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THE
y *
CHRISTIAN'S COMPANION
FOR THE
SABBATH ;
suit ED For THE FAMILY OR CLOSET :
CONSISTING OF
MEDITATIONS
DOCTRINAL, EXPERIMENTAL, AND PRACTICAL,
FOR EACH
LORD's DAY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
~~~~&-----
By wVMASON.
sºº’sº
• *
There remaineth a Rest, (or keeping a Sabbath) to the People of God.
HEB. iv. 9.
ILOmü0ll:
PRINTED For sherwood, NEELY, AND Jones; BALDwiN,
cRADock, AND Joy ; w. BAYNEs; ogles, DUNCAN,
AND CochRANE, PATERNOSTER Row; w. KENT,
HIGH HOLBORN 5 AND T. PEGG, CHEAPSIDE.
1817.
TºV
483)
. M42
| 847
G. SID & EY, Printer,
Northumberland-street, Strand.
PREFACE.
THE following Work is designed for spiritual profit, and is
humbly dedicated to my fellow Christians of all denominations,
who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. I mean not
hereby to invade the office of the Preacher, nor by any means
to supersede attendance on public Worship. Far from it. My
design is only to cast a mite into the public treasury, which
may, by the blessing of God, conduce to spiritual advantage.
It is calculated for a leisure season, before engaging in, or
after retirement from the stated Worship of the Lord's DAY ;
either for the Closet or in the Family, or when, through ab-
solute necessity, detained from the Lord's House. For it is a
fixed truth, and observation and experience daily confirm it, that
men profane the Sabbath, because they know not the love of
Jesus, THE TRUE GoD, AND ETERNAL LIFE, 1 John v. 20.
But as soon as they believe in him, and become acquainted
with him, then they devote themselves to him, and keep holy
his Sabbaths, to the honour and glory of his Name. And
hereby their souls are nourished, edified, and built up, in the
truth as it is in him.
Many, very many are the discouragements which I labour
under, in offering a Work of this kind to the Christian world.
Did I not look above and beyond myself, I should never have
attempted it. But under every discouragement, the Lord being
my helper, and taking his blessed Word for my guide, my
companion, and my familiar friend, I have humbly presumed
to bear this witness to our Lord, being fully persuaded, that
though it be but as administering a cup of cold water in the
iv PRE FACE,
name of Christ, he will graciously accept it, even though im-
perfection be stamped on every page. To him I commend it.
May he be pleased in mercy to pardon all that is amiss, and
graciously bless every truth contained in it to your soul's
profit. O, that we may keep an everlasting Sabbath with him
I am happy to find that this Work, which has been long in
hand, comes forth at a time when the zeal of many Christians
is excited to suppress the open and daring profanation of the
Lord's Day. A Society is formed for carrying on that lauda-
ble undertaking, at their own expence. Very pleasing conse-
quences have ensued. The face of reformation appears. That
daring and open impiety, which has been so long carried on,
and complained of, in defiance both of the laws of God and
man, now begins to skulk into holes and corners. Farther
and greater success may be expected. This society is nume-
rous. Their expences very great. They crave your assistance.
Their language is, “Who is on the Lord's side Who?” If
you believe the Lord's Word, if you love his name, if you re-
verence his Sabbaths, if you dread his judgments, if you would
stop the growth of this profaneness, shew your faith by your
works. Lend your assistance to this righteous cause, and
enquire for this Society, which meets in Castle-street, Leicester-
jields; Coach-makers' Hall, in London; and in the Borough of
Southwark. - -
W. MASON.
London, 1777. .
C O N T E N T S.
“r
First Lord's Day in the Year.
THE Gospel Law of the Sabbath, Exod. xxxi. 12, 13.
Second Lord's Day.
The Reason for keeping the Sabbath, Exod. xxxi. 13, ...,
* Third Lord's Day.
The blessed End of keeping the Sabbath, Exod, xxxi. 13.
Fourth Lord's Day.
The Christian's Duty in Time of Calamity, Psalm l. 15.
Fifth Lord's Day.
The Gift of Jesus for us, Tit. ii. 13, 14. ... ... ... ...
Sixth Lord's Day.
On Zeal for good Works, Tit. ii. 14. ... ... ... ... ...
Seventh Lord's Day.
On Enjoyment of the Spirit, John xiv. 17. ... ... ... ...
Eighth Lord's Day.
On falling from our Stedjastness, 2 Pet. iii. 17. ... ...
Ninth Lord’s Day.
Christian's Duty to the feeble minded, 1 Thess. v. 14. ...
*. Tenth Lord's Day,
On our holy and heavenly calling, Heb. iii. 1. ... ... ...
Eleventh Lord's Day.
On Christian Confession, Heb. xi. 13. ... ... ... ... ...
O e O 15
O Orº 24
O C Q 32
... 40
•,• 48
•,• 56
Q Q Q 63
Q Q10 70
... 78
vi CONTENTS,
Twelfth Lord's Day.
Remembering Christ's Words, the best Antidote against Un-
belief, Luke xxiv. 8. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 86
Thirteenth Lord's Day.
On the Knowledge of God, Heb. xi. 6. • e e º e º O e o O & Q & Q & Q O Q 94
*. Fourteenth Lord's Day.
On Spiritual Transformation, 2 Cor. iii. 18. ... ... ... ... 101.
Fifteenth Lord's Day.
The Blessedness of Spiritual Hunger and Thirst, Matt. v. 6. 108
Sixteenth Lord's Day. -
On grieving and quenching the Spirit, Eph. v. 20.—l Thess.
W. 19. e ‘º e tº e e Q Q Q tº e O Q & Q © C e tº G & Q e º O e e © e Q •- tº tº e 117
Seventeenth Lord's Day.
On wsing the Law unlawfully, 1 Tim. i. 8, 9.... ... ... ... 127
Eighteenth Lord's Day.
The lawful Use of the Law, 1 Tim. i. 8. ... ... ... ... ... 136
Nineteenth Lord's Day.
Christ's gracious Dealing with sleeping Professors, Rev.iii. 20. 144
Twentieth Lord’s Day.
The Lord's Love to, and Care for, his People in Darkness,
Isai. l. 10. © tº Q • e s e e e tº gº tº © & O tº Q Q Q C & Q Q Q • , e, © tº Q tº º e 153
Twenty-first Lord's Day.
The Lord's Delight in his People, Psalm cylvii. 11. ... ... 162
Twenty-second Lord's Day.
Seeking the Honour of Men, the Hindrance of Faith, John
W. 44. © e Q & © e O © º tº 6 e o O e º & C G e º e º e O & C e o e © O Gº O © O 176
Twenty-Third Lord's Day.
On the Ministerial Office of Christ, Isai. lxi. 1, 2, ... ... 177
Twenty-fourth Lord's Day.
On worshipping Jesus, and the Doubts of Disciples, Matt.
xxviii. 17. •- “... • *-* “ --- - - - - - - - - - - 186
- Twenty-fifth Lord's Day.
The Lord's Call to sleeping Professors, Ephes. v. 14. ... 194
CONTENTS.
Twenty-six Lord’s Day.
The Blessedness of enduring to the end, Heb. x. 37, 38. ...
Twenty-seventh Lord's Day.
On the Gospel, Mark i. 1. ſº tº 0 © C & © 0 O © ſº Gº © tº 0 e e º O O C & O
Twenty-eighth Lord's Day.
Christ's Love and his Disciples' Duty, Matthew xxvi. 41.
Twenty-ninth Lord's Day.
The Hinderance of Prayer, I Pet. iii. 7. ... ... ...
* Thirtieth Lord's Day.
The Christian's Rule of Addition, 2 Pet. i. 5. ... ...
Thirty-first Lord's Day.
The Sovereignty of Grace in Conversion, Acts ix. 8.
. Thirty-second Lord's Day.
Love, the End of the Commandment, l Tim. v. 6. ...
Thirty-third Lord's Day.
Christian Liberty, 2 Cor iii. 17. ... ... ... ... ...
Thirty-fourth Lord's Day.
Christ's Resurrection, Luke xxiv. 34. ... ... ... ...
Thirty-fifth Lord's Day.
Christ's appearing to Peter, Luke xxiv. 34. ... ...
Thirty-sixth Lord's Day.
On humble Walking, Micah vi. 8. ... ... ... ...
Thirty-seventh Lord’s Day.
e C &
Our Lord's Caution against Pharisaism, Luke xii. 1.
Thirty-eighth Lord's Day.
On the Unbelief of Thomas, John xx. 27. ... ... ...
Thirty-ninth Lord's Day.
On Self-denial, Luke is, 23. ... ... ... ... ... ...
Fortieth Lord's Day.
On Spiritual Joy, Heb. iii. 18. ... .. tº e º O e o 'º e º e
Forty-first Lord's Day.
On Prayer, Luke xi. 2, ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
vii
202
215
261
270
279
. 287
... 296
3O4.
312
3.18
3.25
viii CONTENTS,
f Forty-second Lord's Day.
The everlasting Covenant, Gen. xvii. 13. ... ...
Forty-third Lord's Day.
Gospel Holiness, Psalm cr. 3. ... ... ... ... ...
* Forty-fourth Lord's Day.
On Antinomianism, Jude 4. ... ... ... ... ...
Forty-fifth Lord's Day.
On humbling ourselves, 1 Pet. v. 6. ... ... ...
Forty-Sixth Lord's Day.
Man's State and Doom, Gen. iii. 19. ... ... ...
Forty-seventh Lord's Day.
On Backsliding, Hosea v. 15. ... ... ... ... ...
Forty-eighth Lord’s Day.
The Duty of Prisoners of Hope, Zech. iii. I2.
Forty-ninth Lord's Day.
On neglecting Salvation, Heb. ii. 3. ... ... ...
Fiftieth Lord's Day.
On spiritual worshippers, John iv. 23. ... ... ...
Fifty-first Lord's Day.
On being made meet for glory, Col. i. 12. ... ...
Last Lord's Day in the Year.
On the Portion of Saints, 2 Cor. xiii. 14. ... ...
© tº º
O © Q}
Q & ©
ſº 0 &Q @
333
341
349
357
364
372
380
... 387
... 393
40]
409
MEDITATIONS, &c.
Olbe ſittgt Lott's ZYap in the jacat.
*º-a-
THE GOSPEL LAW OF THE SABBATH, GIVEN By Moses.
The LoRD spake unto Moses, saying, speak thou unto the
children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for
it is a sign between me and you, throughout your generations, that
ye may know, that I am the LoRD who doth sanctify you. Exod.
xxxi. 12, 13. f
E may well usher in this new year, singing with wonder,
in deep humility, and unfeigned gratitude,
And are we sinners yet alive
We rebels out of hell !
This is strange language to those who live in the old state
they were born in. But as verily as a new year is com-
menced, so every man who is in Christ is a new creature;
he is passed from his old state of darkness, ignorance, sin,
curse and wrath, into a new state of light, knowledge, righteous-
ness, blessedness and love. Is it any wonder, then, that he has
new language, and that he judges of himself and things
according to his new covenant state in Christ, and speaks as a
subject of his kingdom in which he lives? and, as the old year
is passed away, never, never more to return ; so is it as abso-
lutely impossible for any new creature in Christ, ever to return
again to his old state, so as ever to fall under the curse of the
law, the wrath of God, and the destruction of sin. “ For, the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus hath blessed him with all
spiritual blessings, in heavenly places or things : according as
he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world.”
Ephes. i. 3, 4. It is the view of this, and this only, which can
make us keep a happy, a joyful new year. For old, lega}
hearts see no farther than the letter of the precept. They turn
every gospel declaration into a legal command, seek to obey it
from selfish motives, and to legal ends, even to establish their
own righteousness, and to recommend themselves unto GoD.
But evangelical minds are studious to see gospel grace hid
under every command of the law. Therefore, such dig deep in
the precious field of GoD's word, to find in every text that
pearl of great price, Jesus, the Son of GoD, and Saviour of
sinners; having found him, we sell all our natural wisdom, and
hopes of righteousness by the law, give up all expectations from
B
3.
2
ourselves and from the law, that we may win Christ, cleave
to him, be found in him, and enjoy fellowship with him, who is
The Lord our RightEOUSNEss. Jer. xxxiii. 16. Then we
turn every legal precept into an evangelical declaration, or
gospel promise. We receive it in the faith of Christ, view it in
the face of him, as centering in him, and pointing to him.
Then to him our hearts bow in humility, devotion, love, and
raise. Thus it should be with us, when ever we take up the
{. of God. For Christ is the sum and substance of it.
Here is the everlasting gospel of the sabbath. Jehovah
himself proclaims it to Moses, and commands him to preach
it to his chosen Israel, his covenant people only. For the
sabbath is an unchangeable sign of that everlasting cove-
nant which subsists between the Loap and them only.
The sabbath is an emblem and earnest of that eternal rest
they shall enjoy with him. None but those who are in cove-
nant love with the Lord, and under the special influence of
his covenant grace, can see the spiritual design and end of the
Lon D, in instituting the sabbath; and they only are enabled to
keep the sabbath, in a spiritual manner, holy unto the Lord.
For the great God and our SA viour, is in the institution,
the institution points to him, and this command is unto all
who know him.
The whole world is manifestly distinguished under these
three characters. (1st.) The outwardly profane. These spend
the sabbath in gratifying the flesh, and fulfilling its lusts, with
the grovelling sensuality of the beast, and the daring rebellion
of the devil. This is natural to them. Thus they give full
evidence that they are enemies to God in their minds, by
wicked works : Col. i. 21. living and dying such, most awful
reflection their end will be destruction from the presence of
the Lord. (2nd.) The formal and self-righteous. These
are more decent in their conduct. They attend places of
worship, and perform religious duties: but these pollute the
sabbaths, as much as the former, though in a very different
way. For, while the former are gratifying their carnal lusts,
these are establishing their self-righteous pride: while one
proclaims his sin like Sodom, the other displays his pride
like the Pharisee. Their grand aim, in observing the sabbath,
is to satisfy conscience, and to establish a self-righteous
character, wherein to trust, and whereof to glory before GoD ;
so as to think of Christ, I have no need of thee; and to say to a
fellow sinner, stand off, come, not near me, I am holier than
thou. The fate of such, our Lord determines. Luke xviii.
(3d.) New creatures in Christ. These see the spirituality of
the institution of the Lord’s sabbaths: seek to enjoy the Lord
in them, and keep them, in the Spirit of his truths, to the ends
3
for which he appointed, and as he commands in the text. In
which are contained,
First, A holy command, “Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep.”
Secondly, The precious reason for this, “For it is a sign
between me and you.”
Thirdly, The blessed end of this, “That ye may know that
I am the Lord who doth sanctify you.”
Each of these points will afford sufficient matter for a
distinct meditation. O may the Lord of the sabbath enlighten
our views, spiritualize our affections, and engage our hearts,
sweetly to attend to them. First, The holy command, My
sabbaths ye shall keep. O that from happy experience we may
reply, Verily in keeping them there is great reward. Here is
a positive and perpetual command to all God’s people, which
can never be repealed. It is for ever binding in its moral
nature: for ever to be obeyed to spiritual ends. For, the glory
of GoD, and the good of our souls, are closely connected with
it, and greatly promoted by it. But when we read, or hear
of a command from GoD, such is the legality of our nature,
that we are prone to think of obeying it, to some legal end,
or self-righteous purpose; and so our spirits are brought under
bondage to the law. Whereas, the command of the sabbath is
a command of Grace. The grace of the Lord is displayed in
it, and the end of obeying it is, that his grace may be commu-
nicated to us. For, we are not under the law, but under grace.
Rom. vi. 14. Why then do we not take up every command in a
gospel spirit Why are we ever contracted in our hearts,
straitened in our spirits, and under bondage to the law Be-
cause our beloved is surely out of sight. We are not constantly
looking to Jesus, and considering him, who is the rest of our
souls, as being the end of the law for righteousness to every
one who believeth. Rom. x. 4. -
Eor there is not a curse in the law, but he has suffered, not
a command of the law, but he has fulfilled, not a shadow in the
law, but he is the substance of Hence he is the righteous-
ness of us unrighteous sinners; and we are perfectly righteous
before GoD, in him. 2 Cor. v. 21. Thus the grand end of
giving the law is fully answered in Christ: by whom grace and
truth cometh to us, to our joy of faith, comfort of hope, and
triumph of love. O that the view of this may be ever kept
clear in our conscience For, without this our obedience to
GoD's commands will be without spirit and life. We shall be
dead in our frames, and dry in our duties. But it is so animat-
ing, so enlivening to consider Christ in the law, Christ the end.
of the law, the law in the hand of Christ, and that we serve the
Lord Christ. Col. iii. 24. This sweetens our duties; and
sanctifices our services. Thº,
2
4
Though these words carry the sanction of a law, yet they also
contain a most precious, evangelical promise to every regene-
late soul. Verily, this is the confirming word which our dear
lmmanuel frequently used in the days of his flesh. It is a
strong assertion, or like an oath of confirmation, that thus it
shall be. It is binding to us as his word: it shall be fulfilled
by us through his grace. Verily, my sabbaths ye SHALL keep.
Here is the Almighty's gracious shall, this is the cause of our
obedient will. When he speaks in the power of his grace to
our souls, what he commands, we receive in faith, and obey in
love. Thus, whatever the Lord commands in his word as a
law, gospel grace improves into the spirit of fiberty, and the
soul obeys to gospel ends and purposes. “ For, the law is
written, not in tables of stone only, but upon the fleshly tables
of our hearts also.” 2 Cor. iii. 3. This is the Lord’s gracious
covenant. “I will put my laws into your hearts, and in your
minds will I write them.” Jer. xxxi. 33. When this law of
God ; this law of love; this law of the spirit of life in Christ
Jesus, is wrote on our hearts and minds, by the Spirit of God,
then we are made free from the law of sin and death. Rom.
viii. 2. Then we serve and obey in the newness of the Spirit;
and not in the oldness of the letter. Rom. vii. 6. Not as
under the law of works, but as in the covenant of grace. For
the letter [of the law of works] killeth [all our hopes towards
GoD, all our confidence in God, and all our expectations from
God,) but the Spirit [the gospel of grace] giveth life. 2 Cor.
iii. 6. Even the life of faith in Jesus, hope towards God,
peace from GoD, joy in GoD, love to GoD, and devotion of
heart to the commands of God.
Therefore, when the Lord says, Verily, my sabbaths ye shall
keep, he speaks in all his covenant persons for our good, and
his glory. Here is the will of the Triune GoD proclaimed.
The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost engaged in covenant love for
us sinners, say, thus it shALL be. It is the will of the Father's
love, of the Son's grace, and it shall be effected by communi-
cations from the Spirit's power, in the hearts of all his children:
they shall keep his sabbaths, in the Spirit, and to the purposes
of his institution of them. See, then, ye redeemed, called,
regenerate souls, your high honor and inestimable privilege. O
study, strive and pray, that in a free, loving, gospel spirit, as
new creatures in Christ, ye may honor and glorify your cove-
nant GoD in Jesus, by obeying this his command.
Having considered the Lord’s command, let us briefly at-
tend to our duty, in keeping the sabbath. And this in one
word is, in order to get more knowledge of God, more fellow-
ship with God, more delight in GoD, and more love of, and
eonformity to GoD, that we may more and more glorify Gon
º
5
in our bodies, souls, and spirits, which are his. Therefore,
whatever is conducive to promote this we are studiously to
pursue. Whatever has a contrary tendency, we are cautiously
to avoid. Let but this be the rule of our conduct, and we
shall keep the Lord's sabbaths, as he has commanded, to his
glory, and our soul's edification and comfort, by establishing
our faith in him, confirming our hope on him, and quickening
our love to him. For the sabbath is sanctified, or set apart by
the Lord, for holy uses, and spiritual purposes; and therefore
is to be sanctified, and set apart by us, for these blessed ends.
And have we through six days laboured, in the station of life
wherein God has placed us, for the meat which perisheth?
The Lord in tender mercy, rich grace, and everlasting love,
calls upon us to keep holy his sabbaths, and to labour for that
meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of
man shall give unto you, for him hath God the Father sealed.
John vi. 27. Therefore, the Christian sabbath is instituted,
and is to be kept, in commemoration of Jesus having finished
the work of our redemption and salvation ; that he is entered
into his rest, is the rest of our souls, and that we may find spi-
ritual rest, food, and nourishment from him : refreshment,
peace and joy of soul in him. O see to it, then, that we do not
come short of the blessed experience of this rest in Jesus,
through an attention to any worldly business, indulging earthly
cares, and temporal concerns, or giving into a vain, trifling
conversation about carnal things on the Lord’s sabbath. Watch
and pray against all these. For, be assured, these things will
drive the thoughts of our beloved from our hearts, bring con-
demnation upon us for our folly, and rob us of the sweet peace,
and heavenly rest, which are enjoyed in the commemoration of
him.
Had we an object in view in our six days’ labour 2 Were we
watchful, and careful that nothing should pervert our thoughts,
or divert our attention from it? Did we constantly attend to,
and ardently pursue it, with unremitting diligence Perhaps
we over acted our parts here. O let us not be more remiss, and
less active in the use of every means in commemoration of
Christ, and for the health and prosperity of our immortal
souls, on the Lord's day. Well may we say of every sabbath,
This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and
be glad in it. Ps. cxviii. 24. Rejoice, that the Lord commands
us to a dismission from worldly business, and earthly con-
cerns : be glad, that he calls us to have but one object in view,
which is to remember Christ in his love to us, and salva-
|tion of us ; and GoD, perfectly reconciled to us, and at perfect
peace with us, in Christ. But we are naturally prone to re-
member what we should forget, and to forget what we should
6
remember. This is our sin and our shame. Therefore, our
dear Lord hath instituted the sabbath for our commemoration
of him, and says, My sabbaths, my rest shall ye keep. Every
sabbath is a call to us, to remember that Lord, who created us
by the word of his power, hung upon the cross in our flesh, to
redeem us from a deserved hell of wrath, and to save us to an
unmerited heaven of happiness. What then should be our only
concern in keeping the sabbath, but to remember him for he is
our one and only rest. We can find no rest for our souls, but in
him, and from him. What can we take up any rest in and
from, but in what Jesus hath done for us, and is to us? Are
we creatures He gave us our being. Are we sinful creatures?
He was made sin for us. 2 Cor. vi. 21. Are we condemned
creatures 2 He was made a curse for us. Gal. iii. 13. Are we
destitute of righteousness He is made righteousness to us.
I Cor. i. 30. We are righteous in him. 2 Cor. v. 21. Are
we polluted creatures He of God is made sanctification to
ws. 1 Cor. i. 30. His blood cleanseth us from all sin. I John i. 7.
Were we dead in trespasses and sin He quickened us. Ephes.
ii. 1. Were we far off from God 2 Christ has brought us migh
by his blood. Ephes. ii. 13. Were we as sheep gone astray ?
He came to seek and to save us when lost; therefore we are
now returned to Him, the great shepherd and bishop of our
souls. 1 Pet. ii. 25. Are we weary and heavy laden sinners ?
He invites us to come unto him, and promises to give rest and
refreshment to our souls. Matt. xi. 28. Are we surrounded
by enemies We are more than conquerors, through him who
loved us. Rom. viii. 37. Do we groan under a body of sin
and death? Thank God, we have deliverance through our Lord
Jesus Christ. Rom, vii. 24, 25. Do we fear death Christ is our
resurrection and our life. John xi. 25. Do we fear falling
away from Christ, through sin which worketh in us, satan, who
is against us, or that this present evil world, with all its deceitful
snares, should prevail over and destroy us? Behold, he says, I
give unto my sheep eternal life, they shall never perish, neither
shall any pluck them out of my hand. John x. 28. Thus to
commemorate him, who is all in all to us, is to keep his sab-
baths in faith, to the honour and glory of him, in love. And,
while we are reading, hearing, and meditating on him, or com-
municating with him at his table, he will bless us with his rest,
make our souls joyful in his love and salvation, and our hearts
happy in his power. Therefore he saith, My sabbaths ye shall
keep.
O my fellow sinners, we have all had fellowship with the
unfruitful works of darkness. We well know what it is to enter
into the spirit of them, to have our hearts set upon them, our
affections attached to them, and our spirits delighted with them,
7
so as to want nothing more, or better, to make us happy. Ah,
most fatal delusion | But, as truly as we have heretofore expe-
rienced such wretched fellowship, so now, in keeping the
Lord's sabbaths in the Spirit of him, and holy unto him, we
shall experience the holy joy of fellowship with God the
Father, and his Son Jesus Christ.
INFERENCE.
Is it so, that the Lord thus commands us to keep his sab-
baths 2 Then, however vile we may see and know ourselves to
be, though imperfection is wrote upon all we are and do, yet
we may comfortably conclude that the Lord abounds in love,
grace, mercy, and goodness to us. The more confidently we
believe this, and the more steadily we are confirmed in this, the
more it will draw out our hearts and affections to him ; and the
greater delight we shall find in him, in his holy commands,
his gracious truths, his precious promises, and his heavenly
ways. For all will knit our hearts closer to him, that we may
find more sweet peace from him, more joyful rest in him,
and more happy fellowship with him. Satan may accuse us
as he did Job, Do we serve the Lord for nought 2 Indeed we do
not. For we reap large wages in, though not for, our works of
obedience. There is a certain selfishness in the ways of the
Lord’s people which is not criminal, but laudable to cultivate
and improve; even to enjoy more and more sweet fellowship with
God the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ in his appointed
ways. Here, we can neither be too selfish, nor too covetous.
For, it is heaven in the soul, and glory in possession. And, so
sure as we prize this, we shall keep the Lord’s sabbaths, that
we may enjoy this upon earth, till he calls us to keep an eter-
nal sabbath of rest with him in glory. Amen.
A COLLECT.
O Lord, the spirit of all truth, graciously be pleased to en-
lighten our minds to see, that every institution of thine
is for the glory of thee, and for the good of our souls. Teach
us, in thy every command, to view covenant love, and gospel
grace, shining in the face of Jesus Christ. Grant, O heavenly
Father, that in the faith of him, being accepted in him, thy
beloved, to the praise of the glory of thy grace, we may
joyfully keep holy thy sabbaths: wait upon thee, in the use
of all the means of grace: the ordinances of thy sacred
word: , that we may adorn our holy profession, magnify thy
blessed name, exalt thy rich grace, and enjoy the earnest of our
heavenly inheritance in our hearts, of which thy sabbaths are
a blessed type, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
8
&Iije Štrºmb Lorū’g Øap.
*Iºmmº-w
THE REAson For KEEPING THE SABBATHS.
Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep, for it is a sign between me
and you. Exod. xxxi. 13.
SolomoN says, The wise in heart will receive command-
ments. Prov. x. 8. They will receive them in a right spirit,
observe them from right principles, and keep them to a right
end. Who is wise in heart Every one whom the Lord
makes so. Observe, in the 6th verse of this chapter, the Lord
declares, “ In the hearts of all who are wise-hearted I have
25
put wisdom.” May this remind you and me of our natural
ignorance and folly, that we may be ever humble before the
Lord. O that 'we may constantly consider this precious truth,
Christ of GoD is made unto us Wisdom, that we may ever
glory in the Lord. 1 Cor. i. 30. For we are in ourselves utter-
ly destitute of all spiritual wisdom in the things of God. Yet
vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass’s
colt. Job xi. 12. No one image in nature could possibly
be set before us, more clearly to represent our natural ob-
stimacy and stupidity, than a wild ass’s colt. As we enjoy
not one single ray of light but what proceeds from the sun,
so we possess not one single grain of spiritual wisdom, until
it be communicated to us out of the fulness of Christ.
Therefore, every man without Christ is in total darkness, and
extreme ignorance, as to spiritual things. But when Christ is
made wisdom to our souls, then, and not till then, are we
light in the Lord, and made wise unto salvation. Then we
evidence it, by keeping the Lord's sabbaths, which is a sign
between him and us.
Let us consider this sign, what is implied by it, and con-
tained in it. The Lord’s sign is some outward token, or
symbol, to represent somewhat intended by it. Thus, the
rainbow in the heavens was a sign or token of the Lord's
covenant. Gen. ix. 12, 13. Circumcision was a sign and
seal of the righteousness of faith; and of this righteousness
being imputed to ungodly sinners, to make them righteous, and
for their justification unto eternal life, according to the cove-
nant grace of JFHov.Ah. Water, in baptism, is the Lord's
instituted sign, as an outward and visible representation of
his inward and spiritual grace. It at once exhibits to us our
state of pollution; that we need cleansing; and that GoD will
graciously cleanse our souls, by the washing of regeneration.
And bread and wine, which the Lord hath commmanded to be
9
received in his supper, are the signs and tokens of his blessed
body, which was crucified for us, and of his precious blood
which was shed for our sins. And thus the sabbath is a sign
to us, that the Lord, who created us by his power, is in cove-
nant with us by his grace, hath obtained rest for our souls,
and rests in his love to us. And as he hath set apart the sab-
bath for a remembrance of his creating power, and redeeming
love: so it is gºign between him and us, that he hath sanctified
and set us apart as his peculiar people, formed for his service,
and framed for his glory. And by keeping his sabbaths as he
commands, in remembrance of him, and holy unto him, we
hereby give a sign, evidence, and proof of our knowledge of
him, faith in him, love to him, and that we seek no rest,
peace, and comfort to our souls, but from him only. Othese
signs are precious love-tokens between our gracious Lord
and our believing hearts In observing and keeping them,
we enjoy the sweet experience of this.
But see, in this 31st chapter of Exodus, the Lord's parti-
cular calling of Bezaleel, Aholiab, and all who were wise-
hearted, in whom the Lord had put the spirit of wisdom, to
make all that he had commanded, namely, the tabernacle of the
congregation, the ark of the testimony, and the mercy-seat,
&c. ver, 7, 8, 9. Why all this 2 What was the Lord’s intent
and end in all this 2 See we nothing of our precious Savi-
our prefigured in all this Surely we must, if we attend to
what St. Paul saith. For he expressly tells us, These things
served only as a pattern, example, and type of heavenly things.
Heb. viii. 5. They were only a shadow of things to come,
but the body is Christ. Col. ii. 19. Hence it is most clear
and evident, that the sabbath was instituted, and was to be
kept as a sign; emblem, or earnest, that the same Lord who
created all things by the word of his power, and rested from
that work on the sabbath; would also tabernacle in our flesh,
finish the work of salvation for us in our nature ; enter into his
rest as our forerunner, that we might find rest to our souls in
him, who is an ark of safety for us to flee unto, and a mercy-
seat for us poor sinners boldly to come unto, that we may
obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Heb.
iv. 16.
What a blessed sign hath the Lord of all grace constituted
between himself and us miserable sinners, us needy creatures 1
O may the return of every sabbath sweetly remind us of him,
of his precious love, and glorious salvation, that we may find
rest in him to our weary souls. For, verily he is our rest.
We keep not the seventh day, as was at first commanded ; but
what St. Paul calls another day, Heb. iv. 8, even the first day of
the week, For, upon this day, a new and blessed aera of life
10
and salvation commenced; and therefore we keep this day, as a
sign of, and in commemoration that Christ has finished salva-
tion for us, and, by his resurection from the dead, hath freely
confirmed it to us. Now, for the establishing our minds in the
truth, and for confirming our faith in Jesus, who is the end
and substance of every legal institution, let us briefly consider
these types, patterns, or shadows, here commanded to be made
by him, as figures of him who was to come, and to be all that
to us which these shadowed forth.
1st. Here is the tabernacle of the congregation, ver. 7. The
place where the people of God were to assemble to perform
their religious exercises, offer their services, and worship the
Lord their God. Nothing can be plainer than that this was
a type of Christ's human nature, wherein God dwells really,
substantially, and personally; an infallible expositor has fully
determined this point. He calls Christ's body, “a great and
more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands.” Heb. ix. I 1.
The true tabernacle which the Lord pitched, and not man.
Heb. viii. 2. This was Christ's human nature, which was con-
ceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin
Mary. O what inexpressible glory shines in this tabernacle.
When the Holy Ghost, who formed it, enlightens sinners to see
it, then they behold the glory of it. For, to this tabernacle
he gathers us sinners, brings our hearts into sweet union to
Christ, and happy communion with him, according as it is
promised—unto him, (the Son of GoD tabernacling in our
flesh) shall the gathering of the people be. Gen. xlix. 10. He
shall gather together in on E, (this one tabernacle of Christ's
flesh) the children of God, (all the elect of God) who were
scattered abroad. John xi. 52. Are we gathered by the power
of the holy Ghost into this glorious tabernacle? O what ravish-
ing blessings and comforts do we find in it! Here we worship
with a holy boldness, and approach with assured access to God:
to God the Father, our Father, reconciled to us, at peace with
us, ever loving us, and bestowing his love upon us, in Jesus.
In whom we have sweet access to him, holy boldness before
him, precious communications from him : all flowing to us
through that new and living way, of the vail of Christ's flesh,
which he hath consecrated for us to draw nigh unto GoD.
Heb. x. 20. In this tabernacle of Christ's flesh, the holy Ghost
testifies of the love of Christ to us, the work of Christ for us,
and bears witness to our spirits, that we are in him, one with him,
united to him, and that all which Christ did and suffered in our
flesh, was for us, and that he has done as God-man, Mediator,
Saviour; and surely all is ours in time, and shall be to all eter-
nity. O what a blessed sign is the sabbath; between the Lord,
who tabernacled in our flesh, and us ! Let us then keep his
sabbaths in the faith of this.
| 1
2d. In this tabernacle was the ark of the testimony, or cove-
nant. Christ is the ark of safety for us, and the covenant of all
grace to us. Jehovah says of Christ, in our nature, I will give
thee for a covenant for the people. Isai. xlii. 6. He has per-
formed all covenant conditions in our behalf, as our covenant
head and surety; fulfilled all covenant engagements in our
stead; and obtained all covenant blessings for us. Hence that
precious declaration, The God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ hath blessed us, with all spiritual blessings in Christ,
according as he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation
of the world. Eph. i. 3. O the joy of this ; as the testimony or
covenant was put into the ark of the tabernacle, for safety and
security, so we are put into Christ, in whom we are safe and
secure from all dangers, and from every enemy. And, not only
so, but as the Lord blessed Obed-Edom, and all his house, be-
cause the ark was with him. 2 Sam. vi. 1 1. So he blesses us
in all things, because we are in Christ, and Christ is in us.
O may we then keep his sabbaths as a memorial of this.
3d. There behold the mercy-seat, or propitiatory : The type
of Jesus, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through
faith in his blood. Rom. iii. 25. The mercy-seat was oversha-
dowed by the cherubim of glory. Jesus is the propitiation
for our sins. 1 John ii. 2. God is glorious in mercy, in pardon-
ing our sins, through the propitiation of Christ, and glory to
God in the highest is given, by pardoned sinners. The holy
Ghost appointed this mercy-seat to typify Christ, as our propi-
tiation: he testifies of Christ in the gospel, as our one atone-
ment for sin: by faith having now received this atonement, we
joy in God, through Jesus Christ. Rom. v. 11. How joyful
to keep his sabbaths in the faith of this
4th. Here was the table, on which was placed the shew-
bread, ver. S. This represented Christ, who says, I am the
bread of life—the bread which came down from heaven—He
who eateth of this bread shall live for ever. John vi. 41. Have
we tasted the sweetness of this bread Have our souls been
nourished and comforted by it? O may we hunger more and
more after it, and be constantly crying, Lord, ever more give us
this bread. Then we shall keep his sabbaths, that we may
hear of Christ, and feed upon him in our hearts, by faith, with
thanksgiving.
5th. The altar of burnt-offering, typical of the one offering
and burnt sacrifice of the Lamb of God, who went through the
fire of divine justice, and was scorched to death, by a hell of
sufferings for our sins, and who, by his one offering, hath for
ever put away our sins, and by his one offering of his body, hath
for ever perfected all them who are sanctified. Heb. x. 10. O,
believer, amidst all the black catalogue of thy enormous sins,
12
there is not one sin left for thee to answer for before GoD, but
all, and every one, are for ever put away from the sight of
GoD. Thou art for ever freed from condemnation, from all
sin before GoD, just as though thou hadst never committed any
one sin. O what relief doth this bring to the conscience How
happy doth the faith of this make the hearts of us poor sinners'
Can we say in faith and truth, of the sacrifice of Christ,
My guilty conscience seeks
No sacrifice besides 2
Then we shall joyfully keep his sabbaths in remembrance
of this.
6th. Here were the holy garments of the priests, to appear
in before the Lord. These remind us of Jesus the great
high-priest of our profession, who appears in the presence
of God for us, in garments of perfect holiness and righteous-
ness, to represent our persons, to present his sacrifice, to
make intercession, and to save unto the uttermost, all who
come unto God...by him. Heb. vii. 25. He bears the names
of all his dear people on his breast-plate of love. He is a
high-priest of good things to them. O let us keep the feast of
his sabbaths in the joy of this!
7th. Here was the anointing oil, to signify the unction of
the Spirit, by which Christ was anointed, to be a king and
a priest, unto GoD for us; and by which all his redeemed
ones are anointed, and made kings and priests unto GoD.
Rev. i. 6. And unto whom they offer spiritual sacrifices by
Jesus Christ. 1 Pet. ii. 5. Here was also the sweet incense,
for the holy place, ver. 11, typifying the offering and sacrifice
of Christ, as being of a sweet-smelling savour unto GoD
for us. Eph. v. 2. This sweetly perfumes, and renders per-
fectly acceptable to GoD, both our persons and our services.
O let us keep the Lord’s sabbaths, in remembrance that Christ,
by his own blood, hath entered into the holy place, having
obtained eternal redemption for us. Heb. ix. 12.
Lastly. Here was the candlestick, made of pure gold.
emblematical of the everlasting gospel, which holds forth the
light of the free grace of GoD, and full salvation by the Son of
his love. Was this candlestick of pure gold, without any alloy?
It represents the purity of the gospel, Is gold the most valua-
ble metal The gospel is of infinite value: every word of it
is more to be desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold :
sweeter also than honey, and the honey-comb. Ps. xix. 10.
This candlestick had three branches on each side, besides the
middle stem, which made up the perfect number seven,
denoting the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.
Rom. xv. 29. All the fulness that dwells in Christ. Col. i.
13
19. And that he is the fulness, who filleth all in all. Eph. i. 23.
All the glorious doctrines of the gospel, point to, and centre in
Christ: and all the precious promises of it are in Christ, yea
and amen to the glory of God. As this candlestick gave light
in the tabernacle, so the gospel holds forth Christ, who is the
light of the world, and the light of men. Thus we see what a
precious sign the sabbaths are, between our gracious Lord and
us miserable sinners. O how ought we to prize them, keep
them, and sanctify them, in obedience to his command, and in
commemoration of his love, of what he is to us, and hath
done for us !
INFERENCE.
Hence we conclude, that Christ is the sum and substance of
the Old Testament, as well as the New. All the gospel grace
and love of him, are held forth under legal types, figures, and
institutions. Therefore, for the confirming our faith, and
establishing our hope in him, he commands us, Search the
scriptures (the law, the prophets, and the psalms) for they are
they which testify of me. John v. 39. O, say many, we can-
not understand the Old Testament. Why? because you do
not read it in the light of Christ, see Christ in every page
of it, and consider it as the history of him, and his dealings
with, and appearance for, and to his peculiarly beloved peo-
ple of old. But you are led to conceive of some other
God, besides him, not considering that GoD Is IN CHRIST.
2 Cor. iv. 19. For thus saith [Jesus] the Lord, the King
of Israel, and his [Israel's] Redeemer, the Lord of Hosts,
I am the first, and I am the last, and besides me there is no
God. Isai. xliv. 6. And says Christ, I and my Father are
one : one and the same GoD. John x. 30. And I am in the
Father, and the Father in me. He who hath seen me hath
seen the Father. John xiv. 9. 10. O there is a sad wail of
ignorance and unbelief upon our hearts, concerning this pre-
cious point, that we do not see it clearly, nor believe it comfort-
ably, although it is revealed so plainly, that he who runs
may read. For, says our Lord, Moses wrote of me. John v.
46. And Abraham rejoiced to see my day. viii. 5, 6. But
instead of simply believing it, as we do any truth that is told us
by a man of veracity, we foolishly cry out, how can it be and
vainly attempt to bring the existence of infinite Deity into our
finite and shallow comprehension, and want perfectly to un-
derstand it before we will credit it. Here is the pride of the
devil, instead of the humility of the saint. Ye shall be as
Gods, saith satan. Gen. iii. 11. We believe his lie, instead
of crediting God’s truth. And instead of searching the
scriptures humbly, which testify of Jesus, the true God and
eternal life. 1 John v. 20. We search proudly into what
14
GoD has not revealed, and what is not an object, either of
our faith, or our inquiry, namely, the nature of the exist-
ence of the Godhead. It is enough for a sober mind, and
a simple heart, that thus it is written ; so it is revealed. I take
GoD's word, and I am satisfied with its truth. I firmly believe
it, because God hath plainly revealed it. This, and no other,
is the faith of God's elect. This faith makes a happy heart,
and a holy life. It is enough, yea, it is fully sufficient, that
we are divinely assured, “There are Three that bear record in
heaven, The Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: And
these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on
earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood; and these three
agree in one.” 1 John v. 7, 8. As these three are one in
essence, so they are one in mind and will, and agree to, and
have bore record from heaven, to this one precious truth, that
there is salvation in Jesus for sinners, and in no other; there-
fore, “if we receive the witness of men, the witness of GoD
is greater.” This is the witness which GoD hath bore from
heaven to Christ in our nature, “This is my beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased.” Mat. iii. 17. As if he had said,
there is no character on earth, that I am well pleased with, but
my beloved Son's only. I love and delight in none of the sons of
men, but as they are IN him. Are you in Christ? Do you delight
in him 2 Are you well pleased with him If so, you have the
heart of a child of God, and may look through Jesus to God
your Father, and rejoice in him. “ For he who hath the Son,
hath life,” the life of God in his soul. 1 John v. 12.
A COLLECT.
O Lord Jesu Christ, who art the sinner's only hope, glory to
thy precious name, that thou hast given us such a blessed
sign between thee and us, as thy sabbaths, and hast made our
observation of them, a sign of our knowledge of thee, faith in
thee, and love to thee. O grant that our every sabbath may
be blessed by thy holy Spirit, to increase this knowledge, faith,
and love in our hearts: that we may be more and more devoted
to thee in life. O that out of thy fulness, thou anointed
Saviour, we may daily receive grace upon grace, till we are
filled out of thy fulness of grace, peace, and love on earth,
and taken up to the full enjoyment of thy presence in heaven,
to the glory of the Father's love in thee, thy salvation of us,
and God the Spirit's influence upon us. Amen.
15
(The GLibitt. Lott'3 ZDap.
* Cºm -
THE BLESSED END OF NEEPING THE SABBATII,
Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep---that ye may know that I
am the Lord, who doth sanctify you. Exod. xxxi. 13.
HEAR the natural language of all your hearts, and tremble
before the Lord. When will the sabbath be gone Amos
viii. 5. It is quite agreeable to our corrupt nature, and
carnal reason, to say of the sabbaths, as was said of the precious
ointment, which was poured on Christ's head, “to what purpose
is this waste?” Matt. xxvi. 8. For we naturally think the ob-
servation of the sabbath is waste of time: it is weariness to us.
So foolish are we and ignorant, as a beast before the Lord. Ps.
lxxiii. 22. But, good and upright is the Lord, therefore will he
teach—who good, righteous, pious people, who never offend-
ed him He can find no such upon the earth. But the Lord
will teach (such as you and I are) sin NE as in the way. Ps. xxv.
8. This is our mercy. He loves sinners, therefore he will teach
them the way everlasting. The Lord is gracious to sinners.
He pities our folly. He delivers us from our ignorance. He
saves us from our sins. He sanctifies our souls. He makes us
wise unto salvation : and when made spiritually wise, then we
judge all things. 1 Cor. ii. 15. We judge of the expediency
of the sabbath, and the Lord’s love to our souls, in the institu-
tion of it. We see it our privilege to obey it, and delight to
keep it, with spiritual views, and to spiritual ends. For, we
consider the sabbaths as an outward and visible sign of that
inward and spiritual grace signified by it, sanctification. This
is a sure evidence of a sanctified heart. Under the influence of
grace, such are ready to say, O that very day was as a sabbath
of rest to our souls, so that we might meet with no interruption
from worldly concerns, but be wholly engaged in waiting upon,
worshipping of, rejoicing in, enjoying sweet fellowship with,
and being entirely devoted to, the God of our salvation | But,
O, how do the objects of time and sense divert our souls from
the one thing needful, so that through the intrusion of these we
sometimes question whether we know the Lord, fear the Lord,
love and serve the Lord; and are ready to doubt, whether he
hath sanctified us to himself or not. Well, blessed be God,
there remaineth an eternal rest for us in glory. This we enter
upon by faith now. Our sabbaths on earth are a type and earn-
est of it. And so sure, as we keep them by faith, and in
love to our Lord, we shall enjoy rest in him now, and eternal
rest with him in heaven. O the joy of this! Our dear Lord,
I6
ever loving, and ever gracious to us, would have us be ever
happy in the knowledge of himself; therefore he hath instituted
the sabbaths, that, in keeping them, we may enjoy the comfort
of knowing him as our Lord, and rejoicing in him as our
sanctifier. This is the blessed end we are now to consider. .
1st. Sanctification. 2d. The knowledge of the Lord as our
sanctifier. O may the Lord so help us to meditate on these,
that our knowledge of him may be consfortably enlarged, our joy
of faith in him sensibly strengthened, our delight of hope
towards him abound, our love to him inflamed, and our devo-
tion to him increased. *
1st. As to Sanctification. This implics separation, and pol-
lution. We are naturally in a state of alienation, or separation
from GoD. Our iniquities have separated between us and our
GoD. Isai. lix. 2. We are entirely separated from all knowledge
of GoD, love for him, fear of him, and devotion of heart to
him ; and are only devoted to common uses, as men, and un-
clean purposes, as sinners. Now, when the Lord is graciously
pleased to sanctify any such sinners of mankind, he separates
and sets them apart for his own use, service, and glory. They
are no longer common or unclean, but are vessels unto honor,
sanctified and meet for the master's use; 2 Tim. ii. 21. Thus
were all the vessels of the sanctuary sanctified, separated, or set
apart, for holy uses, Levit. viii. 11. Or, as the Lord sanctifies,
and sets apart the sabbath, from the other days of the week, for
holy purposes, so he sanctifies a sinner, separates him from
his former state, and the rest of his fellow sinners, and sets
him apart for himself. Such are called vessels of mercy, which
GoD had afore prepared for glory. Ron). ix. 23. For the Lord,
in the love of his heart, the choice of his will, and the purpose
of his grace, separated and set apart these vessels of mercy
from before the foundation of the world, having predestinated
them to the adoption of children, by Jesus Christ, unto him-
self. Eph. i. 15. So Paul says, It pleased GoD, who separated
me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, to
reveal his Son in me. Gal. i. 15, 16. So every sanctified soul is
also thus separated by the pleasure of God, called by his grace,
[though not so highly exalted as to be an apostle of GoD, yet
so greatly distinguished as to be a holy Christian to the Lord,
and therefore] God also reveals his Son in them.
O this sanctification, separation, or setting apart a sinner, by
GoD, calling him by his grace, and revealing his Son in him, is
a most highly distinguished favour ! For, all such are separa-
ted from the world which lieth in wickedness, from their former
wretched state of sin, wrath, and curse, from their sinful prae-
tices, self-righteous hopes, and vain confidences, and are set
apart to GoD, for his use, service, and glory. God delights' in
17
them, and they delight in God. God views them in Christ,
and they view God in him, as revealed in them. GoD rejoices
over them, to do them good. They rejoice in God, as their
hope, their portion, and their all. God is pleased to institute
his sabbaths, to be kept by them, and they are pleased with the
due observation of them. Thus it appears that, like Paul,
they are chosen, separated, sanctified vessels unto Christ, to
receive out of his fulness, to contain, and retain, the heavenly
treasure of his grace, peace, and love, faith on him, love to him,
and delight in him. For GoD, having sanctified, or separated
them, from others, and Christ being revealed in them, the hope
of glory, therefore, they sanctify, or separate, the Lord God in
their hearts from all idols. 1 Pet. iii. 15. And, all this is effect-
ed upon them, because they are the beloved and chosen of
GoD, from the beginning, through sanctification of the Spirit,
unto belief of the truth. 2 Thess. ii. 13. But is this all that the
Lord does upon his beloved, chosen people Is this all that is
meant by the Lord's sanctifing them? No, For,
Secondly. Sanctification implies pollution in the subject, and
love in the agent. We are the subjects of pollution: the Lord
is the sanctifier of us. If we were not polluted, we need not
to be sanctified. If the Lord did not love us, he would take
no thought about us, nor pains to sanctify us. All that the Lord
does for, and in his people, springs from his love to them, and
issues in the glory of him. But here is the amazing mystery
of godliness, that the Lord, who is in all his persons, Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost, infinitely holy, of purer eyes than to be-
hold the least iniquity, and perfectly abhors all sin, should yet
love such abominable, filthy, polluted wretches as we all are:
full of nothing but the leprosy of sin, and overspread with the
stench of corruption, so as even to stink in his very nostrils.
Yea, that he should so love us as to wash and cleanse us in his
own blood from our sins, sanctify us by his own Spirit, and
make us fit to enjoy fellowship with him on earth, and meet for
his presence in heaven. O.wonder of love 1 O miracle of grace
O astonishing mercy! Study it on your knees, in silent adora-
tion. What shall we say to it? What reason assign for it? How
account for it Behold the cause of it, THE Good PLEASURE
oF HIS WILL. See the reason for it,-HE HATH MADE Us Ac-
cEPTED IN HIS BELovED SoN. Hear the end of it,-To The
PRAISE OF THE GLORY of His GRACE. O what a blessed
cause ! what a joyful reason what a glorious end These are
assigned by the Spirit, why the Lord should sanctify any of the
polluted race of apostate Adam. Ephes. i. 5, 6. O how bless-
ed, to be the happy subject of this sanctification, of which the
Lord is the gracious agent
2nd, Man has separated ling: from Gop: he has polluted
1S
himself before God ; but no man is either willing to return
unto GoD, or able to sanctify himself unto God. Both are the
work of the almighty Jehovah, and of no other. I AM THE
Lord who, Doth SANCTIFY YoU. But how doth the Lord
effect this cleansing us from our pollution ? By blood divine,
and grace almighty. In one word, he washes us from our sins
in his blood; and unites us to his Son by his Spirit: by this,
and no other way, doth the Lord sanctify us. We are washed,
and are sanctified, in the name of our Lord Jesus, and by the
Spirit of our GoD, 1 Cor. vi. 11. and we enjoy the blessedness
and comfort of this by faith. For, as we received a polluted
nature, from the first Adam, we partake of a new and holy
nature from the second Adam, the Lord from heaven, by union
to him, and communion with him. For, both he which sancti-
fieth, and they who are sanctified, are all of one. Heb. ii. 11.
Christ's holiness is as really communicated to us, as Adam's
pollution is inherited by us. See, then, sin in its root, and pol-
lution as its fruit. See also sanctification in its root, and
holiness as its fruit. But we are prone to look for the root of
sanctification in ourselves, and its fruits in our flesh, or fallen
mature; and because we see sin in us, and pollution cleaving to
us, therefore we think that the Lord has not sanctified our
souls at all. But we are renewed or sanctified in the spirit
of our minds. And if we have learned Christ, have heard him,
and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, we are
to put off concerning the former conversation [judging of our-
selves after the flesh, talking of ourselves, how holy we have
made ourselves, what holiness we have got in ourselves, for
this is] the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful
lusts; therefore, put on the new man, which after [the image
of]GoD, is created in righteousness and true holiness. Ephes.
iv. 20, &c. What is this new man, but the second Adam, the
Lord from heaven; Jesus the Son of GoD, and the Son of man,
into whom we are new born by the power of the Spirit, in whom
we are new ereatures 2 2 Cor. vii. 14. And who of GoD is
made unto us sanctification. 1 Cor. i. 30. This is our faith.
From hence proceeds our holiness of heart, lip, and life. And
we are to put on the new man continually, by the faith of our
hearts, in the judgment of our minds, by the choice of our wills,
and the disposition of our affections, for all the purposes of a
holy life. We are to reckon ourselves after Christ, and to
judge of ourselves as we are in him, united to him, and mem-
bers of him. Is Christ beloved of God so are we in him. Is
Christ righteous before GoD so are we in him. Is Christ per-
fectly holy in the sight of GoD 2 so are we in him. Is Christ
accepted by GoD so are we in him. Is Christ without spot of
sin, in the presence of GoD so are we in him. Has Christ a
19
title to the heavenly inheritance? so have we in him. Hear
whatº says from heaven, of what he calls us gentile sinners
by his gospel, to partake of, That they may receive forgive-
ness of sins, and inheritance among them who are sanctified
by faith, which is IN ME. Acts xxvi. 18.
This is the new conversation of the Lord's sanctified people,
which they are to put on daily. Peter calls it a good conversa-
tion in Christ. 1 Pet. iii. 16. It is a conversation which be-
cometh the gospel. Phil. i. 20. A holy and heavenly conver-
sation. For Jesus, who is the same yesterday, to-day, and for
ever, is the end of this conversation. Heb. xiii. 8. And it is a
true conversation, taught us by the true gospel, and witnessed
by the Spirit of truth. For, we are the holy children of a holy
God, by a holy faith in Christ Jesus. Gal. iii. 26. That mo-
ment we are born again of the Spirit, we believe in Jesus, and
are partakers of his holy nature. Yea, he is our life of sanc-
tification. And that moment we believe in Jesus, we are born
again of the Spirit, are sanctified in Christ Jesus, and made
holy unto God. Not only are our sins pardoned by God, our
souls cleansed from all sin, in the blood of the Son of God,
and our persons justified before God, but our souls are sancti-
fied unto GoD, made meet to enjoy fellowship with God on
earth, and his presence in heaven. Thus are we sanctified in the
name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our GoD. And as
an evidence of this, our holy, heavenly-begotten, new-born
souls, love holiness, and hate sin, delight in communion with
GoD, and abhor fellowship with the unfruitful works of dark-
ness. We are sanctified by the Spirit, to live upon the fulness
of Christ, and to receive out of his fulness, grace upon grace,
that we may be holy in all manner of conversation and godli-
ness: following after holiness, yea perfecting holiness in the
fear of the Lord, with heaven in our view, and Christ's righte-
ousness our title to it in our hearts. For, after all, let us
remember to our Lord’s glory, and our joy of faith in him, that,
our sanctification does not gain us a title to heaven: neither
does our holiness of life, walk, and conversation, sanctify and
make us holy; but proceeds from our being sanctified in the
Lord, and by the Lord. I AM THE LORD, who both sanc-
TIFY YoU. And when the Lord hath sanctified us, we have the
fruits and evidences of it. Being made holy, we walk holily;
we bring forth the fruits of righteousness, Phil. i. 11; and have
our fruit unto holiness. Rom. vi. 22. Pray mind this, and do not
confound the root with the fruit, nor the cause with its effects;
ever keep them distinct in view, but ever united in experience.
And never, no never forget, our dear Lord's almost last words,
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit, so shall
ye be my disciples, clearly mº, and enjoy full evidence,
2 *

$10
that ye are my true disciples, and real followers. John Xv. 8.
Worthy, for ever worthy is the Lord, to be thus gºtified
by us. O may we bring forth more and more of the fruits
of righteousness, and fruits unto holiness, to the glory of him
who hath sanctified us: separated us to himself by his Spirit,
and cleansed us from our natural pollution in his own blood.
To know this LoRD, as our sanctifier, is the “t
Second point for our meditation. Now, this knowledge
implies much more than to know it as a truth in the head, and
to assent to it in the understanding, as being taught us in
a natural way by men and books. But it means, to have such
a knowledge of it as enters into the comfort of our hearts, en-
gages our affections unto the Lord, causes our very soul to de-
light itself in him, and to devote itself unto him. It is such a
blessed knowledge of the Lord, as our sanctifier, which expels
the darkness of ignorance from our minds, the clouds of error
from our understanding, and doubts and perplexities from our
judgments, concerning our state. For, by this knowledge we
are made light in the Lord; and know ourselves, even as we are
known by the Lord. But, is not this the common privilege
of all GoD's sanctified people Doubtless. But do they all
partake of this comfortable knowledge? No. Many, very many
are destitute of it, go in sad doubts and perplexing fears about
it. But why? Various reasons may be assigned. Two may
suffice : Carelessness and ignorance. 1st. They not wholly
living by faith upon Christ, walking close with Christ, keep-
ing his commandments, and following his steps. Then it
is no wonder, if such are destitute of the comfortable know-
edge of the Lord, as their sanctifier. For all comfortable
knowledge of the Lord is enjoyed in the way of believing
in, and obeying the Lord. See to this, follow on more intensely
to know the Lord; ye shall keep my sabbaths, that ye may
know that I am the Lord, who doth sanctify you.
2d. Through ignorance, every sanctified soul is still a sin-
ner, in a body of sin, and is the subject of a nature which is
unholy, for in his flesh dwells no good thing. Rom. vii. 18.
And every evil is continually working in it, and proceeding
out of it. This darkens our views, clouds our understanding,
and perplexes our judgment, concerning ourselves. And this
makes us ever ready, in doubt and uncertainty, to ask, how it
is possible that creatures so vile and unclean, who have sin in.
them, and sin cleaving to all they do, can think the Lord
hath sanctified them 2 But this is breathing in the regions
of nature, instead of the kingdom of grace : judging after the
flesh, instead of after the Spirit. For, the groaning of such
under this, is a full proof that the Lord hath sanctified them,
and that they are partakers of a new nature in Christ. But
21
they cannot comfortably see this, till the Lord is pleased to
make it manifest unto them. This is the case with many,
very many of God's sanctified ones. For God to work upon
the soul is one thing : comfortably to assure the soul, that it
is the Lord's work, and to give the joy of it, is another; as it
is one thing to be alive, and another to enjoy health, and the
comforts of life.
3d. I well remember the pain and distress of mind I felt,
when the Lord first called me by the word of his grace, and
the power of his Spirit, to believe in Christ, for want of know-
ing, that the Lord was my sanctifier, and that I was sanctified
in Christ. Though through belief of the faith I found
peace with God, and felt the sense of his pardoning love in
christ, yet, through the weakness of my understanding in
gospel grace, and the mystery of godliness, a sight of my na-
ture's pollution, and a sense of my manifold corruptions, and
sitting under legal preaching, I was sorely distressed, lest after
being justified by faith, I should be damned for not being
sanctified: though my sins were pardoned in the blood of
Christ, yet I trembled, lest I should perish for want of holi-
ness : though saved from wrath by Christ, yet I trembled lest
I should suffer wrath, because I was not a new creature in
Christ. For I foolishly thought I was somehow or other to
sanctify myself, and by my works of righteousness to obtaia
my own sanctification. This is the very essence of legality.
This legal spirit cleaves to us all, and keeps many under the
bondage of legal fears, slavish doubts, and racking perplexities,
concerning their state. Judge then of the blessedness of
clearly knowing that the Lord is our sanctifier. Conceive of the
joy it must be to the soul to know this, not in word only, but
also in power, in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance. O
this is the greatest blessing, a sinner can enjoy on this side
heaven. Study its importance. Pursue after its enjoyment.
Remember what honour the Lord puts upon his sabbaths, that
in keeping them we shall enjoy this blessed knowledge.
4th. Therefore, from everlasting covenant-love, and with a
regard for our happiness, the Lord says, Verily my sabbaths ye
shall keep, to this very end, that ye may know that I am the
Lord who doth sanctify you. If, with a sincere regard for the
knowledge of the Lord, an humble dependence on him, a
hearty desire to serve and please him, an eye to the glory of
him, and with a view to enjoy fellowship with him, we keep
his sabbaths, he hath declared, ye shall know, assuredly know,
that I am the Lord who doth sanctify you. I will make this
clear to your mind, and manifest to your conscience. Yea,
our very desire to keep the Lord's sabbaths in a holy way,
and spiritual manner, is a blessed evidence that he hath sanc-
22
tified us: that he hath put his fear in us, that his love constrains
us, that his word influences us, and that his glory is regarded
by us. And this we may be perfectly assured of: observation
and experience fully confirm it, that all who conscientiously
keep the Lord's sabbaths, in the faith and love of him, and
with a desire to know and enjoy him, will live in his fear, walk
in his truth, and devote themselves to his service and glory,
all the other days of the week. As the Lord is regarded on
his sabbaths, so will the rest of our days be spent. If the
Lord's sabbaths are profaned, the rest of the week will be
spent in ungodliness. This is a standing rule.
INFERENCE.
If so, how then must this blessed knowledge relieve our
consciences, and support our minds, in this vale of tears, and
under the sense and feeling of indwelling sin If Jehovah is
my sanctifier, sin shall not prove my destroyer. I am under his
grace, therefore sin shall not have dominion over me. Rom.
vi. 14. And, what a divine confidence, and holy boldness does
this knowledge inspire the soul to go unto him for fresh sup-
plies of his sanctifying influences. And what joyful reasoning
does this knowledge furnish us with concerning our eternal
salvation. See the glorious chain of it so inseparably linked
together by the free grace of a sovereign and unchangeable
Lord, that no power in earth, or hell, can disunite it. Pursue
its glorious climax. Whom GoD did foreknow [as his own peo-
ple, beloved, and chosen in Christ, and given to Christ, John
Xvii. 2..] he also did predestinate [to be conformed to the image
of Christ, in righteousness and true holiness]. Moreover, whom
he did predestinate, them he also called, [by the word of his
grace, and power of his Spirit, to believe on Christ, to be joined
to him, to be one spirit with him, and to enjoy fellowship in
the love of the Father in him] and whom he called, them he
also justified, [in the righteousness of Christ from all condem-
nation] and whom he justified, them he also glorified, [with the
Spirit of sanctification, and adoption here, and eternal glory
hereafter. Rom. viii. 29, 30.] O the joy and blessedness of
knowing this, in the power of the Spirit, through faith !
What love to God, what joy in God, doth this inspire the
hearts of poor sinners with ! Is the Lord my sanctifier Do
I know it? Then how ought I to go on my way rejoicing For
if he saw fit, he could destroy the very being of sin in me, root,
branch, and fruit. But though he does not, though sin is suf-
fered to rage horribly in me, yet the Lord is mightier, and
reigns in and over me, therefore sin shall not. It is under
his omnipotent arm and sovereign control. My Saviour, who
has taken the love of sin out of my heart, caused me to repent
28
of it, groan under it, mourn over it, strive with it, pray against
it, and long to be delivered from it, so that I do not serve sin,
will surely keep sin under my feet, till he has perfectly deliver-
ed me from its being, and brought me to where he is, to awake
up in his perfect likeness, and to behold his face in glory.
A COLLECT.
O Load, thou lover, Saviour, and sanctifier of sinners, incline
our hearts so to keep thy sabbaths, and walk in all thy com-
mändments and ordinances blameless, that we may know thy
love, enjoy thy salvation, and feel thy sanctifying influences
ºnly, to thy glory, and our comfort in Christ Jesus.
IIlſºn, *
24
Cút ſoutti; Lott'g Dap.
The ChrisTIAN's DUTY, IN TIME of cALAMiTY.
Call upon me in the Day of Trouble; and I will deliver thee,
and thou shalt glorify me. Psalm l. 15.
ALEXANDER, the great monarch of the world, was discon-
tented because ivy would not grow in his garden at Babylon.
While we read of another, who was over head and ears in debt,
yet it never disturbed his rest, but he always slept soundly on
his bed. An emperor hearing of this, ordered his servants to
procure that bed at any price; for, says he, there certainly
must be some very peculiar quality in it. We may justly
apply this to God’s blessed word: for though we are all
insolvent, bankrupt sinners, yet there is such a peculiar quality
in the bible, as to give rest and composure to our troubled
and uneasy spirits. Yea, there is not one trouble or distress
of mind, body, or estate, but what we have a sovereign remedy
for in the word of grace and truth. Happy is that soul in
whom the word of Christ dwells richly. We have here, lst,
A loving command. 2nd, A precious promise; and, 3d,
A gracious declaration. May the Lord be pleased, graciously
to assist us in meditating on each of these, in his loving fear,
that our souls may get spiritual profit; and praise and glory
ascend from our hearts unto him.
1st. The command, Call upon me in the day of trouble.
Who speaks thus 2 To whom is this spoken? and why is this
spoken It is of great moment to consider these points atten-
tively. 1st. Who speaks GoD you say. True. But what
GoD 2 Some great and almighty being at a mighty distance
from us, whom we conceive of, without knowing any thing
of his name, his nature, and his perfections ; to us an unknown
GoD 2 indeed it should seem so, by the language, praying,
writing, and preaching of many. Strange ignorance of GoD
is manifest, even in this day of the clearest revelation which
GoD has made of himself in Christ. Old Testament saints,
possessed much clearer knowledge of God than many New
Testament professors. They saw clearly by types and figures,
that God stood in a precious relation to them; and they knew
him, and could approach unto him. But not as an absolute
GoD, as many talk of now, and ascribe to him, such a set of
attributes and perfections as just suit their corrupt minds.
For, the title of this psalm is, “The majesty of God in the
church. His order to gather saints,” &c. The psalm begins,
The mighty God, the Lord : El, Elohim, Jehovah, the three-
25
one GoD in covenant hath º &c. God never speaks to
sinners but in Christ, by whom he is reconciling the world
unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them. 2 Cor.
v. 19. Nor can guilty sinners know him, hear him, approach
unto and love him, but in Christ. To all who are out of Christ,
Goo is a consuming fire. Therefore he says, gather my saints
together unto me, those who have made a covenant with me
by sacrifice, wer. 5, even the one sacrifice of his beloved Son :
of which allºthe burnt-offerings and sacrifices were only typical.
Therefore here is a covenant God speaking to his believing
people, and giving them this loving command, Call upon me,
your covenant GoD, and loving Father in Christ. Thus we see
who speaks, Jehovah, and to whom he speaks, even to his
covenant saints, gathered to him in Christ, unto whom the
gathering of the people shall be. Gen. xlix. 10. And who
believed in, and looked to him, who was to put away sin by
the sacrifice of himself. Heb. ix. 26. This he hath perfectly,
and for ever dome, and is now for ever sat down at the right
hand of God. Lo this is our God, and our eyes look up
to him. *-
3d. Why does the Lord command, call upon me in trouble?
lst. We may conceive of it by way of reproof. For ‘we are
very prone to flee to, trust in, and call upon other objects in
time of trouble. The physician's skill, the friend's counsel, or
the creature’s aid, too often supplant the Lord in our minds,
and leave but half the heart for God. This is dishonouring to
him, and distressing to us. Thus he tenderly expostulates,
what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation
which shall come to whom will ye flee for help ? and where
will ye leave your glory? Isai. x. 3. Yea, he says, woe to them,
who go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, [the
strengh of creatures] and trust in chariots [the grand ap-
pearance in nature] because they are many, &c. [have power
to deliver, according to human judgment] but they look not
unto the holy one of Israel, neither seek the Lord. Isa. xxxi.
1. Therefore he tenderly reproves, while he lovingly com-
mands, call upon MB.
2d. This gommand is to excite confidence in God in the
day of trouble, as being near to us under all our troubles. I
am a God at hand, saith the LoRD, and not a GoD afar off.
Jer. xxiii.23. O the supporting confidence this yields in the
day of trouble ! Comforts are nearest, when afflictions are at the
highest. The God of all comforts is nigh unto all who call
upon him. He will hear their cry and will save them. Psal.
cxlv. 18, 19. We cannot have a trouble but he sees, a sorrow
but he knows, an infirmity but he is touched with the tender
feeling of Heb. iv. 15. True, all appearances may seem
26
against us, and the Lord absent from us. But shall we judge
from appearances, and not rather believe the Lord's word, and
obey his command 2 Call upon me. It might seem strange to
the eye of reason, when the guests wanted wine at the marriage
feast at Cana, he bids them fetch water. Cold comfort, when
wine was expected. Yet wine was nearest, when only water
was present. GoD works all things after the counsel of his
own will, even by contraries: as light out of darkness, at the
creation. Life out of death, glory out of shame, in our
redemption. The blind man's sight, out of clay and spittle.
Yea, heaven out of hell; for when he exalts his children to the
heaven of his love, he casts them first down, to a hell of distress
in their consciences. He first humbles, and then exalts.
He is equally near in both. His hand effects both. He
afflicts, that we may profit. He suffers troubles to excite
prayer, and to bring us in view and comfort near to himself.
Therefore, be not discouraged, though he pours ever so much
water of affliction upon you, for he is near to turn it all into
the wine of consolation to you. Hence he commands, call
upon ME. -
3d. This command implies love to, and care for us in our
troubles. If a friend says, whenever you are in any distress or
trouble, call upon me. This strikes us with an affecting sense
of his love to, and care for us; yea, and what boldness doth it
also inspire our hearts with ? And if he is a great and mighty
person, what comfort and support doth it yield us? But in our
troubles we call our sins to remembrance. That is good. We
mourn and grieve on account of them. That is right. We
think God is so provoked by them, that he will have nothing
to do with us. That is bad. We fear he will not hear our cry,
nor help us, though we do call upon him. That is worse.
Yea, we think he has no love for our souls, nor care for our
troubles. Worse and worse. Yea, we dread he hath cast us
off for ever. This is worst of all. Surely, satan, like the toad
squatted at Eve's ears, in Milton, is injecting his hellish lies into
your mind, in opposition to GoD's truths and his glory. But
in direct contradiction to all this, the Lord says, Call upon me
in the day of trouble. Let your troubles be what they may,
of what kind soever, whether of soul or body, spiritual or
natural, personal or relative, I will know thy soul in adversity,
therefore call upon me. And to put this matter beyond all
doubt, and to administer strong consolation, to our Lord's
loving command, he graciously adds,
Secondly, This precious promise, I will deliver thee. . The
promise is absolute. There is the will of sovereignty in it.
The power, truth, and faithfulness of God, are pledged to ful-
fil it. This calls for faith and patience. Faith honours GoD,
27
by believing his word. Patience honors him, by looking to
him, and waiting for his fulfilling it. A promise is the life of
faith. Faith is the life of patience. Yea, faith supports pa-
tience, by calling in the aids of hope. Faith says, I have got a
promise. The mighty God, the Lord, Jehovah in covenant,
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, hath promised, I will deliver thee.
Hope replies, this is good anchor-hold. I will wait and look;
and command patience to attend. Patienee replies, it is good
that a man should both patiently hope, and quietly wait for the
salvation of God. Lam., iii. 26. Here is a Trinity of persons in
the promise, the love of GoD the Father, the grace of GoD the
Son, and the influence of God the Spirit. Therefore these call
forth this trinity of graces, FAITH, Hope, and PATIENCE, to at-
tend upon, trust in, hope on, and give glory to the promiser.
O how gracious is the Lord to his people, in and under all
their troubles | What support to them, as the Lord’s will is
engaged for them | I will deliver thee. Doth not the Lord do
this greatly, even in our troubles, and though he suffers trou-
bles to continue, by calling forth, and exercising these precious
graces, faith, hope, and patience upon himself? Are we not
hereby delivered, greatly delivered, from our natural fears, dis-
tresses, inquietudes and sorrows, on account of our troubles,
as well as our minds amazingly fortified against them, and
powerfully supported under them 2 O what a blessing is this
from the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul, ought to be our
constant language. For he hath divinely assured us, when thou
passest through the waters, [of trouble and affliction] I will be
with thee; and through the rivers, [deep, strong, and lasting
troubles] they shall not overflow thee, [thou shalt swim safely
and comfortably, supported by faith, hope, and patience in me]
when thou walkest through the fire, [scorching afflictions] thou
shalt not be burnt; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
Thou shalt not get the least harm, nor suffer the least loss, by
any, or all thy troubles. Why all this 2 O most blessed rea-
son | For I am the LoRD thy God, the holy one of Israel, Thy
SAviour. Isai. xliii. 2, 3. Thus safe and blessed are the redeem-
ed of the Lord, even in and under all their troubles |
I will deliver thee. Thou, who believest in me, criest to me,
and callest upon me. I know thy voice. I have constantly
heard it, when thou hast been in no trouble, only about thy
sins, to have them pardoned, and subdued, and thy soul sancti-
fied by me. And now thou art in trouble. Thy greatest trou-
ble is, lest thou shouldest offend me, and thy chief concern how
to behave under thy trouble and to profit by it. I will deliver
thée from all thy fears, and out of all thy troubles. Every
trouble has both a voice and a period. A voice to speak for
thy profit. A good end to answer upon thee. And the trouble
, 28
shall not one moment exceed its fixed time. Like the refiner,
the Lord stands by his people, to see how their troubles operate,
to support under them, and at the proper time, to deliver out of
them. O how sweet, how joyful, to eye the Lord, as ever look-
ing on us, and ever present with us, in all our troubles It will
draw forth from the heart the words of Eli, in faith and sub-
mission, it is the Lok D, let him do what seemeth him good.
1 Sam. iii. 18. Therefore, O afflicted soul, do as David did,
‘encourage thyself in the Lord thy God. l Sam. xxx. 6. Did he
say, seemeth it a light thing to be a king's son in law 1 Sam.
xviii. 23. Let it not be a light matter, but a most joyful thing
to you, to be an adopted son of the most high God, the King of
kings, by faith in Christ Jesus. Therefore, under all thy trou-
bles, call to mind thy exalted, thy dignified state. Though thou
dost suffer trouble like other men, as a poor sinner, yet remem-
ber that thou art a son of God, yea, an heir of God, and joint
heir with Christ. Rom. viii. 17.
An heir of God, and joint heir with Christ, most amazing
words! The faith of this may troubles well endure. It would be
presumption indeed, for such sinners as we are, to entertain the
thought, if the Spirit of truth had not indited the words, and
given us to believe on the Son of God in our hearts. But now
it is shamefully dishonouring to God our Father, and to Christ
our elder brother, to question our high birth, heavenly pedigree,
and glorious heirship in God, and of God, in and with Christ:
an heir, yea a joint heir with Christ of God: of all that he is
in himself, and of all that he has to bestow, as a loving Father,
and covenant God: earth with all its blessings, and heaven
with all its glories. Well then may we say, joyfully say, we
know that all things work together for good to them who love
God, and are the called according to his purpose. Rom. viii. 28.
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for
us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory: while
we look not at the things which are seen, which are temporal,
but at the things which are not seen, which are eternal. 2 Cor.
iv. 17, 18. We come
Thirdly, to consider the gracious declaration, “Thou shalt
glorify me.” This is the highest honour that a saint upon
earth, or the highest angel in heaven, can attain to. And this
is the grand end that the Lord himself has in all his works of
providence, and by all his dispensations of grace to, and deal-
ings with, his people. Though we can add nothing to God's
essential glory, yet we can add much to the manifestation of
his glory. Suppose an eminent physician attended you, under
a very dangerous illness, and was made an instrument in the
hand of God of restoring you to health: hence you publish
his name, and proclaim his skill and judgment abroad in the
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world, though you hereby add to his fame, and recomménd
him to others, yet you do not in the least add to his skill and
judgment. Thus it is in glorifying God. It is to make his name,
his fame, his honour, his power, goodness, and praise glorious in
the earth. O this is delightful work to a grateful soul | And
our gracious God is delighted with it, and glorified by it. For
he says, whoso offereth praise glorifieth me. Psalm 1. 24.
There is not a more subtile device of satan than this, to per-
suade us into a false notion of humility, and make us think,
that seeing we are such vile, worthless beings as sinners, we are
too low and insignificant for the great and mighty God to pay
any regard to our works of praise, and grateful services. I
have often felt the force of this injection. I doubt not but
others have also. But, is it at all a question whom shall we
believe and obey, the God of truth, or the father of lies 2 O let
us reject satan’s lies, and look to the God of all grace, for pow-
er to glorify him, with the love of our hearts, by entertaining
the most high, honourable, loving, and gracious sentiments of
him. To glorify him with our lips, by proclaiming his glorious
name, telling of the wonders of his rich love, abundant mercy,
free grace, and boundless goodness, to such undeserving crea-
tures, such vile sinners, such unprofitable servants, as we all
are. Thus we are to advance the fame, and honour the name of
our great and mighty God, Jehovah. And also glorify him in
our lives, by living under his fear, walking in his truth and love,
and devoting our body, soul, and spirit to his service. And to
cut down the devil's lie at the root, that we are too insignificant
for God to notice, regard, or be pleased with, we have, blessed
be God, this truth to glory of, to confront satan with, and to
glorify God for, that though we are nothing but vileness,
wretchedness, and unworthiness in ourselves, yet, to the praise
of the glory of God’s grace, he hath made us AccEPTED IN
His BELovED son. Eph. i. 6. O let us ever glory in, and glo-
ry of this For the more we do so, the more we shall be ex-
cited to glorify the God of our lives, the Father of our mercies,
the Lord of our comforts and our troubles, who is the God of
our salvation, in spite of satan’s lies against us, and the work-
ings of unbelief within us.
Have we found a day of trouble for our sins Have we been
in a dangerous illness, and, to our own apprehension, not only
siek but nigh unto death, yea, unto eternal damnation for our
sins 2 Have we heard the sentence of the law, cursed is every
one who continueth not in all things which are written in the
book of the law to do them Gal. iii. 10. Did we then know
that the wrath of God is revealed from heaven, against all
ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men Rom. i. 18. Did
we then feel the wrath which the law works in the conscience,
{
30
and the sense of sin, sinking us into self-despair? But hearing
of the love of God to sinners, the death of Christ for sinners, by
the revelation of the Spirit, for the hope of sinners, did we call
upon the mighty God in this day of our trouble * Did he hear
and deliver us, by manifesting himself to our guilty consciences,
and trembling hearts, just what he has revealed himself in his
word? The LoRD, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin.
Exod. xxxiv. 7, 8. God in Christ reconciling the world unto
himself, not imputing sin, 1 Cor. v. J.9, justifying the ungodly,
Rom. iv. 5, receiving, embracing, pardoning, accepting, and
comforting us, hopeless and desperate sinners, who fled to
Jesus the only hope set before us in the gospel. Have we
found this in the experience of our hearts, to the joy of our
souls
Say, why was all this effected upon us? What cause can we
assign for all this 2 Reflective minds will not rest satisfied with
effects, without enquiring into the cause from whence they
proceed. Wise-hearted and gracious souls will also act thus.
Well then, we are fully assured, from the testimony of the
Spirit of truth, that there is not one gracious effect produced
upon the heart of any one sinner, in time, but what proceeds
from an original cause in eternity, the love of GoD, the choice
of God, and the covenant of God. And, therefore, that cove-
nant love and choice of us, which was big with blessings for
us all, shall surely be enjoyed by us, as certainly secured to
us, for the glory of the three covenanting persons in the God-head.
Therefore, all the subjects of this gracious deliverance from sin,
death and hell, to righteousness, peace, and heaven, will delight
in, and desire to glorify, the three-one GoD in covenant: the
mighty GoD, the Lord. This is a most blessed, sure, and
certain evidence, that we both know the Lord, and know him
as our deliverer.
Why, O why is it, that we set ourselves with a holy zeal to
oppose the doctrine of the merit of works, justification by
works, and a title to GoD's favour and kingdom, on account of
our works; and that man's natural power, and free will, have
no hand at all in procuring his title to the favor of God, an
interest in the love of GoD, and the salvation of Christ : Why
oppose all this? Because it detracts from the Glory of God,
and sets up an image, and makes an idol of ourselves, in op-
position to God, his rich love and free grace to sinners, mere
sinners in Christ. We cannot bear this. Our love to God, and
zeal for his glory, sets our hearts against it, and causeth us to
oppose it. It was a zealous, loving, Christian speech of St. Je-
rome, “If my father should stand before me, my mother hang
upon me, and my brethren press about me, to keep me from cleav-
ing to Christ, and glorify him, his grace, truth, and salvation,
31
I would break through my brethren, throw down my mother,
tread down my father, rather than be kept from Christ Jesus my
Saviour.” Christis above all, his glory beyondall. He truly reigns
over all. His love rises superior to all. Therefore, ever oppose
all that stands in competition with him. Let money perish,
friends fail, the world frown, and lifeitself perish; Christ is better
than all, and his glory infinitely above all. In this view may
we live to glorify GoD on earth; and with our latest breath
may we triumphantly sing, glory be to GoD in the highest,
the high praises of GoD are on our lips, for we feel his love
in our hearts, and are conquerors over death.
INFERENCE,
. See Christian, in and under all your troubles, you have the
Lord's word to support and comfort you. Consider this and
be thankful. The Lord is in his word. His grace is proclaimed
by his word. His truth, power, and faithfulness, are engaged
to fulfil his word. Therefore, look less at your troubles, and
more at the Lord's word, and to the Lord in his word, that you
may get more established in, supported by, and comforted
with the word of God. Doth our Lord say, in the world ye
shall have tribulation? He also adds, Be of good cheer, I have
overcome the world. John xvi. 33.
A COLLECT.
GLORY be to thee, O Lord, who thinkest of us miserable sin-
ners in all our troubles. Lord, help us to obey thy blessed
command, to believe thy gracious promise, and to glorify thee
in all our troubles, as our loving GoD and heavenly Father, in
Christ Jesus, to whom with the blessed Spirit of all comfort,
be honour and praise, now and for ever. Amen.
32
(The fift) Lorb'3 ZDap.
* ºn-e
ON THE GIFT OF JESUS CHRIST.
The great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ, gave himself
for us, that he might redeem is from all Iniquity, and purify unto
himself a peculiar People, zealous of good Works. Titus ii.
13, 14.
NEveR, no never doth satan more clearly show his cloven foot,
display the malice of his forked tongue, nor manifest himself
to be the father of lies, than by instigating his children to
report of the holy gospel, its ministers, and professors, that they
destroy morality, cry down all good works, and inculcate no-
thing but faith: only believe, no matter how you live and act :
faith will do all for you, and secure heaven to you. This is the
common cry of hell-born prejudice, the rant of ignorance,
and the clamour of self-righteous, wicked people. Observation
and experience furnish sufficient evidence of this truth.
The most profligate and abandoned have some kind of self-
righteousness about them, which closes their ears to the good
news of the gospel, and hardens their hearts against its glad
tidings. And if they think they see any others commit any
sins which they have not been guilty of, O how do they hug,
and bless themselves, saying, well, bad as I am, I never did so
and so, as such a one has. Two common prostitutes, dying
under a distemper peculiar to their sins, when visited by a mi-
nister, who set before them the deplorable state of their souls,
one replied, with an air of self-righteous confidence, Bad as I
am, Sir, yet not so wicked as you think me to be, for I always
paid such a strict regard to Sunday, that I never would be bad
with any one on that day. And the other, from the same spirit
declared, Wicked as I have been with men, yet I never picked
any gentleman's pocket in my life, as others have.
O how many brethren and sisters have these poor crea-
tures left to survive them though not companions with them
in the same sins, yet possessed of the very same spirit of
self-justifying pride, and self-righteous confidence. Are we
better than they by nature? No, in no wise. Have not each
of us constant reason to cry, God be merciful to us a sinner |
Have we any other relief for our conscience, and hope for our
soul, than what the text holds forth if we have, the Lord in
mercy tear it from our hearts. For, verily it is a refuge of
lies. O may God our Saviour give us clearly to see, and
comfortably to experience, his great love and rich grace, while
33
the meditate on these precious words ! in which are cott
tained,
1st. A gift.
2nd. The persons for whom this gift was bestowed.
3d. The ends to be answered by this gift. A-
4th. The effects produced in them, by receiving this gift.
Let us first consider the gift. What is it A fine system
of morals, to regulate our conduct by, and to ennoble and
exalt the dignity of our nature ? Or is it the gift of inherent
grace, to qualify and dispose us for the approbation of God,
and to entitle us to his favour Or is it an angel, or the most
exalted of the angelic host, given from heaven, to make his
abode with us, relate to us the glory of God, the happiness
of the celestial world, and to invite us to partake of all its joy
and blessedness, assuring us of God’s great love to us * More,
infinitely more, than thought can conceive, or tongue express.
For, −Who should dare to utter the words, were they not re-
vealed ! It was the GREAT GoD, who gave himself. O my
soul | O my friends ! be all wonder, and silent adoration.
But, is it true is it possible It is both. For with God
all things are possible; and to him that believeth, all things
are possible. Let all things give place to the GREAT GoD.
Make room for faith. Let all give way to joy: yea, to great
joy, in the GREAT GoD, the MIGHTY God. Isai. ix. 6. But,
does not dread beset, and fears appal us, at the great GoD
giving himself, and coming himself from heaven 2 Does not
the thought of sin, and the sense of guilt, terrify and affright
us 2 It might. It must. It would. But, O sin-subduing,
guilt-conquering, sinner-comforting name ! Even our sAvi-
our, JESUS CHRIST, is added to the GREAT GoD. What
wretch on earth, what fiend in hell, dare attempt to divide
them What sensible sinner out of hell, would ever admit the
direful thought of ever separating them No, it is the glory
of his heart, the joy of his faith, the triumph of his soul, that
the great GoD is our Saviour Jesus Christ : and that our Sa-
viour Jesus Christ is the great GoD ; and that it was no less
than he, who is very God of very God, equal with the Father,
touching his godhead, who gave himself, For who 2 for what
did he give himself 2 This is the
Second point. He gave himself for us? a greater he could
not give than himself. A less he would not bestow. Who are:
we to understand by this pronoun, Us? Even ALL, and every
one whom he loved from éternity as God, and ALL who were
given to him by his Father. John xvii. 2. That as man and
mediator, he should redeem, make righteous, justify, and save
in time, Say you, this is very obscure. You write in the
clouds, No, blessed bé God, º soar not at all above the light
34
of truth. Possessing that, we fear not danger. But we can
descend with that also. He gave himself for us, who know
him, believe on him, and have received him. Hereby we
know, that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an un-
derstanding to know him who is true, and we are in him who
is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true GoD and
eternal life. John v. 20. This is our truth. This is our faith.
Therefore we know the great God, even our Saviour Jesus
Christ, who gave himself for us. O the joy of this faith ! It
is unspeakable and full of glory. O our great Gon and Sa-
viour, grant us the constant experience of it in our hearts. For
more of the wonders of thy love are yet to come. May each
consideration increase our faith, and enliven our joy.
3d. The ends to be answered by this gift. Ist. That he
might redeem us from all iniquity. View the humble man, but
lose not sight of THE GREAT God. For sin and satan had
º: and enslaved us, and HE came to redeem Us: they
ad robbed us of our title to heaven ; and he came to restore
IT to us. Both these are included in the redemption of our
Saviour. For these ends he gave himself for us. Redemp-
tion is the work of heaven. There it was planned. On earth
it was executed. It is by price, stipulated, covenanted price, as
settled by the sacred THREE. The right of redemption the Son
of God took upon him. As for our Redeemer the Lord of Hosts
is his name, the holy one of Israel. Isai. xlii. 4. Man lost his
heavenly inheritance by sin, and his soul by iniquity. Man, the
Son of God in our nature, redeems the former, and ransoms
the latter, by his blood. He gave himself a ransom for all.
I Tim. ii. 6. He gave himself for our iniquities. Our right
to the heavenly inheritance is IN him, in whom we have re-
demption through his blood. Ephes. i. 7... Our title to it, is his
righteousness. For grace reigns, through the righteousness of
Jesus Christ, unto eternal life. Rom. v. 21. So that, having
obtained forgiveness of sins by his blood, and a right to heaven
by his righteousness, our title is clear. Every hindrance is
removed. The kingdom of heaven is open to sinners. Enter
who will. For this he gave himself.
But we must come to the cross, Pass to it by the cross of
Christ. All other ways are shut up. No other access can pos-
sibly be found for sinners. There view the Son of God, giving
himself for us to redeem our souls, and restore our inheritance.
There stand and gaze, wonder and adore, and learn to know,
how the great God, even our Saviour, loved us. There learn
the heights and depths, lengths and breadths, of the love of
Christ, which passeth knowledge. There learn to prize his love.
There see the exceeding sinfulness of sin, the dreadful curses
of the law against our sins, the infliction of God's justice, and the

35
ºgeance of divine wrath, poured forth on the account of our
iñiquities; the infinite worth of our souls, by the price Christ
bought them at, even his precious blood; and the infinite value
of the kingdom, which Christ, by his agony and death, hath
opened to us. For thou, O Jesus, hast redeemed us from ALL
our iniquities, the power, the guilt of them, and the curse due
unto them : yea, thou hast redeemed us unto God, by giving
thyself, body and soul, for us.
Glory, honour, praise and power,
Be unto the LAMB for ever:
Jesus Christ is our redeemer.
For now our once-captivated souls are perfectly redeemed,
and our lost inheritance is actually restored. The jubilee-day is
come. Let us rejoice in the great God, our Redeemer, for he
hath not only redeemed us from all iniquity, but he gave him-
self, 2d. To purify unto himself a peculiar people. Redemp-
tion was not a precarious undertaking. The number of the
redeemed not uncertain. But Christ knew whom he died for.
Known unto God are all his works, from the beginning of the
world. Acts xv. 18. He loved from eternity all whom he re-
deemed in time. Because he loved them, he redeemed them.
After he has bought them with the price of his blood, will he
leave them slaves to sin and satan? or wait till, by their own
will and power, they rescue themselves from their bondage, and
become his willing servants No, he well knows that would
hever be. Therefore, he purifies them unto himself. They are
peculiarly dear to the whole Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost. Therefore they must be purified, that they may enjoy
the love of the Father, the redemption of the Son, and the
comforts of the Spirit.
But how are they purified ? In one peculiar way: By the
word of truth, and the power of the Spirit, through believing.
Here is the agent, the Spirit: The mean, the word: And the
instrument, faith. Peter is most plain and express here:
“Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth,”
through the spirit. 1 Peter i. 22. O the amazing efficacy of
this l what is obeying the truth? receiving, believing, and em-
bracing the truth, as it is in Jesus, so as to come to his blood,
for purification of soul, and for cleansing the conscience from
the guilt and defilement of sin. All believers in Christ have
done this. And therefore they are purified unto Christ. They
are peculiarly dear to Christ. He is peculiarly precious to
them. This internal purification of soul enters into the very
essence of a Christian. It changes the vile sinner into a holy
saint in Christ; and produces external purity of life to the
glory of Christ. Without this purification, what is Christia-

D 2
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nity but an empty name 2 what is a profession of it, but as a
dead body without a spirit? But all purified souls by Christ,
are a peculiar people unto him. For,
1st. They are partakers of a peculiar faith; peculiar to them
only. The faith of God's elect. Titus i. 1. Precious faith in
the righteousness of God: even our Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Pet.
i. 1. For, they really believe him to be, what the scriptures re-
veal him, THE Lord our RightFousN Ess. Jerem. xxiii. 6. The
great God, even our Saviour, Redeemer, and Purifier. Yea,
through believing, they experience him to be all this to their
souls. They find they are saved in him, justified by him,
cleansed from guilt by his blood, their hearts purified from the
love of sin; and they feel their souls set at liberty from the
bondage of the law, and the slavery of satan. Yes, at times they
are so peculiarly sensible of their liberty in Christ, that their
happy, highly-favoured souls, seem hardly to know, whether in
the body, or out of the body, they are so elated by the power
of faith, the comfort of faith, and the joy of faith. For the
Lord fills them with all joy and peace, in believing. Rom. v. 13.
O this is peculiar faith indeed! The Lord increase it more
and more.
2d. They have peculiar hope on Christ. Faith is the parent
of hope. Hope is the offspring of faith. The word of truth
begets both, and supports both. Hence, hope springs eternal
in believing hearts; and the outgoings of hope are to Christ,
“Who is our hope.” I Tim. i. 1. They expect to receive
more and more blessings out of Christ's fulness, and desire
to enjoy more and more fellowship with him, and the Father in
him. Though Christ’s peculiar ones can see nothing, find no-
thing, feel nothing in themselves, whereon to cast the anchor
of hope: yea, though they are quite hopeless in themselves, yet
hope accompanies faith within the vail, whither our forerunner
Christ is for us entered. Heb. vi. 20. And there it drops an-
chor, which keeps the soul both sure and stedfast, having the
firm ground of God's holy word, precious promises, immutable
counsel, and sacred oath to fasten on. O blessed are ye, who
are partakers of this peculiar hope 1 Ye are peculiarly distin-
guished from all the world, who are without God, without
Christ, and without hope, in the world. Eph. ii. 12. But ye are
in God, in Christ, and have God and Christ, and a hope full of
immortality in you. This is your blessed motto, rejoice in hope.
Rom. xii. 12.
3d. Christ’s purified ones have a peculiar love to Christ.
Love begets love. The more the love of Christ is believed, the
stronger our love to Christ. We love him, because he first
loved us. 1 John iv. 19. How do we know God loved us? By
believing the revelation of his love to us, in the gift of Christ
37
for us; and in Christ giving himself to redeem and save us.
Faith brings the history of God's love into the heart. The heart
believes it. Hence love springs up in the heart. Every man
thinks he loves God. No man can conceive himself to be such
an abandoned wretch, as not to love God. But no man upon
earth has any more love to God, than a devil in heh, till he
believes the love of God manifested to sinners in Christ.
This is the peculiar love of Christ's redeemed, purified souls.
Though they are not always alike sensibly happy in love, yet
they walk under the influence of love, which produces a jealous
fear of offending their loving Lord, and a desire always to
please him. The loving soul is never satisfied that it loves
enough. It wears the conscious blush that it loves so little. It
longs and prays to love Christ more perfectly, and serve him
more intensely; yet knows it will die a bankrupt debtor to
God’s love; therefore, can never boast of his love to Christ,
but will ever glory of Christ's love to him, and rate himself the
chief of unloving sinners. This is peculiar love: humble love.
The Lord shed it abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost.
Then we shall not only love Christ, but all who are his. We
know that we are passed from death to life, because we love the
brethren of Christ, and our brethren in him. I John iii. 14.
4th. They have a peculiar life from Christ. They are dead,
but alive: crucified, and yet they live. They live in the flesh,
by the faith of the Son of God. Gal. ii. 22. This life is out of
nature, above the law, contrary to sin, beyond the world, and
out of the reach of satan. They are dead to all these: though
these are not dead in them; but are ever annoying them. Yet,
their life is hid with Christ in God. Colos. iii. 3. Therefore,
none of these can possibly destroy it, any more than they can
destroy the life of God, or of Christ. It is a life of union
to Christ by faith, communications from him by the Spirit, and
of fellowship with him, and the Father in him. Mere natural
men know no more of the nature of this spiritual life than a
beast knows of the rational life of a man. It is a peculiar
life: the life of God in the soul of man, by which the soul is
fitted to live with God in glory. For,
5th. As they have this life from Christ, so they live a pecu-
liar life to Christ. There is no living to Christ, till we live by
faith upon Christ. Before we are quickened by him, we live
only to the world, the flesh, and the devil. Self is the govern-
ing principle of all our actions, and the end to which they
are all directed. To please ourselves, gratify, and glorify our-
selves, and to establish our own righteousness, is all our aim
and end. The maxims of the world are our rule, and by the
devices of the devil, we are governed. But when Christ is
our life, then he, and he alone, is our glory, and it becomes our
$38
greatest glory on earth to live to him, to deny ourselves, and
follow him: To give up all the riches, honours, and pleasures of
the world, for the enjoyment of him: To be dead to the world,
and alive to him : To crucify the flesh with its affections and
lusts, for the love of him. We prize Christ in his offices, ways,
truths, promises, atonement, commandments, and righteous-
ness, and desire to be found in him: confessing that, after all
our highest attainments, we are, what he teaches us to confess,
unprofitable servants. Luke xvii. 10. We have done nothing
so perfectly as we ought. Imperfection has cleaved to all.
There is no merit stamped upon any. God be merciful to us,
sinners, is ever to be the language of our hearts, and the cry of
our lips. And we shall have another peculiar evidence that we
are purified unto Christ.
6th. The scorn and contempt of the world. To be the ob-
ject of God’s love, the subjects of Christ's grace, the creatures
of satan's envy, the men of the world's diversion, and out of
conceit with themselves, is peculiar to Christ's purified peo-
ple. How do you find it 2 do the men of the world, who
know not the love of the great God and our Saviour, despise
you ? do they call you a precise person 2 or do they approve,
and speak well of you ? be jealous of yourself. If you have
the world’s esteem, it is odds against you, that you are not faith-
ful to Christ, his truths, and his ways ; and so you sadly lose
comfort from him, and a comfortable evidence, that you are pu-
rified by him. The nearer to Christ, the farther from the
world. The nearer the world, the farther from Christ. Lord
pity our weakness. Forgive our worldly-mindedness. Lord
strengthen our faith.
Lastly, If we are Christ's purified people, we shall have a
peculiar regard for his sabbaths ; and a peculiar love to his
gospel. The sabbaths are a kind of jubilee days, on which the
gospel trumpet is peculiarly blowed, and gospel grace peculiar-
ly bestowed. People usually dress themselves in their best
on the sabbath ; so we shall aspire to appear in our election
dress, the righteousness of Christ, and the graces of the Spirit
on the Lord's day. We shall use all the means of grace for
this end, that the great God, even our Saviour Jesus Christ,
may glory in us, be delighted with us, and be glorified by us.
Come, my brethren in Christ, our days are short, our time
hastens on very fast, and our end is very near—let us set out
afresh, to love our Lord more, and to serve him better. Let
love and praise be our cheerful, our constant employ. And,
O that a feeling sense of our poverty, and our need of him,
may be our continual experience : that we may be excited to
call upon him for more grace. Sinners as we are: though
nothing but sin dwells in our flesh, yet, if Christ has purified
33
our souls to himself, he has nothing but love in his heart to-
wards us, and his hands are filled with grace; to bestow upon
us. His gospel assures us of this, for it brings nothing but
good news, and glad tidings to us. Do we want to know more,
and enjoy more of the love of Christ in us? let us study more
the gospel, or good news of Christ's love to us. For faith
comes by hearing ; and hearing by the word of God. Rom.
x. 17. Ah ! my friends, we are all deficient here. We com-
plain for want of stronger faith, and greater love, and yet neglect
the very means by which both are increased. Study the gos-
pel more constantly, pray over it more fervently, and Christ
will bless you more, abundantly. But the last peculiar bles-
sing in our text I have omitted. “ Zealous of good works.”
This shall be the subject of our next meditation. Consider
'what has been said, and the Lord give as a right understanding
in all things. Amen. t
A COLLECT.
GLORY be unto thee, O Lord Jesu Christ, for giving thyself
to be made a curse for us, and a sacrifice for our sins, that
thou mightest redeem us from all iniquity, and save our souls.
Grant, Lord, that the faith, of this may ever dwell in us, so as to
purify our hearts, give peace to our consciences, and influence
our lives. O holy Spirit, we pray thee to take of the things of
Christ, and shew them unto us. So glorify Christ in our
hearts, that we may ever rejoice in him, and glorify him. O
make and keep us, obedient children of God, our heavenly
Father. Give us courage for all thy glorious truths, and
constancy in all thy holy ways. Thus may we live holy, die
happy, and be eternally blessed in the enjoyment of God the
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, to whom be all glory, honour,
and praise, for ever and ever. Amen.
40
*
(Ibt Širth Lott's Dap.
ON 2EAL FOR GOOD WORKS,
Zealous of Good Works. Tit. ii. 14.
THE love of Christ to us sinners is an inexhaustible subject.
It is like the wide ocean, whose bottom is unfathomable : its
bounding shore undiscernible. As soon might we number the
drops of the sea, and empty it of its contents, as fully explore
the heights and depths, the lengths and breadths, of the love of
Christ to us. We fail in every attempt. We come infinitely
short in every meditation on it. Still, though faint, we pursue
it. For we find it the most delightful subject. Dwelling
upon it more largely in our last meditation than was at first
intended, left us no room to attend copiously upon what every
Christian is called to, namely, to be zeAlous of Good works.
Let us now consider those good wolks which every Christian
is to be zealous of ; and as we proceed, attend to the rea-
sons for, and the obligations we are ever under, to be thus zea-
lous. O may the Lord enlighten our minds to see what is
our duty as men, and what are our privileges as Christians : and
may he engage our hearts to be zealous of good works, and
influence our lives to abound therein more and more, to his
glory, and our soul's comfort in obedience to Christ
1st, Let us never overlook, nor pass by, that first and last,
that chief, that fundamental and great work, of all good works
the most pleasing to God, believing on the name of his only
begotten Son. O above all other works, be diligently attentive
to this. Be zealous for this. For this is the parent of every
other good work. Faith begets a numerous offspring. With-
out this faith, all works have only the specious show and gaudy
appearance of good; but in reality, are not stamped in the
court of heaven, with the standard mark of good: therefore, are
only base and counterfeit. For, whatsoever is not of faith is
sIN. Rom. xiv. 23. All works without exception. Why should
we be zealous for this When the Jews asked our Saviour,
what shall we do, that we may work the works of God? as
though this was the chief, the only, the principal work of God,
he answers, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him,
whom he hath sent. John vi. 29. While this work brings the
greatest honour and glory to God, it ever produces peace, com-
fort, and joy of soul from God. Therefore, we are under the
strongest obligations to be zealous of it. It is called believing,
41
because it is to be our constant and continued work, through
life. These things are written [concerning Jesus and his sal-
vation] that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son
of God, and that believing, ye might have life through his
name. John xx. 31. And he also says, These things have I
written unto you, who believe on the name of the Son of God,
that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may
believe (go on and continue believing) on the name of the Son
of God. I*John v. 13. Remember, ever remember, that word
of our Lord, and let it excite a zeal in us, for this good work,
According to your faith be it unto you. Matt. ix. 29. So we
shall ever find it in experience. The more our hearts go out
in faith to Jesus, the more blessings they will bring in from
him, and the more we shall glorify him. While this shews us
the reason for, and the obligations we are under, O may it ex-
cite in us a zeal for this good work
2d. To follow Christ is a good work, which we ought to be
zealous for. This work is delightful to the Spirit, but grievous
to the flesh. For, these two things enter into the essence of it,
self-denial and taking up the cross. Yet, there are blessed
reasons for it, and we are under the strongest obligations to be
zealous of it. For our dear Master says unto his disciples, if
any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take
up his cross and follow me. Matt. xvi. 24. There is an ab-
solute necessity for this work. For there is no enjoying Christ's
love, but in Christ's way. We must deny every thing that our
corrupt nature fancies will make us righteous and happy, for
Christ. We must put all upon his cross, and crucify it : and
put this cross upon our shoulders, and carry it, confessing every
step, I have no righteousness, no happiness in myself. I seek
both in Christ. I expect both from Christ : and therefore I
follow Christ to enjoy both in him. This is living in the
Spirit, and walking in the Spirit. And in this way we shall
enjoy spiritual comforts. Says holy, ambitious Paul, I follow
after to apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of
Christ Jesus. Phil. iii. 12. O that the same mind may be in
us also, that we may be zealous to follow Christ closely Let
us remember what loss Peter suffered, what distress he gained
by following Christ afar off. And for Christ's glory and our
soul's comfort, may the Lord make us zealous to live near him,
and walk closely with him.
3d. It is a good work to confess Christ, which we ought to be
zealous of . It is a very easy work to confess Christ on our
knees, and in our closets, to be our Saviour, and that all our
hope is in him, and all our expectations from him; that we
are vile sinners in ourselves, and must be wholly indebted to
his blood for pardon, to his righteousness for justification, and
42
to his finished work upon the cross, for our salvation. But this
is not all. For we are publicly to own Christ, and acknowledge
that we are his disciples, that we believe his truths, delight in
his commandments, and trust his promises, in spite of all
opposition and danger from his enemies. For, says our Lord,
Whosoever shall confess me before men, [to be the Son of
God, the only Saviour of sinners] him will I also confess
before my Father who is in heaven. For whosoever shall deny
me [in my person, character, offices, and relations to sinners],
him will I also deny before my Father, who is in heaven.
Matt. x. 32, 33. See then the weighty reasons, and solemn
obligations we are under, to be zealous of this good work.
O that fear or shame should ever damp our zeal, and discourage
our hearts in this work! No wonder that we are so much
ashamed before the Lord, and have so many fears coneerning
our souls, our state, and our interest in the Lord’s love and
salvation, if we are not zealous for this good work. You see
how conditional, as to our comfort, our confession of Christ,
and of his confessing us: of our denying Christ, and of his
denying us, runs. If we boldly confess him, he will richly own,
and greatly bless us with the sense of his Father's love. If we
deny him, heavenly comfort, joy, and peace, shall be denied
unto us. Peter found the truth of this, therefore, he went out
and wept bitterly. That we may rejoice heartily, and ever more
rejoice, the Lord grant that we may see the reason of this good
work, and be ever zealous to honour Christ by confessing him
before men, from our hearts, with our lips, and by our lives, so
as to recommend him, his cause and interest in the world, and
adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.
4th. Forgiving ones enemies, is a good work which we are
to be zealous of. Is there a Christian upon earth but what has
enemies! so long as satan, the grand enemy of Christ and his
people, lives, he will stir up enemies against them. Why
does the friend of sinners suffer this? for the exercise of our
graces, the profit of our souls, and the glory of his name. Do
you think to escape from earth to heaven, without finding
enemies by the way? No, no. You shall find many great
enemies, and many bitter trials from them too. How are we
to overcome the one, and to get rid of the other ? there is but
one way; to love our enemies, pray for them, and forgive them.
While love prevails, prayers ascend, and the heart forgives, there
is a victory in the soul over our enemies, and a deliverance
from the trials they exercise us with. For then we put our
cause into our Lord's hand, and cast our burden upon him :
so we get a comfortable portion of that precious fragrant herb,
HEARTS EASE. We have the strongest reason for this, and
are under the most powerful obligation to be zealous for this
43
good work. Thus the holy spirit commands, Be ye kind one
to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God
for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Eph. iv. 32. Hear your
Lord, If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father
will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their
trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matt. vi. 14, 15. Well, but say you, mine enemy hath
injured me, he has done me wrong again and again. I have
passed by and forgiven him in my heart, and from my heart,
repeatedly. How often must I forgive him 2 till seven times 2
Peter asked this very question. Hear our Lord's answer.
Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, until seven times,
[you may think that a great many times, and enough, but I do
not, but until seventy times seven, even four hundred and ninety
times. God multiplies pardon to us, times without number,
so ought we to others. But does God ever forgive us, without
repenting of our sins 2 Yes, in his heart he does, for Christ’s
sake. He has nothing but love in his heart to us, as we are in
his beloved Son. But, he will not manifest his forgiving love
to our souls, till we turn to him, confess our fault, repent of it,
and pray him to forgive us. Just so he requires us to act.
If thy brother trespass against thee, seven times a day, and
seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying I repent; thou
shalt forgive him. Thou shalt pronounce from thy heart that
thou dost. But suppose he do not turn again to thee, and say
I repent, what then Still nothing but love is to live in thy
heart to him. Thou art to forgive him in thy heart. True,
thou mayest withhold the declaration of thy forgiveness from
him, till he turn to thee, and say, I repent. But take heed to
yourselves, saith the Lord, lest you indulge any root of bitter-
ness against him in your heart. For this will certainly spring
up, and trouble your own soul, and destroy your peace and
comfort in the Lord. Is not this, then, plainly a good work 2
ought we not ever to be zealous of it True, it is above nature,
out of nature, and contrary to flesh and blood. So the disciples
saw it. What did they do? assail heaven by prayer. And the
apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. Luke xvii. 5.
Faith engages the Lord's power to increase of faith, increase of
power, and increase of victory, over flesh and blood, and to what
is impossible to flesh and blood. See also, how these disciples
confess the divinity of their Lord. They pray him to increase
their faith, owning him to be God, the giver of faith, the author
and finisher of faith. O this faith in and from Christ makes us
zealous of good works. The more faith, the more zeal for
Christ's honour, in obeying his commands. Go thou and do
likewise.
5th. Keeping holy the sabbath, is a good work, which
44
we ought to be zealous for. It is good for ourselves, for
our souls and bodies, good for others, and good for the pro-
moting the honor and glory of God in the world, by spreading
his fame, joining in his public worship, hearing his glorious
gospel, celebrating his love at his table, and making his name,
his salvation, and the high praises of God our Saviour glorious
in the earth. O what precious blessings, what rich comforts,
what heavenly joys, does the Lord bestow upon us, while we
are sanctifying his sabbaths, keeping holy his day, and waiting
upon him as he has commanded ! His holy commands are the
strongest reasons, and his promises lay us under the greatest
obligations, to be zealous of this good work. O how many
judgments hath the Lord executed upon the breakers of his
sabbaths. In the very midst of their pleasures, in the very
height of their joy and festivity, how many has he cut off, in
their sins upon earth, to suffer his wrath in hell. Instances of
this are common. The anger of the Lord smokes against the
profaners of his sabbaths. But his salvation is near them, his
righteousness revealed to them, and his blessing is upon all
them who keep his sabbaths from polluting it, and keepeth his
hand from doing any evil. Blessed, says he, is the man who
doeth this, and the son of man who layeth hold on this :
even his salvation and his righteousness. Isai. lvi. 2. He
says, I will make them joyful in my house of prayer, &c.
ver. 7. The Elord make us zealous of this good work, that
he may have the glory, while we enjoy the blessing and com-
fort of it.
6th. Visiting the sick and comforting the afflicted, is a good
work to be zealous of. Our own souls shall be blessed in this
work, and the souls of others by this work. Blessed be God,
I know it by happy experience. The glory is the Lord's. For
he says, He who watereth [others] shall be watered also him-
self. Prov. xi. 25. To do good, and to communicate, not only
of temporal things, but of spiritual truths, spiritual consola-
tions to, and spiritual prayers for the bodily sick and afflicted
soul, are sacrifices with which God is well pleased. Heb. xiii.
16. Yea, says our Lord, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the
least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto ME. Matt. xxv.
40. O is not this reason enough, is not here obligation strong
enough to excite a zeal for this work For God is well pleased
with it: Christ takes it as done unto himself; and promises, he
will water those who water others. O for a heart filled with
greater love to our brethren, and inspired with more zeal for
their good, and our Lord's glory.
7th. It is a good work, which we ought to be zealous of, to
‘minister to the temporal wants and necessities of others. The
voice of reason, the feelings of humanity, and the pleas of the
45
distressed, loudly call us to this duty as men. But the voice of
inspiration makes it our peculiar privilege, and our bounden
duty as Christians. For we are God’s workmanship, created in
Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained,
that we should walk in them. Ephes. ii. 10. Our Saviour went
about doing good. Acts x. 38. And he hath left us an exam-
ple, that we should follow his steps. 1 Pet. ii. 21. Though we .
cannot, like him, raise the dead, give sight to the blind, cure
the deaf and dumb, restore soundness to the lame, health to
the sick, &c. yet a writer very ingeniously asks, What should
we think of that person who, were it possible, should lock up
in his chest, eyes, and legs, and arms, while many poor dis-
tressed objects are dragging on through life destitute of them
Just so inhumanely does he act, who locks up riches in his
chest, and refuses to administer that which would be as eyes,
legs, and arms, to the distressed. Says Job, I was eyes to the
blind, and feet was I to the lame: I was a father to the poor,
and the cause which I knew not I searched out. The blessing
of him who was ready to perish came upon me, and I caused
the widow’s heart to sing for joy. xxix. 18, &c. O this is delight-
ful work to a gracious soul and generous heart. He experien-
ces the comfort and joy of what Christ said, it is more blessed
to give, than to receive. Acts xx. 35. Consider, you live by the
free grace, live upon the sovereign mercy, are comforted by the
precious promises, and made happy in the love of a covenant
God; nothing of all which you merit or deserve the least title
or claim to. Think of this, and say, is not this a most power-
ful reason, and are not you under the strongest obligation to
this, and every work of faith, and labour of love, in doing good
to others, by distributing to their need, and supplying their
necessities 2 The Lord gives you that you may give to others.
Let faith speak. Let the voice of love be heard. Let the lan-
guage of hope be attended to, and the precepts, promises, ex-
hortations, commands, and examples of the Son of God our
Saviour regarded, and then zeal for this good work will not be
wanting: But, we shall be steadfast, unmoveable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as we know our
labour shall not be vain in the Lord. For the Lord who hath
redeemed us from all iniquity, that he might purify us unto
himself, a peculiar people, zealous of good works, will own and
confess us, will reward all our works out of his free grace, and
according to his precious promise, and we shall joyfully hear
that blessed sentence pronounced from his loving lips, Come ye
blessed of my Father, [blessed from eternity, by the choice of
his love, and blessed through time, by his heavenly grace, which
disposed you to be zealous of good works, and thereby you
honoured me, and glorified your Father which is in heaven,
46
before men,) enter ye into the joy of your Lord. Many more
works might be mentioned. But the word of God fully sup-
plies what are omitted. Therefore,
Lastly, One work remains, and through the exercise of this
upon the mind, ministers of Christ are often prevented from so
greatly extolling, and the people of Christ from speaking so
highly of good works, as they otherwise would; and hence, the
men of the world (who do the least good works, but talk most
about them) arraign and condemn them, for being enemies to
good works. What is this good work? A work not at all
thought of, and never once practised by the men of the world;
and too little attended to by Christ's people: even this work,
Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God. 1 Pet. v. 6.
Humble yourselves in the sight of God. James iv. 10. This is
a work which we ought incessantly to be engaged in, in season
and out of season. There is no place, state, situation, or cir-
cumstance, we can possibly be in, but this work is necessary
for us, and we ought to be zealous of it. Good Lord what are
we ? What do we ? In the view of all that we are, under the
sense of all that we have done, thou hast taught us ever to con-
fess and say, After all we have done, we are unprofitable ser-
wants, Luke xvii. 10. God be merciful to me a sinner, is a cry
suited for the lips of the greatest saint on earth; and will also
be the language of every sanctified, humble heart to the Lord.
We cannot sink so low in humility, as we have cause in reality.
Then let all our works be like John the Baptist, the speaking
son of a dumb parent. Let them speak for us : let us not
speak of them. I often think of what is said of king Heze-
kiah, he humbled himself for the pride of his heart. 2 Chron.
xxxii. 26. Who but the heavenly enlightened soul sees, knows,
and feels, the cursed leaven of pride, which works in the human
heart, and in how many ways it turns to self-righteous hopes
and confidence; Do we see enough of this to humble us, and
make us ashamed of ourselves, and cause us to abhor ourselves
before the Lord º O how much more loathsome and abominable
must this appear in the eyes of that God, who with infinite per-
ception, searches the heart and tries the reins of the children of
men º O what cause to humble ourselves under his all-seeing
eye, and almighty hand. Let us be ever zealous of this good
work. Ever practising it upon our hearts. Ever exercising
our minds upon our own nothingness, vileness, deformity, base-
ness, and yet—what is worst of all, infected with hell-born pride
of heart, and diabolic haughtiness of spirit. To effect this good
work, ever consider the love of that God who chose you from
eternity, the sovereignty of that mercy that snatched you as
a brand out of the fire of hell. Ever dwell on the fulness of
that grace, that brought the Son of God from the highest hea-
47
-vens, to redeem you from the deserts of sin, and to save you
from going down into the lowest pit of infernal destruction.
Ever remember the efficacy of that power of the holy Spirit,
which enlightened your understanding to see what a wretch you .
are, how cursed and condemned for sin, by the pure, holy, and
righteous law of God; persuaded your heart to believe the truth
as it is in Jesus, effectually wrought upon your will, and made
3. willing, in the day of his power, to go to Christ, to be par-
oned by his blood, clothed with his righteousness, and to be
saved wholly by him; and turned your affections from the world,
yourself, and sin, to find all your rest, comfort, and happiness, in
Christ alone. And do your affections still humbly cleave to the
Son of God, the Saviour of sinners Then hear and rejoice.
For, Thussaith the High and Lofty One, who inhabiteth eternity,
whose name is holy, I dwell in the high and holy place, with
him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the
spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite
ones. Isai. lvii. 15. Thus saith our Lord, He who humbleth
himself shall be exalted. Luke xviii. 14. The Lord Jesus Christ
be with our spirit. Amen.
A COLLECT.
Glory be unto thee, O Son of God, that thou hast not only
given thyself for us, but hast also obtained the holy Spirit to
be in us, to purify us unto thyself on earth, as well as to glo-
rify us with thee in heaven. Grant us, dear Lord, to expe-
ence the love and power of this more and more in our hearts,
and upon our lives. O may we live thy devoted servants, and
die in the comfort of faith, and the joy of hope in thee. Teach
us to live upon thy redeeming love, and to be zealous of good
works. Lord, deliver us from all pride and self-righteousness
of heart, and enable us to walk humbly before thee, and ever-
more to rejoice in thee, to the glory of thee, to whom with the
Father, and Holy Ghost, be endless praises. Athen,
48
QIbe štuenth Lott's Dap.
ON THE ENJOYMENT OF THE SPIRIT.
But Jesus rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what Manner
of Spirit ye are of Luke ix. 55. Ye know the Spirit of Truth,
jor he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. John xiv. 17.
WHAT 1 speak these words to the very same persons 2 Is not
this a very strange contrast? Yes. And so is every regene-
rate man. Through the flesh cleaving to us, too apt are we to
forget our heavenly birth, and to act in the spirit and temper
of those who are destitute of the Spirit of Christ. But mind,
though Christ rebuked their conduct, he does not call in ques-
tion their state, and condemn them, as not having the Spirit ;
but as not considering the loving, meek, tender spirit and temper
of his gospel, under the benign influence of which they were ever
to act. An excellent lesson to us, to reprove in love what we
see amiss, but never to judge of a person's state. May, we not
from hence safely draw this conclusion, that even Christ's own
disciples, who know the Spirit of truth, and with whom he
dwelleth, may yet be prone, in many instances, to act contrary
to that spirit; but yet not so as to affect their standing in
Christ, and being followers of him
In this mixed, imperfect state of flesh and spirit, wherein
we know but in part, may we not err in many things, while
we may still enjoy the grace of Christ, the love of God, and
the communion of the holy Ghost 2 Pray do not mistake me
here, as though I were pleading for sin, palliating its guilt, or
finding an excuse for its commission. The Lord forbid, that
ever I should be an advocate in such a cursed cause. Glory
be to God, I have not so learned Christ. But yet I would
plead, even with my latest breath, for the free and full love of
Christ to sinners, the efficacy of his precious blood, which he
shed for sinners, and that there is forgiveness of all manner
of sin in it, and cleansing from all sin by it. And this, not
to encourage any to sin, but to excite poor sinners to go to
Christ, for pardon of sin, and cleansing from all sin, that he
may be glorified in love, and they comforted in holiness. This
the Spirit of truth, which dwelt with the apostles, taught them,
while Christ was with them on earth; and after Christ was
glorified in his human nature, was in them as the comforter,
to assure them of their own personal interest in his love and
salvation, so that then each could say with Paul, Christ loved
me, and gave himself for me. Gal. ii. 20.
49
Now is not this the free and blessed charter of the covenant
of grace, and the joyful privilege of all the children of God by
faith in Christ Undoubtedly. But do they all enjoy it?
