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 GVILIELMI BRIDG 
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 THE WORKS 
 
 REV. WILLIAM BRIDGE, M.A 
 
 i'OHMF.RLY FF.I.I.OW OF F.MAXL'F.L COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, AND PASTOR OF 
 THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IX GRF.AT VARMOUTII, NORFOLK. 
 
 XO\V FIRST COLLECTED. 
 
 IX FIVE VOLUME. 
 VOL. I. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 PRINTED FOR THOMAS TEGG, 
 
 73, C1IEA.PSIDE. 
 1845.
 
 SYNOPSIS OF THE WORK. 
 
 CONTENTS OF VOL. I. 
 
 Memoir of the Author 
 
 The Great Gospel Mystery of the Saints' Comfort and Holiness opened 
 
 and applied from Christ's Priestly Office. 
 Satan's Power to Tempt and Christ's Love to and Care of his People 
 
 under Temptation. 
 Grace for Grace, or the Overflowings of Christ's Fulness received by 
 
 all Saints. 
 
 The Spiritual Life and In-being of Christ in all Believers. 
 Scripture Light the Most Sure Light. 
 The Righteous Man's Habitation in the Time of Plague and Pestilence. 
 
 CONTENTS OF VOL. II. 
 A Lifting up for the Downcast. 
 
 The Spiritual Actings of Faith through Natural Impossibilities. 
 The Great Things Faith can do. 
 The Great Things Faith can suffer. 
 The Freeness of the Grace and Love of God to Believers discovered. 
 
 CONTENTS OF VOL. III. 
 
 Christ and the Covenant, the Work and Way of Meditation, God's re- 
 turn to the Soul or Nation, together with his Preventing Mercy. 
 Christ in Travail. 
 Seasonable Truths in Evil Times. 
 
 CONTENTS OF VOL. IV. 
 
 Seventeen Single Sermons on Various Subjects and Occasions. 
 Evangelical Repentance. 
 
 CONTENTS OF VOL. V. 
 
 The Siwfulness of Sin and the Fulness of Christ. 
 Remains. 
 
 2018121
 
 IV SYNOPSIS OF THE WORK. 
 
 A Word to the Aged. 
 
 The Wounded Conscience Cured and the Weak One Strengthened. 
 
 The Truth of the Times Vindicated. 
 
 The Loyal Convert, According to the Oxford Copy, with Annotations 
 
 thereon. 
 
 The Doctrine of Justification by Faith opened and applied. 
 General Index.
 
 CONTENTS OF VOL. I. 
 
 Publishers' Preface Til 
 
 Memoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi 
 
 Prefaces xviii 
 
 Epistle Dedicatory xxii 
 
 THE GREAT GOSPEL MYSTERY OF THE SAINTS' COMFORT 
 AND HOLINESS, OPENED AND APPLIED FROM CHRIST'S 
 PRIESTLY OFFICE : IN FOUR SERMONS, ON HEBREWS XI. 17, 
 18. 
 
 Sermon 1. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3 
 
 Sermon 2. ,. .. 23 
 
 SermonS. 46 
 
 Sermon 4. 67 
 
 SATAN'S POWER TO TEMPT, AND CHRIST'S LOVE TO, AND 
 
 CARE OF HIS PEOPLE UNDER TEMPTATION: IN FIVE SER- 
 MONS. 
 
 Sermon 1. Heb. xi. 18 89 
 
 Sermon 2. Heb. xi. 18 108 
 
 SermonS. Luke xxii. 31, 32 127 
 
 Sermon 4. Luke xxii. 31, 32 146 
 
 Sermon 5. Luke xxii. 31, 32 164 
 
 GRACE FOR GRACE, OR THE OVERFLOWINGS OF CHRIST'S 
 FULNESS RECEIVED BY ALL SAINTS : IN SIX SERMONS, ON 
 JOHN I. 16. 
 
 Sermon 1. 185 
 
 Sermon 2. 201 
 
 SermonS 222 
 
 Sermon 4. 242 
 
 SermonS. 258 
 
 Sermon 6. 276 
 
 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE AND IN-BEING OF CHRIST IN ALL 
 BELIEVERS : IN FIVE SERMONS, ON GAL. II. 20. 
 
 Rev. W. Greenhill's Preface 297 
 
 Sermon 1. 299 
 
 Sermon 2. 320 
 
 Sermon 3. 340 
 
 Sermon 4. 361 
 
 Sermon 5. 382
 
 viii PUBLISHERS' PREFACE. 
 
 also, for the information as well as the loan of two single 
 Sermons which could not otherwise have been obtained. 
 
 The Publishers beg thus openly, both for themselves and 
 on the part of their readers, to express their grateful acknow- 
 ledgments of the valuable assistance which was thus kindly 
 rendered, and which has thus made the edition in every res- 
 pect complete. 
 
 It will doubtless be observed, that there is not included a 
 work under the specific title of " Seven Sermons on Faith," 
 which was first sent out with that designation by the Countess 
 of Huntingdon, and which has since become a very popular 
 book. This volume was made up of the first and last ser- 
 mons of the work entitled, " A Lifting up for the Downcast," 
 accompanied with the three smaller pieces on the same sub- 
 ject which follow that work in this edition. It may be pre- 
 sumed, that as in that disjointed state it obtained so much 
 approbation, the whole of the work, and indeed the whole of 
 the author's works, of which it may be regarded as a speci- 
 men, will gain a still greater share of esteem. 
 
 The "Word to the Aged" was published anonymously, 
 and was also privately printed. Independently of the simi- 
 larity of style and the circumstance of one or two similes 
 being repeated in this work which the author had employed 
 in his earlier writings, and which would be sufficient proof 
 that it is a genuine production of William Bridge, it may be 
 added, that in one brief biographical account of him, it is 
 assigned to him without any doubt. 
 
 A sermon entitled, " Joab's Counsel and King David's 
 Seasonable Hearing of it," was published in 1643, with the 
 name, " W. Bridges, Preacher of the Gospel at Dunstan's in 
 the East," as the author of it. Although the Publishers 
 could not discover that William Bridge was ever connected 
 with that parish, and although the name also was spelt differ-
 
 PUBLISHERS' PREFACE. ix 
 
 ently, a circumstance not unfrequent in those times, they had 
 nearly concluded that it must be his production, from an 
 allusion in the preface to his controversy with Dr. Fearne. 
 Further investigation, however, brought to their view two 
 other pamphlets by this same W. Bridges, and in one of 
 which, entitled, " Division Divided, or Ruin's Forerunner 
 Discovered and Decyphered," he has signed his name at the 
 end of the preface at large, Walter Bridges, thus settling the 
 point as it respected all the three which were then of course 
 all passed by. 
 
 One pamphlet, however, entitled, " The Loyal Convert/' 
 has the author's name, W. Bridges, without any further ad- 
 dition. The Publishers are themselves inclined to believe 
 that this also is by Walter Bridges, who took the same side 
 with W 7 illiam Bridge in the controversy on the subject of 
 resistance ; but as there was no clue to determine the point, 
 they have decided to include it herein. It would seem that 
 Dr. Hammond published a tract, entitled, " The Loyal Con- 
 vert," and which was in favour of the royal cause. W. 
 Bridges has in his pamphlet reprinted the whole of Dr. 
 Hammond's, with his own annotations thereupon. The anno- 
 tations alone, therefore, constitute the writing of W. Bridges. 
 
 The last piece in the series, and which only reached the 
 Publishers when just concluding the last volume, is a posthu- 
 mous piece. The preface appended thereto sufficiently mani- 
 fests the doubtful character of its authorship, and William 
 Bridge, therefore, ought not to be held responsible for every 
 sentiment it may contain. It is added as making the whole 
 complete. 
 
 The two letters of William Bridge preserved in "Peck's 
 Desiderata Curiosa," are inserted in the memoir. 
 
 The Publishers congratulate themselves in being able to 
 supply an undoubtedly correct likeness of their venerable
 
 x PUBLISHERS' PREFACE. 
 
 author. It is engraved fac-simile from the original plate, the 
 painting from which that was taken, being still preserved in 
 the vestry of the Independent chapel at Great Yarmouth. 
 
 They cannot close this brief advertisement without express- 
 ing the satisfaction they have derived in thus bringing before 
 the church the writings, now first collected, of one of her 
 ablest ministers. It is their earnest desire that the Lord who 
 so largely blessed his labours when living, may renew that 
 blessing still more abundantly upon the valued legacy he hath 
 left behind, and that thereby many may be established in our 
 most holy faith. 
 
 18, PATERNOSTER ROW. 
 Feb. 6. 1845.
 
 MEMOIH. 
 
 MATERIALS for a lengthened Memoir of WILLIAM 
 BRIDGE do not exist, and it is scarcely worth while for the 
 sake of diffuseness, to enlarge upon the circumstances of the 
 times in which he lived : although he undoubtedly occupied 
 a prominent place in the controversies which then agitated 
 the church and the kingdom, and by his writings on the 
 subject of resistance to the higher powers, probably influ- 
 enced considerably the minds of men at that important 
 period. 
 
 His memory is dear, not as the champion of a sentiment 
 upon which there will always be difference of opinion, but as 
 the able and successful preacher of the gospel of peace, 
 as the luminous and wise unfolder of the doctrines of salva- 
 tion, as the profound disputant with the enemy in the gate : 
 here our author shone, here in his proper sphere he gained 
 and maintained a popularity superior to most of his con- 
 temporaries, and in these discourses which he has left behind 
 him, he still lives embalmed in the affections of the church 
 of Christ, and still continues a profitable servant in the vine- 
 yard of his Lord. 
 
 Times of difficulty and of persecution, have always been 
 seasons in which God's ministers shine with greatest lustre. 
 As the stars are brightest in the darkest night, so when 
 tribulation shrouds the hemisphere in gloom, the lights in 
 God's spiritual Israel, which in seasons of quiet or pros- 
 perity are unknown and unobserved, become visible, and men 
 strengthened then according to the day, come forth manifest- 
 ing a devotedness and an ability of which they themselves 
 were previously unconscious ; and thus, as was the case with 
 the children of the promise in the land of Egypt, the more 
 they are oppressed the more they grow. God's people will 
 not for this reason make persecution the subject either of 
 their desires or their prayers: the cross which the Lord 
 enables his people to sustain, is the cross which he himself
 
 MEMOIR. 
 
 lays upon them : but this fact is a source of encouragement 
 to the believer when foreboding coming calamity, and it 
 should establish the certainty of the cheering truth, that if 
 He who ruleth all things by the word of his power, 
 should permit to come again into our privileged land the 
 demon of persecution, he will raise up at the same time, 
 such as shall be endued with the Spirit from on high, and by 
 a larger measure of his gracious influences, animate and 
 support the people of his love. Seldom has it been the 
 case, that he who was great in the sunshine, continued great 
 in the gloom. The rich and the dignified, and they of whom 
 even the people of God hoped great things, often fall away 
 at such a time, and walk no more with them ; while most 
 useful and much beloved, some of whom the world is not 
 worthy, and of whom the world retains no memorial, live and 
 walk in the light of God's manifested countenance, and feed 
 the flock of God, at the peril of contumely, suffering and 
 death. 
 
 Amongst those thus useful, thus beloved, and thus in their 
 personal history almost unremembered, our author must be 
 included. We have been unable to ascertain even the town 
 which gave him birth. That he was a native of Cambridge- 
 shire is we believe certain, and also that he was born in the 
 year of our Lord, 1600. He was educated at Emanuel Col- 
 lege, Cambridge, where he entered at the age of sixteen, and 
 became Master of Arts at the age of twenty-six. He was 
 for many years a Fellow of this College. It has been 
 remarked, that this College is distinguished, for having edu- 
 cated more who became afterwards Nonconformists, than any 
 seven other Colleges or Halls in either University. In the 
 year 1631, he was appointed to the lectureship of Colchester, 
 where he continued but a short time. In the year 1633, he 
 had a Friday lecture at St. George's, Tombland, Norwich, for 
 which he was paid by the corporation. In the year 1636, we 
 find that he was rector of St. Peter's, Hungate, Norwich, a 
 living which at that time was not worth more than twenty- 
 two pounds per annum. Here it was that he was silenced 
 by Bishop Wren, for not being a thorough Conformist. He 
 continued however in the city some time after his suspension, 
 until he was excommunicated, and the writ de capiendo came 
 forth against him.
 
 MEMOIR. xm 
 
 Driven thus from his native land, he took refuge in Hol- 
 land, which has many times been the honoured place for 
 sheltering the persecuted worthies of the church of Christ. 
 He settled at Rotterdam, succeeding as pastor the celebrated 
 Hugh Peters, and becoming thus associated with that emi- 
 nent man of God, Mr. Jeremiah Burroughs. From a passage 
 in the " Apologetical Narration," it may be inferred, that Mr. 
 Bridge received much support from the magistrates of the 
 city, and that many wealthy persons joined the church, some 
 of whom had fled from the persecutions of Bishop Wren. 
 
 While at Rotterdam he renounced the ordination which he 
 had received when he entered the church of England, and 
 was again ordained after the Independent way, by Samuel 
 Ward, B. D. ; after which he similarly ordained Mr. Ward. 
 
 He returned to England in 1642, in the time of the Long 
 Parliament, before whom he frequently preached. The thanks 
 of both houses were constantly voted for his able discourses 
 thus delivered, and on July 30, 1650, the sum of 100 per 
 annum was voted to him to be paid out of the Impro- 
 priations. It would seem from the two following let- 
 ters, which have been preserved in " Peck's Desiderata Curi- 
 osa," that he was likewise consulted by the Parliament 
 in reference to a general augmentation of ministers' salaries : 
 we insert the letters, not as containing any intrinsic merit, but 
 as shewing that he certainly possessed considerable influence 
 in his day, or, to use the words of Dr. Nathaniel Johnston, 
 in his book, entitled, " The King's Visitorial Power Assert- 
 ed," and in which book there is a petition from the Fellows of 
 Emanuel College, Cambridge, signed amongst others, by 
 William Bridge ; " He was a great preacher, and one of the 
 demagogues of this Parliament." 
 
 To Henry Scobell, Esq. Clerk of the Council of State. 
 
 HONOURED SIR, 
 
 I HAVE received your letters, and am glad that you 
 are so sensible of the concernment of our Lord Christ, in 
 the ministry of his word. 
 
 The Presbyterian and Congregational Churches in Norfolk, 
 are many ; and in so short a time as one day, I am not able 
 ta inquire into their state and condition : but having lately
 
 Xiv MEMOIR. 
 
 received a letter from Mr. Philip Nye, in reference to the 
 Congregational, I have inquired after them the more dili- 
 gently, and send you the names of all those churches in 
 Norfolk, with the names of their pastors, and the towns 
 where they are seated, and the worth of their living, so near 
 as I can. 
 
 The Presbyterian churches I have less acquaintance with, 
 and if you please to give me longer time to inquire, I shall 
 serve you therein. Only, Sir, I can tell you now, that here 
 are four ministers in this town, and no set maintenance for 
 any, unless 100, which I have from the state, given me by 
 the Long Parliament. The other ministers are all good men 
 and worthy, and no revenue but the people's charity. 
 
 Six miles from us there is a market town, and the only 
 great town in the island, and the living is not worth 40. per 
 annum. If 50 may be laid to it, and a good man put into 
 the place, it would be very influential upon the whole island. 
 The gift of the living belongs to the Lord Protector. The 
 town hath been malignant, called Lowestofie, known to his 
 Highness, being part of the first fruits of his great labours. 
 Much service might be done for Christ in settling this place, 
 and if the Lord will give you hearts to pity this great town, 
 many souls will bless God for your bowels. I will trouble 
 you no further, but present this thing to your goodness, and 
 yourself to the grace of God, who is able to supply all our 
 wants, according to his riches in glory by Jesus Christ. 
 In whom I continue, Sir, 
 
 Tour's, in all Christian observance, 
 
 W. B. 
 
 Yarmouth, August 16. 1655. 
 
 A list of the Independent Teachers who are Pastors of 
 Churches in the County of Norfolk : 
 
 1. Church at Norwich: Pastor, Mr. Armitage; who hath 
 an augmentation already. 
 
 2. Church at Yarmouth: Mr. Tookey, Teacher: Mr. 
 Bridge, Pastor ; who hath 100 per annum from the state. 
 
 3. Church at North Walsom, a market town : Pastor, Mr. 
 Brabiter ; the living about 40 per annum. 
 
 4. Church at Windham, a market town: Pastor, Mr. 
 Mony ; he hath an augmentation already.
 
 MEMOIR. XV 
 
 5. Church at Hupton, a small town and a small living ; no 
 Pastor, Mr. Wale being gone to Ireland. 
 
 6. Church at Tunsted and Stowly : no Pastor, the revenue 
 of both about 80 per annum 
 
 7. Church at Alby and Thwait : Pastor, Mr. Nathaniel 
 Brewster ; the living about 50 per annum. 
 
 8. Church at Lesetiorgham : Pastor, Mr. Cushin ; the liv- 
 ing about 100 per annum. 
 
 9. Church at Fowlsome : Mr. Worts, Pastor ; the worth 
 of the living known to Major General Skippon. 
 
 10. Church at Edgefield : Pastor, Mr. Martin ; the living 
 competent. 
 
 To Henry Scobell, Esq. Clerk of his Highnesses Privy 
 Council. 
 
 WORTHY SIR, 
 
 I ii AYE lately received a letter from Mr. Griffith, 
 in the name of the brethren at London, whereby I am de- 
 sired to certify you of the receipt thereof. This is then only 
 to let you understand, that on August 26, I received his let- 
 ters dated August 20, and I shall take care that copies of the 
 letters be sent unto all the churches in our county. Continuing, 
 Your Servant in the gospel of Christ Jesus, 
 
 W. B. 
 
 Yarmouth, August 28. 1658. 
 
 He was one of the dissenting brethren in the Assembly of 
 Divines at Westminster, and was one of the writers of the 
 " Apologetical narrative," which was published in 1643. 
 His name is also subscribed to the " Reasons of the dissenting 
 brethren against certain propositions concerning Presbyterial 
 government," which was published in 1648. 
 
 After a brief sojourn at Norwich, where he preached a 
 sermon to the volunteers, he at length fixed at Great Yar- 
 mouth, where he continued his labours till the Bartholomew 
 Act. It is very probable, that at Yarmouth his congregation 
 at least for some time met in the parish church for public 
 worship, for in the year 1650, the north part of the church 
 was enclosed for a meeting place, at an expense of ( JOO ; a 
 considerable sum in those days.
 
 When ejected by the black Bartholomew Act, he went to 
 reside at Clapham, near London, and preached in, if not found- 
 ded, the Independent meeting at that place j and at this place 
 he died, March 12. 1670. 
 
 From an epitaph in Yarmouth Church, it would appear 
 that he was twice married. The name of his first wife is not 
 known ; he afterwards married Margaret, the widow of John 
 Arnold, merchant and once bailiff of that town. Whether he 
 had any children, or how many, we have been unable to as- 
 certain. 
 
 These few brief particulars are all we have been able to 
 gather, respecting this eminently useful and deeply taught 
 servant of the Most High God. 
 
 We close this brief memorial with an Elegy upon him, the 
 unknown author of which was contemporary with him. 
 
 ELEGY 
 
 UPON THE DEATH OF MR. WILLIAM BRIDGE, A FAITHFUL 
 AND PAINFUL LABOURER IN THE LORD'S VINEYARD. 
 
 EVEN as a lamp that spendeth liberally 
 Its oil, that we may do our work thereby ; 
 Or as a sparkling star, which shineth bright, 
 Thereby directing travellers by night ; 
 Or as the sun, that by his cheerful rays 
 Disperseth darkness, and his beams displays 
 On the cold earth, whereby he makes it spring 
 With fruitful crops, which joyfulness doth bring : 
 
 So BRIDGE dispersed his fruitful beams whilst here, 
 
 But now he 's fixed in a higher sphere. 
 
 You that have skill, sorrow and joy to blend, 
 Somewhat of both upon this prophet spend. 
 Grieve for your loss, and yet rejoice in this, 
 He 's gone from trouble to a place of bliss. 
 Mourn that you did no more improve his pains, 
 And yet rejoice that he now reaps the gains. 
 Weep that so bright a lamp no longer shined, 
 Yet joy in those choice works he left behind. 
 Mourn that such lights do set, and when ye 've done, 
 Joy that he 's there, where needs not moon nor sun, 
 Which never shall be stained with a night, 
 BHt hath eternal glory for its light :
 
 MEMOIR. 
 
 And let those darkened intervals you see, 
 
 Increase your longing in that place to be ; 
 
 For here are changes, prophets too must die : 
 
 Yet let me that expression mollify : 
 
 If the philosopher of old could say, 
 
 All of me shall not die ; then sure we may 
 
 Transcendantly affirm of BRIDGE, that he 
 
 Yet lives, and shall live to eternity. 
 
 He lives in heaven, on earth he doth the same ; 
 
 There in his soul, here in his works and name. 
 
 And though his body now be turned to dust, 
 
 Yet, at the resurrection of the just, 
 
 Each atom shall be gathered, so to raise 
 
 A glorious fabric to his Master's praise ; 
 
 And soul and body jointly then shall sing, 
 
 Grave, where 'a thy conquest ? death, where is thy sting ? 
 
 And then in triumph shall ascend on high, 
 
 Having obtained, through Christ, the victory.
 
 PREFACES TO THE ORIGINAL EDITION. 
 
 TO THE READER. 
 
 So good is the God of Jacob lo his Israel on this side the promised land, that 
 no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. 
 
 Friend, if it may be verified of thee, what our blessed Saviour spake of Na- 
 thaniel, " Behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile :" thou hast at present, 
 not only a title to Esau's enough, but the tenure of Jacob's all : according to 
 that ancient charter of all saints recorded by that great apostle of the gentiles : 
 " For all things are yours ; whether Paul, Apollos, or Cephas, &c. All are yours, 
 and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's," 1 Cor. iii. 21, 22, 23. 
 
 The very persons and ministry, calling and gifts, studies and writings, prayers 
 and sermons of the faithful ministers of the gospel, all are for the use, service, 
 and comfort of Christ's little little flock, TO pK'pov vtoipviov. This evangelical 
 truth is notably proved by the same apostle to the Ephesians. When our only 
 High Priest ascended up on high, into the holy of holies there to transact his 
 priestly office of intercession at the right hand of God the Father, " He gave 
 some to be apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors 
 and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for 
 the edifying of the body of Christ," Eph. iv. 11, 12. 
 
 Thus this servant of the Lord is thine ; as much thine, as Paul was the Co- 
 rinthians. Yea, these his Spirit-full pieces of evangelical mysteries are thine : 
 thine to build thee up in the saving knowledge of that doctrinal truth, the priest- 
 ly office of Christ, as it is the magazine and storehouse of all that grace and 
 comfort which we are crowned with under heaven : thine, to give thee a piercing 
 insight into the intricate methods of the old serpent, and plainly to discover 
 upon what rocks and sands the faith of many suffer shipwreck : thine, to arm 
 *hee with spiritual armour of proof, called a breast-plate, 1 Thess. v. 8. $wpa, 
 because it guards the heart ; or, as the words elsewhere holds it out, a long-largt 
 shield, Ephes. vi. 16, Svfioe of $opa, which is very dexterous to defend the 
 whole of a Christian soldier from all the fiery darts of the wicked one, TOV 
 nrovypov. 
 
 Reader, let us be thine, to beseech thee by the mercies of God, as thou ten- 
 derest the peace and welfare of all within thy own tabernacle, immediately to 
 put in practice the holy contents of this experimental book. For if thou art one 
 of the Lord's Simons, " Behold Satan hath desired to have thee, that he may 
 sift thee as wheat." Oh, therefore make provision for thy soul with all speed, 
 before the hour of temptation draweth on. It is not true valour, but desperate 
 fool-madness, to adjourn this every-day's business of everlasting concernment : 
 because in this, as in oversights of war, there is no room for a second retractation, 
 the first error being unrecoverable.
 
 PREFACE. Xi.t 
 
 This is all we have to advertise thee touching these choice useful lectures. 
 For the author of them (whom we very much love and honour) we must bear 
 witness, that when he first preached them from the bosom of Jesus Christ, his 
 Master, to many tempted bleeding hearts in and about this populous city, he had 
 not then the least thought to suffer them in print to serve the public. But after- 
 wards, eyeing the voice of God in the multiplied desires and greedy expectations 
 both of friends and strangers, his constant auditors, though of different judg- 
 ments, in their private speeches and letters : and to prevent a further inconveni- 
 ence, [sc. the publishing them by some who had imperfect notes in their hands 
 M. W. M.] was necessitated to depute us [in his absence at Yarmouth] to hand 
 out into the world this his copy, which was exactly penned from his tongue, by 
 that his beloved amanuensis, and since kept charily by him as a precious thing 
 committed to his trust. Trjv Ka\r]f ira.pa.KaTai}x.r)v, 2 Tim. i. 14. 
 
 The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ grant thee according to the riches of his 
 glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man, so that thou 
 mayest be more than conqueror through him that loved thee, and prayed for 
 thee, that thy faith fail not. So be it. 
 
 Thine in the Lord Jesus, 
 
 WILLIAM GREKNHILL. 
 JOHN YATES. 
 WILLIAM AODERLEY. 
 
 TO THE READER. 
 
 THAT we may at least stay the longings of many thirsty souls with a sweet 
 relish of a promising vintage of new wine this year, we have slipt off this second 
 ripe cluster of grapes from its fellows, which if it be squeezed in the hand of 
 faith, will prove itself to be so rich, fragrant, and sparkling with the blood, juice, 
 and spirit of the gospel, that it needs not the purple of our epistle recommend- 
 atory to welcome it to any, that are in truth the living branches of the true. Vine. 
 Yet to the end we may happily invite some that are without to come in, that they 
 also may both see and taste how good the Lord is to the children of the bride- 
 chamber : 
 
 Reader, stand awhile at the well-head, with the poor woman of Samaria, ad- 
 miring the infinite dimensions of those waters of life that are fountained up in 
 Jesus Christ, " of whose fulness we all receive, even grace for grace." 
 
 The saints may be brimful of the Holy Spirit, as Stephen was, but it is ac- 
 cording to measure, a vessel fulness ; but Christ above or without measure, a 
 spring fulness, which is not only repletive, but diffusive, unsearchable, immea- 
 surable. 
 
 The great ocean is too little to shadow out the overflowings of this fulness ; for 
 take away a drop or two from thence, it presently suffers a diminution : but 
 though this Fountain of salvation should shed abroad his love upon all the world 
 of the elect, as the waters cover the sea, yet it is ever full, running over. There 
 is not the less light or heat in the Sun of Righteousness, though he daily ariseth 
 with healing in his wings unto them that fear his name from east to west; " He 
 is yesterday, to-day, and for ever the same." This is no hyperbole, but the lan- 
 guage of Canaan. " Nee Christus nee coelum patitur hyperbolum." Lu- 
 ther.
 
 XX PREFACE. 
 
 Oh, that this unspeakable Fulness of heaven or earth, or saints and angels, that 
 fills all in all, did now constrain thee to cast thy empty pitcher into these depths 
 of his grace, so shouldest thou with this beloved evangelist, and the rest that are 
 included in this WE ALL, " receive even grace for grace." To act faith is the 
 principal use which directly flows out from every doctrine about Jesus Christ. 
 
 We shall appeal unto thee, whose eye is fixed on this full book of grace, Is 
 not fulness in other things, a conquering, golden argument ? Did not Joseph's 
 treasure of corn, prevail with good old Jacob and his sons to go down into 
 Egypt ? And shall not this our gospel Joseph, who alone is the Bread of Life 
 that once came down from heaven to feed hungry souls, engage thee, almost 
 famished, to come unto him for this staff of life, that thou mayest live ? Were 
 they not the floods of milk and honey that did run down the promised land, that 
 did set the Israelites' teeth on edge to be there ? And shall not the overflowings 
 of Christ's heart in heaven towards sinners on earth, make thee to hunger and 
 thirst after His righteousness, who is the Lord our Righteousness ? Was it not 
 the abundance of Solomon's natural wisdom, which was as a constellation of 
 stars in his crown, that invited the queen of Sheba to travel from the utmost 
 parts of Arabia to kneel before his throne ? And is there not a greater than 
 Solomon here, " who is the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express 
 image of his person, full of grace and truth?" Oh where, where then are the 
 spiritual actings of thy soul upon him ? Abraham's faith was a very lively, vigorous, 
 and a more than conquering faith ; when the sentence of death was apparent on 
 the head of the mercy, and the womb leading to it : and is thy faith like a tree 
 twice dead, plucked up by the roots ? God forbid. Oh, remember the fulness of 
 the infiniteness of all perfections that are originally in the Lord, being able to fill 
 np all the empty chinks, void places, the unsatisfied gaspings and yawnings of 
 the vast spirit of man. We shall seal up all with the evangelical words of that 
 voice of Christ echoed in a wilderness, as the great motive of all motives, " The 
 kingdom of heaven," of grace, of Christ, and all his benefits, " is at hand," hath 
 approached. Therefore, believe, repent: " Blessed is that servant whom his 
 Lord when he cometh shall find so doing." 
 
 Thine, in and for the Lord Jesus Christ, and his fulness, that thou mayest re- 
 ceive even grace for grace, 
 
 WILLIAM GREENHILL. 
 WILLIAM ADDERLEY. 
 JOHN YATES.
 
 EPISTLE DEDICATORY. 
 
 To THE WORSHIPFUL MAURICE THOMPSON, Esa., GEORGE THOMPSON, 
 Esa., WILLIAM THOMPSON, Esa. SHERIFF OF LONDON, ROBERT THOMP- 
 SON, Esa., SIR JOHN WITTEWRONG, KNIGHT, WILLIAM OFIELD, Esa., 
 SAMUEL CHAMPNES, ELIAS ROBERTS, AND WILLIAM HAWKINS, EsaRS. 
 
 WITH THEIR WIVES AND CHILDREN, GRACE AND PEACE. 
 
 Honoured and Beloved in our Lord Jesus, 
 
 IT is not want of respect that I seem thus to crowd your names together, I 
 owe more than an epistle to each of your names, but because God hath made you 
 one, though branched into several habitations, I take the boldness to present this 
 work to you, as unto one family. It is written of the stork, that she useth to 
 leave one of her young ones to the house where she made her nest. " Ciconise 
 mos est unum e pullis relinquere domui qua nidulata est." Lud. Vives. And 
 upon that account some of my labours do belong to your family, where I studied, 
 and from whence I preached them t^some of you and yours have often desired 
 the publishing of these notes, and being printed, whither should the press send 
 them but to your door ? you are the family with whom I have had the honour 
 to converse much whilst living ; and now the blossoms of the grave are upon me, 
 I dedicate these notes unto you, that by them I may live and speak with you 
 when my head shall lie under the clods : you are a family whom the Lord hath 
 blessed and raised not only to a great estate in the world, but to the saving 
 knowledge of his Son, our dear Saviour, and whom should I serve and honour 
 but those whom God honours and blesseth ? 
 
 That family is not far from blessing, which hath godly children, children 
 trained up and seasoned with the grace of Christ from the cradle; " The Lord 
 blessed the house of Obed-edom," and wherein did that blessing consist ? the 
 scripture tells us. 1 Chron. xxvi. That some of his children were porters in 
 the house of God, others were mighty men of valour, able men for strength and 
 service, and the reason is given, verse 5. " For the Lord blessed him," so that 
 children useful and serviceable both in church and state are a great blessing unto 
 a family. The Hebrews say, that children are the father's building, rm a p 
 " quia films est sedificium patrisj" and indeed he builds wisely that doth lay 
 the foundations of his house in a godly seed. " Lo, children (saith the Psalmist) 
 are an heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb are his reward, as arrows 
 in the hand of the mighty, so are children of the youth, blessed is the man that 
 hath his quiver full of them ;" especially where these arrows are well headed and 
 well hearted too. And upon this account it is good for great families to have 
 good servants. For, corrupt servants do debauch children, and debauched chil- 
 dren do scatter brimstone upon the house of their fathers. 
 
 Neither is that family an unblessed family which is strict in the observation
 
 Xxii EPISTLE DEDICATORY. 
 
 of the sabbath or the Lord's day. God hath blessed that day that he might 
 bless them who do keep that day ; hereby England hath been blessed with the 
 power of godliness more than other nations ; "My sabbath, (saith God) shall 
 be a sign between me and thee." And in the primitive times when a Christian 
 was asked whether he had kept the Lord's day, his answer generally was, I am 
 a Christian, I cannot neglect it. " Servasti diem Dominican ? Christianus sum 
 intermittere non possum." As if the observation of the Lord's day were the 
 badge of a Christian ; this is the girdle of all our duties, and in respect of this 
 girdle I may say, ungirt, unblessed ; the valleys of the week day are blessed by 
 the upper springs of this day ; and as the commandment doth especially point 
 at, and look wishly upon the master of the family, saying, Neither thou, nor 
 thy son, nor thy daughter, &c., so doth the blessing also. 
 
 Blessed is that family which doth industriously seek to build the house of God 
 and the house of the poor ; David did but intend to build God's house, and the 
 Lord promised him to build his house. The Egyptian midwives spared the Is- 
 raelites' children, whereby, the poor families and houses of the Israelites were 
 built, and the Lord dealt well with the midwives and made them houses, Exod. 
 i. 20. 
 
 Neither is that family far from blessing which is a friend to the ministry. Re- 
 ceiving, hiding, and refreshing the painful and faithful ministers and preachers of 
 the gospel ; " The Lord give mercy (saith Paul) to the house of Onesiphorus, for 
 he hath refreshed me," not once and no more, but, " he hath oft refreshed me :" 
 nor did he do this because I followed him and sought him out, but, " he sought 
 me out very diligently, and found me." And in the day of my greatest affliction 
 he was not ashamed of me, " for he was not ashamed of my chains," wherefore 
 the Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy in that day ; and give mercy 
 unto the house of Onesiphorus, 2 Tim. i. 16, 17, 18. " He that receiveth a 
 prophet (saith our Saviour) in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's 
 reward," and what is the reward of a prophet, but to profit by the prophet, and 
 to have a share in his venture, and in all that good which he doth by his ministry. 
 A praying family, also, is a precious family and blessed, especially where prayer 
 and pains, religion and righteousness, frugality and liberality are in conjunction : 
 some are much for pains-taking and little for prayer, others are much for prayer 
 and little for pains-taking ; some are much for religion and little for righteousness, 
 others are much for righteous dealings and little for religion ; some are much for 
 frugality and little for liberality, others are much for liberality and little for fru- 
 gality ; but blessed is that family where prayer and pains, religion and righteous- 
 ness, frugality and liberality meet and dwell together under one roof. " Nisi 
 Dominus aedificaveric domum frustra laborat quisquis earn sedificat, Psal. cxxvii. 
 Non enim dicit, Dominus sedificat domum nemine scilicet laborante, sed ita, nisi 
 Dominus asdificaverit frustra laborat perinde ac si diceret, labore quidem opus est, 
 sed hujus conatum frustra sumi si solus erit, non enim laboris sedulitas sed Dei 
 benedictio rem fsecundaret omnia perficit." Luther farrago Epistol. 
 
