GLASGOW: 
 
 WILLIAM COLLINS, 155, INGRAM STREET; 
 
 OLIVER & BOYD, WM. WHYTE & CO., AND WM. OLIPHANT & SON, 
 
 EDINBURGH; W. E. WAKEMAN, DUBLIN; WHITTAKER & CO., 
 
 HAMILTON, ADAMS, & CO., AND SIMPKIN & MARSHALL, LONDON. 
 
 M DCCC XXXVII. 
 
W. Collins & Co. Gla^-ow. 
 

 
 INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 
 
 It can hardly have escaped the observation of any- 
 one who has read the Bible with attention, that 
 in all the communications which the Almighty has 
 been pleased to make to his rebellious subjects, he 
 has employed language the best calculated to make 
 its way to the heart and affections of mankind — that 
 while his remonstrances with the impenitent present 
 a lamentable picture of the most unreasonable hos- 
 tility, and unprovoked aggression on their part, they 
 bear testimony, at the same time, to the most com- 
 passionate forbearance on his — and that as often as 
 he directly addresses the penitent and believing, 
 whether it be in the way of reproof or of consola- 
 tion, it is still in terms that breathe all the affection- 
 ate tenderness of a father's love. That such is the 
 language of Scripture nobody can for a moment dis- 
 pute, and that the design of such language is to 
 remove those unworthy suspicions of the divine cha- 
 racter, which go to array the feehngs and affections 
 of the human heart in hostility to its Maker, and 
 perpetuate the enmity of the carnal mhid against 
 God, is equally obvious and incontrovertible. It 
 
VI 
 
 •will readily be admitted, too, that if any thing ap- 
 proaching to such generosity and unmerited forbear- 
 ance, could be manifested by one human being- to- 
 wards another, it could not fail to extort a universal 
 tribute of admiration and respect, and that the com- 
 mon consent of mankind would pronounce that, man 
 to have reached the very last stage of moral insensi*- 
 bUity, who could remain unaffected bv such treat-*- 
 ment on tlie.^part of one whom he had injured, or 
 wliose hostility that treatment would fail to disarm. 
 And yet, is not such, in point of fact, the reception 
 that the compassion of God has met with on the part 
 of not a few of his offending creatureis ? ; Are there^ 
 not multitudes M'ho are conscious that they have 
 never been deeply or permanently affected bv all the' 
 tenderness of that commiseratiori vvhichGod'hda niiii*- 
 o,led with the very severest of his denunciations ao-ainsit 
 the workers of iniquity — that if, at any time, their 
 conscience is alarmed on contemplating the rigorous 
 requirements, and inviolable sanctions of his law, ns' 
 necessarily demanding a full and perfect satisfaction, 
 they receive, at such a moment, .with suspicion ami 
 distrust, the solemn declarations of his word, that he 
 lias no pleasure in the death of the sinner — and that: 
 even when they succeed in ( suppressing that anxiel^y^? 
 and take refuge in those views of the divine merey^ 
 which represent him as looking on sin with too in-*' 
 dulgent an eye> ever to carry into, effect against ii?t> 
 the award of a righteous retribution, instead of feel- 
 ing their heart captivated by such an idea of the; 
 divine goodness, thieyr acknowledge it (if indeed' 
 they acknowledge it at: all) with a heartlessness and 
 
aniiitliSerence whichitheyrw-oiild be ashamed to ofFer 
 in Betutii) for the shghtest expressions of kinchiess 
 and good- will on the part of a fellow creature ? An d 
 what is the necessary inference that we are compelled 
 to • draw froin ' such a f?^? '"Is it not just virtually 
 saying*, that they attach no credit at all to any part 
 of the divine testimony— that they am obstinately 
 and systematically labouring to exclude any thing 
 like a sober and serious conviction of ;ijs reality and 
 truth — that the solemn declarations of' Scripture, 
 recrardinjT the isievitable ruin which awaits an int- 
 penitent rebel against the holy and righteous govern- 
 ment, of God, have never produced any more per- 
 manent or salutary impressions on their minds, than 
 if they were so many idle threats that arc never 
 seriously intended to be carried into execution— and 
 that all the expressions of pity and compassion which 
 the Almighty has condescended to employ, in urging 
 upon them their infatuation and guilt, have affected 
 their hearts just as little, as if there were no sincerity, 
 and no meaning in such expressions ? They must 
 be conscious in fact, though they might not be very 
 willing to acknowledge it, that they would be better 
 pleased to be let altogether alone, and permitted to 
 enjoy a state of undisturbed indifference regarding 
 spiritual things, than to be assailed by any entreaty, 
 however earnest, or any remonstrance, however ten- 
 der — and that they feel towards the effusions of 
 divine pity and commiseration, which the Scriptures 
 pour out over the impenitence and unbehef of an 
 ungodly world, very much as an alienated an^tdisobtf^ 
 dient child would feel towards the tears and entreaties 
 
Vill 
 
 of an affectionate but virtuous father, wlio sliould 
 seek to detach him from his profligate associates, 
 and win him over from the paths of folly and of 
 shame. 
 
 There is no difficulty then in accounting for the 
 indifference with which one class of men peruse the 
 language of compassion and pity, in which God has 
 vouchsafed to address sinners in the Bible. That 
 indifference is the consequence of their having no 
 serious conviction of the reality of any such compas- 
 sion on the part of God, as that language would 
 seem to imply — and they doubt or question it, be- 
 cause they are unwilling to beheve that the gospel 
 method of extending mercy to sinners, is the only 
 one that is consistent with the unalterable principles 
 of the divine government. But tuere is reason to 
 believe, even with respect to such as have felt the 
 winning influence of the love of Christ, and who 
 can testify, from what they have experienced, that 
 nothino' but this influence could ever have dislodcred 
 the spirit of aversion to God and holiness, which they 
 once cherished, and which, in the days of their un- 
 belief, gathered strength from the very representations 
 of the divine character, which were intended to over- 
 throw it, there is reason, we say, to believe, even 
 with regard to such persons, that they do not al- 
 ways surrender themselves so unreservedly as they 
 are both warranted and required to do, to those feel- 
 ings of love, and gratitude, and confidence, which 
 the affectionate tenderness of Scripture language, as 
 addressed to them, is we conceive both fitted and 
 intended to awaken. To the condescension of that 
 
IX 
 
 language, they cannot indeed be insensible, nor can 
 they fail to draw consolation and encouragement from 
 it, as often as they peruse it in the simplicity of 
 faith, and with the fom persuasion that it promises 
 nothing that will not be fulfilled far beyond what it 
 is possible for them to conceive. But there are 
 many, we are persuaded, who will be ready to ac- 
 knowledge, that they have sometimes attached to 
 such expressions of Scripture as we now allude to, a 
 vacfueness of meanino; which has marred not a little 
 the comfort that they might otherwise have derived 
 from them — that they have felt as if it were an en- 
 croachment on the majesty and dignity of the di\ane 
 character, to understand that language in any sense 
 approaching to a literal interpretation — and that 
 though they are persuaded it is the only language 
 that could convey to the understanding a distinct 
 idea of the compassion and mercy of God toward 
 sinners, yet they have often regarded it as referring 
 rather to the effects of the divine procedure, than 
 to any thing corresponding to it as actually existing 
 in the divine mind. Now it is certainly true, that 
 it never was the design of revelation to lower the 
 character of God in the conceptions of his intelli- 
 gent creatures, and it would be a most impious per- 
 version of the language of Scripture, to understand 
 it in such a sense, as to invest the divine nature 
 with any of the weaknesses of created and imperfect 
 beings, or to ascribe to him those emotions and 
 feelings that are inconsistent with unchangeable ex- 
 cellence and felicity, and which necessarily imply 
 something painful and imperfect on the part of those 
 a3 
 
in Avliom tliey exist. But is it not equally true, 
 th.1t wlien God himself vouchsafes to address liis 
 people in language of affection and tenderness, and 
 does so without one cjualifying clause to forbid them 
 understanding him in the plain and obvious sense of 
 the expressions which he employs, it is not far them 
 to weio^h that lanffuag-e with the hesitancy, and to 
 put upon it the cautious and measured interpretation, 
 that would go to divest it of almost all its meaning, 
 and rob it of not a little of its practical energy and 
 force; for when he is pleased to call himself their 
 father, and to clothe his communications to thera in 
 all the attractions of a father's love, is it not for the 
 plain and the obvious purpose of calhng forth on their 
 part, the aftectionate submission, and the unsuspect- 
 ing confidence of children. The Christian, indeed, 
 can never cease to contemplate the majesty ami pei^- 
 fections of God, with holy and reverential awe, and 
 in every approach that he makes to the throne of 
 grace, he cannot but feel and acknowledge his un- 
 worthiness to appear there. But such sentiments 
 were never designed to interfere mth that confidence 
 towards God, as his reconciled father, wiiichHitifis 
 tlie design of the Spirit of adoption to impart to the 
 believer, nor can they furnish any grounds to doubt, 
 that there is^' huthe-'diYine mind towards- him^ call 
 that complacency and kindness which the simple and 
 impressive language of Scripture appears obviously 
 to imply ; and r W> = often: therefoTe^ as he indiilgtes 
 hi metaphysical speculations on the precise sense in 
 >riiich that language is to be understood^ when ap- 
 |?lifldito the divine natutTs^the wiihdfeiWRjhimself ifrdm 
 
XI 
 
 the salutaiy influence which it is designed to exer- 
 cise over him, and reUnquishes not a Httle of t\i^ 
 comfort which it is fitted to impart. ;^nni ni 9lqo9<| 
 But clearly and emphatically as the' Scriptures 
 every where express the compassion of God, towards 
 sinners, it is not in this way alone that he has gra- 
 ciously accommodated his procedure to the weak- 
 nesses of our nature. The reality of that compas- 
 sion has been demonstrated by the manner in which 
 he has vouchsafed his communications to the chil- 
 dren of men, as well as by the language in whicli 
 these communications are clothed — and among many 
 other passages to which we might appeal in proof 
 of this remark, we would refer to that in which our 
 Lord is represented as weeping over the approaching 
 niin of Jerusalem, and which has been so clearly 
 illustrated, and powerfully enforced, by the Author 
 of the following Treatise. Not only has the Al- 
 mighty declared and repeated that declaration in 
 every possible variety of expression, "As I live I 
 have no pleasiu'e in the death of the wicked ;" but 
 as if to remove all that indistinctness of conception 
 which might cleave to our limited understanding, 
 and all that faithless distrust which a guilty conscience 
 is so ready to awaken, he has furnished, in the pas- 
 sage to which we allude, as distinct and unequivocal 
 proofs of his pity, even for those who obstinately 
 rejected all his counsel, and would none of his re- 
 proof, as one human being could give, in token of 
 his compassion, for the misfortunes or the miseries 
 of another. This indeed is the tendency of the 
 jwhdlQ'i^isciieme io£F the gospel^ for we cannot doubt 
 
xu 
 
 that one of the purposes for which God was mani- 
 fested in the flesh, was to exliihit to sinners, by 
 addressing them through the medium of the sympa- 
 thies and feehngs of our common nature, a more pal- 
 pable aud impressive demonstration of divine mercy, 
 than could have been given by tlie statement of any 
 abstract truth or doctrine which inspii*ed men might 
 have been commissioned to reveal. But the obser- 
 vation is especially applicable, we conceive, to the 
 fact stated in the verses referred to; and were we 
 required to single out any one passage of Scripture, 
 in confirmation of the remarks that have now been 
 offered, we know not any to which we should sooner 
 appeal, than that which presents to us the Son of 
 God weeping over the coming desolation of that in- 
 fatuated city, on which the day of grace had for ever 
 closed — whose hour of retribution could no longer, 
 in consistency with the rectitude and wisdom of the 
 divine administration, be delayed — and the measure 
 of whose iniquity was to be filled up by consigning 
 the compassionate Redeemer of the world to all the 
 tortures of a cruel and ignominious death. For a 
 full exposition of the passage itself, we would re- 
 fer to the following able and eloquent Treatise, but 
 we may be permitted to offer a few remarks on it as 
 strikingly illustrative of the subject to which we have 
 been adverting. And in doing so, it will not be 
 necessary to enter at great length on the considera- 
 tion of the fact stated by the evangelist, as referring 
 to the persons who were the immediate subjects of 
 our Lord's interesting and impressive lamentation. 
 To those who are disposed to peruse the passage 
 
XIU 
 
 with that smipUcity of view, and docihty of mind, 
 with which it becomes a fallen creature to receive a 
 message from the God whom he has offended, nnd a 
 message, too, which conveys to him a tender of par- 
 don and reconciliation, the narrative of the inspired 
 writer will scarcely require any explanation : and 
 with regard to such as may be inclined to make it a 
 subject of idle speculation, and to draw from it ma- 
 terials on which to exercise a perverted ingenuity, 
 we would observe, that it is not consistent with our 
 present purpose, and would minister but little to 
 their profit, to attempt meeting and combating every 
 ca\dl that they might advance, or allow such cavils to 
 divert our attention from the practical lesson, which 
 the subject so obviously and powerfully inculcates. 
 
 In the course of our Lord's personal ministry, he 
 had exhibited in Jerusalem, as well as in every other 
 quarter of Judea, manifold and indisputable evidences 
 of his Messiahship — he had proved, that in his per- 
 son were fulfilled the predictions of ancient prophecy 
 concerning the frequently promised, and long ex- 
 pected deliverer — he had urged the Jews to believe 
 on him, by all the motives that could be supposed to 
 influence immortal creatures, and warned them, at 
 the same time, of the fatal and inevitable conse- 
 quences of rejecting him — and he had given, in a 
 series of miracles, as beneficent in their tendency, as 
 they were striking in their nature, every conceivable 
 attestation to his divine authority, by which a com- 
 munication from God to the children of men can be 
 authenticated. This work of mercy and grace he 
 continued for years to prosecute, in the face of in- 
 
XIV 
 
 gratitude and unbelief — he patiently encfured' t^e 
 calumnies and contradiction of sinners against him- 
 self — he manifested J ' on all occasions, a heart fi^el-^ 
 ingly alive to the hodily sufferings, and spiritual des- 
 titution of mankind — his beneficence suffered ' n'o' 
 relaxation, and hi^ ' cbihpias^dti' 4Mise3 ' W WyfMi^ 
 out, with all the indignities and irisiilts with' wmcli' 
 he had been loaded; and when he found that fiq- 
 thin^y would avail tb TH6i*rid^e-'tlie'"bIJHdiV^^^ (f ^tteh^ 
 understandings, or softeii the obdtiracy of tlreir ' heArti 
 — when he contemplated the fearful extremity 't!6 
 which they were about to caiTy tWeir^^etiiSiitjr artd' un- 
 belief, and foresaw their obstinatie jesistaricie^^to'^ye 
 testimony that was yet to be borne to his divinitX'i, 
 by his resurrection from the dead,^ aii^d'*ihe' ' effti^roti 
 of the Holy Ghost on his dis'ciples; evetf%eti,'ll^e 
 shed tears of compassion over the subjects bf hi's'o^;i'li . 
 holy and righteous retribution. That, iii the'lii/- 
 mentation which our Lord uttered over Jerusal^m^ 
 he contemplated the spiritual desolation that' vV^s 
 coming on the finally impenitent, as well as the ~d(^- 
 struction of the city itself, cannot, vfe apprehend, 
 admit of a moment's disput'e.' ' " The very groti'nd of 
 tliat lamentation was obviously their rejection of hiai, 
 as the promised Messiah — a rejection so obstinate 
 and invincible that the Spirit of God had ceiased'itd 
 strive with them, and had already abandoned them to 
 all the blindness and obduracy of a reprobate mind : 
 m i^'^l^a^e^mm, 'mrme^mt ^^^^^^riblb 
 consequences " of this necessary' ^atiandoritiient were 
 full in our Saviour's view w'hen he lamented that 
 the tilings helonging to their peace \v^'*tfbt'^evyt 
 
XV 
 
 hid from tlieir eyes. We are aware that tliese re- 
 marks have brought us to the very threshold of a 
 profound and inscrutable mystery, and are reminded 
 of the solemn awe with which it becomes us to ap- 
 proach a subject which involves the hidden counsels 
 of unsearchable wisdom, and before which our un- 
 derstanding is summoned, to prostrate its every fa- 
 culty in holy and humble acquiescence in truths, which 
 God has been pleased to reveal, but which no stretch 
 of created, jiitelligence is adequate fully to compre- 
 hend. But may we not be permitted to observe, 
 without travelling beyond the limits of legitimate in- 
 vestigation, or entering the forbidden ground of in^ 
 quiry, into the secret things of .the Most High, that 
 while the compassion of God would prompt him to 
 extend mercy to every apostate child of Adam, there 
 ^re infijiitely wis^e atijij, nghtepijs, reason^ that forbid 
 such an indiscriminate exercise of that mercy — that 
 though, in one sense, h^ w'ills the repentance and 
 salvation of every sinner^ inasmuch as the returning 
 allegiance of a rebel subject must be regarded bv 
 him with complacency, as accordant \yith the holiness 
 and unbounded beneficen|qe^^of, hl^^atu^r^j ,y^t |Ji!^e 
 is to him who comprehends at once all the purposes 
 of his holy administration, a limit beyond which his 
 Spirit, pp^u^,t ,pe^^^-)f(^,^s^?:Jv obistinacy and 
 
 perverseness of the carnal mind ; and that, in every 
 case, therefore, where his grace is withheld, or where 
 hfs Spirit, is withdrawn, it is because. the holy, but, 
 to us, unsearchable purposes of his moral govern- 
 ment, lay a restraint, as it were, on th,e exercise of 
 his compa^^jpn, apd %,J^ paint^j,]^^yqi)fl '^hi^ h^ 
 
XVI 
 
 forbearance cannot extend. All this, we conceive, 
 is obviously intimated to us in the passage referred 
 to ; and is it not sufficient to silence every such pre- 
 sumptuous question as that which has sometimes 
 been proposed on the subject, Why our Lord should 
 have lamented an evil, which it was not beyond his 
 power, as God, to have averted ? May we not ask, 
 in reply, Whether it is befitting arraigned and con- 
 demned criminals to meet with a question like this, 
 the most affecting manifestation that can be con- 
 ceived, of the unmerited compassion of our righteous 
 Judge ? — whether the tears which the Redeemer 
 shed over the infatuation of Jerusalem, merit such a 
 reception as to be made the subject of inquiry by a 
 daring curiosity? — whether the impenitent, and the 
 unbelieving, whose ruin he lamented, will hereafter 
 venture to charge upon him, the misery which they 
 deliberately and wilfully brought upon themselves? 
 and whether, that very lamentation will not fearfully 
 aggravate their guilt, and impart unspeakable bitter- 
 ness to the anguish of their remorse? 
 
 We do not think it necessary to dwell at greater 
 length on the examination of the subject, as imme- 
 diately refemng to the character and condition of 
 the Jews : and -we are not very willing, we confess, 
 to enter more minutely on the inquiry to which it 
 has sometimes given rise, and from which one may 
 gather more to gratify a propensity for idle specula- 
 tion than of what will minister to practical and pro- 
 fitable instruction. However mysterious the subject 
 may appear to the humble and anxious inquirer, he 
 wiU see nothing but what is perfectly intelHgible in 
 
'I'ji b^U/jgafici s/b ac ?,»/ of lr,ii-,|, r.,. 
 tlie simple fact, that the Son of God wept over the 
 
 ruin of the finally impenitent ; the very mystery, with 
 which this fact stands connected, will serve to ren- 
 der it, in his estimation, more impressive and affect- 
 ing ; and he will have no difficulty in perceiving the 
 solemn and important lesson which it is fitted, and 
 obviously designed, to inculcate. Though no direct 
 reference is made, in the language of our Saviour, to 
 any but the unbeheving Jews of that time, we can- 
 not doubt, that what is here written, was written for 
 our admonition; and, indeed, various considerations 
 forbid us to limit the application of this subject to 
 unbelievers of that or any other age. In the last 
 intercessory supplication which our Lord offered up 
 on behalf of his disciples, before he suffered, we find 
 him praying, not for them alone, but for those also 
 which should beheve on him through their word; 
 and if, in recommending his followers to the holy 
 keeping of his heavenly Father, he contemplated the 
 successive generations of his people through every 
 subsequent age, may we not infer that his lamenta- 
 tion over the miseries of his irreconcilable enemies 
 was equally extended and comprehensive ? But, in- 
 dependent of this consideration, there is another 
 view of the subject which brings it directly to bear 
 on men of every age, and renders it universally ap- 
 plicable to the condition of the impenitent and un- 
 believing. When our Lord lamented the approach- 
 ing desolation, of the guiltiest, because the most 
 highly-favoured community on earth, and shed tears 
 of commiseration over the irremediable wretchedness 
 of men whom he had so often laboured to convert 
 
XIX... 
 XVUl 
 
 ^wn+ -^Ebt'?:t^«iv 9rrfji8 erfi ?i orfw miff "^o 9V9 srfl 
 ana reclaim, and witn wnose perverse obstinacy he 
 
 had so long and so patiently borne, it was because 
 he contemplated, in their final destruction, an i,^yil 
 which, considered in itself, was most abhorrent to 
 his holy nature. It presented to him the melan- 
 choly spectacle of guilty creatures rejecting every 
 proposal of mercy, and repelling every approach to 
 reconciliation, on the part of their offended Creator ; 
 he beheld, in their final impenitency, immortal spirits, 
 on whom he had sought to impress the divine image, 
 and whom he would have quickened with the prin- 
 ciples of a divine life, consigned to all the debase- 
 ment and degradation, of spiritual death; and he saw- 
 perpetuated in tnen^^ tjeyopd^.the possibility! , of 
 change, or the hope of mitigation, that enmity 
 against God, which must, necessarily bring, upon. ,^j^- 
 probat e spirits an ^ eteilial accumulation of guilty, , ^^ 
 im endless aggravation of suffering. Such were, 
 without doubt, the evils which our Lord cO|Utem- 
 plated when he utteredjhis' copipassionate laipti^it^- 
 tion over Jerusalem ; and though they are evils of 
 which we can form but a very inadequate conception, 
 does not thfe simple fact that th^e Son^of ^ pqcl^-w^pt » 
 as they presented themselves to the eye of his omni- 
 science, convey an overwhelming idea of their hicon,- 
 .ceivable magnitude? ^ut^ do not .J;he,,sam^.! eviJs 
 pany the final ruin of every impenitent sinner? 
 
 accomi 
 
 Are not these evils just as abhorrent as ever they 
 were to "the principles of holiness, and purity,, aijd 
 peace, which (."liaracterize the government of. an in- 
 finitely wise and righteous sovereign? And must 
 they riot still present the same aspect of malignity to 
 
XIX 
 
 the eye of him who is the same yesterday, to-day, 
 ^Und ftii' ^er?" We ^usi iibi indeed imagine that 
 * our exalted and glorified Redeemer looks upon these 
 evils with any thing of the painful emotions which 
 his language and his tears indicated in the days of his 
 flesh ; or that, when the high and inscrutable purposes 
 of his wisdom require him to withdraw divine influences 
 from those who have resisted and grieved the Holy 
 Spirit, beyond what it is befitting his rectitude and 
 truth to endure, his doing so can ever disturb that 
 infinite complacency with which he can never cease 
 to contemplate the execution of his sovereign decrees. 
 But neither are we to imagine, that the ruin of im- 
 mortal spirits presents to his aU-seeing eye any thing 
 different from what it has always done, and, from 
 the very immutability of his nature, must necessarily 
 do : or that there is nothing in his mind towards 
 those who perish now, corresponding to what there 
 was towards those who rejected him in the days of 
 his flesh. He has expressly assured his followers, 
 that he has carried with him, even into the abodes 
 of ineffable glory and blessedness, all the tenderness 
 of which he gave so many unequivocal proofs during 
 his ministry on earth — that he is not a high priest 
 who cannot be touched with the feeling of their in- 
 finnities, or who can remain an insensible spectatoi 
 of the temptations which, he himsejf endured: and 
 this assuraiice 1^ in pM-^ci acco'rd^ce witbtb^ whole 
 tenor of hi's communications to the Old Testament 
 church. And can we suppose then, tha^ he has 
 forojbtt^h it*he' compsrssibii witK.wmcli he once looked 
 oTi the miatuation or smners,r'or tnat.^ny Chanffe 
 
has taken place in his mind toward those who still 
 continue deliberately to reject the counsel of God 
 against themselves ? The careless and the unbeliev- 
 ing may, indeed, make their escape from such rer 
 jflections, and plead the mysteriousness of this com- 
 passion, in excuse for their remaining unmoved and 
 unaffected by it. But, mysterious as it may be, if 
 it were competent for us to single ou,t one hopeless 
 and impenitent sinner, should w^e not be warranted 
 to tell him, that he is pitied at the very moment that 
 he:^s forsaken^-that he perishes, not because God 
 was unwilling to be reconciled unto him, but because 
 he, f would not be reconciled unto God— ^that his 
 turning, by penitence and faith, from his rebellious 
 courses, would have been regarded with infinite com- 
 placency by that Almighty Sovereign whom he has 
 compelled to arm against him all the terrors of his 
 displeasure — and that the. ruin which h^ has wilfully 
 and deliberately chosen,, is the i^rery evil over which 
 the Son of God did, in the days of his flesh, shed 
 tears of commiseration and pity. 
 r„,Th^ object of these remarks, as we have already 
 observed, is to remove, if possible, from the plain 
 and impressive laoiguage of Scripture, that indis- 
 tmctness in which \y^, are so apt to envelope it, and 
 ; which so frequently prevents it from making its way 
 to the heart- — to place distinctly before the sinner's 
 eye the fact recorded in the gospel history, tha^t the 
 Saviour wept over the ruin of those w^ho hved and 
 died in a state of unbeHef — to show that, in as far 
 as the divine compassion is concerned, it is still the 
 same as that which dictated the pathetic lamentation 
 
over Jerusalem — and to bring the persuasive influ- 
 ence of this simple fact to bear on the affections of 
 all ; of those who have, as well as those who have 
 not yet yielded to the constraining power of the love 
 of Christ. It is to the latter indeed, that the 
 solemn admonition, suggested by our Saviour's lan- 
 guage, is more immediately applicable, and it is on 
 them, therefore, that we would more especially urge 
 it — nor do we know, within the whole range of 
 Scripture argument and motive, any one considera- 
 tion so well fitted, through the agency of the Holy 
 S})int, to vanquish the hostility of the natural man ; 
 or should it fail to accomplish this, any one that so 
 Fully eUcits, in all its deformity, the desperate wick- 
 edness of the human heart. The sinner may at 
 times be arrested by the solemn declaration, that 
 there is an appointed day in which God will judge 
 tlic world in righteousness, and be compelled, by 
 his apprehension of the procedure of that day, to 
 ])ause before he enters on what, his conscience tells 
 him, is in direct opposition to the revealed will of his 
 .ludge. But however powerful such a restraint may 
 be, and whatever struggle it may cost him again to 
 throw it off, the principle of enmity within him, v/ill 
 have lost nothing of its malignant energj^ — nay the 
 M^ty restraint, which fear imposes, will arm it with 
 a' ^6wer before unfelt — and melancholy as the fact 
 unquestionably is, yet it accords with all that we 
 know of the constitution of our nature to beheve, 
 that such will be the effect of apprehensions like 
 these, so lolig as siniiers regard God as their enemy, 
 :j)d as prescribing limits to gnitificntions which they 
 
irrxx 
 xxii 
 
 are determined at all hazai-ids.to iii^ilgef,j;o IJj^jW^^j^n, 
 that very God, whose commandmejii^* thpj^,a^*etfehj^^i,i . 
 transgressing, appeals to them in the language of 
 earnest entreaty — when he addresses them as he 
 addressed tlie backsliding J-ews ofold, ,"^[jdp> not 
 this abominable thincr which I hate;" and when he 
 emplovs every possible expression that can intimate 
 his merciful forbearance, and his willingness to re- 
 ceive them into his favour, to heal their backslidings 
 and love them freely — then the opposition that is 
 not disai-raed by ti'eatment like this, assumes a cha- 
 racter of more hopeless ai)d hai'dened impiety than 
 even the desperate defiance of the divine displeasure; 
 and the man who :has so resisted, an^ who is. cou-- 
 scious that he still continues so to resist, has travelled ., 
 to an alarming length on the way towards that point, it 
 where others have become the subjects of the 
 Saviour's compassionate lamentation. But often as 
 such men may have evaded the force of that appeal, 
 we would still continue to make it : for if ever they 
 are to relinquish the unequal contest — if ever they 
 are to be convinced of the unreasonableness of that 
 suspicious dislike with which they eye every sub- 
 ject, of ^ spiritual nature— and brought to sqe that 
 they;ha;ve been :4La}pog resisting tJje advances of a 
 gracious Father towards reconciliation, it must be 
 by the persuasive eloquence of such arguments as 
 that jii^^the passage! <tou>Ybiehw^! i^^ri ;nKv«j]y be- 
 liever can bear witness that thus r, it has been with 
 him — that . tlie love of God in Christ Jesus has ■ 
 me\t£)^'a^\\mih.^\:^>^the obstinaQj, /which no dread 
 of punishment ever could have vanquished — and 
 
XX 111 
 
 fJXX 
 that the small still voice of the gospel is the only 
 melklRiy'thaU can expel from the human sonl, the evil 
 spidt I6f disfcyust and of unbielief. And where is this 
 melody to he heard, if it is not in the simple, and 
 unfifdorned narrative of the inspired wiiter, when lie 
 tells us^'tHaV* on'' W^'LKil'd's ^^i•6afch to Jerusalem, 
 the place where, above all others, he had been 
 calumniated and reviled — where his doctrines had 
 been misrepresetited, and his- twiraci^s ascribed to 
 the pow(ir of devils — and where he was so soon to 
 suffer the ignominious death, by which he was to 
 cxpiat?e the' i^iir^^ of ^ i gi^Jlty world — even with all 
 these recollections of the past, and with the most ^ 
 perfect foreknowledge of the future, he beheld the •' 
 city,;'And he'We^^os^^?ir?i oCdRttld ssSiliiel<S'»be but 
 pers:uaded of fh6 reality of the' fc'6i«pi^&sioh' that was 
 then manifested — could they be made to see, that 
 th ere* ■ wsfe> a ^depth ' and ' 'an intenseness in that com- • " 
 passion; '^hieh^ 'the mo^t Complicated affliction never '' 
 awakened in the bosom even of the most benevolent 
 and humane of the children of men — and could they 
 be convinced that this very pity isHo whig forth to- 
 wards themselves, iu the midst of all the folly and 
 infatuation by which they are permitting themselves 
 to be duped and deceived— is it possible te suppose 
 that they could summon up hardihood enough to '^ 
 treat such forbearance with contempt or with uncon- ^Ti 
 cerri'? And if they did venture so to treat it, could {^^ 
 they 'ftYrmgn either tlie rectitude or the beneficence' '^^ 
 of God, if he should for ever withdraw from them '^' 
 his Holy Spirit — would they not be compelled to ^ 
 acknowledge, that indulgence to ingratitude like this, 
 
XXIV 
 
 would be a departure from the unchangeable principles 
 of justice and truth — and whatever plea they might 
 be disposed to urge in their own defence, M'hen sis- 
 ted at the tribunal of God, could it require any thing 
 more, than merely reminding them of the long-suffer- 
 ing patience which they had experienced and abused, 
 to awe them at once into silence and shame ? 
 
 But we are aware it may be urged by many who, 
 though they are in reality still in a state of alienation 
 from God, have, nevertheless, the credit and re- 
 spectability of a Christian profession to plead, that 
 there is no sort of parallel between their condition 
 and that of the unbelieving Jews — that they have 
 never sho'vvn any such enmity to Christ, as the latter 
 often manifested — and that they have no reason, 
 therefore, to dread their ever arriving at that state 
 of hardened impenitency, in which the persons, 
 \\hose ruin our Lord lamented, were given up to 
 the blindness of a reprobate mind. They may allege 
 loo, that they have never questioned, as the Jews 
 did, the testimonv which the Spirit of God bears to 
 the truth of the gospel; eitlier by a miraculous 
 agency without, or the operation of his influence 
 within them — that they have given their assent to 
 tlie truth which he formerly attested, and are en- 
 deavouring, in some measure, to regulate the or- 
 dinary tenor of their life, by the laws and precepts 
 which he has sanctioned — and that they cannot 
 therefore in justice, or in fairness, be ranked among 
 those, who have resisted and grieved the Holy 
 Spirit, whereby the believer is sealed unto the day 
 of redemption. Now, in reply to all tins, we would 
 
XXV 
 
 j observe, that we are not seeking to establish any 
 '.parallel between those who avowedly beheve the 
 gospel, and such as openly reject it ; nor does the 
 force of the remarks that have been offered depend 
 on any similarity, with regard to external condition 
 f jand character, between the one class and the other. 
 But we would remind those, who may be most for- 
 ward to repel any such charge, that it is not enough 
 that they have never openly denied the truth, nor 
 publicly renounced the faith of the gospel — and that 
 it proves but little with regard to their spiritual safety, 
 ^ that they have never been placed in circumstances 
 where they could be guilty of such comphcated of- 
 fences, as those that stand recorded in the Gospel 
 History against the inhabitants of Jerusalem. The 
 question is not in what way, or to what extent they 
 have rejected Christ, but whether they have received 
 him — whether they have surrendered their hearts 
 to the influence of his love, and devoted, by a willing 
 "obedience, their Hves to his glory; and if they are 
 conscious that they have not done, and have no desire 
 to do so— that they would gladly live with as httle 
 reflection on the subject as they possibly can — and 
 that their aversion to the spirituality of the service 
 which he requires, is still unsubdued and unabated — 
 then they must be held as ha\dng turned a deaf ear 
 to all the affectionate earnestness of his remon- 
 strances with sinners, and opposed a callous heart 
 to all the tenderness with which he has assailed 
 them. Nor can they, without belying their own 
 experience, allege that they have never resisted the 
 'direct operation of the Spirit's- influence on their 
 B ' 3 
 
XXVI 
 
 hearts — for where is the incli\-idual among professing 
 Christians, who has not had his seasons of suspicion 
 and fear regarding his eternal interests — whose 
 heart has not at times misgiven him, in spite of all 
 the arguments by which he may have laboured tQ 
 set himself at ease, on the subject of his spuitual 
 concerns — who has not, occasionally at least, felt 
 the depressing weight of doubts, from which he 
 could with difficulty make his escape — and who has 
 not been, at one period or another, under something 
 approaching to a conviction, that aU was not right 
 with regard to the state of his soul ? And can they, 
 who are conscious of having suppressed such awaken- 
 ings, or rid themselves of such fears, in any other 
 way than that which the gospel has provided, still 
 maintain that they have never quenched or resisted 
 the Spirit's influence — or can they stiU venture to 
 calculate on his renewing his operation upon them, 
 with more power and efficiency at some future pe- 
 riod? This may, perhaps, be the condition and 
 the sentiments of some — and they may be ready 
 with what they conceive to be a satisfactory reply to 
 ail that has now been urged. They may oppose to 
 the danger which these remarks would represent, as 
 awaiting them, the unbounded mercy of God — they 
 may flatter themselves that he will never institute so 
 rigoi'ous an inquiry into their character, as the 
 statement now made would seem to insinuate — and 
 they may even gather iCiieouragement to their indif- 
 ference, from the view that has just been exhibited 
 of the Redeemer's compassion. But can they re- 
 <[uire to b© "Sgaiii reminded^ ; that the very persons 
 idom utiii j it ■' 
 
XXVll 
 
 whose condition called forth the Saviour's lamenta- 
 tion, had shut themselves out from all share in the 
 blessed effects of that compassion which their wretch- 
 edness had awakened — and will they venture to rely 
 on this compassion, while they dehberately keep out 
 of view, the principles of holiness, and justice, and 
 truth, according to which it must ever be exercised ? 
 Is it not sajnng, that they will take encouragement 
 to sin from the very mercy that is seeking to deliver 
 them from the pollution and misery which sin has 
 entailed upon them — is it not to calculate on their 
 experiencing the pity which the Saviour manifested 
 for sinners, while they are deliberately resisting the 
 very influence with which that pity is desig-ned to 
 operate — is it not to degrade this principle from its 
 lofty pre-eminence, as an attribute of the Godhead, 
 to a level with the weakness and imperfection of hu- 
 manity ? O let not sinners so trifle with the solemn 
 declarations of Scripture, as at one time to treat the 
 divine compassion with indifference, on the ground of 
 its being too far removed from their ordinary con- 
 ceptions, either to influence their understanding, or 
 impress their heart — and at another time to presume 
 on its being exercised towards them, without any 
 reference to the esisential perfections of the divine 
 nature, and the honour and dignity of the di\ine 
 government. While they seek to be persuaded of 
 its reality, let them not wilfully misunderstand its 
 nature, or mistake its design — and let them bear 
 in mind, that the object of every gracious invitation 
 vvhich the gospel contains, is to urge and persuade 
 them, in this the day of their most merciful visita- 
 b2 
 
XXVlll 
 
 tioii, to remember the things that belong to then- 
 peace, before they are for ever hid from their eyes. 
 
 It will not, we think, be disputed, that one of the 
 most powerful and persuasive arguments, by which 
 the enmity of the carnal mind can be assailed, is 
 furnished by the simple fact, that God has left no 
 conceivable means unemployed, whereby to demon- 
 strate the reality of his compassion for sinners, and 
 of his unwiUingness that they should continue in a 
 state of impenitence and of unbelief; and of the many 
 proofs of this fact to be found in Scripture, there 
 are none, perhaps, either more decisive or more 
 affecting, than our Lord's weeping over the fate of 
 Jerusalem. We are aware, that in the preceding 
 remarks, we have done little more than hinted at 
 this argument ; but for the farther illustration of the 
 subject, we gladly refer to the following Treatise, as 
 containing one of the most powerful appeals to the 
 conscience with which we are acquainted. It would 
 be difficult indeed to point out any work, in wliich 
 so much important matter has been condensed into 
 so small a compass. Within the limits of a few 
 pages, the reader will find exhibited, in a very strik- 
 ing and impressive light, the true state of the contro- 
 versy which sinners are maintaining with God — the 
 nature of faith and genuine repentance — the respon- 
 sibility of those who live under the gospel dispensa- 
 tion, as enjoying a day of grace, which may, in va- 
 rious ways terminate, while they are still in a state 
 of alienation from their INIaker — the folly of the 
 arguments by which the unregenerate will sometimes 
 seek to justify their indolence and indifference, on 
 
XXIX 
 
 the ground that no anxiety or efforts of theirs, will 
 avail any thing, till God is pleased to put forth upon 
 them the efficacious influences of his Holy Spirit, 
 the unreasonableness, as well as the mischievous 
 tendency of those painful suspicions by which the 
 awakened sinner sometimes permits himself to be 
 perplexed, when he sets about determining whether 
 his day of grace may not already be over — and a 
 vindication of the rectitude of the divine procedure 
 in those cases, where, in consequence of the sinner's 
 obstinacy, the influences of the Holy Spirit are 
 withheld, or finally withdrawn. We can hardly 
 conceive it possible, that the most indifferent should 
 attentively peruse this Treatise, without finding 
 some suspicions of their safety, and some misgivings 
 about the validity of the plea which they may have 
 been accustomed to urge in their own defence, and 
 by which they have hitherto contrived to reconcile 
 their conscience to a life of thoughtlessness and folly. 
 And shoidd any such begin to feel uneasiness, on 
 the recollection of the ingratitude and neglect with 
 which they have treated the mercy and forbearance 
 of God, we would earnestly recommend to their 
 serious perusal the discourses on " Self-dedication," 
 and " Yielding ourselves to God," which have been 
 selected as an appropriate accompaniment to the 
 Treatise, which it is the more immediate object of 
 this pubhcation to bring within the reach of those 
 who may not have access to the full edition of our 
 Author's works.* These discourses are characterized 
 
 * The public are indebted to the Rev, John Hunt, of Chi- 
 chester, for a uniform edition of the whole of Howe's Works, in 
 eight volumes, 8vo. commenced in 1810, and completed in 1822 
 
XXX 
 
 by the same spirit of earnest and affectionate solici- 
 tude for the salvation of sinners, which breathes 
 throughout the Treatise on our Lord's Lamentation 
 over Jerusalem— ^and if any salutary impressions 
 are made by the perusal of the one, it will be found 
 that in the other, the Author never, for a moment, re- 
 linquishes his hold of the conscience of his readers, 
 till he brings them to the point where every reflect- 
 ing mind must be compelled to acknowledge the ne- 
 cessity of coming to an immediate decision on the 
 question, which more than any other, the natural 
 man is anxious to evade. Of the sublimity of con- 
 ception, the ardour of feeling, and energy of lan- 
 i^-uao-e which distino-uish the followincr Treatises, it 
 is unnecessary for us to speak : but we would en- 
 treat those, into whose hands they may come, not 
 to lay them aside with a single reading, for we may 
 venture to assure them, that however much of their 
 excellence they may discover on a first perusal, every 
 subsequent one will more than confirm the estimate. 
 It is matter of regret that these, as well as the other 
 v/orks of Howe, have for a long period been so lit- 
 tle known ; and we should rejoice to be in any de- 
 gree instrumental in bringing into wider circulation, 
 what, through the divine blessing, is so eminently 
 calculated to promote the cause of vital godliness. 
 May the Spirit of God give efficacy to the pre- 
 sent feeble effort for awakening the thoughtless 
 and self-secure, and seal on the hearts of all who 
 shall peruse the following pages, the momentous 
 truths which they contain. 
 
 R. G. 
 Edinburgh, October, 1822. 
 
\i^^( 
 
 I 
 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 bim rJJ'llI'JOl hi Page 
 
 THE REDEEMER'S TEARS WEPT OVER LOST 
 
 SOULS, 33 
 
 Preface, 35 
 
 The Redeemer's Tears, Sec 51 
 
 Appendix — Concerning the Blasphemy against the Holy 
 Ghost ; and how God is said to will the Salvation of 
 them that perish, 152 
 
 ON SELF-DEDICATION, 169 
 
 ON YIELDING OURSELVES TO GOD, . . 229 
 
 iq 9fb ot pp,>ff) 
 
 i[lf{j»IK)f! 
 
THE 
 
 REDEEMER'S TEARS 
 
 WEPT OVER 
 
 LOST SOULS. 
 
V III,','} <it T^-fR ruf, 
 
 .{Itwrf (,•■ (K.ff: 
 
 'iiriGl 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 When spiritual judgments do more eminently befall 
 a people, great outward calamities do often ensue. 
 We know it was so in the instance to which the text 
 here insisted on refers. But it is not always so : 
 the connexion between these two sorts of judgments 
 is not absolutely certain and necessary, yea, is more 
 frequent with the contraries of each. For this 
 reason, therefore, and because judgments of the for- 
 mer kind are so inexpressibly greater, and more 
 tremendous, and about which serious monitions both 
 have a clearer ground, and are of greater import- 
 ance ; this Discourse insists only upon them, and 
 wholly waives the latter. 
 
 Too many are apt first to fancy simihtudes between 
 the state of things with one people and another, and 
 then to draw inferences ; being, perhaps, imposed 
 upon by a strong imagination in both, which yet 
 must pass with them for a spirit of prophecy : and 
 perhaps they take it not well, if it do not so with 
 others too. It were indeed the work of another pro- 
 phet, certainly to accommodate and make application 
 of what was spoken by a former, to a distinct time 
 
36 
 
 and people. It is enough for us to learn, from such 
 sayings as this of our Saviour, those rules of life 
 and practice, such instructions and cautions as are 
 common to all times, without arrogating to ourselves 
 his prerogative, of foretelling events that shall happen 
 in this or that. The affectation of venturing upon 
 futurity, and of foreboding direful things to king- 
 doms and nations, may, besides its being without 
 sufficient ground, proceed from some very bad prm- 
 ciple or other. Dislike of the present methods of 
 Providence, weariness and impatience of our present 
 condition, too great proneness to wish what we take 
 upon us to predict, the prediction importing more 
 heat of anger than certainty of foresight, a wrathful 
 spiiit, that would presently fetch down fire from 
 heaven upon such as favour not om* inchnations and 
 desires, so that, as the poet speaks, "whole cities 
 should be overturned at our request," if the " hea- 
 venly powers would be so easy" as to comply with 
 such furious imprecations ; — a temper that iU agrees 
 with humanity itself, not to care at what rate of com- 
 mon calamity and misery a purchase be made of our 
 own immunity from sufferings. Nay, to be willing to 
 run the most desperate hazard in the case, and even 
 covet a general ruin to others, upon a mere appre- 
 hended possibility that our case may be mended by 
 it, when it may be more probable to become much 
 worse. But O how disagreeable is it to the spirit 
 of our merciful Lord and Saviour, whose name we 
 bear, upon any tenns, to delight in human miseries ! 
 The greatest honour men of that complexion are 
 capable of doing the Christian name, were to disclami 
 
37 
 
 it. Can such angry heats have place in Christian 
 breasts, as shall render them the well-pleased spec- 
 tators, yea, authors of one another's calamities and 
 ruin ! Can the tears that issued from these com- 
 passionate blessed eyes, upon the foresight of Jeru- 
 salem's woeful catastrophe, do nothing towards the 
 quenching of these flames ! 
 
 But I add, that the too-intent fixing of our 
 thoughts upon any supposable events in this world, 
 argues, at least a narrow, carnal mind, that draws 
 and gathers all things into time, as despairing of 
 eternity : and reckons no better state of things con- 
 siderable that is not to be brought about under their 
 own present view, in this world ; as if it were un- 
 certain or insignificant, that there shall be unexcep- 
 tionable, eternal order, and rectitude in another. 
 
 It is again as groundless, and may argue as ill 
 a mind, to prophesy smooth and pleasant things, in 
 a time of abounding wickedness. The safer, middle 
 course, is, without God's express warrant, not to pro- 
 phesy at all, but, as we have opportunity, to warn 
 and instruct men, with all meekness and long-suffer- 
 ing ; for which the Lord's ordinary messengers can 
 never want his warrant ; and, after our blessed Sa- 
 viour's most imitable example, to scatter our tears 
 over the impenitent, even upon the (too probable) 
 apprehension of the temporal judgments which hang 
 over their heads, but most of all upon the account 
 of their liableness to the more dreadful ones of the 
 other state; which, in the following Discourse, I 
 hope it is made competently evident this lamentation 
 of our Saviour hath ultimate reference unto. For 
 
38 
 
 the other, though we know them to be due, and, most 
 highly deserved; yet, concerning the .actual inflic- 
 tion of them, even upon obstinate and persevering 
 sinners, we cannot pronounce. We have no settled 
 constitution or rule, by which we can conclude it, 
 any more than that outward felicity or prosperity 
 shall be the constant portion of good men in this 
 world. Ilie great God hath reserved to himself a 
 latitude of acting more arbitrarily, both as to pro- 
 mises and threatenings of this natui-e. If the ac- 
 complishment of either could be certainly expected, 
 it should be of the promises rather; because as to 
 promised rewards, God is pleased to make himself 
 debtor, and a right accrues to them to whom the 
 promise is made, if either the promise be absolute, 
 or made with any certain condition that is actually 
 performed. But God is always the creditor pcencB 
 — the right to punish remains wholly in himself; 
 the exacting whereof he may therefore suspend, with- 
 out any appearance of wrong, as seemeth good un- 
 to him. If, therefore, he may withhold temporal 
 blessings from good and pious men, to which thev 
 have a remote and fundamental right, as having re- 
 served to himself the judgment of the fit time and 
 season of bestowing them ; much more doth it be- 
 long to his wisdom to fix the bounds of his patience 
 and long-suffering; and determine the season of ani- 
 madverting upon more open and insolent offenders 
 by temporal punishments, according as shall make 
 most for the ends of his government, and finally 
 prove more advantageous to the. ' dignity i and glory 
 of 'iti The practice, therefore, of our Saviour, in 
 
39 
 
 speaking so positively, concerning the approaching 
 fall and ruin of .ferusalem, is no pattern unto us. 
 He spake not only with the knowledge of a prophet, 
 but with the authority of a judge: and his words 
 lYiay be considered both as a prediction and a sen- 
 tence. We can pretend to speak in neither capa- 
 city, toucliing things of this nature. 
 