Are none the children of God but what do? We dare not say
this : for it is not agreeable to the oracles of God, nor found true
in the experience of his believing children. And to insist
upon it must be productive of this evil: either, on one hand,
of distressing the real children of God, and making their hearts
sad, whom the Lord would not have to be sad, by causing them
to conelude that they are in a state of unbelief, wrath, and
condemnation, because they have not yet received this comfort
and assurance of the Holy Ghost. And, on the other hand,
by causing those of strong passions, bold imaginations, and
vain confident minds, boldly to presume that they do enjoy
this comfort and assurance, when they cannot shew, by the
word of God, any warrant to support it. For this is the true
test of all experience. What is agreeable to that, receive.
What that doth not support, reject. So we shall go on safely,
and comfortably. In order, therefore, to prevent deception, for
our confirmation in the truth, and comfort by the truth,
let us consult the sacred oracles, and hear what is therein
testified of the Spirit of Truth. Let us consider what our
Lord means by the Spirit of Truth dwelling with and IN his
disciples. O that while we are thus engaged, may the holy
Spirit be with us, to lead and guide us into all truth,
and be in us as a comforter, by witnessing to the truth in our
hearts |
1st. What is meant by the Spirit of truth dwelling with us?
But it may be asked, do these words belong, or can they with
any propriety be applied to Christ's disciples now 2 Undoubt-
edly. Are there any disciples of Christ, any believers in him
now upon the earth 2 Certainly. Do such belong to Christ 2
This cannot be denied. For it is said, If any man have not
the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Rom. viii. 9. This
negative includes this affirmative, that every believer in Christ,
is a member of Christ, and does belong to Christ; and, there-
fore, that every believer hath the Spirit of Christ dwelling with
him. . This is so clear and plain, that, no other proof need be
brought, though a thousand others, glory be to God, might be
adduced from his blessed word, that the indwelling of the Spirit
is the common privilege of every believer. Christ himself fully
determines this. John vii. 89.
2d. Our Lord calls him the Spirit of Truth, because he bears
witness in the scriptures to the truth, as it is in Jesus; and to
him who emphatically says, I AM THE TRUTH, - John xiv. 6.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God the Spirit, 2 Tim.
iii. 16. And, says our Loºgle scriptures testify of ME,
*
50
John v. 39, That Christ is the Son of God, and Saviour of
sinners. This is the capital, the leading, the fundamental
truth of the scriptures. It is the central point of truth, in
which the glory of God, and the comfort of his people meet.
From this cardinal truth, that Christ is the Son of God and
Saviour of men, witnessed by the Spirit of Truth in the holy
scriptures, many precious branches of truth shoot out, which
bring glory to God in the highest, and bear the most salutary
fruits of peace on earth, and good-will towards men: such as,
that we sinners are loved of God, with the very same everlasting
unchanging love, with which he loved Christ, his only Son, in
whom he loved us, John xvii. 23; that we are chosen in Christ.
Ephes. i. 5. Redeemed by Christ. Gal. iii. 13. Justified in Christ.
I Cor. vi. 11. Adopted in Christ. Ephes. i. 5. Accepted in
Christ. Ephes. i. 6. Sanctified in Christ. 1 Cor. vi. 11. New
creatures in Christ. 2 Cor. v. 17. Have access to God in
Christ. Rom. v. 2. Are joint heirs with Christ. Rom. viii. 17.
And shall be glorified together with Christ. Rom. viii. 17.
All this, the Spirit bears witness to, in the word of truth; and,
therefore, our Lord calls him, The Spirit of Truth. These are
the truths of the Spirit: and every one who is of the truth,
hears, knows, believes, and receives these truths, in the spirit
of them, and in love to them. Therefore, pause and examine,
are they the spirit and life of your soul ? Does your peace,
comfort, and joy spring from them 2 Does your heart delight
in them And do you bless the Spirit for them 2 For, .
3d. Our Lord says, the spirit of truth dwelleth with you.
How may any one know that the Spirit of Truth dwelleth with
him This was answered the last moment. Even by his believ-
ing, receiving, and loving those truths, which were particular-
ised, and which the Spirit of Truth bears witness to, in the word
of truth. If any man reject these, he has no reason.to con-
clude that the Spirit of Truth dwelleth with him. Nay, if he
opposes any of these truths, does he not prove himself to be a
man of a corrupt mind, perverse disputings, and destitute of
the truth? I Tim. vi. 5. For, the Spirit of Truth dwelleth with
us, as an enlightening Spirit, to give us to know, understand, .
and believe the truths of the scriptures; and through the know-
ledge and belief of the scriptures, he leads and guides us into
all truth, concerning ourselves, and salvation by the Son of God:
that he is the Saviour of the lost, the righteousness of the un-
righteous, the justifier of the ungodly, and the sanctifier of the
unholy. For Christ is made of God unto us, wisdom, righte-
ousness, sanctification, and redemption. 1 Cor. i. 30. This is
truth. "And if the Spirit of Truth dwell with us, he will lead
and guidétis into the knowledge and belief of this truth, that it
may dwell in our hearts, and abide with our spirits, to our
51
peace, º and holiness. For the things of God knoweth
no man, but the Spirit of God. l Cor. ii. 11.
4th. The Spirit of Truth dwelleth with us, to reconcile us
as enemies. Therefore he teaches us to understand, and per-
suades us to believe, the love of God manifested to sinners in
Christ Jesus. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man
lay down his life for his friends. John xv. 13. But God com-
mendeth his love towards us, in that, while we were sinners
[against God, and enemies to him] Christ died for us. Rom. v.
8. And God was in Christ, reconciling the world [of ungodly
sinners, proud rebels, and stout-hearted enemies] to himself,
not imputing their trespasses unto them. 2 Cor. v. 19. This is
the ministry of the gospel, the ministry of the Spirit of truth.
And when he makes this clear and plain to any sinner's con-
science, how does it slay the enmity of his mind against God,
work repentance in him towards God, and faith in our Lord
Jesus Christ With what self-abhorrence doth he throw down
his arms, and cease his hostilities against God? With what
eagerness doth he flee unto, and with what earnestness call
upon a reconciled God in Christ, God be merciful to me a sin-
ner, an enemy to thee, a rebel against thee! Now, as he be-
comes reconciled to God, and at peace with God, he cheerfully
submits his proud reasonings, and carnal objections, to the
truths of God; that his vain imaginations, of himself, of the
power of his own free-will, the pride of his own self-righteous-
ness, and the good opinion that he had of himself, and every
high thought of himself which exalteth itself against the know-
ledge of God, may be brought into captivity to the obedience
of Christ. 2 Cor. x. 5. Thus he will expostulate with himself
now, wretch that I am, that ever I should be an enemy to the
God of truth and grace | Fool that I was, for folly in the ex-
treme it is proudly and arrogantly to reply against the God of
truth, call in question his glorious truths, and deny their com-
forting, sanctifying influence. In the truth of God’s everlast-
ing love I now see support. By his sovereign grace, sinners
are called to him, and are safe and secure in him, from every
foe against them. In Christ's righteousness being imputed to
sinners, they have a title to glory, are righteous before God,
and justified by God. In Christ's blood they have redemption,
even the forgiveness of their sins. By God's power, they are
kept through faith, unto eternal salvation. These, these glo-
rious truths, the Spirit speaks plainly of in the word of grace,
but, blind as I was, I saw them not. Ignorant as I was, I un-
derstood them not. Wretch that I was, I believed them not.
But foolishly and madly, in ignorance and unbelief, I set myself
to oppose these gracious truths, and branded them with dread-
fully wicked, and horribly licentious consequences. But now
52
to the Spirit of Truth, O what a mighty debtorſ for bºdwelleth
with me, and hath graciously reconciled me to them; and now
I see them, as the greatest and most powerful incentives to love
and holiness. Have you found it so in the experience of your
hearts 2 Then,
5th. The Spirit of Truth dwelleth with you, as a spirit of re-
generation. He hath of his own will begat us, with the word
of truth, James i. 18. Yea, according to his abundant mercy,
he hath begotten us a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead. l Pet. i. 3. It is impossible to receive
and believe that divine, well-attested, undeniable truth, that
the very same Jesus, who was a perfect MAN, like unto usin all
things, sin excepted, crucified without the gates of Jerusalem,
expired on the cross in blood and agony for sinners, and rose
again for their justification, but we must conceive a lively
hope towards God, however wretched our condition, despe-
rate our state, and deplorable our circumstances may be.
Though this fact is clear and plain in the word of truth, and is
attested by the Spirit of Truth, yet, till he presents it to our
minds in its divine glory, persuasive eloquence, and happy con-
sequences, we treat it only as an idle tale, insipid and uninter-
esting to us. But when we view it in the light of truth, under
the influence of the Spirit, we see stich amazing charms, such
wonderful glories in it, as at once begets our spirits to a justify-
ing God, attracts our affections to a risen Saviour, and causes a
lively hope to spring up in our liopeless souls towards, both.
And this lively hope makes us asliamed and confounded, that
we should so long deceive our souls with a hope, vain and flat-
tering, dead and unscriptural. Have we found it thus 2 If so,
6th. The Spirit of Truth, dwelleth with us as a converting
Spirit. No sooner does the day star of hope in Jesus arise in
the heart, but the soul turns unto Jesus, the sun öf righteous-
ness. We turn from ourselves, from our self-righteousness, as
well as our sins: From what engaged Öur whole affections, the
love of the world; from what was dear to us as our life, our
sinful companions, and from the unfruitful works of darkness
unto Christ. To know him, be found in him, and to enjoy fel-
lowship with him, is now the one thing needful: the one desire
of our soul. Thus our state is safe, and our salvation sure.
But do all with whom the Spirit of Truth thus dwelleth, as an
enlightening, reconciling, regenerating, converting; Spirit, know
assuredly that their sins are forgiven, that Christ is theirs, that
they are interested in his salvation, are the children of God, and
shall certainly enjoy eternal life? No, the contrary is manifest.
As well suppose that a child, not yet arrived to reason, knows
who created him. So, many of those precious souls are weak in
knowledge, feeble in faith, and low in comfort; and so far
53
from enjoying the full assurance of salvation, they stagger in
their minds, are full of doubts and fears, and are ready to ques-
tion, whether they really are partakers of the grace of God or
not. What shall we say of such St. John tells us, They
are little children, dear children of God, and their sins are
forgiven them, for Christ's sake. I John ii. 12. And of such
our Lord says, *
Secondly, The Spirit of Truth shall be in you, as the Spirit
of adoption, whereby they shall know that they are the chil-
dren of God. Mind that precious word. Because ye are sons,
God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son, [the very same
Spirit that Christ our mediator possessed, and which descended
on him like a dove] into your hearts, crying, abba, Father.
Gal. iv. 6. My loving God, my reconciled Father, in Christ.
In the fulness of time, God sent forth his Son to redeem us,
that we might receive the adoption of sons. The blessing of
it by faith. So that we are sons ºf God by choice, and faith,
before we know it. And in the fulness of time, God sends
forth his Spirit into our hearts, to assure and give us the com-
fort of it. He fills us with all joy and peace in believing,
banishes our doubts, and expels our fears.
2d. Thus the Spirit of truth, 1st, Reconciles us as enemies;
and then, 2ndly, Comforts us as friends. Having effected the
former, he fails not to accomplish the latter. Our minds being
reconciled to God, and the way of salvation, by the Son of his
love, the grace of his word, and by the teaching of his Spirit;
here a large field opens to us, which we may call the spacious
lawn of love to God, and obedience to his commands. Having
received and obeyed his first and great commandment, That we
should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ. I John
iii. 23. Now we are reconciled to God, and commence friends
of Christ. The ever-loving friend of sinners says, I call you
not servants but friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do what-
soever I command you. John xv. 14, 15. Therefore, the
Spirit of Truth comforts us, as friends of Christ. In our walk
of faith, and obedience of love, while we are giving all diligence
to make our calling and election sure, the Spirit is a comforter
to us; by bearing witness with our spirits that we are the
children of God, by faith in Christ Jesus, that our sins are
actually pardoned in his blood, our persons perfectly justified
in his righteousness, our souls really sanctified by his Spirit,
and that we are saved in the Lord, with an everlasting salva-
tion. O the ravishing joy, and unspeakable blessedness, of
thus having the Spirit of truth in us! Werily, we are at the
gates of heaven, and the suburbs of glory. O press forward.
Strive after it. Give all diligence unto the full assurance of
hope unto the end, Heb, vii. 12. * * * * > * , , ,
sº -
54
3d. So that you see the Spirit of Truth comfort's Christ's
friends, not upon the footing of any kind of merit or desert in
them, or for the sake of any terms and conditions fulfilled by
them. No. This is the spirit of the world. Every natural
man imagines, God will love, comfort, and save him, for some-
thing done by him, or found in him. But he comforts our
hearts by assuring us, that all things, pardon of sin, justifica-
tion unto life, his children by adoption, sanctification unto
holiness of life, the Spirit to be our comforter, and the kingdom
of heaven to be our eternal residence, all are freely given,
unmeritedly bestowed upon us for Christ's sake; and that all
things are ours and we are Christ's, and Christ is God's.
1 Cor. iii. 23. Therefore says our Lord, But when the com-
forter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father,
even the Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from the Father,
he shall testify of ME, John xv. 26; and he shall glorify ME.
xvi. 14. . Therefore, if Christ, what he is in his person, and
what he has done to justify and save sinners, be the sum and .
substance of all your comforts: if Christ is glorified in your
eyes, and to your heart, in your assurance of salvation ; doubt
not but these comforts, and this assurance is given you, by the
Spirit of Truth which is in you. O rejoice, then. Love Christ,
the ground of all your comforts. Praise the holy Spirit, who is
the applier of them. Walk with Christ. Be humble before
him, and obedient to him, as a dear friend of his.
Lastly. According to our Lord’s promise, the Spirit of Truth
shall be in you. . Did the holy Ghost, THE comfortER,
descend in all his fulness upon Christ's apostles and friends,
on the day of pentecost? Acts ii. 4. Then let us, with whom
the Spirit of truth dwelleth, do as Christ directed them, tarry at
Jerusalem, waiting for the promise of the Father, to makeº
joyful pentecost-day in our souls. Let us be found waiting ºf
the service of the temple, keeping the Lord's sabbaths as a
memorial of him, holding fast his blessed truths, pleading his
precious promises, living and walking in the love and fear of
him, dreading to draw back from him, ever remembering, that
God gives the holy Ghost [in his witnessing, comforting, and
assuring grace] to them who obey him. Acts v. 32. Have you
had one sweet, joyful, pentecost-day, wherein you did rejoice in
the comforts of the holy Ghost, and could say with the church,
my beloved is mine, and I am his And with Paul, Christ loved
me, and gave himself for me. Gal. ii. 20. How long since 2
Perhaps fourteen years, or less. What then Are you fallen
asleep now, in careless sloth, and supine indolence, thinking
all is safe and secure ? This is an awful sign. If your comforts
were from the Holy Ghost, they were never given for this end,
Arise thou sleeper and call upon thy God. Awake thou that




55
sleepest, and arise from the dead, [thy dead, sleepy frames.
Shake thyself from the dust of the earth, and Christ shall give
thee light. Ephes. v. 14. The light of life, the light of live-
liness, peace, comfort, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Then shalt
thou glory of, and glory in thy Lord afresh, who is ever worthy
of all our love and praise, now and for ever.
INFERENCE.
Is it so, that all our knowledge of Christ, and all our com-
fort in Christ, is enjoyed from the Spirit of Truth, in believing
the word of truth? then how highly ought we to prize the
scriptures, so as to search them daily, study them diligently,
look and pray to the Spirit constantly, that we may see Christ
in them more clearly, and enjoy him more comfortably in our
hearts 2 and how ought we to love, adore, and praise the holy
Spirit, for enlightening our minds to understand, and per-
suading our hearts to believe the seriptures, so as to trust in
the precious promises which are in Christ, and possess the
hope of eternal life by him? How zealous should we be to
honour the word, and teaching of the Spirit by the word, in
opposition to all the unscriptural flights and fancies of enthu-
siastic folly therefore, believe not every spirit, but try the
spirits by the word. For many false prophets are gone out in
the world. 1 John iv. 1. These slight God’s word, and teach
contrary to it.
*. A COLLECT.
O Lord, thou enlightening, comforting Spirit, teach us more
of thy divine truths, and lead us in all thy holy-ways. Glorify
Christ in our hearts, and keep our hearts close to Christ. O
enable us in the faith of him, and in the truth of thy witness
to him, to cry from our hearts, Abba, Father, that we may
possess the love of God’s children, and be obedient to his
heavenly will, to the glory of Father, Son, and Spirit, now and
ever, Amen. *
56
&Ibe €igbti) figtú'3 £5up.
-º-
ON CHRISTIANS FALLING FROM THEIR STED FASTNESS,
Ye therefore beloved, seeing ye know these Things before, be-
ware, lest ye also being led away by the Error ºf the Wicked,
fall from your own Stedjastness. 2 Pet. iii. 17.
It is a just remark, that there never were more persons who
fail in their circumstances, and become bankrupts, than at
present. The reason in general is, they live above their in-
come. This bad conduct prevails for want of due considera-
tion, not making a proper calculation of things, and through
pride of heart, and dissipation of mind. No wonder that this
issues in insolvency. In the Christian life it is the reverse.
Those who fail here, live too low : far beneath their income.
They fail, for not living up to their high calling and exalted
privileges, and acting like themselves, sons of the most high
God, princes of royal blood, and heirs of a heavenly kingdom.
True, it is because their minds are dissipated, their affections
grovel, and are entangled with objects too low for their
gratifications, too unworthy to engage their attention, and
too mean for their eager pursuits. But, while this is the case,
though they may get forward in earthly enjoyments, yet they
awfully run backward in spiritual prosperity; and are reduced, in
their soul concerns, to a state of poverty and bankruptcy. Well
knowing the dreadful evil, and awful danger of such conduct,
Teter addresses this excellent admonition to professors.
O may that blessed Spirit, who inspired this aposthe to write
these words, give us to see how suitable they are to our present
state, and enable us so to consider their importance, as to be
warned of our danger of falling away; and through his blessing
upon our meditation, may they confirm and establish our souls
in the truth, that we may stedfastly stand against every enemy,
even till we put off our armour, and are clothed with our shroud.
Let us consider,
1st. What is implied by our own stedfastness.
2d. The danger and evil of falling from it.
3d. How any do fall away.
4th. The reasons for, and the constant need we have of, that
caution, BEWARE.
1st, What is implied by our own stedfastness 2 Now is it
suggested to you, that it is very legal to talk of our own sted-
fastness ; and contrary to the doctrine of salvation by grace,
57
and perseverance to glory, to talk of falling away ? Mind, ter
is not treating of final apostacy from the faith, but of falling
away from the stedfastness of faith. God's faithfulness is de-
clared in his word, and confirmed by his oath, to all the heirs
of promise, who have fled to Christ, to lay hold of him, who is
the hope set before them in the gospel, that they might have
strong consolation. Heb. vi. 18. God’s word and oath to the
immutability of his counsel, bind him to be stedfast in faith-
fulness to them : and his mighty power is engaged to keep
, them through faith unto salvation. For, they are garri-
soned in God, and an inheritance, incorruptible, undefiled,
and which fadeth not away, is reserved in heaven for them.
1 Pet. i. 4, 5.
Notwithstanding all this, there is a stedfastness which we
may attain to, and fall away from. And this stedfastness is
justly called our own. For, if Christ, who is the author of our
faith, gives us to believe on him, it is with our hearts that we
do believe, and therefore it is called our faith. If he inclines
us to pray to him, and cleave to him, the work is ours ; there-
fore is called our prayers, and our cleaving. Though it is God
who works in us, both to will and to do of his good pleasure,
yet it is we who both will and do those things which are pleas-
ing in his sight. So that, if we have arrived to any degree of
stedfastness in faith, in prayer, cleaving to Christ, and abiding
in him, and in doing those things which please him, it is by
his own power which quickened us, his grace that watered us,
and his flesh and blood that mourished us ; therefore, all the
glory is wholly due to him, by whom we are what we are. O
may we give it to him now and ever ! yet this is very properly
called our own faithfulness, for we are the happy subjects
of it.
Even a babe in Christ, who is but just come to the know-
ledge of, and standing in Christ by faith, has attained to a de-
gree of his own stedfastness, though he be not so strong in
faith, nor so established in Christ, as young men and fathers
are. Therefore, this admonition against falling away from our
own stedfastness, is to all and every one who professes to
know Christ, be in Christ, and to have received Christ by faith.
Hence St. Paul tells each and every one of the members of
the church at Colosse, what joy he had in beholding the sted-
fastness of their faith. Col. ii. 5. , Great joy it must be to
ministers and Christians, to see all who profess Christ, whether
Łabes, young men, or fathers, to be 'stedfast to Christ: in the
knowledge of him, faith in him, love to him, and boldness for
his truths and his glory in the world.
#But there is nothing the world more hates, the devil-more
'envies, than astedfast Christian. For he is an honour to Christ,
and Christ will honour him. If he is a young Christian, he will
*a-
58
put old ones to the blush, and, by his stedfastness, excite them
to greater diligence. If he is an old Christian, he is a blessed
example to the lambs of the flock, and will greatly encourage
them to hold fast the beginning of their confidence stedfast to
the end. O, then, how highly ought we to prize stedfastness 2
and the more we do this, so much the more shall we dread
what we now come to consider.
Secondly. The danger and evil of falling from our own
stedfastness. Though we are regenerated by the Spirit, have
put on Christ, are new creatures in him, and stand by the faith
of him; yet, let us not be high minded, but fear, continually fear:
though not of falling into hell; for our Saviour says, we shall never
perish, I will give unto them eternal life. John x. 28. Yet fear
falling away from the peace of faith, the joy of hope, the com-
fort of love, delight in the ways of God's holy commandments,
his precious truths, and sweet fellowship with him in Christ.
Therefore, let us never forget that we are still the subjects of a
body of sin, which dwelleth in us, that there is not one sin that
is committed in the world, but the seeds of it are in our fallen
nature, and we are liable to fall into it, and to fall away by it.
Indeed, there is this one evil which those who know not Christ
are in no danger of committing, even of falling away from their
stedfastness in the faith of Christ; but to this great evil we are
continually exposed, and are in constant danger of falling into,
through a tempting devil, an ensnaring world, and a deceitful
and wicked heart. And when the soul is thus fallen away
from its own stedfastness, O how dreadful the fall ! what innu-
merable evils attend it !
If the once zealous gospel minister falls from his own sted-
fastness, by catching the spirit and temper of the world, en-
gaging in the pleasures of it, and choosing the company of the
men of it; how soon will this manifest itself, by his coldness
and indifference to his most honourable work, his deadness and
formality in performing it, and (if he does not totally neglect
it) his carelessness and unconcern about the success of it, the
bringing glory to Jesus, by converting lost sinners to him, and
edifying, comforting, sanctifying, and building up saints in the
faith of him. Once, when in his former stedfastness his soul
was full of zeal, and all on fire for promoting this blessed work.
But now, alas ! like Samson, his locks are shorn, and his
strength is gone. The Lord is departed from him, and he is
grown weary and faint in his mind, he has sadly lost love to
Christ, and precious souls, to the stumbling many, and distress-
ing more of God's people: but to the triumph of Satan, and
the rejoicing of the men of the world. Perhaps, for a season,
he may carry this off with an air of unconcern; but sooner or
later, conscience will be roused, awakened, and alarmed out of
59
its stupor, and then, O what horror, terror, dismay, and distress
will it feel! but how sad, how awfully sad, to be haunted with its
remorse upon a dying pillow. O may ministers consider this
so as to avoid the evil. .
Again, see the once stedfast, lively, warm-hearted Christian,
who, wherever he came, his spirit was full of the unction from
above, the sweet savour of Christ dwelt in his heart, and power-
fully flowed from his tongue. He ever had a word to speak in
season for Jesus, and unto his fellow sinners and brethren in
Christ. The love of his Lord dwelt richly in his heart; and in
the power of prayer to him, he sweetly poured out his soul
before him. Christ was his glory. His love and salvation his
theme. He had heaven in his view, and the world under his
feet. Thus he lived to God's glory, and his conversation was
blessed to the edifying of many, the comforting of more, and to
the rejoicing of all Christ's disciples wherever he came. But
alas ! see him now he is fallen from his own stedfastness. His
heart is cold to Jesus, his zeal for his glory abated, and his
tongue cleaves to the roof of his mouth, and is dumb to speak
of him, to speak for him, and to pray unto him. O how is the
gold become dim how is the most fine gold changed 1 is not
this an evil much to be dreaded ? suppose in this, as well as
the former case, all the doctrines of grace are still maintained;
and the doctrines of the saints' final perseverance held fast;
yet, will not such souls find many suspicions, fears, and jea-
lousies, lest they are not of the number of God’s saints? and,
will not their conduct sadly darken their evidence, of being
interested in the love and salvation of the Son of God? for,
where faith fails, and love abates, hope will be at a very low
ebb, and comfort, joy, and peace forsake the heart. Are not
these evils 2 evils ever to be dreaded by us? But,
Thirdly. How do any fall from their own stedfastness? by
being led away with the error of the wicked. Being led away,
is taken from the idea of a traveller who is seduced, or drawn
aside from the right path: so professors are seduced from
Christ, the way, the only way of present peace, and to future
glory. , And, it is the error of the wicked, of your wicked heart
and mine, and of all the wicked on earth, to prefer anything and
everything to Christ, and to the enjoyment of him. A most
dreadful error indeed l happy for those who escape it, miserable
for those who fallinto it. For, those who do, lose their simplicity
towards Christ, their poverty of spirit before him, their firm
dependence on him, their sweet fellowship with him, and
their devotion of soul to him. And instead of this, as they
decline in spiritual prosperity, they incline to the things of this
world, to the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the
pride of life. They grow high minded, and do not fear falling.
60
They get to be vain confident in themselves, and forget that
they stand by faith: even that faith which overcometh the
world, through the victory of Jesus, which keeps the soul
striving against sin, and resisting satan in the strength of
Jesus, maintains peace with God, and peace in the conscience
through the atonement of Jesus, lays the soul low in humility,
and exalts it in the righteousness of Jesus, and makes Christ so
precious to the heart, that it prefers fellowship with him far
above all the vanities of time, and the enjoyments of sense. But,
O how many are fallen from their own stedfastness in all this
how are they seeking living comforts from dead vanities l in-
stead of God's truths.
How are they immersed in the world, and how eagerly do
they pursue its riches, honours, and pleasures, contrary to the
faith of Christ, hope in Christ, love to Christ, and the com-
mands of Christ! O let us remember, thou who readest, and he
who writeth, that we are still exposed to the evil and danger of
all this, and liable to be led away by this, so as to fall away
from our own stedfastness J O may the sight of our danger, and
the conviction of the evil, ever live with us, that we may ever
attend to the apostle's advice, B.EwARE. This is the
Fourth point, The constant need we have ever to attend to
this caution. Beware of sin, it is hardening and deceitful : of
satan, he is subtle and deceiving ; of the world, it is bewitching
and alluring: of your hearts, they are treacherous and wicked:
of professors, they may prove injurious and ensnaring: for all
these unite, in the error of the wicked, to draw us away from our
simplicity in Christ, and cause us to fall from our ownstedfast-
ness in him, and to him. Therefore, be cautious of these : be
on your guard against these. Now this caution, beware, in-
cludes in it, ºn: all these evils; and prayer to
be kept from falling away by them.
1st. Watchfulness. In all the declarations of the Lord, of
keeping his people unto eternal life, not one of them tends to
encourage sloth and carelessness; but to promote their vigil-
ance and activity in the divine life. So far from being a
Christian grace, it is nothing less than arrogant presumption,
to pretend to trust in God’s power to preserve us from our
enemies, and falling by them, while we are careless, fearless,
and unconcerned for any evil and danger from them, and neg-
lect to watch against them. That man who says, Tush, there
shall no evil happen to me, I am safe, the covenant is sure,
God is faithful and powerful to keep me; therefore do not tell
me of such low and legal stuff, of falling away, and of my
watchfulness. Friend, take knowledge of thyself. Thou art
already fallen from the doctrines of grace, into the error of the
wicked. Thou hast only a motion of these doctrines in thy
§4.
head, without the grace and influence of them upon thy heart.
or, gracious hearts feel the influence of gracious truths: and
these excite to watchfulness, against every foe, and every idol.
He who watches diligently, shall be rewarded amply. Apollo-
nius, the oracle of his day, coming very early to the gate of
Wespasian, and finding him awake, said to his companion, this
man is worthy to be an emperor, he is so watchful. And so be
was afterwards. So the watchful Christian shall reign over
his enemies, and rule over his lusts, through the power of Christ.
Watchfulness is our duty. Safety is of the Lord.
He that neglects to watch will be sure to smart. For
there is riot a §olish vanity in the world, but our hearts are
deceitful enough to be ensnared by it, and wicked enough to leave
Christ for it. Every wicked error has its seducing charms to
entice our hearts from our beloved, our stedfastness in him,
and our fellowship with him. Let us watch against a high
opinion of ourselves, our gifts, attainments, and doings, lest we
think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think, have
slight thoughts of sin, low thoughts of Christ, and love to the
world, so as to be blinded to the one thing needful. Watch
against those professors of the day, who are all head, but no
heart, life, nor love to the ways of God. Is the Son of God
come 2 hath he given us an understanding to know him,who is
true? Are we in him, who is true? Is he the true God and
eternal life? Then watch against that cursed error of the
wicked, which would rob him of his Divinity, and our souls of
the glory and comfort of his being able to save us, and give
eternal life to us, as very God of very God. Watch against
'that error of the wicked, which would take off the constraints of
‘love from our minds, and induce, to licentious principles, and
unholy practices: or would cause us to trust to our inherent
righteousness, and not glory solely in THE LORD our RIGHTE-
'ousNEss, and in his righteousness only, imputed to us
through faith. Every thing in the world is an idol, when put in
competition with Jesus. Therefore, all that is in the world is to be
watched against, and to be given up for Christ, that we may main-
ſtain our stedfastness in, and to him. “Little Children, keep your-
selves from idols.” 1 John v. 20. And, that we make not an
idol of our own power to watch; therefore,
2. We shall pray to him. Where Christ is really the one
object of the soul, there will be a desire to walk humbly with
him, closely to cleave to him, continually to abide in him,
a constant fear of losing sight of him, and falling away from him :
and this will ever excite a cry unto him, Lord support my
standing. Lord, preserve me from falling. This prayer will
humble us, and honour him. It will make us indepen-
.dent of ourselves, and dependant on him. It is going out of
62
ourselves, and going unto him. It is casting our care upon
him, and trusting our souls, and our keeping, with him. O
this glorifies him ' and what sweet satisfaction does it yield us!
St. Origen, going to comfort and encourage a martyr, was ap-
prehended himself, and was constrained, either to offer to the
idols, or have his body abused by a black-moor. To save his
life, he bowed to an idol, But he afterwards made this sad
confession, that he went out that morning without praying to
God. This, he said, he assuredly knew to be the cause of that
evil. Who knows what a day, big with events, may bring
forth 2 O Christians ! what comforts are enjoyed in praying !
how many blessings are lost by neglecting it! ye have not, be-
cause ye ask not. James iv. 2. That is enough to shame us.
Ask, and receive, that your joy may be full, says our Lord.
John xvi. 24. This is enough to embolden and inspire us, at
all times, in all places, and under all circumstances, to lift up
our hearts to the Lord to keep us. Thus sanctify the Lord
God in your hearts, let him be your fear and your dread, and
he shall be for a sanctuary. Isai. viii. 13, 14. Then shall you
not fear what the enemy can do unto you.
INFERENCE.
Gospel comforts can only be enjoyed in the obedience of faith,
andstedfastness to the truth. How highly then ought we to prize
the exhortations of the Spirit ! For they tend to make us watch-
ful, destroy self confidence, and build us up in our most holy
faith: so that Christ Inay be more precious to us, our heavenly
Father more delighted in by us, and more of the holy Spirit’s
witness and assurance enjoyed within us. The more we live
upon the word of truth, and the everlasting covenant of grace,
the greater confidence shall we have of our safety and secu-
rity in Christ; and that “God who is able to keep us from fall-
ing, will assuredly present us faultless before the presence of
his glory, with exceeding joy.” Jude xxiv. Now to God, the
friend of sinners, be glory to day and for ever. Amen.
A COLLECT.
O Lord, uphold us by thy free Spirit. We cannot stand
one moment without thee. We cannot maintain our own sted-
fastness, but by thy power. Lord, work in us, both to will
and to do of thy good pleasure. Make us what thou wouldst
have us to be in all things. O grant us to live by faith on the
Son of God on earth, that we may reign eternally with him in
heaven: to whom with thee, and the Holy Ghost, be glory in the
highest. Amen.
63
QIlje JBintſ) Lott'g 20āg.
*mºm-se
CHRISTIANs’ DUTY To The FEEBLE-MINDED AND WEAK,
Now we eahort you, Brethren, comfort the feeble-minded,
&upport the weak. 1 Thess. v. 14.
THE higher the sun rises over us, the more it sheds of its
influence upon us. Just so is it with the sun of righteousness.
He arises first upon our souls with healing in his wings.
Mal. iv. 2. His divine light clears up our understanding, chases
the clouds of darkness from our minds, and heals the diseases
of our souls. By his comforting rays, and cheering influences,
he sheds the pardon of our sins, and restores us to the peace
of God. Christ hath obtained both by the blood of his cross.
And when he shines upon us, we feel the comforting influence
thereof, applied to our souls, to their healing and joy. But the
sun shines more and more to the perfect day. So does Christ
the Sun of righteousness. Hence, we see more and more of
his love for us, the relations he stands in to us; and of our
duty to him, and the various instances we are called upon, by
which to glorify him in the world. And this is ever the most
prevailing and powerful incentive to every duty, “We serve
the Lord Christ.” Col. iii. 24.
O how animating to consider, in every work of faith, and
labour of love, we are doing the will, and rendering service to
that God-man in one Christ, who offered up his life as a sacri-
fice for our souls, suffered the accursed death of the cross for
our sins, and hath risen upon our souls, with his all-healing,
and all-comforting beams O ye sons of earth, and slaves of
sin, talk ye may, and boast ye will of your good works, and
what they will procure for you from God, and entitle you to
before God. Yet how fatally mistaken, how awfully deceived
are ye! for what are all your boasted works but splendid sins 2
What the end of all, but awful death, without the knowledge
of faith in, and love to the Son of God, and Saviour of sin-
ners Hear the voice of your own church, of which you boast,
and pride yourselves in being members of, “Works done be-
fore the grace of Christ, and the inspiration of His Spirit, are
not pleasant to God, forasmuch as they spring not of faith in
Jesus Christ: neither do they make men meet to receive grace,
or deserve grace : they are not done as God hath willed and
commanded, therefore have the nature of sin.” Article 13.
But to you, upon whom the sun of righteousness hath risen,
and healed your souls, that church proclaims, “Goodworks are
4
64
the fruits of faith, and follow after justification. ‘Though they
cannot put away our sins, nor endure the severity of God’s
judgment, yet they are pleasing and acceptable to God in
Christ, &c.” Art. 12.
Now, here is a duty—duty did I say? the word by many is
thought too low and legal. Then call it a high honour, an ex-
alted privilege set before us, and which we are exhorted to.
None but the children of the most high God, none but the
saints of Jesus, the KING OF KINGs, are exhorted to it, or can
perform it. Brethren, ye brethren of Christ, brethren of one
Father, God, we exhort you, comfort the feeble-minded, sup-
port the weak. As ye love Christ, the precious Saviour: as ye
rejoice in his person, and delight in his service, shew your love
to him, by your affectionate regard for his weak and feeble
members. For, he says, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto
the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Matt.
xxv. 40. Is it so then º us, that this blessed work is
so little understood and considered, and so much neglected by
us. The Lord in mercy pardon us. The Lord in love stir us
up to be more engaged in it. And the Lord help us to consi-
der the nature and importance of it, that as we are to be put in
mind, to be ready to every good work, Titus iii. 1, so may we
be ready to this also. Therefore, let us consider what is meant
by the weak and feeble-minded, and how we are to support the
one, and comfort the other. O what honour does God put
upon us.
First, who are meant by the feeble-minded and weak Has
Christ got any such in his family and flock yes, and ever had.
He bears a most tender regard, and affectionate esteem for
thern too. Look at the 34th and 4th of Ezekiel, and see with
what tender concern he speaks of them, as diseased, sick, bro-
ken, driven away, and lost. Now, under these images, let us
consider the feeble-minded and weak. 1st. They are diseased
and sick. Natural disease weakens the body. Spiritual disease
makes the mind feeble. To discover the nature of a disease,
it is usual to feel the pulse. To discover spiritual disease, we
must attend to the complaints of the tongue. Different diseases
affect the body. So they do the mind. Some nervous, low-
spirited people fancy, they have a complication of almost every
disease you can mention. And so it often is with feeble minds.
They complain of their head, eyes, ears, memories, their hearts
and affections. So that they can neither see, hear, understand,
receive, retain, and love the truth as it is in Jesus, nor Jesus,
*who is the truth, as they wish and desire to do. Yea, they
complain of their very desires too, that they are cold and lan-
guid. Thus, their whole head is sick, their heart faint, and
their mind feeble.
65
$ + &
2. How are we to comfort such sick, diseased, and feeble .
minds 2 There is what the physicians call the prima viae, or the
first passages for the chyle to pass through, in order to nourish
and strengthen the body. Any obstruction here will bring on
weakness and disorder. Thus it is in feeble minds. The primae
via, or first passages for spiritual nutriment, are disordered;
and this keeps their minds weak and feeble. For they mistake
the heavenly physician's love to, and compassion for souls. The
method of his dispensing and communicating his blessings
and comforts, as well as whom he designs them for. Christ
says, “The whole [the sound, whole-hearted, self-righteous sin-
ner] needs not a physician, but they who are sick.” Mark ii.
17. But feeble minds, because they are sick and diseased, fool-
ishly think they are not fit for Christ, that they have no in-
ward qualifications to commend and entitle them to his favour,
such as strong faith in him, great love to him, vehement desires
after him, burning zeal for him, and unremitting obedience
to him; and, therefore, they are not looking to Jesus, nor
expecting . blessings and comforts from him. Now we are
to point out to them, that an enemy, the enemy of souls, hath
done this. He hath sowed the tares of falsehood among the
seeds of truth in their hearts; and these keep their minds weak
and feeble. Therefore, in order to comfort them it is neces-
sary, * N. - -
3. To explain to them from the scriptures the absurdity of
their notions—the inconsistency of their conduct—the free ac-
cess sinners, as sinners, have to Christ—the free, unmerited,
unconditional love he bears to them—the fulness of that sal-
vation he has wrought out for them—his loving invitation to
them—his readiness to receive them—his hearty good will to
bestow every blessing upon them—and all this, because of
the relation he stands in to them, on account of his covenant
engagements for them. Now, how extremely ridiculous and
absurd had the diseased persons, in the days of Christ's flesh,
reasoned and acted thus If the blind had said, I have no sight.
to see, so as to be delighted with Christ's glorious person,
therefore I am unfit to go to him, or expect sight from him. .
If the deaf had said, I have no ears to ear his joyful voice, and
delightful words, therefore, what can I expect from him he
will never think me worthy to restore hearing to. If the leper.
had said, I am a most loathsome, infectious creature, overspread
with running sores and ulcers, I have every thing about me to
make Christ abhor me; but nothing to recommend me to him,
therefore what hope can I have of healing from him Besides.
all this, they might all have united in this objection, common
to each of them, I am a sinner, and Christ, the Son of God, is
a holy person, separate from sinners, therefore, he cannot ad-
F
66
mit such a vile wretch, as I am to come unto him; he must so
despise my character, and abhor my person, as not to bestow
any blessings upon me. But how did Christ behave to such 3
How did he treat them, when they came to him With an air
of contempt and disdain far from it. No, he received them
graciously, and conferred blessings on them freely. He never
sent one away from him, without a blessing, who came to him.
Therefore,
4. We are to comfort feeble minds with Christ's own
words, which he sent to John, as a sure criterion that he was
the true Messiah. “ The blind receive their sight, and the
lame walk; the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear; the
dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached unto
them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended
in me.” Matt. xi. 5, 6. Did Christ so love the bodies of sin-
ners diseased and disordered as they were 2 Did he freely per-
form such miraculous cures upon them 2 Did he assign these
acts of his love and power to the vile and worthless, as a cer-
tain evidence, that he was the true Saviour And were these,
his cures upon the bodies of men, emblematical of our souls’
diseases 2 Has he so loved the bodies of sinners, as to heal and
restore them of their disorders ? Has he not as great love for
the souls, the immortal souls of sinners 2 Is he not full as ready
to heal them also, be their spiritual maladies what they may
Thus we may reason with, and comfort sick, diseased, feeble
minds. But farther,
5. We may ask the feeble-minded, yea, ask ourselves also,
if we are feeble-minded; for we ourselves may not be exclu-
ded in this exhortation. Therefore, every man may and ought
to be instrumental in comforting his own mind, as well as
others, by using all proper means conducive to that end. I
say, we may ask the feeble-minded, are you poor, spiritually
poor? are you destitute of the image of God, and have you no-
thing but rags, filthy rags, to hide the nakedness of your soul
from his sight have you no worth or worthiness about you to
purchase his favour, and entitle you to his love are you stript
of all, and destitute of every thing, to make you meet for his
regard 2 have you nothing, which you can call your own but
sin and are you nothing in yourself, but a poor, wretched,
cursed sinner, cast out from the presence of God, to the loath-
ing of yourself, and all that you are what says our Saviour
of such Verily, “to the poor is the gospel preached.” This
is the good news, or glad tidings, of the unsearchable riches
of Christ : you cannot be too poor, wretched, miserable, blind,
and naked for him ; for he counsels such to come to him. Rev.
iii. 18. that they may rest in him. For though we have nothing
in ourselves, yet we have all in him. Though we are naked,
G?
yet we have a glorious robe of righteousness in him. Though
we have no worth, or worthiness in ourselves, yet we have
every worth, and all worthiness in him. For this is a faithful
saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came
into the world to save sinnERāśi Tim. i. 15. Such we are,
such all men upon the earth are; and such all will be, while in
this body of sin; and therefore this faithful saying is ever
worthy of all aceeptation by us, at all times, and under all cir-
cumstances, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sin-
ners. So that though we are poor, wretched, cursed sinners in
ourselves, yet we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in him.
Eph. i. 3. Though in ourselves cast out from the presence of
the Lord, and unworthy to appear before him, yet God hath
made us accepted in his beloved Son. Eph. i. 6. We have
access with boldness unto God by him, and Christ hath conse-
crated a new and living way, through the vail of his flesh, for
us to draw nigh to God, [at all times] in full assurance of faith.
Heb. x. 20, &c. Thus, though poor and lost in ourselves, yet
we are found in Christ, restored to the image and favour of
God, in Christ; and enriched with all the blessings of his
love, and the comforts of his salvation. For, we sinners are
saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation. -
6th. This is the gospel, and this gospel is preached to the
poor. And by this gospel, feeble minds are to be comforted,
and the weak supported, and by no other means. Therefore,
says the Lord, “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your
God.” Isai. xl. 1. “Blessed be God, even the Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, [to the miserable]
and the God of all comfort, [to the wretched] who comforteth
us in all our tribulations, [whether inward or outward, whether
of body or mind, to this end,) that we may be able to comfort
them who are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we
ourselves are comforted of God.” 2 Cor. iii. 4. God is the
Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, only as he is
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our Father in him.
Oh, says the feeble-minded and weak, this is comfort and sup-
port indeed! but here is the turning point, to know that we
are God’s people, whom he commands to be comforted and
supported, and that God is our God and Father in Christ.
O could we but know this, verily our feeble minds would be
comforted, and our weak hearts supported. Would they
then we have another precious word of comfort and support for
you from Christ. * * -
7. He adds, “And blessed is he whosoever shall not be
offended in me.” Now here is a plain question for you. Much
comfort, great support is contained in it. , You are offended
with yourselves, because you * sinners, and at sin, as the cause
- 2
68
of all your misery. Pray now are you offended in Christ? this is
the point. How does Christ appear to you, as held forth in
the gospel Are you not offended in the meanness of his per-
son as perfect MAN, the Son of poor Mary, and a mean carpen-
ter, yea, a carpenter himself? Are you not offended in his per-
son, as God-man in one anointed Jesus, the Saviour, at his
wonderful humility, as a poor man, and his striking condescen-
sion, as the Almighty God; and that the God-head shines in
his humanity, and every attribute and perfection of deity, is
glorified in Christ's flesh; and that God can only be known,
loved, and rejoiced in by us, guilty creatures, but as made mani-
fest in the flesh; GoD IN CHRIST reconciling the world unto
himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them,--are you not
offended at this 2 Are you not offended at Christ in his offices,
as the surety for sinners, to make atonement for sin, to obey
the law in their stead, to bring in a righteousness to justify
them, and to work out a salvation for them ; and that every
blessing of grace and glory should be communicated unto them
out of his fulness : that he is a prophet to teach us, a priest to
intercede for us, and a king to reign over us by his power, and
in us by his word and Spirit, so as to subdue sin under us, and
perfect holiness in us; and that in all things, Christ should have
the pre-eminence *
8. Is there nothing in all this, but what in the spirit of your
‘mind, you approve of and acquiesce in 2 And do you desire to have
no hope, no comfort, no support, but what comes from Christ?
Can you answer in the affirmative 2 yes, say you, most heartily.
O none but Christ, none but Christ may he be all in all in
me, and to me. But I find the flesh, with its affections and
lusts, warring in me, sadly opposing me, and dreadfully re-
belling against me. So did Paul. Rom. 7. So do all saints
in Christ. This is a blessed sign of spiritual life from Christ,
and your complaints of it evidence, that you are a member of
him, through faith in him ; and therefore he pronounces,
Blessed is he, whosoever is not offended in me, but looks to,
and believes in me, as the only Saviour from sin, death, and
hell, to righteousness, life, and heaven. He, whosoever, or
whatsoever he be, he is blessed by my tongue. He shall be
blessed from my heart. He shall be blessed with my love,
and kept by my power. He is passed from death to life, and
shall never come into condemnation. Though he is a poor,
bleating sheep, yet he knows my voice, he will follow me.
“I will give unto him eternal life, he shall never perish, and
none shall pluck him out of my hands.” John x. 28. For my
Father loves him, I love him, and the holy Spirit loves him.
This threefold cord of love shall never be broken. I have
blessed him, and he shall be blessed. Only let that blessed
69
soul be not faithless but believing. Let him hang upon my
word, and though he has nothing else to comfort his feeble
mind, and support his weak heart, yet let him rejoice in
i. word, and “Bless himself in me, the God of truth.” Isai.
XV. 16.
, 9. What all this without any thing found in me worthy of
it? O thou poor feeble-minded, weak-hearted sinner, what
wouldst thou, what canst thou do to deserve this? Thy notion
of doing in this way, keeps thy mind feeble, and thy heart weak.
Remember, Christ came not to be ministered unto, but to
minister relief to thy guilty conscience, comfort to thy feeble
mind, and support for thy weak heart, and to give his life a
ransom for our sinful souls. Matt. xx. 28. O receive this cup
of comfort, this cup of salvation, at the hand of the Lord 4 for
he says, Let the weak say I am strong. Joel iii. 10. Paul takes
up the words, and in the experience of faith says, When I am
weak, then am I strong. 2 Coi. xii. 10. How 2 strong in the
grace which is in Christ Jesus. Strong in the Lord, and in the
power of his might: though all feebleness, and nothing but
weakness in myself. He looked to the Lord in all, trusted the
Lord for all, relied upon the Lord through all, and under all,
and to the Lord committed all. Thus do thou; Cast thy burden
upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee. Psalm lv. 22. Surely,
if Christ bore all our sins in his own body upon the tree, we
can neither doubt his love nor his power to comfort our feeble
minds, and support our weak hearts, for he is touched with a
feeling of our infirmities. Heb. xiv. 15. .
Hence see what provision there is in the covenant of grace,
entered into by the coequal THREE, for the support and comfort
of the feeble-minded and weak. “This eovenant is everlasting,
well ordered in all things, and sure.” 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. For we
have the sacred word and solemn oath of God to eonfirm it,
and the blood of his Son to ratify it. And that we might trustin,
and rejoice on account of it, the holy Spirit has revealed the
blessings and comforts of it in the gospel. To him let us look
for the increase of faith in it. &
' A COLLECT.
O Thou Saviour of sinners, and physician of souls, save and
heal us. Strengthen out feeble minds, support and comfort our
weak hearts by faith in thee. Lord increase our faith on thee.
Lord we are nothing but feebleness and weakness in ourselves,
O make us strong in thee, and in the power of thy might. From
a sight of our weakness, may we come unto thee, and from a
sense of our feebleness may we ever lean upon thee; thus
may we walk under the teaching of thy Spirit, now and ever.
Amen.
70
(Ibe QTenth Lord's 20ap.
*º-
ON OUR HOLY AND HEAVENLY CALLING.
Wherefore holy Brethren, partakers of the heavenly Calling, con-
sider the Apostle, and High Priest of our Profession, Christ
Jesus. Heb. iii. 1. -
It is a great mercy, and inestimable privilege, for a Chris-
tian clearly to distinguish between flesh and spirit, as he is the
subject of both : and in the light of the scriptures plainly to see,
how these are ever contrary to, and continually lusting against,
each other. But, alas ! we are too apt to blend and confound
these two opposite natures together, instead of considering
them ever at variance with each other. Hence arises our mis-
take in judging of our state, and our perplexity of mind con-
cerning ourselves; so we get into doubts and fears, do not walk
comfortably before the Lord in peace and love, and serve him
with a free spirit in righteousness and true holiness, as we are
called to. Let us look to the Lord, and pray him to give us a
right judgment in all things, while we meditate upon this part
of his holy word. O may he make our meditation sweet to our
hearts, and profitable to our souls, to the honour of his free
grace, and for the glory of his blessed name in Christ Jesus !
These two points are plainly held forth to us in the text. In
humility of heart, and sincerity of spirit, let us closely attend
to them. 1st. The description of the persons here addressed.
And 2d. what they are exhorted.to.
1st. The description of the persons here addressed. 1st.
They are called holy brethren. But were they not men in the
flesh, sinners like other men, having a carnal nature in them,
contrary to the law of God, and ever lusting against the Spirit
of God? were they in a state of perfect holiness, and freed
from the very being of sin 2 No. We dare not say this of them:
for this is not true concerning them; but is directly contrary to
the confession they make of themselves. Holy Paul, the au-
thor of this epistle, and holy Barnabas, when the people had
entertained the highest opinion of them, and were about to deify
them, they cried out, with abhorrence, “Sirs, we are men of
like passions with you.” Acts xiv. 15. Paul confessed of himself
and his holy brethren, “That they lived in the flesh, and walked
in the flesh.” 2 Cor. x. 3; Gal. ii. 20. “And that in my flesh
dwelleth no good thing, and that sin dwelleth in me.” Rom. vii.
18, 20. “And that we ourselves also are found sinners.” Gal. ii.
17. And holy John says, “If we say (I a holy apostle, or you holy
brethren, if any of us say) we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,
71
and the truth is not in us.” 1 John i. 8. How then could
they be holy Why are they called holy brethren?
2. Here is the great mystery of godliness; that man, the fal-
len creature of an apostate parent, a sinner, in whose nature
sin dwelleth, and nothing but sin; who can of himself do no-
thing but sin; and in all he does, sin cleaves to him, that, not-
withstanding all this, this very same vile, polluted sinner, should
be called, what he really is, holy. No two things in nature can
possibly be more opposite to each other than sin and holiness.
And yet man, every regenerate man, is the subject of both,-
the miserable subject of the former: the happy partaker of the
latter. By nature we are all conceived in sin, and brought forth
in iniquity. We love sin, live under the pleasing reign of sin,
and are the willing slaves to the power of sin. By grace, the
free favour of God bestowed upon our souls, we are born again
of God's Spirit into the kingdom of his beloved Son, are united
to him by faith, become one with him in spirit, and are made
partakers of his holiness. Hence it is that we are called holy,
holy brethren: holy in, with, and by Christ; brethren of Christ,
and of all those who are sanctified in Christ, and saints of
Christ. Thus being married to Christ, we are called after him
aecording to our new and holy state in him.
3. Now, we see plainly in the scriptures how this is effected.
And we can also rationally account for this. For just in the
same way as we partake of the first Adam's sin and pollution,
even by a birth into nature; so we partake of the second Adam’s
holiness, by a new birth of the Spirit into him. But, this new
birth of the Spirit does not annihilate, or root out the being of
sin, or kill the life of sin in our flesh, though it does the love of
sin. No, there it is, and there it will remain in all its parts;
dwelling with us, working and raging in us, opposing and war-
ring against the law of our minds, lusting and desiring against
the Spirit, to be gratified. Like the shadow of ourselves, it ever
follows us, and is ever present with us. No place, no company,
no exercise or engagement, be it ever so holy or spiritual, can
separate us from its presence, or divest us of its company. It is
called “the old man, which is corrupt, according to the deceitful
lusts.” Ephes. iv. 22. A man, because whole and entire in
every part and faculty, not part of a man; not the remains of a
man; but a whole and perfect man of sin. It is an old man,
because almost coeval with the creation of man. It is corrupt
in every part; and every lust or desire of it is evil and deceitful.
And, says the church of England, “This original or birth sin,
[or this old man] or this [total] infection of nature, doth re-
main, [whole and entire, not the remainders of it, as though any
part of it were taken away in regeneration,] yea in them who are
regenerated. And in them also it deserveth God’s wrath and
damnation, equally in them as in others.” Art, 9.
t?
*
.4. This is an awful lecture for the regenerate and holy bre-
thren of Christ. For the truth of it, I dare appeal to the expe-
rience of each one of them. Say, Q reader, say. O hearer of these
words, How do you find it within yourself? Are you sensiblie
that this old man is still alive in you? Do you feel his lustings,
warrings, opposings, ragings, and rebellings against your better
part, your renewed sanctified soul ? Do you groan under them,
and because of them, cry, O wretched man that 1 am, who shall
deliver me from this vile body of sin, this ponderous body of
death ! this is a precious sign, a sure evidence that the second
Adam, the Lord from heaven, is a quickening Spirit to your soul,
once dead in trespasses and sins; and that you are one of the
holy brethren in Christ, and of Christ. You groan because you
feel, which the spiritually dead do not. You feel carnal bur-
dens, because your soul is spiritually alive. You cry to be de-
livered from them, because your soul is sanctified in Christ,
and you are a holy brother of Christ.
5. And, as our new birth into Christ does not annihilate, root
out, or kill the life and being of sin, which is in our flesh; so
neither can this man of sin, this total infection of nature, anni-
hilate, root out, or kill the life and being of holiness in our
souls. No, blessed be Jesus, He is our life : the life of our
souls, the life of our graces, the life of our sanctification.
Though sin put him to an accursed death for us, yet sin can
never destroy his blessed life in us. For he says, “Because I
live, ye shall live also.” John xiv. 19. As much as if he had
said, it is as much impossible to kill the life of your souls, as it
is to take away my life, which is essential to me as God. Such
is this blessed life of God in the soul of man. Thus blessed
are all the holy brethren of Christ. O how joyful is this to
the faith of our hearts | This is the spring of all holiness in
ll.S.
6. Are you one of the happy number * if so, why are you
ever looking to find any good in the flesh, or expecting any
good from the flesh? it is your privilege, and ought to be your
constant practice, to live in the spirit, walk in the spirit, judge
of yourself after the spirit, to rejoice in your new, spiritual, and
holy state, as a brother of Christ; and therefore to live above
the flesh, all carnal views, all self-righteous confidences, all
fleshly hopes, and to bring the flesh into subjection to the Spi-
rit; to put off the old man, and to put on the new man more
and more; so as to rejoice in Christ Jesus, and to have no con-
fidence in the flesh. . This is the life of the holy brethren of
Christ. But, -- -
7. These holy brethren are also addressed as partakers of
the heavenly calling. But why is it called a heavenly calling :
1st. Because the partakers of it are the objects of heavenly love,
73
even the love of the God of heaven, God the Father, God the
Son, and God the Holy Ghost. This is manifest, “For God so
loved them, as to give his only begotten Son, to the end that
they might believe in him, and not perish, but have everlasting
life.” John iii. 16. “Christ gave himself for their sins.”
Tit. ii. 14. And that they might believe, know, and enjoy this
heavenly love, the Holy Spirit, by his almighty power, calls and
quickens them, in their spiritually dead state in sin, to arise, go
to Christ, and live by faith on him, to enjoy this love of
heaven in their souls. If you are called with this heavenly
º you have experienced this. O cease not to give thanks
Ol' It
8. Secondly, This heavenly calling is a fruit of, and pro-
ceeds from heavenly election. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with ALL spiritual
blessings in heavenly places, or things in Christ. This
heavenly calling is one of those spiritual blessings. Why do
we partake of it 2 the apostle tells us, “According as God hath
chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world.”
Ephes. i. 3, 4. This heavenly calling to Christ, is a full
evidence of our election in Christ. And our election in Christ
is manifest by our calling to Christ. Thus we can sweetly and
scripturally reason of our election, by our vocation; and from
our calling, to our election. Each confirms the other. Let
us lie low and exalt high an electing God. For our calling is
not a random, precarious work; but is according to the settled
purposes of electing love.
9. Thirdly, Because this heavenly calling is from heaven,
and to heaven. The outward call of the gospel is a common,
general, and indefinite call to all who are under its sound.
But this heavenly calling of the Spirit, by the word of the
gospel, is special, peculiar, definite, and internal. It is a call
to the soul from heaven, and it brings heaven into the soul
upon earth, and a heaven of glory is thereby insured safe and
secure to the called soul. For, the soul is called out of
nature's darkness into God's marvellous light; and from the
kingdom of sin and satan, into the kingdom of God’s dear Son.
In this kingdom reigns, ever reigns, the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the holy
Ghost. And the soul being called unto Christ, and into Christ,
is under the spiritual reign of Christ, and enjoys those heavenly
blessings in the kingdom of Christ. So that it is not so much
a call, merely to hear and assent to the doctrines of the gospel,
to receive them into the head, and to speculate upon them in
the judgment; as it is to receive those doctrines in the love of
them into the heart, as centering in Christ, making Christ pre-
cious to the believing soul, drawing it out after Christ, to have
74
Christ dwelling in the heart by faith continually: to live con-
stantly upon the fulness which is in Christ, to enjoy fellowship
in God the Father's heavenly love, God the Son's heavenly
grace, and God the Holy Ghost's heavenly comforts, in the
power of faith, and to the joy of hope. Such is the nature of
this heavenly calling. Such is the life, the happy life of all
those who are partakers of it. But how is this life to be main-
tained and enjoyed in all its comforts and influences this will
appear by considering,
10. Fourthly, What these holy brethren of, and called by the
Lord, are exhorted to. “Consider the apostle and high priest
of our profession, Christ Jesus.” The exhortations of God’s
word are very profitable to our souls. They ought to be great-
ly esteemed, and highly prized by us. For, how animating,
how encouraging are they to us ! Marrow is contained in them.
Fatness drops from them. “Their pleasant words are as an
honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.” Prov.
xvi. 24. While we most highly esteem the doctrines of grace,
let us no less prize the exhortations of love. Does the former
administer hope from the Lord the latter tends to excite joy
in the Lord. Consider, ye poor sinners, the inhabitants of a
body of sin and death, who so often consider the deadness of
your vile bodies, and the life of your cursed sins, your deadness
to duty, and in duty, your short coming in all your doings and
performances, &c. to animate and enliven your poor hearts, in
your darkest hours, deadest frames, and most uncomfortable
feelings, from your sinfulness, ruin, and wretchedness : Con-
sider him, who so loved your souls as to give himself for your
sins, and to be condemned for you, that you might be justified
in him ; to be accursed for you, that you might be blessed in
him. Consider Jesus Christ. O that precious name, Christ,
the anointed of God, to be JESUs the saviour of sinners | We
ought never to hear, or read of it, without emotion of soul, and
Soy of spirit ! for, our all centres in that name. Our all flows
to us from that name. > . -
11. Consider Christ Jesus as the apostle of our profession.
What is an apostle a messenger, one who is sent on some er-
rand, to carry messages from one party to another. This is the
simple idea of it. So Christ is called “The messenger of the
covenant.” Malachii. 3. how truly pitiable is the blindness of
those who can see nothing of the everlasting covenant of grace,
entered into by the Three persons in the sacred Trinity, and of
their covenant, offices, and transactions, respecting our salva-
tion, revealed in the scriptures; and therefore deny the very ex-
istence of such a covenant? for Christ is the apostle, or messen-
ger of this covenant. What a messenger to come upon an
errand, and relate an account of what has no existence? no ;
75
but he brings the joyful tidings of the reality of it to our ears.
Yea, more, the very comfort and joy of it into our hearts. Con-
sider Christ as the apostle of our professson, as the messenger,
the sent of God, to reveal, manifest, and exhibit to us, what
otherwise would have remained unknown by us, even the love,
the everlasting, the covenant love of the whole Trinity for us.
Commission’d from his Father’s throne,
Christ makes his love and mercy known.
12. O consider this blessed apostle of our joyful profession
Let our minds ever dwell on him, our thoughts continually go
out after him, and our affections be constantly set on him :
Consider Christ, not only as what he is in himself, but especial-
ly what he is in his office, characters, and special relations to us.
The apostle or messenger to us, the representative of us, the
surety engaged for us. The covenantee on our behalf, the alpha
and omega, the first and the last, the beginning and end of our
salvation, and the all in all of our profession. For, without
Christ, what is all profession, but an unmeaning sound 2 what
is all Christianity, but an empty name what is all faith, but
mere fancy what is all hope, but vain delusion ? yea, without
Christ, thus considered, known, and enjoyed in the heart, what
is life itself, with all its riches, honours, and pleasures, but vanity
and vexation of spirit 2 without Christ, the hour of death is
terrible, and the day of judgment horrible.
13. But we are not only exhorted to consider Christ as the
apostle, but also the high priest of our profession. This office
consists in his sacrifice for us on earth, and his intercession on
our behalf in heaven. Christ saw that we sinners need both
these ; therefore he hath for ever effected the one by his death
on earth, and he ever lives to execute the other in heaven.
These enter into the essence of our faith, lie at the foundation
of our hope, and are the spring of all our comfort and joy.
Therefore, let us consider them deeply. Christ as man glorified,
not himself, to be made an high priest, but he was called of
God to it. God the Father says to him, “Thou art my Son,
to-day have 1 begotten thee.” Heb. v. 5. To this office, he
was begotten of God. God’s soul was well pleased with his
undertaking it, and delighted at his executing it. For the
glory of God is concerned, and promoted by the saving his
people. Surely then, it ought to be our delight to study and
consider Jesus Christ as the high priest of our profession.
14. Our sins, which are the cause of all our miseries, fears
and distresses, doubts and sorrows, where are they? “For ever
put away by the sacrifice of our high priest.” Heb. ix. 26.
Hence, God says, “Your sins and your iniquities I will re-
member no more,” viii. 12. This is our faith. This is our
76
profession. Well, but if Christ hath for ever put away our
sins, and God will remember them no more, why is it that I
have the sense of sin, sorrow for sin, and am distressed by sin
because you are a sinner, and the sense of sin will live in you,
though the guilt of sin, and condemnation for sin, are purged
away from before God, by our high priest. And by the faith
of this, guilt and condemnation are taken out of the con-
science, and peace prevails in the heart. Nothing but faith
in Christ’s sacrifice can remove the guilt and condemnation of sin
from us. Christ’s sacrifice hath for ever done this in the court of
heaven. The firm belief of this effects in the court of conscience.
“For, by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord
Jesus Christ.” Rom. v. 1. Ever consider this. Ever dwell on
this. It is fit that a sense of sin should live with us, but not
to distress us with hellish fears, but excite us to consider the
sacrifice of our high priest, to make it precious in our eyes,
and inestimable to our hearts. that we may believe in him, live
upon him, love him, and be filled with heavenly peace and joy in
him : ever seeing how much we are indebted to him, for this one
atonement of sin, and his sacrifice of himself for sin. O re-
flect on this, and consider this more attentively than ever!
16. But say you, though Christ has atoned for my sins,
yet I am a sinful creature still ; therefore, what peace, what
joy, what hope can I entertain, that I should ever be saved
Not the least in yourself. But here is the precious reasoning of
faith. “For, if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to
God by the death of his Son: much more being reconciled, we
shall be saved by his life, even his life of intercession for us in
glory.” Rom. v. 10. What! canyou think God gave us his beloved
Son to die for your sins, and Christ shed his precious blood to
atone for your sins, will send your souls to hell for your sins 2
Dispatch the thought to hell from whence it sprang. Leave
those to indulge it who know not the scriptures, and believe
not the efficacy of his blood, nor the prevalency of his inter-
cession. But do you consider your joyful state by the former,
reconciled to God, at peace with God, and sins remembered
no more by God; and your security by the latter, Christ's life
of intercession for us. He lives, he ever lives; this man, as
our high priest, he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable
priesthood; “Wherefore he is able to save us to the uttermost,
seeing he ever lives to make intercession for us.” Heb. vii. 25.
As you believe, so shall you be comforted. Therefore,
17. Consider this, and be happy. Believe this, and be joy-
ful. My dear fellow-christians, how do we kill our time, and
our comforts, for want of considering what Christ hath done
for us, and is to us! True, we profess all this; but we do not
enough consider in our minds, and dwell on it in our hearts.
77
O, let not a sabbath pass, without deep, serious reflections on
this. The sabbaths are days of rest to our souls. They are
called the Lord's days. What! shall we let one of them pass,
without deeply considering our Lord’s death for our sins on
earth, and his life of intercession in heaven for us? O, let it
not suffice, barely to hear and read of this, without entering,
by close consideration, into the life and spirit of these joyful
truths. The Spirit is ever ready to help our infirmities while
we are thus engaged. But do we not grieve the holy Spirit,
by our neglect of this Do not our working-days testify
against us, that instead of considering the great apostle and
high-priest of our profession, Christ Jesus, we are so much
engaged in worldly affairs, that we can scarce think of him at
all, from one sabbath to another 2 Is it any marvel, then, that
our hearts should be dead and cold unto him, on his own day ?
What! when you have preferred every thing to him all the
week, can you expect to find him the life and joy of your souls
on his sabbath
A COLLECT.
O Lord of all grace, who dost call us by thy power from our
aatural sinful, and unholy state in ourselves, to partake of thy
holiness in thy beloved Son; grant us to conceive aright of
this great mystery, that we may constantly live under its blessed
influence. Teach us so to consider Jesus as our apostle and
high priest, that all our hopes may centre in him, our affec-
tions be set on him, and our lives continually devoted to the
glory of him, and of thee our Father in him, through the grace
of thy holy Spirit. Amen.
78
(Ibe (Eleutnti) Lott's Dap.
*Lºmrºe
ON CHRISTIAN CONFESSION.
They confessed that they were Strangers and Pilgrims on the
- Earth. Heb. xi. 13.
How came they thus to confess? What was the cause of it?
Were they not men of like passions with others ? Were there,
not honours, riches, and pleasure enough on the earth when
they lived 2 Doubtless. Were not, these as much suited to
their senses as to ours ? Certainly. Were not their natural
passions and affections as liable to be captivated by them as
ours are It cannot be denied. What then Were they a
set of sour, morose, peevish men, who were out of humour
with the world, and every thing in it; and, therefore, as no-
thing pleased them, so they turned their backs upon, and for-
sook every thing in it, in a peevish humour, and a discontented
fit 2 Or, because they found the world was set against them,
therefore, from a spirit of resentment, did they set themselves
against the world? Or, were their imaginations worked up by
a set of whimsical notions, and irrational fancies, which they
had imbibed, and therefore did they act thus 2 No. Nothing
of all this was the cause of their conduct. But it proceeded
from a rational understanding, a settled judgment, and a deli-
berate choice, founded upon the eternal nature and fitness of
things.
Pray, now, suppose we were to see a person working and
toiling at some painful, laborious drudgery, so that he could
find little ease, less content, and no pleasure at all in life. And
if a person of character and veracity were to say to him, why
do you thus miserably drudge on, and drag this life so very
wretchedly for I assure you, yonder lives a person who will
cordially receive you, heartily embrace you, and comfortably
provide for you. Would he not attentively hear the report,
most joyfully receive it, and if he really believed it, and was
fully assured of the truth of it, would he not quit his painful
toil, and laborious drudgery, and instantly set out to attain the
hoped for comfort? And, pray, who among all the sons of
wisdom or reason, would account this man a fool, or deem him
a madman for such conduct Just so wisely, and as rationally,
did all these pilgrims and strangers act. For they found them-
selves such poor, pained, weary, heavy-laden sinners, in a
world of woe, a land of sorrow, and a body of sin. Their
heavenly friend told them of a place of happiness, invited
- * ºf
79
them to himself to enjoy it, and made precious promises to as-
sure them of the certainty of their possessing it. They heard the
report with pleasure, attended to it with joy, received it in faith,
were persuaded of the truth of it, embraced it in the affections
of their hearts, and therefore set out to gain the full possession
and enjoyment of it. Thus they became, and confessed, that
they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Here see what true wisdom and solid reason there is in the
choice and conduct of Christians. Let the men of this world
account us fools and madmen, as much as they please ; yet,
blessed be God, we are not so left of him, as to prefer pebbles
before diamonds, base metal to pure gold, husks to precious
food, slavery and rags to a robe of righteousness and a crown
of glory, painful labour, and servile drudgery, to rest and happi-
ness, the baubles of time, to the glories of eternity, the vanities
and trifles of the world, to the durable riches of heaven, nor the
pleasures of sense, for the enjoyment of God. The end of all
things is at hand. Then it will be eternally decided who are the
wise, and who the foolish, who the madmen, and who acted un-
der the influence of their sober senses, and solid reason. Then
it shall be said by the wise judge of all, “Come ye blessed—
Go ye cursed.” This sentence shall determine the fate of all.
And then, “Wisdom shall be justified of all her children.”
Math. xi. 19. Let us consider these two important things.
1st. That a real persuasion, and scriptural assurance in the
mind, of the truth of God’s promises concerning spiritual bles-
sings and heavenly comforts, enter into the essence of true
faith. And - -
2dly. That this faith so works by the love of God, and to
those things that he hath promised, that it converts men into
strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
O may the Spirit of the Lord sweetly and powerfully engage
our attention, and animate our souls with such a lively prospect
of heavenly things, that we may be more than ever strong in
faith, joyful in hope, and comfortable in love, in our pursuit of
them; so that our hearts may feel more alive to God, and a
greater deadness to the world.
1st. A real persuasion, and scriptural assurance in the mind,
of the truths of God’s promises concerning spiritual blessings,
and heavenly comforts, enter into the very essence of faith.
The truth of this is fully confirmed by the faith and practice
of the Old Testament saints, and also farther established by
believers in every age. Our text informs us, “These all died
in the faith.” The faith of what? the promises of God, and the
things contained in the promises. Where did they find these
promises 2 In the word of God: spoken and given from the
mouth of God. But how did they know that they belonged
SO
to them, or that they had any right to them 2 this is a point that
is much agitated, and is difficult to be settled. Many poor souls
are sadly perplexed in their minds about it, and are hence in
great perplexity, whether they really have true faith or not. As
to any right to the promises, that point is settled in one mo-
ment. If any one is looking into himself, to find any thing in
himself, which may give him any right, title, or just claim to
the promises of God; or expects to find in himself any good
, cause, or just reason, to entitle him to these promises, above
any other sinner upon the earth, he is a stranger to himself,
and ignorant of the nature of God’s promises. These saints of
old did not, nor will any saint of God ever proceed thus. We
hear not one word of this kind throughout the scripture. But
these believers read God’s word. There they found the promises,
spoken from the mouth of God. They simply believed them.
They gave credit to what God said. They took him at his word.
They trusted in his word; and doubted not but that God would
be as good as his word. Hence it is said, having seen the pro-
mises afar off, they were persuaded of them, and embraced them :
they clasped them in their arms, hugged them to their hearts,
and kissed them, in the affections of their souls, as seeing all
their treasure in them, and expecting all their comforts from
them. This is faith. The faith by which they lived. THE
faith in which they died. THE faith by which they were
saved. For, by this faith they honoured God’s word of truth,
and trusted his promises of grace, which are all in Christ Jesus,
yea, and amen, to the glory of God; and therefore he honoured
them, and saved their souls, according to his word of promise.
Are you thus persuaded of the truth and reality of God's pro-
mises 2 Are they precious to you? Do you highly value and
esteem them, yea, embrace them, in the love of your heart, and
the affections of your soul, as containing all your salvation, and
all your desire? this is faith, yea, the full assurance of faith.
For, you are fully persuaded, and divinely assured of the exis-
tence of these promises, of the reality of the truths contained
in them, and of the certainty of their being fulfilled by the God
of truth, the promiser. The Lord help you to take the comfort
of this, and to give him the whole and sole glory. It is due
to him only. For, is your mind thus persuaded, thus assured 2
this, in the very idea of it, must imply an agent thus to per-
suade and assure the mind. Who but the Spirit of the Lord
could effect this Such power belongeth to God only. To
persuade, is to convince of the truth, and to make one believe
the truth of God. No human reason and argument, nor all
the moral suasions of the most eloquent, no not even though
one rose from the dead, can effect this. Luke xvi. 31.
Well, then, admit you do believe that you are fully per-,
Sl
suaded, and divinely assured of the truth which you do believe, .
you may, and you will find unbelief working in you, and op-
posing your faith in its joy and comfort; and carnal reason
suggesting many objections against the evidence of faith, the
persuasion of faith, and the assurance of faith. What then,
Are we therefore to give up our faith, stagger at the promises
through unbelief, and quit our hold of the truth in our minds 2
No, by no means. The exhortation is, and it is ever needful
for us, “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without
wavering—why?—for he is faithful who promised.” Heb. x. 23.
So that you see, like the Father of the faithful, we are not to
consider ourselves, our own strength and power, or our own
faithfulness; but look at the faithfulness of the promiser, and
go out of ourselves to him, crying, Lord, I believe, help thou
my unbelief. This confession becomes us, and this prayer is
-suitable for us every day of our lives, and every hour of our
days. And this faith in the promise of God, this faith which
is the gift of God, and is mighty through the truth and power
of its author, will repel our unbelief and carnal reasonings;
and is mighty through God to pull down the strong holds of
Satan, to overcome the world, and to convert us into strangers
and pilgrims on earth. It most certainly will.
This is our second point. What a mighty influence has
truth upon the mind? But what an almighty influence hath
the truth of God upon the mind? I had almost said, it will
change a devil into a saint. And, indeed, so it would, had God
given any promises to devils. But he hath not, therefore they
continue devils still. Yet they believe: believe the truths of
God. How does this affect them : “ The devils also believe
and tremble.” James ii. 19. Why? Because there is no
grace revealed for them, no promises from God made to them,
no Saviour died for them. But unto us, [us men, us sinners,
us ungodly, unrighteous, and unholy, are given exceeding
great and precious promises—to what end? “That by these
we might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the
corruption that is in the world through lust.” 2 Pet. i. 4.
Here we see the glorious effects of believing, or receiving, the
great and precious promises of God into our hearts. [1st.]
That by these we are made partakers of the divine nature.
How is this Is not the nature of God incommunicable to
us creatures Yes. The essence of his nature is, but the
properties of his nature may be imparted to us. How
Through our union to his beloved Son, who is God and man in
one Christ. And when we receive the precious promises, then
we are in Christ, united to, and one with him. Thus are we
partakers of the divine nature. Christ is our life. His love
is in our hearts, and his truth in our minds. We love what
G -
• . * \
... --
82
, God loves. We hate what he hates. “We delight in the law
of God after the inward man.” Rom. vii. 22.
Hence, (2d.) we escape the corruption that is in the world
through lust. Thus we become strangers to the world, and
confess ourselves to be pilgrims on the earth. Escape the
corruption that is in the world through lust: what means this?
Why, to fly from and avoid the corrupt principles, wicked
practices, self-righteous hopes, and unscriptural confidences,
which the men of the world indulge, through the lusts of their
flesh, and the pride of their hearts. There is the filthiness of
the beast in the former, and the pride of the devil in the latter.
It is not possible to escape from these ; but we shall become
strange kind of creatures, indeed, to those whose chief comfort
lies in gratifying their lusts, and whose greatest complacency
consists in a proud notion, and high opinion, which they enter-
tain of themselves, and of their own righteousness and good-
ness. Tell them of the precious promises in Christ, confess
to them that all your hope consists in them, and that to enjoy
the comfort of them by faith now, and the full fruition of them
hereafter in glory, you turn your back upon the world, your
face to heaven, and commence a pilgrim, travelling towards the
heavenly country: I say, confess this, either by your tongue,
or in your life, practice, and conversation, and they have no
ears to hear you, no hearts to understand you, nor any patience
to bear with you; but will cry out as they did of old, “Those
who have turned the world upside down, are come hither also.”
Acts xvii. 6. You will surely become a stranger and an alien
to them. And you will confess with Moses, “I am an alien
in a strange land.” . Exod. xviii. 3. “For they are alienated
from the life of God, walk in the vanity of their minds, having
the understanding darkened, through the ignorance that is in
, them, because of the blindness of their hearts.” Eph. iv. 18.
If you speak the truth in love, and in any wise confess, that
the life of God is in you, they will count you as a stranger,
treat you as a stranger, and ridicule and despise you as a
strange being, not fit to live with them, and consort among
them. They will neither approve of your language, your
clothing, nor your conduct. All will be disgustful to them,
and they will be bold enough to manifest, that they are not
ashamed of it. O how do the children of the wicked one shame
many of God’s children while the former have not the least
fear or shame in making it known whose children they are, and
whom they serve, how many who profess to be children of the
Most High, the brethren of Christ, and companions of the saints,
yet trim, skulk, and hide themselves, and are so afraid and
ashamed, lest it should be known that they confess themselves
strangers and pilgrims on earth. “O this fear of man bringeth.
Af
S3
a snare.” Proy. xxix. 25. Many a dreadful snare upon pro-
fessors. 3. . . . .
But, O how sweet travelling, and by every step confessing,
we are strangers to the men, fo the ways, customs, and reli-
gion of this world, and that we are pilgrims on the earth, not
looking on it as our home, but journeying through it, with
God’s precious promises in our-heasts, Christ's precious blood
upon our consciences, his glorious righteousness upon our
backs, his everlasting love in our souls, his blessed Spirit our
leader, guide, and comforter, and with a heaven of glory in our
view, as our home ! O how joyful to have got over the slough
of despond, to have passed mount Sinai's terrors, to have the
wicked gate in our eye, and the love of the cross manifested to
our hearts blessed be our Lord for this. His precious pro-
mises procured all this for us. They are still our staff, our
support, and our strength. Leaning upon these we shall pass
through the world, with all its scorn, contempt, and derision,
with composure : pass over the river of death in the fulness of
hope, if not in the plenitude of comfort : in eertain safety, if
not in the triumphs of joy. For they who say such things, de-
clare plainly, that they seek a country. . And truly, if we had
been mindful of that country, from whence we came out, we
might have had opportunity to have returned. But no, Jesus hath
got our hearts, and our hopes. He is worthy of them. And
now we cry, None but Christ, none but Christ, nothing but the
enjoyment of Christ on earth, and the full fruition of him in
heaven, will do for us, or can satisfy us. “For now we desire
a better country, that is an heavenly : wherefore God is not
ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them
a city,” Heb. xi. 14, &c. O shame on us, that if God is not
ashamed to be called our God, that ever we should be ashamed
to confess ourselves to be his people.
Well, are you a stranger and pilgrim on the earth 2 Do you
confess it 2 What think you of a pilgrim’s life 2 It consists in
God’s promises, and Christ's grace and salvation within ; and
allopposition, contempt, and scorn from without, from the world,
the flesh, and the devil. This is the portion of pilgrims. Is it
enough for you ? Are you happy in the former, and content
under the latter Well, then, go on and press forward. Look
not back, nor to right-hand difficulties, nor left-hand troubles,
neither to your own body, which is dead to this spiritual life,
by reason of sin, and least of all consult not flesh and blood,
your own corrupt judgment and carnal reasonings. Above
all, cease from man. Judge not from the appearance of things.
Weigh all things in the balance of the sanctuary. Oppose
God's sacred truths and precious promises to all the lying sug-
gestions of satan. Believe these strongly, live upon them con-
G 2
$4
tinually, study them daily, yea hourly; meditate on them
closely, prize them highly, pray over them fervently, take them
as your guide, your companion, and your familiar friend con-
stantly, and conform to them diligently. Though, as other
pilgrims and travellers are, you may be overtaken with a night,
of darkness, and beset with storm and tempest, yet all above is
serene and heavenly, therefore why should not all within be
composure and peace
For, are you persuaded and assured of the truths of God's
promises in Christ Do you embrace them as the glory of
your heart, the stay of your mind, and the joy of your soul?
Have you received that grand, capital, fundamental, chief
promise of all, God's only begotten Son? Then you have
every one of God's precious promises, in and with him. For
they are all in him. Therefore, as you have received Christ
Jesus the Lord, so walk in him with thanksgiving, as a poor sin-
ner, without strength and righteousness in yourself, rooted in
him, as a branch in him, receiving all your life and nourishment
from Christ the root, built up in him, as the foundation of all
your hope towards God, established in the faith, so as to have no
doubt of the perfection of Christ's righteousness and atone-
ment; and of perfect freedom from all condemnation of the
law against sin, perfect forgiveness of all sin, perfect justifica-
tion of our persons before God, and final salvation into the
enjoyment of God thereby, as you have been taught by the
word and Spirit of God, from the pens of his holy prophets
and apostles, the mind and will of God, concerning your sal-
vation by the Son of God, without adding any thing to it, or
diminishing aught from Christ's perfect work, abounding
therein, living upon all the fulness, enjoying all the plenty,
and being satiated with all the abundance of grace which is
stored up in Christ, for all his weak and needy members.
O pilgrim, the first breath you breathed in spiritual life, and
the first step you took in the heavenly road, was from the ful-
filment of the promises of God upon you. That you continue
to live, and go on in your pilgrimage, is owing to the faithful-
ness of God, the promiser, to you. That you persevere to the
end, is because God changeth not, but whom he loves at first,
he loves to the end; and, therefore, as his love cannot fail, his
promise is sure to all the seed, who are the heirs of promise.
O look at that blessed, joyful word of God, for the support,
comfort, and strong consolation of all these ! Heb. vi. 17, &c.
And, therefore, abound in thanksgiving to God the Father,
who is the promiser, to God the Son, in whom all the promises
centre, and to God the Holy Ghost, who hath revealed the
promises, persuaded and assured you of the truth of the pro-
mises, and brought you, a poor sinner, an ungodly wretch, to
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receive and embrace these promises. O let praise abound
daily, and thanksgiving ascend continually from your lips, from
your heart, and from your life, that you confess yourself a
stranger and a pilgrim on the earth. Thank the Lord in private,
praise him in public, Go to his house on his holy day, wor-
ship him in the beauties of holiness, and with the great con-
gregation, join to make his name and his praise glorious in the
earth., Thank him for his sabbaths, and praise him on his
sabbaths.” Praise him every day of the week, and every hour
of the day. Let praise be thy constant work, and "...;
thy continual employ, until thy praises on earth end, and eterna
praisés in heaven begin, to God the Father, God the Son, and
God the Holy Ghost, three persons in one Godhead. Amen,
and Amen, zº *
. A COLLECT.
O LorD Christ, thou heavenly friend; lover of sinners, and
Saviour of the lost, convince us more and more of the ‘neces-
sity of our taking up our cross, and following thee, living as
strangers and pilgrims on the earth, that we may enjoy more holy
fellowship with thee, and more heavenly comforts from thee.
Lord, teach us daily to deny ourselves. Deliver us from all
self-pleasing, and self-exalting aims. O make it our one business
on earth to serve and please thee in all things. Lord increase
our faith, enliven our hope, and inflame our love to thee, for
the honour of thy name, and the glory of God, Father, Son,
and Spirit. Amen. t
86
(The Timelfth Lott's ACap.
* *
REMEMBERING CHRIST's words, THE BEST ANTEDOTE
AGAINST UNBELIEF, &c.
And they remembered Christ's Words. Luke xxiv. 8,
O ye disciples of Christ, and thou too, my soul, why, O why,
are we so often bowed down, our hearts dejected, and our
spirits distressed ? Why are we not always comfortable in
Christ? Search the cause of this to the bottom, and we shall
find, that our knowledge of Christ is clouded, our faith in him
starved and weakened, our love to him cold, our delight in
him and his holy ways checked, through forgetfulness of his
precious words. For these beget the knowledge of him, faith
in him, and love to him. By these knowledge grows, faith is
increased, hope strengthened, and love inflamed. If so, how
do we injure our precious souls, by neglecting, forgetting, and
being unmindful of Christ's words? The Lord pardon us for
this our folly, and quicken in us greater attention to, and
stronger remembrance of his words !
Let us, first, briefly consider the distressing frame of mind
our Lord's first disciples were now in, and the means of their
deliverance from it. Secondly, the blessedness of remembering
Christ’s words, in and under all our various circumstances.
And if the Lord is pleased to give us light and liberty, we shall
see much of our own case and experience herein. The Lord
grant we may, to the humbling our souls before him, establish-
ing our faith in him, and obtaining comfort from him.
First. The distressing frame of mind which our Lord's dis-
ciples were now in. They were deprived of his presence. He
had been violently taken from them; unjustly and inhumanly
crucified before them. And not only was his holy life taken
away, but his precious body also (as they thought) stolen out
of the sepulchre. Hence their perplexity was very great.
Their doubts many. Their faith ran low. Their reason was
nonplussed. They were ready to stagger through unbelief.
Their hope was at the last gasp, and they were ready to give
up, and give over all for lost. For all appearances were against
them. This was a season of great calamity, and sore distress
to them. p :
Secondly. How were they delivered from these trying and
distressing circumstances 2 Mind, these disciples, though all
in nature and appearances was against them, yet they came
early to the sepulchre on the Lord’s day to seek him. Though
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their Lord was dead; the joy of faith failed, and the comfort of
hope fled; yet duty was theirs, and they pursued it. They
did not indulge sloth, though they were not warm and com-
fortable in their frames. Much less did they go to satan's
fire of sinful diversions, the pleasures of sense, and the vani-
ties of the world to warm them. No, their hearts were set on
Christ. The desire of their souls was to him. They sought
him. They pursued every means to find him. They gave not
over, till they heard good tidings of him : yea, till they actually
saw him; whom their souls loved. Most excellent lesson to
us. For whatever may be our frames and feelings, however
gloomy and discouraging our circumstances, yet seeking the
Lord, and using all means to obtain the sense of his presence,
and the comfort of his love, ought never to be neglected by
us; but should ever be our unremitting study, and our con-
stant practice.
Thirdly. For our encouragement to this, see in the midst of
their perplexity, how graciously the Lord dealt with them.
“Behold two men in shining garments stood by them.” Ver, 4.
What a proof of the divinity of our Lord, and of his love to
his disciples 1 as the God of the whole earth, and the Lord
of the heavenly host, he sent these angels to testify of him,
and that his human body was raised from the dead. “Thus,
they are ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to them,
who shall be heirs of salvation.” Heb. i. 14. What do they
minister First, a tender expostulation, “Why seek ye the
living among the dead?” Secondly, a joyful declaration,
“He is not here, but is risen.” Thirdly, a precious excita-
tion to their memory, “Remember how he spake unto you,
when he was yet in Galilee, saying, that the Son of man must
be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified,
and rise again the third day.” In transcribing these words, I
was greatly struck at that little word must. I therefore put it
in italics. Do not you see great glory in it I do. O how
much is contained in it ! the whole plan of our salvation, and
the glory of the whole Godhead. He must be delivered—he
must be crucified—he must rise again. Why must * He was
bound, engaged, and obliged to this, by covenant agreement
with God the Father, and God the Spirit. O blessed must 2
all was in love to us, and for the salvation of us. Jesus inspire
us with warm love and thankful hearts |
What was the consequence of this ministry of angels Most
blessed one. These disciples remembered Christ's words, and
returned from the sepulchre, greatly satisfied, and much com-
forted. But why this round-about way, to bring to pass this
end ? Why did not our Lord himself appear to them, and at
once solve their doubts, relieve their perplexity, and scatter
38
their fears? Or, why not by the sovereign agency of his Spirit,
effect this on their minds In this, and every other of his deal-
ings, let us bow to his divine sovereignty, and adore his infinite
wisdom. He cannot err. His ways are best. It is our duty to
pray, and our wisdom to strive to profit by all. And he hereby:
teaches us these two things. First, that the ministry of his
word is of his own appointing, for those very ends and purposes,
which he hath ordained. For, he says, “My word shall not re-
turn unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please.”
Isai. lv. 11. Here is a sovereign declaration, and an absolute
promise. The Lord's glory and truth are engaged in it. It is
not left to the will and power of the minister who dispenses it:
nor to the caprice and humour of those who hear it: but to the
agency and power of God the Spirit, to make it effectual. Love
then those ministers who preach Christ's word, but look through
them, to the Lord the Spirit, for his blessing to make the word
profitable. “Therefore, despise not prophesying,” (or preach-
ing.) I Thess. v. 20. “Be not wise in your own conceits.”
Rom. xii. 16. .
5. Secondly. That it is our indispensable duty to attend upon
the ministry of Christ’s word, to read, study, pray over, and be-
lieve it. “Faith comes by hearing the word.” Rom. x. 17.
And if Christ would not satisfy and comfort these his first dis-
ciples’ hearts, without his own words, what reason have we to
expect he will ours? None at all. For, he says, “He that
will do my will, shall know of my doctrine.” John vii. 17. His
will is in his word. His word is his will. And by his word,
he accomplishes his will in us, and brings comfort to us. So
these disciples found it. “They remembered his words.” And
so shall we too, if we use the means for it. We shall experi-
ence the comfort and blessedness of it also, as they did. There-
fore let us consider, -
Secondly, The blessedness of remembering Christ's words.
Here is a large field for our meditation. O that the Lord may
help us to gather some balm of Gilead, aromatic spices, and
flowers of consolation for the healing and joy of our souls'
What are we to understand by Christ's words? Doubtless, the
whole of what God speaks in the scriptures. They are the
words of God. And Christ is God. Therefore they are the
words of Christ. Now, first, who and what art thou who read-
est or hearest these words? Be your state and situation in life
what they may, I will answer for you in general, that you are a
sinner, a dying sinner, inhabiting a body of sin and death, and
breathing in a world of sorrow, trouble and woe ; and therefore,
that you have need to remember Christ's words to support and
comfort your mind. For they are the best and only antidote
against the raging of our lusts, the working of unbelief, the sug-
S9
gestions of satan, the troubles of life, and the fears of death
Let us meditate on each of these.
1st. The raging of our lusts, and working of unbelief. Pray
distinguish here between the raging of lusts in us, and the reign
of lusts over us. Our king may have many raging, rebellious
subjects in his kingdom; but they do not reign over him; but
he over them. “Every Christian, in and under Christ, is a king
and priest unto God.” Rev. i. 6. By the power of Christ, he
reigns over his lusts. And by the grace of Christ he sacrifices
them unto God. This is to be his constant work, for they will
rage in him continually. Now what have we to relieve and sup-
port our minds against these ? Christ's words, and remembrance
of them. For he speaks most tenderly and affectionately to
such. When the disciples were in a storm, the comfort of
faith forsook them, the joy of hope deserted them, and fears
prevailed over them; yet amidst all this, they discovered their
faith, by going to Christ, with “Lord save, or we perish !”
How did he behave to them 2 tenderly expostulates with them,
“Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” He instantly si-
lenced the winds, smoothed the waves, and suppressed their
fears. Matt. viii. 26. Why? Because they had great faith, no
lustings, no unbelief ? may, the contrary is evident. So, if
Christ dwell in your heart by faith, though this faith may be
strongly opposed by the raging of sense, and the working of
unbelief, still your faith will manifest itself by remembering
Christ's words, and crying unto him, “Lord save or I perish.”
O this remembering Christ's words, calls up the exercise of
faith, sets the soul in motion to Christ, puts honour upon Christ,
and, as it were, awakes the power of Christ in our behalf.
So Peter walked upon the face of the great deep. For his
Lord said, “Be of good cheer, it is I, be not afraid.” While
he remembered these words, all was safe and comfortable. But,
up sense, down faith, and unbelief prevails. He listened to the
roaring winds, looked at the surging billows, consulted reason,
lost sight of his Lord's words, and began to sink. Amidst all
his frights and fears, what does he cries in faith, “Lord, save
me.” Jesus heard and caught him. For he was within the
reach of Christ's arm, and in the love of his heart. What said
he to him Lovingly reproved him, “O thou of little faith,
wherefore didst thou doubt º’ Matt. xxiv. 31. As though he
had said, how unbecoming are doubts to thee, my dear disciple,
whom I have converted to myself, who believest my everlasting
love to thee, and my almighty power to save thee from a sea of
corruption within thee, and the power of unbelief which works
against thee Why dost thou doubt? thy little faith fixes on
me, and crys to me, O remember Christ's words, under the
90.
strongest working of unbelief, and the lowest ebb of faith.
They will strenghen the latter, and weaken the former.
But say you, I have so many lusts raging in me. So had
every one of these disciples. So had zealous Paul, and beloved
John. They, not less than you : nor you more than they.
“They had their fightings and fears, within and without, just
as we have.” 2 Cor. vii. 5. “Lustings and warrings in their
members, like us.” James iv. 1. “Fleshly lusts war against
the soul.” I Pet. ii. 1 I. “And lust against the Spirit in all
the members of Christ.” Gal. v. 17. Look at Peter. See how
his lusts prevailed, and how dreadfully he fell. Yet remember
Christ's words, “I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.”
Luke xxii. 32. “Thus he prays for all believers.” John xvii.
20. “He ever liveth to make intercession for us.” Heb. vii.
25. Rom. viii. 34. He says, “Father, I will that those
whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they
may behold my glory.” John xvii. 24. And his loving word to
us every day, and every hour of the day is, “Look unto me and
be ye saved.” Is. xlv. 22.
This fully implies that we are sinners : full of sin, all man-
ner of sin, corrupt lusts and cursed unbelief. That none can
save us but Christ, and that he would have us continually
look to him for salvation. O this remembering Christ's words,
and looking to him, will mightily mortify our lusts, and sub-
due our unbelief. For with Christ in our eye, and his words
in our heart, we shall feel the power of his Spirit in us, giving
us victory over all within us, and against us. §. and we shall
find a blessed death upon our lustings after carnal pleasures, and
sensual diversions, those cursed baits of satan, which ensnare
the soul. For, whilst Christ has the throne of the heart, all
that is contrary to him will be under our feet. Thus we are
not only to hear and receive the gospel, but also to stand in it,
and keep it in memory, by which we are saved unless—awful
words ! “Ye have believed in vain.” I Cor. xv. 1, 2. What
is that when the ends of faith are not answered in the con-
science, to give it peace by the gospel; and the words of Christ
are not so retained in the heart, as to give us life and comfort,
from his work, in dying for our sins, and rising again for our
justification : and when we do not so love him, as to live upon
him, and live to the glory of him. This is believing in vain :
or professing to have faith in Christ, when we have not.
2d. Remembring Christ's words are the best antidote against
satan's suggestions. Christ is the God of truth. Satan the Fa-
ther of lies. All that he suggests is contrary to Christ's words,
and makes God a liar. He is an enemy, a tempter, and an ac-
cuser. How are we to resist him 2 “Stedtast in the faith.”
1 Pet. v. 9. What is this but the truth of Christ's words which
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we believe How are we to overcome him * * By the word
of the testimony of Christ.” Rev. xii. 11. When Paul was
buffeted by his suggestions and accusations, what answer got
he from Christ This precious one. “My grace is sufficient
for thee.” 2 Cor. xii. 9. No sinner can want unore. Every
believing sinner is interested in all this. For, whatever satan
may suggest to the contrary, Christ solemnly asserts, “He who
believeth hath everlasting life, is passed from death to life, and
shall not come into condemnation.” John v. 24. Fight the
devil with Christ's words, as Christ did with the word of God.
But what is Christ's grace His free favour, working out sal-
vation for, and freely bestowing it on sinners. Satan will ever
be suggesting against this, to the dishonour of Christ, and the
distress of our souls. To the devil's shame, his emissaries’ con-
fusion, and our souls’ comfort, hear Christ proclaim his own
grace. “I GIVE unto my sheep eternal life, and they shall
never perish. Neither shall any pluck them out of my hand.”
John x. 28. Here is both grace and glory in these words.
Remember them in all your conflicts with satan. Hold them
fast in your conscience, and hold them up as your shield of
faith, against all satan's fiery darts, lying subtlety, and all the
vile sophistry of men. For hear and rejoice, “God shall bruise
satan under your feet shortly.” Rom. xvi. 20. Poor conflicting,
tempted, accused soul, remember this truth. Live upon it.
Walk by it. The Lord grant we may.
3d. Remembering Christ's words is the best antidote against
the world's troubles. Why? Because they support the soul
under them, and lift it above them. Our troubles are all in the
covenant, and spring from covenant love to us. Christ is the
head of the covenant. He says, “In the world, ye shall have
tribulation.” Why? Because it is his will, he knows we can-
not do without trials. Therefore we shall have them in num-
ber, weight, and measure, dealt out from the loving kindness of
our Lord. It is our blessedness to see the Lord's hand in all
our troubles, and to remember his words under every one of
them. Most affectionate words ! “These things have I spoken
unto you, that in me ye might have peace. Be of good cheer, I
have overcome the world.” John xvi. 33. Peace and good cheer,
in the midst of tribulations ! Lord what a blessed master art
thou! Lord increase our faith in thee, and love to thee But,
how is this peace and good cheer to be enjoyed In Christ, and
from him. For, both result from the victory of him. O, if we
remember Christ's words, in and under all our troubles, we
shall find the peace and good cheer of faith in Christ, and
triumphantly challenge, who, or what, shall separate us from
the love of Christ Shall tribulation, distress, persecution from
men or devils, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword 2 Nay, in all
92
these things, we are—what? Poor, weak creatures. Yea, worse,
vile and miserable sinners. But yet, O the joy of Christ's
words O the blessedness of remembering them | WE ARR
MoRE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH CHRIST who LovEd Us.
Rom. viii, 37.
Lastly, Remembering Christ's words is the best antidote
against the fears of death. Death is in our catalogue of mer-
cies; and is one of our covenant blessings. “Death is yours.”
Why so Because “Ye are Christ's; and Christ is God’s.”
1 Cor. iii. 22. How is this Christ is God's Son. You are
Christ's brother. God is your Father in him. The Holy
Ghost is your comforter through the faith of him. Therefore,
death is your angel, your friend, your servant, to introduce you
into the fullest enjoyment of God your heavenly Father's love,
God your Saviour's salvation, and God the Holy Spirit's ever-
lasting comforts in the kingdom of heaven. True, natural
fears will and may beset us, in regard to death and dying. But
there is no way of overcoming them, but remembering Christ's
words. For he has most solemnly assured us, “Verily, verily,
I say unto you, if a man keep my saying, he shall never see
death.” John viii. 51. Marvellous ! What shall he never die?
Yes. But he shall never see death, in his dreadful form, and
horrid appearance, as an officer of justice, commissioned by a
God of wrath, to drag the soul to tormenting flames. But he
shall see Christ, the resurrection and the life, who has conquered
death, reigning over death, and commissioning death as his
angel, to bring the soul to the enjoyment of himself, and to be
with him in glory.
Hence, that precious minister of Christ, Mr. Darracut,
(whom dear Mr. Whitefield used to call, The Star in the west)
in his last moments cried out, “Is this death 2 Is this dying?
O how sweet it is l’” Thus remembring Christ's words, “I am
the resurrection and the life, whosoever liveth, and believeth in
me, shall never die.” John xi. 25, 26. We shall find them the
most powerful antidote against the fears of death. Yea, we
shall behold, “Death swallowed up in the victory of Christ,”
and joyfully exclaim, O death ! where is thy sting 2 O grave 1
where is thy victory True, “The sting of death is sin.” That
my Christ hath fully atoned. “The strength of sin is the law.”
That my Saviour hath perfectly fulfilled. Therefore, thanks be
to God, who giveth us the victory, ſover death, as the law is
fulfilled, sin atoned, and justice satisfied] through our Lord
Jesus Christ.” I Cor. xv. 54, &c. We enjoy this glorious
victory by faith, remembering our Lord's words to his glory and
our soul's comfort. For he says, “The words which I speak,
they are Spirit, and they are life. John vi, 63. "
93
INFERENCE.
By way of reproof. What is a Christian without Christ's
words Naked and defenceless : like a soldier, surrounded by
enemies, without arms. See then your folly, who are unmindful
of Christ's words. Hence it is, that you live so much at random,
and walk so uncertainly and uncomfortably Have you really
the peace of God in your conscience, and the love of God in
your heart Do you hesitate 2 Are you in doubt about it 2
What! profess to be a believer in Christ, and not possess these?
How do you live? What is your conduct 2 Do you keep holy
the Lord's day? Do you walk in the Spirit every day Or do
you live after the flesh, give way to its lusts, and gratify its
desires, by indulging yourself in carnal pleasures, and worldly
diversions? One word to your ear, and may the Lord cause it to
reach your heart. As sure as you are a living sinner, you sadly
forget both your Lord and his words. Yea, you pour contempt
on both. Mind what he says. “He who taketh not up his
cross and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.” Matt.
x. 38.
A COLLECT.
O THou blessed Spirit, the glorifier of the Saviour, and the
comforter of sinners, bring the words of Christ to our remem-
brance. O help us to remember them continually. Make them
live in our hearts, support our minds, and influence our lives,
now and ever, through Jesus Christ our Lord; to whom with
thee and the Father, as to one God, be praises in the highest.
Amen.
94
(Ibt (Tibirteenth Lott'g Dap.
*ººm-
.*
ON THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.
But without Faith, it is impossible to please God: for he who
cometh to God, must believe that he is, and that he is a
Rewarder of them who diligently seek him. Heb. xi. 6.
WHEN we recommend the amiableness of a person, it is usual
to say, “It is but to know the man, and you must love him.”
I am sure this holds true of the infinite amiableness of our good
and gracious God: for all who know him, will join the church
in this description of him, “He is altogether lovely.” Song v.
16. But, how do we know God, come unto him,-please
him, diligently seek blessings from him, so as to be rewarded
by him 2 This is the substance of our text. Blessed, for ever
blessed be God! he hath not left us to dark conjecture, and
uncertain guessing, about these most important points. Let us,
therefore, briefly meditate on each of them; and, while we are
thus engaged, may the Spirit of the Lord be with us, to en-
lighten and comfort our hearts, and sanctify our work to God’s
glory, and our soul's edification.
1st. How do we know God? By faith. What is faith ?
A relative term ; it implies somewhat to be believed which we
have heard of. Without this, faith can have no existence.
But by believing, and, studying the nature of what is reported
to us, we get knowledge and understanding in our minds con-
cerning it: and the more we find ourselves interested in the
report, so much the more doth it affect us, and engage our
attention ; and we will not suffer any thing to attract our
minds, and disengage our affections from dwelling on it.
According as the strength of the evidence which supports the
relation appears to our minds, so is our faith concerning it.
There is no possible way of knowing God, but from the report
of the revelation which he has given us of himself. No 1 do
not his works proclaim him 2 Does not all creation, with one
united voice, loudly declare: the hand which formed us is
divine 2 See God in us, know there is a God by us. This is
quite beside our point. We are not treating, whether there be
a God, but of knowing God. To believe there is a God, and
to know God, are two very different things : just as widely
different, as to believe there is a king of England, and to have
a real knowledge of this king: or to hear that this king is
gracious, and to know it for ourselves, by partaking of his
bounty. Or, suppose a child to be put at some great distance
35
from its parents, as soon as it is born, and it continues there till
grown up to years of discretion, it may be told that it has a
father; it may believe it ; but this differs greatly from being
brought to know its father, and to place a filial confidence
in him.
Now, by faith in God's word, we come to the knowledge of
God in our minds; for faith is the substance, and the evidence
to the mind of things not seen. Just as a well attested truth
about natural things, which we have not seen ourselves, but has
been told us by others, gains the full conviction of our minds,
and has a subsistence therein. Just so, though no man hath
seen God, yet a clear and comfortable knowledge of God sub-
sists in our minds, by the evidence of faith; for faith receives
all its knowledge of God, from the revelation which God hath
given of himself in his word. Reject revelation, and there is
no ground for faith. Where there is no faith, there can be no
knowledge of God: consequently, no coming to God, no love to
him, fear of him, nor desire to please him.
Hence see the deplorable state of all who reject révelation
through unbelief. With all their human wisdom, acquired
learning, and boasted knowledge of God, they know no more
of God than a Hottentot, and have no more love to him than a
wild Indian. “For the world by wisdom [with all their
natural wisdom, and acquired human abilities] knew not God.”
1 Cor. i. 21. And, with all their pretended wisdom, while they
reject and decry revelation, they proclaim their stupid, egregious
folly. For they act just as wisely as though they were to shut
their eyes against the light of the sun, tell us they can see very
well without it, and grope for objects in the dark. See how
they live and act. Just as all other heathens do, without
£hrist, “having no hope, and without God in the world.”
Ephes ii. 12. As to any knowledge of God, love to him, fear
of him, and delight in him, they are rank atheists. Hence
when troubles and disappointments seize their minds, and no
God dwelling there, poor souls what do they? Fly to God for
support? alas ! they know him not. But in a fit of rage, and
a frame of despair, they cowardly seek refuge from the instru-
ments of death ; desperately rush headlong into eternal destruc-
tion, and as it were, daringly tell God, with their expiring
breath, “I defy your power, the life you gave me I will keep
no longer. Infidelity is the cause of suicide. Men butcher
themselves, because they know not God; and they cannot
know him, because they reject the only mean of the knowledge of
him, the scriptures. Now such are the wise and learned, who
sport themselves with their own deceivings, mock and deride
as for our faith, O may we pity them, and bless our God, that
96
he has not left us in their deplorable state, but has taught us to
know him by faith.
But how came we to believe “Faith comes by hearing the
word of God.” Rom. x. 17. Is the word of God suffieient of
itself to beget faith? Doubtless, if there be in man an aptitude
to receive it, and nothing in him to oppose and reject it. Adam,
in his state of innocence, heard and believed God’s word, and
there was nothing in him to work against it. It had free course
to his heart. Why did he disobey it? Because satan infused
the poison of infidelity into him. That works in us all. Now
can the letter of the word alone expel this poison, and produce
faith in the heart? No: not without the agency of the Spirit,
no more than Christ’s call, “Lazarus, come forth,” would have
raised him to life, had not power gone with his word. For
man is as spiritually blind and dead to spiritual knowledge, as
Lazarus was when dead, to natural. And therefore, though the
knowledge of God is so clearly, plainly, and expressly taught
by his word, yet natural man has no eyes to see, heart to under-
stand, or will to receive it. Yea, all that is in him is averse to
it. Therefore, though the Spirit does nothing upon the instru-
ment, the word, yet he graciously acts upon the subject, fallen
man. He sweetly enlightens his understanding, rationally
convinces his judgment, and powerfully persuades his mind to
believe the revelation which God has given of himself. Thus
faith to know God, is the gift of God, through the mean of
his word.
When we thus know God by the truth of his word, and pow-
er of his Spirit, in what light does he appear to us? In the most
gracious, amiable, and engaging one possible. For are we
guilty sinners? Behold, he hath not revealed himself as armed
with vengeance against us, to destroy us; but as, “GoD IN
CHRIST, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their
trespasses unto them.”. 2 Cor. v. 19. This is the true know-
ledge of God. All other is but pretended knowledge, vain spe-
culation, idle amusement, and pompous ignorance, which leaves
men wise as fools, wicked as devils, and atheists in the world.
Why so? Because it never attracts their affections to God,
causes them to come unto him, delight in him, and seek to
please him. For God out of Christ, is only the idol of men's
vain fancy, and foolish imagination; which has no more effect
upon the love of their hearts, and influence of their lives,
than if they were to carve an idol out of wood or stone. But
through this precious knowledge of God in Christ by faith, we
guilty creatures, miserable sinners, find our hearts attracted to
him. For by faith, what the scriptures reveal of God, subsist
in, and make an impression on our minds. Therefore,
2dly. We come unto God, believing that he is, Just that,
9?
and no other being, than he has made himself known, and de-
clared himself to be, in his word: “God in Christ, reconciling
sinners to himself, not imputing sin unto them;” but “ par-
doning iniquity, transgression, and sin.” Exod. xxxiv. 7. God
freely loving, cordially receiving, and heartily embracing, all and
every poor sinner who comes unto him. What is it to come
unto God? Not any local motion of the body, from one place
to another, but the going out of the soul, the hopes, desires,
and affections to him, so as to come near to God, and dwell in
God, in whom we live, move, and have our being; as the God
of our salvation, by whom we escape death in whom we have
pardon, reconciliation, justification, peace, and the hope of
eternal life.
And this faith conceives of, and receives this truth of the
Son of God, “No man cometh unto the Father but by me.”
John xiv. 6. As God is IN CHRIST, so we comé to the Father
by Christ. As sinners, we can receive no knowledge of God,
nor find any way to come unto him, but through the humanity
of his Son. “He hath consecrated a new and living way through
the vail of his flesh, for us to draw nigh unto God.” Heb. x.
20. This, only to conceive of in the mind, is really joyful; but
O what transport of soul doth the poor sinner feel in coining to
God through Christ's flesh! For all that Christ did and suffered
in the flesh, we have to bring unto God, to plead before God,
and to justify us in the sight of God, even his atoning blood,
and perfect obedience unto death. When we come to God in
this new and living way, we turn our backs upon our old and
dead way, of coming by anything in ourselves, our own works,
or any terms and conditions we can perform. But in Christ we
“ have boldness and access with confidence, by the faith of
him.” Eph. iii. 12. O the joy of this coming unto God, to
have a way of free access to him, holy boldness before him, and
certain acceptance with him.
O believer, if this truth stands clear in your conscience, you
will be a daily, an hourly, yea, a constant comer unto God in
Christ, and by Christ For you will continually see so many
and great wants in yourself, which none but a great God can
supply: so many numerous evils in yourself, which none but a
gracious God can pardon : such a swarm of lusts and corrup-
tions, which none but an omnipotent God can subdue. And,
are you at times ready to despair of Salvation, because of the
weakness of your graces, and the strength of your lusts and
corruptions At such a season, come afresh to God with all
your cares and fears, doubts and despairs. Hear, and let faith
triumph, “Wherefore Christ is able to save them to the utter-
most, who come unto God by him, seeing (O ever see, ever fas-
ten upon, ever plead this in * own conscience, and before
98
God) Jesus ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Heb.
vii. 25. Now if you are a comer to God by Christ, and if your soul
should not be saved, then Christ lives in vain, prays in vain, and
his ability must fail, seeing he cannot effect what he lives and
prays for. O see the cursed nature of unbelief what a stab
does it give to the glory of Christ How doth it wound your
own conscience, deject your heart, and dispirit your love and
obedience. Resist it as your great enemy. Strive against it
as your worst foe. Hear the word of God your best friend.
Come unto him, and call upon him, Lord, I believe: O help
my unbelief O make me strong in faith, that I may give glory
to thee! Hence, as the poet most sweetly and experimentally
Sings,
*Till God in human flesh I see,
My thoughts no comfort find,
The holy, just, and sacred Three,
Are terror to my mind.
But if Immanuel's face appears,
My hope, my joy begins;
His name forbids my slavish fears,
His grace subdues my sins.
So will you,
3dly, Please him. Without faith it is impossible to please
God. Why so Because where faith does not reign, pride and
self-righteousness do. If any sinner on earth is pleased with
himself, God is displeased at him. Why? because he looks
at himself by the eye of sense, and rejects the righteousness of
faith, and seeks to be found in himself, instead of being found
in Christ. “In whom God hath declared himself well pleased.”
Matt. iii. 17. There is not a righteous character upon earth
out of Christ : therefore God cannot be pleased with any sin-
ner, but in Christ ; and as clothed with his righteousness by
faith. God and our hearts must be at one in this point, else
we cannot please him at all. And this faith must run through
all we do, or we cannot please God. “For whatsoever is not
of faith, is sin.” Rom. xiv. 23. And God cannot be pleased
with sin.
But, O ! how does faith animate the soul, to strive to please
God in all things! For what truth proclaims, faith receives,
lives by, and works from. Truth declares, “To the praise of
the glory of God’s grace, he hath made us, [us sinners] accept-
ed in his beloved Son.” Eph. i. 6. Then says faith, I dare not
strive by my works, to make my person accepted before God.
For this, instead of being humble faith, is arrogant pride, bold
presumption, and daring unbelief. For it is renouncing God’s
truth, rejecting his beloved Son, flattering my vanity, deceiving
- 99
my soul, and is displeasing to my God. Faith rejects this with
abhorrence, while the believing soul will cry with complaceney,
O what a debtor am I to the grace of God, for making such a
vile sinner as I am accepted in his beloved Son. How am I
bound by the fetters of love, and quickened by every etidearing
motive, ever to study and strive to please my God in all things,
and fear to offend him by any thingº Please God! remember
the grace of God: think of your being accepted in the Son of
God, then, let - what will present itself which may please
God, and be to the praise of the glory of his grace; that is your
indispensable duty, your inestimable privilege to do. O let
faith speak, and love prevail, and obedience pleasing to God
will not be wanting. Those who know God, not only come
unto him, and delight to please him, but they are also
4thly, Diligent seekers of him. But why seek God, seeing
we do know him, and have come unto him 2 Ask a miser who
knows the value of gold, and has great store, whether he does
not wish for more? So those who know God, seek to know
more of him, that they may enjoy more sweet comfort in him,
and more joyful fellowship with him, in all his persons, as their
loving Father, gracious Redeemer, and holy comforter. So
Paul, who had long known Christ, breathes this desire, “That
I may know him.” Therefore seek God in his house, on his
sabbaths, in his ordinances, in our families, with our brethren,
and in our closets: in the day of prosperity, and in the hour of
adversity: in the time of life, and in the season of death. Yea,
when we have sinned against God, we seek unto him. So then
diligent seekers of God are sinners ? They are, to the burden,
grief, and sorrow of their souls. But to our unspeakable joy,
we know by faith, we are justified, accepted, saved sinners in
Christ. Then we may love sin, walk in sin, and find a plea
for our sins in Christ. No, satan, thou adversary and aeeuser;
no more than we wish to find an acute pain in our body, or the
disaster of a broken leg, that we may apply to a surgeon for re-
lief and remedy. But the blood of Christ is our only remedy
for sin, and we seek to him, to have the pain and guilt of it
taken out of our conscience, the love of it subdued in our heart,
and the power of it mortified in our life, that we may walk be-
fore God in righteousness and true holiness. For this we dili-
gently seek God, and cry with avaricious Paul, “That I may
know him.” Phil. iii. 10. Lastly,
We believe our God is the rewarder of them who diligently
seek him. Pride avaunt! Thou hellish fiend, dare not lift up
...thy baleful head, as though it is a reward of merit. We detest
the thought, and abhor the sound. We know our gracious
God. Ourselves we know unprofitable servants, after all we
have done, and in all we can do. Yet a reward is sure, though
H 2
- 100.
merit be wanting. For God’s reward is not given, as of debt
for work done, or as wages to hired servants, but given by
grace, of free promise made to his free men, his beloved chil-
dren in Christ. God “gives liberally, [without merit in the
receiver] and upbraideth not.” James i. 5. for his unworthiness
of the least of all his méâns. O what a gracious God do we
know, come unto, delight to please, and diligently seek 1 Let
us look to him, cry to him, rejoice in him, and praise him now,
for all that he is to us, has done for us, and in us. One word
by way of
IMPROVEMENT.
Do you thus know God? God in Christ? a covenant God?
Then you are one of the most happy, highly-favoured beings
out of heaven: for heaven is secure to you. Therefore, you
ought ever to joy, and rejoice in God. I remember Paul, when
reproving such, for not rejoicing in Christ Jesus, and having
no confidence in the flesh, says, “But now, after that ye have
known God,”—he corrects himself, “ or rather are known of
God.” Gal. iv. 9. As though he would lead our faith from our
knowledge of God, to his knowledge of us, and cause our souls
ever to glory of, and rejoice in him, as having known us in the
morning of etermity, loved us with an everlasting love, “and
chose us in Christ Jesus before the world began.” Eph. i. 4.
And therefore, “God who commanded the light to shine out
of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give us the light of
the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ.”
2 Cor. iv. 6. O how joyful is this so that you are not only
bound by present grace, but also are under eternal obligations to
everlasting love, to serve, honour, and glorify the Lord your God.
O for stronger faith in this scriptural truth, that love to God may
more and more abound, and our souls be soaring in the delight-
ful expanse of God’s eternal love and grace. Beware of those
who cramp the pinions of faith, and clip the wings of love, by
contracting our ideas of God's love, within the narrow limits of
time, and the confines of sense.
A COLLECT.
O Lord open thou our lips, that our tongues may speak forth
thy praise. Touch our hearts with a live coal from the altar 6f
thy love, that we may give glory to thy name. Lord, what are
we, that thou shouldst make thyself known to us! once as dead
before thee, and as blind to the knowledge of thee, as other
sinners. O shew us our mereies, and convince us more deeply
of our obligations, to love thee, serve thee, and walk worthy of
thee to all pleasing, through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
to whom with thee, and the Holy Spirit, be all glory and honour,
now and ever. Amen.

101
Çiye jourteenth ſigrú'3 ZDap.
oN SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION.
But we all with open Face, beholding as in a glass the Glory of
the Lord, gig, changed into the same Image, even as by the
Spirit of theºlord. 2 Cor. iii. 18.
WE all. Who? All the professors of Christianity With equal
truth say, there is not a blind man in the world. There is not
a more prevailing error exists, nor which is more pregnant with
destructive consequences, than applying the word ALL, so
frequently used in scripture, to every individual of mankind.
Just with the same truth and propriety say, every man in
England, is actually a member of parliament? and apply all
that is spoken of them, and transaeted by all of them, to every
man. Surely folly and inattention to the word of God, never
appear more conspicuous than in this! Nor are they capable of
doing a greater injury to the truths of God, and the souls of men,
than by this. For hereby carnal persons, who are blind to the
truths of the gospel, and dead in their sins, are presumptuously
led to consider themselves included in the word ALL; when the
scriptures are speaking of ALL the elect people of God, ALL the
redeemed of Christ, and ALL the sanctified by the Holy Spirit:
or when the apostles are speaking of themselves, and their holy
brethren in Christ, and of the happy effects which were wrought
in and upon them ALL, through believing the gospel, exclusive
of ALL the rest of the world, which lieth in wickedness. But
it is deemed charity, thus most uncharitably to apply the word,
ALL, to the self-confident delusion, and awful destruction of the
profane and ungodly. O, say they, the scriptures say, God loves
ALL, Christ died for ALL, justification is come upon ALL MEN,
the Spirit is given to EveRY MAN, and therefore—What? all
men shall certainly be saved. That is right. The conclusion
is just, from such universal principles. Therefore, let ALL MEN
º know this, that no man need fear God, sin, nor hell,
or all is safe. All men shall be saved, let them do what they
will. From such unscriptural charity, good Lord deliver us!