 Now those things I have seen amongst you : only, as heretofore, so now labour 
 to abound therein more and more, that you and your family may be as the field 
 which the Lord blesseth. And as God hath raised you to an outward greatness 
 in the world, so let your hearts be great for God, that what Pliny reported of 
 Vespasian, may be truly said of you ; " Nee quicquam in te mutaverit fortunse 
 amplitude nisi ut prodesse tandundem posses et velles." Your abundance hath 
 changed nothing in you, but this, that your power to do good is now made an- 
 swerable to your will : counting it greater mercy to lay out for God, than to lay 
 up for yourselves, for it may be when you come to die, you will have more com-
 
 EPISTLE DEDICATORY. XXlii 
 
 fort in what you have laid out for God, than in what you have laid up for your 
 children. And why should we not give that to God by an act of our faith which 
 he gave to us by an act of his love ? 
 
 And as for your children, if I might not exceed the bounds of an epistle, I 
 would say to them : 
 
 Children, O children, know your fathers, and the God of your fathers, know 
 3 our parents, for that is the first commandment with promise, and you shall hon- 
 our yourselves in honouring them. It is recorded of the Catanenses, (Camerar. 
 oper. subcis. Centur. i. cap. 66.) that they made a stately monument of kingly 
 magnificence, in remembrance of two sons, who took their aged parents upon 
 their backs and carried them through the fire when their father's house was all 
 in a flame. And of all the birds, the stork hath the name for the good bird, 
 and why ? but because the younger of them do help and bear up the elder, their 
 weak parents ; but though your parent is to be honoured, yet your God is more 
 to be honoured. If you know Gou when you are young, God will know you 
 when you are old ; " remember therefore your Creator in the days of your 
 youth :" and your Creator will remember you in the days of your age. " nVDn 
 pia avis, ciconiis eximia in est pietas : et enim quantum temporis impenderint 
 foetibus educandis, tantum et ipsse a pullis suis invicem aluntur. Solinus, cap. 
 11. Schind. Parentes senectute confectos numeris suis gestare dicuntur." 
 Avenar. 
 
 Take heed of youthful sins, for the sweet sins of our youth do bite sore in our 
 age. 
 
 Get an inward principle of grace in your own souls, for if you live on your 
 parents' root, when your parents die, your goodness will die too ; and therefore 
 look well to the laying of your foundation, which is not to be laid in disputation 
 but humiliation. 
 
 Be not unwilling to bear the yoke in the days of your youth, for he that can 
 carry a calf when he is young, will carry an ox when he is old. Affliction gives 
 you understanding ; it is the school of experience. The oxen that are for use, 
 are kept tied up, when those that are fatted for the shambles, are let loose into 
 the pastures to feed at their pleasure. " Vituli triturantes quotidie ligantur vi- 
 tuli mactandi quotidie in pascuis libere relinquuntur." Augustin. 
 
 Be not too confident of what you can do, or will do. Young men are apt to 
 be too confident, as old men are k apt to be too fearful ; but the best swimmers 
 are the soonest drowned, because of their confidence. " Wherefore in all thy 
 ways acknowledge the Lord, and lean not to thine own understanding," Prov. iii. 
 
 When you come to the great turns of your life, be sure that you make a right 
 choice, for every man is as his choice is. If there be any dirt on the hands, it 
 will appear in the knuckles, the turning places ; and if there be dirt in your 
 lives, it will be found and appear in your great turns. 
 
 Let your dwelling-place be where God dwells, and he dwells where his ordi- 
 nances are, for there he records his name. But though you live under ordinances 
 in regard of your station, yet live above them in regard of your affection, passing 
 through them unto Christ, and through Christ into the bosom of the Father. It 
 was not David's sling that killed Goliah, but the name of God in the use of the 
 sling. 
 
 Seek not great things for yourselves in this world, for if your garments be too 
 long, they will make you stumble ; and one staff helps a man in his journey, 
 when many in his hands at once hinder him ; but labour to do great things for 
 God, and God will do great things for you. Terrene or earthly felicity, is the
 
 EPISTLE DEDICATORY. 
 
 lowest part of perfect felicity. " Infima pars fselicitatis perfect* est terrena 
 fuelicitas. " Augustin. 
 
 Be much in private prayer, for the more you come to God, the more welcome 
 you are ; his customers have the best pennyworths ; and if God do much for you 
 in the morning duty, do much for him all the day after ; and if you have little 
 from God in the morning, walk humbly all the day after. " A prece prin- 
 cipium." 
 
 Let your company be always such as you may get good from, or do good unto. 
 When you are alone, think of good things ; and when you are in company, speak 
 of good things. 
 
 Keep the truth, and the truth will keep you. 
 
 And whatever mercy or blessing you receive, trace it to heaven gates, and to 
 Christ's blood ; for it flowed from Christ's blood, and leads you to heaven. 
 " And the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that 
 great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 
 make you all (parents and children) perfect in every good work to do his will, 
 working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to 
 whom be glory for ever and ever." 
 
 Your servant in the gospel of Christ, 
 
 WILLIAM BRIDGE.
 
 THE GREAT GOSPEL MYSTERY OF THE SAINTS' COMFORT 
 AND HOLINESS, 
 
 OPENED AND APPLIED FROM 
 
 CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE, 
 
 IN 
 
 FOUR SERMONS, 
 
 PREACHED AT STEPNEY, A. D. 1647. 
 
 VOL. I.] B
 
 ON 
 
 CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 
 
 SERMON I. 
 
 " Wherefore in all things it behoved him, to be made like unto his 
 brethren, that he might be a merciful and a faithful High Priest, in 
 things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for atonement} for the 
 sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, 
 he is able to succour them that are tempted." HEB. n. 17, 18. 
 
 THE apostle Paul, (whom I take to be the penman of this 
 epistle) having in the former part of this chapter, shewed the 
 reasons, why it behoved Christ for to suffer death : he comes 
 now, in the latter end thereof, to give you an account, by 
 laying down some reasons, " Why it behoved Christ, to be 
 in all things made like unto us," whom the apostle here calls 
 the brethren of Jesus Christ. 
 
 In other scriptures we find, that our Lord and Saviour 
 Christ, is called our Father, " The Everlasting Father, the 
 Prince of peace." Here he is called our Brother, we his 
 brethren. Now the same person, to be both a father, and a 
 brother unto the same man, in nature it cannot be. 
 
 But because all these relations, are too scant, and narrow 
 vessels to hold forth the love of Jesus Christ towards us : 
 therefore inconsistent relations are given unto him. A 
 father provides for his child, which the brother doth not. 
 A brother can stoop, and condescend unto his brother, which 
 the superiority of the father will not bear. So that here is 
 held forth unto us, the stooping, condescending love of Jesus 
 Christ : and therefore he is called our Brother, and we his 
 brethren. 
 
 But why, and what reason is there, that the Lord Jesus 
 Christ should in all things be made like unto us his brethren ? 
 
 The apostle in these words gives the reason, te That he 
 
 might be a merciful, and a faithful High Priest, in things 
 
 pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the 
 
 people," &c. The Lord God our Father, sware unto Jesus 
 
 B 2
 
 4 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 1. 
 
 Christ, " Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Mel- 
 chizedek." He was to be the great High Priest. Among 
 the Jews, in the times of the Old Testament, they had an high 
 priest, that was in all things to stand between God and them, 
 and in case any sinned, to make an atonement for them. As 
 the Jews had their high priest : so the Lord Jesus Christ, he 
 was to be, and he is, the Apostle and the High Priest of our 
 Christian profession, as Aaron was of the Jews' profession. 
 And therefore says the apostle, " It behoved him, in all things 
 to be made like unto us." 
 
 But could not Jesus Christ be merciful unto poor tempted 
 souls, unless he were in all things made like to them : like 
 in their natures, like in their affections, like in matter of 
 temptations ? 
 
 Christ as God, could have been merciful unto us, although 
 he had not been made like unto us : but not as our High 
 Priest. 
 
 There is an ability of sufficiency, and of power: and so 
 Christ as God, was able to succour those that are tempted, 
 although himself had never been tempted. But there is an 
 ability of idoneity or fitness, or aptness and disposition : 
 and so the apostle says here, " For in that himself hath suf- 
 fered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are 
 tempted." 
 
 It is plain then, what that is, that is the great support of 
 a Christian against all temptations : wherein lies our succour 
 against all temptation, namely, in the priestly office of Jesus 
 Christ. 
 
 The priestly office of Christ, it is the great magazine and 
 storehouse of all that grace and comfort which we have on 
 this side heaven : it is that whereby we are reconciled to God 
 the Father, and relieved against all temptation. This is the 
 great thing that these words hold forth. 
 
 And therefore, upon this account, the apostle Paul, finding 
 the Hebrews labouring under great temptations, doubtings, 
 fears, and much unbelief; he does not only here, but all 
 along in this book of the Hebrews, open the priestly office 
 of Christ unto them. 
 
 And indeed, what comfort can we have in God himself, 
 but through Christ ? and what comfort can we have in Christ 
 himself, but as he is clothed with his priestly garment, with
 
 SER. 1.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 5 
 
 the office of High Priest ? Whatsoever comfort we have in 
 the other offices of Christ, namely his kingly and his pro- 
 phetical offices, it is all originated and principiated in this : 
 the priestly office of Jesus Christ, it does give a life, and 
 being, and efficacy to both the other offices. And therefore 
 the high priest, in the times of the Old Testament, (who was 
 a type of Christ) he wore a crown upon his head, and the 
 breastplate of Urim and Thummim upon his breast : showing 
 that both the other offices, the kingly and the prophetical 
 office, were planted upon the priestly office of Jesus Christ. 
 Yea, if you look into the ist, iind, and iiird chapters 
 of the Revelation, you will find, that whatsoever streams of 
 comfort did run down upon the churches through the other 
 titles and attributes of God, they are all fountained here. In 
 the iind chapter and the 1st verse, the Lord Christ hath 
 this title, that he holdeth the seven stars in his right hand ! 
 " These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his 
 right hand." In the 8th verse, writing unto the church of 
 Smyrna, he takes up another title or attribute : " These 
 things saith the first and the last, which was dead and is 
 alive." At the 12th verse, writing unto the church at 
 Pergamus, he takes up another title : " These things saith he 
 who hath the sharp sword with two edges." Now look into 
 the ist chapter, and you shall see that those several titles, 
 wherewith he clothes himself when he speaks unto the 
 churches severally, are all summed up together at the 16th 
 verse. " And he had in his right hand seven stars :" that is 
 his title unto the church of Ephesus : " And out of his mouth 
 went a sharp two-edged sword ;" that is his title unto the 
 church of Pergamus. And at the 18th verse, " I am he that 
 liveth and was dead, and behold I am alive for evermore ;" 
 that is another title that he useth when he speaketh unto the 
 church of Smyrna. But in the 13th verse is opened the 
 fountain of all these streams : " In the midst of the seven 
 candlesticks, I saw one like unto the Son of man, clothed 
 with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps 
 with a golden girdle." This was then the robe and attire of 
 the High Priest: whose garment came down unto his feet, 
 and he was girt about with a golden girdle. So that all these 
 other attributes and titles of Christ, they have their rise
 
 6 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 1. 
 
 here ; here is the spring-head of all those consolations, even 
 the priestly office of Jesus Christ. 
 
 Usually those excellencies and attributes of Christ are 
 most beneficial unto the saints, that are most opposed by the 
 world. What title, attribute, or excellency of Christ is there, 
 that is more invaded by the world, than the priestly office of 
 Jesus Christ ? What is the whole body of anti-christianism, 
 but an invasion upon this priestly office of Christ ? What is 
 the popish mass (that unbloody sacrifice) but a derogation 
 from the sacrifice of Jesus Christ once upon the cross, and 
 so a derogation from his priestly office ? What are all those 
 popish penances, and satisfactions enjoined, but a derogation 
 unto the satisfaction of Jesus Christ, and so unto the priestly 
 office of Christ ? What is all their praying to saints and 
 angels, but a derogation unto the intercession of Jesus Christ, 
 and so unto the priestly office of Christ ? What does the 
 Pope call himself? he calls himself the high priest, the very 
 title that our Lord and Saviour takes unto himself. So that 
 the whole body of anti-christianism, is a great invasion upon 
 the priestly office of Jesus Christ. Now that which is 
 usually opposed most by the men of the world, that excel- 
 lency and that attribute of Christ is of all other the most 
 comfortable and beneficial unto God's people. The truth is, 
 this priestly office of Jesus Christ is an office of mere love, 
 and tender compassion ; erected and set up on purpose for 
 the relief of poor distressed sinners ; and there is no mixture 
 of terror with it : there is a mixture of terror with the other 
 offices of Christ. The Lord Christ, he is King, and he hath 
 a kingly office, and by his kingly office he rules over the 
 churches, and rules over all the world : but all do not obtain 
 mercy that he rules over. " As for those mine enemies, that 
 will not submit, will not have me to reign over them, bring 
 them, and slay them before me." The prophetical office of 
 Jesus Christ, it extendeth unto many that shall never be 
 saved : " Light shines in darkness, and darkness compre- 
 hendeth it not." " He came unto his own, and his own 
 received him not." But now, wherever the priestly office of 
 Jesus Christ is let forth upon a soul, that soul shall certainly 
 be saved for ever. 
 
 What was the great relief amongst the Jews against their 
 sins ? The Jews, you shall observe they had many reliefs :
 
 SER. 1.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 7 
 
 when they were in the wilderness, and were stung with the 
 fiery serpents, then they had a brazen serpent for to look 
 upon, as a relief against that distress. When they wanted 
 water, they had the water out of the rock, as a relief against 
 that distress. When they wanted bread, they had manna 
 from heaven, as a relief against that distress. But when 
 they sinned, whither did they go ? Then they took a sacri- 
 fice, and went unto the priest, and he was to offer for them. 
 So that the priestly office then, was the only relief they had 
 against sin. 
 
 And so now, the priestly office of the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 it is that great succour and relief which Christians have 
 against all temptations under heaven. 
 
 You will say unto me, But general things affect not : let 
 us see it in some particulars, wherein this priestly office of 
 Christ is the great magazine and storehouse of all our grace 
 and comfort ? 
 
 For answer hereunto, I will begin this exercise with one 
 particular of the priestly office of Christ, in showing what a 
 relief and succour it is unto a Christian against all temptations, 
 and what a bottom of comfort, and special means of grace 
 and holiness. 
 
 The text says that the work of the high priest is, " To 
 make reconciliation for the sins of the people." In the 
 times of the Old Testament, the high priest made an atone- 
 ment for the people: in case any man had sinned, he brought 
 a sacrifice, and his sins were laid upon the head of the sacri- 
 fice. Once every year the high priest did enter into the holy 
 of holiest, and with the blood of the sacrifice did sprinkle 
 the mercy-seat, and laid the sins of the people upon the head 
 of the scape-goat, and so made an atonement for the people. 
 All which will clearly appear in that xvith chapter of 
 Leviticus, at the 14th verse : " He shall take of the blood of 
 the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy- 
 seat eastward: and before the mercy-seat shall he sprinkle of 
 the blood with his finger seven times." And at the 21st 
 verse : " And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head 
 of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of 
 the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, in all their 
 sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send 
 him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness, and
 
 8 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 1. 
 
 so he shall make an atonement :" as in that chapter. This 
 was the work of the high priest, in case any had sinned, to 
 make an atonement and satisfaction (by way of type) for the 
 sins of the people. 
 
 Now for the better proof of this great gospel truth that I 
 have propounded, I shall insist on these five things. 
 
 First, That when the Lord Jesus Christ died upon the cross, 
 he did offer up himself a sacrifice unto God the Father. 
 
 Secondly, That when this sacrifice was upon the altar, then 
 the sins of all believers, past, present, and to come, were all 
 laid upon Jesus Christ. 
 
 Thirdly, That when these sins were thus laid upon Christ, 
 he did thereby give full satisfaction unto God the Father, 
 unto divine justice. 
 
 Fourthly, That all this he did as our great High Priest, and 
 in a more transcendent, and eminent manner, than ever any 
 high priest did before him. 
 
 Fifthly, How all this doth conduce to our comfort, and to 
 our holiness. 
 
 First, When our Lord Jesus Christ died upon the cross, 
 he did offer up himself a sacrifice unto God the Father. He 
 did not (as the Socinians say) die only as an example for to 
 teach us how to die ; but he offered up himself a sacrifice 
 unto God the Father then. Yea, as if all sacrifices were 
 met in him ; all those titles that are given unto other sacri- 
 fices, they are given unto him. There are three sorts of 
 sacrifices: some were living; others were not living, and 
 those were either solid, as bread and the like ; or else they 
 were liquid, as wine and oil. There was always, destructio 
 ret oblatia, a destroying of the thing offered. If it were a 
 living thing that was sacrificed, then it was said to be slain : 
 in answer to that, Jesus Christ is said to be a Lamb slain 
 from the beginning of the world. If it were a dead thing 
 that was offered up, as bread, or corn, a solid thing, then the 
 sacrifice or offering was said to be bruised: in answer to that, 
 our Lord and Saviour Christ is said to be bruised for our 
 iniquities. If it were a liquid thing that was offered up to 
 God, as wine or oil, then it was said to be poured out : in 
 answer to this, it is said of our Lord and Saviour, that his 
 soul was poured out unto death. Thus all sacrifices meeting 
 in him. " Behold the Lamb of God!" (says John the Bap-
 
 SER. 1.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 9 
 
 tist) when he saw Christ. He does not say, Behold the bull 
 of God, or the goat of God ; and yet bulls and goats were 
 sacrificed. Why does he rather say, Behold the Lamb 
 of God, than the bullock or the goat ? For when the high 
 priest went into the holy of holiest, and sprinkled the mercy- 
 seat, he did not sprinkle the mercy-seat with the blood of the 
 lamb, but with the blood of a goat ; and yet, notwithstand- 
 ing, it is not said, Behold the goat of God, but, Behold the 
 Lamb of God ! Why so ? Not only because that Christ 
 was of a lamb-like and meek disposition (as some would have 
 it) : not only because that the great type of Christ was the 
 paschal lamb (though these be reasons), but there was a daily 
 sacrifice in the temple ; whether men brought any offering or 
 no, there was a standing sacrifice in the temple, morning and 
 evening, and that sacrifice was a lamb. Now therefore, to 
 shew that Jesus Christ is the daily sacrifice, therefore he cries 
 out, and says, Behold the Lamb of God, and not the goat of 
 God ? for the goat was not sacrificed every day as the lamb 
 was. 
 
 For proof of this take the apostle's exhortation, Eph. v. 
 2, " Walk in love, as Christ hath loved us, and hath given 
 himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God." Here are 
 three things considerable. First, He does not say, Who hath 
 redeemed us ; but to shew his great love unto us, " Who 
 hath given himself for us:" he doth not say, Who hath given 
 himself for our sins ; yet he says so in Gal. i. 4, " Who gave 
 himself for our sins ? " but, " Who gave himself for us." 
 W T hy ? To shew who they were that he gave himself for : 
 he gave himself for us, as sinners. Again, he says here, he 
 gave himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice ; not only an 
 offering, but a sacrifice too. So that this first proposition is 
 clearly proved, That our Lord Jesus, when he died upon the 
 cross, he did offer up himself as a sacrifice unto God the 
 Father. 
 
 Secondly, As he did offer up himself a sacrifice unto God 
 the Father, so when he was upon this altar, this sacrifice; 
 the sins of all believers were then laid upon Jesus Christ : 
 those that do now believe, or shall hereafter believe, they 
 were all then laid upon Jesus Christ. Look into the liiird of 
 Isaiah, verse 6, " All we like sheep have gone astray, and 
 have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath
 
 10 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 1. 
 
 laid on him the iniquities of us all/ 5 That which God lays on 
 shall never be taken off, no man shall take it off: the Lord 
 hath laid on him the iniquities of us all. 
 
 Yea, our iniquities are not only said to be laid on him, but 
 (to use the same word that is used for the sacrifice) it is said, 
 He bare our sins upon the cross ; as the goat bare the sins 
 of the people : so says the apostle, " He himself bare our 
 sins upon the cross." 
 
 Moreover, he did not only bear our sins upon the cross, 
 but, says the apostle, " He was made sin for us." It is not 
 said, He was made a sinner, or accounted a sinner only for 
 us, but " He was made sin for us." All our iniquities were 
 laid on him ; he bare our sins, and he was made sin for us 
 upon the cross. Thus briefly the second proposition is 
 cleared, That when he did thus offer up himself upon the 
 cross as a sacrifice, the sins of all believers were then laid 
 on him. 
 
 Thirdly, When the sins of believers were laid on him, then 
 he did make full satisfaction unto God the Father, and divine 
 justice for all our sins. This is a bottom of much comfort. 
 For if the Lord Jesus Christ our Surety had not satisfied to 
 the utmost farthing, our great Creditor, God the Father, for 
 all our debts, God the Father might come upon us the debt- 
 ors. But our Surety, the Lord Christ, hath given full satis- 
 faction unto God the Father, that no more demands can be 
 be made upon us. And indeed else, how could our Surety 
 ever have come out of prison : he was under arrest, he was 
 in the jail, in the grave : the Father, the great Creditor lets 
 him out ; and did not only let him out, but the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, he goes into heaven, and sits down there at the right 
 hand of the Father ; surely, if the Creditor had not been 
 satisfied, the Surety should never have been released out of 
 prison. 
 
 He was so fully satisfied, that "he looked for iniquity, and 
 he found none" (says the text). He looked over all his 
 books, to see if he could find any thing upon the score, but he 
 found none : all our debts were paid. Behold the Lamb 
 of God, that takes away the sin of the world." He does not 
 say, That takes away the sin of the Jews only ; but takes 
 away the sin of the whole world. He does not say, That 
 takes away the sins (in the plural number), but takes away
 
 SER. 1.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 11 
 
 the sin (in the singular number) : sins go so together, as if 
 they were but one : but let the sin be never so twisted toge- 
 ther, as if it were but one sin, this Lamb of God, he takes 
 away the sin of the world. And he does not say, That hath 
 pardoned the sin of the world : for then a poor soul might 
 say, Aye, but though he hath pardoned my sin, yet my sin is 
 not mortified. Neither does he say, Behold the Lamb of 
 God, that mortifies or destroys the sin of the world : but he 
 gives you a word that takes in both pardon and mortification 
 too. Behold the Lamb of God that takes them away : both 
 in regard of pardon, and in regard of mortification : " Behold 
 the Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world. 5 ' 
 
 There is nothing that does so satisfy God the Father, as 
 obedience, and the more full the obedience is, the more God 
 the Father is satisfied thereby : now it is said of our Lord 
 and Saviour Christ, that in this great sacrifice upon the cross, 
 he was obedient. " He was obedient even to the death of 
 the cross." That he that did make the law, should come 
 down from heaven, and be subject to the law, what obedience 
 was here ! " Obedient to the death." Yea, unto the deaths 
 (in the plural number). And he made his grave with the 
 sinners : and his deaths was with the rich. " He made his 
 grave with the wicked, and with the rich had his deaths," 
 Isa. liii. 9. It is in the plural number in the Hebrew, though 
 in our English translation it is in the singular. As if the 
 Holy Ghost had called death, the second death that our Lord 
 Christ had in some measure suffered. For, if you consider 
 things trulyand rightly, I believe you will find that our Lord and 
 Saviour Christ when he died, and was in his agony, he did not 
 only endure the first, but the torments of the second death. 
 He overcame no more than he submittedto: he overcame death 
 by submitting to death. Now he overcame the second death 
 also, and therefore in some measure submitted to the tor- 
 ments of it, so far as he was capable. Look what the first 
 Adam should have endured for his sin in the fall, that the 
 second Adam now did endure in some measure for to take it 
 off: " The day that thou eatest thou shalt die the death." 
 It was not barely the corporal and outward death, but it was 
 the second death. If our Lord and Saviour Christ did not 
 endure the torments of the second death, the wrath of God 
 upon his soul ; why did he sweat drops of blood, and trem-
 
 12 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 1." 
 
 ble, and shake so, when he came to die ? There is many 
 saints and martyrs, when they come to die, they go skipping, 
 and leaping, and rejoicing : and our Lord and Saviour, when 
 he came to die, he sweats drops of blood ; surely there was 
 more than an outward death : Oh ! the wrath of God, and 
 the torments of the second death were upon his soul. Thus 
 obedient he was, and this obedience of his, it was voluntary, 
 for he needed not to have died ; but he saw that God the 
 Father was dishonoured by man's sin, and that poor man 
 would be lost, and rather than that should be, he does volun- 
 tarily offer himself unto this obedience. " Lo I come, (says 
 he,) in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight 
 to do thy will, and thy law is within my heart," Psalm xl. 7? 
 8. Mark what an expression there is in that Psalm, it is 
 spoken concerning Christ, as is plainly interpreted by the 
 apostle in the xth of the Hebrews, at the 6th verse : " Sa- 
 crifice and offering thou didst not desire, mine ears hast thou 
 opened " (or bored). The apostle when he translates these 
 words, he translates them thus : " My body hast thou pre- 
 pared." But read them as they are here in the Psalm : 
 " Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire, mine ear hast 
 thou bored." That as when a servant was willing to stay 
 with his master, and to do him yet more service, the servant's 
 ear was to be bored: so says the Lord Christ, 1 am as willing 
 to do this work, to be thus obedient, as a servant whose ear 
 is bored is willing to stay with his master : " And mine ear 
 hast thou bored," says he ; ah, here is obedience, here is 
 obedience : this now did infinitely satisfy God the Father ; 
 in so much, that ye may see what is said, in that same vth of 
 the Ephesians, and the 2nd verse. " Who hath loved us, 
 and given himself for us, an offering, and a sacrifice to God 
 for a sweet smelling savour." The whole world was full of 
 a stench before, and the Lord was displeased with man be- 
 fore : but now when Christ comes, and offers up his sacrifice, 
 he did thereby give full satisfaction unto God the Father, for 
 it was a sweet smelling savour unto God the Father. So that 
 thus the Father he was fully satisfied. 
 
 To this I shall add one word: When the Lord Jesus Christ 
 offered up himself a sacrifice unto God the Father, and had 
 our sins laid upon him, he did give more perfect satisfaction 
 unto divine justice for our sins, than if you, and I, and all
 
 SER. 1.] ON CUBIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 13 
 
 of us had been damned in hell unto all eternity. For a cre- 
 ditor is more satisfied, if his debt be paid him all down at 
 once, than if it be paid by the week : a poor man that cannot 
 pay all down, will pay a groat a week, or sixpence a week ; 
 but it is more satisfaction to the creditor to have all paid at 
 once. Should we have been all damned, we should have been 
 but paying the debt a little, and a little, and a little : but 
 when Christ paid it, he paid it all down to God the Father. 
 Had we gone to hell, and been damned for ever, we had al- 
 ways been satisfying of God, aye but God had never been 
 satisfied : but now when Christ makes satisfaction, God was 
 satisfied. The creditor, if he be a merciful and a good man, 
 is more truly satisfied where the debtor is spared ; he does 
 not desire that the debtor should be cast into prison, and 
 there lie and rot ; but he is better satisfied with the sparing 
 of the debtor ; let me have but my money, and so the debtor 
 be spared I am willing, nay I desire it, says the good creditor. 
 Now if all we had been cast into everlasting burnings, indeed 
 the debt should have been a paying, but there the debtor had 
 been lost : but now when Christ comes, and makes satisfac- 
 tion unto divine justice, Ah ! poor man is redeemed ; here is 
 the debtor spared. And therefore, the Lord he is infinitely 
 more satisfied, by the satisfaction that Christ made upon the 
 cross for our sins, than if all we had gone to hell ; and been 
 damned to all eternity. Oh ! what a glorious and blessed 
 satisfaction did this our High Priest make unto God the 
 Father ! 
 
 But you will say then, If the Lord Christ made this full 
 satisfaction unto God the Father, how is it that believers, 
 many of them have their sins and debts standing upon the 
 score still, in their consciences so perplexed in regard of sin, 
 as if there were no satisfaction at all made ? 
 
 Luther calls this aspect of sin, a sacrilegious aspect and 
 beholding of sin. As now (says he) if a man take out of an 
 holy place some goods, and bring them into his own house ; 
 this is sacrilege. So for me to go and take my sins from 
 Christ, and lay them in mine own bosom, this is sacrilege, 
 says Luther. 
 
 But the reason of it is this, because that men do not study 
 this truth, but are ignorant of it. As, suppose that a man 
 do owe three or four hundred pounds to a shopkeeper for
 
 14 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 1. 
 
 wares and commodities that he hath taken up there : a friend 
 comes and pays the debt, crosses the book : but the debtor, 
 when he comes and looks upon the book, he is able to read 
 all the particulars ; item for such a thing, and item for such 
 a thing, and item for such a thing ; but the man being not 
 acquainted with the nature of crossing the book, he is able 
 to read all the particulars, and he charges it still upon him- 
 self, because he does not understand the nature of this cross- 
 ing the book, and he is as much troubled how he shall pay 
 the debt, as if it were not paid at all. So now it is here the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, he hath come and crossed our book with 
 his own blood : the sins are to be read in your own con- 
 sciences, but we being not acquainted with the nature of 
 Christ's satisfaction, and the crossing of the book, we charge 
 ourselves, as if no sin at all were satisfied for us : yet when 
 the Lord Jesus Christ was made an offering for sin upon the 
 cross, then he did give full satisfaction unto God the Father. 
 And that is the third. 
 
 Fourthly, This now he hath done as our great High Priest, 
 and in a more transcendent and eminent way, than ever any 
 high priest did before. For, though the high priest did come 
 and make an atonement for a poor sinner, yet he himself 
 was never made a sacrifice ; the priest offered up a sacrifice, 
 but himself never was made a sacrifice. But our great High 
 Priest does not only offer up a sacrifice, but himself is made 
 a sacrifice. Yea, that sacrifice that was then in the times of 
 the Old Testament, it could not purge the conscience ; not 
 only because, as the apostle speaks, it was the blood of bulls 
 and goats, but because the sacrifice was performed succes- 
 sively : as thus, a man sinned, then he brought a sacrifice ; 
 sins again, and then he brings another sacrifice : and once 
 every year, the high priest goes into the holy of holiest to 
 make an atonement. But in the meanwhile a poor soul 
 might think thus, What if I die before the year come about, 
 what will become of me ? the high priest, he goes once a 
 year into the holy of holiest, and sprinkles the mercy-seat, 
 but what will become of me if I die before that time ? But 
 now, our great High Priest, he does not only offer up a 
 sacrifice, and himself the sacrifice ; but he offers up a sacri- 
 fice once for all : so says the apostle. So that now, when a 
 Christian hath sinned, he is not to think of a sacrifice that is
 
 SER. 1.] ox CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 15 
 
 yet to come, a year hence, but he is to look unto that which 
 is done already, a sacrifice once offered, and once for all : so 
 that he needs not be in suspense now, as the Jews were ; 
 his conscience it may be fully purged from sin. 
 
 Again, take the high priest in the times of the Old Testa- 
 ment, and though he did make an atonement for the sins of 
 the people, yet sometimes also he did make the people to 
 sin. It is said of Aaron the great high priest, concerning 
 the golden calf, that he did make the people naked: but the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, our great High Priest, he makes an atone- 
 ment for sin, and never does make them sin : he is so far 
 from making the people naked, that he covers them with his 
 righteousness that their nakedness may not appear. Here is 
 a glorious High Priest. 
 
 Yea, this High Priest of ours, he does not only make an 
 atonement for sin committed, and pays the debt; but he does 
 also become our Surety unto God the Father : he does not 
 only pay the debt that is past, but he becomes a Surety for 
 time to come. None of all those High Priests that ever did 
 so ; not Aaron, not any high priest that ever gave his bond 
 unto God the Father, that any sinner should never sin no 
 more. But our Lord Jesus Christ, our High Priest, he 
 becomes our Surety : and what Surety ? not an ordinary 
 Surety; for amongst us the Surety joins and does become 
 bound with the debtor, but still it runs in the name of the 
 debtor, and the debtor he gives the bond for to pay the debt. 
 But now here, our Surety, he gives the bond, and we that 
 are the debtors, we do not give the bond for to pay the debt: 
 there is no godly man or believer that ever gave a bond unto 
 God the Father that he will pay the debt : but our Surety 
 comes, and the bond goes in the name of the Surety, and the 
 debtor's name is out. Oh ! what a glorious and blessed High 
 Priest is here ? here is a High Priest, beyond all the high 
 priests that ever did go before ! And that is the fourth 
 thing. 
 
 Fifthly, How does all this conduce to our comfort or 
 holiness ? 
 
 I. How does all this make to our comfort ? 
 
 1. Is it not a comfortable thing in the ears of a poor 
 sinner, that there is a magazine and a storehouse of mercy 
 set up ? that the Lord hath erected an office of love, and of
 
 16 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 1. 
 
 mere compassion for poor sinners ? Is it not a comfortable 
 thing that God the Father is satisfied, and so your sins 
 pardoned ? " Son," says Christ unto the palsied man, " be 
 of good comfort, thy sins are forgiven thee," Mark ii. 5. He 
 does not say, Be of good comfort, thy disease is healed : no, 
 whether thy disease be healed, or whether it be not healed, 
 this is comfort, " Son, thy sins are forgiven thee." 
 
 If the Lord Jesus Christ hath satisfied for my sins, may a 
 believer say, then whatsoever affliction I do meet withal, it 
 does not come upon me as a punishment (properly), it does 
 not come upon me as an arrest for to pay my debt. When 
 a reprobate is smitten and afilicted, all his miseries, they are 
 arrests for to pay his debt. Hath the Lord Jesus Christ 
 satisfied divine justice, and God the Father for me ? then 
 surely these afflictions they do not come for me to make 
 satisfaction. 
 
 Again, if the Lord Jesus Christ hath satisfied for my sins, 
 may a believer say, then I shall never be damned, I shall 
 never fall from grace. I have had many fears that I should 
 fall from grace, and so go to hell, and perish at last : but if 
 the Lord Jesus Christ hath satisfied divine justice for my 
 sin, then God the Father will never punish my sin again, for 
 it was punished in Jesus Christ, therefore I cannot fall from 
 grace, therefore I can never be damned. 
 
 And if the Lord Jesus Christ hath satisfied divine justice 
 as our great High Priest, then I may come with boldness 
 unto the throne of grace. A debtor, so long as his debt is 
 unpaid, he dares not come by the prison door, by the compter 
 door ; he is afraid of every sergeant, he is afraid of his friends 
 that they should be sergeants : but when his debt is paid, 
 then he dares go up and down with boldness. And so the 
 poor soul, when he knows that his debt is paid, and Christ 
 hath satisfied, then he may go with boldness unto the throne 
 of grace. 
 
 But you will say, I cannot have the comfort of this, 
 because I cannot say that Christ hath satisfied for me : How 
 shall I know that Jesus Christ is my High Priest, so as to 
 have satisfied for me ? Ah, if I did but know that the Lord 
 Jesus Christ were my High Priest in this particular, so as to 
 have satisfied for me, then should I have comfort indeed : 
 how shall I discover that ? I am afraid he hath not satisfied 
 for me !
 
 SEB. 1.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 17 
 
 And why not for thee ? (man or woman) why not for thee ? 
 I shall tell you what I have heard concerning a young man, 
 that lay upon his death bed, and went to heaven : while he 
 was lying upon his death bed, he comforted himself in this : 
 That the Lord Christ died for sinners. Oh ! blessed be the 
 Lord (says he) Jesus Christ hath died for me. Satan came 
 in with this temptation to him : Aye but, young man, why 
 for thee ? Christ died for sinners, but why for thee ? how 
 canst thou make that appear, that Christ died for thee? Nay 
 Satan (says he) and why not for me ? Ah ! the Lord Jesus, 
 he died for sinners, and therefore, Satan, why not for me ? 
 So he held his comfort, and went up to heaven triumphing. 
 