 But for the everlasting punishments in another 
 world, that belong to unreconciled sinners, who re- 
 fuse to know the things of their peace, the gospel 
 •constitution hath made the connexion firm and unal- 
 terable, between their continuing, unrepented wicked- 
 ness, and those punishments. When, therefore, we 
 behold the impudent, provoking sins of the age 
 wherein we live, against the natural, eternal law of 
 our Creator, persisted in, with all the marks of infi- 
 delity and obduration against the truth and grace 
 that so gloriously shine forth in the gospel of our 
 Redeemer, we may, after him, speak positively : 
 " He that believeth not shall be damned, — is con- 
 demned already; — shall not see life, — but the wrath 
 of God abideth on him. If ye believe not that I 
 am he, ye shall die in your sins. Except ye repent, 
 ye shall all likewise perish." And here, how doth 
 it become us too, in conformity to his great example, 
 to speak compassionately, and as those that in some 
 measure "know the terror of the Lord!" O how- 
 doleful is the case, when we consider the inconsistent 
 notions of many, with, not this or that particular doc- 
 trine, or article of the Christian Faith, but with the 
 whole sum of Christianity; the Atheism of some; 
 the avowed mere Theism of others ! The former 
 
40 
 
 sort far outdoing the Jewish infidehty : which people, 
 besides the rational means of demonstrating a Deity, 
 common to them with the rest of mankind, could, 
 upon the account of many things peculiar to them- 
 selves, be in no suspense concerning this matter. 
 How great was their reverence of the books of the 
 Old Testament, especially those of Moses ! their 
 knowledge most certain of plain and most convincing 
 matters of fact. How long the government of their 
 nation had been an immediate Theocracy ! What 
 evident tokens of the divine presence had been among 
 them from age to age ! in how wonderful a manner 
 they were brought out of Egypt, through the Red 
 Sea, and conducted all along through the \vilderness I 
 how glorious an appearance and manifestation of him- 
 self God afforded to them, at the giving of the law, 
 upon Mount Sinai ! and by how apparent exertions 
 of the Divine power the former inhabitants were ex- 
 pelled, and they settled in the promised land ! Upon 
 all this they could be in no more doubt concerning 
 the existence of a Deity, than of the sun in the fir- 
 mament. Whereas, we are put to prove, in a 
 Christian nation, that this world, and its continual 
 successive inhabitants, have a wise intelligent Maker 
 and Lord, and that all thino;s came not into the state 
 wherein they are, by (no man can imagine what) 
 either fatal necessity or casualty. 
 
 But both sorts agree in (what I would principally 
 remark) the disbeHef of Christ's being the Messiah. 
 And so, with both, the whole business of Christian- 
 ity must be a fable and a cheat. And thus it is de- 
 termined, not by men that have made it tlieir busi- 
 
41 
 
 ness to consider, and examine the matter, (for the 
 plain evidence of things cannot but even obtrude a 
 conviction upon any dihgent inquirer,) but by such 
 as have only resolved not to consider ; who have be- 
 fore-hand settled their purpose, never to be awed by 
 the apprehension of an invisible Ruler, into any 
 course of life that shall bear hard upon sensual incli- 
 nation; have already chosen their master, enslaved 
 themselves to brutal appetite, and are so habituated 
 to that mean servility, made it so connatural, so deep- 
 ly inward to themselves, so much their very life, as 
 that, through the pre-apprehended pain, and uneasi- 
 ness of a violent rupture, in tearing themselves from 
 themselves, it is become their interest not to admit 
 any serious thought. Any such thought they are 
 concerned (they reckon) to fence against as against 
 the point of a sword; it strikes at their only life ; the 
 brute must die, that (by a happy TraXiyyiviFU) they 
 may be again born men. That is the design of 
 Christianity, to restore men to themselves again; 
 and because it hath this tendency, it is therefore not 
 to be endured. And all the little residue of human 
 wit which is yet left them (which because the sensual 
 nature is predominant, is pressed into a subserviency 
 to the interest and defence of the brutal life), only 
 serves them to turn every thing of serious religion 
 into ridicule, and being themselves resolved never to 
 be reasoned into any seriousness, they have the con- 
 fidence to make the trial whether all other men can 
 be jested out of it. 
 
 If this were not the case, if such persons could 
 allow themselves to think, and debate the matter, 
 
42 
 
 liovv' certain v^'ould the victory, how glorious would 
 the triumph be, of the Christian religion, over all 
 the little cavils they are wont to allege against it ! 
 Let^their own consciences testily in the case, whether 
 ever they have applied themselves to any solemn 
 disquisition concerning this important afFair, but 
 only contented themselves with being able, amidst 
 transient discourse, to cast out, now and then, 
 some oblique glance, against somewhat or other, that 
 was appendant, or more remotely belonging to the 
 Christian profession, (in so much haste as not to 
 stay for an answer,) and because they may have sur- 
 prised, sometimes, one or other, JiOt so ready at a 
 quick repartee, or who reckoned the matter to re- 
 quire solemn, and somewliat larger discourse^ (which 
 they have not had the patience to hear,) whether 
 they have not gone away puffed and swollen with 
 the conceit that they have whiffled Christianity 
 away, quite off the stage, with their profane breath ; 
 as if its firm and solid strength, wherein it stands 
 stable, as a rock of adamant, depended upon this 
 or that sudden, occasional, momentary effort on the 
 behalf of it. But if such have a mind to try 
 whether any thing can be strongly said in defence of 
 that sacred prdfession, let ■them' considerately peruse 
 what hath been written, by divers, to that purpose. 
 And not to engage them in any very tedious, long- 
 some task, if "thi^y like not to travel through the 
 somewhat ab'^truser work of the most learned Hugo 
 Grotius, concerninor the truth of the Christian Reli- 
 gion, or the iho1^& vt>luminous Huetius' Demonstratm 
 Evangelica^ or divers others that might be named, let 
 
43 
 
 ihem but patiently and leisurely read over, that later 
 very plain and clear, but nervous and solid discourse, 
 of Dr. Parker, upon this subject; and judge, then, 
 whether the Christian religion want evidence, or 
 whether nothing can be alleged why we of this age, 
 so long after Christ's appearance upon the stage of 
 the world, are to reckon ourselves obliged to profess 
 Christianity, and to observe the rules of that holy 
 profession. 
 
 And really, if, upon utmost search, it shall be 
 found to have firm truth at the bottom, it makes it- 
 self so necessary (which must be acknowledged part 
 of that truth) that any one that hath wit enough to 
 be the author of a jest, might understand it to be 
 a thing not to be jested with. It trifles with no 
 man. And where it is once sufficiently propounded, 
 leaves it no longer indifferent whether we will be of 
 it or no. Supposing it true, it is strange if we can 
 pretend it not to be sufficiently propounded to us : 
 or that we are destitvite of sufficient means to come 
 by the knowledge of that truth ! Was this religion 
 instituted only for one nation or age ? Did the 
 Son of God descend from heaven, put on flesh, and 
 die? had we an incarnate Deity conversant among 
 Qr-men on earth, and made a sacrifiqe for the sins of 
 men ? and hath he left the world at hberty, whether, 
 upon any notice hereof, they should inquhe and 
 concern themselves about liim or no? being incar- 
 ';jnate, he could not, as such, be everj' where ; nor 
 -ilyias it fit he should belong here; or needful (and 
 MjNtherefore not fit) he should die often. It was .con- 
 descension enough that he vouchsafed once to appear 
 
44 
 
 in so mean and self- abasing a form, and " offered 
 himself to put away sin, by the sacrifice of himself." 
 And whereas he hath himself founded a dominion 
 over us in his own blood, " did die, and revive, and 
 rise again, that he might be Lord of the living and 
 of the dead :" and the eternal Father hath hereupon 
 " highly exalted him, given him a name above every 
 name, that at his name every knee should bow, and 
 that all should confess that he is Lord, to the praise 
 and glory of God:" and hath required "that all 
 should honour the Son as himself is to be honoured ; 
 hath given him power over all flesh ; and made him 
 head of all things to the church :" Was it ever in- 
 tended men should, generally, remain exempt from 
 obhgation to observe, beheve, and obey him ? Was 
 it his o^vn intention to wave, or not insist upon his 
 own most sacred, and so dearly-acquired rights? to 
 quit his claim to the greatest part of mankind ? Why 
 did he then issue out his 'commission as soon as he was 
 risen from the dead, "to teach all nations," to pro- 
 selyte the world to himself, " to baptize them into his 
 name," v.'ith that "of the Father and the Holy 
 Ghost." O the great and venerable names that are 
 named upon professing Christians ! Could it be his 
 intention, to leave it lawful to men to choose this, or 
 any, or no religion, as their humours or fancies, or 
 lusts, should prompt them; to disregard and deride his 
 holy doctrine^, violate and trample upon his just and 
 equal laws, reject and contemn his offered favours and 
 mercy, despise and profane his sacred institutions ? 
 When he actually makes his demand, and lays his 
 claim, what' amazing guilt, how swift destruction must 
 
49 
 
 they incur, that dare adventure to deny the Lord 
 that bought them ! And they that shall do it among 
 a Christianized people, upon the pretended insuffi- 
 ciency of the revelation they have of him, do but 
 heighten the affront and increase the provocation. 
 It is to charge the whole Christian institution with 
 foolery, as pretending to oblige men, when they 
 cannot know to what, how, or upon what ground they 
 should be obliged; to pronounce the means and 
 methods inept and vain, which he hath thought 
 sufficient, and only fit for the propagating and con- 
 tinuing Christianity in the world; to render the 
 rational reception of it fi-om age to age, impossi- 
 ble, in his appointed way: or unless men should 
 be taught by angels, or voices from heaven, or 
 that miracles should be so very frequent and com- 
 mon, as, thereby also to become useless to their end; 
 and so would be to make the whole frame ot Chris- 
 tian religion an idle impertinency , and in reference 
 to its avowed design, a self-repugnant thing, and 
 consequently were to impute folly to him who is the 
 wisdom of God. 
 
 And hovv are other things known, of common 
 concernment, and whereof an immediate knowledge 
 is as little possible? Can a man satisfy himself, 
 that he hath a title to an estate, conveyed down to 
 him by very ancient writings, the witnesses whereof 
 are lono- since dead and gone ? or that he is oblicred 
 by laws made many an age ago ? Or could any re- 
 cords be preserved with more care and concern, than 
 those wherein our religion hes? or be more secure 
 irom designed, or material deprivation ? But this is 
 
4b 
 
 no place to reason these things. Enough is said oy 
 others referred to before. I only further say, if any 
 that have the use of their understandincrs, hvino; in 
 a Cliristian nation, think to justify their infideUty 
 and disobedience to the Son of God, by pretending 
 they had no sufficient means to know him to be so, 
 the excuse will avail them alike, as that did him who 
 insolently said, " \\1io is the Lord, that 1 should 
 obey his voice ? I know not the Lord, neither will 
 L" For have not we as good means to know who 
 Christ is, as the Egj^tians at that time had to Icnow 
 " who was the God of Israel," though afterwards 
 he was more known by the judgments which he exe- 
 cuted ? Although the knowledge of the only true 
 God be natural, and the obligation thereto com- 
 mon to men; yet, the indisposition, to use their 
 understanding this way, is so great and general, 
 and *' the express revelation that Jesus Christ was 
 the Son of God,*' requires so much less labour to 
 understand it, than there is in arguing out the ex- 
 istence and attfibutei'cif God, by an inhabile, slug- 
 gish mind, tJiat the difference 'cannot be great, if 
 any, on that side. This latter only needs the in- 
 quiiy whence ihe fevelktion'comesj ' w^ as it is 
 not difficult *in itsel'f^ so' tliis occasion, namely, of its 
 being proposed, doth invite and urge to it ; whereas 
 th^ generality of 'the' Pagan world have little of ex- 
 ternal inducement, leading them' into inquiries con- 
 cerning the true God. Therefore, all circumstances 
 cohsidered, 1 sfee'J n'otf' liow''*mey tnatr 'live under the 
 gospel, call be' tiibu'^lit to have less advantage and 
 oblid-atlon to owii Jesus of Nazareth to be the Son 
 
47 
 
 of God, tliaji the rest of the world, to own the only 
 living and truq Gpd j o^'j that, the former should 
 be less liable tpjthe^ «,« revelation of the wrath of God 
 from heaven," for holding supernatural tiuth in 
 unrighteousness, than the other for doing so injuri- 
 ous violence to that which is merely natural. Unto 
 what severities then, of the divine wrath and justice, 
 even of the highest kind, do multitudes lie open in 
 
 For besides those, much fewer, mental or notional 
 infidels, that believe not the principles of the Christian 
 religion, against the clearest evidence, how vastly 
 greater is the number of them that are so, in heart 
 and practice, against their professed belief! that live 
 in utter estrangement from God, as without him, in 
 the world, or in open enmity against him, and con- 
 trariety to the known rules of the religion they pro- 
 fess ! How many that understand nothing of its 
 principal and plainest doctrines ! as if nothing were 
 requisite to distinguish the Christian from the Pa- 
 gan world, more, thap ■an ^mpty name ;. or as if the 
 Redeemer of sinners had djied upon, the cross, that 
 men might more, securely remqiifi alienated from the 
 life of God, not to reconcile and reduce them to 
 him 1 or that they might ^yith sajfety indulge appe- 
 tite, mind earthly things, makes tjieiwprld their god, 
 gratify the flesh, and make . provision t<> fulfil the 
 lusts of it, defy I heaveii, affront | tl^ieir,. Maimer, live 
 in malice, envy, hatre^j, .tpj^ne apot^ier !|,not to bless 
 thiQm, by turning, thern froin these, impieties and hii- 
 quities ! As if it wcr^^ . so, ^l^sgi^;e}y, hj^ut pd, as that 
 it cpuld ,not be ^ ; f aken ^lo^ice^ ^pj^^thj^^^ ,«' the , gi[^ce , pf 
 
48 
 
 God, which bringeth salvation to all men, hatli ap- 
 peared, teaching them to deny ungodHness and 
 worldly lusts, and to Hve soberly, righteously, and 
 godly in this present world, so looking for the bles- 
 sed hope." And that " Christ gave himself for 
 us, to redeem us from all iniquity, and to purify us 
 to himself, a pecuhar people, zealous of good works !" 
 How many, again, are Christians, they know not 
 why ! upon the same terms that others are Maho- 
 metans, because it is the rehgion of their country, 
 by fate or by accident, not by their own choice and 
 judgment ! the same inconsideration makes them to 
 be Christians, that makes others to be none. 
 
 And now, shall our Redeemer be left to weep 
 alone, over these perishing souls ? have we no tears 
 to spend upon this doleful subject ! " O that our 
 heads were waters, and our eyes fountains !" Is it 
 nothing to us, that multitudes are sinking, going 
 down into perdition, under the name of Christian, 
 under the seal of baptism, from under the means 
 of life and salvation ! perishing, and we can do no- 
 thing to prevent it ! We know they must perish 
 that do not repent and turn to God, and love him 
 above all, even with " all their hearts and souls, 
 and mind and might ;" that do not believe in his Son, 
 and pay him homage, as their rightful Lord, sin- 
 cerely subjecting themselves to his laws and govern- 
 ment. But this they will not understand, or 
 not consider. Our endeavours, to bring them to 
 it, are ineffectual, it is but faint breath we utter. 
 Our words drop and die between us and them ! We 
 speak to them in the name of the eternal God 
 
49 
 
 tliat made them, of the great Jesus who bought 
 them with his blood, and they regard it not. The 
 Spirit of the Lord is, in a great degree, departed 
 from among us, and we take it not to heart ! We 
 are sensible of lesser grievances, are grieved that 
 men will not be more entirely proselyted to our se- 
 veral parties and persuasions, rather than that they 
 are so disinclined to become proselytes to real Chris- 
 tianity; and seem more deeply concerned to have 
 Christian religion so or so modified, than whether 
 there shall be any such thing; or whether men be 
 saved by it, or lost ! 
 
 This sad case, that so many were likely to be lost 
 under the first sound of the gospel; and the most 
 exemplary temper of our blessed Lord in reference 
 to it, are represented in the following Treatise ; with 
 design to excite their care for their own souls, who 
 need to be warned, and the compassions of others, 
 for them, who are so little apt to take warning. 
 The good Lord grant it may be, some way or other, 
 useful for good ! 
 
 JOHN HOWE. 
 
n 
 
REDEEMER'S TEARS 
 
 WEPT OVER 
 
 LOST SOULS. 
 
 Luke xix. 41, 42. 
 
 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and 
 wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even 
 thou, at least in this thy day, the things which be- 
 long unto thy peace ! but now they ore hid from 
 thine eyes. 
 
 We have here a compassionate lamentation in the 
 midst of a solemn triumph. Our Lord's approach 
 unto Jerusalem at this time, and his entrance into 
 it, as the foregoing history shows, carried with them 
 some face of regal and triumphal pomp, hut with such 
 allays, as discovered a mind most remote from osten- 
 tation; and led by judgment, not vain glory, to 
 transmit through a dark umbrage, some glimmerings 
 only of that excellent majesty which both his Son- 
 ship and his Mediatorship entitled him unto : a very 
 modest and mean specimen of his true indubious 
 royalty and kingly state. Such as might rather 
 c2 
 
52 
 
 intimate than plainly declare it, and rather afford an 
 after instruction to teachable minds, than beget a 
 present conviction and dread, in the stupidly obsti- 
 nate and unteachable. And this effect we find it 
 had, as is observed by another evangelical historian, 
 who, relating the same matter, how in his passage 
 to Jerusalem, the people met him with branches of 
 palm-trees, and joyful hosannas, he riding upon an 
 ass's colt, as princes or judges, to signify meekness 
 as much as state, were wont to do, tells us, '• These 
 things his disciples understood not at the first ; but 
 v/hen Jesus was glorified, then remembered they 
 that these things were written of him, and that they 
 
 had done these thincrs unto him." For wreat re- 
 ft o 
 
 gard was had in this, as in all the other acts of his 
 life and ministry, to that last and conclusive part, 
 '•' his dpng a sacrifice upon the cross for the sins 
 of men;" to observe all along that mediocrity, and 
 steer that middle course between obscurity and a 
 terrifying over-powering glory, that this solemn ob- 
 lation of himself might neither be prevented, nor 
 disregarded. Agreeably to this design, and the 
 rest of his course, he doth, in this solemnity, rather 
 discover his royal state and dignity by a dark em- 
 blem, than by an express representation; and shows 
 in it more of meekness and humility, than of aw- 
 ful majesty and magnificence, as was formerly pre- 
 dicted : " Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion ! 
 Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem ! Behold, thy 
 King come unto thee : he is just, and having sal- 
 vation, lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a 
 colt, the foal of an ass." 
 
53 
 
 And how little he was taken with this piece of 
 state, is sufficiently to be seen in this paragraph of 
 the chapter. His mind is much more taken up in 
 the foresight of Jerusalem's sad case ; and therefore 
 being come within view of it, (which he might very 
 commodiously have in the descent of the higher op- 
 posite hill, Mount Olivet,) he beheld the city, it is 
 said, and wept over it. 
 
 Two things concur to make up the cause of this 
 sorrow. 
 
 1. The greatness of the calamity: Jerusalem, 
 once so dear to God, was to suffer, not a scar, but 
 a ruin : " The days shall come upon thee, that thine 
 enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass 
 thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall 
 lay thee even with the ground, and thy children 
 within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one 
 stone upon another." 
 
 2. The lost opportunity of preventing it : " If thou 
 hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the 
 things which belong unto thy peace ! but now they 
 are hid from thine eyes," ver. 42. And again, 
 " Thou knowest not the time of thy visitation." 
 
 1st, Tlie calamity w^as greater in his eyes than it 
 can be in ours. His large and comprehensive mind 
 could take the compass of this sad case. Our 
 thoughts cannot reach far, yet we can apprehend 
 what may make this case very deplorable; we can 
 consider Jerusalem as the city of the great King, 
 where w^as the palace and throne of the Majesty of 
 Heaven, vouchsafing to dwell with men on earth. 
 Here the divine light and glory had long shone. 
 
54 
 
 Here was the sacred Shechinah, the dwelhng-place 
 of the Most High, the symbols of his presence, 
 the seat of worship, the mercy seat, the place of 
 receiving addresses, and of dispensing favours : the 
 house of prayer for all nations. To his own peo- 
 ple, this was the city of their solemnities, " whi- 
 ther the tribes were wont to go up, the tribes of 
 the Lord, unto the testimony of Israel, to give 
 thanks unto the name of the Lord : for there were 
 set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house 
 of Da\dd." He that was so great a lover of the 
 souls of men, how grateful and dear to his heart 
 had the place been where, through the succession 
 of many by-past ages, the great God did use, 
 though more obscurely, to unfold his kind propen- 
 sions towards sinners, to hold solemn treaties with 
 them, to make himself known; to draw and allure 
 souls into his own holy worship and acquaintance \ 
 And that now the dismal prospect presents itself, of 
 desolation and ruin, ready to overwhelm all this 
 glory ! and lay waste the dwellings of divine love ? 
 His sorrow must be conceived proportionable to the 
 greatness of this desolating change. 
 
 2nd, And the opportunity of prevention was quite 
 lost ! There was an opportunity : He was sent to 
 the lost sheep of the house of Israel : He came to 
 them as his own. Had they received him, O how 
 joyful a place had Jerusalem been ! How glorious 
 had the triumphs of the love of God been there, 
 had they repented, believed, and obeyed ! These 
 were the things that belonged to their peace ; this 
 was their opportunity, their day of visitation; these 
 
55 
 
 were the thincrs that might have been done within 
 that day : but it was now too late, their day wais 
 over, and the things of their peace hid from their 
 eyes. And how fervent were his desires they had 
 done otherwise ! taken the wise and safe course 1 
 " If thou hadst known !" The words admit the 
 optative form, si, being put, as it is observed to be 
 sometimes with other authors, for gf^g, utinam ; O 
 that thou hadst known, I wish thou hadst. His 
 sorrow must be proportionable to his love. Or other- 
 wise we may conceive the sentence incomplete, part 
 cut off by a more emphatical aposiopesis, tears in- 
 terrupting speech, and imposing a more speaking 
 silence, which imports an affection beyond all words. 
 They that were anciently so over-ofRcious as to erase 
 those words " and wept over it," out of the Canon, 
 as thinking it unworthy so divine a person to shed 
 tears, did greatly err, not knowing the Scriptures, 
 (which elsewhere speak of our Lord's weeping,) nor 
 the power of divine love, now become incarnate, 
 nor indeed the true perfections and properties of hu- 
 man nature : otherwise they had never taken upon 
 them to reform the gospel, and reduce not only 
 Christianity, but Christ himself to the measures 
 and square of their Stoical philosophy. But these 
 have also met with a like ancient confutation, i 
 
 One thing, before we proceed, needs some dis- 
 quisition, namely. Whether this lamentation of our 
 blessed Lord do refer only or ultimately to the 
 temporal calamity he foresaw coming upon Jerusa- 
 lem ? Or whether it had not a further and more 
 principal reference to their spiritual and eternal mi- 
 
56 
 
 series, that were certain to be concomitant, and 
 consequent thereunto? Where let it be consi- 
 dered, 
 
 1. That very dreadful spiritual plagues and judg- 
 ments did accompany their destruction very generally ; 
 which every one knows who is acquainted with their 
 after-story; that is, that takes notice what spirit 
 reigned among them, and what their behaviour was 
 towards our Lord himself, and afterwards towards 
 his apostles and disciples, all along to their fearful 
 catastrophe, as it may be collected from the sacred 
 records, and other history; what blindness of mind, 
 what hardness of heart, what mighty prejudice, what 
 inflexible obstinacy, against the clearest light, the 
 largest mercy, the most perspicuous and most gra- 
 cious doctrine, and the most glorious works wrought 
 to confirm it, against the britrhtest beams and evi- 
 dences of the di\ine truth, love and power : what per- 
 severing impenitency and infidehty against God and 
 Christ, proceeding from the bitterest enmity ; " Ye 
 have both seen and hated me and my Father :" what 
 mad rage and fury against one another, even when 
 death and destruction were at the very door. Here 
 were all the tokens imaginable, of the most tremen- 
 dous infatuation, and of their being forsaken of God; 
 here was a concurrence of all kinds of spiritual 
 judgments in the highest degree. 
 
 2. That the concomitancy of such spiritual evils 
 with their temporal destruction, our Lord foreknew, 
 as well as their temporal destruction itself. It ]ay 
 equally in view before him ; and was as much under 
 his eye. He that knew what was in man, could as 
 
well tell wliat would be in him. And by the same 
 light by which he could immediately look into hearts, 
 he could as well sec into futurities, and as well the 
 one futurity as the other. The knowledge of the 
 one he did not owe to his human understanding, — 
 to his divine understanding, whereby he knew all 
 things, the other could not be hid. 
 
 3. The connection between the impenitency and 
 infidelity that prove to be final, and eternal misery, 
 is known to us all. Of his knowledge of it there- 
 fore, (whose law hath made the connection, besides 
 what there is in the nature of the things themselves,) 
 there can be no doubt. 
 
 4. That the miseries of the soul, especially such 
 as prove incurable and eternal, are, in themselves, 
 far the greatest, we all acknowledge. Nor can we 
 make a difficulty to believe, that our Lord appre- 
 hended and considered things according as they were 
 in themselves, so as to allow every thing its own 
 proper weight and import, in his estimating of them. 
 These things seem all very evident to any eye. 
 
 Now though it be confessed not impossible, that 
 of things so distinct from one another, as outward 
 and temporal e\dl, and those that are spiritual and 
 eternal, even befalling the same persons, one may 
 for the present, consider the one, without attending 
 to the other, or making distinct reflection thereon at 
 the same time ; yet how unlikely is it, these things 
 bordering so closely upon one another as they did, 
 in the present case; that so comprehensive a mind 
 as our Saviour's was, sufficiently able to enclose 
 them both; and so spiritual a mind, apt, no doubt, 
 c3 
 
58 
 
 to consider most what was in itself most considera- 
 ble, should, in a solemn lamentation of so sad a 
 case, wholly overlook the saddest part ! and stay 
 his thoughts only upon the surface and outside of 
 it! 
 
 That he mentions only the approaching outward 
 calamity, ver. 43, 44. was that he spake in the 
 hearing of the multitude, and upon the way, but in 
 passing, when there was not opportunity lor large 
 discourse ; and therefore he spake what might soon- 
 est strike their minds, was most liable to common 
 apprehension, and might most deeply affect ordinary, 
 and not yet enough prepared hearers. 
 
 And he spake what he had, no doubt, a deep sense 
 of himself. Whatever of tender compassions might 
 be expected from the most perfect humanity and 
 benignity, could not be wanting in him, upon the 
 foresight of such a calamity as was coming upon that 
 place and people. But yet, what was the sacking 
 of a city, the destroying of pompous buildings, that 
 were all of a perishable material, the mangling of 
 human flesh, over which the worm was otherwise 
 shortly to have had dominion ; to the alienation of 
 men's minds from God, their disaffection to the only 
 means of their recovery, and reconciliation to him, 
 and their subjection to his wrath and curse for ever ! 
 When also it is plain he considered that perverse 
 temper of mind and spirit in them, as the cause of 
 their ruin ! which his own words imply ; that " the 
 things which belonged to their peace were hid from 
 their eyes ;" and that the things he foretold, should 
 befall thera, because "they knew not the day of 
 
59 
 
 their \isitation." For what could the things be that 
 belonged to their peace, but turning to God, beUev- 
 ing in himself, as the Messiah, bringing forth of 
 fruits meet for repentance? Whence also there 
 must be another latent, and concealed meaning of 
 their peace itself; than only their continual amity 
 with the Roman state ; their peace with heaven ; their 
 being set right, and standing in favour and accept- 
 ance" with God. For was it ever the first intention 
 of the things enjoined in the gospel, but to entitle 
 men to earthly secular benefits ? 
 
 Nor can we doubt but the same things lay deep 
 in the mind of our blessed Lord, when he uttered 
 these words, as when he spake those so very Hke 
 them ; " O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest 
 the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto 
 thee, how often would I have gathered thy children 
 together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens un- 
 der her wings, and ye would not ! Behold, your 
 house is left unto you desolate." These other were 
 not spoken indeed at the same time, but very soon 
 after. Those we are considering, in his v/ay to the 
 city, — these, when he was come into it ; most pro- 
 bably, by the series of the Evangelical History, the 
 second day, after his having lodged the first night 
 at Bethany. But it is plain they have the same 
 sense, and that the same things lay with great weight 
 upon his spirit ; so that the one passage may contri- 
 bute much to the enlightening and expounding o£ 
 the other. 
 
 Now, what can be meant by that, " I would have 
 gathered you as the hen her chickens under her 
 
60 
 
 wings ?" Could it intend a political meaning ? that 
 he would have been a temporal Prince and Saviour 
 to them ? which he so earnestly declined and dis- 
 claimed? professing to the last, "his kingdom was 
 not of this world?" It could mean no other thing, 
 but that he would have reduced them back to God ; 
 have gathered and united them under his own gra- 
 cious and safe conduct, in order thereto — have se- 
 cured them from the divine wrath and justice, and 
 have conferred on them spiritual and eternal bles- 
 sings. In a like sense* their peace here was no 
 doubt more principally to be understood ; and their 
 loss and forfeiture of it, by their not understanding 
 the things belonging thereto, considered, and la- 
 mented. 
 
 Therefore, the principal intention of this lamen- 
 tation, though directly applied to a community, and 
 the formed body of a people, is equally applicable 
 unto particular persons living under the gospel, or 
 to whom the ordinary means of their conversion and 
 salvation are vouchsafed, but are neglected by them 
 and forfeited. 
 
 We may therefore thus sum up the meaning and 
 sense of these words : — That it is a thing in itself 
 very lamentable, and much lamented by our Lord 
 Jesus, when such as living under the gospel, have 
 had a day of grace, and an opportunity of kno'wing 
 the things belonging to their peace, have so outworn 
 that day, and lost their opportunity, that the things 
 of their peace are quite hid from their eyes. 
 
 Where we have these distinct heads of discourse 
 to be severally considered and insisted on. 
 
61 
 
 I. What are the things necessary to be known by 
 such as Hve under the gospel, as immediately belong- 
 ing to their peace. 
 
 II. That they have a day or season wherein to 
 know, not these things only, but the whole compass 
 of their case, and what the knowledg-e of those thino-s 
 more immediately belonging to their peace supposes, 
 and depends upon. 
 
 III. That this day hath its bounds and Hmits, so 
 that when it is over and lost, those things are for 
 ever hid from their eyes. 
 
 IV. That this is a case to be considered with 
 deep resentment and lamentation, and was so by 
 our Lord Jesus. 
 
 I. What are the things necessary to be known 
 by such as live under the gospel, as immediately be- 
 longing to their peace. Where we are more parti- 
 cularly to inquire, 
 
 1. What those thino;s themselves are. 
 
 2. What sort of knowledge of them it is that is 
 here meant and made necessary. 
 
 1. What the things are which belong to the 
 peace of a people living under the gospel? The 
 things belonging to a people's peace, are not through- 
 out the same with all. Living, or not living under 
 the gospel, makes a considerable difference in the 
 matter. Before the incarnation, and public appear- 
 ance of our Lord, something was not necessary 
 among the Jews, that afterwards became necessary. 
 It was sufficient to them before, to believe in a 
 Messiah to come, more indefinitely. Afterwai'ds 
 
62 
 
 he plainly tells them, " If ye believe not that I am 
 he, ye shall die in your sins." Believing in Christ 
 cannot be necessary to pagans, that never heard of 
 him, as a duty, however necessary it may be as a 
 means. Their not believing in him cannot be it- 
 self a sin, though by it they should want remedy 
 for their other sins. But it more concerns us, who 
 do live under the gospel, to apprehend aright what is 
 necessary for ourselves. That is a short and full 
 summary which the Apostle gives, " Repentance 
 towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ." 
 The gospel finds us in a state of apostacy from God, 
 both as our sovereign Ruler, and sovereign Good : 
 not apt to obey and glorify him, as the former, nor 
 enjoy him, and be satisfied in him, as the latter. 
 Repentance towards God cures and removes this dis- 
 affection of our minds and hearts towards him, under 
 both these notions. By it the whole soul turns to 
 him, with this sense and resolution : — I have been a 
 rebellious disloyal wretch, against the high authority, 
 and most rightful government of him who gave me 
 breath, and whose creature I am ; I will live no lon- 
 ger thus. Lo, now 1 come back unto thee, O Lord, 
 thou art my Lord and God. Thee I now design to 
 serve and obey as the Lord of my Hfe, thee 1 will 
 fear, unto thee I subject myself, to live no longer 
 after my own will, but thine ; 1 have been hitherto 
 a miserable, forlorn, distressed creature, destitute 
 of any thing that could satisfy me, or make me hap- 
 py ; have set my heart upon a vain and thorny world, 
 that had nothing in it answerable to my real neces* 
 sities, that hath flattered and mocked me often, ne* 
 
63 
 
 ver satisfied me, and been wont to requite my pur- 
 suits of satisfaction from it ^vith vexation and trou- 
 ble, and pierce me through with many sorrows. 1 
 have borne, in the mean time, a disaffected heart to- 
 wards thee, have therefore cast thee out of my 
 thoughts, so that amidst all my disappointments and 
 sorrows, it never came into my mind to say, WHiere 
 is God my Maker ? I could never savour any thing 
 spiritual or divine, and was ever ready in distress to 
 turn myself any way than (that which I ought) to- 
 wards thee. I now see and bemoan my folly, and 
 with a convinced, self-judging heart, betake myself 
 to thee : " The desires of my soul are now unto 
 thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. Whom 
 have I in heaven but thee, or on earth that I can 
 desire besides thee." 
 
 This is repentance towards God ; and is one thing 
 belonging, and most simply necessary to our peace. 
 But though it be most necessary, it is not enough. 
 It answers to something of our wretched case, but 
 not to every thing. We were in our state of apos- 
 tacy, averse and disaffected to God. To this evil, 
 repentance towards him is the apposite and only pro- 
 per remedy. But besides our being without incli- 
 nation towards him, we were also without interest 
 in him. We not only had unjustly cast off him, 
 but were also most justly cast off by him. Our in- 
 justice had set us against him, and his justice had 
 set him against us ; wc need, in order to our peace 
 with him, to be relieved as well against his justice, 
 as our own injustice. What if now we would return 
 to liim, he will not receive us ? And he will not 
 
64 
 
 receive us for our own salces. He must have a rc- 
 compencc, for the ^vroug we had done him by our 
 rebellion against his government, and our contempt 
 of his goodness. Our repentance is no expiation. 
 Nor had we of our own, or were capable of obliging 
 Iiim to give us the power and grace to repent. Our 
 high violation of the sacred rights and honour of the 
 Godhead, made it necessary, in order to our peace 
 and reconciliation, there should be a sacrifice and a 
 Mediator between him and us. He hath judged it 
 not honoui'able to him, not becoming him to treat 
 with us, or vouchsafe us favours upon other terms. 
 And since he thought it necessary to insist upon 
 having a sacrifice, he judged it necessary too, to 
 have one proportionable to the wrong done, lest he 
 should make the Majesty of Heaven cheap, or oc- 
 casion men to think it a hght matter to have fun- 
 damentally overturned the common order which was 
 settled between himself and men. The whole earth 
 could not have afforded such a sacrifice, it must be 
 supplied from heaven. His co-eternal Son made 
 man, and so uniting heaven and earth in his own 
 person, undertakes to be that sacrifice, and, in the 
 virtue of it, to be a standing continual mediator be- 
 tw^een God and us: through him, and for his sake, 
 all acts and influences of grace are to proceed to- 
 wards us. No sin is to be forgiven, no grace to be 
 conferred but upon his account. It is reckoned 
 most God-like, most suitable to the divine greatness, 
 once offended, to do nothing that shall import favour 
 towards sinners, but upon his constant interposition. 
 Kim hath he set over us, and directed that all our 
 
65 
 
 applications to liimself, and all our expectations from 
 him, should be through him. " Him hath he ex- 
 alted to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give us re- 
 pentance and remission of sins." Now. to one so 
 high in power over us, he expects we should pay a 
 suitable homage. That homage the holy Scripture 
 calls by the name of faith, believing on him : " God 
 hath set him forth to be a propitiation, through faith 
 in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the re- 
 mission of sins that are past, through the forbear- 
 ance of God ; to declare his righteousness, that he 
 might be just, and the justifier of him which believ- 
 eth in Jesus." So that when by repentance we 
 turn to God, as our end, we must also apply our- 
 selves by faith, to our Lord Jesus Christ, as our 
 way to that end. Which till we do, we are in re- 
 bellion still, and know not what belongs to our peace. 
 He insists that his Son, into whose hands he hath 
 committed our affairs, should be honoured by us, as 
 he himself requires to be. 
 
 Now these two things sum up our part of the 
 covenant between God and us. By repentance we 
 again take God for our God. Repenting we return 
 to him as our God. By faith we take his Son for 
 our Prince and Saviour. These things, by the 
 tenor of the evangelical covenant, are required of us. 
 Peace is settled between God and us (as it is usually 
 with men towards one another after mutual hostili- 
 ties) by striking a covenant. And in our case it is 
 a covenant by sacrifice, as you have seen. Nor are 
 harder terms than these imposed upon us. Dost 
 thou now, sinner, apprehend thyself gone off from 
 
66 
 
 God? and find a war is commenced, and on foot be- 
 tween God and thee ? Pie can easily conquer and ^^ 
 crush thee to nothing, but he offers thee terms of - a 
 peace, upon which he is willing to enter into cove-:^^ 
 nant with thee. Dost thou Hke his terms? Art; t 
 thou wilhng to return to him, and take him again 
 for thy God ? to resign and commit thyself with un- 
 feigned trust and subjection, into the hands of his Son 
 thy Redeemer ? These are " the things v/hich be- 
 long to thy peace." See that thou now know them. 
 2. But what knowledge of them is it that is here 
 meant. The thing speaks itself. It is not a mere 
 contemplative knowledge. We must so know them 
 as to do them ; otherwise the increase of knowledge 
 is the increase of sorrow. Thy guilt and misery 
 will be the greater. To know any thmg that 
 concerns our practice, is to no purpose, if we do 
 not practise it. It was an Hebrew form of speech, 
 and is a common form, by words of knowledge to 
 imply practice. It being taken for granted, that in 
 matters so very reasonable and important, if what we 
 are to do, once be rightly known, it will be done. 
 Thus, elsewhere, the same great requisites to eter- 
 nal life and blessedness are expressed by our Lord ; 
 " This is life eternal, to know thee the only true 
 God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." It 
 being supposed and taken for granted, that a true 
 vivid knowledge of God and Christ will immediately 
 form the soul to all suitable dispositions and deport- 
 ments towards the one and the other; and conse- 
 quently to all men also, as Christian precepts do 
 direct to all the acts of sobriety, justice, and charity, 
 
67 
 
 unto which the law of Christ obHges. An habitual 
 course of sin, in any kind, is inconsistent with this 
 knowledge of the things of our peace, and therefore 
 with our peace itself. All sin is in a true sense re- 
 ducible to ignorance; and customary sinning into 
 total destitution of divine knowledge. Accordinir 
 to the usual style of the sacred writings, " Awake 
 to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not 
 the knowledge of God." " He that sinneth," that 
 is, that is a doer of sin, a worker of iniquity, 
 " hath not seen God." 
 
 II. Such as live under the gospel have a day, or 
 a present opportunity, for the obtaining the know- 
 ledge of these things immediately belonging to their 
 peace, and of whatsoever is besides necessary there- 
 unto. I say nothing of what opportunities they have 
 who never lived under the gospel ; who yet no doubt 
 might generally know more than they do ; and 
 know better what they do know. It suffices us who 
 enjoy the gospel, to understand our own advantages 
 thereby. Nor, as to those w^ho do enjoy it, is every 
 one's day of equal clearness. How few in compari- 
 son, have ever seen such a day as Jerusalem at this 
 time did ! made by the immediate beams of the Sun 
 of Righteousness ! Our Lord himself vouchsafing 
 to be their Instructor, so speaking as never man did, 
 and with such authority as far outdid their other 
 teachers, and astonished the hearers. In what 
 transports did he use to leave those that heard him, 
 wheresoever he came, " wondering at the gracious 
 words that came out of his mouth !" And with 
 what mighty and beneficial works was he wont to 
 
68 
 
 recommend his doctrine, shinmg in the glorious 
 power, and savouring of the abundant mercy of hea- 
 ven, so as every apprehensive mind might see the 
 Deity was incarnate ; God was come down to treat 
 with men, and allure them into the knowledge and 
 love of himself. " The word was made ficsh !" 
 What unprejudiced mind might not perceive it 
 to be so? He was there manifested and veiled 
 at once; both expressions are used concerning the 
 same matter. The divine beams were somewhat 
 obscured, but did yet ray through that veil; " so 
 that his glory vras beheld as the glory of the only 
 begotten Son of the Father, full of grace and 
 truth." This sun shone with a mild and benign, 
 but with a powerful vivifying light. " In him was 
 life, and that life was the light of men." Such a 
 light created unto the Jews this their day. Happy 
 Jews, if they had understood their own happiness ! 
 And the days that followed to them, for a while, 
 and the Gentile world were not inferior, in some re- 
 spects brighter and more glorious, (the more copious 
 gift of the Holy Ghost being reserved unto the 
 crowning and enthroning of the victorious Re- 
 deemer,) when the everlasting gospel fiew like light- 
 ning to the utmost ends of the earth ; and tlie word 
 *• which began to be spoken by the Lord himself, 
 was confirmed by them that heard him, God also 
 himself bearing them witness, with signs, and won- 
 ders, and gifts of the Holy Ghost." No such day 
 hath been seen this many an ago. Yet whitherso- 
 ever the same gospel, for substance, comes, it also 
 makes a dav of the same kind, and affords always 
 
69 
 
 true, though diminished Hght ; whereby, however, 
 the things of our peace might be understood and 
 known. The written gospel varies not; and if it 
 be but simply and plainly proposed, (though to some 
 it be proposed with more advantage, to some with 
 less,) yet still v/e have the same things immediately 
 relating to our peace, extant before our eyes, and 
 divers things besides, which it concerns us to be ac- 
 quainted with, that we may, the more distinctly, and 
 to better purpose, understand these things. For 
 instance, 
 
 1. We have the true and distinct state of the 
 quarrel between God and us. Pagans have under- 
 stood somewhat of the apostacy of man from God; 
 that he is not in the same state wherein he was at 
 first. But while they have understood that some- 
 thing v/as amiss, they could scarcely tell what. The 
 gospel reveals the universal depra\dty of the degene- 
 rate nature even of all men, and of every faculty in 
 man : '• That there is none that doeth good, no 
 not one" — and that every one is altogether be- 
 come filthy and impure; that tliere is an entire old 
 man to be put off, wholly corrupt by deceivable lusts ; 
 that the noblest powers are vitiated, the mind and con- 
 science defiled ; that the spirit of the mind needs re- 
 newing, is sunk into carnality ; and that " the carnal 
 mind is enmity against God, and is not subject to his 
 law, nor can be;" nor capable of savouring the things 
 of God: that the sinner is in the flesh under the do- 
 minion and power, and in the possession of the flesh- 
 ly sensual nature, and can therefore neither obey 
 God, nor enjoy him ; that it is become impossible to 
 
70 
 
 him, either to please God, or to be pleased with him; 
 that the sinner's quarrel therefore with God, is about 
 the most appropriate rights of the Godhead. The 
 controversy is, who shall be God, which is the su- 
 preme authority, and which is the supreme good. 
 The former peculiarity of the Godhead, the lapsed 
 creature is become so insolent, as to usurp and arro- 
 gate to himself. When he is become so much less 
 than a man, a very beast, he will be a God. His 
 sensual will shall be his only law. He lives and 
 walks after the flesh, serves divers lusts and plea- 
 sures, and says, Who is Lord over me? But be- 
 ing conscious that he is not self-sufficient, that he 
 must be beholden to somewhat foreign to himself 
 for his satisfaction, and finding nothhig else suit- 
 able to his sensual inclination ; that other divine pe- 
 culiarity, to be the supreme good, he places upon 
 the sensible world; and for this purpose that shall 
 be his God ; so that between himself and the world, 
 he attempts to share the undivided Godhead. This 
 is a controversy of a high nature, and about other 
 matters than even the Jewish Rabbins thought of, 
 who, when Jerusalem was destroyed, supposed God 
 Was angry with them for their neglect of the recita- 
 tion of their philacteries morning and evening; or 
 that they were not respectful enough to one another; 
 ^^''(^1^," thiit distance enough was not observed between 
 superiors and inferiors. The gospel impleads men 
 as rebels against their rightful Lord : but of this 
 treason against the Majesty of Heaven, men little 
 suspect themselves till they are told. The gospel 
 tells them so plainly, represents the matter in so 
 
' cl^ar a light, that they need only to contemplate 
 ^emselves in that light, and they may see that so it 
 is. Men may indeed, by resolved, stifF winking, 
 create to themselves a darkness amidst the clearest 
 
 , li^t. But open thine eyes, man: thou that Hvest 
 under the gospel, set thyself to view thine own soul, 
 thou wilt find it is day with thee ; thou hast a day, 
 hy being under the gospel, and light enough to see 
 that this is the posture of thy soul, and the state of 
 tl^y case God ward. And it is a great matter to- 
 wards the understanding the things of thy peace,, to 
 know aright what is the true state of the quarrel 
 between God and thee. 
 
 2. The gospel affords light to know what the issue 
 of this quarrel is sure to be, if it go on, and there be 
 
 ^ no reconciliation. It gives us other and plainer ac- 
 counts of the punishments of the other world — more 
 fully represents the extremity and perpetuity of the 
 future miseries, and state of perdition appointed for 
 the ungodly world — speaks out concerning the " To- 
 phet prepared of old" — " the lake of fire and brim- 
 stone*' — shows the miseries of that state to be the 
 immediate effects of divine displeasure-^that , the 
 breath of the Almighty, as a river of brimstone, al- 
 ways foments those flames — that "indignation and 
 wrath" cause the "tribulation and anguish" which 
 must be the portion of evil-doers ; and how " fearful 
 a thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God!" 
 and gives us to understand what accession men's 
 own unaltered vicious habits will give to their mise- 
 
 xies; their own outrageous lusts and passions, which 
 here they made it their businesi to satisfv, becom- 
 
72 
 
 ing their insatiable tormentors; that they are to 
 receive " the things done in the body, according to 
 what they havp done," and that " what they have 
 sowed the same also they are to reap," and what 
 their own guilty reflections will contribute, the bit- 
 ings and gnawings of the worm that dies not, the 
 venomous corrosions of the viper bred in their own 
 bosoms, and now become a full-grown serpent ; v/hat 
 the society and insults of devils, with whom they are 
 to partake in woes and torments, and by whom they 
 have been seduced and trained into that cursed part- 
 nership and communion ; and that this fire ^'herein 
 they are to be tormented together is to be everlast- 
 ing, " a fire never to be quenched." If men be 
 left to their own conjecture only, touching the dan- 
 ger they incur by continuing and keeping up a war 
 Mith heaven, and are to make their own hell, and 
 that it be the creature only of their own imagination'; 
 it is like they will make it as easy and favourable as 
 tliey can ; and so are little likely to be urged earnestly 
 to sue for peace by the imagination of a tolerable 
 hell. But if they understand it to be altogether 
 intolerable, this may make them bestir themselves, 
 arid think the favour of God worth the seeking. 
 The gospel imports favour and kindness to you, 
 when it imports most of terror, in telling yoii so 
 plainly the worst of your case, if you go on in a Tsin- 
 ful course. It makes you a day by which you may 
 make a truer judgment of the blackn^s, darkness, 
 and horror of that everlasting night that is coming 
 upon you ; and lets you know that black and endless 
 night is introduced by a terrible preceding day, that 
 
73 
 
 day of the Lord, the business whereof is judgment. 
 They that Hve under the gospel cannot pretend they 
 are in darkness, so as that day should overtake them 
 as a thief; and that, by surprise, they should be 
 doomed and abandoned to the regions of darkness. 
 The gospel forewarns you plainly of all this : which 
 it does not merely to fright and torment you before 
 the time, but that you may steer your course another 
 way, and escape the place and state of torment. It 
 only says this, that it may render the more accept- 
 able to you what it hath to say besides; and only 
 threatens you with these things if there be no re- 
 conciliation between God and you. But then, at 
 the same time, 
 
 3. It also represents God to you as reconcil- 
 able through a Mediator. In that gospel peace is 
 preached to you, by Jesus Christ. That gospel 
 lets you see " God in Christ reconciling the world 
 unto himself, that sin may not be imputed to them." 
 That gospel proclaims " glory to God in the highest, 
 peace on earth, good will towards men." So did the 
 voices of angels sum up the glad tidings of the gos- 
 pel, when the Prince of Peace was born into the 
 world. It tells you, " God desireth not the deatli 
 of sinners, but that they may turn and live;" that 
 he would have " all men be saved, and come to the 
 knowledge of the truth:" that he is " long-suffering 
 towards them, not wilhng that any should perish, 
 but that all should come to repentance;" that he "so 
 loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, 
 til at whosoever beheves on him should not perish, 
 but have everlasting life." The rest of the world 
 
•r4 
 
 cannot but collect, from darker intimations, God's 
 favourable propensioiis towards them^ He spares 
 them, is patient towards them, that herein his 
 goodness might lead them to repentance. He sus- 
 tains them; lets them dwell 4h a world which they 
 might understand was of his making, and whereof 
 he is the absolute Lord. " They live, move, and 
 have their being in him, that they might seek after 
 Iiim, and by feeling find him out/' He doeth them 
 •-* good; gives them rain from heaven, and fruitfiil 
 seasons, filling their hearts with food and gladness/' 
 He lets his sun shine on them, whose far extended 
 beams show forth his kindness and benignity to 
 men, even to the utmost etidsbf the earthi' '"^^F^r 
 there is no speech or language whither his line aild 
 circle reaches not." But those are but dull and 
 •glimmering beams in comparison of those that shine 
 from the Sun of Righteousness through the gospel- 
 revelation, and in respect of that divine g^lory which 
 
 - appears in the face of Jesus Christ. How clearly 
 doth the light of this gospel-day reveal God's de- 
 sign of reducing sinners, and reconciling them to 
 
 - himself by a Redeemer I How canst thou but say, 
 • sinner, thou hast a day of it? and clear day-Hght, 
 
 showing thee what the good and acceptable will of 
 ' 'God towards thee is ? Thou art not left to guess 
 "^only; thou may est be reconciled and find mercy; 
 ^mti&'ib grope and feel thy way in the dark, unless^ it 
 ''ire a darkness of thy own making. And whereas a 
 ^' sinner, a disloyal rebellious creature, that hath af- 
 ' frbted'th^ Majesty of heaVeff,'^^nd engaged against 
 
 himself the wrath and justice of his Maker, and is 
 
unable to make liim any recompence, can have no 
 reason to hope God will show him mercy, and be 
 reconciled to him for his own sake, or for any thing 
 he can do to obhge or induce him to it : the same 
 gospel shows you plainly, it is for the Redeemer's 
 sake, and what he hath done and suffered to procure 
 it. But inasmuch, also, as the sinner may easily 
 apprehend, that it can never answer the necessities of 
 his state and case, that God only be not his enemy ; 
 that he forbear hostilities towards him ; pursue him 
 not with vengeance to his destruction. For he finds 
 ..himself an indigent creature, and he needs some- 
 oiv'hat beyond what he hath ever yet met with to make 
 him happy ; that it is uneasy and grievous to wander 
 up and down, with craving desires among varieties of 
 objects that look speciously, but which, either he 
 -cannot so far compass as to make a trial what there 
 -ib., iu them, or wherewith, upon trial, he finds hini- 
 dsdif mocked and disappointed, and that really they 
 have nothing in them. He finds himself a mortal 
 creature, and considers that if he had ail that he can 
 co^et in _^ this, world,, the increase of his present en- 
 j.joyments doth but increase unto him trouble and 
 ,^anguish of heait, while he thinks what great things 
 l(Jie must shortly leave and lose for ever; to go, he 
 8fcknow3 not whither, into darksome gloomy regions ; 
 , .where he cannot so much as imagine any thing suit- 
 able to his inclinations and desires. For he knows 
 I. all that is delectable to his present sense, he must 
 ,'ihere leave behind him ; and he cannot divest himself 
 of all apprehensions of a future state, wherein if 
 
76 
 
 God should make him suffer nothing, yet if he hath 
 nothing to enjoy, he must be always miserable. 
 