Thus satan will extract venom from the sweet scriptures, and
poison carnal minds by corrupting them. º
But it is the experience of the saints in Christ, which is here
spoken of, and of them only. There are two words in this text,
which, by attending to and explaining, will unfold the sense and
meaning of the whole. The first is active, “We beholding.”
The second is passive, “We are changed.” From hence we

102
may raise this doctrine, That activity in duty is our's; that the
success and blessing upon it, is wholly from the Lord. O may
the Lord give us the pleasing experience of this beholding, and
the unspeakable joy of knowing that we are changed.
1st. Beholding. This is not a slight, hasty, superficial glance,
like “A man's beholding his natural face in a glass, and going
away, and straightway forgetting what manner of man he was.”
James i. 24. But it implies a fixed attention of the mind.
Such a beholding, as the dear women were engaged in, when
they saw our blessed Lord hanging upon the cross. Their
whole hearts were taken up with it, “And their whole souls
swallowed up in meditation upon it.” Matt. xxvii. 55. Without
such a beholding, men attain to no proficiency in any science.
Because Christians are not more assiduously engaged in this,
is the one grand cause of all their fears, doubts, perplexities,
and complaints. Other things attract their attention, from
beholding the one thing needful. Hence their misery. See
that astronomer, with what intense application of mind is he
engaged, in beholding the planetary system, and in considering
the motions of the heavenly bodies? What pleasing knowledge
does he gain | What satisfactory reflection does his mind reap
hereby But infinitely greater knowledge, and more comfort-
able reflection, does the heaven-born soul attain by this con-
stant beholding. For,
2dly, It is with open face. We have no dimming, obscuring
veil, over our eyes, as Moses had, so that the children of Israel
could not steadfastly look to the end of what was prefigured.
“They could not clearly see the shining of Christ in the coun-
tenance of Moses, because of the veil upon his face.” 2 Cor.
iii. 18. But blessed be God, this is done away in Christ: there
is nothing dark and obseure in the gospel revelation : we behold
Christ with open face, full of grace and truth. We plainly and
clearly see him a perfect man, like unto ourselves in all things
except sin. We behold him doing his Father's will, and finish-
ing the work which he gave him to do, 'aud thereby bringing
eternal glory to his name, and an everlasting revenue of praise
to the whole Godhead. For now the glory of Christ is unveiled,
and blessed be God it hath pleased him to take the veil off
from our hearts, so that we can clearly, and plainly behold the
glory of God shining in the face, or person of Jesus Christ, as
we can see the glory of the sun in the face of nature's creation.
We behold Christ's obedience of life unto death, as our justifying
righteousness, to the glory of God’s grace : the atonement of
his blood on the cross, for the pardon of our sins, to the glory
of God’s justice: his resurrection from the dead, for our acquittal
from all condemnation, to the glory of God’s truth: his being
exalted to be a Prince, and a Saviour, to give us repentance and
103
remission of sins, to the glory of God's holiness : his interces-
sion for us at the right hand of God, to bring us to eternal
salvation in heaven, to the glory of God’s power; and that God
hath made us accepted in his beloved, blessed us with all
spiritual blessings in him, according as he hath chosen us in
him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy
and without blame before him in love; having predestinated us
unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself,
according to the good pleasure of his will, “To the praise and
glory of his grace.” Eph. i. 3, &c. And that God hath united
us to Christ, and made us one Spirit with him, to the glory of
God’s everlasting love; and that therefore where Christ is, there
most assuredly shall all his members be. O what a glorious
beholding is this Now all this with open face, or in the un-
veiled face of Christ. We all, ALL from whom it hath pleased God
to take away the veil, which is naturally upon all our hearts,
behold as clearly and as plainly by the eye of faith, as we behold
any object by the eye of sense. Those who do not behold all
this glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ, the veil remaineth
upon their hearts unto this day. It is not for want of Christ
the object, and the glory of God in and by him, being clearly
set before them; but through the spiritual blindness of man’s
understanding, and the veil which is naturally upon their
hearts, that men do not see the unveiled face of Christ, and the
glory of God shining in it. Hence we hear so many talk so
incoherently, and inconsistently about divine truths, and so
awfully detract from the glory of God in Christ, by denying the
capital, fundamental doctrines of the gospel. O how awful
is this declaration “If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them who
are lost. In whom the God of this world hath blinded the
minds of them who believe not, lest the light of the glorious
gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto
them.” 2 ºr, iv. 3, 4. For,
3dly, This beholding is in a glass. The gospel is this true
mirror, or looking glass, wherein we behold the smiling coun-
tenance, yea, the loving heart of God himself in Christ, to
sinners of mankind. Many are fond of looking in a glass, to
admire themselves. ... But O, while sinners look in this glass,
they gaze upon and admire the God of love. For here they
behold his everlasting covenant love fully displayed, as so many
striking features in his gracious countenance. You cannot
look into this glass, but you must see, and be constrained to
cry out, GoD Is LovE. I here see his loving face. I here
behold his loving heart. I believe, I know, I feel, that love is
of God, and God is love: nothing but love to sinners in Christ.
Here I clearly behold the goings forth of his heart in love to
them, in his everlastiug covenant from eternity for them. In
l:04
the glass of the gospel, we behold, God, the Father loving,
choosing, and blessing his people in Christ.” Eph, i. 3.
“Giving them to Christ.” John xvii. 2. “Their oneness with
Christ.” Heb. ii. 1 l. “Christ giving himself for them.” Tit,
ii. 14. By whom the law was fulfilled, magnified, and made
honourable, justice sanctified, God well pleased, and all the
divine perfections illustriously displayed, and harmoniously
exalted. And inconsequence of all this, God the Holy Spirit, as
engaged in covenant, is sent forth to glorify Christ in the eyes,
and to the hearts of all the elect of the Father, and, redeemed
by the Son, to unite them to him, and sanctify them in him.
All this covenant love before time, and covenant grace in time,
we behold, clearly behold in the glass of the gospel. Speaking
once of this, a person who denied the existence of the ever-
lasting covenant, asked me this weak question, “Pray, sir, was
you at the Council board | Poor thing! There was no necessity,
for that. For all the transactions of it are clearly and explicitly
told us; by one who was at the Council : yea, one of the cove-
manting parties, even the Spirit of truth. “Whereof, concern-
ing the things of the eternal covenant of grace, and peace, and
sinners being sanctified in Christ, the Holy Ghost is a witness
to us.” Heb. x. 15. “The Spirit bears witness, because the
Spirit is truth.” I John v. 6. Therefore, “If we receive the
witness of men, the witness of God is greater.” 9th verse. And
where does he witness, but in the gospel Therefore,
2dly, It is beholding with wonder-and admiration. There is
no one point of doctrine in the gospel, but excites this. God's
everlasting love to us, his election of us, redeeming, justifying,
quickening, adopting, sanctifying, and saving us, in and by
Christ, all create wonder in us: all are marvellous in our eyes,
and astonishing to our hearts, so that at one time, we are ready
to think the pews too good to be true. At another, we cry out,
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bgºtowed qi.
us, that we should be called the sons of God. l John iii. 1.
2dly, It is a most delightful beholding. The LoRD in covenant
love proclaims of his people, collectively cousidered as the
body of Christ. “Thou shalt be called Hephzibah, for the
Lord delighteth in thee.” Isa. lxii. 4. Each of them by grace
declares, “Thy law [thy scheme of salvation] is my delight.”
Psalm crix, 174. “The law of the Spirit of life in Christ
Jesus, which hath made me free from the law of sin and
death,” Rom. viii. 2, is my one glory: my chief delight.
The gospel, Christ beheld in the gospel : the face of God, and
the glory of God, shining in the glass of the gospel, are most
engaging and delightful to the hearts of poor sinners.
Therefore, 3d. It is a continued beholding. It is not, we
have beheld, or we shall behold, but it is beholding, a partici-

k05,
ple of the present time. We do now behold, we continue to
behold, we go on beholding. Here, believing soul, see what
now is, and what ever is to be your constant, your continued
work, even beholding the unveiled glory, the open face of
Jesus, in the glass of the gospel, and the love of God's heart,
to you, a sinner in him. For, “whosoever looketh into the
perfect law of liberty, [the glass of the gospel] and continueth
therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work,
[continually beholding the gospel, and Christ in the gospel]
this man shall be blessed in his deed.” James i. 25. How
blessed ? thus we come,
Secondly, to consider, “changed into the same image.”
How changed? From natural to spiritual men No. These
we are already, or we could not thus behold. Is flesh changed
into spirit? No. We are still in the flesh, and fleshly lusts
war against us. Are we so changed as to have no sin in us?
No. Sin dwelleth in us, and wars against us. How then are
we changed? “Into the same image.” An image is the like-
ness, or representation of any person, or thing. God forbids
us to “make to ourselves any graven image, to bow down to,
or worship.” Exod. xx, 4. For, after our fall, the imaginations.
and thoughts of our hearts are evil, only evil, continually
evil.” Gen. vi. 5. Therefore, as we have lost the image of
God, we can make nothing but an evil image. And God from
all eternity, decreed to set up an image in time, as the most
striking likeness, and strongest representation of his glorious
person. And though by the fall, we had entirely lost all sight
and knowledge of God, yet we should clearly see, and com-
foºtably know him again, in and by this image. This is none
other than his beloved Son, “who is the brightness of his
glory, and the express image of his person.” Heb. i. 3. Hence
he tells Philip, “He who hath seen me, hath seen the Father
also.” John xiv. 9. Thus Christ is the image of God. The
gospel is the image of Christ: and while we are beholding the
gospel, and Christ in the gospel, the true image of God is
stamped upon our mind, or heart, and we are more and more
changed in our thoughts, judgments, and affections into this
lºagº,
You see, when the Galatians had fallen from grace, that is,
had lost sight of the graçe of God, salvation by that grace
only, and justification by the righteousness of Christ fully; by
not beholding the glory of God in the gospel, and had fallen,
into a corrupt notion of their own righteousness, and justifica-
tion in part, by what they did, and submitted to for salvation;
Paul, tells them, “Christ would profit them nothing.” For
they had lost sight of the image of Christ, the image of God,
the image of the gospel, and were, as the Psalmist speaks,
106
“walking in a vain shew,” or an image, as rendered in the
margin. Psalm xxxix, 6. And therefore he tells them, “I tra-
vel in birth again; [like a woman in labour pains] until Christ
be formed in you.” Gal. iv. 19. That is, till the image of
Christ, and the image of the gospel, was pourtrayed, or re-
stamped upon their hearts and minds. This is a point of the
greatest importance, for the peace and comfort of our souls,
and to the honour of the gospel, and the glory of God in Christ.
O let us ever be most deeply concerned about it !
For such as the image is, which is impressed upon the mind,
or heart, so will the life and walk be. If it is the image of
Christ, or the gospel, it will produce correspondent fruits and
effects upon the life. We shall strive to honour the gospel,
and glorify Christ. But if a corrupt image is impressed there,
we shall be like Israel of old; “An empty vine, we shall bring
forth fruit unto ourselves, according to the goodly image ſplea-
sing in our own eyes, but abominable image in the sight of
God] which we have made.” Hos. x. 1. Our imaginations
being only evil, we are naturally prone to create evil images in
our minds, contrary to the image of the gospel. Hence so
many corrupt doctrines are advanced, contrary to the grace of
God, and the image of Christ. The mind of a miser is im-
pressed with the image of gold. His affections are set upon it.
The more he contemplates it, the more he receives the image
of it upon his mind. A Pharisee's mind is impressed with the
image of his own righteousness. The more he beholds it, the
more his mind is changed into the image of it. So he who
believes in Christ, and looks on Christ as his righteousness, the
more he beholds Christ and his righteousness, the more he
is changed into the image of Christ, and his righteousness. So
in general, while we are beholding the gospel, the glory of the
Lord shining in all his covenant purposes, glorious decrees,
holy doctrines, and precious promises in the face of Jesus Christ,
we receive the impress of them, and are changed in heart, judg-
ment, and affections, into their very image. And this
“From glory to glory.” From one degree of glory to ano-
ther. The glory of the gospel, of €hrist in the gospel, and of
God in Christ, is more and more communicated to us, and we
are more and more impressed with, and shine in all this glory,
“even by the Lord the Spirit.” It is he who glorifies Christ in
the gospel; gives us to see the glory of the gospel, and the glory
of Christ in the gospel; and while we are beholding this, he
makes us glorious in Christ, and changes us from glory to glory,
till from experiêncing the glory of his grace on earth, we are
changed into the ultimate glory of heaven. O how glorious to
be ever thus engaged in beholding ! Naturalists observe, “that
while the Halcyon bird is brooding on her eggs, and bringing
107
forth her young, there is usually fair weather. From hence
good times are called “Halcyon days.” Would we constantly
experience these Halcyon days? -the Lord grant that we may
be ever brooding over the gospel: ever beholding the glory of
the Lord in the gospel, so as to be changed into his image in
heart and life, by the Lord the Spirit. Let us attend to one
word of . . .
CAUTION.
There are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming
themselves into the apostles of Christ. “Satan himself is
transformed into an angel of light; and his ministers into mi-
nisters of righteousness.” 2 Cor. ii. 13, &c. But neither satan,
nor his ministers, can transform themselves into the TRUTH;
no, their tongues will ever discover their rooted malice against
the truth, as it is in Jesus. Hence, as we are in continual
danger from them, we ought to be jealous over ourselves with
a godly jealousy, “lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled
Eve through his subtilty, so our MINDs should be corrupted
from the simplicity that is in Christ.” 2 Cor. ii. 8. Remember
every heresy begins in the mind. If we hear a perverted gos-
pel, our minds are in danger of being corrupted. One says, I
believe the doctrine of the atonement, and salvation of Christ,
but I cannot bear the doctrines of his imputed righteousness,
God’s electing love, and the final perseverance of his people.
I set my face against these. Why so the latter are as clearly
revealed as the former. What a mangled image do such make
of the gospel? Dare they talk so of God's commandments, or
precepts Are not the doctrines of his love, equally precious
as the other? O what daring arrogance is this The Lord deli-
ver us from it ! Pride and unbelief are at the bottom of this.
A COLLECT.
O Lord, teach us humbly to receive all thy sacred truths, as
revealed in thy word; that we may see the glory of thy grace
and love displayed by them; and shining in the face of Jesus
Christ, to our salvation by him. Blessed Spirit, enable us so to
behold thy gospel, as to be changed into the perfect image of
it in heart and affection, to the glory of the three one God.
Amen.
108
QThe fifteenth Lott'3 ADap.
=mºa
THE BLESSEDNESS OF SPIRITUAL HUNGER AND THIRST.
Blessed are they who do Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness:
jor they shall be filled. Matt. v. 6.
THUS spake the best preacher, in the best sermon that ever was
preached on the earth. Near thirty years since, I knew one
who was very intimate with a Clergyman, to whom he once
took the liberty of speaking freely, of the necessity of the new
birth of the Spirit, &c. The minister, who was a very serious,
outwardly good man, expressed a great regard for this person ;
told a friend of his, that he really feared he was going out of his
mind. To prevent this dreadful evil, and to set him right, he
advised this person to read a sermon which he would recom-
mend, saying it was the best moral sermon in the world; and
he was sure he could have no objection to the preacher of it.
What should this sermon be, but our blessed Lord’s on the
Mount. Lo, this he called a moral sermon | God is gracious to
sinners. Glory to him, he has given the spirit of a sound mind
to that poor sinner, and he now sees spirituality from beginning
to end of that sermon. And that Jesus, the high priest of our
profession, who was sent to bless us poor sinners, is here pro-
nouncing the spiritual blessings of the everlasting covenant of
God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, “as
the high priest under the law did.” Numb. vi. 24, &c. Oh how
joyful is this!
Let us, therefore, consider, (1st.) What is implied in this
hunger and thirst. (2d.) What righteousness is it after.
(3d.) The blessedness of it. And may the Lord grant us to
experience in power, what is here revealed in the letter. O that
we may know, to our souls comfort and joy, that it is infinitely
more blessed to hunger and thirst after righteousness, than to
be dead in sin, gratifying our lusts, living in pleasure, full of
confidence in our own righteousness, and satisfied in, and with
ourselves.
First, What is implied in this hunger and thirst. These plain
and strong images in nature, we all know by experience. For
we have felt them. So conceive of them now, and you will
have a just idea of what they mean in a spiritual sense. Nay,
your soul cannot be alive to God, but you have felt them. Yea,
you feel them now. For the soul has its senses, as well as the
body. Spiritual hunger and thirst, are as natural to the soul,
as to the body. Yes, and they will accompany you all your
days too. For the holy Spirit keeps up the life of faith, the
109
conviction of sin, and this hunger and thirst. Our Lord says,
“Woe unto you who are full, for ye have received your conso-
lation.” Luke vi. 25. Full of conceit of their own righteous-
mess, and puffed up with a notion of their own holiness and
perfection, so as not to feel hunger and thirst after Christ, and
his righteousness to be imputed to them, as poor and needy
sinners. Such have received their consolation, and a sad one
it is. They are not to be envied, but pitied. For our Lord's
woe is upon them ; and we have seen woeful instances of such.
But blessed are they who hunger and thirst. This implies,
1st. Spiritual life. For you feel this hunger and thirst. That
would be a strange kind of hunger and thirst, that we did not
feel ! And, it would be equally as strange to say, that a dead
man cah feel hunger and thirst ! Therefore, if you do feel it,
even in the smallest degree, it is a sure sign that the Lord hath
quickened you, and that you are alive to the Lord. Here a poor
distressed sinner may say, O that I were sure of this But I
cannot think my soul is thus quickened, because I am so
harassed with sin, so perplexed about my state, and so dis-
tressed with fear, that I do not know, nor love Christ as I ought.
Therefore I do not hunger and thirst at all. Was this always
your language? Is this the complaint of any who are dead in
sin Just as well suppose, that a man is dead, whom you hear
crying out for drink and food.
2d. It is a painful sensation. Though we cannot form so
strong a conception, or idea of thirst, as those who have felt it,
to that intense degree, in the eastern countries, with a sultry sun
directly over their heads, burning sands under their feet, and no
water possibly to be got; or like those poor souls, who perished
in the black hole in the East Indies, when they went raving
mad with heat and thirst: though we cannot conceive so strongly
of the pain of hunger, as those who have been drove to eat
human, yea, even their own flesh; yet we have experienced so
much of it, as to feel that it is a painful sensation in the sto-
mach. So is spiritual hunger. It is a feeling, painful sensa-
tion in the soul, for want of spiritual food. But here we are
apt to make sad work in our consciences. O says a poor, pained,
hungry thirsty soul, surely if Christ loved me, or I had the least
love to Christ, he would not leave me under such painful sensa-
tions of mind, and to feel such an aching void in my soul. Nay,
but it is love itself that has caused these, that you might cry to
him, come to him, not rest satisfied without him, and experi-
ence the blessedness of being filled out of his fulness. This
hunger and thirst irritate the stomach, like a provocative bitter
to'quicken the appetite. Says David, “My soul thirsteth for
God. Psalm xlii. 2. And our loving Lord says, “Ho, every
one who thirsteth.” Isai. iv. 5. “And if any man thirst, let
him come unto ME,” John vii. 37. Hence,
1 10
3d. It is a longing sensation. It cannot be satisfied without
what is suited to allay its hunger, and quench its thirst. Offer
a hungry, thirsty man, a rich dress, or a quantity of gold, this
will only tantaſize him : for these will neither satiate his hunger,
nor quench his thirst. So this spiritual hunger and thirst can-
not be allayed, without administering what is suitable to its
nature. So when a soul with David says, “I have longed for
thy salvation, O Lord.” Psalm crix. 174. Nothing else will
satisfy it. Tell it of all the vanities of time, invite it to partake
of the riches, honours, and pleasures of the world, the pleasing
scenes of the play-house, the diversions of the card table, the
joy and festivity of jovial companions, it cannot take up with
any of them, it can be satisfied with none of them, it pours out
contempt upon all of them : for this longing for salvation rises
superior to them. It is the one thing needful, which the soul
hath chosen, and it cannot, will not be satisfied without it.
For,
4th. Knowledge ever accompanies this hunger and thirst.
Such souls are not like children, who cry for they know not
what, and are quieted with every gaudy bauble. No, they know
what they hunger and thirst after, and nothing but that will
satisfy them. But some cry out, O don’t tell us of knowledge.
Away with all head knowledge. Give us love, love. A most
excellent desire, but a most foolish way of expecting it. For,
is there any other way to the heart, and its affections, but by
the understanding and judgment 2 Therefore, is not this gaping
after they know not what : a blind passion ? This is just as wise
as to cry out, Give me, O give me, food and drink; but away
with all putting it into my head, and swallowing it; but put it
into my stomach at once. There let me enjoy it. Thus “ Fools
hate knowledge.” Prov. i. 22. “But when the wise is in-
structed, he receiveth knowledge.” Prov. xxi. 1 1. “And it is
pleasant to the soul.” Prov. ii. 10. But who instructs the
hungry and thirsty souls 2 The Spirit of wisdom and revelation.
He convinces of sin. He reveals a righteousness to them.
Thus he creates this hunger and thirst in them. And they
know that they hunger and thirst after righteousness. Therefore
we come to consider,
Second, What righteousness it is after. There is but one
righteousness revealed in scripture, by which sinners can pos-
sibly be made righteous, and in which alone they are fully,
perfectly, and everlastingly justified before God. And this is
the oNE righteousness of his beloved Son only, and no other.
For, “by the righteousness of one, or the one righteousness of
Jesus Christ, the free gift came upon all men to justification
of life.” Who are here meant by all men, the apostle explains
in the next verse. “For if by one man's disobedience, many
11 k
were made sinners, even so, by the obedience of oxE, shall
many be made righteous.” Rome. v. 18, 19. Even ALL the
elect people of God. ALL the redeemed of Christ. ALL who
are sanctified by the Spirit, to believe on Christ, and be made
righteous in him. The scriptures are full, express, and clear,
upon this point, righteousness. And how sinners of mankind
are made righteous, “Even by the righteousness of Christ im-
puted to them ; and that they are made the righteousness of
God IN HIM.” 2 Cor. v. 21. So that one should think, no man
could mistake in this point. But, alas ! the legality of our
natures, and the pride and unbelief of our hearts, work very
strongly against this plain truth of God, this clear point of
faith, to our great distress. And therefore our believing, new-
born souls, are constantly hungering and thirsting after clearer
knowledge, and more comfortable enjoyment of this precious
righteousness, of our dear Saviour. But to supersede this,
how many oppose this one righteousness of Christ, to establish
their own righteousness; and awfully controvert God’s wisdom,
to exalt their own Hence we hear of that old Popish heresy
being revived, of two justifications, one by Christ, and the
other by the merit of their works. I am sure the breasts
of those who hunger and thirst after Jesus Christ, and his
righteousness, will heave with indignation at such Christ-dis-
honouring pride. O my dear friends in Christ, whose righteous-
ness have we to mention on earth, and before the God of
Heaven, but our dear Lord’s only 2 Whose obedience to the
law of God can we glory of, and glory in, but his alone Is
our righteousness perfect 2 Is our obedience faultless? Are we
sinless . If so, stand forth and challenge heaven, (as insolent
pride speaks) for thy justifieation, and eternal life. But if
not, humble thyself as a poor needy sinner, as thou art; and
instead of disputing with the sons of pride, who trust in them-
selves that they are righteous, hunger and thirst more and
more after Christ and his righteousness; yea, eat his flesh,
and drink his blood, by faith with thanksgiving. . For, ye who
profess to be members of the church of England, hear this,
her most true, and most joyful declaration, “ Christ is now
the righteousness of all them who truly believe in him.” He
for them paid their ransom by his death. He for them
fulfilled the law in his life. So that now in him, and by him,
every true Christian may be called a fulfiller of the law, foras-
much as that which their infirmity lacketh, Christ's righteous-
ness hath supplied. Homily on Salvation. .*
But then, if every believer is thus perfectly righteous in
Christ, why should he hunger and thirst after righteousness?
Because he ever sees, knows, and feels, that he is an unrighte-
ous sinner in himself, therefore, will ever confess with pious
| 12
bishop Beveridge, “I cannot pray but I sin. I eatinot heat
a sermon but I sin. I cannot so much as confess my sins, but
my very confessions are still aggravations of them. My repen-
tance need to be repented of. My tears want 'washing; and
the washing of my tears, need still to be washed over again, in
the blood of my Redeemer. Thus not only the worst of my
sins, but even the best of my duties, bespeak me a child of
Adam.” Now those who do not see, and cannot confess thus
from the feeling of their heart, cannot hunger and thirst after
Christ's righteousness. For they are full of their own, are
satisfied with it, and loathe the honey-comb of full, free, and
everlasting justification, by the righteousness of Christ only.
But those who do see, and feel this, will be hungering and
thirsting every day after it. Paul was such a hungry, thirsty
soul all his days. Hence we hear him crying, “That I may
know Christ, that I may be found in him, not having my own
righteousness. I follow after to apprehend Christ, [to catch
faster hold of him, cleave more to him, enjoy more of him, and
find more blessedness in him] “who hath apprehended me.”
Phil. iii. 9, &c. But say some, “You so trust in, and rely
upon the righteousness of Christ, that you are content without
a righteousness of your own. Really we do not understand this
phrase, our own righteousness. What do you mean by it?
Righteousness means, a perfect conformity to, and perfect
fulfilment of, the holy law of God, in thought, word, and deed.
Dare you say you have done this 2 If so, you have a righteous-
ness of your own. If not you have not a righteousness
of your own. We dare not say, we have done this. There-
fore confess ourselves unrighteous sinners. But you say,
then we make Christ's righteousness a cloak for our unrighte-
ousness. Indeed we do. We own the charge. Yea, we bless
our gracious God for such a glorious robe of righteousness;
such a precious cloak to cover the shame of our nakedness, and
for us to appear in, before him. For we hear the Spirit of
truth declare, “Blessed is the man, whose transgression is
forgiven, [in the blood of Christ] and whose sin is covered,”
[by the righteousness of Christ] Psalm xxxii. 1. And thus the
'poet scripturally introduces God the Father, addressing his
beloved Son: t
“Thy merit
“Imputed, shall absolve them who renounce
“Their own both righteous, and unrighteous deeds,
“And live in thee transplanted, and from thee
* Receive new life.” Milton.
Q say some, “This is cursed Antinomianism.” If so, Paul
was such an Antinomian. “For he counted all things but
113
loss and dung, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ,
and to be found in his righteousness.” Phil. iii. Therefore
this hard name does not effect us. It will neither break our
bones, nor disturb our peace, while we hear ourselves pronounc-
ed blessed by our Lord. And blessed be his dear name, we
can prove our blessedness by his word, and feel it in our own
experience. For says our Lord, “Blessed are they who hun-
ger and thirst after righteousness.” The blessedness of which,
let us,
Thirdly, Meditate upon. There is certainly a blessedness, in
not mistaking the object from whom blessedness alone can be
obtained. And if looking to, hungering and thirsting after
this object, who alone can bless us, be blessedness, then we are
blessed. For in, and from him, we experience all blessedness.
His righteousness hath obtained all to us, and in the faith of
his righteousness we enjoy all in us. What! without any in-
herent righteousness of your own I suppose you mean, the
graces of the Spirit: the fruits of the Spirit: the fruits of righ-
teousness, fruit unto holiness, &c. If so, we earnestly contend
for them, hunger and thirst after them, pray to be filled with
them : and say, for ever silenced be that tongue which dare
deny them. “For though the body is dead, because of sin,
yet the spirit is life, because of righteousness.” Rom. viii.10.
This we feel, because Christ hath wrought out, and brought
into the court of heaven, a righteousness which magnifies
God’s law, satisfies his justice, and with which God is well
pleased; therefore his Spirit hath made our souls alive to God,
through Jesus Christ. Hence from a new and spiritual life,
we experience the blessedness of hungering and thirsting, for
communications from Christ, of the graces and fruits of his
Spirit; the fruits of righteousness, and to abound herein,
“That we may have our fruit unto holiness, and the end ever-
lasting life.” Rom. vi. 22.
But still these are not our righteousness: we dare not glory
in these, but only in Christ, “THE LoRD our RIGHTEous-
Ness.” Jer. xxiii. 6. Nay, we dare not blend these with him;
nor suppose that we are made righteous by these, or that these
are any part of our justifying righteousness before God. No.
Let us ever be very careful to distinguish here, so as not to
confound these together, to the confusion of our mind, and
perplexity of our conscience. For our faith is one thing, and
our experience another. Christ, in all his offices, and relations,
in his works of atonement, righteousness, and salvation, and
God in him, as taught by the Spirit in the word, are the su-
preme, the only objects of our faith. Our souls can trust in
nothing, nor rest upon any thing, besides these, to give us the
least hope. What is experience The proof or trial of any
I
**
14
thing, whereby we come to the knowledge of its cause and
effects. So by believing the gospel, or trusting in Christ for
righteousness and salvation, we arrive at inward proof and ex-
perience, that the “God of hope fills our minds with all joy and
peace in believing, and makes us abound in hope ſon Christ]
through the power of the Holy Ghost.” Rom. xv. 13. “Hence
we have the fruit of the Spirit in us.” Gal. v. 22. And we
bring forth the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus
Christ. To what end ? To make us righteous before God, jus-
tify us in his sight? No, that is fully, perfectly, and for ever
done already. “For Christ of God is made righteousness to
us.” I Cor. i. 30. “And we are made the righteousness of
God in Christ.” 2 Cor. v. 21. “Therefore, our fruits of righ-
teousness are, by Jesus Christ, to the praise and glory of God.”
Phil. i. 11. Hence, because God hath transplanted us out of
nature's barren soil, into Christ our living head, and made us.
righteous in him, that we might live in him, glory of him, and
bring forth the fruits of righteousness by him, to the praise and
glory of God: is this to destroy holiness of life? Strange that:
ever such an absurd notion should enter the head of any rational
being ! As well say, because a man plants a vineyard, culti-
vates and dresses it, in order to make it fruitful, that therefore
he is an enemy to the production of grapes. Or because a
man marries, and begets children, that he is an enemy to pro-
creation. No : Paul says, “We are married to Christ, that we
should bring forth fruit unto God.” Rom. vii. 4. This we hun-
ger and thirst after, that we may live more upon him, walk
more comfortably in him, and bring forth more fruits of righte-
ousness by him. And our dear Lord says, such are blessed:
blessed of God the Father, blessed IN God the Son, and bless-
ed with God the Holy Ghost. O my poor fellow sinners, what
blessedness is this 1
“They shall be filled.” What! so filled as to hunger and
thirst no more after Christ and his righteousness No verily.
But so satisfied with him in their hearts and consciences, as to
hunger and thirst after no other righteousness, to justify, and
make them righteous before God, but his beloved Son's only.
And after the enjoyment of all the precious blessings, and glo-
rious privileges obtained by this righteousness, verily they will
hunger and thirst all their days on earth, to receive all out of
the fulness which is in Christ, till they are filled with all the
fulness of God in heaven. Therefore, carefully distinguish
here between the “RIGHTEousNEss of FAlth,” Rom. iv. 13,
“and the obedience of faith.” Rom. xvi. 26. “The righte-
ousness of Christ, and our obedience unto righteousness.”
Rom. xvi. 16. For without this, you cannot go on steadily,
comfortably, nor joyfully in the ways of God. “For how can
115
two walk together, except they be agreed?” Amos iii. 3. God's
will and yours must agree, in this point of righteousness and
justification, or you cannot walk together in peace and love.
“For he filleth the hungry, [the self-emptied sinner] with good
things, [out of the treasury of his covenant love, and out of the
fulness of his beloved Son] but the rich [the self-righteous,
self-confident, self-exalting sinner] he sends empty away.”
Luke v. 3. Having thus considered this scriptural, and impor-
tant point, may the Lord settle it in our consciences, and esta-
blish us in the experience of it. Let us aim to make an
IMPROVEMENT,
1st. Hence see the true nature of faith. It receives the
truths of God, and creates a hunger and thirst in the soul, after
the enjoyment of the blessings contained in them. Though
the mind and conscience of a sinner, be satisfied with the hope
of eternal life, flowing wholly and solely from the righteousness
and salvation of the Son of God; yet this does not abate his
hunger and thirst after Christ. No. For as faith discovers in
the world, more and more of the loveliness, charms, glory, and
preciousness of Jesus, so this keeps up a hunger and thirst in
the soul after him, to enjoy more of him, to live more upon
him, to delight more in him, to be devoted more to him, so as
to find him all in all, in the heart and affections; and to be dead
to this life, and all its vanities, the world with all its trifles,
self-righteous pride, and all its follies. Thus faith manifests
itself to be of God. For it obeys God, by beholding, and being
delighted with God's beloved Son, in whom He declares, “My
soul delighteth.” Isa. xlii. 1. “A certain heathen making an
oration, as he was sacrificing to his god, in the midst of his
devotion, word was brought him, that his only son was dead.
He was nothing moved at it, but went on with his work, and
said, I knew I did not get him to live for ever.” Thus faith,
when intensely fixed upon Christ, will put all aside for him.
For the soul enjoys him now, and expects soon to be with him
in glory.
2dly. This faith, and these hungerings and thirstings after
Christ, are graces of, and spring from the everlasting covenant
of grace. According to covenant engagement, Christ's soul
hungered and thirsted to redeem and save all that the Father
had given to him. Precious Saviour ! He said, “I have a
baptism to be baptised with, and how am I straitened till it be
accomplished l’ Luke xii. 50. Glory to thee, O Lord God,
that thou hast accomplished it. And if we hunger and thirst
after this salvation, it is an evidence of our interest in it. For
the Spirit of Jesus created this hunger and thirst after it, and
he glorifies Christ by it, in filling our souls out of his inex-
I 2 *.
I 16
haustible fulness. Therefore he says, “Eat, O friends, drink,
yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.” Song v. 1.
A COLLECT,
O Lord Jesus Christ, who art the righteousness and salva-
tion of lost sinners, cause our souls ever to hunger and thirst
after thee. O be thou the bread of life, and the waters of sal-
vation to us. Grant us so to eat thy flesh, and drink thy blood,
that we may live by thee, and be nourished up to eternal life.
In the return of each day, and every sabbath, may we find more
longings after thee, and stronger appetites to feed on thee. O
that we may be more dead to the world, and the things of it,
while we live in it, that we may live more to thy honour and
glory, O LAMB of God. Amen.
117
(Ibe širteenth Lott's 30ap.
* Lºs
ON GRIEVING AND QUENCHING THE SPIRIT.
—Walking in the comforts of the Holy Ghost. Acts iz, 31.
Grieve not the holy spirit of God. Eph. iv. 20.
Quench not the spirit. 1 Thess. v. 19.
As reason is common to all men, so is the Spirit of God to
all believers. Sir Isaac Newton was a person of an eminent
character for the finest parts, most exalted ideas, noblest senti-
ments, and most nervous reasoning. Though very few attain
to such heights of knowledge as he did, yet all other men par-
take of reason in common with him. Suppose any person had
took it in his head to deny that any man is possessed of reason,
and had told Sir Isaac, “Sir you are most amazingly deceived
and deluded, for neither you, nor any one man upon earth,
have one single grain of reason, any more than a beast. Your
judgment is deceived. You do not at all act under the influ-
ence of reason.” What should we think of such a person 2
Would there not be all the reason in the world to conclude,
that he was bereft of reason 2 This is just the very case in
spiritual things. For equally as absurd do men act, in deny-
ing that believers in Christ do partake of the Spirit of Christ.
For, did the world believe that the greatest character that ever
appeared on the stage of life: a character as infinitely superior
to that of Sir Isaac Newton, as his was to the meanest worm :
yea, as much superior to him, as the Son of the most high
God is to the lowest and meanest of all the sons of men: I say,
did the world believe that Christ possessed the Spirit of God,
acted under the influence of that Spirit, and lived a spiritual
life? No, verily. So far from it, that they said he was mad, had a
devil, and by the power of the devil, wrought his miracles.
This was their blasphemy: “The unpardonable sin against the
Holy Ghost.” Matt. xii. 3. By which they plainly manifested,
that they were destitute of his grace, and that all their wisdom
was earthly, sensual, and devilish, “They having not the
Spirit.” Jude xix.
Are there any of this earthly, sensual, devilish seed now
upon the earth 2, Yes, their name is legion, for they are many.
Their nature is just the same; and they speak the very same
language as their forefathers did. They no more believe that
Christ's members partake of his Spirit, than their ancestors did,
that Christ our head was filled with the Spirit. The reason is
plainly assigned, when the apostle calls on us with admiration
1 18
and adoration, “Behold what manner of love the Father hath
bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.”
He adds, therefore, .[or for this very reason, because we are
sons of God, and consequently partakers of the Spirit of God,
from our elder brother, the Son of God] “Therefore the world
knoweth us not, because it knew him not.” 1 John iii. 1. They
knew not what to think of Christ. They did not at all approve
of his life and conduct. And they will act the very same by
us, if we are partakers of Christ's Spirit, live and walk in the
Spirit, and do not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. We must appear
very strange, odd beings to them.
But, the highest effrontery of all is, they would persuade us
out of our reason, and tell us our senses deceive us, and our
feelings delude us, when we talk of “walking in the comforts
of the Holy Ghost, of being led by the Spirit, and that the Spirit
itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of
God, &c. This, though the sober language of God's word, is
the-sport and ridicule of the devil's children. All who use it,
are sure to be deemed madmen, enthusiasts, fanatics, method-
sists, &c. Thus it is. And thus, from the nature of things, it
must and will be. . For every tree discovers its nature by its
fruits. Thus the children of God are manifest, and the children
of the devil, by the spirit they are of, by the life they live, and
the words they speak. And I am bold to say, little as it may
be thought of in the world, that deriding and despising the
children of God, for professing to have received the Spirit of
God in his quickening power, regenerating grace, sanctifying and
comforting influences, not only discovers an enmity against God,
persecution against Christ, opposition to the scriptures of truth,
but it also borders very nearly upon the sin of blasphemy against
the Holy Ghost. But we must leave such to their awful state,
with this solemn word from our Lord, “He who despiseth you,
[as members of me] despiseth me, your living head.” Luke x.
16. And this from his inspired apostle, “He therefore that
despiseth, despiseth not man but God, who also hath given
unto us his holy Spirit.” 1 Thess. iv. 8. But,
To our unspeakable comfort, this is an infallible truth, that
God hath given unto us all, who believe in Christ, his holy
Spirit. “For, whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is
born of the Spirit of God.” I John v. 1. And every one who
is born of the Spirit, doth believe that the Son of God is the
anointed Saviour, and therefore belongs to Christ, and is a par-
taker of the Spirit of Christ. For, no man can say [from the
belief of the truth in his heart] “That Jesus is the Lord, but
by the Holy Ghost.” I Cor. xii. 3. “And if any man have not
the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” Rom. viii. 9. This
matter being express, clear, and plain, that believers in Christ
1:19
do belong to Christ, and are partakers of the Spirit of Christ,
and call him Lord by the Holy Ghost. Let us consider, and
O that we may consider, under the teaching, enlightening,
comforting, and sanctifying influence of the Spirit of truth!
1st. What is implied by walking in the comfort of the Holy
Ghost. * , .
2dly. What it is to grieve the Holy Spirit of God.
3dly. What it is to quench the Spirit.
First, What is implied by walking in the comforts of the
Holy Ghost 2 I think (and hope the thought is not contrary to
truth) that as we are taught to conceive, of “Names being
written in the slain Lamb's book of Life, from the foundation
of the world.” Revel. xiii. 18. That as the Holy Ghost is the
witness, sealer, and testifier of the covenant of grace and life;
that as he is called the “finger of God, by whom Moses
wrought his miracles.” Exod. viii. 19. “The finger of God,
who wrote the law in the two tables of stone.” xxxi. 18. “The
finger of God, by which our Saviour says, he cast out devils.”
Luke xi. 20. “And the Spirit of God, who writes the law of
grace and truth upon the fleshly tables of our hearts.” 2 Cor.
iii. 3. That therefore it was his peculiar covenant office to
write in the Lamb's book of life, the names of all the beloved
objects of God the Father's choice, the happy subjects whom
Christ undertook to redeem, justify, and save in time. And that
therefore he was to be the comfortER of them, and cause
them to walk in his comforts, which he bestows upon them,
through believing the work and salvation of the Son of God.
O it is so sweet, comforting, and establishing, to have clear
views of the covenant of grace and salvation ; and distinct views
of the offices, which the sacred The EE sustain in that covenant,
and how precisely all are fulfilled to the glory of the whole
Godhead, and to the comfort of all the elect people of God |
This is the greatest blessing on earth, next to enjoying the
sensible comforts of it in our hearts. Hence we plainly see,
the true meaning of our Lord's words, “The Spirit of truth
will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself.—
He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine, and shall
shew it unto you.” John xiii. 14.
It is thus the Holy Ghost comforts the believing members of
Christ. Not by speaking of himself as the Saviour, or that
what he does in us justifies us, but by leading our hearts to
Jesus, persuading us to believe on him, and enabling us to
cleave to him, assuring us, there is all righteousness and salva-
tion in him only; that we are interested in him, and bearing
interest with our spirits, (sinners as we are in ourselves)
that we are the children of God, by the faith of him. For
as the Holy Ghost wrote our names in the LAMB's book of
120
life, so he writes the LAMB's love upon our hearts, “And
sheds the love of God the Father abroad in our hearts.”
Rom. v. 5. Thus the knowledge of our justification by
faith, the sense of our having peace with God, through our
Lord Jesus Christ, the comfort of God’s love in our hearts, the
assurance of the pardon of our sins, the boldness of access we
have to God by faith, the rejoicing we have in hope of the glory
of God; and though we know and feel that we are sinners in the
sight of God, yet this hope in Christ makes us not ashamed
and confounded before God, as those who are destitute of the
comfort of hope: all this believing in Christ flows from the
comfort of the Holy Ghost.
In order to comfort us, the Holy Ghost shall glorify ME, says
Christ. The Spirit of truth doth not glorify himself as the
Saviour, but Christ alone. He doth not glorify us, nor make us
appear glorious in our own eyes, as repenting, believing, loving,
hoping, obedient, good and righteous beings. No. He con-
vinces us of sin: makes us know and feel, that we are in our-
selves nothing but sin. He turns us from ourselves to
Christ. He turns our views from ourselves to Christ, and
he takes of the things of Christ, his one atonement for sin,
his one obedience unto death, for righteousness and justifi-
cation, his finished redemption for salvation, his resurrec-
tion, as our discharge from all condemnation, and his inter-
cession, as ever prevailing in heaven, for full and final, sure
and certain salvation. He shews these things of Christ to
us, in such a clear, convincing, attracting and engaging view,
as causes our affections to receive them, embrace them, be
delighted with them, so as to hope only in them, trust solely
on, and rejoice wholly in them. Thus he pacifies our con-
sciences, and cómforts our hearts, in our sensible union to
Christ, comfortable communion with him, and with the love of
the Father in him ; assuring our hearts that all which Christ
has, and is, are ours. And in this faith he causes us to live
and walk. In this way, and in no other, does the Holy Ghost
comfort the believing members of Christ. All his comforts are
enjoyed, in the faith of the Son of God.
Now do you know and experience, any thing of this comfort
in your heart You can tell whether you know and feel yourself
to be a miserable sinner: you know what you look to for relief
of conscience, support of mind, and peace of soul? Is it to
Christ and his work alone This is from the Spirit of truth.
As sure as you live and walk, in the obedience of this faith, you
shall partake of the comforts of the Holy Ghost, as surely as
these first disciples did. But pray mind. It is said of them,
“Walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comforts of the
Holy Ghost.” These are inseparable. Where the filial, loving,
J 21
obedient fear of God is not in the heart, influencing the life,
let men's pretensions to the comforts of the Spirit be ever so
great, and their profession of enjoying them ever so strong, (for
confidence here proves nothing) they may be fully assured,
they only deceive and delude their own souls. For such is the
glorious system of the gospel of salvation, and hereby it mani-
fests itself, to be a plan of a Holy God, that if holiness is not
loved, God feared, and sin hated, the comforts of the Holy
Ghost cannot possibly be enjoyed. These the Spirit of truth,
the Holy Spirit, effecteth upon every believing heart, and
these he maintains in every comforted soul. Therefore, we
are exhorted,
Secondly, “Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God.” Though we
are walking in the comforts of the Holy Ghost, we should ever
consider ourselves liable to be in danger, and therefore fear to
do it. But what is it to grieve the Holy Spirit Pause here, O
soul, admire and adore the amazing, condescending love of God
the Spirit, to express himself as though he was really affected
by, and grieved for any conduct of ours. But he loves us with
the very same, everlasting, covenant love, equally with God the
Father, and God the Son. O let us ever give equal honour,
adoration, and glory to him. And as we fear to offend God
the Father, dishonour Christ the Son, so let us fear to grieve
God the Holy Ghost. There are many ways in which we are
liable to do this. &
1st. We are ever to remember, that the comforts of the
Holy Ghost are neither given to gratify the pride, nor indulge
the lusts of our corrupt nature: but that they are contrary to
both. They are not given for any thing done by nature, but
are out of and above nature : and therefore, for any believer
to indulge, either in pride, or the gratification of the lusts of
his flesh, is to grieve the Spirit. An attention to both these
will furnish us with just ideas of what it is to grieve the Holy
Spirit. Of this we are to conceive, that the Spirit is displeased
with our conduct, and therefore will withhold his comforts from
us : and this not in wrath against us, but in love to us. For
the most affectionate parent may be grieved at the conduct of
his offspring, withhold the tokens of his love, and wear the
frown of displeasure on his countenance, while there is the
strongest love in his heart to him, and the tenderest regard for
the welfare of him. Whatever steals away the heart from
Jesus, grieves the Holy Spirit, who is the witness to, and
glorifier of him. But heart pride, and corrupt lusts do this,
therefore they grieve the Holy Spirit.
As to pride of heart: spiritual pride, this consists in thinking
of ourselves more highly than we ought to think. “This is
directly contrary to the teaching of the Spirit.” Rom. xii. 3.
122
This enters even into our very thoughts and imaginations.
We can as much form an idea in our imagination, as a work-
man can cast an image of any metal in a mould. It is the grand
office of the Spirit, constantly to convince us of sin, and of
righteousness, to shew us, that in ourselves we are nothing
but sin, and destitute of righteousness, and to comfort us, by
the one atonement, and one righteousness of the Son of God in
our nature. But if through thinking highly of ourselves, that
we are righteous in ourselves, we turn to our obedience, trust to
our works, and expect in any wise, in whole, or in part, to fulfil
the law, to recommend ourselves to the favour of God, to justify
us before him, and entitle ourselves to his kingdom, we dis-
please God, dishonour Christ, and grieve the Spirit.
But you may say, No believer in Christ will ever act thus.
Happy for us if we did not. He who sees the least danger of
this, is in most danger from it. This legal, self-righteous,
high-thinking Spirit, lives in our natures, and cleaves as close
to us, as our flesh to our bones. Pride of heart is ever attend-
ed by independency of spirit. It works by various ways, and
deceives us ere we are aware. Else, why so many cautions to
believers against it? Why so many exhortations to humility 2
Why is the whole spirit of the gospel, so levelled against it?
Why was the meek Lamb of God so very bitter against the
pharisees, whose grand character was, “TRUSTING IN THEM-
SELVES, THAT THEY were RIGHTEous * Luke xviii. Why
all this but because a high opinion of ourselves, of our own
will, power, and works, displeases God, and grieves his Spirit.
For, where any thing of this kind is indulged in the heart,
and cleaved to by our spirit, it works in direct opposition to the
truth of the gospel, and the grace of the Saviour. Purge out,
therefore, the old leaven. Humble yourself under the mighty
hand of God, for the pride of your heart, the self-righteousness
of your spirit, and your high thoughts of yourselves. “Think
soberly, according as God hath dealt to you the measure of
faith.” Rom. xii. 3. Which rejoices in Christ Jesus only, and
rejects all confidence in the flesh. High thoughts are contrary
to sober thinking. They intoxicate the mind, like strong li-
quors, so that a man is not himself, nor knows what he does.
Entertaining high thoughts of ourselves; indulging low thoughts
of Christ, of his person as God-man, of his righteousness,
atonement, and salvation, is contrary to the Spirit's testimony
in the word, and his comforts in the heart. Turning to any
kind of self-confidence, will grieve him, and cause him to de-
part. O how ought we to pray him continually, to keep us
humble and low, in our right mind, at the Saviour's feet! If
we prize the comforts of the Holy Ghost, we shall do this. O
believer, you who have known and felt your own vileness, po-
123
verty, and wretchedness, consider, cherishing and indulging a
spark of spiritual pride and self-righteousness in you, is more
inexcusable than a flame of pride in those who know not the
preciousness of Christ, in his righteousnes and salvation. Mr.
Fox, the martyrologist, used to say, that his gifts hurt him more
than his sins. For many times he was proud of them, but
humbled on account of his base sins, and manifold impuri-
tleS.
2dly. Indulging carnal lusts, and sensual gratifications, will
grieve the Spirit. These are contrary to the enjoyment of the
love of Christ, happiness in Christ, and the honour of Christ in
the world. Pride steals the heart from Christ. These debauch
the heart, to the scandal of the cause of Christ. May it not
justly be said to, and of such You a believer in Christ, a son
of God, and a partaker of the comforts of the Spirit of Christ,
and profess that all your comfort, joy, and happiness, centre in
these ; and yet for you to sink yourself so low, to eat husks with
the swine, to cast in your lot with the ungodly, to seek and
find joy and pleasure in their carnal delights, and sensual gra-
tifications, is amazingly absurd | Verily your conduct gives the
lie to your profession, of seeking all, and enjoying all in Christ.
The contrary is evident. You find not enough in him to satiate
your soul, and therefore you seek it in other objects. You
prefer the pleasure of the flesh, to Christ, the enjoyment of
them, to his love: fellowship with the unfruitful works of dark-
mess, to fellowship with Christ, and the Father in him; and
therefore must grieve the Spirit, and cause him to withdraw his
comforts from your soul. So also, to slight the gospel, neglect
the means of grace, and ordinances of Christ, not to keep holy
the Sabbath, yea, allowedly living in anything which is contra-
ry to the word of truth, the glory of God, the honour of Christ,
and to living and walking in the Spirit, will surely grieve the
Spirit, cause him to depart from us, and withdraw his comforts
from our souls.
3dly. Can we enjoy no communion with God, no peace from
God, no joy in God, but through Christ? Is the Spirit the
glorifier of him? Does he testify of him in the word of truth?
Does he bear witness to him, and of our interest in his love
and salvation, in our hearts 2 Can we have no comfort from
Christ, no communion with Christ, no rejoicing in Christ,
without the fellowship of the holy Ghost? .O consider then,
how awfully distressing it must prove to our souls, wilfully,
and avowedly, to grieve the holy Spirit. He is never sent away
grieved from our hearts, but he leaves a hell of distress in our
consciences. How many woefully experience this? A grieved
Spirit, makes a grieved Christian. Can we have no delight in
duties, no joy in ordinances, no pleasure in Sabbaths, no fer-
124
vency in prayer, no devotion of heart to God, no walking in
love, no looking forward in hopes, no power over sin, no victory
over satan, no triumph in death, no prospect of heaven, no assu-
rance of interest there, and of being eternally there, but by the
Holy Ghost? O how jealous ought we to be over ourselves, how
watchful, careful, and fearful, lest we grieve this heavenly guest
and cause him to withdraw his comforting presence from our
souls. O let us ever remember these aweful words, spoken of
God’s people of old, and hear and fear. “They rebelled and
vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their ene-
my, ſhe appeared so in his conduct towards them] and he
fought against them.” Isa. lxiii. 10. Let us now,
Thirdly, Consider, what is implied in quenching the Spirit.
Quench not the Spirit, neither in yourself, by forbearing to
hear the gospel preached, nor in others who preach it. So St.
Chrysostom understands the words. Taking an example from
a lamp, which burned by him, while preaching, says he, “You
may quench this lamp by putting in water, or by taking out the
oil.” Real fire is ever accompanied with light and heat. These
are Images of the grace of the Spirit in our hearts. Therefore
these are liable to be quenched, to our great distress of soul.
The light of faith may be darkened, the fire of love quenched,
and the heat of zeal damped; just as the light and heat of a
strong fire may be quenched, either by withholding fuel, or
casting water upon it.
1st. We may quench the fire, light, and heat of the Spirit,
by withholding fuel: that is, by neglecting the use of those
means, which he has appointed for us, to the use of which he
hath bound us, and to the practice of which he constantly ex-
horts by his word. Therefore, he who neglects the means of
grace, will quench the fire, light, and heat of the Spirit of
grace, in his own heart and experience. It cannot be other-
wise. For though the Spirit of all grace, is not confined to
any means; yet in his infinite wisdom, he hath bound us by the
bands of love, to the use of all means. The very questioning
this, is to quench the Spirit. The neglect of this, will assu-
redly cause the light of faith to burn dim, so that we shall not
clearly, nor comfortably see Christ, in his love to us, and sal-
vation of us. The fire of love, even the sense of Christ’s love
to us, and of our love to him, will grow cold, like dying embers.
And the heat of our zeal for his glory, for his precious truths,
and holy ways will abate, and grow languid, as effectually as
withholding oil from a lamp, or coals from a fire, will cause it
to go out.
So then, believers may so quench the Spirit, as totally to
extinguish all his love to us, and for us? No. No more than
they can extinguish his being as God. But this is quite foreign
125
to the point now considering. It is not quenching the love of
the Spirit to us, but the sense of his love, and enjoyment of his
comforts in us. For he says, to all and each of his chosen peo-
ple in Christ, “I have loved thee with an everlasting love, and
therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee to Christ for
everlasting life. Jerem. xxxi. 3. He is the LoRD Jehovah
who changes not : no more in his love, than in his being. He
may change in his conduct to us, but never in his love of us.
He may, from being a comforter in us, leave us to all the hell
of our nature, the guilt of sin, and wrath of our conscience as
sinners. This is aweful and dreadful. Instances of it are com-
mon. This is enough to make us fear to quench the light of
his grace, the fire of his love, and the warmth of his zeal in us.
For it may make us question, whether he ever began to work
upon us. But as Christ was engaged in covenant grace, to re-
deem, justify, and save all the beloved objects of eternal choice:
so the LoRD the Spirit, is equally engaged to lead and guide,
sanctify and keep them by his almighty power, through faith
unto eternal salvation. Though through their folly, they may
be dark and uncomfortable in the way, yet salvation is sure in
the end. For, as Mr. Bunyan beautifully remarks, he stands
behind the wall, and pours oil into the fire of grace in the heart,
so that it shall never be totally extinguished. Though invisible
to us, the Spirit effects his saving work in us. But, who can
know he is of this happy number, but by the light and comfort
of the Spirit? For a proper idea of this quenching, turn to Heb.
xi. 34. where it is said, “By faith they quenched the violence
of fire.” They could not change the nature of that element.
They did not extinguish its flames, for they were burnt to death
by them. But they quenched the dread and terror of them in
them. Just so believers, who partake of the light, heat, and
comfort of the Spirit. Though they cannot change the nature
of God the Spirit which is LovE, nor extinguish the flames of
everlasting love in him, yet they may the sense and comfort of
his love in themselves, through neglecting those duties enjoin-
ed them, therefore be fearful of this, and watchful against
this. The Spirit's truth must be obeyed, that his comforts may
be enjoyed.
2dly. Quench not the Spirit by pouring water on his influ-
ences. Water is naturally of a cold and quenching nature. So
it acts upon fire, as an element directly opposite to it: so the
love of the world, conformity to it, and walking after the course
of it, is as contrary to the fire of heavenly love in the heart.
“If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in
him.” 1 John ii. 15. The sense of God's love is extinguished
in his heart. I have often thought, it is our great mercy and
unspeakable blessedness, that the apostle doth not say, God the
126
Father hath no love in him to, or care for them who have the
least love to the world; if he had, woe be unto the best and
most perfect of us all: but the sense of God’s love is not in
such. It is the sense of his love, which creates heaven in the
soul. . *.
O this is hell upon earth, not to enjoy the heaven of God's love
in us ! for if earth will damp a flame and quench material fire,
so will earthly affections damp the flame, and quench the
heavenly fire of light and love in the heart. Therefore, when
the apostle says, quench not the Spirit, what does he mean :
but that we should as studiously avoid every thing that is in the
world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of
life, as we would running our heads into a thorn-bush to the
danger of loosing our eyes, and depriving us of the comforts of
life. For what is natural life without sight, health, and com-
fort? What is spiritual life without the light of truth, the
comfort of love, and joy in the Holy Ghost? O then ever so
highly prize these, as to fear to do anything which may quench
them :
*. A COLLECT.
O Lord the Spirit, the sanctifier and comforter of all the elect
people of God, look down in mercy upon us, and sanctify us by
the faith of Christ, and comfort us with the love of God in
Christ, that we may walk in the comforts of thee, O Holy Ghost.
Lord, our natures are proud and sinful, and we are prone to
grieve thee by the pride of our hearts, the lusts of our flesh,
and the unbelief of our spirits. O subdue them all by the
power of thy grace, and bring our very thought into captivity to
the obedience of Christ. Suffer us not to neglect the means of
grace, nor slight thy precious comforts, so as to quench thy
love, peace, and joy in our hearts; but keep us near to God,
happy in Christ, and joyful in thy eomforts, now and for ever,
for Christ's sake. Amen. * . -
127
QIbe štuenteenth Lott'g Day,
se-sºº lººse
ON USING THE LAW UNLAWFULLY.
We know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; knowing
this, that the law is not made for a righteous man. 1 Tim. i.
8, 9.
WE are in continual danger of being deceived, on the right
hand, and the left, by corrupt nations and false teachers. Our
danger is heightened by the inbred foe, our own heart, which is
deceitful above all things, and is ever ready to catch the falling
spark from satan's fire, so as to be deluded by every spreading
error, and deceived by every specious pretence. Therefore the
word so frequently abounds with these admonitions, Take heed
to yourselves—beware, -be not deceived—many false prophets
shall arise—try the spirits, &c. , O may a sight and sense of
our danger, excite us to cry continually to Christ our prophet,
Lord teach us. Lord keep us. -
For we here see how it was at the beginning. “Some had
swerved from the end of the commandment, which is love, [love
for the truth, to Christ who is the truth, and to all who are of
the truth] out of a pure heart, a good conscience, and faith un-
feigned, and had turned aside to vain jangling.” What is that 2
To be like an instrument out of tune: to give an uncertain
sound. They wrangled about the truths of the gospel, turned
aside from the doctrine of God’s everlasting love, and his elec-
tion of grace, lest it should give offence: from the doctrine of
sinners being made righteous, by the imputation of Christ's
righteousness, unto justification of life, lest it should make
them content, without (what they call, but which has no ex-
istence but in their own fancy) a righteousness of their own.
And they turned aside from the doctrine of the Spirit's efficaci-
ous grace, and unfrustrateble power, to the final perseverance
and eternal salvation of all the elect, redeemed of the Lord,
lest it can make men quiet in their sins, and secure in carnai
presumption, Thus these men affected to be wiser and holier
than the Spirit of truth, who has plainly revealed these funda-
mental points in the word of grace, for God's glory, and his
people's establishment in truth, love, peace, and holiness. O
miserable turning aside most egregious folly, under a great
shew of prodigious wisdom
But what did they turn aside to? Verily, their own folly:
to the law of works, from the gospel of grace. “Professing
themselves wise, they became fools, desiring to be teachers
of the law; understanding neither what they say, or whereof
128
*
they affirm.” They held forth neither law nor gospel, but a
mixed medley of both, compounded with heathen morality. So
that God's law was not honoured, nor his gospel glorified. But
they observed the purity and spirituality of the law, and eclipsed
the glorious light of the gospel. Babel was in their heads, and
confusion in their language. Were there such turn-aside
teachers and professors in the beginning? O how do they swarm
and abound in the present day !
But Christian, one word to you by the way. Did you never
in a dark day, in a cold, dry, barren frame of soul, so swerve
from Christ's love, a pure heart to him; a good conscience by
him, and faith unfeigned in him, so as to turn aside to listen
to the law, and think by your obedience you must get some
righteousness of your own, to give you a good opinion of your-
self, recommend you to God’s favour, and entitle you to the love
and salvation of Christ? This transition is very easy and very
natural to our old legal hearts. I know it by experience. But
verily, this is turning aside to vain jangling. Our hearts are
out of tune. Our souls bewildered, and our speech confused.
O how base, thus to turn aside from our living, loving bride-
groom, to embrace a dead husband, the law, who never gave us
a good look nor a kind word. But yet says St. Paul, “We
know that the law is good, if a man (one who is married to
Christ) use it lawfully. As contraries serve best to illustrate
each other, let us consider, •
First, What it is to use the law unlawfully. -
Secondly, What it is to use it lawfully. May Christ our
divine surety, and blessed law fulfiller, preserve us from turning
aside from him, and the truth as it is in him, either to the right
hand of licentiousness, or the left hand of legality, while we
attend to these points. The first in the present meditation, and
the second in the next. - -
First, What it is to use the law unlawfully * The ceremonial
law, was a schoolmaster until Christ came, Gal. iii. 24. By its
types and shadows, it taught and represented him who was to
come. But Christ, the substance, being come, the shadows are
fled away, that law being fully accomplished in Christ, is entirely
abolished. But the moral law, here treated of, is of perpetual
force, endless duration, and constant use, even to you, O be-
liever; and it highly concerns you, to consider the use of the
Iaw, and to beware, lest you use it unlawfully. For much of
your comfort and peace depends on one ; and much of your
distress and misery on the other. Consider, then, what was
the law given for Whereto serveth it? “It was added because
of transgressions, till the seed should come, to whom the pro-
mise was made.” Gal. iii. 19. This seed is Christ. He is
come, and has perfectly fulfilled every jot and tittle of the law
129
in his holy life, and put away trangressions by his sin-atoning
death, and therefore the promise is sure to all his seed: even
“the promiseof eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised
before the world began. Titus i. 2. Promised before the world
began! Who could this promise be made to? It could not possibly
be to any one but Christ, who was set up from everlasting, to be
the covenant head, surety, representative, and law-fulfiller for
all his people. Therefore, if you believe on Christ in your -
heart, it is “unto righteousness.” Rom. x. 10. You are a righ-
teous man. The law was not made for you, to curse, condemn,
and bind you over to wrath. For you are an heir of promise,
and have fled from the law to Christ, to lay hold of him, who is
the hope of the gospel. Therefore, “nothing but strong con-
solation from the immutable counsel, precious promise, and
sacred oath of God awaits you.” Heb. vi. 18. O that we may
see this clearly, enjoy it comfortably, and not use the law
unlawfully! But what is it, precisely to use this good law un-
lawfully It is to pervert the very end and design of the good
God who gave it, through the pride of our nature, the unbelief
of our hearts, and the self-righteousness of our spirits, to the
dishonour of Christ, and the distress of our consciences. This
is done. -
1st. When we use the law, or turn to it, as a covenant of
works between God and us. This is natural to us all, because
of the infection of nature, which remains in us, and it works
very deceitfully upon us. Therefore, we are prone to think,
surely God must be bound to us, and we bound to God, by
some legal works of obedience, which we are to perform,
to conciliate his favour, keep us in his grace, and render our-
selves acceptable in his sight, if not in whole, yet in some mea-
sure, or else, we are left to lawless liberty, and licentious prac-
tices. We must therefore succeed, stand or fall; be justified,
or condemned by God according to our obedience or dis-
obedience against his law. Now so far as we incline to this
in our hearts, we set aside the glory, wisdom, justice, truth, and
love of God the Father, the grace, righteousness, and salvation
of God the Son, and the comfort, testimony, and witness of
God the Holy Ghost, as they shine forth in the everlasting
gospel to sinners; and we bring our own spirits under bondage to
the law. This notion springs from the compound of pride and
unbelief. And it does not, as we vainly think, make us zealous
of good works. So far from it, that all this is contrary to that
faith which works by love, and is ever the parent of gospel
obedience. “For we are not under the law, as a covenant of
works, but under grace, the free favour of God in Christ, accord-
ing to covenant love.” Rom. vi. 14. And we stand accepted,
justified, pardoned, and saved, * by the works of the law, but
130
by faith in Christ. Stand by this, and you are safe; depart
fi &m this, and you are fallen from grace. “Therefore, we are .
called upon, be not high minded, but fear.” Rom. xi. 20. For,
it is high-minded pride in the extreme, to imagine that God is
in covenant with such fallen, wretched sinners as we are, who
can of ourselves do nothing to please him. Therefore, fear to
set aside Christ the head of the covenant, and to set up your-
self in his stead. Fear to set aside his obedience to the law,
to exalt your own in the room of Christ's. For this is to use
the law unlawfully, and to treat Christ most contemptibly.
So is it,
2dly. To seek to gain righteousness by the law, or obtain
justification before God, on account of any obedience of ours to
it. This is directly contrary to God's wisdom, justice, glory
and truth, which are all engaged in that sacred edict, “By the
deeds of the law, shall no flesh living be justified in God’s
sight.” Why not? “For by the law is the knowledge of sin.”
Rom iii. 20. Where? In the sinner's conscience. Now has
the Spirit of Christ enlightened you to see the purity, spiritu-
ality, and perfection of the law? Do you see yourself a sinner
against the law, under the curse of the law, and exposed to
suffer all the wrath revealed against sin by the law? O then,
what stupid folly, what egregious, madness, to think of being
made righteous by your own obedience to the law, and to be
justified by your own works | For after you have strove to your
utmost and done your best, still by the law is the knowledge of
sin, and the curses of the law are against every sinner, who
doth not perfectly and perpetually fulfil, every one of the righ-
teous precepts of the law, in thought, word, and deed. Have
you done this Where is the man who hath Shew him,
and we have inspired authority to pronounce Him “a liar.”
I John i. 8. The sin which is in him spoils, and ever will spoil
all his boasted perfection, and pretended self-righteousness,
by his obedience to the law, and justification before God.
Besides, by thus using the law unlawfully, we strive to make
the God of truth a liar, pour contempt upon “the one righ-
teousness of his beloved Son, which is unto all, and upon
all who believe.” Rom. iii. 22. “By which sinners are
justified from all things, from which they cannot be justified
by the law of Moses.” Acts xiii. 39. And we do despite to the
Spirit of grace, who testifies of, and glorifies Christ, as the one
righteousness of sinners, in whom they are justified, by whom
they are made righteous, and through whom they are freed
from all condemnation of the law. “For, if righteousness
came by the law [that is, if any one sinner on earth is made
righteous before God, and justified in the sight of God, by his
obedience to the law, then is Christ dead in vain.” Gal. ii. 21.
131
y
O that ever there should be such a heart in us, to think that
the obedient life and sin-atoning death of the Son of God, is an
affair of such trifling consequence, as to be vain and ineffec-
tual to the purpose of making us sinners righteous before God,
and justifying us in his sight ! and yet, we really do possess
such a heart, whenever we use the law so unlawfully as to aim
to fulfil it, seek to be made righteous by it, and justified before
God on account of any obedience of ours to it. But here is a
death-wound to every such attempt. If there had been a law,
which could have given life, [spiritual life to keep it, and power
to fulfil it] verily righteousness should have been by the law.
But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, [the best thing
you ever did in your life, yea, ever since you believed in Christ,
, it arrests as sin, shuts you up in the prison of self despair as a
sinner, and cuts off all glorying in yourself as a righteous
person. Why j “ that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ,
[of being righteous in him, and justified by him alone] might
be given to them who believe.” Gal. iii. 22. That is, that all
the comfort and happiness, contained in the promise of righ-
teousness, life, and salvation, might be enjoyed in that sinner's
conscience, who believes in, looks wholly to, and relies entirely
upon the work of the Son of God, in his perfectly obedient
life, and sin-atoning death only. Whereas, the unlawful use
of the law in seeking to be made righteous by it, and justified
at all by our obedience to it, as effectually deprives us of this
comfort, as shutting our eyes excludes the light and glory of
the sun, when he shines in his meridian splendour. Therefore,
look diligently to this, lest at any time you fail of this comfort
and blessedness of the promise. Again,
3dly. It is to use the law unlawfully, ever to attempt, by our
present obedience, to make the least amends to God for our
past transgressions against it. We have sinned. Our con-
sciences are convicted, and burdened with guilt, our hearts
pained with grief, and our souls tremble for fear. What must
we do? Whither shall we flee To the law That says, thou
art a cursed sinner. Will you reply I will do better. I will
strive, by future obedience, to compensate for past sins. The
law knows no such commuting and compounding. Would any
malefactor offer such a foolish plea in a court of justice? Hear
what the law says, fulfil perfectly, or be damned eternally.
It cannot abate a tittle of its perfection. Its righteousness
extends to thy best deeds, and pronounces them cursed, be-
cause imperfect; and therefore cannot avail a jot for thy worst.
This attempt is a rejection of the gospel of grace, and a refusal
to listen to the voice of our heavenly charmer, charm he ever
so wisely. For he saith, “CoME UNTo ME, all ye who labour
under the guilt of your sins, and are weary of the burden of
*.
K 2
132
them, and I will give you rest.” Matt. xi. 28. There is scarcely
a textin the Bible I can turn to so readily as this, having so fre-
quent an occasion to have resource to it. Blessed be Christ
for it. For without it, I know not what would become of such
a sinner as I am. And he says, O blessed word 1 precious
anchor-sheet to a sinner's soul | “Him who cometh to me,
[be he whom or what he may], I will in no wise cast out.”
John vi. 37. His precious blood hath made an atonement for
ALL sin. There is remission of ALL sins in his blood only.
“It sprinkles the heart from a guilty conscience assuredly.”
Heb. x. 22. “And it cleanseth from ALL sin, most effectually.”
1 John I. 7. O what slight is put upon the precious, all-avail-
ing blood of the Son of God, to turn from it, to our obedience
to the law O be ashamed of such base, unbelieving conduct
“For, if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God,
by the blood of his Son; much more being reconciled, we shall
be saved by his life.” Rom. v. 10. By his life of intercession
for us before God. In a most dark and distressing hour of
legal terrors, this text, glory to the Lord, brought such comfort
and joy to my soul, as are inexpressible. Study it deeply,
prize it highly. Turn to it constantly. And use not the law
unlawfully. For this we do, t
4thly, If we use it, satisfy our conscience, and seek to get
peace to our minds, by our obedience to it. “For the law
worketh wrath.” Rom. iv. 15. Where In the conscience.
There it works wrath, and nothing but wrath, unless your con-
science be seated. Then, indeed, you may sleep easy under
legal dreams, and self-confident delusions, but you must awake
sooner or later, under legal terrors on earth, or more dreadful
torments in hell. For the law ever brings us sinners in guilty
before God, and in our own consciences. A sense of guilt and
wrath are inseparable. Nothing but the blood of Christ, can
cleanse from the former, expel the latter, and bring peace into
the conscience. “For, Christ hath made peace by the blood
of his cross.” Col. i. 20. “We have peace with God, through
our Lord Jesus Christ, by faith, in our hearts and consciences.”
Rom. v. l. Therefore, not by doing the works of the law,
but by believing the work of Christ, we sinners obtain, and
enjoy peace of soul. The Lord grant that we may, more and
1I] Ol'ê, - -
5thly, It is to use the law unlawfully, to set it against the
promise of life in Christ. This is a most prevailing error of
, this day, whereby, many are distressed, and more deluded.
Take heed against it. For Christ was made a curse for us.
“He hath perfectly, and for ever redeemed, all who believe in
him, from the curse of the law.” Gal. iii. 13. “They are
blessed by God the Father in Christ.” Eph. i. 3. But to sup-
133
pose that any of these may ever perish under the curse of the
law, for their sins, or for want of perfect obedience, a perfect
righteousness to answer all demands of the law, is to make the
good news, and joyful tidings of the gospel, nothing more than
much ado about nothing, faith void, and the promise of eternal
life of none effect. Yea, it is to make the God of truth a liar ;
the oath of God, in confirmation of his truth and promise, and
for the strong consolation of the heirs of promise, to fail, and,
O horrid to mention' the God of holiness himself to be fore-
sworn. And it brings our own spirits under legal bondage,
wrath, and anguish. These are the certain, awful, unavoidable
consequences, of setting the law of works against the gospel
promise of life by grace. -
Whereas faith, or rather the Spirit of God by faith, puts us
into full possession of Christ, of God's promise of eternal life,
yea, of eternal life itself in Christ. We have the fullest as-
surance of this from God’s everlasting love, and Christ's sacred
truth. For thus he testifies. “God SO loved the world, ſeven
ALL whom he ever loved at all] that he gave his only begotten
Son, [to seek and to save them] that whosoever believeth in
him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John iii. 16.
Is not this fully sufficient to establish our faith, and confirm
our hope of eternal life in Christ But, if possible, Christ has
given us a word of fuller assurance than even this. For he
says, “Verily, verily, [this is like the strongest oath, as though
he had said, As sure as God is true, and I am Truth itself] I
say unto you, that he who believeth on me, HATH everlasting
life.” John vi. 47. He does not say, may have, or shall have,
but every believer actually now HATH everlasting life, in and
with Christ his head, by faith and hope in him : he has a right
tó it, meetness for it, and a foretaste of it in his soul; yea,
his soul is alive to Christ. Christ is the life of his soul. And
so surely as Christ lives, he declares of all his believing mem-
bers, “Ye shall live also.” John xiv. 19. Therefore the love
of God, and the truth of Christ, must fail; yea, the life of Christ
himself must be lost, before any believing member of his can
perish, and not enjoy everlasting life. Beside, how can Christ,
with the least truth or propriety, call it everlasting life, if be-
lievers may possess it for a season, be deprived of it, and never
attain the full enjoyment of it in heaven 2 Thanks, eternal
thanks, and never-ceasing praises be to thee, O loving Saviour,
that thou hast not only obtained eternal life for us, poor sin-
ners, but dost also divinely assure us of enjoying this life by
thee, and in thee. O pardon our unbelief and folly, in ever
turning from thee, to the law of works, to the wounding our
souls, and dishonouring thy name ! -
- Q it is most blessed to have this point, of the greatest im-
134
portance, well digested in our understandings, well settled in
our minds, and well established in our consciences, that we, as
believers, are as much freed from obedience to the law, in point
of justification, as the saints in glory are ; and as much absolv-
ed from all the condemnation of the law, as though we were
perfectly righteous in ourselves, and had never sinned. We
have nothing to hope for from the law, in point of justification
before God; nor any thing to fear from it, in respect to con-
demnation in the sight of God. Why then should we ever
turn to use it unlawfully, or judge of our state by it, and not
according to what we are in Christ “When we know it is
only the letter of death, and the ministration of condemnation.”
2 Cor. iii. 7. For hear the inspired apostle, “And this I say,
that the covenant which was confirmed before of God in Christ,
[the everlasting covenant between the sacred THREE, on be-,
half of sinners of mankind, which was confirmed by the mouth
of God to Abraham, as the father of the faithful, and to all his
believing seed in Christ,) the law, which was 430 years after,
cannot disannul, that it should make the promise [of the gift
of eternal life by and in Christ] of none effect.” Gal. iii. 17.
Now, can it in the nature and reason of things be supposed,
hat a God of infinite wisdom, unchangeable veracity, and
everlasting love, should choose his people in Christ, enter
into covenant with Christ for them, “Bless them with all
spiritual blessings, in Christ,” Ephes. i. 3, 4, and make the
promise to Christ, to give them eternal life, “Before the world
began.” Tit. i. 2. And yet, after all this, give a law, which
should disannul his own covenant, make void his promise, and
destroy his blessing, by setting over their heads a ministration
of death and condemnation, and subject them to suffer all the
wrath and curse of the law for their sins Surely, this must be
to impute folly to the Most High ! O may we detest the thought
with the utmost abhorrence of soul . . . .
But to bring this matter nearer home to our consciences.
Have you heard the voice of the Son of God in the gospel, and
are you made alive 2 Do you believe on his name Have you
found peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Doth
the Spirit of truth declare, “There is No condemnation, to
them who are in Christ º’’ Rom. viii. 1. “Are all who believe,
justified from all things "Acts xiii. 39. Have you eternal
life in Christ? Will you then ever attempt to set the law of
wrath, curse, and condemnation, against the gospel of peace,
pardon, and eternal life 2 Will you set the curse of the law,
against the blessing of God The condemnation of the law,
against the justification of Christ, and think that you are so
under the law, as to fulfil it, or perish in your sins 2 If so, what
must be the consequence You cannot enjoy one peaceful
135
hour, while you thus act. Your conscience must be distressed,
and your soul miserable. This is inevitable. For, as you are
not living by faith on the Son of God, you cannot enjoy the love
of the Father, nor the comforts of the holy Ghost.
But you say, I am a sinner. That is true. Therefore I am
under the curse of the law. That is false. But if a sinner,
how vain and foolish to fly to the law for any hope, when it con-
demns you? “For you, as a believer in Christ, are not under
the law, but under grace.” Rom. vi. 14. “The law of the
Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, hath made you free from the law
of sin and death.” Rom. viii. 2. Therefore, you are called to
walk in the Spirit of life, liberty, and love; and to obey, not
in the oldness of the letter, to work for life, righteousness, jus-
tification, peace, and eternal life; but to walk and obey in the
newness of the Spirit, with the zeal of faith, the influence of
love, the comfort of peace, the joy of hope, and the victory of
patience, in righteousness and true holiness, all the days of
your life, shewing forth the praises of God the Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost, who hath translated you out of nature's dark-
mess, and from under the bondage of the law, made you ac-
cepted in Christ, and translated you into his glorious kingdom.
This is the free gospel spirit which you, sinner as you are,
must stand fast in, live and walk in, from day to day. And
in this way, you will yield more acceptable obedience to God,
bring more glory to God, and more honour to Christ, than by
working and striving under the law, all the days of your life, to
get righteousness and holiness by it. The Lord in mercy keep
us in this believing, loving, hoping, obedient spirit, till he shall
appear, to take us to himself. Amen. -
A COLLECT.
O GoD the Father, who hast declared thyself well pleased in
thy beloved Son, who has obeyed thy law perfectly, and is
assuredly the end of the law for righteousness to every one who
believeth, pardon our folly in turning aside from Christ, and
turning to the law for righteousness, hope, and salvation. Lord
grant that we may ever cleave to Christ with full purpose of
heart, stand fast in him, glory of him, abide by him, and walk
humbly with him, that we may bring forth the fruits of righte-
ousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory of thee O Father,
thee Q Son, and thee O Holy Ghost, Three persons in one
undivided God-head, to whom be praises, now and ever.
Amen.
136 *~,
Clijt (tighteenth Lott's Dap.
=sº ºme-e
THE LAWFUL USE OF THE LAW.
We know that the law is good, if a Man use it lawfully. 1 Tim.
i. 8.
THE best things are liable to be abused to the worst purposes.
The worst things may be subvervient to the best ends. The
gifts and talents which God has bestowed on us, may, through
our corruptions, minister to our pride, and prove an occasion of
our falling. The sins and follies of others, may prove a warning
to us, stir up fear, and excite watchfulness in us. Antinomian
licentiousness, or lawless liberty, which sets aside the holy law
of God, as entirely useless to believers, should cause us, more
diligently to study the nature and use of the law, what the saints
of God speak concerning it in his word, and what effects it had
upon them. Self-righteous legalists, who pretend to exalt the
law, perfectly to fulfil it, expect righteousness by it, and justifi-
cation before God, by their obedience to it, should cause us to
bless and praise the Spirit, the glorifier of Christ, that he has
not left us under such proud, self-exalting delusion; but that he
has convinced us of sin, and of the purity and spirituality of
the law, shewed us, that righteousness comes not by our obedi-
ence to it, but that we, as sinners, are under the curse of it;
and hath led us to Christ, who suffered the curse of the law for
us, and perfectly fulfilled the law in our nature, for our justifi-
cation unto eternal life, that we might worship God in the Spi-
rit, rejoice in Christ Jesus only, “and have no confidence in
the flesh.” Phil. iii. 3. “And that we might be dead to the
law by the body of Christ.” Rom. vii. 4. In which body, the
curses of the law were sustained, even unto death, and the
righteousness of the law fulfilled even unto our everlasting life.
“But do we then make void the law, (render it entirely useless
to believers) through faith ? God forbid. . Yea, we establish the
law,” for all the ends and purposes which God intended it.
Rom. iii. 31. For we know that the law is good, if a man (who
is married to Christ by faith) use it lawfully. O let us lift up
our hearts to our ever blessed law-giver, and praise him for the
gift of Christ our precious law-fulfiller, and pray for his grace,
and the teaching of his Spirit, that we may use the law lawfully
to his glory, and the furtherance of our faith and joy in
him.
What is it to use the law lawfully The law, undoubtedly,
has its uses as well as the gospel. And by reason of use,
137
“We have our senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”
Heb. v. 14. The good which God intends by both, and the
evil use which men make of both. Therefore, to use the good
law lawfully, must be to the very ends and purposes for which a
good God gave it. And these undoubtedly are, the glory of
God, the honour of Christ, and the comfort and holiness of his
people. These God hath joined together. These let no man
dare attempt to put asunder, While with open face we behold,
as in a glass, the glory of the Lord in the gospel, so we also see
the glory of the Lord in the law. Therefore,
First, We use the law as a clear mirror, or perfect looking-
glass. In it we behold the glory and majesty of the Lord: the
sovereign power he has over us, and the uncontrollable right he
has to demand perfect purity, and sinless obedience from us.
And that nothing short of this can constitute us righteous be-
fore him, and justify usin his sight: and that anything short of
perfect righteousness, leaves us under the curse and wrath of
his holy law, and exposed to everlasting damnation. “For
whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point,
he is guilty of all.” He is a sinner before God, a transgressor
of the law of God, and deserves to suffer the vengeance of God.
James ii. 10, 11. The justice and truth of God, the giver of
the law, are engaged that his law cannot abate one jot, or tittle,
of the purity, spirituality, and perfection of its righteous de-
mands, no more than God himself can cease to be just and true.
The law of God is holy, just, and good, and in it, as in a glass,
we may see the perfect holiness, infinite justice, and goodness
of the Lord. The law is a perfect copy of what God is in him-
self, and of his holy mind and will concerning us. Therefore
the law, or God by the law, condemns murder in the heart, lust
in the eye, and sin in the very thought, and requires the utmost
perfection in the inward parts Nothing short of this can ful-
fil the law, and justify us before God. Every thing short
of this, comes short of the glory of God, and leaves us under
the condemnation of the law, and without the least hope in
God, from the law. The command of the law, or of God, by
the law, is, be perfect, be sinless, come up to the full standard
and perfection of every command, internally and externally,
and be blessed. Fail in one point, and fall under the curse of
the law. “For, cursed is every one who continues not in
ALL things which are written in the book of the law, to do
them.” Gal. iii. 10.
Now here is the glass of God’s law, to shew us what the
Lord is in himself, and what he requires, by his law, us to be.
If you clearly see this, like Moses at the giving that law, so
terrible is the sight, that with him, you will say, “I exceedingly
fear and quake.” Heb. xii. 21. But do not smear this clear
138
glass of God's law, with that corrupt notion, which is natural to
us all, and which many daringly set up, in opposition to God’s
law, to maintain a good opinion, and a good hope in and from
themselves, which they call, lea, remedians, or a remedial law.
Supposing, that as we cannot come up to the purity and per-
fection of God’s law, that God will bring that down to us, and
therefore he will accept our sincere endeavours, if we strive to
do our best to please him, though we cannot come up to that
perfection which his law requires of us. This is a glass of
man's making, and a cursed, flattering, deceitful glass it is. It
is composed of materials, not taken from God's holy law, nor
his blessed gospel, but fetched from the bottomless pit, whose
smoke obscures to our view the glory of God's nature, the pu-
rity of his law, the love of his beloved Son, and the grace of
his holy Spirit, as revealed in the everlasting gospel: , while it
ministers to cursed pride, supports vain hopes, hardens in devil-
ish sin, cherishes abominable unbelief, and causes sinners to
go down to hell, with strong confidence in their hearts, and a
lie in their right hand, neither fearing the threatenings of God’s
holy law, nor embracing the promises of his blessed gospel.
Against this glass, well may we cry out with David, “Turn
away mine eyes from beholding vanity, quicken thou me, in
thy way.” Psalm crix. 87. “For thy law, is the truth.” Verse
142.
2dly, We use the law lawfully, as a glass to shew us our spots,
deformities, sins, impurities, failings, and imperfections; to
mortify our self-righteous pride, to kill our vain hopes, and
false confidences in ourselves, and in all that we can do. Paul
says, “I was alive without the law once; for without the law,
sin was dead.” Rom. vii. 9. How was all this He had got,
what we all have by nature, a very deceitful glass, this remedial
law, to look at himself in, and he was vastly pleased, highly
delighted, at the sight of himself. He was all self-complacen-
cy, fully satisfied that he was alive to God and goodness. He
felt no sin: no pain, no burden of, and grief for sin. Sin was
dead. He was alive, and who but he, for zeal of God, and
love to goodness? But, when the commandment came, pray,
who brought it? Who held the glass of God's holy law before
Paul's eyes, and gave him sight to see himself in it? The
lover of sinners, the glorifier of Christ, even the Spirit of truth.
Well, and how did Paul like the sight? How did it affect him?
Says he, “Sin, taking occasion by the law, wrought in me all
manner of concupiscence.” I could not have suspected that I
had such cursed lusts, such evil desires, such wicked covetings,
contrary to the holy law, if the law had not irritated them, and
caused me to see and feel them. “For sin taking occasion by
the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. Sin re-
139
vived, and I died.” “Now I know that the law is spiritual, and I
(as a fallen sinner in my corrupt state) am carnal, sold under
sin. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from
this body of sin and death **
Now Paul became dead to the life of his own righteousness.Now
he began to live by the faith of the Son of God, and by his righ-
teousness only. Happy life! glorious righteousness! blessed glass!
most adorable Spirit, who convinced Paul of his former life of
deadness to God, and quickened him to a new life in Christ
Paul was ever after looking in this glass, to view his spot as a
sinner: to keep down the pride of his own imperfect righteous-
ness, and to exalt Christ and his perfect righteousness, all his
days. And when he came to the upshot of all, with death in
his eye, and judgment in his view, what do we hear him talk
about 2 His own inherent righteousness and perfection ? O
no! But from a clear sight of himself, a humbled heart from
what he knew of himself, and with an enlightened understand-
ing to see the preciousness of Christ's person, and the glory of
his righteousness, he breathes out this ardent desire of his soul,
“That I may be found in Christ, not having on my own righte-
ousness, but the righteousness which is of God [of God ap-
pointing and imputing, which his beloved Son wrought out for
sinners like me] by faith.” Phil. iii. 9.
So, poor old Cardinal Bellarmin, that great champion of the
church of Rome had been fighting all his life, against the pro-
testant doctrine of Christ's righteousness being imputed to sin-
ners, by God the Father through faith, to make them righteous
before God, and justify them in his sight. He used to speak
very degradingly against it, and reproachfully of it, calling it a
putative or imaginary righteousness. But when he came upon
his death-bed, and the glass of God's law was presented to
him,--what was the consequence 2 Alas! his confidence in his
own righteousness forsook him, and, like a man awakened out
of a dream, (and surely a golden dream it is, for any sinner upon
earth, to think that he has got a righteousness of his own work-
ing out,) he cries out, Tutissimum est, it is the safest to be
found in Christ, and his righteousness only.
So when Isaiah saw himself in the glass of God's law, the
infinite purity of Jehovah, and his own pollution as a sinner,
he cries out, “Wo is me, I am undone. I am unclean, and
mine eyes have seen the Lord of hosts.” Isai. vi. 5. And Job,
with all his boasted integrity, and exalted perfection, viewing
himself in the glass of God’s law, exclaims, “Behold I am vile!
What shall I answer thee I will lay my hand upon my mouth.”
Job xl. 4. His mouth was stopped. He was become guilty
in his own eyes before God. “I have heard of thee, by the
hearing of the ear, but now mine eye. Seeth thee, [in the glass of
140
the holy law, in all its purity and perfection] wherefore, I abhor
myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” Job xliii. 5, 6. And David,
when he had a clear view in the glass of the law, says to the
Lord, “I have seen an end of all perfection, [the holiest saints
on earth come short of the righteousness of the law, and its
purity, spirituality, and perfection] but thy commandment is
exceeding broad.” Psalm crix. 96. Too broad for any sinner
to extend his obedience to the full extent of it.
Thus to look at ourselves daily in the glass of the law, is to
use it lawfully. For it never flatters us, but shews us what we
really are, sinners, miserable sinners, law-condemned, hell-de-
serving sinners. A persecutor in queen Mary's days, pursuing
a protestant into a house, where he hid himself, charged the
woman of the house to shew where he was. She pointed to a
great chest which had a looking-glass on the inside the lid,
which the papist opened, and said, He is not here. Look in
that glass, said the woman, and there you will see the heretic.
Thus if we want to find a sinner, if we look in the glass of
God’s law, we shall discover him, and cry out, I am the man.
This sight of ourselves, brings down our lofty looks, humbles
our proud hearts, bows our haughty spirits, cuts off all preten-
sions to, and hopes in our own righteousness, by shewing us
the very best of it is but as filthy rags, which cannot hide our
nakedness, bear the test of God’s law, but must be burnt like
straw, by the fire of his justice.
Ah! my fellow sinners, this is the sight we daily want. This
is the sight the glass of God's law continually holdeth forth to
us. For,
The law's a mirror, in which men may see,
How bad they are, how good they ought to be.
True, this sight is very terrifying, and very distressing, and
enough to drive us to despair. It was intended it should, to
self-despair of ever hoping to fulfil it, be made righteous by it,
and justified by our obedience to it. “For, the law was added
because of transgressions.” Gal. iii. 19. “The law entered,
that the offence might abound.” Rom. v. 20. In the sinner's
sight and conscience. For this is the solemn edict of heaven,
“By the deeds of the law shall no flesh living be justified.”
Rom. iii. 20. O what proud flesh, and dead flesh must they
have, who talk of a perfect righteousness, and being justified
by their works! Surely, the glass of the law, nor the caustic of
the law, has never been applied to them. But what must we
do? Must we give up all hope in God, and lie down as con-
demned sinners, and abandon ourselves to absolute despair of
justification and salvation 2 No, eternally blessed be God, we
have another use for the glass of the law,
141
3dly. To see in it that what the law could not possibly do,
in that it was weak through the flesh, [we through sin being .
bereft of power, and become impotent to it] God sending his
own Son, in the likeness of sinful flesh, condemned sin in the
flesh, [the very same nature that sinned, suffered the curse of
the law, due to sin] and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh,
[of his beloved Son] “That the righteousness of the law might
be fulfilled in us, [by Christ our surety, IN our nature.” Rom-
viii. 3, 4. O the rich grace of the Son of God, in perfectly
fulfilling all righteousness in our nature, to make us righteous,
and to justify us. O the amazing love of Christ, in suffering all
the curse and wrath of law and justice in our stead O look in
the glass of the law daily, yea constantly, to see the dreadful
curses, and righteous requirements of the law, to know how
much you are indebted to our precious Saviour, for willingly
sustaining the one, and cheerfully fulfilling the other, that you
may ever glory of him, and rejoice in him, THE LORD our
RIGHTEoUSNEss, though you have no confidence in the flesh,
and know that in your flesh dwells no good thing.
Now this is God’s method of making sinners righteous,
justfying them in his sight, and sanctifying them to holiness of
heart and life, even by faith in his beloved Son, and in no other
way. “For as by one man, sin entered into the world, and
death by sin, and so all became sinners: so by the obedience of
one man, [the God-man, Christ] shall many be made righteous,
even unto justification of life.” Rom. v. 18. The faith of this,
makes a poor sinner quite happy in his conscience, joyful in
God, and inspires boldness before God. Do you find it thus 3
or are you distressed in your conscience, because, after all that
you can do, still you find, you are a sinner I will tell you one
thing above all the rest that you do, and by which you keep
yourself a miserable sinner. What is that? You reject God’s
truth, and believe satan's lies. Now be open to conviction.
Do you, or do you not believe really in your heart, that Christ's
righteousness can make a vile sinner as righteous, as any saint
in glory is And that every believer is thus righteous before
God, and as perfectly justified, and freed from all condemnation
by God, as if he had never committed one sin 2 This is God’s
truth, the gospel of his grace to sinners. Do you really believe
it? Now speak your thoughts. Do not keep satan's secrets.
Methinks I hear you say, “I am afraid to believe it. I think it.
presumption. If I did believe it, I fear it would make me live
in sin, disregard the holy law, and be content without a righ-
teousness of my own.” Now this is open and honest. Poor
soul! so you think Christ has wrought out a righteousness for
sinners, which if you except, it will make you live in sin .
That God imputes a righteousness, which will make you de-
I 42
spise his law? And that the Spirit bears witness to, and comforts
sinners by faithin the righteousness of Christ, that they may live
as they list? O the unreasonableness of unbelief! Only believe
God’s truth, and try the expedient. You will certainly love
him. Faith begets love, and love obedience. A righteousness
of your own Do you know what you mean How long have
you been working for it? When do you expect to get it? How
and by what means attain it? Hear God's truth and rejoice,
“With the heart, man believeth unto righteousness.” Rom. x.
10. He worketh not for it.
Hear the judgment of inspiration, from the lips of one who
laboured long in the fire, and spent his strength for nought to
make himself righteous, and at last was forced to come to
Christ's feet and believe on him for righteousness. Hear Paul,
and tremble at thy conduct. “For, they being ignorant of
God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own
righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righ-
teousness of God.” Rom. x. 3. But, to all who have,
Lastly, Another blessed use of the glass of the law is, to see
it as a rule of life in the hands of Christ, our precious law-
fulfiller. Hence believers are said to live, and walk by faith,
in the Spirit, in the truth, and in love. Therefore their obedience
is the obedience of faith, undertheinfluence of the Spirit, agreeable
to the gospel, springing from love to Jesus, for redeeming them
from the curse of the law, and working out a righteousness to
justify them,-From love to God for imputing this righteous-
ness to them, and justifying them as ungodly sinners,—And
from love to the Spirit, for convincing them of sin, and com-
forting them by the faith of Christ. None can know the power-
ful force, and sweet influence of this faith and love to all holy
obedience, but those who enjoy them. We do not obey in order to
be made righteous by our works, but to glorify God, and honour
Christ, from gratitude of soul, for making us righteous, in whom
our persons, and our works, are accepted by God. , O the joy
of faith, the influence of love, and the force of gratitude. We
never want motives to obedience while these are present.
“Therefore, our obedience is not called obedience unto life,
but unto righteousness.” Rom v. 6. Why so The former sen-
tence is, “Of sin untó death.” The antithesis naturally re-
quires that it should be, “Of obedience unto life.” . But that
is not the case. Our obedience is to Christ, who is our life,
and in whom we are righteous. “For we serve the Lord
Christ.” Col. iii. 24. He presents us and our work, perfectly
cceptable to God. Therefore, we pray to be filled with the
j of righteousness, mind, the fruits of righteousness) which
are by Jesus Christ to the glory of God. And we have our fruit
unto holiness, and the end shall be, everlasting life. For, we,
f
f
143
are dead to the law, and married to Christ by faith; therefore
we delight, “To bring forth fruit unto God.” Rom. vii. 4. O
for the increase of faith ! O that love may abound more and
more, so that we may be always abounding in the work of the
Lord, doing those things which are pleasing in his sight, to the
honour and glory of his holy name ! “For, we are not without
law to God, but under the precious law of love to Christ. 1 Cor.
ix. 21. This is the joy of our souls, and the life of our obedience.
A COLLECT.
O GoD of our righteousness, who, when we were dead in sin,
cursed by the law, and exposed to death eternal, didst send thy
beloved Son to fulfil the law, and suffer its curse for us, that
thou mightest make us sinners righteous, and justify us
ungodly, in him : we beseech thee send thy Spirit into our
hearts, to give us the comfort and joy of this by faith; and to
enable us to live upon thy beloved Son, in whom only thou art
well-pleased. Spirit of the Lord, so convinces us of sin, as to
cut off all proud hopes, and false confidence in our own righte-
ousness, and cause us ever to rejoice in Christ Jesus, and to
glory in his righteousness only, that we may walk in Christ, in
newness of life, and all holy obedience. O that we may be dead
to the law by the body of Christ, and alive to God by his righte-
ousness, that cursed pride may not reign in us, but that deep
humility may ever possess us, to the honour and glory of thee
O God, now and ever. Amen.
144
«Ilje Đineteenth Lott's Dap.
christ's GRACIOUS DEALINGs with SLEEPING PROFESSORS,
Behold, I stand at the Door, and knock; if any Man hear my
Poice, and open the Door, I will come in to him, and will sup
with him, and he with me. Rev. iii. 20.
A ZEALous opposer of the doctrines of grace, in their usual
way, declaiming in this text, and calling upon sinners, dead in
trespasses and sins, to open their own hearts, and let Christ in,
who stood knocking and waiting for that purpose, urged the
following case. Suppose the king should come and knock at
the door of any of your houses, how eagerly would you open to
him 2 After sermon, a judicious person observed to him, sup-
pose, Sir, every one were dead in the house, who then would
arise and open to the king 2 There is one certain, fixed, inva-
riable rule to try by, and judge of the sense that may be
put upon any text. It is this. Is it agreeable to the analogy
of faith, which ever exalts the glory and the grace of God
in Christ to sinners, and ever cuts off all occasion of their
glorying in themselves, of their own free will, natural power,
and human merit If a sense is put upon any text contrary to
this, reject it. If the sense accords with this, receive it. Hence
you will be sue to act wisely, as acquiescing with the cove-
mant office of the Spirit of truth, which is, ever to convince us
of sin, and how totally we all are debilitated to every good word
and work, and to glorify Christ in his sovereign love, gracious
purposes, righteous designs, and glorious salvation of us, ac-
cording to covenant undertakings, as our head, surety, and re-
presentative.
Though we dare not say, mistaking the sense of a single
passage of scripture, is a damnable error; yet we may safely
conclude, that distresses on one hand, and delusions on the
other, arise from mistakes of the word of grace and truth; and
that obstinately to persist in any fundamental error, is of a
damning nature. For, hereby, we corrupt the sense, pervert
the meaning, and destroy the intention, (so much as in us lies)
of the God of truth. We make his word yea and nay, uncer-
tain and precarious : and instead of its being a perfect, uniform
system throughout the whole, we cause many passages in it to
appear like a member out of joint, a trumpet which gives an un-
certain sound, or a discordant note which spoils the whole har-
mony of music. Therefore, we ought ever to be careful to
compare scripture with scripture; spiritual things with spiritual:
145
so as not to take up a text at random, destroy its connex-
ion with its context, apply it to persons and things, which were
never intended by it, and warp it from its original sense and
meaning, as many do. Therefore, to our souls’ profit, and to
our Lord’s glory, let us consider this text in the following order.
And while we are thus engaged, let us look to the God of all
grace, that our souls may indeed be profited, and his glory
really advanced in us, and by us. wº
1st. To whom were these words of Christ originally address-
ed, and to whom may they be now applied ?
2dly. What is implied, in Christ's standing at the door and
knocking?
3dly. The gracious declaration, and precious promise, he
here makes.
1st. To whom were these words originally addressed, and
unto whom may they be now applied ? Not to dead sinners, who
are totally unconcerned about their sins, utterly thoughtless
about their souls, and entirely neglectful of the gospel of Christ.
Whatever addresses, warnings, or invitations may be, in the
word of God to such; yet it is plain these words were not
spoken to persons of this stamp. No. They come nearer home,
even tê professors in the church of Christ; yea, to members in
the church of Laodicea. Whether this was a national, estab-
lished church, a Presbyterian, Independent, or Baptist church,
it matters not. For names alter not the nature of things. And
such kind of professors as were in this, are no credit to any
church, nor any honour to Christ, the head of the church. By
considering what Christ says of these professors, these church
members, we shall easily perceive what kind of persons they
were, and how nearly their case may come to ours. The Lord
grant us to be faithful to our own souls |
2dly. “I know thy works.” Never conceive that Christ is
an unconcerned spectator of our lives and actions; and that he
cares not, whether we walk after the Spirit, or after the flesh.
This is an awful species of atheism. It proceeds from the
licentiousness of our nature, and the unbelief of our hearts.
But this is the confession of faith. “O Lord thou hast search-
ed me, and known me. Thou understandest my thoughts afar
off. Thou compasseth my path, and art acquainted with all my
ways. For, there is not a word in my tongue, but lo, O Lord,
thou knowest it altogether.” Psalm crxxix. “The eyes of the
LoRD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.”
Prov, xv. 3. Therefore, this is the first reproof Christ gives to
these professors, You vainly and foolishly think, because you
are joined to a church, and make profession of me as your Sa-
viour, that I will wink and connive at your works, though they
are contrary to faith in me, love to me, and zeal for the honour
4
lº!6
§
and glory of me. . But be not deceived. I know thy works a
the first motion of them, the principle they proceed from, and
the end they are directed to... I also notice all thy works, which
are directly contrary to the profession you make of me. And
as I know, so I will surely visit you for them. !
3dly, I know that thou art neither cold nor hot. Not entire-
§º dead: nor warm and lively, in love to the
fruth, zeal for it, and glowing ardor to adorn and walk worthy
of it, to my honour, and my people's profit. Were there such
professors then? Does Christ thus testify his knowledge of
their frame and conduct? Come hither, then, ye frozen-hearted
professors, who dare ignorantly and wickedly decry warm frames
and comfortable feelings, and take conviction and shame to
yourselves from the mouth of Christ. To despise these because
ye have them not, is the way never to enjoy them. O but what
ye want in heat, is made up in light and knowledge. You have
great store of this, Where In your heads. So doubtless had
these Laodicean professors. They were as light as a full
moon in a sharp, frasty night, and were as cold also. Though
not quite dead with cold, yet benumbed, and not comfortably
warm with love. Christ is not reproving want of light in the
head, but the warmth of loye in the heart: living at a distance,
from him, the Sun of righteousness, and being content to dwell
in the frigid zone of this earth, while the warm attachment to
the things of it, left the heart cold and dead to Christ, his pre-
cious truths, holy ways, and beloved people. There is neither
warmth, life, nor spirit, in the affections to these; but a gold,
benumbing, shivering fit of fear seizes such, lest they suffer.’
persecution for the cause of Christ. They do not totally give
up the profession of him, but coldly give up every thing, which
would expose them to persecution for him. They have a warm
zeal for their characters and interest in the world, but frozen
affections to Christ's honour and glory. This drew from Christ
this ardent wish, “I would thouwert cold or hot.” And this
awful threatening, “I will spue thee out of my mouth.”. As
though Christ's heart was sick, and his stomach heaved against
such luke-warm professors. Do we see alikeness of ourselves
here? Q that we may cry earnestly to him for mercy, for want
of warm love to him in our hearts But, - -
4thly. Amidst this cold, lake-warm profession, Christ re-
proves for something more provoking. For to the pride of ful-
ness, is added to a heart of coldness. “Because thou sayest, I
amrich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing,
and knowest not that thquart wretched, and miserable, and poor,
and blind, and naked.” Verse #7. They had speech without
knowledge: words without meaning : talking without feeling.
Amazing, that a cold heart should yet possess the fever of pride.
147
They had lost both the sense of Christ's love, and the feeling
of their own poverty, misery, and wretchedness. Though
stripped of both, they saw it not; yea, riches abounded, wealth
increased, and, nothing was wanting in their hearts. All was
safe, and confident in apprehension. A more awful state of pro-
fessors cannot be pictured. O dread to trifle with convictions
of your own wretchedness and poverty. Fear to get rid of
them by any means. Better, far better to be an agonizing,
groaning, sighing, misérable sinner at the feet of Christ, than
to grow high in opinion, and strong in confidence, while cold
in love. O that while I am writing, or you are reading, may
sonviction like a dagger, pierce our hearts, and let out the cor-
rupt blood of false confidence 1
5thly. Christ in mercy, councils such, to buy of him pure
gold, for their extreme poverty,’ a glorious raiment for their
shameful nakedness, “ and a precious eye-salve, to cure their
blindness.” Verse 18. How are these to be bought?”“Without
money, and without price.” Isai. lv. 1. That is our mercy, for
we are all poverty itself, and have nothing to buy with. Christ
means, to come unto him, humble ourselves before him, call
upon him, search his word faithfully, implore his Spirit ardent-
ly, and never rest, never give over, till we have really got in
possession, what we pretend to by profession, clear, spiritual
sight, heavenly light, warm love, the sense of the clothing of
his righteousness and the graces of his Spirit. O that we may
come to him.daily, and buy these of him constantly, at his own
price, even as free gifts, to the sensibly wretched, and the mi-
serably undeserving, seeing our need of them, and that we can-
not be easy without them | For, he speaks to us in tender affec-
tion, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous
therefore and repent,” Verse 19; as though he had said, All
my reproofs against your conduct, proceed from love to your
souls. Though your ways I hate, yet your souls I love. . Believe
my love, let it break your hard hearts, and change your bad
conduct. For,
Secondly, Behold, I stand at the door and knock. What is
implied in this 2 . Behold, take special notice, lay it to heart,
let this sink deep in your spirits. You imagine I am within,
and have the best room in your house, a place in your hearts
and affections. But with many, it is not so : a notion of me
floats only in their heads, while I.am shut out of their hearts.
Behold, I stand without, the door is shut upon me, and fastened
against me. Cutting words, to , those who profess to know
Christ and love him. O my friends! O my soul | is it thus
with us? Search diligently, examine closely, tet conscience
answer faithfully. Is the Lord really within us, or not? or
have we let in other lovers, * shut out our loving Saviour *
2
148.
Pause one moment and say. Thou once warm-hearted profes-
sor, whose soul, heretofore, was all on fire with love to Christ,
warm zeal for his truths, heavenly delight in his holy ways,
and burning affection to his ordinances and his people, say,
how is it now Once, you could not hear his holy name blas-
phemed, but you shuddered and reproved; his precious truths
maligned and opposed, but it called up a holy indignancy of
heart. Once, your soul knew no happiness, but in the company
of Christ's people, and conversing of his love, truths, and sal-
vation; while the company of those who neither knew, feared,
nor loved Christ, was your aversion; all carnal games, sensual
sports, and vain pleasures, your very soul abhorred. Then the
language of your heart was, none but Christ, none but Christ.
I give up all for him. I enjoy all in him. He is my whole
heaven, my complete happiness, my only portion. But, how
is it now 2 Is Christ within the heart, or shut out at the door?
A change of conduct, and company, awfully evidence the lat-
ter. O that we may not trifle with precious Christ, and our
immortal souls | For he says,
2dly, I stand at the door, and knock. I come as a lover,
stand as a friend, and knock as a suitor. The idea of this
knocking, we have, Song v. 2. It was the Beloved who knocked
—it was at night—the church was asleep—the voice of Christ
was in this knocking.—She knew his voice—and therefore it
cannot intend dead sinners, who never heard the voice of
Christ, have no life from him, and know not the voice of him.
Where Jesus hath love for a soul dead in sin, he does infinitely
more than barely knock at his heart for admittance, and wait
for the exertion of some power, which the sinner is totally
destitute of. He might just as well have knocked at the coffin
of Lazarus, and waited for his hearing the sound, restoring
himself to life, and coming forth. Christ knows, and we also
know, that we have no ears to hear, hearts to understand, nor
life to open to him, till he quickens us, and opens our hearts
as he did Lydia's, to attend to his word. Acts Xvi. 14. Then,
being made alive by him, having eyes to see him, ears to
hear him, and hearts to understand the loving kindness of
him, he knocks at our doors, speaks to our hearts, and calls
upon us to act like ourselves, living members of him ou
living head. Blessed be his loving name, when we were d.º.
in our sins, he said not, “ the hour cometh, and now is,
when the dead may hear my Voice, if they will, they may live,
if they will but exert some power of their own; but they
shall hear my Voice, they shall live.” John v. 25. He speaks
with the voice of sovereignty: He quickens by almighty power
as a God; and then he knocks, and addresses with the rational
affection of a loving and beloved friend. Again,
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8dly. I stand, and knock. This implies knowledge of the
..state, and affectionate concern for the person, at whose door
Christ knocks. Though it be a night of uncomfortable dark-
ness with their soul, yet (O condescending love!) he waits on
them, and knocks to alarm them. For, he is deeply interested
in, not only their eternal safety, but their present comfort and
well-being, therefore it is a knock of love. We do not knock
at any one's door at random, without any meaning, and go
away without an answer. Nor does Christ. Suppose not such
folly in wisdom itself. Therefore it is a knock of knowledge.
It is also an effectual knock to all Christ's people. He neither
knocks so low as not to be heard, nor does he give only one
knock, and go away disappointed; but he stands and knocks.
He knocks so loud, and stands so long, till he gets an answer.
In the night season, when any one knocks, it is usual to ask
who it is, and what is their business 2 and we do not open till
we are satisfied. Thus loving Jesus acts by his beloved people.
When his dear disciples saw him walking on the sea, in the
might season, they cried out for fear. But Christ said, “It is
I, be not afraid.” Matt. xiv. 27. So his knocks may alarm our
fears at first; but when we ask, who is there? and Christ an-
swers, “It is I, be not afraid. Open to me, my sister, my love,
my dove, my undefiled; for my head is filled with dew, and my
locks with the drops of the night.” Song v. 2. Then it has a
suitable effect upon us. Thus Christ knocks by this epistle.
Here is implied, long standing, and reiterated knocking, yet
Christ's patience was not wearied: He would not depart without
an answer. And O what an affectionate address, what loving
appellations does he use ! yet be astonished. What says his
spouse, his love? “I have put off my coat, how shall I put it
on 2 I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them.” What
frivolous, trifling excuses | By which we may understand a very
unbecoming frame of soul. Though the poor believer knew
it to be her beloved, yet she discovers a backwardness to open
to him. She had put off her conversation-garment of close
walking with Christ. She had travelled from him. She
had washed her feet, as travellers used to do. She was gone
to rest, in a kind of carnal ease and composure, and was
loath to be disturbed. But yet she says, “I opened to my
beloved, but my beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone.”
Mind the next words. “My soul failed when he spake.” She
fainted away, and fell into a swoon, at his voice. O when
Christ speaks by the power of his spirit, the words of his grace,
peace, and love, to the heart of the believer, in sleepy, carnal
frames, it arouses the soul, and causes it to sink down in
shame and confusion. Loving, gracious words from Christ,
effect gracious purposes in the heart. They awaken it, and
150
cause it to seek Christ. Thus, this believer; she recovers from
her swoon, and—what did she 3 go quietly to her bed again
and compose herself to rest? O no, she could not. Christ's
knocking, and his voice, had awakened and alarmed her. An
arrow from the quiver of Christ's love had pierced her, with
convictions of her shameful sin and egregious folly. For
Christ put his hand in by the hole of the door. He touched her
heart by the finger of his love, therefore, says she, “I sought
him, but I could not find him. I called him, but he gave
me no answer.” Song v. 6. This caused distress and sorrow.
Agitated by these she was sick of love. She gave not over
seeking, till she found Christ, and says, in the joy of her soul,
“I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine.” Thus Christ
stood and knocked; to an effectual purpose, even to cause the
soul to open to him, and not rest satisfied without the enjoy-
ment of him. This he effects by the loving voice of his word,
and the powerful convictions of his Spirit, upon the hearts of
all his believing people. For, he will not suffer their hearts to
be easy without him; and such is his love for them, that he
will not be happy without the possession of them. Therefore,
to his kind standing, gracious knocks, loving voice, and pow-
erful convictions, he adds, *
Thirdly, This gracious declaration, and precious promise, “If
any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him,
and will sup with him, and he with me.” Here is a case sup-
posed, and a blessing promised. First, the case, Hear my voice,
and open the door. What is implied in this? Spiritual life;
and spiritual willingness, to spiritual purposes. The spiritually
dead can neither hear the voice, nor stir one step to open the
door. They have neither will nor power. Suppose any place
the IF at the door of their own will and power, surely we may
reverse the word, and say, Fy on them, for their pride and egre-
gious folly. But it implies that Christ will neither force our
wills, nor break the door; yet so loving, so gracious is our
heavenly guest, that he rationally convinces our mind,' 'power-
fully persuades our judgment, sweetly engages our will, and
lovingly attracts our affections unto himself, by the voice of his
gracious word, and the power of his efficacious Spirit, that we
cheerfully, willingly, and delightfully open to him; and earnestly
cry, Come in, thou beloved of my soul, come in.
Take my whole heart and let it be,
For ever sealed to all but thee.
The opening the door, is the discovery of the desires of the
soul unto Christ, and to the remembrance of his name, the cry
of the heart after him; and the longing of the soul for the
enjoyment of him, It is the exercise of the believing mind
‘. . *, -
º
151
towards Christ, the act of faith on him, the hope of love to him
and the exertion of the affections after him ; knowing that our
consciences cannot be peaceful, nor our hearts happy without
him. Do you hunger and thirst after Christ? Is this your
case ? Blessed soul. The hypothetic IF, is changed into a
positive case with you. The thing is certainly done; you
actually do open the door to Christ. Sacrifice not at all to
your own power. Bless Christ, and give the whole and sole
glory to him, and joyfully attend to,
2dly. The precious blessing promised. I will come in to
him, and will sup with him, and he with me. O how delightful
is this supper, after a fatiguing day of darkness and distress!
But the company of the blessed guest gives the sweetest relish
to the food, and the highest joy to the feast. For Christ means
here, nothing less than sensible communion with the soul, and
ravishing communications of peace, love, and joy, from himself,
to the hearts of the poor sinners. This is a feast indeed to the
soul! It makes the whole man, body, soul, and spirit, quite
happy : yea, fills him with joy unspeakable, and full of glory.
Feel it we may ; feed upon it we shall: experience we can :
but fully explain it, we are not able, for it passeth all under-
standing, exceeds all knowledge, yea, it is unspeakable. O we
cannot describe our sense and feelings, when we have Christ not
only sensibly with us, but also enjoyed in us! Can we refrain
with Joseph from not seeking where to weep, even tears of the
greatest joy? For did he see his brethren before him we see
our most precious elder brother Jesus with us, yea, we feel him
in us. Did Joseph hear that his beloved father was yet alive 2
behold, we hear, and know, and feel, vile and worthless as we
are, that our heavenly Father lives to love and bless us, is fully
reconciled to us, and perfectly at peace with us, in Christ the
Son of his love. He witnesses this in us, by the Holy Ghost
given unto us, who sheds his love abroad in our hearts. Were
we not to rejoice for all this, the very stones in the street might
cry out against us. Yes, ye dead stones, we know ye will, and
do cry out against us; enthusiasm this in the very extreme. We
boldly tell you, from the feelings of love, and under a sense of
pity, in the words of the poet, “Then all are weak, but rank
enthusiasts.” . To such weak persons, we know our talk of
supping with the Lord, and enjoying of him, is a feast of deri-
sion. But we know also, that ye speak evil of what ye are
ignorant of, and despise what you have no relish for; therefore
your conduct to us, is an evidence that we have been with
Jesus, and that he is in us.
A COLLECT.
O Lord Jesus, who has bought us with thy blood, take and
152
keep possession of our hearts. Be more and more precious to
us, that we may give up every earthly enjoyment, for the sake of
thy blessed presence. Grant that we may count all things but
loss and dung, that we may win thee, and be found in thee.
Dwell in us by thy lovětand grace, and cause us to feed on
thee in our hearts by faith, with thanksgiving. Grant, Lord, that
we may be mourished by thee, grow up in thee, and bring forth
the fruits of righteousness, which are by thee, to the glory of
thee, O God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, so whom be praises.
in the highest, now and evermore. Amen. * &
153
(Libe (Timentieth Lott's ZDap.
e-mºm-
The Lord's LovE To, AND CARE FOR HIS PEOPLE IN.
I) ARKNESSe
Who is among you who feareth the LoftD, who obeyeth the
Voice of his Servant, who walketh in Darkness, and hath no
Light? Let him trust in the Name of the Lorp, and stay
himself upon his God. Isai. l. 10.
WE should never, never forget, that we are sinners, loved with
sovereign love, elected by sovereign choice, called by sovereign
power, justified by sovereign grace, animated by sovereign
promises, supported by sovereign strength, live upon sovereign
mercy; and therefore, our natural power, and free will, have
just as much hand in our salvation, as they had in our creation.
We ought ever to retain this truth in our minds, (1st.) To
hide pride from our eyes, and to humble our hearts. (2dly.) To
support and comfort our souls, in fighting the good fight of
faith, and in running our heavenly race, ever “ looking unto
Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” Heb. xii. 2.
(3dly.) That our sovereign Lord may have the whole and sole
glory, from the confession of our lips, the love of our hearts,
and the devotion of our lives. This is the spirit and temper of
real Christians.
But, says a poor sinner, “How can I do this 2 for my soul
is in darkness. I see no light of comfort. The natural sun
returns from day to day, and by its cheering light, and com—
forting beams, spreads joy and gladness over the face of crea-
tion; but not to me returns the Sun of Righteousness. He is
set, I fear, never, never more to rise on my soul, with his com-
forting rays.” Like Paul, “Neither sun, moon, nor stars, have
appeared to me, in many days.” Acts xxvii. 20. I have no
light from the Sun of Righteousness, nor from the stars of
promises. Dark, very dark, is my soul, and disconsolate my
state. Surely no soul ever felt such darkness before. I mourn
it in silent sadness, and gloomy dejection. I have neither light
to look upward, comfort to look inward, nor power to go for-
ward. The Lord hath totally forsaken, and entirely forgotten
me. He has cast me off for ever, and abandoned me to
hopeless despair, and therefore I may as well”—What? Stop,
O soul. Thou who walkest in this darkness, stop and listeñ;
For,
Lo here's a voice of sov’reign grace,
Sounds from the sacred word.
* 154
It is purposely directed to you. It is exactly suited for you.
Attend to the gracious words of the text. Consider the loving
speaker of them. He tenderly enquires after you, as though
by name. He gives loving advice to you, as if present with
you. The Lord grant that we may so ponder these words in
our minds, and so meditate on them, that we may get some
profit from them, to his glory. Let us consider,
1st. That this walking in darkness, is not a singular case.
2dly. The discovery of the Lord's, love to, care over, and
concern for such.