 So say I to thee, poor drooping soul, that labours under 
 temptation ; why not for thee ? why not for thee ? and say so 
 unto Satan, Why not for me ? 
 
 Again, Christ's satisfaction it lies open for all sorts of 
 sinners to come unto it. As the promise, it runs indefi- 
 nitely ; and if a man come to the promise, and apply it ; 
 his very applying the promise does make it his. You say, 
 Oh ! that I did but know that the promise belongs to me : 
 I say, thy very resting upon the promise makes it to belong 
 to thee. So, the satisfaction of Jesus Christ, this piece of 
 Christ's priestly office, it lies open for all sorts of sinners 
 for to come unto it : and your very resting upon it, and 
 applying it to your own souls, it makes it to belong unto 
 you. 
 
 Furthermore, if Jesus Christ be willing that you should 
 think that he hath satisfied for you, then it is no presumption 
 for you to think so. Now says he at the Lord's Supper, 
 Take my blood that is shed for thee, I apply it to thee. Be- 
 hold thy King cometh unto thee. When he rode upon an 
 ass's colt, it was not said, Behold thy Lord cometh, but Be- 
 hold thy King cometh to thee : he would have every one so 
 to think. 
 
 More especially, if that a poor Christian now, might not go 
 unto Jesus Christ as unto his High Priest, and say, that he 
 is an High Priest to me ; then are we Christians, in a great 
 deal worser condition than the Jews were ; for when a Jew 
 had sinned he might carry his sacrifice to the priest, and he 
 might say, That this priest here belongs to me. And there 
 was never a Jew, amongst all the people of the Jews, but
 
 18 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 1. 
 
 when the high priest sprinkled the mercy-seat, but he might 
 say, This he hath done for me. Now, we are not in a worse 
 condition than the Jews were : this High Priest is beyond 
 all the high priests that ever was before him : and therefore 
 there is never a poor Christian but he may go to the Lord 
 Christ and say, Oh ! my High Priest, and, This my High 
 Priest hath satisfied for me. Oh, what comfort is here to 
 poor drooping souls ! Lift up your heads, Oh all ye saints 
 and children of God ; methinks here is that indeed, that 
 might bring you off your own sands. When there is no 
 water in the river but his own, the tide comes not in, no sea 
 water, only the water of the river, the native water, (as I 
 may so speak) then your bottoms, your ships they stand 
 upon the sands ; but when the tide comes in, then they are 
 raised, and come off the sands then. And so long as thou 
 hast nothing in thy own channel, but thine own righteousness, 
 thou stickest upon the sands in the deep mire; but now, 
 when the tide of the Lord's satisfaction comes in, there 
 is a full sea of mercy, and satisfaction (able to swim the 
 heaviest vessel) made by Jesus Christ. Ah, methinks this 
 should lift up a poor soul and fetch him off from his sands : 
 Be of good comfort then. Thus it is evident how this truth 
 does much conduce to our comfort. 
 
 But you will say, Does it not much conduce to our grace 
 or holiness too ? Or if it do, I pray how ? 
 
 Yes, this truth does conduce much to our holiness too. 
 You shall observe, that the new covenant of grace, it is 
 laid and founded upon the satisfaction of Jesus Christ upon 
 the cross, upon that oblation. Three times the apostle Paul 
 makes mention of the new covenant of grace in the book 
 of the Hebrews, the viiith, ixth, and xth chapters : and in 
 all these places he lays the covenant of grace, and founds 
 it upon this satisfaction of Jesus Christ. But especially 
 in the ixth chapter, 13th, 14th, and 15th verses. The 
 14th : " How much more shall the blood of Christ, who 
 through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to 
 God, purge your conscience from dead works, to serve the 
 living God." Then at the 15th verse, " And for this cause, 
 he is the Mediator of the New Testament." For this cause : 
 plainly laying the new covenant of grace upon the satisfaction 
 of Jesus Christ, upon this part of his priestly office. So
 
 SER. 1.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 19 
 
 then, thou mayest now go unto God the Father and say, 
 Lord, thou hast made a covenant of grace with poor 
 man, and this covenant of grace is founded upon the 
 priestly office and satisfaction of Jesus Christ ; and the Lord 
 Jesus Christ he hath satisfied for me ; and the new covenant 
 promises, that we " shall be all taught of God." Lord, I am 
 ignorant, Oh ! therefore now, by the satisfaction of Christ 
 let me be taught of thee, that I may be made wise unto sal- 
 vation. And so again, Lord, thou hast made a covenant of 
 grace with poor man ; this is laid upon the satisfaction of 
 Jesus Christ : the covenant of grace says, " I will write my 
 law in your inward parts :" now, O Lord, seeing Jesus Christ 
 hath founded this covenant in his blood, and I am one of 
 those that he hath made satisfaction for ; Oh ! write thy law 
 in my inward parts that I may do all thy wills. 
 
 But again (in the second place) that we may see how this 
 doth conduce to our holiness : strengthen faith, and we 
 strengthen all : if faith be weakened, all grace is weakened : 
 strengthen your faith, and you strengthen all your holiness, 
 and all your graces. The way to strengthen a bough, or a 
 branch of the tree, is not to carry dung up into the tree, but 
 to lay it to the root : strengthen the root, and ye strengthen 
 all the branches. Faith is the root-grace : now the know- 
 ledge, and the thorough digesting of this truth, that the Lord 
 Jesus Christ is our great High-Priest, in this point of satis- 
 faction, it does wonderfully strengthen our faith. For, the 
 more I know that God is willing, and Christ willing to shew 
 mercy unto me, the more my faith is strengthened : I know 
 this, that every man is willing to do the work of his office, if 
 he be faithful : a porter is willing to carry a burden : why ? 
 because it is his office to do it. It is the office of Jesus 
 Christ for to bear our sins : it is his office to be the great 
 High Priest, that does satisfy God the Father for our sins : 
 surely therefore, he is willing to do it, for he is faithful in his 
 office. 
 
 But besides, the more I see an holy necessity upon Christ 
 Jesus, for to show mercy to me, the more my faith rises. 
 It is very remarkable the Lord Jesus Christ, as God, he 
 may refuse, and might refuse, whether he would shew mercy 
 to us or no : but now as a High Priest, he cannot refuse a 
 poor sinner that does come unto him. If I know that Christ 
 c 2
 
 20 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 1. 
 
 is able to satisfy, is able to shew mercy to me, my faith stirs 
 a little, at the sight of Christ's ability; if I know that Christ 
 be willing to shew mercy to me, my faith rises higher : but if 
 I know that Christ cannot refuse me, if I do come unto him, 
 then my faith rises up to a great height indeed. When a 
 poor sinner amongst the Jews, had sinned, and brought his 
 sacrifice to the high priest, the priest might not refuse it : 
 our Lord Jesus Christ is our great High Priest; I say, as 
 God he may refuse, but now, he being our great High Priest, 
 therefore when a poor sinner comes to Jesus Christ, as a 
 High Priest he cannot refuse : oh what a great strengthening 
 is this to faith ! Strengthen faith, and you strengthen all : 
 the right understanding of this truth, doth wonderfully 
 strengthen faith. 
 
 Further, the more a man is engaged to Jesus Christ, and 
 takes himself to be engaged to him, the more holy he is : the 
 more a man sees himself freed from sin by Christ, the more 
 he takes himself to he engaged to Christ, for freeing of him 
 from his sin. Now this truth tells us how Christ hath satis- 
 fied for our sins, freed us from sin ; and so we shall be the 
 more engaged to Christ. If a man were going to prison, 
 even at the compter door, for a great sum of money ; and the 
 door were unlocking : if a man should come and speak to the 
 sergeant, Hold your hands, here is money for you, I will 
 pay this man's debt, and lays the money down ; would not 
 this poor debtor take himself for ever engaged to that man, 
 that should thus come, and lay down the money, and free 
 him so seasonably from the compter, and prison ? Thus it 
 was with the Lord Christ ; Ah, we were all going to prison, 
 everlasting prison, chains of darkness, and he comes and 
 lays down the money, makes full satisfaction to God the 
 Father as our great High Priest : Oh ! what an engagement 
 is this to every soul unto the Lord Christ, to become the 
 Lord Christ's for ever. 
 
 Lastly, the more a man does deny his own righteousness, 
 the more holy he is with gospel holiness. It is said of the 
 Jews, That they going about to establish their own righ- 
 teousness, submitted not unto the righteousness of Christ. 
 So on the contrary ; when a man does go about to establish 
 the righteousness of Christ, then he submits unto it, and 
 then he denies his own righteousness. The more we see a
 
 SER. 1.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 21 
 
 fulness of satisfaction made by Jesus Christ, for all our sins, 
 unto God the Father, the more we acknowledge Christ's 
 righteousness, and the more we establish it, and the more we 
 shall be brought off from all our own righteousness. 
 
 Oh ! therefore now, as ever you do desire, to have more 
 grace, more holiness, more comfort ; study, and study much 
 this priestly office of Jesus Christ. There are many that 
 complain, that they cannot profit under the means of grace : 
 that they have hard hearts : that the ways, and ordinances of 
 God are not sweet to them : prayer they do perform, but 
 with no sweetness, they do not relish the blood and Spirit of 
 Christ upon their spirits in their duties, &c. Many complain 
 that their sins, and temptations' (like the sons of Zeruiah) are 
 to mighty for them, and that one day they shall be slain by 
 the hand of Saul, such a lust, such a corruption. No wonder 
 that we have these complaints, when we do not go unto the 
 storehouse of comfort and grace that the Lord hath set open 
 for us. The priestly office of Christ, it is the great maga- 
 zine, and storehouse, of all that grace and comfort which we 
 have on this side heaven : if ye do not go unto it, is it any 
 wonder that ye want comfort, or that ye want grace ? I ap- 
 peal to you now ; are there not some, nay, many that never 
 went to Jesus Christ as their High Priest to this day ? Ah, 
 are there not some even professors, that do not know what 
 the priestly office of Jesus Christ means ? Oh 1 no wonder 
 (poor soul) so uncomfortable, no more strength against 
 thy temptations. If the State should appoint a man for to 
 relieve poor, maimed soldiers, that go a begging : if they meet 
 with the same man that is appointed by the State, and they 
 beg of him in the streets as an ordinary man, he relieves 
 them not : but now, if they come unto him, as a man ap- 
 pointed by the State for relief of such, then he relieves them 
 according to the duty of his place. So it is with men, they 
 go to Christ in an ordinary way, they do not go to Christ as 
 the great Lord Treasurer of all our graces, as our great High 
 Priest, they do not go unto him as in office ; set up in office 
 by God the Father for such relief: they do not address them- 
 selves to him as their High Priest to make satisfaction for 
 them, and therefore they go away and have no relief. But 
 would we have more strength against corruption? would we walk 
 more comfortably in our course ? would we find the ways of
 
 22 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 1. 
 
 God, ordinances, and duties more sweet and comfortable to 
 our souls? then read, and consider that place in the Canticles ii. 
 3, '* As the apple-tree among the trees of the wood, so is my 
 beloved among the sons : I sat down under his shadow with 
 great delight, and his fruit was sweet unto my taste." The 
 spouse speaks it concerning Christ. What is this fruit of 
 Christ ? Your justification, adoption, vocation, sanctification, 
 consolation, it is all the fruit of Christ : all your own duties, 
 your prayers, reading, meditation, they are all the fruit of 
 Christ: the enjoyment of all his ordinances, and all your 
 spiritual privileges under the gospel, they are the fruit of 
 Christ. Now says she, " I sat down under the shadow, and 
 his fruit it was sweet unto my taste." As it is unto a man that 
 does love fruit; be it pears, apples, cherries, or the like : I 
 love this fruit (says he) but yet notwithstanding, I must 
 needs go where this fruit grows, and gather it off the tree ; 
 and when he hath gone to the tree, and taken the fruit off 
 the tree, (says he) I sat down under the tree. I had not the 
 fruit, the apples, or cherries, brought unto my house, but I 
 went unto the tree, and gathered it off the tree, and I sat 
 down under the shadow of the tree, and Oh ! how sweet was 
 the fruit unto me ! So says the soul, so says the spouse of 
 Jesus Christ : I sat down under the shadow of Jesus Christ, 
 and then his fruit was sweet unto my taste. It may be we 
 have had other shadows : we have sat down under the sha- 
 dow of our estate, our outward estate hath been sweet unto our 
 taste. We have sat down, it may be under the shadow of 
 friendship, and the fruit of friendship hath been sweet unto 
 our taste ; but behold here a tree, the tree of life, whose 
 shadow reaches to the end of the earth : Ah, come, come 
 and sit down under the shadow of Jesus Christ. If there be 
 ever a poor soul, that never yet knew what comfort meant; Ah, 
 come, come under the shadow of the Lord Jesus; the priestly 
 office of Jesus Christ, it hath a very sweet shadow ; come 
 therefore, you that say you cannot profit under the means, 
 and you that complain of such . and such temptations, and 
 such and such sins; and that you were never yet com- 
 forted, your consciences never pacified : come now, and sit 
 down under the shadow of the Lord Jesus Christ. I tell 
 thee, from the Lord, this fruit of his, it shall be sweet unto 
 thy taste : thou shalt go to prayer, and prayer shall be sweet
 
 SER. 2.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 23 
 
 unto thy soul, though heretofore thou couldst find no sweet- 
 ness in it ; so the word and other ordinances shall be sweeter 
 unto thee than the honey or the honeycomb. 
 
 Thus it is evident how comfortable the priestly office of 
 Jesus Christ is, and how much conducing unto our comfort, 
 and holiness: Oh! therefore let us study, now study the 
 priestly office of Jesus Christ, and come and sit down under 
 his shadow, and the Lord make his fruit sweet unto all our 
 souls. And thus I have opened, and applied the first particu- 
 lar of Christ's priestly office. The second follows. &c. 
 
 SERMON II. 
 
 " Wherefore in all things it behoved him, to be made like unto his 
 brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest, in 
 things pertaining to godliness, to make reconciliation for the sins of 
 the people. For in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is 
 able to succour them that are tempted," HEB. n. 17, 18. 
 
 * I HAVE begun to discover from these words, that the 
 priestly office of Jesus Christ, is the great magazine, and 
 storehouse of all that grace and comfort which we have in 
 this world: that whereby we are succoured, and relieved 
 against all temptations. This hath been made good in the 
 general ; and in one particular work of the high priest. 
 
 If we now inquire further, what the work of the high priest 
 was, and is, that accordingly we may address ourselves unto 
 Jesus Christ for succour. We shall find, that it is also, to 
 pray, and intercede for the people. " To make reconcilia- 
 tion for the sins of the people," says the text, " To make 
 atonement for the sins of the people," says the Old Testa- 
 ment. Which reconciliation, or atonement, was made in the 
 times of the Old Testament, not only by offering of a sacrifice, 
 but by taking the blood thereof, and presenting that with 
 prayers, and intercessions, unto God, to accept of it for the 
 sins of the people. As we shall find in that same xvith of 
 Leviticus : after the sacrifice was killed, the priest was to 
 take the blood of it, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the 
 mercy-seat; as we read in the 14th verse. And at the 12th 
 and 13th, " He shall take a censer full of burning coals of
 
 24 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE.. [SfiR. 2. 
 
 fire from off the altar before the Lord, and his hands full of 
 sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail ; and 
 he shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that 
 the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy-seat." He was 
 to cause a cloud of incense to arise upon the mercy-seat. 
 All which was a great type of the prayers, and intercessions of 
 Jesus Christ : who having once offered up himself a sacrifice 
 for our sins, hath carried the blood, and the virtue of it into 
 heaven, there sprinkled the mercy-seat, and there still by his 
 intercessions does appear for us ; as it is proved at large, in 
 the ixth chapter of this epistle to the Hebrews, 1 1th and 
 12th verses, " But Christ being come an High Priest of good 
 things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, 
 not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building : 
 neither by the blood of goats and calves : but by his own 
 blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained 
 eternal redemption for us." And at the 24th verse : " For 
 Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, 
 which are the figures of the true, but into heaven itself, now 
 to appear in the presence of God for us." And if you duly 
 consider this book of the Hebrews, you will find, that this 
 work of Christ's intercession, is the essential work of his 
 priestly office : it seems rather to go beyond the former, than 
 to fall short of it. Hebrews, the viiith chapter, and the 4th 
 verse, " For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest." 
 That is, look as it was in the times of the Old Testament : if 
 the priest had only offered a sacrifice, and had not gone into 
 the holy of holiest with the blood thereof, sprinkling the 
 mercy-seat, praying, and interceding that it might be accep- 
 ted for the sins of the people, the priest had not done the 
 work of the priest, and so he had not been a complete priest : 
 so now, (says the apostle) if Jesus Christ had only offered 
 up himself here a sacrifice, and had not gone into heaven, 
 the holy of holiest, and carried the power and the virtue of 
 his death thither, to pray and intercede for us, he had not 
 done the work of the great high priest. Every priest 
 might sacrifice, but every priest might not go into the holy 
 of holiest, that belonged only to the high priest to do. Now 
 therefore, Jesus Christ going into heaven, the holy of holiest, 
 there to make intercession for us, is the great, and the special 
 work of this High Priest.
 
 SEB. 2.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 25 
 
 That I may clear up this mysterious truth, I shall deliver 
 myself these four ways ; by opening, 
 
 First, Wherein the intercession of Christ consisteth : and 
 what he doth when we say he intercedes in heaven for us. 
 
 Secondly, How powerful, and prevailing his intercessions 
 are with God the Father. 
 
 Thirdly, That he doth now intercede as our great High Priest 
 and in a more transcendent and eminent way and manner, 
 than ever any high priest did before. 
 
 Fourthly, This does conduce to our comfort, and to our 
 holiness. 
 
 First, if it be demanded, Wherein consisteth this interces- 
 sion of Jesus Christ. 
 
 I answer. First it consists in this : His appearing for us 
 in heaven, his owning of our cause, and of our souls to God 
 the Father : it is the word that is used in that ixth chapter 
 of the Hebrews, the 24th verse, " Christ is not entered into 
 the holy place made with hands, but into heaven, now to 
 appear in the presence of God for us." He does not in an 
 ordinary way and manner appear for us in heaven ; but with 
 an emphasis, he does openly, and publicly, before all the 
 saints and angels, appear for us in the presence of God the 
 Father. It is a comfort unto a man, sometimes to have a 
 good friend at court, at the king's elbow, that may own him, 
 and appear for him : but though a man have a friend at 
 court, sometimes if there be any danger, he will not appear 
 and own a man ; it may be he will own him, and counte- 
 nance his cause as long as there is no danger, but no longer. 
 But now, here, we have a friend in heaven, that will appear 
 for us, and own our causes, and our souls, and in all conditions 
 appear for us. That is the first. 
 
 Secondly, He doth not only appear for us ; but by virtue of 
 his priestly office, he does carry the power, merit, and vir- 
 tue of his blood into the presence of God the Father in hea- 
 ven, and sprinkles the mercy-seat with it seven times. Seven 
 is a note of perfection. Those that Christ suffered for, he 
 does intercede for. He takes all their bonds, and he carries 
 them in unto God the Father, and he says, Father, I have 
 paid these bonds, I have paid this debt, 1 have satisfied thy 
 justice for these poor sinners, and now my desire is, that they 
 may be acquitted from these bonds, and from these debts.
 
 26 ox CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 2. 
 
 This also is remarkable in that ixth chapter of the Hebrews, 
 llth and 12th verses. 
 
 Thirdly, He doth not only carry the power, and virtue of 
 his blood, and present it to God the Father for our dis- 
 charge : but he does also plead our cause in heaven, answer- 
 ing unto all those accusations that are brought against us. 
 And therefore we may read what the apostle says in the 
 viiith of Romans 33rd verse. " Who shall lay any thing 
 to the charge of God's elect ? it is God that justifies, who is 
 he that condemneth ? it is Christ that died, yea, rather that 
 is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God : who 
 also maketh intercession for us." Upon this ground the 
 apostle speaks thus ; Who shall condemn them ? Jesus Christ 
 is at the right hand of God the Father, to take off all accusa- 
 tions that shall be brought against them. Let the world 
 condemn, let Moses condemn, let Satan condemn ; Jesus 
 Christ is at the right hand of God the Father, to take off all 
 accusations that shall be raised against them. Concerning 
 this there is a clear and full instance in that notable scripture 
 the iiird chapter of Zechariah, and the 1st verse, we find 
 Satan standing at the right hand of Joshua to resist him. 
 " He shewed me Joshua the high priest, standing before the 
 angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to 
 resist him." It was the custom of the accuser, to stand at 
 the right hand of the accused : Psalm cixth verse 6th, f ' Set 
 thou a wicked man over him, and let Satan stand at his right 
 hand :" take the wall of him in his accusation, condemning of 
 him. Now here Satan standing at Joshua's right hand, 
 notes his accusing of him. Well what was the matter that 
 he accused him of ? Ye shall find that there was matter, 
 verse the 3rd. " Now Joshua was clothed with filthy gar- 
 ments, and stood before the angel." Satan came and accu- 
 sed him that he had filthy garments : and so he had : for the 
 priests had defiled themselves in Babylon, in marrying of 
 strange wives, as Joshua and his children are charged, in the 
 xtii chapter of Ezra, and the 18th verse. Give me leave a 
 little to open this charge of Satan, that we may see Satan 
 had matter of charge, and accusation against Joshua. " And 
 among the sons of the priests, that were found that had taken 
 strange wives : namely the sons of Joshua." He was high 
 priest. So that now, Joshua had defiled his garments:
 
 SER. 2.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 27 
 
 there was then matter of accusation for Satan to work upon. But 
 now, our Lord Jesus Christ, our great High Priest steps in, 
 and takes off this accusation : the Lord said (at the iiird of 
 Zechariah, 3rd verse) unto Satan, " The Lord rebuke thee, O 
 Satan, even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke 
 thee." The word used by the Septuagint, is the same that 
 is used for excommunication. And it is here twice repeated, 
 " The Lord rebuke thee, even the Lord rebuke thee :" not 
 only to show the fulness of Satan's rebuke : but to show the 
 fulness of the intercession of Jesus Christ. Now would we 
 see the fulness of Christ's apology for Joshua ? says the 
 Lord unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, even the Lord re- 
 buke thee : and (says he at the latter end of the 2nd verse) 
 " Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire ?" Thus it is true 
 Lord, that Joshua hath filthy garments : but yet not withstand- 
 ing, Joshua is but as a brand plucked newly out of the burning. 
 Take a brand, and pull it newly out of the fire, and there 
 will be dust, ashes, and dirt about it. Lord (says he) Joshua 
 is but newly pulled out of the burning, and therefore, Lord, 
 he must needs have some ashes, and some dirt, and some filth 
 about him : O Lord, (says Christ) although that Joshua be 
 clothed with filthy garments, I will take away those filthy 
 garments : verse the 4th, " He answered and spake 
 unto those that stood before him saying, Take away the filthy 
 garments from him : and unto him he said, Behold, I have 
 caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe 
 thee with change of raiment." This can be none but Christ. 
 Thus Christ takes off the accusation that was brought against 
 Joshua by Satan, for his filthy garments. And so does the 
 Lord Christ now ; if a poor soul fall into any sin, defile his 
 garments, Satan, he comes in, and takes the right hand of 
 him, stands at the right hand and accuses, by reason of this 
 filthy garment : but our Lord Jesus Christ our great High 
 Priest, he being at the right hand of the Father, takes up the 
 cause, and answers to the accusation : True Lord, this poor 
 soul, indeed hath filthy garments ; but he is but as a fire- 
 brand plucked newly out of the burning : he was in his na- 
 tural, and sinful condition the other day, in his burning, and 
 he is but newly changed, and therefore he must needs have 
 some dirt, and some filth upon him, as a fire-brand plucked 
 out of the burning ; and therefore consider him in that respect,
 
 28 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 2. 
 
 and though he have filthy garments now upon him; yet I 
 will give him change of raiments, and take away his filthy 
 garments. Thus the Lord Christ steps in to God the Father, 
 and answers to all those accusations that are brought against 
 him to God the Father. This is the third thing that he does 
 by way of his intercession. 
 
 Again, he doth not only plead our cause, and take off 
 accusations that are brought against us : but he does also call 
 for absolution, and pardon of poor sinners, at the hand of 
 God the Father, in a way of justice and equity : and therefore 
 he is called, our Advocate : " If any man sin, we have an Ad- 
 vocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous/ 3 1 Johnii. 1. 
 The work of an advocate differs from the work of a petitioner ; 
 an advocate does not petition the judge, but an advocate, he 
 tells the judge what is law, what is right, and what ought to 
 be done. So the Lord Jesus Christ being in heaven, and 
 making intercession, is there as our Advocate : Lord (says 
 he) this man, he hath sinned indeed, but I have satisfied for 
 his sins, I have paid for them to the full, I have satisfied thy 
 wrath to the full : now therefore, in a way of equity, and in 
 a way of justice, I do here call for this man's pardon ; thus 
 Christ intercedes. And thus we see, briefly, wherein the 
 intercession of Christ consisteth, and what he does when we 
 say, That he intercedes for us in heaven. 
 
 Well, but suppose he does intercede, can he.prevail in his 
 intercession, hath he any potency, power or prevalency with 
 God the Father in his intercession ? 
 
 Yes very much : and therefore we find in that same iiird 
 of Zechariah, that Joshua goes away with a fair mitre upon 
 his head ; verse 5, " And I said, Let them set a fair mitre 
 (or a crown) upon his head : so they set a fair mitre (or a 
 crown) upon his head, and clothed him with garments, and 
 the angel of the Lord stood by/ 3 Satan at the beginning 
 stood at his right-hand to accuse him ; but this accuser of 
 the brethren goes away with a double rebuke, and Joshua 
 goes away with a crown : through the intercession of Jesus 
 Christ he goes away with a crown upon his head. 
 
 All which will appear to you if we consider three things. 
 
 First, what great interest our Lord and Saviour Christ 
 hath in the bosom of God the Father. Paul prevailed with 
 Philemon for Onesimus, through the great interest that Paul
 
 SEB. 2.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 29 
 
 had in the bosom of Philemon. Our Lord and Saviour 
 Christ, he hath lien in the bosom of God the Father from 
 all eternity: he is his Son, his natural Son, his beloved Son, 
 his Son that did never offend him: and therefore surely 
 when he comes and intercedes for a man, he is most like to 
 speed, to prevail. We know that David going out against 
 Nabal and his house, Abigail comes forth, meets with David, 
 and intercedes for Nabal ; and Abigail did so powerfully 
 intercede even for Nabal, that she turned David's heart quite 
 round about. David swore he would not leave one of the 
 house, and after Abigail had interceded a little for Nabal, in 
 1 Sam. xxv. 32, David said unto Abigail, " Blessed be_the 
 Lord God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me : 
 and blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou which hast kept 
 me this day from coming to shed blood." Pray what did 
 Abigail say, that she turned David thus about, that ^her 
 intercession was thus powerful ? Says Abigail, " As for 
 Nabal he is according to his name. And it shall come to 
 pass (at the 30th verse) when the Lord shall have done to 
 my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken con- 
 cerning thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel, 
 that this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart to 
 my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that 
 my lord hath avenged himself." This shall be no grief at 
 all unto thine heart, says she, and other words that she used, 
 by which she prevailed here with David. But Abigail was 
 a stranger to David : and Abigail she prays and intercedes 
 for Nabal, a wicked, vile, foolish man. Shall Abigail, a 
 woman, a stranger prevail thus with David for a Nabal ? 
 and shall not the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, 
 not a stranger, nor a stranger to his bosom, but beloved from 
 everlasting, shall not he prevail much more, when he comes 
 and pleads the cause of the elect, and of the children of 
 God, in the presence of God the Father, whom the Father 
 loves also ? Great is the rhetoric of a child : if a child do 
 but cry Father, especially if the child be a wise child, he 
 may prevail much with a tender-hearted father. The Lord 
 Jesus Christ he is the Son of the Father, and he is the wis- 
 dom of the Father too ; and God the Father is a tender- 
 hearted Father. Oh ! surely therefore, powerful are the 
 intercessions of Jesus Christ with God the Father.
 
 30 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 2. 
 
 Secondly, the prevalency of Christ's intercessions with the 
 Father will appear, if we consider the inclination and dispo- 
 sition that God the Father hath unto the same things that 
 Christ prayeth and intercedeth for. If a child should come 
 and intreat his father in a matter that the father hath no 
 mind to, or that the father is set against, possibly he might 
 not prevail : but if a beloved child shall come and pray the 
 father in a business that the father likes as well as the child, 
 surely then the child is very like to speed. Thus it is : the 
 Lord Jesus Christ comes and he intercedes for us, and the Fa- 
 ther hath as great an inclination and disposition unto the work 
 that Christ intercedes for, as Christ himself hath; and 
 therefore says Christ, " Lo, I come to do thy will : I come 
 not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." 
 That which Christ did, that he had a mind to ; it was rather 
 the will of the Father than Christ's will : the Father is as 
 strongly inclined and disposed to what Christ did and wills, 
 as Christ himself. " Those that thou hast given me," says 
 he, " I have lost none :" they are thine own, Lord, and 
 therefore I pray for them. We have a notable expression to 
 this end in the xth chapter of John and the 17th verse. 
 " Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down 
 my life, that I may take it again." " I lay down my life :" 
 here is his suffering and his satisfaction. " That I may take 
 it again :" go up to heaven and take it again and intercede. 
 " Therefore doth my Father love me :" Oh ! what a round 
 of love is here : God the Father out of love sends Christ 
 into the world to die for man : " God so loved the world 
 that he gave his only begotten Son." Well, Jesus Christ 
 out of love to us he dies for us : " Who hath loved us and 
 given himself for us." The Father loves the world in giving 
 Christ; the Son loves the world in dying for us; and the 
 Father he loves Christ again for loving us. Christ loves us, 
 and the Father loves Christ again for loving of us. A 
 mighty high expression ! that the Father should love Christ 
 for loving us. So then look wherein the love of Christ is 
 seen unto poor sinners, the Father's inclination and dispo- 
 sition is unto that as much as Christ's. So that when he 
 comes unto God the Father and does intercede, he must 
 needs prevail, because the Father loves him for his inter-
 
 [SER. 2. ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 31 
 
 ceding, the Father likes the matter as well as he, loves him 
 the better for it. 
 
 Thirdly, this will appear also, if we consider upon what 
 terms our Lord and Saviour Christ, our great High Priest, 
 was taken and admitted into heaven, the holy of holiest : so 
 it is called. He was honorably received into heaven, and he 
 was received thither for to do the work of the high priest. 
 He was honorably received when he came to heaven : " Sit 
 thou down at my right-hand," says God the Father to him ; 
 a note of 'honor. When Solomon would express his honor 
 to his mother, he set her down at his right-hand. Thus God 
 the Father would express the honorable welcome that Christ 
 had when he came to heaven : Sit thou down at my right- 
 hand, says he. Now ye shall observe, that whensoever this 
 is made mention of, the sitting down at the right-hand of 
 God the Father ; it is made mention of, not with the kingly 
 office of Christ, but with the priestly office of Christ : as if 
 he were set down there to do the work of the priestly office. 
 One would think, I say, that this should be expressed with 
 the kingly office of Christ, but you shall find it running 
 along in the scripture still with the priestly office of 
 Jesus Christ. Look into Hebrews viii. 1. Now of the 
 things which we have spoken this is the sum : " We have 
 such, an High Priest, who is set on the right-hand of the 
 throne of the Majesty in the heavens." It is named with 
 the priestly office. And so again in the xth chapter of the 
 Hebrews, at the llth and 12th verses, " Every high priest 
 standeth daily ministering, and offering oftentimes the same 
 sacrifices, which can never take away sin: but this man 
 (speaking of Christ) after he had offered one sacrifice for 
 sins, for ever sat down on the right-hand of God." It is 
 carried along with the mention of the priestly office of 
 Christ ; as if he were sat down at the right-hand of God the 
 Father in heaven, on purpose to do the work of the priestly 
 office. When Jesus Christ came into heaven, into the holy 
 of holiest, he came thither as our great High Priest ; and he 
 said unto God the Father, Lord, I am not now come in 
 mine own name, for my own sake only, but I come as the 
 great High Priest, having on this breast-plate the name of all 
 the elect : and I come to intercede for poor sinners ; I come 
 as High Priest. Says God the Father to him, Welcome
 
 32 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 2. 
 
 upon those terms, welcome upon those terms; notwithstand- 
 ing thou dost come in their names, come and sit down at 
 my right-hand, says God the Father to him. Thus the 
 Father is engaged, for he received him upon those terms into 
 heaven, as our great High Priest. The Father therefore is 
 engaged to hear his intercession, and so the intercession of 
 Jesus Christ must have a great deal of power and prevalency 
 with God the Father in heaven. This is the second thing. 
 
 But, thirdly, Does the Lord Jesus Christ intercede for us 
 in heaven as our great High Priest ? 
 
 Yes, and he does do this in a more transcendent and emi- 
 nent way and manner than ever any high priest did before 
 him. 
 
 For, first, he hath gone through more temptations than 
 ever any high priest did. " He was tempted," says the text, 
 " that he might succour those that are tempted/' as an High 
 Priest. If he was tempted that he might succour those that 
 are tempted, succour them as an High Priest ; then the more 
 he was tempted, the more experimentally able he is for to 
 succour those that are tempted. Never any high priest that 
 was tempted like unto Christ. " He was (says the apostle) 
 in all things tempted like unto us, sin only excepted." 
 Poor soul, name any temptation that thy heart is scared at 
 the thoughts of, and you will find that the Lord Jesus Christ 
 he was tempted with that temptation. You will say, I am 
 oftentimes tempted to doubt whether I be the child of God 
 or no, and that very often. So was Christ too : you know 
 the place in the ivth of Matthew, " If thou be the Son of 
 God," and " If thou be the Son of God," twice that the devil 
 would set an if upon Christ's Sonship. Oh ! but I am temp- 
 ted often times to use indirect means to get out of trouble. 
 So was Christ too : " Command that these stones be made 
 bread," says the devil to him. Oh ! but sometimes I have 
 been tempted even to lay violent hands upon myself. So 
 did the devil tempt Christ too : " Cast thyself down off the 
 pinnacle of the temple ;" that was a temptation. Oh! but I 
 am tempted unto such evil things, that truly I am afraid to 
 speak of; such blasphemies, such horrid, and wretched blas- 
 phemies, as I think never came upon the heart of any child 
 of God, so that I am afraid to think of them, and ashamed 
 to mention them. And was not Christ so ? was not he
 
 SER. 2.] ox CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 33 
 
 tempted so ? Says the devil to him, " All this will I give 
 thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me." Oh ! horrid blas- 
 phemy ! blush, blush, O sun : that the Lord Jesus, the God 
 of glory, should fall down to the devil, and worship the devil ; 
 what wretched blasphemy was here, that he should speak 
 this ! and yet the Lord Jesus Christ, he was tempted to it. 
 What shall I say, He was in all things tempted like unto us, 
 sin only excepted. Now, there was never any high priest 
 that was so tempted, and he was therefore tempted, that he 
 might succour those that are tempted. He is more able as 
 our High Priest to intercede, to put in for you, and to suc- 
 cour you, than ever any high priest was before him. 
 