 4. The gospel, therefore, further represents to 
 him the final, eternal blessedness, and glorious state, 
 which they that are reconciled shall be brought into. 
 They that live under the gospel are not mocked 
 with shadows, and empty clouds, nor with fabulous 
 elysiums : nor are they put off with some unintelH- 
 gible notion of only being happy in the general; 
 but are told expressly wherein their happiness is to 
 consist. " Life and immortality are brought to 
 light in the gospel." It is given them to understand 
 " how great a good is laid up in store." The 
 " things which eye hath not seen, and ear not heard, 
 and which otherwise could not have entered into the 
 heart of man ;" the things of God's present and 
 eternal kino-dom are set in view. It shows the fu- 
 
 o 
 
 ture state of the reconciled shall consist not only in 
 freedom from what is evil, but in the enjoyment of 
 the best and most delectable good. That God 
 himself, in all his glorious fulness, will be their 
 eternal and most satisfyijig portion : that their bles- 
 sedness is to lie in the perpetual fruitive vision of 
 his blessed face, and in the fulness of joy, and the 
 everlasting pleasures, which the divine presence it- 
 self doth perpetually afford. And whereas their 
 glorious Redeemer is so nearly allied to them, flesh 
 of their flesh, and bone of their bone, who, " inas- 
 much as the children v/ere made partakers of flesh 
 and blood, he also himself likewise took part of 
 the same," and is become, by special title, theii 
 
77 
 
 authorized Lorct, they are assured (of that, than 
 which nothing should be more grateful to them) 
 *' they shall be for ever with the Lord ;" that " they 
 are to be where he is, to behold his glory;" and 
 shall be joint-heirs with Christ, and be glorified 
 together with him; shall partake according to their 
 measure and capacity, in the same blessedness which 
 he enjoys. Thou canst not pretend, sinner, who 
 livest under the gospel, that thou hast not the light 
 of a day to show thee what blessedness is ! Heaven 
 is opened to thee. Glory beams down from thence 
 upon thee, to create thee a day, by the light whereof 
 thou mayest see, with sufficient clearness, what is 
 the inheritance of the saints in Hght. And though 
 all is not told thee, and it do not in every respect 
 appear what we shall be ; so much may be foreknown, 
 " that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, 
 and shall see him as he is." And because the heart, 
 as yet carnal, can savour Httle of all this, and find- 
 ing itself strange and disaffected to God, affecting 
 now to be without Christ and without God in the 
 world, may easily apprehend it impossible to it to be 
 happy in an undesired good, or that it can enjoy 
 what it dislikes; or, in the meaji time, walk in a 
 way to which it finds in itself nothing but utter 
 averseness and disinclination. 
 
 5. Tlie gospel further shows us what is to bdt 
 wrought and done in us to attemper and frame our 
 spirits to our future state, and present way to it. 
 It lets us know we are to be " born again; born 
 from above ; born of God ; made partakers of a divine 
 nature," that will make the temper of our spirits 
 
rs 
 
 connatural to the divine presence: That wherens 
 *•■ God is light, and with him is no darkness at all ;" 
 we, " who were darkness, shall be made light in tbt 
 Lord:" That we are to be "begotten again to^^ 
 lively hope; to the eternal and undefiled inheritancfe 
 that is reserved in the heavens fdr-%s t^ ^hat we>'^ 
 thus to be made "meet; to be itlade partakers of 
 that inheritance of the saints in light :" And, as we 
 are to be eternally conversant with Christy *iv^«"^lfe 
 here to put on Christ; to have Christ in us, the 
 hope of glory. And, whereas, only the way of ho- 
 liness and obedience leads to blessedness, that we 
 are to be " created in Christ Jesus to good works; 
 to walk in them ;" and shall thereupon find the ways 
 prescribed to us by him, who is the Wisdom of 
 God, to be " all ways of pleasantness and paths of 
 peace." That he will " put his Spirit into us, and 
 cause us to walk in his statutes," and to account that 
 " in keeping them there is great reward." And 
 thus all that is contained in that mentioned summary 
 of the things belonging to our peace, " Repentance 
 towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ," 
 will all become easy to us, and as the acts of nature; 
 proceeding frbiii^hat new and holy natute imparted 
 
 ^to us. "'■ '''■"■'-- 
 
 ' '"'^jf^iid whosoever thou art that livest under the 
 gospel, canst thou deny that it is day with thee, 
 as to all this ? Wast thou never told of this great 
 necessary heart-change? Dickf thou never hear 
 that the " tree must be made good that the friiit 
 might be good?" that thou must become a "new 
 creature; have bid things done away, and all things 
 
7§ 
 
 made new?" Didst thou never hear of the neces- 
 sity of having a new heart, and a right spirit created 
 and renewed in thee; that except thou wert bom 
 again, or from above, (as that expression may be read,) 
 thou couldst " never enter into the kingdom of 
 God ?" Wast thou kept in ignorance, that a form 
 of godliness, without the power of it^ would never 
 do thee good? that a name to live, without the 
 principle of the holy divine life, would never save 
 thee ? that a specious outside, that all .the external 
 performances, while thou wentest with ap unrenewed, 
 earthly, cai*nal heart, would never advantage thee as 
 to tliv eternal salvation and blessedness ? And this 
 might help thine understanding concerning the ua- 
 tture of thy future blessedness, and will be found 
 l;most aoTeeable to it, beincr aright understood; for 
 as thou art not to be blessed by a blessedness with- 
 out thee, and distant from thee, but inwrought into 
 thy temper, and intimately united with thee; nor 
 glorified by an external glory, but by a glory reveal- 
 -ed within thee: so, neither canst thou be qualified for 
 ''jtliat blessed, glorious state, otherwise than by hav- 
 ing the temper of thy soul made habitually holy and 
 good. As what a good man partakes of happiness 
 here, is such, that he is satisfied from himself; so 
 it must be hereafter, not originally from himself, 
 .M^ut by divine communication made most intimate to 
 Y{.kim. Didst thou not know that it belonged to thy 
 peace, to have a peace-maker ? and that the Son of 
 ,,,(jiod was he? and that he makes not the peace of 
 w4to?e. thi^t despise and i^fiv^ him, or th^t ^receive 
 gt^him not; that come not to him^^ian^.^^Live i\ot, filling 
 
80 
 
 to come to God by him? Couldst thou think, 
 living under the gospel, that the reconciliation be- 
 tween God and thee was not to be mutual ? that he 
 would be reconciled to thee while thou wouldst not 
 be reconciled to him, or shouldst still bear towards 
 him a disaffected implacable heart? For couldst 
 thou be so void of all understanding, as not to appre- 
 hend what the gospel was sent to thee for ? or why 
 it was necessary to be preached to thee, or that thou 
 shouldst hear it ? Who was to be reconciled by a 
 gospel preached to thee but thyself? Who was to 
 be persuaded by a gospel sent to thee; God, or thou? 
 Who is to be persuaded but the unwilling ? The 
 gospel, as thou hast been told, reveals God wiUing 
 to be reconciled, and thereupon beseeches thee to 
 be reconciled to him ! Or could it seem likely to 
 thee, thou couldst ever be reconciled to God, and 
 continue unreconciled to thy reconciler? To what 
 purpose is there a day's-man, a middle person be- 
 tween God and thee, if thou wilt not meet him in 
 that middle person? Dost thou not know that 
 Christ avails thee nothing, if thou still stand at a 
 distance from him ; if thou dost not unite and join 
 thyself to him, or art not in him ? And dost thou 
 not again know, that divine power and grace must 
 unite thee to him ? and that a work must be wrought 
 and done upon thy soul by an Almighty hand ; by 
 God himself; a mighty transforming work to make 
 thee capable of that union ? that " whosoever is in 
 Christ is a new creature?" that thou must be (of 
 God) in Christ Jesus, " who then is made unto 
 thee (of God also) wisdom, righteousness, sane- 
 
81 
 
 tification, and redemption ;" every way answering 
 the exigency of tliy ca^e, as thou art a foolish, 
 guilty, impure, and enslaved, or lost creature? 
 Didst thou never hear, that none can come to 
 Christ but whom the Father draws? and that he 
 draws the reasonable souls of men, not violently, or 
 against their wills, (he draws, yet drag's them not,) 
 but makes them willing in the day of power, by 
 giving a new nature, and new inclinations to them ? 
 It is sure, with thee, not dark night ; not a dubious 
 twilight, but broad day as to all this. 
 
 Yes, perhaps thou mayest say, but this makes 
 my case the worse, not the better; for it gives me 
 at length to understand, that what is necessary to 
 my peace and welfare is impossible to me: and so 
 the light of my day doth but serve to let me see 
 myself miserable and undone, and that I have nothing 
 to do to relieve and help myself. I therefore add, 
 
 6. That, by being under the gospel, men have 
 not only light to understand whatever is any way 
 necessary to their peace, but opportunity to obtain 
 that communication of divine power and grace where- 
 by to comply with the terms of it. Whereupon, if 
 this be made good, you have not a pretence left you 
 to say your case is the worse, or that you receive 
 any prejudice by what the gospel reveals of your 
 own impotency to relieve and help yourselves; or 
 determines touching the terms of your peace and sal- 
 vation, making such things necessary thereto, as are 
 to you impossible, and out of your own present 
 power ; unless it be a prejudice to you not to have 
 your pride gratified ; and that God hath pitched upon 
 d3 
 
82 
 
 such a method for your salvation, as shall wholly 
 turn to the praise of the glory of his grace, or that 
 you are to be (of him) in Christ Jesus, " that who- 
 soever glories, might glory in the Lord." Is it for 
 a sinner that hath deserved, and is ready to perish, 
 to insist upon being saved with reputation ? or to 
 envy the great God, upon whose pleasure it wholly 
 depends whether he shall be saved or not saved, the 
 entire glory of saving him? For otherwise, ex- 
 cepting the mere business of glory and reputation, 
 is it not all one to you, whether you have the power 
 in your own hands of changing your hearts, of being 
 the authors to yourselves, of that holy new nature, 
 out of which actual faith and repentance areHto 
 spring, or whether you may have it from the God of 
 all grace, flowing to you from its own proper divine 
 fountain ; your case is not sure really the worse; 
 that your salvation from first to last is to be all of 
 grace, and that it is impossible to you to repent and 
 beUeve, while it is not simply impossible; but that 
 he can effectually enable you thereto, " unto whom 
 all things are possible;" supposing that he will (of 
 which I shall afterwards speak) : nay, and it is more 
 glorious and honourable, even to you, if you under- 
 stand yourselves, that your case is so stated as it is. 
 The gospel, indeed, plainly tells you that your re- 
 pentance must be given you. Christ is exalted to 
 be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and 
 remission of sins. And so must your faith, and 
 that frame of spirit, which is the principle of all 
 good works. "By grace ye are saved, through 
 faith, not of yourselves, it is the gift of God : not of 
 
works, lest any man should boast: for we are liis 
 workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good 
 works, which God hath before ordained that we 
 should walk in them." Is it more glorious to have 
 nothing in you but what is self-sprung, than to have 
 your souls the seat and receptacle of divine communi- 
 cations ; of so excellent things as could have no other 
 than an heavenly original? If it were not absurd 
 and impossible you should be self-begotten, is it not 
 much more glorious to be born of God? as they are 
 said to be that receive Chiist : " But as many as 
 received him, to them gave he power to become the 
 sons of God, even to them that believe on his name ; 
 which were born, not, of blood, nor of the will of the 
 flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." 
 
 And now, that by being under the gospel, you 
 have the opportunity of getting that grace, which is 
 necessary to your, peace and salvation; you may see, 
 if you consider, what the gospel is, and was designed 
 for. It is the ministration of the Spirit; that Spirit, 
 by. which you are to be born again. The work of 
 regeneration consists in the impregnating, and mak- 
 ing lively and efficacious in you the holy truths con- 
 tained m the gospeL " Of his own good will begat 
 he us with the word of truth, that we should be a 
 kind of first-fruits of his creatures." And again, 
 '•being bom again, not of corruptible seed, but of 
 incorruptible, by the word of God." So our Savi- 
 our prays : " Sanctify them through thy truth, thy 
 word is truth." The gospel is, upon this account, 
 called "the word of life," as by which the princi- 
 ples of that divine and holy life are implanted, in the 
 
84 
 
 soul, whereby we live to God, do what his gospel 
 requires, and hath made our duty, and that ends at 
 length in eternal life. .- - t<>'f gt 
 
 But you will say, Shall all then that live under 
 the gospel obtain this grace and holy life ? or if they 
 shall not, or if, so far as can be collected, multitudes 
 do not, or perhaps in some places that enjoy the 
 gospel, very few do, in comparison of them that do 
 not ; what am I the better ? when perhaps it is far 
 more likely that I shall perish notwithstanding, than 
 be saved? 
 
 In answer to this, it must be acknowledged, that 
 all that Hve under the gospel do not obtain life and 
 saving grace by it. For then there had been no 
 occasion for this lamentation of our blessed Lord 
 over the perishing inhabitants of Jerusalem, as 
 having "lost their day," and "that the things of 
 their peace were now hid from their eyes," and by 
 that instance it appears too possible that even the 
 generality of a people living under the gospel, may 
 fall at length into the like forlorn and hopeless con- 
 dition. 
 
 But art thou a man that thus objectest ? a rea- 
 sonable understanding creature? or dost thou use 
 the reason and understanding of a man in objecting 
 thus? Didst thou expect that when thine own 
 wilful transgression had made thee liable to eternal 
 death and wrath, peace and Hfe, and salvation should 
 be imposed upon thee whether thou wouldst or not, 
 or notwithstanding thy most wilful neglect and con- 
 tempt of them, and all the means of them ? Could 
 it enter into thy mind, that a reasonable soul should 
 
85 
 
 be wrought and framed for that high and blessed end, 
 whereof it is radically capable, as a stock or a stone 
 is for any use it is designed for ; without designing 
 its own end or way to it ? Couldst thou think the 
 gospel was to bring thee to faith and repentance, 
 whether thou didst hear it or not ? or ever apply thy 
 mind to consider the meaning of it, and what it did 
 propose and offer to thee? or when thou mightest so 
 easily understand that the grace of God was neces- 
 sary to make it effectual to thee, and that it might 
 become his power (or the instrument of his power) 
 to thv salvation ; couldst thou think it concerned thee 
 not, to sue and supplicate to him for that grace, 
 when thy life lay upon it, and thy eternal hope? 
 Hast thou lain weltering at the footstool of the 
 throne of grace in thine own tears (as thou hast been 
 formerly weltering in thy sins and impurities) crying 
 for grace to help thee in this time of thy need? 
 And if thou thinkest this was above thee, and with- 
 out thy compass, hast thou done all that was within 
 thy compass, in order to the obtaining of grace at 
 God's hands ? 
 
 But here, perhaps, thou wilt inquire. Is there 
 any thing then to be done by us, whereupon the 
 grace of God may be expected certainly to follow ? 
 
 To which I answer, 1. That it is out of ques- 
 tion nothing can be done by us to deserve it, or for 
 which we may expect it to follow. It were not 
 grace if we had obliged, or brought it by our desert 
 under former preventive bonds to us. And 2. 
 What if nothing c^n be done by us upon which it 
 may be (certainly) expected to follow? Is a cer- 
 
8^ 
 
 tainty of perishing better than a high probability of 
 being saved? 3. Such as Hve under the gospe^di 
 have reason to apprehend it highly probable theyi/a 
 may obtain that grace which is necessary to thei^nr^ 
 salvation, if they be not wai>ting to themselves^gi 
 For, 4. There is generally afforded to such, thafem 
 which is wont to be called common grace. I speakni. 
 not of any further extent of it, it is enough to outxr; 
 present purpose, that it extends so far, as to themab 
 that live under the gospel, and have thereby a dayBS^ 
 allowed them wherein to provide for their peaceiijr 
 Now, though this grace is not yet certainly saviug^ud 
 yet it tends to that which is so. And none have; I 
 cause to despair, but that being duly improved and 
 complied with, it may end in it. - ,. 
 
 And this is that which requires to be insisted on,/.): 
 and more fully evinced. In order thereto, let it be ii 
 considered. That it is expressly said to such, theyic 
 are to work out their salvation with fear and trem^^ r 
 bling, for this reason, that God works (or is work-.L 
 ing) in them, that is, is statedly, and continually at 
 work, or is ^ways ready to work in them, " to will, 
 and to do, of his own good pleasure." The matter 
 fails not on his part. He will work on in order to 
 their salvation,, if they work in that way of subordi- 
 nate co-operation which his command, and the neces- 
 sity of their own case olfce them unto. And it is 
 further to be considered, that where God had for- 
 merly afforded the symbols of his gracious presence, 
 given his oracles, and settled his church, though yet 
 in its feoriag«, and much more imperfect state, there 
 he however communicated those influences of his 
 
Spirit, that it was to be imputed to themselves if 
 they came short of the saving operations of it. Of 
 such it was said, " Thou gavest thy good Spirit to 
 instruct them." And to such, " Turn ye at my 
 reproof: I will pour out my Spirit to you; I will 
 make known my words unto you. Because I called 
 and you refused, 1 stretched out my hand and no 
 man regarded, but ye set at nought my counsel, and 
 despised all my reproof, I also will laugh at your 
 calamity," &c. We see whence their destruction 
 came, not from God's first restraint of his Spirit, 
 but their refusing, despising, and setting at nought 
 his counsels and reproofs. And when it is said, 
 ** they rebelled and vexed his Spirit," and he there- 
 fore " turned and fought against them, and became 
 their enemy," Isa. Ixiii. 10. it appears, that before 
 his Spirit was not withheld, but did variously, and 
 often make essays and attempts upon them. And 
 when Stephen, immediately before his martyrdom, 
 thus bespeaks the descendants of these Jews, " Ye 
 stiff-necked and uncircumcised, ye do always resist 
 the Holy Ghost; as your fathers did, so do ye," 
 it is implied, the Holy Ghost has been always 
 striving, from age to age, with that subborn peo-, 
 pie ; for where there is no counter-striving there 
 can be no resistance, no more than there can be a 
 war on one side only. Which also appears to have 
 been the course of God's dealing with the old world, 
 before their so general lapse into idolatry and sensual 
 wickedness, from that passage, Gen. vii B. (accord- 
 ing to the more common reading uajadi^aenae^f tho80 n; 
 words.) V ^i^;a^i?iiHill ^6C'l!!J boJt:L>in)Mnxno'j i:j.'t»'^-id mi 
 
88 
 
 Now, whereas the gospel is eminently said to be 
 the ministration of the Spirit, in contradistinction 
 not only to the natural rehgion of other nations, 
 but the divinely-instituted religion of the Jews also, 
 as is largely discoursed, 2 Cor. iii. and more largely 
 through the epistle to the Galatians, especially chap, 
 iv. and whereas we find that in the Jewish Church, 
 the Holy Ghost did generally diffuse its influences, 
 and not other\nse withhold them, than penally, and 
 upon great provocation, how much more may it be 
 concluded that under the gospel, the same blessed 
 Spirit is very generally at work upon the souls of 
 men, till by their resisting, grieving, and quench- 
 ing of it, they provoke it to retire and withdraw 
 from them. 
 
 And let the consciences of men living under the 
 gospel testify in the case. Appeal, sinner, to thine 
 own conscience : Hast thou never felt any thing of 
 conviction, by the word of God? hadst thou never 
 any thought injected of turning to God, of reform- 
 ing thy life, of making thy peace ? have no desires 
 ever been raised in thee, no fears ; hast thou never 
 had any tastes and relishes of pleasure in the things 
 of God ? whence have these come ? what, from thy- 
 self? who art not sufficient to think any thing as of 
 thyself, that is, not any good or right thought ! 
 All must be from that good Spirit that hath been 
 striving with thee ; and might still have been so 
 unto a blessed issue for thy soul, if thou hadst not 
 neglected and disobeyed it. 
 
 And do not go about to excuse thyself by saying, 
 that so all others have done too ; it is like, at one 
 
89 
 
 time or other ; and if that therefore be the rule and 
 measure that they that contend against the strivings 
 and motions of God's Spirit must be finally deserted, 
 and given up to perish, who then can be saved ? 
 Think not of pleading so far thy neglecting and 
 despising the grace and Spirit of God. It is true, 
 that herein the great God shows his sovereignty, 
 when all that enjoy the same advantages for salva- 
 tion deserve by their slighting them to be forsaken 
 aUke ; he gives instances and makes examples of just 
 severity, and of the victorious power of grace as 
 seems him good, which there will be further occasion 
 to speak more of hereafter. In the mean time, the 
 present design is not to justify thy condemnation, 
 but procure thy salvation ; and therefore to admon- 
 ish and instruct thee, that, though thou art not 
 sure, because some others that have sliffhted and 
 despised the grace and Spirit of God are notwith- 
 standing conquered and saved thereby, it shall there- 
 fore fare as well with thee ; yet thou hast reason to 
 be confident, it will be well and happy for thee, if, 
 now, thou despise and slight them not. And 
 whether thou do or do not, it is however plain, that 
 by thy being under the gospel, thou hast had a day 
 wherein to mind the things of thy peace (though it 
 is not told thee it would last always, but the con- 
 trary is presently to be told thee.) 
 
 And thou mayest now see it is not only a day in 
 respect of light, but influence also ; that thou might- 
 est not only know notionally what belonged thereto, 
 but efficaciously and practically, which you have 
 heard is the knowledge here meant. And the 
 
90 
 
 concurrence of such light and influence have ma*^^.; 
 thee a season wherein thou wast to have beei^^^fy^ 
 work for thy soul. The day is tlie proper season 
 for work; when the night comes working ceases, 
 both because that then hght fails,, ao^ bfie^M^ffi 
 drowsiness and sloth are more apt to possess, mex^^jj 
 And the night will come. For, which is the ne^^j 
 tiling we are to speak to^if.lqmoi^r^ douE rfjiw smij- % 
 
 III. This day hath its 'bounds and limits; so tb^ 
 when it is over, and lost with such, the tilings of r 
 their peace are for ever hid from their eyes. And 
 that this day is not infinite and endless, we see in 
 the present instance. Jerusalem had her day; but 
 that day had its period, we see it comes to this at 
 last, that now the things of her peace are hid frow^ 
 her eyes. We generally see the same thing, h^* 
 that sinners are so earnestly pressed to make use of 
 the present time : " To-day if you will hear his 
 voice, harden not your hearts," Psal. xcv. quoted 
 and urged, Heb. iii. 7, 8. They are admonished 
 to " seek the Lord while he may be found, to call 
 upon him while he is nigh." It^ seems some time 
 he will not be found, and wHl be afar off. They 
 are told, " this is the accepted time, this is the day 
 of salvation." ^oni Hdi;- 
 
 This day, with any place or people, supposes a 
 precedent night, w^hen the " day spring from on 
 high" had not visited their horizon, and all within 
 it " sat in darkness, and in the region and shadow 
 of death." Yea, and there was a time, we know, 
 <lf' v^i*y geheitai darkness, when the gospel-day, the 
 day 'of visitation had not yet daw^ned upon the 
 
91 1 
 
 world; times of ignorance, wherein God, as it were, 
 winked upon the nations of the earth; the beams 
 of his eye did in a sort overshoot them, as the word 
 tnre^t^i)* imports. But when the eyelids of the 
 morning open upon any people, and light shines to 
 them with direct beams, they arfe now commanded 
 to repent. Acts. xvii. 30. limited to the present pouit 
 of time with such peremptoriness, as that noble Ro- 
 man used towards a proud prince; asking time to 
 deliberate upon the proposal made to him of with- 
 drawing his forces that molested some of the allies 
 of that 'state, he draws a line about him with the 
 end of his rod, and requires him now, out of hand, 
 before he stirred out of that circle, to make his 
 choice, whether he would be a friend or enemv to 
 the people of Rome. So are sinners to understand 
 the state of their own case. The God of thy life, 
 sinner, in whose hands thy times are, doth with 
 much higher right, limit thee to the present time, 
 aild expects thy present answer to his just and mer- 
 dful offers and demands. He circumscribes thy day 
 of grace; it is enclosed on both parts, and hath an 
 evening as well as a morning: as it had a foregoing, 
 so it hath a subsequent night, and the latter, if not 
 more dark, yet usually much more stormy than the 
 former! For God shuts up this day in much dis- 
 pleasure, which hath terrible effects. If it be not 
 expressly told you what the condition of that night 
 is that follows your gospel-day; if the watchmaa 
 being asked, What of the night? do only answer, It 
 cometh as well as the morning came; black events are 
 signified by that more awful silence. Or it is ail quq 
 
92 
 
 if you call it a day ; there is enough to distinguisli 
 it from the day of grace. The Scriptures call such 
 a calamitous season indifferently either by the name 
 of night or day : but the latter name is used with 
 some or other adjunct to signify, that day is not meant 
 in the pleasant or more grateful sense: a day of 
 wrath, an evil day, a day of gloominess and thick 
 darkness, not differing from the most dismal night ; 
 and to be told the morning of such a day is coming, 
 is all one, as that the evening is coming of a bright 
 and a serene day. , ^. 
 
 And here, perhaps, reader, thou wilt expect to 
 be told what are the limits of this day of grace ? It 
 is, indeed, much more difficult punctually to assign 
 those limits, than to ascertain thee there are such: 
 bu^ it is also less necessary. The wise and mercifu^, 
 Gbd doth in matters of this nature little mind to 
 gratify our curiosity ; much less is it to be expected ^ 
 from him, that he should make known to us such 
 things, whereof it were better we were ignorant, or 
 the knowledge whereof would be much more a pre- 
 judice 'to 'u3, than an advantage. And it were as 
 bold 'and rash an undertaking, in tHis case, as it 
 w6uld be vain and insignificant, for any man to take 
 upon him to, say, in it, what God hath not said, or 
 given him plain ground for. What I conceive to 
 be plain and useful in this matter I shall lay down 
 in the following propositions, insisting more largely 
 where the matter requires it, and contenting myself 
 but to mention what is obvious, and clear at the first 
 signt'/ ^ .-...- ^ 
 
 'W'TfiSifilS^e^^^^^ between the 
 
93 
 
 ends and limits of the day or season of grace as to 
 particular persons, and in reference to the collective 
 body of a people, inhabiting this or that place. It 
 may be over with such or such a place, so as that 
 they that dwell there shall no longer have the gos- 
 pel among them, when as yet it may not be over with 
 every particular person belonging to it, who may be 
 providentially cast elsewhere, or may have the in- 
 grafted word in them, which they lose not. And 
 again, it may be over with some particular persons in 
 such a place, when it is not yet over with that people 
 or place, generally considered. 
 
 2. As to both, there is a difference between the 
 ending of such a day, and intermissions, or dark 
 intervals, that may be in it. The gospel may be 
 withdrawn from such a people, and be restored. 
 And God often, no doubt, as to particular persons, 
 either deprives them of the outward means of grace 
 for a time (by sickness, or many other ways) or 
 may for a time forbear moving upon them by his 
 Spirit, and again try them with both. 
 
 3. As to particular persons, there may be much 
 diflPerence between such, as, while they lived under 
 the gospel, gained the knowledge of the principal 
 doctrines, or, of the sum and substance of Christian- 
 ity; though without any sanctifying effect, or im- 
 pression upon their hearts, and such as through 
 their own negligence, lived under it in total igno- 
 rance hereof. The day of grace may not be over 
 with the former, though they should never live un- 
 der the ministry of the gospel more. For it is possir 
 ble, while they have the seeds and principles of holy 
 
m 
 
 trutli laid up in their minds, God may graeioosly 
 administer to them many occasions of recollecting ami 
 considering them, wherewith he may so please to 
 'db-operate, as to ienliven them, and make them vital 
 and effectual to their final salvation. Whereas, 
 with the other sort, when they no more enjoy the 
 external meanshj the ^day of grace is like to be qnite 
 over, so as that there may be no more hope in their 
 case than in that of Pagans in the darkest parts of 
 tlie world ; and perhaps much less, as th^dr g«Mt 
 hath beeh much greater by their neglect of so great 
 and important things. It may be better with Tyre 
 
 "aiid Si(M. ' ^'^^''^^^ t.\-yvib xiiiw bn-^t ^aai ii oidi^^oq 
 
 '- '4.: ThaX yW^lf'il'WMriblS^iilgifteilt W'theini^t 
 knowing, to lose the external dispensation of the 
 
 •f^ospel, \vhile they have- yet no sanctifying impres- 
 sion Upon their hearts by it, ami they are east upon 
 a fearful hazard of being lost for ever, being left by 
 the departed gospel, in an unconverted state. For 
 they need the tnost urgent inculcations of gospel 
 
 '^ti'tith; aii'd tlie most powerful enforcing means, ^o 
 engage them to consider the things which they know. 
 It is the design of the gospel to beget not only iix^ht 
 '^'fi^^'thb'' mind, but grace in the heart. And- if that 
 was not done while they enjoyed such means, it' is 
 less likely to be done without them. And if any 
 
 ^^gfttterj aiiH^ftidi^" superficial impressions were made 
 upoii them thereby, short of true and thorough con- 
 version, how great is the danger that all will vanish, 
 '^WHjj'^'Hiey'^ce'ak^^'to Tse pressed, and urged, and called 
 hrtlsit ^y the public voice of the gospel ministry any 
 niof^. ■ Hdw naturally desident is the spirit of man, 
 
95 
 
 and apt to sink into deadness, worldliness and car- 
 nality* even under the most lively, and quickeniji[g 
 means ; and even vj^here a saving work hath been 
 wrought; how much more when those means fail, 
 and there is no vital principle within, capable of 
 self-excitation and improvement. O that they would 
 consider tliis, who have got nothing by the gospel 
 sail .tliis while, but a little cold, spiritless, notional 
 knowledge, and are in a possibility, jof losing it be- 
 .fiixre they get any thing more ! . ., ;, .. . ],' 
 jiisi^. , That as it is certain death ends the day of 
 g^'dce^'with every unconverted person, so it is very 
 possible it may end with divers before they die ; by 
 their total loss of all external means, or by the de- 
 parture of the blessed Spirit of God from them, so 
 raatAo return and visit them no more. How the day 
 o^ grace may end with a person, is to be understood 
 V by considering what it is that make^ up and consti- 
 itutes such a day. There must be some meq,sure 
 and proportion of time to make up this or any day 
 which is as the substratum, and grouiid forelaid. 
 Then there must be light superadded, other\yis^, it 
 differs not from night, which may have the same 
 measure of mere tiiue. The gospel, reyelafiop, soipe 
 way ^jwr other, must be had, a? being the, Jigbjt,pf sijjsh 
 a day. And again there must be some degree of 
 liveliness, and vital influence, the more usua| con- 
 comitant of light; the; .night doth ;Daore dispose pa en 
 to drowsiness. The same sun that enlightens the 
 ■world disseminates also an invigorating influQi,icc. 
 /(ilf the Spiritjj^of ^er living .Pci'^ri^^f!!?^^/ ^iipate 
 the gospel reyeIatioUjK«Q4,b4i(ia^^^^n,/i^|fve b^v^.no 
 
9{} 
 
 day of grace. It is not only a day of light, but a 
 day of power, wherein souls can be wrought upon, 
 and a people made willing to become the Lord's, Psal. 
 ex. As the Redeemer revealed in the gospel, is 
 the light of the world, so he is life to it too, though 
 neither are planted, or do take root every where : 
 " In him was life, and that life was the light of men." 
 That light that rays from him is vital Hght in itself, 
 and in its tendency and design, though it be disliked, 
 and not entertained by the most. 
 
 Whereas, therefore, these things must concur to 
 make up such a day ; if either a man's time, his life 
 on earth expire, or if such light quite fail him, or if 
 all gracious influence be withheld, so as to be com- 
 municated no more ; his day is done, the season of 
 grace is over with him. Now it is plain that many 
 a one may lose the gospel before his life end; and 
 possible that all gracious influence may be restrained, 
 while as yet the external dispensation of the gos- 
 pel remains. A sinner may have hardened his 
 heart to that degree, that God will attempt him no 
 more, in any kind, with any design of kindness to 
 him, not in that more inward, immediate way to all, 
 that is, by the motions of his Spirit, which peculiarly 
 can import nothing but friendly inclination, as where- 
 by men are personally applied unto, so that another 
 cannot be meant; nor by the voice of the gospel, 
 which may either be continued for the sake of others, 
 or they continued under it, but for their heavier 
 doom at length. Which, though it may seem se- 
 vere, is not to be thought strange, much less un- 
 righteous* 
 
97 
 
 It is not to be thought strange to them that read 
 the Bible, which so often speaks this sense, as when 
 it warns and threatens men with so much terror : 
 " For if we sin wilfully after that we have received 
 the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more 
 sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful lookincr for of 
 
 o 
 
 judgment, and fiery indignation, which shall devour 
 the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died 
 without mercy, under two or three witnesses. Of 
 how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be 
 thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the 
 Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the cove- 
 nant> wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, 
 and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?" 
 And when it tells us, after many overtures made to 
 men in vain, of his having given them up : " But 
 my people would not hearken to my voice ; and Is- 
 rael would none of me: so I gave them up unto 
 their own hearts' lust ; and they walked in their own 
 counsels ;'' and pronounces, <' Let him that is un- 
 just, be unjust still ; and let him which is filthy, be 
 filthy still;" and says, "In thy filthiness is lewd- 
 ness: because I have purged thee, and thou wast 
 not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthi- 
 ness any more, till 1 have caused my fury to rest 
 upon thee." Which passages seem to imply a total 
 desertion of them, and retraction of all gracious in- 
 fluence. And when it speaks of letting them be 
 under the gospel, and the ordinary means of salva- 
 tion, for the most direful purposes : as that, " This 
 child (Jesus) was set for the fall (as well as for the 
 rising) of many in Israel." As to which text the 
 E 3. ., 
 
98 
 
 very learned Grotius, glossing upon the words Ksircct 
 and ih Trrao-iv, says, that he is of their opinion who 
 think that not the naked event, but the counsel or 
 purpose of God is signified by it, the same with 
 TiSiTXi ; and alleges several texts where the active 
 of that verb must have the same sense, as to appoint, 
 or ordain ; and mentions divers other places of the 
 same import with this so understood; and which 
 therefore to recite will equally serve our present pur- 
 pose, as that, " Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling 
 stone, and rock of offence." And "the stone 
 which the builders refused, is made a stone of stum- 
 bling, and a rock of offence, even to them which 
 stumble at the word, being disobedient, whereunto 
 also they were appointed." With that of our Sa- 
 viour himself, " For judgment, I am come into this 
 v.'orld, that they which see not, might see ; and that 
 they which see, might be made blind." And most 
 agreeable to those former passages is that of the pro- 
 phet Isaiah xxviii. 13. " But the word of the Lord 
 v.as unto them precept upon precept, precept upon 
 precept ; Hne upon line, line upon line ; here a little, 
 and there a little ; that they might go, and fall back- 
 ward, and be broken, and snared, and taken." And 
 we may add, that our Lord hath put us out of doubt, 
 that there is such a sin as that which is eminently 
 called "the sin against the Holy Ghost;" that a 
 man may, in such circumstances, and to such a de- 
 gree, sin against that blessed Spirit, that he will 
 never move or breathe upon them more, but leave 
 tliem to a hopeless ruin ; though I shall not, in this 
 discourse, determine or discuss the nature of it : but 
 
99 
 
 I doubt not it is somewhat else than final impenitency 
 and infidelity ; and that every one that dies, not hav- 
 ing sincerely repented and behoved, is not guilty of 
 it, (though every one that is guilty of it, dies impeni- 
 tent and unbelieving,) but was guilty of it before; so 
 as it is not the mere want of time that makes him 
 guilty. Whereupon, therefore, that such may out- 
 hve their day of grace, is out of question. 
 
 But let not such, as, upon the descriptions the 
 gospel gives us of that sin, may be justly confident 
 they have not, perhaps, committed it, therefore think 
 themselves out of all danger of losing their season 
 of making their peace with God before they die. 
 Many a one may, no doubt, that never commit- 
 ted the unpardonable blasphemy against the Holy 
 Ghost, as he is the witness, by his wonderful works, 
 of Christ's being the Messiah : as one may die, by 
 neglecting himself, that doth not poison himself, or 
 cut his own throat. You will say, but if the Spirit 
 retire from men, so as never to return, where is the 
 difference ? I answer, the difference hes in the spe- 
 cific nature, and greater heinousness of that sin, and 
 consequently, in the deeper degrees of its punish- 
 ment. For though the reason of its unpardonable- 
 ness lies not, principally, in its greater heinousness, 
 but in its direct repugnancy to the way of obtaining 
 pardon, yet there is no doubt of its being much more 
 heinous than many other sins for which men perish : 
 and therefore it is in proportion more severely pun- 
 ished. But is it not misery enough to dwell in dark- 
 ness and woe for ever, as every one that dies unre- 
 conciled to God must do, urdess the most intense 
 e2 
 
100 
 
 flames and horror of hell be your portion? as his 
 case is sufficiently bad that must die as an ordinary 
 felon, though he is not to be hanged, drawn and 
 quartered. 
 
 Nor is there any place, or pretence for so profane 
 a thought, as if there were any colour of unrighte- 
 ousness in this course of procedure with such men. 
 Is it unjust severity, to let the gospel become deadly to 
 them, whose own mahgnity perverts it, against its na- 
 ture and genuine tendency, into a " savour of death," 
 which it is to them (as the mentioned author speaks) 
 who may be truly said to seek their own destruction ; 
 or that God should intend their more aggravated 
 condemnation, even from the despised gospel itself, 
 who, when such Hght is come into the world, hate 
 it, show themselves lucifiigi tenehriones, as he also 
 phrases it, speaking further upon that first mentioned 
 text, " such as fly from the light, choose and love 
 to lurk in darkness ?" He must have very low 
 thoughts of divine favour and acceptance of Christ, 
 and grace, and glory, that can have hard thoughts 
 of God, for his vindicating, with greatest severity, 
 the contempt of such things. What could better 
 become his glorious majesty and excellent greatness, 
 than, as " all things work together for good towards 
 them that love him," so to let all things work for 
 the hurt of them that so irreconcilably hate him, 
 and bear a disaffected and implacable mind towards 
 him ? Nor doth the addition of his designing the 
 matter so, make it hard: for if it be just to punish 
 such wickedness, is it unjust to intend to punish it? 
 and to intend to punish it according to its desert, 
 
101 
 
 wlien it cannot be thought unjust actually to rendenf 
 to men what they deserve? 
 
 We are, indeed, to account the primary intention 
 of continuing the gospel to such a people, among 
 whom these Hve, is kindness towards others, not 
 this higher revenge upon them ; yet nothing hinders 
 but what this revenge upon them may also be the 
 fit matter of his secondary intention. For should 
 he intend nothing concerning them ? Is he to be 
 so unconcerned about his own creatures that are un- 
 der his government ? While thinfjs cannot fall out 
 to him unawares, but that he hath this dismal event 
 in prospect before him, he must at least intend to 
 let it be, or not to hinder it. And who can expect he 
 should ? for, that his gracious influence towards them 
 should, at length, cease, is above all exception : that 
 it ceasing, while they live still under the gospel, 
 they contract deeper guilt and incur heavier punish- 
 ment, follows of course. And who can say he 
 should not intend to let it follow ? For should he 
 take away the gospel from the rest, that these might 
 be less punished? that others might not be saved, 
 because they will not ? 
 
 Nor can he be obliged to interpose extraordinarily, 
 and alter, for their sakes, the course of nature and 
 Providence, so as either to hasten them the sooner 
 out of the world, or cast them into any other part 
 of it, where the gospel is not ; lest they should, by 
 living still under it, be obnoxious to the severer pun- 
 ishment. For whither would this lead ? he should, 
 by equal reason, have been obliged to prevent men 
 sinning at all, that they might not be liable to any 
 
102 
 
 punishment : and so not to have made the world, or 
 have otherwise framed the methods of his govern- 
 ment, and less suitably to a whole community of 
 reasonable creatures ; or to have made an end of the 
 world long ago, and have quitted all his great de- 
 signs in it, lest some should sin on and incur pro- 
 portionable punishment ! or to have provided ex- 
 traordinarily that all should do and fare ahke; and 
 that it might never have come to pass, that it should 
 be less tolerable for Capernaum, and Chorazin, and 
 Bethsaida, than for Tyre, and Sidon, and Sodom, and 
 Gomorrah. But is there unrighteousness with God ? 
 or is he unrighteous in taking vengeance ? or is he 
 therefore unjust, because "he will render to every 
 one according to his works ; to them who, by patient 
 continuance in well doing, seek glory, honour and 
 immortality, eternal life : but unto them that are 
 ct)ntentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey un- 
 righteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and 
 anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil, of 
 the Jew first, and also of the Gentile?" Doth righ- 
 teousness itself make him unrighteous? O sinner, 
 understand how much better it is to avoid the stroke 
 of divine justice, than accuse it ! God will be found 
 true, and every man a liar, "that he may be justi- 
 fied when he speaks, and be clear when he judges." 
 
 6. Yet are we not to imagine any certain fixed rule, 
 according whereto (except in the case of the unpar- 
 donable sin) the divine dispensation is measured in 
 cases of this nature, namely. That, M^hen a sinner 
 hath contended just so long, or to such a degree, 
 against his grace and Spirit in his gospel, he shall be 
 
103 
 
 finally rejected ; or if but so long, or not to sucli a 
 degree, he is yet certainly to be further tried, or 
 treated with. It is little to be doubted, but he })uts 
 forth the power of victorious grace, at length, u))oii 
 some more obstinate and obdurate sinners, and that 
 have longer persisted in their rebellions; (not having 
 sinned the unpardonable sin ;) and gives over some 
 sooner, as it seems good unto him. Nor doth he 
 herein owe an account to any man of his matters. 
 Here sovereign good pleasure rules and arbitrates, 
 that is tied to no certain rule. Neither, in these 
 variations, is there any show of that blameable '»'?''=■- 
 ofTToX^'r^ict, or accepting of persons, which, in his 
 own word, he so expressly disclaims. We must 
 distinguish matters of right, (even such as are so by 
 promise only, as well as others,) and matters of mere 
 unpromised favour. In matters of right, to be an 
 accepter of persons is a thing most highly culpable 
 with men, and which can have no place with the holy 
 God: that is. When a human judge hath his rule 
 before him, according w^hereto he is to estimate 
 men's rights, in judgment ; there, to regard the per- 
 son of the rich, or of the poor, to the prejudice of the 
 justice of the cause, were an insufferable iniquity ; 
 as it were also in a private person, to withhold an- 
 other's right, because he hath no kindness for him : 
 so even the great God himself, though of mere grace 
 he first fixed and established the rule (fitly therefore 
 called the covenant, or law of grace) by which he 
 will proceed in pardoning and justifying men, or in 
 condemning and holding them guilty, both here and 
 in the final judgment ; yet, having fixed it, he will 
 
104 
 
 never recede from it, so as either to acquit an im- 
 penitent unbeliever, or condemn a believing peni- 
 tent. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just 
 to forgive. None shall be ever able to accuse him 
 of breach of faith, or of transgressing his own rules 
 of justice. We find it therefore said, in reference 
 to the judgment of the last day, " when God shall 
 render to every man according to his works," whether 
 they be Jews or Gentiles, that " there is no respect 
 of persons with God." Yet he who has promised 
 pardon to the penitent, has not promised penitence to 
 the sinner — whereas he hath, by his evangelical law, 
 ascertained pardon to one that sincerely obeys it, but 
 hath not promised grace to enable them to do so ; to 
 them that have long continued wilfully disobedient 
 and rebellious, this communication of grace is, there- 
 fore, left arbitrary, and to be dispensed, as the mat- 
 ter of free and unassured favour, as it seems him good. 
 And, indeed, if in matters of arbitrary favour, respect 
 of persons ought to have no place, friendship were 
 quite excluded the world, and would be swallowed up 
 of strict and rigid justice. I ought to take all men 
 for my friends alike, otherwise than as justice should 
 oblige me to be more respectful to men of more merit. 
 7. Wherefore no man can certainly know, or 
 ought to conclude, concerning himself or others, as 
 long as they live, that the season of grace is quite 
 over with him. As we can conceive no rule God 
 hath set to himself to proceed by, in ordinary cases 
 of this nature ; so nor is there any he hath set 
 us to judge by, in this case. It were to no purpose, 
 and could be of no use to men, to know so much ; 
 
105 
 
 therefore it were unreasonable to expect God should 
 have settled and declared any rule, by which they 
 might come by the knowledge of it. As the case is 
 then, namely, there being no such rule, no such thing 
 can be concluded; for who can tell what an arbi- 
 trary, sovereign, free agent will do, if he declare not 
 his own purpose himself ? How should it be known, 
 when the Sphit of God hath been often working 
 upon the soul of a man, that this or that shall be 
 the last act, and that he will never put forth another ? 
 And why should God make it known ? To the per- 
 son himself whose case it is, it is manifest it could 
 be no benefit. Nor is it to be thought the Holy 
 God will ever so alter the course of his own pro- 
 ceedings, but that it shall finally be seen to all the 
 world, that every man's destruction was, entirely, and 
 to the last of himself. If God had made it evident 
 to a man, that he were finally rejected, he were ob- 
 liged to believe it. But shall it ever be said, God 
 hath made any thing a man's duty which were incon- 
 sistent with his felicity ? The having sinned him- 
 self into such a condition wherein he is forsaken of 
 God, is, indeed, inconsistent with it. And so the 
 case is to stand, that is, that his perdition be in im- 
 mediate connection with his sin, not with his duty : as 
 it would be in immediate, necessary connexion with 
 his duty, if he were bound to believe himself finally 
 forsaken, and a lost creature. For that belief makes 
 him hopeless, and a very devil ; justifies his unbelief 
 of the gospel, towards himself, by removing and 
 shutting up, towards him, the object of such a faith, 
 and consequently brings the matter to this staie, tliat 
 e3 
 
106 
 
 he perishes, not because he doth not believe God 
 reconcilable to man, but because, with particular ap- 
 pHcation to himself, he ought not so to believe. See 
 more to this purpose in the Appendix. 
 