1st. This walking in darkness is not a singular case. For
all God’s people have, in all ages, more or less, experienced it,
and complained under it.* Thus we read of Abraham, “Lo, an
horror of great darkness fell on him.” Gen. xv. 12. Here is
darkness, great darkness, yea, an horror of great darkness
And this fell too upon the friend of God, the father of the
faithful: this too on the evening of that very day that the
LoRD appeared to him, and said to him, “I am thy shield,
and thy exceeding great reward; gave him the promise of
a blessed seed; imputed righteousness to, and justified him,
and in consequence of all this, Abraham offered a sacrifice unto
the Lord, as he commanded him. Surely then, great and
horrible as this darkness was, it could be no token of the
LoRD's anger and displeasure against him. No. But the Lord
is a sovereign, and all his dispensations are in infinite wisdom,
and ever accompanied with unchangeable love, to all his peo-
ple, and shall all work together for their good. There was the
Lord's will, and his love, in this darkness of the father of the
faithful; there is the same also, in all that his children fall
under.
Job complains under this state. “O that I knew where I
might find the Lord | Behold, I go forward, but he is not there;
and backward, but I cannot perceive him. On the left hand
where he doth work, but I cannot behold him : he hideth
himself on the right hand, but I cannot see him.” Job xxiii.
3, 8, 9. Thus was he in darkness, and had lost sight of the
beloved object of his soul. So David complains, “LoRD,
thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. Lord, why
* Indeed I know a popular preacher, who absolutely denies, that
this text is spoken to believers in Christ, but to unbelievers who are in
nature's darkness. But with equal propriety he might have asserted, it
belongs to apostate angels, who are reserved in chains of darkness.
But to support his opinion, he profanely asked, Does God play at
bo-peep with his children, sometimes hiding his face, and at others,
causing the light of his countenance to shine upon them? Does not
this discover very great ignorance of the scriptures, of himself, and
of Christian experience? *
155
castest thou off my soul? Why hidest thou thy face from me?”
Psalm xxx. 7. and lxxxviii. 14. “Verily, thou art a God who
hidest thyself, O God of Israel the Saviour,” says the church.
Isai. xlv. 15. And in Jeremiah's time she complains, “The
LoRD hath led me, and brought me into darkness.” Lam.
iii. 2. “Yea, I called upon thy name, out of the low dun-
geon.” Verse 55. So the church speaks of sitting in dark-
mess.” Micah vii. 8. Did not our Lord himself say to satan *
“This is your hour of darkness.” Luke xxii. 53. Were not
his beloved disciples in darkness, from the time of his death,
till they saw him risen again Was it not a season of darkness
with Paul, when he was under the buffettings of satan *
And Peter speaks of a heed-be, of being in heaviness,
“through manifold temptations.” 1 Pet. i. 6. And this one
text is a standing record of covenant love, suited to the state
of God's righteous people in Christ, “Light is sown for the
righteous.” Psalm xcvii. 11. If light be sown for them it
shall spring up in them. Verily they shall reap its comfort,
and enjoy its blessing, in God’s own time, way and manner.
Now whatever may be the cause, or causes of this darkness
in God’s people, matters not. Whether dark dispensations in
providence, afflictions in body, loss of substance, relations,
“friends, comforts, &c. or whether we are under darkness of
soul, through the Sun of Righteousness withdrawing his clear
and comfortable shining, whereby we see not our interest in
him, and are not blest with comforts from him; but are going
from ordinance to ordinance, and from one person to another,
enquiring like the church of old, “Saw ye him whom my soul
loveth” Song iii. 3. Still all proves this truth, that it is not a
singular case for a believing soul to walk in darkness. Yea, it
is a singular comfort, that our case is not singular; but that
the saints of God, in all ages, were in the like circumstance;
and that we cannot entertain a doubt, but that God loved them,
This brings us to consider the *
2nd. point, The discovery of the Lord's love to, care over,
and concern for, those who walk in this darkness. But says a
dark benighted soul, can this be proved? O if I could but be
satisfied that the LoRD has any love to, care over, or concern for
me, in my dark and disconsolate state, verily, it would throw
3 ray of hope into my dark dungeon of distress, and turn my
heaviness of soul into the joy of the morning ! But is it pos-
sible Can this be proved? Pray do you ever trouble your head
about, and with earnestness enquire after, any thing which you
have no love to, care about, or regard for? But, if you really
love a person, then it is natural for you to shew your care for,
and regard to him, by inquiring after what state and circum-
stances he is in, how he goes on ; and if you think he needs
156
it, you are ready to assist him with your kind advice. So it is
in affairs of this life. Well then, if so, look at the text, and
see if that does not fully prove our Lord's love to, care over, and
tender regard for, those souls who walk in darkness, and see no
light.
This is fully manifest, 1st. By this loving enquiry, Who is
among you, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light 2 Who
makes this enquiry Satan to devour you? A malicious enemy
to harass and distress you? No. But a most precious friend, to
counsel and comfort you. Verily, it is the voice of our beloved
the friend of friends, the friend of sinners, the Saviour of the
lost, the comforter of the distressed,—“THE wonDERFUL
Counsellor.” Isai. ix. 6. It is the enquiry of the very same
loving Lord Christ, who came to his dear disciples, when they
had lost sight of him, (after he was dead and buried) and with
the tenderest affection enquires “Children, have ye any thing
to eat?” John xxi. 5. So here, who is among you, that are
poor, dark souls, who have no light to see their interest in the
comfort of my love, the happiness of my peace, and the joy of
my salvation? Yes. This is the very person, that here speaks
and makes this most affectionate inquiry. Even he, who just
before in our text, in the sixth verse, says, “I gave my back to
the smiters, and my cheeks to them who plucked off the hair:
I hid not my face from shame and spitting.” You know who
suffered this, and who was spit upon for our sakes. Was not
this the strongest evidence of his love to, care over, and regard
for us? Surely it was. Then this inquiry after those who walk
in darkness, and see no light, is equally so.
Who is among you? in my called church, and among my
believing people, who fear the Lord: in whose hearts God hath
ut his covenant grace, “I will put my fear in their hearts,
and they shall not depart from me, and I will not turn away
from them, to do them good.” Jerem. xxxii. 40. O this fear is
a most precious grace . The Lord binds himself to that soul,
and that soul is bound to the Lord, how great soever his dark-
ness is, or his want of the light of peace, the comfort of love,
and the joy of salvation may be. Still he walketh on, though
as it were groping.
Who is among you, that obeyeth the voice of his servant 3
“Even me, who am God's servant by his election.” Isai. xlii. 1.
and my own free choice. I came willingly and cheerfully, to
undertake, and to finish, the work which my Father gave me to
do : even to finish transgression for condemned sinners, to make
an end of sin, for helpless sinners, to bring in everlasting righ-
teousness, for naked sinners, and to work out salvation, for lost
sinners. Who obeyeth my voice, to come unto me, and believe
in me, to receive these blessings, as free gifts from my hands
*
*
157 º
Doth such a soul walk in darkness? Hath he no light to see,
that his state is safe, and his salvation sure ? Doth, he fear in
darkness, tremble in doubt, and is he racked with perplexity
concerning the state of his soul ? Is he sighing out in dark-
ness? O could I see that God is my Father, that Christ is my
Saviour, that the holy Spirit is my comforter; then under all
other kind of darknesses, all would be well, had I but the light
of life, the light of God's countenance, lifted up upon my
soul. But, as the light of spiritual joy, and the comfort of
assurance is wanting in my soul, all is dreariness, barrenness,
darkness, and deadness. Well, but Christ not only manifests
his love to, care over, and regard for souls in this state, by ten-
derly enquiring after them, but also, (2d.) in his counsel and
advice to them. What are they to do, in their dark and un-
comfortable state He tells them. Let him trust and stay.
Trust in what? Stay himself upon what? Doth Christ counsel
such to trust in themselves, in their sincere resolutions, their
good works, religious duties and performances, their tears of
sorrow for sin, groanings under sin, and meltings of heart for
sin, or in anything they can find in and about themselves Or
does he advise, Let him stay, and support his mind, upon his
past fine frames and comfortable sensations, the rich experien-
ces he has formerly had, of God’s dealings with his soul ? &c.
Just as good bid him fill his belly with the east wind; or stay
his mind upon the rapid stream. No, here is his mercy, “Let
him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay himself upon his
God.” Let us dwell a little on each of these exercises of
the mind.
1st. Let him trust in the name of the Loan : or, in other
words, let him give credit to what is revealed of the Lord.
By the name of the Lord, we may understand those covenant
relations, in which Jehovah has manifested himself to us, in
his word, as FATHER, SAVIOUR, and CoMForTER, in the man
Christ Jesus. In our darkest seasons, and most disconsolate
circumstances, blessed be the Lord, no enemy can deprive us
of God's revealed truth; in which a Father's love, a Saviour's
grace, and a Comforter's witness, are manifest in every page.
This is fully sufficient to encourage our trust, to draw out our
confidence, and establish our faith, in the name of the Lord,
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Hear then, the Father's love
in giving his Son, attend to the grace of the Son, in giving
himself for our sins; and because we are slow of heart to be-
lieve the love of the one, and the grace of the other, hear the
witness of the Holy Spirit, which he bears in and by the word,
for the establishing our hearts in the truth, and supporting our
souls in an hour of darkness, and a time of temptation.
Hath the Lord revealed himself under the endearing name
#58
of FATHER Hath Christ taught his disciples to pray to him,
OUR FATHER Doth the Spirit of adoption teach us to cry,
“Abba, Father tº Rom. viii. 15. Then:let us trust in him as
such. But says the soul walking in darkness, I cannot see that
God is my Father, and therefore I cannot trust in him as such.
no where revealed, that God is the Father to any one soul in
particular by name, but it is clearly and plainly revealed, that
God is the Father of sinners in general, and of every sinner in
particular, who believes on the name of Jesus, the Son of his
love. Hence Paul says, “Ye are all the children of God, by
faith in Christ Jesus.” Gal. iii. 26. Do you believe that
Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Saviour of Sinners ?
Then trust in the name of God, as the Father of sinners in
Christ. This trusting honours the Lord, will excite praying to
him, and draw down light and comfort from him. “For like
as .a. Father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them who
fear him. For he knoweth our frame, and remembereth.that we
are dust.” Psalm ciii. 13, 14. What father is there, but
pities, and would do all in his power to relieve his child, when
under distresses he calls upon him, and cries to him 2 Well,
though you may not clearly see, and comfortably know, that
God is your Father, yet trusting in him will bring the comfort
of it, for we are fully assured, “The Lord is good, a strong
hold in the day of trouble, and he knoweth (that is, approveth)
them who trust in him.” Neh. i. 7. “And the Lord is nigh
unto all them who call upon him.” Psalm cºlv. 18. But he
hath left upon record, a word that will ever suit your state
and circumstances, and mine, be they ever so affecting and dis-
tressing. The Lord says, for our encouragement, “I will
leave in thee, (in his church, and among his people) an afflicted
and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord.”
Zephan. iii. 12. And to encourage and embolden dark and
dejected souls, to trust in the name of the Load, we have in
the text, Christ's warrant and command. tº.
2dly, Let him trust in the name of the Lond, the SAviour:
even the name of JESUS, which is above every other name,
to sinners. You are a sinner, and in darkness. Jesus him-
self speaks, and gives you warrant, counsel, and command to
trust in him : in all that he is, as a Saviour to sinners: in all
...that he has done, in our nature, for the salvation of sinners : in
his life to obey the law, to justify sinners, in his death for the
atonement of our sins, in his resurrection for our justification,
and in his life and intercession in glory, to save us to the utter-
most. O trust in this name Jesus, and in this salvation of
Jesus, and by thus honouring him, and his glorious work, you
shall sweetly find, and joyfully say, with his church of old,
“Thy name is as precious ointment poured forth.” Song i. 8.
159,
* Behold, God is my salvation: I will TRUST, and, not be,
afraid.” Isai. xii. 2. Trusting in Christ, in the season of
darkness, will keep the mind fixed on him, till his brightness
pears, and his glory, as the sun of righteousness ariseth, and
chaseth away darkness from the mind. Your trusting soul
may say, “When I sit in darkness, the Lord Jesus shall be a
light unto me. He will bring me forth to the light, and I shall
behold his righteousness.” Micah viii. 9. *
3dly, Let him trust in the name of the Lord the CoMFon-
TER, He reveals the everlasting love of the Father, and the
precious salvation of Jesus the Saviour, to us sinners in the .
word, and he applies, and bears witness of this, to our hearts.
Thus he comforts us, by filling us with all joy and peace. But
how, and in what way? In believing, or trusting in the name
of the Lord. We cannot enjoy the Spirit's comforts, but in
believing his truths. Mind this. You are in darkness, you
want to enjoy light in the Lord, light from the Lord, therefore,
you are counselled to trust in the name of the Lord, of the
Lord the CoMFoRTER. As no power but that of the Holy
Ghost, can comfort you, with the light of life, the light of
God’s countenance, light to see your interest in Christ's love,
and to bear witness with your spirit, that you are a child of
God. O trust in his name, as the comforter. Believe his
power. Doubt not of his willingness, even till he has filled
thy soul with light, thy heart with comfort, and thy spirit
with joy. “For the vision, is yet for an appointed time, but at
the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it,
because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” Habak. ii. 8.
Thus when we walk in darkness, and see, no light, we are
counselled and commanded, by our wonderful Counsellor, to
trust in the name of the Load. Believe his word. Take his
advice. Practice his counsel. But again he says,
4thly, Let him stay upon his God. I thank thee, O Christ,
thou faithful, true witness, for this heart-reviving counsel. For
verily, hereby we are fully assured, that God is our God, as
much as when we walk in darkness, and have no light, as when
we walk in the light of his countenance, the comfort of his
peaee, and the joyful sense of his presence. O how sweet to
reflect, dispensations though ever so dark, do not destroy
covenant relations between God and his people. Dark soul,
consider this. Rejoice in this. And praise God the Father,
God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost for this. O stay thy.
soul upon this unchanging God! But what means it to stay
upon his God? The word, and the work, are exactly suited to
our state, for relief and support. In your darkness, do not
3. find weakness and dejection of mind, lowness and faintness.
of spirit, and in your walking are you not weary and tired, ready
160
to give up, and give over all for lost? Are you not ready to
think, and say, I can hold out no longer? What must I do?
Take your Saviour's advice, stay upon your God. Use him as
your prop of support, and your staff of strength. God is all
that to a weak mind, as these are to a weak and weary body.
Therefore lean the whole weight of your soul, with all your
weakness and weariness, and every concern, wholly upon him.
As the Psalmist says, “Cast, or roll, thy burden upon the
Lord, and he shall sustain thee. Psalm lv. 22. Or as the Holy
Spirit by Peter counsels, “Casting all your care upon him, for
he careth for you.” I Pet. v. 7. Or with the church, “Leaning
upon thy beloved.” Song viii. 5. You cannot honour him
more, nor please him better: nor in any other way can you
obtain support and strength, Christ himself being judge, who
thus counsels and directs us, out of soverign grace, infinite
wisdom, and most tender affection, to stay, prop, support, and
lean our minds upon our God. Therefore, though you walk in
darkness, and see no light, yet be not discouraged in following
on to know the Lord, in keeping his sabbaths, attending the
preaching of his word, remembering him at his table, by using
every means of grace, in searching the scriptures, and calling
upon his name, &c. For you see the precious encouragement
you have, because Christ loves you, which he manifests, (1st.)
In his tender inquiry after you. (2dly.) In the precious counsel
he gives you. (3dly.) In declaring God is your God, though you
walk in darkness, and have no light. (4thly.) That your case
is not singular, but that you are travelling home to God in the
way the fathers trod. Hence, 5thly. Take encouragement to
trust in the name of the Lord, and to stay your mind upon your
God. Consider what has been said, and the Lord grant you
a right understanding in all things, to his glory and your soul's
comfort. From what has been urged, we may draw this

INFERENCE.
That a soul walking in darkness, thus exercising his faith
and hope on the word of God, will have no fellowship with the
unfruitful works of darkness. For the grace of his God, will
keep i. from them, and strengthen him against them. Hear
the experience of such a soul. “I had fainted, unless. I had
believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the
living.” Hear his advice to his own soul and others; “Wait
on the Lord: be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine
heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord.” Psal. xxvii. 13, 14. This
waiting respects the internal disposition of the mind, as well as
engages to the use of external means. Thus we are kept from
fainting in the good ways of God, and from turning to any evil.
Thus we shall get courage from the goodness of the Lord, while
16.1
we are hoping and waiting to see his light in the land of the
living.
A COLLECT.
O Lord, who art the light and glory of thy people, enlighten our
darkness, and in thy light, grant us to see light, that we may
glory in thee, and be followers of thee. Lord, deliver us from
our natural darkness of sin, and from the power of satan. O
that our path may be, as the shining light, which shines more
and more to the perfect day. Strengthen our faith and hope
in thy word, and so keep us from fainting in thy ways, but en-
courage our hearts, through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.
M
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QIbt (Turntp-firgt Lott's Dap.
m-sºº ºne-
oN THE Lord's DELIGHT IN HIS PEOPLE.
The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that
hope in his mercy. Psal. cxlvii. 11.
SYMPHORIANUS, a Christian young man, after he had
been almost scourged to death, as he was dragged on to suffer
martyrdom for his religion, his own mother met him in the
way: when lo, instead of tearing her hair, rending he clothes,
or making grievous lamentations for her beloved son, she
heroically called to him, “O my son, remember life eternal.
Look up to heaven. Lift up thine eyes to him who reigneth
there. Life is not taken from thee, but only exchanged for a
better.” At these words of his mother, the blessed youth was
so animated, that he went joyfully to execution, and cheerfully
laid down his head, which was severed from his body. O the
victory of faith, the joy of hope, and the triumph of love!
Had this Christian lady so great pleasure in her son 2 could
she take such delight in seeing him offer up his life for the sake
of Christ, and from love to him 2 Did she so encourage, and
animate him to this, by her counsel ? O what infinitely greater
pleasure doth the Lord take in his people ! How does he coun-
sel, animate, and encourage them by his words, and uphold and
strengthen them by his grace, in all their sufferings for him,
and his truth’s sake? Warious are the ways in which the Lord
calls his people, to glorify him on earth, and to himself in
glory. He gives them a life from himself, then they sacrifice
their lives to him. This kind of martyrdom, every child of
God is made willing to suffer, for the glory of Christ. For the
new life they have from him, is so preferable to the old life of
nature, that they desire and delight to live in the one, and die
to the other: to enjoy the one, and give up the other. For the
Lord taketh pleasure in them, and they in him. This our text
leads us to meditate. O that under the influence of the good
Spirit of God, we may so consider this, that our hearts may be
comfortably refreshed, and our spirits made joyful in the Lord.
Let us consider the pleasure of the Loſt D–How the Lord can
take pleasure in any of the sinful sons of men—and that all such
take pleasure in the Lord.
1st. The pleasure of the Lord. By the Lond, or Jehovah,
we are here to understand the whole Godhead—“The three
who bear record in heaven.” THE FATHER, THE SAviour,
and THE SANCTIFIER ; and these three are one,” 1 John v. 7,
*.
I 63
one in essence; one in will; one in council and covenant ; and
one in every transaction of creation, providence, preservation,
redemption and salvation. As they have one will ; so they
have one pleasure. For the Lord saith, “My counsel shall
stand, and I will do all my pleasure.” Isai. xlvi. 10. and “He
worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.” Ephes. i.
11. The Lord hath pleasure in his will: his will is his pleasure.
His will is in his word. His word is his will ; and declares to
us, what he delights in. We have not the least idea of God,
but as he has revealed himself by his word : nor of what is his
will and pleasure, but as his word informs us. So that all our
knowledge of God, and of what is his will and pleasure, comes
to us by believing his word. Henee only it is that we have
right conceptions of God, and his pleasure formed in our minds,
from his word, and by the faith of it. Reject God’s word, and
you have no more knowledge of him than a Hottentot: you
know just as much of his will and pleasure, as a wild Indian :
and you can have no more delight in him, nor study to please
him, than a devil. Now God can take no pleasure, nor delight,
in any character that is not perfectly like himself. There is
no man upon earth that comes up to the standard of God’s
holiness, purity, and perfection. All men have lost the image
of God. Therefore, God can take no pleasure in any one man
upon earth considered in himself. Yet to God’s glory, and
our comfort of hope, there is a PERFECT MAN, of whom he
has declared, “My soul delighteth in him,” Isai. xlii. 1. “I am
well pleased with him.” Math. iii. 17. This MAN, and no
other, hath given us the true and perfect character of God : yea,
he is himself the true and perfect character of God : “holy,
harmless, undefiled, without sin, and separate from sinners.”
Heb. vii. 26. Therefore the sacred thrº EE bear record from
heaven to him. For while he the worD, was bearing record
to the true character of God, and perfectly obeying his will, in
fulfilling all righteousness on earth, the SPIRIT bore record to
him, by visibly descending on him ; and the FATHER bore re-
cord, with an audible voice from heaven saying, “This is my
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Math. iii. 17. This
is a stab to the pride of all human glorying, in any human cha
racter. But, at the same time, this lays a foundation for the
hope of a sinner, be his state ever so desperate, his character
ever so infamous, and his circumstances ever so deplorable.
For the THREE in heaven, bear record to Christ in the sinner's
nature, of being well pleased in him. Therefore consider,
2dly. How the Lord takes pleasure in any of the children of
men. Sin has destroyed the image of God in every man, and
rendered him obnoxious to his wrath : yea, not only so, but
every man is also possessed ºi nature as opposite to God’s, as
M1 2
164
the devils. And in this respect, there is not the least diffe-
rence between fallen angels and fallen men. Hence God
could as soon take pleasure in devils, as in men. How is it
then, that he doth take pleasure in any sinful men, and not
in fallen angels How shall we answer this By his word,
and that resolves it wholly, into the sovereignty of his will.
“God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down
to hell, &c.” 2 Pet. ii. 4. “Verily Christ took not on him the
mature of angels ; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
For, both he who sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified, are
all of one [nature] : for which cause he is not ashamed to call
them brethren.” Heb. ii. 16, 11. Nor hence is God ashamed
to call them children : for he is a Father to them, and taketh
pleasure in them, because they are one with Christ, and the
image of God is restored to them in Christ. -
Therefore it is not because of any natural difference, any
inherent good qualities, or better dispositions, which they have
made than others. No, by no means. For they are, by nature,
children of wrath even as others, and are equally as dead in
trespasses and sins as others. There is no difference in them
from others. But there is great grace, and great glory (as I
have before observed in this work) in that little word, called a
preposition, IN : all the pleasure which God takes in his people
centers in it, and springs from it. For the LoRD loved, chose,
views, justifies, makes righteous, and blesses with all spiritual
blessings, all his people IN Christ, to the praise of the glory of
his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted IN the beloved.
Eph. i. 6. Hence as the Lord takes pleasure in the praise and
glory of his grace, so he rejoices, delights, and takes pleasure in his
people, who are thesubjects of his grace. They are his Hephzibah,
in whom hedelights; his Beulahto whom heis married. “There-
fore, as a bridegroom rejoiceth over his bride, so does the Lord re-
joice over them.” Ps. cxlix. 4; Is. lxii. 4, 5. But not as they are in
themselves creatures, and still less as sinful creatures, guilty
and defiled ; but as they are IN Christ, chosen in him, given
to him, one with him, and partakers of him. Thus God the
FATHER takes pleasure in them as his own beloved children.
“For thou hast loved them, even as thou hast loved me,” says
Christ. John xvii. 23. With the very same everlasting, un-
changeable love, God the SoN takes pleasure in them. He
was from all eternity rejoicing in the habitable parts of the
earth, “ and his delights were with the sons of men.” Prov. viii.
31. He felt joy in them, under all his sorrows and sufferings,
when working out their salvation. Heb. xii. 2. He joyfully
communicates out of his fulness, grace for grace to them, and
they will be his joy and crown of rejoicing in the last day, when
they shall be introduced by him into the presence and glory
165
of God, with, “Behold me and the children which thou hast
given me.” Heb. ii. 13. And God the SPIRIT takes pleasure
in them: in quickening, and enlightening them to see Christ,
regenerating them into him, leading and guiding them unto
him, and into the truth as it is in Jesus; sanctifying and com-
forting them in him, and keeping them by the faith of him,
unto eternal salvation. O what inconceivable love, astonishing
mercy, inexpressible graee is this that the Lord, the holy,
blessed, and glorious Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
should take such pleasure, in such vile, apostate, rebellious
sinners, as we are, to become a FATHER, SAviour, and SANc-
TIFIER to us! O how highly ought we to esteem the scriptures,
so as to be ever searching them, and praising the Lord for them,
as bringing this joyful knowledge to our hearts, and making us
wise unto salvation, through faith in Christ Jesus ! But are we
of this happy number? Doth the LoRD take pleasure in us? If
he does, surely we shall magnify and exalt his word, above the
word of man; and all his gracious thoughts, glorious views, and
loving ways, above all the little, low, mean, legal, mercenary
thoughts, views, and ways of men. And, so sure as the Lord
takes pleasure in us, we also shall take pleasure in him. Thus
we come,
3dly, To consider. How is this manifested By fearing the
Lord, and hoping in his mercy. Fear, and hope | What! can
we take pleasure in the Lord without love 2 No. It is impos-
sible. But there can no more be scriptural fear of the Lord
in our hearts, without some degree of love to him, than we
can hope in his mercy, without faith in his word. So that fear
includes love, as hope does faith. And these are begot in us,
by the gracious discovery which the Lord hath made of himself
in Christ, to SINNERs, by the scriptures of truth. These we
take pleasure in, and in the Lord as revealed by them. -
(1st.) Fear; this implies knowledge of God, and is influen-
ced by the word of God. We are prone to entertain too low
thoughts of this fear; whereas it is a peculiar grace and gift of
God. The most excellent things are spoken of it. God's
people are peculiarly distinguished by it, all through the Old
Testament. Godly fear is put for, and includes in it, the whole
of a religious character. But it is the character and transgres-
sion of the wieked, “That there is no fear of God before his
eyes.” Psalm xxxvi. 1. “The fear of the Lord is the begin-
ning of all spiritual wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.”
Psalm exi. 10. By it “men depart from evil.” Prov. xvi. 6.
“In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence, it is a fountain of
life.” Prov. xiv. 26, 27. We are to be “perfecting holiness, in
the fear of God.” 2 Cor. vii. 1. And the highest character that
ever was, or ever can be given of Christians is, that “They walk
*
166
in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost.”
Acts ix. 31. w .
Let men's pretensions to comfort be what they may, if they
are not coupled with the fear of the Lord, they may be assured,
they are not the comforts of the Holy Ghost. Do we fear the
Lord? Are we living, walking, and worshipping him, under the
influence of the fear of him, as our heavenly Father in Christ?
Then we may be assured, that the Lord taketh pleasure in us,
and that we verily are the objects of his love, because we are
the subjects of his grace : for he himself has put this covenant
grace into our hearts. Hear the precious words of the Lord :
“I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not
turn away from them, to do them good.” Now how may any
sinner know, that the Lord is in covenant with him, takes plea-
sure in him, and will not turn away from him to do good unto
him Here is the sure and certain evidence of it. The Lord
himself gives him this sign. “I will put my fear into their
hearts, that they shall not depart from me.” Jer. xxxii. 40.
Poor, dejected, bowed down sinner, who art mourning for want
of comfort, and fearing lest thou art not one of God’s covenant
ones, lift up thy head with joy, and thy heart with praise. For
if thou hast the fear of the Lord in thine heart, verily thou
hast a place in God’s heart, and a name in the everlasting cove-
nant of his love, and in the LAMB's book of life. It is your
blessed privilege, with all the Lord's covenant people, “To
serve him without fear [that has torment: the slavish fear of
being rejected by him] in holiness and righteousness before
him, all the days of thy life.” Luke i. 74, 75. Thus this fear of
the LoRD is a special, peculiar grace, given to all the chosen
of God the Father, all the redeemed of God the Son, by God
the Holy Ghost. And thus it is manifest, that the Lord, the
whole God-head, takes pleasure in such ; even as a loving pa-
rent does in his children, whom he dresses and adorns with
costly raiment, that he may look on them with pleasure, and be
delighted with them. O for more of this loving fear ! for,
this fear is not a solitary grace. It is never alone in the heart,
But, -
2dly, All who fear the Lord, hope in his mercy. This im-
plies a sense of their sin and misery; therefore they do not
hope in themselves, nor in any righteousness and goodness of
their own. They know they have none. . They see nothing in
themselves, but ruin and wretchedness, hopelessness and de-
spair. There is a dead hope, and a lively one. The former is
natural to us. It arises from, and centers in our nature, which
is dead by reason of sin. It deceives us all. The latter springs
from revelation, its author and object is the Lord, and it kills
the former. “For a living Jesus is our hope,” 1 Tim, i. 3;
167
therefore it is lively. He is the mercy of God. Through
him only mercy flows to lost sinners. But how does any poor
sinner become possessed of this hope 2 He cannot tell you with-
out praises. He will tell you with saying, “Blessed be the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to
his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again to a lively hope,
by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” I Pet, i. 3.
As this hope is begat in us, by the resurrection of Christ from
the dead, so it follows him from his cross, up to glory, fixes
upon him, and centers in him, as our forerunner, entered into
the presence of God, for us. Hence it is called, “The anchor
of the soul, both sure and stedfast—Why? because it entereth
into that which is within the vail.” Heb. vi. 19. Of what use
is an anchor to a ship None, unless it be cast out of it, and
enter into the ground, and fastening there it keeps the ship safe
and steady, amidst storm and tempest. A ship thus safely
moored, and riding at anchor, though attacked by winds, and
tossed with waves, yet its head is kept towards the anchor, from
whence it is usually cast. So it is with the soul that hopes in
God's mercy. The anchor of hope is cast out of sight. It
fastens upon Christ within the vail, even in heaven and glory.
Hence, the soul, amidst the raging sea of corruption, the
storms of temptation, and the blasts of satan, is kept safe and
steady, “Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ,
unto eternal life.” Jude xxi.
Now as this hope is peculiar to all those whom the Lord
takes pleasure in, so these things are peculiar to this hope.
lst. It is a humble hope. The subjects of it, like faithful
Abraham, “against hope, believe in hope.” Rom. iv. 18. Had
Abraham looked to natural causes, and considered human pro-
babilities, of his having a son, and all the nations of the earth
being blessed in his seed Christ, his hope could not have lived
one moment. All appearances in nature and reason were
against him. But he considered them not. He had God’s
promise...That begat his hope. . This he looked to, and lived
upon. . This was the life of his hope. So we find, that every
thing in our nature, and carnal reason, is against our hope in
God's mercy. We have an evil heart of unbelief in us, a body
of sin and death we carry about us, there is not a sin in the
world, but the seeds of it are in us, and which we are prone to
commit. And our carnal minds are enmity against God. All
things in us, and done by us, are against our hope. Why then
do we hope at all in God's mercy? Because our hope is out of
nature, above it, and contrary to it. Yea, it is opposite to all
our corrupt reasonings. For, we have God’s promise in Christ,
and to Christ; to hope in, and live upon. We live “in hope
of eternal life, which God who cannot lie, promised before the
168
world began.” Tit. i. 2. We enjoy the blessing and comfort
of this promise by faith, which is, “ Christ in us the hope of
glory.” Col. i. 27. “For Christ dwells in our hearts by faith.”
Ephes. iii. 17. Therefore,
2dly, It is a scriptural hope. As our hope springs from
nothing within us, but God’s promise in Christ to us, we know
our hope is firm and sure, and shall never disappoint tis. For
God's blessed word is its warrant and support. God cannot
lie. Our hope in his mercy is founded upon truth. Therefore
we cannot perish. We shall enjoy eternal life promised. Hence
we love his word of grace and truth, as the charter of our
hope. Our delight to hear, read, and study the scriptures, is
both an evidence of the goodness of our hopes, and also a con-
firmation of it. And hence we are ready also, to give a reason
of the hope that is in us, supported by the scriptures of truth.
O this is establishing and joyful! and
3dly. It is a soul-purifying hope. Every one that hath this
hope in God’s mercy now, and of enjoying eternal life with God
in glory, “purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” I John iii. 3.
How purifieth himself? All who have “faith and hope in God,
have purified their souls, in obeying the truth.” I Pet. i. 22.
In this way, the hopeful are to continue and persevere. What-
ever the truth, which supports their hope enjoins, they are to
obey; what it forbids, they must avoid. In this way only, the
comfort of hope is enjoyed. And giving all diligence, in the
use of all means, which tend to purify the soul, “the full
assurance of hope unto the end, is to be attained.” Heb. vi. 11.
If this be our pursuit, God’s truths will be prized, his sabbaths
kept, his ordinances attended to, and all his holy ways delighted
in. One word of !
CONSOLATION. *
Do we then hope in the Lord's mercy? O what a mercy of
mercies is this Verily, it is above every other mercy. Yes,
say you, but I am such a poor hopeless, helpless, miserable
sinner, that I can take no pleasure in myself. That is of the
Lord’s mercy. He intended that you should not. Therefore
he enlightened you to see yourself, that you might hope in his
mercy in Christ; that he might take pleasure in you, as being
in him, trusting in him, relying on him, looking to him,
and glorying only of him, as “made of God to you wisdom, righ-
teousness, sanctification, and redemption, and according,
as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”
I Cor. i. 30, 31. Thus, you are humbled, Christ exalted, and
your soul brought into a right frame for the enjoyment of God
in glory, where humility will ever reign in us, and praises never
cease from us, to God and the LAMB.
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169
Is this to be our eternal state, and our never-ceasing employ
in the realms of bliss and glory? Is this our hope? Have we the
promise of it in the word of truth, and the earnest of it in our
hearts, by the belief of the truth? Hear then, what that word
speaks to us. “Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen
your heart, all ye that hope in the LoRD.” Psalm xxxi. 24.
Though our case in ourselves is bad, hopeless and lost, yet our
state in Christ is good, safe, and eternally secure. Though we
have many, and the worst of enemies to grapple with, our cor-
ruptions and lusts, satan and the world, yet Christis the captain
of our salvation. We are provided with the whole armour of
God. We are engaged in a good cause. We are sure of
victory: shall wear the crown of righteousness, and shall shout
in triumph over all, through him who loved us. Therefore be
of good courage, ye who hope in Jesus. For, while we are
encouraging ourselves in and from God’s word, he will
strengthen our hearts, by his power, to the glory of his grace.
A COLLECT.
O LAMB of God, the Saviour of the lost, and the only hope of
the hopeless, strengthen our confidence in thee, that we may
derive more peace, comfort, love, and holiness from thee. Lord,
deliver our poor, proud hearts, from our natural, legal, self-
righteous hopes, that we may delight ourselves in thee, serve
thee with a free spirit, and obey thee in love, to day and for ever,
to the glory of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
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(The Twenty-getomb Lott's Dap.
* Tºmºems
agEKING THE HONoUR of MEN, THE HINDRANCE of FAITH,
How can ye believe, who receive honour one of another, and seek
not the honour which cometh of God only 2 John v. 44.
THE proud reasonings of men are directly opposite to the
humbling truths of God. The honour of man is quite con-
trary to the honour which cometh from God. Yet, no man ever
believed the gospel, or on Christ, as revealed by the gospel,
until he saw the greatest reason for it, and that there was the
greatest honour in it. And, till this is the case, man, with all
his fancied greatness and boasted honour, weighed in the balance
of the sanctuary, is found wanting. Tried by the touchstone
of truth, it is pronounced of him, “Man that is in honour, and
understandeth not [spiritual things, the truths of God} is like
the beasts that perish.” Psal. xlix. 20. “Every man is brutish
in his knowledge. Jer. x. 14. *
I suppose, no one ever thought himself possessed of a greater
share of honour and glory, than Alexander the Great, as he is
called. Truly, he was a great tyrant, and a great butcher of
mankind. It is recorded of him, “That having conquered a
great part of the world, he came to an island of the Brachmans:
a people that used no habit but beasts’ skins, no houses but
caves, no meat but such as nature produced. On his demand-
ing the reason of this their strange kind of life, they answered,
We know that we shall die: whether this day, or to-morrow,
we know not. Therefore, why should we take care for power
to rule, honour to be esteemed, or riches to live in pleasure ?
With this answer, Alexander was so effected, that he bad them
ask what they would, and he would give it them. They de-
manded, that they might never die. To which he replied, he
could not grant them that, because he himself must die. Why
then, said they, art thou so foolish to live in such pride, power,
and honour, seeing thou knowest thou must die º’’ This was a
mortal stab from rude barbarians, to his wisdom and honour,
But such a fool is every man upon earth, who prefers and seeks
the honour which cometh from men, above that which cometh
from God only. Let us consider,
First, What is that honour which cometh from God only, and
how is it enjoyed 2
Secondly, How seeking that honour which cometh from
man, prevents believing and enjoying the honour which cometh
from God only, Lord grant, that in thy light we may see
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light: under thy teaching may we know thy truth; and com-
fortably enjoy thy presence and blessing, while we are medita-
ting on these points.
First, the honour which cometh of God only, and how it is
erºyed. Now this is a fixed truth, from the mouth of the
Lord, “Them who honour me, I will honour, and they who
despise me, shall be lightly esteemed. 1 Sam. ii. 30. We
must honour God, or he will not honour us. But can such
sinful creatures as we all are, honour the most high God?
Certainly. And it is our greatest honour, and ought to be our
constant work. How is it to be done? Our text particularly
refers to it, even believing God’s word, receiving his Son, and
living upon him as our Saviour. This is the work. This is
the life of a Christian. Thus he honours God. Thus we are to
go on from day to day, believing, receiving, and living. Mind
the words. They are in the present tense. It is not, we did,
or have believed in Christ, received him, and lived upon him,
in days that are past, but are we now thus believing, receiving
and living For God is as much to be honoured to day as
yesterday. We ever need his word to direct, establish, and
comfort us. Christ is ever the same precious Saviour. We
stand daily in need of receiving out of his fulness. For we are
the same needy creatures, impotent, miserable sinners this day,
as we were when we first came to Christ. And we can find no
hope, no rest, no peace to our souls, but while we are living
upon him. Thus we honour the Father who sent him, for
these most blessed ends and purposes.
Now all such God will honour. Why? Because they seek
that honour which cometh of God only, and thereby honour
him. By receiving his word, they give him credit, and honour
him as the God of truth. By receiving of, believing in, and
living upon his beloved Son, they honour God, as the God of
love, grace, and mercy to lost and perishing sinners, and as the
God of inviolable justice and holiness. But how will God
honour all such What is that honour which cometh from God
only? (1st.) As they “Avouch the Lord to be their God, he
will avouch them to be his peculiar people, and he will be an
honour unto them, as he hath spoken.” Deut. xxvi. 18, &c.
Yea, he will own and honour them, as his own adopted children
in Christ. For, hear the Lord, “I will be a Father unto you,
and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord
Almighty.” 2 Cor. vi. 18. Here is a high and heavenly honour
for you, O ye sons and daughters of earth and sin! Is it an
honour to have a great man, a noble lord, a sovereign king to
be our father 2. But what is this compared to being the sons and
daughters of the King of kings, and Lord of lords, the Lord
God Almighty What! can I a poor creature, a wretched
3. I 2
sinner, stand forth and declare, The Sovereign Lord of heaven
and earth, the God of universal nature, is my Father ? He
loves me infinitely more, than ever the most tender and affec-
tionate parent ever did, or possibly could, his most beloved
offspring. Therefore, every attribute and perfection of God,
is engaged for me.
Great, infinitely great, as this honour is in conception and
thought, yet it is more so in enjoyment and experience. For,
we not only hear or read this precious declaration from God in
his word, but we enjoy the sense and comfort of this highest
honour in our hearts. How 2 Here it is very natural to look
into ourselves, and search for a reason or cause in us, why God
should thus honour us. But it is impossible to find any. Enough
indeed we may find to provoke his anger ; but nothing to de-
serve his honour. The cause is in, and from himself. He loves
us freely. His word proclaims it graciously. In believing his
word, and living upon his Son, we enjoy the honour and com-
fort of being the sons of God. And we cannot help exclaim-
ing with wonder and praise, “Behold what manner of love the
Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the
Sons of God.” 1 John vi. 10. In consequence of this,
Secondly, We are honoured with access to God, audience of
him, acceptance with him, and cry unto him, abba, Father, our
Father who art in heaven. Yea, “We have boldness, and ac-
cess with confidence.” Access, is free liberty to approach unto
God, as a Father. Boldness, is a freedom of speech before him,
in confessing our sins, miseries and wants, telling him our fears,
doubts, sorrows, and distresses; yea, laying open our whole
hearts, cases, and circumstances to him, and expecting help and
relief from him, just as one would to an affectionate earthly
parent. Confidence is a well-grounded scriptural persuasion,
that our persons and performances shall find acceptance with
God. Why? Because we are good and righteous beings, and
our duties and performances are so perfect, as to recommend
them and our persons to the favour of God? No. Far from
it. For, in all we are, and in all we do, we are sinners. There-
fore, we can get no access, boldness, and confidence from any
thing about us, or done by us; but all springs from Jesus
Christ our Lord.” Ephes. iii. 12. God's soul is delighted in
him, Isaiah xlii. 1, and with us in him. For, he has made us
accepted in his beloved Son, to the praise of the glory of his
grace. Ephes. i. 6. Therefore we can never be too bold, nor
too confident of access to God, by the faith of Jesus, for the
praise, the honour, the glory of God's free favour in him, lies
at the foundation of this. This honour cometh from God
only, and is enjoyed by all who believe his word, and live upon
his Son.
(3dly.) All such are honoured with God's special presence
173
For, “they are the temple of the living God. And he saith,
I will dwell in them, and walk in them.” 2 Cor. vi. 16. Most
amazing honour ! But how can our bodies, which are polluted
by sin, and in which sin dwelleth, be the temples of the Holy
Ghost, and God dwell in us, and walk in us : Here is the
mystery of grace. But the vail of this is taken away in Christ.
For, being one with him, in a state of perfection IN him, new
creatures IN him, our sins being taken away by him, and
having perfect righteousness IN him, we are presented IN him,
without spot of sin unto salvation. Thus God delights in us
as his temples, and dwells in us, and walks in us, as being
members of, and made accepted in his beloved Son. This
honour cometh from God only. And is enjoyed by all who live
upon his Son.
(4thly.) They are honoured by being made “kings and
priests unto God,” Rev. i. 9; having obtained a holy priest-
hood, they “offer spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God, by
Jesus Christ.” I Pet. ii. 5. That is, their new-born souls, and
devoted bodies, to the worship and service of God. And as
kings, they reign with Christ, under Christ, and by the power
of Christ in his kingdom, over the power of sin, satan, death,
and hell, clothed in the rich, kingly robe of his all perfect
righteousness, and are glorious within, by the graces of his
Spirit. Such honour have all God's saints. What shall we
say more of the honour which cometh from God only, and is
enjoyed by these, whom he delights to honour 2 In one word,
God gives himself to them and says, “I am your shield, and
your exceeding great reward.” Gen. xv. 1. He makes most
precious promises to them in Christ, swears by himself for the
confirmation of their faith, and consolation of their souls. Heb.
vi. 13. He gives his beloved Son to them, and puts his holy
Spirit in them, and assures them of their souls being glorified,
and their bodies raised, and that body and soul, shall be eternally
honoured, with the full enjoyment of his presence in his king-
dom of endless bliss and glory. O ye saints of God, ye sons
of God, ye believers in Jesus, all hail. I congratulate ye, for
your high dignity, and great honour which your God puts upon
you. O study more and more to live like yourselves, humble
as poor sinners, yet ever living upon, and rejoicing in Christ,
that ye may honour him, and the Father in him, by your life
and walk. Let us now see,
Secondly, How seeking the honour which comes from men,
prevents believing and enjoying that honour which cometh from
God. “How can ye believe, who receive honour one of
another ?” As though our Lord had said, It is impossible.
Scripture interrogations, are generally the strongest assertions.
Let us view some instances of men seeking honour one of an-
other. But let it be premised, that there is honour and respec-
174
due from inferiors to superiors. Christianity never destroys,
but establishes this. But we are treating of the honour of men,
when it stands in competition with the honour of God, the belief
of his truths, and receiving his Son. Now in respect to this,
we ought ever to adopt Luther's motto, Cedo nulli, I give
place to none. And we should ever resolve with St. Paul, to
know no man after the flesh, but “Let God be true, and every
man a liar,” who opposes his truth. Rom. iii. 4.
(1st.) “Have any of the rulers, or of the pharisees believed
on Christ º’’ This was the question of old. Hereby honour is
sought of, and given to men, because of their greatness, power,
human wisdom, and self-righteous characters; the great and
learned doctors of the day. This is natural and common. But
this is taking our eyes off, and turning away from the truths of
God, and the misery and ruin of our state as sinners, to look
to, and judge by the conduct of such men. Ever remember
this truth. “The natural man, [be he ever so great in power,
high in esteem, or ever so much reverenced for his learning,
piety, and wisdom] receiveth not the things of the Spirit of
God.” Why not ? “They are foolishness unto him; neither
can he know them because they are spiritually discerned.” I Cor.
ii. 14. Would you so honour a blind man, as to trust to, and
rely upon his judgment and definition of colours ? Why then is
your mind at all in suspense, or the least influenced by the
judgment of the spiritually blind 2 Why pay the least respect,
or give the least labour to such Supposing they have all other
wisdom, but are not wise unto Salvation: all other knowledge,
but the one thing needful, they are fools in God’s account,
and you are guilty of folly in giving honour to them. “ For
our faith stands not in the wisdom of men, but in the power of
God. 1 Cor. ii. 5. And “Christ is the power of God, and the
wisdom of God.” i. 24. He who has Christ, has wisdom. He
who is destitute of Christ, is without understanding.
(2dly.) Clericus is a good scholar, an elegant composer,
an eloquent speaker, and bears an excellent moral character.
He forms his plan of divinity, upon the writings of a renowned
archbishop Tillotson, a learned Barrow, a famous Bull, an
eminent Clark, and other Authors of their stamp. Hence he
looks upon the articles of his own church, as obsolete and
heterodox. The scripture truths contained in them, such as
the doctrine of the Trinity, free election by God the Father,-
full justification and salvation by God the Son—regeneration,
conversion, and final perseverance, by the unfrustatable grace of
God the Holy Ghost, together with his guiding, sanctifying
and comforting witness—the inefficacy and insufficiency of
man’s works to entitle him to the favour of God and eternal life;
all these Clericus has learned of his highly-esteemed authors,
totally to decry and declaim; and countenanced by his reverend
175
brethren to announce, as the flights of enthusiasm, and the rant
of methodism. The people hear, honour, applaud, and cry,
what an excellent man is Clericus ! While he honours them, as
sound churchmen and good Christians, though they are
strangers to the doctrines of their own church, reject the
truths of God's words, and do not believe in, receive, nor live
upon his beloved Son, as the only Saviour.
Thus they seek and receive honour one of another. He is
blinded by giving honour to others: they by giving honour to
him. And both reject the honour which cometh of God,
by believing his truths, and receiving his Son. Thus the blind
lead the blind. Awful effects of seeking honour one of another!
Such are deaf to this voice of Christ, “Beware of false pro-
phets.” Matt vii. 15. Nothing less than a miracle of grace,
can save such men-honouring souls, from falling into the ditch
of eternal perdition. O what a special, peculiar, distinguished
mercy it is to be delivered from such a state, by having our
understandings opened by Christ to understand the scriptures,
and to see the glory of God, and the grace of Christ shining in
every page of them! .
(3dly.) This is true also, in respect to a father, a brother, or a
friend, who is as dear as one’s own soul. How many are kept from
believing the truths of God, and enjoying the honour which
cometh of God, by looking to, and seeking the honour of men? A
father's frown, a brother's displeasure, a friend's disesteem, often
prevents our giving honour to God, by boldly confessing his truths
which we believe. Epenetus is of a most amiable disposition. He
cannot bear, that any should be offended by the doctrines of grace.
He wishes so to accommodate the truths of God to all men, as
to give offence to no one. Therefore he is displeased if you
speak strongly of the sovereignty of God, insist much on his
electing love, the imputation of Christ's righteousness, and the
final perseverance of his saints. These, he says, are points
which great and good men have differed about, and therefore
ought not to be contended for. This is a temptation that tries
many. But does Epenetus consider, that this is paying honour
to the greatmess and goodness of men, at the expence of the
honour of God? How can we believe these truths of God, how
rejoice in them, how be comforted and sanctified by them, how
give God the glory of them, if we thus seek honour one of
another? This is directly contrary to the advice of the Holy
Ghost by St. Jude, “I exhort that ye should earnestly contend
for the faith, which was once delivered unto the saints.” ver. 3,
What is this faith, but the doctrines of faith, which are delivered
by the Spirit of God, in the word of truth? These are ever to
be earnestly contended for in love, as by conflict, combat, or
fighting, heartily and in good earnest, zealously and constantly,
lest we lose the favor, experience, comfort, and enjoyment of
176
them. We should ever consider that the truths of God, the doc-
trines of his grace, are of too important a nature to be so trifled
with, as to be made to truckle to the humour, or to be sacrificed
to the honour of men, be they ever so great, wise, or learned.
The man who does this, cannot believe them heartily, nor enjoy
them comfortably. We ought to tremble to think, or act as
though we were to say to a dear father, a loving brother, or
valuable friend, the truths of my God, the doctrines of my faith,
are at your service, to be moulded and fashioned agreeably to
your judgment. But we are commanded to “Buy the truth,
and sell it not.” Prov. xxiii. 23. For we are “Chosen to salva-
tion, through the belief of the truth.” 2 Thess. ii. 13. One
word of -
EXAMINATION.
How stand your hearts affected to the truths of God’s word,
the doctrines of his grace, the Son of his love, and the honour
of his name 2 Is his word precious 2 Is Christ your honour *
Is his Father your glory? Do you look to his Spirit to lead you
into all truth? Are his sabbaths your delight? Are his ordi-
nances the pleasure and profit of your soul ? Then you will
cease from man, whose breath is in his nostrils, for whereof is
he to be accounted 2 Yea, you will cease from yourself, from
trusting to your own wisdom to direct you, your own righteous-
ness to justify you, and your own power to keep you. And in
spite of all the opposition and gainsaying from the wise, the
learned, and the honourable of this world, you will rejoice in,
glory of, and give honour to God, that “Christ is made unto
you, a poor sinner, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and
redemption.” And therefore you are saved in him, and shall
be glorified together with him, to the praise of the glory, not
of any faithfulness of yours, but of God’s rich, sovereign,
unmerited grace, freely bestowed upon you. And you will
give honour to whom honour is due. You will love, and highly
prize those ministers whom Christ has chosen, called, and sent
forth to preach his everlasting gospel, and who with St. Paul,
“Shun not to declare ALL the counsel of God.” Acts xx. 27.
A COLLECT.
O Lord, be exalted in our hearts, in the glory of thy majesty,
the riches of thy grace, the honour of thy truth, and the comfort
of thy love. Cause us to cease from man, and to cleave wholly
to thee. Make us simple of heart, humble in spirit, and sin-
cere in mind to thee, and thy sacred truths. May we daily feel
their power, enjoy their comforts, and live under their influence,
through thy grace O Christ, to the honour of God. Amen.
177
(Ibe (Timentp-thirt, Lott's 2Dap.
ON THE MINISTERIAL OFFICE OF CHRIST,
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath
anointed me to preach good Tidings, and—to comfort all that
mourn. Isa. lxi. i., 2. *:
It has been observed, “So honourable is the office of a priest,
or minister, that God had but one Son, and he anointed him to
that sacred work.” And here we have predicted the very spirit
of Christ's ministry, and the blessed ends of all his preaching.
What was foretold in prophecy, was literally fulfilled, when
Jesus appeared in our flesh, as man and mediator, and taught
the people as the great prophet of his church. O it is so sweet
to consider the Son of God, as a real, perfect man, “Of a rea-
sonable soul, and human flesh subsisting:” and that as such the
Spirit of the Lord was upon him, to qualify him for, and carry
him through all the office characters which he had undertaken
to sustain in the covenant of grace, and Ceconomy of salvation!
And unless we do view and believe in Christ as such, we shall
get no blessing, nor comfort from his precious doctrines. The
text holds forth to us this dectrine, that God's people do sor-
row, and mourn, and that the Son of God is appointed and
anointed to comfort all of them. Let us consider, (1st.) Why,
or what are the causes of their mourning. (2d.) How, and by
what means, Christ comforts them under their mourning. Let
us look up to our precious Comforter, and beseech him for his
presence and blessing, that though sorrowing in ourselves, we
may rejoice in him, abide in him, and be devoted in heart and
life unto him.
First, Why do God's people mourn, or what are the causes
of their mourning? As men, they are subject to the very same
troubles, calamities, afflictions, and distresses with others. As
they are men of like passions with them, they are alike liable to
feel them, be dejected by them, and depressed under them;
and also subject to murmur and repine, when exercised with
them. In this respect, there is no difference between the
children of God, and the children of this world, only this,
the former have, what the others are destitute of, the comfort-
able knowledge and persuasion, that all things are of God,
appointed by his providence, and permitted by his good plea-
sure, and do work together for their good, and his glory. And,
they have a covenant God in Christ, to look unto, pray unto,
trust in, and rely upon to comfort them in all, support them
N
178
under all, carry them through all, and deliver them out of alſ
their outward trials, worldly troubles, and bodily afflictions,
which they are exercised with in common with other men.
And all this they have, because they believe God's blessed
word, and receive and live upon his beloved Son. But yet, all
such have troubles of another and spiritual nature, which are
peculiarly felt, and mourned for by them only. What are
these ? § -
1st. They mourn the cause of every evil, even because they
find and feel that they are sinners against God. This mourn-
ing begins with their knowledge of God, and of themselves.
Nor will it ever end, till they cease to be sinners, which will
not be, till they put off the body of sin, and see God in his glory.
This fetches up many a sigh from their breast, many a sorrow
from their heart, many a groan from their spirit; brings on
many a distress upon their soul, and causes many a tear to
trickle from their eyes. For, they see themselves sinners in all
they are, and in all they do. Sin dwells in them, and renders
all they do imperfect. Yea, it taints every duty, infects and
pollutes their very best services. And they experience what
bishop Beveridge did, “I sin in all I do. Not only the worst
of my sins, but even the best of my duties, bespeak me a child
of Adam.” This humbling sense, mournful feeling, and scrip-
tural confession, is peculiar to new-born souls only, who live in
the light of truth, know themselves even as they are known,
and do not deceive themselves, so as to say, we have no sin.
Natural men may be sorry for sin, because they feel the evil
effects and sad consequences which their sins have brought
upon them. Their consciences may be alarmed and terrified
for sin, and its dreadful consequences hereafter. But they can
have no Godly sorrow for sin, because they know not God; no
holy, mourning because they are sinners, for they have no holy
affections and dispositions from God, and to God. They see
not the exceeding sinfulness of sin, as it is an infinite evil in
the sight of a loving God: that it is the highest provocation to
him, a transgression of his holy law, and procures a frown upon
the face of our heavenly Father. Nor can they lament the total
depravity of their natures, the desperate wickedness of their
hearts, the vile lusts and abominable corruptions which dwell
in them, the proud, self-righteous hopes which they are the
subjects of, nor the unbelief of God’s truth which works in
them. They neither see, know, nor feel any thing of all these,
for their souls are dead in trespasses and sins. Therefore they
cannot mourn over, nor be sorry for these. Whereas the rege-
nerate in Christ, have a clear sight, an acute sense, and pungent
feeling of all this from day to day. And it is their burden and
grief to find, that in their flesh dwells no good thing, that out
179
of it proceeds nothing but evil,-that it lusts continually against
the Spirit,--that when they would do good, evil is present with
them,--that what they would do, they do not with that perfection
they desire, that what they hate, that they too often do,-so
that they are brought into captivity to the law of sin, which is
in their members. Can they sit down easy, or go on quietly
under all this Impossible. No more than a man under a quick
sense of the most excruciating pain, can help crying out: or
one, who is weary of an insupportable burden, can help shrink-
ing under it, complaining of it, and groaning to be delivered
from it. Hence, with the holy, regenerate, justified Paul, they
cry out, “O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me
from this body of death ^ Rom. vii. 24. This he calls “The
body of sin.” chap. vi. 6. Such is the burden, mourning, and
groaning, of all who “delight in the law of God, after the in-
ward man,” and strive to do the will of God from their hearts.
They mourn the evil of their nature, as well as the sin of their
lives, because their souls are born of God, and are alive to
God. This holy mourning, is a sure and certain evidence of it.
2dly. They mourn, over the dead body of an incarnate God.
For, “Jesus Christ has been evidently set forth before their
eyes, as crucified for their sins.” They have seen his sorrows,
sufferings, agonies, and death, by the eye of faith, in the word
of truth. They have felt the grace of his dying love, and rising
power in their hearts. They know the meaning of the cross
of Christ, in all its shame, and in all its charms. Therefore,
“They look upon him, whom they have pierced with their sins,
and mourn for him as one who is in bitterness for his first-born.”
But, mind when this mourning, and this bitterness takes place
in the soul. Even when that is effected, which the Lord here
promises, “I will pour upon them the Spirit of grace, and of
supplication, and they shall look, and mourn,” &c. Zech. xii.
10. O when this Spirit of the free favour of Christ, in dying
for our sins, is poured upon the heart of a sinner, it melts, it
breaks it in pieces before the Lord. It causes a holy mourning
for sin, weeping at beholding his love, with supplications to
him saying, “Lord save, or I perish.” When by the eye of
faith we behold the salvation of Christ, finished in sufferings,
agony, and death, then in heart-felt sorrow, we exclaim against
ourselves,
Sinful wretch, what hast thou done l
Murder'd God’s beloved Son!
We cannot believe the unparalleled love of Christ, without,
3dly. A holy indignation against ourselves, mourning for
our sins, which were the cause of all his woe, and our want of
N 2
18O
s”
love to him, who so inconceiveably, and inexpressibly loved
us. His love to us passeth knowledge. Our hearts are pained
and grieved that we find so little love to him, and so much op-
position in us against him. We know the fire of love ought
ever to be flaming to him ; but, alas ! through the weakness
of our faith, how cold, how languid is our love to him There-
fore, we cannot but mourn our want of love to him, who so
loved us. We grieve, that we do not more stedfastly cleave to
him, abide in him, deny ourselves for him, more closely follow
him, and enjoy more sweet fellowship with him, and with the
Father in him. How often do we mourn over a hard heart,
and for an absent God 2 saying, with David, “Thou didst
hide thy face, and I was troubled.” Psalm xxx. 7. “Mine
eyes fail for thy word, when wilt thou comfort me * Psalm
cxix. 82. And with Job, “O that I were as in months past,
when the candle of the Lord shined upon my head, and his se-
cret was with me,” &c. Job xxix. And with the church we
are constrained in sorrow to say, “Verily, thou art a God, who
hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.” Isa. xlv. 15.
This is mournful work for the Christian. For his Lord’s pre-
sence creates a heaven of light, love, peace, and joy in his soul.
His absence a hell of darkness, dejection and distraction. And
this experienced, causes mourning for the cause of it, base in-
gratitude to, and unfaithful deserting, defection, and backsliding
from his Lord. Hence mourning, believing hearts, will be
erying out,
I cannot live without thy light,
Cast out, and banish’d from thy sight.
4thly. They mourn over their duties and performances,
seeing so much deadness, formality, legality, unbelief, spiritual
pride, &c. cleaving to them. And so many vain, carnal, worldly
thoughts, with so little spirituality, life, power, vigor, love, joy,
&c. in them. And because they do not begin them with a per-
fectly single eye to God's glory, continue them with fervent
zeal to, and in the strength of Christ; and end them with deep
humility, holy love, and heavenly joy. But they find that self,
cursed pride, and self-righteous confidence will creep in. On
the one hand, they experience swelling, self-conceit, and self-
complacency; or on the other, distraction in duty, weariness of
duty, dejection after duty, and a proneness to cast off all duty.
This is a grievous exercise to, and the cause of much mourning
in the godly. I shall only mention,
5thly. That they not only mourn for what they find in them-
selves, but also what they see in, and meet with from others.
They are exercised on both hands by professors and profane.
How often, and upon how many accounts, do the children of
181.
God distress and grieve each other ? Hence Paul saw need to
exhort, “Bear ye one anothers burdens, and so fulfil the law
of Christ.” Gal. vi. 2. How are God's people distressed and
caused to mourn, for the cruel treatment of wicked men, and
on account of the temptations, injections, subtle devices, and
artful stratagems of satan Sometimes they are ready to think,
they are given up as a prey into his hands, and mourn over the
fears of death, and terrors of hell, dreading, they shall never
hold on, nor hold out to the end, but perish at last. On these,
and many other accounts which might be enumerated, and
which experience teaches, it is the lot of all God’s people to
mourn for. But for ºver blessed be our dear Christ, he is ap-
pointed to comfort all who mourn. And glory be to his loving
heart, and almighty arm, this he faithfully executes. This
is the *
Second point to be considered. And a most joyful one it is.
The Lord give us joy in considering it. How does Christ
comfort all who mourn? The text tells us. By preaching
“good tidings,” that is the gospel, unto them. Those blessed
truths, and comfortable doctrines, which he taught in the days
of his flesh, he brings to their ears, by the ministry of his word,
yea, preaches to their hearts, by the power of his Spirit. Thus
he comforts their souls. Not on account of any goodness or
righteousness of their own, but because of his favour towards
them, what he is to them, and, therefore, what he hath done for
them. Hence all their comfort springs from faith: or believing
this.
1st. Christ comforts all that mourn, by preaching to their
hearts the grace of what he is to them, and what they are in
him. Do they mourn, because they are fallen creatures,
miserable sinners, the subjects of a body of sin and death?
Christ preaches to them, that he is their SAviour. And as
having undertaken that office for them, he took their nature,
upon him; and in that nature he bore all their sins, all the eyil
of sin, all the curse of sin, and all the wrath due to sin. He
perfectly suffered for all this, and entirely took away all this
from us, so that though we are cursed sinners in ourselves, yet
we are blessed saints in him : though full of sin in ourselves,
yet we are without spot of sin in him;-though condemned in
ourselves, yet fully justified in him. This is the gospel of Christ.
This he preaches to his mourners, that thus they are viewed by
Christ, and by God the Father in him. And through the faith
of this, Christ comforts all who mourn. O what comfortable,
knowledge is this, that we are united to Christ,-in Christ,-,
one with Christ,-and that all that Christ is, and all that he has
done, as man, mediator, and Saviour, is ours, Hence he calls
upon us, “Look unto me, and be ye saved.” Isai. xlv. 22. This
looking implies constant believing, and experiencing continual
IS2
saving, from all the sin, ruin, and wretchedness of our fallen
nature, into Christ, his righteousness, salvation, and blessed-
ness. While we thus look, we are comforted. If we mourn
for want of comfort, it is because we are not thus looking to
Christ. For,
2dly. He pronounces, “Blessed are they who mourn.”
Why? “For they shall be comforted.” Matt. v. 4. They are
not blessed for their mourning, nor does this mourning procure
their blessedness and comfort. “But they are blessed by God
the Father with ALL spiritual blessings in Christ.” Eph. i. 3.
Even their mourning is a spiritual blessing from Christ, is a
precious evidence that they are in Christ,-one with him,_
have the mind of him,-and are new creatures in him. For
they sorrow after a godly sort. And this “Godly sorrow
worketh repentance unto salvation, not to be repented of.”
2. Cor. vii. 10, 11. Is not this most blessed comfort for all
our sorrow and mourning, to be pronounced blessed by the
Lord But, let us take heed of a legal spirit in looking at our
mourning for comfort, instead of unto Christ. For if we do,
we shall be ever thinking we do not mourn aright, nor enough :
and we shall ever see somewhat defective in it, to distress
us; therefore we can never arrive at any solid comfort in
this way.
3dly. Do we mourn our want of love to Christ P Are our
hearts pained and broken on account of this He comforts us,
by preaching his great, unspeakable, everlasting love to us,
causing us to “comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth,
and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of
Christ, which passeth knowledge, that we may be filled with all
the fulness, which is of God : so that we shall be rooted and
grounded in the love of Christ. How “By his dwelling in
our hearts by faith.” Eph. iii. 17, &c. When Christ dwells in
our hearts by faith, our hearts dwell on his love to us, and that
increases our love to him. Thus by believing, and dwelling
upon his love, he comforts us. For he binds up the broken
hearted, with the bands of his love.
4thly. Do we mourn the imperfection of all our duties and
services He comforts us by his word, that we “Serve the
Lord Christ.” Col. iii. 24. And though imperfection is
stamped upon all we are, and all we do, yet “God hath made
us accepted in his beloved Son, to the praise of the glory of his
grace.” Eph. i. 6. Hence Christ proclaims, “Liberty to the
captive.” Our captive minds, under bondage of the law, are
comfortably set at liberty, to approach God with boldness, to
present ourselves, and our services, however imperfect, with
assurance of free access to, and full acceptance with him. For
we come not in our own name. We trust not in our duties
183
and performances for access. We do not plead them before
God, for acceptance. But we come in the name of his beloved
Son, in whom we are accepted. And though we are sinners,
we come and plead in the name of Jesus Christ, our righteous
advocate, who presents our persons and services, perfumed
with the much incense of his blood and righteousness, which
are ever “an offering and a sacrifice to God, for a sweet
smelling savour.” Eph. v. 2. And thus our persons and our
duties are accepted in Christ. O how animated to duty,
how comforted in duty, how joyful after duty, does this faith
make us ! *
5thly. Do we mourn for what we see in, and meet with
from others, from wicked men, and from a tempting, accusing,
insulting devil? Hear our blessed Comforter declare, “I, even 'I,
am he who comforteth you. Who art thou, that thou shouldst
be afraid of a man who shall die, or the son of man, who shall
be made as grass? And forgettest the Lord thy Maker, who
stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the
earth, and hast feared continually, every day, because of the
fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy And
where is the fury of the oppressor?” Isai. li. 12. It is by
remembering the LORD, the word of his grace, the love of his
heart, and the power of his arm, that he comforts us. It is
because that we forget the Lord, that we are at any time dis-
tressed by the fear of men, or the power of satan. “For, if
God be for us, who shall be against us? What shall separate
us from the love of Christ We are more than conquerors over
all our enemies, through him who loved us.” Rom. viii. 31, &c.
Yea, thus the Son of God most comfortably preaches to all his
sheep. “I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish,
neither shall any pluck them out of my hand.” Johnx. 28. Fully
sufficient this, to turn our mourning into joy. If we credit
Christ's word, it most certainly will. For all things are put
in subjection under his feet. And he in our nature, “Through
death bath destroyed him, who hath the power of death, that is
the devil, that he might deliver them, who through fear of
death, were all their life-time subject to bondage.” Heb. ii.
14, 15. What more could we wish for, or desire to comfort
us under all our mourning, than what Christ is to us, hath
done for us, and what we are IN him Let us attend to some
brief -
OBSERVATIONS.
1st. That Christianity is of an experimental nature. Its
comforts are actually enjoyed in the soul. It finds men misera-
ble. It makes them happy.
2dly. That all our comforts are procured by, and flow from
184
Christ, in our nature, as our SAviour; and can only be
enjoyed by believing the word of his grace, and on him, as he
is therein revealed to us, and what we are IN him, “ and that
he of God is made to us, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification
and redemption.” I Cor. i. 30. So that we have wisdom from
him, to choose him as our Saviour, and to reject all others;
to glory in him, and no other, as THE Lord our RIGHTEOUS-
NEss. And we trample all other righteousness under our feet,
as dross and dung. That he is our sanctification; being united
to him, and one with him, we are in a holy state; and through
communicated influence from him, we have our fruit unto
holiness, and therefore our end shall be everlasting life. For
he is our redemption. We have now by faith in him, the com-
fort of “Redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our
sins.” Ephes. i. 6. And we are waiting in hope, for the full
enjoyment of redemption, to the heavenly inheritance in bliss
and glory. Therefore, v.
3dly. As all our comfort comes from Christ, is enjoyed in
Christ, and by believing on him, we reject all the comfort
which springs from ourselves, and from what we are in our-
selves. Such are only fleshly comforts, and fleshly joys. They
delude and deceive many. They spring not from faith, but
sense. Not the word of Christ, but the pride of nature is their
source. Not the righteousness of Christ, but that of man, is
their foundation. Not the glory of Christ, but the exaltation
of the sinner, is their end. Therefore they can last no longer,
than while the poor sinner who possesses them, can vainly keep
up a good opinion of himself, and of his own self-sufficiency
and importance. Hence,
4thly. As all our comfort is out of, and above nature, we are
ever to go out of ourselves, and fix our faith and hope solely on
Christ, who is appointed to comfort all who mourn. O let us
then prize his word which makes this known to us, and bless
his Spirit who brings comfort to our hearts from Christ, by
means of the word. Do we want comfort from Christ con-
stantly Let us search his word diligently. This he commands.
For he says, “The scriptures testify of me.” John v. 39. All
true comfort comes from faith. And faith comes by the word
of God. It is begot, nourished, and strengthened by it. For
the Spirit is in the word. By the word he testifies of Christ,
and glorifies him in our eyes, makes him precious to our
hearts, and thus we get the comfort and joy of faith from him.
Lastly, in the word, we have Christ's sweet and precious
invitations to come unto him, that we may be comforted by
him. Our loving Lord says unto us, vile, miserable, wretched
and distressed sinners as we are, “Come unto me, ALI, ye who
labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matt. xi.
185
28. This coming unto him, is feeding upon his flesh and
blood as perfect MAN; and looking to, and living upon his
sovereignty, as the almighty Lord. Thus he comforts and re-
freshes our souls, to the glory of his name, and to the exalting
his own free grace.
A COLLECT.
O Thou loving God, and gracious Saviour, keep us mourning
sinners at thy feet, that we may be comforted by thee. Suffer
neither sin nor self-righteousness to keep us from thee. But
grant us so to see our sinfulness, feel our misery, and behold the
greatness of thy love, the riches of thy grace, and the fulness of
thy salvation, that we may be daily coming to thee, to experi-
ence the comfort and joy thereof. O let thy precious promises
encourage us, and thy Holy Spirit draw us unto thyself, as the
only hope, and the one righteousness and glory of our souls.
Amen.
186
QIbe Quentp-fourth Lott's Dap.
ON WORSHIPPING JESUS, AND THE Doubts of DISCIPLEs.
And when they saw him, they worshipped him, but some doubted.
Matt. xxviii. 17.
CHRISTIANITY is the religion of sinners. Its faith and wor-
ship are calculated for sinners. All its doctrines and precepts,
exhortations and promises, are suited to sinners. We learn
and receive all of them as sinners. No man ever thought
of, cared for, nor could understand any thing about Chris-
tianity, that he knew and felt that he was a miserable, hope-
less, helpless, desperate sinner. Then, and not till then,
can any one see, know, and understand, the grace and
glory contained in these precious words, “This is a faithful
saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came
into the world, to save sinn ERs.” 1 Tim. i. 15. Christianity
clearly teaches us the true character of God, and of our-
selves. In the person of Jesus, who is the image of God, we
see and know God. In the light of his truth, we see and know
ourselves. Without the faith of Christ, we know neither; but
are in total darkness to both. By believing the gospel, we
know Christ, and commence disciples of him. We know his
love, taste his grace, rejoice in his salvation, and give him the
glory which is due unto him, as “ GoD MANIFEST IN THE
FLEsh.” 1 Tim. i. 16. Our text presents us with the con-
duct of Christ's disciples. Let us attend to and consider,
1st. That Jesus is the object of divine adoration and worship,
because he is God. And,
2dly. That all his disciples do adore and worship him as such;
and therefore those who do not are not disciples of him.
3dly. The nature of those doubts which may exercise his
disciples.
O may that dear Saviour, who hung upon the cross, as a man
and malefactor, without the gates of Jerusalem, now shine upon
our hearts with the glory of his God-head, that we may bow
before him, rejoice in him, and give glory to him, as the Loko
our God. For,
1st. He is the object of divine adoration and worship, because
he is God. It is impossible to believe our bibles, without
being confirmed in this capital, this fundamental truth of Chris-
tianity. It runs through the whole scriptures, from the first of
Genesis to the last of Revelations. Had we but this one text,
it is fully sufficient to establish our minds in this important
truth, “Concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all,
187
God blessed for evermore,” Amen. Rom. ix. 5. Indeed the
scriptures are written, not to testify of, and display the essence
and existence of the Godhead, absolutely and abstractedly con-
sidered ; so as to lead men into vain, idle, and fruitless specu-
lations concerning Deity; but to manifest and make God
known, in his love and grace to sinners, and the relation he
stands in to them, as a FATHER, SAviour, and SANCTIFIER.
Hence, God can only be known to us guilty creatures, as he is
in Christ, “ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing
their trespasses unto them.” 2 Cor. v. 19. There is none
other but he. If we see not God in Christ, but see God out of
Uhrist, we are forming a mere idol in our evil imagination,
** and are atheists without God in the world.” Ephes. ii. 12.
“For the world by wisdom knew not God.” I Cor. i. 21. But
the scriptures reveal him to us in Christ, in the most engaging,
endearing, and precious relation, as that God who purchased
the church with his blood. Acts xx. 28. And again, “Thy
maker is thine husband, the Lord of hosts is his name.” Isaiah
łiv. 5. Now who shed his blood for, and purchased the church
with his blood? Christ and no other. Therefore Christ is God.
Who is our Maker? “All things were made by Christ, and
without him was not any thing made which is made.” John i.
3. Therefore Christ is God. Who is our husband “Ye are
married to him who was raised from the dead.” Rom. vii. 4.
“I have espoused you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” 2 Cor. ii.
3. Therefore Christ is our husband: he is the Lord of hosts.
This is our faith, and therefore we worship Christ, as the living
and true God. But,
Secondly, We have not only the scriptures to warrant, but
examples to confirm us in this. These first disciples of Christ,
when they saw him, risen again from the dead, they worshipped
him, they adored him, as the Lord their God. If we deny this,
we instantly make these disciples a set of vile idolaters. Yea
more, Christ himself, so far from being a great prophet, and a
good man, as his pretended friends, but avowed enemies, to his
proper and essential God-head, say of him, that he must be as
far from true goodness, and real humility, and possessed with an
equal degree of daring pride, and assuming arrogance, as Maho-
met, or any other notorious impostor, to suffer this.-For would
any great prophet, orgood man, ever suffer his fellow creatures to
ascribe divine honours to him, by worshipping and adoring him
No. His very soul would be fired with jealousy, for the honour
and glory of his God; and he would reject, with the utmost in.
dignation and abhorrence, the very attempt. We have in-
tances of this. Cornelius fell down at Peter's feet to worship
him; but Peter said unto him, “See thou do it not, I also am
a man.” Acts x. 26. When the beloved disciple saw the
| 88
glory of an angel, and was told of glorious things by him, says
he, “I fell at his feet to worship him, but he said unto me, see
thou do it not. I am thy fellow-servant, &c. worship God.”
Rev. xix. 10. Hence we see all worship is due to God only.
But these disciples worshipped Jesus, and he suffered it;
therefore Jesus is the true God, the object of divine adoration.
If not, surely, now he was taking his last farewell of, and
blessing these his beloved disciples, he would never havebeen
so treacherous to them, as to abandon them to the abominable
sin of idolatry. And, as he was just going to ascend to his
Father, surely, he would have been so jealous of his honour and
glory, as not to suſter them to give that worship to him, which
is incommunicably due to God only. Verily, if Jesus were
only a mere man, a good man, surely he would have possessed
the honesty of Peter, and the humility of the angel, and when
these disciples offered to worship him, he would have rejected
it and said, See you do it not: I also am a man, your fellow
servant; and not God. But he did not. He as their Lord,
and their God, accepted their worship, as due unto him. So
every one who knows Christ, believes in him, and becomes a
disciple of him, will esteem him worthy of the love and adoration
of their hearts, as the great God and their Saviour.
But why Because they honour him, by simply believing in
their hearts, the words which he spake. For, he says, “That
all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father:
He who honoureth not the Son, [by believing his eternal power
and essential God-head, and not worshipping him as the living
and true God] honoureth not the Father who sent him.” John
v. 23. “I and my Father are one.” John x. 30. One in na-
ture, essence, glory, perfection and power. Hence he says,
“If ye love ME, keep My commandments.” John xiv. 15.
Who has authority to give commandments, and require a
creature to keep them, but God? But Jesus doth this. There-
fore he is God: that very God who says, “Thou shalt love the
Lord thy God, with all thine heart, &c.” Deut. vi. 5.
The unity of Deity, as it exists in a Trinity of persons, called
the FATHER, the Wond, and the Holy Ghost, 1 John v.
7, is as clearly and expressly revealed in the scriptures, as that
there is one God. Therefore, this is not a mystery, but a mani-
fest and open truth, which demands our faith. Hence the
church of England, most scripturally and judiciously, thus ex-
presses our faith, upon the feast of Trinity, “That which we
believe of the glory of the Father, the same we believe of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost, without any difference or inequal-
ity.”. For they are the ONE Jehovah, constantly spoken of
throughout the scriptures of truth.
But, as to the essence of the God-head of the Father, of
489
ithe Son, and of the Holy Ghost, how, and in what manner it
exists in a Trinity of persons, this is not revealed to us, nor
can it be explained by us, therefore will ever remain a mystery
unto us. Here we are to be content, and not aim to be wise
above what is written, but take up the humble words of the
poet,
Where reason fails with all her pow'rs,
There faith believes, and love adores.
Would we see an epitome of true Christianity, and of the
knowledge, understanding, and experience of every true disciple
of Christ Here it is. St. John concludes his precious epis-
tle with it. “We know that the Son of God is come.” How :
From the external evidence of the scriptures only No. But
we know it also, by an internal proof. For, “He hath given
us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, [that
is the living and true God in Jesus Christ. “For the Father
is in the Son, and the Son in the Father.” John xvii. 21. “No
one can know the Father, unless the Son reveal him.” Matth.
xi. 27. “No one can come to the Father, but through the
flesh, or humanity of the Son.” Heb. x. 20. [This we under-
stand and know.] “And we are in him who is true, even in his
Son Jesus Christ. This is ſeven Jesus Christ, the Son of God]
the true God, and eternal life.” And, as though he decried all
other objects, which men set up and pretend to worship beside
him, as idols, he adds, “Little children, keep yourselves from
idols. Amen.” 1 John v. 20, 21. And, in the preceding verse,
he scruples not to affirm of all who do not thus know, under-
stand, and believe in the Son of God, “That they are of the
whole world, which lieth in wickedness,” or in the wicked one.
Against all such, there is one of the most awful, and dreadful
denunciations in all scripture, “If any man love not the Lord
Jesus Christ, let him be amathema, maran-atha,” cursed with
the most dreadful curse, till Christ cometh. 1 Cor. xvi. 22.
But why so severe Because God manifested the greatest love
to sinners, which he possibly could, in sending his beloved Son
to save them; and therefore to reject, despise, set Christ at
nought, and refuse to honour him, is the greatest indignity and
affront, that a creature can possibly be guilty of, against God.
Want of affection to Christ, proceeds from wilful ignorance,
and obstinate unbelief of the scriptures, which testify of him.
All who live and die in this state, live under the curse of the
law, and the dominion of sin, and will die under the wrath of
God, which is due to sin. For this is the solemn, the irrevo-
... cable decree of the Judge of all flesh, “He that believeth and
is baptized, shall be saved ; but he that believeth not, shall be
damned.” Mark xvi. 16. Hence we see the great importance
• 1983
of being a disciple of Christ, believing in him, and worshipping
of him as our God and Saviour. A sinner's affection to Christ,
is the turning point of Chiistianity. This affection, arises
from an understanding to know him. This he gives us. From
this springs all real devotion of heart to him, and all true wor-
ship of him. This gift of understanding to know him, is an
incontestible proof to us, that he is the LoRp our God, and
therefore we adore and worship him. For, who but Jehovah,
could give us, whose “understanding is darkened, being alien-
ated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in us,
because of the blindness of our heart,” an understanding to
know him, believe in, worship and adore him, and set our affec-
tions on him 2 Therefore this is his covenant promise, “I will
give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lon D, and they
shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall re-
turn unto me with their whole heart.” Jerem. xxiv. 27. Now
Pet me ask any convinced, enlightened sinner, what was the first
object presented to his mind to return to, and seek relief for
his distressed conscience, and to save his guilty soul? Was it
not the Lord Jesus Christ? Did not his whole heart go out
after him 2 and was it not the earnest cry of his soul? Save,
Lord Jesus, or I perish | Did Jesus hear his cry, and help him 2
Did he find peace in his blood, pardon in his redemption, justi-
fication in his righteousness, and comfort in his salvation ? Is it
any marvel then, that such a sinner should exalt, glorify, honour
and adore the Son of God, with the supreme love of his heart,
and worship him with all the affections of his soul? Thus from
an understanding given us by Christ, we return unto him with
our whole hearts, as the Lord Jehovah, the self-existing God.
But is not this suggested to your mind? Does not this wor-
shipping of Christ as God, derogate from the honour and glory
of God the Father ? Far from it. For it is the Father's will, to
his glory, and is his delight. For “when he bringeth his only
begotten Son into the world, he saith, let all the angels of GoD
worship him.” And to the Son he saith, “Thy throne, O
God, is for ever and ever,” &c. Heb. i. 6, 8. Now if the Father
calls the Son, God: if he says his throne is for ever and ever;
if he commands all the angels of God to worship him, surely
poor sinners who are redeemed, justified, and saved by him, in
his incarnate state, as God and man in one Christ, have all rea-
son, and the most sufficient authority to worship him. There-
fore this point must be settled, beyond a doubt, in every heart,
that believes the word of God, and in Christ as revealed by it.'
Let us now, *
Thirdly, Consider the doubts of Christ's disciples. Our
Lord, after his resurrection, meets his disciples upon a moun-
tain, where he had appointed them. It is supposed that St.
191
Paul alludes to this, when he says, “ Christ was seen of above
five hundred brethren at once.” I Cor. xv. 6. “But some
doubted.” This is not to be understood of the apostles, but
of some of the disciples, who doubted at first, but were after-
wards fully convinced of the truth of our Lord’s resurrection,
and therefore worshiped him. Let us make an observation or
two on the nature of doubting.
Ist. When we doubt of the truth of any scripture doctrine,
our minds hang in suspense, like a pair of even scales, without
preponderating to either side. The truth we cannot, dare not
give up, because it is so well authenticated; but yet, through
the weakness of our faith, and through our natural proneness
to unbelief, doubts arise in our minds, which prevent our en-
joying the comfort contained in the truths of the gospel, parti-
cularly in that of our Lord's resurrection. Now this is the
case with many of Christ's disciples. But this doth not arise
from any defect in the revelation of it, or for want of evidence
to confirm it; for no truth in all the world can possibly be more
clearly revealed, nor more stronger attested. Why then do we
ever doubt? because of our natural inattention to, and unapt-
ness to credit divine truths. And yet to doubt of this, or any
other truth Goncerning Jesus, is very dishonouring to him, and
very injurious to the peace and comfort of our own souls. Yea,
to indulge doubts here is sinful. For, it is calling in question
the truth of scriptures, and the veracity of the Spirit of truth,
and inspirer of them. Doubting concerning the resurrection
of Christ, will prevent joyful worshipping of him. This was
the fault of Thomas. He indulged his doubts. Though the
strongest evidence was given him, yet he refused it. He would
not be satisfied, without sense and feeling. This was criminal.
Yet Christ indulged him with it. But he reproved him. So
he did Peter, with, “O thou of little faith ! wherefore dost
thou doubt º’’ Matth. xiv. 31. Now, in both these instances,
it is most plain, that they consulted flesh and blood, and listen-
ed to carnal reasonings. These weaken faith, and strengthen
doubting. These we are to oppose and resist, as contrary to faith,
enemies to comfort. And, as the word of God begets faith, so it is
the best antidote against doubting. Therefore, search the word
more diligently, read it more attentively, pray more earnestly for
the grace of the Spirit, and you will doubt less. A sight of Christ
by the eye of faith, will chase doubts from the mind, as the sun
does mists and vapours from the earth. But he is nowhere to be
thus seen, but in the scriptures. “These, says he, testify of me,
therefore he commands, search them.” John v. 39. If you dis-
obey his word, marvel not if doubts prevail.
2dly. But say many, “We have no doubt of the truth as it
is in Jesus, nor of his resurrection, but of our own interest in
*s
192
his love and salvation.” This we are perfectly assured of,
Christ loves all who believe in, and follow him. And all such
may be sure, that they are interested in his salvation. Their
faith to believe on him, repentance to turn to him, obedience in
following of him, their prayers unto him, their desires after him,
and delight in the knowledge, worship, and enjoyment of com-
munion with him, are sure evidences of their interest in him.
For all these flow from the love of his heart to them, and the
grace of his Spirit in them. And, that blessed Spirit, who
implanteth these graces, however weak they may be in their
experience at present, will most assuredly strengthen them; and
in his own time, fill their souls with all joy and peace in be-
lieving, and bear witness with their spirits, that they are the
children of God. Therefore remember our illord’s word, to the
once doubting Thomas, “Be not faithless, but believing.”
John xx. 27. Check all your doubts with, thus it is written.
Amidst all your doubts, hang upon your Lord's word. Be
simple of heart, as a little child before him. Cleave stedfastly
to his truth. Dwell constantly on his love. Obey daily his
command. “Abide in me.” John xv. 4. Comfort your heart
with this his precious promise, “He that followeth me, shall
not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John
viii. 12. If so, then suffer one word of
REPROOF.
Though we do well with David to chide our souls with
“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou dis-
quieted within me?” Psalm xliii. 5. Yet, have we not reason
also to chide ourselves, for not closely following Christ? Ah !
my dear friends, is not this the chief cause of all our doubts,
fears, and misgivings of heart? If we do not quite forsake
Christ, yet do we not too, too often, like Peter, “ Follow him
afar off?” Luke xxii. 54. Awful effects followed upon poor
Peter. Remember him, and tremble at this. For by such
conduct, we lose the light of life, the joy of hope, and the
comfort of love; and get into darkness, doubt, and distress of
soul. Remember, no longer than while we are following
Christ, can we enjoy the light of life. And what, I pray, is to
be put in competition with this Or for what, would you part
with the enjoyment of Christ, who is our light, life, peace, and
joy As there are many things, which naturally tend to weaken
our faith, cloud our minds, darken our souls, deject our spirits,
and fill us with doubts, concerning our interest in Christ, all
these are to be carefully watched against, and constantly
avoided. Thus we shall act, if we are really in earnest to enjoy
Christ. So there are many means to be used, which have a
spiritual tendency to strengthen our faith, enlighten our
193
minds, animate our souls, enliven our spirits, chase away our
doubts, and fill us with joy and peace in believing. These, if
we have chose Christ, if our affections are set upon him, and if
the sense of his presence, and enjoyment of him, is our heaven
upon earth, we shall constantly be found in the use of: looking
to Jesus in all, expecting to find him by all, praying him
through all, to be more and more precious to us, that we may
be more and more fully assured of his love to us, and of our
interest in him; so that we may be able to say, “Hereby we
know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given
us.” 1 John iii. 24.
A COLLECT.
LoRD JESUs, give us a heart ever to know, confess, and wor-
ship thee, as our Lord, and our God; the God of our salva-
tion, by whom we escape death, in whom we are perfectly
righteous, and who will give unto us, the crown of everlasting
life. Lord deliver us from guilty fears, and unreasonable
doubts. O send thy holy Spirit into our hearts to testify of thee,
thy-free grace, and finished salvation for us miserable sinners;
and of thy Father's love to us, in thee, that we may enjoy his
peace, which passeth all understanding. O holy, blessed, and,
glorious Trinity, be thus gracious to us, that we may live in the
love of God, abide in the grace of Christ, and walk in the com-
forts of the Holy Ghost, and have perfect victory over sin,
death, and hell, to the honour and glory of thy name, O Lok D.
Amen.
19.4
Gibe Quentp-fiftly Lott's Dap.
* ºn
THE LORD's CALL To sleFPING PROFESSORs.
Wherefore he saith, “Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from
the Dead, and Christ shall give thee Light.” Ephes. v. 14.
Who saith this The Spirit of Christ, who spake, by the
prophets and apostles. Unto whom doth he thus speak 2 Not
to those who are dead in trespasses and sins; but to those
whom he had quickened to spiritual life. They were not
dead, but asleep among the dead. They were not wholly with-
out spiritual life, but they enjoyed not the comfort of spiritual
light. There were such sleeping professors in the church of
old. Hence the prophet calls on them, “Arise, shine, for
thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.”
Isai. lx. 1. And the same Spirit, calls upon such sort of per-
sons by the apostle in the gospel church, “Awake thou that
sleepest,” &c. Thus the Spirit executes his office, by testifying
of Christ, and glorifying him. And he manifests his love to,
and care for the redeemed of the Lord, first in quickening them
to believe in Christ, and after when they get into dull, heavy,
drowsy, sleeping frames, in calling upon them, and directing
them to Christ, that they may not sleep in darkness, but may
enjoy Christ who is the light of life.
Therefore these words stand on sacred record, are suitable
for, and addressed to such professors now. Where is the be-
liever in Christ, who is not at times overtaken with sleepy fits,
and dead frames, so as not to need this call, to awake, arise,
and go to Christ, for light to cheer his spirits, and animate his
soul? See then the love of the Spirit, and what concern he has
for the frames of Christ’s members, that they may glorify him,
by enjoying light, lively, comfortable frames of soul in and
from him. It is a very bad sign, when professors can be con-
tent with sleepy, dry, barren frames of soul ; or can speak
lightly and irreverently of lightsome, joyous, comfortable frames
and feelings through the enjoyment of Christ. Is not this to
slight precious Christ, and the warming, cheering, enlivening,
invigorating rays, which he, as the sun of righteousness, sheds
upon his people? Is not this to grieve the Spirit the comforter,
and to do despite unto him who sheds the love of God abroad
in our hearts, and fills us with all joy and peace in believing 2
O may the Lord give us a right judgment in all things. Let
us consider,
195
1st. The nature and evil of this sleep here spoken of.
2dly. The call, and necessity of awaking and arising from it.
3dly. The precious promise which encourages to this. May
the Lord the Spirit, cause us to feel his quickening power, and
to experience his enlivening influence, while we are attending
to these things.
1st. The nature and evil of this sleep. Though this spiritual
sleep is compared to natural, yet it very widely differs from it,
in this particular. The body requires rest, and cannot subsist
without sleep. For it is thereby nourished and refreshed, so as
to be able to perform the functions of life. “The sleep of the
labouring man is sweet.” Eccles. v. 12. It is healthful to the
body. But not so is spiritual sleep to the soul. No. It is in-
jurious and dangerous. For it consists in supineness, indolence,
and stupidity. We have a striking description of this sleep.
“How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard 2 When wilt thou
arise out of thy sleep?” The voice of wisdom thus inter-
rogates the sleeping professor, and he thus replies, “Yet a
little sleep, a little slumber, a little more folding of the hands to
sleep.” Ah! this little, little, little, is attended with great,
very great danger. For, “ so shall thy poverty come as one
that travelleth, [suddenly and unexpectedly] and thy want as
an armed man,” irresistibly and unavoidably. Prov. vi. 9, &c.
How many professors have found the woful experience of this
in their spirits 2 This proceeds from spiritual sloth in the ways
of the Lord. For, “slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep.”
Prov. xix. 15. When sloth hath begot deep sleep, sleep nou-
rishes sloth. And, when a professor gets into a deep sleep of
soul, he then lies down, with the spiritually dead, fearless of
enemies, thoughtless of dangers, and forgetful of his best
friend, his gracious Saviour and his God. Yea, he grows
supine, indolent, and regardless of the joys, delights, and com-
forts, of the day of his espousals. For, though the spirit sleeps,
as to any lively affections to God, keen appetite to feed on the
love of Christ, warm zeal for his glory, vigorous exertions of
grace, and delight in the discharge of duty; though all these
may be dormant, in the lethargic soul, yet the form of these
may be attended to and kept up, while the professor is all life,
liveliness, and activity in the affairs of time and sense. Yea
now, he can cast in his lot with the ungodly, who are dead in
sin, like their company, be pleased with their vain diversions,
enjoy their sensual pleasures, and be ready to accost such with,
“Hail brother, well met. I have put off my coat. I am not
so precise as I once was, when under legal bondage. Now I
am got into gospel liberty. I am not so squeamish as I was
about trifling things. I have cast off that heavy gloom, and
stiff reservedness, and can ºut, enjoy my friend in his
2
196
own way.” Do not the life and conduct of many professors,
loudly proclaim thus
Let me speak plainly and faithfully a word to professors, yea,
to my own soul also. Art thou asleep or awake lying down
or standing up slumbering or walking 2 How is it with us
Are we like the foolish virgins, slumbering and sleeping Or
have we left our first love, and fallen back again into the arms
and embraces of that bewitching harlot, the world 2 Has this
present world got the ascendency over our affections Do we
dream of pleasures in it, and happiness from it? Are our
hearts overcharged with the cares of this life, which, like an
intoxicating draught, has cast our souls into a stupid frame, and
brought on a benumbing slumber, so that we can neither see
things as they really are, nor judge of them according to their
true nature, nor real importance 2 Are we so lying down, so
loving to slumber, that we cannot see Christ in his precious-
ness, truth in its amiableness, nor feel the sweetness, power,
comfort and influence of them, as we once did, when we were
broad awake, and the candle of the Lord shone upon our heads?
Is duty a burden Are privileges a task? Are ordinances irk-
some to us? Do the pleasant ways of the Lord seem rugged 2
Are his precious paths of peace tiresome 2 Are we ready to
think, what weariness is it to serve the Lord What profit is
there in waiting upon him, praying unto him, and attending
upon his ordinances 2 Are these things so 2 l; they are, verily
we are fallen asleep : our souls are fallen into a deep slumber.
A lethargic stupidity has seized us. Let each of us examine
our own souls.
Are we quite easy and unconcerned, or are we restless and dis-
satisfied with ourselves Art thou saying, all is well now ; all
will be well at the last Verily, if so, thou art dreaming, Yea,
thou talkest wildly in thy sleep. What meanest thou, O
sleeper | What all well now, without the light of life, the
comfort of love, and the joy of salvation 1 Will all be well when
death pays thee a visit, shakes his dart at thee, and shews thee
that thy sands are well nigh run out, and gives thee these
alarming hints, that he shall soon bring his commission to seize
thee as his prisoner, and carry thee to thy prison-house the
grave 2 Canst thou meditate on his coming with composure,
receive his call with pleasure, and wait for him with joy No.
Thou knowest thou canst not, if thou has left thy beloved, and
his presence is departed from thee. But, art thou sensible of
this, restless in soul, and distressed in mind for this Though
sloth and sleep have robbed thee of the comfortable enjoyment
of him, yet in the anguish of thy mind, art thou bewailing thy
folly, and mournfully asking, “Will the Lord cast off for ever:
and will he be favourable no more ? Is his mercy clean gone for
197
ever ? Doth his promise fail for evermore? Hath God forgot-
ten to be gracious? Hath he in anger shut up his tender mer-
cies O wretch that I am, to sleep when I should have watched;
to forsake my beloved, instead of following him. Now, I fear
he hath quite forgotten, and for ever forsaken me.” Is this thy
language Dost thou know thou deservest to be thus treated 2
Wretch as thou art: wretch as I am, hell-deserving wretches
as we all are, yet our Lord rests in his love to us. Therefore
the power of his Spirit and Grace stirs motions and desires in
our hearts towards him, and causes us to be ashamed of our
treatment of him. These indicate that he has not left us to
the sleep of death. For though asleep, yea though lying down
among the dead in sin, yet, behold, here is his voice of sove-
reign grace, which sounds from his sacred word. Awake.
Arise. Awake from sleep. Arise from the dead. We come,
Secondly, To consider this call, and the necessity of awaking
and arising. (1st.) It is a call of love. O what love is here !
Well might Paul say, “The love of Christ passeth knowledge.”
Ephes. iii. 19. And that “nothing shall be able to separate
us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.” Rom. viii. 39. The
love of his heart, is proclaimed by the Spirit, in his word.
Who is this loving call addressed to ? Even those who are guilty
of the most base, unloving, provoking behaviour to Christ, the
most loving Bridegroom. He finds them fast asleep in the
embraces of a vile harlot, and in company with those who are
ignorant of him and at enmity against him. And yet, instead
of awaking them, with the loud and terrible thunder of his
wrath, and calling them forth to hear their dreadful, decisive
doom, Depart, ye cursed, into the damnation of Hell. Lo, he
uttereth his loving voice in a compassionate call. Awake O
soul. "Thy beloved calls. Open thine eyes. Look around
thee. See where thou art : sleeping upon enchanted ground :
in the midst of thine enemies, and surrounded with dangers.
Ah who against such love is proof
2dly. It is a call of reproof. Awake thou that sleepest, and
see what thou hast lost by thy sleeping. The comfort of faith,
the joy of hope, the enjoyment of love, and the roll of thy assu-
rance out of thy bosom, which heretofore thou didst read with
a rapture of delight. Let not thine eyes be any longer closed
to thy loss, but open them, feel and bewail it, and cry for resto-
ration of former comforts. Love chides. Thy reproving Lord,
would have thee happy in his love. “The scripture is profitable
for reproof.” 2 Tim. iii. 16. “He that regardeth reproof,shall
be honoured,” Prov. xiii. 18, with his Lord's presence, peace,
love, and joy. “And he that hateth reproof shall die.” Prov.
xv. 10. Die in his sin and folly, because he hated the voice
of love. *
198
3dly. It is an inviting call from the Spirit of Christ, to our
sleeping spirits, to arise from the dead, and go to Christ. The
Comforter invites, that comforts may be enjoyed. Are you
comfortable with the dead, in your dead frames, and dark state 2
You cannot. If you say you are, you will slight the invitation,
and reject the counsel. If you do, you will surely lament your
conduct, and rue your folly. How does this call of invitation
affect you ? Consider from whom it comes. The Glorifier of
Christ, and the Comforter of sinners. Consider to whom it is
addressed, even to you and me, who are naturally prone to seek
rest out of Christ, to lie down and sleep among dead sinners,
in dead frames, to his dishonour, and our soul's distress and
danger. Consider the design of the invitation; it is to go to
Christ, to find comfort, peace, and joy in him .Therefore, your
excuses are your miseries, Your delays are dangerous. Your
sleeping, distracting and distressing. And if this loving, re-
proving, inviting call be rejected, who knows but your sleeping
may prove damning It is an awful thing to reject the invita-
tions of love, and say to our soul, Sleep on and take thine ease.
How many such fools has God surprised in their airy visions,
and golden dreams, with “This night is thy soul required of
thee.” But I will add,
4thly. It is an effectual call, to all who are made wise unto
salvation. For the Spirit not only calls by the letter of his
word, but he speaks to the heart, in his power and energy.
True, the five virgins slumbered and slept, as well as the fool-
ish. Shame on them for it. For they would have slept their
last, and the door would have been shut against them, as well
as the others, if they had been left to themselves. But that
was impossible. For, “Behold he who keepeth Israel, shall
neither slumber nor sleep.” Psalm crxi. 4. Though his peo-
ple may slumber and sleep, yet the Lord keepeth them, there-
fore he will arouse and awake them. For “He keeps them by
his power, through faith unto salvation.” I Pet. i. 5. There-
fore, gracious words shall sovereignly effect gracious purposes
upon gracious hearts. If you are one of these, you will hear
the Lord's call, obey his voice, arise from the dead, and go to
Christ. y g * ,
Thirdly, We are to consider the precious promise which en-
courages to this. “Christ shall give thee light.” Shall ! My
mind was greatly struck in transcribing this word shall. O
there is very much contained in it ! Methinks I could dwell
long, and say much about it. One word shall suffice. It is
absolute and peremptory. Christ shALL. Why so Because
it is his covenant office. He is anointed, and appointed to
it. . He has undertaken and engaged, and therefore is bound,
by his grace and truth to effect it, O how much of the com-
199
fort of God's word, do those lose, who reject his everlasting
covenant, are blind to its existence, and know not, that it is or-
dered in ALL THINGs, and sure to all the seed But to proceed,
“Christ shall give thee light.”
When the soul begins to awake from its sleep, and arise
from the dead, it is ready to cry out, good Lord, where have I
been What have I been doing? Where am I? It is midnight
darkness with my soul. Surely, the Philistines have come upon
me, and have put out my eyes. My vile lusts, cursed sins, and
base companions, have robbed me of the light of life. What
will become of me? What indeed, if there were no Saviour to
go to, nor no light to be received from him. But, glory to him,
he says, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me,
shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
John viii. 12. What the sum is in the natural world, that Christ
is in the spiritual. We have not one single ray of light, but
what flows from the sun. Without the sun, we should be in
total darkness. How dreadful, uncomfortable, and deplorable
must life be under such a circumstancel But this would not
at all affect those who are stark blind, only those who have
sight. Just so it is with Christ. We have not a ray of spiri-
tual light but from him. We are in total darkness without
him. And darkness is only felt and deplored by those who
have spiritual sight. Is this your case ? Do you know and see,
your want of light from Christ every day? Do you know your
loss of it, and go to, and call upon Christ to give it you? If so,
you are light in the Lord: a child of the light, and of the day.
“All things that are reproved, are made manifest by the light:
for whatsoever doth make manifest, is light.” Eph. v. 13.
You are reproved for sleeping. You know your want of light.
It is made manifest to you, that Christ is the light of men, and
that he will give light. Therefore he hath called you out of
nature’s darkness, into his marvellous light.
But, what is implied by that light which Christ will give?
1st. The light and clear knowledge of our interest in his
love and salvation. Sleeping, and lying down among dead sin-
ners, and formal professors, will either keep the soul from en-
joying this : or, if experienced, will deprive them of the comfort
of it. Though the language of believers, both in the Old and New
Testament, fully evince that they enjoyed this light of assu-
rance; and when deprived of it, their sorrows, sighs, and prayers
for the restoration of it, witness the same : though Christ pro-
mises he will give this light, and bids his disciples “Ask, and
ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”. John xvi. 24.
Though there can be no solid satisfaction, nor lasting, settled
comfort in the conscience, unless this light and knowledge is
enjoyed; yet it is amazing to see how many professors stop
200
short of it, sleep on easy and contented without it; and to hear
the many unscriptural arguments they urge against enjoying of
it. Hence it is, that so many are kept, through their prevail-
ing unbelief of God's great and precious promises, from giving
all diligence, to attain the full assurance of hope. Hence their
souls are in a lean, starved, doubtful, suspicious state from day
to day. Though it must be granted, that this full assurance is
not of the essence of faith, yet it must enter into, and consti-
tute the joy of faith, and the triumph of the soul. Will Christ
give this light? How inexcusable then are we, if we believe it
not, go not to him, and pray and wrestle with him to bestow
the joy and comfort of it upon us? For,
2dly. It is the light of joy IN the Lord. Joy from what the
whole God-head is to us. A FATHER to love, a SoN to save,
and a SPIRIT to bless, sanctify, and comfort us in Christ. Spi-
ritual joy, is a rational delight and satisfaction of the reason-
able soul, arising from the knowledge of its union to God in
Christ. This is communicated from Christ, and is enjoyed in
the light of scripture truth. It is very different from those
raptures and ecstacies, which many talk of, but know not how
to account for. When the heart is sensibly depressed with
sorrow, the reason of this we know, feel, and are able to give.
So when by joy, the heart is elated, or lifted up, by the gracious
discoveries which Christ is pleased to make of himself, and the
revelations of the love of his Father, which he gives us in his
word; thus by his Spirit he illuminates our minds to understand,
and so sheds the light of joy upon our souls. Hence, “We
joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have
now received the atonement.” Rom. v. 11. So that there is
no joy in God, but through Christ. But by him, we are filled
with all joy. For, not only hath he made an atonement for our
sins, not only is this atonement accepted of his Father; but we
also have received.it, by faith. Therefore, our consciences
possess peace, our hearts are lifted up, and filled with joy in
God. Though we can give no reason for this joy, as to its nature,
yet, “Believing we rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of
glory.” But why? Because we have light to see, whom we
have not seen with our bodily eye, an unseen Jesus. This
light from him, and this sight of him, begets love to him, joy
in him, and glorying of him. O may it be our sorrow and
shame, that we should ever close our eyes to the charms of
him 1 May it ever be the one delight and joy of our souls, to
arise and shine, for the light is come, and the glory of the Lord
is risen upon us; constantly declaring, “God forbid that I
should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by
whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”
Gal. vi. 14. -
2'
2Ol
INFERENCE.
That Christ deals in wisdom, with the people of his love.
He does not force his comforts upon them, whether they desire
them or not. Nor will he comfort and encourage them, in and
under, such ways as are displeasing to him, and such frames as
are unworthy of them. Though he has the strongest love in
his heart for them, yet he acts with the greatest prudence to-
wards them. Hence he calls them to awake to cºnvict them of
their folly of sleeping. He bids them arise, to shew them the
necessity of their repentance, and of shaking themselves from
the dust of the earth, and leaving their vain company of dead
sinners, and to come to him for the light of grace, comfort,
and joy, before he will bestow it upon them. Therefore, how
much soever Christ loves our souls, he will never bestow his
comforts, but in the way of holy obedience to his word. He
will bring down by conviction, all whom he lifts up by conso-
lation.
*
A COLLECT.
O Lord, thou Saviour of sinners, who callest upon us by the
word, and makest most precious promises to us by thy grace,
stir up our souls to cry to thee for mercy, and not rest satisfied,
without the experience of thy light, love, peace, and joy in our
hearts. O forgive our sin and folly, in seeking rest in any thing
but thee. , Lord awaken us by the word, and keep us awake by
thy power, that we may be ever looking to thee, abiding in thee,
walking worthy of thee, and daily expecting thy coming to re-
ceive us to thyself in light and glory, to the honour and praise of
thy blessed name, to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost,
be glory in the highest. Amen.
2
0
2
Clije (Tututp-girth Lott's Dap.
EN COURAGEMENTS TO, AND THE BLESSEDNESS OF ENDURING
TO THE END.
For yet a little while, and he that shall com, will comee, and will
not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any
Man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. Heb. x.
37, 38.
WE have a saying, “ All's well that ends well.” Who are
like to end well ? Only those who begin well, and continue to
go on well. What is it to begin well ? With believing in Christ.
What to go on well ? To live upon, and follow Christ. What
to end well ? To die in the faith of Christ. Such, and only
such are the Lord's free-men—his willing servants—his beloved
friends on earth, yet a little while, and he will come, and take
them to himself in his kingdom of glory, where they shall be
for ever free from every sorrow, eternally delivered from every
burden, and be in everlasting possession of-What? The full
enjoyment of the whole Godhead, and all the bliss and glory,
which a heavenly Father, a gracious Redeemer, and a loving
Sanctifyer can bestow. And is all this for sinners as we are
and to be enjoyed in a little while too? O then what matters it,
what we are now, how looked on, how treated, or what we suf-
fer here !
When Alexander found Diogenes in a tub, he began to dispute
with him about liberty, and which enjoyed the freest state:
Alexander to command the world, or Diogenes to be confined to
a barrel 2 the cynic answered, “Thou commandest others, I
command myself. I am a servant to the king, but the king is
a servant to his slaves, even those lusts and passions which have
dominion over him. But I am emperor over those affections,
that exercise dominion over thee.” Could a heathen say this 2
Could he say that sin and slavery are inseparable? Blessed be
God we really experience, that by the faith of Christ, we enjoy
freedom from the dominion of both; and are waiting for the
coming of our Lord, when the very being of sin shall be de-
stroyed, and our souls delivered from the prison of the body.
Happy day ! glorious event | Let us meditate on the coming of
Christ—How the just live till he does come—The awfulness
of drawing back before his coming. O that while we are thus
engaged, the Lord may present to the view of our faith, the
reality of eternal things, so as suitably to affect our minds, and
influence our conduct thereby. Let us consider, &
First, The coming of Christ. “He shall come—he will
203
come—he will not tarry—yet a little while, and he shall come.”
Othere is precious music, joyful harmony in each of these
sentences, enough to make every saved sinner's heart leap for
joy yea, to make his imprisoned soul long to go forth to meet
him. For this blessed HE, is that precious Christ, whom the
prophet Habakkuk foretold “should surely come and not tarry.”
No, not one moment beyond the period fixed in the eternal
council. For in the fulness of time, God the Father sent forth
his beloved Son. He who shall come, has come in our nature,
lived and died in that nature, atoned for sin, fulfilled the law,
brought in righteousness, satisfied justice, wrought out salva-
tion, rose again from the dead, and has carried our nature up
to heaven, there to appear in the presence of God for us. And
in that same nature he will come again from heaven. “And
unto all them who look for him, he shall appear the second
time, without sin unto salvation.” Heb. ix. 24. A second ap-
pearing, must imply a first. Looking for Christ implies know-
ledge of him, delight in him, expectations from him, and joy to
see him. Why? Because he has appeared to us in the view of
, faith in the word, as suited to our state and wants, the chiefest
of ten thousand, and altogether lovely. To all who thus look
to him, he shall come. And we want him to come to us every
day.
(1st.) In his Spirit, by his word, to strengthen under our
weakness, support us under our trials, animate us against our
enemies, comfort us under our sorrows, relieve us under our
fears, dispel our doubts, enliven our frames, subdue our cor-
ruptions, bruise satan under our feet, cleanse us from guilt,
purify our hearts by faith, and cause our souls to glory of him
and rejoice in his salvation. To you who sigh, groan, and pray
for all this, Christ shall come. His love promises. His word
£ngages. His faithfulness and truth compel him to come. He
SHALL come. Yea, in a little while too, O this little while is
a precious word, for faith to stay itself upon. When our Lord
was about to leave the world, and go to his Father, he said
to his disciples, “A little while, and ye shall not see me:
and again, a little while, and ye shall see me.” But they
could not understand him. They reasoned about this “little
while. Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him,
and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I
said a little while ” John xvi. 16, &c. And he explained the
whole matter unto them.
Here we have, (1st.) A full proof, that though Christ was
present with them as perfect man, yet that he was also the om-
niscient God. He knew their private thoughts, secret whis-
perings, and inward desires. And, (2dly.) Of his tender love
and compassion to his weak, ignorant disciples, in resolving
i
204
their doubts, and instructing their minds in the things con-
cerning himself and their salvation. And, (3dly.) That Christ
is the same to day, as he was yesterday: the same in his know-
ledge as God, to know all our straits and difficulties of mind,
body or estate. The same in his love to feel for us, and be
touched with a sympathy with us under them. And the same
in his wisdom and power, to teach and instruct us; and there-
fore he will come, in his Spirit and by his word, to our souls,
while we are sojourning through this wilderness, to the pro-
mised land. Happy those, who are daily, yea, constantly
looking for this spiritual coming of their Lord to revive, refresh,
and comfort their souls, erying with David, “O when wilt
thou come unto me?” Psalm ci. 2. And with the church,
“Awake, O north wind, and come thou south, blow upon my
garden, that the spices thereof may flow out.” Song iv. 16.
Come Lord Jesus, come quickly. He shall come, he will
come, he will not tarry.—Yet a little while, and he will come.
Though to our impatient minds, he may seem to tarry; and
we may be ready to say, My Lord delays. Why are his chariot
wheels so long in coming Yet wait thou on the Lord. For,
“Blessed are all they who wait for him.” Isai. xxx. 18. Yea,
wait, and in waiting, learn to practise that blessed, precious
art, which the church had acquired when she says, “I will
wait upon the Lord, who hideth his face from the house of
Jacob, and I will look for him.” Isai. viii. 17.
Ah, my dear friends ! ye followers of the Lamb, ye do not
enough consider, that as sure as ye are partakers of precious
faith, the Lord will try your faith, and prove whether you really
do love him in truth, and can trust him in sincerity. If you
do, you will mourn his absence: wait, and long for his coming;
rely upon his word of promise, and obey his commands, till he
does come. I have seen an affectionate parent, to try the be-
haviour of its beloved offspring, hide away from it. When the
dear little one found that it had lost sight of its beloved object,
it has turned its wishful eyes around, and if it could not
perceive its dear parent, its little breast has began to heave,
and its sorrowful tears would soon proclaim its loss. , Give it
what you would it would reject all with disdain, and be satis-
fied with nothing, till the presenee of the object of its heart
was enjoyed. O that we had ever such simple love to Christ !
and yet attempted with such strong faith in the word of his love
to us, that whenever he hides away his face, we might never
doubt of his love, nor intermit in our obedience to them, waiting
upon him, and expecting the coming of him to bless and com-
fort us. This is the glory of faith. Thus it glorifies Christ,
its author and finisher, by trusting in, and staying ourselves
upon the sure word of our Lord, who shall come : Who will
205
come, and will not tarry one moment longer than the fittest,
#. best season, for his own glory, and his dear people's good.
ut,
2dly. There is another coming of Christ, which our text leads
us to consider. For yet a little while, and he shall come, to
put an end to all our troubles, fears, and sorrows, by his faithful
messenger, death. In what a variety of shapes does he appear,
and execute his commission upon the children of men 2 What
dreadful havock, is he daily making upon the earth 2 He comes’
with an eternal curse to all, who are out of Christ, unreconciled
to God. Their sins are upon them. He cuts them down in
their sins: and they perish everlastingly under the wages of sin,
death eternal. Well, indeed, may such hate the thoughts of
death, abhor the conversing of him, and tremble at the most
- distant view of his approach. For they see not Christ in death.
They know not his victory over death. Therefore they fall vic-
tims to, and are eternally conquered, by this grim tyrant, this
grisly monster, death.
But to you, unto whose hearts Christ hath come, in the power
of his Spirit, by his word, he will come in death, and with death,
to support you in that trying season, to comfort and relieve you,
under all your doubts and fears, and to animate you with cou-
rage, by confidence in him, in his word, in his grace, victory
and triumph over death, and all the powers of darkness. But
says a fearing, trembling, doubting soul, “Are we sure of this 2
I cannot think of death, but I am filled with fears, how I shall
behave in a dying hour. Were I sure to find the Lord’s presence
with me in that solemn season, I should lift up my head with joy,
and fear no evil.” Nothing but faith will do here. But what is the
warrant and ground of faith ? Nothing within ourselves, but the
word and promise of Christ without us. Here we are prone to
err, not knowing, or not considering the scriptures. Now the
word is, “ Christ shall come. He will come. He will not
tarry. Yet a little while and he will come,” by death to take
us out of a body of sin, and a world of woe, into his mansions of
bliss and glory, where we shall see him as he is, enjoy him
where he is, and be for ever with him, eternally to adore, and
praise him. For he saith, “I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and
receive you unto myself, that where I am there ye may be also.”
John xiv. 3. This is most comfortable and joyful. Here is
your Lord's precious declaration, and sweet promise. Where
is your faith? Can you, do you credit his word If you do, you
must be joyful. Yes, but ere we arrive at this, the gulf of
death must be shot, the river of death must be passed. Hence
our fears, doubts, and dismay. But “Faith makes a bridge
across the gulf of death.” How? By believing what Christ.
206
was, said, and did on this side the river death; and what he
now is, on the other side. While with us, before be passed
the river, died for our sins, and rose again for our justification,
he declares, as with a most solemn oath, “Verily, verily, I say
unto you, he that keepeth my saying, shall never see death.”
John viii. 51. What saying 2 “Even that I am the resurrection
and the life. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shalf
never die.” John xi. 25, 26. How is this saying to be kept :
In the faith of our heart, the memory of our minds, the register
of our conscience, and the hope of our souls. If so, we shalf
never see death, see death in its terror, wrath, and curse. We
shall see his face changed from that of a terrible monster, and
dreadful enemy, into the pleasing countenance of a messenger
of love, an angel of peace, a harbinger of joy.” “We shall
never die.” But living upon the word of Jesus, we shall
escape death, sing victory in dying, and shout triumph over
death, with, O death, where is thy sting ! I feel it not. O.
grave where is thy victory ! I am insensible of it. For I am
more than conqueror, through Christ who loved me. Thanks
be to God, who giveth us the victory, through Jesus Christ our
Lord. And by beholding Jesus standing on the other side the
river death, as “ Able to save them to the uttermost, who
come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make inter-
cession for them.” Heb. vii. 25. Thus our bridge of faith
is complete, safe, secure, and comfortable, to pass over the river
death, to the fullest enjoyment of our Saviour. But here I recal
my thoughts. I have really prevented my design: and am anti-
cipating what was proposed, -
Secondly, To consider, how the just shall live, till Christ
doth come. The just. Who are they Those who trust in
themselves that they are righteous, and reject the imputed
righteousness of Christ 2 These are Pharisees, who are dead in
their sins, and only alive in self-righteous hopes, and false
confidences. The just, are those who are justified by God, and
made righteous in the righteousness of Christ,--who have
believed on him,--fled to him, taken refuge in him,-and
find shelter from him, against all the threats of law and justice,
and are dead to any hope in themselves, and any reliance upon
their own righteousness. These just, or justified ones shall
live by faith. This is quite opposite to living by sense. Faith
triumphs over sense, and carries the soul out above, and beyond
nature and sense. Such live, not upon their faith, nor frames
and feelings, but by their faith. By what their faith brings
into their heart and conscience, to nourish the one, and com-
fort the other, from the word of God the Father's love, the
word of God the Son’s grace and salvation, and the word of
the Spirit's insoiring, teaching, and applying. Thus the just
207
shall live, “By every word that proceedeth out of the mouth
of the LonD ;” Jehovah, in all his persons, promises, mercy,
love and favour. Deut viii. 3. It is said of Esau, that he was
“A cunning nunter, a man of the field.” Gen. xxv. 27; and
xxvii. 40. So God’s just ones are made expert in the word of
his truth: they hunt in his sacred pages, and search in the field
of the gospel for hid treasure, and they live by the sword of the
Spirit, which is the word of God. They feed upon it in their
hearts, and their souls are nourished up thereby, unto eternal
life. Let us consider in a few particulars, the nature of this
life, of living by faith.
1st. It is living upon things, which are out of sight, above
sense, and beyond reason. Strange . How then do we attain
the knowledge of them, so as to live by them They are pre-
sented to our minds, by the word and Spirit of God, from day
to day. Thus the life of faith is maintained. Hence see the
absolute necessity of searching the scriptures constantly, in
order to go on steadily, walk uprightly, and live comfortably.
For, the revelation of God in Christ, by his word, is the object
of faith. The loving declarations of his mind, are the food of
faith.< The precious promises of his grace, and the joy of
faith. The history of his dealing with, and faithfulness to his
people, are the encouragements of faith. His exhortations
quicken faith. His threatenings alarm faith. His holy pre-
cepts are the rule of faith. And the person, life, death, atone-
ment, righteousness, resurrection, ascension, and intercession
of Christ, are the glory of faith. Therefore, as the just live by
faith, they live upon the Son of God, who is the author and
finisher of their faith, the life of their faith, and the life of their
souls. Hence,
2dly. It is an humble, dependent life. The just never get
any thing in themselves, wherein to trust, or whereof to glory.