 Again, as he hath gone through more temptations than 
 ever any high priest did : so also, he is filled with more com- 
 passions. It behoved the high priest to be merciful : it is an 
 office of love, and mercy. Now our Lord and Saviour 
 Christ (says the apostle) is such an High Priest as cannot 
 but be touched with your infirmities : the high priest that 
 did go before him, sometimes, was not touched with their 
 infirmities : Hannah came and prayed, and Eli's heart was 
 not touched with her infirmity, at the first. But our High 
 Priest cannot but be touched, he does sympathize with us 
 under all our infirmities. He is afflicted in all our afflictions. 
 It was the work of the high priest to sympathize with the 
 people ; and yet notwithstanding, there was a law, that the 
 high priest might not mourn for his kindred, in that he 
 might not, as others, sympathize or mourn. But now, our 
 Lord Jesus, he does fully sympathize with us, and therefore 
 goes beyond all the high priests that ever were before him. 
 
 Further, He is more faithful in his office, and place, than 
 ever any high priest was. Aaron was an high priest, but 
 unfaithful in the matter of the golden calf. But our Lord 
 and Saviour Christ, he is more faithful than Moses was. In 
 this iiird of Hebrews 1st and 2nd verses, (and so on) 
 " Wherefore, holy brethren, consider the Apostle and High 
 Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to him 
 that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his 
 house." He steps over Aaron ; who was the high priest, 
 and he compares him here to Moses in faithfulness. Now 
 Moses was faithful in all his house : but our Lord and Sa- 
 viour here, he is preferred before Moses in point of faithful-
 
 34 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 2. 
 
 ness; yet it is said, " Moses was faithful in all his house. 3 ' 
 When that the Lord commanded Moses any thing, as the 
 Lord commanded so did he, and rose up early in the morn- 
 ing to do the commandment of God : he was faithful in all 
 his house ; and yet our Lord and Saviour was more faithful 
 than Moses in the matter of his priesthood. For so it is 
 brought in here, at the iiird verse, " For this man was 
 counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he 
 who hath builded the house, hath more honour than the 
 house." Verse the 5th. " Moses verily was faithful in all 
 his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which 
 were to be spoken after : but Christ as a son over his own 
 house." Look now, as a child or a son is more faithful in 
 his father's house than a servant will be : so (says the apos- 
 tle) Christ is more faithful than Moses. And look as the 
 builder of the house, does go beyond, and excel every beam, 
 and stone in the house, or every part of the building : so 
 does the Lord Christ in faithfulness, exceed Moses. You 
 will say, there is a great difference between a stone in the 
 building, and the maker of the house : look what difference 
 there is between a stone, or a piece of wood, and the maker 
 of the building : so great a difference there is (says the apos- 
 tle) between Jesus Christ, in the matter of his priesthoocf, 
 and Moses ; yet notwithstanding, Moses is faithful in all his 
 house. Oh ! then how faithful is Jesus Christ, in the matter 
 of his priesthood ! He goes before all that ever went be- 
 fore him. 
 
 Again, take other high priests, and though they were never 
 so good, they could not always intercede, they died; the high 
 priest died, and another came in his room: but this man liveth 
 for ever to make intercession. 
 
 Yea, take the high priest in the times of the old testa- 
 ment ; and while he lived, he did not always intercede for 
 the people : once in a year, the high priest came to enter 
 into the holy of holiest to sprinkle the mercy- seat with blood, 
 and caused a cloud to arise upon the mercy-seat, with his 
 prayer, and intercessions for their acceptance : and then he 
 went out of the holy of holiest, and laid aside his garments. 
 But now, our great High Priest, is ascended into the holy of 
 holiest never to put off his priestly garments : and he does 
 not once a year sprinkle the mercy-seat with his sacrifice, but
 
 SER. 2.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 35 
 
 every day : and therefore he goes beyond all the high priests 
 that ever went before him. 
 
 And yet further : take the high priest in the old law, in 
 the times of the old testament : and though they did offer 
 sacrifice for some sins, and intercede ; yet there was other 
 sins again, that no sacrifice was to be offered for. If a man 
 did kill another at unawares, there was a sacrifice. If a man 
 sinned ignorantly, there was a sacrifice. But says the text 
 in the xvth of Numbers 30th verse. " If any man sin pre- 
 sumptuously, he shall be cut off, and there shall be no sacrifice 
 for him :" no sacrifice, no intercession by the high priest then. 
 But we have such an High Priest, that makes intercessions 
 for all sins. So he says himself: "Every sin and blasphemy shall 
 be forgiven, except the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost/' 
 Every sin, though it boil up to blasphemy, it shall he for- 
 given ; but without sacrifice there is no remission : and there- 
 fore he hath made a sacrifice ; and so he presents the sacri- 
 fice, and intercedes for every poor sinner : and therefore he 
 is such an High Priest, that transcends all the high priests 
 that ever went before him. 
 
 In the fourth place, How doth all this conduce now to our 
 comfort, or our holiness ; to our grace, or peace ? 
 
 First, To our comfort. Very much to our comfort. And 
 therefore in the ist chapter of Zechariah good words, and com- 
 fortable are spoken upon this occasion : (verse 8.) says the pro- 
 phet, " I saw by night, and behold, a man riding upon a red 
 horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the 
 bottom, and behind him were there red horses speckled and 
 white. Then said I, O my Lord, what are these ? And the 
 angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee 
 what these be. And the man that stood among the myrtle 
 trees, answered and said, these are they, whom the Lord 
 hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth. And they 
 answered the angel of the Lord that stood among the myrtle 
 trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, 
 and behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest. And 
 the angel of the Lord answered, and said, O Lord of hosts, 
 how long, wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem, and on 
 the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation 
 these three-score and ten years?" Here is intercession. 
 " And the Lord answered the angel that talked with me, with 
 D 2
 
 36 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 2. 
 
 good words, and comfortable words." Give me leave to 
 open the words a little, and we shall see how much it makes 
 to our comfort, this intercession of Jesus Christ. At the 
 8th verse, " I saw (says he) a man riding upon a red horse." 
 This is the Lord Jesus Christ presented thus to us. " And 
 he stood among the myrtle trees." The saints and people of 
 God they are called the myrtle trees, for their greenness, 
 sweetness, and fruitfulness. " And these myrtle trees were 
 in the bottom." That is, in a dark, in a low, and a poor 
 condition : it is the condition of myrtle trees, and of the 
 saints and people of God to be oft in bottoms, and in a dark 
 and low condition. Well : " Behind him were there red 
 horses, speckled, and white : and I said, O my Lord, what 
 are these ? " Now that this is Christ ; first of all, he is called 
 a Man, and an Angel too. Secondly, as Christ walked be- 
 tween the golden candlesticks, in the book of Revelation : 
 so here he stood among the myrtle trees, among the saints. 
 And behind him (attending upon him) were red horses, spec- 
 kled, and white. That is, angels sent to and fro through the 
 earth, upon his message, and upon his errand ; and unto him 
 they come and give an account, and to none but Christ. 
 Then we shall see this angel, that stood among the myrtle 
 trees, comes and intercedes : all the angels they come and 
 bring in this report, that the church and people of God were 
 in a low condition. " Then this angel that stood among the 
 myrtle trees, answered and said, (at the 12th verse) O Lord 
 of Hosts, how long, wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem, 
 and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had in- 
 dignation these three score and ten years ? " It must needs 
 be Christ, for no angel intercedes, but Christ alone. What 
 is the fruit of this intercession ? (at the 13th verse) "The 
 Lord answered the angel that talked with me, with good 
 words, and comfortable words." Aye, indeed, good words, 
 and comfortable are the fruit of the intercession of Jesus 
 Christ. It is a matter of great comfort this, that the Lord 
 Christ, our great High Priest, is in heaven to intercede for 
 us. Is it not a comfort to a poor man, to have a friend 
 above, near the king, or in the court, that may be able to do 
 him kindness ? a man sometimes says, I had a friend indeed 
 in the court, but now he is dead. Aye but, here is a friend 
 that never dies : he ever lives to make intercession. Friends
 
 SEB. 2.] ox CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 37 
 
 may alter, and torn enemies ; but he changeth not. Our 
 Lord and Saviour Christ said unto his disciples, rejoice not 
 in this, that the devils fall down like lightning before yon : 
 but rejoice in this, "That your names are written in heaven :" 
 it is a matter of great joy to have one's name written in hea- 
 ven : Oh ! but what is it then, to have one's name written 
 in the chief part of heaven, to have one's name written there 
 upon the breastplate of Jesus Christ, our great High Priest, 
 that is gone into the holy of holiest. Thus it is, the Lord 
 Christ is now gone to heaven, entered into the holy of holi- 
 est, and carries our names into the presence of God the Fa- 
 ther, and there pleads and intercedes for us. Oh ! what 
 matter of comfort is here ! 
 
 But you will say unto me : This is exceeding good, and 
 very comfortable in itself: but what is this to me ? for I am 
 afraid that the Lord Christ does not intercede for me : if in- 
 deed I could persuade myself, that the Lord Jesus were in 
 heaven as my High Priest, to intercede for me, I think verily 
 I should have comfort, though I were in the lowest bottom, 
 though I were in hell itself: but Oh ! I am afraid to bear 
 myself upon the intercession of Jesus Christ, lest I should 
 presume. 
 
 This is the great objection, and stands up continually, to 
 resist the comforts of God^s people : give me leave therefore, 
 to deal with this objection all along, and to take it off, that 
 so the comfort may fall more fully upon you. 
 
 First, I will shew, it is no presumption for us to bear our- 
 selves upon the intercession of Jesus Christ. 
 
 Secondly, Who those are that the Lord Christ does inter- 
 cede for in heaven. And, 
 
 Thirdly, How willing, how infinitely willing he is to inter- 
 cede for us : that so I may bring the comfort nearer to our 
 own bosoms. 
 
 First, I say it is no presumption for us to bear ourselves 
 upon the intercession of Jesus Christ : no presumption to 
 believe. We know the story of the woman in the gospel, 
 that came unto our Lord and Saviour, touching the hem of 
 his garment for her cure, and she was cured thereby. But 
 our Saviour perceiving virtue to be gone from him, he calls 
 out the person, Who hath touched me? come forth ; and the 
 woman came forth trembling. Our Lord and Saviour Christ
 
 38 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 2. 
 
 does not say to this poor woman, How dare you thus touch 
 me ? how durst thou thus presume to do it ? Consider, the 
 woman had no command to do it, no precept to back her : 
 the woman had no promise to engage her, that if she did 
 touch the hem of his garment she should be cured. The 
 woman had no example ; never any before that touched the 
 hem of his garment and was cured. No commandment, no 
 promise, no example : surely now, if any man or woman 
 should presume, it should be this woman, that had no 
 commandment, nor promise, nor example; and yet the 
 Lord Jesus Christ does not chide her away, does not tell her 
 she had presumed; but, " O woman, thy faith hath saved thee, 
 thy faith hath made thee whole." Let me speak this home : 
 we have a command now to believe in Christ; and a promise : 
 Those that come unto him, he ever liveth to make interces- 
 sion for them. And we have examples of many that have 
 come unto Jesus Christ, born themselves upon his interces- 
 sion, and have gone away cured. What ! was it no presump- 
 tion for the woman to come and touch Christ, without a 
 commandment, and a promise, and an example ? and have 
 you examples, and have you promises, and have you com- 
 mandments to believe, and will you say this is presumption ? 
 Be not deceived, it is no presumption for thee, poor soul, to 
 bear thyself at length upon Jesus Christ. 
 
 Secondly, to make this out a little more fully, I shall dis- 
 cover who those are that the intercession of Jesus Christ 
 does belong unto. " If any man sin, we have an Advocate 
 with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous/ 5 1 John ii. 1. 
 You will say, This is to be carried upon those that were 
 spoken of before : and those were such as had fellowship 
 with the Father : " Truly our fellowship is with the Father, 
 and with his Son Jesus Christ," chap. i. ver. 3. " Now if any 
 man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ 
 the righteous." If any man that hath fellowship with the 
 Father, or Christ, sin ; they have an Advocate with God the 
 Father. First therefore stand you by I pray, that we will 
 take for granted, all you that ever had any fellowship with 
 God the Father, or with Jesus Christ ; this doctrine of the 
 intercession of Jesus Christ, and the comfort hereof, does 
 belong to you. 
 
 Moreover, in the xviith chapter of John, there we find that
 
 SER. 2.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 39 
 
 our Saviour says, he prays for those that do believe, and 
 should believe. Those that he prays for here, he intercedes 
 for in heaven : " Neither pray I for these alone (at the 20th 
 verse), but for them also which shall believe on me through 
 thy word." I do not pray only for those that do believe 
 now, but for them also which shall believe. Well then, here 
 is a second sort, those that do believe, and those that wait 
 upon the Lord in the ordinance, that they may believe, or 
 shall believe: stand you by also, you are another sort of 
 people that the intercession of Jesus Christ, and the comfort 
 thereof, does belong unto. 
 
 But now yet further, if we look into the viith chapter of 
 this epistle unto the Hebrews, at the 25th verse we shall find 
 these words : " Wherefore he is able, also, to save them to 
 the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever 
 liveth to make intercession for them." Who are those ? 
 Those that come unto God by him. Lay this, and the liiird 
 chapter of Isaiah, the 12th verse, together: " He was num- 
 bere'd with the transgressors (speaking of Christ clearly), 
 and he bare the sins of many, and made intercession for the 
 transgressors." It may be thou canst not say, I have fellow- 
 ship with God the Father : it may be thou canst not say, I 
 do believe, I am persuaded that I do believe ; thou canst not 
 say so : well, but can you say thus : Through the Lord's 
 grace I do come unto God by Christ ; I have been, and I am 
 a great transgressor, but I come unto God by Christ ; I am 
 one of the coming transgressors : I have been a transgressor, 
 but I am a coming transgressor, I come unto God by Christ. 
 Stand you by also, this intercession of the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 it belongs unto you : and let me tell thee for thy comfort, 
 poor soul, whatsoever thou hast been, that comest unto the 
 Lord by Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ, our great High Priest, 
 he is gone to heaven to intercede for thy soul. 
 
 But you will say, There is one thing that makes me afraid 
 he will not intercede for me, I have been so great a trans- 
 gressor : for I have been a transgressor against Jesus Christ, 
 this High Priest : Oh ! I have sinned against this great High 
 Priest, Jesus Christ, and therefore I am afraid he will not 
 intercede for me. 
 
 For answer to this, I shall only desire you to turn to the 
 xvith chapter of Numbers, the 41st verse, and consider it
 
 40 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SfiR. 2. 
 
 duly; we read there, that all the congregation murmured 
 against Moses and Aaron : Aaron was the High Priest : and, 
 says the text, " all the congregation of the children of Israel 
 murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have 
 killed the people of the Lord." They had murmured against 
 Moses and Aaron. Then, at the 46th verse, " Moses said 
 unto Aaron, Take a censer, put fire therein from off the 
 altar, put on incense, go quickly unto the congregation, and 
 make an atonement for them : for there is wrath gone out 
 from the Lord, the plague is begun." And see what Aaron 
 did : " And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into 
 the midst of the congregation, and behold, the plague was 
 begun among the people : and he put on incense, and 
 made an atonement for the people. And he stood between 
 the dead and the living, and the plague was stayed." They 
 had sinned against Aaron the high priest, and yet Aaron 
 (but the typical high priest, he was but a type of Christ) 
 he ran in, although they had sinned against him, and 
 he stood between the dead and the living, and made an 
 atonement for them". Oh ! if there was so much bowels of 
 compassions in the type, in Aaron, when they had sinned 
 against him, as to go and intercede for them : how much 
 more is there in our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the typified 
 High Priest, to poor souls, to intercede for them. 
 
 But now, this may be more fully made out to us, if we do 
 but take in the third thing, and that is : The Lord Jesus 
 Christ, he is infinitely willing to intercede for us. We have 
 seen who those are unto whom the intercession of Christ 
 belongs: namely, such as have had any fellowship with God the 
 Father, or with Christ : such as do believe, or shall hereafter 
 believe : and all those poor transgressors that come unto 
 God the Father by Christ. Now observe, how infinitely 
 willing the Lord Jesus Christ is to intercede for us that are 
 thus : that will appear thus : 
 
 First, He must needs be willing to do that which he hath 
 received his anointing for. It is said of Aaron that he was 
 anointed ; and that ointment ran down upon his beard, and 
 unto the skirts of all his garment : not a piece of Aaron's 
 garment but was perfumed with the ointment that Aaron 
 was anointed with. Surely there is not a skirt of the garment 
 of Jesus Christ, but the anointment wherewithal he, our
 
 SER. 2.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 41 
 
 High Priest was anointed, does run down upon him. He is 
 the Messiah, the anointment : so he is called in the xth of 
 Isaiah. The anointment. He was anointed with the oil of 
 gladness above all his fellows : above all the high priests that 
 ever were before him. And he was anointed for this very 
 end, that he might do the work of the high priest ; which is, 
 to intercede for the sins of the people. And therefore in 
 that place in John, 1st Epis. ii. 1, " If any man sin, we have 
 an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ." Christ signifies 
 anointed. If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the 
 Father : but who is that ? he is Jesus, that signifies your Sa- 
 viour, and so he is willing to intercede. Aye, but it may be 
 he~is not able to do it, it may be he hath not received the 
 anointing to do it. Yes, he is called Christ. u If any man 
 sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ:" or, 
 if you will, Saviour, Anointing. So that he is anointed for 
 this end and purpose, to be your Advocate. Now if a man 
 do receive money for to lay out for the benefit of others, 
 poor orphans, or the like ; if a man be faithful, certainly he 
 will lay out the money for them, according to the intention 
 of him that did trust him with the money. The Lord Jesus 
 Christ, he hath received the anointing, he is anointed as our 
 great High Priest, to do the work of the priestly office : and 
 this is one work, to intercede, and therefore he must needs 
 be very willing to do it. 
 
 Again, the more any thing is the work of a man's relation, 
 wherewithal he is clothed, the more (if he be faithful) is he 
 willing to do the work. And I pray mind it a little. When 
 men are exalted, and come to greatness or honor, then 
 they give down the comforts of their relation unto those 
 that depend upon them: if a father come to any great 
 preferment, the comfort of the relation of the father then 
 falls down upon the children, runs down then upon the fruit 
 of his loins. And so, if one friend do come unto prefer- 
 ment, the comfort of the relation (or friendship) falls down. 
 Now the Lord Jesus Christ, he is our High Priest; and he 
 is now exalted, he is gone to heaven : and therefore all the 
 comforts of all the relations that he stands in towards us, do 
 now fall upon us. And therefore he is willing, he is very 
 willing, because this is the work of his relation. 
 
 And further, It is the work of his office. What a man
 
 42 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 2. 
 
 does by office, that he does willingly ; what a man does by 
 office, he does industriously, he does not do it by the by : 
 what a man does by office, he does it readily ; according unto 
 a man's place, or office, so will his interpretation be. Sup- 
 pose now a child that hath very good parts, come before 
 three men, of three several professions ; a lawyer, a minster, 
 and a merchant. The child having very good parts ; the 
 merchant says, he will make a very good merchant ; the law- 
 yer says, he will make a very good lawyer : and the minister 
 says, he will make a very good scholar : according to their 
 three relations, or places, or office, or work, their interpreta- 
 tion is. So now, if three men, of three several trades, 
 whose work lies about wood, come and behold a fine green 
 tree : one man says, it is good for this : and another says, it is 
 good for that : and the third says, it is good for another use : 
 according to his place and calling will his interpretation be. 
 So now, when a poor soul comes before God : Moses (the 
 law) looks upon him : and the devil looks upon him : and 
 Jesus Christ looks upon him : the work of the law is to con- 
 demn ; the work of the devil to accuse ; and the work of 
 Jesus Christ is to intercede, it is the work of his office. Now 
 therefore, as soon as the devil sees such a soul, Oh, says he, 
 here is a fine instrument for me, here is a fit subject for me 
 to enjoy. As soon as Moses sees this man, Here is a fine 
 subject for me to condemn unto all eternity. But when 
 Jesus Christ looks upon such a soul, says he, Here is a fine 
 soul for me to save unto all eternity, to intercede for ! Why ? 
 Because it is his office, and what a man does by office, he 
 interprets accordingly. Therefore what the Lord Jesus 
 Christ does, he does by office, and he does it readily and 
 willingly. And I will give you one demonstration of it ; it 
 was the end why Jesus Christ was taken into heaven, into 
 the holy of holiest : that he might intercede. According to 
 scriptures mentioned before, in Heb. ix. 24 : " For Christ is 
 not entered into holy places made with hands, but into hea- 
 ven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us." 
 He does not say thus, Christ is now gone to heaven, to be 
 glorified there; Christ is now gone to heaven, to enjoy 
 the bosom of his Father, for his own happiness. No, but 
 he is gone into heaven to appear in the presence of God for 
 us. This is the end of his ascension. And so again in the
 
 SER. 2.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 43 
 
 viith of the Hebrews : " Wherefore he is able to save to the 
 uttermost, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for us." 
 What ! is he in heaven to be glorified there ? No, but the 
 end why Christ is in heaven, is to make intercession for poor 
 sinners : and therefore, he must needs be infinitely willing to 
 do this, because it is the end of his going thither into the 
 holy of holiest. Oh therefore be of good comfort, all you 
 that do come unto God by him, for he is willing to intercede 
 for you. And let not any thing discourage you. It may be 
 you will complain, and say, Oh ! but I am much opposed 
 here in this world. What matter, so long ss Jesus Christ 
 does intercede for me in heaven, and speaks good words unto 
 God the Father for me in heaven ; what though I be opposed 
 by men ? It may be you will complain, and say, Oh ! but I 
 am much tempted, and cannot pray. Be humbled for it j 
 but yet know this, that when you cannot pray, Christ prays 
 for you ; and he prays that you may pray. It may be you 
 complain, and say, Oh ! but I labour under such and such 
 corruptions, and the devil he is busy with me, exceeding 
 busy, and I cannot overcome them : and the devil stands at 
 my right hand for to tempt me, and to lead me into such and 
 such sins. Well, be it so, yet, notwithstanding the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, he is at the right hand of our Father, and he is 
 set down at the right hand of God the Father, till all his 
 enemies be made his footstool; and your sins are his ene- 
 mies : and therefore be of good comfort, O all ye people of 
 the Lord. Is there ever a poor myrtle tree, a soul that grows 
 in a bottom, in a poor dark condition ? be of good comfort, 
 the Lord Jesus Christ, our great High Priest, he is entered 
 into heaven, into the holy of holiest, there to intercede with 
 God the Father for thee. 
 
 Aye but, you will say unto me, Does not this conduce to 
 our grace and holiness too ? and how does it do it ? 
 
 This intercession of Jesus Christ ; this work of the priestly 
 office of Christ, and the consideration thereof, it does con- 
 duce exceedingly unto our grace and holiness. For, 
 
 First, what a mighty encouragement is here unto all poor 
 sinners, for to come unto Jesus Christ. " He ever liveth to 
 make intercession for those that come unto God by him." 
 Oh ! then, who would not come unto God by Christ ? who 
 would not come unto Jesus Christ ? Methinks a poor sinner
 
 44 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 2. 
 
 should say, Indeed my sins were so great, that I was afraid 
 for to come unto God ; but now I hear that the Lord Jesus 
 Christ is in heaven, to make intercession for all those that 
 come unto God by him, though I have been a drunkard, now 
 I will go unto God by Christ ; and though I have been a 
 swearer, and though I have been an unclean wanton, yet I 
 will go unto God by Christ. Indeed I thought that my time 
 was past, for I have been an old swearer, and I have been an 
 old drunkard, and I have been an old Sabbath-breaker, and 
 I have been a sinner so long, that I was even afraid of go- 
 ing to God at all, and thought there was no mercy, nor no 
 pardon for me : but seeing now that this is true, that the 
 Lord Jesus Christ is in heaven to make intercession for all 
 those that come unto God by Kim, well, through the Lord's 
 grace, now I will go unto the Lord Christ, I will go unto 
 Jesus Christ. I indeed am a young man, and I thought 
 it was to no purpose to go unto God, God would not regard 
 poor ignorant ones, and I am a poor ignorant creature, and 
 thought it was to no purpose for me to go unto God. But 
 now I understand this, that the Lord Jesus Christ is in 
 heaven to make intercession for all those that come unto 
 God by him ; well then, though I am ignorant, yet will I go 
 unto God by Christ ; and though I am but a poor young 
 thing, and scarce understand the terms of religion, yet will I 
 go unto God by Christ. Oh ! come unto Christ, come unto 
 Christ. Behold here, in the name of the Lord, I stand and 
 make invitation to poor sinners. Come, poor drunkard, 
 swearer, Sabbath-breaker, unclean heart, the Lord Jesus 
 Christ is in heaven to make intercession for all that come 
 unto God by him ; and will not you come ? Oh, how will 
 you answer it at the great day ! when it shall be said, The 
 Lord Jesus Christ made a tender and offer of mercy to you, 
 and you would not accept of it, you would not come unto 
 him. Here is matter of great encouragement unto all poor 
 sinners to come unto Jesus Christ. 
 
 Again, secondly, the more I apprehend or see with a 
 spiritual eye that the Lord Jesus Christ does appear in 
 heaven for me, the more am I engaged to appear upon earth 
 for him. Mark, I pray, that you may see how this does 
 conduce unto grace and holiness. Ah ! shall the Lord Jesus 
 Christ appear in heaven, before saints and angels and God
 
 SEE. 2.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 45 
 
 the Father for my soul, and shall I be afraid to appear before 
 poor worms for him ? Shall the Lord Jesus Christ own me 
 in heaven, and shall not I own him upon earth ? Shall the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, as the great High Priest, take my name, 
 and carry it upon his breast into the presence of God the 
 Father, and shall not I take the name of Christ and hold it 
 forth to the world ? Oh ! I beseech you consider what a 
 mighty engagement is here to stand to and appear for the 
 Lord Christ, and to own his cause in these backsliding times, 
 because he is now in heaven appearing for you, and making 
 intercession for you. 
 
 Thirdly, the more I consider or apprehend that the Lord 
 Jesus Christ does lay out himself for me, the more am I 
 engaged to lay out myself for him. The Scripture says, " He 
 ever liveth to make intercession for you." He lays out his 
 whole eternity for you. Methinks we have here before us, 
 the greatest argument in the world for to make us to walk 
 closely with God in Christ; for shall the Lord Jesus Christ 
 spend of his eternity for me, and shall not I spend of my 
 whole time for him ? He ever liveth : " He ever liveth to 
 make intercession." Before the world was made, his delight 
 was in the habitable parts of the earth, among the children 
 of men. He laid out himself in delighting upon you before 
 the world was made. Well, in due time he comes down into 
 the world ; and here, while he was upon the earth, he laid 
 out himself fully for you. Then he dies, and goes up to 
 heaven, and, says he, " I go to prepare a place for you." 
 He was at work for you before the world began : then he 
 comes down upon the earth, and here he spends all his time 
 for you : and now that he is gone to heaven, the text saith, 
 " He ever liveth to make intercession for you ;" he spends 
 off all his eternity for you. Oh ! does not the Lord Jesus 
 grudge me eternity, to spend off his eternity for my soul ; 
 and shall I grudge the Lord Jesus Christ a little time, to 
 spend a little time for him? Surely people do not think 
 what Christ is doing in heaven for them, (you that are saints 
 especially) if you did, you could not be paddling in the 
 world so much. Shall the Lord Jesus Christ be appearing 
 in heaven for me, and shall I be digging in the world ? 
 Shall he be making mention of my name unto God the 
 Father, and interceding for me ; and shall I be sinning
 
 46 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 3. 
 
 against him, shall I be contending with his children, shall I 
 now be joining with his enemies, shall I be opposing his 
 ways ? Oh ! if people would but think what the Lord Jesus 
 Christ is doing in heaven for them, they would not rebel so 
 in the world against him as they do. Wherefore, that you 
 may be kept from your sins, and kept from the world, think 
 of these things. The apostle says, " These things have I 
 written unto ye, that ye sin not : and if any man sin, we 
 have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the right- 
 eous/* And so say I to you : I have been here delivering to 
 you this doctrine concerning the priestly office of Jesus 
 Christ ; and these things have I preached unto you that you 
 sin not. And therefore, that you may be kept from sin, and 
 your hearts made more holy, think of the priestly office of 
 Jesus Christ, he is gone into heaven to make intercession for 
 you. And thus have I discovered the second particular of the 
 priestly office of Jesus Christ. A third follows. 
 
 SERMON III. 
 
 " Wherefore in all things it behoved him, to be made like unto his 
 brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest, in 
 things pertaining to godliness, to make reconciliation for the sins of 
 the people. For in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is 
 able to succour them that are tempted." HEB. 11. 17, 18. 
 
 WE have found already, that the work of the high priest 
 was and is, to satisfy and to intercede for the sins of the 
 people. 
 
 Now if we inquire further, we shall find also, that the 
 work of the High Priest was and now is, To offer up the 
 gifts of the people unto God; to present our prayers, 
 praises, duties, services, and all spiritual performances unto 
 God the Father, and to procure acceptance of him. This 
 was done thus. In the times of Moses, in the Tabernacle 
 there were two parts or courts, as we read in the ixth chapter 
 of the Hebrews. In the one which was called the holy of 
 holiest, there was the ark, the mercy-seat, the cherubim of 
 glory, and the golden censer. In the other there was the 
 brazen altar upon which they offered sacrifices, there was the
 
 SER. 3.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 47 
 
 table of shewbread, the golden candlestick, and the golden 
 altar upon which incense was. This is expressly laid down 
 in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th verses of that ixth of Hebrews : 
 " For there was a tabernacle made, the first wherein was the 
 candlestick and the table and the shewbread ; which is called 
 the sanctuary. And after the second vail, the tabernacle 
 which is called the holiest of all, which had the golden cen- 
 ser, and the ark of the covenant, overlaid round about with 
 gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's 
 rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; and over it 
 is the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercy-seat/' And 
 as every day, morning and evening, there was a lamb offered, 
 a sacrifice for the sins of the people, upon the brazen altar ; 
 so every day, morning and evening, there was incense also 
 upon the golden altar : which was performed while the peo- 
 ple were without at prayer, mingling that incense with their 
 prayers ; as it is in the ist chapter of Luke, the 8th, 9th and 
 10th verses : " It came to pass that while he (that is, Zacha- 
 rias) executed the priest's office before God in the order of 
 his course, according to the custom of the priests office, his 
 lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the 
 Lord : and the whole multitude of the people were praying 
 without at the time of incense/' So that the incense was at 
 a time when they were sweetly mingling their prayers and 
 the incense together. But now, although that there was a 
 sacrifice every day, yet once in the year the high priest came, 
 and he took the blood of the sacrifice, and carried it into the 
 holy of holiest, and sprinkled the mercy-seat therewith. 
 And although there was incense too, from the golden altar, 
 every day, yet once in the year the high priest came, and he 
 took the golden censer, and putting incense into it from off 
 the golden altar, went into the holy of holiest and caused a 
 cloud of perfume to arise upon the mercy-seat. All which 
 was a great type of Jesus Christ our High Priest: who 
 though he offered up himself a sacrifice once for sin without, 
 yet when he died and ascended, he carried the virtue of that 
 his blood into the holy of holiest, into heaven, and sprinkled 
 the mercy-seat therewith : although he began to make inter- 
 cessions while he lived, as we read in the xviith of John ; yet 
 when he ascended up into heaven, the holy of holiest, then he 
 did take his golden censer, and carried his intercession into
 
 48 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 3. 
 
 heaven, causing a cloud of sweet perfumes to arise upon the 
 mercy-seat : which still he does, whilst we are praying here 
 without, he mingling all our duties with his intercessions ; 
 and so taking altogether as one, presents it unto God the 
 Father for our acceptance. And this he does now as our 
 High Priest ; for if we look into this book of the Hebrews, 
 we shall find, that the apostle speaking of the High Priest, 
 relating unto Jesus Christ; says, in the vth chapter and the 
 1st verse, that it was his work to offer gifts : " That he may 
 offer both gifts and sacrifices." And so in the viiith chapter 
 and the 3rd verse : " Every high priest is ordained to offer 
 gifts and sacrifices." Thus we have another great work, of 
 our great Priest ; which is, to offer up all our prayers, our 
 duties, our gifts unto God the Father, which if ye will, we 
 may call another part of Christ's intercession ; but I handle 
 it distinct. 
 
 Now that I may open and clear this great gospel mystery, 
 I shall endeavour to discover : 
 
 First, What Jesus Christ, our High Priest, doth, when he 
 does offer up our gifts unto God the Father. 
 
 Secondly, What abundance of favour and acceptance this 
 our great High Priest himself hath in heaven. 
 
 Thirdly, That he doth improve all that his own acceptance, 
 for our acceptance ; planting all our duties upon his own ac- 
 ceptance, upon that acceptance that he hath with the Father. 
 
 Fourthly, What abundance of acceptance therefore we 
 have, in all our duties by him. 
 
 Fifthly, How this doth conduce to our grace and to our 
 comfort. 
 
 First, What doth our Lord and Saviour Christ, our great 
 High Priest, when he offers up our gifts unto God the Father? 
 
 First, He doth take our persons, and carries them in unto 
 God the Father, in a most unperceivable way to us. He 
 knows that if our persons be not first accepted, our duty 
 cannot be accepted : Love me, and love my duty ; love me, 
 and love my service : hate me, and hate my service. In the 
 covenant of works, God did first accept of the work, and 
 then of the person ; the person for the work : but in the 
 covenant of grace, God doth first accept of the person, and 
 then the work. Now, therefore, that our work and our duty 
 may be accepted with God the Father ; the Lord Christ, our
 
 SER. 3.] ox CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 49 
 
 High Priest, doth first take our person and our name, and 
 carries them into the presence of God the Father. This was 
 plainly shadowed out unto us by that of the high priest ; 
 who went into the holy of holiest, with the names of all the 
 tribes upon his breast. Which the apostle speaks out 
 plainly : " In whom we have access with boldness." The 
 word access, as some observers manuduction, hand-leading: 
 In whom we have an hand-leading ; or by whom we are led 
 by the hand unto God the Father. As a child, having run 
 away from his father, is taken by the hand of a friend, or of 
 his elder brother, and brought again into the presence of his 
 father : so, all we having run away from God, are taken, and 
 led again into the presence of the Father by the hand of 
 Jesus Christ. He is that ladder that Jacob saw, upon whom 
 we do ascend into the bosom of God, and go into heaven. 
 Our High Priest, Jesus Christ, doth first take our persons, 
 and lead us into the presence of God the Father. 
 
 Secondly, As he doth take our persons, and lead, and carry 
 us into the presence of God the Father : so, when we do 
 perform any duty, he doth observe what evil, or failing there 
 is in that duty, and draws it out, takes it away before he 
 presents the duty unto God the Father. A child that would 
 present his father a nosegay or posy, goes into the garden, and 
 he gathers flowers and weeds together ; but coming to his 
 mother, she takes them, and picks out the weeds, and binds 
 up the flowers by themselves, and so it is presented to the 
 father. Thus it is with us : we go to duty, and we gather 
 weeds and flowers together : but the Lord Jesus Christ, he 
 comes and picks out the weeds, and then he presents nothing 
 but flowers unto God the Father. 
 