 And it were most unfit, and of very pernicious 
 consequence, that such a thing should be generally 
 known concerning others. It were to anticipate the 
 final judgment, to create a hell upon earth, to tempt 
 them whose doom were already known, to do all the 
 mischief in the w^orld, which malice and despair can 
 suggest, and prompt them unto; it were to mingle 
 devils with men, and fill the world with confusion ! 
 How should parents know how to behave themselves 
 towards children, a husband towards the wife of his 
 bosom, in such a case, if it were known they were no 
 more to counsel, exhort, admonish them, pray with 
 or for them, than if they were devils ? 
 
 And if there were such a rule, how frequent mis- 
 applications would the falHble and distempered minds 
 of men make of it ? So that they would be apt to 
 fancy themselves warranted to judge severely, or 
 uncharitably, and, as the truth of the case perhaps 
 is, unjustly concerning others, from which they are 
 so hardly withheld, when they have no such pre- 
 tence to embolden them to it, but are so strictly for- 
 bidden it : and the judgment-seat so fenced, as it is, 
 by the most awful interdicts, against their usurpation 
 and encroachments. 
 
 We are therefore to reverence the wisdom of the 
 divine government, that things of this nature are 
 among the arcana of it ; some of those secrets which 
 belong not to us. He hath revealed what was fit 
 
107 
 
 and necessary for us and our children, and envies to 
 man no useful knowledge. 
 
 But it may be said, when the apostle directs to 
 pray for a brother whom we see sinning a sin that 
 is not unto death, and adds, " There is a sin unto 
 death, I do not say ye shall pray for it ;" is it not 
 impHed that it may be known when one sins that 
 sin unto death, not only to himself, but even to 
 others too? I answer, it is implied there may be 
 too probable appearances of it, and much ground 
 to suspect and fear it concerning some, in some 
 cases. As when any, against the highest evidence 
 of the truth of the Christian religion, and that 
 Jesus is the Christ, or the Messiah, (the proper 
 and most sufficiently credible testimony, whereof he 
 had mentioned in the foregoing verses, under heads 
 to which the whole evidence of the truth of Chris- 
 tianity may be fitly enough reduced,) do, notwith- 
 standing, from that mahce which bhnds their un- 
 derstanding, persist in infidehty, or apostatize and 
 relapse into it, from a former profession, there is 
 great cause of suspicion, lest such have sinned that 
 sin unto death. Whereupon yet it is to be ob- 
 served, he doth not expressly forbid praying for the 
 persons whose case we may doubt; only he doth not 
 enjoin it, as he doth for others, but only says, " I 
 do not say ye shall pray for it ;" that is, that, in his 
 present direction to pray for others he did not intend 
 such, but another sort, for whom they might pray 
 remotely from any such suspicion : namely, that he 
 meant now such praying as ought to be interchanged 
 between Christian friends, that have reason, in the 
 
108 
 
 main, to be well persuaded concerning one another. 
 In the mean time, intending no opposition to what 
 is elsewhere enjoined, the praying for all men, with- 
 out the personal exclusion of any; as also our Lord 
 himself prayed indefinitely for his most malicious 
 enemies, " Father, forgive them, they know not 
 what they do ;" though he had formerly said, there 
 was such a sin as should never be forgiven ; whereof, 
 it is highly probable, some of them were guilty: 
 yet such he doth not expressly except ; but his 
 prayer being in the indefinite, not the universal 
 form, it is to be supposed it must mean such as 
 were within the compass and reach of prayer, and 
 capable of benefit by it. Nor doth the apostle 
 here direct, personally, to exclude any, only that 
 indefinitely, and in the general such must be sup- 
 posed not meant as had sinned the sin unto death ; 
 or must be conditionally excluded, if they had; 
 without determining who had, or had not. To 
 which purpose it is very observable, that a more 
 abstract form of expression, is used in this latter 
 clause of this verse. For whereas, in the former 
 positive part of the direction, he enjoins praying for 
 him or them that had not sinned unto death, (namely, 
 concerning whom there was no ground for any such 
 imagination or suspicion that they had ;) in the ne- 
 gative part, concerning such as might have sinned it, 
 he doth not say for him or them, but for it, (that is, 
 concerning, or in reference to it,) as if he had said, 
 the case in general only is to be excepted, and if per- 
 sons are to be distinguished (since every sin is some 
 one's sin, the sin of some person or other) let God 
 
109 
 
 distinguish, but do not you ; it is enough for you to 
 except the sin, committed by whomsoever. And 
 though the former part of the verse speaks of a par- 
 ticular person, " If a man see his brother sin a sin 
 that is not unto death," which is as determinate to 
 a person as the sight of our eye can be, it doth not 
 follow the latter part must suppose a like particular 
 determination of any person's case, that he hath sin- 
 ned it. I may have great reason to be confident 
 such and such have not, when I can only suspect 
 that such a one hath. And it is a thincr much less 
 
 o 
 
 unlikely to be certain to one's self than another, for 
 they that have sinned unto death, are no doubt so 
 blinded and stupified by it, that they are not more 
 apt or competent to observe themselves, and consider 
 their case, than others may be. 
 
 8. But though none ought to conclude that their 
 day or season of grace is quite expired, yet they 
 ought deeply to apprehend the danger, lest it should 
 expire before their necessaiy work be done, and 
 their peace made. For though it can be of no use 
 to them to know the former, and therefore they have 
 no means appointed them by which to know it ; it is 
 of great use to apprehend the latter; and they have 
 sufficient ground for the apprehension. All the 
 cautions and warnings wherewith the holy Scripture 
 abounds, of the kind with those already mentioned, 
 have that manifest design. And nothincr can be 
 more important, or apposite to this purpose, than 
 that solemn charge of the great apostle : " Work 
 out your own salvation with fear and trembling ;" 
 considered together with the subjoined ground of it, 
 
110 
 
 " for it is God that worketh in you both to will 
 and to do of his good pleasure." How correspon- 
 dent is the one ^vith the other : work, for he works ; 
 there were no working at all to any purpose, or with 
 any hope, if he did not work. And work with fear 
 and trembling, for he works of his own good plea- 
 sure. As if he had said, it were the greatest folly 
 imaginable to trifle with one that works at so perfect 
 liberty, under no obHgation, that may desist when 
 he will; to impose upon so absolutely sovereign and 
 arbitrary an agent, that owes you nothing, and from 
 whose former gracious operations, not complied with, 
 you can draw no argument unto any following ones, 
 that because he doth, therefore he will. As there 
 is no certain connexion between present time and 
 future, but all time is made up of undepending, not 
 strictly coherent moments, so as no man can be sure, 
 because one now exists, another shall; there is also 
 no more certain connexion between the arbitrary acts 
 of a free agent within such time : so that I cannot 
 be sure, because he now darts in light upon me, is 
 now convincing me, now awakening me, therefore he 
 will stiU do so, again and again. Upon this ground, 
 then, what exhortation could be more proper than 
 this, " Work out your salvation with fear and trem- 
 bHng?" What could be more awfully monitory, 
 and enforcing of it, than that he works only of 
 mere good will and pleasure ? How should 1 trem- 
 ble to think, if I should be negHgent, or undutiful, 
 he may give out the next moment, and let the work 
 fall, and me perish ! 
 
 And there is more especial cause for such an ap- 
 
Ill 
 
 prehension, upon the concurrence of such things as 
 these : 
 
 1. If the workings of God's Spirit upon the soul 
 of a man have been more than ordinarily strong 
 and urgent, and do now cease. If there have been 
 more powerful convictions, deeper humiliations, more 
 awakened fears, more formed purposes of a new life, 
 more fervent desires, that are now all vanished and 
 fled, and the sinner is returned to his old, dead, and 
 dull temper. 
 
 2. If there be no disposition to reflect and consi- 
 der the difference, no sense of his loss, but he appre- 
 hends such workings of spirit in him, unnecessary 
 troubles to him, and thinks it well he is delivered and 
 eased of them. 
 
 3. If, in the time when he was under such work- 
 ings of spirit, he had made known his case to his 
 minister, or any godly friend, whose company he now 
 shuns, as not willing to be put in mind, or hear any 
 more of such matters. 
 
 4. If hereupon he hath more indulged sensual 
 inclinations, taken more liberty, gone against the 
 checks of his own conscience, broken former good 
 resolutions, involved himself in the guilt of any 
 grosser sins. 
 
 5. If conscience, so baffled, be now silent, lets 
 him alone, grows more sluggish and weaker, which 
 it must, as his lusts grow stronger. 
 
 6. If the same Hvely, powerful ministry, which 
 before affected him much, now moves him not. 
 
 7. If, especially, he is grown into a dislike of 
 such preaching, if serious godliness, and what tends 
 
112 
 
 to it are become distasteful to him, if discourses of 
 God and Christ, of death and judgment, and of a 
 holy life, are reckoned superfluous and needless, are 
 unsavoury and disrelished ; if he have learned to put 
 disgraceful names upon things of this import, and 
 the persons that most value them, and hve accord- 
 ingly ; if he hath taken the seat of the scorner, and 
 makes it his business to deride what he had once a 
 reverence for, or took some complacency in. 
 
 8. If, upon all this, God withdraw such a minis- 
 try, so that he is now warned and admonished, ex- 
 horted and striven with, as formerly, no more. O, 
 the fearful danger of that man's case ! Hath he no 
 cause to fear lest the things of his peace should be 
 for ever hid from his eyes ? Surely he hath much 
 cause of fear, but not of despair. Fear, would, in 
 this case, be his great duty, and might yet prove 
 the means of saving him : despair would be his 
 very heinous and destroying sin. If yet he would 
 be stii-red up to consider his case, whence he is fal- 
 len, and whither he is faUing, and set himself to 
 serious seeking of God, cast down himself before 
 him, abase himself, cry for mercy, as for his life, 
 there is yet hope in his case. God may make here 
 an instance what he can obtain of himself to do for 
 a perishing wretch ! But, 
 
 IV. If, with any that have lived under the gos- 
 pel, their day is quite expired, and the things of 
 their peace now for ever hid from their eves, this is, 
 in itself, a most deplorable case, and much lamented 
 by our Lord Jesus himself. 
 
 That the case is in itself most deplorable, who 
 
113 
 
 sees not ? A soul lost ! a creature capable of God ! 
 upon its way to him ! near to the kingdom of God ! 
 shipwrecked in the port ! O sinner, from how high 
 a hope art thou fallen ! into what depths of misery 
 and woe ! 
 
 And that it was lamented by our Lord, is in the 
 text. He beheld the city, (very generally, we have 
 reason to apprehend, inhabited by such wretched 
 creatures,) and wept over it. This was a very affec- 
 tionate lamentation ; we lament often, very heartily, 
 many a sad case, for which we do not shed tears. 
 But tears, such tears, falling from such eyes ! the 
 issues of the purest, and best governed passion that 
 ever was, showed the true greatness of the cause. 
 Here could be no exorbitancy or unjust excess, no- 
 thing more than was proportionable to the occasion. 
 There needs no other proof, that this is a sad case, 
 than that our Lord lamented it with tears, which, 
 that he did, we are plainly told, so that touching 
 that, there is no place for doubt. All that is hable 
 to question is, whether we are to conceive in him any 
 Uke resentments of such cases, in his present glori- 
 fied state? 
 
 Indeed, we cannot think heaven a place or state 
 of sadness or lamentation; and must take heed of 
 conceiving any thing there, especially on the throne 
 of glory, unsuitable to the most perfect nature, and 
 the most glorious state. We are not to imagine 
 tears there ; which, in that happy region, are wiped 
 away from inferior eyes: no grief, sorrow, or sigh- 
 ing, which are all fled away, and shall be no more ; 
 as there can be no other turbid passion of any kind. 
 
114 
 
 But when expressions that import anger or grief are 
 used, even concerning God himself, we must sever 
 in our conception every thing of imperfection, and 
 ascribe every thing of real perfection. We are not 
 to think such expressions signify nothing, that they 
 have no meaning, or that nothing at all is to be at- 
 tributed to him under them. 
 
 Nor are we again to think they signify the same 
 thing with what we find in ourselves, and are wont 
 to express by those names. In the divine nature, 
 there may be real, and yet most serene complacency 
 and displacency, namely, that are unaccompanied 
 with the least commotion, and that import nothing 
 of imperfection, but perfection rather, as it is a per- 
 fection to apprehend things suitably to what in them- 
 selves they are. The holy Scriptures frequently 
 speak of God as angry, and grieved for the sins of 
 men, and their miseries which ensue therefrom. 
 And a real aversion and dislike is signified thereby, 
 and by many other expressions, which in us w^ould 
 signify vehement agitations of affection, that we are 
 sure can have no place in him. We ought, there- 
 fore, in our own thoughts, to ascribe to him that 
 calm aversion of will, in reference to the sins and 
 miseries of men in general; and, in our own appre- 
 hensions, to remove to the utmost distance from him, 
 all such agitations of passion or affection, even 
 though some expressions that occur carry a great 
 appearance thereof, should they be understood ac- 
 cording to human measures, as they are human forms 
 of speech ; as (to instance in what is said by the 
 glorious God himself, and very near in sense to what 
 
11:7 
 
 we have in the text) what can be more patlietic, 
 than that lamenting wish, " O that my people had 
 hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my 
 ways ! 
 
 But we must take heed, lest, under the pretence 
 that we cannot ascribe every thing to God that such 
 expressions seem to import, we therefore ascribe 
 nothing. We ascribe nothing, if we do not ascribe 
 to him a real unwillingness that men should sin on 
 and perish ; and consequently a real willingness that 
 they should turn to him and live ; which so many 
 plain texts assert. And therefore it is unavoidably 
 imposed upon us, to believe that God is truly un- 
 willing of some things, which he doth not think lit 
 to interpose his omnipotence to hinder; and is truly 
 willing of some things, which he doth not put forth 
 his omnipotence to effect. That he most fitly makes 
 this the ordinary course of his dispensations towards 
 men, to govern them by laws, and promises, and 
 threatenings, (made most express to them that live 
 under the gospel,) to work upon their minds, their 
 hope, and their fear, affording them the ordinary 
 assistances of supernatural light and influence, with 
 which he requires them to comply, and which, upon 
 their refusing to do so, he may most righteously 
 withhold, and give them the victory to their own 
 ruin, though oftentimes he doth, from a sovereignty 
 of grace, put forth that greater power upon others, 
 equally negligent and obstinate, not to enforce, but 
 effectually to incline their wills, and gain a victory 
 over them, to their salvation. 
 
 Nor is his will towards the rest altogether inefFec- 
 
116 
 
 tual, though it have not this effect. For whosoever 
 thou art that Hvest under the gospel, though thou 
 dost not know that God so wills thy conversion and 
 salvation, as to effect it, whatsoever resistance thou 
 now makest, though thou art not sure he will finally 
 overcome all thy resistance, and pluck thee as a 
 firebrand out of the mouth of hell ; yet thou canst 
 not say his good will towards thee hath been without 
 any effect at all tending thereto. He hath often 
 called upon thee in his gospel, to repent and turn to 
 him through Christ ; he hath waited on thee with 
 long patience, and given thee time and space of re- 
 pentance; he hath within that time, been often at 
 work with thy soul. Hath he not many times let 
 in beams of Hght upon thee ? shown thee the e\dl of 
 thy ways? con\inced thee? awakened thee? half- 
 persuaded thee? and thou never hadst reason to 
 doubt, but that if thou hadst set thyself with serious 
 diligence to work out thy own salvation, he would 
 have wrought on, so as to have brought things to a 
 blessed issue for thy soul. 
 
 Thou mightest discern his mind towards thee to 
 be agreeable to his word, wherein he hath testified 
 to thee " he desired not the death of sinners," that 
 he hath " no pleasure in the death of him that 
 dieth," or in the " death of the wicked," but that 
 he should "turn and live;" exhorted thee, expos- 
 tulated with thee and others in thy condition, " turn 
 ye, turn ye, why will ye die ?" he hath told thee 
 expressly, thy stubbornness and contending against 
 him, did " grieve him," and " vex his Spirit," that 
 thy sin, wherein thou hast indulged thyself, hath 
 
117 
 
 been an "abomination to him," that it was the 
 "abominable thing which his soul hated," that he 
 was " broken with the whorish heart of such as thou, 
 and pressed therewith, as a cart that was full of 
 sheaves." 
 
 Now such expressions as these, though they are 
 borrowed from man, and must be understood suit- 
 ably to God, though they do not signify the same 
 thing with him as they do in us, yet they do not 
 signify nothing. As when hands and eyes are at- 
 tributed to God, they do not signify as they do 
 with us, yet they signify somewhat correspondent, 
 as active and visive power ; so these expressions, 
 though they signify not, in God, such unquiet mo- 
 tions and passions as they would in us, they do 
 signify a mind and will, really, though, with the 
 most perfect calmness and tranquillity, set against 
 sin, and the horrid consequences of it, which yet, 
 for greater reasons than we can understand, he may 
 not see fit to do all he can to prevent. 
 
 And if we know not how to reconcile such a will 
 m God, with some of our notions concerning the 
 divine nature, shall we, for what we have thought 
 of him, deny what he hath so expressly said of him- 
 self, or pretend to understand his nature better than 
 he himself doth ?* 
 
 And when we see from such express sayings in 
 Scripture, reduced to a sense becoming God, how 
 God's mind stands in reference to sinners, and their 
 self-destroying ways, we may thence apprehend what 
 
 * See tlie Appendix, 
 
118 
 
 temper of mind our Lord Jesus also bears towards 
 them ill the hke case, even in his glorified state. 
 For can you think there is a disagreement between 
 him and the Father about these things ? 
 
 And whereas we find our blessed Lord, in the 
 days of his flesh, one while complaining " men would 
 not come to him that they might have life," else- 
 where " o-rieved at the hardness of their hearts," 
 and here scattering tears over sinning and perishing 
 Jerusalem; we cannot doubt but that the (innocent) 
 perturbation, which his earthly state did admit, be- 
 ing severed, his mind is still the same, in reference 
 to cases of the same nature ; for can we think there 
 is any disagreement between him and himself? We 
 cannot therefore doubt but that, 
 
 1. He distinctly comprehends the truth of any 
 such case. He beholds, from the throne of his 
 glory above, all the treaties which are held and 
 managed with sinners in his name, and what their 
 deportments are therein. " His eyes are as a flame 
 of fire," wherewith he " searches hearts, and trieth 
 reins." He hath seen, therefore, sinner, all along, 
 every time an offer of grace hath been made to thee, 
 and been rejected ; when thou hast slighted counsels 
 and warnings that have been given thee, exhortations 
 and entreaties that have been pressed upon thee for 
 many years together, and how thou hast hardened 
 thy heart against reproofs and threatenings, against 
 promises and allurements; and beholds the tendency 
 of all this, what is like to come of it, and that, if 
 thou persist, it will be bitterness in the end. 
 
 2. That he hath a real dislike of the sinfulness 
 
119 
 
 of tliy course. It is not indifferent to him whether 
 thou obey est or disobeyest the gospel ; whether 
 thou turn and repent or no ; that he is truly dis- 
 pleased at thy trifling, sloth, negligence, impeni- 
 tence, hardness of heart, stubborn obstinacy, and 
 contempt of his grace, and takes real offence at them. 
 
 3. He hath real kind propensions towards thee, 
 and is ready to receive thy returning soul, and effec- 
 tually to mediate with the offended Majesty of hea- 
 ven for thee, as long as there is any hope in thy case. 
 
 4. When he sees there is no hope, he pities 
 thee, while thou seest it not, and dost not pity thy- 
 self. Pity and mercy above are not names only ; it 
 is a great reality that is signified by them, and that 
 hath place there, in far higher excellency and per- 
 fection, than it can with us poor mortals here below. 
 Ours is but borrowed and participated from that first 
 fountain and original above. Thou dost not perish 
 unlamented, even with the purest heavenly pity, 
 though thou hast made thy case uncapable of remedy. 
 As the well-tempered judge bewails the sad end of 
 tlie malefactor, whom justice obliges him not to 
 spare, or save. 
 
 And novr let us consider what use is to be made of 
 all this. And though nothing can be useful to the 
 persons themselves, whom the Redeemer thus laments 
 as lost, yet that he doth so, may be of great use to 
 others ; which will partly concern those who do justly 
 apprehend this is not their case ; and partly such as 
 may be in great fear that it is. 
 
 I. For such as have reason to persuade themselves 
 it is not their case. The best ground upon which 
 
120 
 
 any can confidently conclude this, is that they have 
 in this their present day, through the grace of God, 
 already effectually known the things of their peace, 
 such, namely, as have sincerely, with all their hearts 
 and souls, turned to God, taken him to be their 
 God, and devoted themselves to him, to be his : 
 entrusting and subjecting themselves to the saving 
 mercy and governing power of the Redeemer, ac- 
 cording to the tenor of the gospel-covenant, from 
 which they do not find their hearts to swerve or de- 
 cline, but resolve, through divine assistance, to per- 
 severe herein all their days. 
 
 Now for such as with whom things are already 
 brought to that comfortable conclusion, I only say to 
 them, 
 
 1. Rejoice and bless God that so it is. Christ, 
 your Redeemer, rejoices with you and over you; you 
 may collect it from his contrary resentment of their 
 case who are past hope ; if he weep over them, he 
 no doubt, rejoices over you. There is joy in hea- 
 ven concerning you. Angels rejoice, your glo- 
 rious Redeemer presiding in the joyful consort. 
 And should not you rejoice for yourselves ? Con- 
 sider what a discrimination is made in your case ! 
 To how many hath that gospel been a deadly savour, 
 which hath proved a savour of life unto life to you ! 
 How many have fallen on your right hand and on 
 your left, stumbUng at that stone of offence, which 
 to you is become "the head-stone of the corner, 
 elect and precious!" Whence is this difference? 
 Did you never slight Christ? never make Hght of 
 offered mercy ? was your mind never blind or vain ? 
 
121 
 
 was your heart never hard or dead ? were the terms 
 of peace and reconcihation never rejected or disre- 
 garded by you ? How should vou admire victorious 
 grace, that would never desist from striving with 
 you till it had overcome ! You are the triumph of 
 the Redeemer's conquering love, who might have 
 been of his wrath and justice ! Endeavour that 
 your spirits may taste, more and more, the sweet- 
 ness of reconciliation, that you may more abound in 
 joy and praises. Is it not pleasant to you to be at 
 peace with God? to find that all controversies are 
 taken up between him and you ? that you can now 
 approach him, and his terrors not make you afraid ? 
 that you can enter into the secret of his presence, 
 and solace yourselves in his assured favour and love? 
 How should you "joy in God through Jesus 
 Christ, by whom you have received the atonement !" 
 What have you now to fear? If, when you were 
 enemies, you were reconciled by the death of Christ, 
 how much more, being reconciled, shall you be 
 saved by his life ? How great a thing have you to 
 oppose to all worldly troubles ? If God be for you, 
 who can be against you ? Think how mean it is 
 for the friends of God, the favourites of heaven, to be 
 dismayed at the appearance of danger that threatens 
 them from the inhabitants of the earth ! What 
 if all the world were in a posture of hostility 
 against you, when the mighty Lord of all is your 
 friend? Take heed of thinking meanly of his 
 power and love ! Would any one diminish to him- 
 self, whom he t^tkes for his God ? All people will 
 walk, every one in the name of his God ; why should 
 F 3 
 
122 
 
 not you much more in the name of yours, giorying 
 in him, and making your boast of him all the day 
 long ? O the reproach which is cast upon the glori- 
 ous name of the great God, by their diffidence and 
 despondency, who visibly stand in special relation to 
 him, but fear the impotent malice of mortal man 
 more than they can trust in his almighty love ! If 
 indeed you are "justified by faith,'" and have peace 
 with God, it becomes you so to rejoice in the hope 
 of the glory of God, as also to glory in tribulation, 
 and tell all the world that in his favour stands your 
 life, and that you care not who is displeased with 
 you, for the things wherewith you have reason to 
 apprehend he is pleased. 
 
 2. Demean yourselves with that care, caution, 
 and dutifulness that become a state of reconciliation. 
 Bethink yourselves that your present peace and 
 friendship with God is not original, and continued 
 from thence, but hath been interrupted and broken ; 
 that your peace is not that of constantly innocent 
 persons. You stand not in this good and happy state 
 because you never offended, but as being reconciled, 
 and who, therefore, were once enemies. And when 
 you were brought to know, in that your day which 
 you have enjoyed, the things belonging to your 
 peace, you were made to feel the smart, and taste 
 the bitterness of your having been alienated, and 
 enemies in your minds by wicked works. When 
 the terrors of God did beset you round, and his 
 arrows stuck fast in you, did you not then find trou- 
 ble and sorrow ? Were you not in a " fearful ex- 
 pectation of wrath and fiery indignation" to consume 
 
123 
 
 and burn you up as adversaries ? Would vou not 
 then have given all the world for a peaceful word or 
 look? for any glimmering hope of peace? How 
 wary and afraid should you be of a new breach ! 
 How should you study acceptable deportments, and 
 to "walk worthy of God unto all well-pleasing I" 
 How strictly careful should you be to keep faith 
 with him, and abide steadfast in his covenant ! How 
 concerned for his interest ! and in what agonies of 
 spirit, when you behold the eruptions of enmity 
 against him from any others ! not from any distrust, 
 or fear of final prejudice to his interest, but from the 
 apprehension of the unrighteousness of the thing 
 itself, and a dutiful love to his name, throne, and 
 government. How zealous should you be to draw 
 in others; how fervent in your endeavours, within 
 your own sphere, and how large in your desires, 
 extended as far as the sphere of the universe, that 
 " every knee might bow to him, and every tongue 
 confess to him." They ought to be more deeply 
 concerned for his righteous cause, that remember 
 they were once most unrighteously engaged against 
 it. And ought besides to be filled with compassion 
 towards the souls of men, yet in an unreconciled 
 state, as "having known the terrors of the Lord," 
 and remembering the experienced dismalness and 
 horror of that state ; what it was to have divine wrath 
 and justice armed against you with almighty power ! 
 and to have heard the thunder of such a voice, " J 
 lift my hand to heaven, and swear I five for ever : 
 it' I whet my glittering sword, and my hand take 
 hold on vengeance, I will recompense fury to mine 
 f2 
 
124 
 
 adversaries, vengeance to mine enemies." — Do you 
 not know what the case is like to be, when " pot- 
 sherds, that should strive but with the potsherds of 
 the earth," venture to oppose themselves as antago- 
 nists to Omnipotency? and when *' briers and thorns 
 set themselves in battle array" against a consuming 
 fire, how easily it can " pass through, and devour, 
 and burn them up together ?" and how much more 
 fearful is their condition that know it not ! but are 
 ready to " rush like the horse into the battle !" 
 Do you owe no duty, no pity to them that have the 
 same nature with you, and with whom your case was 
 once the same ? If you do indeed know the things 
 of your peace Godward, so as to have made your 
 peace, to have come to an agreement, and struck a 
 covenant with him; you have now taken his side, 
 are of his confederates, not as equals but subjects. 
 You have sworn allegiance to him, and associated 
 yourself with all them that have done so. There 
 can hereupon be but one common interest to him 
 and you. Hence therefore you are most strictly 
 obliged to wish well to that interest, and promote it 
 to your uttermost, in his own way, that is, according 
 to his openly avowed inclination, and design, and 
 the genuine constitution of that kingdom which he 
 hath erected, and is intent to enlarge and extend 
 further in the world. That you do well know is a 
 kingdom of grace; for his natural kingdom already 
 confines with the universe, and can have no enlarge- 
 ment, without enlarging the creation. Whosoever 
 they are that contend against him, are not merely 
 enemies therefore, but rebels. And you see he 
 
125 
 
 aims to conquer them by love and goodness : and 
 therefore treats with them, and seeks to estabhsh a 
 kingdom over them, in and by a Mediator, who, if 
 he were not intent upon the same design, had never 
 lamented the destruction of any of them, and wept 
 over their ruin, as here you find. So therefore, 
 should you long for the conversion of souls, and the 
 enlargement of his kingdom this way, both out ot" 
 loyalty to him, and compassion towards them. 
 
 II. For such as may be in great fear, lest this 
 prove to be their case. They are either such as 
 may fear it, but do not ; or such as are deeply af- 
 flicted with this actual fear. 
 
 1. For the former sort, who are in too great dan- 
 ger of brincrinor tl emselves into this dreadful, de- 
 plorable condition, but apprehend nothing of it. All 
 that is to be said to them apart bv themselves, is oniv 
 to awaken them out of thcu* drowsv, dancrerous 
 slumber and security ; and then they will be capable 
 of being spoken to, together with the other sort. 
 Let me therefore, 
 
 (1.) Demand of you. Do you beheve there is a 
 Lord over you, yea or no ? L"se vour thoughts : for, 
 about matters that concern you less, you can think. 
 Do you not apprehend you have an invisible Owner 
 and Ruler, that rightfully claims to himself an inter- 
 est in you, and a governing power over vou ? How 
 came vou into beinijj? You know vou made not 
 yourselves. And if vou yet look no hiijher, than to 
 progenitors of your own kind, mortal men, as you 
 are, how came tliev into beino-? You have so much 
 understanding about you, if you would use it, as to 
 
126 
 
 know they could none of them make themselves 
 more than you, and that therefore human race must 
 have had its beginning, from some superior Maker. 
 And did not he that made them make vou and all 
 things else? Where are your arguments to prove 
 it was otherwise, and that this world, and all the 
 generations of men, took beginning of themselves, 
 without a wise and mighty Creator? produce your 
 strong reasons, upon which you will venture your 
 souls, and all the possibilities of your being happy 
 or miserable to eternity ! Will your imagination 
 make you safe? and protect you against his v/rath 
 and justice, whose authority you will not own ? Can 
 you, by it, uncreate your Creator, and nullify the 
 Eternal Being? or have you any thing else, besides 
 your own blind imagination, to make you confident, 
 that all things came of nothing, without any Maker ? 
 But if you know not how to think this reasonable, 
 and apprehend you must allow yourselves to owe 
 your being to an Almighty Creator, let me, 
 
 (2.) Ask of you, how you think your life is main- 
 tained? Doth not he that made you live, keep you 
 alive ? Whereas you have often heard that '• we all 
 live, and move, and have our beings in him," doth it 
 not seem most likely to you to be so ? Have you 
 the power of yom* own life ? Do you think you can 
 live as long as you will ? At least, do you not find 
 you need the common helps of meat, and drink, and 
 air, and clothing for the support and comfort of your 
 lives ? And are not all these his creatures as well as 
 you ? And can you have them, whether he will or not? 
 
 (3.) And how can you think that he that made and 
 
127 
 
 maintains you, hath no right to rule you ? If it were 
 possible any one should as much depend upon you, 
 would you not claim such power over him ? Can you 
 suppose yourselves to be under no obligation to please 
 him, who hath done so much for you? and to do his 
 will, if you can any way know it ? 
 
 (4.) And can you pretend you have no means to 
 know it ? That book that goes up and down under 
 the name of his word, can you disprove it to be his 
 word ? If such writings should now first come into 
 the world, so sincere, so awful, so holy, so heavenly, 
 bearing so expressly the divine image, avowing them- 
 selves to be from God, and the most wonderful works 
 are wrought to prove them his word — the deaf made 
 to hear, the blind to see, the dumb to speak, the 
 sick healed, the dead raised, by a word only com- 
 manclins" it to be so — would you not confess this to 
 be sufficient evidence that this revelation came from 
 heaven ? And are you not sufficiently assured they 
 are so confirmed ? Do you find in yourselves any 
 melination to cheat your children in any thing that 
 concerns their well-being? Why should you more 
 suspect your forefathers' design to cheat you, in the 
 mere reporting falsely a matter of fact ? Was not 
 human nature the same so many hundred years ago ? 
 Did ever the enemies of the Christian name, in the 
 earher days of Christianity, when it was but a no- 
 velty in the world, and so much hated, and endea- 
 voured to be rooted out, as ever any profession was, 
 deny such matters of fact? Have not some of the 
 most spiteful of them confessed it ? Did not Chris- 
 tians then willingly sacrifice their lives by multitudes. 
 
128 
 
 upon the assured truth of these things ? Have they 
 not been ever since most strictly careful to preserve 
 these writings, and transmit them, as wherein tlie 
 all of themselves, and their posterity was contained? 
 And where is now your new Hght ? where are your 
 later discoveries, upon which, so many ages after, 
 you are able to convict these waitings of falsehood, 
 or dare venture to disbelieve them ? 
 
 (5.) But if you beheve these writings to be divine, 
 how expressly is it told you, in them, what the state 
 of your case is Godward, and what he requires of 
 you? You may see you have displeased him, and 
 how you are to please him, as hath been shown 
 before in this discourse. You know that you have 
 lived in the world mindless, and inobservant of him, 
 not trusting, fearing, loving, or delighting in him, 
 dechning his acquaintance and converse ; seeking 
 your own pleasure, following your own inclination, 
 doing your own will, as if you were supreme, never 
 minding to refer your actions to his precepts as your 
 rule, or to his glory as your end. And from that 
 word of his you may understand all this to be very 
 displeasing to him: and that you can never please 
 him by continuing this course, but by breaking it 
 off, and returning to him as your Lord and your 
 God : that since your case did need a Redeemer 
 and Reconciler, and he hath pro\-ided and appointed 
 one for you ; you are to apply yourselves to him, to 
 commit and subject your souls to him, to trust in 
 liis merits and blood, and submit to his airthority 
 and government. And, 
 
 (6.) Are you not continually called hereto by the 
 
129 
 
 gospel, under which you have lived all this wliile ^. 
 so that you are in actual, continual rebellion against 
 him all the while you comply not with this call : 
 every breath you draw is rebellious breath. There 
 is no moment wherein this lies not upon you, by 
 every moment's addition to your time. And that 
 patience of his which adds by moments to your life, 
 and should lead you to repentance, is, while you re- 
 pent not, perverted by you, only to the " treasuring 
 up of wrath against the day of wrath, and the reve- 
 lation of his righteous judgment." 
 
 (7.) And do you not find, as his word also plainly 
 tells you, a great averseness and disinclination in you 
 to any such serious, solemn applying yourself to him, 
 and your Redeemer ? Try your own hearts ! Do 
 you not find them draw back and recoil ? if you urge 
 them, do they not still fly oiF? How loath are you 
 to retire ! and set yourselves to consider your case ! 
 and unto serious seeking of God in Christ ! both 
 from a reluctancy and indisposition to any such em- 
 ployment as this is itself, and from disaffectio}! to 
 that whereto it tends ; the breaking off your former 
 sinful course of life, and entering upon a better. 
 And does not all this show you the plain truth of 
 what the word of God hath told you, " that the 
 ^^thiopian may as soon change his skin, or the leo- 
 pard his spots, as they do good who are accustomed 
 to do evil," — that you have a heart that cannot re- 
 pent, " till God give you repentance to life,'' — 
 that you " cannot come to Christ till the Father 
 draw you." Do you not see your case then, that 
 you must perish if you have not help from heaven* 
 F 3 
 
130 
 
 if God do not give you his grace, to overcome and 
 cure the averseness and maHgnity of your nature? 
 That things are Hkely thus to run on with you as they 
 have from day to day, and from year to year ; and 
 you that are unwilling to take the course that is ne- 
 cessary for your salvation to day, are likely to be as 
 unwilling to-morrow, and so your lives consume in 
 vanity, till you drop into perdition ? But, 
 
 (8.) Dost thou not also know, sinner, (what hath 
 been so newly shown thee from God's word,) that, 
 by thy being under the gospel, thou hast a day of 
 grace? not only as offers of pardon and reconcilia- 
 tion are made to thee in it, but also as through it 
 converting heart-renewing grace is to be expected, 
 and may be had ? that what is sufficient for the turn- 
 ing and changing of thy heart, is usually not given 
 all at once; but as gentler insinuations (the injec- 
 tion of some good thoughts and desires) are complied 
 with, more powerful influences may be hoped to 
 follow? That, therefore, thou art concerned, upon 
 any such thought cast into thy mind, of going now 
 to seek God for the life of thy soul, to strive, thy- 
 self, against thy own disinclination ; that if thou do 
 not, but yield to it, and still defer, it may prove mor- 
 tal to thee? For is it not plain to thee in itself, 
 and from what hath been said, that this day hath its 
 limits, and will come to an end? Dost thou not 
 know thou art a mortal creature, that thy breath is 
 in thy nostrils ? Dost thou know how near tliou art 
 to the end of thy life ? and how few breaths there 
 may be for thee between this present moment and 
 eternity? Dost thou not know thy day of grace 
 
131 
 
 may end before thy life end? that tiiou mayest be 
 cast far enough out of the sound of the gospel? and 
 if thou shouldst carry any notices of it with thee, 
 thou who hast been so unapt to consider them while 
 they were daily pressed upon thee, will most probably 
 be less apt when thou hearest of no such thing ? 
 that thou mayest live still under the gospel, and the 
 Spirit of grace retire from thee, and never attempt 
 thee more, for thy former despiting of it? For 
 what obligation hast thou upon that blessed Spmt? 
 Or why shouldst thou think a Deity bound to attend 
 upon thy triflings ? And, 
 
 (9.) If yet all this move not, consider what it will 
 be to die unreconciled to God ! Thou hast been 
 his enemy: he hath made thee gracious offers oi" 
 peace, waited long upon thee : thou hast made light 
 of all. The matter must at lenq;th end either in 
 reconcihation or vengeance ! The former is not 
 acceptable to thee : art thou prepared for the latter ? 
 Canst thou sustain it? Is it not a " fearful thing 
 to fall into the hands of the living God?" Thou 
 wilt not do him rio^ht, he must then ricjlit himself 
 upon thee : Dost thou think he cannot do it ? 
 Canst thou doubt his power? Cast thine eyes 
 about thee, behold the greatness (as far as thou 
 canst) of this creation of his, whereof thou art but a 
 very little part. He that hath made that sun over 
 thine head, and stretched out those spacious heavens, 
 that hath furnished them with those innumerable 
 bright stars, that governs all their motions, that hath 
 hung this earth upon nothing, that made and sus- 
 tains til at great variety of creatures that inhabit it, 
 
132 
 
 can he not deal with thee, a worm? Can thine 
 heart endure, or thine hands he strong, if he plead 
 with thee ? if he surround thee with his terrors, and 
 set them in battle array against thee ? Hell and de- 
 struction are open before him; and without cover- 
 ing, how soon art thou cast in and ingulfed ? Sit 
 down, and consider whether thou be able, with thy 
 impotency, to stand before him that comes against 
 thee with Almighty power? Is it not better to sue 
 in time for peace ? 
 
 But perhaps thou mayest say, I begin now to fear 
 it is too late : I have so long slighted the gospel, 
 resisted the holy Spirit of God. abused and baffled 
 my own light and conscience, that I am afraid God 
 will quite abandon me, and cast me off for ever. It 
 is well if thou do indeed begin to fear. That fear 
 gives hope. Thou art then capable of coming into 
 their rank, who are next to be spoken to, namely, 
 
 2. Such as feel themselves afflicted with the ap- 
 prehension and dread of their having out-lived their 
 day, and that the things of theu' peace are now irre- 
 coverably hid from their eyes. I desire to counsel 
 such faithfully, according to that light and guidance 
 which the gospel of our Lord affi)rds us in reference 
 to any such case. 
 
 (1.) Take heed of stifling that fear suddenly, but 
 labour to improve it to some advantage, and then to 
 cure and remove it by rational-evangelical means 
 and methods. Do not, as thou lovest the life of 
 thy soul, go about suddenly, or by undue means, to 
 smother or extinguish it. It is too possible, when 
 any such apprehension strikes into a man's mind^ 
 
133 
 
 because it is a sharp or piercing thouglit, disturbs 
 his quiet, gives him molestation, and some torture, 
 to pluck out the dart too soon, and cast it away. 
 Perhaps such a course is taken, as doth him un- 
 speakably more mischief, than a thousand such 
 thoughts would ever do. He diverts, it may be. to 
 vain company, or to sensuality; talks, or drinks away 
 nis trouble; makes death his cure of pain; and, to 
 avoid the fear of hell, leaps into it. Is this indeed 
 the wisest course ? Either thy apprehension is rea- 
 sonable, or unreasonable. If it should prove a rea- 
 sonable apprehension, as it is a terrible one, would 
 the neglect of it become a reasonable creature, or 
 mend thy case ? If it should be found unreasonable, 
 it may require time, and some debate to discover il 
 to be so; whereby, when it is manifestly detected 
 with how much greater satisfaction is it laid aside 
 Labour then to inquire rightly concerning this mat 
 ter. 
 
 (2.) In this inquiry, consider diligently what the 
 kind of that fear is that you find yourselves afflicted 
 with. The fear that perplexes your heart, must 
 some way correspond to the apprehension you have 
 in your mind, touching your case. Consider what 
 that is, and in what form it shows itself there. Doth 
 it appear in the form of a peremptory judgment, 
 a definitive sentence, which you have past within 
 yourself concerning your case ; that your day is over, 
 and you are a lost creature ; or only of a mere doubt, 
 lest it should prove so. The fear that corresponds 
 to the former of these, makes you quite desperate, 
 and obstinately resolute against any means for the 
 
134 
 
 bettering of your condition. The fear that answers 
 to the latter apprehension hath a mixture of hope in 
 it, which admits of somewhat to be done for your re- 
 Hef, and will prompt thereunto. Labour to discern 
 which of these is the present temper and posture of" 
 your spirit. 
 
 (3.) If you find it to be the former, let no thought 
 any longer dwell in your mind, (under that form,) 
 namely, as a definitive sentence concerning your state. 
 You have nothing to do to pass such a judgment; 
 the tendency of it is dismal and horrid, as you may 
 yourself perceive. And your ground for it is none 
 at all. Youi- conscience within you is to do the 
 office of a judge ; but only of an under-judge, that 
 is, to proceed strictly by rule, prescribed and set by 
 the sovereign Lord and arbiter of life and death : 
 there is one Lawgiver who is " able to save and to 
 destroy." Nor is your conscience, as an under- 
 judge, to meddle at all, but in cases within your cog- 
 nizance. This about your final state is a reserved, 
 excepted case, belonging only to the supreme tri- 
 bunal, which you must take heed how you usurp. 
 As such a judgment tends to make you desperate, 
 so there will be high presumption in this despair. 
 Dare you take upon you to cancel and nullify to 
 yourself the obligation of the evangehcal law? and 
 wliereas that makes it your duty to " repent, and 
 believe the gospel," to absolve yourself from this 
 bond, and say, it is none of your duty, or make it 
 impossible to you to do it ! you have matter and 
 cases enough within the cognizance of your con- 
 science, not only the particular actions of your life, 
 
135 
 
 but your present state also, whether you be as yet 
 in a state of acceptance with God, through Christ, 
 yea or no? And here you have rules set you to 
 judge by. But concerning your final state, or that 
 you shall never be brought into a state of accept- 
 ance, you have no rule by which you can make such 
 a judgment; and therefore this judgment belongs 
 not to you. Look then upon the matter of your 
 final condition, as an exempt case, reserved to the 
 future judgment ; and the present determination 
 whereof, against yourself, is without your compass 
 and line, and most unsuitable to the state of proba- 
 tion, wherein, you are to reckon, God continues you 
 here with the rest of men in this world ; and there- 
 fore any such judgment you should tear, and re- 
 verse, and, as such, not permit to have any place 
 with you. 
 
 (4.) Yet since, as hath been said, you are not quite 
 to reject, or obliterate any apprehension or thought, 
 touching this subject, make it your business to cor- 
 rect and reduce it to that form, that is, let it only 
 for the present remain with you, as a doubt, how 
 your case now stands, and what issue it may at length 
 have. And see that your fear thereupon be answer- 
 able to your apprehension, so rectified. While as 
 yet it is not evident you have made your peace with 
 God upon his known terms, you are to consider God 
 hath left your case a doubtful case ; and you are to 
 conceive of it accordingly; and are to entertain a 
 fear concerning it, not as certainly hopeless, but as 
 uncertain. And as yours is really a doubtful case, 
 it is a most important one. It concerns your souls, 
 
136 
 
 and your eternal well-being, and is not therefore to 
 be nefjlected, or trifled with. You do not know how 
 God will deal with you ; whether he will again afford 
 you such help as he hath done, or whether ever he 
 will effectually move your heart unto conversion and 
 salvation. You therefore are " to work out your 
 salvation with fear and trembling," because, as was 
 told you, " he works but of his own good pleasure." 
 Y'^our fear should not exceed this state of your case, 
 so as to exclude hope. It is of unspeakable con- 
 cernment to you, that hope do intermingle with your 
 fear. That will do much to mollify and soften your 
 hearts, that after all the abuse of mercy, and impos- 
 ing upon the patience of God, your neglects and 
 slights of a bleeding Saviour, your resisting and 
 grieving the Spirit of grace, he may yet, once for 
 all, visit your forlorn soul with his vital influence, 
 and save you from going down to perdition ! How 
 can your hearts but melt and break upon this appre- 
 hension ! And it is not a groundless one. He that 
 " came not to call the righteous, but sinners to re- 
 pentance," will not fail to treat them well, whom he 
 sees beginning to listen to his call, and entertaining 
 the thoughts that most directly tend to bring them 
 to a compliance with it. Your hope insinuating it- 
 self and mingling with your fear, is highly grateful 
 to the God of all grace. " He takes pleasure in 
 them that fear him, and in them that hope in his 
 mercy." 
 
 (5.) But sec to it also that your fear be not shght 
 and momentary, and that it vanish not, while as yet it 
 hath so great a work to do in you, namely, to engage 
 
137 
 
 you to accept God's own terms of peace and reconcili- 
 ation, with all your heart and soul. It is of conti- 
 nual use, even not only in order to conversion, but to 
 the converted also. Can you think those mentioned 
 words were spoken to none such : " Work out your 
 own salvation with fear and trembling : for it is 
 God which worketh in you both to will and to do of 
 his good pleasure." Or, those, " Let us therefore 
 fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his 
 rest, any of you should seem to come short of it?" 
 And do we not find a holy fear is to contribute all 
 alonp- to the whole of progressive sanctifi cation ? 
 " Ha\'ing therefore these promises, dearly beloved, 
 let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh 
 and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." 
 And that by it he preserves his own, that they never 
 depart from him ? " And I will make an everlasting 
 covenant with them, that I will not turn away from 
 them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in 
 their hearts, that they shall not depart from me." 
 Much more do you need it in your present case, 
 while matters are yet in treaty between God and 
 you. And as it should not exceed the true ap- 
 prehension of your case, so nor should it come sliort 
 of it. 
 
 (6.) You should therefore, in order hereto, aggra- 
 vate to yourselves the just causes of your fear. Why 
 are. you afraid your day should be over, and the 
 things of your peace be for ever hid from your eyes ? 
 Is it not that you have sinned against much light, 
 against many checks of your own consciences, against 
 many very serious warnings and exhortations, many 
 
138 
 
 earnest importunate beseecliings and entreaties you 
 have had in the ministry of the gospel, many motions 
 and strivings of the Spirit of God thereby? Let 
 your thoughts dwell upon these things. Think 
 what it is for the great God, the Lord of Glory, to 
 have been slighted by a worm ! Doth not this de- 
 serve as ill things at the hands of God as you can 
 fear ? It is fit you should apprehend what your de- 
 sert is, though perhaps mercy may interpose, and 
 avert tlie deserved dreadful event. And if he have 
 signified his displeasure tow^ards you hereupon, by 
 desisting for the present, and ceasing to strive with 
 you as he hath formerly done; if your heart be 
 grown more cold, and dead, and hard, than sometime 
 it was, if you have been left so as to fall into gros- 
 ser sin ; it is highly reasonable you should fear being 
 finally forsaken of the blessed Spii'it of God, and 
 greatly fear it, but with an awful fear, that may 
 awaken you most earnestly to endeavour his return 
 to you, not with a despairing fear that will bind you 
 up from any further endeavour for your soul at all. 
 