No. They are devoted pensioners at a throne of grace, humble
suitors to a God of mercy, needy, dependent creatures upon
the Saviour's fulness. And they live by mercy they never
deserved, by favour they never merited, by a righteousness not
their own, to the working out of which they contributed nothing;
and hope to enjoy a kingdom of glory, to which they have nor
the least title or claim, but by free gift, of free promise, from a
covenant God. Therefore,
3dly. It is a life of love, Faith works by love. Even by the
love of God, manifested in Christ, to our justification, pardon
and salvation. This love is the life, nourishment, and spring
of faith. It receives this love; is influenced by this love ; and
the believer's views, ways, and actings, are correspondent to this
love. For, as faith brings the knowledge and sense of this love
of God to us, into our hearts, so it begets in us in love to him,
because he first loved us. And, therefore, while we live by faith,
208
we cannot continue in any thing which is contrary to love.
We believe sin to be contrary to love. But faith worketh by
love. Therefore we cannot commit sin. “For the love of
Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died
for all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, that they
who live should not henceforth live unto themselves; but unto
him who died for them, and rose again,” 2 Cor. v. 14. There-
fore, the life of faith, which works by the dying love of Christ to
us, is contrary to sin, the life of sin, yea, to all sin. But yet
we dare not say, that we or any believer in Christ hath no sin,
never doth sin, is perfectly freed from all sin, if we did, we
should deceive ourselves. “And the truth will not be in us.”
1 John i. S. But this we will boldly assert, that all sin is con-
trary to the life of faith. That the life of faith is opposite to all
sin. And that while the just are living by faith, walking in
love, and exercising their hope on Jesus, they cannot commit
sin, they will not continue in any sin. Therefore, it is because
we are not living by faith, that we do at any time put forth our
hand to iniquity. And whenever we do, it is our folly and
shame. And it pains and grieves our souls. And we have
nothing to relieve and support us under an afflicting sense of
it, but this precious word, “If any man sin, we have an advo-
cate with the Father, Jesus Christ The RIGHTEous: and he is
the propitiation for our sins.” 1 John i. 2. Therefore, the life
of faith hath continual resource to Christ.
4thly. It is a life of fear. Nay, but is it not the oath of a
covenant God? “That we, being delivered out of the hands of
our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and
righteousness before him, all the days of our life.” Luke i. 74,
75. Yes. But though we are delivered from the fear of all
our enemies, yet not from the fear of our best friend, our loving,
saving God. For there can be no holiness and righteousness
of life, where the loving, filial fear of him is not in the heart.
Fear God, and fear nothing else. Therefore, from covenant
love the Lord declares, “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.” Jerem. xxxii. 40. Though God’s
perfect love to us casts out that fear which hath torment, 1
John iv. 18; yet, the same love plants and keeps alive in
us, a holy, loving fear of departing from him. Therefore, we
are ever to cherish this fear; and fear the loss of its influence
too. For let faith be ever so strong, love ever so vehement,
this fear will ever keep pace with both ; and is ever consistent
with the highest joy. Part with this fear, faith will decline,
love wither, and joy fade away.
5thly. Living by faith, is a life of hope. Faith is the parent
of hope. While believing, we shall be hoping. Where faith
209
lives, hope cannot die. Hope keeps pace with faith; faith
animates hope; hope invigorates faith. Both have life
and strength from Jesus, and the truth as it is in him. Faith
receives the word of truth into the heart, lives by it, and feeds
upon it, while hope carries out the soul, in expectation
of every future good, farther blessings, and eternal comforts to
be enjoyed, as promised by the Lord in his word. Thus hope
springs eternal in believing hearts. They are now blest in
faith. Greater and fresher blessings are before them in hope.
All centre in, all flow from Christ, who is “our hope.” 1 Tim.
i. 1. Therefore we are looking for his appearing and expecting
his coming. For yet a little while, and he that shall come, will
come, and will not tarry. O may the thoughts of this little while
be ever uppermost in our hearts, to deaden us to the things of
time and sense, and to quicken and animate us to live more and
more by faith, looking at the things which are not seen, but which
are eternal. Now the just shALL live by his faith. His soul shall
live, and never die. For the mouth of the Lord hath said, “Be-
cause I live, ye shall live also.” John xiv. 19. The faith of the
just shall not fail. For Christ is the author and finisher of his
faith.” Heb. xii. 2. Therefore, every believer in Christ may,
ought, it is both his bounden duty and exalted privilege, to
“rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” For when Christ, who
is our life, shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in
glory.” Col. iii. 4. But our text concludes with a most awful
declaration. Thus we come
Thirdly to consider. “If any man draw back, my soul shall
have no pleasure in him. A very comforting, and a very alarm-
ing word this. Comforting to those who continue in the faith.
For it is here implied, that the Lord's soul hath pleasure in
them. Alarming to those who draw back from a life of faith on
him, for he has no pleasure in them. May this remind us, that
God’s very soul is concerned in the walk and conduct of pro-
fessors. Ye justified members of Christ, ye real children of
God, fear drawing back in any wise from your dear Saviour, and
your loving Father. Q tremble at the very thought ! Arm your
minds, by the word of his grace, the declarations of his mercy,
and the promises of his love against it. Drawing back from
God, proceeds from high thoughts, and lofty conceits of our-
selves, depending upon our own power, relying on our own
strength, trusting in our own righteousness, and confiding in
our own wisdom. As all this, is contrary to a life of faith in,
and dependence upon the Lord: so it causes drawing back from
him; and hardens the heart against the loving fear of him.
And them, sin gets in, lusts prevail, the love of the world over-
comes, its company, ways, works, pleasures, riches and honours,
bewitch, and ere we are aware, we are fallen under satan's de-
,210
vices, and got at an awful distance, in heart and affection, from
our gracious, God. How common is this among professors!
instances of it abound daily. * $
O man, if the grace of God be really in thine heart, that
word will harrow up thy very soul, and cause thee to shudder,
“The Lord's soul hath no pleasure in thee.” Why not Be-
cause thy soul hath no pleasure in him, but hath departed from
him, sought other lovers beside him, and is pleased with such
things as are contrary to him, his love, grace, and truth. Say,
is not this the very height of extreme folly, base ingratitude,
devilish pride, and haughty impudence So sure as the Lord
has any love for thee, he will chastise thee severely for this, and
so make thee feel the smart and anguish of this, that thou shalt
have no ease, no rest of soul, until thou dost return unto him
with thy whole heart, saying, in the bitterness and affliction of
thy soul, “I will go and return to my first husband. for then
it was better with me than now.” Hos. ii. 7. What asto-
nishing mercy! What abounding grace, that the Lord should
again receive such souls, who have drawn back from him, when
they return unto him With what tender compassion, what
heart-melting language doth he speak of such “I will heal
their backsliding. I will love them freely : for mine anger is,
turned away.” Hosea xiv. 4.
But, if this mercy, love, and grace of the Lord, prove inef-
fectual to reclaim those who draw back from him : if their ear.
is deaf to it, their heart hardened against it, if they persist in
their folly, continue at a distance from God, and refuse to
return unto him, they give most awful evidence, not only
that they have drawn back from God, but that he has also for-
saken them, and given them up, finally and totally to apostatize
from the faith which they professed to have, and the hope which,
they once seemed to entertain. The scripture is full of woes,
against such professors, who, having put their hand to the plough
of the gospel, pretended to sow in hope of eternal life; but
wishfally looking back to this present evil world, and drawing
back from God, have rendered themselves unfit for his king-
dom. Of such the apostle declares, “For if after they have.
escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of
the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled
therein; and overcome; the latter end is worse with them, than
the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have
known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it,
to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But,
it is happened unto them, according to the true proverb; “The
dog is turned to his own vomit again ; and the sow that was,
washed, to her wallowing in the mire.” 2 Pet. ii. 20, &c.
Hence, •
211
OBSERVE. .
lst. That unregenerate men may, through hearing the gos-
pel, obtain such a knowledge of Christ, the way of righteous-
ness, and the hope of eternal life, so as to make a profession of
it, be pleased and delighted with it, and escape the pollutions
of the world, change their conduct, and alter their practice,
through the influence of it; and afterwards draw back from
God, turn from the holy commandment, and from following on
to know the Lord, and be entangled with, and overcome by the
world, its lying vanities, and deceitful snares. This is awful ;
but is frequently seen by professors. For,
2dly. Their after conduct fully proves, that they were only
in their natural state, unchanged, unrencwed, unregenerated,
by the word and Spirit of God. The unclean dog had put on
an outward appearance of a change of nature. The filthy sow
appeared in the garb of a holy professor. But time, circum-
stances, and temptations, made it manifest, that they were no-
thing more than dogs and swine, and therefore returned to their
filthy practices, and acted agreeably to their polluted natures;
whereas, had they been changed into the sheep of Christ, they
would not have done so, but would have heard their shepherd's
voice, and followed him.
Lastly. Yet a little while, and shall Christ come Must we
all stand before him Must every eye see him; that very dear
MAN, who hung upon the cross for our sins, rose again for our
justification, ascended up to heaven in our nature ? How awful
how tremendous the sight ! How differently shall we be affected
at the sight of him Those who professed to know him, believe
on him, and to be followers of him, but shamefully drew back
from, and deserted him, through the love of this world, and for
fear of Šuffering in their name, character, or estate, for him, O
how will they bear the frown, how behold the stern countenance
of the once-humble, loving Saviour; but now offended, majes-
tic Judge I every sight of him, every look from him, will pierce
their soul, as by daggers, with acute pain and anguish. But,
O, how will they sustain to hear his tremendous voice proclaim,
Depart from me—I know ye not—Ye were ashamed of me and
my words; now I, the Son, am come in my glory, I will be
ashamed to own you. Go ye cursed. Lord Christ save us,
from what may bring on this dreadful doom. But, ye justified
ones, who lived by faith, on the Son of God, ye shall see his
smiling face with joy: See him, whom having not seen ye loved.
O glorious sight | ye shall behold him with unspeakable delight,
and say of him, with enraptured souls, There, there is the Sen
of man, the son of God, who loved me, died for me, called me,
saved me, kept me through º He is now come to receive
2. *-
212
me, and glorify me. Shame on me, that I should ever offend
him. Praise, eternal praise to his love which forgave all, to his
blood which cleansed from all, and to his righteousness which
justified from all. O the ineffable joy to hear his gracious lips
proclaim, “Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the king-
dom prepared for you, from the foundation of the world.” Matt.
xxv. 34. Let us conclude with some few words of
CONSOLATION.
1st. From the covenant of God. Let us think much of this,
and dwell constantly upon it. For it is an everlasting covenant,
ordered in all things, and sure, according to the infinite wisdom,
eternal love, rich grace, and unfrustratable power of God the
Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. Hence, all our
present blessings entirely spring from it, all our future hopes.
are firmly secured by it; therefore, our expectations can never
be frustrated, not disappointed. “Are we come to Jesus, the
mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling,
that speaketh better things than that of Abel ” Heb. xii. 24.
Let us ever remember, that our thus coming, was through
the grace of the covenant, and that we are ever to live
upon the fulness of grace, which is in Jesus the me-
diator of this covenant. For, according to covenant grace,
“It pleased the Father, that all fulness should dwell in
Christ.” Col. i. 19. And, “ That out of his fulness we
should receive, and grace for grace.” John i. 16. Now,
how may I, a poor, miserable sinner, know whether I am inte-
rested in this everlasting covenant, so as to enjoy comfort and
consolation from it Very easily. For, if you partake of the
graces of the covenant, süch as faith, repentance, hope, love,
fear, desire after, delight in Christ, and art looking for the com-
ing of Christ, it is most evident, that Christ hath come to
your soul, in the power of his word and Spirit, and that you
are interested in the everlasting covenant of the Father's love,
the Son's salvation, and the Spirit's grace. Therefore, you,
even you, vile as you may be in your own eyes, miserable as
You may appear in your own sight, yet you are an heir of pro-
mise; and consolation, yea, strong consolation awaits you, from
the immutability of God's counsel, confirmed by his oath. Heb.
vi. 17. To these look, and be happy. On these live and be
joyful. But beware of looking on the graces of the covenant,
as conditions of salvation. For, if you do, you will take off
your eyes from Jesus the mediator of the covenant, these will
supplant him in your heart; and by thus breaking the order of
the covenant, you will be deprived of its invaluable comforts,
the love of the Father, the grace of the Son, and the witness of
the Spirit. Remember, faith was given you to look to Jesus,
glory of and rejoice in him only. Your repentance is his gift,
whereby you turn from every other object, and turn to him
alone. Hope is bestowed on you, that your whole soul should
hang upon him. Love, that you might be ever happy in him
And so of every other grace, Christ is both the author and ob-
ject of them, that he might be all in all to us; and we ever
joyful in him, as our covenant head and representative.
2dly. From the gospel of the grace of God. Gospel decla-
rations, and gospel promises, are all founded in, and result
from covenant love, and are intended to convey consolation to
the hearts of us poor sinners. For, says the apostle, “if there
be any consolation, it is in Christ.” Phil. ii. 1. He is revealed,
and held forth in the gospel, as the mediator, head, and surety
of the covenant. “Grace and truth, came by Jesus Christ.”
John i. 17. Even all the grace of the gospel to make mise-
rable sinners happy; and all the promises of the gospel, which
are yea and amen in him, sure and certain to be fulfilled, to
make sinners joyful in him. For, Christ is the author of the
gospel, the fulfiller of the promises, and the giver, both of
grace and glory. O then for our consolation, let us look for
precious Christ, in every page of the scriptures: for the Father's
love in him, and the Spirit's witness of him, in the law, the
prophets, and in the psalms, as well as in the new testament,
that we may receive consolation from him, while we are
waiting for the coming of him. What makes the scriptures,
the whole bible precious to a gracious soul? Because they tes-
tify of Christ, and make him precious. If Christ is precious to
us, we love the gospel, because we are the happy partakers of
like precious faith, with the apostles and primitive Christians.
Therefore, we are the called of God, to enjoy the comfort of
his gospel, the consolation of his love, of his Spirit, and of his
covenant. Let us never take up our bibles without thinking,
and that with joy, that here is the revelation of God's everlasting
love to us, and of the clear display of the transactions of the
holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, in everlasting covenant for
us. Let us begin every sabbath, yea, every day, with thinking
and believing, that Christ hath once come to us, in humble
form and suffering love, and that yet a little while, and he will
come again in his glorious majesty, to receive us to himself, and
welcome us into his kingdom. The faith of this will beguile
every weary step, conquer every enemy, subdue every lust,
overcome the present evil world, and cause us, with every
breath, to sing, MoRE THAN conquERORS, THROUGH HIM
WHO LOVED US, ,
A COLLECT.
O Son of God, who in the fulness of time didst come to re-
214
deem us, and in a little while wilt come again to judge tis, save,
Osave us from the blindness of our understanding, the perverse-
ness of our will, the carnality of our nature, and the unbelief
of our heart. Cause us daily to look for, and press forward to
thy coming. Keep us from turning aside, either to the right
hand, or left, and from falling back from thee. , Lord, enable.
us to hold on, hold out, and endure to the end. Daily and
deeply convince us, that our days are few, our time short, and
our end near. O may we live on thee, abide in thee, and walk,
worthy of thee, to the honour and glory of thy name, to whom
with the Father, and holy Spirit, be equal honour, and everlasting
praises, world without end. Amen, *
215
the tittritº-gūţāti Lott's Dap.
—The Gospel,- Mark i. i.
God the Father's glory is manifested in the gospel: God the
Son's salvation is revealed by the gospel; and God the Holy
Ghost’s sårictifying and comforting influences, are, com-
municated through the gospel. If so, then it is at the peril of
our souls, to slight or neglect the gospel, “for it is the power
of God unto salvation, to every one who believeth,” Rom. i. 16.
And it will be to the trouble and distress of our souls, “if we
pervert the gospel of Christ. Gal. i. 7. What does the word
gospel mean? neither more nor less than good news, or glad
tidings. Let us read the verse of the text thus, “The be-
ginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”
Whāt is it to slight or neglect this gospel It is to turn a deaf
ear to it; as though we can do very well without it: as though
it brings no such good news, that we stand in any need of:
looking on it as an odd relation of things, an idle story, that
don’t at all cohéérn us, nor are we at all interested in it, or
affècted by it, and therefore we don't care about it. But why
do men thus slight such good news, thus neglect such glad
tidings “because a full soul loatheth an honey comb,” Prov.
xxvii. 7. What good news is a rich feast to a man who is not
hungry what glad tidings is plenty of drink, to a man who has
no thirst? add to this, that ali is of free cost, he may eat and
drink without money, and without price; still the man is care-
less about it, he slights and neglects the news, it is neither
good, nor glad to him, for he has no appetites to gratify. Thus
it is with all men naturally, with respect to the gospel. ,
2d. What is it to pervert the gospel, or good news of Jesus
Christ the Son of God? we know what it is, to pervert the
meaning of words, or to corrupt the sense intended by them.
For instance. Should the King send this message to a rebel,
sentenced to death; “I will freely come and visit you, pardon
you, set you at liberty, and receive you to my presence at court;
you shall live; and enjöy great honours there.” If this message
was to be faithfully delivered, in the very words of the King, it
would be like the gospel, glad tidings to this condemned
criminal. Büt; if the person sent with the message, were only
to add at the end of it, that little monosyllable IF, and say, IF,
you will rendër yourself worthy of, and deserve such favours,
the King will certainly bestow them upon you... Now would
not this entirely pervert the meaning of the King's words, and
*.
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t
utterly destroy the glad tidings contained in them Just so it is
to pervert the gospel of the grace of GoD, the good news of his
free favour, to condemned malefactors: the glad tidings of full
and free salvation by the Son of God, for lost sinners,
sentenced by the law to eternal death. It is to foist in some
words, to clog it with some terms and conditions whereby
its meaning is perverted, and the good news designed by it
destroyed. *
3. So Paul testifies, there be some who trouble you, and
would pervert the gospel of Christ. Gospel perverters are soul
troublers. Therefore Paul says of such, let him be accursed.
Yes, and he repeats it, let him be accursed. Gal. i. 7, 8, 9.
O ! how awful is this The Lord make preachers tremble, for
fear of perverting the gospel. The Lord deliver us from being
perverted, from the truth of the gospel by them. The Lord
grant, that we may never be ashamed of the gospel of Christ,
nor a shame unto it.
4. But how did these men at Galatia pervert the gospel, and
trouble souls why, we don’t hear one word that they were pre-
sumptuous Antinomians, who despised personal holiness, and
taught men such licentious principles and practices, that they
might be safe and happy, though they laid the reins upon the
neck of their lusts, indulged their carnal appetites, took their
full swing in wickedness, and lived under the dominion of sin.
No, they only insisted on this one thing, circumcision. But
was not this an institution of God 2 wherein then was the
mighty evil of this 2 Paul clearly saw, and so may every one
who has eyes to see, by the light of truth, that this was neither
more nor less, than perverting the gospel of Christ, and
destroying the good news it brings to poor sinners. This, and
no other, was the gospel which Paul preached, and by which
these poor heathens found their consciences relieved, their
minds supported, their souls comforted, and their spirits
sanctified.
5. “But certain men crept in unawares,” Jude 4, for gospel
perverters creep into houses, or churches, says Paul, 2 Tim.
iii. 6, in a sly way and clandestine manner, with fawning and
flattery, and under specious pretences of the greatest zeal for
GoD, the greatest love for the law of God; the greatest
regard to the interest of morality, and for the spread of
holiness : what do they 2 even pervert the gospel, and destroy
its glad tidings, in the hearts of sinners, by charging it with
having a direct tendency to promote licentiousness of life;
and therefore the sinner must do something, must add some
work, some obedience of his own, to the law of GoD, in
order to his being justified before God. Hence these devilish
creepers, gospel perverters, and soul troublers, at Galatia,
insisted upon submission to circumcision. This, at a stroke,
217
perverted the gospel of Christ. That circumcision was an in-
stitution of God, so much the worse: here lies the art, fallacy,
and deception of Satan, and his emissaries against the gospel
and its professors. It would not do, it would not answer their
end, to set up any thing, whereby to pervert the gospel, but
what had a specious shew for the honour of God. Satan is
too subtle to be, bare-faced here. He hides his cloven foot
with God's mantle. He shrouds himself under the disguise of
goodness, morality, and holiness. And through a specious
shew of zeal for these, he creeps unawares into our hearts, and
spoils our simplicity of joy in Christ: and by means of corrupt
teachers he eclipses the glory of Christ, and prevents sinners
from attending to the glad tidings of the gospel, and from
enjoying the comfort of them in their hearts. Thus our minds
are in continual danger of being corrupted from the simplicity
that is in Christ, by “Satan's transforming himself into an
angel of light, and his ministers into ministers of righteousness,
2 Cor. xi. 14, 15. &
6. We ever find this true in experience. Either by a sight
of our own goodness, or a sense of our own badness, Satan and
his perverters of the gospel, will work upon our corrupt notions,
so as to puff us up with pride, or deject us into despondency;
we are prone to think, we are so very bad that the gospel is too
good news for us, who see nothing in ourselves worthy of it,
that can entitle us to it, or give us an interest in it: so we spoil
the comfort of it in our consciences, because we do not look
upon Christ as the friend of sinners, and Saviour of the lost,
and do not go to him for rest, who invites weary and heavy-
laden Sinners. Or else, we perceive so manifest a difference in
ourselves, from our former life and conversation, and from the
rest of the world which lieth in wickedness, that the wax of
pride gets hard in our ears, and we grow deaf to its glad tidings,
and hence its sweet, enchanting, enlivening sound, is not like
music to our ears, nor does it bring joy to our souls: for we
lose sight of Christ, and do not love and prize him, and rejoice
in him, as all in all to us. O how ought we to pray to the holy
spirit, the guide and nurse of our souls, to keep us in our right
mind, to preserve all our faculties in a right state, that we may
see, know, hear, and feel, the exceeding sinfulness of sin, the
exceeding vileness of ourselves as sinners, the exceeding purity
of God's law, the exceeding preciousness of the gospel, in all
its good news, and glad tidings, of Christ as a most exceeding
precious Saviour, who has atoned for our sins, wrought out a
righteousness to justify our persons, finished a salvation for our
lost souls, and communicates holiness out of his fulness, to
make us meet for Communion with him here, and the full
enjoyment of him in glory ! and all this is freely bestowed on
“…
21 S
us, without the least merit or desert in us. O how glorious is
the gospel, which brings such good news, such glad tidings, to
the ears, and to the hearts, of us who are ungodly, unrighteous
and unholy sinners in ourselves may we receive it in love,
maintain it in its purity, enjoy its comforts, and walk under its
sanctifying influence, till we see our Lord in heaven. Let us
dread to fall from grace, as these foolish Galatiańs did.
7. We hear much talk of falling from grace. What is meant
by it 2 Paul most clearly tells us: It is to look to, or trust in
something else besides Christ, and his one-perfect and ever-
lasting righteousness to justify our souls before Gob. But you
are ready to say, I thought failing from grace, was to fall into
sin. So it is. It is falling into pride, one of the greatest sins
on earth. For it is the setting up the idol of your own figh-
teousness in opposition to the righteousness of the Son of God :
it is trusting to a mere nonentity, a thing of nought, existing
only in idea, instead of that glorious righteousness of Christ,
which the gospel reveals, and with which God is well pleased.
Isai. 42. 21. It is striving to clothé, and adorn our naked
souls, with filthy rags, instead of submitting to be clothed with
the garment of salvation, the robe of Christ's spotless righteous-
ness. It is to place our trust and confidence in, and reliance
upon, what works we have done, or can do, to recommend us
to Gob's favour, and justify us in his sight. This, in a strict
and proper sense, is falling from grace: falling away from the
hope of the gospel, slighting the good news, of full, free, and
everlasting justification, by the righteousness of the Son of
God: yea, it is setting it at nought, as though it were in-
sufficient, as not having perfectly fulfilled God’s law, satisfied
his justice, nor could entitle us to his kingdom, and justify us
in his sight, without adding some works, some righteousness of
our own, to make it effectual for these purposes. O foolish and
unwise ! do we thus requite the dear Redeemer, thus undervalue
his perfect work, thus slight his all-availing Righteousness |
Hence Paul declares, behold I Paul say unto you, (you, who
profess to hear and believe the glad tidings of the gospel,
wherein a righteousness is revealed, which you had not the
least hand in working out) that if ye be circumcised, (if ye do
any work, or submit to any ordinance, in order to join it to
Christ's righteousness, or in the least to reedmmend you to
GoD, and justify you in his sight, in whole or in part) CHRIST
sHALL PROFITYoU Noth ING. I testify again, if you put your-
self under the law of works, in any wise, you are a debtor to do
the whole law: either to keep it wholly, and fulfil perfectly
every jot and tittle of the law, or be damned: for Christ shall
profit you nothing, Christis become of no effect to you; your
21.9 t
conscience is entangled with the yoke of bondage. You are
fallen from grace, Gal. v. 1, &c. tr
For it is the voice of the spirit, the glad tidings of the gos-
pel to proclaim this one righteousness for the justification of
ungodly sinners. It was the work of Christ’s obedience unto
death. It was the good pleasure of God the Father to impute
it to us, unrighteous sinners. And it is the work of God the
Holy Ghost, to bring the comfort of it into the heart and con-
science of miserable sinners, for he testifies of this ONE
righteousness only, and no other. He comforts our souls by
this PERFECT righteousness, and by no other. Hence Luther,
sweetly says, “Do we nothing 2 do we work nothing, for the
obtaining this righteousness I answer nothing at all. For, this
is perfect righteousness, to do nothing, to hear nothing, to know
nothing, of the law, or of works. But to know and believe this
only, that Christ is gone to the Father, and is not now seen :
that he sitteth in heaven, at the right hand of his Father, not
as a judge, but, “ made unto us of God, wisdom, righteousness,
holiness, and redemption.” He is our high priest, intreating
for us, and reigning in and over us, by his grace. In this hea-
venly righteousness, sin can have no place : for there is no
law ; and where no law is, there can be no transgression. Rom.
iv. 15.
This is the gospel, this, the good news, these the glad tidings
from heaven, to us poor sinners on earth. Of this heavenly
news wisdom declares, as cold waters to a thirsty soul : so is
good news from a far country. Prov. xxv. 25. O let us read
this good news, dwell on this good news, glory in this good,
news, give the whole Godhead, Father, Son, and Spirit, the
glory of this good news, from our hearts, with our lips, and by
our lives. For as Luther adds, “seeing then that sin hath
here no place, there can be no anguish of conscience, no fear
or heaviness. But, if there be any fear, or grief of consci-
ence, it is a token that this righteousness is withdrawn, that
grace is hidden, that Christ is darkened, and out of sight.”
9. Thus having seen what the gospel is, what it is to slight
and pervert it, and the comforts enjoyed by it; let us, now con-
sider, what effect, it has upon those who receive it. For the
gospel, this good, news is not a dry, barren, notional, unaf-
fecting system, No. As soon conceive of the sun, without
light or heat, as to think so, Those who hear and receive the
gospel, find it quite otherwise. The words of the gospel they:
find, by sweet and blessed; experience, to be spirit and life,
and that it powerfully affects their judgement, and their affec-
tions. -
... (1st.) Their judgment it brings, to submit to these glad.
tidings. They overpower and silence all our corruptreasonings,
220
and carnal objections, and sweetly bring our judgment to ac-
quiesce with them. Does the gospel proclaim, that salvation
is by the purpose of God according to the election of grace
Rom. xi. 5; the judgment receives it as good news, and re-
joices in it as glad tidings, well knowing, we could never do
any thing to render ourselves worthy of God’s choice ; and that
if election were not of grace, there could not possibly be any
salvation : every sinner must perish in his sins, and be damn-
ed for his works. Does the gospel proclaim, God hath chosen
us in Christ, and blessed us with all spiritual blessings, in
heavenly things, according as he has chosen us in him, before
the foundation of the world Ephes. i. 3, 4. Are we beloved
in Christ, even with the same everlasting love as God loves
Christ John xvii. 23. Does God view us in the face of his
anointed Ps. lxxxiv. 9. Make us accepted in his beloved Son
Eph. i. 6. Doth he make us righteous in Christ, and justify
us in his righteousness 2 Cor. v. 21. Pardon and cleanse us
from all sin in his blood 1 John i. 7. Adopt us as children by
the faith of Christ Gal. iii. 26. Translate us into the king-
dom of his dear Son 2 Col. i. 13. Sanctify us in the name of
the Lord Jesus 2 1 Cor. vi. 1 1. Keep us by his almighty power
through the faith of Christ 1 Pet. i. 5. Is it the Father's good
pleasure to give us the kingdom, to reign with Christ for ever?
Luke xii. 32. Is all this declared to be, not of works, lest any
man should boast; but of grace, that no man should glory be-
fore GoD ; but that GoD should have the whole and sole glory 2
I Cor. i. 29, &c. What saith thy judgment to all this If the
gospel is come with power, it highly approves and heartily ap-
plauds it all, as the best news, the most joyful tidings. Thy
soul will cry out of all this, this is the voice of my Saviour, the
God of truth, who made me wise unto salvation. I was once
a man of no judgment, of a corrupt mind, and reprobate con-
cerning the faith, 2 Tim. iii. 8 ; but now, the light of the gos-
pel of truth hath shined upon me, the voice of Christ has been
heard in me, the power of the good news, the glad tidings of
the gospel, have been felt by me; now I will hear, see, and
know nothing, but what bears the image and superscription of
Christ, and has the broad seal of heaven stamped upon it, and
which exalts Christ the Saviour to the highest, and debases
me a sinner to the lowest. O ! how blessed is this, not to
judge according to appearances, but to judge righteous judg-
ment we are sure that the judgment of God is according to
truth. Rom. ii. 2. How happy to judge of all things accord-
ing to the judgment of GoD, and in humble submission to his
all-wise purposes and decrees, to cry out in the humble, ap-
plauding language of our Saviour ! Even so Father, for so it
seemed good in thy sight. Matt. xi. 26. This is the Spirit we
are to live in, and walk by.
221
2d. As to the affections, how does the gospel of glad tidings
ef the grace of God, and salvation by the Son of God, affect
them 2 where your treasure is there will your heart be also.
Matt. vi. 21. This is ever found true in experience. The gos-
pel, or the good news, that all our treasure is in Christ, will
attract our affections to Christ, and to the commands of Christ;
the heart will delight in obeying his will, and living to his
glory. What is profession without the affections only a
body without a soul : a carcass without a spirit. Do you
mourn over the coldness of your affections to Christ 2 this is a
sure evidence, that your affections are set upon him. Don’t
rest in supineness and sloth upon this evidence; but let it
animate you to attend more to the glad tidings of Christ, that
you may live more upon him. Be ever considering that he has
the strongest affections for us, and that these are intensely fixed
upon us. The gospel reveals this, that our affections may be
more set upon him, and may be fired with the love of him.
Therefore look more into the gospel, and cry more and more,
to the good spirit, to take of the things of Christ, and shew
them unto you. .
But, these two things will most assuredly deafen our ears
to the gospel, and deaden our affections to Christ ; therefore,
we ought ever to be on our guard against; them. 1st. Listen-
ing to the terrors of the law. 2d. Indúſging the love of the
world. 1st. Listening to the terrors of the law. All the de-
nunciations of wrath, and threatenings of vengeance from God,
contained in his word, though these are true as the gospel, and
shall surely be fulfilled as the gospel, yet they are no part of
the gospel ; but are contrary to the very nature of the gospel.
Neither do they belong to any, who have heard and received
the gospel, and are living under the influence of it upon the
SAviour. How absurd to say, the gospel, or glad tidings of
curse, wrath, and damnation equally so is it for those who
love the gospel, to be terrified at these. Christ himself denoun-
ces these. But still they are no part of the gospel. He says,
these shall go away into everlasting punishment. This is the
sentence of the law, which shall be fulfilled on all who reject
the gospel. But he speaks not one word like this to those who
believe the gospel. No. He has nothing but love in his heart,
glad tidings on his tongue, and a heaven in his gift for all those.
Hence he says, these shall go into life eternal. Matt. xxv. 46.
This is the gospel. Ever mind to distinguish here, or else you
will bring bondage on your spirit, slavery on your mind, terror
on your conscience, spoil the glad tidings of the gospel in your
heart, cool and deaden your affections to Christ. "O how much,
and how often do we suffer by this Ever remember it is out
special mercy, not to be under the law of works, but under the
grace of Christ. - * * *
222
2d. As to the love of the world, and an undue attachment
to the things of it, look abroad among professors, or rather
look within to see the evil of it, and the dreadful effects it
hath upon the affections. Yea, hear this solemn declaration.
If any man love the world.—what then 2 can’t he be a hear
er of the gospel can’t he profess to believe and love the
gospel ? O yes | such hearers and such professors abound, to
the shame of the gospel; but, “the love of the father is not
in him.” 1 John ii. 15. If the affections be supremely fixed
on the love of the world, this will as surely exclude the love
of God out of the soul, as a stab to the heart, will deprive of
life. Where the love of the Father is enjoyed, the love of the
world will die away, like one with a mortal wound. There-
fore, that we may walk in and enjoy the sweet sense of the
Father's love, in the faith of Christ, through the gift of the Holy
Ghost, we are commanded, “ love not the world, neither the
things that are in the world.” Who is the happiest man
upon the earth? were I to draw his picture, I would display
him, attentively listening to the glad tidings of the gospel,
his eyes looking stedfastly to heaven, his heart open to Christ,
panting for the love of God in Christ, his hands stretched out
after Christ, and his lips crying Jesus thou Son of David,
thou Son of GoD, have mercy upon me, bless me with thy
presence, and fill me with thy love. Living and dying, the
Lord makes us thus blessed, and thus happy, for his mercy's
sake. Amen. .
A COLLECT.
Glory be unto thee O Lord, that it is our inestimable pri-
vilege, and unspeakable mercy, to live where the light of thy
gospel shines, and the sound of it is heard. Lord give us eyes
ever to see its glory, ears ever open to hear its voice, and
hearts constantly to feel its power, that we may live and walk
continually under its sanctifying influence. And as thou, O
Christ, art the sum and substance of the gospel, enable us to
believe in thee, love thee, cleave to thee, and live upon thee,
so as to be continually receiving out of thy fulness, grace for
grace, that we may be filled with all the fulness of the blessing
of the gospel of peace. O that we may glory in, and praise
thee, for the freeness of thy gospel : that it comes upon sin-
ners, ungodly, unrighteous, and unholy sinners, who could do
nothing to deserve its favours, or to render themselves worthy
of its blessings. Grant Lord, that we may find our consciences
relieved, our spirits renewed, our hearts rejoiced, and our souls
sanctified, through the belief of thy gospel, by the power of thy
spirit, that we may have fellowship with the Father and his
Son, Jésus Christ our Lord, now and ever, Amen.
223
The Turnty-eighth Lott's Day.
*mºm-
oN christ's LovE, AND HIs Disciples’ PUTY.
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into Temptation: the Spirit
indeed is willing, but the Flesh is weak. Mat. xxvi. 41.,
YE who are fond of hearing wonders, attend. These words
were spoken at a time when the greatest wonders were to be
seen. Can we read them and meditate upon then a without
amazement? The angels were doubtless spectato is of the
amazing scene exhibited in this chapter. O how must it fill
their souls with wonder and astonishment? . For (1 st.) Here
is the Holy Son of the Most High, clothed in our nature, a
MAN, like unto us in all things, except sin: V 'ery God of
very God, yet also perfect man, of a reasonable soul, and
human flesh subsisting. Here is a wonder of won ders. Angels
admire him as their Creator. Saints adore him as ‘their Saviour.
Devils envy him as their Destroyer. And carnal men despise
him, and through unbelief undeify him, to their eternal
destruction. Here is a contrasted wonder. (2d .) Against this
Goo-Man in one Christ, the chief priests and the rulers con-
spire unanimously, consult how they may take by subtilty
and kill, him cruelly, Is it not a wonder, tº at the Lord of
Lords suffers it? (3d.) A woman anoint s Christ for his
burial. His own beloved disciples, have in dignation against
her for it. Jesus commends her, and repr 5ves them, not in
wrath, but in love. (4th.) One of his own ... little family, one
of his twelve dear disciples, one of his h losom friends, and
familiar companions, betrays him into the aands of his cruel,
and avowed enemies... Is not this a wonde ºr, that Christ should
submit to this? (5th.) The daring effi ontery, or impudent
boldness of this traitor. For, when Jesu: , as the heart'Know-
ing, and heart-searching God, told him to his face of his plot
and design, and of the Wo unto him, yet he had the bold
front, and daring assurance to ask, Maste risit I? behold with
wonder: instead of striking him dead at his feet, Jesus only
meekly answered, thou hast said: Thou º art the very man. Yet
(6th.) This pretended friend, but av, Swed traitor, sat at the
table, and, received the supper of the ' Lord, in the presence of
his Lord, with malice prepense in his heart against his Lord.
But that the scripture must be fulfilled , is it not a wonder, that
the bread and wine did not choke him But he was born to
be hanged, by his own hands, and to be damned for his own
sins. (7th), Christ tells his disciples: , ALL ye shall be offended

224
because of me, and be scattered, fly from, and desert me,
They believed it not. Their unbelief gave the lie to their
Lord's truth, and to his face. What wonder of mercy, that
they did not perish in their vile unbelief ? (8th.) Peter says,
though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee.
. Though all men should be offended because of thce, yet will
I never be offended. Likewise, also said Ali, the disciples.
What a wonder of patience and long 'suffering is beheld in
Christ to hear and bear this For (9th.) Their strongest pro-
fessions of love and faithfulness, are succeeded by acts of
weak, unloving faithlessness. Behold, Peter with hellish lies,
and ungodly oaths, peremptorily denies him; and as though
Christ were the vilest wretch upon the earth, and it were the
greatest scandal, even so much as to own him, Peter, as it
were, wished he might be damned, if he did know him. What 1
a lying, cultsing, swearing, biaspheming wretch, in Christ's
family, and one of his own selected twelve disciples too Is
not this a wonder 2 But greater wonders are yet to come.
For (10th.) See the holy son of God, in the garden of Geth-
semane, praying in an agony, his soul exceeding sorrowful
even unto death, with blood streaming from the pores of his
body. Look at your Lord's prayers, sorrows, and agonies,
and look at the cause of them, our sins, and see what a
wonder, that out sins should bring him to this, and affect him
thus ! (11th.) Behold his disciples. What are they at 2
Watching over him, standing by him, supporting, cherishing,
and comforting of him 2 Nothing of this. Behold a wonder
of stupidity in them; and a wonder of compassion in Christ.
See, they are fallen into a sound sleep. Though Christ awoke
them, again and again, yet instead of watching with Christ, as
he commands theim, they fall asleep again and again, They
seem not at all to sympathize with him, or care for him. Is it
not then a wonder, t bat he did not leave them to sleep their
last sleep, and awake in hell ? O ! but he loved them, and
itied them, unfeeling as they were of him. Therefore, (12th.)
H. tenderly expostulates with them, could ye not watch with
me one hour? He gently reproves them, and most affection-
ately finds an excuse for them, the spirit indeed is willing, but
the flesh is weak. O ! the wonderful love of Christ’s com-
passionate soul to sinners | For, (13th.) He was betrayed
into the hands of sinners. Behold, says he, he is at hand,
who doth betray me. H.lere is the wonder of his omniscience
as God. He foresaw what was coming upon him, before it
actually came. Here is also the wonder of the intrepidity of
his soul, and the greatness of his mind as man, calmly to sub-
mit to all the pains and agonies which he was to suffer. And
as a prelude to all, to be betrayed, seized upon, and carried
2.25
away by them, as a prisoner of justice, and crucified as a ma-
lefactor against the law, when he was holy, harmless, undefiled,
without sin, the immaculate Lamb of GoD, who did no sin,
neither was any guile found in his mouth. But, wonder at
this most astonishing wonder, º
He died to atone,
For sins not his own.
But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets
might be fulfilled. (14th.) Then all the disciples forsook him
and fled. What wonder is this; Self-preservation is the first
law of nature. They saw danger, and fled from it. Yes, but
they all made strong declaration to the contrary. True. But
they were not fully acquainted with the desperate wickedness,
and superlative deceitfulness of their own hearts. But it is a
wonder if you do not think you should have acted better than
they did, and dared to have stood manfully by Christ, and not
have cowardly fled from him. But the greatest wonder is,
that ever they should return to him, confess him, glory of and
in him, and lay down their lives for the sake of him. This is
a wonder indeed of Christ’s great love to them, and his free
grace bestowed upon them. But lastly, see in Peter, what
wonders a look from Christ could effect. Peter had no sooner
done lying against, and denying of Christ, cursing and swearing
that he knew him not, but the cock crew. Christ turned and
looked upon him, and he went out— and what? Hanged him-
self like Judas O, no! Why not? Was not the denier as bad
a sinner as the betrayer of Christ? The scripture says, there
is no difference, for all have sinned, and come short of the
glory of God. Rom. iii. 22, 23. Why then was one saved, and
the other lost Behold the wonder of distinguishing grace |
One shall be taken, and the other left. Behold, the severity
and goodness of GoD ! Rom. xi. 22, on Judas, who fell, severity,
but towards Peter, goodness. The Lord, with a look of love,
broke Peter's heart for his sin, and he went out, and wept bit-
terly. What shall we say to these things 2 only wonder, adore,
and be silent, and never dare to reply against God; but ever
cry out in astonishment, “O, the depth of the riches, both of
the wisdom and knowledge of God How unsearchable are his
judgments, and his ways past finding out !” Rom. xi. 33. This
becomes us, and all who believe his word. But there is no end
of recounting the wonders of man's apostacy from, rebellion
against, and ingratitude to God ; and the wonders of Christ's
love, grace, and salvation of such wretches as we are. Let us
therefore return to our text. Here we have (1st.) A wonder
of Christ's love and mercy in warning us of our danger of
entering into temptation. (2d.) In directing us to means of
- - Q
*
2.26;
safety, watch and pray. (3d.) His clear knowledge of us, and
great sympathy with us, the Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh,
is weak. ... " - . . .
May his blessed Spirit help our infirmities, and strengthen:
our weakness, that we may delightfully and profitably meditate.
on these his words, to the joy of our souls, and the glory of
his name. Let us consider, *
(1st.) Our danger of entering into temptations: that is so
as to sin against God, fall under the power of sin, be overcome
by sin, fall away from Christ, forsake Christ, and deny him.
This we are daily in continual danger of. This we ought con-
stantly to be sensible of. Where can we set our foot * Whe-
ther direct our steps, but the danger of temptations stands thick
through all our paths While we have a corrupt nature within
us, and a subtile, malicious enemy against us, we shall never be
free from temptations. Temptations are not sins. Christ was
tempted in all things like as we are, yet without sin. Heb. iv.
15. The evil and danger lies in entering into temptations;
complying with them, and falling by them. Which of all the
sins that have been committed, by the sons of fallen Adam, are
not we in danger of falling into ? For we have got the apostacy
of Adam's spirit, a murdering and adulterous heart like David,
the fretful, repining spirit of Jonah, the self-righteousness of
the Scribes and Pharisees, the lying, swearing nature of Peter,
a Christ-betraying spirit like Judas, and a Christ-deserting spi-
rit like all his disciples. Well may we indeed cry out with
the psalmist, Lord, what is man Ps. viii. 4. What am I
What sin is not in my nature? What temptation am not I ex-
posed to ? What danger am I not in of entering into tempta-
tion ? What need have I continually to attend to that advice,
thou standest by faith, be not high-minded, but fear. Rom. xi.
20. Fear the danger of temptation, fear the evil of entering
into it, and fear the dreadful consequences of committing sin,
upon thy soul. For, it will surely deprive thee of the sense of
the heaven of thy Lord's love and peace, bring a hell of misery
into thy conscience, and give thee the acute pains of broken
bones, as it did David; and cause thee, like Peter, to go out
and weep bitterly. O, see then thy Lord's wonderful love, in
warning thee of thy danger of entering into Temptations! Attend
(2d.) To the means of safety he prescribes, watch and pray.
A sense of danger, excites fear. Fear incites watchfulness.
By watching evils are prevented. By prayer they are overcome,
because prayer engages the Lord's strength for us, brings his
power into us, and obtains victory for us, over the world, the
flesh, and the devil. A watchful soul makes a happy Christian,
because he is obedient to his Lord's word, and therefore shall
be sure to enjoy the reviving sense of his Lord’s presence, in
the peace, love, and joy of his heart. What rich blessingst
227 -
What precious comforts, did our Lord's dear disciples lose, for
want of watching and praying with him one hour? What
anguish and distress of soul did they get by neglecting this 2
May not their cowardly forsaking, and basely deserting their
Lord, with all their other pains of remorse, be ascribed to
this * , . . . . . -
Look abroad into the world of professors, see what tempta-
tions they enter into, see what dishonour they bring upon the
cause of precious Jesus thereby, and what darkness of soul, and
distress of conscience, they bring upon themselves. And may
not the reason of all this be ascribed to their disregard of our
Lord's command, watch and pray 2 Yea, look into your own
heart, do you find doubts and fears, misgivings and suspicions
of your interest in the love of God, and salvation of Christ?
Why is this Is it not because you have slighted your dear
Lord's advice, and neglected to watch and pray, and so the
blessed presence of your best friend is departed from you; and
your worst enemies haunt and beset you? You have grieved the
holy Spirit the comforter, and he is gone: you have given way
to your worst enemies, your tormentors, and they are come.
O ! see the evil of this. Be humbled under it. Repent of
it. Strive to amend it. Watch and pray. Watch more care-
fully. Pray more constantly.
Ever remember, the many enemies you have within and
around you, sin is not dead within you, your pride, self-righte-
ousness, and self-dependence, are not totally subdued under
you. Wile lusts and sinful passions dwell in you. Unbelief
works within you. Carnal reasonings exalt themselves against
you. The world has bewitching charms to allure, attract and
deceive you. You have a nature suited to its very bait. The
devil, like a roaring lion, or a subtile fox, with serpentine wis-
dom, is continually going about seeking whom he may devour.
There is not a device of his, but what your flesh is prone to
catch, and be deceived by: Let him but strike the spark of
temptation, and we have tinder to catch the falling particle of
fire, and kindle the flame of hell within us. O ! think, think
deeply of your many enemies, and say have you not need, con-
stant need to watch and pray Watch against the force, sub-
tilty, and fraud, of your numerous and worst enemies. Pray to
your best friend, to enjoy his power, peace, and victory, that
you may be more than conqueror over all, through Christ who
hath loved us. Loved us l Yes. Notwithstanding all our
vileness, sin and wretchedness, our baseness before him, and
our slighting of him, still, O the wonders of his love | He has
a heart full of love to us, and a tongue ever to plead for our in-
firmities.
This is the third point to § considered, our Lord's tender
2. ' f 2 •
223 -
and compassionate plea for his disciples, “the Spirit indeed is
willing, but the flesh is weak.” Now how do you and I think
we should have treated one who pretended to be our dear friend,
and yet behaved as these disciples of our Lord did He was in
pain, sorrow, and agony, such as no man ever felt, and yet they
fell fast asleep by him, as quite regardless of him. Though
again and again awaked by him, and requested to watch with
him, yet it seemed as though they preferred their sleep to their
Lord, and their rest above his request. Now were we invested
with his power, don't you think we should have exerted it, and
said in a fit of resentment, go ye sleepy, unfeeling, hard-heart-
ed wretches, into hell as your portion, for the baseness of your
conduct. Ah! but his love is as great as his power; and nei-
ther knows measure nor end. Salvation, the salvation of SIN-
NERs, is in his heart, and therefore, he has pity on them, and a
tongue to plead for them. His heart is made of tenderness,
his bowels melt with love, therefore he says, the Spirit indeed
is willing, but the flesh is weak. But though their Lord excused
them, yet they suffered for their folly, and smarted for their
sleeping. Though Christ forgave them, yet who can tell the
pains and sorrows they felt for sleeping, when they should have
been watching and praying, and for deserting their Lord, when
they should have stood stedfastly by him
The SPIRIT INDEED IS willing. As though Christ had said ;
“poor hearts, they do really love me, and sincerely delight to
obey me, in the spirit of their minds; and the affections of
their soul cleave unto me. For I have put my spirit within
them, and have given them a spirit which is well attached to
my person, cause, and interest in the world. Therefore it pro-
ceeds not from any disaffection of mind for me, or for want of
loyalty of spirit to me, that they act thus.” Is this the sense
of our Lord's words? Then take comfort, thou poor, dejected,
sorrowful, back-sliding sinner who once had, but hast now
lost the sense of the love of Christ, give not over all for lost,
though thou hast most basely treated, and most shamefully de-
serted thy Lord. Though in thy folly, thou hadst no compas-
sion for thy own soul, no regard to thy Lord’s love; yet
in his love he has the most tender compassion for thee; in
his heart forgiveness of thee, and a tongue to plead for thee.
Hast thou forsaken bim 2 Yes, say you, most shamefully. Hast
thougratified the flesh, when thou shouldst have been watching
in the spirit 2 Yes, say you, most vilely. And now I feel a hell
in my conscience most awfully; I fear and tremble most dread-
fully, lest the Lord is departed from me entirely, and that I
am ruined eternally. Once, my Lord's presence was the joy of
my heart. Now, his absence is the hell of my soul. Is it really
so? Is the desire of thy soul still towards Jesus, and the re-
membrance of his name? Then verily he hath not totally for-
229 a.
saken thee, nor entirely given thee up. He hath left that in
thee, which is attached to him, and looks and longs for him.
Thy spirit is willing. Why, O! why shouldst thou add, Chrisf-
dishonouring unbelief to thy Christ-dishonouring couduct Be
afflicted and mourn, and weep, for thy sin and folly, but come
thou afresh toºthy Lord. He is the same precious Jesus, the
same sinner-loving (though always sin-hating) Saviour to day,
as he was yesterday. Hear his gracious decree. Believe it, and
rejoice in hope. All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be for-
given unto men, Matt. xii. 37; because he hath made atone-
ment for ALL : and his blood cleanseth from all sin. I John i. 7.
Hear his kind invitation. Turn, O ! backsliding children,
saith the Lord–Why? For I am married unto you. Jer. iii. 14.
Though thou has acted the part of a most treacherous wife; yet
he continues the same loving, ſaithful, tender-hearted, affec-
tionate husband, therefore he says, return unto me, and I will
head your backslidings. I will love you freely; for mine anger
is turned away. Hos. xiv. 4. From this plea of our Lord for his
disciples, the spirit indeed is willing, we may safely conclude,
that if we are regenerate by his spirit, do believe in Christ, and
are made partakers of Christ, there is in our new-born souls,
the seed of GoD, the life of GoD, or a spirit that is attached to
GoD in Christ, that will always declare for him. And there-
fore as St. John says, whosoever is born of God, doth not
commit sin, (live in the practice, and under the power of sin,
and so commit it, as from the enmity of his soul against GoD)
for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin (as the unre-
generate do, even unto death, with the free choice of their
wills, the full consent of their understandings, the daring
enmity of their minds, the malicious purposes of their hearts,
the fixed delight of their affections, and with the settled joy of
their souls) because he is born of God. I John iii. 9. Thus
peculiarly distinguished are all the children of God.
But, says our Lord, the FLESH is weAk. It is tired with
fatigues, and burdened with infirmities. Therefore, it cannot
keep pace with the willingness of the spirit. Do we not often,
very often find it so? How frequently through the grace of
God, do we find a willingness of spirit, yea a delight and joy
of spirit, in the work and serviee of the Lord, so as to be
all spirit and all life 2 We mount with the wings of faith, soar
away up to the regions of hope, and fly abroad in the mansions of
love, far above the moon, and all sublunăry things, and get, as it
were, into the expanse of heaven; but alas ! like Anselm's bird,
who strove to sbar, but found one foot fastened to the earth, so
we soon find the dead weight of a weak, a sinful body of flesh,
which pinions us down to earth and sense. When in the spirit
we would do good, yet the evil of the flesh is present with us.
Our dear Lord knows our frame. He remembers we are but
- 230 s
dust. Shall we, as the carnal, unmeaningly say, “God is mer-
ciful, and makes all gracious allowances for our sins and infir-
mities º' Nay, but Christ does infinitely more than that. For
look, O ! disciple of Jesus, at your sinful nature, and at the in-
firmities of your flesh, and say, with the prophet, “Jesus him-
self took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. Matt. viii.
17. He is touched with a feeling of our infirmities, Heb. iv.
15. Therefore, under a feeling sense of our infirmities, though
we ought to be humbled for them, yet by no means should
we be dejected for them, as though Christ has no love
to us, nor compassion for us because of them. But rather let
us remember them, to excite hope in him, and love to him,
that even the sinfulness of our nature was imputed to him, and
he took all our infirmities upon him, bare them all in his own
blessed body upon the tree, and shed his precious blood, to
make an atoneºent for them, and to wash away the guilt of
them, so that they shall never be imputed to us for our con-
demnation. Here is gospel good news, glad tidings of great
joy, for all those who feel that the flesh is weak, to any spiritual
good, and the body dead because of sin. Therefore, don't
nurse your dead frames, nor cherish your weak feelings, but re-
member, the spirit is life, because of righteousness. Rom. viii.
10. If you believe in Christ, he is your life, and his righteousness
is imputed to you, for justification unto life, Rom. v. 8. There-
fore, whatever your frames and feelings may be, as to the flesh,
yet your spirit is alive to God. Your souls can never perish.
Your righteousness can never fail; it is an everlasting one,
therefore, you shall never fall into eternal condemnation.
Now, though the flesh is weak, and unapt to the spiritual
duties and exercises of the sabbath, and we are ready, some-
times, to give them up, and neglect them ; yet what a joyful
spirit does the faith of these gospel truths inspire you with 2
How lively, how loying, how cheerful, do they make us, in the
worship and service of our Lord 2 For, does he plead for us,
a d say the flesh is weak, yea, that the flesh profiteth nothing?
John vi. 63. Nay, that it lusteth against the spirit, so that
we cannot do the things that we would. Gal. v. 17. O ! let
us yet rejoice in Christ Jesus, though we have no confidence
in the flesh ; and bless our covenant GoD, that our cause, our
eternal cause, does not rest upon what we are in ourselves, but
*
upon being found in Christ. Phil. iii. 9.
A COLLECT.
O! Lord Christ, who ever lives to plead for us, pour down
thy comforts upon us, that our hearts may love, thee, our souls
rejoice in thee, and our lives be devoted to thee, for all thy
grace bestowed upon us, to the glory of Father, Son, and Spirit,
now and ever. Amen.
-ºr 23 l
GIbe (Timentp-ninth Lord's ZDap,
ON THE HINDERANCES OF PRAYER.
—That your Prayers be not hindered. 1 Pet. iii. 7.
PERHAPs this text is the least considered, and the admonition
contained in it the least attended to, of any one text in the
Bible. And yet it is full of importance to the Christian's heart
and life. How inestimably precious is the word of God For
there is no station of life, but it instructs us how to act in :
No circumstance in life, but it directs us how to behave under:
and no duty in life, but it teaches us how to perform it. Happy,
ever to be saying with David, “Lord, thy word have I hid in
my heart, that I might not sin against thee.” “Order my steps
in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.”
Psalm crix. 1 1, 33. - ...sº
It is storied of an eminently great and good man, (I think
one of our Bishops) who being on his travels in foreign parts,
paid a visit to a friend, who, like the rich man in the gospel
lived grandly, and fared sumptuously every day, and acquainted
his guest, how happy he was in the enjoyment of all he could
wish for, and a stranger to any troubles and afflictions. The
pious visitor on hearing this, and finding no sense of GoD and
religion in him, nor no family prayer in his house, resolved to
depart from thence, saying within himself, surely, where there
is no affliction from GoD, nor prayer to him, GoD cannot dwell
under this roof, and here I dare not tarry. Soon after his de-
parture, the grand mansion, and all the family, were swallowed
up by an earthquake. “Lo, this is the man who made not
God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches,
and strengthened himself in wickedness.” Psalm lii. 7.
“Q, how often doth the Lord pour out his fury upon the heathen
who know him not; and upon the families which call not upon
his name.” Jer. x. 25. How many such baptized, heathenish,
prayerless families have we around us ! How dreadful will be
the end of all such, when a GoD forgotten, whose worship has
been neglected, and his mercies slighted, shall arise to take
vengeance 1 *
But the apostle warns you to know the Lord, seek his
face, and pray unto him, “that your prayers be not hindered.”
This most plainly implies, that all God’s people do pray unto
him, keep up family prayer before him; and also, that their
prayers are liable to be hindered, or obstructed, Let us, therefore,
232
consider, what are the hinderances of our prayers. O that the
Lord may help us in considering, and so bless the consideration
to our soul's profit, that this evil may be prevented, so as at
no time to get any advantage over us !
Now this is a fixed, scriptural, experienced truth in the divine
life, that sensible communion with GoD in Christ, is the grand
object of the Christian's aim. That whatever hinders prayer,
obstructs this communion: and whatever interrupts our com-
munion with God, hinders our prayers to him. The life of
faith is a life of communion with God ; prayer is the breath of
that life. Therefore, whatever tends to obstruct the one, or
hinder the other, it is our wisdom to know, and our duty to
avoid. There are many things which tend to hinder our prayers,
both with our families, and in our closets. As we cannot live
without prayer, let us be watchful against the hinderances of
our prayers. - <&
Now these things enter into the duty of prayer, and are of
the very essence of prayer, (1st.) A sight of our misery, and a
sense of our wants, and that the world, the flesh, and the devil,
are our constant enemies. (2d.) A discovery that God is our
father in Christ. (3d.) That we have a way of access to him,
and boldness before him in and by Christ. (4th.) An appre-
hension of Christ, our merciful high priest, being before the
throne of GoD for us, and touched with the feeling of those
infirmities which accompany us... (5.) The ready help which
the loving spirit is ever ready to give us, when we pray, or strive
to pray, but cannot as we ought without it. (6th.) A view of,
and faith in the exceeding great, and precious promises of GoD,
which are all in Christ Jesus, yea and amen, sure and certain
to be fulfilled in and upon us to the glory of God. O ye children
of God, see your inestimable privileges, consider your in-
expressible mercies, study to improve them to God's glory
and your soul's comfort ; and therefore be on your guard against
all things which oppose them, and hinder your prayers. But
what hinders our prayers ?
(1st.) Giving way to our natural evil tempers, and sinful
passions, is a great hindrance to prayer. A proper frame of mind,
and suitable disposition of spirit, are absolutely necessary to the
right performance of prayer. Whatever disorders the frame of
our spirits, discomposes our hearts to prayer, and hinders the
spirit in prayer. But unruly passions greatly do this, therefore,
we ought continually to watch, and be on Öur guard against
them. Hence we are so often commanded to watch, as well as
pray. And the apostle has a peculiar view to this in the text.
He had been giving advice to husbands and wives, how to
behave to, and dwell with each other, as heirs together of the
hope of eternal life; he adds, that your prayers be not hindered
233
by any contrary conduct. His reasoning runs thus. Every heir
of eternal life will conscientiously keep up the duty of family
prayer. No one will live without it. All will be concerned to
perform it aright. But in all families, from various causes,
there is danger of intestine jars and discord springing up, from
their natural evil tempers, to hinder their prayers. Much
depends on the spirit and temper in which they live and act
towards each other. If it be contrary to the genius of the
gospel, the spirit of peace and love, be assured, this will
certainly hinder your prayers: so that you will be tempted,
either totally to lay aside the duty of prayer, or perform it in a
cold, formal, heartless manner. As all strife, anger, bitterness,
clamour, &c. are contrary to the spirit of prayer, they will cer-
tainly hinder the life and power of prayer, therefore must be put
away; and we must be kindly affectioned to one another, t at
that we may pray in the spirit, and find the grace and power of
the spirit, helping our infirmities, and enabling us to pray as
we ought.
Now I appeal to Christians, if what has been advanced, they
have not found true in experience 2 Say, have you not often
found that Satan has gained an advantage over you, and have
you not given place to him, by exalting such a spirit and such
tempers, as are diametrically contrary to the spirit of faith in,
love to, and hope on the GoD of peace, unto whom you pray,
and the prince of peace, whose disciples you profess to be
I will be the first to hold up my hand, plead guilty to this, take
shame unto myself for it, and cry, God be merciful to me a
sinner! O how has satan been pleased, the Spirit grieved, our
prayers hindered, our hearts pained, and our spiri's discomfited
by this cursed conduct Have not you often found it so? O let
us not think lightly of this the Lord, for his mercy's sake, lay
it with deep conviction upon our hearts, that we may humble
ourselves before him, take shame to ourselves for it, study and
strive to avoid it, and cry mightily to him, for power to with-
stand, and conquer ourselves, and overcome our evil tempers
and sinful passions. For they are such vile enemies to the
peace of our souls, so hurtful to others, so dishonourable to
Christ, so grieving to his Spirit, and such a hinderance to our
prayers, that they make our hearts weak, our knees feeble, and
our hands faint. But in opposition to all this, says Paul, “I
will that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without
wrath and doubting,” 1 Tim. ii. 8; as though he had said, wrath.
and contention will as surely bring on doubting and dejection of
heart, and cause the hands to hang down in prayer, as a stab to
the heart will issue in death. I write feelingly on this subject,
having severely suffered by it. O may we see the evil, strive
against it, and by God's grace put it away from us.
- 234 -
(2dly) A worldly spirit, if indulged, will hinder our prayers.
This will prey upon the very vitals of prayer, eat up the conso-
lation of the gospel, and devour the spirit of prayer. For
worldly thoughts, anxious and solicitous concern after the en-
joyment of the perishing things of this life, will distract our
minds, and hinder our prayers. One was boasting much of his
power to pray, and to keep his mind from distraction in prayer;
a person said, “I will give you my horse, if you will only say
the Lord’s prayer, and think of nothing but GoD all the while.”
The man eagerly began, “Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name”—but instantly broke off, and addressed
the person, “I must have the bridle with the horse.” “No,
neither,” replied he, “for thou hast lost both already.” Whe-
ther the story be true or not, the moral is good. If the affec-
tions go out in an eager pursuit after the riches, honours, and
'pleasures of the world, it will bring on distraction of mind, an
ague of coldness in the heart to prayer, the pulse of the soul will
beat very low, and there will be a languor in the affections to
spiritual blessings, and heavenly enjoyments. Though the form
of prayer may be kept up, yet it will be but lip-service; for the
life and spirit of prayer will be wanting. Where the treasure
is, there will the heart be also. And instead of the affections
being set upon things above, where Christ sitteth at the right
hand of GoD, they will be grovelling on the earth, where Satan
reigns: because the flesh prevails over the Spirit, and the vani-
ties of time, have pre-eminence over the realities of eternity.
Now, as all this is contrary to faith, it must hinder prayer. For,
faith and prayer go hand in hand. If faith be strong, prayer is
fervent. If faith be weak, prayer is languid. Hence David
cries, “Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity: and
quicken thou me in thy way.” Psalm crix. 37. And Agur prays,
“give me not riches.” Prov. xxx. 8. Strange Prayer who
uses it from his heart? who is as much afraid of riches, as of
poverty, and prays as earnestly against them Happy, only hap-
py, is that man, who seeks the unsearchable riches of Christ,
and prays to enjoy all in him. -
But when an earthly minded, and worldly spirit gains the as-
cendancy, it infatuates and bewitches the soul. Hence we
hear many professors complain, that they are so immersed in
business, that they have not time for prayer and spiritual con-
cerns. Though their prayers may be put off so, yet death will
not. Amidst all their hurry, death will demand time and ces-
sation from it; why should not God? But is what they com.
plain of felt as an evil? how do they act under it? do they
strive and pray against it in good earnest, and are willing to
throw off part of their business or profits nay, rather, do they
not plunge deeper, and strive to amass more of the world? if so,
235
the complaints are only from the tongue, but the heart is unaf-
fected with them. Therefore, their prayers are hindered by
them, and they cannot heartily pray, for a less portion of the
riches, honours, and pleasures of life. That’s an awful sen-
tence, if any man (let him profess what he will) love the world,
the love of the Father is not in him. l John ii. 15. The con
duct in life loudly speaks the affections of the heart. If any
man's time is so taken up by, and devoted to the objects of
time and sense, that he has searcely an hour from morning to
night, deliberately to think of God, read of God, or pray to
GoD, is it at all uncharitable, to ask, how dwelleth the love of
God in him is it possible there should be the least room in
his heart for God’s love? If a man can be happy whose prayers
are thus hindered, and whose heart is destitute of the sense of
GoD's love, then such professors may enjoy happiness. For
where the love of the world prevails, the sense of God’s love
departs, and prayers will be hindered, if not totally neglected.
The more self-denial of life, the more love of God in the
heart: the more love of God, the more praying to God, and
rejoicing in God. *
. (3dly.) Worldly companions are great hinderances to prayer.
We are prone to catch their bad Spirit of levity, and their evil
tempers of folly, so as to lose sight of our beloved, let go our
hold of him, turn our affections from him, and cease crying unto
him. Yea, we are very apt to consider them, and think them
happy, because we see them merry and joyful. And though
they are strangers to GoD, and live without prayer to him, yet
all seems well with them : they have all their hearts can wish,
while we mourn in silent sadness before the Lord, seek him
sorrowing, and cry unto him full of distress at times. They
are strangers to the grief and concern we feel, in finding back-
wardness to prayer, deadness in prayer, shame after prayer;
and fear lest God should reject our prayers, and refuse to an-
swer them to the joy and comfort of our souls; and therefore
are ready to conclude, better like them to leave off all prayer.
Thus by looking at them, we forget ourselves, and our covenant
GoD in Christ. Have you never found this temptation beset
you?. I have often. Job was distressed by it. Job xxi. Asaph
was staggered on account of it. Psalin lxxiii. The less con-
verse with such the better. For we are more prone to catch
their prayerless spirit, than they are our praying frame. Many
other hinderances of prayers might be added, but let these
suffice. Let us remember in general, that what don't help to
prayer, tends to hinder our prayers. The Lord in mercy stir
us up to watch in all things. A word or two by way of
236
IMPROVEMENT.
(1st.) Notwithstanding all our hinderances, see and rejoice,
at our encouragements to prayer, at all times, in all places, and
under all circumstances. It is our special mercy to know the
God we pray to. We are not left to erect an altar to the un-
known God. No. For, ever blessed be his name, he has re-
vealed himself to us, in the endearing relation of OUR FATHER,
reconciled to us, at peace with us, seated on a throne of grace
to receive us, ready to bestow every blessing upon us, hath
given exceeding great and precious promises to us, and com-
mands us to come unto him, and call upon him. For, vile
sinners as we are in ourselves, GoD has made us accepted in
his beloved Son Jesus Christ, who is our righteous advocate.
And because we know not how to pray as we ought, the Spirit
of our dear Father, and loving brother, is given us, to help our
infirmities: so that as the Loſt D delights in and over us, to do
us good, he loves to hear our voice, asking the richest mercies,
and the greatest blessings from him. Let us therefore come
boldly to a throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find
grace to help in every time of need, Heb. iv. 16; so that a sight
of our great miseries, as guilty sinners, and a sense of our need,
as wretched creatures, so far from hindering our prayers, should
urge us to go more frequently, more boldly, and more impor-
tunately, because Jesus the Son of God is before the throne
of GoD for us, who is touched with the feeling of our infir-
mities. *
2d. We are encouraged to pray, not only because GoD is a
Father to us, his Son a mediator for us, but the Holy Spirit is
also an intercessor within us, who “ helpeth our infirmities,
and maketh intercession for us, with groanings which cannot
be uttered.” Rom. viii. 26. We are often most helped by the
Spirit in prayer, when we think we are least. That is often
the best prayer which we think is worst. We judge ourselves
to pray best, when our words flow fast, our hearts are warm,
and our spirits lively. Perhaps there may be then, most of
the creature, and least of the Spirit. It is not the arithmetic
of our prayers, how many they are : nor their rhetoric, how
eloquent they may be : nor their geometry, how long they
be : nor their music from the tone of our voice ; nor their logic
from their method ; but the heart-felt divinity of them, offered
up in the name of Jesus through faith, when we groan under our
burthens, sigh and lament our wretchedness, and our hearts are
broken with sorrow for what we feel of ourselves, and can
only breathe out broken petitions, God be merciful to me a
sinner—Lord help—Lord pity—Jesus save, &c. But when it
is thus, we think we don't pray at all : whereas this is the very
237
way which the Spirit intercedes with groanings, which cannot be.
uttered. This is the true spirit of prayer : the right frame of
mind to live in. This is consistent with the highest state of
joy and rejoicing in Christ; to be broken to pieces in ourselves,
to be nothing in ourselves but misery, poverty, wretchedness
and want, so as to have no confidence in ourselves. Now all
that was said of proud passions, a worldly spirit, and carnal com-
panions hindering our prayers is, because they elate our minds,
and carry our spirits from a true sight, real sense and feeling
of ourselves, what poor, needy, wretched sinners we are. But
the Holy Spirit brings us down, and teaches us to pray as we
ought, looking unto Jesus only, and rejoicing in the love of
God our Father in him, casting all our care upon him, and
leaving all our concerns with him for time and eternity.
‘Enough has been said to humble and encourage us. God
grant it may do both. What remains 7 but that we feed on
the Lord Jesus Christ, in our hearts by faith, with thanksgiving
for all our mercies ; and look forward in hope, to that joyful
day, when Christ shall take us to himself, to enjoy his presence
in glory, when every hinderance to love, joy, peace, adoration,
and praise, shall be for ever banished. And till then, let us,
like David, “encourage ourselves in the Lord our God,” l Sam.
xxx. 6. Keep his sabbaths holy, and wait upon him conti-
nually. For, (O, most precious promise !) “They who wait
upon the Lord shall renew their strength, Isai. xl. 3 1.
A COLLECT.
O Lord, thou loving Spirit, evermore teach us to pray, and
keep us in a praying spirit. Deliver us from all things which
may hinder our prayers. O, bring us low and keep us humble;
and grant us such a clear sight, and comfortable knowledge of
God being our heavenly Father in Christ Jesus, that we may
ever love him, delight in him, rejoice before him, and be de-
voted in body and soul to the glory of him, now and ever,
Amen.
238
the tuitit Laws pap.
THE CHRISTIAN's RULE of ADDITION.
Add to your Faith. 2 Pet. i. 5.
THE Holy Ghost quickens and leads us as poor sinners to Christ
for salvation : Christ washes us from our sins in his blood,
justifies our persons in his righteousness, and presents us to
Gob the Father, who accepts us as righteous in his beloved
Son, and looks upon us with an eye of complacency; and
delights in us, as though we were not sinners, had no sin in
us, nor had ever committed one sin against him. This is the
sum and substance of our most holy faith. Here is the joy of
faith, the glory of faith, the victory of faith, and the triumph
of faith, over all our enemies, sin, satan, death and hell. Now
the mystery of this faith is to be ever held fast in a pure con-
science, in spite of every foe, and against all opposition: for
by this faith the conscience is cleansed from guilt, possessed
with peace, and made pure, and kept pure. And, “through
this faith, we are kept by the power of Goo unto salvation.”
1 Pet. i. 5. To such poor sinners, who had obtained this precious
faith, Peter addresses himself, and exhorts them constantly to
practice the rule of addition—ADD To Yourt FAITH.
O! may the Holy Spirit, who inspired this word, impress the
importance of this duty upon our hearts, and influence us daily
to practise it. Froin this exhortation, this scripture doctrine is
naturally raised, and plainly presented to our view; namely, that
though we as sinners are justified freely, and fully by faith in
Christ Jesus only ; yet that faith is not alone in the Christian's
life and walk; but that good works, which spring from faith, are
to be added to our faith. These manifest that we are partakers
of a holy faith, the faith of God’s elect. Let us therefore
consider,
1st. The nature of the duty here enjoined us.
2d. The blessings consequent upon the practice of it.
8d. The evil of neglecting it. -
1st. The nature of this duty, add to your faith. But ye
believing, adopted sons and daughters of GoD, think not that ye
are here called upon to add any thing to your faith, in order to
recommend yourselves to GoD, to make yourselves righteous
before him, and to justify yourselves in his sight. No. This,
instead of adding to your faith, is to attempt to add to the work
of Christ. It is adding pride to faith, it is contrary to faith,
destructive of faith, and detracts from the glory of Christ who
289
is the object of faith : in whom we are perfectly righteous, by
whom we are fully justified, and for ever accepted by God the
Father, to the praise of the glory of his own grace.
Again, think not we are here called upon to add to our faith,
in order to sanctify, and make ourselves holy before God.
This is to add folly to faith. This is contrary to divine truth,
and our most holy faith. For we are sanctified in Christ
Jesus. Christ of God is made sanctification to us. 1 Cor. i.
30. By the power of the Spirit through faith, we are sancti-
fied, separated, and set apart, for GoD's glory and service, that
being made holy in Christ, free from sin, and become the ser-
vants of GoD, we may have our fruit unto holiness, and the
end everlasting life. Yet our fruits of holiness do not, cannot,
sanctify and make us holy; but they evidence and prove that
we are sanctified and made holy in Christ, that Christ lives in
us, and that we are really and truly alive to GoD ; therefore,
we hear his word, and obey his will. . .
Now, it is absolutely necessary that our understandings be
clear, and our judgments sound in these particulars, or else our
hearts cannot be happy, nor will our works be evangelical, as
proceeding from faith and love. Let us not therefore proudly
think, or vainly attempt by any works or obedience of ours, to
add any thing to the covenant of grace, to the work and salva-
tion of the Son of God, in order to secure God’s favour, to
entitle ourselves to his love, or to merit his kingdom. For, thus
argues the apostle, though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if
it be confirmed, no man disanulleth or addeth thereto. This
I say, that the covenant that was confirmed before of God in
Christ. The law which was 430 years after cannot disanul,
that,it should make the promise of non effect. Gal. iii. 15, 17.
Thus the covenant of grace, love, and peace, and the promise
of eternal life made with Christ, for and in behalf of all his
seed, standeth fast for ever and ever; and these are to stand
fast in our consciences by faith, without adding any thing to
them, or diminishing ought from them. All must be right
within, in order that all may be right without. For we are
bound by a positive command, and it is our indispensable duty,
to add to our faith. - . . .
This implies constant study, and diligent endeavour, to
glorify God, honour Christ, and adorn the gospel in our life,
walk, and conversation, by bringing forth those fruits of righte.
oustess, godliness, and sobriety, which the gospel of the grace
of God enjoins us. So that it is not enough for us, as believers
in Christ, to have escaped the corruption that is in the world
through lust; but we must also add to our faith, such holy and
heavenly virtues, as may adorn our lives, and shew forth the
praises of our God and Saviour. If we have gone through
•
240
addition.
*
the rule of reduction, we must ever continue in the rule of
(1st.) Add to your faith, virtue; every act of moral good-
ness ; but rather that spiritual fortitude and Christian resolu-
tion, which faith inspires. What is a Christian without cou-
rage 2 we shall go on quite heartless and comfortless in the
ways of the Lord, without courage and boldness Go on 1
yea, rather we shall often stand, and be ready to turn aside
from following Christ, if courage forsakes, and fears prevail
over us. Poor Peter had woeful experience of this. He aw-
fully fell through this. He felt the dreadful evil of this. It
cost him many a bitter tear; and many a distressing fear.
Therefore he exhorts us to add to our faith courage. Yea, he
practised this himself, and has left us a noble example of bold-
ness, for imitation. See how he and John, made the rulers
marvel at their boldness in confessing Jesus before them,
though they were in danger of imprisonment and death by
them. Acts iv. Believers, remember ye are soldiers enlisted
under the banner of the captain of your salvation, and are
called to fight the good fight of faith, therefore you must add
courage to your faith; or you will soon faint in battle, lay down
your arms, quit the field, cowardly forsake your Lord, fly into
the hands, and fall under the power of your enemies, the
world, the flesh, and the devil.
But alas ! we are all naturally bold and courageous enough
in the service of sin and satan, in following the ways of this
wicked world, and in gratifying the lusts of our flesh; but are
destitute of spiritual courage and Christian boldness in openly
confessing Christ, avowing the truths of his gospel, and prac-
tising those duties he commands. Here our courage fails us,
fears beset us, and shame gets the advantage over us. It is a
great point to be truly sensible of this, to be humbled for it, to
know that we cannot fortify our own minds, nor give courage
to our own hearts, and yet to be fully convinced of the abso-
lute necessity of adding this virtue to our faith. Now here
lies the mystery. Why then are we called upon to add to our
faith, courage 2 to remind us of Jesus the author, object, and
finisher of our faith, who says, without me, ye can do nothing.
John xv. 5. That we may exercise our faith upon him, who is
the strength of our hearts, and the strengthener of our faith.
All our courage and strength for the exercise of every grace,
and discharge of every duty, comes from Christ. The more
we look to him, and live upon him, the more strength and
courage we shall derive from him : ever saying with Paul, I
can do all things, through Christ who strengthens me. Phil. iv.
13. As faith comes from Christ, leads to Christ, fixes on
Christ, and centres in Christ, so it obtains all its virtue and
. 241
power from the grace of Christ. Thus we are daily, yea con-
stantly, to add to our faith virtue, or boldness in confessing
Christ to be all in all to our souls, to follow him in all his
examples, and to obey him in all his commands, that we may
enjoy them in all his comforts. This virtue we need all
through life and death. Lord help us to add it to our faith.
(2d.) Add to your faith, knowledge : that is, farther
advances in spiritual understanding. O christian know what
you may, yet you know but in part, yea, a very small part too,
of the everlasting love of GoD, the richness of the covenant
of his grace, the preciousness of Christ, the glory of his work,
the fulness of his salvation, the freeness and greatness of the
promises which are in him, and the glory which shall be
revealed when he shall appear; the purity of God’s law, the
exceeding sinfulness of sin, the deceitfulness of your own
heart, the wickedness of your nature, the pride of your free
will, and the idolatry of your self-righteousness, &c. Read,
daily read, and constantly study therefore, the word of the
Lord, in which all these things are displayed, to get more
knowledge of them, and to be more experienced in them, and
to add this to your faith. So you will add prudence to your
courage. And while your faith glories in Christ, you will loath
yourself. While you exalt him, you will debase yourself.
While you glory in him, you will be ashamed of yourself,
and be clothed with humility before him. -
(3.) Add to your faith temperance. We are all naturally
prone to be intemperate in the use of the things of this life,
some in one way, and some in another. But this intoxicates
the mind, and renders it unfit both for the service and enjoy-
ment of God. Therefore, says our Lord, Take heed lest at
any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunk
enness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you
unawares. Luke xxi. 34. Here we see that our Lord ranks
the cares of this life, with surfeiting and drunkenness, as
equally intoxicating the mind, and as injurious to the soul.
All must be alike hated of the christian, and avoided by him,
as contrary to the faith, hope, and comfort of our souls. But
the more we live and walk by faith on the Son of God, the
more temperate we shall be in all things, and thus shall we add
temperance to our faith. -
(4th.) Add to your faith patience. There is not a day we
arise from our beds, but we find the truth of this assertion, Ye
have need of patience. Heb. x. 56. How is it to be obtained
out of the fulness of the grace of Christ. The world, the
flesh, and the devil, will try our patience. How is it to be
maintained 2 by living wholly upon, walking closely to, and
couversing much with, that perfeet mirror of patience, the
R
2 2
lamb of God. So we shall catch his spirit, and partake of his
temper, and add to our faith patience. All impatience, arises
from pride and unbelief. All patience 'springs from faith in
Jesus. For faith brings Christ into the heart, he calms the
boisterous waves and surging billows of impatience, and hushes
all into a profound calm of peace and stillness. .
(5th.) Add to your faith godliness, A holy, loving, reverential
fear of GoD, as a child to your reconciled Father in Jesus, who .
has loved you with an everlasting love before all worlds, delights
in and over you to do you good in time, and will bless you to ali
eternity. Worship him. Wait on him in all his appointed
ordinances. Serve, honour and adore him. Magnify, exalt
and praise him at all times, under all circumstances, in every
place, and by all means, ever study to give glory unto him.
(6th.) Add to your faith, brotherly kindness. This is an
exotic, a foreign, a heavenly plant: It grows not in nature's
garden. How are we to get it? by exercising the faith of our
hearts, on the loving kindness of our dear, elder brother, Jesus,
the Son of God, to us. Do you live by, and live upon the
marvellous loving kindness of your Lord? Hath he betrothed
thee to himself in loving kindness? Hos. ii. 19. Hath he
crowned thee with loving kindness and tender mercies 2 Ps.
ciii. 4. O, let thy soul dwell much on this This will draw
out thy soul, in loving kindness, to all thy brethren in him.
Remember they are all flesh of Christ's flesh, and bone of his
bone. We are all one in him. What loving kindness we shew
them, he takes as done unto himself. Matt. xxv. 40. O, them,
draw loving kindness from Christ, and add brotherly kindness
to your faith. * - - - *
(7th.) Add to your faith charity, or love to all men. Though
we cannot love all as brethren in Christ, yet we ought so to love
all men, even enemies as well as friends, as the creatures of
GoD, as our fellow creatures, with a love of compassion, so as
to be ever ready to assist and do them any good, as far as our
power and influence extends. Thus God loves all. For he
maketh his sun to rise on the evil, and on the good, and sendeth
rain on the just and on the unjust. Matt. v. 45. Imitate your
heavenly Father in Christ. Though you have not a sun to
bestow upon them to enlighten, enliven, and comfort them;
nor rain to give, to refresh and nourish them; yet, you have an
ear for their complaints, an eye to pity them, a heart to feel
for their distresses, a tongue to speak to them, and for them,
and to their good, feet to travel to serve them, and a hand to
stretch forth for their relief. Remember you live by the mercy
of Gop, and are sustained by the grace of Christ. Is this your
faith ? then add to your faith charity. What a blessed and
glorious string of graces are here! how do they adorn faith
243
They all spring from faith, and must be added to our faith. Let
US Il OW See.
(2d.) The blessings consequent upon the practice of this.
(1st.) If these things be in you and abound, they make you, that
ye shall neither be barren, nor unfruitful in the knowledge of
our Lord Jesus Christ. Wer. 8. What a most precious blessing is
this To be a christian is a great and unspeakable blessing; but
to be a lively, zealous, fruitful christian, is the greatest blessing
on this side glory. Yea, it is glory in the soul, and the soul in
the enjoyment of glory. For these precious fruits spring from
the knowledge of Christ, are brought forth to the acknowledg-
ment of him, and bring praise, honour, and glory to him. GoD
the Father is well pleased with the fruits of his beloved children.
GoD the Son is delighted, to eat of the pleasant fruits of his
sister and spouse, Song v. 1. And GoD the Holy Ghost is
glorified by our fruitfulness, as flowing from his uniting us to
Christ. And he sweetly testifies to our hearts, that we are the
children of God, members of Christ, and heirs of glory. Our
brethen in Christ are delighted with us, and profited by us.
Yea, all within the reach of our influence, get some good from
us. And as to our own souls, what shall I say? all language
fails, every description comes short of our blessedness. But,
(2d.) Says Peter, if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.
Ver. 10. Here is the glorious doctrine of our present safety,
and final perseverance. It is maintained and carried on in the
way of holy obedience, and abounding in the fruitfulness of
good works. In this way the Lord keeps his people comfort-
able now, and safely to the end. O, let us never attempt to
separate the means from the end: fruitfulness in life, from
final perseverance unto eternal salvation. If we continue in
this way, we shall never fall fouly, nor finally. Though in
many things we all offend. Though in all things we all fall
short of our duty in God's glory. Though none of us all, are
in a state of perfection in ourselves, yet, being in Christ,
abiding by Christ, cleaving to Christ, and walking with Christ,
in the faith and love of our hearts, we have all perfection in
him, persevering grace from him, sweet fellowship with him,
joyful union to him, and constant communications of sanctifying
influences from him, so as to keep us from falling away from
him. But, we shall not only be kept from falling, but to crown
all, says the apostle, -
(3d.). So an entrance shall be ministered unto you abun-
dantly, into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ. Here is the blessedness of all blessings, O that
we could reach the height of this abundant glory, in the idea of
our minds, and the experience of our hearts | Then would our
souls be all fired with love, * in an ecstatic transport of joy,
2
244
so that we should look down with a holy contempt upon all
things here below, and press with glowing ardour to the full
possession of this kingdom, now in all the richness of its abundant.
grace, and hereafter in all its celestial glory. *
For, even now this abundant entrance into Christ's kingdom
shall be given us. We shall freely enjoy even in this life, so
much of the spiritual reign of Christ in our hearts, and experi-
ence such an abundance of the blessings of his spiritual kind-
dom in our souls, as will make us quite happy, comfortable,
and joyful in him. We shall daily banquet upon the rich
repasts of his love, and hear his loving voice saying to us, Eat
O friends, drink, yea drink abundantly O beloved, Song v. 1.
I’very day shall be a high day of festivity and joy to our souls,
and the return of every sabbath day, shall put us in more full
and sensible enjoyment of righteousness, peace, and joy in the
Holy Ghost. Fears and doubts of our interest in Christ, shall
be banished from our hearts. And such an abundant entrance
shall be ministered to us, into all the richness and glory of his
kindom, that assurance, yea all the fulness of the assurance of
hope shall possess our souls.
Thus shall it be with every fruitful soul in life, and when the
messenger of death shall be commissioned to call us hence, our
dying pillows shall be made soft by the love of Christ, our dying
beds made comfortable with the presence of Christ, our hearts
supported by the power of Christ, our prospect shall be glorious
in the views of Christ, our souls, filled with the triumphs of
joy in seeing the gates of the kingdom thrown open to our
view, and Christ standing at the right hand of God with
extended arms to receive, embrace, and welcome us to glory,
honour, immortality and eternal life. O who can fully describe
all the blessedness. of this abundant entrance into Christ's king-
dom! The Lord grant us the sweet experience of it in our,
souls now, and the fullest enjoyment of it, hereafter in glory !
But, let us
(3d.) Consider the evil of neglecting the duty here enjoined
of adding to our faith, &c. Peter describes the awful state of
such in these words. “He is blind, and cannot see far off,
and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.”
Verse 9. Do we not meet with many such professors? They
have neglected the Lord’s commands, and he slights their souls.
They have withdrawn their allegiance from him, and duty to .
him, and he has withdrawn his presence, light and comfort
from them. “ He is blind.” Not totally so. For he sees
enough at times of the baseness and folly of his conduct to
make him miserable. But, he is blinded to the charms of
Christ, by the objects of time and sense, so that he sees not to
his comfort, the glory of a reconciled God in the face of Jesus
245
Christ : he walks in darkness as to any comfortable sense of
interest in Christ, and sweet fellowship with God, the Father,
and his Son Jesus Christ. All is darkness and confusion in
his soul. O this is miserable blindness indeed l “ He cannot
see far off:” The eye of faith is dim and obscure. He
cannot see that the end of his faith shall be salvation: the end
of his life, eternal glory. No. He sees only present things
to comfort him; and when he thinks of future, he is all fear,
doubt, terror, and uncertainty. For he cannot clearly see, that
when death has destroyed his body, Christ will receive his soul.
Ö this is a dreadful, short-sighted state |
“He has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.”
Once he professed to have tasted the forgiving love of God:
Once he gloried in the knowledge of remission of sins in the
blood of the Lamb; but now the most distant traces of the
sense of this, is blotted out of his memory. He can neither
recal, nor recover that sweet, joyful, soul-ravishing sense of
what he once professed to have received. His old sins, like
so many ghosts, rise up in dread form and haunt him. He
cannot lay them. He cannot see that they were laid upon
Christ; and that Christ bore them in his own body upon the
tree; therefore his conscience bears them, his soul is terrified
with them, and he is in dread and terror, lest he should be
damned for them. O see what an awful thing it is, to profess
the Lord and his truths, and yet to slight and disobey his com-
mands. O let us ever remember, that doing the Lord's will, is
inseparably joined with believing his word. Adding to our faith, is
as much our indispensible duty, as believing in Christ for sal-
vation. What God hath.joined together, let no man dare put
asunder. The faith of the gospel is a most holy faith. And
there is no enjoying the comforts of faith, but by walking in the
obedience of faith. We are as much before ordained of God
to walk in good works, or to add to our faith good works, as
we are predestinated to the adoption of sons, and to be heirs
of glory. Eph. ii. 10; i. 5. *
A COLLECT.
O Loºp, in mercy deliver us from resting in, and being de-
ceived by, a dead faith. Son of GoD, be thou the life of our
souls, and the life of our graces. Holy Spirit quicken us to
all fruitfulness, by the faith and love of Jesus Christ our Lord,
...that we may evidence our faith, by our works shew forth the
praises of thee our GoD, who hath translated us out of nature's
darkness, into the glorious kingdom of thy dear Son, to whom
be glory now and ever. Amen.
246
(The Chitty-firgt Lotb's ºap.
ON THE SOVEREIGNTY OF G RACE IN CONVERSION,
• *Tº
And Saul arose from the Earth. Acts ix. S.
AND a blessed arising it was. The most blessed that ever
Saul knew in his life. For in consequence of his falling to the
earth, under the revelation of Jesus, and arising from the earth,
at his command, his soul is now as full of glory and happiness,
as it can possibly contain. And his heart is full as it can hold
of the love of Jesus; and with the most enlarged faculties of
his heavenly soul, he is now around the throne of Goo and the
Lamb, shouting praises in the highest, for his everlasting love,
electing grace, sovereign purposes, atoning blood, justifying
righteousness, sanctifying influences, persevering power, and
‘eternal glory. For in the fullest, clearest, brightest manner,
he now sees all is of GoD. And, he would as soon ascribe any,
the least part of his salvation, to the devil, as to any free-will
power of his own, to any works of righteousness which he had
done, or to any terms and conditions, which he had performed.
And, as he now perfectly sees and fully knows all salvation
is of GoD : so he also as perfectly sees, knows, and confesses
that all is of grace, free, sovereign, unfrustratable, undeserved
favour. Nothing that ever he did upon earth, could at all add
the least to, or give him any title, right, or claim, to an interest
in the love of GoD, and in the salvation of the LAM B. For
Saul’s name was enrolled in the slain Lamb's book of life, from
the foundation of the world. Rev. xvii. 8. Not all the devils in
hell, nor all the men upon earth, nor all the sins that ever Saul
committed, (and he went the most dreadful lengths in sin too;
few around the throne exceeded him) could possible erase it.
Therefore he was a called, regenerated, converted, pardoned,
justified, sanctified, saved sinner, on the earth. Hence he
cried, BY THE GRACE OF GoD, I AM whAT I AM. 1 Cor. xv.
16. Now he is a perfect saint in glory, in the full enjoyment
of God. And, now his language is, BY THE GRACE of GoD,
I AM when E I AM. All that has been observed of Paul, is
equally true of every converted sinner upon earth, and every
glorified saint in heaven. And their language also will be the
very same too.
I suppose we have not the least doubt of Paul's being an
elected, converted man, and that he is now in heaven: though
we may have doubts concerning ourselves. Yet, extraordinarily
remarkable as Saul’s conversion was, let us meditate upon it,
247
‘and see whether there is not some similiarity between his con-
version and ours, if our souls are really converted unto Christ:
And if they are, the Lord grant we may get stronger evidence,
and fuller proof of it, that so we may be more comfortable in
our souls, rejoice more in God our Saviour, and from our
hearts, with our lips, and in our lives, give more glory unto
him for electing grace, redeeming love, and converting power.
Let us consider Saul's falling to the earth, and his rising
from it. (1st.) Saul fell to the earth. How came he there
How came this fierce, this valiant champion for the devil dis-
mounted what see we, the courageous Saul, sprawling upon
the earth, and his journey stopt What's the matter? Has any
disciple of Jesus met him, cooly reasoned with him, and by
the power of human eloquence, clearly demonstrated to him, the
cruelty and barbarity of his schemes, and by the force of moral
suasion, caused him to desist from his bloody purpose of
slaughtering the sheep of Christ? No. We hear not one word
of this. But, just before he arrived at his journey’s end, near
Damascus, the destined place to execute his barbarous design,
Lo, “suddenly, there shined round about him a light from
heaven, and he fell to the earth.” This was not at night, but at
noon day. Now let us stop here, and meditate upon this fall
of Saul’s to the earth.
(2d.) Suppose now any of Saul's Pharisaical companions,
who were prodigiously wise in their own eyes, and wonderfully
righteous in their own sight, had come to Saul, and said, Hey-
day ! Saul, what aileth thee 3 art thou mad? why dost thou lie
here, panting, groaning and sighing? what art thou become a
visionary, a mad enthusiast, or (had it been in the present day)
a crack-brained Methodist! Prithee man, exert your reason.
Get up. Mount your horse. Pursue your journey, and all will
be well. Don’t give way to these flights of fancy. What
think you, Saul would have said to all this? would he mot have
smiled at their folly, treated it with contempt, considered their
talk like the incoherent raving of a lunatic, and have taken
wisdom's advice, “answer not a fool, according to his folly.”
Prov. xxvi. 4; or with GoD enquire, “Who is this that dark-
eneth counsel by words without knowledge?” Job xxxviii. 2.
For, by this light, though Saul was struck blind, yet he saw
what he never saw before. By this fall, he felt what he never
felt before. He saw his misery. He felt his wretchedness. The
Lord had stopt, and arrested him, in the height of his mad
career; and as to the sea, agitated with all the rage of an indig-
nant tempest, said, “Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further,
and here shall thy proud waves be stayed.” Job. xxxviii. 11.
(3d.) Have you ever been struck to the earth, by a superna-
tural light from heaven I know many, who would laugh at
248
the folly of the question, and think its proposer as mad, as a
bedlamite. Such plainly answer in the negative, and fully
prove they are in nature's darkness, even till now, and are plu-
ming themselves in their fancied notion of moral rectitude.
So did Saul. So do we all, till the light of truth, the light of
life, supernatural light from heaven, shines into our dark hearts,
and enlightens our minds, which are naturally in darkness, and
the shadow of death. In thy light, O Jesu, thou light of life, we
see light. Ps. xxxvi. 9. “All things that are reproved, are made
manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest, is
light, Ephes. v. 13. O, when this light from heaven shines into
otur hearts, it reproves our consciences for sin, manifests that we
are under condemnation by sin, and causes us to fall to the earth
under fears and terrors,with trembling and astonishment, as Saul
did, on the account of our sins ! Have you ever seen this, and felt
this 2 there can be no conversion to heaven, without this light
form heaven. No heart can turn to Christ, without this light
from Christ. For, he can neither see himself, nor Christ. No.
No more than, if the sun was blotted out of the firmament, we
could possibly see any one object. No one but he who
created the soul, can create light in that soul, which is natu-
rally in darkness. Our GoD Jesus created all things ; without
him was not any thing made which is made. John i. 3. He
was the true light which, coming into the world, enlighteneth
every man, ver. 9, to see his lost state, by which he becomes
sensible of his eternal danger of inevitable destruction.
(4th), Saul fell to the earth, whereby his journey was stop-
ed, and his pursuit prevented. Where was you journeying,
when this light from heaven, the light of the glorious gospel,
shone into your heart? even to hell post haste. What were
your pursuits sin, folly, madness, destruction, rebellion against
GoD, enmity against Christ, contempt of his gospel: and though
not to butcher others for confessing it, yet laughing at their
folly, and ridiculing their madness, even to the damnation of
your own soul. Such was the journey, and such were the pur-
suits of you and me, and all men upon the earth. But when
the light shined from heaven, we fell to the earth, confessed
we were men of the earth, nothing but earthly-minded, com-
osed only of sensual appetites, brutish lusts, and devilish pas-
sions: ignoble as earth. More so, because sinful, accursed
earth. Now we understand the language of the psalmist, and
consider its address, not to inanimate beings, but we feel its
force upon our ownselves, “Tremble thou earth, at the pre-
sence of the Lord, at the presence of the GoD of Jacob.
Psalm cziv. 6. For now the Lord ariseth to shake terribly the
earth, (with a sight of the Lord, and for fear of the glory of his
majesty, and to shake us out of ourselves, and our vain, earthly
249
hope) and the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the
haughtiness of men shall be made low, and the Lord alone shall
be exalted in that day. And the idols, (all our earthly hopes,
all confidence in ourselves, in our works, of what we are, and
what we can do, towards our salvation) shall he utterly abolish.
For, the day, (the meridian day of his gospel) shall be upon
every one who is proud and lofty, and upon every one who is
lifted up, and he shall be brought low.” He shall even fall to
the earth, without the least hope in himself: though maturally, in
our own imaginations, we are high as towers, lofty as mountains,
strong as fenced walls, stately as gallant ships of war, sturdy as
the Oaks of Bashan, and as speciously showy, as pleasant pic-
tures. Isai. ii. 11, &c. All these images, the Spirit uses to set
forth to us, our pride and loftiness. O blessed day of the Lord!
O glorious light from heaven I O precious fall to the earth ! for
now the Lord, the God of our salvation, is alone exalted; glo-
rified in our eyes, and magnified in our hearts. Hence we will
say no more to the idols of our hearts, the work of our hands,
ye are our GoD's: For in thee, and only thee, O Lord, the fa-
therless, (who have no eye to pity them, nor hand to relieve
them with fatherly affection) findeth mercy. Hos. xiv. 3. Thus
this falling to the earth, is like autumn to the trees, when the
leaves drop off: For the fig leaves of our own righteousness
we see drop off, and will no longer hide our nakedness, or pre-
vent our shame. But did Saul, do enlightened sinners by
Christ, fall to the earth to rise no more ? No. Blessed be the
Lord, as he said to Saul, so he says to us, AR is E.: and Saul arose
from the earth.
(6th.) Let us secondly consider this. Heaven's wonder, and
heaven's glory, is in this light from heaven, and in this fall to
the earth, and arising from the earth. For, Saul fell to the
earth, in the image of the devil; he arose from the earth, a new
creature in Christ. He fell, a cursed sinner in himself; he arose
a blessed saint in Christ. He fell, a bloody persecutor of Christ,
he arose to be an apostle of Christ. He fell a vile blasphemer
against Christ, he cries, as an humble petitioner to Christ, Lord,
what will thou have me to do? He fell, full of earthly hellish
pursuits, he arose to quit the devil's service, his earthly compa-
nions, and devilish practices, to join the Saints of Christ, and
to pursue his journey to heaven, in the paths of love and holi-
ness: For he arose to live out of himself, to live no longer by
his own works of righteousness, but, upon the fulness of Christ,
and to glory in him, and of him only. What an amazing?
what an instantaneous change is here ! But what kind of prere-
quisites did Saul posses what sort of terms and conditions
had he performed, in order to his conversion, as some ignorant-
ly contend for Just as many as he himself insisted upon
~
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that other sinners must possess, when he became Paul the
apostle of Christ; which are, just none at all. We have just
as much hand in procuring our own conversion, as Lazarus had
in raising himself from the dead. “Lazarus come forth,” says
GoD Jesus, and he obeyed his almighty voice. Sinner, arise,
saith the same Lord, and the soul arises from the earth. He
who hath heard Christ's voice, has felt the power of his sove-
reignty.
(7th.) This change proceeded from conversion of the heart
to Christ. This conversion was solely effected by the sovereign
power of Christ, in causing this wonderful light to shine from
heaven. Saul saw the light. In that light, he saw himself,
saw Jesus, heard his voice, and believed him, when he said, I
am JESUs, (Saul well knew the precious meaning of that
Hebrew word to be, THE SAviourt) whom thou persecutest.
“It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” Surely, Saul
must think, what am I about ! what mad work am I at. What
persecute Jesus, the precious Saviour, who is in heaven, the
GoD of heaven, and has almighty power to send me quick into
hell ! Verily this were to kick against the sharpest goads in-
deed, and to wound myself in the most dangerous part. Thus
light from heaven, produces heavenly reasoning. A sight of
Jesus, slays carnal enmity against him. Hearing the voice,
and knowing the name of Jesus, the Saviour, begets love to
him, and delight to do his will. Saul is now come to his right
mind, and sober senses. He reasons well. Never in all his
life, did he reason so well before. Pray now what hand had
Saul in procuring the means of his conversion, this light from
heaven, this sight of Jesus, and this voice from Jesus? not the
least. No, he was all passivity in the work of conversion to
Christ, but after his heart was turned to Christ, he was all acti-
vity in life, for the glory of Christ. But, why was this mighty
work effected on Saul ? The Lord revealed it to Ananias, and
he told Saul, the God of our Fathers hath chosen thee, that
thou should'st know his will, and see that just one (Jesus)
and should'st hear the voice of his mouth. Acts xxii. 14. So
that all was settled by the election of GoD, before time; and
all came to pass in the fulness of time, according to electing
love and covenant grace,
(Sth.) Now let us see, whether, like Saul, we have ever arose
from the earth. Every conversion to Christ is marked with
particulars similar to Saul's. (1st.) This arising was at the
command of Christ, says the Lord, Arise. How emblematical
this, of a poor sinner's arising from his fall in Adam, at the
command of Christ’s word in the gospel The Lord speaks, and
the dead in sin arise. The dead (in sin) shall hear the voice of
the Son of God (in his gospel,) and they who hear shall live.
25i
John vi. 25. Here is his word, arise, shine, for thy light is
come; and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. Here is
his power. The Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall
be seen by thee. Isai. lx. 1, 2. Hath the Lord arisen upon
you? have you seen the glory of Christ in the light of the gos-
pel ? have you heard the voice of the Son of God, by the
gospel ? then you know what it is to arise from the earth, from
your cursed earthly state, to shine in the glories of Immanuel,
to shine in his everlasting righteousness, and in the graces of
his Spirit: to stand complete in him, before the court of
heaven, and to possess peace, pardon, and justification, in the
court of conscience. O, how sweet ! how comfortable ! how
joyful, is this rising, in the experience of the soul! Blessed,
and holy is he, who has part in the first resurrection: on such
the second death has no power. Rev. xx. 6. O, keep holy the
Lord's sabbaths, in commemoration of this arising from the
earth, justified, pardoned, and accepted in Christ.
(9th.) We arose from the earth, new creatures in Christ.
Blessed be his dear name, he has slain the enmity of our minds
against him. We who were sometimes alienated, and ene-
mies in our minds, by wicked works, yet now hath he recon-
ciled. Col. i. 21. We arise from the earth, not merely to know
this as a doctrine, revealed in the word: but also to experience
the comfort of it in our hearts. Instead of being alienated
from Christ, and enemies to Christ, now Christ lives in our
minds; and our minds are reconciled to him, and delight in
him. We are never, no never happy, but when we find
Christ present to our minds, our minds wholly taken up with
him, and enjoying sweet communication of the Spirit from
him. Our affections are set upon him, and our wills bow to
him. Since we have seen his glory, heard his voice, felt his
power, and tasted his love, as Jesus, the Saviour, we cry unto
him, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do we no more ask,
who art thou Lord?, no. We know him in his glorious person,
God-man in one Christ, in his peculiar relations, and precious
offices, as our loving Brother, tender Bridegroom, watchful
Shepherd, almighty King, all-prevailing Priest, condescending
Prophet, perfect Justifier of us from all condemnation, and
precious sanctifier, to subdue all sin under us, and to perfect
holiness in us; and our dear redeemer, to ransom our souls
from all sin, and our inheritance forfeited by sin unto us. Thus
Christ is all in all to us. We are new creatures in him, and
have all in all from him for we are one with him.
(10th.) Hence, we no longer reckon ourselves, after the
flesh, after our earthly nature, our old man. No. Since we
arose from the earth, we view ourselves in the light of truth, as
God views us, even new creatures in Christ, possessing all is
252
Christ, the new man, which we lost in Adam the old, man.
The favour of God is restored to us, and the image of God is
formed in us: and GoD delights over us, blessing us with all
spiritual blessings, according as he hath chosen us in Christ,
before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and
without blame before him in love. Eph. i. 4. Thus being made
holy by electing love, we have our fruit unto holiness, by the
influence of the spirit of love. Having heard Jesus, been taught
by him, and knowing the truth as it is in him, it is our study,
delight, and glory, to put off concerning the former conver-
sation, the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful
lusts; and to put on the new man, which, after God (the image
of GoD,) is created in righteousness, and true holiness. All this
proceeds from our being renewed in the spirit of our mind, and
being new creatures in Christ. We delight in the law of God,
after the inward man : we groan under sin, and the burdens of
the flesh. We wish to have nothing to do with sin, and to live
out of the flesh. We long to be perfectly freed from the very
being of sin, and to have it totally rooted out of us. For this
we look to Christ, live upon him, and cry to him, that his life
may be manifested in our flesh, to the killing of sin, subduing
our lusts, that the body of sin may be so destroyed in us, that
henceforth sin should not be served by us. For we are both
the Lord's new-men, and his free-men : new in the spirit, and
free in our minds, not to serve in the oldness of the letter, to
please our old man, and to puff up our old, earthly nature, by
our doings and services; or to establish our own righteousness,
to recommend us to God's favour, justify us in his sight, and
entitle us to his kingdom. No. We have arose from all these
earthly notions. The light of truth, and the sight of Jesus in
his glory, have put us quite out of all conceit with ourselves,
what we ever have done, or can do, to any such ends and pur-
oses as these. But we serve in the newness of the spirit.
W. delight to do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, in whom
we are perfectly accepted, perfectly justified, enjoy the true
favour of God, and have a clear and indefeasible title to his
kingdom. All is enjoyed by faith: all is safe and secure in
Christ : and therefore we shall most assuredly receive the end
of our faith, the salvation of our souls. O this joyful faith,
makes joyful work in the heart, and obedient work in the life
For this faith in Jesus, works by the love of Jesus: works love
to Jesus: and from love to him, we delight to glorify GoD in
him. For, we are God's workmanship, created (anew) in
Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained
that we should walk in them. Ephes. ii. 10. O blessed, holy,
arising from the earth ! O, may we thus rise day by day, more
and more out of our earthly image, our earthly nature | But, ,
253
(11th.) We arise from our earthly companions. When I
was one of your jovial ones, I had a fixed hour to depart. No
one could scarce prevail on me to exceed it. I used to say
my time is come, and I must go. Eternal praises to Jesus
that ever the time came, to arise from the earth ! That time is
come, and therefore we must arise to depart from our vain,
earthly companions. Now we have seen the glory, heard the
voice, and found the company of Christ; O his company is so
sweet, we prefer it above all: we forsake all who know him not,
for the enjoyment of his company. But yet we see many, and
what loving, lively Christian, is not grieved at it? Who profess
to have arose from the earth, yet, can kill a deal of their precious
time, in-devoting it to the company of carnal persons. What
shall we say of such? they give sad evidence of the preciousness
of Christ, and of their love of his company. Their state we
dare not judge. Their conduct we must condemn and avoid.
Möst sure we may be, that there is no walking in close fellow-
ship with Christ, without coming out, and being separated from
the men of the world. For lastly, says our dear Lord of Saul,
he is a chosen vessel unto me. Acts ix. 15. Eternal praises to
him, this, this is true of us also. Though not chosen to be
apostles unto Christ, yet chosen to be saints in Christ; chosen
unto me. O what charms are there in that phrase ! It is the
fontal spring, the foundation cause of all spiritual light, sight,
hearing, life, knowledge, faith, hope, love, conversion, &c. all
are put into us, as vessels to retain them, and as chosen vessels
unto Christ. O what heavenly treasure have we in our earthen
vessels'! Ever resolve all unto this: ever see all springing from
this, that Christ may be all in all to us. Thus, how safe our
state, how secure our salvation, and how happy will our souls
be O, how joyful to meditate, that all our blessings in time,
flow from our election in eternity; and therefore that love which
chose us, will assuredly land our soulsin the enjoyment of Christ
in glory.
A, COLLECT. * mr. $
O Loso Christ, who art the light, life, and glory of thy people,
pray be all this to our souls; that we may love thee, delight
in thee, devote ourselves to thee, be followers of thee, and
glorify Gop for giving thee, and the spirit for our knowing
thee, to whom be all glory and praise, now and ever.
Amen, f
254
Çbe (Tbirtpagetomb Lott's Dap.
Love the END of the commandMENT.
Now the end of the Commandment is Charity, (or Love,) out of a
pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned :
from which some having swerved, have turned aside unto vain
jangling. I Tim. v. 6. -
WHAT lack I yet 2 wherein do I yet come short? for all things
contained in the law, I have kept from my youth up. This
was the sober plea. and serious enquiry, of a very discreet
youth, who came to our Lord. But Jesus said unto him, one
thing thou lackest. What was that ? LovE, which is the very
end of the commandment. For, notwithstanding all his
doings, and enquiry about eternal life, it is plain that he loved
his riches better than God and his neighbour; and preferred
them to the hope of eternal life.
From hence we may observe, (1st.) That even natural men
may have some serious thoughts about, and make some sober
enquiries concerning eternal life. Yea, (2d.) In hopes to
obtain it, they may take some pains to be very decent in their
external behaviour, and strict conformity of life, to the precepts
of the moral law. While (3d.) all their specious doings,
result from ignorance, are supported by pride, and proceed
from the infidelity of their hearts; and therefore so far from
obtaining eternal life, by, or for their supposed good works, they
will be sent away, sad, and sorrowful from the presence of
a heart-searching GoD, the judge of the secrets of all hearts,
as this ignorant, proud, self-justifying, unbelieving youth was
from Christ. For, our Lord discovered to him, what he was
ignorant of, the secret springs and latent motives of his conduct.
(4th.) Let a man go ever so far, in external obedience to the
law, in order to obtain eternal life, yet, there will be always
somewhat lacking: he will ever come short of the perfection of
the law; and when our conscience is at all roused, it will
create jealousies, and put the sinner upon the enquiry, what
shall I do to inherit eternal life? What lack I yet? There will
be always somewhat wanting, where Christ is absent. (5th.)
Notwithstanding this specious pretence of working and doing,
and this natural desire after eternal life; yet, the doctrine of
salvation by the cross, forsaking all and following Christ, to
enjoy Christ as the only hope of eternal life, is most irksome
and disgustful to legal hearts. For, (6th.) Though they seem
always beginning to do, yet they never come to the end of the
255.
commandment love, out of a pure heart, a good conscience, and
faith unfeigned. - - -
May the Lord help us to turn our thoughts to these words,
and sweetly to meditate upon each of these precious blessings,
in the order they lie before us; so as to see the comfort of
enjoying them, and the folly of swerving and turning aside
from them. A. -
(1st.). “The end of the commandment is love.” But, why
does Paul put love before faith, a good conscience, and a pure
heart 2 do not all these flow from faith ? Does not the sinner
partake of them, in consequence of believing 2 Can any sinner
have love, while his heart is impure, his conscience defiled, and
he himself shut up in unbelief? impossible. For, even the
mind and conscience of the unbelieving is defiled—and unto
every good work they are reprobate. Tit. i. 15, 16.. Why then
put love first? Some think, Paul here speaks to Timothy that
the end of the commandment, or charge which he had been
giving him, was love. But it seems rather that he means
the end of the commandment, or the law, is love, by the
following verses. If so, here is a kind of spiritual genealogy,
reckoning from son to father; or going to the top of a house,
and so descending to the foundation. In this sense, let us
attend to it. The end of the commandment is love.
(1st.) Love, to GoD and man, O heavenly plant in nature's
soil Love brings heaven into the soul | All that is contrary to
this love, is from beneath, from hell itself; and is earthly, sen-
sual, and devilish. O, Christian | Do you see, and mourn:
your want of love, and cry to the God of love for the increase
of it? this is love in the root. The Lord water it, that it may
shoot forth into luxuriant branches, and bear much fruit to his
glory, and our souls' joy. -
The end of the commandment is love. Does not this in-
stantly remind us of our BELovED, who is love itself, from
whom our love springs, to whom it is directed, and who is, the
end of the law for righteousness, to every one who believeth?
Tom. x. 4. One would never think of love, without thinking
of the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge. That love
which brought him from a heaven of glory, to a cross of shame.
That love, which made him become sin for us, who knew no
sin ; that we sinners might be made righteous in him. There-
fore, “we love him because he first loved us.” 1 John iv. 19.
O, for more knowledge of him, who is the end of the com-
mandment O, for more love to him who is love itself, and hath
taught us the love of the Father, and is himself the brightest
manifestation of the Father's love to us. Therefore,
(2d.) Love to GoD, the Father. The love of a child disco.
vers itself in fearing to offend its Father. There is a secret
356
jealousy in love, lest we offend the object beloved. A filial
fear is ever accompanied with a real filial love. They cannot
be separated. Fear may exist without love, but love never ex-
ists without fear. And, the more filial love, the more child-
like fear. The latter ever keeps pace with the former. If
love be fervent, fear will be predominant over all our conduct.
Well, christian, how is it with you ? Is there in your heart such
a fear of offending God your Father, as causes, you to be
watchful over your heart, and jealous of your walk Is it the
grief of your heart, that ever you offend him 2 Is it your sorrow,
that you are the subject of a mature, which is prone to offend
him do you fear, from day to day, that some spark may fall
upon your corruptions, and light up some fire in your nature,
the smoke of which may be offensive to the nostrils of your
heavenly Father there is certainly love at the bottom of this.
(3d.) Love in a child shews itself, in studying to please his
father. This Goo expects from all his children; and they be-
ing partakers of Christ, their elder brother's nature and dispo-
sition by union to him, delight to please their Father in all
things. His commandments are not grievous to them, because
they are born of God, know, and love him, as their Father.
But love makes their corrupt nature grievous to them, because
it prevents and hinders the efforts of love in pleasing their
loving Father. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, so that they
cannot do the things that they would, to please God. Hence
the sorrow of love. The Spirit lusteth against the flesh, so
that they cannot do the things the flesh lusteth to do, to offend
God, Hence the joy of love. This is the love of God, that
we keep his commandments. I John v. 3. This the loving
heart of a child of GoD delights to do perfectly and perseve-
ringly, but is sore let and hindered by sin which dwelleth in
him. But love manifests itself in striving against sin, and in
praying for victory over sin, and that love may have the pre-
eminence in all things. - - -
(4th.) The love of a child manifests itself by concern for its
distance, and delight to be near its Father. Jesus hath brought
us nigh to GoD by his blood. Ephes. ii. 13. And it is the joy
of our souls to live near to GoD, and our dread to find a distance
between God our Father and us. What a holy boldness does
nearness to GoD inspire | This rejoices the loving heart. What
an awful shyness does distance from God create? This grieves
the loving heart! Love will be urging, “It is good for me to
draw near to Goe,” Ps. lxxiii. 28. Love will be crying to GoD,
Draw high to my soul. Ps. lxix. 18. The absence of God is
hell, the presence of God is heaven to a heart of love. This is
an experienced truth. Do you find it so then you have the
łoving heart of a child of God. O may we be longing for
257
more nearness on earth, till we enjoy our Father's presence in
glory. And as we thus love GoD our SAVIOUR, and GoD our
Father,
(5th.) So we love GoD the Holy Ghost, our quickener, sanc-
tifier and comforter. It was by his power that we first came
to Jesus, knew him, and the Father's love in him. It is by his
grace, that we enjoy the love of God: “For, the love of GoD
our Father, is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which
is given unto us.” Rom. v. 5. It was the Spirit that convinced
of sin, took of the things of Christ, and shewed them unto us,
glorified Christ in our eyes, and out hearts, persuaded us to
believe on, and come unto him, as lost and perishing sinners,
for pardon of sin, justification from sin, peace with God, and
the hope of eternal life. And if we continue to believe on
Christ, abide in him, and enjoy fellowship with him : it is be-
cause the Spirit abides with us, and keeps faith alive in us,
whereby our hearts are purified from other lovers, and preserved
from idols. O, if we love the Father and the Son, we must
love the Spirit, who taught us to know the love of both, in his
word, and by his power. And if we do love him, we shall fear
to grieve him, and dread to quench his comforting influences.
in our hearts. -
(6th.) This love is out of a pure heart. A heart purified by
faith in Christ. Acts xv. 9. It is amazing, what an efficacy
the belief of the truth as it is in Jesus, has upon the heart, in
purifying it from corrupt lusts, worldly love, self-righteous
hopes, and legal dependencies. Our faith simply considered,
appears but as a mean grace. But, when viewed as the gift of
GoD, the faith of the operation of God, no wonder its power
is so great in us, and its effects so mighty and many upon us.
For it is faith unfeigned. Not the pretension to, and feigned
profession of, but the reality and power of faith, which brings
Christ and love into the heart. It is the blood of Christ alone,
which purges our consciences from the guilt of sin, from rely-
ing on the dead works of the law, and all our dead confidences,
to serve the living God in newness of spirit. Heb. ix. 14.
(7th.) This love is also out of a good conscience. How do
we obtain this many talk very highly and confidently of a good
conscience, who know not what they say, nor whereof they af-
firm, while they have a heathenish, blind, stupid, yea, a seared
conscience, past all feeling of sin, sorrow for sin, and without
the least hope in the friend of sinners. Still they will tell you,
they have got a good conscience: they never did harm to any
one on earth; and as to God, they always loved him. Here is
a blind conscience, that so far from arriving at the end of the
commandment, they have not yet begun with it at all; but are
dead in their sins, blind in their hopes, deceived in their hearts,
- 258
and stupid in their consciences, through the opiates of sin and
Satan. Whereas the faithful in Christ, have the answer of a
good conscience before God, not on account of what they are
in themselves, or of what they have done to please God, to re-
commend them to his favour, and entitle them to his kingdom;
but “by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” 1.
Peter i. 3. This finishing stroke of Christ's work on earth,
enters into the faith of our hearts, and the hope of our souls.
This makes our conscience good, and keeps it good, and always
furnishes us with a good answer to God, taken from the resur-
rection of his beloved Son, whose work he was ever delighted
with, and whose person he was ever well pleased in. This
blessed person, and his glorious work, satisfied GoD, magnified
his holy law, and made it honourable; and nothing but this can.
satisfy any sinner's guilty conscience, and possess it with a good
answer towards God’s law and justice. O, may our consciences.
find peace from it, enjoy peace in it, and ever abide by it, look-
ing wholly and solely unto a once crucified, but now risen Sa-
viour. But
Lastly, from “this some swerved, and turned aside to vain jang-
ling.” What is this 2 to be like one who aims at a mark, but
shoots wide of it. They entirely miss the mark which they
aim at. St. Jude calls them, “wandering stars.” Jude xiii.
You never know where to look for, and find them. Sometimes,
they seem as if they were all for the gospel of Christ; and
Christ in the gospel. Presently they are eccentric, quite gone
from the centre of gospel-grace and truth. They exalt the
merit of works, in opposition to the righteousness of Christ.
Cry up man’s faithfulness, in opposition to God’s ; decry the
covenant of grace, to make way for their own terms and condi-
sions of salvation : and contend for as many justifications in
the sight of God, as their whims and fancies multiply, to the
setting aside the finished salvation of the Son of GoD.
All such talking and preaching is nothing but vain jangling.
It is like an instrument out of tune, which gives a discordant
sound, which greatly offends the ear, and, as we say, sets the
teeth on edge. Such blow the trumpet of an uncertain sound.
It is neither the thorough bass of the law, nor the melodious
tenor of the gospel. Bishop Latimer used to call it mingle
mangle, neither law nor gospel, but a confused mixture of both.
The certain, effect of such preaching is, that it either makes a
distressed, or a deceived conscience. If the soul is truly awa-
kened by the Spirit of God, it is sure to be distressed by such
vain jangling. If it is only seeking to satisfy conscience, by
its own working and doing, and to establish a legal hope, and
self-righteous confidence, it is sure to be deceived into a vain.
delusion. O how does such vain jangling abound in the pre-
sent day ! How many turn aside to it, and are distressed and
259.
deceived by it! The Lord keep us steady to the truth, abiding.
in Christ, the way, the truth, and the life. John xiv. 6.