 And this we have plainly set forth unto us, by that of the> 
 high priest taking away the iniquities of the holy things of 
 God's people, in the xxviiith chapter of Exodus : " Thou 
 shalt make a platform of pure gold (at the 36th verse) and 
 grave upon it like the engravings of a signet HOLINESS UN- 
 TO THE LORD. And thou shalt put it on a blue lace, that it 
 may be upon the mitre j upon the forefront of the mitre it 
 shall be." Then at the 38th verse : " And it shall be upon 
 Aaron's forehead (that is, the high priest), that Aaron may 
 bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of 
 Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts : and it shall be al-
 
 50 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 3. 
 
 ways upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before 
 the Lord." Thus taking away the iniquity of their holy 
 things. So it is said concerning our Saviour Christ, 
 in the iiird chapter of Malachi, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th 
 verses : Who may abide the day of his coming ?" plainly 
 understood of Christ, as appears by the 1st verse. Then at 
 the 3rd : " He shall sit as a refiner, and purifier of silver ; 
 and he shall purify the sons' of Levi, and purge them as gold 
 and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in 
 righteousness. Then shall the offerings of Judah and Jeru- 
 salem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old/' 
 Then shall their offerings be pleasant. When ? When he 
 hath purged their sacrifices and their offerings. This in the 
 days of his flesh, and now much more. This is the second 
 thing, that the Lord Christ, our great High Priest doth in 
 offering up our gifts unto God the Father, he takes out the 
 weeds. 
 
 Thirdly, As he takes away the iniquity of our holy things, 
 so he observes what good there is in any of our duties, or 
 performances ; and with that he mingles his own prayers and 
 intercessions ; his own incense ; and presents all as one work 
 mingled together unto God the Father. This we have so 
 fully in the viiith chapter of the Revelation, that I need name 
 no other place : " Another angel (at the 3rd verse) stood at 
 the altar, having a golden censer, and there was given unto 
 him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of 
 all saints upon the golden altar, which was before the throne. 
 And the smoke (at the 4th verse) of the incense which came 
 with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God, out 
 out of the angel's hand." This must needs be understood 
 of Christ ; for no angel docs intercede but Christ, who is 
 called, " The angel of the covenant." It is said, he stood at 
 the altar, having a golden censer : which none of the high 
 priests had: and there was given unto him much incense, and 
 this he offered with the prayers of all the saints ; and the 
 smoke of the incense came with the prayers of the saints, 
 and ascended up before the Lord. He alludes unto the way, 
 and custom of the Jews, and the high priest : shewing, that 
 the Lord Jesus Christ doth all this for us, as our great High 
 Priest : that is the meaning of it. So that this is plain what
 
 SEB. 3.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 51 
 
 he doth, when as our great High Priest, he offers up our 
 gifts unto God the Father. 
 
 But in the second place : Suppose he doth so, what favor 
 or acceptance hath this our great High Priest in heaven ? 
 
 He hath very much : " Father (says he) I thank thee that 
 thou hearest me always." He never spake a word unto God 
 the Father, but the Father heard him always. We read (as 
 I remember) but of two places in the New Testament where 
 the Lord by an audible voice gives testimony of Jesus Christ 
 his Son : and in both those places we have the same words 
 uttered, " This is my beloved Son in whom I am well 
 pleased :" and again ; " This is my beloved Son, in whom I 
 am well pleased." We may know what favour a man hath 
 with another, by the trust that he doth commit to, and re- 
 pose upon him: Joseph had great favour in the eyes of 
 Pharaoh ; and how did it appear ? it appeared by this, be- 
 cause Pharaoh trusted him with so much. Now God the 
 Father hath trusted Jesus Christ, this our great High Priest, 
 very much. This I shall evidence in four particulars, viz. 
 What a great trust God the Father hath put upon him. 
 
 First, It was an agreement between God the Father, and 
 Christ, the second Person, before the world was, that in due 
 time he should come into the world, take flesh upon him, 
 and die for sinners : and he did so. But before Christ came 
 into the world, there were thousands of souls saved ; how 
 came they to be saved ? They came to be saved by the 
 blood of Christ, and before Christ had died. So then, God 
 the Father saved them upon Christ's bare word, that he 
 would come into the world, and die for them. What a 
 mighty trust was here ! That so many hundred thousand 
 souls should be saved, upon a bare word of Christ that he 
 would come into the world, and die for them afterward. 
 
 Again, the trust appears in this : that he was made when 
 he did come into the world, the great Lord Treasurer of all 
 the grace and comfort, that should be given out unto the 
 children of men. When Pharaoh trusted Joseph, all the 
 whole kingdom was put into his hand, with the corn thereof, 
 and not a grain was to be given out to any but as Joseph 
 gave it out : which argued a mighty trust. So now, that 
 not any grace or comfort, given out to the children of men, 
 E 2
 
 52 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 3. 
 
 but only by the hand of Christ, it argues a mighty trust that 
 the Father put upon him. 
 
 But yet further, when our Lord and Saviour Christ died, 
 and ascended unto God the Father to heaven ; as soon as 
 ever he came into heaven, saith the Father to him, Thou hast 
 now suffered, " Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen 
 for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth 
 for thy possession :" all the world at one word. Ask of me 
 (saith he) and at the first word I will give thee the whole 
 world. It was a mighty, and a great trust that the Father 
 did put upon him. 
 
 Yea, as if all this were not enough ; the Father did put 
 the keys of heaven and of hell into his hand : the keys of 
 heaven and hell into the hand of Christ. So we read in the 
 ist of Revelation 18th verse. " I am he that liveth and 
 was dead : and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen ; and 
 have the keys of hell and of death." There is no man that 
 goes to hell, but he is locked in by Jesus Christ : and there 
 is no man goes to heaven, but Christ hath the keys of hea- 
 ven, and he locks him in there unto all eternity. The Lord 
 Jesus Christ, he hath the keys of hell, and of heaven ; he 
 hath the keys of all men's eternity hanging at his girdle. 
 Oh ! what an infinite trust is here, that God the Father hath 
 put upon him ! Then let us conclude, if that trust do argue 
 favour; and the Lord Jesus Christ, our High Priest, hath 
 such a great trust as this put into his hands by the Father ; 
 what infinite acceptance must he needs have with God the 
 Father. 
 
 In the third place : Suppose that he have all this favour 
 and acceptance in heaven, doth he improve this his favour, 
 and acceptance, for our acceptance, and for our favour ? 
 
 Yes, he improves all this his favour and acceptance, for 
 our acceptance, and does plant all our prayers, and duties, 
 upon his own acceptance. Lord, (saith he unto his Father 
 concerning believers) " I will, that where I am, they may be 
 also : I will, O Lord, that they may be one, even as thou Father 
 and I am one." He doth not count himself full, and happy, 
 but in the happiness, and fulness of the church. And 
 therefore, as Christ is called, The fulness of God the Fa- 
 ther : so the church is called, The fulness of Jesus Christ : 
 in the 1st of the Ephesians, and the last verse; " Which is
 
 SER. 3.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 53 
 
 his body the fulness of him that filleth all in all." When 
 our Lord and Saviour Christ came to die, and the heart and 
 love of God the Father was let out unto him : ye shall find, 
 if ye look upon that xviith of John, and read it all over, that 
 he spends his time, not so much in praying for himself: the 
 time was but short, and his prayer short, " Father, if it be 
 possible let this cup pass : if not, yet not my will, but thine 
 be done/' But he spends most of the time, in praying and 
 interceding for those that did believe, or should afterward 
 believe. The favour and acceptance which the high priest 
 had, in the time of Moses, was not for himself: he had a 
 mitre upon his head, and a golden girdle upon his loins 
 priestly garments ; and he had great acceptance when he 
 went into the holy of holiest ; but it was not for himself, he 
 did improve it all for the people : he was to lay it out all 
 for the people, and not for himself. Our High Priest, goes 
 beyond all other high priests in this particular also : for now, 
 as for other high priests, though they went in with their 
 incense, and covered the mercy-seat with a cloud ; yet it was 
 but once in the year : but our High Priest, is always in the 
 holy of holiest, and never goes out of it, ever covering the 
 mercy-seat with his intercessions. Take their high priest, 
 and though he were very holy as Aaron was ; yet sometimes 
 he made the people naked unacceptable : but our great High 
 Priest, never makes his people naked, but always clothes 
 them with his own righteousness. 
 
 Take their high priest, and though he did go into the 
 holy of holiest for the people, yet he never led the people 
 into the holy of holiest, they stood without : but our great 
 High Priest, is not only gone into the the holy of holiest 
 himself, but doth also lead every poor believer into the holy 
 of holiest ; as we read in the xth of the Hebrews, and the 
 19th verse: " Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter 
 into the holiest by the blood of Jesus Christ." The people 
 might not enter into the holiest, in the time of the Jews : 
 but our great High Priest, hath improved his favour for us 
 thus far, that every man may come into the holy of holiest. 
 
 Now, if our great High Priest in this respect go beyond all 
 the high priests that ever were before him, and they did 
 improve their interest, and their favour, and their acceptance 
 for the people, much more doth the Lord Jesus Christ our
 
 54 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [ER. 3. 
 
 High Priest, improve the favour, interest, and acceptance 
 that he hath in heaven, for our acceptance, and the accep- 
 tance of all our duties. And that is a third particular. 
 
 But, if that be so ; then surely we have great acceptance 
 in all our duties : but have we so ? 
 
 Yes, very great ; in, and through the Lord Jesus Christ 
 our High Priest. And therefore, if we look into the xivth 
 of John, our Lord and Saviour saith, " Whatsoever ye ask 
 in my name (at the 13th verse) that will I do." Aye, but 
 may we be sure of this ? He repeats it again (in the 14th 
 verse) " If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." 
 Yea, that ye may see what great acceptance we have now 
 through him, in all those duties that we offer up to God the 
 Father : saith he in the xvith chapter and the 26th verse. 
 " At that day ye shall ask in my name : and I say not unto 
 you, that I will pray the Father for you : for the Father him- 
 self loves you." It is a mighty high speech. I do not say, 
 that I will pray for you : ye shall have so much favour and 
 love in heaven, from the Father immediately, that he will 
 hear you presently. Aye, but is not all upon Christ's ac- 
 count? Yes, and therefore saith he, at the 13th verse of 
 the xivth chapter, " Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name 
 that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son." 
 So that all is upon Christ's account. Great was the testi- 
 mony of Christ's acceptance which he had from heaven, 
 " This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." 
 Now if we look in the Scripture, we shall find, that the same 
 words are given unto the saints. Is the Lord Jesus Christ 
 called the Son of God ? My beloved Son : so are believers 
 too ; " As many as receive him, have power to be called the 
 sons of God." Is he called, the beloved Son of God? 
 " This is my beloved Son :" so are the saints also ; in the 
 xxxist chapter of Jeremy, at the 20th verse. " Ephraim 
 my dear son, a pleasant child." Ephraim ; that is Israel, 
 my dear son, a pleasant child. Well, is it said, " In whom 
 I am well pleased ?" my beloved Son, in whom I am well 
 pleased : the same word also is given to men. When our 
 Lord and Saviour Christ was born into the world, the angels 
 they came and sung at his birth, and they sung " Good-will 
 towards men ;" so we read it ; but it is the same word that 
 is used concerning Christ himself, My beloved Son, in
 
 SER. 3.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 55 
 
 whom I am well pleased/ 5 So that whatsoever word there 
 is in all this speech, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am 
 well pleased ; whatsoever word there is in that sentence con- 
 cerning Christ, it is given also unto the saints, unto believers ; 
 so greatly does he improve his own favour and acceptance 
 for our acceptance, and so great acceptance have we through 
 Christ. 
 
 Yea, as the Lord Jesus Christ is said to be made sin for 
 us, in the abstract ; so are we said to be made righteousness 
 by him ; in the abstract too : as we have it in the ist of the 
 Canticles, and the 3rd verse. " Therefore do the virgins 
 love thee :" so we read it in our English translation ; but in 
 the Hebrew it is, " Therefore do the righteousnesses love 
 thee." The saints and believers through Christ, are called, 
 righteousnesses, in the abstract. So that here is the great ac- 
 ceptance, that the saints, and believers do find through this 
 acceptation of Jesus Christ our High Priest. 
 
 But, suppose a man be very poor, and lives in some mean 
 cottage; which hath but one 'room to lie, dine, and sup in; 
 and that a smoky, dark room too : and this poor creature 
 comes and prays unto God : will the great and glorious God of 
 heaven and earth take notice of such a prayer, from such a 
 worm as this ? and shall he find acceptance with God the 
 Father ? 
 
 For answer to that, look into the iind of the Canticles, and 
 the 14th verse. " O my dove that art in the clefts of the 
 rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy coun- 
 tenance," (they are the words of Christ) " let me hear thy 
 voice :" why ? " for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance 
 is comely." But I pray, where now is the church ? In the 
 clefts of the rock, and in the secret places of the stairs : in a 
 hole under the stairs (as it were) in a poor distressed place ? 
 an hidden place ; now (says he) here thy voice is sweet, and 
 thy countenance comely. 
 
 Well, but suppose that a duty, or service be performed by 
 one that is weak ; weak in grace, or weak in parts and gifts : 
 for that is my case, (will some say) I am one of very weak 
 parts and gifts, and I have little memory, or ability of speech; 
 there are some men indeed, that are of great parts, and 
 graces, and when they pray, I make no question but their 
 prayers do find acceptance ; but as for me, I am one of very
 
 56 ox CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 3. 
 
 mean abilities ; Oh ! can there be any acceptance of such 
 prayers as mine are through Jesus Christ ? Will God answer 
 such stammerings, lispings, half words, broken imperfect 
 petitions ? 
 
 Yes, we know that the pair of turtles were accepted in the 
 time of the law, by those that could offer no more. Surely 
 much more now, will a poor turtle be accepted in the time of 
 the gospel, and those that could but bring goats-hair towards 
 the making of the tabernacle, they were welcome : and shall 
 it not be so now, much more in the times of the gospel ? 
 That which is little in regard of quantity, it may be great in 
 regard of proportion ; as the widow's mite was. The sun 
 falls (we know) with a common influence upon all the herbs, 
 and plants : but there is a several sweetness, and flowers that 
 are of a several, and different growth : there is the rose, and 
 there is the violet : the violet is not so tall as the rose, the 
 violet lies on the ground ; but though the violet be not so 
 tall as the rose, the violet hath its sweetness : and it may say 
 to the rose, though I be not so tall, yet I have my sweetness 
 as well as thou hast. So now, there is a common influence 
 from Jesus Christ upon all the saints, and they have their 
 several sweetness ; one as the rose, and the other as the vio- 
 let : it may be, here lies a poor Christian upon the ground 
 like the violet, and is not so tall in gifts and parts as the 
 other is; but yet notwithstanding, he hath his sweetness. 
 Christ takes that lovingly that comes from love, whatever it 
 be, though it be never so weak. 
 
 Well, but suppose that a man's duty, or service be per- 
 formed with many failings, infirmities, hardness of heart, 
 straitness of spirit, distracting thoughts ; this is my case : 
 Oh ! is there any acceptance for such a duty as this is ? will the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, the great High Priest, take such a duty 
 as this is, and carry it in unto God the Father, and is there 
 any acceptance for such a duty as this ? 
 
 We know how it was with Nicodemus, and the woman 
 that came trembling, and touched the hem of Christ's gar- 
 ment. And we must know that in every duty, that we do 
 perform, there are two things : there is the sacrifice ; and 
 there is the obedience in offering the sacrifice. Though the 
 sacrifice may be imperfect, yet your obedience in offering the 
 sacrifice, may be perfect, with gospel-perfection. It is in re-
 
 SER. 3.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 57 
 
 gard of our duties, as in regard of our persons ; never think 
 that God will deal otherwise with our duties, than he deals 
 with our persons. The Lord came and justified the ungodly, 
 when he justified you : he comes, and he finds a poor soul in 
 a sinful condition, and he imputes his righteousness unto that 
 soul, and justifies an ungodly one, not justifying him so as 
 to go on in sin ; it is the word of the apostle, " He justifies 
 the ungodly." So the Lord comes and finds a great deal of 
 ungodliness in your duty, and he imputes his righteousness 
 unto that duty: and he justifies the duty, which in your eyes 
 is an ungodly duty. This indeed is the wonder of all, that 
 he should deal thus by us : for, did we ever hear of any gar- 
 ment, that would make the crooked straight ? If a man have 
 a crooked back ; come and put velvet upon him, silk, scarlet 
 upon him, it may make him handsomer, but it will not 
 change his back, and make him straight. But when the 
 Lord Christ comes, he finds all our souls crook-backed, as it 
 were, and he puts on his righteousness, and this garment 
 makes that which was crooked to become straight : it makes 
 the very crook-backed duty, to become a straight duty. Did 
 we ever hear, or read, of any seal, that when it was set upon 
 the wax, would change the wax into gold, or into silver like 
 the seal ? it may leave its impression, but it does not change 
 the wax into its own metal. If there be a stamp set upon 
 silver or gold, the metal remains as it was before : but if a 
 stamp be set upon brass, it does not make it silver; or if it 
 be set upon silver, it does not make it gold. Aye, but when 
 the Lord Jesus Christ comes unto a duty, and sets his own 
 stamp, and his own righteousness upon a duty, that which 
 was brass before ; full of failings, and much unrighteousness 
 before ; changes it into gold, into silver. He only hath the 
 philosopher's stone (as I may so speak) : all that Christ 
 touches turns into gold ; turns all our duties into gold : and 
 when he hath done so, he presents them unto God the 
 Father. This our great High Priest doth. And this is the 
 fourth thing. 
 
 But how doth all this make for our comfort, or for 
 our grace ? 
 
 Surely, we cannot but see already how it doth make for 
 our comfort. 
 
 Is it not a comfortable thing, for a man to know, that his
 
 58 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 3. 
 
 duties are not lost ? that his prayer is not lost ? that his 
 hearing the word is not lost ? that his searching the Scrip- 
 tures is not lost ? that his conference and communion is not 
 lost ? A man is unwilling to lose any thing : and the more 
 precious it is, the more unwilling to lose it. If we have a 
 venture at sea : we are unwilling to lose our venture : and 
 the greater our venture is, the more unwilling to lose it. If 
 a man have but a quarter of his estate in a vessel, he is un- 
 willing to lose it ; more unwilling if he have half his estate ; 
 most if he have all, and his children there in the vessel too. 
 Now as men are unwilling to lose their wordly venture : so a 
 man that is sensible of his soul, is very unwilling to lose his 
 soul's venture ; to lose his prayers, and to lose all his duties. 
 Friends, here is an insuring office ; the Lord Jesus Christ 
 is our great insurer in this respect : and he doth as he is our 
 High Priest, offering up our gifts unto God the Father, assure 
 us that none is lost, not any lost. Indeed, if we had such an 
 high priest, as were not able to take notice of the circum- 
 stances of our duties, much might be lost : but this our Lord 
 Christ, our great High Priest, doth not only take notice of 
 our duty whatever it be ; but of all the circumstances of our 
 duties, and so presents them unto God the Father, in the 
 full latitude, in all the gracious circumstances of them. 
 Therefore saith he, unto the angel of the church of Pergamos 
 in the iind of the Revelation, and the 13th verse ; " I know 
 thy works." Why, but Lord, though thou dost know our 
 works, yet it may be thou dost not take notice where our 
 work is done : Lord, it may be thou dost take notice of my 
 prayer, but Lord, thou dost not take notice where I dwell, 
 and live, and in what family I do pray unto thee ; Lord, I am 
 in a wicked, and a wretched family, that does oppose prayer : 
 Lord, may be thou dost take notice of my prayer, but thou 
 dost not take notice of this circumstance : yes, (says he) 
 " I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where 
 Satan's seat is." Well, l< and thou boldest fast my name, and 
 hast not denied my faith, even in those days, wherein Anti- 
 pas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where 
 Satan dwelleth." It is remarkable, the Lord Jesus Christ 
 takes notice, not only of our duty ; but of every circumstance 
 of the duty, and so he presents it unto God the Father, not 
 only the duty, but the circumstance of the duty ; and there-
 
 SER. 3.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 59 
 
 fore there is not a hair of your duty lost, not one grain of 
 your duty lost : is not this an unspeakable comfort unto a 
 poor soul, that knows that nothing is lost of all the prayers 
 it hath made unto God, that there is no loss at all ? The 
 very pantings of our hearts at the throne of grace, are recei- 
 ved into the bosom of our heavenly Father. 
 
 Further, is it not a comfort for a man to have liberty to 
 go unto the mercy-seat, and there for to meet with God ? 
 It is said of wicked men, " That they sit in the seat of the 
 scornful." There is (it seems then) the seat of the scornful; 
 and there is a mercy-seat : a drunkard, when he is with his 
 drunken company, and sits upon the ale bench (it may be) 
 scorning, and jeering at some of the godly, making songs on 
 them, he is set upon the seat of the scornful ; that is a cursed 
 seat. Aye, but there is another seat, there is a mercy-seat ; 
 and there is never a poor saint and child of God, but he may 
 go in to the mercy-seat of the Lord Jesus Christ that hath 
 all the favour and acceptance in heaven ; he carries him in 
 to the mercy-seat, and God the Father will never put him by : 
 what comfort is here ! 
 
 Besides, is it not a great comfort to a man ; for to know 
 how it shall go with him at the great day of judgment ? 
 When there shall be hundred thousands at the right hand of 
 Christ ; and hundred thousands at the left hand of Christ ; 
 when all faces shall gather paleness ? Oh 1 (says one) that I 
 did but know, how it shall go with me at that day ! This 
 doctrine tells us, That the Lord Jesus Christ is our judge at 
 that day, and he that shall judge us then, he takes our pray- 
 ers and all our duties now, and carries them in unto the 
 presence of God the Father, and by him we have acceptance, 
 and according to these we shall be judged. Surely then, if 
 he takes our duties and carries them in for acceptance, unto 
 God the Father, he will never judge you for them, and con- 
 demn you for them at that day. Here is comfort ! 
 
 Once more ; is it not a comfort, for a poor beggar to be 
 relieved at a rich man's door ? We are all beggars in re- 
 gard of heaven : and the Lord Jesus Christ, he does not 
 only come forth and serve us, but he takes us (poor beggars) 
 by the hand, and leads us in to his Father. Oh ! what com- 
 fort is here ! what comfort is here ! 
 
 Indeed if I were able to say, that the Lord did accept my
 
 60 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 3. 
 
 duty, this were comfort indeed : if I were able to conclude, that 
 the Lord Jesus Christ did take my prayers, and my duties, 
 and carry them in unto God the Father ; this were sweet 
 consolation : but how shall I know that ? 
 
 If the Lord Jesus Christ be our High Priest, then we may 
 say also, that he takes our duties, and carries them in for 
 acceptance unto God the Father : if we may say that Jesus 
 Christ hath satisfied for us, and doth intercede for us, then 
 we may say also, that he takes our duties, and carries them 
 for acceptance unto God the Father. 
 
 But yet a little further, to bring this comfort nearer to 
 your hearts ; give me leave to appeal to you : 
 
 First. Whosoever thou art that makes this objection: 
 Didst thou ever find a spiritual fire come down from heaven 
 (as it were) upon thy heart in duty, or after duty ? In the 
 times of the Old Testament, if they offered up a sacrifice, 
 and a material fire came down from heaven and burnt up the 
 sacrifice to ashes, it was a certain testimony that the sacri- 
 fice was accepted. Now in the times of the gospel we must 
 not expect material fire to come down upon our duties: 
 but hath the Lord at any time caused an inward, and spi- 
 ritual fire to fall down upon thy heart, warming thy spirit 
 in duty ? there the Lord speaks thus much to thee ; thy 
 sacrifice is turned into ashes, and it is accepted by Jesus 
 Christ. 
 
 Again, did you never find in your heart (you that make 
 this objection) to pray, and cry, and intercede for others, 
 for the godly especially ? Look what disposition there is 
 in your hearts towards the members of Christ, there is the 
 same disposition in Christ's heart towards you. Ah ! do 
 you think that there is love in your bosom towards the saints ; 
 and that there is none in Christ's heart towards you ? Do 
 you think that your bowels are more large than Christ's? 
 Canst thou find in thine heart to go unto God, when thou 
 seestVsaint in misery, to go to God, and pray, and cry, and 
 intercede for him ? and do not you think that the Lord Jesus 
 hath_ as much bowels towards you, to go and intercede for 
 you, and present your prayers unto God the Father. 
 
 Further, do not you look upon your own duties, as 
 coming from yourselves, most unworthy ? Beloved ! it is in 
 regard of duties, as it is in regard of persons : when a man
 
 SER. 3.] ox CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 61 
 
 does judge himself to be most unworthy, then Christ counts 
 him worthy. God counts him worthy in Christ. As you read 
 in the ist of the Canticles, says the spouse there, verse 5. 
 " I am black (O ye daughters of Jerusalem) as the tents of 
 Kedar: Look not upon me because I am black," verse 6. 
 Now would you see Christ's opinion of her, that counts her- 
 self black, saith she, black and black again : but Christ saith 
 concerning her; verse 8. " O thou fairest among women.-' She 
 callsherself black, and Christcallsherfair,and" the fairestamong 
 women." Now, when a man doth count himself most unwor- 
 thy, God counts him most worthy : and when a man looks 
 upon his own duties, and sacrifices, as most unworthy, they 
 are looked upon by Jesus Christ as most worthy ; poor 
 prayers in our eyes, are precious in God's eye. 
 
 A word more : do not ye think, that grace is larger now, 
 in the times of the gospel, than it was in the times of the 
 law ? If ye doubt it, as unto this particular ; look upon the 
 xxxth chapter of Exodus, compared with the xlist of Ezekiel. 
 In the xxxth chapter of Exodus, the Lord commands an 
 altar to be made to burn incense upon ; " Of shittim wood 
 shalt thou make it :" verse the 1st. " A cubit shall be the 
 length thereof," verse the 2nd. The altar is for incense ; it 
 is the matter that now we are upon : " A cubit shall be the 
 length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and two 
 cubits shall be the height thereof." Now in the xlist chap- 
 ter of Ezekiel, he speaks of the altar in the times of the gos- 
 pel : and (saith he) at the 22nd verse, (it is the altar of in- 
 cense that there is prescribed to be made, the altar of wood, 
 of shittim wood.) " The altar of wood was three cubits 
 high, and the length thereof two cubits." And yet again, 
 this altar of incense in the times of the gospel, is to be as 
 large again, as that in the times of the law ; as high, and as 
 long, and as large again. In the times of the law, times of 
 the Old Testament; a poor soul might go unto the high 
 priest, and might challenge a right in him, and might say, 
 That his service, and his duty, and his sacrifice was accepted 
 by the high priest. If in the times of the Old Testament a 
 man might say so ; much more may a poor soul now go unto 
 Jesus Christ our great High Priest, and say, that his service 
 and his duty, and sacrifice, is accepted through him. Here
 
 62 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 3. 
 
 is abundance of comfort unto the saints : be of good comfort, 
 all you that do believe. 
 
 But, how doth this make unto our holiness, unto holiness 
 of life ? We confess indeed, that there is abundance of com- 
 fort in this, that the Lord Jesus Christ, our great High 
 Priest, takes all our gifts, and all our prayers, and presents 
 them to God the Father, and that in his acceptance, we have 
 acceptance : but I pray, how doth all this conduce to our 
 holiness of life ? 
 
 Much every way : 
 
 First, in case I be ungodly, a wicked man : here is that 
 that may for ever keep me, from opposition to the good ways 
 of God. I have said sometimes (may a wicked man say) 
 concerning godly men's duties, That it was their hypocrisy : 
 and I have said concerning such and such professors, this is 
 your pride, and this is your singularity ; and I have opposed, 
 with all bitterness, and earnestness, the prayings, and wrest- 
 lings of some of God's people ; but is this true, that the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, takes every prayer, of the meanest of 
 God's children, and carries it into the bosom of God the Fa- 
 ther ? and shall I spit upon that that Christ owns ? shall I dare 
 to oppose that that the Lord Jesus Christ presents unto his 
 Father ? The Lord in mercy pardon me : I have sinned and 
 done foolishly, and for aught I know, I may have spoken evil of 
 that duty, that Christ hath carried into the presence of God the 
 Father: Oh! through the Lord's grace then, for ever will I leave 
 to make any opposition, against any of the good ways of God 
 again, and I will never speak one word against the persons, 
 meetings, or supplications of the godly again. 
 
 Again, In case a man be ungodly, a wicked man : here is 
 mighty encouragement, for to come unto Jesus Christ ; aye, 
 and to come presently. For is Jesus Christ the ladder that 
 Jacob saw, by whom we go up to heaven ? doth he take all 
 our duties, and prayers, and present them to God the Father 
 for acceptance ? Then, till I do come to Christ, all is no- 
 thing, all is lost : if I be a drunkard, and will not come to 
 Christ, prayer is all lost ; If I be a swearer, and will not 
 come to Christ, an unclean wretch, and will not come to 
 Christ ; all my prayers, and all my duties are lost : Oh ! the 
 Lord pity me (may many a poor soul say) I have lost 
 too many prayers already, through the Lord's grace, now
 
 SER. 3.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 63 
 
 I will lose no more : Oh ! I come to Christ, Lord I come, I 
 come. This is a mighty encouragement, to make every man 
 now for to come unto Jesus Christ ; because the Lord Jesus 
 our High Priest, takes every duty, and carries it into the bo- 
 som of God the Father for acceptance. Thus for ungodly. 
 
 Secondly, in case a man be godly ; this truth doth conduce 
 to our further holiness, and growth in grace. 
 
 If I be godly ; then here I see infinite reason, why I 
 should be much in duty ; not only pray, but be much in 
 prayer. Why ? for the Lord Christ taketh all, and carries 
 all into the bosom of the Father, mingles his own odours, in- 
 tercessions with it, although it be but a sigh, and a groan. 
 The apostle upon this account, makes this use of it ? having 
 spoken of Christ our High Priest? Therefore (saith he) 
 " let us come with boldness unto the throne of grace." The 
 word signifies, to speak all one's mind ? let us come speaking 
 all. Having such an High Priest indeed, as will carry all 
 into the presence of God the Father, for acceptance, every 
 sigh, and every groan ? then who would not be much in 
 prayer ? speak all to Christ, be free with Christ, " come with 
 boldness ?" There is many a poor soul, that is much dis- 
 couraged, and he dares not go to prayer, many times, afraid 
 to go to the throne of grace. The reason is because he looks 
 upon his prayer, or duty, as it lies upon his own heart, or as 
 it comes from himself. Whereas, my beloved, it is with 
 your prayers, and duties, as it is with fire : your kitchen fire 
 is troubled with abundance of smoke, and there is filth about 
 it ; fire upon the hearth hath much smoke : but fire above, 
 in the element of fire, there is no smoke. So, your prayer, 
 when it lies upon your own hearth (as I may say) there is a 
 great deal of smoke ; but when it gets once into the hands 
 of Jesus Christ, there is its element, and it is freed from all 
 its smoke. Or as it is with a man's body : so long as he 
 lives here upon the earth, he is feeble, and weak, and many 
 times sickly : as soon as he is come into heaven, all his weak- 
 ness is taken away, and his body being in heaven, it is pre- 
 sently glorified, and strength put upon it, and all his diseases 
 are gone. So it is with our prayers : so long as they are 
 here below, in our own bosoms, they are full of weakness; 
 but as soon as our prayer is out of our mouth, it is in 
 the hand of Christ, it is in heaven, it is glorified, the weak-
 
 64 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 3. 
 
 ness is now done away ; Oh ! it is a glorified prayer ; when 
 once it is gone from you, it is in the hand of Christ. And 
 therefore, this is a mighty encouragement unto all those that 
 are godly, to be, not only in prayer, but to be much in 
 prayer, come with boldness unto the throne of grace. 
 
 Again, If ye be godly ; yea, if ye be ungodly : here I see 
 infinite reason, why I should receive every truth that comes 
 from Christ, though accompanied with many failings in him 
 that speaks it. The Lord Jesus Christ, he accepts of every 
 prayer, and duty that comes from me ; though it have many 
 weaknesses : yea, he takes my prayer, and carries it into the 
 presence of God the Father for acceptance, my poor prayer, 
 labouring with many weaknesses : then when a truth comes 
 from Christ, shall not I accept of it ? what though the minis- 
 ter, or preacher that speaks it, labour with this or that 
 weakness ? There is pride, or there is some miscarriage in the 
 delivery, or the like : shall the Lord Christ take my prayer, 
 labouring under infirmity, and accept thereof, and carry it 
 into the presence of God the Father for acceptance, notwith- 
 standing all the failings of my duty ? and shall not I accept 
 of truth that comes from Christ, notwithstanding all the 
 failings of the poor messenger that brings it ? 
 
 Further, the more evangelical you are in your obedience, 
 the more holy ye are in your lives. This truth that is now 
 before ye, well studied and considered, will make you more 
 obedient in an evangelical way. And ye shall find therefore, 
 that the Lord himself from heaven does make this use of it : 
 pray consult with the xviith of Matthew, and the 5th verse, 
 " This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased : hear 
 ye him." Those words follow, " Hear him." Hearing notes 
 faith, and obedience ; not bare hearing with the ear. Com- 
 pare this, and the same speech together, which ye have in 
 the iiird of Matthew and the 17th verse. " Lo a voice from 
 heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well 
 pleased." Hear ye him,is not there in the iiird of Matthew; but 
 here in the xviith of Matthew, these words are added, Hear 
 ye him : what should the reason be, that hear ye him, should 
 be added here in the xviith of Matthew, and not in the iiird 
 of Matthew ? Give me leave to give you some reason for 
 it, so far as may make to our present purpose : not to say any 
 thing of that which Moses said, In his days a prophet will
 
 SER. 3.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 65 
 
 the Lord your God raise up unto you like unto me, hear ye 
 him. And now here, in the xviith of Matthew, at the trans- 
 figuration, Moses and Elias appeared, which they did not in 
 the iiird of Matthew. 
 
 First, consider that the emphasis may lie upon the word 
 hear, and not upon the word him, only : " This is my belo- 
 ved Son in whom I am well pleased : hear ye him ;" his face 
 did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the 
 light. And Christ appeared in great glory, and they stood 
 looking upon him ; nay (says the Lord from heaven) do not 
 make it a gazing matter, but hear him : do not stand looking 
 upon him, but hear him. He does not appear in such a 
 glory in the iiird of Matthew, when he was baptized; and 
 therefore those words are not added there. 
 
 But again, here now in the xviith chapter of Matthew, at 
 the transfiguration, appear Moses, and Elias. Behold (at 
 the iiird verse) " There appeared unto them, Moses and 
 Elias talking with him." Moses that gave the law ; Elias that 
 restored it. " Then answered Peter and said unto Jesus ; 
 Lord, it is good for us to be here : if thou wilt, let us make 
 here three tabernacles ; one for thee, and one for Moses, and 
 one for Elias." Peter and so the rest of the disciples, began 
 for to equalize Moses to Jesus Christ : one for Moses, and 
 one for Elias, and one for Jesus Christ ; no more for Christ 
 than for Moses. Now the Lord takes Peter off from all his 
 mistakings : Your eye is upon Moses (saith he) but I (saith 
 the Lord God Almighty) am well pleased in my Son : this is 
 my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. I am well 
 pleased with you, and with your duties, through this my 
 Son, and not through Moses; and therefore hear Christ, and 
 not Moses. He lays this in upon it, that therefore they 
 should be evangelical, and hear Jesus Christ, because the 
 Lord Christ gives acceptance unto all, and by him God is 
 well pleased with them. 
 