 And if upon all this, by death or otherwise, such 
 a ministry be withdrawn from you, as God did work 
 by, in some degree, upon you, and you find not, in 
 that kind, what is so suitable to your state and case ; 
 take heed lest you be stupid under such a stroke. 
 Think what it imports unto you, if God have, as it 
 were, said concerning any servant of his, " 1 will 
 make his tongue cleave to the roof of his mouth, 
 that he shall not be a reprover to you anymore I" 
 Consider that God may, by this, be making way 
 that '' wrath may come upon you to the uttermost," 
 
189 
 
 and never let you have opportunity to know more 
 the thmgs of your peace. Perhaps you may never 
 meet with the man more, that shall speak so accom- 
 modately to your condition, that shall so closely pur- 
 sue you through all the haunts and subterfuges, and 
 lurking holes, where.in your guilty con\dnced soul 
 hath wont to hide itself, and falsely seek to heal its 
 own wounds. One of more value may be less apt, 
 possibly, to profit you ; as a more polished key doth 
 not therefore alike fit every lock. And thy case 
 may be such, that thou shalt never hear a sermon, 
 or the voice of a preacher more. 
 
 (7.) And now in this case recollect yourselves, 
 what sins you have been formerly convinced of, un- 
 der such a ministry, and which you have persisted 
 in notwithstanding. Were you never convinced of 
 your neglecting God, and living as without him in 
 the world? of your low esteem and disregard of 
 Christ ? of your worldliness, your minding only the 
 things of this earth? of your carnality, pride, self- 
 seeking voluptuousness, your having been lovers of 
 pleasures more than lovers of God ? of your unpro- 
 fitableness in your station, wherein you ought to 
 have lived more conformably to Christian rules and 
 precepts, according to the relations wherein God 
 hath set you ? Were you never convinced how very 
 faulty governors you have been, or members of 
 families? parents or masters, children or servants? 
 What will this come to at last, that convictions have 
 hitherto signified and served for nothing but increase 
 cf guilt ? 
 
 (8.) Under all this weight and load of guilt, con- 
 
140 
 
 sider what you have to do for your souls ! Bethink 
 yourselves ; are you to sit down and yield yourselves 
 to perish ? Consider, man, it is the business of thy 
 soul, and of thine eternal state, that is now before 
 thee. Thou hast the dreadful flaming gulf of ever- 
 lasting horror and misery in view : hast thou nothing 
 left thee to do but to throw thyself into it? Me- 
 thinks thou shouldst sooner reconcile thy thoughts 
 to any thing than that ; and that, if any thing at all 
 be to be done for thine escape, thou shouldst rather 
 set thyself about it, and do it. Thou art yet alive, 
 not yet in hell, yet the patience of God spares thee : 
 thou hast yet time to consider, thou hast the power 
 to think yet left thee, and canst thou use it no other 
 way than to think of perishing ! Think rather how 
 not to perish. A great point is gained, if thou art 
 but brought to say, " What shall I do to be saved ?" 
 which doth imply thou dost both apprehend the dis- 
 tressedness of thy case, and art willing to do any 
 thing that is to be done for thy relief. And if thou 
 art brought to this, thy circumstance may perhaps 
 be such that thou canst only put this question to thy- 
 self, and art only thyself to answer it, without a liv- 
 ing, present guide, which may therefore make such 
 a help as this needful to thee. Possibly some irre- 
 sistible pro\'idence may have so cast thy lot, that 
 thou art only now to be thy own preacher ; though 
 it sometime was otherwise with thee; and things 
 were said to thee most suitable to the condition of 
 thy soul, which thou wouldst not then consider. ft 
 is yet pressed upon thee to consider now, with some 
 design to direct thy thoughts, that they run not into 
 
141 
 
 useless and troublesome confusion only. And your 
 subject being what course you are now to take, that 
 vou may escape eternal wrath and ruin; it is ob- 
 vious to you to apprehend nothing is to be done 
 against, or without God, but with him, and by him. 
 Your utmost consideration can but bring the matter 
 to this short point, that whereas you have highly 
 offended the God that made you, incurred his wrath, 
 and made him your enemy ; either to resist, or treat 
 and supplicate. That madness which would let you 
 intend the former, is not capable of consideration at 
 all. For, if you consider, will you contend with 
 Omnipotency, or fight with an all-devouring flame ? 
 And as to the latter, it is well for you, that it can 
 be the matter of your consideration, that you have 
 any encouragement to turn your thoughts that way. 
 You might have enemies, that being provoked, and 
 having you in their power, would never admit of a 
 treaty, nor regard your supplications, but fall upon 
 you with merciless fury, and leave you nothing to 
 think of but perishing. Here it is not so with you. 
 The merciful God hath graciously told you fury 
 is not so in him, but that (though if " briers and 
 thorns will set themselves in battle against him, he 
 will easily pass through, and burn them up together," 
 yet) " if any will take hold of his strength, that tliey 
 may make peace with him, they shall make peace 
 with him." You are to consider there is dancrer in 
 your case, and there is hope, — that your sin is not so 
 little as to need no forgiveness, nor too great to be 
 forgiven. Wherefore, whose case soever this is, 
 since you may be forgiven, if you duly apply your- 
 
142 
 
 selves, and must be forgiven, or yv)u are undone, 
 my further advice to you is, and you may, as to this, 
 advise yourself, having nothing else left you to do. 
 
 (9.) That you cast yourselves down before the 
 mercy-seat of God, humble yourselves deeply at his 
 footstool, turn to him vt'ith all your soul, implore his 
 mercy tlirough Christ, make a solemn covenant with 
 him, taking him to be your God, and devoting your- 
 self to him, to be his, accepting his Son as your Lord 
 and Saviour, and resigning your soul with submission 
 and trust entirely to him, to be ruled and saved by 
 him. That you are to do this the case is plain, and 
 even speaks itself: how you are to do it may need 
 to be more particularly told you. 
 
 1. Take heed that what you do in this be not tlie 
 mere effect of your present apprehended distress, but 
 of the altered judgment and inclination of your mind 
 and heart. The apprehension of your distressed 
 dangerous condition, may be a useful means and 
 inducement to engage you more seriously to listen 
 and attend to the proposals made to you in the gos- 
 pel. But if, upon all this, it should be the sense of 
 your heart that you would rather live still as with- 
 out God in the world, and that you would never 
 come to any such treaty or agreement with him, if 
 mere necessity and the fear of perishing did not 
 urge you to it, you are still but where you were. 
 Therefore, though the feared danger was necessary 
 to make you bethink yourself, and consider *vhat 
 God propounds to you : that consideration ought to 
 have that further effect upon you, to convince you 
 cf the equity and desirableness of the things them- 
 
143 
 
 selves which he pi-opounds, summarily, of your be- 
 taking yourselves to him as your sovereign Lord, and 
 supreme good, to fear and love, obey and enjoy him, 
 in Christ Jesus, and accordingly ought to incline 
 your heart thereto. 
 
 2. You are to consider, in your entering into tliis 
 covenant with God in Christ, that it is not a trans- 
 action for the present only you are about, but for 
 your whole life. " This God is to be your God, 
 for ever and ever, your God and your guide even to 
 the death.'* You are to live in his fear and love, in 
 his service and communion all your days, and must 
 understand this to be the meaning and tenor of the 
 covenant which you make with him. 
 
 3. And hence, therefore, it is plain that youi 
 whole transaction in this matter must proceed from 
 a new nature, and a new vital principle of grace and 
 hohness in you. What you do herein will other* 
 wise neither be sincere nor lasting. You can never 
 embrace religion for itself, without this, nor con- 
 tinue on in a religious course. What you do only 
 iiom a temporary pang or fear upon you, is but from 
 a kind of force that is for the present upon you, and 
 will come to nothing, as soon as the impression of 
 that fear wears off. The religion which is true, and 
 durable, is not from a spirit of fear, "but of love, 
 power, and a sound mind." You must be a new 
 creature, God's workmanship, created in Christ 
 Jesus unto good works — that you may walk in them. 
 The life of the new creature stands in love to God, 
 as its way and course afterwards is a course of walk- 
 ing with God. If your heart be not brought to love 
 
144 
 
 God, and delioht in him, vou are still but dead to- 
 wards God, and you still remain alive unto sin, as 
 before. Whereas, if you ever come to be a Chris- 
 tian indeed, vou must be able truly to " reckon your- 
 self dead to sin, and alive to God through Jesus 
 Christ." Whereupon, in your making the men- 
 tioned covenant, you must "yield yourself to God, 
 as one that is alive from the dead." A new nature 
 and life in you, will make all that you do, in a way 
 of duty, (whether immediately towards God or man, 
 the whole course of godliness, righteousness, and 
 sobriety,) easy and delightful to you. And because 
 it is evident, both from many plain scriptm'es, and 
 youi' own, and all men's experience, that you cannot 
 be, yourselves, the authors of this holy new life and 
 nature, you must therefore, further, in entering into 
 this covenant, 
 
 4. Most earnestly cry to God, and plead with 
 him for his Spirit, by whom the vital unitive bond 
 must be contracted between God in Christ and vour 
 souls. So this will be the covenant of life and 
 peace. Lord ! how generally do the Christians of 
 our age deceive themselves with a self-sprung reli- 
 gion ! Divine indeed in the institution, but merely 
 human, in respect of the radication and exercise. 
 In which respects also it must be divine or nothing. 
 What, are we yet to learn that a divine power 
 must work and form our religion in us, as well as 
 divine authority du'ect and enjoin it? Do all such 
 scriptures go for nothing that tell us, " It is God 
 that must create the new heart, and renew the right 
 spirit in us;" that he must turn us if ever we be 
 
145 
 
 tumed ; that we " can never come to Christ, except 
 the Father draw us." Nor is there any cause of 
 discouragement in this, if you consider what hath 
 before been said in this discourse ? " Ask, and you 
 shall receive; seek, and you shall find; knock, and 
 it shall be opened to you." Your heavenly Father 
 will give his Spirit to them that ask, more readily 
 than parents do bread to their children, and not a 
 stone. But what if you be put to ask often, and 
 wait long, this doth but the more endear the gift, 
 and show the high value of it. You are to remem- 
 ber how often you have grieved, resisted, and ve^ced 
 his Spirit, and that you have made God svait long 
 upon you. What if the absolute sovereign Lord of 
 all expect your attendance upon hiin ? " He waits 
 to be gracious ;— and blessed are thev tliat wait for 
 him." Renew your applications to him. Lay 
 from time to time that covenant before you, which 
 yourselves must be wrought up unto a full entire 
 closure with. A.nd if it be not done at one 
 time, try yet if it will another, and try again and 
 agam. Remember it is for your life, for your soul, 
 for your all. But do not satisfy yourself with 
 only such faint motions within thee, as may only be 
 the effects of thy own spirit, of thy dark, dull, list- 
 less, sluggish, dead, hard heart, at least not of the 
 efficacious regenerating influence of the divine Spirit. 
 Didst thou never hear what mighty workings there 
 have been in others when God hath been trans- 
 formincr and renewin^^ them, and drawino- them into 
 living union with his Son, and himself through 
 him ? what an amazing penetrating fight hath struck 
 G 3 
 
146 
 
 into their hearts ! " For God, who commanded the 
 light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our 
 liearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the 
 glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." Such 
 as when he was making the world, enlightened the 
 chaos : such as hath made them see things that con- 
 cerned them as they truly were, and with their own 
 proper face, God, and Christ, and themselves, sin 
 and duty, heaven and hell, in their own true appear- 
 ances ! How effectually they have been awakened ! 
 how the terrors of the Almighty have beset and 
 seized their souls ! what agonies and pangs they 
 have felt in themselves, when the voice of God hath 
 said to them, " Awake thou that sleepest, and arise 
 from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light !" 
 How he hath brouo-ht them down at his feet, thrown 
 them into the dust, broken them, melted them, 
 made them abase themselves, loathe and abhor them- 
 selves, filled them v/ith sorrow, shame, confusion, 
 and with indignation towards their own guilty souls, 
 habituated them to a severity, against themselves, 
 unto the most sharp, and yet most unforced self- 
 accusations, self-judging, and self-condemnation; so 
 as even to make them lay claim to hell, and confess 
 the portion of devils belonged to them, as their own 
 most deserved portion. And if now their eyes have 
 been directed towards a Redeemer; and any glim- 
 mering of hope hath appeared to them ; if now they 
 are taught to understand God saying to them, Sin- 
 ner, art thou yet willing to be reconciled, and 
 accept a Saviour? O the transport into which it 
 puts them ! this is life from the dead ? What, is 
 
147 
 
 there hope for such a lost wretch as I ? How taste- 
 ful now is that meltmg mvitation ! how pleasant an 
 intimation doth it carry with it, " Come unto me 
 all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will 
 give you rest." If the Lord of heaven and earth do 
 now look down from the throne of glory, and say. 
 What, sinner, wilt thou despise my favour and 
 pardon, my Son, thy mighty merciful Redeemer, 
 my grace and Spirit still ! — What can be the 
 return of the poor abased wretch, overawed by the 
 glory of the divine Majesty, stung with compunc- 
 tion, overcome with the intimation of kindness and 
 love? "I have heard of thee, O God, by the 
 hearing of the ear, now" mine eye seeth thee ; where- 
 fore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." 
 So inwardly is the truth of that word now felt, " that 
 thou mayest remember and be confounded, and nevei 
 open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame, 
 when I am pacified towards thee, for all that thou 
 hast done, saith the Lord God." But, sinner, 
 wilt thou make a covenant with me, and my Christ ? 
 wilt thou take me for thy God, and him for thy 
 Redeemer and Lord ? And may I, Lord ! yet, 
 may I ? O admirable grace ! wonderful sparing 
 mercy ! that I was not thrown into hell at my first 
 refusal ! Yea, Lord, with all my heart and soul, 
 I renounce the vanities of an empty cheating world, 
 and all the pleasures of sin : in thy favour stands 
 my life : whom have I in heaven but thee ? whom 
 on earth do 1 desire besides thee ? And O thou 
 blessed Jesus, thou Prince of the kings of the earth, 
 who hast loved me, and washed me from my sins in 
 g2 
 
'^ 148 
 
 thy blood, and whom the eternal God hath exalted 
 to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and 
 remission of sins, I flill before thee, my Lord, and 
 my God : I here wilHngly tender my homage at the 
 footstool of thy throne. 1 take thee for the Lord 
 of my life. I absolutely surrender and resign my- 
 self to thee. Tiiy love constrains me henceforth no 
 more to live to myself, but to thee who diedst for 
 me, and didst rise again. And I subject and yield 
 myself to tliy blessed light and power, O Holy 
 Spirit of grace, to be more and more illuminated, 
 sanctified, and prepared for every good word and 
 work, in this world, and for an inheritance among 
 them that are sanctified in the other. Sinner, never 
 give thy soul leave to be at rest till thou find it 
 brought to some such transaction with God (the 
 Father, Son, and Spirit) as this; so as that thou 
 canst truly say, and dost feel thy heart is in it. Be 
 ]iot weary or impatient of waiting and striving, till 
 thou canst say, this is now the very sense of thy 
 soul. Such things have been done in the world 
 (but O how seldom of latter days !) So God hath 
 wrouo^ht with men to save them from i>oincT down to 
 the pit, having found a ransom for them. And 
 why may he not yet be expected to do so? He 
 hath smitten rocks ere now, and made the waters 
 gush out; nor is his hand shortened, nor his ear 
 heavy. Thy danger is not, sinner, that he will be 
 inexorable, but lest tliou shouldst. He wull be 
 entreated, if thou wouidst be prevailed wilii to 
 entreat his favour with thy whole heart. 
 
 And that thou mayest, and not throw away thy 
 
149 
 
 f:oul, and so great a hope, tlirougli mere sloth, and 
 loathness to be at some pains for tliy life ; let the 
 text, which hath been thy directory about the things 
 that belong to tliy peace, be also thy motive, as it 
 gives thee to behold the Son of God weeping over 
 such as would not know those things. Shall not 
 the Redeemer's tears move thee ? O hard heart ! 
 Consider what these tears import to this purpose. 
 
 1. They signify the real depth, and greatness of 
 the misery into which thou art falling. They drop 
 from an intellectual and most comprehensive eye, 
 that sees far, and pierces deep into things, hath a 
 wide and large prospect; takes the compass of that 
 forlorn state into which unreconcilable sinners are 
 hastening, in ail the horror of it. The Son of 
 God did not weep vain and causeless tears, or for a 
 light matter; nor did he for himself either spend 
 his own, or desire the profusion of others' tears. 
 " Weep not for me, O daughters of Jerusalem." 
 He knows the value of souls, the weight of guilt, 
 and how low it will press and sink them ; the severity 
 of God's justice, and the power of his anger, and 
 what the fearful eftects of them will be, when they 
 finally fall. If thou understandest not these things 
 thyself, believe him that did, at least believe his 
 tears. 
 
 2. They signify the sincerity of his love and 
 pity, the truth and tenderness of his compassion. 
 Canst thou think his tears deceitful? his, who never 
 knew guile? was this like the rest of his course? 
 And remember, that he who shed tears, did, from 
 the same fountain of love and mercy, shed blood 
 
150 
 
 too ! Was that also done to deceive ? Thou 
 makest thyself some very considerable thirg indeed, 
 if thou thinkest the Son of God counted it worth 
 his while to weep, and bleed, and die, to deceive 
 thee into a false esteem of him and his love. But 
 if it be the greatest madness imaginable to entertain 
 any such thought, but that his tears were sincere 
 and inartificial, the natural genuine expressions of 
 undissembled benignity and pity, thou art then to 
 consider what love and compassion thou art now 
 sinning against ; what bowels thou spurnest ; and 
 that if thou perishest, it is under such guilt as the 
 devils themselves are not liable to, who never had a 
 Redeemer bleeding for them, nor, that we ever find, 
 weeping over them. 
 
 3. They show the remedilessness of thy case, if 
 thou persist in impenitency and unbelief till the 
 things of thy peace be quite hid from thine eyes. 
 These tears v/ill then be the last issues of (even 
 defeated) love, of love that is frustrated of its kind 
 design. Thou mayest perceive in these tears the 
 steady unalterable laws of heaven, the inflexibleness 
 of the divine justice, that holds thee in adamantine 
 bonds, and hath sealed thee up, if thou prove mcur- 
 ably obstinate and impenitent, unto perdition ; so 
 that even the Redeemer himself, " he that is mighty 
 to save," cannot at length save thee, but only weep 
 over thee, drop tears into thy flame, which assuage 
 it not ; but (though they have another design, even 
 to express true compassion) do yet unavoidably 
 heighten, and increase the fervour of it, and will do 
 so to all eternity. He even tells thee, sinner. Thou 
 
151 
 
 hast despised my blood, tliou shall yet have my 
 tears. That would have saved thee, these do only 
 lament thee lost. 
 
 But the tears wept over others as lost and past 
 hope, why should they not yet melt thee, while as 
 yet there is hope in thy case ; if thou be effectually 
 melted m thy verv soul, and " looking to him whom 
 tliou hast pierced, dost truly mourn over hhn," thou 
 mayest assure thyself the prospect his weeping eye 
 had of lost souls, did not include thee. His weep- 
 ing over thee would argue thy case forlorn and hope- 
 less. Thy mourning over him will make it safe and 
 happy. That it may be so, consider further that, 
 
 4. They signify how very intent he is to save 
 souls, and how gladly he would save thine, if yet 
 thou wilt accept of mercy while it may be had. For 
 if he weep over them that will not be saved, from 
 the same love that is the spring of these tears, would 
 saving mercies proceed to those that are become 
 wilhng to receive them. And that love that wept 
 over them that were lost, how will it glory in them 
 that are saved ? There his love is disappointed and 
 vexed, crossed in its gracious intentions; but here, 
 having compassed it, how will he joy over thee with 
 singing, and rest in his love ! And thou also, in- 
 stead of being involved in a like ruin with the un- 
 reconciled sinners of the Old Jerusalem, shalt be 
 enrolled among the glorious citizens of the new, and 
 triumph together with them in eternal glory. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 CONCERNING THE BLASPHEMY AGAINST THE HOLY 
 
 ghost; and HOW god is said to will the 
 
 SALVATION OF THEM THAT PERISH. 
 
 Because some things, not fit to be wholly omitted, 
 were as little fit to come into the body of a practical 
 discourse, it was thought requisite to subjoin here 
 the following additions, that will, severally, have re- 
 ference to distinct parts of the foregoing discourse. 
 
 As to what was said, p. 104, of the unreasonable- 
 ness, and ill consequence of admitting it to be any 
 man's duty to believe himself utterly rejected, and 
 forsaken of God, inasmuch as it would make that 
 his duty ^vhich were repugnant to his felicity. This 
 is to be evinced by a consideration, which also, even 
 apart by itself, were not without its own great weight, 
 namely, that such a belief were inconsistent with his 
 former stated and known duty : it were therefore 
 inconsistent with his felicity, inasmuch as it would 
 make that duty impossible to be performed, which, 
 before, was, by the constitution of the evangelical 
 law, made necessary to it; namely, " Repentance 
 towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ." 
 The hope of acceptance is so necessary to both these, 
 that the belief of a man's being finally rejected, or 
 
153 
 
 tliat he shall never be accepted, cannot but make 
 them both impossible, equally impossible, as if he 
 were actually in hell ; as much impossible to him, as 
 to the devils themselves. Nor is this impossibility, 
 merely, from a moral impotency, or that obduration 
 of heart which were confessedly vicious, and his 
 great sin, but from the natural influence of that be- 
 lief of his being for ever rejected, which, upon the 
 mentioned supposition, were his duty. Besides, 
 inasmuch as it is the known duty of a sinner under 
 the gospel, " to turn to God through Christ," and 
 it is also declared in the same gospel, sufficiently to 
 make it the common matter of faith to Christians, 
 that none can " of themselves turn to God, and 
 believe in his Son," without the help of special effi- 
 cacious grace; it must hereupon be a man's duty 
 also to pray for that grace which may enable him 
 hereto. How deep in wickedness was Simon Magus, 
 even in the " gaU of bitterness, and bond of iniquity," 
 when yet Peter calls him to repentance, and puts 
 him upon praying for forgiveness, which must im- 
 ply also his praying for the grace to repent; but how 
 can a man pray for that, which, at tlie same time, he 
 believes shall not be given him? yea, and which is 
 harder, and more unaccountable, how can he stand 
 obliged in duty? to pray for that, which, at the same 
 time, he stands obhged in duty to believe he shall 
 not obtain ? How can these two contrary obligations 
 lie upon a man at the same time ; or is he to look 
 upon the former as ceased? should he reckon the 
 gospel as to him repealed ? or his impenitency and 
 infidelity, even when they are at the highest, no sins ? 
 
154 
 
 I know it is obvious to object, as to all tbis, tbe 
 case of the " unpardonable blasphemy against the 
 Holy Ghost;" which will be supposed to be stated 
 and determined in the sacred Scriptures, and being 
 so, the person that hath committed it, may equally 
 be thought obliged, (by a mixed assent, partly of 
 faith to what is written, partly of self-knowledge, 
 which he ought to have of his own acts and state,) 
 to conclude himself guilty of it : whereupon all the 
 former inconvenience and difficulty will be liable to 
 be urged as above. But even as to this also, I see 
 not but it may fitly enough be said, that though the 
 general nature of that sin be stated, and sufficiently 
 determined in thesi, yet that God hath not left it 
 determinable in hypothesis by any particular person, 
 that he hath committed it. For admit that it gene- 
 rally Hes in imputing to the devil those works of the 
 Holy Ghost, by which the truth of Christianity was 
 to be demonstrated, I yet see not how any man 
 can apply this to his own particular case, so as justly 
 and certainly to conclude himself guilty of it. I take 
 it for granted, none will ever take the notion of blas- 
 phemy in that strictness, but that a man may possibly 
 be guilty of this sin as well in thought, as by speech. 
 I also doubt not but it will be acknowledged on all 
 hands, that prejudice and malice against Christianity, 
 must have a great ingrediency into this sin; not such 
 maHce as whereby, knowing it to be true rehgion, 
 a man hates and detests it as such, (which would sup- 
 pose these Pharisees, whom our Saviour charges 
 with it, or cautions against it, to have been, at that 
 time, in their judgments and consciences. Christians,) 
 
155 
 
 but such malignity, and strong prejudice as darkens 
 and obstructs his mind, that he judges it not to be 
 true, ao^ainst the hij^hest evidence of its beinff so : 
 It will also be acknowledged, that some enmity and 
 disafFection to true religion, is common to all men ; 
 more especially in their unregeneracy, and unconvert- 
 ed state. 
 
 Now let it be supposed that some person or other, 
 of a very unwarrantably sceptical genius, had oppor- 
 tunity to know certainly the matter of fact, touching 
 the miraculous works wrought by our Saviour, and 
 understood vvithal somewhat generally of the doc- 
 trine which he taught ; and that he sets himself as 
 a philosopher, to consider the case. Suppose that, 
 partly through prejudice against the holy design of 
 Christianity, whereof there is some degree in all; 
 and partly through shortness of discourse, not hav- 
 ing thoroughly considered the matter, he thinks it 
 possible that some demon or other, with design, un- 
 der a specious pretence, to impose upon, or amuse 
 tlie credulous vulgar, may have done all those 
 strange things. Suppose his judgment should for 
 the present more incline this way. What, if think- 
 ing this to be the case in the instance of Apollonius 
 Tyanaeus, he hath not yet, upon a slighter view, 
 discerned enough to distinguish them, but thinks 
 alike of both cases? Yea, and suppose he have 
 spoken his sentiments to some other; perhaps, upon 
 further inquiry and search, he might see cause to 
 alter his judgment. And now, setting himself to 
 inquire more narrowly, he perceives the unexception- 
 able excellent scope and tendency of our Saviour's 
 
156 
 
 doctrine and precepts, considers the simplicity and 
 purity of his hfe, contemplates further the awful 
 greatness of his mighty works ; but amidst these 
 his deliberations, he finds among the rest of Chris- 
 tian constitutions this severe one, " Wherefore I 
 say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall 
 be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy against 
 the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. 
 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of 
 man, it shall be forgiven him : but whosoever speak- 
 eth against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven 
 him, neither in this world, neither in the world to 
 come," — and begins to fear lest, supposing the truth 
 of this excellent religion, he have precluded him- 
 self of all the advantages of it by that former judg- 
 ment of his : What is he to do in this case ? what 
 were he to be advised unto ? What, to pass judg- 
 ment upon himself, and his case as desperate? or 
 not rather to humble himself before the God of hea- 
 ven, ask pardon for his injurious rash judgment, and 
 supplicate for mercy, and for further illumination^ 
 "in the mystery of God, of the Father, and of Christ?" 
 W^hich course, that it may have a blessed issue wdth 
 him, who dare venture to deny or doubt? And 
 what have we to say hereupon, but that in great 
 wisdom and mercy, our Saviour hath only told us 
 there h, such a sin, and what the general nature of 
 it is, or whereabouts it lies : but the judgment of 
 particular cases wherein, or of the very pitch and de- 
 gree of malignity w^herewith it is committed, he hath 
 reserved to himself; intending further to strive with 
 persons by his Spirit, while he judges them yet with- 
 
157 
 
 in the reach of mercy, or withhold it, when he sees 
 any to have arrived to tliat calumniating pitch of ma- 
 lignity, and obstinacy, wherein he shall judge this 
 sin specially to consist? And what inconvenience 
 is it to suppose he hath left this matter, touching 
 the degree, humanly undeterminable. The know- 
 ledge of it can do them who have committed it no 
 good : and probably they have by it so blinded and 
 stupified their own souls, as to have made themselves 
 very little capable of apprehending that they have 
 committed it, or of considering whether they have 
 or not. But they are sunk into a deep abyss of dark- 
 ness and death, so as tliat such knowledge may be 
 as little possible, as it would be useful to them. 
 All their faculties of intellection, consideration, and 
 self-reflection, being, as to any such exercise, bound 
 up in a stupifying dead sleep. 
 
 And to what purpose should they have a rule by 
 which to determine a case, who, 1. Can receive no 
 benefit by the determination, and, 2. Who are sup- 
 posed, when they are to use it, to have no faculty 
 sufficiently apt to make this sad, but true judgment 
 of their case by it? But for them who have not 
 committed it, and who are, consequently, yet capable 
 of benefit by what should be made known about it, 
 there is, therefore, enough made known for their 
 real use and benefit. It will, 
 
 1. Be of real use to many such, to know their 
 danger of running into it. And it is sufficient 
 to that purpose, that they are plainly told wherein 
 the general nature of it consists, or whereabouts 
 it lies; without showing them the very point that 
 
158 
 
 hath certain death in it : or letting them know just 
 how near they may approach it, without being sure 
 to perish, when there is danger enough in every 
 step they take towards it. As if there were some 
 horrid desert, into any part whereof no man hath 
 any business to come, but in some part whereof there 
 is a dreadful gulf, whence arises a contagious va- 
 pour, which, if he come within the verge of it, will 
 be certainly poisonous and mortal to him. What 
 need is there that any man should know just how 
 near he may come, without being sure to die for it ? 
 He is concerned to keep himself at a cautious awful 
 distance. 
 
 2. It may be of great use to others, that are af- 
 flicted with very torturing fears, lest they have com- 
 mitted it, to know that they have not. And they 
 have enough also to satisfy them in the case. For 
 their very fear itself, with its usual concomitants 
 in such afflicted minds, is an argument to them that 
 they have not. While they find in themselves any 
 value of divine favour, any dread of his wrath, any 
 disposition to consider the state of their souls, with 
 any thought or design of turning to God, and mak- 
 ing their peace : they have reason to conclude God 
 hath hitherto kept them out of that fearful guilt; 
 and is yet in the way, and in treaty with them. For 
 since we are not " sufficient to think any thing (that 
 good is) of ourselves," it is much more reasonable to 
 ascribe any such thoughts or agitations of spirit, that 
 have this design, to him, than to ourselves, and to 
 account that he is yet at work with us, (at least in the 
 way of common grace,) though when our thoughts 
 
159 
 
 drive towards a conclusion against ourselves, that we 
 have committed that sin, and towards despair there- 
 upon, we are to apprehend a mixture of temptation 
 in them, which we are concerned earnestly to watch 
 and pray against. And yet even such temptation is 
 an arcjument of such-a-one's not having committed 
 that sin. For such as the devil may apprehend more 
 likely to have committed it, (and it is not to be 
 thought he can be sure who have,) he will be less apt 
 to trouble with such thoughts, not knowing what the 
 issue of that unquietness may prove, and apprehend- 
 ing it may occasion their escaping quite out of his 
 snares. And I do conceive this to be a safer me- 
 thod of satisfying such as are perplexed with this 
 fear in our days, than to be positive in stating that 
 sin so, or limiting it to such circumstances, as shall 
 make it impossible to be committed in this age of 
 the world. For let it be seriously considered, whe- 
 ther it be altogether an unsupposable thing, that, 
 with some in our days, there may be an equivalency, 
 in point of light and evidence of the truth of Chris- 
 tianity, unto what these Jews had, whom our Saviour 
 warns of the danger of this sin, at that time when he 
 so warned them; his warnhig and cautioning them 
 about it, implies that he judged them, at least in a 
 possibihty, at that time, of incurring the guilt of it : 
 if the text Matt. xii. do not also imply that he reck 
 oned them, then, actually to have committed it. 
 For, it is said, verse 25, he " knew their thoughts," 
 that is, considered the temper of their minds, and 
 thereupon said to them that which follows concern- 
 .ng it. Let us consider wherein their advantage 
 
160 
 
 towards their being ascertained of the truth of tlie 
 Christian rehoion, was greater than we now can have : 
 it was, chiefly, in this respect greater, that they had 
 a nearer, and more immediate knowledge of the mat- 
 ter of fact, wherein that e\ddence which our Saviour 
 refers to did consist. A more immediate way of 
 knowing it they had ; the most immediate the per- 
 sons whom he warns, or charges, seem not to have 
 had. For those Pharisees, it is said, heard of the 
 cure of the demoniac, not that they saw it. They 
 took it upon the, no doubt sufficiently credible, re- 
 port of others. Now let it be further considered, 
 what we have to balance this one single advantage. 
 V/e have, to inteUigent considering persons, ration- 
 ally sufficient evidence of the same matter of fact. 
 But how great things, that have since followed, have 
 we the sufficiently certain knowledge of besides, be- 
 yond what they had in view, at that time : as, the 
 wonderful death of our Lord, exactly according to 
 prediction, in many respects, together with all the 
 unforetold amazino; circumstances that attended it ! 
 — his more wonderful resurrection, upon which so 
 orrcat a stress is laid for demonstratincr the trutli of 
 the religion he taught — the destruction of Jerusa- 
 lem, as he foretold, and the shattered condition of 
 the Jewish nation, as was also foretold, ever since — 
 the strange success of the gospel in the first, and 
 some following ages, by so unlikely means, against 
 the greatest opposition imaginable, both of Jews and 
 Pagans. Not to insist on the apostacy foretold in the 
 Christian church, with many more things that might 
 be mentioned, let it be considered whether the want 
 
161 
 
 of a so immediate way of knowing some of tliesc 
 things, be not abundantly compensated by the great- 
 ness of the other things that are however sufficiently 
 known. And if such as have wit and leisure to con- 
 sider these things in our days, are often pressed to 
 consider them, have them frequently represented, and 
 laid before their eyes, if such, I say, have in view as 
 irreat evidence, upon the whole, of the truth of 
 
 & 
 
 upon tne wnoie, 
 
 Christianity, as these Pharisees had; it is then fur- 
 ther to be considered, whether it be not possible that 
 some such may equal the Jewish malice, against the 
 lioly design of our religion. To which I only say, 
 the Lord grant that none may. But if there be 
 really cause to apprehend such a danger, some other 
 way should be thought of to cure the trouble of 
 some, than by the danger, and too probable ruin of 
 others. ' 
 
 However, none should themselves make their own 
 case incurable, by concluding that they have sinned 
 that sin, or by believing they are, otherwise, for- 
 saken and rejected of God ; so as that he will never 
 more assist their endeavours to repent, and turn to 
 him through the Mediator. 
 
 If it be inquired here. Since, as hath been shown, 
 some may be quite forsaken of God, while yet thev 
 hve in the world ; ouo-ht such to beheve then thev 
 are not forsaken, and so believe an untruth that they 
 may make it true, or try if they can better their con- 
 dition by it ? I answer, nor that neither. For that 
 God will further assist an obstinate sinner, that hatli 
 long resisted his Spirit, and despised his mercy, is 
 i]o matter of promise to him, and so no matter of 
 
162 
 
 faitli. "VlTien he doth conquer, at length, any such, 
 it is of mere unpromised favour (as was also shown) ; 
 whereof therefore he gives others no ground to de- 
 spair ; and for which they are deeply concerned, with 
 great earnestness to supplicate. But if it be said, 
 How can they pray for that whereof they have no pro- 
 mise, and can have no faith, since " what is not of 
 faith is sin ?" Rom. xiv. 23. I ansv/er, that passage 
 of Scripture would, in this case, be much misappHed. 
 It speaks not of faith concerning the certainty of any 
 event to be expected, but the lawfulness of a work to 
 be done, and of doubting, not concerning the event, 
 but my own act. Can any man in his wits doubt 
 concerning his ov/n act in this case ? whether it be 
 better to pray for the grace of God to save him, than 
 slight it and perish ? Nor are they without very en- 
 couraging promises concerning the event, " that God 
 will be a rewarder of them that diligently seek him," 
 and " that whosoever shall call upon the name of 
 the Lord shall be saved ;" which promises, it is true, 
 the context of both shows, do speak of believing 
 prayer. They are to faith, not of it, and import, 
 that God will reward and save the believer : not that 
 he will give faith to the obstinate contemptuous un- 
 believer. If he do this, it is, as was said, of unpro- 
 mised bounty. But though they are not promises 
 to give faith, they should induce it; and incline sin- 
 ners to cast themselves down before the throne of so 
 gracious a God, and seek grace to help them in their 
 need, in confidence that he will never reject penitent 
 believing prayer. Tliey, indeed, that for their for- 
 mer wilful sinning, are utterly forsaken of God, will 
 
163 
 
 not tlius apply themselves ; but our question is not 
 wliat they will do, but what they should. Because 
 they would not, therefore they were forsaken, and 
 because they yet will not, they are still, and finally 
 forsaken. Their refusal proceeds not from any dis- 
 couragement God hath given them, but from the 
 malignity of their own hearts. God hath not re- 
 pealed his gospel towards them. The connection 
 continues firm between the preceptive and promissory 
 parts of it. Their infidelity is not become their duty, 
 but remains their heinous sin, and the more deeply 
 heinous by how much their own malignity holds them 
 more strongly in it. 
 
 Unto what also is discoursed, p. 117, concerning 
 anger and grief, (or other passions,) ascribed to God, 
 it M'ill not be unfit here to add, that unless they be 
 allowed to signify real aversion of will, no account 
 is to be given what reality in him they can signify 
 at all. For to say (what some do seem to satisfy 
 themselves with) that they are to be understood ac- 
 cording to the effects, not according to the affections, 
 though true as to the negative part, is, as to the affir- 
 mative, very defective and short ; for the effects of 
 anger and grief, upon which those names are put, 
 when spoken of God, are not themselves in him, but in 
 us. But we are still at a loss what they signify in him. 
 Such effects must have some cause. And if they be 
 effects which he works, they must have some cause in 
 himself that is before them, and productive of them. 
 This account leaves us to seek what that cause is, 
 that is signified by these names. That it cannot 
 be any passion, as the same names are wont to sig- 
 
164 
 
 nify with us, is out of question. Nor indeed do those 
 rames primarily, and most properly signify passion 
 in ourselves. The passion is consequent only, by 
 reason of that inferior nature in us, which is suscep- 
 tible of it. But the aversion of our mind and will 
 is before it, and, in another subject, very separable 
 from it, and possible to be without it. In the bles- 
 sed God we cannot understand any thing less is sig- 
 nified than real displacency at the things whereat he 
 is said to be angry or grieved. 
 
 Our shallow reason indeed is apt to suggest in 
 these matters, why is not that prevented that is so 
 displeasing ? And it would be said, w4th equal rea- 
 son, in reference to all sin permitted to be in the 
 world, why was it not prevented ? And what is to 
 be said to this? shall it be said that sin doth not 
 displease God? that he hath no will against sin? 
 it is not repugnant to his will ? Yes : it is to his 
 revealed will, to his law. But is that an untrue re- 
 velation? His law is not his will itself, but the 
 sign, the discovery of his will. Now, is it an in- 
 significant sign? a sign that signifies nothing? or 
 to which there belongs no correspondent significa- 
 tion ? nothing that is signified by it ? Is that which 
 is signified (for sure no one will say it signifies no- 
 thing) his real will, yea or no ? Who can deny it ? 
 that will, then, (and a most cahn, sedate impassion- 
 ate will it must be understood to be,) sin, and con- 
 sequently the consequent miseries of his creatures, 
 are repugnant unto. And what will is that ? it is 
 not a peremptory will concerning the event, for the 
 event falls out otherwise; which were, upon that 
 
165 
 
 supposition, impossible : ^* For who bath resisted his 
 will?" as was truly intimated by the personated 
 qucstionist, Romans ix. 19. but impertinently, when 
 God's will of another (hot a contrary) kind, that is, 
 conc':^rmng another object, was in the same breath 
 referred unto, " why doth he yet find fault ?" It is 
 not the will of the event that is the measure of 
 faultiness; for then there could not have been sin in 
 the world, nor consequently misery, which only, bv 
 the Creator's pleasure, stands connected with it. 
 For nothino; could fall out against that irresistible 
 Mill. The objector then destroys his own objection, 
 so absurdly, and so manifestly, as not to deserve any 
 other reply than that which he meets with. " Nay, 
 but who art thou, O man, that repliest against 
 God?" 
 
 And what is the other object about which the di- 
 vine will is also conversant? matter of duty; and 
 what stands in connexion with it, not abstractly and 
 separately, but as it is so connected? our felicity. 
 This is objectively another will, as we justly distin- 
 guish divine acts, that respect the creature, by their 
 different objects. Against this will falls out all the 
 sin and misery in the world. 
 
 All this seems plain and clear, but is not enough. 
 For it may be further said, that when God wills this 
 or that to be my duty, doth he not will this event, 
 namely, my doing it? otherwise wherein is his wdll 
 withstood, or not fulfilled in my not doing it? He 
 willed this to be my duty, and it is so. I do not, 
 nor can hinder it from being so, yet 1 do it not, and 
 that he willed not. If all that his will meant was, 
 
166 
 
 that this should be my duty, but my doing it was 
 not intended ; his will is entirely accomplished : it 
 hath its full effect, in that such things are constituted, 
 and do remain my duty, upon his signification of 
 this his will ; ray not doing it, not being within the 
 compass of the object, or the thing willed. 
 
 If it be said, he willed my doing it, that is, that 
 I should do it, not that I shall, the same answer will 
 recur, namely, that his will hath still its full effect, 
 this effect still remaining, that I should do it, but 
 that I shall he willed not. 
 
 It may be said, I do plainly go against his wiU 
 however; for his will was that I should do so, or 
 so, and I do not what he willed I should. It is 
 true, I go herein against his will, if he willed not 
 only my obligation, but my action according to it. 
 And indeed it seems altogether unreasonable, and 
 unintelhgible, that he should will to oblige me to 
 that, which he doth not will me to do. 
 
 Therefore it seems out of question, that the holy 
 God doth constantly and perpetually, in a true sense, 
 will the universal obedience, and the consequent 
 felicity of all his creatures capable thereof. He 
 doth v/ill it with simple complacency, as v/hat were 
 highly grateful to him, simply considered by itself. 
 Who can doubt, but that purity, holiness, blessed- 
 ness, wheresoever they were to be beheld among his 
 creatures, would be a pleasing and delightful spec- 
 tacle to him, being most agreeable to the perfect ex- 
 cellency, purity, and benignity of his own nature, 
 and that their deformity and misery must be conse- 
 quently unpleasing ? But he doth not efficaciously 
 
167 
 
 will every thing that he truly wills. He never 
 willed the obedience of all his inteiiio-ent creatures, 
 so as effectually to make them all obey, nor then- 
 liappiness, so as to make them all be happy, as the 
 event shov/s. Nothing can be more certain, than 
 that he did not so v/ill these things ; for then no- 
 thing could have fallen out to the contrary, as we 
 see much hath. Nor is it at all unworthy the love 
 and goodness of his nature not so to have willed, 
 with that eiFective will, the universal sinlessness, 
 and felicity of all his intclhgent creatures. The 
 divine nature must comprehend all excellences in it- 
 self, and is not to be limited to that one only of benig- 
 nity, or an aptness to acts of beneficence. For then 
 it were not infinite, not absolutely perfect, and so 
 not divine. All the acts of his will must be conse- 
 quently conform and agreeable to the most perfect 
 wisdom. " He doth all thino-s accordinc^ to the 
 counsel of his will." He wills, it is true, the recti- 
 tude of our actions, and what would be consequent 
 thereto, but he first, and more principally wills the 
 rectitude of his own. And not only not to do an 
 unrighteous, but not an inept or unfit thing. We 
 find he did not think it fit efficaciously to provide 
 concerning all men, that they should be made obe- 
 dient and happy, as he hath concerning some. That 
 in the general he makes a difference, is to be attri- 
 buted to his wisdom, that is, his v/isdom hath in the 
 general made this determination, not to deal with all 
 alike, and so we find it ascribed to his wisdom that 
 he doth make a difference. And in what a trans- 
 port is the holy Apostle in the contemplation and 
 
168 
 
 celebration of it upon this account ! " O the depth 
 of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of 
 God ! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his 
 ways past linding out !" But now, when in parti- 
 cular he comes to make this difference between one 
 person, and another, there being no reason in the 
 object to determine him this way, more than that, 
 his designing some for the objects of special favour, 
 and waving others (as to such special favour) when 
 all were in themselves alike; in that case wisdom 
 hath not so proper an exercise, but it is the work of 
 free, unobliged sovereignty here to make the choice * 
 " Having predestinated us unto the adoption of 
 children, by Jesus Christ, to himself, according to 
 the good pleasure of his will." 
 
 Yet, in tlie mean time, while God doth not effi- 
 caciously will all men's obedience introductive of 
 their happiness, doth it follow he wills it not really 
 at all ? To say he wills it efficaciously, were to con- 
 tradict experience, and his word : to say he wills it 
 not really, were equally to contradict his word. He 
 doth wdll it, but not primarily, and as the more prin- 
 cipal object of his will, so as to effect it notwithstand- 
 ing whatsoever unfitness he apprehends in it, namely, 
 that he so overpower all, as to make them obedient 
 and happy. He really wills it, but hath greater 
 reasons than this or that man's salvation, why he 
 effects it not. And this argues no imperfection in 
 the divine will, but the perfection of it, that he wills 
 things agreeably to the reasonableness and fitness of 
 them. 
 
ON 
 
 SELF-DEDICATION. 
 
TO 
 THE RIGHT HONOURABLE 
 
 JOHN, EARL OF KILDARE, 
 
 BARON OF OPHALIA, 
 
 FIRST OF HIS ORDER IN THE KINGDOM OF IRELAND. 
 
 MY LORD, 
 
 I LITTLE thought when, in so private a way, 1 
 lately ofFered much of the following Discourse to 
 your Lordship's ear, I should receive the command 
 (which I am not now, so far as it proves to me a 
 possible one, to disobey or further to dispute) of 
 exposing it thus to the view of the world, or so much 
 as to present it to your Lordship's own eye. It was 
 indeed impossible to me to give an exact account of 
 what was then discoursed, from a memory that was 
 so treacherous, as to let sHp many things that were 
 prepared and intended to have been said that day ; 
 and that could much less (being assisted but by very 
 imperfect memorials) recollect every thing that was 
 said, several days after. Yet I account, upon the 
 whole, it is much more varied by enlargement, than 
 by diminution ; whereby, I hope, it will be nothing 
 less capable of serving the end of this enjoined pub- 
 H 2 
 
172 
 
 lication of it. And I cannot doubt but the injunc- 
 tion proceeded from the same pious gratitude to the 
 God of your hfe, which hath prompted, for several 
 years past, to the observation of that domestic annual 
 solemnity, in memory of your great preservation 
 from so near a death."^ That the remembrance oi" 
 so great a mercy might be the more deeply impressed 
 with yourself, and improved also (so far as this 
 means could signify for that purpose) to the instruc- 
 tion of many others. 
 
 Your Lordship was pleased to allow an hour to 
 the hearing of that Discourse. What was proposed 
 to you in it, is to be the business of your life. And 
 what is to be done continually, is once to be 
 thoroughly done. The impression ought to be very 
 inward, and strong, which must be so lasting as to 
 govern a man's life. And were it as fully done as 
 mortality can admit, it needs be more solemnly re- 
 newed at set times for that purpose. And indeed, 
 that such a day should not pass you without a fall, 
 nor that fall be without a hurt, and that hurt pro- 
 ceed unto a wound, and that wound not to be mor- 
 tal, but even next to it, looks like an artifice and 
 contrivance of pro\ddence to show you how near it 
 could go, without cutting through that slender thread 
 of life, that it might endear to you its accurate 
 superintendency over your life, that there might 
 here be a remarkable juncture in that thread, and 
 that whensoever such a day should revolve in the 
 circle of your year, it might come again, and again, 
 
 * By a fall froui a horse, Decem])er 5, 167-1. 
 
173 
 
 \vitli a note upon it under your eye, and appear 
 ever to you as another birth-day, or as an earlier day 
 of resurrection. 
 
 Whereupon, my honoured Lord, tlie further 
 design of that providence is to be thoroughly studied, 
 and pondered deeply. For it shows itself to be, at 
 once, both merciful and wise, and as upon the one 
 account it belonged to it to design kindly to you, so, 
 upon the other, to form its design aptly, and so as 
 that its means and method might fitly both serve and 
 signify its end. If therefore your Lordship shall be 
 induced to reckon the counsel acceptable which hath 
 been given you upon this occasion, and to think the 
 offering yourself to God, a living sacrifice, under 
 the endearing obligation of so great a mercy is, in- 
 deed, a reasonable service ; your life by that dedica- 
 tion acquires a sacredness, becomes a holy, divine 
 Hfe. And so by one and the same means is not 
 only renewed and prolonged in the same kind of 
 natural life, but is also heightened and improved to 
 a nobler and far more excellent kind. And thus, 
 out of that umbrage only and shadow of death, which 
 sat upon one day of your time, springs a double 
 birth and resurrection to you. Whereby (as our 
 apostle speaks in another place of this epistle) you 
 come to yield yourselves to God, as one alive from 
 the dead. 
 
 So your new year (which shortly after begins) 
 will always be to you a fresh setting forth in that 
 new and holy course of life, which shall at length 
 (and God grant it to be, after the revolution of 
 many fruitful years, wherein you may continue a 
 
174 
 
 public blessing in tbis wretclied world) end, and be 
 perfected in a state of life not measured by time, 
 wherein you are to be ever with the Lord. Which 
 will answer the design of that merciful providence 
 towards you; and of this performance, how mean 
 soever, of 
 
 Your Honour's most obedient. 
 
 Humble Servant, 
 
 JOHN HOWE. 
 
ON 
 
 SELF-DEDICATION 
 
 Romans xii. 1. 
 