* INFERENCES.
1st. How needful for us, ever to be on our guard against
swerving, turning aside, vain jangling preachers and profes-
sors ; for we are in constant and great danger from such, of
falling from our own stedfastness, losing the sense of peace,
the comfort of hope, and the joy of love; getting into a legal
spirit, and of warming ourselves by sparks of our own kindling,
and at last of lying down in sorrow. Isai. v. 11. How can we
manifest that we do love GoD and his word, Christ and his
gospel, unless we closely abide by their truths, steadily believe
them, speak agreeably to them, and walk worthy of them
without this, profess what we may, real love is wanting. There
must be a close adherence to the truth, to walk worthy of it ;
there must be a harmony and consistence between our talking and
our walking. If men speak things contrary,to sound, doctrine, ,
how dwelleth the love of GoD, of Christ, or of the truth in them
A person who had been the affectionate father of two sons,
died and left all his fortune to that son who loved him best,
the test of which was to be decided by the judgment of his exe-
cutors. They thought of several expedients, but at last deter-
mined, that the dead body of the father should be set up, and
shot at by the sons ; and he who shot nearest the heart, should
enjoy the estate. The elder son shot his arrow into his father's
body. The younger, fired with affectionate indignation, cried,
out in a flood of tears, O let my brother enjoy the whole for-
tune ! For I could sooner pine to death in poverty, than shoot
an arrow at the body of such an affectionate father. The exe-
cutors, fully convinced of his superior love, gave the whole
estate to him. What love can possess that heart, which can
shoot an arrow, even a bitter word against the gospel
of the grace of GoD, our affectionate Father, and Christ our
loving Saviour He who loves the gospel best, shall enjoy
most of its rich blessings, and comfortable promises.
(2d.) Christianity is of an internal nature. It enters into the
understanding, possesses the judgment, engages the affec-
tions, dwells in the heart, and influences the life. Many talk
highly about the TRUTH, and seem to contend warmly for it,
while their hearts are cold and dead to any feeling and expe-
rience of its soul-ravishing comforts. Yea, some decry all in-
ward feeling and experience, as rank enthusiasm. This is a
sad, but clear evidence, that they are strangers to the joy of
feeling the heart warm with the love of God, to the experi-
ence of the soul being filled with joy and peace in believing,
and their spirit enjoying sensible communion with God the
*f |
260
Father, and his Son; Jesus Christ. O, beware of all such who
would persuade us out of our religious senses, and our christian
feelings, because they have them not. They are like the fox
in the fable, who had lost his tail in a trap, and because he was
ashamed to appear among his fellows, persuaded them to cut
off their tails also, saying, I run so much the lighter without it.
So indeed do these unfeeling professors. They run light
enough, and fast enough to such bad places, and vain things,
which did they possess comfortable frames and feelings of soul,
they would not dare to creep to ; and which warm-hearted
christians ever totally shun. O may we ever beware of catch-
ing chilling damps, and aguish fits from such. Lord warm
our hearts with thy heavenly love.
A COLLECT.
O Lord Jesus Christ, who art the end of the law for righ-
teousness, to every one who believes in thee, grant us the com-
fort of this in our consciences, and the joy of it in our hearts,
that we may love thee with a pure heart fervently. O keep us
from turning aside from thee, who alone art the righteousness
and salvation of us poor sinners ; and cause us to cleave unto
thee with full purpose of heart. Cleanse us from our sins
in thy blood. Renew us in the spirit of our minds, by thy holy
Spirit, and present us to thy Father and our Father, without
spot of sin, unto eternal salvation, for the honour and glory of
thy precious Name. Amen.
261
QIbe (Ibirty-thirt. Lord's 2Dap.
* Imams
“ON CHRISTIAN LIBERTY,
Now the Lord is that Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord
is, there is Liberty. 2 Cor. iii. 17.
THERE is scarcely a more pitiable sight out of hell, than to see
so many wretched creatures, under the slavery of sin, captivity
of the world, drudgery of the devil, tied and bound by the
chain of their sins, like bond-slaves now, and doomed hereafter
to be tied hand and foot, and cast into outer darkness; and yet
to hear such wretches ever crying out of their liberty, and
boasting of their freedom ' What a sight ! What a sound ! Pity
them we may. Free them we cannot; for they hug their chains,
love their slavery, and are as happy on earth, as the devil, the
world, and the flesh, can make them. A greater liberty they
want not. A higher happiness they seek not. The scales of
ignorance blind their eyes; and the vail of unbelief hardens
their hearts. Is it not naturally so with us all 2 Is there any
difference between one matural man and another ? No matter
whether he be called a Jew, or a Christian : A Churchman or
Dissenter: Protestant or Papist. Nature is the same in all,
and all are the same by nature. And this one text will solve
every difficulty that attends this truth, “The natural man re-
ceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are fool-
ishness unto him: (why because he is wise in his own conceit)
neither can he know them, because (he is carnal and) they are
spiritually discerned.” I Cor. ii. 14. This is the unerring tes-
timony of the judgment of God. It is a most wise, a most
rational, and a most accountable determination. For as God’s
wisdom is foolishness with men: so men's wisdom is foolish-
ness with God. Are you at any time perplexed in your mind,
about the present state of men and things Take this advice.
Consult the lively oracles of GoD. His word will clear up
every difficulty, and solve every perplexity. Search the scrip-
tures. Never give them up, nor give it over, till you fall asleep
in the arms of Jesus, with the love of the truth in your heart,
and the full prospect of glory in your view.
For all the sons of God are delivered from this cursed bon-
dage, into glorious liberty, by the power of the Spirit of the
Lord. This we are now led to meditate upon. May the Lord,
the Spirit, help us to do it, that we may see our privileges, have
a lively sense of liberty in our spirits, and find our hearts so
enlarged, that we may most dearly prize it, and love aud praise
- 262
the Spirit of the Lord, for his blessed work in and upon us.
Let us consider this blessed work and its glorious author.
(1st.) The wretched bondage we are delivered from.
(2d.) The glorious liberty we are brought into, by the Lord
the Spirit. Y
(1st.) What are we delivered from ? The apostle, in this chap-
ter, treats of the law and the gospel. The former he calls the
ministration of the letter of death and condemnation: the lat-
ter a ministration of the Spirit, of life, righteousness, and glory.
The letter, says he, killeth. Some have called the revealed
word of God a dead letter. This is most absurd. There is
no one place in scripture, to countenance such a motion, neither
of the law of God, nor of the gospel of his grace. But does
not Paul say here, the letter killeth He does. But surely
that which killeth another, cannot be dead itself. What
meaneth he then? Werily, that the letter of the law killeth all
hopes and confidences which a sinner entertains from his obe-
dience to the law. But the Spirit giveth life, ver, 6; that is,
the gospel of the Spirit, called the ministration of the Spirit.
This, by the power of the Spirit, quickeneth or giveth life to the
soul. Then we experience the truth of this, that the letter of
the law killeth our every self-righteous hope and legal confi-
dence; and that we have life, by what the Spirit testifies in the
gospel, of the righteous-atonement and salvation of the Son
of God. - -
(2d.) But there is naturally a vail of blindness upon our minds,
so that we cannot see the purity and perfection of the law.
Like Paul, in his pharisaical state, (for we are all Pharisees by
nature) we are alive without the law, Rom. vii. 9; there is also
a vail of ignorance upon our hearts, so that we cannot tinder-
stand neither the meaning of the law, nor the gospel: how
dreadfully cursed all sinners are, by the law; and what most
precious blessings are revealed to, and bestowed upon sinners,
by the gospel. But naturally, we neither feel the one, nor
desire the other: we fear not the curses of the law, nor care
for the blessings of the gospel. For, besides the blindness of
our minds, and the ignorance of our hearts, there is also a vail
of unbelief upon our consciences. Hence, by blindness, igno-
rance, and unbelief, we are fortified, with treble proof against
the terrors of the law, and the love of the gospel. Thus
we are all in covenant with death and hell. Most awful
state most deplorable circumstances! O wretched men that
we are, who shall deliver us! will any one here vaunt of his
free-will power, and ascribe in the least, his deliverance to his
exertion of that This fully proves his blindness, ignorance,
and unbelief, and that he is under the bondage of pride to this
hour. Just as well ascribe this deliverance to the power of the
e 263 -
devil For there is infernal pride, in ascribing our liberty to
any power at all, but to the power of the Lord, the Spirit.
.Therefore, - - - - - •
(3d.) He says, Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the
Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. As though he had said,
the Spirit of the Lord is in the gospel. The gospel is the
power of God, unto salvation. By the power of the Spirit, in
and, by the gospel, it pleases the Lord to take away the vail of
blindness, ignorance, and unbelief. Then we see, understand,
and believe truths as they really are revealed in GoD's word;
and our state to be most deplorable, wretched, and hopeless;
and Jesus the only Saviour. Mind, it pleased the Lord to take
away the vail. Here is the sovereignty of the Lord’s good
will and pleasure, proceeding from his everlasting love, and
electing grace, according to covenant engagements, by the sa-
cred THREE. Here is sovereignty, worthy of the LORD
Jehovah to display, worthy the adoration of angels in heaven,
and worthy the highest joy, the lowest submission, and the
greatest glory of saints round the throne, and of sinners upon
the earth. Hear, O hear: admire, and adore, the glorious ex-
hibition of covenant love, and the sovereign display of covenant
merey, towards us sinners, who are naturally in covenant with
death and hell. “Therefore, thus saith the Lord God, Behold,
I lay in Zion for a foundation; a stone, a tried stone, a precious
corner stone, a sure foundation; he who believeth shall not be
confounded. Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righte-
ousness to the plummet, and the hail shall sweep away the re-
fuge of lies.” O, how striking and significant of what Paul
calls the commandment came, when sin revived and he died,
Rom. vii. 9; , or the pure and perfect law of God, by the pow-
er of the Spirit, coming, to the sinner's conscience, sweeping
away the refuge of lies, his legal hopes, and self-righteous con-
fidence, of which he boasted, (but to which he now becomes
dead) and your covenant with death, shall be disannuled, and
your agreement with hell shall not stand.” Isai. xxviii. 16, 17,
18. No, saith the Lord, but in love for you, and in mercy
to you, “My counsel shall stand,” (all my covenant purposes
and sovereign degrees, shall be unfrustratable, they shall all
be accomplished, for my people's good, and my own glory) “and
. I will do all my pleasure,” in and upon them, by the power of
my word and Spirit; and they shall some and build all their
hopes, for time and eternity, upon the sure foundation I have
laid for their souls, in the life and death, the blood and righte-
ousness of the Lamb of God. Isai. xlvi. 10.
(4th.) Thus we are delivered from that blindness, ignoranee,
and unbelief, which naturally overspread our minds, from the
bondage of the legal administration we are all under from the
264
guilt and power of sin, and from the curse and condemnation
of the law to which we are all subject, by means of the gospel
of Jesus, through the power of his spirit. This is the glorious
work of the Lord. O what glory is due to him! what glory
are we ever bound to give him, if we are delivered from this
vail of blindness, ignorance, and unbelief, from the yoke of the
law, and from the slavery of sin and satan But mind, pray
mind this. Never lose sight of this. This is a deliverance
from spiritual bondage, into spiritual liberty. It is effected by
the Lord the Spirit. Our spirits are the subjects of it, and we
enjoy the blessing and comfort of it, in our spirits, “even
Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith.” Ephes. iii. 17. “Christ
in us the hope of glory.” Col. i. 27. See, then, the internal
nature and evidence of christianity. It is not any thing out-
ward in the flesh. The flesh profiteth nothing in this word.
The flesh is not the subject of this work. Where this freedom
is effected, where this deliverance is wrought, the flesh is still
the same, full of sin, lust, and unholiness ; not at all changed,
bettered or improved. Therefore, the flesh ever lusts against the
spirit, Gal. v. 17, and wars against the soul, l Pet. ii. l l ;
hence, though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the
flesh: For the weapons of our war are not carnal (but spiritual,)
mighty, through GoD, to the pulling down of strong holds,
(the pride, unbelief, and hardness of the heart, through sin and
satan) casting down imaginations, (the vain, proud, strong rea-
sonings of the flesh) and every high thing, (every high thought
of the heart, which swells up with vanity, and puffs up with
lofty looks and haughty airs, as though we were any thing in
ourselves, but poor sinners, mere sinners, like other men) that
exalteth itself against the knowledge of GoD, (his sovereign
purposes, and absolute decrees, to pardon, justify, and save
sinners, wholly and solely, from first to last, by Jesus Christ the
son of his love) and bringing into captivity, every thought to
the obedience of Christ. 2 Cor. x. 3. Every thought of our
nature is evil, only evil, continually evil, the Lord himself
being judge. He sees that the wickedness of man, every man,
according to the flesh, is great in the earth. Gen. vi. 5. It is
the loving, the almighty work of the Lord, to deliver our souls
from this state of darkness and wickedness, by translating us
into the kingdom of his dear son, Col. i. 13, and thus every
thought is brought into captivity, to the obedience of Christ.
The once-captivated soul, being now brought into the kingdom,
and under the reign of grace, the reign of Christ, it is his
delight and his glory that all his proud, rebellious, traiterous
thoughts of the flesh should feel the power of Christ's kingly
arm, fall under the reign of his almighty love; be captivated
by his sovereign grace, and be subdued, and subjected to the
265
spirit. Therefore thus saith our Lord, “Ye shall know the
truth, and the truth shall make you free.” That is the word of
truth in the gospel: or Jesus himself, who is emphatically,
THE TRUTH, John xiv. 6, as he after explains it. “If the Son
therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John
viii. 36. Now do you experience this deliverance 2 Mind. It
is not a point of doctrine only for the head, but a matter of
experience in the heart. Though you may see it ever so clearly,
and speak of it ever so scripturally, yet this will not avail to
present comfort, and eternal salvation, unless the power of it
is known, and experienced in the soul, in the enjoyment of
fellowship with Christ, and spiritual freedom in him. And re-
member, there is need to repeat it again, that this liberty is out
of the flesh, above the flesh, contrary to the flesh, and is to
bring the flesh into subjection to the Spirit. Therefore, the
question is not, whether the flesh, corrupt nature, and sin
which dwelleth in it be destroyed, so that you feel not any of
its lustings, warrings and rebellings No. Therefore you are
not to judge of your spiritual deliverance after the flesh. For
if you do, you will make miserable bondage-work in your con-
science, and either be miserably deceived on one hand, or
miserably distressed on the other. But the question is, do you
find a sweet liberty of spirit, in, and from, and with Christ, to
believe on him, look to him, live upon him, and come unto
him, with all your burdens of the flesh, the ruins of the fall,
the sense of your wretchedness, the sight of your hopelessness,
and the view of your unbelief, as to that precious Jesus, who
delights to save the wretched, exalt the worthless, comfort the
distressed, and sanctify the unholy 2 If so, the Son of God hath
made you free indeed. Now let us, more particularly,
(2d.) Attend to the nature and blessedness of this liberty,
which we are brought into by the Lord the Spirit. Always
keep your eye upon his work, so as to have a rightjudgment of
it. Mistakes here are delusive and distressing. Hear our
Lord upon the covenant work and office of the Spirit. “When
the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth:
for he shall not speak of himself—He shall glorify me.” (He
shall make me glorious in the eyes, and to the hearts of poor
sinners) for he shall receive of mine, of my perfect God-head,
and perfect manhood: that I am God and man in one Christ,
appointed by God the Father, and anointed by the Holy
Ghost, to my mediatorial offices, to be the redeemer, justifier,
and Saviour of lost sinners; and that in and from ME they
shall enjoy glorious liberty and perfect freedom in their spirits,
even while they are burdened with, and groan under a body
of sin and death, John xvi. 13, 14. The Lord grant us to
know more, enjoy more, to rejoice more, and to stand fast
266
&
more and more in the spirit of our minds, in the glorious
liberty, wherewith Christ has made us free, and be no more en-
tangled with any yoke of bondage, either from the law, sin,
the world, the flesh, or the devil' For,
(1st.) He who is called IN the Lord, is the Lord’s free
man. 1 Cor. vii. 22. He that is made a free man of the City
of London, is interested in all the grants and charters, privi-
leges and immunities of that city. He is free from the master
to whom he was bound. His servitude is expired. Just so,
we'are made the Lord’s free men; we are no more stran-
gers and foreigners, but fellow citizens of the saints, and
of the household of God.” Ephes. ii. 19. “We are come
unto the city of the living God.” Heb. xii. 22. We are made
free of that blessed city; we are citizens of it, and are entitled
in Christ to all the rich grants, munificent charters, pre-
cious privileges, and joyful immunities thereof. All, all are
ours, being made free by Christ. For we are Christ's, and
Christ is GoD's. 1 Cor. iii. 23. The time of our serving
under the law, sin, and Satan, is expired. We were under tutors
and governors, in bondage, until the time appointed of the
Father. Glory to his rich grace, that blessed time is come.
“Wherefore, thou art no more a servant, but a son ; and if a
son, than an heir of God through Christ.” Gal. iv. 5. O, what
a precious, glorious freedom is this Where the spirit of the
Lord is, there is liberty, to view this freedom, in its extensive
prospect, and to enjoy it in all its divine blessings and com-
forts. This is our joyful privilege. Let us look to the Lord,
the Spirit, and pray him to indulge our souls with it. O, don't
let us be content to live below our dignified state, and our ex-
alted privileges! For, all comes to us by free gift, of free
grace. Thereforé as such, let us plead daily, yea, constantly
plead, for the fullest enjoyment of them. We have not, be-
cause we ask not. Says our munificent Lord, “Ask and ye
shall receive, that your joy may be full.” John xvi. 24. O, my
free brethren in the Lord, “ Ye are not straitened in the
Lord, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.” 2 Cor. vi.
12. For,
(2d.) “We have freedom of access by faith, into this grace
wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
Rom. v. 3. Freedom of access to a throne of grace, yea, to a
GoD of grace, who is at perfect peace, reconciliation, and
perfect friendship with us. Yea, more, he is a Father to us,
has the heart of the most loving father for us, and the hand of
the most affectionate father to bestow every blessing upon us,
which infinite wisdom sees best for infinite love to give.
Therefore, we have the boldness of children, and the confidence
in a father, as well as access by faith to him. Access is the
267
precious liberty to approach Gop as a father. Boldness, is a
freedom of speech, yet with a holy reverence, to open our whole
hearts to him, to tell him our sinfulness, nakedness, miseries,
wants and wretchedness, as poor sinners; and to plead with
him, for the sense, comfort, and enjoyment of his Fatherly love,
peace and comfort in Christ, by the Holy Ghost. Confidence,
is a well-grounded, because a scriptural persuasion, that we are
the Lord's freemen in Christ, and that our persons, prayers, and
performances, are ever as acceptable to GoD in Christ, as the
most beloved child can possibly be to the most tender and
affectionate father. Here is a freedom for ye, O ye children
of wrath by nature, ye once servants of sin, slaves to the devil,
and enemies against God | What say ye to it 2 What think ye
of it 2 Is it not most marvellous in your eyes, and most joyful
to your souls 2 The very theory of it is so. O, then what must
the experience of it be | Nothing less than a heaven upon earth:
the transports of glory, while in a world of woe, and a body of
sin and death. Good Lord, thy favours surprize our souls.
All, all is of grace, the rich, free, Sovereign, efficacious grace
of a covenant God, Father, Son, and Spirit; therefore, the
whole and sole glory is equally due, to the TRIUNE God. O,
may we freely ascribe it, to-day and for ever. For,
. (3d.) We have freedom so to do: both freedom of will, and
freedom of spirit. For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is
liberty. We are made thus willing in the day of the Lord's
power to offer free-will offerings. Psalm cy. 3. It cannot be
denied, but we all naturally have a free will. It naturally
discovers itself by all our actions as men: we are free to do
every thing, in the power of our will. But the affections have
a mighty influence on the will. These are earthly, sensual,
and devilish, and the will acts perfectly free, and we act as free
agents in following these without controul. Such is the glory
of our free will. O, ye creatures of it! See and be ashamed for
contending for the goodness of it. King Cambyses demanded
of his counsellors, whether he might not marry his own sister
by the laws of the land 2. They answered, that they found no
law which allowed a brother to marry his sister. But
there was one that permitted the king of the Persians to do
what he liked. Just so, though we can find no one law in the
word of GoD, to allow us in any sin, yet such is the nature of our
will that with an air of sovereignty we demand, “who is Lord
over us?” Psalm xii. 4. The will, like the Leviathan in Job, is
king over all the children of pride, Job xli. 34. The great
secretary Walsingham, being consulted by the queen, about
monopoly licenses, gravely and smartly answered, we are all
the worse for licenses. The licenses which the will takes, is
to the distress of our consciences, and the destruction of our
268
souls. But glory to the Lord the Spirit, he makes our wills
free to submit to the Lord's, delight themselves in the Lord,
serve and follow him, with freedom of spirit, and cheerfulness
of soul, because our affections are set upon Christ, and the
things which are above. And never, no never did the most
sordid miser, more freely contemplate his gold, satiate his
avaricious soul, and with greater joy say unto it, thou art my
God; than we, under the influence of the Spirit of liberty,
choose GoD, contemplate the wonders of his everlasting love,
the exploits of his sovereign grace, satiate ourselves with God,
delight to run the way of his commandments, cheerfully devote
ourselves to his worship and service, joyfully keep holy his
sabbaths, and be spiritually engaged in them, that we may hear
more from him, enjoy more fellowship with him, walk more
closely to him, and give greater honour and glory unto him.
O, when favoured with the liberty of the Lord the Spirit, how
sweetly are our souls carried out in humble compassion, and
heart-broken sorrow for our sins, heart-reviving views of the
love of Christ's cross, pardon through his blood, justification by
his righteousness, and acceptance in his person Then how
joyful our intercourse with God by prayer, when the high
praises of the Lord issue from our hearts, and are proclaimed
with our lips | When indulged with the liberty of the Spirit,
O, how joyfully do our enraptured souls approach the table
of our Lord to sup with him, to communicate his love, to
rejoice in his salvation, and to give glory to his blessed name:
glory with our thankful lips, from our joyful hearts, and by our
obedient lives | - -
Yes, ye Lord's freemen, and women in the Lord, ye cannot
be favoured with the liberty of the Spirit, but it will free you
from the bondage and service of sin. A freedom to continue in
sin, because grace abounds to sinners the notion was begot in
hell, hatched by the father of lies, and propagated by his chil-
dren on earth. A liberty to delight to walk after the flesh,
while enjoying the freedom of the Spirit ! A fiend of hell may
preach this, but the Lord's freemen, from their souls, detest
and abhor it. Yes, for the liberty of the Spirit is the heaven
of love, and the meridian of joy in the soul. Would a saint in
glory wish to come down from the mansions of bliss, to live
after the flesh impossible ! Why? Because it is contrary to
the delights of his heaven-born soul; and he is totally delivered
from the burden of the flesh. Christ's freemen partake of the
same divine nature, and of the same holy joys; and are made
meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light,
Col. i. 12. Yea, they rejoice, with joy unspeakable and full of
glory. 1 Pet. i. 8. What! and yet wish and delight to live after
the flesh? No, Their delight, their joy, their glory, is to be
269
|
led by the Spirit, to live in the Spirit, and walk in the Spirit,
and not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. True, it is a melancholy
truth; the flesh, with its affections and lusts, lives in us. This
is our sore burden, and daily grief. When it pleased the Lord,
he took away the vail of blindness, ignorance, and unbelief,
from our hearts; and when it pleaseth him, he will take away
, the vail of the flesh; or rather, deliver our souls, from the flesh,
with all its vileness. This we are waiting for, and expecting.
O, then we shall be delivered, perfectly, and for ever set free,
from all sin and imperfection; and the creature, the body also,
, shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the
glorious liberty of the children of God, Rom. viii. 21. And
body and soul, shall be for ever with the Lord.
A COLLECT.
O LoRD who displayest thine Almighty power, by effecting
thy gracious purposes in and upon thy people, O attract our
affections to thee, fix our hearts upon thee, and subdue our
proud wills, to the obedience of thine in all things: and grant
that we may enjoy thy Spirit's liberty, stand fast, and walk in
, that liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, that we may
serve thee joyfully and acceptably in thy beloved, all our days.
Son of God, support us under all our burdens, and cause our
weak souls to find rest in thee. Lord, suffer no sin to have do-
minion over us, nor any lust to prevail in us : but enable us
now and ever to live as children of the most high God, in Jesus
Christ, our Lord. Amen.
\
270
(The QIbíttp-fourth Lott's Dap.
* Cºmes us
oN CHRIST's RESURRECTION, AND APPEARING To PETER.
The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared unto Simon.
Luke xxiv. 34.
THE resurrection of Christ is so clearly, and fully attested, by
such a cloud of witnesses, as not to leave a shadow of doubt
of the truth of it. Do we want clearer evidence, and better
proof, to ascertain this fact, than what the word of God gives
us? we never can attain them. It is not for want of evidence,
that this fact is rejected by men; but through their corrupt rea-
son, carnal prejudices, and an evil heart of unbelief. Their
minds are daily convinced of, and they easily admit a thousand
truths, about natural things, without one quarter of the evi-
dence which this divine truth is attended with. Therefore,
they are justly condemned, for their rejecting this truth of
God through unbelief. Nothing is more irrational, and unac-
countable, than men's unbelief of God’s revealed truths. Every
absurdity in life, shall be admitted with ease upon slight evi-
dence: while divine truth, supported by the strongest eviden-
ces, shall be rejected with scorn. A strong proof this, of
man's natural blindness to, and invincible prejudice against,
the revelation of GoD : whereas, faith is most rational, and ac-
countable. That the mind should be persuaded to believe a
truth, upon incontestible evidence, is rational. That it should
be influenced by that truth, is accountable.
But them, to whom are we indebted for removing our natu-
ral prejudices, subduing the power of our carnal reason, and
conquering our proud, evil heart of unbelief ? to no moral
suasions; to no eloquent arguments; to no powers of oratory :
for nothing short of Almighty power can effect this. Hence
the Prophet asks, “Who hath believed our report,” of the
life, death, and resurrection of the Son of GoD, and salvation
by him only * We preach sermon after sermon, we report, pub-
lish, and proclaim, that Christ is the sum and substance of
them all, and the sum and substance of your faith and hope :
ye sinners of mankind, if ever ye are saved. Yet, who hath
believed our report of him And, as though he answered his
own question, by asking another, he enquires, “To whom is
the arm of the Lord revealed?” Isai. liii. 1. The arm of the
LoRD is his power: the sovereign energy of his Spirit. When
this is revealed, the report of the truth as it is in Jesus, makes
27.1.
its way to the sinner's heart, it is received in the love of it, and
it becomes the power of God unto his salvation. O, then every
circumstance of the life and death, resurrection and ascension
of the son of man, the Son of God, is precious to the soul of
that sinner O, may the arm of the Lord be revealed now I may
we feel its divine power, and be sensible of his sweet influence,
while we are meditating on this precious truth of our blessed.
Lord’s resurrection: that our faith may be strengthened in him,
and our hearts rise up to him, and be comforted by him.
The Lord is risen. The joyful fact is established. There
is no doubt of it. . He hath appeared to Peter. Here is a ma-
nifestation of the marvellous love and grace, that dwells in the
heart of the Saviour to poor sinners. Their carriage to him,
however base, cannot destroy his love to them. This is as mar-
wellous in our eyes, as his rising again from the dead. His love
to us was the cause of his death for us. He died for our sins:
his resurrection is a proof of his victory over all our enemies,
sin, death, and hell. For, he rose again for our justification.
Therefore, sin shall not condemn us; death shall not conquer
us: hell shall not receive us. For, by Christ's resurrection,
we are for ever freed from all, and may, and ought to triumph
over all. O' for the power of faith. Both faith, and the
power of faith, Lord, are thy gifts. Bestow both on us for thy
glory. What a wide field is open before us, for our meditation
Let us improve it, by considering the following things,
"... (1st.) Christ rose not merely as a private person. Suppose.
we had read, that Moses, Abraham, or any of the patriarchs, or
prophets, were risen from the dead, what would that be to us?
Suppose we were told, that the nearest and dearest relative, we
ever had in the world, whom we had seen silently entombed in
the grave, was risen again from the dead: what profit would
this be to our immortal souls 2 we should rather be terrified at
the thought of seeing them, than joyful at the sight of them.
They could do nothing to suppress the guilty fears of our con-
science, remove the terrors of death from our minds, and fill
our souls with a sense of GoD's pardon and peace; and with a
hope full of immortality and joy. But Christ rose as the
head and representative of all his beloved people; to obtain all
these blessings for them, to secure them all to them, and to
make them the happy partakers of all of them. That holy,
immâculate, blessed body of Christ; which was nailed to the
cross, and hung naked and exposed to shame, with the ponder-
ous load of all our sins, until it expired in anguish unknown to
any, and in agony unfelt by all but himself, (for he was made a
curse for us) that very body, which was born of the Virgin
Mary, and was crucified, without the gates of Jerusalem, died,
and was interred in a tomb of Joseph, and is risen again from
the dead. f
272
He died to atone,
For sins not his own. , f
He rose to set free,
Poor sinners like me.
Is this real truth? Do we believe it What then is the joy
of this faith ? Paul tells us, “ Reckon ye also yourselves to be
dead indeed unto sin ; but alive unto God, through Jesus
Christ our Lord.” Rom. vi. 10. Mind, he does not say, reckon
sin to be dead in you ; no, he knew it was alive in them, was
raging, warring, and rebelling against them ; and that this was
the burthen and grief of their souls. How then were they to
find joy in this case ? by reckoning themselves as dead unto
sin, as though they had no sin in them : entirely, utterly, and
everlastingly dead, to all fear of condemnation and death, on
account of sin; or that GoD will ever impute sin to them : or
that sin has any damning power over them : that it should not
reign in them, have dominion over them ; or they have any
thing to do with it, to serve and obey sin, any more than a
dead corpse. For, O, joyful to hear ! O, transporting to be-
lieve We are for ever acquitted and discharged from all sin
in the sight of God, and entirely delivered from all condemna-
tion for sin, as though we had never committed any sin, and 2
as if all sin was dead in us, by the resurrection of Christ from
the dead. For Christ himself bore our sins in his own body
on the tree. 1 Pet. ii. 24. He suffered all the curse and pu-
mishment due to them, in his own body. He died for our sins.
1 Cor. xv. 3. He gave himself for our sins. Gal. i. 4. He
hath purged our sins. Heb. i 3. He is the propitiation for
our sins. 1 John ii. 2. He was manifested to take away our
sins. iii. 5. By the death of his body, he hath actually, once
for all, and for ever, taken away our sins from before GoD, and
from being imputed to us. And by the resurrection of the
same body, he is for ever acquitted of all sin, discharged
from all sin, and justified against all condemnation for sin.
And so are we also, who believe on him, by virtue of our union
to, and communion with him. So that we may joyfully sing,
In him complete I shine,
His life, his death, are mine.
Our sins were his, charged, and imputed to him, and by the
Lord. All were laid upon him. “ He was made sin for us.”
2 Cor. v.-21. So that faith can view the crucified body of
Christ on the tree, and joyfully say, there hangs all my sins :
can behold the dead body of Christ in the tomb, and with ecstatic
tears declare, that body died for my sins : can behold the risen
body of Christ upon the earth, walking, talking, eating, &c.
273 -
and triumphantly say, behold in that risen body my perfect
justification from all sin, and my entire freedom from all con-
demnation for sin, now and for ever, either in the earth or in
heaven : in my own conscience or before God. Thus faith will
have nothing to do, but with the body of Christ on the cross, in
the tomb, and risen again from the dead: it will look to nothing,
trust in nothing, glory of nothing but this before God, angels,
and men. This is the object of faith: this the joy of faith. But,
not only are we to reckon ourselves dead unto sin; but also,
Alive unto GoD, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Is Christ's
body risen indeed from the dead? I.ong before Christ was
born in our flesh, or his human body died on the cross, he
preaches this consolation to his church, “Thy dead men shall
live; together with my dead body shall they arise: awake and
sing ye who dwell in dust.” Isai. xxvi. 18. Awake from your
drowsiness. Shake off your sleep. Tune your notes, ye inha-
bitants of mortality; who are dust, and unto dust must return;
yet sing, joyfully sing of Christ’s dying love, and of his rising
power. For his resurrection is the life of joy to our souls.
For as verily as Christ is risen from the dead, all who believe
this truth, are alive unto God: our souls are alive to bless and
praise God. Our hopes are alive to rejoice, in God ; for we
have a life of justification before God; and we live a life of
faith upon the Son of God : and body and soul shall be raised
to live eternally with GoD. For, we are complete in Christ :
as being mystically, and representatively risen with him, as
members of him. “As we are buried with Christ in baptism,
we are also risen with him, through the faith of the operation
of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” Col. ii. 12. Is
this the faith in our hearts of God's operation ? Is it by this
faith we are to live 2 Are we by this faith, in Christ's resurrec-
tion, to reckon ourselves alive unto GoD Why then, indulge
those doubts and fears which deject your mind, and distress
our conscience, lest you should not be accepted by GoD, and
ustified before him 2 Consider, fear is the companion of guilt.
}. arise from a suspicion of the truth. Now, by both we
dishonour Christ : Do you not believe he died for our sins 2
Do you think there was any defect in the atonement he made
for our sins Do you not believe that it was a full, and perfect
sacrifice, and satisfaction for sin & Or do you imagine that you,
or any power in heaven or earth, can add to its efficacy, to
*
take away sin from before GoD, or to remove the guilt of sin
from the consciences of sinners ? Do you not believe that
Christ is risen indeed from the dead for the justification of sin-
mers 2 and, that all who believe in him, are justified from ALL
things Surely you would start, to suspect the least truth of all
this. * * . -
“s. T
- 274
What is it then I know your reply, just as well as if I could
see what is in your heart. Indeed I know your heart by my
own. They are both of one and the same bad composition.
Therefore, you with me are ready to reply, I do not doubt of
the truth of Christ's dying for sin, and rising again for the
justification of sinners; but I am so bad, such a wicked sinner,
that I can't think he died for my sins, and rose again for my jus-
tification; therefore I am in doubts and fears about my interest
in his death and resurrection. If this kind of reasoning
is of any force, and to be admitted as a truth, then the
death and resurrection of Christ is only much ado about
nothing : for neither the one nor the other, nor both, are of any
efficacy, or will answer any end. Did Christ die for good sin-
mers: Did he rise again to justify righteous sinners ? If so, who
are they Where are they to be found No. He died for bad
sinners, ungodly sinners, unbelieving sinners, his enemies; yea,
for the worst, the chiefest, and the vilest of sinners, his greatest
enemies; and he rose again for the justification of such. So
bad say you ! The Spirit of truth declares, there is no difference,
for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Rom.
iii. 22, 23. We are badness in the extreme ; as far gone from
original goodness as possible. Therefore, while we are looking
at ourselves, expecting to find a difference in ourselves, and
that we are not so bad as others, it is plain that, instead of ho-
nouring Christ's love, by believing the truth of his death and
resurrection, we are indulging a spirit of pride and self-righ-
teousness. For, in fact, we do as good as say, if I could but
entertain a better opinion of myself, then I would readily admit
the truth concerning the death of Christ for sin, and his resur-
rection for sinners; and hence, instead of being comforted as a
mere sinner, by Christ's dying love, and rising power, your
comforts would chiefly arise from the good opinion you have
of vourself. Hence, as J said before, doubts arise from the sus-
picion of the truth. This lies at the bottom of all our doubts.
#ence guilty fears haunt the conscience. Whereas, if we be-
lieve the truth, in its reality, extent, and efficacy, it is sufficient,
fully sufficient, to relieve the conscience, support the hope, and
ield satisfaction to the most guilty mind of the most desperate
sinner upon the earth. But while we are looking within for
something to ground our faith, and bottom our hope upon, we
neglect the trúth, and miss the comfort and joy of faith. Con-
sider this point closely, For, O, the joy of that word, to be-
lieve it in our hearts, and confess it with our lips; the Lord is
risen indeed By thus believing, and in no other way, we ar-
rive at a comfortable evidence, and joyful assurance of our.
own interest in Christ's love, and salvation by his death and
resurrection. For, “The GoD of hope fills us with all joy
275
and peace in believing.” Rom. xv. 13. “The Spirit itself
beareth witness with our spirits, that we are the children
of God; iii. 16. How are we the children of God? “By
faith in Christ Jesus.” Gal. iii. 26. Therefore, we cannot
enjoy the witness of the Spirit of truth, with our spirits,
but while we believe the truth in our hearts. O ! see, then,
how unjustifiable all your carnal reasons are against the truth;
and how unreasonable your cursed unbelief is of the truth.
Therefore, instead of listening to, and indulging of them, we
ought stedfastly to oppose and resist them; as being contrary to
Christ's glory, and the comfort of our souls; with this cry we.
ought ever to assail heaven, Lord, I believe, help thou mine un-
belief. Thus go on believing Christ's love to sinners, till you
feel his love in your heart. Let us now, -
(2dly.) Consider these words, the Lord appearing unto Peter:
Who was Peter Was he a righteous character, that the Lord
should thus honour him more than others ? Nay, our Saviour
told him, “Thou art an offence unto me, for thou savourest
not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. Get
thee behind me, Satan.” Matt. xvi. 23. Now what think you
of Peter and his goodness His nature was as bad as yours
and mine; and were he here, he would tell us he was as bad,
and as sinful a man, as either of us. For here his earnal reason,
and devilish unbelief, were opposing the great end of Christ's
coming into the world, even to be killed, and be raised again
for the salvation of sinners. Well, but how did Peter behave,
when the time of our dear Lord's sufferings came on ? He had
just been receiving the sacrament at the hands of Christ. He
told Peter, that Satan had desired to have him, to sift him as
wheat; and that before the cock crew, he would deny him
thrice. Fore-warned, fore-armed, we say. But what effect
had this upon Peter: Why he boldly and confidently declared,
“Though all men should be offended because of thee, yet will
I never be offended. Though I should die with thee, yet will
I never deny thee. I am ready to go with thee, into prison,
and unto death.” Brave words ! Noble declaration But if
Christ had not foretold it, and Peter's conduct verified it, who
could have thought he would have acted directly contrary to
all this 2 - -
There stands Christ, the dear Saviour apprehended, bound,
and surrounded by his enemies, in the hall of the high priest.
Where is courageous Peter 2 close at his elbow O no! From
the place of Christ's apprehension, to this, Peter followed him,
but it was afar off. So soon does he begin to discover
cowardly fears. However, we may suppose he got a little
eourage, and crept in among the multitude to the hall. Yonder
he was in the sight, and hearing of Christ, among the servants,
T 2
276
warming himself. Now comes the trial of Peter's faithfulness
and courage. Three times is he accused of knowing Christ and
being a follower of him. As often he denies the charge, and
even curses, swears, and damns himself if he knows the man.
He (1st.) cowardly forsook and fled from Christ, then followed
him afar off, then kept at the other end of the hall, not like a
bosom friend, but as a distant enemy, and at last perfidiously
denies Christ, and persists in it, with oaths and curses even in
his presence. Now how aggravating was all this Here was
a disciple of Christ, one who had seen his miracles, had close
and intimate conversation with him, just received the sacra-
ment from him, been forewarned of his base conduct by him,
professed the strongest attachment to him, and yet after all,
lies like a devil, and curses and swears like a fiend of hell.
Lord, what is man what are the highest professors what is
the greatest saint, or chiefest apostle, if left one moment to
himself But yet, bad as Peter's nature was, vile as his con-
duct proved, he was the object of Christ's love. For Christ
loveth sinners. He takes them as he finds them. He died for
their sins; therefore, their sins cannot destroy his love, nor
damn their souls. He rose again for their justification, there-
fore, their souls shall be acquitted from all condemnation.
Live upon Christ's love; and live above your sins.
Now we have seen Peter's badness. Is your's worse? not at
all. Are you better 2 in no wise. Nay, was you not just now,
like Peter, reasoning against the truth, indulging unbelief con-
trary to the truth, and doubts and fears in opposition to the
truth? and if left to yourself, you also would forsake the truth.
Yea, and if danger interposed, you too would curse and swear,
like a fiend of hell, deny the truth, and that you are of the
truth, and have any thing to do with the truth, as it is in Jesus.
Therefore, let us deny our goodness, look at our badness, and
consider the goodness of the Lord to Peter, and such sinners
as we all are. Bad as Peter was, and as Christ told him his con-
duct would be, yet says Christ, I have prayed for thee. Blessed
Lord, was ever love like thine ! Glory be to thee, bad as we are,
thou still livest to make intercession for us, as sinners. Though
Peter denied Christ, cursed and swore that he knew not Christ,
yet—what follows was it, “let that lying, swearing wretch
go and hang himself if he will, and he damned like Judas, for
he deserves it. I will have no more to do with him. He has
denied me, therefore, I will also deny him ** O No! notwith-
standing all Peter's vileness and baseness, which our Lord de-
... tested from his soul, yet he loved Peter in his heart, and there-
fore, Christ looked most affectionately, and most strikingly
upon Peter. What was the consequence? Peter remembers,
retires, and weeps, yea weeps bitterly. The bitter tears of re-
©
277
pentance proceed from the sweet look of Christ: while they
diseover the bitterness of sin, to the repenting soul! Christ
did not love Peter for the sake of his penitential tears. But
because he loved him, he looked him into tears. Tears of sor-
row for sin against Christ, proceed from love to Christ. And
love to Christ arises from his looks of love, and displays of
love to us. We can see the smiles of Christ's face in the
words of his grace.
Well, Christ leaves Peter weeping bitterly, he suffers the
accursed death of the cross patiently, his body dies actually,
and is buried accordingly. We hear no more of Peter for two
days. He was not at the cross. He is indulging grief and
melancholy. Perhaps giving up, and giving over all for lost.
His Lord really dead, and he fears his soul damned. But,
behold, on the third day, as the prophet sweetly foretels, “After
two days he will revive us, in the third day, he will raise us up,
and we shall live in his sight.” Hos. vi. 2. Torn and smitten,
as poor Peter was with grief, anguish, and despondency, yet
how graciously did the Lord heal and bind up his distressed
soul, (Ist.) By a message from his angel, “Go your way, tell
his disciples, and PETER, that ye shall see Jesus alive in Gali-
lee, as he told you.” Mark xvi. 7. Son of Man Friend of
sinners | God of love? Was ever love like thine ! Love that in-
finitely transcends the height of our most aggravating sins !
Love that triumphs over all the aboundings of our basest iniqui-
ties Peter had sinned above, and beyond all the other ten dis-
ciples. For though they had all forsook him, yet not one of
them ever denied him with oaths and curses. Yet Peter is
honoured above them all, by his name being particularly men-
tioned only, among them all. But why so * did Christ love him
most, because he sinned most 2 No. Be that eursed thought
ever as far from our hearts as it was from Christ’s. But, our
Lord knew he was the most bitterly distressed, and wanted to
be most comforted.
Christ knows the workings of our poor hearts under the
sense of sin, and the terrors of guilt; and how apt we are to
write the most bitter things against ourselves for our sins.
Christ knew, had his message been general, tell my disciples,
that Peter would have said, “what's this to me? It is impos-
sible that I should be one of that number. For though they all
forsook Christ, and fled from him; yet not one of them denied
him at all as I have: much less with oaths and curses that they
knew not the man, like me. Therefore, Christ will surely deny
me, that he is my Lord, and that I am one of his disciples.
Base, vile, ruined, lost wretch that I am, I did all this in Christ's
presence too. Therefore I must be abandoned to black despair,
and suffer the fate of my brother Judas.” No, says the loving,
278
compassionate Jesus, Peter's name is in my book of life, en-
rolled in my heart, engraved upon the palms of my hands;
therefore his name in particular must be mentioned in the
message. Go and tell Peter by name, (but not one word of
his lying, cursing, swearing, faithless, cowardly behaviour,) the
poor bitterly-weeping Peter, that I love him still as well as ever.
He is after all my disciple yet. I will see him soon. I will
bless him, and make him very comfortable, and happy in my
love. “And the Lord appeared unto Peter.” O, what a wide
field for meditation of the Lord’s love and grace, does this open
into Copious as we have been, yet the subject is inexhaustible.
Loving as the message was, yet the love of Christ exceeds it.
Therefore we shall resume this delightful subject in our next
meditation. -
O'! think of the love of Christ to sinners. Believe it under
the most distressing sight and sense of your gilt and unwor-
thiness of it. Rejoice in it, when you have nothing within you
to support your heart, and comfort your soul. His death proves
his love to sinners. His resurrection confirms it. His appear-
ance to Peler after all his base conduct establishes it, against
all the evil of sin, the efforts of Satan, and the workings of
unbelief.
A COLLECT.
O Lord, thou onee crucified, but now risen Saviour, raise
our hearts and affections up to thee, that we may love thee,
live upon thee, and glorify thee, for thy salvation of us. O,
that by thy resurrection we may have the answer of a good con-
science towards God is and feel thy heavenly love, in all its
eomforting and sanctifying influences. And be ever found in
thee, to the glory of the holy TRINITY, Amen.
279
GIbe (Ibirty-fifth Lord's Cap.
* Lºmºv
oN christ's AßeARING to Peter.
The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Peter.
Luke xxiv. 34.
SUCH a resurrection, and such an appearance, never were
before, nor since, nor ever will be, till Christ shall appear in
judgment, at the last day. We are deeply interested in the re-
surrection of Christ as sinners: and his particular appearance
to Peter, affords matter full of consolation to us, as fellow
sinners with Peter. Our concern in the resurrection of Christ,
as a most solemn truth, and as entering into the relief of our
consciences, and as laying the foundation of our hope towards
God we have considered. We also meditated a little upon
Peter's bad conduct, and our Lord’s great goodness to him,
vile sinner as he was. We read, that the Lord appeared to
Adam, after his fall. Gen. iii. 8, The Lord appeared unto
Abraham, xii. 9; and to Isaac, xxvi. 2; and to Jacob, xliii. 3.
Yet, sinners as they all were, we do not read that any one of
them ever openly denied the Lord, cursed, swore, and repro-
bated themselves, if they knew him, as Peter did. Therefore,
the Lord’s appearance to Peter is the most extraordinary. It is
marvellous in our eyes. The Lord make it very profitable to
our souls, while we meditate upon it. O, that light may shine
from heaven, grace be poured from on high, and the presence
of the Lord be with our Spirits, while we are considering our
Lord's appearing to Peter. There is certainly something very
peculiar and interesting in it to us: or else the Holy Ghost
would not have so particularly left it on record. Yea, chiefly,
the honour and glory of Christ in his love for, and his dealings
with sinners , of mankind, are hereby peculiarly displayed.
Therefore, this passage merits our deep attention, and our
high regard. *
(1st.) The Lord hath appeared to Peter, Who was Peter?
A sinner by nature and practice. Not one whit better by
nature than Judas. He was a child of wrath by nature, even
as, others. Dead in trespasses and sins like others. He
carried about him a body of sin and death, as do others,
therefore, he stood in need of the salvation of Christ as much
as any other. True; he was one whom the Lord had peculiarly
chosen, and called to be his apostle. But still, though called.
by the grace of Christ, regenerated by the Spirit of Christ, con-
verted unto Christ, a believer in, and follower of him, yet this
t
280
did not destroy the being of sin in him, nor make him a righ-
teous person in himself. No. Sin dwelt in him. He in-
habited a body of sin and death. He was like other men, a
sinner: prone to sin. For the seeds of every sin were in his
fallen nature, his flesh. This discovered itself in a variety
of instances. (1st.) He savoured the things that be of
men, and not of GoD : for which Christ reproved him.
For satan got an advantage over him. And the Lord
said unto Peter, “Get thee behind me, Satan, thou art an
offence unto me.” Matt. xvi. 23. Our dear Lord could not
bear Peter's language. Satan put it into Peter's heart, and
borrowed his tongue to say, “that be far from thee, Lord,” to
be so cruelly treated by thine enemies. Not considering, that
without Christ's sufferings and death, all whom he loved, as
friends, yea, as his very members, and dearer than his own life,
must have perished everlastingly. Here the heart and tongue
of a sinner are discovered. If at any time you feel within
you any workings which are contrary to Christ's love, reject
them : but do not let them cause you to suspect the love of
Christ to you.
(2d.) Peter stood in the same need of Christ's prayers, as
other sinners. “Behold, Satan hath desired to have thee, but
I have prayed for thee, says the great High Priest of our pro-
fession, to Peter, that thy faith fail not.” Luke xxii. 32.
Peter was equally exposed to Satan's malice, and to perish in
unbelief, as other sinners are, but for Christ's prayers. O, what
joy to poor sinners, to believe that Christ is praying for us
above, therefore Satan shall not have dominion over us, nor
unbelief finally prevail against us on earth ! This kept Peter's
soul as in a garrison, as he expresses it, “through faith unto
salvation.” I Pet. i. 5. For the all-prevailing prayers of our
Mediator procure the almighty power of God for us, against
unbelief within, and Satan without. Hence Peter's faith did
not fail finally as a saint in Christ, though he fell awfully as a
sinner in himself. In your worst frames and feelings, let not
go your hope in Christ, for he changeth not. His love is ever
the same. Whom he once loves, he loves to the end.
(3dly.) Though so clearly and plainly forewarned of his danger,
foretold of his conduct by his Lord, how basely he would for-
sake him, and how treacherously deny him, yet, behold what
self-righteousness, self-exalting, self-confident pride, he was
the subject of, and with what a bold and imperious air he
delivers himself to Christ. Though all men, even these thy
disciples around thee, and all the men in the world who profess
to know and follow thee, should be offended at thee, and deny
thee, yet were I sure to stand alone, and be the only one left to
stick by thee, I would never, no never be offended at thee, or
prove myself so averse to thee, as ever to deny thee. Now was
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not here the daring unbelief of the signer, as well as the spirit
of pride and independence of a devil? Yes, so very daring was his
unbelief of the truth of his Lord's prediction concerning him,
that he flatly contradicts him, and as it were gives Christ the lie
to his face, saying as much, “I never can be, I never will be,
that monster of a wretch, that base, perfidious monster in
iniquity, as you have represented I shall be. It is impossible
that I, Peter, who am thy diseiple, who love thee, have just
now been communicating with thee, and am determined to live
and die by thee, should ever do as thou hast said, deny thee,
yea deny thee, before the cock crows to-morrow morning.”
O, do we not see the corrupt man, the fallen creature, the
sinner here, displaying the deceitfulness of his heart, the pride,
self-righteousness, and self-dependence of his Spirit! need
we go one step farther to discover, that Peter was like other
men, a sinner as we are 2 Yet Jesus loved him. Bad as we
feel ourselves, yet, why should we doubt of Christ's love 2
But - -
(4th.) A most dark scene opens to our view indeed, which
represents poor Peter in the most sable colour; and which fully
proves Christ to be the GoD of truth, and Peter—what shall I
say? a cowardly man More. A perfidious man 2 More.
A self-deceiving man More. A vain self-exalting man.
Yea, more. Nothing less than a lying, cursing, swearing
man, to a most execrable falsehood. Here he exceeds in
sinning what our Lord had been foretelling him. . . We do
not find that Christ told Peter he would deny him with horrid
oaths and dreadful curses, but Peter did this also. Say now,
must we, or must we not rank Peter in the black catalogue
of sinners with ourselves 2 Was he one whit more deserving of
the love of Christ than we? Nay, I will go farther, and ask, even
than Judas But Christ's love does not go by desert, but by
choice. That was Peter's mercy, and that is ours also. If we
determine by desert, where must Peter, where must you and I
appear? what then had Peter to boast of ; or trust to in him-
self more than any other sinner nothing but the love and
faithfulness of his Lord.
But why thus rake into the ashes of Peter? why so magnify
his sins, and make his offences abound? Is it to find an excuse
for our sins, to justify our bad conduct, and to encourage us to
live in sin, that grace may abound Far from it. Let the
thought be for ever detested with the utmost adhorrence from
our very souls. And it certainly will if we love the Lord.
But indeed, so totally vicious is our corrupt nature, that there
is no cursed licentiousness but what it is inclined to. There-
fore, we ought ever to watch against it, and pray to the Lord,
to keep us from the evil of it. For, it is by his power alone,
that we stand one moment. It is of his grace alone, that we
282
are saved from any sin. And it is of his love alone, that we
are raised from any falls into sin, and delivered from the snares
of the devil. And therefore to exalt this sovereign power,
magnify this rich grace, extol this unmerited love of Christ to
us poor sinners; and to encourage a strong trust, and excite a
lively hope in him, though we have a hell of sin, the seeds of
every sin in our flesh, are fallen nature, we have been exploring
the depths of Peter's sinfulness, and considering him as our
fellow sinner, and brother in iniquity, and the evil deserts of
sin. It is this which exalts the loving kindness of our God
and Saviour, in his appearing to this poor sinner. This awefully-
fallen, and dreadfully-backsliding sinner, Peter. Were he
here, would he be offended at this No. He would object
to our colouring, and say, that we had not painted him half so
black as he really was ; but that he is now incessantly praising
that Jesus, who washed him from his sins, in his own blood.
Let us now,
(2dly.) Consider our Lord appearing to Peter. Say, was
it mot, -
(1st.) An undeserved visit? At the salutation of the blessed
virgin to Elizabeth, the babe leaped in her womb, and she
cried out, “Whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord
should come to me?” Luke i. 43. At this visit from his Lord,
O, how must Peter's heart leap for joy within him 1 Surely, he
must be ready to cry out in the greatest astonishment, “Whence
is this to me, that my Lord should appear to me, that he should
visit me ! what am I? what have I done to deserve this It was
but last Saturday morning, that I was denying him, cursing and
swearing that I did not know him, and yet that my Lord should
appear to me! Deserve it ! O, if I had my deserts, hell must
have been my doom ' Thus it ever will be. The Lord's visits
of love to us poor sinners, will make us reflect upon our sins
and follies, cut off all thoughts of any merit or desert in our-
serves, and cause us highly to prize, and exalt his favour, in
visiting our souls, as totally undeserved by us. O, for more of
these unmerited visits from our Lord! That poor sinner, who
can talk of, or plead for, any merit in himself; or any merit
in any works done by him, seems to be an utter stranger
to himself, and unacquainted with any visits from the Lord
Jesus.
(2dly.) It was a loving visit. Christ's appearing to Peter
was not procured by his love to Christ, but it proceeded wholly
from Christ's love to him. True, he wept bitterly for his sins,
but Christ's look caused that ; and that look of Christ's eye,
proceeded from the love of Christ's heart. As soon ascribe
your sins to be the cause of Christ's love, as suppose your
repentance for your sins to procure the love of Christ. No,
It is because Christ loves our persons, and hates our sins,
283
therefore he gives us repentance for our sins, that we may be
happy in his love. And after we have fallen, and he has visited us
with repentance, caused us to hate our sins, and to weep
bitterly for our sins, then, in love to us, he visits our souls in
love. So Peter found this appearing of Christ a most loving
visit to his soul. And though before he fell, he was full of
talking high of his love to Christ, and of going into prison, and
unto death for him, yet after Christ’s appearing to him, when he
asked him, lovest thou me? did he say my heart is as full of
love to thee, O Christ, as ever it can hold, as some poor sinners
talk. O no. But he refers this to Christ's knowledge, and
only simply replies, “Lord, thou knowest that I love thee.”
John xxi. 17. O ! that we may live more upon the love of
Christ to us, and be ashamed for want of love to him
(3d.) It was a surprizing appearing. How must Peter be
astonished, like one thunderstruck, at the sight of his Lord 2
The very report of Christ's being risen again, made his disciples
astonished. Luke xxiv. 22. But what must the sight of him be to
Peter, who had just before denied him Surely, like Paul, when
Jesus appeared to him, and spake to him out of heaven, “he
trembled, and was astonished.” Acts ix. 6. Consider who it
was that appeared to Peter. No other than the Lord, the
God of the whole earth: The judge of quick and dead : God
in our nature: GoD in that very human body, which but a few
days ago was crucified, dead and buried. O ! how surprizing
to see him alive again, with the print of the nails, which had
been driven through his precious hands and feet, “for the Lord
shewed them.” John xx. 20. But, for that precious, loving
message which the Lord sent to Peter, owning him by name, as
his disciple, one might think the surprize must be too great for
him to sustain : Surely he must have sunk under it. But the
love of the everlastingly-glorious God, shone with peculiar
grace in the face of the MAN Christ Jesus. This supported
the surprized soul of this poor sinner. Surprizing as the Lord's
visits are to his people, whether by prosperity or adversity, they
are all in love and graee to their souls; for God, in Christ, is
perfectly reconciled to them, and at peace with them. This
is the support, the glory and triumph of our souls. God does
not appear to us as an absolute God, in wrath with us,
and armed with vengeance against us, for our sins; but he
graciously shines in our hearts, and gives us to see the Glory of
GoD, IN THE FACE of Jesus Christ. 2 Cor. iv. 6. Dear Lord,
thus surprizingly visit us, thus appear to us, thus manifest thy-
self to our hearts continually, that we may glory of thee, and
rejoice in thee constantly |
(4th) Was it not a comfortable appearing Yes, infinitely
more so than the clear shining of the sun in its meridian glory,
|
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after many dark and tempestuous days. Yea, more.comforting than
the visit of an earthly monarch, in all the glory of his majesty,
to pardon and set at liberty, from a dark dungeon of despair, a
rebel doomed to die. Comfort unspeakable, joy inexpressible,
must surely fill the heart of poor Peter, at the sight of his
ever-loving GoD and Saviour. Do you possess the same
wicked nature as Peter did Has the Lord Jesus appeared
to your soul, in the vision of faith? Has he visited you in
Spirit, as a risen Saviour Has he in love spoke death
to your fears, peace to your soul, and pardon for your
sins 2 Then you also know somewhat of the same com-
fort, which Peter felt, when the Lord appeared to him.
You also have been favoured in Spirit, as Peter was in
the flesh. He beheld the GoD-man Christ Jesus, with
his bodily eyes. You have seen him by the eye of faith:
the eye of your mind, appearing in the gospel. One is
not less real than the other. One is as really comforting to a
poor sinner's soul, as the other; but you and many may be
ready to say, O, that I were but as sure that Christ loved me
as Peter was O, that I had such a clear evidence, and strong
proof of his love, as Peter had how happy, how joyful would
this make me! Would it 2 Here is a blessed criterion to know it
by, St. Paul speaks of “loving the appearing of Christ.” 2 Tim.
iv. 8. Do you know any thing about this matter? It is as
impossible for any sinner upon earth to love the appearing of
Christ to judgment, as it is for a devil in hell, unless Christ
hath first appeared precious to the soul by faith. Is Christ
precious to your soul ? Do you as a lost and miserable sinner,
see such preciousness in Christ, that the desire of your soul is
towards him, and to the remembrance of his name 2 Is his
name Jesus precious 2 Is his person as GoD-man precious?
Is his death and resurrection precious 2 Do you wait upon him,
and long for precious visits from him 2 Do you feel yourself
miserable without him 2 Do you cry unto him Lord visit me
with thy salvation, that will put joy and gladness into my heart,
Then, as verily as Christ appeared to Peter, he hath appeared
to you, in the grace of his word, and the power of his Spirit.
And, as surely as he loved Peter, he loves you. Yes. You
may be perfectly assured of it. Your view of him, desires after
him, cry to him, and love to the appearing of him, all proceed
from his love to you, and his grace given you. Because, “He
now appears in the presence of God for you.” Heb. ix. 24.
Therefore he hath put these love tokens in you. Let your soul
take the comfort, and give your Lord the glory of this. Christ's
loving heart delights in comforting distressed sinners, without
looking for the least merit in them, or expecting the least
worthiness of his love from them. This appears clearly in his
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conduct to Peter. Therefore, look no more for your goodness,
than to your badness as the cause of Christ's love, the founda-
tion of your hope, the source of your comfort, and the spring of
your joy; but look wholly to, live wholly upon, rejoice constantly
in the love of Christ to sinners, and his appearance for their
salvation in flesh on earth; and before the presence of GoD in
heaven. Thus come self-emptied to the Lord, to receive out
of his inexhaustible fulness, grace upon grace: one favour after
another, even until you are filled with all the fulness which is
of God in glory. But meanwhile remember, we are called
“to walk worthy of the Lord, unto all pleasing, being fruitful
in every good work.” Col. i. 10.
Lastly, it was a sanctifying visit. It revived Peter's love.
All sanctification proceeds from love. All love from faith.
Sanctification is begun in faith, by union to Christ. It is
carried on by communications from. Christ. And it shall
certainly be consummated by the Spirit of Christ. This we
may be fully assured of. No one member of Christ can possibly
perish for want of holiness, as some ignorantly speak. Why?
because Christ is our life of sanctification. “He is made of
GoD, sanctification to us.” I Cor. i. 30. For he says, “I came
that they might have life, and that they might have it more
abundantly.” John x. 10. “And because I live, ye shall live
also.” xiv. 19. And life of holiness on earth, and happiness in
heaven. “Being confident of this very thing, that he who
hath begun a good work in you, will perform it, until the day of
Jesus Christ.” Phil. i. 6. “Therefore we are bound to give
thanks always unto God, because God hath from the beginning
chosen us to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and
belief of the truth.” 2 Thess. ii. 13. Therefore it was that our
Lord appeared to Peter. *
O! how joyful to argue from our belief of the truth, and
sanctification of the Spirit, in time, up to our being chosen of
GoD to salvation from the beginning, before time; and from
our electiºn in eternity to salvation, down to our being sanctified
by the Spirit, through the belief of the truth, in time ! O, how
does this excite thankfulness in our hearts, to the sacred Three-
one JEHowAH ! Whereas those who do not believe this doctrine,
know not the comfort of it, therefore cannot give thanks for it.
Thus unbelief robs God of the glory and praise which are ever
due to him. True, if it be left to us to sanctify and make our-
selves holy, in order to be saved, (as some talk); then indeed
the glory is ours. But if the issue of salvation be put upon this,
I am sure no flesh can be saved: all must perish. But glory to
thee, O LAMB of GoD, that this is not our comfortless case.
This work is thine, and we look to thee to carry it on, and
finish it. *
- 286
*
Look at Peter. How did he carry on his own sanctification?
Yet Christ appeared to him, after his wretched conduct. Let
this excite you, under the sense of all your vileness, to look
wholly to Christ for sanctification, as your living head of influ-
ence. Those who think they can do better than Paul did, in
regard to sanctification, are deceived by vain confidence, just as
he was. Those who assert that they are workers together with
GoD in sanctifying themselves, (any further than using all
means in our power, which we are ever bound to do) add pride
to their folly. This pride counteracts sanctification; because.
it is contrary to humble faith. Hence we hear of two justifica-
tions before God : one by Christ, and another by the merit of
their own works. With such, it is as natural to talk of two
Saviours, Christ and themselves: two righteousnesses, Christ's
and their own; two sanctifications, Christ’s and theirs; and
with equal propriety, two Heavens also; one which Christ has
prepared, and another which they have merited. But blessed
be his dear name, we have not so learned Christ, if so be we
have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is
in Jesus. Our merits are as strange language to us as transub-
stantiation. And we equally detest the one as the other. For we
know we have no merits; and that we could as soon redeem
ourselves from all iniquity, as justify ourselves before God, or
sanctify ourselves unto God. No, thou dear Saviour, all is from
thee. O help us ever to glory in thee, and of thee, give all the
glory unto thee, ever look and cry, “Remember me, O Lord,
with the favour thou bearest unto thy people : O visit me with
thy salvation.” Ps. cwi. 4. A visit from Christ, powerfully
assimilates the soul, into the image of Christ. Though we
cannot effect this, yet we delight in it; and ought to use all
means to obtain it. For we cannot see, know, and believe in
Christ, but we must love holiness, and hate iniquity, after our
inward man. The very first sight and knowledge we had of
Christ by faith, effected this ; every repeated visit of Christ
increases it. So Peter found it: Christ's appearing to him,
gave his soul a precious lift to holiness and heaven: so it does
ours, when he graciously condescends to visit us, in the
vision of faith, by the spirit of his love, so that we cannot refrain
crying, Lord repeat thy visits over and over again.
A COLLECT.
O God, thou Saviour of sinners, visit our souls with thy grace,
that we may walk in the light of thy truth, the comforts of thy
love, and the joy of thy salvation, now and ever, to the glory of
the ever blessed TRINITY. Amen.
*
tº
287
(The Thirty-girth Lord's Day.
ON H U MBLE WALIKING, .
—And to walk humbly with thy GoD ! Micah vi. 8.
This is an appeal from the Lord of Heaven, to sinful dust and
ashes upon the Earth. There is not a text in the bible so awe-
fully hackneyed, and so shamefully punned upon as this. It is
at the tongue’s end of every carnal man. It is their very creed.
They make short work of the whole of Christianity by quoting
it, and by vainly imagining that they fulfil it, and all is safe
and secure. For, say they, “What does God require of us,
but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with
our God Thus the father of lies, through the means of cor-
rupt teachers, sews pillows under their arm-holes, buoys them
up with false hopes, makes them rest easy and secure in their
sins, and if grace prevent not, leads them blindfold to hell.
For, they are as utterly ignorant of the meaning of the text
as a magpie ; and as far from complying with it, as a mule.
True, the Lord doth require this of us: and it is as true, if the
salvation of sinners was put upon our perfectly fulfilling it, no
flesh could be saved. But blessed be the Lord of all grace,
salvation is put upon a quite different issue. It is fixed upon
the grace of a sinless MAN, who obeyed this text in its utmost
perfection; yea, fulfilled every command of God's holy law, to
its utmost extent. Therefore, we take up no command upon a
legal footing, to make us righteous before God. That is done,
for ever done. To the praise of the glory of God's grace, we
are accepted IN the beloved, as being made righteous IN him.
Yet the Lord requires, and we delight to hear him in faith, and
are joyful to obey him in love, walk HUMBLY with thy God.
Let us consider,
(1st.) What is impºſed in this.
(2d.) The reason for it.
(3d.) The blessedness of it.
O, for a clear, unclouded view of gospel grace and truth, and
for an evangelical spirit, to hear, receive, and be conformed to
what the Lord requires, that we may obey him in all things,
through the power of faith, and in the comfort of love
(1st.) What is implied in walking humbly with thy God?
(1st.) A proper knowledge of ourselves: and (2d.) A scriptural
knowledge of God. (1st.) A proper knowledge of ourselves;
we call it proper, as being fit and suitable for the purpose of
Y.
*
28S •
humility, and without which we can neither be humble, nor
walk humbly; and this knowledge must enter.into the seat where
pride is, even the heart. It is from thence all pride springs.
It is there humility must take root, and bear fruit. Walking
humbly, is the fruit of humility, as walking well, is a sign, or
fruit of health of body. Is your soul then made alive to God,
through Jesus Christ? Are you called to him Do you believe
on him 2 Are you justified in him Verily, this loudly calls for
the highest praises, to the God of all grace; and not less for
the deepest humility before him. For remember, Het us never
forget this, that though we are so Highly honoured, and so sig-
nally distinguished, as to be beloved of God, and chosen in
Christ before time, and called to Christ, to be justified, pardon .
ed, made righteous, accepted, and saved in time; yet we are all
this, and have all this, only IN Christ. Though we enjoy the
knowledge, and experience the comfort and blessedness of all
this in ourselves, through faith; yet know, to your deep humi-
lity, you are in yourself, just that proud, sinful, vile, poor, blind,
miserable, wretched, and naked creature, as you was, before the
Lord called you, and Christ embraced you. Yes, there is no
difference in your fallen nature, from the most apostate, and
abandoned of all the sons of men. Holy Paul confesseth, “I
know that in me (that is in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing.”
Rom vii. 18. Where no good dwells, no good can proceed.
Our Lord tells us what proceeds out of our hearts, “Evil
thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness-
es, blasphemies.” Matt. xv. 19. A black catalogue truly 1
Fine creatures, with such hearts, containing such a brood of
the vipers of hell, to entertain a good, high, and proud opinion
of ourselves | That we do not see, know, and feel all this, and
therefore are not humble, is because of our evil thoughts of our-
selves, which are contrary to God's truth; and the false witness
we bear of ourselves, in opposition to what his word testifies
against us. Is not here cause enough for humility, and to
walk humbly with God? *
God hath so ordered it in nature, that creatures of the great-
est excellency, should have some manifest deformity. Among
birds, the peacock, though it hath the gayest feathers, yet hath
the foulest feet. The swan hath the whitest feathers, yet the
lackest skin. The eagle hath the quickest sight, and the high-
est flight, yet is the most ravenous, foul feeder. Among beasts,
the lion is the noblest, but is fierce, cruel, and voracious. The
fox is the most subtile, but has the foulest smell. So in God's
own dear people, though they partake of many excellent graces,
yet he suffers the corruption of nature, or a nature full of cor-
ruption, a body of sin, to be in them all, to humble them. So
What humility, the best of graces, springs from the worst root,
289
our original sin, lusts, and corruptions: though not naturally
and properly so, but by the influence of God’s grace. He
shews us what we are to humble us. He convinces us of sin, to
keep up the view of ourselves, and to make us walk humbly
with him. And he gives us, !
(2dly) The scriptural knowledge of God. I call it scriptu-
ral knowledge: for all other knowledge of God, is only mere
speculation, and pompous ignorance. But the scriptures reveal
God in the most clear and comfortable view, to us guilty crea-
tures, as a God in Christ, “Not imputing our trespasses to us,’
2 Cor. v. 19: “But forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin.”
Exod. iii. 4, 7. “Reconciled to sinners, and reconciling them
unto himself. Justifying them before him, and at perfect peace
with them.” Rom. v. 1. “And freely giving eternal life to
them.” Rom.vi. 23. Why all this? “Because the Son of God
in our nature, was made sin for us, and we are made the righ-
teousness of God in him.” 2 Cor. v. 21. “Our sins were laid
upon him.” Isaiah v. 3, 6. Righteousness is imputed to us.”
Rom. iv. 24. “He is the Lord our RIGHTEoUSN Ess,” Jer.
xxxiii. 16. We have a perfectly righteous character in Christ
only, to appear in before the throne of God’s justice. By faith
we receive this truth of God. . And, O how joyful is this, to
our sin-sick, hearts, and pained consciences ! Having this pro-
per knowledge of ourselves, and this scripture knowledge of
God, he requires us, and we delight to walk humbly with him.
But without this it is as possible for a devil to walk humbly
with God, as a sinner. For, without faith, believing God to be,
what he has revealed himself in his word, we cannot come to
him, and walk with him ; and it is impossible to please him.
Heb. xi. 6. This implies spiritual life; and the whole of our
conversation, conduct, and deportment in that life, that it
should be regulated by, and agreeable to, that knowledge we
have of God, and ourselves; to humble ourselves in walking.
The more we walk, and the farther we go, in the divine life,
we get more knowledge of ourselves, and more humility be-
fore God. Let your mind be exercised upon, and influenced
by this knowledge. That God has a sovereign right to com-
mand what he pleases from you, to say what he pleases of him-
self to you in his word; and to do what he pleases with you,
in the dispensation of his providence; and that you dare not,
you ought not, you have no right to question his word, nor ar-
raign his conduct. For who art thou, O man (sinful man, a
creature of yesterday, dust to-morrow, a worm of the earth)
that thou shouldst reply against God? Rom. ix. 20. This it is
to walk humbly. But, pride works in us directly contrary to
all this. Spectacles for an ancient sight, if used by the young,
A. 1. U
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296)
make objects appear less than they are. So pride makes sin,
God’s truths, love, mercy, grace, goodness, promises, and
threatenings, less than they really are. But humility, like spec-
tacles suited to the sight, magnifies objects, makes sin appear
exceeding sinful, the sinner exceeding vile in his own eyes,
and God exceeding precious in Christ, in the word of his grace,
the declaration of his truths, the promises of his Gospel, and
in the dealings and dispensations of his providence. Pride
makes a man think no one better than himself. Humility causes
a man to judge no one worse, nay, not so bad as himself.
Therefore, while the one exalteth himself on high : the other,
layeth his hand on his mouth, and “his mouth in the dust.”
Lam. iii. 29. And is ever crying out, God be merciful to me
a sinner | Lord pardon me, an unprofitable servant.
WITH-Thy—God. Each of these words demand our
deepest attention. With : It is not before, or in the sight of
thy God, though this is equally true: but it is, with thy GoD ;
nigh to him : in close company with him. O, ye angelic hosts
Ye cannot conceive this wonder of love O, ye saints of the
most high God, ye cannot express this miracle of grace For
sinners, enemies to, and rebels against God, who were at the
utmost distance from God; to be brought migh, yea, to have
close fellowship, and walk in company with GoD, the whole
God-head, Father, Son, and Spirit. , O most joyful May it
elevate us with the highest joy, while it sinks us into the low-
est humility “For now in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes
were afar off, are (not for any worth, or worthiness in us, but)
made nigh by the blood of Christ.” Ephes: ii. 13. Being thus
made nigh we walk nigh with God. He hath delight in us.
We have pleasure in him, while we glory in the blood of Christ,
Thy God: thy Elohim : thy GoD in covenant, Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost: thy Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier: who
hath loved thee, chosen thee, redeemed, justified, and saved
thee; who will never leave, nor forsake thee, but will comfort
thee in love on earth, and crown thee eternally in heaven.
GoD, in all his glorious persons: God, in all his adorable per-
fections: God, in all his covenant love, electing grace, sacred
counsel, solemn oath, precious promises, and providential dis-
pensations. The most high God, the great, the most mighty
GoD, the LoRD Jehovah, is thy GoD ; therefore, walk humbly
with thy GoD. But let us consider,
(2dly.) The reason for this conduct. Enough has been said,
to shew cause for this. It need only be added, Thy GoD
requires it of thee, and it is thy highest privilege, thy indis-
pensable duty, thy greatest honour, and thy richest mercy.
For it is—I was going to say, the way to the kingdom; but H
correct myself, remembering our precious Christ says, “I AM
29 l
THE WAY.” John xiv. 6. But I will say, there is no walking
in Christ, no enjoying of Christ, but as we are walking with
God, humbly, lowly, and reverently. For, we are assured,
“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before
a fall. Prov. xvi. 18. The Christian's humiliation is Christ's
exaltation, and GoD's glorification. Call to mind what thou
wast, a sinner, at open war with Heaven, and in arms of re-
bellion against the most High God. Know thyself: What art
, thou now A dying creature, a living sinner, with a world of
iniquity in you, and a mass of corruption about you. What hast
thou that thou didst not receive What dost thou hope for, but
what is of free promise, of free gift, of rich grace? And, there-
fore, if you are walking humbly, the Spirit of truth hath drawn
your picture to an exact likeness. A weak, hopeless, helpless,
decrepit sinner, coming up from your wilderness state, and from
this wilderness world, º; upon your beloved.” Song
viii. 5. Therefore,
(3dly.) Consider the blessedness of this walking humbly
with GoD. (1st.) We find our minds subjected to the sove-
reignty of God, as revealed in his word. There is nothing
more clearly revealed in Scripture than this. And there is
nothing so mortifying to our proud natures, nor which they
are more offended at, or kick more against than this. It is in
our very nature to arraign GoD's justice, object to his truths,
re-judge his purposes, call in question his counsels and decrees,
and think hard of his conduct and dealings with the sons of
men. But why 2 Because we are so ignorant, that we cannot
reach their heights, nor fathom their depths, by the short line
of our corrupt reason, nor reconcile them to our judgment, and
therefore the pride of our hearts rises with indignation against
them, and we cry out, with daring arrogance, “Away with
them. I will never believe them; My reason cannot comprehend
them. I will never submit to them.” Hence one man robs Goo
of his sovereign right to choose whom he pleases to partake of his
grace, and dwell in his kingdom. He deifies his works and merits;
and undeifies GoD of his supreme power, and sovereign choice.
And boldly declares, he would as soon believe the grand Turk
to be GoD, as believe in such a GoD as this. Another robs
Christ of his personal and essential deity, his perfect atone-
ment and everlasting righteousness. Why? Because it ap-
pears absurd, that a man like unto ourselves in all things but
sin, should be also truly and properly, Very God, of Very God.
And he believes, O, horrid to mention that there is as much
virtue in the blood of a calf to atone for sin, as in the blood of
Christ. And, as to us sinners being made righteous, by the
perfect righteousness of Christ being imputed to us, of all the
U 2
292
monstrous absurdities ever advanced, this he looks on as the very
greatest. As to the efficacious grace, operation, and influence
of GoD the Spirit, to the purposes of eterial life, in all the
redeemed of Christ, who can bear to hear of this ; Is it not
esteemed, as the very quintessence of madness and enthu-
siasm 2 -
(2d.) But why all this? Why are these most plain, Scripture
truths objected to, and rejected by the generality of men
Even from one and the self-same cause in all, pride. Hence
they do not “submit to the righteousness of God.” Rom. x. 3.
They dare to reply against GoD, for this plain reason, because
God’s truths oppose their carnal reason, GoD's sovereignty
their corrupt judgment, Christ's deity their natural conceptions,
his atonement and righteousness, the dependence they have
upon their own works of obedience: and the efficacious work
of the Spirit upon the heart, according to sovereign purposes
of the everlasting covenant, is diametrically opposite to their
proud notions of their own free-will, and the high opinion they
have of their own ability, to make salvation effectual to their
own souls. Therefore, as GoD works all things, according
to the counsel of his own will; so all who do not walk hum-
bly with God, oppose his will, by the counsel of their own
will.
(3d.) Now, what a great mercy, what an unspeakable bles-
sedness is it, to be brought into the lowly spirit and humble
temper of our Saviour For when he beheld the sovereignty
of GoD, in his different dealings with, and distinguishing dis-
pensations among, the children of men, “In that hour, Jesus
rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of
Heaven and Earth, that thou hast hid these things from the
wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so,
Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.” Luke x. 21. O !
how blessed, to be of Christ's humble mind and resigned will,
to what seems good in the sight of GoD. All who walk
humbly with God are thus blessed by God, they rejoice in the
spirit before God, and they give glory unto God, for all his
truths and ways. Paul, as one of that blessed number, speaks
the language of all who are thus walking. After he had been
dwelling much, and contemplating deeply, on the sovereign
good pleasure of the Lord, he cries out, in the depth of deepest
humility, and in the heights of wonder and amazement, “O,
the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of
Gop ! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways,
past finding out ! For, of him, and through him, and to him,
are all things; to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” Rom. xi.
33–36. Thus humble walkers with God, esteem it their
293
blessedness to adore his unsearchable judgments, submit to his
wisdom and knowledge, and give glory to him for all his ways,
though past exploring by them. Thus Paul leaves this mat-
ter; and thus will all act who walk, as he did, humbly with
their God. But the prophet asks, “Can two walk together,
except they be agreed 7”. Amos i. 3. A sovereign God, and
a proud sinner, are two of the most opposite characters, and
must be ever at variance. A
(4th.) But, when we humbly bow to the sovereignty of
GoD's truth, submit to his righteousness, and our wills are
brought into unison with his will ; then we sweetly acquiesce
with, and are humbly resigned to, the sovereign dispensation
of God’s providences, be they ever so affecting or afflicting;
saying in all, and under all, with humble Eli, “It is the Lord,
my God, let him do what seemeth him good.” l Sam. iii. 18.
I cannot see what is best : He can: , I dare not choose. He
cannot err. “Wherefore should I, a living man, complain, a man
as I am full of sin, for the punishment of my sins 2° Lam. iii.
89. Chastisement for sin is the will of my GoD : and from
the love of my Father. He is with me in all. I will walk
with him, humbly under all. I have his blessed word, preci-
ous promises, strengthening grace, and covenant assurances,
to support me through all, and deliver me out of all; and his
heaven of love, to receive me after all. O, how unspeakably
blessed is this “It is a joy that a stranger doth not inter-
meddle with.” Prov, xiv. 10. “For, thus saith the high and
lofty one, who inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, I
dwell in the high and holy place; with him also who is of a
contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble,
and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” Isai. lvii. 15.
Happy, humble walkers with GoD ! Again, -
(5th.) Humble walkers with God, will be humble con-
versers with men. It will be seen, that we have been with
Jesus, are walking with him, and partake of his spirit and
temper. Though we shall not be doves, without the least gall
of bitterness in our nature, yet we shall find grace subduing
our haughty spirits, conquering our unruly passions, and
sweetening our bitter tempers. Though the pride and sinful
passions of our nature are not totally eradicated, nor the cor-
rupt tempers of our nature changed into perfectly holy and hea-
venly dispositions, as some ignorantly prate : for, if this were
the case, we should have no need of these, and the like ex-
hortations. “Put on, therefore, (as the ELECT of God, Holy
and beloved) bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of
mind, meekness, long-sufferings, &c.” Col. iii. 12. And,
“Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour, and evil speaking,
&
294
be put away from you, with all malice, &c.” Eph. iv. 31s,
From hence it is plain, that these evil tempers are in the Elect
and holy saints of God, else they need not be called on to put
them away from them; and that the contrary graces are not
naturally in them, else they need not be exhorted to put them
on. Yet, humbly walking with GoD, we shall find the influ-
ences of his love, constraining us to put away the one, as hate-
ful, and to put on the other, as delightful. And whenever we
do breathe, act in, and speak from, our own spirit, our hearts
are pained with sorrow, bowed in humility, broken by love,
ashamed of our folly before the Lord, and we cry unto him for
pardon. Humble walking with God, will soften our speech,
and sweeten our tempers among men; and so shall we avoid
the painful misery of strife and contention, and the worm-
wood and gall of bitter reflection.
(6th.) Humble walking with God, will make us peaceable
subjects, good neighbours, affectionate parents, loving hus-
bands and wives, kind masters, dutiful children, faithful ser-
vants, sincere friends, and forgivers of our enemies. He who
eyes GoD in all, will discharge his duty to all. It will make
us love and pity poor sinners, and wish the salvation of their
precious souls. Though they are wallowing in their sins, ridi-
culing and despising us for our godliness, and sporting them-
selves with their own deceivings, yet we shall not look down
upon them with a self-righteous-air of supercilious contempt,
as the Pharisee did on the Publican; but remember what we
ourselves are, who made the difference in state and practice,
give God the glory, and strive to be instrumental in their sal-
vation. Humble walking with God will make zealous actors
for our Saviour's glory, and our fellow-sinners’ good. Much
more might be advanced on the blessedness of thus walking;
for verily, much more is found by experience in it. Let us.
only consider, I
Lastly, That humble walking with God, will make com-
fortable dying in the Lord. Nay, do not start, as though I were
going to put our humble walking in the place of our Saviour,
for us to look at, and trust to for our salvation. No. Be that
farthest from my thoughts and yours. But by humbly walk-
ing with God, we enjoy in our hearts the comfort of God the
Father's everlasting love, GoD the Son’s everlasting salvation,
and God the Holy Ghost’s “everlasting consolation, and a
good hope through grace.” 2 Thess. ii. 16. Humble walkers
look at, trust in, and glory of, nothing but this. And if this
will not make them comfortable in dying, and joyful in death,
nothing can.
{}
295
A COLLECT. .
God be merciful to us sinhefs, who are poor, but yet proud.
Lord, humble us for our pride. Make and keep us, ever hum-
ble before thee, that we may Wälk humbly with thee. Empty
us of our self-righteous hopes; and fill us outs of thy fulness,
O Jesu, who fillest all in all, to the glory of the Triune GoD.
Amen. *,
3.96
Clijt (Ibirtp-gruently Lott's Dap.
* * * ~ *
\
ou R LORD’s CAUTION AGAINST PHARISAISM,
Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is Hypocrisy.
Luke xii. 1.
/
WHEN any epidemic disorder rages, how glad are we to hear
of, and procure an antidote against it, which may prevent our
catching the infection. Or if affected by it, how readily do we
take such medicines which are prescribed, as remedies to re-
pel its force, and restore health. Happy for us, were we always
thus wise, respecting the health and prosperity of our souls.
Pharisaism is a very dangerous disorder. Its infection is easily
caught, but very hard to get cured of. The seeds of it are in
our corrupt nature. They will live in us, and die with us.
They are ever ready to be drawn forth into life, and to bring
dreadful disorders upon our souls.
Since the fall of man in Paradise, there has not been a sin-
gle day but this distemper has raged more or less in the earth.
No sooner had Adam sinned against, and fallen from God, than
he discovered himself tainted with this cursed leaven. It ma-
mifested itself by his vain attempt to hide himself from, and
his foolish excuse to justify himself before God. Though he
had disobeyed his command, lost his innocence, and was stript
of his righteousness, yet he aims to avail himself of an ex-
pedient and excuse, whereby to justify himself, and retain his
righteousness, that he might not appear naked before God.
This is as natural to us all ever since as to breathe. The Pha-
risees are not all dead. Pharisaism was not peculiar to our
Lord's days only. It greatly abounds in ours also. That we
may obey our Lord's caution, live in his comforts, and walk in
his truths, let us consider,
(1st.) The true spirit and genius of Pharisaism. (2nd)
Why our Lord compares this to leaven, and calls it hypocrisy.
And (3d.) Why he bids us beware of it. O, that while we are
thus engaged, may the Spirit of God be with us, to enlighten
our understanding, and teach our hearts to profit !
(1st.) The true spirit and genius of Pharisaism. The whole
world, which lieth in wickedness, is divided into these two
classes, the openly profane, and the outwardly religious, but
inwardly self-righteous, Pharisees. Of whom the Judge of alt
flesh solemnly declares, “Verily, I say unto you, that the pub-
licans and harlots, go into the kingdom of God before you.”
297
Matt. xxi. 31. Why so? Our Lord has presented us with a
true painting, and exact likeness of the spirit and genius of
the Pharisee. Luke xviii. Here every lineament is clearly and
fully displayed. In which we may see, how contrary it is to the.
spirit and genius of the gospel of the grace of God, to lost and
miserable sinners, in these three particulars. (1st.) He trust-
ed in himself that he was righteous. (2d.) That he was not
like other men. (3d.) He despised others. Or, in other words,
He was full of PRIDE, SELF-CoMPLACENCY, and IGNORANCE.
Let us attend to each of these particulars, and see how hateful
they must appear in a sinful creature, and to the eyes of a gra-
cious God. And if we discover any of this spirit in ourselves,
that we may humble ourselves before God, and cry to him for
mercy.
First. His pride, in trusting in himself that he was righteous.
How naturally prone are we all to this 2 The most profane
wretch out of hell, carries some of this same spirit about him.
Either what is called negative, or positive righteousness. He
either has not committed some evils, which others have ; or he
has done some good things, which others have not. Hence he
entertains a good hope of himself before God. And there is
not a saint out of heaven, but is more or less prone to self-righ-
teous views of himself, and to consider, there is something
wrought in him, or done by him, which sets him above the rank
of his fellow sinners before God, and puts him upon a better
footing of acceptance with God, than they. Now in any wise,
to trust at all in ourselves, that we are righteous, and to expect
favour from God, acceptance with God, and justification before
him, on account of any thing we find in ourselves, feel about
ourselves, or done by ourselves, is a species of Pharisaism :
and to incline to, and indulge it, is to commence a Pharisee.
It is to carry the broad mark of pride in our hearts, and upon
our foreheads. Pride of the very worst kind; spiritual, infer-
mal, damnable pride. Hence Paul would not have any one to
be a bishop who was a novice, (one newly come to the faith,
not well versed in the knowledge of his sinfulness, and the self-
righteous workings of his own heart) lest, being lifted up with
(self-righteousness), pride, “he fall into the condemnation of
the devil.” l Tim. iii. 6.
- Did you never feel the working of this self-righteousness in
you? how do you treat it? how does your heart act under it?
do you cherish it 2 or loath yourself for it, humble yourself un-
der it, and are ashamed of yourself before our righteous Sa-
wiour on account of it? If so, this is a genuine sign of a gra-
cious heart, well instructed in the kingdom of nature, and of
grace. There is no evil, even hypocrisy itself, but what is in
our flesh, or fallen nature. But this does not constitute us
398
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hypocrites, for we hate it. So of self-righteousfiess, if we resist,
strive, and pray against it, we shun and avoid Pharisaism.
Whereas, it is the spirit and genius of a real Pharisee, to live
under the power of pride and self-righteousness; to nourish
and cherish it; and in all he does to sacrifice to it. For, take
away what he is in himself, what he can do towards justifying
himself, and he has nothing else to trust in, and rely upon, for
hope towards God. For, his self-righteousness ministers to his
pride; and his pride keeps up his self-righteous hope in him-
self; and both keep him from submitting to the one righteous-
mess of Christ being imputed through faith. A Pharisee cannot
bear the doctrine of the imputation of Christ's righteousness,
to make him righteous before God. This bears hard upon,
and is contrary to, $
(2d.) His SELF-com/PLACENCY, O, had you gone to this
Pharisee of old, or to any 6f our modern ones, and said, “Sir,
all the catalogue of your works, which you are now enumera-
ting, boasting of, and thanking God for, does not raise you one
step higher in the sight of God, nor constitute you righteous,
and justify you before him, any more than alk the evils of that
poor, despised, self-condemned publican yonder, can him.” O,
how this would mortify his self-complacent, and self-conceited
spirit ! He would instantly pronounce you a rank Antinomiah.
This will ever be the case, when men get into a self-righteous,
self-complaisant, and self-conceited spirit; they will ever de-
spise others, Not considering that they are in themselves sin-
ners, law-condemned, miserable sinners; in all they are, and in
all they do, they come short of the glory of God, and the per-
fection of his holy law; and must be wholly and solely indebted
to Christ for his perfect righteousness, to clothe, adorn, and jus-
tify them. But self-complacency blinds their eyes to this.
They swell into haughty airs of their own goodness and impor-
tance, hold other poor sinners in supercilious contempt, and
treat them with proud disdain, saying, “Come not near me.”
Stand off. Keep your distance. “I am holier than you.” But
what saith the Lord of such “These are a smoke in my nose,
a fire which burneth all day.” Isai. lxv. 5. Hateful and offen-
sive. The Lord in mercy humble our proud hearts, rebuke and
break our self-righteous, self-complacent, and self-conceited
spirits, and bring them into humility before him. O, that we
may not be left under the power of what this Pharisee was,
(3d.) His IGNORANCE. Consider this. (1st.) Ignorant
of himself. Therefore he says, “I am not like other men.”
No! poor whited wall, and painted sepulchre Pitiably proud,
superlatively ignorant, and deceived sinner! Thou, and every
man (even a regenerate man not excepted) has a nature, black
as hell, and deformed as any sinner out of hell; yea, as any
299
sinner in hell. But thy heart is superlatively deceitful, and
through ignorance deceives thee, or thou wouldest be quite out
of all conceit with thyself of thy doings, and be thoroughly
ashamed for thyself, before a heart-searching God. But thou
dost not sec thyself as thou art seen, nor know thyself as known
of God. Poor, blind Pharisee. All is dark within.
(2d.) Pharisees are ignorant of the purity and spirituality of
the righteous law of God, which requires perfection of heart,
thought, word and work, and condemns us as sinners, for the
least deviation from it. A clear sight of this will make the
stoutest heart, and the most self-righteous Pharisee tremble
before God. But such, like Paul, are alive in self-righteous
hopes, and self-conceited confidences, “ without the law.”
Rom. vii. 9. But when the commandment comes to their con-
sciences, sin revives and they die, to their legal dependencies,
and with Paul cry out, “O wretched man that I am ſ” or, with
the publican, “God be merciful to me a sinnerſ’ This, though
a very distressing and painful view, is most humbling and
salutary for the soul. The Lord the Spirit keep it up in our
hearts.
(3d.) Ignorance of the Gospel, of the love and grace of God
to sinners, the righteousness which Christ wrought out for sin-
ners, the blood which he shed to atone for sin, and the salvation
he has finished for sinners : and of the comforts of the Holy
Ghost, which he bestows on sinners, through faith in this
righteousness, atonement, and salvation of the Son of God. For
the Gospel reveals mercy to the miserable, free favour to the
hopeless, an atonement for the guilty, justification for the un- .
godly, pardon for the hell-deserving, salvation for the lost, the
hope of eternal life to condemned and desperate sinners, who
never did, nor ever can, do any thing to merit the favour of God,
to reverse the sentence of the curse of his law, and entitle
them to his favour and kingdom. But pride, self-righteous-
ness, and ignorance close the eyes of Pharisees to all this,
and shut up their heart against receiving it; therefore GoD
gets no glory, our Saviour no honour and praise from them.
Hence,
Secondly. Our Lord compares their spirit and temper to
leaven, and calls it hypocrisy. A hypocrite is one who, like a
stage-player, feigns himself to be, what in reality he is not.
He acts the part of a king, but he has neither crown, kingdom,
nor title to either. Just so the Pharisee struts on the stage of
life, acts the part of a righteous person, trusts in himself that
he is so, yea, he thanks GoD that he is so, and despises other
sinuers who are not so. Now all this is dissimulation and hy-
poerisy. . For, there is not a man upon the earth, who is righ-
teous in himself. He who trusts in himself that he is, is both
300
a Pharisee and a hypocrite. He is guilty of the most daring
impiety, and arrogant pride, to assume into the presence of
GoD, and thank GoD that he is not as other men, a sinner.
For the Lord himself has declared, “There is none righteous,
no not one, in himself.” Rom. iii. 10. For God makes no man
righteous in himself. It is the very essence of Pharisaism and
hypocrisy to think so. But Christ of God is made righteous-
ness to sinners. I Cor. 30. Sinners are made “the righteous-
ness of God, in Christ.” 2 Cor. v. 21. That he who glorieth,
should glory, not in himself, but in the Lord Christ, in whom
he is righteous, and in him only, and not in himself. Here
then the odious hypocrisy, and daring dissimulation of Phari-
sees are manifest, in proudly opposing God's method of making
sinners righteous, by their works, instead of faith in his beloved
Son. This is flying in the face of GoD, and doing despite to
his Spirit of truth.
2d.) Our Lord compares this to leaven, which is of a sour,
fermenting, communicative, assimilating nature. The self-
righteous sinner, is sour, rigid, and austere towards those whom
he looks on as wicked and ungodly. “I am not like this Pub-
ican, this unholy fellow, this Antinomian wretch, who has got
no righteousness of his own to trust in, glory of, and plead be-
fore God as I have. Well may he cry, “God be merciful to
me a sinner l’ Lord, why me! While I am a stranger to such
language, and come to the Lord as a righteous person, with
Lord, why not me * Thus this leaven ferments, puffs up, and
swells a sinful worm of the earth, into a high and haughty con-
ceit of himself, of his own righteousness and importance, not
only before men, but God also.
This leaven of pride is also communicative and assimilating.
“A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. ”Gal. v. 9. It changes
a whole lump of dough, into its own nature and quality. It spread
through the Galatian church. Paul’s whole epistle to that
church, is wrote to expose its pernicious nature, and to expel
its poisonous consequences. Hence he most pathetically
laments over his brethren, for being under its self-righteous
influence, telling them, “They had a zeal of GoD, but not
according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of GoD's
righteousness, and going about to establish their own righ-
teousness, have not submitted themselves to God's righ-
teousness.” Wherein does that consist “ In Christ being
the end (consummation, or fulfiller) of the law for righteous-
ness to every one who believeth.” Rom. x. 2, &c. By
rejecting this truth, the Jews lost both their kingdom and re-
ligion. Yet, how does this cursed leaven spread through this
kingdom . How does it taint and infect professors of the Gos-
pel] How many live under its power, die of its disease, and
º 301
perish in self-righteous pride; through ignorance and unbelief;
For in one word, it is a practical rejection of the one righteous-
ness of the Son of God, wrought out for sinners, and imputed
to sinners through faith, to set up, establish, and trust in our
own righteousness, to justify us before God. Amazing absur-
dity A sinner's righteousness! Yet how many pulpits ring
with the sound, how many presses echo it forth, to the deceiving
of sinners, rejoicing of Satan, and creating a loud laugh in
hell ! Well, thereforé,
Thirdly. Might our dear Saviour caution us against it, with,
“BEwARE YE.” It proceeds from his love to us, and care for
us, because he would have us walk simple in faith, joyful in
hope, and in sweet fellowship and love with himself, who is,
“th E LoRD our Rig HTEousNESs.” Jerem. xxiii. 6. That
we may ever glory in him, saying, “Surely, in the Lord I
have righteousness.” Isai. xlv. 24. And that “the work of his
righteousness might be peace, and the effect of His righteous-
ness quietness and assurance to our souls for ever.” Isai. xxxii.
17. That so, from a righteous faith and hope, “we might be
filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ
unto the glory and praise of God.” Phil. i. 1 1. Therefore,
(1st.) O believer in Christ, beware of this leaven of the
Pharisees. For it lies at the foundation of every heresy, and is
the source of every delusion. Therefore, leave all the glory of this
to self-righteous Pharisees. But do you look well to, and watch
constantly over your hearts, so as diligently to keep them from
this leaven. Have you escaped the corruption, which is in the
world through lust? Do you hate sin, strive against sin, and love
holiness 2 Beware of self-righteous pride, lest you make an
idol of this. Remember, this is not your righteousness before
God, but the effects of the belief of the truth of Christ's
righteousness being imputed to you, and of the Spirit being
bestowed upon you. . For could you carry this to the height of
perfection, this could not constitute you righteous, and justify
you before God. For, “in many things we all offend.” James
iii. 2. In all we do “we come short.” Rom. iii. 23. After we
have done our best, “we are unprofitable servants,” Luke xvii.
10; and in ourselves, “miserable sinners.” Rev. iii. 19. If we
do any thing, in which we think there is no sin, verily there is
sin in that thought. And “if we say we have no sin, we
deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” 1 John i. 8.
We are lying as well as unrighteous sinners. Therefore,
live low, lie low, and think low of yourself; ever crying from
the ground of your heart, “God be merciful to me a sinner l’”
And ever rejoice in Christ Jesus, “ and have no confidence in
the flesh, in yourself.” Phil. iii. 8. * *
(2d.) Beware, lest any thing of your own works and doings,
302
gets in between your heart and our precious Saviour. For, if it
does, it will certainly cloud your views of his glorious Person,
his perfect atonement, everlasting righteousness, finished
salvation, and all-prevailing intercession. Then you will be
legal in your frame, cold in your heart, lean in your soul, and
uncomfortable in your prospect of death, judgment, and eternity.
Therefore, undertake nothing, do nothing, merely to satisfy
conscience, to get a good opinion of yourself, and to establish a
self-righteous character before GoD. But undertake, and do
every thing, in the name of Christ, your righteous law-fulfiller,
advocate, and intercessor, to the glory of God, the honour of
Christ, to evidence, that you are righteous, justified and accepted
in him, that you may enjoy the comfort of a good conscience,
by his resurrection from the dead, and to testify that you are
risen with him, “by the faith of the operation of God.” Col. ii.
12. Therefore, *
(3d.) Be constantly and continually looking unto Jesus,
and turning from those who deny the imputation of his righ-
teousness, to make sinners righteous before GoD. Pity them
with all their corrupt notions, and exalt Christ and his truths,
above and beyond them. The sight of his great love, will make
you joyful in him, while you will be ashamed of your love
before him.—His perfect righteousness will put you out of
conceit with your own imperfect obedience.—His depth of
deepest humility will confound you for your pride.—His
sorrows, sufferings, and death for your sins, will cause you to
hate them, mourn over them, abhor yourself for them, and lay
you in the dust, on account of them.—His finished salvation
will put you out of all hopes of doing any thing to save yourself,
and cause you to triumph wholly, and rejoice solely in him.—
His intercession for you, though it excites prayer in you to him,
will lift you above any dependence on your own prayers, be they
ever so warm and fervent.—His power to keep you from perish-
ing, to sanctify you wholly, and give eternal life to you freely,
will cause you to trust in his omnipotent arm, and not in an
arm of flesh; to live as an empty creature, hungering and thirst-
ing after righteousness, and looking to receive all out of Christ's
fulness.
Thus go on, “leaning upon Christ, the beloved of your
soul,” as a weak creature, and a helpless sinner; saying every
step, “Lord support, or I fall. Lord save, or I perish.” Thus
look unto, and live upon Christ, lying at the feet of his cross on
earth, till he gives you the crown of righteousness in heaven,
and admits you to his presence, to sing the praises of redeeming
love, justifying righteousness, and finished salvation to all eter-
nity. Amen and Amen. ~,
303
A COLLECT.
O God, the Father of heaven, who sent thy beloved Son to
finish transgression, make an end of sin, and bring in an
everlasting ºrighteousness for us ungodly, and unrighteous
sinners; bring, 6 bring our proud hearts humbly to submit to
it, and in faith joyfully to receive it, that we may ever live
under its sanctifying influence; that we may be filled
with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ,
to the glory and praise of Thee: with whom, and the Holy
Ghost, may we love and serve on earth, and eternally enjoy in
heaven, through Christ our only righteous Advocate. Amen.
30.4
&Ibe (Ibirtp-eighti, Lord's Dap.
* Lººms
ON THE UN BELIEF OF THOMAS,
—Be not faithless, but believing. John xx. 27.
REview attentively the conduct of Christ's apostles: At their
base behaviour to him, and his tender compassion, and long-
suffering towards them, you must be struck with amazement,
so as to be ready to say, “What wretches were they !” And of
him, “What manner of man is this ſ” Strange that Christ
should choose such a set of beings to be his apostles | For,
Judas betrays Christ, and hangs himself, “that he might go to
his own place.” Acts i. 25. This was awful. Peter denies
Christ most daringly, and curses and swears horridly, that he
knew not the man. And behold, all of them cowardly forsook,
and shamefully fled from him. And after Christ's victory over
sin, death, and hell, lo! Thomas exalts the strongest unbelief,
against the clearest testimony from the other disciples, of
Christ's resurrection; and positively declares, “I will not
believe.”
Were these the men chosen to be the first preachers of the
gospel, to conquer the prejudices of sinners, and to establish
christianity in the earth 2 Why not choose righteous, holy,
perfect men, who had no sin in them 2 There were none such
in the earth: nor are there now. Christ’s will is wisdom.
His heart is love to sinners. His grace is manifested by them.
His strength is made perfect in their weakness; and his glory
advanced by their infirmities. Therefore, in spite of all the
powers of earth, and malice of hell, he effected this work, by
weak instruments, to the praise of the glory of his own grace.
This is marvellous. When we consider them, it reminds us of
that eminent type of Christ, David, and the company which
resorted to him at Adullam. “Every one who was in distress,
and every one who was in debt, and every one who was dis-
contented, gathered themselves unto him, and he became a
captain over them,” I Sam. xxii. 2. A true picture, a striking
type, of those who are gathered to Christ, the captain of our
salvation. For they are all remarkably distinguished by these
three particulars, (1st.) We are in distress. Christ is the sin-
ner's last shift. If we could do without him, we should never
go to him. Meer distress and absolute necessity, causes us to
list under him. (2d.) We are in debt. When the spirit con-
vinees, and the law arrests us for our sins; dreading the jail
of hell, we flee to Jesus to be surety for us. For, (3d.)
305
We are discontented both with our state, ourselves, and with all
our works and doings. We gladly resort to Christ, and desire to
be found in him, having on his righteousness, who is our Adul-
lam, or ornament. Blessed be our Lord; like David, he receives
ALL who come. He rejects none. Let their cases be ever so
wretched, their state ever so deplorable and desperate; yet he
graciously receives them, lovingly embraces them, and becomes
a Captain over them, to subdue all that is in them, which
opposes him, and every enemy which is against them. O, how
does our loving Lord bear with our sinful nature | What pains
doth he take with our unbelieving hearts | For though
we know his love, and believe his power, yet we are poor sin-
ners, and an evil heart of unbelief is ever working in us, to
cause us to depart from our Lord.
And indeed, if he were not to keep us continually by his
grace, we should depart from him. Let us look at Thomas,
and we shall see the picture of ourselves : a striking likeness
of our own character, and the amazing love of Christ. O, may
the Lord direct our hearts into the love of Christ, and so
enable us to meditate on his love, that our hearts may be happy
in him sº-
First. We find the poor, scattered sheep of Christ assembled
together, on the first day of the week, at evening, with the
doors shut, for fear of the Jews. Lo, Jesus came and stood in
the midst, and saith unto them—What! Did he upbraid them
for their shamefully deserting, and cowardly fleeing from him,
in the hour of his sorrows, sufferings, and death Did he
say? “Go, ye base, perfidious wretches to your deserved doom.
Never shall ye see my face in my kingdom.” Was not this
what they had all reason to expect? Certainly. But as he
died for their sins, and made peace by the blood of his cross;
lo! he comes and pronounces it upon them, “ Peace be unto
you.” He shewed them the scars of love, his pierced hands
and side. He made their poor hearts glad ; repeats his peace
to them; and breathes the Holy Ghost into them, John xx.
19, &c. O, that I should write, and you read of this great,
this unparalleled love of Christ, with such cold, unfeeling
hearts | Are not you, with me, grieved for this? Lord, pardon
us. Lord warm our hearts with love. But where is Thomas 2.
“He was not with them when Jesus came.” This is recorded
to his discredit and disadvantage. For, he lost this precious
opportunity: this blessed feast for his eyes, ears, and heart.
He saw not the love-prints in Christ's hands and side. He
heard not the blessing of peace, twice pronounced from Christ's
loving lips. His heart was not made glad with the view of
his risen Lord : nor was the Holy Ghost breathed into him.
Where was he How was he gºgº Why not assembled
306
with his brethren? It was to his shame and his loss. Spiritual
sloth is the companion of unbelief: activity is the associate
of faith. It is very natural to suppose, that he had so far in-
dulged doubts, and given way to unbelief, that he had in a
great measure cast off all thought about Christ, what was be-
come of him, whether he was risen or not; and therefore his
mind was busily engaged about other things. And it seems
pretty plain, that his doubts and unbelief, so far prevailed over
him, as to cause fear to get the better of him. For the disci-
ples who assembled, kept the doors shut for fear of the Jews.
But Thomas’s fears did not suffer him to meet with them. O,
by all this, he was bringing on dreadful work in his con-
science 1
Behold the conduct of Thomas. Look at yourselves. You
who are without fault, cast the first stone at him. You who see
your faults, level all your resentment against yourselves. Have
not you often forsook the assembly of the saints Has not your
mind been attending to, and engaging in worldly business, and
earthly concerns, upon the first day of the week, the Lord's
Day? Have you not absented yourself from worshipping of,
and waiting upon your risen Saviour; and lost many a pre-
cious sight of him, and many a comfort from him 2 Yea, by
your over-anxious cares, and too solicitous concerns for the meat
which perisheth, the gold which vanisheth, and the riches
which make themselves wings and flee away, during your six
days, so that on the seventh, you have had no heart for God,
no affections set upon Christ, and the things which are above 2
Hence, hath not your heart been cold, your faith dead,
your affections wandering, your hope languid; so that all
feeling concern about Christ and his salvation, seems to
have almost forsaken you ? Hence have not fears beset you,
and terrors haunted you, lest, if you should assemble with
Christ's disciples, you should suffer loss in your character,
name, business, and credit in the world 2 Trace the source of
all this, and you will find these streams all flow from their
fountain head, unbelief. Verily, you have the same nature as
Thomas had : the same unbelief works in you as did in him ;
you also are, as his name signifies, a twin brother of him. But
who can deliver us from all this No one, but the same
Jesus as did him. He is able to save, and willing to save.
Yea, blessed be his ever-loving name, he will save his people
from all their sins. He neither saves them for their faith, nor
will he cast them off for their unbelief; because he loves them,
and hath undertaken their cause ; therefore he prays for them
that their faith fail not. Hence “they are kept by the mighty
power of God, through faith unto eternal salvation.” I Pet. i.
5. Look not then at your strong faith, to glory in it, nor to
307
your weak faith, to be º for it. “But let him who
glorieth, glory in the Lord.” I Cor. i. 31. “ Yea, saith the
Ilord, let him glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth
me, that I am the Lord who exercise loving kindness, judg-
ment, and righteousness in the earth : for in these things I de-
light, saith the Lord.” Jer, ix. 24. These, you and I want every
moment. O, let us confess to the Lord what we are, poor
sinners; and glorify him for what he is to us, THE SAviour
or sINNERs And to keep up this view, let us not lose sight
of Thomas, nor of our Lord's loving conduct to him.
Some time after this appearing of Jesus to his disciples, in
the same week, they met with Thomas, and with hearts fulf of
joy, and transport in their countenance, their tongues most
gladly tell him, “We have seen the Lord :” as though they
had said, “O, Thomas where was you last Lord's day ? Why
was you not with us You lost a most precious season. While
we were assembled together, with the doors shut, behold our
Lord came in a most wonderful manner, and stood in the midst
of us, and—“ Methinks I see poor Thomas knit the brow of
disapprobation, pour contempt upon their pleasing tale, and
abruptly stop their relating it, saying, “Except I shall see in
his hands, the print of the mails, and put my finger into the
print of the nails, and thrust my hands into his side, I will
not believe.” Ver. 25.
Now here observe (1st.) These highly-favoured souts were
so full of triumph and joy on seeing their Lord, being blessed
with the peace of him, and receiving the comfort of the Hol
Ghost from him, that they were glad to communicate of their
experienced blessedness, to their brother disciple, Thomas.
This is right and well-pleasing to our Lord, that we should
publish his fame, and tell others how graciously he hath dealt
with us, and what he hath done for our souls. “ For out of
the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak.” But pre-
pare for the event; for observe
(2d.) The behaviour of Thomas to them. He seems to be
in a surly humour, and a bad frame; therefore, instead of re.
joicing with them in their joy, lo, he treats their relation with
an air of contempt, and, as it were, pours cold water upon the
fire of their transport. And as though he looked on them as a
set of poor, credulous things, who were deceived by their
fancies, and deluded by a phantom, declares he will have
stronger evidence than sight, even feeling the substance of
Christ's body, before he would believe that Christ was risen, or
that they had seen him. Thus, as Mr. Burkit observes, “Tho-
mas carries his faith at his fingers’ ends.” O, how must this
damp their joy, and deject their hearts | Did you never experi-
ence somewhat of this I have. When waiting upon our Lord,
X 2
30S
and he has manifested himself in the word of his grace, and
filled one with joy and peace in believing; O, how gladly have
we told the first disciple we met with, of our experienced bless-
edness. But alas! he had no care for our tale, nor no heart to
congratulate us, and rejoice with us, but waived the subject with
an air of unconcern. I have really found this very dejecting
and distressing. O, it is ever blessed to cease from man, and to
keep our eye ever steadily fixed upon our Lord. Disciples
should beware of wounding each others spirit.
Now observe our Lord's love to poor, incredulous, unbelieving
Thomas, “After eight days, again the disciples were within,
and Thomas was with them : then came Jesus, the doors being
shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.” Ver.
26. O, Christ how dost thou repeat thy visits how confirm the
faith of thy disciples | how freely bestow thy blessing of peace!
O, to be ever found where thou dost feed thy flock, and bless
their souls with a sense of thy peace. “Then saith Christ to Tho-
mas—What go thou poor, stupid, unbelieving wretch, who ab-
sented from thy brethren the last Lord's day, and thereby lost the
comfort of my visit, and when they told thee, that they had seen
me, with daring unbelief declared thou wouldst have better evi-
dence than their testimony, and thy own sight; go, perish for
thy obstinacy, and die in thy unreasonable unbelief.” Was it so
No. Not one word of this. But with all the meekness and
tenderness of the God of love, who gives liberally, and up-
braideth not, behold Jesus said, “Thomas, reach hither thy
finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand
and thrust it into my side, and be not faithless, but be-
lieving. Ver. 27. Here is a loving reproof, and a precious
command. Lord, was ever long-suffering love, kind conde-
scension, and tender compassion like thine !
What effect had this on Thomas “He answered and said,
My Lord and my God.” Wer. 28. Thus he called Jesus Lord,
by the Holy Ghost. This is the confession of faith : the faith
of GoD's elect. The faith of the operation of God. The
faith by which Christ is honoured, God glorified, sinners jus-
tified and saved; and their hearts comforted. That faith
which does not confess, that Jesus Christ is Load, to the glory
of GoD the Father, is not worth one straw. For it will leave
the soul dead in sin, under the curse of the law, and the wrath
of God. I said before, Christ does not save us for our faith,
but because he loves. Yca, he loved us, before we believed on
him, even when we are dead in trespasses and sins, and ene-
mies to him. Therefore he quickened us, gave us power to
come unto him, and believe on him. And when, through our
fault and folly, our faith fails in its lively actings, exercises, and
influences upon our minds, he pities us. “He remembers
309
that we are but dust;” he revives our deadness, increases our
faith, and gives us fresh joy and peace in him. O, what a
precious, loving Lord do we serve! Faith is a covenant-grace.
All the children of the covenant are blessed with it. Jesus,
the surety of the covenant, “is the author and finisher of our
faith.” Heb. xii. 2. Therefore we are ever to look to him as
such : being fully assured, “That we shall receive the end of
our faith, even the salvation of our souls.” 1 Pet. i. 9. O that
we may never stagger at any of the promises, through unbelief;
but may be strong in faith, giving glory to GoD. Thus did
a precious soldier of Christ act. When he was just going
into the field of battle, he looked up and said, “Lord, I am
going to be deeply engaged. If through hurry I should forget
thee. I pray thee, Lord, do not forget me !” O how wise
and happy thus to act in, and under all our earthly engage-
ments For,
The unbelief of Thomas, obtained the strongest confirma-
tion of the truth of our Lord's resurrection, and a most pre-
cious blessing to stand on record for us. Jesus saith unto him,
Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed, (there-
fore thou art blessed. Yet this was a severe reproof for his
unbelief, and unreasonable request) blessed are they who have
not seen, and yet have believed.” Wer. 29. This is a most
joyful word to our souls. Do we believe in an unseen, risen
Saviour 2 Can we say of him “Whom having not seen we
love.” I Pet. i. 8. Then we are blessed in time, and shall be
blessed to all eternity For God “ hath blessed us with all
spiritual blessings in Christ, according as he hath chosen us in
in him from eternity, to grace and glory.” Eph. i. 3, &c.
Hence attend to the following obvious
REMARKS.
(1st.) That all Christ's beloved, converted disciples, have
the evil of unbelief in them. This is a sin which easily besets
them. . It brings a train of evils upon them, and exposes them
to everlasting misery. Therefore, if we belong to Christ,
(2d.) It is our indispensable duty, daily to humble ourselves
for it, watch and pray against it, and use all means to resist and
overcome it; that our faith may be strengthened, our hearts
happy, and our souls lively in the service of Christ, and to the
glory of GoD. For, all blessings are enjoyed in faith. Hence,
(3d.) Being blessed of God in Christ, with all spiritual bles-
sings, we are not left in our natural state; dead in sin, and
under the power of unbelief. For this we have constant
reason to bless, praise, and rejoice in, an electing GoD, a re-
deeming Sãviour, and a quickening Spirit, who testifies of Goo
the Father's everlasting love, and GoD the Son's everlasting
310
salvation, in the Word of truth, and to our hearts, and thereby
gives us everlasting consolation. Therefore,
(4th.) We shall never perish in our sins, under the power of
unbelief: for Christ hath redeemed us from all our sins by his
blood, made us righteous, and justified us in his righteousness;
and, therefore, he will cure our unbelief, and perfect that
which is “ lacking in our faith.” I Thess. iii. 10. “Through
the supply of the spirit of Jesus.” Phil. i. 19. According to
the fulness of that grand, covenant declaration, “My God
shall supply all your need, according to his riches in glory by
Jesus Christ.” iv. 19. Therefore, we ought ever to be,
“ looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.”
Heb. xii. 2.
Lastly. Christ speaks this loving reproof, and precious com-
mand to us. “Be not faithless, but believing.” The former is
the cause of all distress, and every evil. The latter, the mean
of every comfort, and every blessing. Faith comes by hearing
the Word of GoD, and is increased by God, through the mean
of his Word. And it is the glory and joy of faith, to behold
Christ in the Word, and revealed by the Word, as the ever-
living and ever-loving, ever-faithful Saviour of Sinners. There-
fore, indulging faithless doubts, and suspicions of this in our
minds, at any time, or on any account, is inwardly giving
place to the devil, as much as by any outwardly gross sin. For
it makes the GoD of truth a liar. Therefore detest it from
your very soul. Resist every thing that leads to it, and is pro-
motive of it. Believing, is to accompany us every hour of our
life. Even believing the record, which God gave us of his
Son. Though we are in ourselves lost, dead, miserable, hope-
less, desperate, sinners; yet “This is the record, that God
hath given to us, eternal life: and this life is in his Son. He
that hath the Son, (as the object of his faith, hope, and desire
of his soul,) hath life.” 1 John v. 12. He is to go on believ-
ing this record of GoD, holding it fast in his conscience,
living upon the son of God, waiting upon him on his Sabbaths,
and walking in all his holy ordinances, in spite of all sin
within him, and earth and hell which are against him, until
Christ manifests himself in Spirit, as he did to Thomas in
flesh, so as to cause him to cry out, in all the fulness of
assurance, “My Load and My God.” Yea, he is to go on
believing, till he awakes up after the perfect image of Christ,
and is fully satisfied with his presence in glory, O, for more
sighing of heart after this
A COLLECT.
O Lord, thou Prophet of thy Church, teach us to profit by
every misconduct of thy people, and every instance of thy
3 11
love, recorded in thy word. O convince us more and more of
the evil of unbelief, and the necessity of believing every truth
concerning thee, written in the Scriptures; so that our hearts
may cleave to thee, our affections be set on thee, and our
spirits abide in thee. O, Saviour, leave us not to the folly of
our own spirits. But in the firm belief of thy Word, and in
the happy sense of thy love, may we be taught by thy Spirit,
each to call thee, my Lord, and my God. In this faith may
we live. By the obedience of this faith may we glorify thee,
and in the comforts of this faith may we die, and eternally
reign with thee, to whom with the Father and the Spirit, be
glory for ever. Amen.
SI2.
}
QTijt (Tibirtp-mintº Lott'3 Dap.
oN self-DENIAL.
Jesus said unto them ALL, If any Man will come after me, let
him deny himself, and take up his Cross daily, and follow me,
Luke ix. 23.
“The Word of God, (Christ the essential Word, in all his
sayings, from the first of Genesis to the last of the Revela-
tions,) is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged
sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit,
(the regenerate and unregenerate part, flesh and spirit,) and of
the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and
intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is
not manifest in his sight, with whom we have to do,” (as our
Saviour and High Priest, who is now before the throne for us,
and will hereafter come to judge us.) Heb. iv. 12, &c.
This is a most solemn consideration . How then stand
matters hetween Christ and our souls We all profess to be-
lieve in him. Are we the real followers of him 2 Do we see
so many charms in him, and such grace and glory shining from
him, as to engage our affections to him, so that, through his
strengthening us, we can give up all, for the enjoyment of
him 2 This is the conduct of all his real disciples. Is it ours ?
Let us not deceive our own souls. This we are prone to do.