 Again further, the more glory Christ does appear in, the 
 greater reason there is why we should hear him. Now 
 here the Lord Jesus Christ appeared in glory; his face 
 did shine as the sun and his raiment was white as the light. 
 In the iiird of Matthew, he was there baptized, and he did 
 not appear in glory : but now here he appears in glory; and 
 therefore says the Lord, now hear him ; this is your glorious
 
 66 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 3. 
 
 Saviour, hear him. Beloved ! what greater glory can Jesus 
 Christ appear to your souls in, than this, the glory of his 
 love ? he takes every one of your duties, and your prayers, 
 and he carries them into the bosom of God the Father, and 
 by him you have acceptance. Oh ! what a glorious Saviour 
 have ye ! therefore hear him : this is that, if anything, will 
 make ye very obedient to Christ, more than to Moses, to 
 be evangelical in all your duties. 
 
 Yet further, the more a man can rejoice in spiritual pri- 
 vileges with humility ; and the more humble a man is, and 
 yet can rejoice in his spiritual privileges, the more holy he 
 is : there goes a great deal of holiness to it, to join these two to- 
 gether : for a man to rejoice in his spiritual privileges and 
 yet to be humble : and to walk very humbly. Some there 
 are, that look upon their spiritual privileges, and rejoice 
 much ; but they do not walk humbly : some labour to walk 
 humbly, and are much troubled in the consideration of their 
 own evil ; but they do not rejoice in their spiritual privi- 
 leges. Give me a Christian that doth both, and he is a bles- 
 sed man. The study of this truth that is now before you, 
 will teach you to do both, to do both together : for, what a 
 great privilege is this, not a sigh, not a groan, not a duty, 
 but the Lord Christ takes it, and carries it in, and presents 
 it to God the Father for me, whereby I have acceptance ? 
 Considering this ; here is matter of much joy and rejoicing. 
 Aye but, it is Christ that does it ; there is no such worthi- 
 ness in mine own duty ; it were lost, and cast away, if Jesus 
 Christ did not take it in his hand, and carry it into the bosom 
 of God the Father, and therefore, why should I not walk 
 humbly. 
 
 I conclude all with this, if that the Lord Jesus Christ 
 our great High Priest, offers up all our gifts unto God the 
 Father, whereby we have acceptance: what infinite cause 
 have we all to be thankful to God for Christ, and to love 
 Jesus Christ tor ever ! 
 
 Suppose one of you had been among the disciples, when 
 the Lord Christ washed his disciples' feet ; and he should 
 have come, and washed your feet, and have done it; would 
 not your heart have glowed with love to Jesus Christ ? Yet 
 when the Lord Jesus Christ washed his disciples' feet, it was 
 in the days of his flesh, when he was here on the earth : but
 
 SER. 4.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 67 
 
 now he is in glory, and yet for all this, he takes your dirty 
 prayers, and does (as it were) wash the feet of your prayers, 
 that he may present them to God the Father: he washes 
 your tears over again in his blood, and presents them to God 
 the Father : he takes all your duties, and perfumes them with 
 his intercessions, and so presents them unto God the Father. 
 Oh ! what cause have we to love Jesus Christ ! Oh ! you 
 that never loved Christ, love him now ; and you that loved 
 him before, love him much more : you that fear the Lord, 
 love the Lord : and let us all, even go away with our hearts 
 warmed with this love, blessing and praising the name of the 
 Lord. 
 
 And thus I have led you into a third work of our great 
 High Priest, which is this, to offer up the gifts of the people 
 unto God the Father : A fourth follows, &c. 
 
 SERMON IV. 
 
 " Wherefore in all things it behoved him, to be made like unto his 
 brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest, in 
 things pertaining to godliness, to make reconciliation for the sins of 
 the people. For in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is 
 able to succour them that are tempted." HEB. n. 17, 18. 
 
 IT hath been opened and applied, that the work of the 
 high priest, was, and is, to satisfy for the sins of the people ; 
 to make intercession for them ; and to offer up their gifts 
 unto God the Father ; all which Christ doth for us. 
 
 I shall speak of one work more of our great High Priest, 
 and that is, to bless the people. We read in the Old Testa- 
 ment, of two sorts of high priests : one according to the or- 
 der of Aaron the Levitical high priest, as I may so speak, 
 and his work was, for to bless the people ; as we may read in 
 the vith chapter of Numbers, and the 23rd verse : " Speak 
 unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, on this wise ye shall 
 bless the children of Israel, saying unto them/' c. There 
 was another high priest; not according to this order of 
 Aaron ; and that was Melchisedec : and he also did bless 
 Abraham. And the apostle speaking of him as a great type 
 of, and in relation to Jesus Christ our great High Priest, in 
 F 2
 
 68 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 4. 
 
 the viith chapter of this book of the Hebrews, and the 6th 
 verse, saith, that he blessed Abraham : " But he whose de- 
 scent is not counted from them, received tythes of Abraham, 
 and blessed him that had the promises." So then this bles- 
 sing of the people, being the work of both the high priests ; 
 and both Aaron and Melchisedec being great types of Jesus 
 Christ our High Priest ; surely it must needs be one of the 
 great works of our High Priest, for to bless the people. 
 
 For the opening and clearing up of this truth, I shall en- 
 deavour to discover : 
 
 First, What the blessing of Christ our High Priest is, 
 wherein it consists, and what Christ doth, when he doth bless 
 the people. 
 
 Secondly, That it belongs unto Jesus Christ especially, for 
 to bless the people. 
 
 Thirdly, That our Lord and Saviour Christ, our great 
 High Priest is exceeding willing for to bless poor sinners ; 
 and that this blessing of the people, is a work whereunto he 
 is much inclined, and wherein he is much delighted. 
 Fourthly, That he doth this, and doth it fully. 
 Fifthly, According to our method : how all this doth con- 
 duce unto our comfort, and unto our holiness. 
 
 First, If ye ask me, what the blessing of Christ, and of the 
 gospel is ; and wherein it consists ? 
 
 I answer first in the general, That the blessing of the gos- 
 pel, and of Christ, consisteth in spiritual things especially, 
 and not in temporal. And therefore saith the apostle in that 
 ist of the Ephesians, and the 3rd verse : " Blessed be the 
 God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed 
 us, with all spiritual blessings, in heavenly places in Christ." 
 The curse, and judgments of God, that do befal meji now 
 under the gospel, are not in outward afflictions, and bodily 
 troubles so much ; as in spiritual miseries, blindness of mind, 
 and hardness of heart : and so also on the contrary, the bles- 
 sing of the gospel, doth not consist so much in outward 
 things, as in spiritual ; " Who hath blessed us with spiritual 
 blessings." Indeed, if we look into the Old Testament we 
 shall find, that when Moses did bless the people, he blessed 
 them much in temporal blessings. In the xxviiith of Deu- 
 teronomy, and the 2nd verse. " All these things shall come 
 upon thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken to the
 
 SER. 4.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 69 
 
 voice of the Lord thy God." What blessings are those ? 
 " Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou 
 be in the field : blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and 
 the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the in- 
 crease of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep : blessed shall 
 be thy basket and thy store." Thus he goes on in outward 
 blessings. But now if we look into the gospel, and consider 
 the blessings of Jesus Christ, and lay them together with 
 Moses, we shall find them to be spiritual blessings. In 
 the vth of Matthew, and the 3rd verse &c. " Blessed are 
 the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven : bles- 
 sed are those that mourn for they shall be comforted." In- 
 deed the promise of the earth comes in at the 5th verse ; but 
 he returns again to spiritual blessings : " Blessed are they 
 which hunger and thirst after righteousness ; for they 
 shall be filled. Blessed are the pure in heart ; for they shall 
 see God." Here are spiritual blessings ; this is the stream of 
 the gospel, it runs this way. When the Lord blesseth a man, 
 he gives him that which is suitable to him. In the times of 
 the gospel, men are more spiritual than they were in the 
 times of the law ; therefore gospel-blessings, they are spirit- 
 ual blessings. Every thing gives, and communicates to ano- 
 ther, according to what it hath itself: the sun communicates 
 light unto the world, because it hath light itself: and man 
 communicates the nature of man unto his child, because he 
 hath the nature of man himself. So our Lord Christ, when 
 he blesses, he communicates according unto what he hath 
 himself; and his blessings especially consisting in spiritual 
 things, so he doth bless. Indeed, as in the times of the Old 
 Testament there were spiritual blessings, that were mixed 
 with temporal, by virtue of the covenant that was made with 
 Abraham : so now, outward blessings are thrown in as an 
 overplus : but yet notwithstanding, though they be not spirit- 
 ual in their nature, they are spiritual in their end, and so it is 
 true to say that the blessing of the gospel, and of Christ is a 
 spiritual blessing. 
 
 But more particularly, if ye ask me wherein this consis- 
 teth ? I shall name but two things : 
 
 First, This blessing of the gospel, or of Christ, it consists 
 in a supernatural, and spiritual enjoyment of God in Christ : 
 the love and favour of God in Christ, When the priests
 
 70 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 4. 
 
 blessed in the times of the Old Testament, in that vith of 
 Numbers they said, " The Lord cause his face for to shine 
 upon thee, and be gracious unto thee : the Lord lift up 
 his countenance upon thee and give thee peace: the 
 Lord bless thee, and keep thee." Verses 24, 25, 26. Which 
 the apostle Paul expounding, in the 2nd Cor. the xiiith chap- 
 ter and the 14th verse, renders it thus : " The grace of the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion 
 of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen." The Lord bless 
 thee, the Lord cause his face to shine upon you ; the Lord 
 lift up the light of his countenance upon you : three times ; 
 the Lord, the Lord, the Lord ; noting the Trinity ; which the 
 apostle here explains by the Father, the Son, and the Holy 
 Spirit. <{ Blessed are the pure in heart : for they shall see 
 God." Seeing of God, is a blessing out of the mouth of 
 Christ, a gospel blessing. And what is it for a man to see 
 God ? In the phrase of the Old Testament, the Hebrew, to 
 see, is ordinarily used for to enjoy. In the ivth Psalm. 
 " Who will shew us any good ?" The word in the Hebrew 
 is, Who will make us to see any good ? that is to enjoy 
 good. So then, to see God, it is to enjoy him. When Jacob 
 enjoyed God, he saw him; and the place it was called, Peniel; 
 for he had seen the Lord, and there the Lord blessed him. 
 There is no seeing of God but in Christ. And therefore I 
 say, that herein consists the blessing of the gospel, in a 
 supernatural, and spiritual enjoyment of God in Christ, the 
 favour and love of God in Christ. 
 
 Again, it consists also, in the inhabitation of the Holy 
 Ghost in our hearts : the giving out of the Holy Ghost unto 
 the hearts of men. And therefore it is added in that place 
 of the Corinthians ; " And the communion of the Holy 
 Ghost, be with you all. Amen." That must needs be the 
 great blessing of the gospel, and so of Christ ; that is the 
 thing promised in the gospel. What is that ? If we look 
 into the ist chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, and the 4th 
 verse, it is said there of the disciples, " That they should wait 
 for the promise of the Father/ 5 Christ commanded them that 
 they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the pro- 
 mise of the Father. What is that ? We know what it was, 
 and is, that which befel afterward ; it was the giving out of 
 the Holy Ghost : the Holy Ghost fell upon them, and this
 
 SER. 4.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 71 
 
 is called " The promise of the Father/' That as in the times 
 of the Old Testament, the promise was, the giving of the 
 Son, and coming of the second person : so after Christ came, 
 the great promise was, the coming of the third person, and 
 the giving of the Holy Ghost. " When I am gone (saith 
 Christ) I will send ye another Comforter. He that believeth, 
 out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." This he 
 spake concerning the Spirit, which was not yet given, in 
 those extraordinary emanations of gifts and graces, because 
 he was not yet glorified. So then, the great blessing that 
 was to be given unto the children of men, the great gospel 
 blessing, was the giving out of the Holy Ghost : this is a 
 gospel blessing indeed. 
 
 Well, but what doth Christ do, when he doth bless ? 
 
 It is observable, that when any superior did bless ; a fa- 
 ther did bless his child, or the like ; he did observe what was 
 the choice mercy, and good in those times, and he did wish 
 that unto his child, or unto his inferior. And so in Isaac, 
 and Jacob's time ; the choice good was the dew of hea- 
 ven : and when they did bless their children, they wished 
 unto them the dew of heaven. So now, when our Lord 
 Jesus, our great High Priest, doth bless any man ; observing 
 that the choice mercy of the gospel is the enjoyment of God 
 in Christ, the favour and love of God, and the giving out of 
 the Holy Ghost into a man's heart ; he doth wish all this 
 good unto him, and he says unto God the Father : Lord, let 
 this poor soul have thy favour ; Oh ! cause thy face to shine 
 upon this poor soul, and give out the Holy Ghost unto it 
 that it may walk after the Spirit. 
 
 In the second place, it is observable, that when the priests 
 did bless the people, they did not barely wish good unto 
 them, but they did authoritatively pronounce them blessed. 
 " They shall put my name upon them, saith the Lord, when 
 they bless," Num. vi. 27. So when the Lord Christ, our 
 great High Priest, doth bless a man, he does not barely wish 
 him good, the Lord cause his face for to shine upon that soul 
 in a way of wishing : but the Lord Christ being a High Priest 
 when he blesseth, he doth authoritatively pronounce such a 
 soul to be blessed. 
 
 Thirdly, When the priest blessed, he did not only pro- 
 nounce the people blessed : but in the blessing of the priest
 
 72 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 4. 
 
 there was a kind of binding power ; it had the power, force, 
 and efficacy of an absolution. And, therefore, as Christ says 
 unto his disciples, " Go, and whosoever sins ye remit, they 
 shall be remitted :" I will stand by you in it. So saith the 
 Lord in that same place, the vith of Numbers, " On this wise 
 shall ye bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, The 
 Lord bless thee and keep thee." And at the 27th verse, 
 " They shall put my name upon the children of Israel, and I 
 will bless them." I will stand by them in this. So when 
 the Lord Jesus Christ, our great High Priest doth bless, he 
 doth not only pronounce a man to be blessed, but he doth 
 absolve him from all his sins : and, saith he, by authority 
 that is given to me from my Father, the keys that are put 
 into my hand, I do bind this blessing upon this poor soul. 
 
 Further, The priest when he blessed, indeed he could wish 
 well, and he could pronounce a man blessed, and he might 
 absolve, but he could go no further, he could not confer the 
 blessing, he could not bestow the blessing : but our Lord 
 Christ, being an High Priest beyond all the high priests that 
 ever were before him in this respect too, where he doth bless, 
 he bestoweth the blessing, being God and man, he bestoweth 
 the blessing. 
 
 In the fifth place, This our great High Priest, being God 
 and man ; look how God blesseth, so doth he bless. In the 
 Scripture ye shall find, that when God the Father blessed, 
 he said unto those things that he blessed, Increase and mul- 
 tiply : still when he blessed, Increase and multiply. So the 
 Lord Jesus Christ our High Priest, when he comes to bless, 
 he doth not barely wish good unto a poor soul, or pronounce 
 him blessed, or bestow a good thing upon him ; but saith he, 
 O soul, multiply in this good ; the Lord increase thy graces, 
 and thy gifts, and thy comforts; poor soul, increase and 
 multiply herein. This the Lord Christ our great High Priest 
 doth. Thus it is clear what the blessing of the gospel is, 
 wherein it consists, and what our High Priest doth when he 
 doth bless the people. 
 
 But, secondly, Does this blessing properly or specially be- 
 long unto Jesus Christ ? 
 
 Yes, for he was made a curse for sin, he and none else 
 made a curse for sin ; and, therefore, it belongs unto him 
 \bove all the world for to bless. For look what evil Jesus
 
 SER. 4.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 73 
 
 Christ endured, the contrary good he merited for the children 
 of men, a power to bestow that good. Now he above all 
 was cursed, hung upon the cross, and died a cursed death, he 
 was made a curse ; therefore it belongs unto him above all 
 for to give the blessing, for to bless poor sinners. Primum 
 in quolibet genere, fyc. The first in every kind is the cause of 
 the rest. The sun is the cause of all the light we have here 
 below, and it is the first light body. And the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, he is the first blessing : therefore hath thy God blessed 
 thee for ever. There are three that we read of in Scripture 
 especially that did bless : the father, the king, and the priest : 
 the father did bless his children, the king blessed his s'ubjects, 
 and the priest blessed the people. Now the Lord Jesus Christ 
 he is our Father, " The everlasting Father :" he is our King, 
 " I will set my King upon my holy hill :" and he is our great 
 High Priest; and therefore all these relations meeting in him, 
 it belongs unto him above all for to bless the people. 
 
 But, thirdly, is the Lord Jesus Christ willing for to bless 
 poor sinners and inclined unto it ? 
 
 Yes, he is very willing : this blessing of the people, it is a 
 work whereunto he is much inclined, and wherein he is most 
 delighted. Ye shall observe therefore, what abundance of 
 blessings Christ scattered among the people when he was here 
 upon the earth. Ye do not read that ever he cursed any man, 
 formally cursed him. Once, indeed, he pronounced a curse, but 
 it fell upon a barren fig-tree, not upon a man. But take your 
 Bibles and turn over from leaf to leaf, and see how frequent he 
 was in blessing ; and consider whether you do read in all the 
 Bible of any preacher or prophet that ever in the way of their 
 preaching pronounced so many blessings as Christ did ? He 
 begins blessing, "Blessed are the poor ;" and "Blessed are 
 those that mourn ;" and " Blessed are those that hunger and 
 thirst;" and " Blessed are those that are persecuted for my 
 name's sake. Blessed are those that hear the word of God 
 and keep it. He took little children into his arms and blessed 
 them." Do but mark in all the gospel, how frequent Christ 
 was in blessing, never in cursing ; more frequent in blessing, 
 than ever any preacher was in all his sermons. What is the 
 reason of this ? Because this work of blessing the people 
 is a work wherein the Lord Jesus Christ, our High Priest, is 
 much delighted, a work whereunto he is most inclined.
 
 74 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 4. 
 
 Well, fourthly, but doth he do it ? 
 
 Yes, he doth do it, and doth it fully. The same place that I 
 named will prove it, the ist of the Ephesians, and the 3rd 
 verse, " Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in 
 heavenly places in Christ. Not only meritoriously, but by 
 the hand of Christ. And, saith he, he hath done it, with all 
 spiritual blessings, and he hath done it by Jesus Christ. 
 
 You will say, We do not see that men are thus blessed by 
 Christ; for where Christ blesseth, he doth not only wish well 
 and good unto a man, but he bestoweth it ; yea, he doth not 
 only bestow good, but he doth increase and multiply : but 
 upon this account, how few are there in the world that are 
 blessed by Christ ! 
 
 For answer, It is a hard thing, sometimes, unto a Christian 
 for to discern this blessing of Christ. Ye can see the boughs, 
 fruit, body, bark of a tree ; but if ye will see the root, ye 
 must dig and take pains for to see it : it is an easy thing to 
 see the leaves, &c., but if you would see the root, ye must dig 
 and take pains for it. This blessing of Jesus Christ it is 
 the root of all ; and if you will see this, you must dig and take 
 pains to see it, it does not lie open to every one's view. The 
 Lord Jesus Christ, our High Priest, does not bless as man 
 blesses, and so his blessing is very much hidden from our 
 eyes ; he does not bless as we do, he does not bless as the 
 world does : if the world sees a rich man, it pronounces him 
 blessed : O 1 there is a blessed man, and there is a happy 
 man ! what an excellent dwelling hath he, how healthful ! his 
 table is spread, &c. The world blesses rich men, pronounces 
 them happy and blessed. But our Lord Jesus Christ, he 
 does as Jacob did when Joseph brought his two sons to Jacob 
 to be blessed by him ; he set Ephraim the younger at the 
 left hand of Jacob, and he set Manasseh the elder at the right 
 hand of Jacob, that Jacob might give the right hand blessing 
 to the elder, and the left hand blessing to the younger : but 
 when Joseph had set them thus before Jacob, Jacob crosses 
 hands, and he turns the right hand blessing to the younger. 
 So two men are brought before Christ, a rich man > it may be, 
 and a poor man, and in the eye of the world, the rich man 
 must carry the blessing : O ! but our Lord Christ, he crosses 
 hands, and he lays the blessing upon the younger brother
 
 SER. 4.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 75 
 
 many times. And so in regard of ordinances : two sorts of 
 ordinances are brought before Christ, God's ordinance and 
 man's ordinance; and man's ordinance, in the eye of the 
 world, is the elder brother, and God's ordinance the younger 
 brother ; and both these are brought before Christ for a bles- 
 sing, and the ordinance of man is set at the right hand of 
 Christ by the world ; but the Lord Christ, he crosses hands, 
 and he lays the blessing upon the younger brother in this res- 
 pect. And so two men are brought before him, a proud 
 pharisee and a poor broken-hearted sinner; the pharisee 
 comes unto the right hand of Christ, and thinks for to carry 
 the blessing ; but the Lord Christ crosses hands, and lays 
 the right hand blessing upon the poor broken-hearted sinner, 
 and passes by the proud pharisee. The Lord Christ doth not 
 bless as the world blesseth. 
 
 Again, as he doth not bless as the world blesseth, so he 
 doth not bless always as professors bless. Professors, they 
 do ordinarily bless men according unto their outward privi- 
 leges, gospel and church privileges : O ! says the woman unto 
 Christ, " Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and blessed are 
 the paps that gave thee suck/' Christ crosses hands. Nay, 
 but, says Christ, " Blessed are those that hear the word of 
 God, and keep it, and do my commandments/' You bless 
 according to outward privileges ; I do not go that way of 
 blessing, says Christ : he does not bless as professors bless 
 
 Thirdly, He does not bless as godly men bless always ; as 
 gracious men bless, not always. For, you that are godly, you 
 pronounce such a man blessed, as hath much grace, and hath 
 assurance of the love of God in Christ ; and one that hath 
 strong and great parts, and able to carry away whole sermons 
 word for word, and of strong memory and large gifts, that are 
 head and shoulders above their fellows. But the Lord Jesus 
 Christ does not always bless thus ; " Blessed are the poor in 
 spirit," says he. " Blessed are those that mourn." He does 
 not say, Blessed are those that rejoice ; or, Blessed are those 
 that have the assurance of God's love ; or, Blessed are those 
 that are strong in grace : No, but dost thou know a poor 
 weak Christian, a mourning soul like a dove of the valleys, 
 says the Lord, I bless him. 
 
 Thus I say, the Lord Jesus Christ, our great High Priest,
 
 76 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 4. 
 
 he does not bless as we bless, he does not bless as the world 
 blesses, he does not bless always as professors bless, he does 
 not bless always as godly men bless, and therefore no wonder 
 that his blessing is hidden. Children when they are very 
 young are often blessed by their parents, and they do not mind 
 it or take notice of it ; children of two or three years old : 
 and so it is with many a gracious soul blessed by Jesus Christ, 
 they do not take notice of their Father's blessing. But the 
 Lord Christ doth always bless his people; only, there are 
 several times special seasons that he gives out his blessing : 
 let me tell ye of those times a little, that so ye may come for 
 his blessing while his hand is in as it were ; so that you may 
 be crowned with spiritual blessings in and from Jesus Christ. 
 
 First, When Christ our High Priest doth see that a man 
 is weak in grace or weak in gifts, and hath some work or ser- 
 vice for him to do, some employment to call him forth unto ; 
 then the Lord Christ doth bless him. There are two times 
 especially, as I remember, that the Lord speaks those words 
 concerning man, " Increase and multiply." Once in the be- 
 ginning, when he had made man and woman ; and once in 
 the ixth of Genesis, when he had brought Noah out of the 
 ark. Why does he rather choose for to speak those words, 
 Increase and multiply, at these two times especially, rather 
 than at any other time ? In the beginning there was but a 
 little stock of mankind, and the Lord had a design upon man 
 to make use of him in the world, and therefore in the begin- 
 ning, says he, Increase and multiply : but afterward that the 
 flood had swept away man, Noah and his family being pre- 
 served, when he came out of the ark, the Lord having yet a 
 further design upon man to use him, he reneweth those words 
 again, Increase and multiply. So when the Lord Christ sees 
 that a man's heart is upright and sincere with him, and he 
 hath some work and service for him to do, then the Lord 
 comes forth and blesses him : O soul, increase and multiply, 
 increase in thy gifts and graces, and multiply. That is one. 
 
 Again, As the Lord doth bless weak gifts and graces when 
 he intends to use them ; so also when as he hath made use of a 
 man, when a man hath done the work of God, and done it to 
 purpose, then the Lord blesses that man. Melchisedec, a 
 great type of Christ, here when Abraham had been upon a 
 great service, slaying kings, and rescued Lot, then Melchi-
 
 SER. 4.] ox CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 77 
 
 sedec the high priest comes forth and blesses him. So when 
 the Lord Jesus Christ our great High Priest, sees that a poor 
 soul hath been upon his work, upon his service, and hath 
 done his work faithfully, then he comes forth and blesses that 
 soul : O soul, live for ever. 
 
 Again, As he does bless at this time, when a man hath 
 done his work ; so also when a man is willing for to leave all 
 his relations and natural engagements for to follow him to 
 cleave close unto him, and to his ways, and ordinances. The 
 Lord blessed Abraham, " Thou shalt be blessed ; in blessing 
 I will bless thee, and thou shalt be blessed." Upon what 
 occasion ? " Abraham," says he, " get thee out of thy coun- 
 try, and go to a land and place that I will shew thee." And 
 Abraham did so, Abraham pulled up his tent, and went after 
 the Lord, and left his own relations ; and thereupon the Lord 
 fell upon him and blessed him. So when the Lord Christ our 
 High Priest sees a soul willing even to trample upon his re- 
 lations for to follow him, willing to leave all natural engage- 
 ments for to be his servant ; then the Lord Christ comes out, 
 and says he, This soul do I bless : In blessing I will bless 
 thee, and I will bless thee exceedingly. That is a third time. 
 Fourthly, The Lord Christ, our High Priest, does bless 
 when the world curses, a special time of Christ's blessing is 
 when the world curses. When Rabshekah reviled, blasphe- 
 med, and cursed, then God blessed. When Balak hired Ba- 
 laam for to curse the people of Israel, then the Lord blessed 
 them by the mouth of Balaam himself. And ye see what 
 Christ says to this purpose in that same vth chapter of Mat- 
 thew, at the 10th verse, " Blessed are they which are perse- 
 cuted for righteousness' sake." But when are they blessed ? 
 " Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute 
 you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for 
 my sake. Blessed are ye when men shall persecute you." Aye 
 but, suppose it does not come to a bodily persecution, men 
 may not be thrown in prison, or brought to the stake. Says 
 he, " Blessed are ye when men shall revile," persecute you 
 with the tongue, " and say all manner of evil against you for 
 my sake." When the world says of such a poor soul, that he 
 is an hypocrite, a dissembler ; and speaks all manner of evil 
 that can be devised against a poor soul for the name of
 
 78 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 4. 
 
 Christ, that is the very time, that Christ comes for to bless 
 that soul, then doth Christ bless ; it is a blessed season. 
 
 In the fifth place, The Lord Christ does also bless, when 
 his people do graciously enjoy the ordinances purely and evan- 
 gelically administered. It is said concerning Zion, there 
 commanded he his blessing for ever, " Blessed are the people 
 that hear the joyful sound; they shall walk in the light of 
 his countenance," Ps. Ixxxix. 15. It is written of the priests 
 in the times of the old testament, that when the people, the 
 congregation were come together, they blessed them; when the 
 people were come together for the enjoyment of ordinances 
 according to God's own appointment, then the priests blessed 
 them. And did their high priest bless them then ? and shall 
 not our High Priest do it now ? Did their high priest bless 
 them when they sat under Mosaical ordinances ? and shall 
 not our High Priest bless the people that sit under evangel- 
 ical and gospel ordinances, purely and evangelically adminis- 
 tered ? The people then might make account of the greatest 
 blessing; and so you may do also of the blessing of Jesus 
 Christ when thus you do enjoy ordinances. Only there is 
 this difference : (other differences there are, but this only I 
 shall speak of:) Then the priest did bless the people when the 
 congregation was dismissed ; but now, the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 our great High Priest, he is blessing of the congregation all 
 the while ; he is going up and down in the congregation all 
 the while that the word is preached and ordinances adminis- 
 tered, and he is blessing poor souls as they sit longing after 
 him, and sighing towards him ; he is blessing of them all the 
 while. Thus he does bless, and though you do not always 
 perceive it, yet he doth bless his people. And that is the 
 fourth thing. 
 
 But yet you will say, fifthly, How does all this conduce 
 unto our comfort and unto our holiness ? 
 
 Much every way. 
 
 First for comfort, beloved, Is it not a comfortable thing to 
 be blessed by Jesus Christ? Children counted it a great 
 matter to be blessed by their parents. When as Jacob had 
 gotten the blessing from Esau ; Esau goes and sits down and 
 mourns, he could not be comforted because the blessing was 
 gone : and Jacob, though he were thrust out of doors, yet be- 
 cause he had gotten the blessing, he went away cheerful ;
 
 SER. 4.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 79 
 
 and it was but an Isaac's blessing. But behold a greater 
 than Isaac is here ! Oh ! was it such a matter to have an 
 Isaac's blessing ? what is it then to be blessed by Jesus 
 Christ ? Beloved ! when as Christ doth bless, he turns all 
 our curses into blessings, and our miseries into mercies. 
 When God curses, he turns our table into a snare : and when 
 Christ blesseth, he turns our snare into a table, quite con- 
 trary. Jacob pronounced a curse upon his two sons, Simeon 
 and Levi (you know upon what occasion) they should be 
 divided and scattered in Israel : afterward the tribe of Levi 
 stands up at the commandment of God to execute justice 
 and judgment, and the Lord blessed them : and how did he 
 bless them ? they were to be the preachers unto all the 
 tribes ; and so that they might be preachers unto all the 
 tribes, they were to be scattered into all the tribes, and so 
 Jacob's curse was turned into a blessing to them. 
 
 Is it not a comfortable thing, for a man to have all his 
 cursers, to be blessers ? It is a comfortable thing, for all a 
 man's curses to become blessings: but now I say, it is a comfor- 
 table thing, for all a man's cursers, to be blessers to him. When 
 the Lord Christ blesses, he will make men's cursers whether 
 they will or no, (in the day of their visitation at least) for to 
 bless. Ye know that Balaam would have cursed Israel, but 
 the Lord had blessed them. Balaam got upon a high moun- 
 tain, and from thence he would have cursed Israel, but it 
 would not be. Then he gets upon another high mountain, 
 and from thence he would have cursed Israel, but it would not 
 be. Then he gets upon another high mountain : thinking 
 that would have done it, and from thence he would have 
 cursed Israel, but that would not do it. Oh ! says he, " The 
 Lord hath seen no iniquity in Israel," and therefore he blesses 
 them : the curse is turned into a blessing ; so there are 
 many that deal thus by the people of God in these days : 
 they get upon such an high mountain, such a great and high 
 means, and they think to curse the people of God from thence, 
 butitwillnotbe. Then they get upon another mountain, another 
 means, thinking from thence to curse the people of God, but 
 it will not be. Then they get upon another high mountain 
 or hill, and think then to curse the people of God, and do 
 them mischief, but it will not do it. Why ? for the Lord 
 Christ sees no iniquity, the Lord Christ hath blessed them :
 
 80 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SBR. 4. 
 
 and so at last, in the day of wicked men's visitation, they are 
 forced to say, These are the people of God, and these are 
 blessed and shall be blessed. We know what is said in the 
 Scripture, " The blessing of the Lord maketh rich : and he 
 addeth no sorrow therewithal." Is it not a good thing then 
 to be blessed by Christ ? If a man be blessed by Jesus Christ 
 he may bless himself in the Lord, and he may comfort him- 
 self in every condition, and he may say thus, Well, though 
 I be a poor man, yet I am blessed by Christ : and though my 
 estate be sunk, and decayed, yet I am blessed by Christ : and 
 though I be reproached, and hated by men, yet I am blessed 
 by Jesus Christ ; a man may comfort himself in every con- 
 dition. 
 
 But you will say, indeed if a man be assured that Christ 
 hath blessed him, he may do thus ; but I am afraid that Christ 
 hath not blessed me, or that he is not willing to bless me : if I 
 could be assured that this great High Priest, had once laid 
 his hand, his blessing-hand upon me, I should have comfort 
 in all conditions. 
 
 Give me leave to lay two or three things before you con- 
 cerning this. 
 
 First, When the Lord blessed Abraham, he said unto him, 
 " In thee and thy seed shall all nations be blessed. It is a sign 
 unto Abraham, that he was blessed, because others were bles- 
 sed by him. So now, when a man's parts, gifts, graces, and 
 comforts are blessings to others, it is an argument that that 
 man is blessed himself. 
 
 Further, when a man is blessed by God, or Christ ; he is 
 drawn nearer to God by all outward things, by all things ; 
 " Come ye blessed, go ye cursed." Blessing hath an attrac- 
 tive nature, " Come ye blessed :" when the Lord Christ 
 does bless a man, he does draw him, " Come ye blessed." 
 When a man is brought nearer to God by affliction, he is 
 blessed : when a man is brought nearer to God by his estate, 
 by any comfort, by any sorrow, here is blessing, " Come ye 
 blessed." Blessings draw one nearer to God with a cord of 
 love. 
 
 Thirdly where the Lord does bless, he does cause a man 
 to increase and multiply, in that thing wherein he is blessed. 
 Increasing and multiplying, is so natural unto blessing, that 
 in the original tongues of the Old and New Testament,
 
 SER. 4.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 81 
 
 plenty is put for blessing. I will give you but one clear 
 place for it in the New Testament, the 2 Corinthians ixth 
 chapter, 5th verse. " Therefore I thought it necessary to ex- 
 hort the brethren, that they would go before unto ye, and 
 make up before-hand your bounty " The word is your bles- 
 ing. Whereof you had notice before ; that the same might 
 be ready as a matter of bounty. The word is, a matter of 
 blessing. But especially in the next verse. But this I say, 
 " He which soweth sparingly, shall reap sparingly : and he 
 which soweth bountifully, shall reap bountifully." And he 
 which soweth with blessing (as it is in the original) shall reap 
 with blessing : and here it is opposed to sparingly, and 
 translated bountifully. Where the Lord does bless, he does 
 always cause a man to increase and multiply. 
 
 Now, beloved in the Lord, I appeal unto all your souls, 
 you that make this objection, that are afraid the Lord Christ 
 hath not blessed you as your High Priest, hath not laid his 
 hand upon you, and blessed you : yet do not ye know more of 
 Christ than ye have known before ? hath not the hidden 
 truths of the gospel been increased and multiplied upon your 
 hearts ? hath not your hearts been brought nearer to God 
 by affliction ? hath not your souls been drawn nearer to God 
 by his outward dealings with you ? And as Abraham was 
 therefore blessed, because he was made a blessing to others : 
 so I appeal to ye, have not your parts, gifts, and graces, in 
 some measure been blessings unto others, even unto your 
 poor family, and unto others also ? Then be of good com- 
 fort (man or woman) wherever thou standest, the Lord 
 Christ hath blessed thee, and thou shalt be blessed, hold 
 up thy head poor blessed soul, the Lord Jesus hath blessed 
 thee : when the Lord did lay this blessing upon thee, I can- 
 not tell thee, but I find thee a blessed man, stay thyself upon 
 the Lord, cheer up thy drooping heart, thou art a blessed 
 soul. 
 