 I beseech you therefore^ brethren, by the mercies of 
 God, that you present your bodies a living sacri- 
 fice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your 
 reasonable service. 
 
 Two things are more especially considerable in these 
 ^Torcls: — The matter of the exhortation, that we 
 would " present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, 
 acceptable to God, our reasonable service." And 
 the pathetic form of obtestation that is used to en- 
 force it : "1 beseech you by the mercies of God." 
 The former I intend for the principal suspect of the 
 following Discourse, and shall only make use of the 
 other for the purpose unto which the holy apostle 
 doth here apply it. Our business therefore must 
 be, to show the import of this exhortation. In the 
 doing whereof we shall — Explain the terms wherein 
 the text deHvers it. And — Declare more distinctly 
 the nature of the thing expressed by them. 
 
176 
 
 I. We sliall explain the terms which the text 
 employs in this exhortation. 
 
 By " bodies," we are to understand our whole 
 selves, expressed here (sjTiecdochically) by the name 
 of bodies, for distinction's sake. It having been 
 wont heretofore, to offer in sacrifice the bodies of 
 beasts, the apostle lets them know they are now to 
 oifer up their own: meaning yet their whole man, 
 as some of these following words do intimate; and 
 agreeably to the plain meaning of the exhortation : 
 " Glorify God in your bodies and spirits, which are 
 his." 
 
 " Sacrifice" is not to be understood in this place 
 in a more restrained sense, than as it may signify 
 whatsoever is by God's own appointment dedicated 
 to himself. According to the stricter notion of a 
 sacrifice, its more noted general distinction (though 
 the Jewish be variously distributed*) is into propi- 
 tiatory and gratulatory or eucharistical. Christianity 
 in that strict sense, admits but one, and that of the 
 former sort. By which one (that of himself) our 
 Lord hath perfected for ever them that are sancti- 
 fied. We ourselves, or any service of ours, are only 
 capable of being sacrifices by way of analogy, and 
 that chiefly to the other sort. And so all sincere 
 Christians are " as lively stones, built up a spiritual 
 house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacri- 
 fices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ," being 
 both temple, priests, and sacrifices, all at once; as 
 our Lord himself, in his pecuHar sacrificing, also was. 
 
 * See Sigonius de Repub. Heb. Dr. Outr. de Sacr. 
 
177 
 
 In the addition of " livincr '' the design is carried 
 on of speaking both by way of allusion and opposi- 
 tion to the ritual sacrificing. By way of allusion. 
 For any thing dead of itself, the Israelites were not 
 to eat themselves, because they were a holy people ; 
 (though they might give it to a stranger;) mucli 
 more had it been detestable, as a sacrifice to God. 
 The beast must be brought alive to the altar. 
 Whereas then we are also to offer our bodies, a liv- 
 incr sacrifice, so far there must be an ao;reement. 
 Yet also, a difference seems not obscurely suggested. 
 The victim brought alive to be sacrificed, was yet to 
 be slain in sacrificing : but here, living may also 
 signify continuing to five. You, as if he should 
 say, may be sacrifices, and yet live on. According 
 to the strict notion we find given of a sacrifice, it is 
 somewhat to be in the prescribed way destroyed, and 
 that must perish in token of their entire devotedness 
 to God who offer it. When we offer ourselves,^ 
 life will not be touched by it or at all impaired, but 
 improved and ennobled highly by having a sacred- 
 ness added to it. Your bodies are to be offered a 
 sacrifice, but an unbloody one. Such as you have 
 no cause to be startled at, it carries no dread with 
 it, life will be still whole in you. Which shows by 
 the way, it is not an inanimate body, without the 
 soul. But the bodily life is but alluded to and sup- 
 posed, it is a higher and more excellent one that is 
 meant; the spiritual, divine life, as chapter vi. IS. 
 " Yield yourselves to God, as those that are alive 
 
 Cloppenburs-. Scliol. So.crific. and others. 
 H 3 
 
178 
 
 from the dead." And verse 11. shows what that 
 being ahve means, " Reckon yourselves to be dead 
 indeed unto sin, but ahve unto God through Jesus 
 Christ." Alive by a life which means God, which 
 aims at him, terminates in him, and is derived to 
 you through Christ. As he also says, " 1 am dead 
 to the law, that I might hve to God. I am cruci- 
 fied with Christ. Nevertheless I live, yet not I, 
 but Christ liveth in me, and the life which I now 
 live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of 
 God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." 
 
 '' Holy," though it be included in the word sacri- 
 fice, is not in the Greek BvtU, and was therefore 
 added without verbal tautology. And there were, 
 however, no real one. For there is a holiness that 
 stands in an entire rectitude of heart and life, by 
 which we are conformed in both, to the nature and 
 will of God, besides the relative one which redounds 
 upon any person or thing by due dedication to him. 
 And which former is pre-required, in the present 
 sacrifice, that it may be, as it follows, 
 
 " Acceptable to God," not as though thereby it 
 became acceptable, but as that without which it is 
 not so. Yet also holiness, in the nature of the 
 thing, cannot but be grateful to God or well-pleas- 
 ing, (as the word here used signifies, ivccoarrov,) but 
 not so as to reconcile a person to him, who was be- 
 fore a sinner, and hath still sin in him. But sup- 
 posing the state of such a person first made and 
 continued good, that resemblance of himself cannot 
 but be pleasing in the eyes of God, but fundamentally 
 and statedly in and for Christ. This therefore sig- 
 
179 
 
 iiifies, both how ready God is to be well pleased 
 with such a sacrifice, and also signifies the quality 
 of the sacrifice itself, that it is apt to please. 
 
 " Reasonable service," or worship, as the word 
 signifies. This also is spoken accommodately, to 
 the notion given before of offering ourselves, in op- 
 position to the former victims wherein beasts were 
 the matter of the sacrifice. Those were brute sacri- 
 fices. You are to offer reasonable ones. And it 
 signifies our minds and understandings the seat of 
 reason, with our wills and afiections that are to be 
 governed by it, must all be ingredient as the matter 
 of that sacrifice ; implying also the right God hath 
 in us, whence nothing can be more reasonable than 
 to offer ourselves to him. 
 
 " Present," that is, dedicate, devote yourselves, 
 set yourselves before God, as they present at the 
 altar, the destined sacrifices, make them stand ready 
 for immolation. You are so to make a tender of 
 yourselves, as if you would say, " Lord, here I am, 
 wholly thine. I come to surrender myself, my 
 whole life and being, to be entirely and always at 
 thy disposal, and for thy use. Accept a devoted, 
 self-resimiinfj soul !" Thus we are brouo;ht to the 
 thing itself. Which now, 
 
 II. In the next place, with less regard to the al- 
 lusive terms, we come more distinctly to open and 
 explain. It is briefly but the dedicating of ourselves: 
 or, as it is 2 Cor. viii. 5. the giving our ownselves to 
 the Lord. So those Macedonian converts are said 
 to have done. And there is a special notice to be 
 taken therein of the word first, which puts a remark- 
 
180 
 
 ableness upon that passage. The apostle is com- 
 mending their liberal charity towards indigent ne- 
 cessitous Christians : and shows how their charity 
 was begun in piety. They did not only, most freely 
 give away their substance for the rehef of such as 
 were in want, but first gave their ownselves to the 
 Lord. 
 
 But that we may not misconceive the nature of 
 this act, of giving ourselves, we must know it is not 
 donation in the strict and proper sense, such as con- 
 fers a right upon the donee, or to him to whom a 
 thing is said to be given. We cannot be said to 
 collate, or transfer a right to him, who is before the 
 only proprietor and supreme Lord of all. It is more 
 properly but a tradition, a surrender or delivery of 
 ourselves, upon the supposal and acknowledgment 
 of his former right; or the putting ourselves into 
 his possession, for his appointed uses and services, 
 out of which we had injuriously kept om-selves be- 
 fore. Jt is but crivincp him his own : " All thincrs 
 come of thee, and of thine own have we given 
 thee." It is only a consent and obedience to his 
 most rightful claim, and demand of us, or a peld- 
 ing ourselves to him, as it is significantly ex- 
 pressed in the mentioned Rom. vi. 13. Though 
 there the word is the same with that in the text, 
 vu^la-rv^fAi, or 'TTu^iTrd.yu^ which here we read " pre- 
 sent." 
 
 And now, that we may more distinctly open the 
 nature of this self-dedication, we shall show what 
 ought to accompany and qualify it, that we may be a 
 suitable and grateful present to him, in evangelical 
 
181 
 
 acceptation, worthy of God, such as he rcquh-es and 
 will accept. 
 
 1. It must be done with knowledge and under- 
 standing. It cannot but be an intelligent act. It 
 is an act of religion and worship, as it is called in 
 the text. Service we read it, which is much more 
 general, but the word is Xut^sU, " worship." It is in- 
 deed the first and fundamental act of worship. And 
 it is required to be a rational act ; " your reasonable 
 service." Reliction cannot move blindfold. And 
 thouo-h knowledore and reason are not throuc^hout 
 words of the same signification and latitude ; yet the 
 former is partly presupposed upon the latter, and 
 partly improved by it, nor can therefore be severed 
 from it. In the present case, it is especially neces- 
 sary that we distinctly know and apprehend the state 
 of thinijs between God and us : that we understand 
 ourselves to have been with the rest of men, in an 
 apostacy, and revolt from God, that we are recalled 
 unto him, that a Mediator is appointed on purpose, 
 through whom we are to approach to him, and render 
 ourselves back unto him : that so this may be our 
 sense in our return, " Lord, I have here brought 
 thee back a stray, a wandering creature, mine own- 
 self. I have heard what the Redeemer, of thy own 
 constituting, hath done and suffered for the recon- 
 ciling and reducing of such, and, against thy known 
 designs, I can no longer withhold myself" 
 
 2, With serious consideration. It must be a de- 
 liberate act. How many understand matters of 
 greatest importance, which they never consider, and 
 perish by not considering what they know ! Consi- 
 
182 
 
 deration is nothing else but the revolving of what we 
 knew before : the actuating the habitual knowledo;e 
 we had of things : a more distinct reviewing of our 
 former notices belonging to any case, a recollecting 
 and gathering them up, a comparing them together ; 
 and, for such as appear more momentous, a repeat- 
 ing, and inculcating them upon ourselves, that we 
 may be urged on to suitable action. And this, 
 though of itself without the power and influence of 
 the Divine Spirit, is not sufficient, yet being the 
 means he works by, is most necessary to our becom- 
 ing Christians, that is, if we speak of becoming so, 
 not by fate or by chance, as too many only are, but 
 by our own choice and design : which is the same 
 thing with dedicating ourselves to God through 
 Christ, whereof we are discoursing. For upon our 
 having thus considered and comprehended the whole 
 compass of the case in our thoughts, either the 
 temper of our hearts would be such that we would 
 hereupon dedicate ourselves, or we would not ; if we 
 would, it is because we should judge the arguments 
 for it more weighty than the objections, which, with- 
 out such pondering of both, we are not likely to 
 apprehend, and so, for want of this consideration, 
 are never likely to become Christians at all. Or, 
 if we would not, it is because to the more carnal 
 temper of our hearts, the objections would out- 
 weigh. And then, if we do seem to consent, it is 
 because what is to be objected came not in view : and 
 so we should be Christians to no purpose. Our 
 contract with the Redeemer were void in the mak- 
 ing, we should only seem pleased with the terms of 
 
183 
 
 Christianity, because we have not digested them in 
 our thoughts. So our act undoes itself in the very 
 doing. It carries an impUcit, \drtual repentance in 
 it, of what is done. We enter ourselves Christians, 
 upon surprise or mistake. And if we had considered 
 what we are, consequently, to do, what to forbear, 
 what to forego, what to endure, would not have done 
 it. And, therefore, when we do come distinctly to 
 apprehend all this, are Hke actually to repent and re- 
 volt. As they, John vi. who, while they under- 
 stood not what it was to be a Christian, seemed very 
 forward followers of Christ. But when they did 
 more fully understand it, upon his telling them 
 plainly, went back and walked no more with him. 
 And he lets them go; as if he should say, " Mend 
 yourselves if you can ; see where you can get a bet- 
 ter master." 
 
 3. With a determinate judgment, at length, tliat 
 this ought to be done. There are two extremes in 
 this matter. Some will not consider at all, and so 
 not do this thing; and some will consider always, 
 and so never do it. Stand, Shall I ? Shall I ? Halt 
 between two opinions. These are, both of them, 
 very vicious and faulty extremes in reference to the 
 management even of secular affairs, both of them 
 contrary to that prudence which should govern our 
 actions, that is, when men wHl never consider what 
 is necessary to be done, and so neglect their most 
 important concernments; or, when they will never 
 have done considering, which is the same thing, as 
 if they had never taken up any thought of the mat- 
 ter at all. Indeed, in the present case, it is a re- 
 
184 
 
 proach to the blessed God to consider longer, than 
 till we have well digested the state of the case. As 
 if it were difficult to determine the matter, between 
 him and the devil, which were the better, or more 
 rightful Lord ! We must at last be at a point, and 
 come to a judicious determination of the question, 
 as those sincerely resolved Christians had done, 
 who also express the reasons that had, before that 
 time no doubt, determined them : " Lord, whither 
 shall we go ? Thou hast the words of eternal life. 
 And we believe, and are sure, that thou art that 
 Christ, the Son of the Uving God." 
 
 4. With Hberty of spirit, having thrown off all 
 former bonds, and quite disengaged ourselves from 
 other masters. As they speak, " Other lords be- 
 sides thee have had dominion over us ; but by thee 
 only will we make mention of thy name." For our 
 Saviour expressly tells us, " No man can serve two 
 masters." When those Dedititii, the people of 
 Collatia, (Li\ius 1. L) were about the business of 
 capitulating in order to the surrender of themselves, 
 the question put, on the Romans' part, was, " Are 
 the Collatine people in their own power ?" Where- 
 in satisfaction being given, the matter is concluded. 
 In the present case of yielding ourselves to God, 
 the question cannot be concerning any pre^dous tie 
 in point of right, or that could urge conscience. 
 There cannot be so much as a plausible pretender 
 against him. But there must be a Hberty, in oppo- 
 sition to the pre-engaged inclinations and affections. 
 And this must be the sense of the sincere soul, en- 
 treating the matter of its self-surrender, and dedica- 
 
185 
 
 tion, with the great God, to he able to say to the 
 question, Art thou under no former contrary bonds ? 
 " Lord, I am under none, I know, that ought to 
 bind me, or that justly can, against thy former so- 
 vereimi riffht. I had indeed suffered other bonds 
 to take place in my heart, and the affections of my 
 soul, but they were bonds of iniquity, which I scru- 
 ple not to break, and repent that ever I made; I took 
 myself indeed to be my own, and have lived to my- 
 self, only pleased, and served and sought myself, as 
 if I were created and born for no other purpose, and 
 if the sense of my heart had been put into words, 
 there was insolence enough to have conceived such 
 as these ; not my tongue only, but my whole man, 
 body and soul, all my parts and powers, my estate 
 and name, and strength, and time, are all my own ; 
 who is Lord over me ? And while I pleased myself 
 with such an imagined liberty and self-dominion, no 
 idol was too despicable to command my homage. I 
 have done worse than prostrated my body to a stock, 
 my soul hath humbled itself, and bowed down to a 
 clod of clay. My thoughts and desires, and hopes 
 and joys, have all stooped to so mean trifles, as wealth, 
 or ease, or pleasure, or fame, all but so many frag- 
 ments of earth, or, the less consistent, vapours 
 sprung from it. And whereas this world is nothing 
 else but a bundle of lusts, none of them was too 
 base to rule me. And while I thought myself at li- 
 berty, 1 have been a servant to corruption. But 
 now Lord I have through thy mercy learned to aban- 
 don and abhor myself. Thy grace appearing, hath 
 taught me to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. 
 
186 
 
 Thou hast overcome ; enjoy thme ov/n conquest. 1 
 am grieved for it, and repent from my soul that ever 
 I did put thee to contend for, and conquer thine 
 own." And so doth this self-dedication carry in it 
 repentance from dead works, and towards God. 
 
 5. With a plenary full bent of heart and wnll. 
 As that, " I have sworn, and will perform, that I 
 will keep thy righteous judgments." Or, that, 
 " I have inclined my heart to keep thy statutes al- 
 ways unto the end." And herein doth this self-de- 
 dication more principally consist, namely, in a resolved 
 willingness to yield myself, as God's own property, 
 to be for him and not for another. Which resolved- 
 ness of will, though it may in several respects admit 
 of several names, or be clothed with distinct notions, 
 is but one and the same substantial act. It may be 
 called, in respect of the competition which there 
 was in the case, choice : or in respect of the propo- 
 sal made to me of such a thmg to be done, consent. 
 But these are, abstracting from these references, the 
 same act, which, in itself considered, is only a reso- 
 lute volition. " I will be the Lord's." Which 
 resolution, if one do, whether mentally or vocally, 
 direct to God or Christ, then it puts on the nature 
 of a vow ; and so is fitly called devoting one's self. 
 
 It carries in it, as a thing supposed, the implant- 
 ed divine life and nature, whereby we are truly said 
 " to present ourselves living sacrifices," as in the text, 
 or as it is expressed in that other place, chap. \d. 
 13. To " yield ourselves to God, as those that are 
 alive from the dead;" as verse 11. " alive to God 
 throuarh Christ Jesus our Lord." W^hich life is 
 
187 
 
 not to be understood simply, but in a certain re- 
 spect- For before we were not dead simply, we 
 were not dead, disinclined, or disaffected to every 
 thing, but pecidiarly towards God and his Christ. 
 That way we were without any inclination, mo- 
 tion, tendency, or disposition. And so were dead 
 as to this thing, or in this respect : were alienated 
 from the hfe of God. Now we come to live this 
 life, and are made by his grace to incline and move 
 towards him, of our own accord. Dead things, or 
 destitute of life, may be moved by another, are ca- 
 pable of being moved violently, without, or against 
 inclination, hither or thither. But a living creature 
 can spontaneously move itself, as of its own accord it 
 inclines. 
 
 And whereas there are two more noble principles, 
 that belong to this divine life and nature, faith and 
 love. A great and noted pair, as may be seen in 
 divers places of the New Testament. These have 
 both an ingrediency into this self-dedication. The 
 nature of each of them runs into it, and may be per- 
 ceived in it. And it is hereupon a mixed act, par- 
 taking an influence and tincture, as it were, from the 
 one and the other of them. 
 
 Faith respects the promises of God, and what we 
 are thereupon to expect from him. And so our 
 dedicating ourselves to God, is a self-committing. 
 We give up ourselves to him as a trust, as the 
 apostle's emphatical expression intimates, " I know 
 whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that 
 he will keep that which I have committed unto 
 him," Trx^uKXTsc'^Kx-Yif fAcVf my pawn or pledge, my 
 
]88 
 
 Jidei commissum against that day. The soul flies 
 to God as in a distress, not knowing to be safe 
 another way. As once a people, not able to ob- 
 tain tutelage on other terms, surrendered them- 
 selves to them whose help they sought, with some 
 such expression, " If not as oirrs, yet at least as your 
 own, save, protect, and defend us." Nor, in our 
 surrendering ourselves to God, is this any way un- 
 suitable either to us or to him. Not to us ; for we 
 are really distressed, ready to perish; it is agree- 
 able to the state of our case. Not to him; for it is 
 glorious to him; a thing worthy of God to be a 
 refuge, and sanctuary to perishing souls ; and is 
 thereupon a pleasant thing, a godlike pleasure, suit- 
 able to a self-sufficient, and all-sufficient Being, who 
 hath enough for himself and for all others, whom 
 he shall have taught not to despise the riches of his 
 goodness. He " taketh pleasure in them that fear 
 him, and them that hope in his mercy." He waits 
 that he may be gracious, and is exalted in showing 
 mercy. He lifts up himself when he does it, 
 and waits that he may ,' expects the opportunity, 
 seeks out meet and suitable objects, (as with thirst 
 and appetite, an enterprising, valiant man is wont 
 to do encounters, for none were ever so intent 
 to destroy, as he is to save,) yea, makes them, 
 prepares them for his purpose. Which he doth 
 not, and needs not do, in point of misery, so thev 
 can enough prepare themselves; but in point of 
 humility, sense of their necessity and unworthiness, 
 great need, and no desert, nor disposition to suppH- 
 cate. These are needful preparations, make it de- 
 
189 
 
 corous and comely to liim to show mercy. A God is 
 to be sought, with humble, prostrate veneration. 
 And such an opportunity he waits for. It is not fit 
 for him; not great, not majestic, to throw away his 
 mercies upon insolent and insensible wretches : for, 
 as there it follows, ho is the God of judgment, a 
 most accurate, judicious wisdom and prudence con- 
 ducts and ijuides all the emanations of his flowiniif 
 goodness. The part of which wisdom and judg- 
 ment is to nick the opportunity, to take the fit sea- 
 son when mercy will be most fitly placed ; best at- 
 tain its end ; relish best ; be most acceptable to 
 them that shall receive it, and honourable to him 
 that shows it. And, therefore, as is added, " blessed 
 are they that wait for him," that labour to be in a 
 posture to meet him on his own terms and in his own 
 wav. 
 
 Let such as have a mind to surrender and yield 
 themselves to him consider this. Apprehend you 
 have undone yourselves, and are lost. Fall before 
 him. Lie at the foot-stool of the mercy-seat. 
 Willingly put your mouths in the dust, if so be 
 there may be liope. And there is hope. He seeks 
 after you, and will not reject what he seeks, he only 
 waited to bring you to this. It is now a fit time 
 for liim, and a good time for you. And you may 
 now, in resigning, intrust yourselves also to him : 
 for his express promise is your sufficient ground for 
 it. " I will receive you, and be a Father to you, 
 and ye shall be my sons and daughters." Under- 
 stand the matter aright ; your presenting, and yield- 
 ing yourselves to him is not to be a desperate act. 
 
190 
 
 It is not casting yourselves away. You are not 
 throwing yourself into flames, but upon tender mer- 
 cies, thither you may commit yourself. The thing 
 that is pleasing to him, and which he invites you to, 
 (as he invites all the ends of the earth to look to 
 him that they may be saved,) cannot be unsafe, or 
 unhappy to you. 
 
 Again, love hath a great ingrediency into this 
 self-resignation. And as it hath, so it more admits 
 to be called dedicating, or devoting ourselves. This 
 holy, ingenuous principle respects more the commands 
 of God, as the other doth his promises, and eyes his 
 interest, as the other doth our own. This dedi- 
 cation of ourselves, as it is influenced by it, designs 
 the doing all for him we can, as by the other it doth 
 the receiving all. As by the other we resign our- 
 selves to him for safety and feHcity; so we do by 
 this for service and duty to our uttermost. And an 
 ardent lover of God thinks this a little oblation. 
 Myself ! Alas ! What am I ? Too small a thing 
 for him who is all love, and who, though he hath it 
 in hand to transform and turn me into love too, such 
 as so drossy, and limited a thing was capable of be- 
 ing made, how mean yet, and Httle is the subject he 
 hath to work upon ! An atom of dust ! Not com- 
 bustible, or apt to be wrought upon to this (to a di- 
 vine and heavenly love) by any, but his flame. And 
 now therefore, but a minute spark from the element 
 of love, that must, however, thus transformed, tend 
 towards its own original and native seat ! It shall 
 now flame upward. And this is all the flame, in 
 which it is universally necessary, thy sacrifice should 
 
191 
 
 ascend : which will refine only, not consume it. 
 Though, that it may be offered up in other flames, 
 is not impossible ; nor will it be much regretted by 
 you; if the case should so require, nor shall be de- 
 spised by him, if he shall so state the case. To 
 give the body to be burned, without love, goes for 
 nothing; but if in that way, we were called to offer 
 up our bodies, living sacrifices to God, it would (in 
 an inferior sense) be an offering of a sweet-smelhng 
 savour, would even perfume heaven, and diffuse fra- 
 grant odours on earth : nor would be grudged at by 
 that love that first made the whole of ourselves an 
 offering to God ; and whose property it is to be all 
 things, to do all things, to bear all thipgs, to endure 
 all things for him, whose we wholly are. So that 
 if he design any of us to be a whole burnt offering, 
 and will have us to glorify him in the fire, love will 
 not retract its vow, but say, after our great Pattern, 
 " Not my will, but thine be done :" and as he, in 
 his peculiar case and design, (not communicable with 
 us, though the temper of spirit should be,) " Lo, I 
 come to do thy will, O God. A body hast thou (it 
 now appears for this very purpose) prepared for me." 
 — " He loved us, and gave himself for us." So 
 are we, from our love of him, to give ourselves for 
 him, and his use and service, in whatsoever kind he 
 shall appoint and prescribe. Every true Christian 
 is, in the preparation of his mind, a martyr; but 
 *hey are few whom he actually calls to it. Our love 
 is ordinarily to show itself in our keeping his com- 
 mandments ; and with that design we are to present 
 ourselves to him, as the resolved, ready instruments 
 
192 
 
 of his service and praise. " Neither yield ye your 
 members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin ; 
 but yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive 
 from the dead, and your members as instruments of 
 righteousness unto God." Thus having; been more 
 large upon what was more essential in this dedication 
 of ourselves, I shall be more brief in most of the 
 other thincps belonsfino^ to it. 
 
 6. It must further be done with a concomitant 
 acceptance of God. His covenant (which is now 
 entered) is oftentimes summed up, " I will be your 
 God, and you shall be my people :" and is resembled 
 and frequently represented by the nuptial contract, 
 in which there is mutual ffivino; and taking. We 
 are to resign and accept at the same time : to take 
 him to be our God, when we yield ourselves to be 
 his. 
 
 7. With an explicit reference to the Lord Christ. 
 We are to dedicate ourselves, after the tenor of a 
 covenant whereof he is the Mediator. God doth 
 not upon other terms treat with sinners. You are 
 not to offer at such a thing as dedicating yourselves 
 to him, but in the way and upon the terms upon 
 which you are to be accepted. The divine pleasure 
 is declared and known, how great a one He must be 
 in all the transactions of God with men; yea, and 
 towards the whole creation, Eph. i. 6 — 10. " He 
 hath made us accepted in the beloved : in whom we 
 have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness 
 of sins, according to the riches of his grace ; wherein 
 he hath abounded towards us in all wisdom and pru- 
 dence ; having made known unto us the mystery of 
 
193 
 
 his will, according to his good pleasure, which lie 
 had purposed in himself: that in the dispensation of* 
 the fulness of times, he might gather together in one 
 all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and 
 which are on earth, even in him." We must take 
 heed how we neglect or overlook Him who is by 
 divine appointment so high in power, and with whom 
 we have so great a concern. 
 
 8. With deep humility and abasement of our- 
 selves, in conjunction with a profound reverence and 
 veneration of the Divine Majesty. There ought 
 to be the lowest self-abasement, such as that good 
 man expresses, (varied to one's own case,) " O my 
 God, I am ashamed, and blush to lift up my face 
 to thee, my God : for mine iniquities are increased 
 over mine head, and my trespass is grown up into 
 the heavens." And indeed this is naturally conse- 
 quent upon what was last said, of the regard that 
 ought to be had in this matter to the Mediator; for 
 surely that very constitution is in itself a humbling 
 thing to us ; and w^e cannot apply ourselves to God 
 suitably to it, but with a self-abasing sense of our 
 own state and case. Our coming and tendering 
 ourselves to God in a Mediator, is in its very nature 
 a humiliation, and carries with it a tacit confession, 
 that in ourselves we have nothing, deserve nothing, 
 are nothing, are worse than nothing; and that only 
 this constitution of his could justify our offering our- 
 selves to him, with any hope of acceptance ; or make 
 it less than an insolent presumption, for sinners to 
 approach him, and expect to be received into his 
 presence and service. It is not for such as we, to 
 I 3 
 
194 
 
 behave ourselves towards him as if we either had 
 not offended, or were capable of expiating our own 
 offence. Yea, and if there had been nothing of 
 dehnquency in the case ; yet great humility becomes 
 such applications to him, and that in conjunction 
 with the profoundest reverence and veneration of 
 him; for our very business in this self-dedication, 
 is worship, as the word in the text hath been noted 
 to signify. And it is the first and most principal 
 part of all the worship we owe to him, (as was noted 
 from 2 Cor. viii. 5.) fundamental to all the rest. 
 We must have before our eyes the awful majesty 
 and glorious greatness of God ; which Scripture often 
 speaks of, as one notion of his holiness, and which 
 we are to have principal reference unto in all the 
 solemn homage we pay to him : as sacrifices (Outr. 
 de Sac.) are well observed to have been offered to 
 him so considered. And therefore, by this consi- 
 deration, their suitableness to him is to be measured, 
 as he doth himself insist. " Cursed be the deceiver, 
 which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sa- 
 crificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing ;. for I am a 
 great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name 
 is dreadful among the heathen." 
 
 9. With great joy and gladness of heart. It 
 ought to be accompanied with the highest gusts and 
 relishes of pleasure, both from the apprehensive con- 
 gTuity of the thing, and the expectation we have of 
 acceptance. The thing itself should be pleasant to 
 us. We are to do it as tasting our own act, as they 
 did, 1 Chron. xxix. 9. " The people rejoiced, for 
 tliat they offered willhigly." The self-devoting per- 
 
195 
 
 son should be able to utter this as his sense, " Glad 
 am I, that 1 am any thing, tliat I have a being, a 
 soul, a reasonable intelligent being, capable of be- 
 coming a sacrifice to him." And that there is hope 
 of being accepted : how great a joy is that ? The 
 apostle makes so great a thing of it, that he speaks 
 as if he cared not whether he was in the body, or 
 out of the body, so he might be accepted. Nuptials 
 (that resemble, as hath been said, this transaction 
 between God and the soul, wherein there is mutual 
 giving and accepting) are wont to be seasons of great 
 festivity and gladness. The great God himself 
 rejoices in this closure, with such a joy, ("As a 
 bridegroom rejoiceth over his bride, so will thy God 
 rejoice over thee,") and shall not we ? How infinitely 
 more amiable and delectable is the object of our 
 choice than his ! when we are to rejoice in the su- 
 preme and most perfect excellency : He, in what is 
 clothed over (if he did not superinduce another 
 clothing) with most loathsome deformity. 
 
 10. With an ingenuous candour and simplicity, 
 with that sincerity which is to be as the salt of our 
 sacrifice : without latent reserves, or a' hidden mean- 
 ing, disagreeing to his ; which were both unjust and 
 vain. Unjust ; for we may not deceive any. And 
 vain ; for we cannot deceive him. The case admits 
 not of restrictions, it must be done absolutely, with- 
 out any limitation or reserve. You have heard this 
 self-dedication is, in part, an act of love. And what 
 limit can be set to a love, whose object is infinite ? 
 A natural Hmit, it is true, as it is the love of a 
 creature, it cannot but have; but a chosen one it 
 i2 
 
196 
 
 ought never to have, as if we had loved enough. 
 You know what kind of love is, and cannot but be, 
 due to tlie all- comprehending God. With all thy 
 heart, soul, mind, and might, &c. So without ex- 
 ception, that Maimonides,^ reciting those words, 
 adds, Etiamn tollat animam tuam. The stream of 
 thy love to him must not be diverted, or alter its 
 course, though he would take away thy very life, or 
 soul. 
 
 11. With the concomitant surrender to him of 
 all that we have. For they that, by their own act 
 and acknowledgment, are not themselves their own, 
 but devoted, must also acknowledge they are owners 
 of nothing else. In that mentioned form of sur- 
 render in Livy, when Egerius, on the Romans' part, 
 had inquired, " Are you the ambassadors sent by 
 the people of CoUatia that you may yield up your- 
 selves and the Collatine people ?" and it was an- 
 swered, " We are :" and it was again asked, " Are 
 the Collatine people in their own power?" and an- 
 swered, " They are :" it is further inquired, " Do 
 you dehver up yourselves, the people of Collatia, 
 your city, your fields, your water, your bounds, your 
 temples, your utensils, all things that are yours, both 
 divine and human, into mine and the people of 
 Rome's power ?" They say, " We deliver up all." 
 And he answers, " So I receive you." So do they 
 who deliver up themselves to God, much more, all 
 that they called theirs. God indeed is the only 
 Proprietor, men are but usufructuaries. They have 
 
 * De Fund. Legis. p. 64. 
 
197 
 
 the use of what his providence allots them ; he re- 
 serves to himself the property; and limits the use 
 so far, as that all are to be accountable to him for 
 all they possess ; and are to use nothing they have, 
 but as under him and for him, as also they are to do 
 themselves. Therefore, as they are required to 
 "glorify him ^\dth their bodies and spirits, which 
 are his," so they are to "honour him with their 
 substance," upon the same reason. But few effec- 
 tually apprehend his right in their persons; which 
 as we are therefore to recognise in this dedication of 
 ourselves to him, so we are in a like general sense, 
 to devote to him all that we enjoy in the world. 
 That is, as all are not to devote themselves specially 
 to serve him in a sacred office, but all are obliged 
 to devote themselves to his service in the general; 
 so, though all are not required to devote their estates 
 to this or that particular pious use, they are obliged 
 to use them wholly for his glory in the general, and 
 for the service of his interest in the world. We 
 are obliged neither to withhold from him, nor mis- 
 pend, these his mercies : but must " live righteously," 
 (wherein charity is comprehended,) " soberly, and 
 godly" in it ; decline no opportunities that shall 
 occur to us, within the compass of our own sphere 
 and station, of doing him (though never so costly 
 and hazardous) service ; must forsake all and follow 
 him, when our duty, and our continued possessions 
 of this world's goods, come to be inconsistent ; must 
 submit patiently to our lot, when that falls out to be 
 our case, or to any providence by which we are be- 
 reaved of our worldly comforts, with that temper of 
 
198 
 
 miiid, as to bo able cheerfully to say, " The Lord 
 hath given, the Lord hath taken away; blessed be 
 the name of the Lord." 
 
 It is indeed the greatest absurdity imaginable, 
 that they who are not masters of themselves, should 
 think it permitted them tc use what comes to their 
 hands as they list; for the service of their own 
 lusts, and the gratifying of a rebel flesh, that hath 
 rejected the government of their own reason, and of 
 all divine laws at once : or that he who hath so ab- 
 solute a right in them, should not have that right in 
 what he hath committed to them, as to prescribe 
 rules to them, by which to use and employ it. At 
 the same time, and in the same sense, wherein we 
 make a dedication of ourselves, we do the same 
 thing as to all that we have. Even according to 
 common human estimate, according to what interest 
 men have in others, or power over them, they have 
 a correspondent interest in what they possess. They 
 that absolutely surrender themselves to the power 
 of another, leave not themselves capable of proper 
 dominion as to any thing. Therefore, says the 
 civil law, " Those who have surrendered themselves 
 are not allowed to dispose of their own property." 
 They were so under several nations, it is true ; but 
 they that were strictly so, had not power to make a 
 will, as having nothing to dispose of. No man has 
 certainly a power to dispose of any thing (and when 
 they surrender themselves by their own act and deed 
 to God, they acknowledge so much) otherwise than 
 as divine rules direct or permit. They have a right 
 in vvh.n is duly theirs, against the counter-claim of 
 
199 
 
 man, but none, sure, against the claim and all-dis- 
 posing power of God, whether signified by his law 
 or by his providence. Therefore, with this temper 
 of mind should this self-dedication be made : " Lord, 
 I here lay myself, and all that belongs to me, most 
 entirely at thy feet. All things are of thee :" (as 
 they are brouglit in saying, who make that willing, 
 joyful offering, 1 Chron. xxix.) " What I have in 
 the world is more thine than mine. I desire neither 
 to use nor possess any thing, but by thy leave and 
 for thy sake." 
 
 12. With befittmg circumstantial solemnity ; that 
 is, it ought to be direct, express, and explicit; not 
 to be huddled up in tacit, mute intimations only. 
 We shoidd not content ourselves that it be no more 
 than implied, in what we do otherwise, and run on 
 with it as a thing that must be supposed, and taken 
 for granted, never actually performed and done. It 
 is very true indeed, that a continued, uniform course 
 and series of agreeable actions, a holy life and 
 practice, carry a great deal more of significancy 
 with them, than only having once said, without 
 this form of words, " Lord, 1 will be thine." 
 Practice, whether it be good or bad, more fully 
 speaks our sense, and expresses our hearts, than bare 
 words spoken at some particular time, can do, for 
 they at the most speak but our present sense at that 
 time, and perhaps do not always that ; but a course 
 of practice shows the habitual posture and steady 
 bent of our spirits. Nor do I think that a formal, \ 
 explicit transaction, in this matter, whether vocal or :' j 
 mental, with circumstantial solemnity, is essential to 
 
200 
 
 a man's being a Christian, or a holy man. A fixed 
 inclination and bent of heart towards God, followed, 
 as it will be, wdth a course of practice becoming them 
 that are his, will no doubt conclude a man's state to 
 be safe and good God-w^ard; as one may, on the 
 other hand, be the devil's servant all his days, with- 
 out having made a formal covenant with him. But 
 yet, though so exphcit and solemn a transaction of 
 this matter be not essential to our Christianity, (as 
 what is said to belong only to the solemnity of any 
 thing, is therein implied not to be of the essence of 
 it,) yet it may be a great duty for all that, and I 
 doubt it not to be so. 
 
 And it may here be vrorth the while, to insist a 
 little ; that if this indeed be a duty, it may obtain 
 more in our practice, than perhaps it dotli. Some, 
 through mere inadvertency, may not have considered 
 it ; others, that have, may possibly think it less need- 
 ful, because they reckon it was formerly done for 
 them. They were born of Christian parents, who 
 dedicated them to God from their birth ; and they 
 were, with solemnity, presented to him in their bap- 
 tism. What need we then do over attain a thinff 
 already done ? Let us reason this matter therefore a 
 while, and consider whether notwithstanding any 
 such allegation, our personal dedicating ourselves to 
 God in Christ be not still reasonable and necessary 
 to be performed by ourselves also, as our own so- 
 lemn act and deed? It were indeed much to be 
 wished that our baptismal dedication to God were 
 more minded and thought on than it commonly is ; 
 when with such sacred solemnity we were devoted to 
 
201 
 
 the triune Deity, and those great and awful names 
 were named upon us, the name of the Father, the 
 name of the Son, and the name of the Holy Ghost. 
 Baptisms are, it is to be feared, too often in the 
 Christian world turned into a mere pageantry, and 
 the matter scarce ever thought on more, when the 
 show is over ; and very probably because this great 
 succedaneous duty is so unpractised among Christians. 
 
 (1.) And let it be considered. Are there no like 
 cases? Do we not know, that though all the in- 
 fants in a kingdom are born subjects, yet when they 
 arrive to a certain age they are obliged, being called, 
 to take the oath of allegiance, and each one to come 
 under personal obligation to their prince? And do 
 w'e owe less to the God that made us, and the Lord 
 that bought us with his blood ? 
 
 Again, Though all the sons of Israelites w^ere in 
 their infancy dedicated to God by the then appointed 
 rite for that purpose, yet how frequent were their 
 solemn, personal recognitions of his covenant : their 
 avouching themselves to be his people, as he also 
 avouched himself to be their God: which we see 
 Deut. xxvi. and in many other places. It is remote 
 from me to intend the pressing of a covenant that 
 contains any disputable or doubtful matters, »r any 
 other than the substance of our baptismal covenant 
 itself, consisting of the known essentials of our 
 Christianity, all summed up in taking God in Christ 
 for our God, and resigning ourselves, to him to be 
 inviolably his : no more is meant than that this may 
 be done as our own reasonable service and worship ; 
 as our intelhgent, deliberate, judicious act and choicQj. 
 i3 
 
202 
 
 (2.) And consider further, to this purpose, the 
 great importance of the thing itself, compared with 
 the lesser concernments wherein we use to deal most 
 explicitly. Is it fit that a man's religion should be 
 less the matter of his solemn choice, than his inferior 
 concerns? that when he chooses his dwelUncr, his 
 calling, his servant, or master, he should seem thrown 
 upon his God and his religion by chance ? and that 
 least should appear of caution, care, and punctual 
 deahng, in our very greatest concernment? How 
 great a day in a man's life doth he count his mar- 
 riage-day ! How accurate are men wont to be, in 
 all the preparations and previous settlements that are 
 to be made in order to it ! And since the great 
 God is pleased to be so very particular with us, in 
 proposing the model and contents of his covenant, 
 the promises and precepts which make his part and 
 ours in it ; how attentive should we be to his pro- 
 posals, and how express in our consent ! especially, 
 when we consider his admirable condescension in it, 
 that he is pleased, and disdains not, to capitulate 
 with the work of his hands, to article with dust and 
 ashes. Is it reasonable we should be slight and su- 
 perficial in a treaty with that great Lord of heaven 
 and earth, or scarce ever purposely apply and set 
 ourselves to mind him in it at aU ? 
 
 (3.) Moreover it is your own concernment, and 
 therefore ought to be transacted by yourself. So 
 far as there is any equity in that rule. What con- 
 cerns all should be transacted by all — it resolves into 
 this, and supposes it; that which concerns myself 
 should be transacted by myself. 
 
203 
 
 Again, your being devoted by parents, no more 
 excuses from solemn, personal, self-devoting, than 
 their doing other acts of religion for you, excuses 
 you from doing them for yourselves. They have 
 prayed for you, are you therefore never to pray for 
 yourselves ? They have lamented your sin, are you 
 never therefore to lament your own ? 
 
 (4.) Consider further, Scripture warns us not to 
 lay too much stress upon parental privilege, or place 
 too much confidence in it, which it supposes men 
 over apt to do. Abraham's seed may be a "ge- 
 neration of vipers.'" " I know you are Abraham's 
 seed," yet he finds them another father. 
 
 (5.) Consider moreover, the renewing work of 
 God's grace . and Spirit upon souls, consists in sanc- 
 tifying their natural faculties, their understandings, 
 consciences, wills, affections. And what are these 
 sanctified for, but to be used and exercised ? And 
 to what more noble purpose ? If there be that holy 
 impress upon the soul, that inclines all the powers 
 oF it God-ward, what serves it for, but to prompt 
 and lead it on to the correspondent acts ? to appre- 
 hend and eye God, to admit a conviction of duty, 
 and particularly, how I owe myself to him ; to choose, 
 love, fear, and serve him ; and what doth all this 
 import less, than an entire self-resignation to him ? 
 So that the genuine tendency of the holy new na- 
 ture is in nothing so directly answered and satisfied 
 as in this. And it ought to be considered, that the 
 faculties of our reasonable souls have a natural im- 
 provement and perfection, as well as a gracious. 
 And for their hii:fhest and noblest arts, it is fit thev 
 
204 
 
 should be used in their highest perfection. It is pos- 
 sible, that in the children of religious parents, there 
 may be some pious inclinations betimes; and the 
 sooner they thereupon choose the God of their fathers, 
 the better, that is, if you compare doing it and not 
 doing it, it is better done than not done. But be- 
 cause this is a thing that cannot be too often done, 
 nor too well; the more mature your understanding 
 is, the better it will be done, the grace of God con- 
 curring. Our Lord himself increased in wisdom, &c. 
 (6.) Moreover, let it be seriously thought on 
 (what it is dreadful to think) the occasion you will 
 give, if you decline this surrendering yourselves, to 
 have your neglect taken for a refusal. It is impos- 
 sible, when you once understand the case, you can 
 be in an indifferency about it. You must either 
 take or leave. 
 
 (7.) Nor can it be denied but personal self-de- 
 voting, one way or other, (more or less solemn,) is 
 most necessary to the continuing serious Christianity 
 in the world. Without it, our reUgion were but 
 the business of an age: for how unlikely were it, 
 and absurd to suppose, that a man should seriously 
 devote his child to God, that never devoted himself? 
 And if that were done never so seriously, must one 
 be a Christian always, only by the Christianity of 
 another, not his own ? Some way or other then, a 
 man must devote himself to God in Christ, or be, 
 at length, no Christian. And since he must, the 
 nature of the thing speaks, that the more solemn 
 and express it is, the better, and more suitable to a 
 transaction with so great a Majesty, 
 
205 
 
 And hath not common reason taught the world to 
 fix a transitus, and settle some time or other, where- 
 in persons should be reckoned to have past out of 
 their state of infancy or minority, into the state of 
 manhood or an adult state; wherein, though before 
 they could not legally transact affairs for themselves, 
 yet afterwards they could? This time, by the 
 constitutions of several nations, and for several pur- 
 poses, hath been diversely fixed. But they were 
 not to be looked upon as children always. Some 
 time they come to write man. Is it reasonable one 
 should be a child, and a minor in the things of God 
 and reUgion, all his days ? always in nonage ? 
 Sometime they must "be men in understanding," 
 and " have their senses exercised to discern between 
 good and evil." 
 
 Yea, and there is far greater reason we should 
 personally and solemnly transact this great afiair 
 with God, than any concern we have with men. 
 For, among men we may have a right by natural 
 descent, or by valuable considerations, to what we 
 enjoy, which may be clear and little hable to ques- 
 tion : from God we have no right, but by his favour 
 and vouchsafement. You are his children, if ever 
 you come to be so, but by adoption. And human 
 adoption has been wont to be completed by a so- 
 lemnity; the person to adopt, being publicly asked 
 (in that sort of adoption which was also called arro- 
 gation) whether he would have this person to be 
 as his own very son? And again; he that was 
 t-o be adopted, whether he was contented it should 
 
206 
 
 Nor a^am is there that dismclination towards 
 men, as towards God, or that proneness to revolt 
 from settled agreements, with the one, as with the 
 other. Whereas love sums up all the duty of both 
 the tablets ; or which we owe both to God and man ; 
 it is evident that, in our present lapsed state, our 
 love to God is more impaired, than to man. Indeed 
 this latter seems only diminished, the other is de- 
 stroyed, and hath, by nature, no place in us ; grace 
 only restores it. Where it is in some measure re- 
 stored, we find it more difficult to exercise love to- 
 wards God, than man; which the apostle's reason- 
 ing implies, " He that loveth not his brother whom 
 he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath 
 not seen? Who sees not that sensuality hath 
 buried the rational world ! Unregenerate man is 
 said to be in the flesh, not as being only lodged in 
 it, as all are alike, but governed by it, under its 
 power : as the holy apostle is said to have been " in 
 the Spirit on the Lord's day." To be in the flesh 
 is expounded by being and walking after it. Hence 
 men only love and savour the things within this sen- 
 sible sphere. They that are after the flesh, do 
 savour only the things of the flesh. Where the 
 regenerate, divine life is implanted, it is ill lodged, 
 in conjunction with a strong remaining sensual incli- 
 nation : so that where the soul is somewhat raised by 
 it, out of that mire and dirt, there is a continual de- 
 cidency, a proneness to relapse, and sink back into 
 it. Impressions therefore of an invisible Ruler and 
 Lord, as of all unseen things, are very evanescent; 
 soon, in a great degree worn off; especially where 
 
207 
 
 tliey were but in making, and not yet thoroughly 
 inwrought into the temper of the soul. Hence is 
 that instability in the covenant of God. We are 
 not so afraid before, nor ashamed afterwards, of 
 breaking engagements with him, as with men, whom 
 we are often to look in the face, and converse with 
 every day. 
 
 Therefore there is the more need here of the 
 strictest ties, and most solemn obligations, that we can 
 lay upon ourselves. How apprehensive doth that 
 holy, excellent governor, Joshua, (Josh, xxiv.) seem 
 of this, when he was shortly to leave the people under 
 his conduct ! And what urgent means doth he use, 
 to bring them to the most express, solemn dedica- 
 tion of themselves to God, that was possible; first 
 representing the reasonableness and equity of the 
 thing, from the many endearing wonders of mercy 
 (as here the apostle beseeches these Romans by the 
 mercies of God) which he recounts from the begin- 
 ning, to the 14th verse of the xxivth chapter : then, 
 thereupon exhorting them to " fear the Lord and 
 serve him in sincerity," &c. in that 14th verse, tell- 
 ing them, withal, if they should all resolve otherwise 
 to a man, what his own resolution was, (verse 15.) 
 " And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, 
 choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether 
 tlie gods which your fathers served, that were on 
 the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amo- 
 rites, in whose land ye dwell : but as for me and my 
 house, we will serve the Lord;"' taking also their 
 express answer, which they give, verse 16 — 18. 
 But fearing they did not enough consider the matter. 
 