This is easy to do. But it is utterly impossible to deceive the
Son of God, who is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of
the heart. Suppose He were this hour to require our souls,
and commission his messenger, Death, to summon us into his
presence; are we so living upon him, and so following him, as
to rejoice at the prospect of appearing before him ; being
scripturally and comfortably persuaded we shall be found in
him This is living like disciples of Christ. Then let Death
come, and execute his commission upon us : Christ will re-
ceive us to himself. We shall sing his victory in death, and,
triumph over Death, being more than conquerors, through him
who hath loved us. And where Christ is, there shall we be
also. Is not this enough to make each of us cry out 2 “Let
me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like
unto his.” So you most assuredly shall, if you live the life of
the righteous. What is that? “A life of faith upon the Son
of God.” Gal. ii. 20. May Christ, who is the life of his peo-
ple, give us to experience this ; and to evidence that we are
disciples and followers of the LAMB of God, by our obedience
8:13-
te big doctrine in the text. O, may the Lord make our medi-
tation on it sweet and profitable, while we consider, what is
implied in coming after Christ—in denying ourselves—taking
up our cross, and the reasonableness and necessity of all
this.
First. What is implied in coming after Christ Spiritual
life from him—sight of him—faith on him—delight in him—
love to him—that we are unsatisfied without him, and cannot
live, unless we enjoy him. Or in other words, it is the going
out of the soul after Christ, seeing him altogether lovely in
his person, offices, relations, work and salvation, as revealed in
the Gospel, suited to our lost and ruined state as sinners, and
that we must perish without him. Therefore, to come after
Christ, is to commence a disciple of him, and to live under
his teaching, who says, “Come unto me—learn of me—ye
shall find rest unto your souls.” Matt. xi. 28, 29. This every
man may be if he will. The fault is in their own will, if
any are not disciples of Christ. For he says to all, “If any
man will, let him come, &c. To will is from ourselves. To
will well is from the Lord. Hence, says that great luminary
of the Church of England, Bishop Beveridge, “I am sure, to
say none shall be saved but those who will of themselves,
would be sad news for me, whose will is so backward to every
thing that is good.”—Blessed be GoD, it is he “who worketh
in us, both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Phil. ii. 13.
Therefore, would we see a lively instance of what is implied
in coming after Christ Look at Paul. Hear him tell his
experience, “I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for
which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. I press towards
the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ
Jesus.” Phil. iii. 12, 14. Here is no folding of hands to
sleep, No slumber and sloth indulged. No resting in carnal
frames, and past experiences. No being satisfied with Bethel
visits, fourteen, ten, or seven years ago, as some professors
talk; but following on, pressing forwards, wanting more of
Christ, catching faster hold of him, to enjoy more sweet fellow-
ship with him. This, this is coming after Christ, not only
breathing in life, but enjoying the liveliness, ardour, zeal, and
activity of spiritual life. Paul, as a Christian, saw the neces-
sity of this. He could not be happy without this. We ali
have the same reason for this as he had. The Lord stir us all
up, to the same zeal, liveliness, and activity, in following him ;
for, without this, we cannot enjoy comfortable evidence, and
blessed assurance, that we are coming after Christ, and are
followers of him. But if we are, we shall find cause enough.
for what we are to consider.
. Segond. What is implied in a man's denying himself? O
3.14.
'when our heart is set upon any thing, what self-denial will we
use for the obtaining it! But what is meant by this pronoun,
H IMSELF 2 Even all that a man is, as a creature fallen from
GoD, destitute of the image of God, and possessing nothing
but the lusts of a beast, and the pride of the devil. The light
of truth makes this manifest. And the voice of truth pro-
claims. Deny these. What deny our happiness, and forego,
our enjoyments Flesh and blood cannot bear this. True.
This is contrary to flesh and blood. Therefore, flesh and blood
cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. They keep men
from the enjoyment of the king of glory, in their hearts on
earth, and if conformed to, lived after, and died in, will pre-
vent them from entering into the kingdom of glory. For, “if
ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye, through the Spirit,
do mortify the deeds of the flesh, ye shall live.” Rom. viii. 13.
Therefore, they must be denied that we may live.
How live * With a notion of the doctrines of grace in our
heads, making a profession of being Christ's people, submitting
to his ordinances, becoming a member of an orthodox church,
then sit down quite easy, and conclude all is well? Thus far
flesh and blood may go, without any of the spirit and life of the
Gospel, or the least self-denial. To the great dishonour of
Christ, and the reproach of his blessed cause, how do such
carnal professors swarm among us? As to the power of real
faith initheir hearts, living a life of faith upon the Son of God,
enjoying love to him, peace from him, delight in him, fellow-
ship with him, coming after him, and denying themselves for
him, they are utter strangers to all this. Though as to the
doctrine of this, they hear and assent to, while they have no
experience of these blessings in their hearts. Their lives ma-
nifest it. Their affections are earthly, their conversation carnal,
their delights sensual. For, they can join the openly profane
and ungodly, in the jocund song, frantic mirth, tavern enjoy-
ments, card-table diversions, and the play-house entertain-
ments; and yet vainly think themselves disciples and followers
of Christ. Why so 2 Because there is the pride of the devil,
at the bottom of all this walking after, and pleasing the flesh.
A self-righteous opinion, keeps up a vain confidence of them-
selves, and their state. For they can tell you, that perhaps ten,
or fifteen, more or less, years ago, they had some sweet ex-
perience passed upon their hearts; their soul was favoured with
a precious Bethel visit, as they call it; therefore conclude that,
at that time, they were converted and born again, commenced
new creatures, and became believers in Christ. Hence they
get into churches, become a dead weight upon them, sleep on,
and take their rest. Thus they have a name to live, but—are
dead. They have every thing of the form of godliness about them.
$15
One thing only is wanting, to make them true disciples, and
real followers of Christ, that is the power—the life of a chris-
tian—the life of God in the soul, which ever manifests itself
by obedience to this word of Christ, “Let him deny himself.”
Now can it, upon the broadest bottom of charity be said,
that such are disciples and followers of Christ, who, instead of
denying themselves, are pleasing the flesh, pampering its affec-
tions and lusts, and gratifying their self-righteous pride 2 No.
For with just as much truth they may be said to be walking
bare-foot to Jerusalem. I remember once lamenting the
conduct of such professors, a good lady said of one of them,
“I wish he would not come among us. I am sorry he ever
made a profession : he is such a reproach to the cause of
Christ.” It is said of a certain godly man, that he was sore
tempted of Satan. Living much in duty, and in the exercise
of godliness, Satan suggested to him, “Why takest thou all
this pains to watch, fast, pray, and abstain from the sins of
the times 2 What dost thou O man, more than I ?” The Chris-
tian replied, “I pray, I serve the Lord; yea, I deny myself to
follow him.” “Nay then, says Satan, thou goest beyond me,
for I am proud. I exalt myself,” and left him.
But do many professors build all their hopes on former ex-
perience of what passed on their souls some given time back 2
Though we should by no means decry Christian experience, and
the manifestation of Christ to his peoples hearts; yet we must
by all means insist on self-denial for Christ. Therefore, where
this is wanting, alas ! what will the other prove 2 only that
persons are deluded and deceive their own souls. For, if we
really have seen the glory of Christ in the Gospel, and known
him by faith in our hearts in time past, pray has he lost any of
his charms since Do we not stand in the same need of his
grace and salvation now, as we did then Is not fellowship
with him, comfort from him, and joy in him, equally as neces-
sary at present as in days that are past? Are not our immortal
souls as precious, and Heaven and glory as desirable, now as
then Why, O why, then is Christ and these things less esti-
mable in our eyes, less desired by our hearts, and less pursued by
our spirits the fault is in ourselves. We have not given up all,
and do not deny ourselves for Christ, because self-righteous-
mess blinds our eyes to the charms of him, and corrupt lusts
draw away our hearts from him. Thus our souls are deceived
into false confidence without him. Lord pity, Lord shew
mercy, and undeceive those who are going on thus. O ! keep
our souls near to thee, living upon thee, and enable us ever to
deny ourselves for THEE, who sayest,
“Let him deny himself.” Both his righteous, and his sin-
ful self, so as not to put any trust in the former; or to seek
3.16.
happiness, in gratifying the lusts of the latter. The Divine
Teacher, the Comforter, has settled this point in the conscien-
ces of believers, that they are freely accepted, and fully justified
in Christ, without their contributing the least mite towards
either. But, as to their following Christ, enjoying the sense of
peace in him, and fellowship with him, all things must be de-
nied, and every thing given up, which stand in competition
with him. For he so glorifies Christ in their sight, and so takes
of the things of Christ, and presents them to their hearts, as
to engage their affections to him. Hence with Paul, they
“count all things but loss, dross, and dung, for the excellency
of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, that they may know him,
win him, and be found in him.” Phil. iii. 8, 9. Hence gladly
we deny ourselves for the enjoyment of him. Cheerfully we
give up, and cast away our confidence in the filthy rags of our
own righteousness, seeing the infinite perfection, and everlast-
ing glory of that righteousness, which Christ hath wrought out
for us, and GoD imputes to us. Living under the view of the
cross, and the love of him, who bore its curse, and suffered its
shame, we feel our souls so captivated by this love, that we
most heartily give a divorce to our lusts, and say, Get ye hence.
Though dear as a right hand, or right eye, or however painful to
the flesh to part with them, yet it is the joy of our new-born
spirits to deny them, for the love of precious Christ, the glory
of his dear naiae, and the enjoyment of the blessings of his
kingdom; which are “righteousness, peace, and joy in the
Holy Ghost.” Rom. xiv. 17. This is the faith. This must be
the self-denying life of Christ's disciples. True, we find self-
righteous pride cleaving to us, and corrupt lusts raging in us;
but we are the determined followers of the LAMB, and therefore
deny them. This is to be our constant work.
For Christ says “Let him take up his cross daily, and follow
me.” What is our cross? Verily, all and every thing in life
which is pleasing to our corrupt nature, but is contrary to the
love of Christ to us, and his death on the cross for us. By
Christ's cross we live. In the power of this faith, we are daily
to take up our cross and follow Christ, never loosing sight of him.
and his cross, that we may bear our cross patiently and com-
fortably: this is profitable to our new-born souls. As sure as
we are disciples of a crucified Lord, we shall have a cross to
take up daily. But the comfort of all is, under the dead weight
of the heaviest cross, we have a living, loving Saviour, to look
unto, to animate and strengthen us. And this is our joyful
consideration, every step we take on earth, we get nearer our
crown in heaven. For, as we follow Christ, we know we are
travelling to heaven, because we obey his word. Seeing all Sal-
vation, justification, pardon, peace, the life of our souls on
317
earth, and the hope of eternal life in heaven all flowing from,
and all secured to us, by the cross of Christ; we give up all for
him, forego all to follow him, and to enjoy all in him.
This is the view of faith, with Christ in our eye, and glory in
hope. This is the walk of faith, with the love of Christ in our
hearts, his salvation in our souls, and his glory our aim. Hence
as living members of him, daily pensioners on him, and conti-
nually receiving grace from him, we experience, “His com-
mandments are not grievous.” 1 John v. 3. Where Christ is
precious, his commands cannot be grievous. O ! to believe the
self-denial of Christ for us, and our soul’s salvation, will make
-self-denial for him, not only not grievous, but very delightful.
Then only we live and walk like his blessed disciples, when
Christ rules within, and we are subject to him ; when we have
an understanding to know him, faith to depend on him, a will
to choose him, affections to embrace him, a heart to meditate on
him, fear to offend him, love to honour him, a tongue to exalt
him, a life devoted to him; and after all, a deep sense, that we
are unprofitable servants of him, and ashamed of ourselves before
him, because we are the subjects of a nature, which is contrary
to him. So that in the time of life, and the hour of death, we
may glory in him, and cry “God be merciful to me a sinner.”
Thus, “As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye
in Him ; rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith,
as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.”
2 Cor. vi. 7. O ! this precious walking IN CHRIST, will ever
be productive of humility of heart, and self-denied obedience
of life: while a joyful, thankful spirit, will accompany us every
step.
A COLLECT.
O, LAMB of GoD ! make, and keep us followers of thee.
Grant us to possess all in thee, and to give up all for the enjoy-
ment of thee... O ! that we may experience thee to be the life
of our souls, the peace of our consciences, the love of our hearts,
and the death of our sins. Lord dwell in our hearts by faith,
that by faith we may walk in thee, and be devoted to thee. O !
save us from our self-righteous pride, and from our sinful lusts.
These are contrary to the honour of thee. Enable us to deny
them, that we may follow thee, now and ever, to the glory of
God, Father, Son, and Spirit. Amen.
3.13
Che ſortieti) Lott'ſ Dap.
ON SPIRITUAL JOY,
Yet will I rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my
Salvation. Habak. iii. 18.
This chapter is entitled; A prayer of Habakkuk the Prophet,
upon Shigionoth; or with a Song. Miserable as we are in our-
selves, yet we should never pray to God, under a sight of our
miseries, and a sense of our wants, without joy in the Lord for
what he is to us. That is the prayer of faith. No less than
three times in this chapter, the prophet useth the word Selah,
which means to quicken the attention, and call forth the consi-
deration, to what is spoken. Spread the matter before your
minds: ponder it in your hearts: dwell deep upon it in your
thoughts; even till you see a glory in it. For glorious things
are here set before us. Even the going forth of Jehovah, with
his anointed, (the MAN Jesus, the son of his love) for the sal-
vation of his people, and the discovering the foundation unto
the neck; that is the foundation, depths, and dreadful heights
ef that sin, misery, and wretchedness, we are all fallen under;
and his marvellous grace and salvation, in raising and restoring
us. “Selah,” says he. Consider this most attentively. Ver, 13.
Here is a very little word in the text, called a preposition.
Great stress is to be laid upon it; for it is of the utmost impor-
tance to us, and the cause of all joy in us. This little word is
IN : it is twice used. Therefore, I would address you with, Selah.
Consider it deeply and attentively. IN the Lord. IN God. O !
may the God of our salvation, enable us to catch some of that
heavenly joy contained in this text, while we are considering,
(1st.) The nature and ground of this joy.
(2d.) The subjects of it.
(3d.) The season for it.
First. The nature and ground of this joy. It is the joy of
faith. Now as faith is the gift of God; so this joy cometh from
God. Yea, it is of the very same nature which the Lord him-
self is represented in Scripture to partake of. “The Lord re-
joices over us to do us good.”, Deut. xxviii. 63. Yea, “The
1ord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty: he will save, he
will rejoice over thee with joy: he will rest in his love, he will
joy over thee with singing.” Zeph. iii. 17. O, how encouraging,
how animating, how enlivening, is every sentence here ! what
a pleonasm, what a redundancy of words and sentences are
3.19
here used, all to express (and as though words could not fully
express) the greatjoy the Lord has in his people, the ecstacy of
his rejoicing over them, and the melody of joy which his heart
feels for them And when the eye of faith reads this, the judg-
ment of faith conceives of it, and the heart by faith receives it;
then we catch the flame of this heavenly joy, from the word of
God; yea, from the heart of GoD ; for we know his loving
heart, by his word of truth and grace. And hence, as the Lord
rejoiceth over us, so we rejoice IN the Lord, and joy IN the
God of our salvation. This is “the joy of faith.” Phil. i. 25.
“That joy which is the fruit of the spirit.” Gal. v. 22. “The
kingdom of God is joy in the Holy Ghost.” Rom. xiv. 7.
“God fills us with all joy in believing.” xv. 13. Thus we see
somewhat of the nature of this joy, it comes from Heaven,
and is possessed in faith. We rejoice IN the LorºD, and joy IN
God, believing, that He has joy in us, and rejoices over us.
O how sweet, to take up our joy in GoD, from the Word of
GoD ! This is not an enthusiastic joy.
This is joyful. But says a poor, bowed down, distressed sin-
ner, “It is very happy for you, who are on the mount of this
joy, but God be merciful to me, I am such a miserable sinner,
so tempted, tried, and afflicted, so harassed with doubts and fears,
that I live in the valley of Achor: trouble is my companion, and
distress my food : I see no cause for joy in me.” I wonder if
you should. Verily, you are like Jacob's sons when there was
no corn in Egypt. Jacob said, “Why do ye look one upon ano-
ther º’’ Gen. xlii. 1. Will looking one upon another relieve your
distress, and afford you the joy of food 2 This is just your case.
You see no cause for joy in yourself, and yet you are, from day
to day, looking for it, in hope to find yourself better, that you
may get a spark of joy in, and from yourself. Now, so sure as
the Lord loves you, he will disappoint you. Nay, he does it
daily. He suffers a famine of joy in you, on purpose that you
should not look at yourself for it; but go out of yourself, and
seek it IN the God of salvation. I observed there was great
glory in the preposition IN, twice used in this text. I begged
you would keep your eye on them, and your attention fixed to
them. But you lose sight of them : look at, and turn to your-
self.
Mind the ground of the prophet's joy. I will rejoice in—
What? that I am a prophet of the Lord, highly honoured by
him, and a great man among his people? No. But rejoice IN
the Lord : IN Jehovah ; 1N all his persons: IN his everlasting
covenant of love, grace, and salvation, ordered in all things,
and sure; in his purposes, promises, and providences : IN all
He is, and has declared He will be, to his people in time, and
through all eternity. I will rejoice. It is the fixed purpose.
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of my heart: The determined resolution of my will, to rejoice
IN Him alone, and IN no other. See the lofty ambition of faith.
Well is she styled the queen of graces; for she scorns to fix on
any object below the KING of KINGs, the King of glory. . I
will joy IN–What? my faithfulness to grace received the
merit of my works, since I knew God? my own inherent righ-
teousness before God 2 or in the claim I have to the favour of
God, as not being like other men, a poor sinner, but a holy
perfect man in the sight of God? Was this the ground of the
prophet's joy No. This is the joy of pharisees. Not one
word of this do we find here, nor meet with in scripture, unless
it be to expose the pride, and condemn the folly of it.
Habakkuk was not under the influence of this Pharisaic
spirit. He was taught otherwise. He knew himself better. He
was sensible that he was a poor sinner. Like the humble pub-
lican, all his hope was IN the Lord, all his joy from the Lord,
and all his rejoicing was, that mercy for sinners was with the
Lord. Therefore he says, “I will joy IN the God of my sal-
vation.” Hab. iii. 18. God Jesus, and no other. Not all the
power of sin within me, nor men and devils, earth and hell,
around me, shall prevent my joy in that God, who has wrought
out salvation for me, and is salvation IN me. This will be the
joy of believers. Paul gives us this description of the joy of
circumcised hearts, “We rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no.
confidence in the flesh.” Phil. iii. 3. But, methinks I see a
knit upon the brow of a self-righteous countenance, and with
the smiling air of pharisaic contempt, saying, “So then, this joy
in God, is the joy of sinners " Blessed be God it is, or else
there could be no rejoicing in the Lord, no joy in the God of
our salvation on earth, till we get to heaven: for there are none
but sinners here. This is our
Second point. The subjects of this joy and rejoicing. They
are such sinners, on whom God has pronounced, “Let there
be light.” And like the children of Israel, when thick darkness
overspread the land, they have “light in their dwellings.”
Exod. x. 23. In this supernatural light from heaven, they see
themselves, what they are, sinners in a body of sin and death :
where they are, in a world of vanity and woe: whither they are
hasting with speedy flight, to death and immortality. ' And
in this light they read the Scriptures, and understand the
loving kindness of the Lord, and see that God is become
their salvation. Like Philip to Nathaniel, so they in an ecstacy
of joy, say to their fellow sinners, “We have found Him, of
whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, JESUs of
Nazareth.” John i. 45. Hence their rejoicing IN the LoRD,
and their joy in the God of their salvation commences. They
find every cause for joy, IN Him. The more they look to Him,
z
321
and live upon Him, the more they joy and rejoice IN Him:
and the more they find their souls dead to their old carnal mirth,
and natural joy, on account of what they are in themselves.
For they see nothing but continual cause for sorrow, and sigh-
ing in themselves.
So the prophet Habakkuk, in this chapter, cries out, “O Lord,
I have heard thy speech, and was afraid”—“in wrath remember
mercy.” Wer. 2. When the speech of God in his holy law is
heard, it brings terror and fear upon sinners. Therefore says he,
“When I heard, my belly trembled : my lips quivered at the
voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in my-
self, that I might rest in the day of trouble.” Ver. 16. He found
the plague-sore of sin within him; this caused him to become
hopeless and wretched. His belly trembled. His lips quivered.
His mouth was stopped. His strength departed. Guilt caused
rottenness in his bones. Yet, says he, “I shall find rest in
trouble.” Where 2 Verily, in the God of his salvation; who
says “Come unto me all ye who labour, and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest.” Matt. xi. 28. The prophet Habakkuk,
as a sinner, believed. He came. He found rest in Jesus, the
God of his salvation, and hence, says he, “I will rejoice, and
joy IN him.” *
“The God of my salvation.” Who but sinners want a
Saviour who but sinners stand in need of salvation ? who but
sensible sinners will look to, and believe in Jesus, the GoD of
salvation ? who but such, can joy and rejoice in him And of
all such he says, “With joy shall ye draw water out of the
well of salvation.” Isai. xii. 3. Hence hear the church, “the
seed which the Lord hath blest,” a company of poor sinners,
whom he hath called, all unitedly declaring, “I will greatly
rejoice in the Loko, my soul shall be joyful in my God, for he
hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered
me with the robe of righteousness: as a bridegroom decketh
himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with
jewels.” Isai. lxi. 10. Now all this flows from God's everlasting
covenant with them, ver, 8; and is in consequence of a
marriage-union between them and precious Jesus, the head
and surety of that blessed covenant. “Therefore, “as a
bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice
over thee.” Isai. lxii. 5. So that our joy in the God of our
salvation is, because he is married to our nature; took it to
himself, as a man taketh his wife; and he became one flesh
with us. Yea, and by faith we take Christ, with the full con-
sent of our wills, and the hearty approbation of our affections,
as our bridegroom. Hence our joy is the joy of a bride, who
possesses all in her husband: for we have all the riches of the
322
love of his God-head to glory of, all the obedience of his man-
hood to confide in ; and all that HE is, and has done, as GoD-
man and Mediator for our salvation to joy of, and to rejoice in ;
so that though we are poor, and have nothing in ourselves,
yet we possess all things IN Him. Therefore we joyfully
Sing,
Poor, helpless worms, in Thee possess,
Wisdom, and strength, and righteousness.
We are fully assured of this, by the testimony of the Spirit of
truth, in the Gospel of grace. And by faith we experience the
joy, that “IN THE LoRD, Jehovah Jesus, we have righteousness
and strength.” We are righteous, justified and accepted IN
HIM.” Isai. xlv. 24, 25. Therefore, though we do sorrow, and
mourn for our sins, yet our sorrow is turned into joy, that a
man, Jesus the MAN is born into the world, who has taken away
our sins, clothed us with his righteousness, and saved our
souls with an everlasting salvation. This “his joy remains in
us that our joy might be full.” John xv. 11. “And the joy of
the Lord is our strength.” Nehem. viii. 10. The more we joy
IN the Lord, the more our souls are strengthened by the Lord.
But,
Thirdly. When is the proper season for this joy Now,
ever, at all times, and under all circumstances; whether the
day of prosperity, or the night of adversity. For the Loºp
changeth not. He is ever the same to us, at one time
as another. His love is the same. He ever rests in his
love. He is, “Jesus Christ, the anointed Saviour, the same,
yesterday, to-day, and for ever.” Heb. xiii. 8. His word, his
promises, his oath are the same. Therefore, “consolation,
strong consolation IN Him, awaits all who have fled
for refuge to Him. Heb. vi. 18. And this is the positive com-
mand of his Spirit, “Rejoice IN the Lord alway, and again I
say rejoice.” Phil. iv. 4. This command, because of our slow-
ness of heart to obey it, is twice repeated. It is as much our
duty to rejoice IN the Lord, as it is to keep holy the Sabbath-
day. It is enjoined by the very same authority, and GoD is
equally glorified by our obedience to it. Yes, ye poor dejected,
because legal hearts, hear the Gospel-law of Deuteronomy,
“Ye shall rejoice in all ye put your hands unto.” xii. 7. Ye
cannot keep the Lord's Sabbaths acceptable to Him, without
spiritual joy IN Him. Ye cannot glorify Him on his holy days,
without considering what He is to you, and joying of Him, and
rejoicing IN Him, as the GoD of our salvation. O ! how sweet
and pleasant thus to obey the voice of the Lord, always, at all
times, and in all circumstances, who saith, “Thou shalt rejoice
IN the Lord, and shalt glory IN the holy one of Israel.” Isai. xli.
328
\
10. Admit you find a thousand reasons, and ten thousand
objections against spiritual joy in the Lord; because of your
sin and sinfulness; yet he has given us one word which will
surmount them all. O! methinks you eagerly ask, Where is
it? and passionately declare, Could I find it, I would rejoice in
it. Would you ? Then read the reign of grace, and the procla-
mation of grace. In this one word you have all cause for joy.
“Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: that as
sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through
the righteousness of Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” Rom. v.
20, 21. If this cannot cause you to rejoice IN the Lord,
nothing will. • .
It was the view of this which made that poor sinner, but
happy and joyful prophet, Habakkuk, say, “Although the fig-
tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, the
labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields yield no meat, the
flocks shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd
in the stalls.” What then Here is every soul want, and
spiritual distress imaginable, painted and figured by these
images taken from nature. Under a view of all this, what says
the prophet? I will indulge gloom and melancholy, and sit
down in dejection and despondency? No. But he would honour
the Lord, and glorify his GoD, who is unchangeably the same.
For He saith, “I am the Lord, I change not.” Mal. iii. 6.
Therefore he resolves, “Notwithstanding all appearances in
nature are against me, yet the Lord, MY God is over all,
above all, and greater than all,” therefore, “Yet will I joy and
rejoice IN him.” O ! thou poor, dejected, down-east sinner,
consider this. Remember, “this Man Jesus hath an
unchangeable priesthood. He ever lives to pray. He is
almighty to save ALL who come unto GoD by him.” Heb. vii.
24, &c. O, then, let Him have the joy of thy heart, and the
glory of thy soul!
Andronicus the old emperor of Constantinople, finding all
things go cross with him, consulted the word of God, and
opened his Psalter, at Psalm lxviii. 14. “When the almighty
scattered kings, they shall be white as snow in Salmon.” This
was a striking instance of consolation to him. For, as Salmon
was a dark, shady mount, by reason of many very high trees,
the snow rendered it lightsome, and therefore signifies, light in
darkness, joy in affliction, mercy in the midst of judgment.
As when the Lord said to the woman, “In sorrow thou shalt
bring forth.” Sorrow was to be her affliction—She was to
bring forth—That was to be her joy. Therefore, search more
diligently GoD's word, that you may rejoice more constantly
m Him.
Y 2
3.24.
$ A COLLECT.
O ! God of our salvation, grant us the joy of thy Spirit.
Though we are nothing but sin, and have all cause for sorrow
in ourselves, yet make us ever to rejoice in Christ Jesus, who is
our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, to
the glory of God. Amen.
325
(The ſottp-fitgt Lott's 2Dap.
* Lººm-sº
'y ON PRAYER.
Jesus said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father, who art
in heaven. Luke xi. 2.
Though the Holy Spirit is called the third Person in the sacred
Trinity, yet he is the first who begins a blessed work of grace
upon our hearts. He convinces us of sin, teaches us that we
are sinners, makes us sensible of our misery and danger, and
thereby excites prayer in our hearts, to the God of our salva-
tion. Shew me a real disciple of Christ, who can live without
praying, and I will shew you a man who can live without
breathing. Christ is a praying Lord. All his servants are
praying disciples. They partake of his Spirit. This Spirit
leads them to him. “If any man have not the Spirit of
Christ, he is none of his. Rom. viii. 9. But how may
any one know that he has the Spirit of Christ : By be-
lieving Christ’s words, going as a lost sinner to him, living
as a miserable sinner upon him, and praying as a poor
sinner unto him. This is as strong a proof, that such a
soul belongs to Christ, as if a voice from heaven was to pro-
claim it. For the Spirit sent from heaven hath effected this.
But such disciples of Christ, finding themselves to be wretched
sinners, cannot help reflecting, what the GoD of heaven and
glory thinks of them, how his heart stands affected towards
them, in what manner they must address him, and how they
must pray unto him, so as to be accepted of him. Thus it was
with Christ's disciples in the days of his flesh. They came to
him. They desired him to teach them how to pray, as John
taught his disciples. And Jesus said unto them, “When ye
pray, say, OUR FATHER,” &c. O, may the Lord the Spirit,
enable us to hear, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest this
blessed Scripture; that we may embrace, and ever hold fast
the belief and comfort of it in our hearts; that we may be the
loving disciples of Christ, and the obedient children of our
heavenly Father, to our lives end. Lord grant it. But how,
and by what means, do any of the fallen race of sinners become
children of GoD 2. What is the disposition of the hearts of all.
such Let us meditate on these two points,
First. How, and by what means, do any sinners become
children of Gop 2 We are not naturally so. But are expressly
said to be, “Children of wrath, even as others.” Ephes. ii. 3.
Consequently, we could do nothing to procure this highly dis-
tinguished favour, or to entitle ourselves to this inestimable
blessing. Could GoD see any ºthing amiable in the whole
326 *-
race of sinners, that could render any of them worthy in his
sight, or deserving to be made his children? That sinner who
says so, does not know himself. He has not the spirit, faith,
or love of a child of God. But he is of his father the devil.
The truth is not in him. He speaketh a lie, from the pride of
his heart. Both pride and lying are contrary to God’s children,
but are of their father, “ who abode not in the truth.” John
viii. 44. Father is a special, peculiar, covenant name, which
the First Person in the holy Trinity took upon himself as ex-
pressive of the love of his heart, and of what He would be to,
and do for, ALL whom “he chose in Christ, before the foun-
dation of the world.” Eph. i. 4. So that GoD does not stand in
the near and dear relation of a FATHER, to the whole race of
mankind, nor have all, and every one of the human race, the
least shadow of reason, or Scripture, to call GoD, Our Father.
For if so, why need Christ have taught his disciples, what is
common to every man, and what every man knows, if God is
the universal parent of all mankind? The contrary of this is
most evident. For every one begets a child after his own like-
ness. So does God. But every man has not the likeness of
God, nor the heart of his children; therefore, God is not
their Father. But God is the Father of sinners, by adoption
and regeneration. Without these, no one can in truth call
God, Father. But all who are the subjects of these are God's
children, and can in the Spirit of faith and truth call God,
OUR FATHER. Let us briefly consider these, (1st.) What is
adoption ? putting one into a state of sonship, who is not so.
by nature. Thus Pharaoh's daughter adopted Moses to be her
son, who was not naturally so. This is an act of free love,
sovereign choice, and distinguishing favour. If you were dis-
posed to adopt a child, to treat him as your own, and to make
him heir to your fortune, doubtless you would think you had a
sovereign right to chuse for yourself, and confer your favour
upon whom you please. Dare not then to restrict the most
high GoD, even where worms of the earth claim prerogative.
But GoD's thoughts are secret to us. We know not who are his
adopted sons and daughters, till
(2d.) He regenerates them. Hear one of those dignified
ones telling us the nature of this. “Of his own will begat He
us, by the Word of truth.” James i. 18. Just in the very same
manner, as a mother brings her child into the world, so doth
God bring forth his children. So the original properly imports.
Thus we see the cause, why any are God's children. Even his
own will and pleasure. We had not the least will, nor power
in this work. Here is the mean: the Word of truth. But how
may any one know that he is thus begotten of God's will
Very plainly. By his knowledge of the Scriptures, faith in
327
them, and love to the truths of them. Do you thus know,
behieve, and love the Word of GoD Verily you are a child of
God. You may be as sure of this, as that you are a rational
being, by your knowledge, understanding, and converse about
rational subjects. And as a farther evidence of this, you will
receive, go to, and believe on Jesus, who is emphatically,
“The TRUTH.” John xiv. 6. “He is the head of the body
the Church, that in all things he might have the pre-emi-
nence.” Col. i. 18. Hath Jesus the pre-eminence in your
heart in the work of salvation ? Then you are begotten of
God’s will, by the Word of truth.
For GoD did nothing without Christ in the material world.
He doth all things by Him in the spiritual. Therefore he says,
“Whosover believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God.”
1 John v. 1. Jesus is his anointed Saviour. God is his hea-
venly Father. The Holy Spirit is his Sanctifier and Comforter.
This is as plain, and as clear, from the Word of truth, as that we
had parents who gave us a being in this world. Let not Satan
reason you out of the comfort of this, nor rob GoD of the
glory of effecting this. Thus God having from eternity pre-
destinated us, “to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ,
to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.” Eph. i.
5. Therefore in the fulness of time he regenerates, and begets
us to himself, by the Word of truth, that we should be, “to
the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us
accepted in his beloved Son.” ver, 6. Hence, “we are the chil-
dren of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” Gal. iii. 26. Now we
have the hearts, and speak the language of God's children.
For with united voice we all declare, “We were born, not of
blood, (by natural descent, as of godly parents) nor of the will
of the flesh, (for that will was to be servants of sin, and chil-
dren of the devil, to our lives end) “ nor of the will of man,”
(no parent, however dearly beloved by him, no friend, to whom
we were dear as his own soul, no minister, however earnestl
he wished our salvation, could effect this) “but of God,”
John i. 13. Wholly, solely, and entirely we were born of the
will of GoD, to be his children, and to call Him OUR FA-
THER,
I know by experience, that it is very natural for our carnal
reason to object to this, and for our natural pride to rise with
indignation against this. For here is nothing for the vanity of
the creature to feed upon : nothing to fan the embers of his
ambition; and to sacrifice to his own will and power. But all
is of the sovereign will and good pleasure of God, and to hi
glory alone. But, if God is our Father, we shall act as hi
children, by stifling our corrupt reasonings, resisting our selfs
righteous pride, rejecting the workings of unbelief, and cry ou.
328
in self-abasing wonder, “Behold what manner of love the Fa-
ther hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons
of God! I John iii. 1. Behold it, O ye angels, and all ye hea-
venly host above behold it, O ye our fellow sinners, and fellow
saints on earth ! behold it, O our souls, with wonder, love and
praise, that we, who were by nature children of wrath, servants
of sin, slaves of the devil, and heirs of hell; should be the
adopted, regenerated sons of God! Lord! who am I? What
am I? Why me? What have I done, that thou shouldst put
me among thy children, and that I should call thee Abba, Fa-
ther: our Father: my Father in heaven O, this love, this dis-
criminating love amazes the souls of his children, sinks them
into humility, and excites love and praise to God | For, “not
only hath God adopted, and regenerated them, but also, Be-
cause ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into
your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore, thou art no
more a servant but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God
through Christ.” Gal. iv. 1. O the joy, blesseduess, and glory
of this Let us dwell on it, be delighted with it, and give glory
to OUR FATHER for this. And let us consider
Secondly. The disposition of the hearts of GoD's children.
While transcribing the last text, I saw something very striking
and peculiar in these werds, “The Spirit of his Son.” He is
sent into the hearts of God’s children. This clearly manifests
itself by the disposition of their hearts towards Christ. Hence
they go to him, believe on him, trust in him, glory of him, and
desire ever to be found in him. For they see their constant
need of him, and that without him they must be eternally lost,
and entirely miserable. They have not a blessing but what
comes from Christ. They can find no peace, no rest, no com-
fort, no righteousness, no holiness, no heaven, but in Christ,
Therefore Christ, in his person as God-man, in all his offices for
them; in all his relations to them, and in all his work upon earth,
for the salvation of them, is peculiarly precious to them. Hence
Peter sums up all the evidences of God’s believing children in
this one word, “To you who believe, Christ is precious.” 1 Pet.
ii. 7. If a person could tell of every good disposition in his heart
towards God, and give ten thousand evidences to prove himself a
child of God, unk'ss he could say, from heart-felt experience,
Christ is precious to me, they are all not worth one straw. He
might as well produce a sheet of blank paper to prove himself a
child of God. Perhaps this may seem very harsh. But God's
word is our rule of judgment. Hear that. “If any man love not
the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be amathema, maran-atha, fall
under the most dreadfuſ curse.” I Cor. xvi. 22. Whether any
man can love Christ, without his being precious to him as a
Saviour, judge ye.
329
But this one evidence, that Christ the Saviour is precious to
me a sinner, is the very turning point in the disposition of the
heart of a child of God ; and the contrary is evident. For
when poor sinners can speak against Christ, and say, do not let
us hear so much of the divinity, righteousness, atonement, and
salvation of Christ; for hereby you robus of our will and pow-
er, and GoD of his glory, they discover that they have not the
spirit of a child of God. And their jealousy for Gop's glory,
is only for the unknown God : not the GoD revealed in the Bible:
not the God of the apostles and christians: not the GoD and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; our GoD, and our Father in
Him; but an idol of the brain, an image which they have form-
ed in their own evil imaginations; and which suits to keep
up the pride of their own will, and the ambition of their own
power. But, OUR FATHER, who is in heaven, delights in the
glory of his Son: we please Him best, when we glorify Christ
most. For he calls on us, “Behold my servant, mine elect,
in whom my soul delighteth.” Isaiah xlii. 1. And again, He
says of him, “I have exalted one chosen out of the people,”
Psalm lxxxix. 19. And, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I
am well pleased.” Matt. iii. 17. And, “When he bringeth
his first-begotten into the world (in our nature) He saith, Let
all the angels of God worship him.” Heb. i. 6. Thus we hear
and believe our Father’s voice from heaven concerning his Son.
And we know that we are the children of GoD, because we have
the hearts of his children, to love, esteem, delight in, and glo-
rify his only begotten, his well-beloved Son.
GoD, the Father, gave him to be our Saviour, we receive
him as such : to be our righteousness, we glory in him as such :
to be our atonement, we are satisfied with him : to be our high
priest, we rejoice in him: to consecrate a way, through the vail
of his flesh, to draw nigh to God ; we are delighted with it, and
wish for none other: to be our righteous advocate before GoD,
we look to no other: to be holiness in us, and sanctification to.
us, we trust in Him for this: to be our eternal redemption, O !.
we long for that day, when we shall perfectly see Him as He
is, and perfectly worship and gloriſy Him as we ought, and as
our souls now wish, and strive to do. O ! this disposition of
heart towards the Son of God, includes, and is productive of a
numerous train of marks and evidences, that God is OUR FA-
The R. We prove this daily. We experience this continually.
And therefore, we go to Jesus constantly, as poor sinners. Glory
to him, He loves us freely, receives us graciously, and saves
us powerfully. For we want his salvation every day, and every
hour. And we hear his loving voice, and believe his inviting
word, “Come unto me, All ye who labour, and are heavy
ładen.” And we partake of his gracious promise, “I will give
330
you rest. Take my yoke upon you,” (it is lined with your hea-
venly Father's everlasting love, and my saving grace) “and
learn of me, for I am meek and lowly,” (to receive you as poor
creatures, and save you as miserable sinners, and to teach you
of your heavenly Father's everlasting love to you, and of my
salvation of you) “and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”
Math. xi. 28, &c. Y.
This is the life of God’s children. A life of faith upon his
beloved Son. And this life manifests that they have the Spirit
of his Son in their hearts, by coming to Christ, to learn of
Him. Thus did his disciples in the days of his flesh. So do
all his disciples now, in the days of his Spirit, come with, “Lord
teach us to pray.” What did Christ say to them He teaches
them the love of the Father. He bids them go to Him, and
call Him, OUR FATHER... O ! this is most blessed, precious,
joyful, and heavenly teaching! For thus we experience the
truths of our dear Lord's words. “All things are delivered un-
to me, (as man and mediator) of my Father. No man know-
eth the Son but the Father: neither knoweth any man the Fa-
ther, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal
him.” Matt. xi. 27. Here’s a glorious revelation of God the
Father to us poor sinners, by his Son, even a MAN like unto,
ourselves | This begets love to God, delight in Him, devotion
to Him, as from loving children to an affectionate Father. “No
man hath seen God at any time: the only begotten Son, who
is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared Him.” John i.
18. Even as, “OUR FATHER, who is in heaven,” and says
our Lord, “No man cometh to (any knowledge of, love to, or
delight in) the Father, but by me.” No ! Why not? Because
every man is a sinner, fallen out of God: dead to God: an
enemy against God: does not know God; and therefore can-
not, will not come to God. But, “I am the way,” (the only
way to God for sinners) “and the truth,” (by whom the nature
and character of the true God is displayed, in all his glorious
perfections, as justifying the ungodly, sanctifying the unholy,
and saving sinners, in and by me, according to the truth of all
the types and predictions of his covenant love, and precious
promises) “and the life,” (of sinners dead souls: of all their
graces; of all ordinances, promises, and providences.) John xiv.
6. Now this is the Spirit of the Word of truth. The Spirit
of God's Son, which is sent into the heart of all God’s children,
The Spirit of their faith. In and by this Spirit, they come to
God and call Him, “OUR FATHER, who art in heaven.” And
by this Spirit they are enabled to obey Christ's command, “Let
your light so shine before men, that they may see your good
works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Matt. v. 16.
331
INFERRENCE.
(1st.) How contrary is all this to our natural notions of
KGod, and the pompous ignorance which the great, the wise,
the learned of this world display, when they treat of the nature
and perfections of GoD 2 “Professing themselves to be wise,
they become fools.” Rom. i. 22. Such fools, as to reject the
light of revelation, and form to themselves a God, in the dark-
mess of their natural understandings, and in the evil imagina-
tion of their corrupt hearts. This image they set up, and call
him, Our Father, and say he is the universal Father of all
mankind. And those who do not eonfess, and bow down to
him as such ; but own and acknowledge the GoD of the Scrip-
tures, the GoD of the apostles, the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and in Him, our Father. All who deem the spirit of
the Scriptures, enthusiasm, call all who know the God of them,
and believe in Him, as revealed by them, enthusiasts. What!
to know GoD by his word, to believe in Him, as his word
reveals Him, to rejoice in Him as OUR FATHER, as taught us
by the Spirit of his word,
Enthusiastic this
Then all are weak, but rank enthusiasts.
In the knowledge and love of our Father, we pity their
ignorance, we are unaffected with their hard names, while we
enjoy the comfort of knowing, what our Lord promised,
“That I am in the Father, and you in me, and I in you,”
John xiv. 20. O ! this blessed knowledge makes us bold for
the truth, and fearless of every enemy against the truth.
(2dly.) Here is no fear of devilish pride, no danger of self-
righteous presumption, in calling GoD, OUR FATHER. For,
we did nothing to obtain this exalted favour, nor that could
entitle us to this heavenly blessing. GoD's adopting. us to be
his children in Christ, was of his free love, and everlasting
choice from all eternity. That He regenerated us, was by the
power of his Spirit. That we believe on the name of his
only begotten Son, “This faith is not of ourselves, it is the
gift of God.” Ephes, ii. 8. “That we are kept persevering in
this faith unto salvation, is by the power of God.” I Pet. i. 5.
-Therefore, all is to the praise of the glory of the grace of God.
Hence we are always confident in God, because all is of grace
to the glory of God. And it is our inestimable privilege to
know, that we can never lose our heavenly Father's love, nor
forfeit our blessed son-ship. For as God did not choose and
adopt us to be his children, on account of any goodness foreseen
in us, so neither will He cast us off, from being his children,
for any evil which we are the subjects of. For He loved us,
chose us, and hath made us accepted in his beloved Son. Our
332
standing in the love of God, is not in ourselves, but in Christ,
with whom God is ever well pleased, and with us, as He views
us in him; righteous, and freed from all sin: yea, perfectly
righteous in his righteousness, and cleansed from every spot of
sin, and thus “presented in him, a glorious church, not having
spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy,
and without blemish.” Ephes. v. 27. --
Lastly, not only exult and rejoice in your inestimable pri-
vilege, but consider also, your indispensable duty, and walk as
obedient children of your heavenly Father. Privileges and
duties are to go hand in hand in the life of faith. They are
like the pomegranates and bells round the high priest’s garment.
While we taste the sweetness of the pomegranate in our exalted
privileges, the bells should awaken our love, and remind us of
our indispensable duties: so that whatsoever our heavenly
Father enjoins, we in faith and love may ever obey. It is our
blessed privilege, not to be dragged to duty, under the slavish
fear of hell; nor be bribed to duty, by low, legal, and mercenary
motives, in order to bring GoD in as a debtor for our services,
and to entitle us to his favour. Leave these to those who know
not the love of our heavenly Father, and the grace and salva-
tion of our precious Saviour. O ! to live in love, walk in love,
and obey in love, this is our privilege, and our heaven upon
earth. May this be our practice, till we reign in the heaven of
love and glory, in the kingdom of our Father.
A COLLECT.
OUR Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, for
becoming the Father of us miserable sinners, in Christ thy
beloved Son. O! give us the comfort and joy of this in our
hearts, through faith, by thy Spirit, that we may love thee, and
rejoice in thee, as our Father, and devote ourselves to thee, as
thy obedient children. Lord, add joy to our faith, and humility.
to our joy. O ! keep us in life, comfort us in death, and bring
us to thy kingdom in glory, through the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, to whom with thee, and the Holy Ghost, be
glory, now and ever, Amen. -
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ON THE EVERLASTING COVENANT.
And my Covenant shall be in your Flesh, for an everlasting
Covenant. Genesis xvii. 13.
Thus speaks Jehovah, the sovereign LoRD of heaven and earth,
to sinful dust and ashes. Let all flesh keep silence before
him. Let all his people rejoice in him, as their LoftD and their
GoD, in everlasting covenant love with them. To impress
our minds with a lively sense of his covenant love, and grace to
us, not less than twelve times, in this short chapter, does the
LoRD mention his covenant. How then say some among us,
there is no such covenant existing 2 For the very same reason
that others said, “There is no resurrection of the dead.” I Cor.
xv. 12. Even because of their ignorance, and unbelief of the
Scriptures. The Lord here declares to the Father of the faith-
ful, and to all his believing seed, both the nature of his cove-
nant, and the sign of it. O' may our covenant Lond the
Spirit, help us now to meditate on these, so as to see the glo-
rious grace held forth in them, that our souls may be established
in the faith and comfort of them; and God have fresh glory
from us.
(1st.) The Lord Jehovah, in all his persons, calls it, My
Covenant: the same who said, “Let Us make man in our
image, after our likeness.” Gen. i. 26. Man had lost both.
What did the Lord do? Enter into covenant with man, who
was now fallen into the image of Satan ; that if he would
perform some just terms, and righteous conditions, God would
again restore him to his image and favour The very thought
is utterly unworthy of the Gop of infinite wisdom, though,
adopted by the sons of pride and folly. No. But where sin
had abounded, grace did much more abound. Though sin
reigned unto death, yet grace reigns unto eternal life. There-
fore, the Lord proclaims his grace, even his covenant grace
to sinful man, without the least merit or desert being found in
him, or any term fulfilled, or condition performed by him.
But here is the covenant declaration to Abraham, and to all
his believing seed, “FEAR Not, I AM Thy Shield, AND THz
EXCEEDING GREAT REWARD. O ! well might the Lord call
it My covenant. It was planned by the co-equal, and co-eter-
nal THREE. And each person in the glorious God-head, en-
gaged to sustain their various offices, for the purposes of ex-
alting their own glory, in bestowing grace on man, the sinner
upon earth, and crowning him with glory, honour, immortality,
334
and eternal life in heaven. O, my soul! O, my fellow sinners : .
fall down in lowest prostration, and with highest joy adore, and,
praise the sacred, covenanting THREE, who had such compas-
sion upon us, when foreseeing us in our low, our lost estate. O,
if we believed more steadily this covenant love, which is so
elearly, and so expressly revealed in the holy Scriptures by
the Holy Ghost, the witness and testifier of it; how much more
joyful should we be in our hearts, and obedient in our lives |
(2d.) The LoRD says, “My covenant shall be in your
flesh.” You shall carry the mark and sign of it about you;
circumcision. This was a very painful rite, to be imposed upon
tender infants. But the faithful received and obeyed it. They
did not consult flesh and blood. And is this all that is meant,
or intended by it, a mere submission to a positive command of
God No. They saw infinitely more in and by it. It was,
“The token of the covenant between GoD and them,” ver.
H! ; “a seal of the lighteousness of faith.” Rom. iv. I 1.
Abraham received it as such, and “He rejoiced to see the day
of Christ; he saw it and was glad.” John viii. 56. Why?
because he found and felt, that blessedness was come upon
him, through Christ's righteousness being imputed to him, the
sign and seal of which he ever carried about him. And he
chearly saw the day of Christ, as being incarnate, made flesh,
and dwelling among us, as a MAN like unto ourselves in all
things. Yea, and also, that as the token or seal of the covenant
was in his flesh, so it prefigured, and lead him to look to Christ
in our flesh, as given of the Lord. For, “The Covenanſt of
the people,” Isaiah xlii. 6, the head, surety, mediator of the
everlasting covenant, by whom redemption was to be wrought
out for captive sinners, righteousness brought in for the un-
righteous, and salvation finished for the lost, by Christ in our
flesh. For, circumcision is not an everlasting sign. It is
abolished. We have it not in our flesh. But God’s covenant
is everlasting, and He says, “My covenant shall be in your
flesh.” Where then are we to look to, but Christ in our flesh,
and God’s everlasting convenant in him 2 O, how precious is
this to the faith of our hearts t How does this endear our cove-
nant Father, GoD ; our covenant Saviour, Jesus; and our cove-
nant teacher, leader, and sanctifier, the blessed Spirit, to our
souls How safe, how secure, how happy are we, in the view
of this The Lord teach our poor, dull hearts, to understand
this precious gospel mystery more and more 1
(3d.) “My covenant, My everlasting covenant shall be in
your flesh,” saith the Lord. The Son of God was manifest in
our flesh. All the stipulated terms and conditions of this
everlasting covenant, Christ in our flesh hath fulfilled. There-
fore all the blessings of this covenant are sure to us, and shall
335
be bestowed upon us, out of his fulness; for we are members
of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.” Eph. v. 30.
* All things are put under his feet, and He is head over
all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of
him, who filleth all in all.” Ephes. i. 22, 23. But there is a
great glory in this text which I have omitted, which is this,
* God GAVE him to do, and to be all this to his Church.”
The whole God-head concurred in this, according to everlast-
ing purposes, and covenant designs. Hence he is called, “The
surety of the covenant.” Heb. vii. 22. All the debts, dues,
and demands, which we were answerable for, to law and justice,
he took upon himself, struck hands with God, fully, perfectly,
and for ever to satisfy and discharge; and every supply for our
need, and every blessing for our soul and body, for time and
eternity, he engaged to procure for, and to bestow upon his
body the church. And all this he effected in our flesh.
(4th.) What church the church of England, the Romish
church, or any independent church 2 or any who affect to call
themselves THE CHURCH, exclusive of all others saying, lo
here is Christ? No. The holy Spirit, who beareth witness to
the truth, gives us a full answer to this. “Not any particular
nation or people, but all the children of God, all the elect,
who are scattered abroad, that he should gather them together
in one.” John xi. 52. These Christ calls, “my sheep,” John
x. 27. They are all naturally scattered, and wandering from
God, like sheep that are lost; Christ takes charge of them,
and gathers them to himself, as the great Shepherd, and Bishop
of their souls. 1 Pet. ii. 25. When they are gathered into one,
and become one in Christ Jesus, believe on him, and are joined
to him by the Spirit, then they are made manifest to themselves
and others, that they are of GoD's church, of that body of
which “Christ is the head,” Col. i. 18; yea, “the head over
all things to them.” Ephes. i. 23. Now all these blessed,
happy, and glorious effects, proceed from this one cause, that
GoD's everlasting covenant is in our flesh. And when made
partakers of them, we joyfully confess this, and give glory to
the whole God-head, Father, Son, and Spirit, for these cove-
nant blessings.
(5th.) See happy Zacharias, filled with the Holy Ghost,
prophesying of our rich mercies, and precious blessings, and
ascribing them all to this Holy coven ANT. “Blessed be the
Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited, and redeemed his
people, and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us, in the
house of his servant David. That we should be saved from
our enemies, and from the hands of all that hate us. To per-
form the mercy promised to our fathers.”—Whence all this
Why all this? Because the Lord “REMEMBERs his Holy
CovenANT.” Luke i. 67, &c. “The Lord will ever be mindful
336
of his covenant.” Psal. ci. 5. So as to bestow every covenant
graee and blessing, upon his covenant people in Christ, their
head; for his everlasting covenant is in our flesh. There is no
grace, mercy, or blessing from Gorº, but what comes to us through
the flesh of Christ, and Christ in our flesh. No coming unto God,
“but by that new and living way, which Christ hath consecrated
through his flesh.” Heb. x. 20. This is a joyful consideration.
It makes Christ exceeding precious to our hearts, and our
hearts very joyful in GoD our Father in him. And excites
thanks to the loving Spirit, for teaching us the knowledge of
Christ in our flesh, giving us faith in Him, and causing Him to
be lovely in our eyes, and glorious to our hearts. O ! what
praises are ever due to our covenant God, for revealing this
covenant to us, causing us to see it, and say of this everlasting
covenant with dying David, “It is ordered in all things and
sure. It is all my salvation, and all my desire,” 2 Sam. xxiii.
5. “The secret of the LoRD is with them who fear Him; and
He will shew them his covenant.” Ps. Xxv. 14.
(6th.) Happy for us, most joyful consideration to us, as this
covenant is in our flesh, and is an everlasting covenant, so all
the gifts, graces, blessings of it, are everlasting also. For
“we are loved with an everlasting love, elected by everlasting
choice: have an everlasting Saviour, and are saved with an
everlasting salvation: justified and made righteous, by an ever-
Hasting righteousness: redeemed with an everlasting redemp-
tion : comforted with an everlasting consolation, and the
good hope of everlasting life, and have a high priest to pray
for us, whose priesthood is unchangeable.” Heb. vii. 24. And
therefore, faith shall not fail us, hope forsake us, nor full fru-
ition of our covenant GoD in glory disappoint us, “For we
are kept (as garrisoned in GoD) by his mighty power, through
faith unto salvation.” I Pet. i. 6. For, “When Christ, who is
our life, shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in
glory.” Col. iii. 4. Thus there are no doubts, ifs, ands, perad-
ventures, nor perhaps, in this everlasting covenánt: (though
there may be many in the children of it, through unbelief.)
For it is ordered in all things by the THREE on E God of wis-
dom: and therefore all its blessings are sure, from the THREE
oNE God of everlasting love. Yea, to God’s wisdom and love,
his faithfulness and truth are added, to confirm all. What
more could we wish 2 What more could we ask 2 Behold !
stand amazed with wonder, and rejoice with admiration | For
our sakes, so full of everlasting compassion is our covenant
God to us, more He adds.—What? His sacred oath. “Wherein
God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise,
the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: that
by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God
337
to lie, we might have STRONG consolation, who have fled for
refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. Heb. vi. 17, 18.
(7th.) Thus all is established in the court of heaven, by the
everlasting covenant in our flesh, for us. Now, how stands
it in the court of conscience within us? What do we know 2
What experience have we of the blessings of this everlasting
covenant upon us It is brought to a point. Here are
persons specified, and strong consolations for them. Are you
of the number of the former ? Do you partake of the latter 2
Surely, it is not difficult to know whether you are easy and
satisfied with yourself: with what you are in the flesh; or whe-
ther you have seen yourself miserable, and your state ruined
and hopeless, and have commenced a refugee, and fled from
yourself, from all that you are in the flesh, to Christ in our
flesh, to lay hold of him, and to be found in him. If so, the
light of the covenant hath shined into you, the blessing of the
covenant is upon you, and strong consolation, from the word
and oath of an immutable GoD awaits you. For you are an
heir of promise: you have received grace out of Christ's ful-
ness. Go on to receive grace upon grace; till grace on earth
is consummated in the glory of heaven. For St. Paul, who
was highly favoured by covenant grace, and greatly indulged
with clear views of covenant love, says, “My God shall supply
all your need, according to his riches in glory, by Christ Jesus.”
Phil. iv. 19. All supplies for us needy sinners, come from a
covenant GoD, by Christ in our flesh.
(8th.) Therefore, as the Lord said unto his servants, “Bring
in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind,
to his feast.” Luke xiv. 21. So ye children of the promises,
and of the covenant, bring hither your impoverished nature,
your maimed consciences, your halting hearts, and your blinded
minds, to partake of this covenant feast, from the hands of
Christ in our flesh. Methinks I see our gracious King Jesus
in our flesh, like king Ahasuerus, stretching forth his golden
sceptre, and lovingly asking, “Now what is thy petition ? and
it shall be granted thee. Or what is thy request and it shall
be done unto thee.” Esther ix. 12. Yea, he says, “Search
the Scriptures (the charter of the covenant) for they testify
of me, the head of the covenant.” John v. 39. See if there
is not in them, ample provision for all your need; and rich
supply for all your wants. And all treasured up in Christ, our
covenant head, for all his members to receive out of his fulness.
For he says, “He that eateth my flesh, even he shall live by
me,” John vi. 57. As the covenant is in Christ's flesh, and as
Christ in our flesh is our life, so our life is sustained by eating
Christ's flesh. This is our covenant food. And as abstaining
from natural food will bring on disorders, and death to the
\
.338
body; so abstaining from feeding on Christ's flesh, will bring ,
on disorders and deadness of soul. How is your appetite as to
feeding on Christ's flesh in your heart by faith? Is it keen or
cloyed 2 * , t
(9th.) O, says one, “I see such poverty and emptiness,
wretchedness and misery, blindness and nakedness, that I
can scarcely lift up my head, or keep up my hope.” Poor
soul. Thou art ready to faint for want of food. You must
feed or die. Christ's flesh is set before you. He bids you eat,
and live for ever, comfortably now, and eternally joyful in
heaven. But you ask. How are we to eat Christ's flesh?
It is to hear, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest, all that the
Scriptures testify he hath done in our flesh, and is to us in our
nature. O, this is blessed feeding here is a rich and plen-
tiful feast for your souls, all the year through : yea, for every
day in the year; and every hour in the day. When you have
exhausted all this, then there is danger of poor sinners perishing
with hunger, and without hope, and not before. But thus
feeding on Christ's flesh, will keep up hope, and invigorate the
life of the soul. Are you poor? Ye know the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, “that though he was rich, yet for our sakes he
became poor, that we through his poverty might be made
rich.” 2 Cor. viii. 9. Rich in all “the unsearchable riches
of Christ.” Ephes. iii. 8. O never, never wish to get rid of
the sight of your indigent poverty, and extreme emptiness, lest
you be full, and deny the Lord, so as not to feed upon his
flesh. Pray the loving Spirit to keep up this sight in you, that
your appetite may be keen, that your faith may be in continual
exercise on Jesus the TRUTH, that your mind may digest, and
your soul be nourished and strengthened thereby.
(10th.) As to your wretchedness and misery, it is your mercy.
to see, and be sensible of. For, it is a double misery to be a
wretched sinner, and not see it: a miserable sinner, and not
feel it: and to be puffed up with pride under it, like the self-
assuming, vain-confident Pharisee. Luke xviii. But it is most
blessed, ever to come to the Lord, with a keen appetite to feed
upon the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, unto eternal life, and
with the publican's heart, feeling his wretched misery, to cry,
GoD be merciful to me a sinner | For he went away justified, by
the merciful friend of sinners. Hear Christ in our flesh pro-
nounce the precious beatitudes of the covenant of grace. See
if your character be not in the first, and feed upon it in your
heart, by faith with thanksgiving. “Blessed are the poor in
spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matt. v. 3.
(11th.) As to your complaint of your blindness and naked-
ness, who told you that you are naked O, say you, I see it
clearly. I have nothing but rags, filthy rags, which will nei-
- 889
ther cover my shame, hide my nakedness before God, nor
screen me from his wrath. Verily you are the first blind
sinner that ever saw this But says our Lord, “Blessed are
your eyes, for they see.” Matt. xiii. 16. It is blessed indeed,
not to have our eyes blinded, by an imaginary notion of what
we have not, a righteousness of our own; and to confess with
the church of old, “We are all as an unclean thing, and all our
righteousness are as filthy rags. . Isaiah lxiv. 6. And with
Paul to pray, “To be found in Christ, not having on our own
righteousness.” Phil. iii. 9. Such are blessed by Christ, and
blessed IN him ; for his everlasting righteousness is upon
them, and they are everlastingly justified in him from all things,
from which they could not be justified by the law, or their
obedience to it.” Acts xiii. 39. And the Lord in covenant
love, says of them, “They shall be mine, when I'make up my
jewels. Mal. iii. 17. For they are partakers of that precious
faith which makes Christ, his righteousness and salvation,
glorious in their eyes, and precious to their souls. y
Now do not, by indulging unbelief, doubts, and fears, rob
the precious God-head, of the glory of this everlasting cove-
nant, nor Christ the head of it of his honour, of obtaining full
pardon of all our sins by shedding his precious blood: free and
perfect justifieation, in his righteousness, and everlasting salva-
tion, by his rising again from the dead, and ever living at the
right hand of God, to pray for, and save us to the uttermost.
Say not with a bloody persecutor of the Romish church, that
this doctrine is good to feed on for supper, but not so fit to
breakfast on. Or, in other words; It is good to die in, but
not to live by. But why? Because some think it discharges
the soul from all love to GoD, and fear of Him. Strange in-
deed! Fear not with such a fear. But firmly believe GoD's
truths, and trust Him with the consequences. For you will
always find, faith will work by heavenly love, and be accompa-
nied with a holy fear. GoD in the construction of his holy
covenant, hath fully provided for this. Therefore, he says,
“I will never turn away from them, to do them good:” there
is our blessedness and comfort. “And I will put my fear in
their hearts, and they shall never depart from me:” here is our
joy and safety. “ This is the Lord's everlasting covenant.”
Jer, xxxii. 40. Yea, and all our chastisements and afflictions,
are included in this covenant of grace, and spring from the love
of the Covenanters. “For if his children (the children of
Christ) keep not my commandments, then will I visit their
transgressions with a rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Ne-
vertheless, my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him,
nor suffer my faithfulness to fail, &c.” Psalm lxxxix. 30, &c.
Now this is the covenant you hy been baptized into, in the name
2 * -
340
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Therefore
by faith in this covenant, believing the love of the Father,
the Grace of the Son, and the communion of the Holy Ghost,
you are to live and walk all your days upon earth, till you at-
tain to mansions in the sky, where Jesus our forerunner is en-
tered, and has prepared a place for all his redeemed. To whom
be glory for ever. One word of *
CAUTION.
Beware of ever looking on your faith, repentance, and obe-
dience, as conditions of the covenant, as though these were to
introduce you into GoD's presence, and entitle you to his
favour. This is very low, legal, and quite contrary to the tenor
of the covenant of grace; as also to the love of the Father, the
salvation of the Son, and the communion of the Holy Ghost.
They are the blessed graces of the covenant. For, because
God the Father loved you, He gave Christ for you, and there-
fore the Holy Spirit bestows these graces upon you. But not
to supplant Christ, but to glorify him. Therefore bless the
Spirit for them; but let all yourhope, confidence, and rejoicing
be in Christ alone. Consider this point deeply. A mistake
here will prove distressing to your conscience, and dishonour-
ing to your Lord. Study and pray to have a right under-
standing in all things. For, this is the peculiar delusion of our
day, that faith is our righteousness, repentance the condition
of our salvation, and obedience the procuring cause of our final
justification. A clearer proof, a stronger evidence cannot be
given, that persons who speak thus are ignorant of the Gospel,
strangers to THE LORD our RighTEousNESs, and unexpe-
rienced in the graces of his Spirit. Hence their glorying is not
good. For they glory of what they are in themselves, instead
of what Christ is to us, and hath done for us. May it be our
daily, our last and dying prayer, Lord deliver us from self-
confident hope, and self-righteous delusion.
A COLLECT.
LoRD give us to see such ample provision made for us needy
creatures, and miserable sinners, in the covenant of thy grace,
that as daily pensioners, we may come humbly to Jesus, to
receive out of his fulness. Lord save us, as from our beastly
lusts, so also, from our devilish pride. Be glorified in us, and
by us, and may all our glorying be in the LoRD, Father, Son,
and Spirit, now and ever. Amen.
341
Clijt ſortp-tbitt, Lott's 20ap.
-
ON GOSPEL, HOLINESS,
For thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the
beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning ; thou hast
the dew of thy youth. Ps. cx. 3. '
This is the LAw of the Lord. The law of his everlasting love
and eternal covenant of grace and salvation. Paul calls it, in
New Testament language, THE LAw of the Spirit of life in
Christ Jesus, which hath made me free from the law of sin and
death.” Rom. viii. 2. “This law he delighted in after the
inward man, vii. 22. And if you have the Spirit of life, or an
inward man, you will delight in it also. This law, or the whole
doctrine of covenant grace, and gospel salvation, revealed in
GoD's word, from the first of Genesis, to the last of the
Revelations, is what we are made alive to GoD by, are to live to
God by, and are everlastingly saved by. “Therefore, this is
the law of the Lorn, which David’s blessed man delighteth in,
and meditates on day and night.” Psalm i. 2. And this “Law
of the Loko,” he says, is “perfect, converting the soul, its
testimonies are sure, making wise the simple, and rejoicing the
heart.” Ps. xix. 7, 8. Do you find it so? All who believe the
truths of this blessed law do. May the Lord enlighten, and .
enable us in his loving fear, with a view to his glory, and our
souls’ profit to consider,
(1st.) These words.
(2d.) The law of gospel holiness contained in them.
(3d.) The effects of it upon our lives and conversations.
First. Let us dwell a little on the words of the text. Herc
is David a prophet of the LoRD, under the immediate teaching,
and inspiration of the Spirit. For, “the prophecy came not in
old time, by the will of man, but holy men of God, spake as
they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Pet. i. 21. All the
prophets under the motion and influence of the Spirit, spake in
the name of the LoRD. They assumed the language of the
LoRD, even as though it was the Lord himself who spake. For,
as Christ says to his apostles, “It is not ye who speak, but the
Holy Ghost.” Mark xiii. 11. This was true of all his prophets.
And quoting this very psalm, he says, “David himself said by
the Holy Ghost, the LoRD said unto my Lord, &c.” Mark xii.
86. So that David's tongue, or pen, is used instrumentally by
the Lord the Spirit, to publish the language of Jehovah's ever-
3.42
lasting council and covenant to his people, for the joy of their
faith and the glory of their souls.
(2d.) “For thy people”—Who speaks this Jehovah the
Father, to Jehovah the Son; who was in the fulness of time to
be flesh, and dwell among us. But why thy people : Our Lord
tells us, “The Father gave them unto him,” John xvii. 6, to
be redeemed, justified, and saved by him. Hence he says to
the Father, “All mine are thine, and thine are mine.” xvii. 10.
They were the Father's by everlasting love, and covenant
choice. They were the Son's from his eternal acceptance of
them, to be their covenant head, representative, and advocate;
to do for them, all that law and justice required, and to be to
them, all that they stand in need of, as wretched creatures,
and miserable sinners. Therefore they are Christ's peculiar
eople.
(3d.) “Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power.”
In the day of the gospel. The Gospel of Christ, is the power
of GoD unto salvation, to every one who believeth.” Rom. i. 16.
But no man can see the glory of the Gospel, nor will believe its
preeious truths, by his own natural power. For he does not
see his need either of Christ as a Saviour, nor of the Gospel of
his Salvation. It appears to him as an idle story, and a fictitious
fable, that he is no ways interested in, or concerned about.
Who can persuade a proud, self-righteous sinner, and such we
all are by nature, of its importance, and incline his heart to
receive it, in the love of it? No man on earth, nor the highest
archangel in heaven. Though provision is made for the people
of GoD, in the covenant of grace, yet none of them know any
thing of it, or concern themselves about it, till the grace
of the covenant, the power of the Spirit, comes upon them,
and makes them the willing disciples of a covenant Saviour.
But when the fulness of time is come, and the day of Christ's
power is known in them, and felt by them, then they come
willingly to him, cordially receive him, heartily believe on him,
readily embrace him, and cheerfully follow him, for all the
purposes of covenant grace. Is this your case ? Do not amuse
}." head with speculative notions of the doctrine of election,
ut be deeply concerned to feel in your heart, the grace of
electing love, the power of Christ’s grace, and the comforting
communion of the Holy Ghost, that you may live by, walk in,
and follow Christ.
(4th.) “In the beauties of holiness from the womb of the
morning.” In the experience of this, we shall ascribe to
..Jesus, what his Father here does, “Thou hast the dew of thy
youth.” Thus as Paul says, “The Holy Ghost is a witness to
us.” Heb. x. 15. He bears witness in the word, to our hearts,
of the transactions, councils, purposes, and designs of the
343
everlasting covenant of grace, peace, holiness, and salvation,
Without his revelation of them, we could never either have
known, or enjoyed the blessings and comforts of them. So
that we are equally indebted for Salvation to the Holy Spirit,
for his communion with us, as to the love of the Father for us,
and the grace of his Son to us. For, without his revealing,
teaching, witnessing, and applying Salvation in us, we could
never have enjoyed it: nor have known the love of the Father,
nor the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, his beloved Son. O !
let us look to Him, to instruct our minds in this covenant love
and grace daily, and let us ever fear to grieve, or quench this
divine guest, and heavenly comforter in us. O, may He gra-
ciously help us | **
Secondly, to consider this law of gospel holiness, here men-
tioned. It is a common case in England, for a person to be
obliged to change his name, in order to enjoy an estate. For
this an act of parliament, or a law must pass. How is this
law made By the king, lords, and commons. The king
cannot make such an act without the lords and commons:
nor they without him. The three states must concur. What
is the spirit of this law 2 That such a person shall hence-
forward be styled and called by such a name, and enjoy such
and such privileges, as are therein specified. Now this is very
similar to our subject. Here is a law to pass in favour of man,
who is to be changed from what he originally is, a sinner, to a
holy saint. This law is to pass in covenant, by the sacred
THREE acting in concurrence. The love of the Father, the
grace of the Son, and the power of the Spirit, are engaged in
this transaction. The covenant law is passed. What is the
spirit of it? That all the elect shall be redeemed by Christ;
be made willing to come unto him, be one with him, united to
him, be sanctified in him, be partakers of his holiness, and
adorned with all “the beauties of holiness,” by the power of
his Spirit. º . . .
(2d.) But does man in nothing concur in all this? Not at
all either in making or passing the law, no more than the per-
son just now mentioned, does in making the act of parliament.
In this he is passive. True, he is represented in the House of
Commons. So is the sinner in the covenant of the House of
the LORD of all Lords. For Christ the Son of God is his
representative. He undertakes in our names, to be, and to do
in our nature, all things needful for our enjoyment of every
holy and blessed privilege contained in this law; and as the
head of influence to us, to communicate out of that infinite
fulness of holiness which dwells in him, both as the Son of
GoD, and Son of man, to us. Hence by faith in Christ, and
union to Christ, by the power of the Spirit, we partake of,
344
what we have not one grain in our nature, the beauties of holi-
mess. Our souls really have a new birth unto Christ, a new
and holy nature in, with, and from Christ; and therefore we
are holy before the Lord, and have the internal beauties of
holiness from the Lord. Hence we are said to be “ sanctified
in Christ Jesus, and called to be saints.” I Cor. i. 2. And
thus, “ Christ of God, is made sanctification to us.” Ver. 30.
(3d.) These beauties of holiness are from the womb of the
morning: the glórious morning of the eternal council, and
everlasting covenant of Jehovah. A womb pregnant with every
mercy, big with every blessing, and which brings forth, from
time to time, every inestimable privilege, and joyful comfort to
the children of men. This womb of the morning, is ever
teeming with every blessing to us. From it we obtained the
gift of Christ, the gift of faith in Christ, our new birth into
him, sensible communion with him by faith, peace of consci-
ence with God, holiness of heart before GoD, and meetness
for the enjoyment of GoD on earth, and in heaven. Thus as
the pliests under the levitical law, put on their stately, and
holy garments, to appear in before the LoRD, and to do the
service of the Lond ; so we, under the influence of this gospel
law, or covenant grace, from the womb of the morning, put on
the beauties, or the ornamental dress of holiness. For,
(4th.) “Thou hast the dew of thy youth.” I remember
when Jesus was praying, “Father, glorify thy name,” there
came a voice from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it,
and will glorify it again.” The people who heard it, said it
thundered: others said an angel spake. But Jesus said,
“This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.” John
xii. 27, &c. So this blessed speech of God the Father, to God
the Son, is for our sakes. The Holy Spirit hath revealed it,
and testified of it, for our sakes. “Thou, O Jesu, hast the
dew of thy youth.” “The morning is the parent of the dew.”
Job xxxviii. 28. As the pearly drops of dew stand thick, and
are innumerable in the morning of the day, so shall the holy
converts of Christ be. As the pearly drops of dew refresh and
replenish the earth, so shall Christ be to water their souls
with the beauties of holiness. He is the womb of the morn-
ing dew, and he has all the love and vigour of youth to shed it
upon, and refresh them. But we cannot say of these spiritual
dews, as we do of natural ones,
The dews of the evening be careful to shun,
They’re the tears of the sky for the loss of the sun.
No, blessed be Christ, we experience them to be salutary and
enlivening. Hence our holy souls cry to him, as the hungry
Jews did for bread. John vi. 34. “Lord, evermore give us
this dºw of thy youth, these beauties of holiness. For this is
345
the holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.”
Heb. xii. 14. This is the signet which Jesus, our high-priest,
appears in before the Lord, and we in him, “ Holi N Ess ro
The Lord,” Exod. xxviii. 36. This is THE Holi N Ess UNTo
THE LoR p, which shall be on the bells of the horses, and
every u ensil before the altar of the Lord.” Zech. xiv. 20.
Meaning every saint of Christ, sanctified in Christ, and sepa-
rated from the Devil's asses, who delight in the servile, slavish
drudgery of sin and Satan.
(5th.) Do we now clearly see this gospel law of holiness 2
T}o we understand from whence “ the beauties of holiness”
originate, and how we partake of them 2 Or perhaps this
matter appears quite new to you. It may be, you considered
holiness quite in another light. You thought you was to sanc-
tify yourself, acquire holiness, and make yourself holy, by your
holy works, pious performances, and godly doings. Where
did you get this absurd notion ? It is both unscriptural and
irrational, and therefore contrary to faith and hope; and can
never be accompanied with love, peace, joy, and happiness.
Do you think Christ's new-born members are unholy, and left
to sanctify themselves 2 that believers in Christ, and members
of Christ, are not holy brethren in, and with Christ; but that
by their own works and doings, they are to make themselves
holy before the Lord 2 What! Do you eat, drink, walk, and
perform the functions of life to make yourself a man 2 Does
a woman by bearing children, make herself a woman 2 or do
the light and heat from the sun, make it a sun ? Strange
How long have you been thus labouring in the fire 2 What
Egyptian task-master set you to work 2 What progress have
you made Are you one whit holier than you was when you
first begun ? It is impossible you should, you are not walking
in the steps of faithful Abraham, nor the children of faith.
For, whatsoever is not of faith, (so far from promoting holiness)
is sin.” Rom. xiv. 23.
(6th.) But do you thirst after holiness? It is a blessed
sign. Of what? That you are dead in sin, and not sanctified
in Christ. As soon could dead Lazarus ask for food, before
Christ restored him to life. Hear then the precious reasoning
of your loving Lord, “Wherefore do ye labour for that
which satisfieth not hearken diligently unto me, and eat that
which is good, (feed upon my truths, and my grace,) and let
your soul delight itself in fatness, even the fatness of my
everlasting covenant and sure mercies.” Isaiah lw. 2, 3. As
“made of GoD, sanctification to us,” and that He who sanc-
tifieth, and they who are sanctified, are all of one ; for which
cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, holy brethren
of him.” Heb, ii. 11. For He says of all such, “They are
*
346
sanctified by faith, that is in M.E.” Acts xxvi. 18. If we are
sanctified by faith in Christ, it is that we may live upon him,
and receive holiness out of his fulness. But if we are seeking
to make ourselves holy by our own works, we set at nought the
gospel law of his covenant, reject his truth, and deny the faith
of Christ, being made of God sanctification to us.” I Cor. i.
30. “We do not sanctify the Łord GoD in our hearts.” I Pet.
iii. 15. But we fall under the censure of those who “ sanctify
and purify themselves in the gardens” of nature's pride, cor-
rupt reason, aud carnal unbelief. Isaiah lzvi. 17.
Now, are you ready to say This is dark and mysterious, I
do not know what to make of it. I fear it is licentious, and will
lead me to be content without any holiness of life. GoD for-
bid. GoD grant it may bring our souls nearer to Christ, to
live more upon him, and then I dare most boldly assert, we shall
be more than ever in love with the beauties of holiness, in
heart, lip, and life. This is our
Third point. The effects which the knowledge and belief
of this Gospel-law of covenant grace hath upon our lives and
eonversations. Will any one say? Because the first Adam
hath made us sinners, therefore we love holiness. So, will any
one dare to say ? Because the second Adam hath made us
holy, therefore we love sin. We know the contrary. For
each brought upon us a nature suited to their own; and that
nature will manifest itself, in correspondent effects in our life
and walk. By the first Adam we are dead in sin, and can bring
forth nothing but sin ; for nothing but sin dwells in our flesh.
But “the last Adam, the Lord from heaven, is a quickening
Spirit: our souls are made alive to God by him, and in love
with holiness : for we are joined to him, and made one spirit
with him.” I Cor. vi. 17. therefore we bear the heavenly image
of Jesus in us ; and love to bring forth the fruits of righteous-
ness, which are by him; and the fruits of holiness, which are
to the glory of him, who is our root of holiness. Thus we are
delivered from legality of heart, bondage of spirit, and perplex-
ity of soul; and are enabled to serve the Lord without (ser-
vile), fear, in holiness and righteousness, all the days of our
life. Luke i. 75. *
(2d.) Coneerning justification by the righteousness of
Christ unto eternal life, because we say Christ is our righte-
ousness, Paul demands, “Do we then make void the law
through faith ? God forbid : Yea, we establish the law.” Rom.
iii. 31. So concerning holiness of life. Do we make it void,
because we say, Christ is our holiness, that we have no holiness
in and from ourselves, but what we receive from him, who is
our sanctification: the life and root of holiness in us; and we
can bring forth no fruit of holińess in our lives, but as we abide
34?
in him, believe in him, cleave to him, and derive holiness from
him 2 Yea, we establish holiness of life. F, r by thus living
and walking, we feat sin, hate sin, strive to perfect holiness of
life, in the fear of the Load, and delight to “ have our fruit
unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” Rom. vi. 22. Now
thus believing Christ to be our holiness, and deriving the beau-
ties of holiness from him, is just as an effectual way to encourage
us in a life of sin, and to be content without holiness, as play-
ing an engine upon a fire, will cause it to burn with greater
fierceness and violence. True, it may, and it is fit it should,
extinguish our natural views, and legal aims of making our-
selves holy, and working a holiness out of our own sinful na-
ture, and by our legal, imperfect doings and performances. But
what will be the end of all this? Why, with Peter, we shall con-
fess, we have toiled all night and taken nothing. And also fall
under this ironical censure, from the Lord, “Behold all ye
who kindle a fire, who compass yourselves about with sparks,
(of your imaginary holiness) walk in the light of your fire, and
in the sparks that ye have kindled. (Keep yourselves as warm
and as comfortable as ye can, and as long as ye can. But what
shall be the end, after all your vain heat, and comfortable
glow 2) This shall ye have at mine hand, ye shall lie down in
sorrow.” Isaiah I. I. I. The sorrow of disappointed pride, and
the anguish of vain folly. For, says our Lord, “Without me,
(separate from me, without union to me, abiding in me, de-
pending on me, and cleaving to me, as the Lord your sancti-
fication) ye can do nothing. John xv. 5. Not perform one
duty, mortify one sin, or produce one fruit of holiness. Lord
grant us to consider this more and more.
IMPROVEMENT.
SEE then how much the Lord's thoughts are above our thoughts,
and his ways above our ways, in regard to the “beauties of
holiness.” Our thoughts and ways are natural, low, and legal:
his spiritual, heavenly, and evangelical. Ours centering in our-
selves: his fixed upon the Son of his love, in whom He is ever
well pleased. See also the direct opposition between covenant
grace and corrupt nature: divine faith and carnal sense.
While one sees all, and seeks all righteousness, holiness, and
salvation in Christ, the other expects to find all in self; and
through the deceitful working of pride and ignorance, men get
into a self-righteous, self-complacent, and self-applauding
spirit, contrary to the faith of the Gospel. Such are the
greatest enemies to the doctrines of the grace of God, and
of righteousness, holiness, and salvation being communicated
to us, out of the fulness of the Son of God. The Lord give
us to know what vile sinners we are in ourselves, that we may
$48
be humble ; and to know J esus Christ, and what inexhaus-
tible treasures we have in Him.
A COLLECT.
LoRD, open thou our eyes, that we may behold wondrous things
out of thy law. Deliver us from our proud, legal, and self-
righteous spirits. Grant that we may comfortably see, and
joyfully experience, that Christ of God is made sanctification
to us, and is the life and root of holiness in us, that, living upon
him, we may bring forth fruit unto thee, O God : the fruit of
holiness, that our end may be everlasting life, to the praise and
glory of GoD the Father, GoD the Son, and God the Holy
Ghost. Amen.
349
QIbe ſortp-fourth Lott's 2Dap.
•=mºs-s
oN LICENTIOUSNEss, OR ANTINOMIANISM.
Turning the grace of our GoD into lasciviousness. Jude 4.
IT may seem not so pleasing to some, to call persons by the
name of Arians, Arminians, or Antinomians, &c. But it seemed
good to Christ, to call persons Nicolaitans, and to condemn
their particular heresy. Revel. ii. 15. And in his Spirit,
without any bitterness against their persons, we may distinguish
those who hold such tenets, as are known by these names,
without any more evil, than calling any one a protestant or
papist, a churchman or dissenter. Yea, and we may expose
and condemn those errors, which are held by persons going
under such appellations, without the least breach of charity.
Eor we may love their persons while we hate their notions; and
we shall too, if we earnestly contend for the faith once deli-
vered to the saints, as we are exhorted, Jude 3, in love. The
Lord help us in this spirit, to meditate on the subject before us,
and may he lead and guide us into all truth !
The late Rev. Mr. Hart, in the preface to his excellent ex-
perimental Hymns, makes this judicious remark, “PHARISA1c
ZEAL, AND ANTINOMIAN SECURITY, are the two engines of
Satan, with which he grinds the church in all ages, as betwixt
the upper and nether mill-stone. The space between them, is
much narrower, and harder to find, than most men imagine.
*Tis a path which the vulture's eye hath not seen, and none can
shew it us but the Holy Ghost. Therefore, let the christian
ask direction of his God.”—And I will add, to his prayers, let
him ever, obey our Lord, “search the Scriptures.” John v.
39. And this, as ever seeing our danger to err, and our prone-
ness on the right hand and left to be deceived. But blessed
be our GoD, He hath assured us, that our way shall be a
high way, (like a spacious turnpike road, with stone marks and
mercuries for directions), the way of holiness, and the way-
faring men, though fools, shall not err therein.” Isaiah xxxv. 8.
Nevertheless, the Lord’s word abounds with descriptions of
bye paths, and dangerous roads, that we may shun and avoid
them. The text informs us of a destructive way some take.
Therefore let us consider, (1st.) What we are here to under-
stand by the grace of God. (2d.) What is meant by turning it
into lusciviousness. The Lord in mercy give us the blessed
experience of the former, and restrain us by his love, from the
350
cursed evil of the latter. To this may we, and all his people
say, Amen.
First, what are we to understand by the grace of God nei-
ther more nor less than his mercy, favour, or good will. We
frequently add the adjective free to it, and call it, the free grace
of God. O, how sweetly does this sound in a sinner’s ear !
How joyful is it to his heart! When I was at first taught to
understand the Gospel, I thought the term FREE GRACE, was
like most joyful music to my soul. Luther was wont to say
of St. Paul, that Christ, and free grace, were ever on his tongue.
He thought he could never speak of them too oft, nor magnify
them too much. But how is God’s free grace, free mercy, free
favour, or good will, made known? By the word or gospel of
his grace. This presents to our view : this brings to our ears,
yea, to our hearts, the glad tidings of this grace, to sinners.
Hence it is called, “The gospel, or good news, of the grace of
God.” Acts xx. 24. But how is this grace manifested? Verily,
in such a way as constrains us to call it free grace indeed!
(1st.) By our election in Christ, “God hath chosen us in
Him, before the foundation of the world—according to the
good pleasure of his will; to the praise of the glory of his grace.”
Ephes. i. 4, &c. This must be a free choice, of free grace.
No one before he had existence, could do any thing to deserve
this. But might not GoD foresee, that we should do something-
in life, to render ourselves the fit objects of his choice, such as
believe the Gospel, repent of our sins, and become obedient
to God's will, &c. If these things are found with us, and in
us, they do not spring from us. They all flow from GoD's love
for us, and his favour to us. They are the gifts of his grace.
“Faith is the gift of God.” Ephes. ii. 8. “Christ is exalted
to be a prince and a Saviour, to give repentance.” Acts v. 31.
“And it is GoD who worketh in us, both to will and to do of
his good pleasure.” Phil. ii. 13. God who elected us to salva-
tion as the end, chose us to partake of the graces of his Spirit,
, as the means. So that nothing on our part goes before the free
grace of God, to render us fit for it, or entitle us to it. As
soon suppose Lazarus exerted some signs of life, before Christ
spoke life into him. “The godly consideration of our election
IN CHRIST, is full of sweet, pleasant, unspeakable comfort, to
godly persons,” says the 17th article of the church of En-
gland. But we know nothing of this, till
(2d.) The grace of God is manifest in our regeneration.
For in consequence of election to glory, we are made partakers
of grace here. Therefore, “Not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but according to GoD's mercy He saved
us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy
Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ
35 |
•but Saviour.” Tit, iii. 5, 6. Hence our souls are made alive
to God, and sanctified to his glory. We are delivered from our
naturally wicked, and ungodly state and practice. Hence the
grace of Goo is manifested,
(8d.) In our calling unto Christ, yea into Christ, to be mem-
bers of him, joined to him, and become one with him, “By
the faith of the operation of God.” Col. ii. 12. It is “the
God of all grace who hath called us, unto his eternal glory by
Christ Jesus.” 1 Pet. v. 10. Now we have blessed fellowship
with Gop the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ, and therefore
hate fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. For,
(4th.) We experience the grace of GoD, manifest in our jus-
tification by faith in Christ. For our sins are all pardoned by
his blood, and our souls justified in his righteousness. We
have peace with GoD in our consciences. There is now no
condemnation against us, for we are in Christ Jesus new crea-
tures, in a new state, with new dispositions and affections. And
therefore, “Being justified by God's grace, we are made heirs.
according to the hope of eternal life.” Tit. iii. 7. Yea, “Heirs
of GoD, and joint heirs with Christ.” Rom. viii. 17. And
hence, --
(5th.) GoD's grace is displayed in our perseverance unto
eternal glory. “For, we are kept by the power of God, through
faith unto eternal salvation.” 1 Pet. i. 5. And, not only is.
GoD's power engaged to keep all his justified heirs unto eternal
life, but he has confirmed the immutability of his counsel, by
his solemn oath, for their consolation, safety, and security.”
Heb. vi. 17. “This is the true grace of God, wherein we
stand.” I Pet. v. 12. “By this grace, we have our conversa-
tion in the world.” 2 Cor, i. 12. “For the grace of God
which bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men, (in the
word of his grace it is revealed to All) teaching us, (all we who
have received the truth in love) that denying ungodliness, and
worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in
this present world.” Tit. ii. 11, &c. Now all these truths.
concerning the grace of God, are as clearly, and as plainly re-
vealed in his word, as that Christ came into the world to save
sinners. ... And they will be the joy, and the glory of our hearts,
and our lives, will be under the holy influence of them, if we
receive and believe the truth, as it is in Jesus.
Secondly. What is meant by turning this grace of our God
into lasciviousness 2 But before we proceed one step farther, let
us pause, and reflect, how abominably vile, how detestably base,
human nature must be, that can turn such unmerited grace,
such free favour, such undeserved good will from a God of
love, into lasciviousness of conduct, and licentiousness of life?.
Yet how many of the sons of men daringly do this? Yea, tº
352
come nearer home, you and I have that very nature in us, which
is ever prone to do this. O, what deep humility, what constant
watchfulness, what continual prayer, should this ever excite in
us ! For, *
(1st) To turn this revealed grace of our God into lascivious-
ness, is to turn these doctrines of God's favour to sinners, into
a corrupt view, and to charge them with the most abominable
consequences, as having a direct tendency to make men live
ungodly, walk profanely, and commit all iniquity with greedi-
ness. Hence men of corrupt minds resist the truth, and have
no judgment concerning the faith.” 2 Tim. iii. 8. Therefore,
like a bad stomach, they destroy the nutritious qualities of the
most salutary food. This is a most dreadful species of licen-
tiousness, a creature can be guilty of against the Lord of infi-
nite wisdom, unspotted purity, and everlasting love. And yet,
how many persons professing godliness, dare thus wantonly and
arrogantly indulge themselves Compared to this, what are all
the gross, abominable, outward sins, which men wallow in, who
make no profession of religion ? true, they blaspheme God’s
name, profane his Sabbaths, set at naught his word, despise
his Son, and neglect his salvation. But they do not pretend to
charge the doctrines of his grace with making them licentious
in their lives, and ungodly in their practices. They do not
thus turn the doctrines of the grace of GoD into wantomness.
They neither know, understand, nor care at all about them.
Though they are abominable, and disobedient, and to every
good work reprobate, yet they commit not this execrable sin of
daringly replying against God’s sacred truths, calling in ques-
tion his divine sovereignty, turning the doctrines of his special
grace into wantonness, and charging them with making men
continue in sin, because grace abounds to sinners; and to be
licentious in their practices, because God reveals his everlasting
love to sinners—his free choice of them— regenerating influ-
cnce in them—his full justification of them—his power in
keeping them, in the fear and love of himself—and at last
crowning them in heaven, to the praise of the glory of his
own grace. No. All this is the sin, the detestable sin, of
persons of more refined heads, and more reformed lives; who
are too full of the pride of their free-will power, natural ability,
moral rectitude, and good works, to be indebted to the love of
GoD, the election of his grace, the regeneration of his Spirit,
the righteousness of his Son, the preservation of his power,
and the gift of his kingdom. For such see not themselves
guilty before GoD. Their mouths are not stopped. They
dare charge GoD foolishly, and treat his grace wantonly, by
applying every evil to it, which their vain minds suggest
against it. These, whatever threy may think of themselves, or
353
N.
, others think of them, St. Jude styles, “ ungodly men.” And
declares, “The Lord cometh to execute judgment upon them,
for their hard speeches, which they have spoken against him.”
ver 15. St. Paul calls this “being vainly puffed up, by a fleshly
mind.” Col. ii. 18. And hence such proudly judge of, and
arrogantly condemn the spiritual truths of God, according to
their carnal reason and fleshly wisdom. The Lord help us to
see the evil of this, to be humble before Him; and to pray to
be kept from thus turning his grace into lasciviousness, by
ungodly speeches. For all those doctrines of GoD's grace
which were recited, are according to godliness. But if we
reject any of them, we deprive our hearts of the comfort con-
tained in them, and our lives of the influence of them to God’s
glory. As GoD's truths are the warrant and rule of our faith,
so they lie at the foundation of our comfort and hope, and at
the source and spring of all holiness and obedience.
(2d.) We are in danger of turning the grace of God into
lasciviousness, by resting contented in carnal security, with a
notion of the doctrines of grace in our heads, without expe-
riencing the life, power, and influence of those doctrines upon
our hearts and lives. There is such a thing in profession, as
being like rickety children, whose heads are very large, but
their loins so weak they cannot walk. Knowledge of Scripture
doctrines, may be obtained in a scientific way, without their
entering into the heart, causing us to feel their importance as
miserable sinners, leading us to Christ as the only Saviour, so
as to set our affections upon him, cleave to him, abide in him,
drink into the Spirit of him, receive out of his fulness, enjoy
fellowship with him, and become followers of him, in the rege-
neration. This is to be all profession of Christ, without any
life from Christ. And where this is the case, such professors
make wanton work with the doctrines of grace.
As to any internal, sanctifying operations of the Spirit of
GoD upon their hearts and affections, producing love to GoD,
fear of Him, delight in Him, devotion of heart, lip, and life, to
the glory of Him, they are strangers to, and therefore deride all
this, as poor, low, and legal stuff. They live far above it.
They breathe, the fine utopian air of speculation and imagina-
tion. Gospel realities are too gross for their refined taste. But
cameleon like, they dwell on the rocks of their exalted ideas,
and like him too, live upon the air. The graces of the Spirit
they want not, for Christ had them without measure. He re-
pented, believed, and obeyed for them. The duties of the
gospel they despise, for Christ hath performed all these for
them. As to the ordinances, they are above them : Christ is
their only ordinance. As to any real, personal holiness, this
they deny: they want no holiness in themselves, Christ has all
A a
354
holiness in him. But he communicates none to them. Christ
has done every thing for them, without doing any thing in
them, or subduing sin under them. Yes, said a person to one
•of this stamp, talking in this wild, licentious manner, Christ
has done one thing more, which you have not mentioned.
which is this, he is gone to heaven for you also, where you are
never like to go, if you live and die in this cursed spirit of un-
godly delusion.
Now these are called Antinomians. I have conversed with
niany of them. Grosser perverters of the Scriptures, more vile
turners of the grace of God into wantonness, more licentious
opposers of the true spirit and genius of christianity, never ap-
peared in any age of the church, than these professors of our
day. The appellation of Antinomians, is not so well suited to
them, as that of Libertimes. For they profess to be under no
restraint, either of law or Gospel, love or fear, religious or
moral. Their fundamental principle is, that Christ died for
all men, therefore all shall be saved, let them live as they list.
Hence it is natural enough for them to continue in sin, that
grace may abound. For they licentiously say, “Why should
GoD give us such and such passions, if we may not gratify
them 2 The more sin we commit, the more will God be glo-
rified in pardoning us.” Lord what is human nature, if left by
thee! O, what cursed, corrupt, licentious consequences,
will it not draw from the most pure, holy, heavenly doctrines
of thy precious grace, and unparalleled love to sinners O, let
us watch and pray, against the very appearance of such dreadful
evils | “A *
The name of Libertines, is certainly more suitable to such
licentious professors, than that of Antinomians. For that means
those who are against the law, in point of justification: and is
applied to those who hold, that no works of obedience of ours
to the law of God, can cither, in whoſe or in part, justify us in
the sight of God ; but that it is Christ's obedience unto death,
or that righteousness which he wrought out in our nature, which
is imputed to, and is the sole cause of any sinner's justification
before God. “For Christ is the end of the law for righ-
têousness, to every one who believeth.” Rom. x. 4. But for
openly professing this, it is now, and has been the fate of some
of the most holy and unblamable persons, to be called Antino-
mians. Even the late reverend and exemplary Mr. Hervey,
escaped not to glory without this hard name, from persons
utterly ignorant of the doctrines of the grace of God. And
who that ever professed the true grace of GoD, has escaped
this censure ? The least and meanest of all, passes under this
name with some ; though he blesses God, he never felt the
weight of it himself. It sits very easy on him. He hopes to
355
live and die such an Antinomian. And declares, as if with his
dying breath, that he firmly believes, and is fully assured, that
in no other way does GoD make any sinner righteous, and
justify him in his sight, than by imputing the perfect, ever-
lasting righteousness of his beloved Son to him. So that, as
the homily of the Church of England declares, “ Christ is
the righteousness of all who truly believe in him. He for them
paid their ransom by his death. He for them fulfilled the law
in his life. So that now, in and by Christ, every Christian may
be called a fulfiller of the law.” They are as much freed from
its curse, as though they had never sinned. They are as
righteous before God, as if they had kept the whole law per-
fectly themselves. Though God never does make any sinner
thus righteous in his Son, but He also regenerates that soul by
his Holy Spirit; and unites him to Christ by a holy faith. So
that he hates all sin, and loves holiness. Yea, he can say, with
holy Paul, “I delight in the law of God, after the inward
man.” Rom. vii. 22. And it is, and will be, the constant
study, and daily practice of such souls, to go on, perfecting ho-
liness in the fear of God; firmly believing, the more holiness,
the more heaven upon earth. For holiness springs from the
life, presence, and communion of Jesus, who is our heaven.
This we enjoy by a holy faith. According to this faith, we con-
fess. “We are not without law to GoD, but under the law to
Christ.” 1 Cor. ix. 21, even the law of love, “For the law of
the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, hath made us free from the
law of sin and death.” Rom. viii. 2. And therefore seeing the
law fulfilled for us by Christ, our persons righteous in him, and
our souls under eternal obligations to him, we receive the law
as a rule of life, we study to walk in faith, and obey in love, all
its righteous precepts, to the honour and glory of Christ, who
hath loved, justified and saved us, from all its curse, wrath, and
penalties.
Therefore be not deceived. For where this love of Christ
is wanting in the heart, and this living upon Christ, and walk-
ing with Christ, is not manifest in the life, whatever men's pro-
fession may be, they most certainly corrupt the doctrines of
grace, turn them into licentiousness, or hold some cursed lie
within them, which blinds their understanding, perverts their
judgment, alienates their affections, and deceives their souls
into a fatal security. Othen, how jealous ought we to be over
ourselves, with a godly jealousy It behoves us with David,
ever to be crying to the Lord, “Search me, O God, and know
my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts. And see if there
be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Ps. cxxxix. 23, 24. O, let us ever watch and pray against every
species of licentiousness; that dead formality, spiritual sloth,
A a 2 *
356
stupidity of mind, carnality of conversation, and worldly dis-
positions, which so abound among professors, and eat up the
life, power, and consolation of GoD's grace in the heart 2 God
grant us, ever to live and act under the influence of that
truth, “Whatsoever is not of faith, is sin.” Rom. xiv. 23.
A COLLECT.
O God of all grace, what vile wretches, what abominable
sinners are we, whose nature is prone to abuse thy rich grace,
and to turn it to the basest purposes | Lord, in mercy, humble,
pardon, keep, and sanctify us day by day. O, let us prove thy
grace sufficient for us, and thy strength, O Saviour, made per-
fect in our weakness, to the glory of thy name, and the salvation
of our souls. Amen.
357
(Iije Jøttp-fiftſ) Lott's Dap,
*ºne-
.*
ON HUMBLING OURSELVES,
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty Hand of Gon,
that He may ea'alt you in due Season, 1 Pet. v. 6.
OUR bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made. Our lives,
through ten thousand dangers, are amazingly preserved. Our
health, though exposed to innumerable diseases, is maryellously
continued. Physicians tell us, that it is necessary for the
health of the body, that there are various excrements, which
must be thrown off; and certain recrements, which must be
retained. This is true in respect to the health of the soul.
Pride may be considered as an injurious excrement, which is
absolutely necessary to be cast off. Humility, which is as a
balsamic recrement, is constantly to be retained. In order that
the soul may prosper, and bein good health, this is to be our daily
exercise. Peter, who had been well instructed by the great
Physician of souls, here prescribes a most salutary medicine:
a medicine which, by repeated experience, he had found to be
of the greatest efficacy to his soul's health. However nause-
ous to the stomach of our proud natures, yet this medicine
certainly is productive of the greatest good, in ‘preventing
peccant humours from arising, and sharp diseases from spread-
ing in the soul. He that least applies to this medicine, will
be most unhappy in his spirit. He who constantly uses
it, will be most peaceful in his minds. Let us therefore con-
sider, y
(1st.) The nature of the duty here enjoined.
(2dly.) The necessity for the constant practice of it.
(3dly.) The blessed end or reason for it.
First. The nature of this duty, Humble yourselves, &c.
But, before I write, or you read another word, ſet us look to,
and pray the meek and lowly Jesus, to teach us this blessed art,
which we are naturally ignorant of, and utterly averse to. The
Lord grant us so to feel the force, and see the nature of this
command, that we may obey it to his glory, and our souls’ good.
This duty is to be practised upon ourselves. And a very dif-
ficult work, it is, because it is quite contrary to our corrupt
natures, pride and sinful passions. To humble ourselves implies,
that we resist every high thought, repel every lofty imagi-
nation, and reject every swelling conceit of ourselves: abasing
ourselves in our own minds, loathing ourselves in our own .
eyes, and abhorring ourselves in our own sight, as filthy creatures
358
and abominable sinners. It is to know and consider ourselves,
even as we are known of a heart-searching God, and as we are
described by his word of truth. It is to do violence to our very
nature, by stemming its rapid stream. It is to afflict ourselves.
How? By whipping and chastising the body, as the papists do?
No. But by afflicting our minds. If you attend to the working
of your mind, you will find how natural it is soothed, pleased,
and tickled, into a fond conceit of yourself, by hearing any
thing spoke well of you. This you are instantly to reject.
Thus you will afflict your mind, by not suffering it to feed its
vanity, and elate its pride. You hear others speak evil of you.
If you do not humble yourself, this will stir up anger in you.
But if you are humbling yourself, you are before-hand with,
and prepared for such treatment. You know, no one can speak
so much evil of you as you find and feel within you. But this
way of reasoning will never prove effectual to cause us to
humble ourselves, therefore it is added, “under the mighty
hand of God.” *
This is the glory of the Gospel; it ever presents an object to
our view, whom to look to, under whose influence to act, to
whom to direct all our doings, and in all to strive to please
him. Without this, all is but dry, heathenish reasoning, upon
this, or any other point of virtue. But the faith of this,
enlivens every duty, and invigorates every exercise. O Chris-
tian, remember the mighty hand of God is over you, has been
stretched forth and exerted in your behalf, and has done
wonderful things for you. And, you live daily, hourly, under
the mighty hand of God, therefore humble yourself under it.
See, own, and acknowledge, that this hand hath done all for
you, and in you. The faith of this, will cause you to humble
yourself under it. Pride arises from ignorance, and is main-
tained for want of due consideration of what we are, and what
the mighty hand of God hath done for us. Vain fancy is the
offspring of pride and ignorance. True knowledge kills both
the parent and offspring, and sacrifices them upon the altar of
faith, to the glory of the mighty hand of God. O, my fellow
sinner | Q, my soul , where had we been what would have
become of us, if the mighty hand of GoD had not been stretched
out in behalf of us? Say, what hath the mighty hand of God
done : yea, what hath it not done for us? Who formed us? Who
gave us our being 2 Who continues us in being Who gives us
the comforts of our being, and health to enjoy them 2 Do not all
flow from the mighty, the liberal hand of God But sin has
brought destruction upon all our enjoyments, and death, to put
an end of our existence here. But here, also, the mighty hand
of God has interposed, to put an end to sin, and to destroy
death. How *
# 359
• ‘ ‘See the mighty hand of GoD revealed. Behold its mighty
works, and marvellous doings, in the person of his beloved
. Son, “The MAN of his right hand,” Psal. lxxx. 17; even that
wonderful MAN, who has wrought out salvation for us, and
brought in righteousness to us. View his finished work on
mount Calvary. Rejoice in his triumphant resurrection from
‘the tomb. Exult in his glorious ascension from the earth.
Shout aloud, for he is entered into the presence of GoD for us,
and ever lives to save us unto the uttermost. And—What?
humble yourselves under the believing view of all this. Its
weight of love, and matchless grace, is sufficient to exalt us to
the utmost heights of glory, and to sink into the lowest shame,
and deepest humility. Let faith look. Let love speak, and the
heart must sink into the valley of profound humility, and cry,
Was ever love, was ever sufferings, was ever grace, O LAMB of
God, like thine, to such undeserving, such hell-deserving
wretches as we ºr *
But we could neither see, believe, nor adore for, and rejoice
in, what the mighty had of God hath done for us, unless his
..mighty hand had been revealed in, and upon us. For, dead in
trespasses and sins, in nature's ruined state we lay. No eye to
see, no ear to hear, no heart to understand, the love and salva-
tion of an incarnate GoD, nor to lament the miseries of our
immortal souls. Who quickened our souls, opened our eyes,
regenerated our spirits, possessed us of faith, convinced us of
sin, caused us to hunger and thirst after righteousness, and cry
to Jesus, Lord save, or I perish Pride avaunt, Sober reason,
and unfeigned humility reply. Must not this be the language 2
“Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name, give
glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.” Ps. cxv. 1.
All God’s mercy to sinners, flows from and through his truth,
even Jesus, who is “THE TRUTH,” John xiv. 6. And there-
fore, faith in Jesus, causes us to humble ourselves under his
mighty hand, and confess this. Let us therefore consider,
Secondly. The necessity for the constant practice of thus
'humbling ourselves. This is needful, because sin dwells in us,
and communion with Christ is to be enjoyed by us. Even
though, by the grace of GoD, we are regenerated by his Spirit,
are believers in Christ, and children of GoD, by the faith of
him; yet, we are in ourselves sinners; poor miserable, blind,
and naked sinners: we have in ourselves nothing wherein to
trust, or whereof to glory. Our graces of faith, hope, love, &c.
shall we pride ourselves for them Verily, they are the gifts of
God. They spring not from us. They are experienced in us,
are but like the changing moon, waxing and waning: . now
increasing, anoh declining. To-day, we are strong in faith,
rejoicing in hope ; to-morrow, bowed down by unbelief, and
360
sorrowing in dejection. But indeed, in our most comfortable
frames, and happiest seasons, we have the greatest reason, not
to be high-minded, but fear: not to be self-confident, but to
humble ourselves. Remember Peter. Call to mind Paul’s
buffetting. Forget our Lord's charge against the Church, for
“trusting in her beauty, and playing the harlot, because of her
renown, for that comeliness which Christ had put upon her.”
Ezek. xvi. 14. While sin dwells continually in us, we have
constant need to humble ourselves. For, communion with
Christ is to be enjoyed by us. But,
Not only are our hearts dreadfully wicked, but also super-
latively deceitful. Here lies their treachery, in turning from
the Lord our righteousness, strength, and hope to ourselves, to
look for righteousness, in ourselves, strength from ourselves,
and hope, from what we can do for ourselves. Though again
and again beat off from this legal spirit, yet it naturally works
in us, and causes us, instead of humbling ourselves under the
mighty hand of God, to exalt us above it, makes us forget our
constant need of it, and how much we are indebted to it. Pride
is interwoven with our very nature. It works by self-con-
fidence, and self-dependence; and it tends to exalt a sinful worm
of the earth, into a mighty, self-sufficient, self-important being.
IHence, though we know the words of Christ, “Without me ye
can do nothing,” John xv. 5; yet we lose the feeling sense of
their importance, and our constant need of dependence on him,
and strength from him. Though without Christ we cannot
mortify one sin, exercise one grace, nor perform one duty, yet
how often, through the vanity of pride, do we forget him, and
expose our folly. Our Lord says, “Abide in me,” John xv. 4,
in sensible fellowship with me. But this we cannot enjoy,
unless self-emptied, and self-humbled. “He fills the hungry
with good things. The rich he sends empty away.” Luke i. 53.
A sense of spiritual riches and fulness, is a bar to communion
with Christ. Humbling ourselves under his mighty hand,
empties the soul of them, and makes room for our. Lord's pre-
sence. Hence he says, “The loftiness of man shall be bowed
down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low ; and the
LoRD alone shall be exalted.” Isai. ii. 17.
The Lord is jealous of his glory. He will not give it to
another. You shall not take it to yourself. Do you love him?
Do your fear to offend him 2 Do you delight to exalt him 2
Do you not find somewhat in you, which works contrary to
this 2 Do you not find loftiness of mind and haughtiness of
spirit The Lord says, these shall be bowed down, and made
low. See you not the constant necessity to be jealous over
your own heart, and to humble yourself continually So sure as
the Lord loves you, he will humble you. So sure as you love
861
the Lord, desire to enjoy him, delight in fellowship with him,
have known and experienced what his mighty hand hath done
for you, and wrought in you, you will humble yourself under it.
Yea, you will humble yourself for your low, mean thoughts
of his mighty hand, and those high and exalted ones, which
you have entertained of your mighty self—your faithfulness to
grace received—your kind compliance in accepting offered grace
—your passive yieldings to the terms of the Gospel—your
ready activity in fulfilling the conditions of salvation—the trac-
tableness of your free will, in working together with God, in
the salvation of your soul, &c. All these vain notions, which
have foolishly puffed you up, you will see constant need of
humbling yourself for; and will cast away all such rash talk
and trash stuff. Like mariners in a storm, you will see the ne-
cessity of casting such lumber overboard, to lighten your ship,
and to exalt your Lord; that he may, “as it pleased the
Father he should have the pre-eminence in ALL THINGs.” Col.
i. 18.
Therefore it is, that he commands us to humble ourselves.
This command is from love. Obedience to it, is the test of
love. Every species of pride, tends to dethrone Christ, and
rob him of his pre-eminence in our hearts and affections. By
humbling ourselves, we put down those base usurpers. Unless
Christ has the pre-eminence in all things, GoD is not pleased,
his peace cannot be enjoyed, our souls cannot be happy. Lift-
ings up of heart, will bring on dejection of soul. But “before
honour is humility.” Prov. xv. 33. Here then are some
weighty reasons why we should humble ourselves. . Because
we are poor sinners, yet prone to pride, and to think more
highly of ourselves than we ought to think—Fellowship with
Christ is to be maintained: humbled souls only can enjoy this
—The Lord in love commands us to humble ourselves. If we
love the Lord, we shall study to obey, and strive to please him.
Let us,
Thirdly, consider the blessed end of this. “That the Lord
may exalt you in due season; or in his time.” You shall surely
be exalted, though not in your time and way: yet in GoD's.
You must not exalt yourself. That will hurt you. God will
do that for you. This shall bless you. But you must wait.
These are hard lines to nature. She will spurn and kick
against them. How is her insolence to be checked, and her
impatience curbed The Lord has provided against this. Take
that bridle. It is sufficient to manage the most vicious steed.
There is none like it. “The just, (or justified sinner) shall
live by his faith.” Heb. ii. 4. How by his faith 2 Not upon
his believing, but what he believes, GoD's word, God in his
word: God in Christ: salvation by Christ: all the precious
362
promises of GoD in Christ, he shall, live by feed upon, and
find his soul nourished with. For, as the soul is emptied by
humility, it shall be filled with faith, the peace, the hope, the
joy, the assuranee of faith, and the exalting of faith. *
But will not this feed vanity, and elate pride No. Not
unless you are so egregiously mistaken and misled, as to put
faith in the room of its object; to value yourself for your
faith, look to it as your excellence, and call it your righteous-
ness: instead of living upon the fulness of Christ,--that grace
and truth which came by him, and those great and precious
promises which are in him. For he hath said, “He that hum-
bleth himself shall be exalted.” Luke xiv. 11. Here is a pre-
cious word for faith to live upon; bless the Lord for, and wait
for the experience of its full accomplishment. Do you see
daily cause for humility ? Do you humble yourself? Are you
desirous to do it more and more, under the mighty hand of GoD
which hath wrought out salvation, and brought you to receive
it as a lost sinner 2 Then hear, believe, and rejoice, at these
astonishing words. For, however low, humbled, dejected, and
distressed you may be, yet, “Thus saith the high and lofty
One, who inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, I dwell in
the high and holy place; with him also, who is of a contrite
spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the
heart of the contrite ones.” Isai. lvii. 15.
Well Christian, what say you to all this What think you,
of your humbling yourself now, sand of the Lord's exalting
you in due time Though you may now be esteemed by men,
as a poor, moping, melancholy thing, unfit for their converse,
and unworthy their company, and your name cast out as 'evil,
for the Son of man's sake, because you cannot rejoice with
their joy; yet hear the joy of faith. Behold what special love
to; and peculiar regard the high and lofty One declares he has
for you. Let who will reject you, He will revive you. O, how
precious is it to think of God’s exalting us, and to trust to
that For the Lord's word shall not fail. His truth shall be
fulfilled.
Peter, in the text, honours our Lord's promissory note. He
receives, endorses it, negotiates, or pays it away to his brethren.
Its contents are, “ Humble yourselves, and GoD shalt exalt
you. Reader, have you faith in your Lord * Will you credit
his note? Will you be content to wait his satisfying it? Mind,
it bears no date. Do not attempt to fix one to it! If you forge
a date, you expose yourself to punishment. It runs in “due
time.” Do you ask, When is that His own time. This you
are humbly to wait for. And if you are humble, you will say,
That is the best time. As his word cannot fail, his due time
shall come. A -
363
But how will Goo exalt the humble Just as he exalted.
Mordecai over his inveterate enemy Haman. Esther vi. So
shall it be done to the humble man, whom the King of kings
delights to honour. He shall ride triumphantly over all his
spiritual enemies. Sin, which threatened his destruction, he
shall have power over. The law which cursed him he shall
have freedom from. Satan, who with infernal malice assaulted
him, shall be overcome by him, and flee from him. The world
which enticed and allured him, he shall have victory over.
Death, which terrified him, he shall triumph over, as a con-
quered foe. Yea, “over all things, he shall be more than
conqueror, through Christ who loved him. Rom. viii. 37. But
who can say, how GoD will eternally exalt those hereafter, who
humbled themselves under his mighty hand here 2 This, eye
hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the
heart of man to conceive, what good things the Lord hath pre-
pared for his people, in his kingdom. There he will exalt them
to the heights of endless glory, and immortal happiness, where
they will be incessantly engaged in the same humble work
which tºy begun on earth, of casting their crowns before the
throne, a fid ascribing the glory, honour, and praise of their
salvation, to GoD and the LAMB, for ever and ever. Ameri.
A COLLECT.
O KING of Saints, and Lord of glory, who didst humble thy-
self for our sakes, and didst become a Man to save us, give us
of thy humility, and teach us to humble ourselves daily before
thee. Lord, conquer pride in us, and make us little, low, and
mean in our own eyes. Keep down our self-exalting spirit,
and make us content to be exalted by thy grace over all our
spiritual enemies. Grant this for thy glory, O God our Saviour.
Amen.


364
GIbe ſottp-girth Lott's Dap.
*Cºmmºn
oN MAN’s STATE AND Doomſ.
Ilust thou art, and unto Dust thou shalt return. Gen. iii. 19.
“Who could have thought it?” This motto is inscribed
under the drawing of a blue-coat boy, on the coach of a mer-
chant of this city, who was brought up in Christ's Hospital.
It is very striking and significant, if meant to display an hum-
ble sense of what he was, and a grateful sense of GoD's blessing
upon his industry, in raising him to what he now is. O, Chris-
tian | In what a variety of views may ..we adopt this motto,
“Who could have thought it?” Had we seen our first father
Adam, in his primaeval state of innocence, perfect in the image
of his God, completely happy in himself, and ever joyful in
the Author of his being; and view him in a short time after,
when he had brought guilt and curse upon himself, and ruin
and misery upon all his posterity, could we help crying out,
“Who could have thought it?” That GoD should no sooner
pronounce a curse upon him, but proclaim a blessing to him,
who could have thought it That any sinner should be made
righteous, pardoned, and accepted in Christ, and enjoy the
comfort of this by faith, and yet so soon lose the sense of the
comfort, joy, and peace of the day of his espousals to Christ,
who could have thought it 2 That God should woo, and intreat
such base backsliders from him, and never leave them till they
return unto him, who could have thought it 2
Well, humility and hope should ever accompany each other,
Humble in self, and hopeful in Christ, should never be sepa-
rated in the Christian's heart. The word of GoD powerfully
teaches both, and the Spirit of GoD, by the knowledge and
belief of the Word, begets and maintains both, in the hearts of
the faithful in Christ. A real Christian never does, nor ever
can, totally lose sight either of his low and miserable state as
a sinner, or of his high and exalted state, as he is in Christ,
made righteous, justified, and saved. But yet, we are too prone
on one hand to forget what we are in ourselves, and to think
more highly of ourselves, than we ought to think: while, on
the other hand, we are too apt to lose sight of our precious
Saviour, let go the comfort of hope in him, and get into de-
jection and distress. It is a precious lesson, and it is our wis-
dom to be learning it daily. O may God the Spirit teach it
us powerfully; namely, to be nothing in our own eyes, and tº
863
see Christ all in all to us. Every portion of GoD's word in-
structs us in this, and therefore, every portion of it should be
precious to us. -
The Load, the Almighty GoD speaks (let every sinner
hear, fear, and be humble before him) this solemn, this awful
word, “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” An
able statesman, and a wise merchant, will make all advantages
of every piece of intelligence they can gain, concerning them-
selves and the affairs of their kingdom. O Christian imitate.
them. Here is a word of instruction concerning yourself.
What use, what advantage will you make of it Let us lift
up our eyes, our hearts, our voices to the sovereign Speaker,
and cry to him to impress our too thoughtless hearts with a
deep and affecting sense of what we now are, dust, and of what
we must soon return to, dust. May he enable us to improve
the present moment to his glory, and our soul's good, by some
suitable reflections upon it.
First. Dust thou art, What, so ignoble as dust 2 It is
trodden under the feet of men, and is no esteem in their eyes.
Just so are we in the sight of GoD. For, as the Psalmist
speaks, “The enemy hath laid our honour in the dust.” Ps.
vii. 5. We are as a thing of nought, and without honour
before GoD. There is nothing in us, for which he should es-
teem us : nothing can be done by us, which can merit his
favour, or deserve his love. O King of Assyria, “thy nobles
shall dwell in the dust,” Nahum iii. 18 ; this is verified in us.
For, all the noble, divine, exalted faculties, with which our
souls were originally endowed, are now corrupted and depraved
by sin, and dwell in a body of ignoble dust : so that in ourselves,
“we are without honour, have no understanding, and are like
the beasts that perish,” Ps. xlix. 20; and our dust is as igno-
ble as theirs. For, as the Preacher says, “That which be-
falleth the sons of men, befalleth beasts, even one thing be-
falleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they all
have one breath, so that a man hath no pre-eminence above a
beast, (that is as a mere creature, in a natural sense) for all is
vanity.” Eccles, iii. 19.
(2d.) Dust is of a light nature, liable to be put in motion,
agitated, and blown about by every puff of wind. So are we.
How does a small breath of opposition agitate our minds, and
raise our natural passions : We are liable to be carried about
by every wind of doctrine, and subject to be agitated by the
blasts of temptations and afflictions. The Lord causeth his
wind (of affliction) to blow ; and the waters (tears of sor-
row) to flow.” Psal. cxlvii. 18. Light, unstable, and fluctuat-
ing as dust, is man, he is weighed in the balance and found
wanting, in all he is and all he does.
$66
(3d.) Dust is offensive to clean persons, so are we in the
sight of a pure GoD ; yea, , offensive to ourselves and others
also. When the dust flies in clouds, how offensive to travel-
lers ? So disgustful in a variety of instances does the dust
of our lusts, passions, and corruptions render us to our fellow-
travellers to Zion, and to our fellow-creatures upon the earth.
Yea, while travelling through this waste howling desert, how
often does the dust of our lusts, corruptions and unbelief, fly
like clouds, to the darkening our own views of spiritual
objects, to the offending our souls, and disturbing our peace
Hence, we often experience, and are ready to say with David,
“My tongue cleaveth to my jaws, and thou hast brought me
into the dust of death.” Psalm xxii. 15.
(4th.) It is natural to dust to breed vermin : so it is with us.