 But you will say, How does this make unto our holiness ? 
 I confess this is a very comfortable cordial, that the Lord 
 Jesus Christ is in office to bless poor sinners ; but how does 
 this conduce unto our holiness ? 
 
 Very much : this holds forth great encouragement, unto all 
 poor sinners for to come to Christ, and to come without de- 
 lay. Why ? once come to Christ and blessed ; but without 
 
 G
 
 82 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 4. 
 
 Christ and cursed : an enemy to Jesus Christ and a cursed 
 man : cursed in thy store-house : cursed in thy basket ; 
 and cursed in all things that thou puttest thine hand unto. 
 Oh ! then, will you not come to Christ that you may be 
 blessed : that day that a poor soul comes unto Christ, what- 
 ever he hath been he is blessed : that day may be called 
 Gilgal, for then the curse is rolled away from him. " Bles- 
 sed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven, and whose sin is 
 pardoned." The first day, the first minute, that he comes 
 to Christ, his sin is pardoned, and he is blessed. Who 
 would not then come unto Christ presently, that he may 
 be blessed for ever? When as Esau had sold his birth- 
 right for a mess of pottage, the Lord looked upon him as a 
 profane man, and he stands upon record in Scripture for 
 a profane man unto this day, because he sold his birth- 
 right. And says the text, Though he sought the blessing 
 (it was a blessing) with tears, he never recovered it. The 
 Lord Jesus Christ, he is now among us, and offering to bless 
 us ; and if I will rather keep my sins than come unto Jesus 
 Christ, the Lord will look upon me as a profane man ; and 
 I may go and seek the blessing with tears, and never recover 
 it again. Oh ! here is that, methinks, that should make 
 every wicked man ; if there be ever a drunkard, swearer, or 
 unclean wanton that reads this book, mind what is said for 
 your everlasting peace : I say, here is that, methinks, that 
 should make every wicked man, to look upon the godly, as 
 David did upon the sparrows, and upon the swallows : says 
 David, " These birds full nigh thine altar, may have place 
 to sit and sing " as ye have it in your singing psalms. These 
 birds can come and make their nests ; but as for me I am 
 kept at a distance : he was provoked by the sparrows and 
 swallows making their nests near the altar. So may a 
 wicked man say, There is a godly man indeed, he may go to 
 Jesus Christ he may go to prayer, and he may offer up his gift 
 to God the Father by the hands of Christ, he can come near 
 to God by Christ : but as for me, I am yet without Christ, I am 
 not yet gone to Jesus Christ; 1 am such a cursed swearer, I am 
 such a profane drunkard, I am such a vile, wretched wanton, 
 such a notorious, scandalous sinner ! Oh ! these people are 
 blessed, but I am cursed, but now through the Lord's grace 
 I will go unto the Lord Christ that I may be blessed.
 
 SER. 4.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 83 
 
 Yea, my beloved, here is, methinks, a strong invitation, 
 unto all those that are young people for to come unto Jesus 
 Christ : even those that are very young. Hear the word of 
 the Lord, ye children. The Lord Jesus Christ received 
 children into his arms and he blessed them. You that are 
 nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, or fifteen years 
 old; you can be solicitous for your father's blessing, and 
 have gone down upon your knees often unto your father, 
 and you have said, Pray father, pray to God to bless me. 
 Oh ! will ye go to your outward father for his blessing ? and 
 will ye not go unto Jesus Christ ? He is an everlasting Father, 
 this your earthly father will be dead ere long ; he is an ever- 
 lasting Father, children, and he is able to bless ye, and willingto 
 bless ye. Have ye gone down upon your knees to your outward 
 father ? Oh ! children, down, down upon your knees before 
 the Lord Jesus Christ, and go to him for his blessing. Some 
 of you, it may be, never went yet to Christ for his blessing ; 
 ye have lived so many years, ten, eleven or twelve years, and 
 never went to Christ as High Priest, for his blessing all this 
 while. Oh ! what a mighty encouragement is here unto 
 all men to come to Christ, that they may be blessed by 
 him. 
 
 But yet further, As there is an encouragement for to come 
 unto Christ : so this argument does also encourage us to go 
 on in the good ways of Christ, notwithstanding all opposition 
 that we meet withal : I say, it does speak encouragement to go 
 on in the face of all opposition. For when Abraham had been 
 at battle, then came Melchisedec the high priest to bless him: 
 and when a poor soul goes out to battle for Christ, then 
 comes our great Melchisedec, our High Priest, and blesses 
 that soul. The time of opposition, it is the time of Christ's 
 blessing. Therefore, why should I be discouraged, or beaten 
 out of the way of Christ, by reason of any opposition, though 
 it be never so great ? Times of opposition are Christ's bles- 
 sing time. 
 
 Again, This argument does not only speak encouragement 
 against all opposition : but it does also encourage us to go 
 on in the good ways of God when we are called unto it, 
 though we have but little strength and weak parts. Though 
 there be but little oil in the cruse, though there be but little 
 meal in the barrel, if Christ call to the work, he will bless a 
 
 G2
 
 84 ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. [SER. 4. 
 
 man in it : and when Christ blesses, he does multiply and 
 increase a man's parts in the using of them. As when he 
 commanded them to sit down and eat, he did multiply and 
 increase the bread in their eating : so now, does Christ call 
 me to any work or service ? well then, though I am weak, 
 though I have not oil enough, though I have not meal enough, 
 though I have not strength enough ; yet the Lord Christ will 
 bless, and when he blesses, he does increase and multiply : 
 and therefore, why should not I go on upon his work, if he 
 do call me thereunto, though I have never so little strength. 
 
 And yet further, If all this be true : why should not a man 
 be contented with his condition, though he be never so mean ? 
 Beloved in the Lord ! is there not enough in Christ's bles- 
 sing ? Truly, he is too covetous, whom the blessing of 
 Christ will not satisfy. Well, whatever my condition be, yet 
 I may be blessed by Jesus Christ ; and hath the Lord bles- 
 sed me ? then will I be contented with my condition, though 
 it be never so mean, I have all, as Jacob once said, I have all. 
 
 Yea, in the fifth and last place : Here is that, which if well 
 studied and considered ; will provoke us all for to bless the 
 Lord, and continually to bless the Lord ! What is the life of 
 a Christian here, but continual blessing of God ? it is heaven 
 begun : and in heaven, they do nothing else but bless and 
 praise the Lord ; and I say our life here is heaven begun 
 and therefore a Christian should be always blessing and 
 praising the Lord. 
 
 Well, But what will make a man to be always blessing, and 
 praising of God in Christ ? 
 
 The knowledge that a man is blessed by Christ, will make 
 a man bless God for Christ. And therefore consider how 
 the apostle reasons, in the ist of Ephesians, and the 3rd 
 verse, " Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ :" Why ? " who hath blessed us." When once a man 
 can come to this, for to say, That the Lord Christ hath bles- 
 sed him ; then he will break forth into blessing and praising 
 of the Lord ; O ! Blessed be the Lord : bless the Lord, O 
 my soul ; and bless the Lord all that is within me : for the 
 Lord hath blessed me with spiritual blessings. Do you 
 therefore desire to be always in this work of blessing the 
 Lord ? think much of this. 
 
 To conclude all ; give me leave to call upon you to remem-
 
 SER. 4.] ON CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 85 
 
 her what ye have read. Ye have read, That it is the work of 
 our great High Priest, to satisfy fur the sins of the people : 
 to answer unto all accusations that are brought against them : 
 to offer up all our prayers and gifts unto God the Father : 
 and to bless poor souls. Now then, beloved, according to all 
 your wants, and according to all your temptations : I do be- 
 seech you in the Lord, go to Jesus Christ, unto this High 
 Priest ; try and see if you do not find it true, that the Lord 
 does make good all this unto you. In case that you be under 
 any spiritual want or temptation ; put your souls under this 
 disjunction : Come, O my soul, either the Lord Jesus Christ 
 is our great High Priest, or else he is not : if he be not, what 
 means this and that Scripture ? And if the Lord Jesus 
 Christ be our great High Priest; then surely he being faith- 
 ful, will do all the work of the high priest for my soul. Indeed 
 I have sinned, and sinned greatly ; but O Lord, it is the work 
 of our High Priest to satisfy : now, Lord Jesus, I come to 
 thee as mine High Priest, O ! satisfy for me. Indeed, I con- 
 fess, mine own conscience does accuse me, Satan does accuse 
 me, Moses does accuse me : but it is the work of our great 
 High Priest, to take off all accusations brought against poor 
 believers : now Lord, I do come unto thee, as to my great 
 High Priest, Oh ! take off this accusation that any poor soul 
 does labour under. Indeed, when I look upon mine own 
 duties ; there is so much deadness, so much hardness of 
 heart, and so many distractions that do accompany them, 
 that I am afraid they will never be accepted: but, O Lord, it 
 is the work of our great High Priest, to take away the weeds 
 of the duty, and to present the duty ; now, O Lord, I come 
 unto thee as mine High Priest, Oh ! carry my prayers into 
 the bosom of God the Father. Yea, when I look upon my 
 former life, Lord, I cannot but conclude myself, a poor 
 cursed sinner : but yet notwithstanding, it is the work of our 
 great High Priest, for to bless the people : O Lord, I do 
 therefore now come unto thee as mine High Priest, Oh ! 
 bless me, and say unto all my graces, Increase and multiply.
 
 SATAN'S POWER TO TEMPT, 
 
 CHRIST'S LOVE TO AND CARE OF HIS PEOPLE 
 UNDER TEMPTATION. 
 
 IN 
 
 FIVE SERMONS, 
 
 PREACHED AT ST. MARGARET'S, NEW FISH STREET, 
 A. D. 164G.
 
 ON TEMPTATION. 
 
 SERMON I. 
 
 " For in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to 
 succour them that are tempted" HKB. n. 18. 
 
 THE scope and drift of this epistle, is to raise and 
 strengthen the faith of the Hebrews, and so the faith of 
 those that are weak in grace. Our apostle Paul, therefore, 
 whom I take to be the penman, labours to discover the 
 transcendant excellency of Jesus Christ, with his love and 
 good-will to the children of men. And because his excel- 
 lencies were either such as relate his person, or such as 
 relate his offices, of King, Priest, and Prophet; he tells us, 
 in the ist chapter, that for the personal excellencies of Jesus 
 Christ, " He is the Son of God, heir of all things, by whom 
 were the worlds made : being the brightness of his Father's 
 glory, and the express image of his person," in the 2nd and 
 3rd verses of that chapter. " That he is far above the 
 angels/' at the 4th verse. That he is God himself, at the 
 6th verse. And as for those excellencies that relate his 
 offices, he tells us at the 1st verse, that he is the Prophet of 
 prophets. That he is the great King, at the 8th verse. 
 That he is an High Priest, in the iind chapter and the 1 7th 
 verse. And therefore who would not trust unto him, and 
 take heed unto such things as he shall speak unto them. 
 And as for the love and good-will that he bears unto the chil- 
 dren of men, the apostle speaks it out in all this iind chapter. 
 
 The greater condescension in the person loving to the 
 person loved, the greater is the love. Now though Jesus 
 Christ be heir of all things, and had all things put under his 
 feet; far above all angels; yet notwithstanding, at the 7th 
 verse, " lie is made a little lower than the angels, takes our 
 nature upon him/' &c. 
 
 The more profitable any love is to the person loved, the 
 greater is the love. Such is the love of Christ, for his love
 
 90 OX TEMPTATION. [SfiR. 1. 
 
 is such, that " by him many sons are brought to glory," at 
 the 10th verse. " Sanctified while they live," at the llth 
 verse. Satan, their deadly enemy, subdued for them., at the 
 14th and 15th verses. 
 
 The more distinguishing any love is, the greater is that 
 love. Now Jesus Christ, as the great load-stone, passes by 
 the golden metal of angels, and draws unto himself the iron 
 metal of mankind : at the 16th verse : " For verily, he took 
 not on him the nature of angels ; but he took on him the 
 seed of Abraham." 
 
 Again, the more the person loving does suffer for the 
 person loved, the more and the greater is the love. Christ 
 suffered death, and he was while he lived subject to our 
 infirmities, and unto our temptations. " He was in all things 
 made like unto us," at the 1 7th verse. " And he was 
 tempted as we are tempted, that he might succour those that 
 are tempted," at the 1 8th verse. 
 
 And would you have an account or a reason of all this ? 
 It is that he might show mercy unto the children of men : 
 verse the 17th : " Wherefore in all things it behoved him to 
 be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful 
 and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make 
 reconciliation for the sins of the people." If he were not 
 made like unto us, in regard of our infirmities, he could not 
 so experimentally pity us under our infirmities. If he were 
 not tempted like unto us, he could not so feelingly succour 
 us under our temptation ; and so he had not been so fit to 
 have been our High Priest : but our High Priest he is gone 
 into the holy of holiest, to make reconciliation for the sins 
 of the people. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to 
 be made like unto us, that he might be a merciful and faith- 
 ful High Priest : " for in that he himself hath suffered, 
 being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted." 
 
 I will not hold you longer in the coherence, or division of 
 the words, or further explication : I shall open the words, 
 God willing, more particularly and distinctly, as I shall come 
 to the observations that shall be raised from them. And I 
 begin with the last, being made the reason of the former. 
 " For in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is 
 able to succour them that are tempted." Tempted twice : 
 he tempted, and they tempted.
 
 SEE. 1.] ON TEMPTATION. 91 
 
 This word tempted, or tempt, it is given in Scripture 
 phrase sometimes to God, sometimes to man, and sometimes 
 to the devil ; and accordingly it is used three ways. Some- 
 times it is used for to prove; and so God is said for to tempt, 
 in the xiiith of Deuteronomy. Sometimes it is used for to try, 
 to make experiment of a thing, or a person, whom or which 
 we did not know before ; and so it is given to man, as I take 
 it, in the vith of Judges. Sometimes it is used for a solicit- 
 ation, and drawing unto what is evil ; and so it is given unto 
 the devil, in the ivth of Matthew, Christ " was led into the 
 wilderness to be tempted." If ye look into the Scripture, 
 ye do not find in all the Old Testament, that the word 
 temptation is given to Satan, that Satan was said to tempt 
 any : Satan did frequently tempt, we read in the Old Testa- 
 ment; but, I say, the word tempt is not given unto him. 
 Satan tempted Job, but Job's afflictions in the Old Testa- 
 ment are not called Satan's temptations. As our Lord and 
 Saviour Christ in the Old Testament was vailed, the Old 
 Testament was full of Christ, yet Christ was hidden there : 
 so was Satan and his temptations masked. Now when the 
 light of the glorious gospel shined more clearly in the 
 coming of Jesus Christ, as Christ's vail was taken off, so 
 Satan's mask was taken off. Satan's temptations are no 
 longer called afflictions, but bare temptations, throughout 
 the New Testament. Indeed, this word temptation, in the 
 phrase of the New Testament, is used sometimes for afflic- 
 tion, sometimes for Satan's suggestions, sometimes for our 
 own sins. Temptation used for our afflictions : in the ist of 
 James, 2nd verse, " Rejoice when ye fall into divers tempta- 
 tions ;" that is, afflictions. Sometimes for the devil's sug- 
 gestions solicitations to evil : so in the ivth of Matthew, 
 Christ is " led into the wilderness to be tempted." Some- 
 times for our own sins : Galatians the vith chapter and the 
 1st verse, " If any man be overtaken with an infirmity, you 
 that are spiritual, restore him, considering that you also may 
 be tempted." Now though our Saviour Christ is said to be 
 tempted, in the two first respects, and not in the third ; yet 
 when it is said here in the text, " He himself hath suffered 
 being tempted ;" I take it to be meant in the second way, 
 not the first, for otherwise there would be an identity thus : 
 He himself hath suffered, having suffered : that would be the
 
 92 ON TEMPTAT1OK. SER. 1.] 
 
 sense of it else. And though we ourselves are said to be 
 tempted in all three respects ; in regard of afflictions, Satan's 
 suggestions, and our own corruptions and sins ; yet when it 
 is said in the latter end of the verse, " He is able to succour 
 them that are tempted ;" I take it to be meant especially in 
 the two last respects, and not in the first : for it hath relation 
 unto that which goes before, the last verse being a reason of 
 the latter end of the 1 /th verse : " To make reconciliation 
 for the sins of the people ; for in that he himself hath 
 suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour them that are 
 tempted." Hence the observation that I shall present unto 
 you is only this. 
 
 That God doth suffer his own servants, and dearest chil- 
 dren, to be sorely tempted ; yea, even to suffer by the hand 
 of the temptation. 
 
 Our Lord and Saviour Christ, th^ Son of God, the only 
 beloved Son of God, yet, saith the text, " He himself hath 
 suffered being tempted:" not only tempted, but suffered 
 being tempted. And it is said of his brethren, (for so his 
 people are called in the beginning of the 17th verse,) that 
 they are tempted. " He is able to succour them that are 
 tempted." Succouring pre-supposeth suffering. 
 
 For the opening and clearing of this truth, I shall deliver 
 myself these three ways. 
 
 First, That there is a suffering, afflictive dispensation in 
 every temptation, though it does not prevail. 
 
 Secondly, That the saints and people of God do thus 
 suffer, and why ? 
 
 Thirdly, Answer to an objection ; and so come to the 
 application. 
 
 First, There is a vexing, corroding, afflictive disposition in 
 every temptation, when it takes least, though it do not pre- 
 vail. These granadoes, fire-balls, fire-darts of Satan, have a 
 danger with them ; though they do not burn down our spi- 
 ritual building to the ground, they are afflictive, there is 
 somewhat of a suffering with them. Paul calls his bufferings, 
 a thorn, or a prick in the flesh : a buffeting and therefore 
 afflictive : a thorn, or a prick in the flesh, and therefore 
 afflictive. Notable is that expression which our Saviour 
 Christ useth in the xxiind of Luke, at the 31st verse, to 
 Peter. " Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to have you
 
 [SER. 1. ON TEMPTATION. 93 
 
 that he may sift you as wheat," There is never a word here, 
 but carries a suffering with it. It is some affliction, to have 
 so great an adversary as an angel is, who is great in power ; 
 the devil is called an angel, and he is called Satan, that is an 
 adversary. Satan hath desired : the word that is used there, 
 desired, it is not used again in the New Testament, as I remem- 
 ber. But in other authors that use it, it signifies such a de- 
 siring, as when one man does challenge another into the 
 field to a duel : or such a desiring as when a man comes and 
 calls for open, and public punishment upon a man : and all 
 this is suffering and afflictive. Or, as your translation hath 
 it : Satan hath desired to have you ; he does not say thus : 
 Satan hath desired to sift you ; but Satan hath desired to have 
 you. Is it not an affliction to a child, to hear a beggar stand 
 craving and begging of his father to have him away, to carry 
 him away from his house ? there is never a temptation, but in 
 that temptation Satan desires to have you, you that are the 
 children of God, Satan desires to have you. Then again," He 
 hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat." 
 Now though in sifting there is a separation between the chaff 
 and the wheat, yet it is not without a concussion, and a 
 shaking of the wheat : the wheat and the grain is shaken, 
 though the chaff be blown aside, and laid on heaps. And 
 though through the skill of the sifter, the wheat may be so 
 kept, as it does not fall into the chaff-heap ; yet notwithstan- 
 ding there is some danger in sifting, that the grain should 
 fall over into the heap of chaff, and be burnt with the chaff: 
 so here. Especially where Satan, the great destroyer of 
 mankind, hath the fan in his hand : saith Christ, " Satan 
 hath desired to have you," and hath desired to have you, 
 " that he may sift you as wheat ;" and I tell you there is 
 so much danger in it, that nothing but my prayer can secure 
 you, " But 1 have prayed for you." So that you see, there 
 is something of a suffering in a temptation. You know it 
 was a law in the Old Testament, that if a woman were abroad 
 in the fields, and there met her some that offered violence to 
 her; if she cried out, and did not consent, she was not guilty : 
 but now, though she were not guilty, but innocent, if she were 
 abused,itwouldbeacontinualafflictiontoamodest good woman. 
 So it is here, Satan comes to meet us, and though we do not 
 consent to him, yet a gracious heart cannot but look upon it
 
 94 ON TEMPTATION. [SfiR. 1. 
 
 as an affliction, to be thus followed, and hunted with a temp- 
 tation. And the Holy Ghost alluded to this practice, when 
 he saith here in the text, Jesus Christ is able to succour : 
 the word succour, prj^am, signifies such a succouring as 
 brings in help unto those that cry out ; to come in, and run 
 in with help upon one's crying out. In the xiith of the Re- 
 velations, it is said, " Woe to the inhabitants of the earth ; 
 for the devil is come down with great wrath, for he knows 
 that his time is short." There is a woe in it, where the de- 
 vil comes down with great wrath. Now he looks upon all 
 the saints, as having their time but short, and he comes 
 down upon them in great wrath with his temptations : and 
 there is a woe in it, although the temptation takes not : and 
 for aught I know, upon this account, the New Testament 
 may so promiscuously use the word temptation, both for af- 
 fliction, and Satan's suggestions, even because seldom any 
 affliction comes, but it does bring temptation with it : never 
 any temptation but brings affliction : always something of a 
 suffering in every temptation, even at that very time when it 
 does least prevail. This is the first thing. 
 
 Secondly, Doth God suffer his own children thus to suffer? 
 
 Yes, And many times the best, most tempted ; the best 
 men meet with the worst temptations ; those that are most 
 eminently godly, are most foully assaulted. David, Job, 
 Peter, Paul, and Christ himself was. Yea, God doth not 
 only suffer Satan to come, and present evil objects before his 
 servants, but suffers him to go so far, as to solicit, to press, 
 to follow on his temptation. And therefore it is said con- 
 cerning David, " That Satan stood up, and provoked him to 
 number the people." He did not only present an evil object 
 to him, but he followed his temptation, he solicited, he stood 
 up and provoked David to number the people. 
 
 Yea, God doth not only suffer this : but at that very time, 
 when the saints have had most of God, then they have suf- 
 fered by the hand of temptation. When Paul had been taken 
 up into the third heaven, then a messenger, Satan, was sent 
 to buffet him : And when Jesus Christ had heard the voice, 
 "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased;" 
 Then, (says the text in the ivth of Matthew 1,)" was he led 
 by the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil." 
 And so with the saints now : when they have been, as it
 
 SER. ].] ON TEMPTATION. 95 
 
 were, in the third heaven with God, when they have had 
 most of him, when they have heard the Lord saying, This is 
 my beloved child ; after special manifestations of his love, 
 then most tempted : Oh ! who would be secure, after mani- 
 festations of God's love ? 
 
 Further, God doth not only suffer it thus far : but some- 
 times he suffers his children to be so far tempted, as they 
 seem to have the worser, Satan the better ; Satan taking the 
 wall of them, the upper hand. In the iiird of Zechariah, it 
 is said concerning Joshua : " That Satan stood at his right 
 hand :" Satan took the wall of him, took the upper hand of 
 him. 
 
 Lastly, God suffers this to be, and to continue a long time 
 with some of his children. Paul saith, he had prayed thrice : 
 that is, often ; and all the answer he could get was this, " My 
 grace is sufficient for thee," Paul ; I do not say, I will deliver 
 thee, but thou shalt have grace enough to uphold thee : my 
 grace shall be sufficient. Thus God suffers his own dear 
 children to suffer under the hand of temptation. 
 
 And would you know the reason ? Good authors say, That 
 God suffers his own dear children to be tempted, that they 
 may be more enlightened. Temptation enlightens the temp- 
 ted ; thereby they are more experienced, and so more en- 
 lightened : God is pleased to answer them by this secret of 
 thunder. 
 
 God suffers his children thus to be tempted, that they 
 may be cleansed. This is God's usual way, he does wash us 
 from our own filth, by the dung and excrement of these un- 
 clean spirits, and scours off the rust from his chosen vessels 
 by the messengers of Satan : these are God's scullions to 
 make his golden pots of the sanctuary the brighter. 
 
 God suffers his own children to be tempted, that they may 
 be conserved or kept : he preserves them from one sin, by 
 being tempted to another. And Paul says, That he received 
 that messenger of Satan twice, that he might not be exalted. 
 
 God suffers his children to be tempted, that their graces 
 may be increased. As the fire is blown up by the wind of 
 the bellows ; and the strength of an argument draws out the 
 strength of the answerer : so does these temptations draw 
 out the strength of the tempted. 
 
 God suffers his children to be tempted, that they may be
 
 96 ON TEMPTATION. [SER. 1. 
 
 discovered to themselves and others, what their sins and 
 graces are. You do not know what the liquor is^ until the 
 vessel be bored, then you know it. And the word that is 
 here used for temptation, *rpcur,*o. originally signifies to 
 bore, as a vessel is bored. The love of a woman is never 
 more known, than when her husband is from home, and she 
 is solicited to folly, then her love is tried to her husband. 
 
 God suffers his children to be tempted, that occasionally 
 they may be made more fit to receive the fulness of Christ as 
 a Saviour. A man not tempted may receive the fulness of 
 Christ as the head : but unless a man be tempted, not fit to 
 receive the fulness of Christ as a Saviour. 
 
 Hereby they are made like unto Jesus Christ. Christ was 
 made like to us, that he might be tempted ; and we are temp- 
 ted that we may be made like to him. He was made like to 
 us, that he might be tempted, and so become our High Priest : 
 and we are tempted, that we may be made like to him, and 
 receive of the mercy of that office. He was made like to us 
 and tempted, that he might have communion with us in the 
 evil of our temptation : and we are made like to him and 
 tempted as he was, that we might have communion with him 
 in the benefit of his temptations. For these and other rea- 
 sons, God suffers his children to be tempted. But my design 
 is not to fall upon the argument of temptation at large ; only 
 to speak of the suffering part of it: " For in that he suffered 
 being once tempted, he is able to succour those that are 
 tempted." 
 
 And upon the same reason or account, that God suffered 
 the children of Israel to be vexed, and to suffer by the hands 
 of the Egyptians, he doth suffer his own dear children to be 
 stung and vexed by these temptations. Give me leave a 
 little in that. 
 
 God suffered the Israelites to be vexed, and to suffer much 
 by the hands of the Egyptians, that so he might make his 
 glorious power the more to appear for them and in them. 
 For when men saw that the Israelites increased and pros- 
 pered, the more they were oppressed, and the more the 
 Egyptians laboured to cut them off: then who would not 
 say, oh ! what power and what mercy is here ? So now, 
 when as men shall see, that the graces of the saints increase 
 by temptation, and by spiritual oppression ; who would not 
 say, oh ! what mercy and what power is here ?
 
 SER. 1.] ON TEMPTATION. 97 
 
 God suffered the Israelites to be vexed by the Egyptians 
 that the Israelites might not learn their manners, and their 
 superstitions. They were very apt to drink in their man- 
 ners, to imitate, to follow them. Notwithstanding all the ill 
 usage that the Israelites had at the hand of the Egyptians, 
 they were very apt to learn their manners : had they had bet- 
 ter usage, how would they have drunk them in much more 
 then ? Beloved ! God would not have us to learn the man- 
 ners of Satan, we are apt to drink them in too much notwith- 
 standing all the hard dealing that we have from our temptations 
 that do come from Satan : had we better entertainment, how 
 should our souls mingleand incorporate with those temptations. 
 
 God suffered the Israelites to be vexed by the Egyptians, 
 that so they might be provoked against them, to cut them 
 off, and destroy them utterly. We never cut off an enemy, 
 and destroy him utterly until we be provoked ; and we are 
 provoked by the ill usage we have at their hands. God 
 would have Satan destroyed : for this cause was Christ mani- 
 fested in the flesh, that he might destroy the works of Satan ; 
 and what Christ did for us, he doth work in us : and we will 
 not destroy him till we be provoked ; and therefore God is 
 pleased to let us have such hard dealing, and suffering work 
 from the hand of temptation, that we may be the more pro- 
 voked against him. 
 
 God suffered the Israelites to be vexed by the Egyptians, 
 that so they might long for Canaan the land of rest. And 
 why doth God suffer his people to suffer thus by their temp- 
 tations, but that they might cry out for help, and for the land 
 of rest ? as David, " Oh that I had wings like a dove for 
 then would I fly away and be at rest." 
 
 If the children of Israel had not suffered thus from the 
 hands of the Egyptians ; in all likelihood they would have 
 returned to Egypt much more than they did. They made 
 them a captain to return again, notwithstanding all the hard- 
 ness that they underwent in Egypt : but had the children of 
 Israel had good usage in Egypt, how would they have re- 
 turned again thither ; beloved ! we are apt to return again to 
 folly ; you that are the servants of God, too apt to return 
 to folly, notwithstanding all the hard usage that you have 
 from the hand of your temptation, how apt and ready are 
 you to return to folly ; now God loves you, and would not 
 H
 
 98 ON TEMPTATION. [SfiR. 1. 
 
 have you to return again ; and therefore that you might not 
 return to your garlic, onions, and flesh-pots again, he suffers 
 this spiritual Pharaoh thus to follow you, and lie hard upon 
 you in these temptations. And thus you see what a glorious 
 design of love God hath, even in the suffering part of his 
 children's temptations: God's own children do suffer thus by 
 the hand of a temptation. 
 
 But you will say, in the third place, (to answer the objec- 
 tion) If God's own people, his dearest children, be sorely 
 tempted, yea, suffer under the hand of a temptation : how is 
 that true, which you have in the 1 Epistle of John, the vth 
 chapter, and the 18th verse : " Whosoever is born of God 
 sins not : he that is begotten of God, keeps himself, and 
 that wicked one toucheth him not ;" the devil toucheth him 
 not : and if the devil does not so much as touch him, how 
 can this be true, that he suffers thus by the hand of his 
 temptation. 
 
 For answer hereunto, ye must know that this word touch- 
 ing, in Scripture phrase, besides the literal sense, sometimes 
 notes an hurting, or harming of one. So in the cvth 
 Psalm, and the 15th verse. " Touch not mine anointed." 
 Which is explained in the following words, " and do my 
 prophets no harm." We read of Christ's touching, and the 
 devil's touching. Christ touching those that were sick, and 
 he cured them with his touch, it was an healing, curing 
 touch, the touch of Christ. And we read of the devil's touch- 
 ing : so he speaks unto God that he would touch Job ; that 
 is, that he would break him, and break all his estate; Christ's 
 touch is an healing touch, a curing touch ; but Satan's touch 
 is a destroying touch, a breaking touch. Now though God 
 suffers his own children to be tempted, yea, and to suffer by 
 the hand of a temptation, yet notwithstanding, the evil one 
 touches him not, so as to harm him, to hurt him ; but in the 
 conclusion, so as to heal and to cure him, which is na touch- 
 ing. 
 
 Again, this same word touching, in Scripture phrase, 
 sometimes notes fellowship and communion ; and so when 
 the apostle forbids the Corinthians fellowship, and commu- 
 nion with idolaters ; saith he " Be ye separate, and touch 
 no unclean thing." Touching there noting communion 
 and fellowship with them in their worship: do not in the
 
 SER. 1.] ON TEMPTATION. 99 
 
 least measure have any communion with them. So now al- 
 though it pleases God, to suffer Satan thus to vex his chil- 
 dren with temptation, yet notwithstanding, they have not 
 fellowship or communion with him. Satan knocks at their 
 door, but they do not frequently, and ordinarily open and let 
 him in, so as to sup with them : Christ stands at their door 
 and knocks, and they open and he comes in and sups with 
 them, and they with him : they have fellowship with the Fa- 
 ther, and they have fellowship with Jesus Christ, but they 
 have not fellowship with the devil ; they do not delight in 
 him, they do not converse with him, they have not this fel- 
 lowship with him : and therefore though they meet with 
 temptation, yea, and though they suffer under temptation, 
 yet in this respect the evil one touches them not, but suffer 
 they do. And so I have cleared the point : God suffers his 
 own dear children to be sorely tempted, yea, and to suffer 
 under the hand of temptation. 
 
 I come to the application. 
 
 If this be so ; Then why do you that are the servants of 
 God question God's love to you, and call your own condition 
 into question because of your temptations, or because of the 
 hard things that you meet withal from the hand of your 
 temptation ? Oh ! says one, if God loved me, I should never 
 be thus tempted, I should never suffer such hard things by 
 temptation as now I do : was there ever any of God's chil- 
 dren tempted thus ? Surely this cannot stand with grace. 
 But was not Jesus Christ tempted ? Yes, but I am tempted 
 mnay times to doubt of my childship, whether I be the child of 
 God, son of God, aye or no. And was not Christ thus ? There 
 were two special times of Christ's temptation ; once when he 
 entered upon the ministry ; once when he went out of the 
 world ; and you shall see, how at both these times he was 
 followed with this temptation. In the ivth of Matthew, there 
 you read of the first, and in the combat, twice, If thou be the 
 Son of God, says the devil, putting an if upon his Sonship : 
 and again, If thou be the Son of God ; putting another if 
 upon his Sonship. So when he was upon the cross; the 
 devil's instruments speak his own language, they had not for- 
 gotten it : If he be the Son of God, let him come down ; 
 putting an z/"upon his Sonship again. The devil follows this 
 close. Oh ! but I am tempted many times to use indirect
 
 100 ON TEMPTATION. [SfiR. 1. 
 
 means to get out of trouble, out of mine affliction. And was 
 not Christ so ? when he was an hungry, says the devil to him, 
 (( Command that these stones be made bread." Oh ! but I 
 am tempted, I am loth to say what it is, sometimes even to 
 lay violent hands upon myself. And what said the devil to 
 Christ ? Throw thyself down off the pinnacle of the temple. 
 Oh ! but I am tempted to horrid and blasphemous things 
 that I am afraid to name, and my heart trembles to think of. 
 And was not Christ thus tempted ? says Satan to him, " All 
 this will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me." 
 What ? worship the devil ! Oh ! horrid blasphemy ! Blush, 
 
 heavens, and be astonished : " All this will I give thee, if 
 thou wilt fall down and worship me." Oh, but 1 am tempted 
 to despair : sometimes, I confess, I am able to read God's 
 love, and to say, that God is with me, and I think I can say, 
 
 1 know that God is with me : but at another time, Oh, how 
 unlike am I unto myself, and I say mercy is gone, and Christ 
 is gone, and hath left me as an orphan. And I pray consider 
 how it was with Christ in this respect ; he went as near to it 
 as could be, without sin. It is Musculus's observation. In 
 the xvith of John : " Behold," says Christ at the 32nd verse, 
 " the hour cometh," speaking of his suffering hour, " yea, it 
 is now come, when ye shall be scattered every one from his 
 own, and shall leave me alone : and yet I am not alone 
 because the Father is with me," (speaking of his suffering 
 hour.) And yet when he was upon the cross, he says, Father, 
 " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ?" How 
 diverse does he seem to be from himself: says he, I am not 
 alone, because the Father is with me. And yet when he 
 comes into the hour, My God, my God, why hast thou for- 
 saken me ? Oh, but I have suffered as much as ever any did, 
 I have suffered by the hand of my temptations, they have 
 been a continual torment to me, and I have suffered much 
 from them. Well, but have ye suffered more than Christ 
 suffered ? It is said in the text, " For in that he suffered 
 being tempted." What a mighty suffering was it, for the 
 glorious God of heaven and earth to have such temptations 
 thrown in upon him ; any one temptation to be lodged in his 
 mind, what a mighty suffering was this ! Thus you see how 
 Christ suffered. 
 