208 
 
 he, as it were, puts them back (esteeming himself 
 to have gotten an advantage upon them) that they 
 might come on again with the more vigour and 
 force. " Ye cannot serve the Lord : for he is a 
 holy God: he is a jealous God; he will not forgive 
 your transgressions nor your sins. If you forsake 
 the Lord, and serve strange gods, then he will turn 
 and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he 
 hath done you good," verse 19, 20. Hereupon, 
 according to his expectation and design, they rein- 
 force their view : " Nay, but we will serve the Lord." 
 And upon this, he closes with them, and takes fast 
 hold of them : " Ye are witnesses," saith he, " against 
 yourselves, that ye have chosen the Lord, to serve 
 him." And they say, " We are witnesses," verse 
 22. He exhorts them afresh, and they engage 
 over again, verse 23, 24. Thus a covenant is made 
 with them, verse 25. After all this, a record is 
 taken of the whole transaction ; it is booked down, 
 (verse 26.) and a monumental stone set up, to pre- 
 serve the memory of this great transaction. And 
 the good man tells them, " Behold, this stone shall 
 be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words 
 of the Lord which he spake unto us : it shall there- 
 fore be a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God." 
 So he dismisses them, and lets them go every one 
 to his inheritance. 
 
 Nor is it to be neglected, that Isa. xliv. 5. (which 
 is generally agreed to refer to the times of the gos- 
 pel,) it is so expressly set down, " One shall say, I 
 am the Lord's; and another shall call himself by the 
 name of Jacob ; and another shall subscribe with his 
 
209 
 
 hand unto the Lord, and surname himself hy the 
 name of Israel." In the rendering of which words, 
 " subscribe with the hand," the versions vary. 
 Some read, " inscribe in their hands," the Lord's 
 name ; counting it an allusion to the ancient custom, 
 as to servants and soldiers, that they were to carry, 
 stamped upon the palm of their hands, the name of 
 their master or general. The Syriac read to the 
 same sense as we — Shall mvc an hand writing to be 
 the Lord's. That the thing be done, and with 
 great seriousness, distinctness, and solemnity, is no 
 doubt highly reasonable and necessary; about the 
 particular manner I prescribe not. 
 
 Nor can I imagine what any man can have to 
 object, but the backwardness of his own heart to any 
 intercourse or conversation with the invisible God: 
 which is but an argument of the miserable condition 
 of depraved mankind; and none, that the thing is 
 not to be done. For, that backwardness must pro- 
 ceed from some deeper reason than that God is in- 
 visible : a reason, that should not only convince, but 
 amaze us, and even overwhelm our souls in sorrow 
 and lamentation, to think what state the nature and 
 spirit of man are brought into ! For is not the 
 devil invisible too? And what wretch is there so 
 silly and ignorant, but can by the urgency of dis- 
 content, envy, and an appetite of revenge, find a 
 way to fall into a league with him? Is this, that 
 God is less conversable with men? less willing to 
 be found of them that seek Him? No surely,* 
 
 * Read considerately, Feb. xi. 6. 
 
210 
 
 but tliat men have less mind and inclination to seek 
 Him ! And is this a posture and temper of spirit 
 towards the God that made us, (the continual spring 
 of our life and being!) in which it is fit for us to 
 tolerate ourselves? Shall not the necessity of this 
 thing, and of our own case, (not capable of remedy 
 while we withhold ourselves from God,) overcome 
 all the imagined difficulty in applying ourselves to 
 Him? 
 
 Use. — And upon the whole, if we agree the 
 thing itself to be necessary, it cannot be doubted, 
 but it will appear to be of common concernment to 
 us all ; and that every one must apprehend it is ne- 
 cessary to me, and to me, whether we have done it 
 already, or not done it. If we have not, it cannot 
 he done too soon ; if we have, it cannot be done too 
 often. And it may now be done, by private, silent 
 ejaculation, the convinced persuaded heart saying 
 within itself, " Lord, I consent to be wholly thine, 
 I here resign and devote myself absolutely and en- 
 tirely to thee." None of you know what may be 
 in the heart of another, to this purpose, even at 
 this time. Why then should not every one fear to 
 be the only person of those who now hear, that dis- 
 agrees to it? If any find his heart to reluctate 
 and draw back, it is fit such a one should consider, 
 " I do not know but this self-devoting disposition 
 and resolution is the common sense of all the rest, 
 even of all that are now present but mine." And who 
 would not dread to be the only one in an assembly, 
 that shall refuse God ! or refuse himself to him ! 
 For, let such a one think, " What particular reason 
 
211 
 
 can I have to exclude myself from such a consenting 
 chorus? Why should I spoil the harmony, and give 
 a disagreeing vote ? Why should any man be more 
 v.'illing to be dutiful and happy than I ? to be just 
 to God, or have him good to me ? W^hy should any 
 one be more willinfj to be saved than I : and to make 
 one hereafter, in the glorious, innumerable, joyful 
 assembly of devoted angels and saints, that pay an 
 eternal, gladsome homao;e to the throne of the ce- 
 lestial King ?" But if any find their hearts inclin- 
 ing, let what is now begun, be more fully completed 
 in the closet; and let those walls, as Joshua's stone, 
 hear, and bear witness ! 
 
 Lest any should not consent, and that all may 
 consent more freely, and more largely ; I shall in a 
 few words show, what should induce to it, and what 
 it should induce to. 
 
 1. What should induce to it? You have divers 
 sorts of inducements. 
 
 (1.) Such as may be taken from necessity. For 
 what else can you do with yourself? You cannot 
 be happy without it, for who should make you so 
 but God? and how shall he, while you hold off 
 yourselves from him? You cannot but be miser- 
 able, not only as not having engaged him to you, 
 but as ha\ing engaged him against you. 
 
 (2.) Such as may be taken from equity. You 
 are his right. He hath a natural right in you as he 
 is your Maker, the Author of your being: and an 
 acquired right, as you were bought by his Son, who 
 hath redeemed us to God, and who died, rose again, 
 and revived, that he might be Lord of the liv- 
 
212 
 
 ing and the dead — here, to rule — hereafter, to judge 
 us. Both which he can do, whether we will or not: 
 but it is not to be thought he will save us against 
 our wills. His method is, whom he saves, first to 
 overcome, that is, to make them " willing in the day 
 of his power." And dare we, who " live, move, and 
 have our being in him," refuse to be, live, and move 
 to him ? or, " deny the Lord who bought us ?" 
 
 (3.) And again, such as may be taken from in- 
 genuity, or that should work upon it, namely, what 
 we are besought by, in the text, " the mercies of 
 God." How manifold are they ! But they are the 
 mercies of the gospel especially, mentioned in the 
 foregoing chapter, which are thus referred unto in 
 the beginning of this, the transferring what the Jews 
 forfeited and lost, by their unbelief, unto us Gen- 
 tiles : that " mystery" as this apostle elsewhere calls 
 it, " which in other ages was not made known unto 
 the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy 
 apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gen- 
 tiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, 
 and partakers of his promise in Christ, by the gos- 
 pel :" in reference whereto he so admiringly cries out 
 a little above the text, " O the depth both of the wis- 
 dom and knowleda^e of God ! How unsearchable 
 are his judgments, and his ways past finding out !" 
 the mercies of which it is said, Isa. Iv. 1 — 3. *' Ho, 
 every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and 
 he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat; yea, 
 come, buy wine and milk without money, and with- 
 out price. Wherefore do ye spend your money foi 
 that which is not bread, and your labour for tha; 
 
213 
 
 which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, 
 and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul 
 delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come 
 unto me : hear, and your soul shall live ; and I will 
 make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure 
 mercies of David." Which free and sure mercies 
 are heightened, as to us, by the same both endearing 
 and awful circumstance, that these mercies are offered 
 to us, namely, in conjunction with the setting before 
 our eyes the monitory, tremendous example of a for- 
 saken nation that rejected them, intimated ver. 5. 
 " Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest 
 not ; and nations that knew not thee shall run unto 
 thee :" a case whereof our apostle says, in the fore- 
 going chapter, Isaiah was very bold ; when speaking 
 of it in another place, he uses these words, " I am 
 sought of them that asked not for me ; I am found of 
 them that sought me not : I said, Behold me, behold 
 me, unto a nation that was not called by my name." 
 He was bold in it indeed, to mention such a thinir 
 to a people, unto whom a jealous gloriation in the 
 peculiarity of their privileged state, their being with- 
 out partners or rivals, for so long a time, in their 
 relation and nearness to God, was grown so natural : 
 and who took it so impatiently, when our Saviour 
 did but intimate the same thing to them by parables. 
 Matt. xxi. 33 — 46. as that they sought immediately 
 to lay hands on him for that very reason. So un- 
 accountable a perverseness of humour reigned with 
 them, that they envied to others, what they despised 
 themselves. 
 
 But, on tlie other hand, nothing ought more 
 
214 
 
 highly to recommend those mercies to us, or more 
 engage us to accept them with gratitude, and im- 
 prove them with a cautious fear of committing a Hke 
 forfeiture, than to have them brought to our hands, 
 redeemed from the contempt of the former despisers 
 of them, and that, so terribly, vindicated upon them 
 at the same time; as it also still continues to be. 
 That the natural branches of the olive should be 
 torn off, and we inserted : that there should be such 
 an instance given us of the severity and goodness of 
 God, chap. xi. To them that fell, severity ; but to 
 us, goodness, if we continue in his goodness, to warn 
 us, that otherwise, we may expect to be cut off too ! 
 and that we might apprehend, if he spared not the 
 natural branches, he was as little likely to spare us ! 
 that when he came to his own and they received him 
 not, he should make so free an offer to us, that if 
 we would yet receive him, (which if we do, we are, 
 as hath been said, to yield up and dedicate ourselves 
 to him at the same time,) we should have the privi- 
 cire to be owned for the sons of God ! what should 
 oblige us to compliance with him, and make us 
 with an ingenuous trembling fall before him, and, 
 ciying to him, " My Lord and ray God," resign 
 ourselves wholly to his power and pleasure ? 
 
 And even his mercies more abstractly considered, 
 ought to have that power upon us. Were we not 
 lost ? Are we not rescued from a necessity of pe- 
 rishing, and being lost for ever, in the most costly 
 way? costly, to our Redeemer, but to us, without 
 cost. Is it a small thing, that he offers himself to 
 us, as he doth when he demands us, and requires 
 
 o 
 so 
 
215 
 
 that we offer ourselves to him : that he, in whom is 
 all the fulness of God, havincr first offered himself 
 for us, doth now offer himself also to us; that he 
 hath treated us, hitherto, with such indulgence, 
 waited on us with so long patience, sustained us by 
 so large bounty? And now upon all, when it might 
 be thoufrht we should be communing with our own 
 hearts, discoursing the matter with ourselves, " What 
 shall we render ?" that he should say to us so shortly 
 and compendiously. Render yourselves. Is that too 
 much ? Are we too inconsiderable to be his, or his 
 mercies too inconsiderable to obhge us to be so ? the 
 mercies that flow so freely from him, for he is the 
 Father of mercies : the mercies that are so suitable 
 to us, pardon to the guilty, light to them that dwell 
 in darkness, life to the dead, a rich portion and all- 
 sufficient fulness for the poor, indigent, and neces- 
 sitous : the mercies that we are encouraged to expect 
 as well as w^hat we enjoy : the great good laid up in 
 store ! the mercies of eternity to be added to those 
 of time : the mercies of both worlds, meeting upon 
 us ! that here we are to " keep ourselves in the love 
 of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ unto eternal life !" that, looking for that 
 blessed hope, our life may here, in the mean time, 
 be transacted with him, that we may abide in the se- 
 cret of his presence, and dwelling in love, may dwell 
 in God who is love; till the season come, when we 
 shall be able more fully to understand his love, and 
 return our own ! 
 
 Nor are the favours of his providence to be thought 
 little of in the time of our earthly pilgrimage. And 
 
216 
 
 now, if all this do eflPectually induce us to dedicate 
 ourselves, 
 
 2. We are next to consider, what our having done 
 it ought further to induce us unto. 
 
 In the general, it ought to be an inducement to 
 us, as we may well apprehend, to behave ourselves 
 answerably to such a state, as we are hereby brought 
 into, if we now first dedicated ourselves to him, and 
 are confirmed in, by our iterations of it. For he 
 takes no pleasure in fools; therefore, having vowed 
 ourselves to him, to serve, and live to him, let us pay 
 what we have vowed. Better it had been not to vow, 
 than to vow and not pay ; and instead of the reason- 
 able sacrifice he required of us, to give him only the 
 sacrifice of fools. We are, upon special terms, and 
 for special ends, peculiar to the most high God. 
 They that are thus his, are " a royal priesthood : 
 He hath made us kings and priests." Both those 
 offices and dignities have sometimes met in the same 
 person. And to God and his Father, that is, for 
 him. Not that both those offices do terminate upon 
 God, or that the work of both is to be performed 
 towards him, but our Lord Jesus, it being the de- 
 sign of his Father we should be brought into that 
 high and honourable station, hath effected it, in com- 
 pliance with his design, and hath served his pleasure 
 and purpose in it. He hath done it to, that is, for 
 him. So tliat, to God and his Father may be re- 
 ferred to Christ's action, in makincr us kincrs and 
 priests, not to ours, being made such, ^'et the 
 one of these refers to God immediately, the other 
 to ourselves. Floly and good men are kings in re- 
 
217 
 
 ference to themselves, in respect of their self-domi- 
 nion into which they are now restored, having been, 
 as all unregenerate persons are, slaves to \dle and 
 carnal affections and inclinations. The minds of the 
 regenerate are made spiritual, and now with them 
 the refined, rectified, spiritual mind, is enthroned; 
 lifted up into its proper authority over all sensual 
 inclinations, appetites, lusts, and passions. A glo- 
 rious empire ! founded in conquest, and managed 
 afterwards, when the victory is complete; and in the 
 meantime, in some degree, while " judgment is in 
 bringing forth unto victory," by a steady, sedate 
 government in most perfect tranquillity and peace. 
 
 But they are priests in reference to God; the 
 business of their office, as such, terminates upon 
 him ; for him they worship and serve. Worship is 
 either social, external and circumstantial, that of 
 worshipping societies, considered according to its 
 exterior part, wherein one is appointed by special 
 office, to do the part of a priest for the rest ; (in this 
 sense all are not priests ;) or else it is solitary, inter- 
 nal, substantial and spiritual, wherein they either 
 worship alone, and apart by themselves, or being in 
 conjunction with others, yet their own spirits within 
 them work directly, and aspire upwards to God. 
 And as to this more noble part of their worship, 
 every holy man is his own priest. 
 
 And this is the double dignity of every holy, de- 
 voted soul. They are thus kings, and priests ; go- 
 vern themselves, and serve God. While they go- 
 vern, they serve ; exercise authority over themselves, 
 with most submissive veneration of God: crowned, 
 K 3 
 
218 
 
 and enthroned; but always in a rea(^ess to cast down 
 their crowns at the footstool of the supreme, celestial 
 throne. Into this state they come by self-dedication. 
 And now surely, it is not for such to demean them- 
 selves at a vulgar rate. They are of " the church 
 of the first-born written in heaven ;" that is, the 
 church of the first-born ones; that is,^ all composed 
 and made up of such ; (as that expression signifies ;) 
 first-born, in a true (though not the most eminent) 
 sense, being sons by the first, that is, the prime and 
 more excellent sort of birth, in respect whereof they 
 are said to be begotten again " by the word of truth, 
 that they should be a kind of first-fruits of the crea- 
 tures of God." And this twofold dignity is the 
 privilege of their birthright, as anciently it vvas. 
 Are you devoted tp Glod? Have you dedicated 
 yourselves? Hereby you are arrivefl ^6 this dig- 
 nity. For in the above-mentioned place (Heb. xii.) 
 it is said, " Ye are come ;" you are actuatly, already, 
 adjoined to that church, and are the real preseiit 
 members of that holy community. For you are 
 related and united to him of whom the family of 
 heaven and earth is named; are of the household, 
 and the sons of God, his, under that peculiar no- 
 tion, when you have dedicated yourselves to him. 
 You cannot but apprehend there are peculiarities of 
 behaviour in your after-conduct and management of 
 yourselves that belong to you, and must answer and 
 correspond to your being, in this sense, his. Some 
 particulars whereof I shall briefly mention. . *'" ^ • 
 (1.) You should each of you often reflect upon 
 it, and bethink yourself wliat you have done, and 
 
219 
 
 whps^^ you now are, " I am the devoted one of tlie 
 most higli. God." It was one of the precepts given 
 ^j. a Pagan (Epict.) to his disciples, " Think with 
 yourself, upon all occasions, I am a philosopher." 
 What a world of sin and trouble micjht that thouplit, 
 9£ten renewed, prevent, "I am a Christian, one dc- 
 
 , voted to ,God in Christ." Your havincr done tliis 
 tiling, should clothe your mind with new apprelien- 
 sions, Loth of God and yourselves : that he is not 
 now a stra^^er to you, but your God, that you are 
 not unrelated to him, but his. " I was an enemy, 
 DOW am reconciled. I was a common, piofane thing, 
 now hqliness, to, tlie^ Lorift" ^ It Js strange to think 
 how one act doth sometimes habit and thicture a 
 man's mind : whether in the kind of .o:ood or evil. 
 
 ^T9^Bay6., committed an act of murder! What a 
 horrid complexion of mind did Cain upon this bear 
 with him. To have dedicated one's self to God, if 
 seriously aiid diily clone ; would it have less power to 
 possess One with a holy, calm, peaceful temper of 
 mind ? 
 
 1^^ J[^.) Yoi^, should, hereupon, charge yourself with 
 ^11 suitable duty towards him; for you have given 
 yourself to him to serve him ; that is your very busi- 
 ness. You are his, ai^ are to, do his work, not 
 your own, otherwise than as it falls in with his, and 
 is his. You are to discharge yourself of all unsuit- 
 able cares : for will not he take care of his own, who 
 hath put so ill a note upon tliem that do not : " He 
 tliat provideth not for his own, (his domestics,) 
 those of his owii house, hath denied the faith, and is 
 
 . lyoise than an infidel?" Will you think, he can be 
 k2 
 
220 
 
 like such a one? Who, if not the children of a 
 prince, should live free from care ? 
 
 You should most deeply concern yourself about 
 his concerns, without any apprehension or fear that 
 he will neglect those that are most truly yours : and 
 are not to be indifferent how his interest thrives or 
 is depressed in the world ; is increased or diminished. 
 They that aije his, should let his affairs engross 
 their cares and thoughts. 
 
 You should abandon all suspicious, hard thoughts 
 of him. When in the habitual bent of your spirits 
 you desire to please him, it is most injurious to him, 
 to think he will abandon, and give you up to perish, 
 or become your enemy. It is observable what care 
 was taken among the Romans, that no hostility might 
 be used towards them that had surrendered them- 
 selves. Can men excel God in praise-worthy things? 
 You can think nothing of God more contrary to his 
 gospel, or his nature, than to surmise he will destroy 
 one that hath surrendered to and bears a loyal mind 
 towards him. And what a reproach do you cast 
 upon him, when you give others occasion to say, 
 " His own, they that have devoted themselves to 
 him, dare not trust him?" You are taught to 
 say, *' I am thine, save me ;" not to suspect he will 
 ruin you. They do strangely misshape religion, 
 considering in how great part it consists in trust- 
 ing God, and living a life of faith, that frame to 
 themselves a religion made up of distrusts, doubts, 
 and fears. 
 
 You should dread to alienate yourselves from him, 
 which, as sacrilege is one of the most detestable oi 
 
221 
 
 all sins, a robbing of God is the most detestable 
 sacrilege. You are to reserve yourselves entirely 
 for him. Every one that is godly he hath set apart 
 for himself. 
 
 Yea, and you are not only to reserve, but to your 
 uttermost, to improve and better yourselves for him 
 daily : to aspire to an excellency, in some measure, 
 suitable to your relation : "to walk worthy of God, 
 who hath called you to his kingdom and glory," re- 
 membering you are here to glorify him, and hereafter 
 to be o-lorified with him. And who is there of us 
 that finds not himself under sufficient obligation, by 
 the mercies of God, unto all this? or to whom lie 
 may not say, in a far more eminent sense, than the 
 apostle speaks it to Philemon, " Thou owest even 
 thyself also unto me?" Shall we refuse to give 
 God what we owe? or can we think it fit, itself, 
 " we should be no otherwise his, than (as one well 
 says) fields, woods, and mountains, and brute beasts .'^" 
 And, 1 may add, can it be comfortable to us, that he 
 should have no other interest in us than he hath in 
 devils ? Is there no difference in the case of reason- 
 able creatures and unreasonable ? their's who profess 
 devotedness to him, and their's who are his pro- 
 fessed enemies ? The one sort, through natural »? 
 incapacity, cannot, by consent, be his, and the other, 
 through an invincible malignity, never will. Are 
 there no mercies, conferred or offered, that do pecu- 
 liarly oblige us more ? Let us be more frequent and 
 serious in recounting our mercies, and set ourselves 
 on purpose to enter into the memory of God's great 
 goodness, that we may thence, from time to time, 
 
32^2 
 
 urge upon themselves this great and comprehensive 
 duty. And at this time, being here together on 
 purpose, let us consider and reflect afresh upon that 
 eminent mercy which you are wont to commemorate 
 in the yearly return of this day. ■ ' ■' 
 
 And that I may, more particularly, direct niy 
 speech the same way, that the voic6 6f thai m^aa^- 
 able providence is especially directed; you ar6,'^y 
 Lord, to be more peculiarly besought by the mer- 
 cies of God, that you would this day dedicate your- 
 self to him. I do therefore beseech you, by the 
 many endearing mercies which God hath so plenti^ 
 fully conferred upon you, by the mercies of your 
 noble extraction and birth, by the mercies of your 
 very ingenious and pious education, by the mercies 
 of your family, which God hath made to descend to 
 you from your honourable progenitors ; which, as 
 they are capable of being improved, may be very 
 valuable mercies ; by the blood and tender mercies 
 of your blessed and glorious Redeemer, who offered 
 up himself a Sacrifice to God for you, that you would 
 now present yourself to God, a holy, living sacrifice, 
 which is your reasonable service. I addj by the 
 signal mercy which hath fn'ade this a memorable day 
 to you, and by which you come, thus long, to enjoy 
 the advantages of all your other mercies* How 
 came it to pass that this day comes not to'be' i?fe- 
 membered by your noble relatives, as a black and a 
 gloomy day, the day of the extinction of the present 
 light and lustre of your fahiily, and of quenching 
 their coal which was left? You had a great Pre- 
 server, who we hope delivered you because he de- 
 
223 
 
 lighted in you. Your life was precious in his sight. 
 Your breath was in, hi^, han4; he preserved and re- 
 newed, it to , you, when you were ready to breathe 
 your last, And we hope he will vouchsafe you that 
 greater deliverance, not to let you fall under the 
 charge which was once exhibited against a great 
 man, " The God in whose hands thy breath is — 
 hast thou not glorified :" and make you rather capa- 
 ble of adopting those words, " Yet the Lord will 
 command his loving kindness in the day time, and 
 in the night his song shall be with me, and my 
 prayer unto the God of my life." Your acknow- 
 ledgments are not to be hmited to one day in the 
 year ; but from day to day his loving kindness, and 
 your prayer and praise, are to compose your day and 
 night; the one^ to show you,, the other, to be imto 
 you your morning and evening exercise. Let this 
 be your resolution> ", Every day will I bless thee ; 
 and I will praise ,]thy.;^ame for, ever and ever;" or 
 ;thatv "I will. sing unto the Lord as long as I live: 
 J: vvill sing., praise, un^o.^ my God while I have my 
 
 being.";^ unrvii .vlorf £ .boO nt 'ii 
 
 Yet your more solemn acknowledgments are justly 
 pitched upon this day. ; God hath noted it for you, 
 and made it agreat 4ay W y^^T,\\^^^ h X^^ have 
 now enjoyed a septennium, seven years of mercies. 
 And we all hope you will enjoy many more, which 
 may all be called the posterity of that day's mercy. 
 It was the parent of them all ; so pregnant and pro- 
 ductive a mercy was that of this day. You do owe 
 it to the mercy of this day,, that you have yet a life 
 to devote to the great Lord of heaven and earth, and 
 
224 
 
 to employ in the world for hira : and would ydu 
 think of any less noble sacrifice ? 
 
 ^•schines the philosopher, out of his admiration 
 of Socrates, when divers presented him with other 
 gifts, made a tender to him of himself. Less was 
 thought an insufficient acknowledgment of the worth 
 and favours of a man ! Can any thing less be 
 thought worthy of a God ? I doubt not you intend, 
 my Lord, a life of service to the God of your life. 
 You would not, I presume, design to serve him 
 under any other notion, than as his. By dedicating 
 yourself to him, you become so in the pecuhar sense. 
 It is our part m the covenant which must be between 
 God and us. '* 1 entered into covenant with thee, 
 and thou becaraest mine." This is the ground of a 
 settled relation, which we are to bear towards him, 
 as his servants. It is possible I may do an occa- 
 sional service for one whose servant I am not ; but 
 it were mean that a great person should only be 
 served by the servants of another lord. To be 
 served but precariously, and as it were upon courtesy 
 only, true greatness would disdain ; as if his quality 
 did not admit to have servants of his own. 
 
 Nor can it be thought a serious Christian, in 
 howsoever dignifying circumstances, should reckon 
 himself too great to be his servant, when even a 
 heathen (Seneca) pronounces — To serve God is to 
 reign. A rehgious nobleman of France (Monsieur 
 de Renty, whose affection I commend more than 
 this external expression of it) teUs us he made a 
 deed of gift of himself to God, signing it with his 
 own blood. He was much a greater man, that so 
 
22o 
 
 often speaks in that style, " Thy servant," that it is 
 plain he took pleasure in it, and counted it liis 
 highest glory. " Stablish thy word unto thy ser- 
 vant, who is devoted to thy fear." " Thy servant, 
 thy servant, O Lord, the son of thy handmaid;" 
 (alluding to the law by which the children of bond- 
 servants were servants by birth,) " thou hast broken 
 my bonds ;" hast released me from worse bonds, 
 that I might not only be patient, but glad to be 
 under thine. 
 
 Nor was he a mean prince* in his time, who al 
 length abandoning the pleasures and splendour of 
 his own court, (whereof many like examples might 
 be given,) retired and assumed the name of Christo- 
 dulus — a servant of Christ, accounting the glory of 
 that name did outshine, not only that of his other 
 illustrious titles, but of the imperial diadem too. 
 There are very few in the world, whom the too 
 common atheism can give temptation unto to think 
 rehgion an ignominy, and to count it a reproach to 
 be the devoted servant of the most high God ; but 
 have it at hand to answer themselves, even by hu- 
 man, not to speak of the higher angelical, instances, 
 that he hath been served by greater than we. 
 
 You are, my Lord, shortly to enter upon the 
 more pubHc stage of the world. You will enter 
 with great advantages of hereditary honour, fortune, 
 friends; with the greater advantage of, I hope, a 
 'vell-cultivated mind, and, what is yet greater, of a 
 
 * Cantacuzenus, wliose life also, amoni^ many other remark- 
 able things, was once strangely preserved in the fall of his horse 
 
 k3 
 
226 
 
 piously inclined heart ; but you will also enter with 
 disadvantages too. It is a slippery stage ; it is • a 
 divided time, wherein there is interest against inter- 
 est ; party against party. To have seriously, and 
 with a pious obstinacy dedicated .yjoursg^f^jt^j Qf^, 
 will both direct and fortify you»<' .fric'i.t erlT mid 
 
 I know no party in which nothing is aitiiss. Nor 
 will that measure let you think it advisable, , to . be 
 of any, further than to unite with what there is of 
 real, true godliness among them all. Neither is 
 there any surer rule or measure for your direction, 
 than this ; to take the course and way which are 
 most agreeable to a state of devotedness to God. 
 Reduce all things else, hither. Wheresoever you 
 believe, in your conscience, there is a sincere design 
 for the interest and glory of God, the honour or 
 safety of your prince, the real good and welfare of 
 your country, there you are to fall in, and adhere. 
 And the first of these comprehends the rest. You 
 will not be the less incHned, but much the more, to 
 give Cesar the things that are Cesar's, for your giv- 
 ing God the things that are God's. And that is, 
 as hath been said, principally and in the first place 
 yourself; and then all that is yours to be used ac- 
 cording to his holy rules, and for him whose you 
 are. 
 
 And what can be to you the ground of a higher 
 fortitude ? Can they be unsafe that have devoted 
 themselves to God? Dedicate yourself, and you 
 become a sanctuary, as well as a sacrifice, inviolably 
 safe in what part, and in what respects, it is consi- 
 derable to be so. And who can think themselves 
 
227 
 
 unsafe, being, with persevering fidelity, sacred to 
 *'6od; that understand who he is, and consider his 
 power and dominion over both worlds, the present, 
 and that which is to come : so as that he can punish 
 atid reward in both, as men prove false or faithful to 
 him. The triumphs of wickedness are short, in this 
 world. In how glorious triumphs will religion and 
 devotedness to God end in the other ! 
 
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 -i^n:, ilw nr biiB ^in 
 
<> omndmY 
 
ON 
 
 YIELDING OURSELVES 
 TO GOD. 
 
whT ^o ,083 .aMA08 WaMOaOHTHAa 
 
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 tiedi nl ii qibA {i^dio gdi bB9i 9VBrf 
 
 ahb dixw agvbsaigdt gldnoil liiw ^gdl 
 
 ' igix/ iioy^ doidw azoq^iuq ii/o^ d;^jjodj 
 
 ai 2ifood 9lwil ssgdl lo gno gtiigboi 
 
 'f?Am a99d evfid td-glm ^sis-i&3d adi 
 
 '. lis <iiood i9J:>9d e ^riBni 1o ^(li 
 
 '2do 00^ ^IjB9t§ wod 9frr bio* ^nivBd 
 
 Jiejiforj j898inoD8ib nifilq 9a9dj ^^d bgvoffr sd 
 
 <i bfid Isdw ;otiibB9i 'io sg^itnevbe "pduogq 
 
 jiolsd bifi9d deilei ban 9oafijq990B 9ino2 
 
 ' ' iwogb 79iB9i§ isdi 
 
 '■a: na o? "iiinidoB^ig'k' 
 
TO 
 THE MUCH-HONOURED 
 
 BARTHOLOMEW SOAME, Esq. of Thurlow, 
 
 AND 
 
 SUSANNA, HIS PIOUS CONSORT. 
 
 MY WORTHY FRIENDS, 
 
 I HAVE at length yielded to your importunity, 
 and do here offer this Discourse to public view, and 
 your own : which was, one day last summer, preached 
 under your roof; attributing more to your pious de- 
 sign herein, than to my own reasons against it. 1 
 no farther insist upon the incongruity, having several 
 years ago pubHshed a small Treatise on Self-dedica- 
 tion, now again to send abroad another on the same 
 subject. For the way of tractation is here very dif- 
 ferent ; this may fall into the hands of divers who 
 have never seen the other; and however, they who 
 have read the other, have it in their choice whether 
 they will trouble themselves with this or not. And 
 though your purpose which you urged me with, of 
 lodging one of these Httle books in each family of 
 the hearers, might have been answered by so dispos- 
 ing of many a better book, already extant, yet 
 having told me how greatly you observed them to 
 be moved by these plain discourses, considering the 
 peculiar advantage of reading what had been, with 
 some acceptance and rehsh heard before (through 
 that greater vigowr that accompanies the ordinance 
 of preaching to an assembly, than doth usually the so- 
 
232 
 
 litary first reading of the same thing) I was not willing 
 to run the hazard of incurring a guilt, by refusing a 
 thing so much desired, and which, through God's 
 blessing, might contribute something, though in 
 never so low a degree, to the saving of men's souls. 
 I could not, indeed, as I told you, undertake to recol- 
 lect every thing that was spoken, according to that 
 latitude and freedom of expression, where^\dth it was 
 fit to inculcate momentous things to a plain country 
 auditory : but I have omitted nothing I could call 
 to mind ; being Httle concerned that the more curious 
 may take notice, with disUke, how much, in a work 
 of this kind, I prefer plainness, though they may 
 call it rudeness, of speech, before that which goes 
 for wisdom of words, or the most laboured periods. 
 
 May you find an abundant blessing on your 
 household, for the sake of the ark, which you have 
 so piously and kindly received; and whereas, by 
 your means, the parts about you have a help for the 
 spreading the knowledge of God among them, added 
 to what they otherwise more statedly enjoy; may 
 the blessing of Heaven succeed all sincere endea- 
 vours of both sorts ; to the more general introducing 
 of the " new man which is renewed in knowledge — 
 where there is neither Jew nor Greek, circumcision 
 nor uncircumcision, but Christ is all, and in all." 
 To whose grace, you are, 'vvith sincere affection and 
 great sense of your kindness, earnestly recommend- 
 ed, by 
 
 Your much obliged. 
 
 Faithful Servant in Christ, 
 
 JOHN HOWE. 
 
ON 
 
 YIELDING OURSELVES 
 TO GOD. 
 
 Romans vi. 13. 
 
 Yield yourselves unto God, 
 
 These are but a few words, but I can speak to you 
 of no greater or more important thing than I am to 
 press upon you from them this day. We are above 
 taught how absurd it is to continue in sin, whereto 
 we are avowedly dead, ver. 1,2. as is signified by our 
 baptism ; together with our entrance into a new state 
 of Ufe, and that in both we are to be conformed unto 
 the death and resurrection of Christ, ver. 3, 4, 5. so 
 that sin ouo-ht now no more to have a new dominion 
 over us, than death can again have over him, ver. 6, 
 7, 8, 9, 10. We are therefore exhorted so to ac- 
 count of ourselves, and of our present state, " That 
 we are dead to sin, but ahve to God through Jesus 
 Christ our Lord ;" and thereupon never more to let 
 sin govern us, or reign over us, or yield to it, ver. 
 11, 12, 13. former part. 
 
 But what then? How are we otherwi, ' to dis- 
 
234 
 
 pose of ourselves ? If we may not yield ourselves to 
 the service of sin, what are we then to do \vith' our- 
 selves ? The text tells us, and the very reason of me 
 thing shows it; "but yield yourselves io God," Sib\ 
 
 The subject to be discoursed of is an express pre- 
 cept, charging it upon us all as our uii questionable 
 duty, to " yield ourselves to Ood ;" \vTiich therefore, 
 it can only be our business, in speaking to this text, 
 
 to explain and apply. '' ■".' '"" """','" '"'""* 
 
 First, We are to explain it. " "WEsoeWayai 
 charge upon others such a duty, not obvious, per- 
 haps, at the first view, in the full extent of it j io 
 every one's understanding, may well expect to' '^e 
 asked: but what do you mean by this precept? or 
 what doth this "yielding ourselves to God" signify? 
 
 And here are two things to be opened to you. 
 i First. How, or under what notioiis, we are to con- 
 sider God and ourselves in this matter? '" "^ *' ^' '' 
 Second. What our yielding ourselves ^6 liimj^'so 
 
 considered, must include^ , . ^^ . ^ ^ 
 
 •,'f(V' •.nnr/.n Tiorit fn hnn fo 
 
 First. How are we to consider or l6oVu|)onl6r^c? 
 m this affair? You are to consider him both as K^'is 
 in himself, and according to the relations he bears to 
 you ; whether before your yielding yourselves to 
 him, or m, and upon your so doing., - 
 
 1. As He is in himself You 'that" Have 'Ih'eafB, 
 or novy read what I have said, and do write, here 
 make a stand, and bethink yourselves a whll^ [ ' "'' ^ 
 
 WTiatl Are you about ' yielding yourselv'e^^'^to 
 
 God ! Sure you ought to be thinking of it as soon 
 
 1 T' 1 • I'l'j ;•'■'■■!!-•■ ol 10/0 Jiloi/- 
 
 as you hear his claim laid to you. « 
 
235 
 
 , J Bij[|;|.^aojyou now know with whom you have to 
 dp? Too many have the name of God, that great 
 anij awful aiame ! m their mouth or ear, and have no 
 C9rrespondent thought in their mind ; it passes with 
 ^^f^^Cjijoi^.^s a transient sound, as soon over as another 
 cpinmon word, of no greater length : and leaves no 
 impression. Perhaps there is less in their minds to 
 answer it, than most other words which men use in 
 .common discourse. For they have usually distinct 
 thoughts of the things they speak of: otherwise they 
 shoul(} neitjier uujderstand one another nor thera- 
 Sielves, but might speak of a horse, and mean a 
 sheep : or be thought to mean so. And it would 
 nq inpre move a man, or impress his mind, to hear 
 or mention a jest, than a matter of life and death. 
 But the holy and reverend name of God is often so 
 sHghtly mentioned, as in common oaths, or in idle 
 talk is so merely taken in vain, that if they were on 
 the sudden stopped, and asked v/hat they thought on, 
 or had in their mind, when they mentioned that 
 wpfd, and were to make a true answer, they cannot 
 jSay they thought of any thing: as if the name of 
 God, the All ! were the name of nothing ! Other- 
 wise had they thought what that great name signifies, 
 either they had not mentioned it, or the mention of 
 it had struck their hearts ! and even overwhelmed 
 their yery spuls ! J could tell you what awe and 
 observance hath been wont to be expressed^ in re- 
 ference to that sacred name, among a people that 
 were called by it ; £|nd surely the very sound of that 
 name ought ^ver to shake all the powers of our souls, 
 and ])resentlv form them to reverence and adoration. 
 
236 
 
 Shall we think it fit to play or trifle with it, as is 
 too common ? INIy friends, shall we now do so, 
 when we are called upon " to yield ourselves to 
 God?" Labour to hear and think, and act intel- 
 liorentlv, and as those that have the understandinirs 
 of men. And now especially in this solemn transac- 
 tion, endeavour to render God great to yourselves : 
 enlarge your minds, that as far as is possible and 
 needful, they may take in the entire notion of him. 
 As to what he is in himself, you must conceive of 
 him as a Spirit, as his own word, which can best 
 tell us what he is, instructs us ; and so as a Being 
 of far higher excellency than any thing you can 
 see with your eyes, or touch with your hands, or 
 that can come under the notice of any of your 
 sensess. You may easily apprehend spiritual being 
 to be the source and spring of life, and self-moving 
 power. This world were all a dead unmoving lump, 
 if there were no such thing as spirit ; as your bodies 
 v/hen the soul is fled. You must conceive him to 
 be an eternal, self- subsisting Spirit, not sprung up 
 into being from another, as our souls are; but wlio, 
 from the excellency of his own being, was neces- 
 sarily of, and from himself: comprehending originally 
 and eternally in himself the fulness of all life and 
 being. I would fain lead you here, as by the 
 hand, a few plain and easy steps. You are sure 
 that somewhat now is, of this you can be in no 
 doubt ; and next you may be as sure that somewhat 
 hath, of itself, ever been. For if nothing at all now 
 were, you can easily apprehend it impossible that 
 any thing should ever be, or of itself now begin to 
 
237 
 
 be, and spring up out of nothing. Do but make 
 tiiis supposition in your own minds, and the matter 
 will be as plain to you as any thing can be, that if 
 nothing at all were now in being, nothing could 
 ever come into beijig : wherefore you may be sure, 
 tliat because there is somewhat now in being, there 
 must have been somewhat or other always in being, 
 that was eternally of itself. And then to go a little 
 farther, since you know there are many things in 
 being that were not of themselves, you may be sure 
 that what was always of itself, had in it a sufficiency 
 of active power to produce other things, otherwise 
 nothing that is not of itself could ever be. As you 
 know that we were not of ourselves ; and the case 
 is t^jie same as to whatsoever else our eyes behold. 
 
 niYou must conceive of God, therefore, as com- 
 prehending originally in his own being, which is most 
 peculiar to himself, a power to produce all wOiatso- 
 ever being, excellency and perfection is to be found 
 in all the w^hole creation. For there can be nothing 
 which either is not, or arises not from what was of 
 itself. And therefore that he is an absolutely, uni- 
 versally, and infinitely perfect being, and therefore 
 that fife, knowledge, wisdom, power, goodness, holi- 
 ness, justice, truth, and whatsoever other conceiv- 
 able excellencies, do all in highest perfection, belong, 
 as necessary attributes, unchangeably and without 
 possibility of diminution unto him. And all which 
 his own word, agreeable to the plain reason of 
 things, doth in multitudes of places ascribe to him; 
 as you that are acquainted with the Bible cannot but 
 know. You must therefore conceive of him, as the 
 
23S 
 
 All in All. So great, so excellent, so glorious , a 
 One he is, to whoj?f y^^,^a,jto^^^r^dg^^,^jid_;^i^J^ 
 
 yourselves. ..,,Hr V^ d'.B. iv^r' .^m.f^sui hn^ 
 
 "i ou are to conceive of hira ,^ raost e.ssqntially 
 One, for there can be bujt one ,4^^. .,. And^so his 
 word teaches you to conceive. ''Pear, O Israe) ! 
 the Lord our God is one Lordc" — " We , know 
 tliere is no other God but pne. ,.^ .Jfoi; thougl^,^j|}ie^^e 
 be that are called gods, whe^l^?r,^,ii;^„j^efy^(^i^iipr,^^^ 
 earth, as there be gods many, and lords many,, but 
 to us there is but one God, t\\^ If3|tJ^er, of whom 
 are all things, and we ,l;)y, hi;i^,",^ jyq^r,,^hoi^glits 
 therefore need not be divided within you, nor your 
 minds hang in doubt, to vvhorp you are to betak^ and 
 yield yourselves ; there is x\p,jpl^p, qj;, pre!tenc^„jtpr 
 halting between two opinions. ;He. most righteously 
 lays the sole claim to you ;" a just God, and a Sa- 
 viour, and there is none besides l)|ni."^ , Aa.cJ so 
 we are told often in that and the foregoing chapters. 
 He whose far discerning eye piipjects its bean:is every 
 way, and ranges through .^l,,ip;^pit^^,^^9.y^, „«Jti^ 
 knows not any." . ,.,■( ^ u_ ^uCd. uJ, :u.i:' 
 
 Yet again you are tp^ coii,ceive,,,9f b^nj^^s^s .Tlhree 
 in One; and that in your yielding yourselves to 
 him; as the prescribed form, when this surrender is 
 to be made in baptism, directs; which, runs thus, 
 '" In the name of the Father, Spn, a^nd I^oly Ghost." 
 You, are not, to be, curious in, your, infjuiries beyond 
 what is written in this matter, how f^r tlie subsistence 
 in the Godhead are three, andiu what sense one; 
 they cannot be both in th,e sarp,e, sepse.. j^ut there 
 is latitude enough to coJUQeivCj, hpw they may be 
 
239 
 
 distinct from each other, and yet agree in one na- 
 tiir^;''WhicH"iii!'iione of them depending upon will 
 and pleasure, sets each of them infinitely above all 
 created heings : which for the divine " pleasure only 
 Was l^n(!l"ife created."' Aiid that we so far conceive 
 of'ithem as" three, as to apprehend some things 
 spoken of one, that are not to be affirmed of another 
 of thenf, 'i'^'sb plain,' df so great consequence, and 
 the whole fi'a'me of practical religion so much depends 
 thereon; and even this transaction of yielding up 
 dSitselvi^s, "v^nith must be introductive and funda- 
 meniial'^o 'all 'the refet, that it is by no means to be 
 neglected in our daily cburse, and least of all in this 
 s'olerhri business, as wUl more appear anon. In the 
 mean time, set this ever blessed, glorious God, the 
 leather. Son, and Holy Ghost before your eyes, as 
 to whom, thus in himself c6tisidered, y6u are now to 
 yield yourselves. '" " ■ 
 
 •"^"•''^l' Y(M3^ tottst''colilceiV^ 6f him according to the 
 relations which he bears towards you, partly before 
 your yielding yourselves to him, and partly in and 
 upon your doing it. That is, '^'^ ^^^ <woiiij 
 
 1st, Before you do aiiy s'ti'ch' thing, you must con- 
 ceive of him, as, '""'' ' • "*■ ; '• ' *' 
 <ji T^itiy Your Creatdr, th^'dyiVot ^6f your being, « of 
 whom and through wTiom, and to whom are all 
 things." He that made you, demands you for him- 
 self."' Ydi!i'-af6 reqjuired id yield" yburselves to him 
 that ga^e you breath. ''-''• ■•'•' ' ' 
 
 (2.) As the continual sustalner 6f ^our belii'ig ; and 
 who reWews ybiiir life iint'6 you every 'moment; "in 
 whom you live, and move, and have your being," 
 
240 
 
 continually; so that if he should withdraw his sup- 
 ports, you immediately drop into nothing. 
 
 But these are things common to you with all 
 other creatures: and signify, therefore, his antece- 
 dent right in you, before you have yielded yourselves, 
 upon which you ought to do it, and cannot without 
 great injustice to him decline doing it. There are 
 other considerations also you ought to entertain con- 
 cerning him in this your yielding yourselves to him, 
 namely, of some things which are partly and in some 
 sense before it, and which it supposes, but which 
 partly also, and in a more especial sense would fol- 
 low, and be inferred by it. 
 
 2nd, Therefore you are to consider the relations 
 which he bears to you in your actually doing this. 
 Principally} this fourfold consideration you should 
 have of him in your yielding yourselves to him, 
 namely, as your Owner, your Teacher, your Ruler, 
 and your Benefactor, and all these with the addition 
 of Supreme; it being impossible he should have a 
 superior ; or that there should be any one above him 
 in any of these. And he is in some sense all these 
 to you before you can have yielded yourselves, as 
 may, in great part, be collected from what hath been 
 already said ; but when you yield yourselves to him, 
 he will be all these to you in a far higher, nobler, 
 and more excellent sense ; and you are to yield your- 
 selves to him as such, or that in your so doing, he 
 may actually become such to you. 
 
 First, As your Owner : the God whose you are 
 (as the Apostle speaks. Acts xxvii. 23. and whom, as it 
 there follows, and is naturally consequent, you are to 
 
241 
 
 serve.) You were his by a former right, as all things, 
 being made by him, are. But you are to yield your- 
 selves to him, that you may be more peculiarly his, in 
 a sense more excellent in itself, and more comfortable 
 to you : " If you will obey — you shall be to me a 
 peculiar treasure above all people, for all the earth 
 is mine." Of such as fear him, the great God says, 
 '• They shall be mine in the day when I make up 
 my jewels." Your yielding yourselves adds nothing 
 to his right in you ; you therein only recognize, and 
 acknowledge the right he had in you before, but it 
 adds to you a capacity and a quahfication, both by 
 the tenor of his gospel covenant, and in the nature 
 of the thing, for such nobler uses as otherwise you 
 cannot serve for. As the more contemptible lum- 
 ber about a man's house may be as truly his, as the 
 most precious things; but neither doth he intend, 
 nor can such meaner things admit to be the orna- 
 ments, either of his person, or his house. The 
 great God intends his devoted peculiar people to be 
 to him " a crown and royal diadem," when " he 
 puts away the wicked of the earth like dross." " In 
 a great house there are not only vessels of silver and 
 gold, but also of wood, and of earth." But it is 
 only the purged and sanctified soul (which is also a 
 self-devoted one) that shall be the vessel unto ho- 
 nour, being made meet for the master's use, and 
 prepared to every good work. Persons and things 
 acquire a sacredness by being devoted to God. 
 Persons especially, that can and do devote them- 
 selves, are highly ennobled by it; he hereupon, be- 
 sides their relative holiness, really more and more 
 L 3 
 
242 
 
 sanctifies and frames them for his own more imme- 
 diate service and communion. Of such a people he 
 tells us, that he hath formed them for himself, and 
 they shall praise him : and to them he saith, (in- 
 tending it manifestly in the more eminent sense.) 
 " Thou art mine." Such may with a modest and 
 humble, but with a just confidence freely say, '" I 
 am thine, save me." In yielding yourselves consi- 
 der therefore first, that he is your Owner by an up^ 
 questionable former right, and let that effectually 
 move you to do it with all your hearts. For will 
 you not give him his own? When you account 
 duty to your prince obliges you to " give to Cresar 
 the things that are Caesar's," will you not " give to 
 God the things that are God's?" And will you 
 not know him for your Owner? " The ox knows 
 his owner." Or will it satisfy you to be in no other 
 kind his, than brutes and devils are, that either 
 through an incapacity of nature cannot acknowledge 
 him, or through a malignity of nature will not ? O 
 yield yourselves, with humble desire and expectation 
 that he will vouchsafe otherwise to own you ! 
 
 Secondly, As your Teacher ; so indeed he also is 
 to all men, thougli they never peld themselves to him. 
 He that " teaches man knowledge," shall not he 
 know ? There is a spirit in man, and the inspiration 
 of the Almighty gives him understanding. Yea, 
 and inferior creatures, as they all owe their natures, 
 and peculiar instincts to him, may be said to have 
 him for their teacher too. But will it content you 
 to be so only taught by him ? There is another sort 
 of teaching, which, if you \deld yourselves to him as 
 
243 
 
 your great instructor, he will vouchsafe unto you. 
 The things you know not, and which it is necessary 
 you should know, he will teach you, that is, such 
 things as are of real necessity to your true and final 
 welfare, not which only serve to please your fancy, 
 or gratify your curiosity. For his teaching respects 
 an appointed, certain end, suitable to his wisdom and 
 mercy, and to the calamity and danger of your state. 
 The teaching requisite for perishing sinners, was, 
 "what they might do to be saved." And when 
 we have cast about in our own thoughts never so 
 much, we have no way to take but to yield ourselves 
 to God, who will then be our most undeceiving 
 guide. To whom it belongs to save us at last, to 
 him only it can belong to lead us in the way to that 
 blessed end. 
 