Its soil is suited to their nature: so is ours. Hence, what
swarms of vile lusts, filthy thoughts, vain imaginations, cor-
rupt notions, carnal reasonings, blasphemous sentiments, &c.
are found in us? Surely, these are the worst of vermin, as
offensive as the croaking toad, and the venomous adder. Yet
such vermin have their birth in us, live and are nourished by
the dust of our vile nature. It is the sight and sense of this
that makes saints groan, and hence we hear a Job cry out,
“Behold I am vile,” Job xl. 4; and an apostle exclaim, “O
wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body
of sin and death 2° Rom. vii. 24.
Is it so 2 Are we but dust, ignoble, light, offensive, vermin-
breeding dust 2 Do we see, know, are we sensible that this
really is our case ? Then we shall readily join issue with the
Psalmist. “Verily, every man, at his best estate, is altogether
vanity.” And he adds, “Selah,” that is, Consider this
deeply and attentively, Psalm xxxix. 5; which, if we do, we
shall improve the consideration, and cry out with him, “Turn
away mine eyes from beholding vanity, quicken thou me in thy
way.” Ps. cxix. 37. This is the cry of animated dust, quick-
ened into spiritual life, by the breath of the Almighty LoRD
the Spirit. Let us consider it.
(1st.) Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity. What
is vanity The enlightened, the regenerate soul, knows he
need not go far in search of it, nor be at any pains to give a
description of it. For he will present himself, and, say,
Behold vanity itself in me. Yea, I am altogether vanity, even
in my best estate: unprofitable, empty, weak, and full of ini
quity. And therefore, all such will cry continually. Turn
away mine eyes from myself; as though the poor sinner had
just got a sight of himself, in the clear glass of God's holy
law, and seeing what a hideous figure he is, deformed by sin,
defaced by corruption, and rendered so odious in his own eyes,
367
that he could not bear the sight of himself, he cries out with
earnest eagerness, “Turn away mine eyes from beholding va-
mity.” But if so, - s
(2d.) Why does he not turn away his own eyes from such a
sight? Why cry to the Lord to do it? Here is the mystery of
iniquity. Here is also the mystery of grace in the heart.
Though we are but dust and vanity, yet we are very vain in
thinking something of ourselves, and very prone to indulge
proud thoughts of ourselves. ' And though the Lord tells us,
Dust thou art; and we again and again have proved this truth,
that in us dwells no good thing; yet we are again and again
prone to be looking at ourselves, to find somewhat to be
pleased and delighted with, and wherein to place our confi-
dence, and to establish our self-righteous hope. Such is the
mystery of iniquity which works in us. But here is the mys-
tery of grace. Where the free, unmerited favour of God in
Christ to sinners, shines in the heart, that poor sinner is truly
sensible of his weakness, vanity, and impotence, and that he is
not sufficient of himself to think or do any thing, as of him-
self. Hence he is little and low in his own sight, yet he is
strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, through the
belief of his Word of grace and truth. Hence he turns away
from himself, turns to the Lord, and cries to him, “Thine
is the power.” O turn away this vain heart, and these lofty
eyes of mine, from beholding vanity, and placing any con-
fidence of hope in any object, besides thy loving, compas-
sionate, ever-blessed self, O my God and Saviour. Therefore,
(3d.) As this cry of such an heart, manifests its abhorrence
of itself as dust and vanity, and confesses its own weakness to
turn away from it, as well as its proneness to look unto it; so
it also displays faith in the Lord’s everlasting love, and reliance
upon his almighty power. Thus, we who are but dust, vain
dust, honour the Lord of grace, love and power: and thus, the
gracious end of the Lord, in pronouncing, Dust thou art, is
answered upon the sinner. •
Has it had this effect upon you? Do you thus see yourself,
and view your vile state However distressing such a sight and
view may be, yet it is most salutary to the soul: for it makes it
truly humble, drives the sinner out of himself, to the foot of
the cross of our precious Saviour, there to live and look, and
love him, who pitied us in our low estate; and, notwithstanding
all our faults and failings, loves us from his very heart, and will
never turn away from us to do us good : For, in all and under
all, “He knoweth our frame: he remembers that we are dust.”
Psal, ciii. 14. O what a special mercy for us, who are dust, to
have such a merciful and compassionate High-priest to look
unto, who is touched with the most tender feeling of our infir-
3.68
mities, and who ever lives to love us, pity us, pray for, and
save us ! O what praises are due to God the loving Spirit,
for giving us the knowledge of, and faith in our precious
Saviour !
But, if the former part of this sentence, “Dust thou art,” is
a mortal stab to our pride; the latter part, “Unto dust shalt
thou return,” is a death-wound to all hope in ourselves. So
the Lord who pronounced it, graciously intended it should.
For, “we have the sentence of death in ourselves, that we
should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raised the dead.”
2 Cor. i. 9. Our once crucified and dead Saviour being raised,
he is the resurrection of our dead hope, and the life of our
quickened souls. Hence we cry again to God, “Quicken
thou me in thy way.” Psal. cxix. 37.
Secondly. Unto dust must I soon return? Is the thought
full of gloom and melancholy 2 Is it dejecting and distressing?
Must this body be laid in the grave, and these active limbs
moulder into dust? Does this strike a chill of terror through
my heart? Blessed be God, in this view of death, we have his
power to look to for hope and comfort, and to cry to in faith,
Lord quicken me; excite and stir up my soul, and make me
lively; raise up and cheer my languid spirits. O, we want
daily and constant quickening. But, no man can quicken his
own soul. This is an experienced truth. So is this also.
“It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing.”
John vi. 63. David well knew this. He found he could get
no hope, no comfort from himself. He saw himself, dust, re-
turning to dust; therefore, no less than nine times, in this
cxixth Psalm, does he call upon God to quicken him.
“Quicken thou me according to thy word—quicken me in thy
righteousness—quicken me after thy loving kindness—quicken
me according to thy judgments—quicken me in thy way,” &c.
Why all this earnest importunity, and frequency of petition for
quickening 2 O, says he, “My soul cleaveth unto the dust.”
ver. 25. As a dying sinner, without a spark of hope, or a ray
of comfort in myself, I want my heart to be raised, my spirits
cheered, and my soul made joyful, and this only can come from
the Lord my GoD. O quicken, cheer, revive, and refresh me,
in thy way.
(2d.) “In thy way.” What is God’s way, in which he
quickens and revives those who are dust, returning to dust?
There is but one way. This is the only way. The way ever-
lasting. Jesus says of himself, emphatically, “I am THE
WAY.” John xiv. 6. The one way of access to God the
Father: the only way, through which every blessing and comfort
comes from God the Father; and the only one way to the king-
dom of God the Father. Are we dust, sinful dust in ourselves,
369
without hope Do we know and believe Jesus to be the Way ?
Are we in Jesus, who is the Way, joined unto him, and become
one spirit with him? I Cor. vi. 17. Why them, though sinful
dust in ourselves, yet we are in a new and righteous state in
Christ, justified from all sin, perfectly freed from all condem-
nation, and fully entitled to the kingdom of heaven, and glory.
For, we are really and truly in possession of Gop the Father's
everlasting love, GoD the Son’s finished salvation, and GoD the
Holy Ghost’s everlasting consolation. O what a blessed
mercy, an unspeakable privilege, an inestimable blessing this
and this enjoyed by dust, returning to dust; here is the miracle
of it !
But yet, though such is the happy state of every believer in
CHRIST, still they find they want quickening from the Lord,
that they may enjoy the sweet comfort, and rich experience of
this from day to day in their hearts. Therefore they prize a
throne of grace, and come boldly to a GoD of grace in Christ, to
tell their heavenly Father, with the simplicity of children, what
they are, dust, returning to dust, and pray him to cheer, revive,
and comfort their souls by his Spirit, in believing views of what
Christ is to them, has done for them, and what they are in
bim, as redeemed, justified, and saved. Thus, my dear brethren
in Christ, and fellow-sinners in ourselves, we are to go on, sen-
sible of our vileness and nothingness in ourselves, as dust ; yet
coming to Jesus, believing on him, hoping in him, and crying
to him, from day to day, until we return to dust. And then (O
most jöyful consideration 1) that blessed word shall be fulfilled,
“As we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear
the image of the heavenly.” I Cor. xv. 4, 9.
* IMPROVEMENT.
Who then are men of wisdom, and who the sons of folly?
The latter sleep in security, and indulge golden dreams of,
“Soul, eat, drink, and be merry, for I have goods laid up for
many years: death is at too great a distance to deserve thy
thought. All is safe and secure now ; all will be well for ever.”
But lo, they are suddenly roused by a loud voice, a peremptory
demand, and a cutting reflection, “Thou fool, this night is thy
soul required of thee.” Thus, in the midst of their earthly
enjoyments, in the height of their flattering hopes, and in the
meridian of their vain happiness, they die fools, drop in the
dark, disappear from the stage of life, and go to meet a God
armed with vengeance, and incensed against them, for their
sins, folly, and unbelief. Such is the wisdom of vain-glorious
fools. They shall awake to everlasting confusion. But the
, men of wisdom see death approaching, and are prepared to
meet him. They have fled º shelter, and found refuge in
Aº. b
•º.
370
Jesus, yea, victory over death.Are they dust? Must they return
to dust 2 Jesus is their life. His righteousness their clothing
Their cleansing his blood. Their Sanctifier his Spirit. And his
Father their Father. They go to live for ever with their Father
God, their Saviour Jesus, their Sanctifier the Holy Ghost, whose
ways they loved, whose Sabbaths they prized, whose ordinances
they esteemed, and whose presence was their glory. “These
shall go away into life eternal.” Matt, xxv. 46. Take then one
word of t
CAUTION
From the mouth of our Lord. “Beware of false prophets.”
Matt. vii. 15. And he gives this infallible rule to know them,
“by their fruits.” That is, the false doctrines they preach, and
the corrupt lives they lead. Their doctrines only tend to exalt
the pride of human nature, by teaching ſhan's natural free-will
to good, his moral rectitude and dignity, his power and ability
to work out his own salvation, &c. in direct opposition to the
sovereign grace of GoD, to the depreciating the work and sal-
vation of the Son of Göß, and to the setting at naught the of
fice and influence of the Spirit of God, in regenerating, quick-
'ening, and converting sinners, as plainly revealed in the scrip-
tures. , O, how do such false prophets abound ! How are pre-
cious souls deceived, by their prophesying smooth things to
them, whereby they are lulled asleep in 'strong confidence, false
peace, and deceitful hope, while they are travelling the broad
'road that leadeth to destruction 1
Beware, says our Lord, of such. O, but say many, it is un-
charitable to think any who profess to be ministers of the
Gospel, to be false prophets. This is false delicacy, both in
respect to Christ, and your own souls. For in respect to Christ,
if they teach contrary to him, and you hear, and do not beware
of them, you prefer their doctrines to his, and in effect say,
Christ is a false prophet, and you pour contempt upon his.
loving caution. In respect to your own souls, they are in danger
of being poisoned, corrupted, and deceived by them, so as to
perish eternally from the right way, which is Christ, and the
truth as it is in him. Therefore, not to beware of false prophets,
so as to abstain from hearing them, is certainly the most uncha-
ritable thing you can be guilty of For, our Lord asks, “Do
men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” By which
he suggests, that we have as much reason to expect sweet, nou-
rishing, salutary, spiritual food from such, as we have to find
grapes on thorns, or figs on thistles; and that it is folly in the
extreme for men to expect it. Therefore, maintain not such
charity at the expence of wisdom. Ever distinguish;a wolf of
prey, from a shepherd of souls. Learn charity from him, who
taught and practised it to its utmost perfection. Attend to his,
371
precepts. Follow his steps. Thus manifest that you are a dis-
ciple of him. --
A COLLECT. .
LoRD, what is man that thou art mindful of him, or the son
of man that thou shouldst visit him " For sin has rendered us
obnoxious to thy wrath, and brought upon us the sentence of
death. Yet, glory to thee, O Lord, though sin has reigned
unto death, yet grace reigns, through the righteousness of Jesus
hrist, unto eternal life. Son of GoD, make us free from sin
and death. Grant us to live under thy spiritual reign, and to
enjoy all the blessings and comforts of thy all-perfect and ever-
glorious righteousness. , O forgive our self-righteous pride, and
self-confident hopes, that all our glorying may ever be, in the
love of thee, O Father, the grace of thee, O Son, and the com-
munion of thee, O Spirit, the one God whom we adore, now
and ever. Amen.
B b 2
37.2
(Ibe ſorty-gruenth Lord'g Dap.
*º-º-º-
ON BA CISL | DING,
I will go, and return to my place, till they acknowledge their
offence, and seek my face : in their affliction, they will seek me
early. Hos. v. 15.
The word backsliding is not once mentioned throughout the
New Testament. Why so Were there no backsliders under
that glorious dispensation ? Yes. Many, very many, And it
is a crime of the highest aggravation too. But it is spoken of
in different words, such as, “to fall away.” Luke viii. 13. Heb.
vi. 6. “To depart from the faith.” 1 Tim. iv. 1. “To go back
from Christ.” John vi. 6. “Putting the hand to the plough,
and looking back.” Luke ix. 62. “Departing from the living
GoD, and drawing back.” Heb. iii. 12; and x. 39. If this be
unto perdition, or final apostacy, it is most awful and most
dreadful. “For it had been better for such, not to have known
the way of righteousness, than after they have known it, to
turn from the holy commandment given to them.” 2 Pet. ii. 21.
Sensible what weak creatures we are, what sinful natures we
have, what desperately wicked, and superlatively deceitful hearts
we possess, what a world of temptations surrounds us, and what a
subtile and powerful enemy fights against us, all this is enough
to make us fear and tremble, and cry out, I shall surely, one
day perish by the power of some prevailing foe! No verily, not
so. For if you really fear falling, you will dread the causes of it,
and will be looking to the Lord, and crying to him, “Holdup my
goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not. Psalm xvii. 5.
It is this humble, self-diffident sense of ourselves, sight of our
danger, and dread of our falling, which excites prayer to the
Lord, and brings down his almighty power to keep us from fall-
ing. In this way the Lord keeps his people “through faith
unto eternal salvation.” I Pet. i. 5. In this sense, “Happy
is the man who feareth the Lord always: but he that hardeneth
his heart, shall fall into mischief.” Prov. xxviii. 14. Innume-
rable are the ways by which men harden their hearts against
this godly, jealous fear of falling; and hence what dreadful
mischiefs do professors fall into ? O Lord, in mercy keep this
fear alive in us, and teach us to be warned and profited by the
harms of others. We hear of them too frequently, and forget
them to soon.
While writing this, an awful account was given me (the
373
dreadful end of a neighbour, whom I have long known. He
complained to his maid-servant of some distress of mind:
advised her to read her Bible, for her name might be in the book
of life, but his was not. That some years ago, when he followed
the Gospel, and consorted with the people of GoD, he was
happy, and wished himself among them now. Soon after, he
went up stairs, and discharged a pistol at his head. The ball
only slightly wounded his temple. His wife and maid hearing
the report, immediately ran up. With his penknife in his hand,
though held by his wife, he cut his throat in a most shocking
manner, and expired instantly. I do not hear that this person
was addicted to any outward sins, or that his circumstances in
life were bad. Let us avoid all reflection upon him, and improve
this shocking event to ourselves, by taking the Apostle's advice,
“Let him who thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall.”
1 Cor. x. 12. It is awful to fall away, even though but
from a profession of Christ! Here is a solemn warning for
backsliders. i
Our text holds forth to us the dealings of GoD with his own
people, under offensive conduct towards him, and base back-
slinging from him. Here is,
(1st.) A threatening from the Lord.
(2d.) The cause for it.
(3d. The gracious end to be effected by it.
O may the God of love enable us so to attend to each of these
particulars, that our hearts may be humbled before him, and our
souls get some spiritual profit from him, that we may be more
and more established in the faith and love of him. Let us
consider,
First. The threatening from the Lord. “I will go and
return to my place.” What is implied in this It is spoken
after the manner of men, when they turn away and go from
any person or thing which displeases them. Just as Samuel
turned about to go away from Saul, when he obeyed not the
word of the Lord. 1 Sam. xv. 27. So the Lord turns away from
his people, when displeased at their conduct. And he says, “I
will return to my place.” Do not from hence entertain an
idea of a local Deity. For, “Do not I fill heaven and earth 2
saith the Lord.” Jer. xxiii. 24. What then can the Lord mean,
by, returning to his place 2 An experienced believer can easily
answer this. For his heaven of happiness consists in the Lord's
being sensibly nigh unto his soul, enjoying the smiles of his
love, fellowship with him in spirit, and the witness of his Spirit
to his heart, that he is a child of GoD, through faith in Christ
Jesus. And it is his hell of misery, to find God departed from
him. Hence David, in a frame of experienced dejection, from
the distance of God, earnestly cries out, “Draw nigh to my
374
soul,” Psal. lxix. 18; “Be not thou far from me, O Lord.”.
xxii. 19.
Therefore, by the Lord's threatening to return to his place,
we are to understand that awful distance that sin has made
between the Lord of heaven and us sinful worms of the earth.
And not only so, but that those who have heretofore experienced
the blessings and comforts of living near to God, and his living
in them, walking in them, and comforting them by his Spirit,
should find his divine presence withdrawn from them : so as
with Job to complain, “O that I knew where to find him '''
Job. xxiii. 3. Now you who are often questioning your state,
here is a blessed criterion for you to judge of it by. Do you
know what it is to enjoy the }. presence with you, and
nearness to you? Is this the delight of your soul ? Do you fear
his frowns, and dread his withdrawing from you, and returning
to that natural distance there is between him and you ? If so,
there is somewhat more wrought in you than all the powers of
nature could effect. For verily your soul is alive to GoD. Let
us consider,
Secondly. The cause of this threatening. It was offence
against, and backsliding from the Lorp. A gradual and
voluntary turning from the knowledge, faith, love, profession
and practice of GoD's truths, which were once solemnly
avowed or attained. Many charges are brought against God's
professing people in this chapter. They are all educed to one
in this verse. This God calls, their offence. What can this
one single offence be? Verily, it is of such a nature, as includes
all, and every evil in it. It is no other than the whoredom and
adultery of the heart, in choosing some other object than the
LoRD, preferring it to him, seeking happiness in it, and for-
saking him for it. This is the offence, the peculiar offence of
professors. And the most daring offence it is. Look at the
various objects which captivate the affections, attract the heart,
and cause many to backslide from the Lord, his truths and
worship, and say, is it not most base and treacherous 2
For, though the Lord demands, “My son give me thy
heart,” Prov. xxiii. 26. Though the loving Saviour enjoins,
“Abide in me,” John xv. 4. Yet some cursed idol, having
caught the eye, and bewitched the heart, the affections declare,
I must enjoy this. Othere are ten thousand charms in it ! I must
give up Christ for a little season. I cannot abide in close com-
munion with him just now. But, after I have enjoyed the
pleasing gratification of this object, then I will return to him
again. The conduct and practice of many professors, loudly
roclaim this, though they would be ashamed to speak thus
plainly with their tongues. Poor souls . They did not mean at
first totally to give up the Lord, or to give their hearts to their
375
idol, but only to lend it for a season, and then recal it back
again. But alas ! It happens to them, like persons who pledge
their necessaries, to supply the present extravagance, with intent
to redeem them again in future, but their property is lost,
through want of ability. O, how many professors have thus
betrayed their folly, and the Lord has awfully left them for a
terror to others t A t
But to bring this matter home to our hearts’ experience.
Have we walked in close fellowship with God the Father, and
his Son Jesus Christ, in the comforts of the Holy Ghost? Have
we been ready in exultation of heart to say with David
“I shall never be moved. LoRD, by thy favour, thou hast
made my mountain to stand strong.” Psalm xxx. 6,7. Perhaps,
in a short season after, Satan, the world, and the flesh, combine
to present some alluring object, dressed up Agag like, delicately,
with every charm suited to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the
eye, and the pride of life. Like Eve you have looked at it:
saw its fair appearance, reasoned upon it, and concluded there
could be no harm in it. You inclined to it, and complied with it.
But after the pleasing indulgence, what was the consequence?
Verily, the flesh was gratified, GoD's spirit grieved, and your
soul distressed. I have experienced the wormwoom and gall
of this. It is of the Lord's mercy that I have not perishéd
for this. I know one who walks very uncomfortably at this
moment. What think you is the cause he assigns for it?
O a very trifling one, in the sight of many professors It was
only complying with the request of some carnal friends, to go
to the playhouse. He only went. He only lost his peace.
He only mourns in distress. Will you ask, what harm is there
in seeing a play 2 This person will tell you, Is this seeking
the face of the Lord? Is this walking in the love of the Lord?
Is this abiding in Christ? Is this of faith? If not it is sin. Is it
not backsliding in heart and affection from the Lord? Hear the
punishment of such. “He shall be filled with his own ways.”
Prov. xiv. 14. The Lord will return to his place, and leave
him to his ways. He shall find the Lord's presence departed
from him, and his peace forsaken him. And in the moments,
when he wants to behold the glory of the Lord in his temple,
the grace of the Lord in the sacred pages of his word, and thé
salvation of God in the face of his Son, what marvel, if he is $o
filled with his own ways, that the vain scenes of the playhouse
present themselves to his view, and mock kings, queens, aid
emperors, with all the train of fiddlers, dancers, fops, fools and
merry Andrews haunt his mind, and distress his soul? How
long? even till “they acknowledge their offence, and seek my
face, saith the Lond.” Ever remember this, if you turn away

# &_ſ , t →
from following the Lord, he will turn away frºm gómfºrting
376
you. But, O what a mercy! He will receive backslider s again
who seek his face.
There is much implied in, “Seek my face l’” The Lord's
people who receive blessing from him, and righteousness from
the GoD of salvation, is a generation that seek his face. Psalm
xxiv. 6. And they cannot be happy without beholding the
glory of God, shining in the face of Jesus Christ. When they
are not seeking this, they act contrary to their profession, hope,
and comfort. They backslide from the Lord, their duty, and
privilege. This will be the language of regenerate souls,
“There be many that say, who will shew us any good? LoRD
lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.” Ps, iv. 6. But
the offence of the professors in the text was, they neglected
thus to seek the Lord's face. They found other objects to
seek pleasure in, and comfort from, beside the LoRD. There-
fore they neglected his sabbaths, ordinances, and the means of
grace; and turned from the Lord, and these, to their own idols
of vanity and folly. But the Lord, notwithstanding the base
and provoking behaviour of his people to him, has everlasting
love for them, and rests in his love to them ; therefore
has a gracious end in all his dealings with them. Thus we
COI) e -
* Thirdly, to consider, “In their affliction, they will seek me
early.” The Lord, the God of all their comfort and blessedness,
had gone from them, and returned to his place ; because they
had backsliden from him, and returned to their ways of sin,
folly, and vanity. Though the Lord forsakes his people, as to
his comforting presence, yet he never totally abandons them,
entirely gives them up, and eternally casts them off. No, God
the Father chose them. God the Son redeemed them. GoD
the Spirit regenerated them. Therefore he will save them.
And because they shall not be condemned, and perish with the
world, they are judged and chastened of the Lord, I Cor. xi. 32.
He afflicts them in love for their folly; and thereby makes them
so wise as to seek him early. O my friends, there is the Lord's
love in the bitterest draught he administers. It may go against
our stomachs, but it is profitable for our souls. It shall purge
our disorders, and procure spiritual health. His medicines are
salutary retaliations. We have followed our ways, to please
the flesh. Now we must take the Lord's potions, which are
bitter to the flesh. But, like bitters to the stomach, they shall
provoke an appetite of soul towards the Lord.
“In their affliction.” This seems to point at some one
peculiar trouble. What is the real Christian's one trouble above
all the rest ? The sense of an absent God, and this occasioned
by his own folly. Verily, this soul-trouble is the greatest of
all troubles to a gracious heart. O how many distresses ever
377
accompany it! All the graces of the spirit within fail; and the
fruits of righteousness wither and fade. Faith grows weak,
hope languid, love cold, peace departs, joy dies, duties become
formal, and the soul sore distressed. The Spirit, who convinces of
sin, after revoltings and backslidings, awakens to a sense.of all
this, and afflicts the soul that it may seek unto the Lord.
And here is the manifest distinction between a real child of
GoD, and a meer formal professor. They are both alike
subject to backslide from their profession, and give awful
evidence that they are sinners. The latter awfully falls away
to rise no more. He gives up the TRUTH, that was sufficient
to save him. He returns to the world, which effectually
destroys him. “But he that is born of God, sinneth not,
(unto death eternal) for the seed of GoD remaineth in
him, that he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” I John
iii. 9.
How cannot sin 2 There is not any sin, but the seeds of
it are in his flesh, or fallen nature, and he is as liable to commit
sin, as any other sinner. But the seed of God, or the life of
GoD in his soul, cannot possibly be destroyed. It is of an
immortal nature, “because he is born of GoD.” And, therefore,
though that immortal seed, or divine life, which is com-
municated from Christ, by his word and Spirit, may in its
actings and influences for a season, be injured and impaired by
sin, as the health of the body is by various disorders, yet the
new-born soul hath, by its union to Christ, everlasting life, and
can never perish. Our natural sight may be impaired. We
may contract deafness. Our taste may be vitiated. A numb-
mess may seize our limbs. One or all of our faculties may be
impaired. Yet we may see, hear, feel, taste, think and act,
though we can perform none of these functions so perfectly,
as if all were sound and well. Yet this is very different from
the body's being dead, and all the senses extinct. So it may
be with a new-born soul. “The soul of Gaius was in health
and prospered.” 3 John ii. The Psalmist complains of his
soul being vexed, full of troubles, cast down, in prison,
cleaving to the dust, melting with heaviness, fainting with
distress, &c. Paul had buffetings of soul. Saints groan under
the burdens of the flesh, and the body of sin. All this proves the
life of the soul, and that it is subject to oppressions and disorders.
But, however it may be injured and impaired by sin, yet its
life cannot be destroyed, nor its spiritual faculties totally lost.
Hence, in its worst and most languid state, it is not like those
who are dead in trespasses and sins. For, it has eyes to see,
ears to hear, a heart to understand, faculties and dispositions to
relish the spiritual truths of God's Word. Therefore, when
the Lord calls, by the voice of affliction, Soul hear my voice.
378
it is I thy beloved, whom thou hast forsaken, and neglected to
seek my face. Hear of thy folly. Feel thy miseries. Be warn-
ed of thy loss. See thy danger. Turn unto me. Seek my
face. Thou canst not be happy without me. I will not be
happy without thee. I am thy Lord: Thy FATHER, SAviour,
and SANCTIFIER. “Thou shalt seek me early.” When the
soul is thus called by the Lord, and returns to and seeks the
Lord, it is because it was alive to the Lord, and heard the
Lord’s voice. Therefore, this is called, “renewing again to
repentance.” Heb. vi. 6. Whereby a change of mind, and a
change of eonduct are effected. Hence says the soul, “I will
go and return to my first husband; why for then it was better
with me than now.” Hos. ii. 7. Hear, O hear with wonder,
adoration, joy and love, the gracious words which the Lord
speaks to such “I will heal their backsliding. I will love
them freely: for mine anger is turned away.” Hos. xiv. 4.
Here is healing for their wounds. Love for their souls. And
peace for their consciences. And what heightens the glory of
all is, all is bestowed freely : given liberally from the loving
heart, with the healing hand of a pacified GoD, who upbraideth
not. Jam. i. 5. But though the Lord doth not, yet the returning
sinner will upbraid himself. Though God loves him freely,
he will hate his base folly heartily. Though GoD's anger is
turned away from him, yet his will not be turned away from
himself and his sins. Though his soul is healed by GoD's
forgiving love, yet his heart will be broken in pieces before the
Lord, in anguish of spirit against himself, and in tears of joy
and praise of his pardoning God. One Word of
EXAMINATION.
How stands it between God and your souls 2 Do we or do
we not enjoy his presence? A strange question to a carnal man
But it is what every spiritual man should daily put to himself.
For “ God's presence is salvation.” Ps. lxv. 5. Salvation
- from all sin, and from every guilty fear: while a heaven of ho-
liness, peace, love and joy possess the soul. Many walk in un-
comfortable darkness and uncertainty, respecting the state of
their souls. Be assured, you are in a state of salvation, if you
prize the Lord's presence, and dread his absence. And this
will make you walk humbly before him, and fearful to offend
him. Ever remember, our GoD is a jealous God.
(2d.) Is the Lord departed from us? Are we sensible of it?
How do we behave under it O what a loss, is the comforting
presence of our GoD ! Do we deplore it? Are we mourning in
the bitterness of our soul for it? Are we waiting, looking, long-
ing and crying to him to return ? If so, verily, his grace is in
our hearts, though his comfortable presence be withdrawn from
379
us. O bless his loving name, for his gracious dealings with such
poor sinners as we are. For where his grace is, his presence
shall surely be soon enjoyed. This is the breathing of gracious
hearts. Is it yours ? “In the way of thy judgments, O Lord,
have we waited for thee; the desire of our souls is to thy name,
and to the remembrance of thee.” Isai. xxvi. 8. Is it so 2 Then
what blessed assurance have we from his word, “The Lord is
nigh untó all them who call upon him, to all who call upon him
in truth.” Ever remember, “Jesus is THE TRUTH.” There-
fore we call upon GoD in Christ. For he is only nigh to us in
Him. And, “He will fulfil the desire of them who fear Hims
He will hear their cry and will save them.” Psal. cxlv. 18, 19.
A COLLECT.
O God of our salvation, cause us to fear thy threatenings, as
well as love thy promises. Lord make us watchful, and ever
keep us jealous over our ways with a Godly jealousy. In thy
presence is life and salvation. , O make us, prize it more and
more. Itſ; thy absence is darkness and distress. Cause us
more and ſhore to dread it. Lord Jesus Christ be now and ever
with our spirits, for the honour and glory of thy great name.
Amen.
380
The ſottp:tisbtb Lott's Dap.
the duty of PRisoners of HoPE. * . .
Turn ye to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope. Zech. iii. 12.
This is a precious word, “All Scripture is given by inspiration
of God. The Scriptures are able to make us wise unto salva-
tion, through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” 2 Tim. iii. 14, 15.
“For they testify of me,” saith our Lord. John v. 39. If so,
then, O man of God, look for Christ in every text, that you may
exercise your faith on him, and draw sweet consolation from
him. This is our wisdom. Thus, we act like those who really
are made wise unto salvation. Look for Christ in every text!
Are there not many in the Old Testament, which seem to have
no reference at all to Christ? Where not one. For Christ
is God. “All things were made by him, and without him was
not any thing made that was made.” John i. 3. “He uphold-
eth all things by the word of his power.” Heb. i. 3. Is there any
text then but what refers to this God? Again, all men are sinners.
Do not the Scriptures constantly testify of deliverance, redemp-
tion, and salvation to the people of God? Who but Christ is
the deliverer, redeemer, and Saviour of sinners ? Doth he not
testify again and again 2 “I, even I am the Lord, and beside
me there is no Saviour.” Isai. lxiii. 1 1. “Look unto me, and
be ye saved, all the ends of the earth : for I am God, and there
is none else.” lxv. 22. Therefore, whenever the Lord's people
were in any distress, trouble, and calamity, the prophets always
took care to exalt the great God and our Saviour in their deli-
verance; and to speak clearly and plainly of his being made
manifest in the flesh. Thus the minds of the people of old
were comforted, their hearts encouraged, and their hopes kept
up, by believing the love the Lord had for them, and the rela-
tion he stood in to them, as testified of in the Scriptures. Just
so it is with us at this day. *
But then, why do we not always thus comfortably view Christ,
as testified of in all Scriptures? Calista, an infamous strumpet,
thus tauntingly bragged against Socrates, “all thy philosophy
cannot alienate one of my lovers from me, but my beauty can
fetch many of thy scholars from thee.” To this he replied,
“No wonder, for thou temptest men to the pleasing path of
perdition, but I persuade them to the troublesome way of vir-
tue.” Now just so it is with us. Our flesh, that vile strumpet,
with all its corrupt notions, carnal reasonings, and lofty imagi-
381
nations, these, as so many pleasing charms, Calista like, draw
away our minds and affections from seeing and contemplating
Christ in the Scriptures, in whom every virtue centers, and
shines forth with undiminished lustre of perfection and glory."
From hence we may raise this doctrine, that though Christ is
most clearly and plainly revealed in the Scriptures, as every
way suited to our state, and to bring relief and comfort to our
hearts as sinners; yet such is the stupidity and blindness of
our natures, that we cannot see, know, love, nor rejoice in him,
unless the Holy Spirit, the glorifier of Christ, takes the vail
from our hearts, and takes of the things of Christ, and shews
them unto us, so as to engage our hearts and affections unto
him. Therefore, we should never take up our bible without
looking to the Spirit to enlighten our minds, that we may see
the love and glory of Christ shining in it. O that he may be
pleased at this time to help us to consider the words before
us, so as to see Christ in them to our soul’s comfort and joy.
We have here
(1st.) Christ set before us as a strong hold.
(2d.) To whom I
(3d.) An exhortation or command.
Let us meditate on what is implied in each of these.
First. Christ set before us as a strong hold. But are we
sure that the Prophet here speaks of Christ Positively so;
and of no other. For the Spirit THE Comforter, by the
Prophet, gives us such a minute description of him, and what
has been most exactly fulfilled by him, that it is impossible to
mistake here. For he thus calls upon us sinners, “Rejoice
greatly, and shout.” Why? “ Behold thy king cometh unto
thee.” Here is (1st.) Christ's regal power, by which he was to
conquer all our enemies for us, to subdue them in us, rule .
over us by his grace, and reign in us by his love, and so of re-
bels make us the happy, joyful subjects of his kingdom. O
this is a blessed coming of Christ unto us! (2d.) “He is just.”
What! to take vengeance on us for our sins O no But,
blessed be his precious name, though, as the just GoD, he hates
our sins, yet he is the just Saviour also, who loved our souls
from everlasting. Therefore he undertook in the everlasting
covenant to be our just surety, our righteous advocate; and
now he comes to fulfil all his covenant engagements. To re-
deem us at the hands of justice. To discharge every debt, due,
and demand, and to fulfil all righteousness for us. And as he
is righteous himself, so he will present all his people righteous,
in his own perfectly glorious righteousness before his Father,
that GoD may be just, while he justifieth the ungodly, unrigh-
teous sinner who believeth in Jesus. Rom. iii. 26. Such is
the just character of Christ. Therefore (3d.) He cometh,
382
“having salvation.” The salvation of all his beloved people at
heart, which work he never left, till with his expiring breath,
in shame and agony on the cross, he cried, it is finished. There-
fore he only is our salvation. Hence he saith, “Behold, thy
salvation cometh.” Isai. lxii. l I. Mistake not here, Christ is
both our Saviour and our salvation also. Many err here, not
knowing the Scriptures, nor considering the work of Christ.
For he came to work out salvation for us: to be salvation to
us: to bestow his salvation upon us. The work of his Holy
Spirit in us, is to testify and bear witness to the finished salva-
tion of Christ, to convince us of our want of it, to persuade our
minds to believe in, and our hearts to receive Christ, as our
salvation; to rejoice in him alone, and to look to no other but
him; desiring ever to be found IN him, IN his atonement,
righteousness, and salvation. It is by the faith of this, that the
life of God, the love of GoD, is promoted, and the hatred of
sin, and the death of our sins, is effected in our souls, from day
to day. For this is the joy and triumph of our faith. “Be-
hold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for
the Lok D JEHow AH is my strength and my song, he also is be-
come my salvation.” Isai. xii. 2. O what "language is here !
How happy does this make the heart of a poor sinner! Nothing
but this can. Thus Christ cometh unto us, having salvation.
And, says the prophet, (4th.) He cometh unto us, “lowly,
riding upon an ass, even upon a colt, the foal of an ass.”
Observe how minutely exact the Holy Ghost is here, when he
inspired this prophet to foretel of our Lord’s coming. This
was literally fulfilled, when Christ made his triumphant entrance
into Jerusalem. Matt. xxi. What a sight was here for pro-
fane wits, and infidel hearts to ridicule ! O how many such
might say of the meek and lowly Jesus, “There, yonder is he
who pretends to be the Son of GoD, and Saviour of the world !
See him riding upon the most contemptible of all animals, an
asses colt. Behold, what an enthusiastic rabble he has got
about him : What a mighty ado they make with him : “While
the contemptuous sneer issues in a burst of laughter.” But,
says the Holy Ghost, “ rejoice greatly and shout.” O my
fellow sinners, and thou, O my soul, under all this poverty,
neanness, and contempt, see the glory of our God and our
f{ING ; and that it was his glory thus graciously to humble
himself for us, and thus lowly to come unto us! If so, the
Holy Ghost has shewn us the majesty and glory of the most
bigh God, displayed in the grace of the most humble man:
and therefore we have cause to rejoice greatly, and to shout
constantly. For, here we behold the very strong hold men-
tioned in the text. t
What is meant by a strong hold? A strong tower, a place of
383
defence, a sure and safe refuge, where persons may trust their
lives, family, and fortune, and their all with the greatest security.
Now all this Christ is to the soul, as an almighty King, a just
GoD, a complete Saviour, and a lowly and perfect MAN. All
these enter into the being and essence of this strong hold.
Each and every one of them is delightful to contemplate. We
would not part with either of them. O that we dwelt more
upon them, that we might find more comfort in them. The
last of them sweetens all the rest, even to see our Almighty
King, our just GoD, our complete Saviour, a perfect MAN, in
all things, except sin, like unto ourselves. How does this
endear him to our hearts, and make him precious to our souls
For, we can go with humble familiarity to him, as our brother
in flesh, pour out our sorrows before him, tell him of our sins
and temptations, our enemies and dangers, our doubts and fears,
and trust our souls and all our concerns with him : For we are
prisoners of hope. What is implied in this, we come,
Secondly, to consider. In the verse preceding the text, Gon
the Father speaks to his Church, “As for thee, by the blood of
the covenant, I have sent forth 'thy prisoners out of the pit,
wherein is no water.” That is, out of their natural state, and
from all its wrath and curse, where there was not one drop of
water to refresh them. He translated them into the kingdom
of his dear Son. Then they find themselves prisoners of hope.
How ! God's children, believers in Christ, and subjects of his
kingdom, prisoners of hope? Are they not the Lord's free men?
Has not Christ made them free from the dominion of sin, the
bondage of the law, the tyranny of Satan, the terrors of death
and hell, and brought them into his glorious liberty 2 Glory
unto him, he has. But still, we are prisoners for all that.
Do not you feel yourself a prisoner from day to day ? Is not your
new-born soul imprisoned in the body? Yea, in such a body as
hath got the infection of the gaol distemper too; sin, which
makes it a vile body, a body of sin and death Do not you feel
that the chains of sin, the shackles of unbelief, and the fetters
of lusts and corruptions, hang heavy upon you? Do not these
fret and gall you? Do you not groan under these ? Do they not
ºpinion you down, as it were, to the floor of your prison, so that
your soul cannot, as it otherwise would, soar into the regions of
light, love, liberty, holiness and joy Holy Paul was in the
very same prison as you are. This was his bitter exclamation
in it, “O wretched man that I am " But he sweetly chants
this jubilee note also, “I thank GoD through Jesus Christ our
Lord.” Rom. vii. 25. Though he was a prisoner, yet a prisoner
of hope. Christ was his strong hold. To him he looks. In
him he triumphs. For him he gives thanks. This is the work
of prisoners of hope. This should be their constant employ.
384
For they should ever be turning to Jesus their strong hold,
and rejoicing in him. Thus we come
Thirdly, to consider. What is implied in these words, Turn
e to the strong hold? (lst.) Remember who commands this.
The prophet Zachariah. True. But “we know, he spake as
he was moved by the Holy Ghost,” 2 Pet. i. 21; therefore this
is the command, not of man but of the Loud, the CoMFORTER.
And a most precious word of comfort it is to prisoners of hope.
O let us bless the Lord for it, and obey his command in it.
For f
(2d.) It implies weakness, dangers, and enemies. What
say ye, ye prisoners of hope 2 Are ye not daily surrounded
with these, within and without 2 Do ye dread these ? Do ye
fear falling by them, and being overcome of them 2 Ye need
not one moment. Turn ye to the strong hold: Even to the
MAN of God’s right hand, the SoN or MAN, whom he hath
made strong for himself.” Psalm lxxx. 17. Though we are
all weakness in ourselves, though exposed to the strongest lusts,
the most powerful temptations, Satan, a most potent enemy,
the world that dreadful foe, with all its inviting charms, be-
witching snares, soothing promises, and terrifying threatenings,
yet IN our blessed strong hold, IN our precious Christ, we have
safety against all, security from all, and victory over all. In
this strong hold this joyful song is ever sung, “Salvation GoD
hath appointed for walls and bulwarks.” Isai. xxvi. 1. “We
are more than conquerors, through him who loved us.” Rom.
viii. 37. Othen, under every distress, and in every danger,
turn to this Man of God, this GoD-MAN. A Man to receive
you. A God to protect you. O ye prisoners of hope, there
is a precious mystery in God making the Son of Man strong
for himself, and of his being the Man of GoD's right hand
Our souls suffer much distress, and lose much comfort, for
want of clearly seeing, and constantly attending to this point.
The Son of God in our nature, having obtained a complete
victory over all our enemies, is the glorious strong hold of a sin-
ner's heart. And, that he ever lives in our nature to receive
us, and bestow his victories upon us, this is the triumph of our
souls. O let us ever turn to this strong Son of Man, to this
Man of God's right hand, by whom GoD does all for us, from
whom he bestows all blessings upon us, and through whom he
gets all glory from us. For,
(3d.) This command implies necessities and wants in ourselves,
full supply for all our need, and rich provision for all our wants.
For it pleased the Father, that all fulness should dwell in this
Son of Man, this Man of his right hand. Col. i. 19. And that
we should receive out of his fulness, and grace for grace, John
i. 16. That is one favour upon another. There is an inex-
385
haustible fulness in Christ our strong hold. It pleased the
Father that it should be so, and it is the pleasure of the loving
Spirit to reveal it to us, and direct us poor needy creatures, to
turn to him, to receive out of his fulness. And, our precious
Saviour constantly proclaims, “Ho, every one who feels his
misery, knows his wants, and is sensible of his need, come
and buy, a rich supply for all, without money, and without
price, without the least merit, desert, or worthiness. 'Turn to
me constantly, receive of me freely, and let your soul delight
itself in fatness.” Isai. lv. 1. Why, then, O ye prisoners of hope,
are ye at any time complaining under wants and necessities
Whose fault but your own, in not turning to our precious strong
hold 2 If yeturn from him, is it not to lying vanities, and to pur-
sue empty trifles, while your souls are starving amidst such rich
provision ? Shame on us. Yea, shame and confusion will be
the attendants of such egregious folly. For
(4th.) This turning implies the disposition of the heart
and affections We are often doubting and questioning, whe-
ther we have an interest in the love of God, and the salvation of
Christ. I am verily persuaded, we cannot possibly have a
better evidence of this, than that as poor, miserable sinners,
and needy creatures, the desires of our souls are unto Christ,
and to the remembrance of his name; and that we turn unto
him, seek all our comfort from him, expect all our happiness
in him, and look for every supply out of his fulness. For,
thus we honour Christ, have the mind of God the Father, and
obey the will of God the Holy Ghost. What he testifies of
Christ, what he exhorts us to in his Word, our hearts are suita-
bly affected with and disposed to. This strongly evinceth,
that the Word rightly influences us, and that the power of the
Spirit is come upon us. O ye prisoners of hope, see your pe-
culiar mercy, and be thankful. Consider your special, distin-
guished privilege, and be joyful. Ever turn to Jesus your
strong hold, and be triumphantly happy. For,
Lastly, turning to him, implies aversion to, and turning from
every thing which stands in competition with him. Here a
very large field opens, and innumerable objects present them-
..selves, which would lead us beyond the bounds of our meditation
to attend to. Two only shall suffice, and these will include all
the rest. And these also are natural to us all. They are, SIN
and SELF-RIGHTEousNEss. By the former we satisfy our
beastly lusts: by the latter we gratify our devilish pride. By
turning to Christ, we turn from both, and find infinitely greater
delight in him, than all the sensuality and pride of the others
can possibly yield us : yea, we find his love, and that creates
heaven in our souls: His righteousness that creates glorying
in our hearts. For in that we appear righteous before ou
Ç
38C
heavenly Father, and have a just title to his kingdom. By sin,
understand every thing, which is contrary to, and hinders our
enjoying the love of Christ in our hearts. Judge of all things
by this rule, and you will not be asking, what harm in this
game, and the other diversion But, is it of faith ? If not it
is sin. Can it be pursued in love Hſ not it is an evil. Turn
to Christ in faith, and you will turn from all that is contrary to
him in love. By self-righteousness, understand every thing
which puffs you up with a good opinion of yourself, and makes
you think any better of yourself than a poor, wretched, misera-
ble sinner, without hope in yourself, or confidence in your own
works and doings. Living under this view, you will daily see
your want of this precious strong hold, your constant need of
turning to it, and experience the blessedness, comfort, and joy
found in it. This is the view, this the faith, this the prayer
of living saints, who are poor, dying sinners. “Be thou (O
Jesus) my strong habitation, whereinto I may continually re-
sort : thou hast given commandment to save me, for thou art
my rock and my fortress.” Psalm lxxi. 3.
A COLLECT.
ALMIGHTY SAviour, thou knowest that we are nothing but
sin, weakness, poverty and wretchedness. O make us to know
and feel this constantly, that we may flee to thee continually as
our strong hold, and dwell in thee as our precious habitation.
Glory be to thee, that by natural images, thou dost propose
thyself to us, display thy love for us, invite us to thyself, and
assure us of safety and salvation in thee. Lord, forgive our
backwardness to come to thee. Draw us, dear Lord, to thyself.
Grant that living and dying we may be found in thee, to the
glory of the Father's love, thy grace, and the Spirit's power.
Amen.
387
QIbe ſortp-ninth Lott's Dap.
oN NEGLECTING salvation.
How shall we escape, if we neglect so great Salvation ?
Heb. ii. 3.
A MINISTER of the Gospel thus began an address from the pul-
pit to his hearers. “My brethren, I have a very solemn ques-
tion to propose to you this day. It is a question of the greatest
importance. And it is of such a nature, that neither you nor I
can answer it: no nor all the men on earth. Nay, Satan, with
all his knowledge, cannot answer it. No Saint in heaven, nor
can the highest archangel, nay, the great God himself cannot
answer it. The question is this; How shall we escape, if we
neglect so great Salvation ? May the Lord, for his mercies sake,
impress our minds with a deep sense of its eternal importance!
May he enable us to consider it with the utmost attention. Yea,
as though our souls were this moment going to take their flight
from the body, and to appear before the presence of GoD, may
we now meditate upon this solemn question. O that we might
live every day, and perform every duty, under the influence of
it: ever remembering that it is proposed to us, by GoD the
Holy Ghost. Let us consider,
The nature of this Salvation.
The comfort and blessedness of receiving it.
The awfulness and misery of neglecting it.
First. To impress our minds with a deep sense of its blessed
nature, and vast importance to us, it is called “So great Salva-
tion.” So inexpressibly great: so inconceivably glorious is this
Salvation, that, compared with it, time, with all its exhibitions,
the whole world, with all its grandeur, glory, and enjoyments,
are but empty shadows, and trifling vanities. For this Salva-
tion is greatin its Author, Jehovah, the great GoD in all his
Persons, GoD the Father, GoD the Son, and GoD the Holy
Ghost. Each of these great and glorious Persons, are equally
and alike concerned and engaged in this great Salvation. It
was the plan of their infinite wisdom, resulting from their great
love to sinners. “For God, (the whole Godhead) is rich in
mercy, according to his great love, wherewith he loved us.”
Ephes. ii. 4. Rich mercy to sinners flows from God's great
love for them. Therefore, great love, big with rich mercy, pro-
cures a great salvation for them. So that the great love of the
great GoD is the origin of ºgreat salvation.
c 2
388
(2d.) It was entirely wrought out, and perfectly finished by
the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ, according to all
the types and figures, predictions and prophesies concerning
him, “He was to finish transgression, and to make an end of
sin, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in an
everlasting righteousness.” Dan. ix. 24. All this he hath for
ever effected and sealed, by his blood-shedding and death upon
the cross. Hence he is not only the Saviour of sinners, but
salvation itself to sinners. All salvation is in him, and no other.
And we are saved in him, with an everlasting salvation. It is
so perfectly great, and so infinitely complete, that nothing need,
nor ean possibly be added to it. So that if a believing sinner
be asked, where is your salvation ? He will reply in great sim-
plicity, It is all in Jesus. He is my salvation. And a great,
precious, and glorious salvation he is. But how does he know
this? Because
(3d.) It is as plainly, and as clearly revealed in the Word of
the Gospel, as though wrote with a sun-beam, And by the
means of the Gospel of Christ, the Holy Spirit makes it mani-
fest that it is a great salvation to the hearts of sinners; and
they highly value, and greatly esteem it as such. Is any poor
sinner puzzled in his mind to know whether he is a partaker of
the Spirit of Christ or not? Here is one certain, sure, and plain
rule to judge by. Have you the mind of the Spirit? Do you
see the salvation of Christ to be a great one 2 Is the work of
Christ in his holy life, and sin-atoning death, glorious in your
eyes and delightful to your soul? Can you say of it, it is all my
salvation and all my desire? If so, you certainly partake of the
Spirit of Christ, whose work and office in the oeconomy of sal-
vation, is to honour the Gospel of Christ, and to glorify Jesus
as the only Saviour of sinners. For
(4th.) It is so great a salvation, that it extends to the ends of,
the earth, includes sinners, great sinners, the vilest of sinners,
the chiefest of sinners: all sorts of sinners : sinners dead in
trespasses and sins, enemies to Christ, haters of God, enemies
of him, blasphemers of his name, in open arms against his
power, stout-hearted rebels against his crown and government.
Tn short, there is no sinner out of hell, be his state ever so bad,
and his circumstances ever so desperate, but this great salva-
tion is suited to him, sufficient to relieve him, and eternally
glorify him. O well may we sing,
Salvation, O the joyful sound !
What pleasure to our ears :
A sov’reign balm for every wound,
A cordial for our fears.
Thus we see somewhat of this great salvation. That it is all
}
389,
in Jesus; and that he is this salvation itself. Therefore it does
not consist in an outward reformation of life, performing reli-
gious duties, making a profession of Christ, joining a church
of Christ, and becoming very orthodox in our heads. But it
is receiving and partaking of this great salvation, in our hearts
and consciences, so as to enjoy all the rich privileges, saving
graces, and sanctifying influences of it.
Secondly. Consider the blessedness and comfort of this.
Here observe, it is impossible for us to do any thing to get an
interest in this great salvation. Great and gracious men, have
spoken very unadvisedly with their lips, and wrote very incau-
tiously with their pens, when they have exhorted poor sinners
to get an interest in this great salvation, What would they have
them do? What work set about 2 What good thing perform, to
procure this same interest? Alas! They might as well bid them
quicken their own souls, and then go to Christ for life: or save
themselves, and then go to Christ for an interest in his salva-
tion. O how does this depreciate the free grace and love of
God . How does it degrade the work and salvation of the Son
of God How supercede the office and operations of the Spi-
rit of God! And how on one hand puff up the pride of self-
righteous hearts of some, and on the other, perplex and distress.
poor sinners’ souls"
Blessed be God, no such a hard term, no such impossible
condition is required of us to perform. Seek we may, seek we
shall, use every means we ought, and we shall, to obtain the
comfort and blessedness of this great salvation, if we see its
suitableness, and know our want of it. It is but to know it,
and we shall seek to enjoy it. Believe it, and possess it. Re-
ceive it, and experience the comfort of it. For we enjoy it, in
receiving Christ, believing on him, and coming to him. The
way is open. The access easy. Every sinner that will, may
enjoy the comfort and blessedness of this great salvation. There
are no hindrances, no objection on Christ's part, for he says,
“Come unto me,” Matt. xi. 28. “And him that cometh unto
me, I will in no wise cast out.” John vi. 37. “Whosoever
will, let him take of the waters of life freely,” Rev. xxii. 17.
“Ask, and it shall be given you. Seek and ye shall find. Knock,
and it shall be opened to you. For EVERY on E who asketh
receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth ; and to every one who
knocketh it shall be opened.” Matt. vii. 7, 8. Yea, our dear
Saviour's soul so hungers and thirsts after precious souls, that,
like a Herald, he proclaims and invites thus, “Ho Every on 1.
that thirsteth, (for salvation) come, and he that hath no money,
(neither worth nor worthiness about him) come ye, buy and eat;
yea, come buy this salvation without money, feed upon the bless.
ings of it, and enjoy all its comforts, without price.” Isai. Iv. i.
390
Now consider all these sweet invitations, and precious pro-
mises, from Jesus, our salvation, and say, are they not free and
full? dare you doubt the sincerity of his heart, or the truth of
his word though it is impossible for GoD our Saviour to lie,
yet it is not impossible for you to make him a liar, in and to
yourself. For, by not going to him, receiving him, or believing
him, you plainly question his word and doubt his sincerity.
And therefore, you are a distressed sinner: you do not enjoy
the comforts of this great salvation. That unbelief which
makes God a liar, keeps you from entering into the love of Christ,
and enjoying his salvation. For all the comforts and blessed-
ness of this great salvation, is enjoyed in believing. For the
Apostle says, “We who have believed (the Gospel of Christ,
and in Christ revealed in the Gospel) do enter into rest.” Our
souls find rest in Jesus, satisfaction of mind in his work, and
joy of soul, in his salvation. We have the peace of God in
our consciences, and the joy of the Holy Ghost in our hearts.
We find sin subdued in us, the world overcome, and death and
hell conquered for us, and an abundant entrance into heaven
opened to us. * t
What then 2 Are we to sit down in carnal sloth, and indulge
supine indolence 2 No. For he exhorts, “Let us labour there-
fore to enter into that rest.” Heb. iv. 11. Let us 2 Who?
What Believers, who have already entered into rest, found
and enjoy rest, and yet labour to enter into rest ? How is
this? Suppose your mind was set upon seeing Paris, and en-
joying all the pleasures and delights of that superb court and
city, if when you landed at Calais, and were told, you are now
in France, would that satisfy you? Would you not travel on till
you arrived at the city and court? When you had seen some of
its grandeur and gaities, would you not say, this does not satisfy
me? For I have heard, and believe there is much more to be
seen and enjoyed. Therefore faith would stimulate you to la-
bour to see, and enjoy all that you have heard of, and believe to
be worthy your attention. But more especially if you saw the
King, and he gave you free liberty to come to court, and be
ever near his Royal Person, how would this excite your desires
day after day? Just so it is by the comfort and blessedness of
this salvation. The more we see of its glory; the more we want
to enjoy of it. The more we do enjoy, still our wants, desires
and affections for it are increased. Are we babes in Christ?
We want to be young men. Are we young men We want to
be fathers. Are we fathers ? We want to be gone from earth,
and long to be with Christ, to enjoy him, and this great sal-
vation in all its fulness in eternal glory. So that we are still
labouring, even in the enjoyment of rest. If like Paul, Christ
391
has apprehended us, and we have found his preciousness, tasted
his sweetness, and experienced his salvation, we shäll be follow-
ing on, pressing after, to apprehend him, and attain to the mark
of the prize of our high calling in Christ, crying every step—
That I may win Christ—that I may know him—that I may be
found in him. O, it is comfort and joy to dwell on this But
infinitely more so, to experience and enjoy this. But we must
turn from this delightful subject to a gloomy scene, and con-
sider,
Thirdly, The awfulness and misery of neglecting this great
salvation. Here is the solemn question, “How shall we
escape * What? The antithesis or opposite to so great salva-
tion, even so great damnation. For, if the former be neglected,
the latter cannot be escaped. But what is it to neglect this
salvation? To slight, disregard, and pour contempt upon it.
And this is done, because men prefer other things to it. For
our Lord's word will ever stand true, “He that loveth any
thing more than me, is not worthy of me.” Matt. x. 37. Such
make light of the Gospel of God’s grace, the salvation of his
Son, and the comforts of his Spirit. O, beware of excuses for
neglecting the Gospel of Salvation. For, however important
they may seem now, they will all be found vain and trifling
another day.
For God hath, in these last days, spoken unto us by his Son.
He is the only Saviour. He who refuses to hear him, slights
his love, pours contempt upon his work of salvation, and heaps
up unto himself wrath, against the great day of wrath. It is
not men's saying, I have married a wife—I have bought ground
—I have purchased oxen-—I am so busied, taken up and en-
cumbered with the affairs of life, that I have no time nor leisure
to think of the Gospel, Salvation, and eternal things, that will
excuse them. No, says the Lord, “None of those who are bid-
den, shall taste of my supper.” Luke xiv. 24. Those who have
refused to taste of the Lord's feast of grace and salvation on
earth, shall be banished his presence in heaven, and hear that
awful doom, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire,
prepared for the devil and his angels.” Matt. xxv. 41.
Who will pronounce this most solemn, most dreadful sen-
tence None other than the meek LAMB of God. Even he
who hung naked, and exposed to shame, on the accursed tree,
without the gates of Jerusalem; who laid down his life, shed
his precious blood, and expired in inconceivable anguish, to
work out redemption, bring in an everlasting righteousness, and
finish salvation for lost sinners. This once despised, slighted,
set at naught Saviour, who how tenderly invites, “Come unto
me, all ye who e weary and heavy laden, and I will give you
rest.” Matt. xi. 28. Yea, who now most affectionately expos-
tulates, “Com now, and let us reason together, though your
392
sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow: though they be
red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isai. i. 18. For my
blood cleanseth from ALL sin. I John i. 7. O, ye boasted
sons of reason, why, O why will ye refuse to hear the voice of
this heavenly charmer ? why reject his blessed, comfortable
reasoning why trample on his precious blood, and neglect his
great salvation See Jesus, whom you have set before you in
the Gospel, full of grace, mercy and truth. See him you shall.
For you must stand before the SoN of MAN. “He shall come
again in his glory. You must appear before him. No excuses
will avail now. You loved the world better than Christ. That,
and all things in it, are now burnt up. You preferred your
sins to Christ. You have enjoyed them, lived and died in
them. Now you possess them. You have heard the Gospel
of Christ you slighted it ; the salvation of Christ, you
neglected it. You will now hear no more of this for ever.
Think, O think of this, and say, How can you, how will you
escape the damnation of hell; ye who have slighted precious
Christ, disregarded his glorious Gospel, and neglected his great
salvation ? Gospel professors hear, fear, and tremble, lest this
should prove the awful case with any of you; to hear the once
loving Saviour, but then tremendous judge pronounce, “De-
part, I know you not. Lord Jesus save the soul that writes,
and him who reads, or hears, from this dreadful doom. One
Word of
EXAMINATION.
. Is Christ precious, his salvation glorious, the Bible estimable,
sin hateful, and yourself abhorred in your own sight? Are you
crying to Jesus Lord save me, or I perish. Do you desire to
be saved from your sins, and to partake of his holiness; that
you may enjoy holy communion with him on earth, as well as
to be glorified with him in heaven O give glory to him, and
rejoice in him, for verily his great salvation is come to you, and
will exalt you into his eternal presence and glory. Hold it fast
in your conscience. Press on in your life. Sing the grace and
glory of Jesus every step, till you get to heaven.
A COLLECT.
O GoD, who aboundest in mercy to miserable sinners, and out
of thy free love hast provided and revealed a great salvation for
us in Christ Jesus. O, do thou impress our hearts with thy
mercy and thy love, and suffer. us not to neglect this thy sal-
vation. Lord make us daily sensible of our want of it, so that
we may come humbly to thee, O Saviour, to receive the bles-
sings, and enjoy the comforts of it at thy hands, as thy free
gifts; so that being saved by thee, and living upon thee, we
may walk worthy of thee, and give glory and praise to thee,
now and for ever. Amen, t W. { *
393
QIbe ſiftiet) Lorū’3 ZDap.
*º-s
ON SPIRITUAL WORSHIPPERS,
The hour cometh and now is, when the true Worshippers shall
worship the Father, in spirit and in truth: for the Father
seeketh such to worship him. John iv. 23.
Such as is the spirit and temper of our minds, which we live
and die in, so will our eternal state be. If we are made spiri-
tual here, we are fit for heaven, and 'shall reign in glory for
ever. If we live and die, just as we were born, natural crea-
tures, we are no more capable of worshipping GoD on earth,
and enjoying him in heaven, than a beast or a devil. God's
Word shall stand. Every lie against it shall be banished to
the bottomless pit, from whence it sprang. The great Teacher
sent from God, yea the great God, and our Saviour Jesus
Christ, here presents us with a most gracious truth, and a most
joyful doctrine, which furnisheth these two points for our me-
ditation.
(1st.) Why do any of the apostate sons of Adam, become the
true worshippers of God And,
(2d.) The nature of this worship.
Here is both the grace and glory of the Gospel displayed. O
may the Lord lead our hearts into a clear understanding, and
blessed experience of these truths, while we are meditating
upon them.
First. Why do any of the apostate sons of Adam become the
true worshippers of GoD 2 Are we naturally so No, not one
of us, I can speak from experience. Having passed through
more than thirty years, in great sobriety and decency of life,
kept up a form of godliness from my early age, constantly
attended Church and Sacrament; but yet alas ! I had the
form and no more. I was a stranger to the life and power of
the spirit and truth of the Gospel. But we have a more sure
Word of testimony, than the experience of any sinner upon
earth. We cannot spiritually worship God till we know him.
But we are maturally ignorant of the true God. “For the
world by wisdom (all mankind by all their natural wisdom and
acquired knowledge, know not God. But it pleases God, by
the foolishness of preaching (to make known his true character
in Jesus) to save them who believe.” I Cor. i. 21. Save them
from what? Their natural ignorance, blindness, and stupidity,
in being under the reign and rule of the prince of the power
394
of the air, and in worshipping the trinity of idols which he hath
set up, in opposition to the true GoD, the lust of the flesh, the
lust of the eye, and the pride of life. As the people of old
said of the molten calf, so it may be justly said to each of us,
These are thy gods, O man, O woman. Exodus xxxii. 12.
Every one of us naturally bow down to these, set our hearts
upon, and seek all our comfort and happiness in and from
these. How long 2 Even till we go down to the grave, with a
deceived heart, and a lie in our right hand- or, till the Lord in
mercy prevents this, by seeking us. For, says our Lord, “the
Father seeketh such to worship him.” In these words, the
following points are as clearly held forth to us, as that light
flows from the sun. (1st.) That naturally we have not the
least aptitude, or disposition to seek the Lord, and to worship
him in spirit and in truth. For this is the language of all our
hearts to GoD, “ Depart from us, we desire not the knowledge
of thy ways. What is the Almighty, that we should serve
him And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him *
Job xxi. 14, 15. Our neck is as an iron sinew, that we cannot
bow before him. Our carnal mind is at enmity against him,
that we will not submit to him. Our brow is as brass. We
have a whore's forehead, and are not ashamed before him.
Such we are, and such he finds us, when he seeks us. But,
(2dly.) Why does GoD seek us 2 Do not look into yourselves.
You will not find the least goodness to excite this. We often
read in Scripture of the Load's doing great things for his
people, and declaring that he doth them for his NAME’s SAKE.
And we find his people praying and pleading for blessings, for
his NAME’s sake. What are we to understand by this 2
Verily, that the Lord, in covenant, hath assumed such names,
as FAther, SAviour, SANCTIFIER, which are expressive of
his love for them, and relation to them; and that he hereby
engages himself to be that to them, and do those things for
them, which are implied in these names. Hence, in the text,
Christ does not use the term GoD or Lord, but FATHER. The
Father seeketh—such worship the Father. O my fellow sin-
mers, how precious is this How amazing that the most high
God should, in covenant mercy from all eternity, take upon
himself this endearing appellation of FATHER ; and have the
eye of a loving Father over the heart of an affectionate Father
for, and the love of the most tender Father to us apostate crea-
tures, stout-hearted rebels as we all are against him This is
the joyful cause why he seeks us.
(3dly.) How does he seek us The word seeketh in the text,
is very emphatical. It signifies to seek with the most intense
labour, the greatest pains, and the most unwearied diligence :
so as not to intermit, till what is sought for is found. In the
395
most striking manner our Lord represents this to us, by the
parables of the lost sheep, and the lost piece of money. With
what ardour does the man seek his lost sheep in the wilderness?
With what diligence does the woman seek her lost piece of
silver ? How do each of these rejoice at finding what was lost 2
Duke xv. Ah! But there is somewhat peculiar here ! It was
the man’s own sheep. It was the woman’s own money. They
each had a right and property in what was lost. And what was
lost would never seek them, if they had not sought that. O,
let these images sink us into deepest humility, and excite
highest love to the Lord for seeking us. Would the lost sheep
ever seek after its shepherd, and find him 2 Could the lost
money seek its owner, and come to her? Just as soon should
we ever seek the Lord, come to, own and worship him, if he
had not sought us. But our Lord has distinct knowledge of
us, everlasting love to us, and special propriety in us; there-
fore, as a FATHER he seeks us.
But how By his beloved Son, the Son of Man. He came
to seek, and to save, that which was lost. Matt. xviii. 11. A
striking instance we have before us, in this chapter, John iv.
Here our dear Lord is represented in this happy element,
obeying his Father's will, and doing his blessed work. He
had turned his back upon the proud, self-righteous Pharisees.
His face was towards, and his heart going after, one of his
beloved perishing ones. Therefore, he must needs go through
Samaria. Ver. 4. There was a natural reason, and a moral
necessity for it. For, here was one of his lost sheep, which he
came to seek and save. Therefore he must find it. He came
to Jacob’s well, weary and thirsty. Ver. 6. A full proof this,
that he was perfect man; in all things like unto us, but with-
out sin. Though he was weary in, he was not weary of his
work, of ministering life to the dead, and salvation to the lost.
The Saviour goes first : then comes the vile sinner, to the
well. He must needs go : she must needs come, according to
settled purposes of the everlasting covenant of love and grace.
The hour was fixed; six o'clock in the evening. This was to
be her time of love : the appointed hour of her conversion:
the stated period for her to find Jesus. As he says, “I was found
of them who sought me not ; I was made manifest unto them
who asked not after me.” Isai. lxv. 1. Just so it is with
every lost sinner. The shepherd first seeks the lost sheep,
to restore it to the flock. The Saviour first seeks the dead sin-
ner, to quicken him unto God. The woman came to the well,
only to draw water, without the least thought or design of
finding the Messiah. But he had a design of love to her pre-
cious soul ; therefore, in his providence, he brought her there
at that very instant. All might appear human chance and con-
356
tingency to her; but to Christ, all was under his fixed purpose
and determined appointment. Necessity pleads, and he asks
this favour, Give me to drink, ver, 7. Stop here one moment
and reflect. This request opens the most free, large, and un-
reserved conversation between—whom O, wonderful to think
of . The great GoD our Saviour, and a woman of a mean and
ordinary station in life; yea more, a woman of a profligate and
abandoned character, an adultress, a whore. Yet, notwith-
standing all this, Jesus fully opens to her the mysteries of his
Kingdom, the freeness of his grace, and manifests his eternal
Godhead, by telling her of her past life, and the particular sin
she now lived in, “Thou hast had five husbands, and he whom
thou now hast, is not thy husband,” ver. 18: and he converted
her soul to believe in him, and to make this invitation to, and
confession of him, “Come, see a man (the most wonderful
of all the sons of men) who told me all things that ever I
did: is not this the Christ?” Wer. 29. As though she had
said, None but the Christ, the Son of God, could tell me such
things as he has, but as he has told me these things, therefore
without doubt he must be that omniscient God, who searcheth
the heart, and knows all things in us, and done by us.
Now here we see a true picture of the Father's seeking us,
perishing, lost, yet self-confident, self-righteous sinners, be-
fore we have one single thought of him, one pious motion
towards him, one good desire after him, or the least inclination
to forsake our sins and worship him. Yes. He prevents all
this by his love. He is beforehand with us in his grace. He
reveals and manifests himself and his salvation to us, while we
are in a state of sin, under wrath, and deserving hell. Thus
he acts like himself, with the love of a precious Saviour, the
affections of a loving Father, and with the sovereignty of an
almighty Sanctifier. But what is the end of the Father's thus
seeking us? To make us true worshippers of him, that we
may worship in spirit and truth. The nature of which we
come,
Secondly, to consider. Outward, formal, carnal worship,
natural men can join in, be contented with, satisfy conscience
by, entertain a good opinion of themselves for, and think God
is well pleased with, and will reward them on account of.
These are the highest ideas they entertain of divine worship.
And thus they worship, they know not what, an unknown God.
But they who worship the Father, must worship him in spirit
and in truth. That is in the spirit of our minds, agreeably to
the spirit of the Gospel, and in the faith of Jesus, who styles
himself emphatically, THE TRUTH. John xiv. 6. For we can
no where see the character of the true God, but in him. He
reveals the Father to us, without which no man can know him.
397
Matt. xi. 27. “He is in the Father, and the Father is in him.”
John x. 38. “No man cometh to the Father, but by him.”
xiv. 6. “ He and the Father are one.” x. 30. “The Father is
reconciled to, and at peace with sinners in him.” 2. Cor. v. 18.
Now this is the spirit and truth of the Gospel. This must
enter into the spirit of our minds, that we may worship the
Father in spirit and in truth. Thus the Father seeks us by his
son, sends the spirit of his Son into our hearts, who glorifies
the Son in our souls, and we come as lost and hopeless, mise-
rable and wretched, to the Son, and by him to the Father,
crying, Abba, Father, look upon us, lost wretches, in thy Son,
and let all that rich grace and abundant mercy, which flows
from thee to hopeless sinners, through the Son of thy love, be
freely bestowed upon us. O, how sweet is this How infi-
nitely transcendent to all the little, low, mean, legal, and mer-
cenary ways, in which men pretend to worship God l For,
here is an object, most delightfully engaging, and most pow-
erfully attracting to our souls. The FATHER.; O who can
tell the innumerable charms in that joyful name, to the
heart of poor sinners | THE FATHER, to seek us by his Son,
to view, and love, and bless us in his Son, to accept our
persons, receive our worship, and be well pleased with us in
him, just as though we had never sinned, and were perfectly
righteous in his sight. O the joy of this GRAcE ANo TRUtil
O the delight of this faith and this worship ! This consists,
(1st.) In Adoration of the FATHER. Our souls inwardly
adore, and outwardly worship him, for the revelation he has
given in his Word, and the manifestation of himself to our
souls by his Spirit, as the GoD and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and in him, the God of all mercies, graces, and bles-
sings, the Father of our spirits, and hope of our souls. Hence
“we bow our knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Eph. iii. 14. Having the hearts of children, we unite in judg-
ment with the Father. He declares himself delighted with,
and well pleased in his Son. And he also is to us precious—
the chiefest of ten thousand, and altogether lovely. Hence,
under the influence of this fatherly love, we love to adore, de-
light to worship, and rejoice to glorify him, in our bodies and
spirits, which are his.
(2dly.) In humbling ourselves before him, by confessing what
vile creatures, what miserable sinners, we are, and that we live
upon his sovereign grace, are supported by his sovereign mercy,
and are kept by his sovereign power, from falling into hell. That
there is nothing in us to invite his love, and engage his affec-
tion; but every thing to excite his anger, and procure his
wrath ; and that nothing interposes between us sinners and
deserved destruction, save his beloved Son, our advocate with
{ t
338
the Father, Jesus Christ, the RIGHTEous.” I John ii. 1. So
that it is the constant language of our poor hearts, “ FATHER,
we have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and are no
more worthy to be called thy children.” There is not a sinner
out of hell deserves it less. Yet Father, we had rather be
hired servants to thee, than left to our natural pride, and free
will to glorify ourselves and depart from thee. For,
(3dly.) We have affiance in the FATHER. Not for any thing
we are in ourselves, done by us, or found in us; but for what
the FATHER appears to us, and has done for us, in seeking us,
and bringing us to know the riches of his grace, and ever-
lasting love, unsought and unmerited by us; yet so freely be-
stowed, and so fully abounding to us, in his beloved Son.
Though cursed sin, though abounding ingratitude, though pre-
vailing unbelief beset us, yet we cannot, we dare not, we will
not (glory to grace) give up our trust, give over our confidence,
fet go our hope, and cease from worshipping the FATHER. No,
under a sight and sense of all our ruin and wretchedness, we
will cry, FATHER,
Take our whole hearts, and let them be,
For ever sealed to all but thee.
For, (4th.) We delight to rejoice in the FATHER. This is
very different from rejoicing in ourselves, in any thing done
by ourselves, or what we see, find, and feel about ourselves,
When our Lord's disciples began to see the evil spirits
made subject to them, their spirits were elated, and their
joy abounded. But, says our Lord, “Notwithstanding in this
rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you : but rather
rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.” Luke x.
20. Thus he directs them to the highest source of heavenly
joy, the covenant grace, and everlasting, unchanging love of
the FATHER, and of their names being recorded in the book of
life. Has the Father sought us by his Son 2 Hath he made our
spirits subject to him Are we become spiritual worshippers of
the Father in the Son This is matter of joy, yea of great
joy. But this blessed stream should lead us to the fountain.
head, even the loving heart, and blessed book of God. For,
because our persons had a place in his heart, and our names
were wrote in his book, therefore he sought us, caused us to
know him, and made us spiritual worshippers of him. O what
heights of joy doth the contemplation of this raise in us!
Therefore, &
(5thly.) In giving glory to our heavenly Father. How dead,
dry, and formal is all worship, unless we have GoD as our
Father before us, his love to inspire us, and his glory as our
aim 'i is this which animates every service, and enlivens-
399,
every duty. Yea, it turns services and duties into the most
exalted privileges. For the Lord declares of all his spiritual
worshippers, “This people have I formed for myself, they shall
shew forth my praise.” Isai. xliii. 21. They are framed by
Goo's grace, and formed for his glory. Therefore, they will
shew forth his praise in their life and walk, in public and pri-
vate, in their families and closets. And they will make it a
fixed point with them, to keep holy the Lord's Sabbaths, and
shew forth his praises in the great congregation. This brings
honour to his name, glory to his grace, and praise to his power,
in raising up such dead sinners, as we all naturally are, to seek
his face, hear his word, worship him in spirit and truth, feed
upon his blessed body, and precious blood, and testify of him,
“Lo, this is our GoD ; we have waited for him, and he will
save us. This is the Lord ; we will be glad, and rejoice in
his salvation.” Isai. xxv. 9. Thus blessed are they who
dwell in the Lord's house. They will be praising him. Blessed
is the man whose strength is in the Lord. They go from
strength to strength, every one of them appeareth in Zion
before God. For the Lord GoD is a sun and a shield: the
Load will give grace and glory. No geod thing with he
withhold from them who walk uprightly. “O Lord of hosts,
blessed is the man who trusteth in thee.” Psalm lxxxiv.
Lastly, by thus worshipping the Father in spirit and in truth,
on earth, our souls are disposed and made meet for the joyful
work, and heavenly employ in glory. There our souls shall
incessantly, humbly adore, and most, delightfully worship, and
eternally praise, the Father who loved us in his Son, the Son
who redeemed us to the Father by his blood, made us righteous
in his righteousness, and presented us before the throne, with-
out spot of sin unto salvation ; and the Spirit, who applied
the Father's love and the Son’s salvation to our souls; and
brought us into holy fellowship with the Father and the Son.
O, let us think of that joyful, blessed, and glorious day. Let
us anticipate its comforts. Let us think of it in every act of
worship. Let us realize it to our view, whenever we bow down
before the Lord. For them, there will be no obstruction, no
weariness, no intermission, no corrupt body to press us down, no
worldly thoughts to distract us, no temptations to distress us,
no enemy to harass us; but we shall be, what in every act of
worship we wish to be, perfect as our Father which is in heaven
is perfect. And as sure as we are sought by the Father, and
made spiritual worshippers of him on earth, we shall be eternal
worshippers of him in heaven. For in the confidence of faith,
the joy of hope, and in the comfort of love, we may say to
our Father,
400;
- That love divine, which made us thine,
Shall keep us thine for ever. A 8
. O, let this add the strongest joy, in the most comfortable
assurance, under the sense of all our weakness, frailties, and
infirmities, which attend us in all our acts of worship here
below. For our dear Lord has taught, “After ye have done
all, say we are unprofitable servants.” Luke xvii. 10, And
yet he assures us, unprofitable as we are, “The Father loveth
us, even with the same everlasting, unchanging love, where-
with he loved him. John xvii. 23. §
A COLLECT.
O Lord our heavenly Father, we should never have sought
thee, if thou hadst not first sought us. Glory be to thee for
seeking us by thy beloved Son, and making known thyself and
thy love to us, in him, by thy gracious Spirit. O, may we ever
delight to worship thee in spirit and in truth; and find near-
ness to thee, communion with thee, with every grace, blessing,
and comfort from thee on earth, till we shall see and enjoy thee
in heaven, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
401
otbe fifty-first Lord's Dap.
asºn ºmºs
ON BEING MADE MEET FOR GLORY,
Giving thanks unto the Father, who hath made us meet to be
partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light. Col. i. 12.
The comfort and blessedness of many a precious text, are often
lost, through our overlooking or mistaking some word in it, on
which much depends and great stress is to be laid. That this
may not be the case here, I have put the sign of the tense
HATH in capitals, in the text. For great glory from GoD
shines in it. Great comfort flows to us from it. And, if we
rightly understand it, if we are subjects of what is here said
GoD HATH done, we also shall be giving thanks unto him.
On the other hand, by mistaking a word in a text, or not at-
tending to its import and context, many sad distresses have
been, and now are, brought upon the hearts of the righteous,
whom the Lord would not have to be sad. For instance,
“ Luther, in his first awakenings, lay three days and three
nights successively upon his bed, without meat, drink, or sleep,
labouring in soul, from reading Rom. iii. 26, ad ostendam Jus-
titiam, to shew forth God’s justice; concluding that Christ
was sent for no other end, but to show forth GoD's justice, as an
executor of the law upon sinners. Till at length, being brought
to a right understanding of the words, that the justice of God
was to be executed upon his Son, “that GoD might be just,
and the justifier of him who believeth in Jesus;” he im-
mediately started up from his bed, his conscience was so
relieved, his heart was so confirmed in faith, and his soul so
comforted by the truth, as that nothing afterward could dis-
courage him.” Glory to GoD, his Gospel is the glad tidings
of salvation. It speaks nothing but comfort to sinners, in
their salvation by Christ: their title in him to the kingdom of
heaven; and through the faith of him, they are made fit and
meet for the enjoyment of it. This is our subject. And a
most important one it is, to every awakened sinner. For
seeing we are every moment liable to the stroke of death, how
can we be happy in our hearts, joy in God, and rejoice in hope,
unless like these Christians at Colosse, our souls are really made
meet for heaven and glory? Nay, and if we do not see and
know that they are, we shall not, as they did, give thanks to
GoD for this. Let us therefore consider,
(1st.) The author of this meetness.
(2d.) The nature of it, and wherein it consists.
º That every believer in Christ is made meet for glory,
and is bound to give thanks to S. Father for it.
40?
May the Lord grant, that in his light we may see light, so as
to know ourselves, understand our state, see our privileges, re-
joice in God, and give glory to his blessed name. O, may we
know the blessedness and feel the comfort contained in,
First. The Author of this meetness. This is, The FATHER.
How ought our hearts to rejoice, when we meet with this pre-
cious word FATHER, in the Scriptures For it should instantly
remind us of Jesus, the Son of God, and of our being “the
children of God, by faith in him.” Gal. iii. 26. Hence the
Apostle doth not say, God, or the Lord, but the FATHER,
HATH made you meet, &c. because he would remind us of the
near and dear relation, which God stands in to us, and that as
our heavenly Father in Christ, he loved, chose, adopted and
regenerated us to himself, as his own dear children, for whom
he has peculiar regard, and in whom he takes special delight.
Hence our dear Lord teaches us, whenever we pray to God,
to call him, OUR FATHER, to beget in us holy boldness before
him, strong confidence in him, great love to him, and peculiar
delight in the worship of him. “ For the Father is in the Son,
and the Son is in the Father.” John xiv. 11. He who ac-
knowledges the Son, as the only Saviour, bath the Father also,
1 John ii. 23. He hath all the blessings and comforts of the
love of the Father, and shall enjoy a place in his heavenly
kingdom. For when our Lord, who hung on the cross as a '
malefactor, shall appear in his glory, as King and Judge, he
will then say to them on his right hand, “Come, ye blessed of
My FATHER, inherit the kingdom prepared for you, from the
foundation of the world.” Matt. xxv. 34. They were loved,
chosen, and blessed by the Father in Christ, before the foun-
dation of the world.” Eph. i. 4. Their places were prepared'
for them by the Father, from the foundation of the world.
They were made meet for the heavenly inheritance by the
Father, in the fulness of time. Thus the Father gives grace,
and secures glory, to all his children in Christ. How joyful"
then ought we ever to be in our heavenly Father | What love,
what praise, what obedience do we owe him Therefore let us
consider,
Secondly. The nature of this meetness for glory, and wherein
it consists. Paul, in the context, tells us, (1st.). “The Father
HATH delivered us from the power of darkness.” This respects
the natural blindness of our understanding, the total ignorance
of our minds, the prevailing unbelief of our hearts, and the
proud, self-righteousness of our spirits. Consider the image
of darkness in nature. You cannot discern objects. You
cannot see your way. You are in danger every step you take.
But it is never totally dark in nature, because the sun is never
wholly withdrawn from us. But our souls are naturally under
403
the power of darkness, as to spiritual objects. We can neither
see, know, nor have the least discernment of them : therefore
“we account them foolishness.” I Cor. ii. 14. We see not
the evil of sin, the spirituality of GoD's law, the glory of his
Gospel, the worth of our souls, the preciousness of Christ, nor
of his being the way to the kingdom of heaven. Sin blinds our
eyes. Satan deceives our souls : and hence a self-righteous
hope deludes us. For the god of this world hath blinded the
minds of them who believe not, lest the light of the glorious
Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto
them. 2 Cor. iv. 4. Now while we are in this state, under
the power of this darkness, we are no more fit nor meet for
the kingdom of God, than the devil himself. For, as we see
not the light of the glorious Gospel, we cannot delight in
Christ, who is the image of Goe, therefore we can have no
fellowship with God the Father, in the spirit of our minds :
for what fellowship hath light with darkness 2 This power of
darkness, is diametrically opposite to the light of the heavenly
inheritance. Were it possible to admit a person in this state,
to the mansions of light and glory, he could not have the least
relish for, or delight in, the joys and employs of the heavenly
world. They would be irksome and tiresome to his soul. But
the Father loves and pities souls in this state, therefore he de-
livers them from it, and makes all the sons of glory meet for it.
How * “GoD, who commanded the light to shine out of dark-
ness, hath shined in our hearts, to give us the knowledge of
the glory of God, in the person of Jesus Christ.” 2 Cor. iv. 6.
When this is the happy case with any sinner, he is delivered
from the power of darkness; he sees by the light of the Gospel,
where the glory of God shines, and flees too, and takes refuge
in the person of Jesus Christ. He no longer desires to live by
any righteous, and good character of his own : he sees that he
is a vile sinner before God ; but he delights to live upon the
righteousness, and be found in the Son of God. Thus GoD
and he are at peace. He is reconciled to GoD, and is brought
into fellowship with God, through the Son of his love;.
therefore his soul is made meet for the enjoyment of God in
glory. All such can say, “The darkness is past, and the true
light shineth.” 1 John ii. 8. They are the children of the
light, and of the day. They have the light of truth and love,
and rejoice to walk in it; and the blood of Jesus Christ, the
Son of God, cleanseth them from all sin. O, what a deliver-
#. of the Father is this How comforting ! How joyfull
ut
(2d.) The FATHER HATH not only delivered us from the
power of darkness, but HATH also translated us into the king-
dom of his dear Son. Hence, not only are our understandings
* D d 2
*
^ A.
404
enlightened to know Jesus; but our wills are subdued, by the
‘Father's love, to choose him, and our affections attracted to
him. In the grace and power of his kingdom, we find ourselves
new creatures in Christ, and feel our souls in a new state. The
law of this kingdom, even “The law of the spirit of life in
Christ Jesus, HATH made us free from the law of sin and death.”
Rom. viii. 2. Hence we, who in the self-righteous pride, and
free-will folly of our own hearts, once said, “We will not
have this MAN, Christ Jesus, to reign over us,” now esteem
it our highest honour, and greatest glory, to live under his spi-
ritual reign; to be constrained by his love, influenced by his
fear, animated by his grace, subjected to his will, conformed to
his image, and to follow him in the regeneration.
Thus the Father, by his Spirit, glorifies his Son in our hearts,
persuades us to believe in him, bows our wills to him, causes us
to set our affections upon him, our hearts to rejoice in him, our
minds to be delighted with him, and it is the one desire of our
souls to be found in him, as the image of God; in whom the
FATHER is well pleased, and with whom his soul is delighted.
Thus it is evident that the Father HATH translated us into the
'kingdom of his dear Son. No power short of the Lord God
Almighty, could effect this upon our souls, which are dead in
sin, captivated by Satan, under the power of darkness, and the
dominion of unbelief. But this the FAther, by his Spirit,
HATH effected, through the light of his Gospel, upon the souls
of all who believe in his Son. This he HATH done, by his sove-
reignty as GoD, and with the love of a Father. And being
thus translated into the kingdom of his dear Son, we claim and
come to Jesus as our PROPHET, to teach our souls the love and
will of our heavenly Father, and to instruct us in the laws of
-his heavenly kingdom, the mysteries of his precious Person,
the riches of his astonishing grace, and the glories of his
finished salvation. For, we no longer desire to know, under-
stand, and judge of things after the wisdom of the flesh, but
by the teaching of the Spirit. We glory in Jesus as our PRIEST,
who was sent by the Father, “to bless us, in turning us away
from our iniquities.” Acts iii. 26. Who bath made an atone-
ment for all our sins. “In whom we have redemption through
his blood. even the forgiveness of sins.” I Col. i. 14. He is
exalted as a Saviour, and hath given repentance unto us.” Acts
v. 3 1. And he ever lives “to make intercession for us.” Heb.
vii. 25. Thus as our PRIEST, we want him daily, look to,
and live upon him continually. , And we delight in him, as our
KING, who has conquered all our enemies for us, subdued sin,
‘unbelief, and self-righteous pride in us; has given spiritual,
holy, heavenly precepts to us, under the influence of which he
405
sweetly governs our lives, and graciously comforts our hearts,
till he eternally glorifies our souls.
Thus we are Now framed by the Father's love, formed by
the Son's grace, filled by the Spirit's power, to worship and
glorify God on earth, and made meet to be partakers of the
inheritance of the saints in light. But, notwithstanding all
this, we never lose sight of our character as sinners, nor are
we delivered from our sinful nature. For sin dwelleth in us.
We groan under a body of sin and death. We sigh as bur-
dened sinners; O wretched that we are, who shall deliver us
from the body of this death ! But we joyfully add, “Thank
GoD, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rom. vii. Now all
these irksome feelings, and distressing groanings, prove nothing
against our being made meet for glory; yea, rather, they are
corroborating evidences, that our souls are alive to God, our
feelings and affections spiritual, and that our minds aspire after
holiness. For they cause us to go more and more out of nature
and self, to look to and live upon precious Christ, our only
atonement, righteousness, and strength. Hence, though we are
made meet for glory, joy in God, and rejoice in Christ Jesus;
yet we are exercised with a self-diffident fear of ourselves, lest
by any means, through the lustings of the flesh, and the pride of
self-righteousness, Satan should get an advantage of us, so as
to cause us to fall away from the knowledge of the truth, the
comfort of love, and the joy of salvation. “For God the
Father, who hath wrought us for this self-same thing, (meet-
ness for glory) hath also given unto us the earnest of his Spirit.
Therefore we are always confident” (in Christ.) 2 Cor. v. 5, 6.
Yet he so convinces us of sin, that we are always diffident
in ourselves. This is the spirit and temper of all the FATHER's
children, of all the subjects of the SAviour's kingdom,
through the power and influence of the Spirit, the SANCTIFIER:
and thus we are made meet Now, for our Father's heavenly
kingdom in glory. Such is the marvellous love and grace of
the holy, blessed, and glorious TRINITY, to sinners of mankind.
Inexpressibly blessed are all the subjects of it ! Who are they
This is our *
Third point to consider. That all believers in Christ are
thus made meet, and are bound ever to be giving thanks for it.
Believers in Christ 1 Is not every Christian a believer in Christ?
Doubtless. But all who profess themselves, and are called by
others, Christians, are not believers in Christ. For every
Christian is anointed with the Spirit of Christ. “He has an
unction from the Holy One, which teacheth him all things,”
(needful unto salvation) 1 John ii. 20. Therefore seeing all
salvation in Christ, and nothing but destruction in himself;
he receives Christ, or believes in him, as held forth in the
406
Gospel, as the only Saviour, and the only hope for the lost and
guilty. Christ is precious to that poor sinner. He is “passed
from death unto life. John v. 24. He is “born of God.” 1
John v. l. He is justified, righteous, sanctified, and saved, in
the Lord Jesus, with an everlasting salvation, He is made
meet for glory. For in one word, He hates sin, and loves
holiness. He is averse to what he once loved. He affects those
things which he once hated. Were he to die this moment,
GoD would receive him into his kingdom. If he is continued
in life, he will live a life of thanksgiving to the FATHER, who
HATH thus made him meet. For Christ is his title to glory.
And being united to Christ, one with him, a member of him,
he has in himself a meetness for glory. For the Spirit of the
Father and the Son is in him, whereby he knows the love of
the Father, and the grace of the Son; and can join with all
saints in that precious declaration, “Herein is love; not that
we loved GoD, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the
propitiation for our sins. We love GoD, because he first loved
us.” 1 John iv., 10, 19.
As the great and perfect love of God is the origin and cause
of all our hope, comfort, and blessedness, such will ever eye
this, exalt this, glory in this, and be giving praise to the Father
for this; and not be exalting themselves, for their great and
perfect love to God. No, they will blush and be ashamed, for
their little love to the Father, considering his great love to them.
Praise is the work of humble souls. The more humility, the
more thanksgiving. This is a debt we shall ever be paying,
yet ever be owing, and never be out of debt, no not to the
countless ages of eternity. Give thanks to the Father is the
work and #: of heaven. There the glorified throng are in-
cessantly engaged in it. In this work on earth we imitate
saints in glory. We never get so near heaven, nor have so
much of heaven in our souls, as when our souls are engaged in
this heavenly work of giving praise to the Father. This is
the work, not of the lip, but of the heart, and life also. For
our meetness for glory consists in our souls being quickened,
and made alive to God, in being renewed in the spirit of our
minds, in having our hearts purified by faith, in our affections
being heavenly and set on things above; therefore the whole
man, body, soul, and spirit, will be engaged in this work of
giving thanks to the Father, by, and for Jesus Christ, through
the gracious influence of the Spirit. O believer ! Consider what
great things the FATHER HATH done for, and in you, and be
humble before him, and thankful to him. For he gave his Son for
you, to be your Saviour. He gave his Spirit to you, to unite you
to Christ, make you one with Christ, and HATH sanctified you in
him, and made you meet to be a partaker of glory with him.
467 z
See your exalted mercy. Know your inestimable blessing. Glory
in God. Walk in self-abased humility, and in the comfort of
his love. Be ever giving thanks to the Father, till he takes you
to the heavenly inheritance, for which he hath made you meet.
A word or two of
CAUTION.
(1st.) Beware of those who make Christianity consist in
nothing more than a set of notions in the head, and deny the
blessings and comforts of the Gospel, upon the heart and affec-
tions. Whereas it is the grace and glory of the Gospel, that its
comforts and privileges are held forth to us, and are by faith en-
‘joyed in us Now, in this present time. The Scriptures do not
testify, that our loving FATHER, our gracious SAviour, our affec-
tionate SANctiFIER, will justify,sanctify, save, and make us meet
for glory; “but ye are (Now) washed, (from all your sins, in the
blood of the Lamb) but ye are (Now) sanctified, (in your hearts
and affections) but ye are (Now) justified, (perfectly acquitted,
and made perfectly righteous) in the name of the Lord Jesus,
and by the Spirit of our God.” I Cor. vi. 11. The Father
HATH thus made us meet for heaven. Our souls are now fitted
and prepared for the enjoyment of God, on earth and in glory.
Unless this matter be made clear and plain to us, our spirits
must be in bondage, we cannot serve God with that cheerful-
ness, worship him with that delight, nor give him those thanks
which are due to him, for these his unspeakable and unmerited
favours, bestowed on us.
(2d.) Be not scared by those, who brand the internal quali-
fications, spiritual affections, holy dispositions, and heavenly
desires of the soul, with the name of self-righteousness. Men
may chatter and prate as much as they please, about the work
of Christ For us; but without the Spirit of Christ IN Us, we
can neither believe on, rejoice in, give glory to, nor follow
Christ in the regeneration. Let not such shut your mouths to
praise, nor prevent your giving thanks to the Father, for making
you to differ from your former selves when in darkness, and
from the whole world which lieth in wickedness, by giving you
eyes to see, ears to hear, an heart to understand, and affections
to be delighted with, the love of the Father, the grace of the
Son, and the communion of the Holy Ghost.
(3d.) Ever avoid exalting your own free-will power, your
faithfulness to grace, your self-righteous endeavours, your
working together with God to sanctify, and make yourself meet
for the enjoyment of God, in opposition to the sovereign, ever-
lasting love of the Father, the finished salvation of the Son,
and the efficacious power of the Spirit, the Sanctifier. For
these counteract humble praising. Therefore humble yourself
40S -
'continually under your Father's mighty and gracious hand.
Walk humbly with him. Give all diligence to be found in
peace of him. Great, unspeakably great as the mercy is, for
the soul to be made meet for the enjoyment of God, yet press
on, there are still infinitely more blessings and comforts before
you, to be enjoyed by you. Remember your Lord’s words,
“That which ye have already hold fast till I come,” Rev.
ii. 25.
A COLLECT.
GLoRY and praise be to God in the highest, that I am a sinner
saved from sin and hell, and sanctified , and made meet for
heaven and glory. This work is thine, O my Father, Saviour,
Sanctifier. Take all the glory. Help me to give it thee daily,
from the love of my heart, with joyful lips, and by an obedient
life, through the abounding grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen, sº- ſº
409
CIbe Lagt Lott's Dap in the Hàeat.
•=sº ºne ºr
ON THE PORTION OF SAINTS,
The Grace of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, and the Love of God,
and the Fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with you all.
Amen. 2 Cor. xiii. 14.
This is a jovial season with the men of the world. Here is
the birth of Christ, the burial of the old year, and the com-
mencement of the new. How do they celebrate these great
events Just as though the devil was in them; as if they are
celebrating his birth, and rejoicing that he was born into the
world to destroy their souls, instead of the Son of God to
-save sinners. For, what provision is now made for the flesh
to fulfil the lusts thereof, in rioting and drunkenness, chamber-
ing and wantonness, strife and contention; yea, in every excess
of wickedness which a devil can inspire, and fallen sinners
eommit! Thus awfully do immortal creatures kill their time,
murder their bodies, and destroy their souls. And all this,
because they know nothing of the grace, love, and favour of the
ever-glorious TRINITY. Such a dying sinner I once visited.
He boldly spoke out the language of the hearts of all such.
When I mentioned the Lord to him, with an air of the
utmost contempt, he said, “I want to have nothing to do with
the Lord, nor any of his servants.” Lord, what is man if left
of thee
But can we look down with a haughty air of supercilious
contempt upon such The subjects of our pity indeed they are,
but not the objects of our scorn. We also are their fellow
sinners. Is our nature one whit better than theirs? By no
means. Does our conduct differ from theirs? Who made us to
differ To excite humility, sink to shame, stir up gratitude,
and keep down self-righteous pride, remember “among whom
also we all had our conversation in times past, in the lusts of
our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind;
and were by nature children of wrath, even as others. But—
O blessed but!—But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great
love wherewith he loved us, (mind what follows) even when
we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by
grace yeare saved. Eph. ii. 8, &c. Those who understand the
meaning, and feel the force of these words, would just as soon
ascribe any part of their salvation to Satan, as to their own good
desires, pious resolutions, sincere endeavours, godly motions
410
and actings of their own free-will, when they were dead in sing.
No. They will be constrained cheerfully, and unreservedly, to
resolve it all into the Rich MERCY, GREAT LovE, and sove-
REIGN GRACE of the whole God-headſ Father, Sôn, and Holy
Ghost; and that this rich mercy, great love, and sovereign
grace, was fixed upon them, abounded to them, and was mani-
fested in them, prior to any desire, motion, or disposition of
theirs, even when they were dead in sins. And hence, each
and every such sinner, in spite of Satan's envy, in opposition to
the pride of Pharisees, and to the glory of a gracious God, will
cry, Why me, Lord ' Why me ! O to grace, rich, free, sove-
reign, distinguishing grace, what a mighty debtor am I | Rich
mercy, great love, sovereign grace, (O, I can never repeat too
oft, never dwell on too long !). These have done all for, and all
in me, therefore shall have all the honour, all the praise, and all
the glory from me. .
Now to such persons the Apostle wishes and prays, that the
sweet benedictions and precious blessings contained in the text,
may be with them. The blessed sense, and happy enjoyment
of which, is most earnestly to be coveted, and most ardently to
be prayed for continually. For, enjoying these, we shall be
happy, whatever be our lot, station, or circumstance in life.
Without these, no gracious soul can be happy, nor will he rest
satisfied. Let us therefore meditate on each of these blessings,
and on the comfort of having them with us. O, may our souls
be swallowed up in meditation, on the boundless ocean of the
Father s love, the Son’s grace, and the Spirit's favour, to such
vile, miserable, wretched sinners as we all are
First. “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”
But why put this first, before the love of the Father ? Is not
his love the ground, or first cause of the grace or favour of the
Son 2 Did he not “so love the world, that he gave his only be-
É. Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
ut have everlasting life?” most true. But, here is a precious
reason for this, which always holds true in experience. The
race of the Lord Jesus Christ, not the love of the Father, is
the first object that is presented to our minds as poor sinners, to
bring relief to our guilty consciences, and hope to our hopeless
souls. And it is through the belief of the grace of the Son,
that we attain to the conforting knowledge of the love of the
Father. Perhaps this might be the reason, why the Apostle
begins with wishing these saints, the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ. For else, “In this Trinity, none is afore or after other;
none is greater or less than another.” Neither are their love,
grace, and favour, one before another, or one after another; but
the glace of the Son is as early as the love of the Father; and
the favour of the Holy Ghost is commensurate with both;
41 l
though their love, grace, and communion are spoken of dis-
tinctly, according to their office characters in the everlasting
covenant, and as their blessings and comforts are distinctly ex-
perienced in our souls. And indeed, till we really do experience
the love, grace, and communion of the holy Trinity in our
hearts, the doctrine of it is but speculation in the head; which
some natural men may talk of, write about, and contend for;
and other natural men will as absolutely deny; and both may
live and die unconvinced, unconverted sinners; strangers to the
love of the Father, the grace of the Son, and the communion
of the Holy Ghost. For “with the heart man believeth unto
, righteousness.” Rom. x. 10. And the hearts of such believers
only, are a habitation for the Trinity. Here we rest this point.
We fully know its truth by the Scriptures. We have felt its
power in the experience of our Hearts. We are at full certainty
of it. We have done with vain janglings about it, “with men
of corrupt minds, who resist the truth, and are reprobate (or
have no judgment) concerning the faith.” 2 Tim. iii. 8. Feed-
ing upon the truth in our hearts, is infinitely preferable to per-
verse disputings about it. Simple faith will promote the for-
Iner, .."put an end to the latter. Therefore,
The Apostle wishes, The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be
with you. “For, says he, ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became
poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” 2 Cor. viii. 9.
By this we understand what is meant by the grace of Christ.
This includes the whole of his grace, or favour, manifested to
us sinners, from his birth at Bethlehem, to his death on the
cross without the gates of Jerusalem. (ist.) His grace of
being incarnate, taking our nature upon him, and becoming
Immanuel, GoD with us, God to us, GoD for us, against all
our enemies. O, what condescending grace! What humbling
favour is this, that the Son of the most high God, should be-
come the son of a most mean man, to be united to us, and one
with us, that we sinners might be united to and be one with
him . This is most astonishing grace
(2d.) The grace of his holy, obedient life to the law of Gop,
whereby he hath perfectly wrought out, and brought into the
court of heaven, and presented to his just and righteous Father,
an everlasting rightousness, to be imputed to and put upon us
sinners, in which we are made completely righteous before GoD,
and have a clear right and just title to his kingdom. Most
amazing grace of Christ | ->
(3d.) The grace of his suffering all the curses and penalties
of law and justice, in our place and stead, and which were due
to our sins. For all our iniquities were laid upon him. He
bore all our sins in his own body. So that by imputation,
'412
Christ was the greatest sinner that ever lived. The heaviest
load of sin, the most accumulated guilt of a world of sinners,
a number which no man can number, he bore in his holy body,
he suffered all the wrath and vengeance due unto them, in our
nature and on our account. So that now there is no condem-
nation to us, who are in him. O, what matchless grace is this!
But he not only suffered, but also
(4th.) Manifested his grace to us, by dying to make a full,
perfect oblation, sacrifice, and satisfaction for our sins, whereby
we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of
our sins. O, what grace and glory appear in the one atone-
ment of Jesus, the Son of God . The cross proclaims both.
At the foot of the accursed tree, view the favour which Christ
bears to cursed sinners. He was made—What? Sin for us.
Astonishing ! But more. He was made a curse for us. He
went through an ocean of sorrows. He suffered a hell of
agonies. He died as a cursed malefactor, to atone for our sins
and redeem our souls. Such is the wonderful grace of Christ.
But all this grace manifested in time, proceeded from his love
to us, the delight and complacency he had in us. Therefore,
(5th.) He became our surety in eternity. This is the founda-
tion grace of all the rest. Christ engaged, in the everlasting
covenant, to do all that for us, which law and justice required of
us; to be all that to us, which through the misery and wretched-
ness of our deplorable state as guilty sinners, we stand in need
of Hence he is “our hope,” 1 Tim. i. 1. “Our peace,”
Ephes. ii. 14. “Our rest,” Matth. xi. 28. “Our life,”
.Col. iii. 4. “Our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and
redemption.” I Cor. i. 30. Now all this grace or favour of the
LoRD, is manifested by, and shines in the MAN Jesus. Hence
he says, The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. That
is, the grace of Jehovah, the anointed MAN, the appointed.
Saviour be with you.
Let us now see, what is implied by his grace being with us.
Blessed be the Lord, it is revealed to us in the Bible. Thus we
have the knowledge of it. Praised be the Lord, by believing
the Scriptures we experience the comfort, and enjoy the
happiness of the grace of Christ in our hearts. So that it is
not only grace revealed, but grace known, felt, experienced,
and enjoyed in the soul. Yea, believing souls live by, feed
upon, and rejoice in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; and
can say, “We have tasted the good Word of God.” Heb. vi. 5;
and “tasted that the Lord is gracious.” 1 Pet. ii. 3. Thus when
the grace of Christ, in his incarnation, his obedient life, to
make us righteous, his sufferings and atonement for our sins,
his becoming our surety, our hope, peace, rest, life, righteous-
mess, satisfaction and redemption, is received, tasted, relished,
413,
and fed upon in our hearts, as sweet and savoury to our spirits;
this is to have the grace of Christ with us, or with our spirits.
O, this sweet sense and precious experience of his grace
ought ever to be most earnestly coveted by us. What
are the *
EFFECTS
Of this grace being with us? Numerous, powerful, incom-
parable, heavenly, and joyful. For, in one word, we have
internal, spiritual joy, holy love, heavenly desires, pleasing
hopes and aspiring longings. Our hearts are seasoned with,
and moulded and conformed into the image of the grace of
Christ, and our lives and tempers will be regulated by its
powerful influenee. Well, therefore, might Paul wish this grace
to the Christians at Corinth. Or as to the Galatians,
“Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your
spirit.” If we really are what we profess, brethren of Christ,
we shall so prize this precious grace of our dear elder brother,
that we shall diligently use all means, praying with all prayer,
that it may be ever with us, with our spirits, in its sense, com-
fort, and experience; and cautiously avoid all those things,
which in their own nature, tend to deprive us of its blessed
enjoyment. But,
Secondly. Here is another precious blessing to be considered
and enjoyed, “The love of God.” Is this distinct from the
grace of Christ? Not in experience. For where the grace of
Christ is, there is the love of GoD also. But in respect to
person and office it is distinct. Hence the learned and judicious ,
Dr. Gill observes, “The Arabic version adds, very justly, as to
the sense, though it is not in the text, FATHER : meaning the
love of GoD to his people, which is eternal, from everlasting to
everlasting, free and undeserved, special and peculiar, is dis-
pensed in a sovereign way, is unchangeable, abides for ever, and
is the source and spring of all the blessings, both of grace and
glory.” This love of God the Father implies, (1st.) His
electing love, whereby “he chose us in Christ, before the
foundation of the world.” Ephes. i. 4.
(2d.) His predestinating love, whereby he predestinated us,
to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ, according to the
good pleasure of his will, ver, 5.
(3.) His blessing love, in blessing us with all spiritual
blessing in Christ, and making us accepted in his beloved Son,
yer. 6. ,
(4th.) His bestowing love in time, when he so loved
us, as to give his only begotten Son to us, that we might
believe on him, and so not perish, but have everlasting life.
John iii. 16.
414
(5th.) His adopting love, in taking us as his own children,
and becoming a Father to us.
(6th.) His unchanging love, having loved us with an
everlasting love, in never turning away from us to do us.
good.
What is implied in this love being with us? The very same as
was said of the grace of Christ. To believe it, as it is revealed
in the Word, and to enjoy the sense and comfort of it in our
hearts. “God commendeth his love towards us, in that,
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Rom. v. 8.
We enjoy just as much of the love of God as we believe of it,
and no more. Jesus said to the Jews, “I know that ye have
not the love of God in you.” How did this appear? Because
they would not receive and believe in him, though he came in his
Father’s name. John v. 42, 43. I had almost said, faith in
Christ creates the sense of the love of Göd in the heart. This I
am confident of, unbelief prevents its entrance there. Christ
says, “According to your faith be it unto you.” Matth. ix. 28.
So much faith, so much love of God. Thus the sense of the
love of GoD is with us, dwelleth in us, our hearts are directed
into it, and it is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost,
which is given us through believing. Mistake not here. It is
not meant of our love to GoD, but God’s love to us. Many
err here. When the love of God is spoken of in Scripture,
many apply it to our love of God. This occasions distress of
soul, instead of promoting joy in GoD, and love to GoD. It is
a sight and sense of the love of GoD to us, that causes our love
to God. “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he
laid down his life for us.” 1 John iii. 16. Thus the love of
God is only manifested, known, perceived, enjoyed, and felt in
the faith of Jesus. Thus it is with us. O how blessed and
happy to have it thus ! How ought we to wrestle, strive, and
pray, and in the use of every means, seek to be thus blessed
and happy, and, as exhorted, “to keep ourselves in (the sense
and enjoyment of the love of God "Jude 21. “For he who
dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him.” I John
iv. 6. This is our heaven of heavens upon earth. Let us now
see what are the
EFFECTS f
Of this love of GoD being thus with us. Inward peace,
comfort, and joy, and outward obedience and conformity to the
will of GoD, in love to Gon. “For we love him, because he
first loved us.” 1 John iv. 19. And, “This is the love of GoD,
that we keep his commandments.” v. 3. And, “There is no
fear in love; but perfect love (even the sense of the perfect love
4 15
of God to us) casteth out all fear, that hath torment.” iv. 18.
All fear of being hated, condemned, rejected, and separated .
from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. But
the love of GoD with us ever excites a holy, filial, loving fear,
of God in us, and a godly jealousy over ourselves. So also
it causes us to love our fellow saints and fellow sinners. Thus
we have full evidence, that we are born of God, are children of
GoD, are heirs of heaven, and are in the way to glory; that it
is secured to us by the love of GoD in Christ, and we shall
certainly possessit. , O most blessed, heavenly, joyful effects of
the love of GoD being with us! O, for more and more of its
enjoyment
Thirdly. Let us consider the next apostolic benediction,
“The communion of the Holy Ghost be with you.” This
communion means, fellowship, concord, or agreement. This
implies and includes what the Lord the Spirit and our spirits
have fellowship or agreement in : this is the TRUTH. He is
the Spirit of Truth. He first reconciles us, as enemies, to the
truth; and then comforts us as friends, by the truth, and in
believing the truth. By the Truth, we understand the whole
of the revelation of God the Father's love, and GoD the Son’s
grace to sinners, in their free pardon, full justification, and
final salvation. This the Spirit hath revealed in the World
This he testifies of, and bears witness to in our hearts. Thus
we have fellowship or agreement, in our spirits, with the Holy
Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in the love of the truth,
through the power and influence of the Spirit. As the Holy
Ghost proceeds from the love of the Father, and the grace of
the Son, so he communicates to us the love of the Father, and
the grace of the Son; for he sheds abroad the Father's love
in our hearts. Takes of the things of Christ and shews them
unto us. He directs our hearts into the love of Christ; and
bears witness with our spirits, that we are the children of God,'
by faith in Christ Jesus. Thus he sanctifies our souls, com-
forts our hearts on earth, and trains us up for the enjoyment of
heaven and glory.
Therefore to have the communion of the Holy Ghost with
us, is to have his teaching, leading, guiding, sanctifying, com-
forting witness with our spirits, to the truth which we believe,
and that we are interested in the love of God the Father, and
the salvation of GoD the Son. Let us never attempt to se-
parate the word of truth from the Spirit of truth. For he does
nothing in us, but by the word of truth. He speaks not any
thing to us, but from that word. And all his operations,
ºn, and influences are agreeable to the word. Hence
tile
tºs 4 16
EFFECTS
Of the Holy Ghost being with us are, (1st.) That the word
of grace and truth, the Gospel of our salvation, is very precious
to our souls, and we find great delight in it. For in his light
we see light; even the light of the glory of God, in the face of
Jesus. Because we have spiritual light, light and understanding
in the word from the Spirit. Therefore,
(2d.) We are delivered from enthusiastic slights, unscriptural
faneies, and vain delusions. For as the word is the ground
and warrant of our faith, our faith is built upon and supported
by the word, and we are able to give a reason of the hope that
is in us, from the word of GoD ; not from whims, visions,
strange fancies, and uncertain feelings of our own. True,
we do taste the grace of GoD, feel the peace and love of
God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost; but it
is in knowing, understanding, and believing the word of GoD.
Hence,
(3d.) We live in the comfort of the Spirit, and walk in obe-
dience to the Spirit, and do not fulfil the lusts of the flesh, in
walking in the vanity of our minds, gratifying our proud, na-
tural, self-righteous views and hopes, exalting our own works;
but ever confessing ourselves to be, what we really are, poor
sinners, who are saved by the grace of our Lord Jesus, stand
by the faith of him, and are justified in his all-perfect and ever-
glorious righteousness. Nor do we fulfil the lusts of the
flesh, in walking after the course of this present evil world,
gratifying our sensual inclinations, to the dishonour of our dear
God, and the reproach of our holy profession; but we study to
abstain from the very appearance of carnal evil, as being con-
trary to our spiritual good. For
(4th.) We fear to grieve the Holy Ghost, and cause him to
withdraw from us. That’s a sweet petition, “Take not thy
Holy Spirit from us.” It implies that his comforts are known,
his presence prized, and his absence dreaded. If this is really
our happy case, we must, we shall, fear to grieve him, either by
indulging our self righteous pride, gratifying our carnal
lusts, neglecting his appointed means of grace, or slighting
his gracious aid, divine teaching, heavenly illumination, holy
influence, and comforting presence. For what is a Christian
without the sense of the presence of the Holy Ghost Verily
a poor, miserable sinner, beset with doubts, bowed down with
fears, dejected with distress, because surrounded with dark-
ness. That poor martyr, who was going to the stake to be
burned, found it a very hard and trying work, and went on very
heavily, because he had not the presence of the Spirit. But
just before he arrived at the place of execution, he cried out
41%
in a transport of joy to his fellow-sufferer, “O he is come!
he is come !” and he died triumphantly. O my dear fellow
redeemed sinners we can neither live happily, nor die com-
fortably, without the presence of the Spirit. Let us therefore
ever invoke him to be with us, and deprecate his absence from
us. Let us conclude with one word of
CONSOLATION.
Is it the common privilege of all believers, to have the
grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of GoD, and the
communion of the Holy Ghost, to be with them? Then who
so happy, so highly favoured as they 2 What though they
are poor sinners, the subjects of sin, the envy of devils, the
scorn of men, and the outcasts of the world; yet the love of
GoD the Father is everlastingly fixed on them, the precious
blood of the Son of GoD was shed for them, his ever-glorious
righteousness is upon them; and the power of GoD the Holy
Ghost is engaged to sanctify, comfort, and keep them, in all
their journey through this, wilderness state, and to bring them
safely home to their Father, GoD, and their Saviour, Jesus.
O believers How ought ye to bless yourselves in your
covenant LoRD, to exult and triumph in the matchless
love, sovereign grace, and precious communion of the holy,
blessed, and glorious TRINITY | For, how safe are ye? How
secure your state 2 How joyful ought your souls ever to be 2
Yes, but says a poor, doubting, dejected soul, this is all
very true, and very happy for those who experience this ;
but I go on heavily from day to day, while the enemy op-
presseth me, and tauntingly asks, “Where is now thy God 2
Thou art totally destitute of the love of the Father, the grace
of the Son, and the communion of the Holy Ghost. Thou
art only a hypocrite and a deceiver. Thy soul is unenligh-
tened and dead in sin: hell will be thy portion.” Indeed
And is this thy sorrow, fear, and distress 2 Dost thou cry out
under it, and cry to the Lord for mercy, grace, love, and
deliverance from it Verily, thou art the first blind sinner
that ever saw the light of truth ; the first dead sinner that
ever felt the burden of sin, and cried to be delivered from
it: the very first graceless sinner that ever prized, sought
for, and prayed to have the grace of the Lord Jesus, the love
of GoD, and the communion of the Holy Ghost with
him. There may be hypocrisy in thee, for who is free from
it? But there is not the least sign, that that soul is an hy-
pocrite, who fears, and dreads, and prays against hypocrisy.
This, no hypocrite ever, did. And as to hell’s being thy
portion, it verily is the desert both of your soul and mine.
* E e
4.18
But shall never be the portion of any soul, who believes in,
and flies to the grace of the Lord Jesus, and to the love of
the Father, and cries, “Lord save, or I perish l’” For that
soul is born again of the Spirit; the communion of the Holy
Ghost is with his spirit; and he has fellowship with the
Spirit, in the truth, as it is in Jesus. And, therefore, to sup-
pose that a soul can be loved of GoD the Father, redeemed by
GoD the Son, and born again of GoD the Holy Ghost, and
yet perish in hell at last for his sins, is the most dreadful,
blasphemous, diabolical doctrine, that can be advanced. It
is contrary to every attribute and perfection of Deity. It
on one hand strikes the poor, sensible, penitent sinner, with
dread and horror; and on the other, puffs up the bold, presu-
ming, vain-confident, and self-righteous sinner with pride, by
causing him to imagine he can do something himself, to ren-
der his salvation more sure and effectual than the grace of
Christ, the love of the Father, and the power of the Spirit
can effect. Therefore, if any doctrine may be called “the
doctrine of devils,” it is this. Nor could Satan, with all
his infernal rage, and diabolic opposition to the TRUTH, ad-
vance one point of doctrine more dishonourable to the grace
of Christ, the love of God, and the power of the Holy Ghost,
nor more injurious to the peace, holiness, and happiness of
men than this. Away then with all such unscriptural notions,
which subvert faith, destroy comfort, and dishonour GoD, to
the bottomless pit, from whence they sprang. And “Let
God be true and every man a liar” who opposeth his truth.
A COLLECT.
O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, three Persons and one
God, have mercy upon us, miserable sinners. Heavenly Fa-
ther, comfort us with thy love. Blessed Saviour, refresh us
by thy grace. Holy Spirit, sanctify us by thy communion
with our spirits. Lord, strengthen our faith in the knowledge
of thee: confirm our hope in thee: inflame our love to thee;
and influence our hearts to serve and obey thee, in holiness
and righteousness, all the days of our life; that we may
eternally enjoy, and everlastingly praise thee in thy endless
kingdom of bliss and glory. Hear, answer, and accept us
in Jesus Christ; and for the sake of all that he has done and
suffered, for the salvation of lost sinners. Amen.
*mº ºm-a
HAviNg now, through the grace of God, finished this Work, I
commend it to Gon, and implore his blessing upon it. O,
that what is sown in great weakness may be raised in mighty
419
power. May the Lord in mercy pardon what may have dropped
from my pen, which is contrary to his word and will. What is
agreeable thereto may he abundantly own, and greatly bless to
the heart of every Reader. I heartily wish and pray, “ Grace
be with ALL (by whatever name known or called) who love
our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity,” that we may keep an ever-
lasting Sabbath with him. Amen.
FINIS.
" ' , BOOKS
Written by W. Mason. ; :
1. A SPIRITUAL TREASURY, for the Children of God;
consisting of Meditations for each Morning, and Evening
throughout the Year, upon select Texts of Scripture; humbly
intended to establish the Faith, promote the Comfort, and in-
fluence the Practice of the Followers of the Lamb. By the
late WILLIAM MAson ; now first revised and corrected by his
Son, the late Rev. HENRy Cox MAsoN, A. M. Lecturer of St.
Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey, and Chaplain to the Right Ho-
nourable the Earl of Onslow. To which are prefixed, Memoirs
of the life of the Author. Embellished with two highly
finished portraits of the Rev. H. C. Mason and the Author,
from original pictures. Handsomely printed in two volumes,
8vo. in an elegant type, and on fine wove paper, price 18s.
boards.
2. The BELIEVER'S POCKET COMPANION ; or, One
Thing Needful to make Poor Sinners Rich, and Miserable
Sinners Happy. 1s. 6d. bound. Y
3. CRUMBS FROM THE MASTER’S TABLE; or,
Select Sentences of Divinity. 1s. 6d. bound.
4. THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT; or, a suitable
Companion to the Lord's Supper; containing Meditations on
every Part of the Liturgy, used by the Church of England at
the Celebration of that Divine Ordinance. 3s.6d. bound.
5. THE HISTORY of JESUS; drawn up for the instruc-
tion of Children. The Fifth Edition. 1s. boards.
Train up a Child in the way he should go. Prov. xxii. 61.
Jesus saith, I am the way. John xiv. 6.
6. SCRIPTURAL PRAYERS, for every MORNING and
EVENING throughout the WEEK, for the use of FAMI-
LIES, with a preface enforcing the much neglected duty of
Family Prayer. Is.
7. THE PARLOUR PREACHER, a Pack of Cards, for
all who are determined to win Christ.sls.
G. S1 ISNEY, Printer,
Northuaibel land Stieet, Strand.
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