 Many anxious inquiries, and fervent disputes 
 there have been, how one may be infallibly assured 
 of the way to be saved. They are to be excused 
 who think it not fit, but upon very plain grounds, 
 to venture so great a concern ; or to run so great a 
 hazard in a mere compliment to any man, or party 
 of men. Confident expressions, as, my soul for 
 yours, and such like, signify nothing with a cautious 
 considering man, except that such as them care as 
 little for his soul as their own. The papal infalli- 
 bility some would have us trust to at a venture, and 
 would make us think it rudeness to doubt it ; when 
 nobody stands upon good manners in endeavouring 
 to escape a ruin ; when a great part of their own 
 communion trust not to it. (The Gallican Church, 
 &c,) And some of them have written strongly 
 l2 
 
244 
 
 against it. (Du Pin, &c.) The accurate stating 
 and discussing of the controversy, how far, or in 
 what sense any such thing as infalUble light may 
 belong to the Christian church, are not fit for this 
 place, nor for a discourse of this nature. It is 
 enough now to say, that this claim hereof to the 
 Pope or Bishop of Rome, as such. 
 
 First, Cannot be proved. 
 
 Second, May be plainly disproved. 
 
 First, It cannot be proved. For since no princi- 
 ples of common reason are pretended sufficient to prove 
 it of any man, or of him more than another, it must 
 be proved by supernatural Revelation, if at all. But 
 in the written word of God there is no such thing. 
 Pretences from thence are too vain to be refuted or 
 mentioned. And if any other Revelation should 
 be pretended, it will be a new, and as impossible a 
 task to prove the Divinity of that Revelation, so as 
 to infer upon the world an obligation to believe it. 
 Nor is it necessary to insist upon this ; because. 
 
 Second, It may be plainly disproved : for the same 
 thing cannot be both true and false. And it suf- 
 ficiently disproves such a man's infallibility, or the 
 impossibility of his erring, that it can be evidently 
 proved he hath erred. 
 
 As when he hatli determined against the express 
 word of Christ, forbidding them (to take one or two 
 instances among many) to drink of the eucharistical 
 cup, whom he hath commanded to drink of it. Or, 
 to mention a more important one, when behevers in 
 Christ, or lovers of him, are pronounced damned, 
 who he hath said shall not perish, but have everlast- 
 
245 
 
 incr life, and the crown of righteousness. Or when, 
 on the other hand, pardon of sin and eternal Hfe arc 
 pretended to be given to such, whom the evangehcal 
 law condemns to death. 
 
 When one to whom this privilege hath been as- 
 serted to belong, hath determined against another, 
 to whom, upon the same grounds, it must equally 
 belong. As it is well known in tlie Christian church, 
 that Pope might be alleged against Pope, and one 
 papal constitution against another. Not to insist on 
 what might be shown out of their own history, that 
 the same Pope hath, being so, changed his judgment 
 in a point of doctrine, and left us to divine when 
 he was the fallible, and when the infallible Pope. 
 And again, 
 
 When there have been determinations against the 
 common uncorrupted senses of mankind, as that 
 what their sight, and touch, and taste assures them 
 is bread, is said to be the flesh of a human body. 
 
 For if you cannot be sure of what both your own, 
 and the sound senses of any other man would tell 
 you, you can be sure of nothing at all. You can- 
 not be sure you see one another, and hear me speak- 
 ing to you; nor be sure when you heard the trans- 
 forming words, " this is my body;" or much less 
 that they were ever spoken, if you heard them not : 
 or that that was bread and not a stone, or a piece of 
 clay that is pretended to be transubstantiated by 
 them. The foundation of all certainty were upon 
 these terms taken away from among men on earth ; 
 and upon the same common grounds upon which it 
 is pretended you ought to beheve that which is 
 
246 
 
 shown or offered you to be the flesh of a man, and 
 not bread any longer, you must believe or judge the 
 quite contrary, that it is bread still, and not flesh, 
 and consequently that he is far from being infallible, 
 but doth actually eiT, upon whose authority you are 
 directed to believe otherwise. 
 
 And indeed the claimed infallibility is by this suf- 
 ficiently disproved, that there is no imaginable way 
 of proving it. For if there were any such thing, it 
 must be by God's own immediate gift, and vouch- 
 safement — How othermse should a man be made in- 
 fallible ? And if so, it must be for an end worthy of 
 a wise and a merciful God ; whereupon for the same 
 reason, for which he should have made such a man 
 infallible, he should have made it infallibly certain to 
 other men, that he hath made him so. Whereas 
 there is no one point wherein his infallible determi- 
 nation can be pretended to be necessary, against 
 which there is more to be said than against the pre- 
 tence itself of his infallibility ; nor for which, less is 
 to be said than can, with any colour, or without 
 highest and most just contempt, be said for it. The 
 most weighty thing that I have known alleged is, 
 the great expediency of an infallible judge. But if 
 we will think that a good way of arguing, that things 
 are, in fact, so or so, because we can fancy it would 
 be better if they were; we may as well prove that 
 all mankind are sincere Christians, or there is no sin 
 in the world, nor ever was, and a thousand things be- 
 sides in the natural world, that never were, or will be, 
 because it appears to us it would be for the better. 
 So much is the foolishness of man wiser than God. 
 
247 
 
 Besides, that sanctity must be judged as necessary 
 to the final salvation and felicity of the souls of men 
 as orthodoxy, or exemption from doctrinal error, bv 
 all with whom either Christian religion, or common 
 reason signifies any thing. For the same reason, 
 therefore, for which it can be t/iought necessary God 
 should have put it into the power of any man to make 
 others not err, he should have put it equally into his 
 power to make them holy, to renew and change their 
 hearts and lives. But what man hath this power ? 
 And one would reasonably expect, if either were, 
 that both powers should be lodged in the same man ; 
 which if they should pretend, who assert the other 
 unto one man, their own histories might make them 
 blush, unless they can think it more probable that 
 he can and will effectually sanctify another, and make 
 him holy, who is himself most infamously impure and 
 unholy, than that he can secure another from erring 
 in matters of doctrine, who cannot secure himself. 
 
 But then it may be said. If such sure fight and 
 guidance is not to be found or had from one man, it 
 must be from some community or body of men in the 
 Christian church. For, can it be thoucrht God 
 should have taken care to settle a rehgion in the 
 world, on purpose for the saving of men's souls, that 
 yet affords no man any certainty of being saved by 
 it? 
 
 I answer, yes, there is a certain, undeceiving light 
 afforded by it to the whole body of sincere Christians 
 sufiicient, and intended, not to gratify a vain humour, 
 but to save their souls, and which you can only, and 
 may confidently expect by yielding yourselves to God 
 
248 
 
 as your Teacher. As it cannot agree with the ab- 
 solute perfection of his nature to be himself deceived 
 in any thing, it can, you may be sure, as little agree 
 with it to deceive you, or let you mistake your way, 
 m the thinffs wherein he hath encourao^ed and in- 
 duced you to commit and intrust yourselves to his 
 conduct and guidance. Will he let a soul wander 
 and be lost, that hath entirely given up itself to be 
 led and taught by him? His word hath at once 
 expressed to you his nature, and his good-will towards 
 you, in this case. " Good and upright is the Lord, 
 therefore will he teach sinners in the way." But 
 what sinners ? the next words tell you, " the meek 
 {self-resigned ones, humble, teachable learners) he 
 will guide in judgment," or with judgment, (as that 
 particle admits to be read,) he will guide them judi- 
 ciously, and surely, so that your hearts need not mis- 
 give, or suspect, or doubt to follow: " The meek 
 will he teach his way." Who would not wish and 
 be glad to have such a teacher ? " You shall know 
 (how express is his word !) if you follow on to know 
 the Lord :" for, " his going forth is prepared as the 
 morning." You do not need to devise in the morn- 
 ing how to create your own light, it is prepared and 
 ready for you ; the sun was made before you were, 
 and it keeps its course, and so constantly will God's 
 own light shine to you, without your contrivance or 
 care, for any thing but to seek it, receive it, and be 
 guided by it. 
 
 Know your advantage in having such a teacher. 
 
 He will teach you inwardly; even your very 
 hearts, and so as his instructions shall reach the 
 
249 
 
 centre, the inmost of your spirits. " God that 
 made hght to shine out of darkness, hath shined 
 into our hearts, to give the hght of the knowledge 
 of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." 
 And when that holy good man had been solacing him- 
 self with highest pleasure in considering this, that 
 God was his portion, so contented and satisfying a 
 one, that he cannot forbear saying, " The hues are 
 fallen to me in pleasant places, and I have a goodly 
 heritage." He presently adds, " I will bless the 
 Lord who hath given me counsel." I should never 
 else have thought of such a thing : it had never come 
 into my mind to think of choosing God for my por- 
 tion. I should have done like the rest of the vain 
 world, have followed shadows aU my days. My 
 reins also instruct me in the nicrht season. He will 
 so teach you, as to make you teach yourselves, put 
 an abiding word into you, that shall talk with you 
 when you sit in your houses, and walk by the way, 
 and when you He down, and when you rise up, and 
 whereby you shall be enabled to commune with your 
 own hearts upon your beds, while others sleep, and 
 revolve, or roll over in your minds, dictates of life. 
 You will not need to say, " Who shall ascend into 
 heaven, to bring down Christ from above? Or, 
 Who shall descend into the deep, to bring Christ 
 again from the dead? For the word vvill be nigh thee, 
 not in thy mouth only, but in thine heart." You 
 wiU have an ingrafted word, and the law of your 
 God will be in your heart, so as none of your steps 
 shall slide. This is our Lord's own interpretation 
 of divers words of the prophets, that in the days of 
 l3 
 
250 
 
 the general diffusion of holy, vital light, which was 
 to be after his own appearance in the world, " They 
 shall be all taught of God," that is, so as to have 
 their hearts inclined towards himself, and drawn to 
 him, as the reference of these words to those of the 
 foreffoincT verse shows. Wherein, 
 
 Lies your further advantage, that by him you 
 shall be taught effectually. Other teaching, as it 
 doth but reach the ear, or only, at the most, beget 
 some faint notions in the mind, that you are little 
 the better for, his shall produce real fruit; he is the 
 Lord your God who teaches you to profit; and who 
 by gentle and unforcible, but by most prevailing in-, 
 sinuations, shall slide in upon your spirits, win them 
 by light and love, and allure them to a compliance 
 with what shall be in the end safe and happy for 
 yourselves. He will instruct you, though not with 
 a violent, yet with a strong hand, so as not to lose 
 his kind design. Others teach you, and leave you 
 what they found you; convinced, perhaps, but not 
 changed ; unable to resist any ill inclination, or your 
 disincHnation to that which was good. Power will 
 accompany his teaching; a conquering power that will 
 secretly constrain and captivate your hearts; and how 
 pleasant a victory will that be to yourselves ! O 
 the peace and joy you will find springing up within 
 you, when once you feel yourselves overcome ! The 
 most that a man can say to you is, what the prophet 
 Samuel once said, (so great and so good a man,) 
 " God forbid 1 should sin against the Lord in 
 ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the 
 good and the right way," He could only show that 
 
251 
 
 way, and pray that God would do the rest; which 
 impHes God only can so teach it you, as to make 
 you walk in it. 
 
 I am not persuading you to slight human teach- 
 ing; you will need it; and it is among the gifts 
 which your glorious Redeemer " being ascended on 
 high," hath given to men, that is, pastors and teach- 
 ers. But understand their teaching to be only sub- 
 ordinate, and ministerial. Without, or against God, 
 you are to call no man master or teacher upon earth. 
 
 And thus far their teaching is to be regarded, as 
 it agrees, 
 
 With what God doth inwardly teach you, by 
 that common light which shines in every man's own 
 bosom, that with a sincere mind attends to it, and 
 which is too little attended to. There are truths 
 too commonly held in unrighteousness, seated gene- 
 rally in the minds and consciences of men ; by which, 
 though they have not another law, " they are a law 
 to themselves ;" and for the stifling and resisting 
 of which, the wrath of God is revealed from heaven 
 against them. And from such truths they might 
 infer others, and where God affords external helps, 
 come to discern a sure ground whereupon to under- 
 stand that what is contained besides in the frame of 
 Christian doctrine is true; being enabled to judge 
 of the evidences that prove the whole revelation 
 thereof to be from God ; and nothinfj beinf^ in itself 
 more evident than that what he hath revealed is 
 true. And withal God is graciously pleased to 
 shine into minds that with upright aims set them- 
 selves to inquire out and understand his mind ; and 
 
252 
 
 so farther light comes to be superadded to that which 
 is common. Now take heed how you neglect what 
 a man teaches you, agreeably to that inward light 
 which is already, one way or other, in your own 
 minds and consciences. To this in some part, and 
 in great part we are to appeal in our teaching you : 
 so the more early Christian teachers did; *« Not 
 handling," say they, " the word of God deceitfully, 
 but by manifestation of the truth commending our- 
 selves to every man's conscience in the sight of 
 God." In the most deeply fundamental things that 
 concern your practice every day, we may appeal to 
 yourselves, and your own consciences. If we say to 
 you. Ought you not to live according to his will that 
 gave you breath? Should you not above all things 
 fear and love, and trust, and obey him that made you 
 and all things ? Should you not do as you would 
 be done unto ? Should you not take more care for 
 your immortal souls, than for your mortal flesh ? 
 You must every one say, I beheve in mine own con- 
 science this is so. If I appeal to you in the very 
 thing I am speaking of, should you not yield your- 
 selves to God, whose creatures you are? I doubt 
 not any of you will say, I think in my very con- 
 science I should. We have you witnesses against 
 yourselves, if you will not hear us in such things. 
 And again, it being a matter very capable of plain 
 proof, that those writings which we call the Holy 
 Scriptures, were from God, our teaching ought so 
 far to be regarded by you, as, 
 
 We can manifest to you that it agrees with 
 the Scriptures. And we are sure he will never 
 
253 
 
 teach you inwardly against wliat lie hath there 
 taught. Will the God of truth say and unsay the 
 same thin^? That were to overthrow the design 
 of all his instructions, and to subvert the authority 
 which he requires men to reverence. No man could 
 expect to be regarded on such terms. And by this 
 rule freely examine all that we teach you, as our 
 Saviour directed the Jews to do, John v. 39. And 
 for the doing whereof, the apostle commended the 
 Berean Christians. And we have here the same 
 advantage at length, though not so immediately upon 
 your consciences ; which cannot but judge that what- 
 soever is found in that word which you confess to be 
 divine, must be most certainly true. 
 
 And if within such limits you take the help of 
 men for your instruction ; having yielded yourselves 
 to God as your supreme and highest teacher, you 
 are upon safe terms. Only be sincere in Hstening 
 to his dictates, whether internal or external. Let 
 not a prepossessed heart, or vicious mclination be 
 their interpreter. " If any man will do his will, he 
 shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God." 
 
 Thirdly, You must consider God, in your yield- 
 ing yourselves, as your Sovereign Ruler. For " to 
 whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his ser- 
 vants you are to whom you obey;" as by ver. 16. 
 Though teaching and ruling may be diversely con- 
 ceived of, they cannot be separate in this case. The 
 nobler and final part of God's teaching you, is teach- 
 ing you your duty ; what you are to practise and do. 
 And so when he teaches you, he commands you too ; 
 and leaves it not arbitrary to you whether you "will 
 
254 
 
 be dixccted by him or not. What is his by former 
 right, and by after-consent, and self-resignation, 
 shall it not be governed by him ; if it be a subject 
 capable of laws and government, as such consent 
 shows it to be ? Your yielding yourselves to God 
 is not an homage but a mockery, if you do it not 
 with a resolution to receive the law from his mouth ; 
 and that wherein soever he commands, you will to 
 your uttermost obey. But in this, and the other 
 diings that follow, my limits constrain me to more 
 brevity. Only let not this apprehension of God be 
 frightful, yea, let it be amiable to you, as in itself 
 it is, and cannot but be to you, if you consider the 
 loveliness of his government, the kind design of it, 
 and how suitable it is to the kindest design ; that it 
 is a government lirst and principally over minds, pur- 
 posely intended to reduce them to a holy and peace- 
 ful order, wherein it cannot but continue them, when 
 that kingdom comes to be settled there, which stands 
 " in righteousness, peace, and joy, in the Holy 
 Ghost," and all the laws whereof are summed up in 
 love; being such " also as in the keeping whereof 
 there is great reward." 
 
 Fourthly^ You are to consider him, and accord- 
 ingly to yield yourself, as your greatest Benefactor, or 
 rather as your best and supreme good. Indeed you 
 cannot sever his being your ruler from his bemg your 
 benefactor, more than his being your teacher from 
 his being your ruler, when the tendency and design 
 of his government are understood. For it is a very 
 principal part of our felicity to be under his govern- 
 ment, and he doth you the greatest good by ruling 
 
255 
 
 you, when otherwise nothing is more evident than 
 that you would run yourselves into the greatest of 
 evil, and soon be most miserable creatures. You 
 are now so far happy as you are subject to his go- 
 vernment, and that which it aims at is to make you 
 finally and completely happy. For it is the design 
 of his government, not only to regulate your ac- 
 tions, but your inclinations, and principally towards 
 himself. You have been " ahenated from the life 
 of God," were become strangers to him, yea, and 
 " enemies in your very minds," — " for the carnal 
 mind is enmity against God." The very business 
 of his government is, in the first place, to alter the 
 temper of your minds; for continuing carnal, they 
 " neither are subject to the law of God, nor can be," 
 as the same place tells you. Therefore, if his go- 
 vernment take place in you, and you become sub- 
 ject, you " become spiritual, the law of the Spirit 
 of Life" having now the possession and the power 
 of you. Nor was it possible he should ever be an 
 effectual benefactor to you, without being thus an 
 overpowering ruler, so do these things run into one 
 another. To let you have your own will, and fol- 
 low your carnal inclination, and cherish and favour 
 you in this course, were to gratify you to your ruin, 
 and concur with you to your being for ever miser- 
 able : which you may see plainly if you will under- 
 stand wherein your true feHcity and blessedness must 
 consist, or consider what was intimated concerning 
 it, in the proposal of this head; that he is to be 
 your benefactor, in being to you himself, your su- 
 preme and only satisfying good. He never doth 
 
256 
 
 you good effectually and to purpose, till he overcome 
 your carnal inclination. For while that remains, 
 will you ever mind him ? Can you love him, desire 
 after him, or deHght in him ? The first and most 
 fundamental law which he lays upon you is, that 
 " vou shall love the Lord your God with all your 
 heart, and soul, and mind, and might." W^iat 
 will become of you if you cannot obey this law? 
 This world will shortly be at an end, and you must, 
 it is Hke, leave it sooner; you are undone, if your 
 hearts be not before-hand so framed as that you 
 can savour and take complacency in a better and 
 higher good. You will shortly have nothing left 
 you but himself; you will be plucked away from 
 your houses, and lands, and friends, and all your out- 
 ward comforts ; and now in what a case are you, if 
 you can take no pleasure or satisfaction in God ! 
 You are therefore to yield up yourself to him in full 
 union, as with your most grateful and delectable 
 good ; with this sense possessing your soul, " Whom 
 have I in heaven but thee ? or whom on earth can 
 I desire besides thee ?" 
 
 And thus you are to look upon God in your yield- 
 ing yourselves to him. 
 
 You are to yield yourselves to his claim as your 
 rightful Owner. 
 
 To his instruction, as your undeceiving Teacher. 
 
 To his government, as your gracious sovereign 
 Ruler. And, 
 
 To the enjoyment of him, as your best and most 
 satisfying good. Or your self-communicating Bene- 
 factor. 
 
257 
 
 But it also concerns you to have distinct and 
 right thoughts of the state of your case, and how- 
 things are between him and the sons of men, that 
 you may duly apply yourselves to him in so great a 
 transaction. The gospel under which you live tells 
 you, he treats with men in and by a mediator, his 
 own Son, who came down into this wretched world 
 of ours, in great compassion to our miseries, and 
 took our nature, w^as here on earth among us an in- 
 carnate God. God manifested in the flesh. Be- 
 cause we were partakers of flesh and blood, he took 
 part with us likewise of the same, and in that na- 
 ture of ours died for us, to make way that we might 
 yield ourselves to God, and be accepted. " No man 
 now comes to the Father, but by him." He must 
 be acknowledged with great reverence, and a most 
 profound homage must be rendered to him. " He 
 that denieth the Son, hath not the Father." And 
 it being his pleasure to treat with us by his Son, and 
 the case requiring that we apply ourselves to him, 
 we are to take notice of him according to those ca- 
 pacities wherein Scripture represents him to us. 
 And it represents him agreeably to those same 
 notions according to which we have shown we are 
 to consider God the Father in this matter; so as 
 that Christ being the Mediator between him and 
 us, when we yield ourselves to him ultimately, and 
 finally, under the notions that have been men- 
 tioned, we are first to yield ourselves to his Son, 
 Christ Jesus our Redeemer, under the like notions. 
 For, 
 
 [1.] Being to yield ourselves to God as our owner, 
 
258 
 
 we must know, the Father hath " given all things 
 into the hands of the Son," and that " he is Lord 
 of all," which, in the first sense, signifies him to 
 be, by the Father's constitution, the owner of aU 
 things, even as he is the Redeemer. For, he 
 therefore died and rose again, " that he might be 
 Lord of the dead and living," that is, of both 
 worlds ; agreeably to what he himself speaks imme- 
 diately upon his resurrection from the dead; " All 
 power is given to me both in heaven and earth." 
 
 [2.] And for those other notions of God under 
 which we have shown, we are to yield ourselves to 
 him, as our teacher, ruler, and benefactor, they 
 correspond to that threefold office of Christ, of which 
 you cannot but have heard much, namely, of Pro- 
 phet, King, and Priest, so that we are to commit 
 ourselves to him, when we yield ourselves to God, 
 as a teacher come forth from God, and who reveals 
 him to us whom no man hath seen at any time: 
 as one that must reign over us, and over the great- 
 est on earth, Luke xix. 14 — 27. Psal. ii. 6, 7, 8, 
 9, 10. and by whom we are to be reconciled to God, 
 and restored to the enjoyment of him. 
 
 And because our blind minds and perverse hearts 
 need lisht and crrace from above, to direct and in- 
 chne us hereto, therefore hath the Spirit of the 
 Father and the Son a great vvork to do in us to 
 this purpose. Whereupon we are to yield ourselves 
 to that blessed Spirit also, as our enhghtener and 
 sanctifier : which our being directed to " walk in 
 the Spirit," and our being told that " they that 
 have not the Spirit of Christ are none of his," and, 
 
259 
 
 " that as many as are the sons of God, are led by 
 his Spirit," do plainly show. 
 
 You see then we are to yield ourselves to God, 
 the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, which also our 
 having those great names named upon us in our bap- 
 tism (as we before told you) doth import. 
 
 And how necessary all this is, you will see, if, 
 li. We consider how we are to look upon our- 
 selves in this transaction ; that is, 
 
 1. We are to consider ourselves as God's crea- 
 tures, being, as you have heard, to consider him, 
 as our Creator ; and so we must reckon we owe our- 
 selves to him, and do but yield him what we owe, 
 and what was his before. For, how can you but be 
 his, who of his mere pleasure hath raised you out of 
 nothing ? 
 
 2. We must remember we have been apostate 
 creatures, such as had fallen, and revolted from him ; 
 and so our yielding ourselves to him is a giving our- 
 selves back to him, having injuriously withdrawn and 
 withheld ourselves from him before. And because 
 the injury was so great as we could never make any 
 recompence for, therefore it was necessary such a 
 Mediator should be appointed between God and us, 
 for whose sake only we can expect to be accepted 
 when we yield ourselves. So great a Majesty was 
 not to be approached by offending creatui-es without 
 so great a days-man, and peace-maker. 
 
 3. We must consider ourselves as impure, and 
 every way unfit for the divine presence, ser\dce, and 
 converse, and who did therefore need the power of 
 the Holy Ghost to be put forth upon us to make us 
 
260 
 
 fit; and that therefore our case required we should 
 put ourselves into such hands for that purpose. 
 
 4. We are to consider ourselves as under the 
 gospel, as sinners invited and called back to God; 
 as such whose case is not desperate ; or who need to 
 abandon ourselves to ruin, though we have greatly- 
 offended, as if there were no hope. We are to 
 consider ourselves with distinction from the condition 
 of other fallen creatures. The angels that fell and 
 kept not their first station have no gospel sent to 
 them to invite them back, and persuade them again 
 to yield themselves to God, as you have. Into 
 what a transport should this thought put you ! how 
 should it mollify you ! O what a yielding temper and 
 disposition of spirit should it work in you towards 
 this gracious call, and just challenge, which the 
 great God now gives you, and makes unto you ! 
 
 Thus far then you see how you are to consider 
 God and yourselves in this your yielding yourselves 
 to him. You are now next to consider, 
 
 Second. What your yielding yourselves to God 
 according to such considerations, must include, or be 
 accompanied with. For it is not reasonable to think 
 you have no more to mind in this matter, than only 
 what is contained in the bare abstract nature of such 
 an act; but looking upon your case in its circum- 
 stances, and considering the state of things between 
 God and you, it greatly concerns you to see to it, 
 that the matter be suitably carried to this state of 
 your case. Whereupon, 
 
 1. Your yielding yourselves to God must be ac~ 
 
261 
 
 companied with very deep and serious repentance. 
 It is a most penitential surrender you are now to 
 make of yourselves to him ; for you are to rememher 
 that you are but now coming back out of a state of 
 apostacy from your Sovereign and most rightful 
 Lord. Yea though you are but renewing your sur- 
 render of yourselves, having done somewhat herein 
 before, you are yet to consider this was your case ; 
 and perhaps some never have yet seriously thought 
 of anv such thino;, but lived in this world hitherto, 
 as if you were your own, and there were no Lord 
 over you: O then with what inward remorse, with 
 what brokenness of heart, with what relentings and 
 self-accusings should this thing now be done ! you 
 should come, smiting upon the thigh, and saying 
 within yourselves. What have I done? So long 
 Lord have I lived in this world of thine, which thou 
 madcst, and not I, as if I might do in it, and with 
 myself, what I pleased ! I have usurped upon thy 
 unquestionable right in me, have lived to myself 
 and not to thee; I am now convinced this was a 
 very un dutiful, unlawful way of living. Let him 
 hear you (as he once heard Ephraim, or shall do) 
 bemoaning yourselves, and saying, " Turn me and 
 I shall be turned, thou art the Lord my God." 
 LIow can you think of yielding yourselves now at 
 length to God, without being deeply sensible of 
 your having deferred it so long, and that you have 
 not done it sooner ? and how great the iniquity was 
 of your former course ; that you have all this while 
 committed a continual robbery upon him that gave 
 vou breatli ? Will a man rob God? And if you 
 
262 
 
 say, Wherein have I robbed him ? you have robbed 
 him of yourself, a greater thing than of tythes and 
 offerings. And this robbery was sacrilege. For 
 every thing due and devoted to God, hath a sacred- 
 ness upon it; and consider, were you not, upon his 
 just claim, in your baptism devoted to him ? how 
 should this startle you ! you have constantly aliena- 
 ted from him a sacred thing ! You have been in a 
 continual contest with him about one of the highest 
 rights of his Sovereignty, yea, and of his Godhead, 
 for to that, nothing is more pecuhar than to be 
 Lord of all. So that the controversy between him 
 and you hath been, who shall be God ? You have 
 refused him his own creature : how high a crime 
 was this ! Know then you have been a great trans- 
 gressor, a grievous revolter, and now therefore yield 
 yourself to him with a melting broken heart, or you 
 do nothing. 
 
 2. It must be done with great deliberation ; not 
 as the mere effect of a sudden fright. What is done 
 in a rash haste may be as soon undone. Leisurely 
 consider, and take the whole compass of the case; 
 weigh with yourselves the mentioned grounds upon 
 which you are to yield yourselves, and the ends you 
 are to do it for, that things may be set right between 
 him and you, that you may return into your own 
 natural place and station, that you may be again 
 stated in that subordination to your Sovereign Lord 
 which fitly belongs to you; that he may have his 
 right which he claims, and you the mercy which you 
 need. Here is place for much consideration. And 
 when Israel is complained of as less wilhng to ac- 
 
263 
 
 knowledge God for his owner and master, than the 
 ox and ass were to acknowledge theirs, all is resolv- 
 ^,ed into this, that the people did not consider, Isa. i. 
 j^,.^, 3. It must he done with judgment, which is the 
 effect of such consideration. When all things have 
 been well weighed that belong to this case, then let 
 this formed judgment pass, Lord, 1 ought to be 
 thine, and no other's. Say to him hereupon, with 
 a convinced judgment and conscience, O God, I 
 surrender myself, as now seeing none hath that 
 right in me that thou hast ; when the love of Christ 
 becomes constraining upon souls, it is because they 
 thus judge, that " they ought no longer to live to 
 themselves, but to him." These things last men- 
 tioned will imply a rectified mind, which must be 
 ingredient into this transaction, else it will be defec- 
 ^^ive throughout. 
 
 • 4. It must be done with a fulness of consent; 
 and herein it chiefly consists, when the soul says, 
 Lord, I am now most entirely willing to be thine : 
 This is your yielding yourselves. And hereby the 
 covenant is struck between God and you, which con- 
 sists in the expressed consent of the parties covenant- 
 ing in the matters about which the covenant is. This 
 covenant is about the parties themselves, who cove- 
 nant, as the conjugal covenant is, which resembles it ; 
 namely, that they shall be one another's. God hath 
 expressed his consent in his word and gospel, making 
 therein the first overture to you. When you re- 
 join your own consent, the thing is done : this being 
 the sum of his covenant, " I will be your God, 
 and you shall be my people," as in many places 
 
264 
 
 of Scripture it is gathered up. When therefore, as 
 God hath openly testified his willingness to be their 
 God who shall accept and take him to be so, you 
 also are willing and do consent to, you do now 
 " take hold on his covenant," matters are agreed be- 
 tween him and you ; and you may take those words 
 as spoken to you particularly : " I have entered into 
 covenant with thee, and thou art become mine." 
 
 But then you must take notice that this is to be 
 done wdth a full consent, which that is said to be 
 which determines you, though it be not absolutely 
 perfect. No grace in any faculty is perfect in this 
 life. But as in hum. an affairs, that will is said to be 
 full, which is the spring of answerable following ac- 
 tions, so it is here. If a man have some inclination 
 to do this or that, and do it not, it goes for nothing; 
 if he do it, his will is said to be full, though he have 
 some remaining disinclination. You may be said to 
 yield yourselves to God, with a full consent, when 
 you live afterwards as one devoted to him. 
 
 5, Your yielding yourselves to God must carry 
 life in it, as the following words signify : '' Yield 
 yourselves to God, as those that are alive from the 
 dead." It must be a vital act, and have vigour in 
 it. You must be capable of making that true judg- 
 ment of your case, as it is verse 11. "of reckoning 
 truly that you are dead to sin, but alive to God 
 through Jesus Christ." Do it as feeling hfe to 
 spring in your souls towards God in your yielding 
 yourselves to him. What ! will you offer God a 
 carcass ? not the " living sacrifice," which you see 
 is required, Rom. xii. 1. Beg earnestly for his own 
 
265 
 
 Spirit of life and power, that may enable you to offer 
 up a living soul to the living God. 
 
 6. There must be faith in your yielding your- 
 selves. For it is a committing, or intrusting your- 
 selves to God, with the expectation of being saved, 
 and made happy by him. So Scripture speaks of it, 
 " I know whom I have believed, (or trusted,) and 
 that he is able to keep what I have committed to 
 him aijainst that dav." It is suitable to the orra- 
 cious nature of God, to his excellent greatness, to 
 his design, to the mediatorship of his Son, to his 
 promise and gospel-covenant, and to your own neces- 
 sities, and the exigency of your own lost, undone 
 state, that you do yield yourselves to him, as a poor 
 creature ready to perish, expecting, not for your sake, 
 but his own, to be accepted, and to find mercy with 
 him. You do him the honour which he seeks, and 
 which is most worthy of a God, the most excellent, 
 and a self-sufficient being, when you do thus. You 
 answer the intention of the whole gospel constitu- 
 tion, which bears this inscription, " to the praise of 
 the glory of his grace," &c. It is honourable to him 
 when you take his word, that they that beUeve in his 
 Son, shall not perish, but have everlasting life. 
 You herein set to your seal that he is true, and the 
 more fully, and with the more significancy, when 
 upon the credit of it you yield yourselves, with an 
 assurance that he will not destroy nor reject a poor 
 creature that yields to him, and casts itself upon his 
 mercy. 
 
 7. Another ino^redient into this yieldinfr of 
 
 O JO 
 
 yourselves must be love. As faith, hi your yielding 
 M 3 
 
266 
 
 yourselves to God, aims at your ovm. welfare and 
 salvation; so love, in doing it, intends his service, 
 and all the duty to him you are capable of doing him. 
 You must be able to give this as the true reason of 
 your act, and to resolve it into this principle ; I yield 
 myself to God, because I love him, and from the 
 unfeigned love I bear to him : to tell the world, if 
 there were occasion, he hath captivated my heart 
 with his excellencies and his love, and hereupon 
 having nothing else, I tender myself to him, to tell 
 himself, " Lord, thou knowest all things, thou 
 knowest that I love thee ;" and because I do, I pre- 
 sent myself to thee ; it is all I can do. I wish my- 
 self ten thousand times better for thy blessed sake ; 
 and if I had in me all the excellencies of many thou- 
 sand angels, I were too mean a thing, and such as 
 nothing but thy own goodness could count worthy 
 thine acceptance ; because I love thee, I covet to be 
 nea-r thee, I covet to be thine, 1 covet to lead my life 
 with thee, to dwell in thy presence ; far be it from 
 me to be as without thee in the world as heretofore. 
 I love thee, O Lord, my strength, because thine own 
 perfections highly deserve it, and because thou hast 
 heard my voice, and hast delivered my soul from 
 death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from fall- 
 ing, and I yield myself to thee, because I love thee. 
 I make an offer of myself to be thy servant; thy 
 servant, O Lord, thou hast loosed my bonds; and 
 now 1 desire to bind myself in new ones to thee, 
 til at are never to be loosed." And you can make 
 no doubt but that it ought to be done therefore witli 
 dispositions and a temper suitable to the state you 
 
267 
 
 are now willing to come into, that of a devoted ser- 
 vant; namely, 
 
 S. With great reverence and humihty. For, 
 consider to whom you are tendering yourself"; to the 
 " high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity" — 
 to him that hath " Heaven for his throne, and 
 Earth for his footstool :" and in comparison of whom 
 ail the inhabitants of the world are but as grasshop- 
 pers, and the " nations of the earth as the drop of 
 a bucket, and the dust of the balance." Yea to him 
 against whom you have sinned, and before whose 
 pure eyes, you cannot, in yourself, but appear most 
 offensively impure ; so that you have reason to be 
 ashamed, and blush to lift up your eyes before him. 
 
 9. And yet it surely ought to be with great joy 
 and gladness of heart, that he hath expressed him- 
 self willing to accept such as you, and that he hath 
 made you willing to yield yourselves. The very 
 thought should make your heart leap and spring 
 within you, that he should ever have bespoken such 
 as we are to yield ourselves to him ! when he might 
 have neglected us, and let us wander endlessly, with- 
 out ever looking after us more. How should it 
 glad your hearts this day, to have such a message 
 brought you from the great God, and which you 
 find is written in his own word, to yield yourselves 
 to him ! Should not your hearts answer with won- 
 der — " And blessed Lord ! Art thou wilHng again 
 to have to do with us ! who left thee having no cause, 
 and who returning can be of no use to thee !" O 
 blessed be God that we may yield ourselves back 
 unto him ! that we are invited and encouraged to it. 
 m2 
 
268 
 
 And you have cause to bless God, and rejoice, if 
 this day you feel your heart willing to yield your- 
 selves to him, and become his. Do you indeed 
 iind yourselves willing ? You " are willing in the day 
 of his power." This is the day of his power upon 
 your hearts. Many are called and refuse; he "of- 
 ten stretches out his hands, and no man regards." 
 Perhaps you have been called upon often before this 
 day to do the same thing, and neglected it, had no 
 heart to it ; and he might have said to you : Now I 
 will never treat with you more ; if you should call, I 
 will not hear ; if you stretch out your hands, I will 
 not regard it, but laugh at your destruction, and 
 mock when your fear cometh. But if now he is 
 pleased to call once more, your hearts do answer, 
 Lord, here we are, we are now ready to surrender 
 ourselves; you may conclude he hath "poured out 
 his Spirit upon you," The Spirit of the Lord is now 
 moving upon this assembly : this is indeed a jo^-ful 
 day, the day which he hath himself made, and you 
 ought to rejoice and be glad in it. When the 
 people in David's days offered of their substance to 
 God for the service of his house, it is said, " the 
 people rejoiced for that they offered willingly." And 
 David, we are told, "blessed God before all the 
 congregation" — saying, " Thine, O Lord, is the 
 greatness and the power — But who am I, and what 
 is my people, that we should be able to offer so wil- 
 lingly after this sort ? for all things come of thee, 
 and of thine own have we given thee." If you are 
 this day willing to offer yourselves, how much is 
 this a greater thing ! and it comes of him, and it is 
 
269 
 
 of liis own you are now giving him : for lie liad a 
 most unquestionable right in you before. 
 
 10. You should do it with solemnity. For have 
 you ever had a business of greater importance to 
 transact in all your days ? If you were to dispose 
 of an estate, or a child, would you not have all 
 things be as express, and clear, as may be; and 
 would not they insist to have it so, with whom you 
 deal in any such affair ? And is there not a solem- 
 nity belonging to all such transactions ? especially if 
 you were to dispose of yourself; as in the conjugal 
 covenant? thoujjh that is to be but for this short 
 uncertain time of life; so as that the relation you 
 enter into to-day, may be by death dissolved and 
 broken off a^ain to-morrow. How much more ex- 
 plicit, clear, and solemn, should this your covenant- 
 ing with God in Christ be ? wherein you are to 
 make over your soul to him, and for eternity. You 
 are to become his, under the bond of an everlasting 
 covenant. You are entering a relation never to be 
 broken off. This God is to be your God for ever 
 and ever, and upon the same terms you are to be his. 
 Is your immortal soul of less account with you than 
 the temporal concerns of a mortal child, that you 
 are placing out but for a term of years that soon ex- 
 pires? yea, or than a piece of ground, or a horse, 
 or a sheep, about which how punctual and express 
 are your bargains and contracts wont to be ? Or are 
 only the matters of your soul, and wherein you have 
 to do with the great God, to be shghtly managed ? 
 or to be huddled up in confusion ? or to be shd over 
 in silent intimations ? It is true, that so express and 
 m3 
 
270 
 
 solemn dealing in yielding and giving up yourselves 
 to God, is not needful on his part, who understands 
 sincerity without any expression of yours ; but it is 
 needful on your part, that a deep and lasting im- 
 pression may be made upon your spirits; which, if 
 you be sincere, you will not only feel yourselves to 
 need, but your own temper and inclination will 
 prompt you to it ; accounting you can never be un- 
 der bonds stroncT and sure enouo-h to him. You will 
 not only apprehend necessity, but will relish and 
 taste pleasure in any such transaction with the bles- 
 sed God, in avouching him to be your God, and 
 yourself to be his. The more solemn it is, the more 
 grateful it will be to you. 
 
 Do so then: fall before his throne; prostrate 
 yourself at his footstool ; and having chosen your fit 
 season, when nothing may interrupt you; and having 
 shut up yourself with him, pour out your soul to 
 him ; tell him you are now come on purpose to offer 
 yourself to him as his own. O that you would 
 not let this night pass without doing so ! Tell him 
 you have too long neglected him, and forgotten to 
 whom you belonged: humbly beseech him for his 
 pardon, and that he will now accept of you, for your 
 Redeemer's sake, as being through his grace re- 
 solved never to live so great a stranger to him, or be 
 such a wanderer from him more. And when you 
 have done so, remember the time ; let it be with you 
 a noted memorable day, as you would be sure to keep 
 the day in memory when you became such-a-one's 
 servant or tenant, or your marriage-day : renew this 
 your agreement with God often, but forget it never. 
 
271 
 
 Perhaps some may say, But what needs all this? 
 were we not once devoted and given up to God in 
 baptism? and is not that sufficient? To what pur- 
 pose should we do again a thing that hath once been 
 so solemnly done ? 
 
 But here I desire you to consider, Are you never 
 to become the Lord's by your own choice? Are 
 you always to be Christians, only by another's 
 Christianity, not by your own? And again, have 
 you not broken your baptismal vow ? have you not 
 forgot it for the most part ever since ? I am afraid 
 too many never think of any such matter at all, 
 that ever they were devoted to God by others, but 
 only upon such an occasion as this, to make it an 
 excuse that they may never do such a thing them- 
 selves. And consider, were these Christian Ro- 
 mans, on whom the apostle presses this duty, never 
 baptized, think you ? Read over the foregoing part 
 of the chapter, wherein you find him putting them in 
 mind that they had been baptized into Christ's death, 
 and buried with him in baptism, and that therefore 
 this was to be an argument to them why they should 
 yield themselves to God ; not why they should not. 
 
 Wherefore our way is now plain and open to 
 what we have further to do, namely, 
 
 Second^ To apply this practical doctrine, and press 
 the precept further upon you, which hath been opened 
 to you, and pressed by parts in some measure al- 
 ready, in our insisting on the several heads, which 
 you have seen do belong to it; and are one way or 
 other comprehended in it. Which will therefore 
 
272 
 
 make this latter part of our work the shorter, and 
 capable of being despatched in the fev/er words; and 
 with blessed effect, if the Spirit of the living God 
 shall vouchsafe to co-operate, and deal with your 
 hearts and mine. Shall we tlien all agree upon this 
 tiling ? shall w^e unite in one resolution, We will be 
 the Lord's ? shall every one say in his own heart, 
 For my part, I will, and so ^vill I, and so will I ? 
 come now, one and all. This is no unlawful con- 
 federacy, it is a blessed combination ! " Come 
 then, let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpe- 
 tual covenant, not to be forgotten." With what- 
 soever after solemnity you may renew this obliga- 
 tion, and bond of God upon your souls, as I hope 
 you will do it, every one apart, in your closets, or in 
 any corner, and you cannot do it too fully, or too 
 often ; yet let us now all resolve the thing ; and this 
 assembly make a joint surrender, and oblation of it- 
 self to the great God our Sovereign rightful Lord, 
 through our blessed Redeemer and Mediator, by the 
 eternal Spirit, (which I hope is breathing and at 
 work among us,) as one living sacrifice, as all of us, 
 alive from the dead, to be for ever sacred to him? 
 O blessed assembly ! O happy act and deed ! With 
 how grateful and well-pleasing an odour will the 
 kindness and dutifulness of this offering ascend, and 
 bo received above ! God will accept, heaven will 
 rejoice, angels will concur, and gladly fall in with us. 
 We hereby adjoin ourselves in relation, and in heart 
 and spirit, to the general assembly, to the church of 
 the first-born ones written in heaven, to the innumer- 
 able company of angels, and to the spirits of just men 
 
273 
 
 made perfect, and within a little while shall be actu- 
 ally among them. Is it possible there should be 
 now among us any dissenting vote ? Consider, 
 
 1. It is a plain and unquestionable thing you are 
 pressed unto. A thing that admits of no dispute, 
 and against which you have nothing to say, and 
 about which you cannot but be already convinced. 
 And it is a matter full of danger, and upon which 
 tremendous consequences depend, to go on in any 
 practice, or in any neglect, against a conviction of 
 judgment and conscience. For your own heart and 
 conscience must condemn you if you consider, and 
 it betrays you if you consider not. How fearful a 
 thing is it for a man to carry his own doom in his 
 own bosom ! to go up and down the world with a 
 self-condemning heart, if it be awake, and which if 
 it be not, yet cannot sleep ahvays, and must awake 
 with the greater terror at length. And in so plain 
 a case it is most certainly God's deputy, and speaks 
 his mind; " If our hearts condemn us, God is 
 greater than our hearts, and knoweth all things." 
 
 2. It is that, therefore, the refusal whereof none of 
 you would avow. Who among us can have the con- 
 fidence to stand forth and say, " 1 will be none of the 
 Lord's ?" Would any man be content to go with 
 this writ upon his forehead from day to day? And 
 doth not that signify such a refusal to be a shameful 
 thing? That must needs be an ill temper of mind 
 which one would be ashamed any one should know. 
 
 3. And it is a mean thinff to dissemble, to be 
 wilUnfT to be tlioucrht, and counted what we are not^ 
 or to do what in truth we do not. 
 
274 
 
 4. And considering what inspection we are under, 
 it is a vain thing. For we do not know that " eyes 
 which are as a flame of fire," behold us, and pierce 
 into our very souls? Do we not know *• all things 
 in us are naked and manifest to him with whom we 
 have to do?" And that he discerns it, if there be 
 any heart among us that is not sincere in this thing? 
 
 5. Consider that this is the very design of the gos- 
 pel you live under. What doth it signify or intend, 
 but to recall apostate creatures back again to God? 
 What is the Christian Religion you profess, but a 
 state of devotedness to God, under the conduct, and 
 through the mediation of Christ? You frustrate 
 the gospel, and make your religion a nullity, and an 
 empty name^ till you do this. 
 
 6. And how will you lift up your heads at last 
 in the great day? and before this God the judge 
 of all? You cannot now plead ignorance. li' per- 
 haps any among you have not been formerly so ex- 
 pressly called, and urged to this yielding yourselves 
 to God ; now you are : and from his own plain word 
 it is charged upon you. Will not this be remem- 
 bered hereafter? What will you say, when the 
 great God, whose creature you are, speaks to you 
 with the voice of thunder, and bids you gird up your 
 loins, and give him an answer? " Were you not, 
 on such a day, in such a place, demanded and claim- 
 ed in my name ? Were you not told, were you not 
 convinced you ought to yield yourselves to me, and 
 yet you did it not? Are you prepared to -contest 
 with your Maker ? Where is your right, where is 
 your power, to stand against me in this contest ?" 
 
2/0 
 
 7. But if* you sincerely yield yourselves, the main 
 controversy is at an end between tlie great God and 
 you. All your former sins are pardoned and done 
 away at once. Those glad tidings you have often 
 lieard that import nothing but " glory to God in 
 the highest, peace on earth, and good will towards 
 men," plainly show, that the great God whom you 
 had offended, hath no design to destroy you, but 
 only to make you yield, and give him back his own. 
 Though you have formerly lived a wandering life, 
 and been as a vagabond on the earth from your true 
 owner, it will be all forgotten. Plow readily was the 
 returning prodigal received ! and so will you. How 
 quiet rest will you have this night, when upon such 
 terms there is a reconciliation between God and you ! 
 You have giveJi him his own, and he is pleased, and 
 most of all for this, that he hath received you now 
 to save you. You were his to destroy before, now 
 you arc his to save. He could easily destroy you 
 against your will, but it is only with your will, he 
 having made you willing, that he must save you. 
 And his bidding you yield, implies his willingness to 
 do so. O how much of gospel is there in this invi- 
 tation to you to yield yourselves to God ! consider 
 it as the voice of grace. Will he that bids a poor 
 wretch yield itself, reject or destroy when it doth so ? 
 
 8. And how happily may you now live the rest 
 of your days in tliis world. You will live under 
 his care, for will he not take care of his own, those 
 that are of his own house ? An infidel would. 
 You arc now of his family, under his immediate 
 i^ovcM-nmcnt, and under his continual blessinir. 
 
276 
 
 And were you now to give an account where you 
 have been to-day. and what you have been doing: 
 If you say, you have been engaged this day in a 
 solemn treaty with the Lord of lieaven and earth, 
 about yielding yourselves to him ; and it be further 
 asked, Well, and what was the issue? Have you 
 agreed ? Must you, any of you be obliged by the 
 truth of the case to say. No : — astonishing answer ! 
 What ! hast thou been treating with the great God, 
 the God of thy life, and not agreed ! What, man ! 
 Did he demand of thee any unreasonable thing ! 
 Only to yield thyself. W^hy that was in all the 
 world the most reasonable thing. Wretched crea- 
 ture, whither now wilt thou go ? What wilt thou do 
 with thyself? Where wilt thou lay thy hated head? 
 But if you can say, Blessed be God, I gladly agreed 
 to tlie proposal; he gave me the grace not to deny 
 him : tiien may it be said this was a good day's work, 
 and you will have cause to bless God for this day as 
 \or.<^ as you have a day to live. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
Theological Seminary-Speer Library 
 
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