 And, beloved, He suffered and was tempted, that he might
 
 . 1.] ON TEMPTATION. 101 
 
 succour you that are tempted. Will you question his love 
 then, because of your temptation or your own condition ? do 
 ye know what ye do ? Suppose that your Father should 
 leave you a great estate, and give you good evidences ; and 
 a cunning lawyer comes and writes upon the back side of 
 your evidence, Naught, naught : will ye because of that, join 
 with him and say, that your father hath given you nothing ? 
 Christ hath given you in a great estate of mercy, and hath 
 given you good evidences for it; and Satan now comes and 
 writes upon the back side of your evidence, and says, This is 
 naught. Will you join with him against God and Christ? 
 what wrong is this to his love : think of it, I pray, you that 
 are the saints and people of God : Be humbled under every 
 temptation, though it be never so small ; but never question 
 your condition, though your temptation be never so great. 
 
 There is indeed, something of a suifering, a malignant 
 quality, an affliction in every temptation when it takes least ; 
 and therefore, look how you would walk under an affliction, 
 so walk under your temptation. In your affliction, you will 
 walk humbly ; so under your temptation do. In your afflic- 
 tion, you will examine the cause, especially if your affliction 
 lie long upon you ; so in your temptation do. In your af- 
 fliction, you will seek God early ; so in the morning of your 
 temptation do. In the day of your affliction, you will engage 
 to God ; the day of affliction is the day of engaging, and you 
 say, Oh, if the Lord will deliver me, through his grace I will 
 do so and so : so in your temptation do. In your affliction, 
 you will take heed of those sins that you are most apt unto 
 in the time of affliction ; so do in the time of your tempta- 
 tion : for example thus : in affliction, a man is very apt to 
 be discouraged, to have his heart sink, and to die within him ; 
 so in temptation, take heed of that. In affliction, a man is 
 apt so to mind his present burden, as to forget all his for- 
 mer mercy ; so in the time of temptation take heed of that. 
 In the time of affliction, a man is very apt to be froward, and 
 impatient, to break out into frowardness and impatiency, 
 though he did not so before. As the wood that is laid upon 
 the fire, sends forth filth which you did not see in the wood 
 before it came upon the fire : so men are apt to send forth 
 filth, and much frowardness and impatiency in the time of 
 affliction, when you took them for good natured people
 
 102 ON TEMPTATION. [SER. 1. 
 
 before, and thought there was no such frowardness in them, 
 and no such impatiency ; so in the time of temptation, also, 
 take heed of that. In the time of affliction, men are apt to 
 make an evil construction and interpretation of things ; afflic- 
 tion raises passion, and passion puts other colours upon 
 things than formerly : and so in time of temptation, we are 
 apt to make strange constructions of God's dealings, and 
 Christ's dealings with us ; take heed of that. In time of af- 
 fliction, men are apt to change their behaviour ; David did 
 so, he let fall his spittle upon his beard, and feigned himself 
 mad; he changed his behaviour: and so are men apt to 
 change their behaviour in times of temptation ; take heed of 
 that. In time of affliction, men are apt to stint and limit 
 God, and say, Can God provide a table now ? and can God 
 deliver now ? and so also in the time of temptation, men are 
 apt to say, Can God provide now? and can God deliver 
 now ? and so stint and limit the Holy One of Israel ; take 
 heed of that. In the day of affliction a gracious heart does 
 rather rejoice that he hath any opportunity to exercise his 
 grace, than mourn for his present burden : so do you now. 
 In the day of affliction, a gracious heart doth more desire to 
 be cleansed than to be delivered; wishes rather that his 
 heart may be sanctified by his affliction, than that his afflic- 
 tion may be removed. There is something of a suffering (ye 
 have heard) in every temptation : now then, does a tempta- 
 tion arise and press in upon you ; go to the Lord, and say, 
 Lord, though I meet with hard things from the hand of my 
 temptations, and these temptations have lain long upon me : 
 yet I do rather choose grace than peace ; rather to be clean- 
 sed, than to be delivered. Oh ! my beloved, how well it 
 might be with us, if we did but improve our temptations : 
 what a gaining day, what a learning day might the day of 
 temptation be ; yea, what an harvest day unto us, when 
 Satan desires to winnow us. 
 
 But you will say unto me, We are greatly unskilled in this 
 matter; temptations I have, and great temptations, wherever 
 I go, in every business : but oh, how should I so order things 
 and manage my thoughts, and my heart, as that I may be 
 able so to walk under these temptations, that I may have 
 peace and comfort in the latter end ? 
 
 Beloved, the next point tells us, that Jesus Christ is a
 
 SER. 1.] ON TEMPTATION. 103 
 
 succouring Christ to all his tempted people : and I intend, 
 God willing, to show you how Christ succours, and how we 
 should draw succour from him under temptations. But for 
 the present, give me leave to give you some rules and direc- 
 tions against these suffering temptations, and so I will wind 
 up all. 
 
 First, Take heed that you do not yield to anything, that 
 you may be rid of; that you do not yield to any part of the 
 temptation, that you may be delivered from. It is more easy 
 to keep the enemy out of the town, than to get him out when 
 he is come into it ; if he get into the town, and get into the 
 market-place, it will be a more hard thing to get him out 
 again. It is an easy thing to keep a stone on the top of an 
 hill while it lies there ; but when it once begins to roll down, 
 it is a hard thing to stay it, and you cannot say how far it 
 shall go. How many are there that say when they are 
 tempted, I will yield but once, I will yield but a little, and I 
 will never yield again, this is the last time : oh ! but your 
 once yielding, and your yielding but a little, engages your 
 heart to the whole work. You should watch and pray against 
 temptation ; " Watch and pray that ye enter not into temp- 
 tation :" he does not say, Watch and pray that you be not 
 tempted ; but watch and pray that ye enter not into tempta- 
 tion. It is one thing for temptation to knock at the door, 
 and another thing to come in : when temptation enters you, 
 you enter into temptation ; take heed of that. 
 
 Again, Take heed that you do not carry the sin and the 
 guilt of your old condition into a new condition. See your 
 call into a new condition, before you leave your old con- 
 dition. Never count yourself safe or secure in any condition ; 
 but as soon as ever you come into any condition, observe 
 what are the snares and temptations of that condition. 
 Some there are that carry the evil of their former condition 
 into an after condition, into a new condition ; and then, as 
 Rachel carrying away her father's idols, tempted Laban to 
 follow after. 
 
 Some again, they do not much mind their calling to a con- 
 dition, nor do not go in the strength of their call ; whereas 
 you shall observe, that when Peter was called to stand before 
 the princes and rulers, he did boldly profess Christ, because 
 his call did lead him thereunto ; but when he was not called
 
 104 ON TEMPTATION. [SfiR. 1. 
 
 into the high priest's hall then he falls before a tempting wench. 
 Others again there are, that think their condition will secure 
 them. Oh, says one, if I were but in such and such a con- 
 dition, then I should be safe and free from Satan's tempta- 
 tions ; whereas, several conditions, have several temptations, 
 and the devil does use sometimes to tempt a man to alter his 
 condition, so that by your very avoiding a temptation you 
 fall into it. Take heed of this. 
 
 Thirdly, If temptation do arise, observe the temptation ; 
 and know that there is some suitable disposition of your 
 own wherein the devil does lay that temptation, and labour 
 to file and pare off that disposition. Beloved, the devil ob- 
 serves the situation of our hearts, and accordingly does plant 
 his ordnance : he seldom tempts, but he lays his temptation 
 in our own disposition, something suitable unto the tempta- 
 tion. So when David had a mind to number the people, 
 then the devil stands up, and provokes him to number the 
 people, suitable to his own disposition. When our Lord and 
 Saviour Christ was an hungry, then he comes and tempts 
 him to turn stones into bread. When, again, he cried out 
 and said, " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ? " 
 then says the devil's instruments, If thou be the Son of God, 
 then come down and show thyself. He does usually lay his 
 temptation in our own disposition that is suitable to the 
 temptation. And therefore, I say, first observe the tempta- 
 tion, then know you have a disposition subservient thereunto, 
 and the devil lays his temptation in that disposition, and pre- 
 sently falls to work, and labours to file and pare off more and 
 more that disposition in Jesus Christ. 
 
 Fourthly, When a temptation arises, do not always stand 
 to answer it in the kind ; but sometimes turn your mind and 
 thoughts off it to another object. It is in our deliverance 
 from a temptation, as in our comforts under an affliction : a 
 man hath a great affliction upon him, possibly the death of 
 some friend that is near and dear unto him, and you go to 
 comfort him, and in comforting him, you fall a speaking of 
 his friend departed : whereas the way to comfort him, is not 
 to speak of the person departed, but fall into conference 
 about some other good thing different : and by that time his 
 heart is settled upon some other thing, then you may come 
 back again and speak of the friend departed without grieving
 
 SER. 1.] ON TEMPTATION. 105 
 
 of him ; but otherwise, even in your comfort you fetch out 
 tears. And so I say in regard of temptation : the way to 
 avoid temptation is not always to apply a salve directly per- 
 tinent to the temptation j but turn off your mind and your 
 thoughts to some other good object, and by that time your 
 mind is settled upon other objects, you will be easily able to 
 meet with the temptation. 
 
 Fifthly, Above all things take the shield of faith. " Whom 
 resist, stedfast in the faith." " Simon, Simon," says our 
 Saviour, " Satan hath desired to have you, that he may win- 
 now you : but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail 
 not:" that must do it. That same woman that came to 
 Christ for her daughter, she met with great temptations : 
 there was the temptation of her calamity ; her daughter pos- 
 sessed : there was a temptation of Christ not answering, but 
 delaying her answer : there was a temptation of Christ's 
 seeming denial ; " I am not sent but to the lost 
 sheep of the house of Israel." There was a temptation 
 of her own un worthiness ; " It is not lawful to take the 
 children's bread and to cast it to dogs :" yet notwithstanding 
 she believes. Oh ! says our Saviour, (f Woman, great is thy 
 faith; be it unto thee even as thou wilt." And so I say, 
 though your temptations be twisted one within another, and 
 one stands at the end of another ; do but get the prospect of 
 faith, and you will be able to look over all. When tempta- 
 tion, therefore, arises, say, Lord, though thou kill me, yet 
 will I trust in thee : and, Satan, though thou slayest me, I 
 will keep to Jesus Christ. It was the speech of Taulerus, 
 one that Luther prizeth above all : says he, Though the mari- 
 ners may make use of their oars in the time of calm ; yet 
 when a storm comes down, the mariners leave all and fly to 
 their anchor. So, though at other times we may make use 
 of resolutions, and vows, and the like ; yet when the storm 
 of temptation comes down, nothing then but fly to the an- 
 chor ot faith, nothing then like to casting of anchor into the 
 vail. And as if the Holy Ghost put all on this, he calls faith 
 our anchor ; and he calls faith our shield. All dangers are 
 either sea dangers or land dangers : if your dangers be sea 
 dangers, faith is your anchor ; and if your dangers be land 
 dangers, faith is your shield. And therefore, I say, when 
 temptation arises, labour then to exercise your faith, and say,
 
 106 OX TEMPTATION. [SER. 1. 
 
 Oh, how should I do this thing, and sin against my Christ, 
 and sin against my God ? Satan, thou tellest me, All this 
 will I give thee, if thou wilt do this thing : Aye, but how shall 
 I do this and sin against Jesus Christ who hath loved me and 
 given himself for me ? Satan, thou tellest me, that if I do 
 yield, God is merciful, and God will pardon me: Yea, but 
 Satan, God hath pardoned me already, and therefore I will 
 not yield ; and because I know that the Lord would pardon 
 me if I did it, therefore I will not do it. Thus labour to ex- 
 ercise your faith in time of a temptation. 
 
 Sixthly, Be sure of this, When temptation arises, do not 
 fear too much, nor do not fear too little. I confess, it is an 
 hard thing to carry it equally between too much and too 
 little ; but, beloved, if you fear too much, you honour Satan, 
 you weaken yourselves : immoderate fear weakens. And if 
 you fear too little, then you grow secure ; security betrays 
 you, and so you lose all before you strike a stroke. Where- 
 fore this rule is : If temptation arise, do not fear too much, 
 though the temptation be never so great : do not fear too 
 little, though the temptation be never so small. 
 
 Seventhly, Art thou assaulted by temptation ? Either you 
 do overcome, or you are overcome : if you do overcome, be 
 thankful, lest you lose your former victory, by your after un- 
 thankfulness. And if you be overcome, yet do not lay down 
 the weapon, hold it up still, stand upon your guard. The 
 devil tempts that he may tempt ; and he is willing to be 
 overcome in the skirmish, that he may overcome you in 
 the battle ; and he brings up the greatest temptations in the 
 rear : as Job's afflictions were greatest at the last : yea, he 
 tempts us to break the law, and sin against the law, that he 
 may tempt us to sin against the gospel. This is the seventh 
 rule : If you be overcome, or be not overcome, walk thus. 
 
 Eightly and lastly, If temptation do arise ; he sure that 
 you make some improvement of it for the better. If an 
 enemy come and make an assault against one of your garri- 
 son towns, and he goes away and gets no hurt, he is encour- 
 aged and invited to come again ; for, says he, I lost nothing, 
 though I did not gain and carry the town, yet I lost nothing. 
 But now, if upon his assault he loses many men, and his ord- 
 nance ; I will come no more there, says he, for there I had 
 such and such a great loss. Thus it is with Satan when he
 
 [SER. I. ON TEMPTATION. 107 
 
 comes before a soul with his temptations : There is a soul, 
 says he, I came before him with my temptations, and though 
 indeed I did not carry it, I did not get the thing I would, yet 
 I lost nothing, and therefore I will go again. But there is a 
 soul, and there is a heart ; I came before him with my temp- 
 tations, and I confess I lost much ; I tempted and he prayed, 
 and the more I tempted the more he prayed, and the more I 
 tempted still, the more he did go to Jesus Christ, and there- 
 fore I will tempt him no more. Beloved, labour to improve 
 your temptations ; go to God with your temptations in your 
 hands, and pray over your temptations: and if you 
 improve your temptations, you shall not be troubled 
 with Satan ; and therefore you are troubled with 
 Satan so much, because you improve your temptations no 
 more. Oh, how well might it be with us, if we did but im- 
 prove our temptations ! what a good day would this be ; 
 what a good day might be this sad day of our temptation, if 
 we did but improve our temptations. And I beseech you think 
 of it, how we may improve them more and more. You 
 know what our Saviour said concerning the false ground ; In 
 the time of temptation it fell away : let that awe our hearts. 
 You know what our Saviour says again by way of comfort 
 unto his disciples ; " You continued with me in my tempta- 
 tions, and therefore I appoint unto you a kingdom :" and 
 blessed are they that do continue and hold out this siege. 
 Beloved, these turning times are tempting times : and I think 
 I may truly say, if ever there was an hour of temptation upon 
 this kingdom, this is the hour of England's temptation, it is 
 an hour of temptation. Oh ! you that are the servants of 
 God, and the disciples of Jesus Christ, will ye not watch 
 with him one hour ? an hour of temptation it is ; but this is 
 our comfort, it is but an hour : and therefore you that are his 
 servants and disciples, will you not watch with him one 
 hour ? Watch and pray, watch and pray : some pray, but 
 they will not watch ; and some pretend to watch, but they 
 do not pray. Therefore that I say to you, to myself, and to 
 all is, Watch and pray : if you watch, you enter into your 
 master's joy; if you watch not, you enter into temptation: 
 Oh ! let us all watch and pray, that we enter not into temp- 
 tation.
 
 108 ON TEMPTATION. [SBB. 2. 
 
 SERMON II. 
 
 " For in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to 
 succour them that are tempted" HEB. n. 18. 
 
 BY the word tempted in the first clause, relating to Christ, 
 we are to understand Satan's solicitations to evil (as ye have 
 read in the former sermon). By the word tempted in the 
 last clause, " He is able to succour them that are tempted," 
 especially to understand those solicitations of Satan and our 
 own sins, by comparing the former verse with this. As if 
 the apostle should say : For in that our Lord and Saviour 
 Christ was tempted by Satan, solicited to what was evil ; he 
 is able to succour them that are both, either solicited to evil 
 or overcome thereby. 
 
 But how is it said here, He is able to succour them that 
 are tempted, in that he himself suffered being tempted ? 
 Was he not as God able to succour them that are tempted ? 
 Why then is it said, In that he suffered being tempted, he is 
 able to succour them that are tempted ? 
 
 There is an ability of sufficiency, and an ability of idoniety. 
 As God, indeed, he is able to succour those that are tempted : 
 but by being tempted in the flesh, he is able, that is, apt and 
 idonious to succour those that are tempted. There is an ab- 
 solute ability and a respective ability as he is High Priest. 
 As God indeed, he was able to succour them that are 
 tempted, though he had not been tempted : but he speaks of 
 Christ here as our High Priest ; and so by being tempted, 
 he is able to succour them in that way. There is, as I may 
 so speak, a scientifical ability, or an experimental ability. 
 As he was God, he was able in the first sense to succour, it 
 is true : but by being tempted, he is able experimentally to 
 succour them that are tempted. 
 
 It is an ability of disposition and compassion that here he 
 speaks of. And therefore in the vth chapter, speaking of 
 the same thing, he saith concerning the high priest, That he 
 can have compassion on the ignorant, and those that are out 
 of the way. So then, Christ by being tempted, is able to suc- 
 cour those that are tempted with an ability of idoniety, an
 
 SER. 2.] ON TEMPTATION. 109 
 
 experimental ability ; with an ability of compassion and dis- 
 position, and gracious inclination. And so the observation 
 that lies before us is this : 
 
 The Lord Jesus Christ is a succouring Christ to tempted 
 souls. 
 
 In the former doctrine ye heard, That God suffers his own 
 servants and dearest children to be sorely tempted. Now this 
 doctrine holds forth the remedy : Jesus Christ is a succouring 
 Christ to tempted souls. As our hearts are full of sin, so his 
 heart is full of succour, he is a succouring Christ. His 
 names and titles speak him so. His nature speaks him so. 
 His offices, his doctrine, his life and conversation, his death 
 and sufferings call him a succouring Christ. I shall not run 
 through all these particulars. But because men are known 
 by their names, I will fix there a little : and we shall see 
 how all the names and titles of Christ call him a succouring 
 Christ. 
 
 If we search the Scriptures, we may observe, that the 
 names of Satan, of the deyil, carry malice with them, and 
 evil against them : And the names of Jesus Christ are con- 
 trary thereunto, as holding forth a succour against all that 
 evil that is in him who is the evil one. 
 
 Is the devil called Satan? that is, an adversary: Jesus 
 Christ is called our Friend. Is Satan called Diabolus ? the 
 accuser, or the accuser of the brethren : Jesus Christ is called 
 our Advocate. Is Satan called a destroyer ? Jesus Christ is 
 called our Saviour. Is Satan called a lion, that goes up and 
 down seeking whom he may devour ? Jesus Christ is called a 
 Lion of the tribe of Judah. Is Satan called a serpent and 
 old serpent? Jesus Christ is called the Brazen Serpent. 
 Still names of relief and succour answerable unto those 
 names of Satan. 
 
 We shall observe, that there is no evil in sin, but there is 
 somewhat in the name of Jesus Christ that speaks the con- 
 trary, contrary succour. Is sin called avo^m or a trans- 
 gression of the law ? Jesus Christ is called our Righteous- 
 ness : " The Lord our Righteousness." Is sin called folly ? 
 Jesus Christ is called Wisdom, "The Wisdom of the Father." 
 Is sin called an infirmity or weakness ? He is called the 
 Rock, and the Rock of Ages, and the Arm of the Lord. Is 
 sin called darkness ? He is called Light. Is sin called pol-
 
 110 ON TEMPTATION. [SER. 2. 
 
 lution or uncleanness ? His blood is the " Fountain opened 
 for sin and for uncleanness to wash in." Is sin called death ? 
 He is called Life. Is there ignorance in sin ? He is called 
 our Prophet in opposition to that. Is there disorder in sin ? 
 In opposition to that he is called our King to order. Is 
 there guilt in sin ? In opposition to that he is called our 
 Priest ; he is called our Propitiation in that place of John : 
 but in the iiird of the Romans, and the 25th verse, he is called 
 our Propitiatory, " Whom God hath set forth to be a propi- 
 tiation," so you read it, but rather, i\a^rjpior a propitiatory ; 
 the same Greek word that the Septuagint used for the Jews' 
 propitiatory : and in that he is our Propitiation or Propitia- 
 tory; this speaks him a succouring Christ. 
 
 Famous was the succour and relief that the Jews had from 
 their cities of refuge: and as if the Holy Ghost intended the 
 confirmation of this truth that is now before us, those He- 
 brew names that were given to the cities of refuge are given 
 to Christ. Is any of the cities of refuge called Kedesh ? sig- 
 nifying holy. He is called, Holy, holy, holy. Was another 
 city called Shechem ? signifying shoulder : Upon his shoul- 
 der is the government; and the lost sheep brought home 
 upon his shoulder. Is another city called Hebron ? 
 from society or fellowship : By him we have fellowship with 
 the Father. Is another called Golan ? signifying one revealed 
 or manifested : It is said of him, He was manifested in the 
 flesh. Is another city called Ramoth ? things exalted : Him 
 hath God exalted, and by him are all exalted. In the phrase 
 of the New Testament, he is called our Father, and our Bro- 
 ther, and our Friend, and our Shepherd ; a Hen, a Lamb, a 
 Door : there are none of all his names, but speak him full of 
 sweetness, and loving disposition, and succour unto poor 
 souls. 
 
 But that I may the better clear up this truth I shall deli- 
 ver myself these four ways. 
 
 First, That Jesus Christ is able to succour tempted souls. 
 
 Secondly, That he is willing to do it. 
 
 Thirdly, That he is faithful in doing of it. 
 
 Fourthly, How he doth it, in the day and time of their 
 temptation ; and so come to the application. 
 
 First, He is able to do it, he is able to succour them that 
 arc tempted. He is able (saith our apostle in that xviith of
 
 2.] ON TEMPTATION. Ill 
 
 the Hebrews) to save those that come unto God by him, he 
 is able to save them to the uttermost : as Satan tempts to 
 the uttermost he is able to save to the uttermost. And as 
 they sin to the uttermost, he is able to save to the uttermost. 
 A man is said to be able to do all that which he hath a com- 
 mission, and power from God to do : the Lord Jesus Christ 
 in the iiird of the Romans and the 25th was set forth to be a 
 propitiation : " Whom God hath set forth to be a propitia- 
 tion." " He hath laid help upon one that is mighty :" and that 
 is Christ. Designed, and called he is to the office of the high 
 priest. The proper work of the high priest's office was to con- 
 dole with, relieve and succour the people against their sins ; 
 and the more eminent any high priest was, the more in this 
 work. In the xviith of the Hebrews, we find all along, how 
 abundantly he excels all the high priests that ever were. 
 As for other high priests, they did not take an oath when 
 they came into their office : but he swears. Other high 
 priests, had sins themselves to offer for : but he holy and 
 separate from sinners. Other high priests died, and did not 
 continue so for ever : but he " liveth for ever to make inter- 
 cession." Other high priests offered not themselves : but 
 he offered up himself. He was a king and a priest: they were 
 not. They indeed entered into the holy of holiest, but it was 
 earthy : he is gone into the holy of holiest and that is hea- 
 venly. They were but types of him, shadows : if a shadow 
 fall upon a dirty ground, it cannot make it dry : but the sun 
 can : and yet notwithstanding, these other high priests, the 
 apostle saith of them, " Being compassed about with infirmi- 
 ties; they could have compassion on those that are ig- 
 norant, and out of the way " they men of infirmities, sin- 
 ners ; they in the time of the law : how much more is Jesus 
 Christ able to succour, who is so transcendant an High Priest, 
 and excelling all others that ever went before him. I will 
 say nothing of the great power that he hath with the Father^ 
 or in his own hands : the keys of hell and death. He is able 
 by conquest for to succour you that are tempted : he is able 
 by conquest for to raise the seige that is laid against our 
 souls ; he hath beaten through the enemy : as now, if a town 
 be beleaguered straitly, besieged by an enemy, and the 
 enemy abroad in the field, having an army in the field : if 
 any will come to raise the siege, they must fight through the
 
 112 ON TEMPTATION. [SfiR. 2. 
 
 army, they must beat through the army before they can raise 
 the siege. Never a tempted soul but is thus besieged with 
 temptation, closely begirt, and the devils were abroad in the 
 field, were masters of the field till Christ came : and no man, 
 nor angel was able to beat through : but Jesus Christ beat 
 up the quarters all along, beat through the enemy, cast out 
 devils all along, overcame. Paul by being tempted overcame 
 temptation. So by his dying he overcame death ; and by 
 taking our infirmities upon him, he overcame our infirmities; 
 and by being subject to the law, he overcame the law, and 
 the curse of the law : and so by being tempted, he overcame 
 temptation; and having beaten the enemy out of the field 
 he is now able to raise the siege ; he is absolutely able to raise 
 the siege, which none else is able to do : he is able to save to 
 the uttermost. We shall not need to stand long on this. 
 
 But you will say, secondly, We will grant Christ is able to 
 succour tempted souls : but is he willing ? 
 
 Yes, he is infinitely willing to succour poor tempted souls. 
 Our great succour lies in reconciliation with God the Father; 
 as by comparing these two verses together doth appear. 
 God the Father hath set him forth to be a propitiation : it 
 was the will of God the Father, that Jesus Christ should 
 come and make propitiation, it was his will. Now, look into 
 the xlth Psalm, and see what Christ saith concerning the 
 will of the Father ; verse the 7th. " Lo, I come : in the 
 volume of the book it is written of me : I delight to do thy 
 will, O my God : yea, thy law is within my heart :" some 
 books read it, " thy law is within my bowels :" thy law is 
 within my heart, it is in my desires. Yea, not only, saith he, 
 in my desires : but in the gospel we read it, with desiring 
 have I desired to eat this passover, before he suifered. 
 Desiring have I desired. And, saith he, " I have a baptism 
 to be baptized with, and I am straitened till it be accom- 
 plished :" I can have no rest till it be done, I am straitened 
 till it be accomplished. Yea, not only so : but, saith he, 
 here in this Psalm, " I delight to do thy will :" it is the will 
 of God he should make propitiation, and so succour : " I 
 delight to do thy will/' And in the viiith of the Proverbs: 
 " My delights are with the sons of men :" some read it, " All 
 my delight :" but it is in the plural number. When God 
 laid the foundations of the earth my delights were with the
 
 [SER. 2. ox TEMPTATION. 113 
 
 sons of men. A high, and a great expression. Surely, 
 Jesus Christ cannot but he willing to succour tempted ones, 
 when his delights are with the sons of men. 
 
 Again, a man must needs be willing to do that which he 
 is willing to suffer much for, to be at much cost and pains 
 for. David was willing to build the temple, because he laid 
 out so much by way of preparation. And Araunah was wil- 
 ling to have a sacrifice, because he gave up his threshing 
 ftoor : it appeared he was willing. And now then Jesus 
 Christ is content to suffer so much that he may make a pro- 
 pitiation for sinners, and reconciliation with the Father and 
 so succour ; it argues that he is very willing. 
 
 Besides, a man is willing to have that done which he is 
 much troubled for if it be not done. You know when Christ 
 came to Jerusalem, he wept, says the text, and he wept : he 
 came a succouring, and they would not be succoured ; " How 
 often would I have gathered thee as a hen gathers her chick- 
 ens under her wings, and thou wouldest not." A hen is a 
 succouring creature : Christ came a succouring, came to 
 gather them as a hen. A hen sits upon the eggs, and hatch- 
 eth with the warmth of her body : So doth Christ do with 
 the warmth of his love. A hen sits until the feathers be off 
 her own body, makes her own body naked for to hatch up : 
 And so did Christ. When the chicken is hatched, she suc- 
 cours it, and covers it under her wings ; and when the chicken 
 can run abroad,- let the hen find but a grain of corn, she 
 clucks, and calls the chicken to her to have part of it : and 
 so did Christ. And when danger comes, the kite comes, she 
 calls the chicken under her wings again to succour it : So 
 does^ Christ. When he says thus, He came to gather them 
 as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, he came to 
 succour them, but they would not be succoured ; see how 
 he takes it : the text says " He wept," he was much troubled. 
 Wise men do not use to weep before company ; children will : 
 but those that are very wise, if they will weep, they weep in 
 private. Jesus Christ (that was the wisdom of the Father) 
 falls a weeping, and all because they would not be succoured. 
 Surely then, Jesus Christ is very willing to succour poor sin- 
 ners. And beloved, this was his love, and this was his com- 
 passion in the day of his infirmity : how great is it now in 
 the day of his glory !
 
 114 OX TEMPTATION. [SfiR. 2. 
 
 Again, It argues that he is very willing to succour poor 
 tempted souls, because he was so willing to cure diseased 
 bodies ; when he was upon the earth he was willing to cure 
 them, so willing, as though it did cost a miracle, yet he 
 would do it. So willing, that though they did not know him 
 as he was, but thought him a prophet, yet he would do it. 
 So willing, as that though they did not desire it themselves, 
 but were brought by others, yet he would do it. So willing, 
 as that though they were unmannerly in their coming to him, 
 witness the pulling the tiles off the house, yet he would do 
 it. And that so willing, though much unbelief expressed by 
 those that were brought unto him, yet he would do it. I be- 
 seech you consider it : this was a work that Christ came into 
 the world to do ; this is the work, the work that Christ came 
 to do, it was to bind up broken hearts : the work that Christ 
 came to do, was to open the prison doors to poor captives : 
 " The Spirit of the Lord is upon me" (you know the place) 
 to administer a word in due season to those that are weak. 
 He hath given me the tongue of the learned to administer a 
 word in due season to those that are weak. Now then, if 
 Jesus Christ was so willing to do the other work which was 
 but his work by the by, which was not the work that he did 
 come about : how infinitely willing must he needs be to do 
 (he work that he did come about. But I say, to succour 
 poor tempted ones, this was the work that he came upon ; 
 heaven hath not altered him, he hath lost none of his love by 
 going thither : Surely therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ is in- 
 finitely willing to succour poor tempted souls. 
 
 Well, thirdly, But though he be able and willing, yet it 
 may be he is not faithful. 
 
 Yes, saith the former verse, faithful ; merciful and faithful 
 High Priest. Faithful in all his house as Moses was. What 
 honest man will break his word ? go contrary to his oath ? 
 He is sworn into this office of the High Priest. Yea, we 
 have not only his promise and his oath, but the Father's 
 bond for the Son's performance : " The seed of the woman 
 shall break the serpent's head ;" it shall bruise his heel, she 
 shall break his head. The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper 
 in his hand. This is the work that is in his hand, to succour 
 tempted ones : it shall prosper in his hand. In the viiith 
 chapter of Matthew, we read there at the 16th verse, that
 
 SER. 2.] ON TEMPTATION. 115 
 
 he cast out spirits with his word, and healed all that were 
 sick : that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias 
 the prophet, saying, " Himself took our infirmities, and bare 
 our sicknesses." Because he took our infirmities, and bare 
 our sicknesses, he took himself to be engaged for to heal the 
 sicknesses and diseases among the people. Beloved ! he 
 hath taken our infirmities, he hath borne our sins, and there- 
 fore he takes himself engaged also for to heal our foul dis- 
 eases, to heal those temptations : he is very faithful. 
 
 Well, But suppose he is faithful, how doth he succour 
 those that are tempted in the day and time of their tempta- 
 tion ? (that is the fourth thing). 
 
 He succours before temptation: he succours in tempta- 
 tion : he succours after temptation. 
 
 Christ succours tempted souls before the temptation 
 comes, sometimes ; by a special manifestation of himself, his 
 love, and fulness to them. When Christ himself was to be 
 tempted, immediately before, the Father said from heaven, 
 " This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." 
 And so when Christ sees that a soul is to go into temptation, 
 he speaks out from heaven, and says, This is my beloved 
 servant in whom I am well pleased. 
 
 Sometimes he succours before temptation, by laying in of 
 gospel principles and gospel dispositions in the heart. The 
 law is weak, says the apostle. As it is weak unto the point 
 of justification, the matter of justification ; so a legal dispo- 
 sition is weak as to the matter of resisting temptation : a 
 gospel disposition is able to bear it off. Christ foreseeing a 
 temptation, lays in such a disposition, and then when it 
 comes, Oh ! says the soul, how shall I be able to close with 
 all this love of the world, having received so many love-to- 
 kens from my dear Saviour. 
 
 Again, He succours before the temptation, by filling the 
 heart with the Holy Ghost. When the vessel is filled with 
 one liquor, it keeps out another. I will return to my house, 
 saith Satan, and I came and found it empty ; and so he en- 
 tered. The Lord, therefore, fills the house, the soul, with the 
 Holy Ghost, and so keeps Satan from entering. 
 
 He succours also under temptation, by opening the eyes 
 of him that is tempted to see that it is but a temptation. A 
 temptation is half cured, when a man knows that it is but a 
 I 2
 
 116 ON TEMPTATION. [SfiR. 2. 
 
 temptation : when a man's eyes are open to see the tempter 
 and the temptation. Therefore men are so hardly cured, 
 because they are hardly persuaded that it is a temptation ; 
 when they see that, then they say, Get thee behind me, Satan. 
 Christ opens their eyes. 
 
 Again, He succours under temptation, by letting fall some 
 glimpse of his love, some love-look upon a tempted soul. 
 And so, when Peter was in the high priest's hall, Christ looks 
 upon him, and he went out and wept bitterly. It was the 
 sweet voice of Christ that made Peter weep bitterly ; Peter's 
 tears came from Christ's eyes first; and though he were much 
 engaged, yet having a love-look from Christ, I will stay no 
 longer, and away he goes. And so, when a soul sees but 
 the gracious eye of Christ looking on him, he breaks off 
 from his temptation : thus he succours. 
 
 Again, he succours under temptation by temptation, even 
 from temptation. Beloved ! the devil seldom tempts with 
 one single temptation : as we seldom commit single sins, or 
 receive single mercies ; so the devil seldom tempts with a 
 single temptation. One may be laid in our natures, and the 
 other laid in our callings. Christ sees now, that one is given 
 to uncleanness or to pride ; and so he lets out Satan upon 
 him, to trouble him with blasphemous thoughts, and by the 
 afflictions of those blasphemous thoughts, they are kept 
 from pride, and from wantonness, and delighting in other sins. 
 
 He does succour from temptation ; I say, from temptation 
 by temptation (sometimes) by causing a word in the tempta- 
 tion to stand out, so as thereby to give the tempted man an 
 hint to Jesus Christ. So when Christ tempted and tried the 
 woman of Canaan ; It is not lawful to cast children's bread 
 before dogs. There stood out a word, that word dog ; she 
 lays hold on it; "Truth, Lord; yet the dogs eat of the 
 crumbs." Christ does so order the very temptations of 
 Satan, that some word or other in the very temptation does 
 so stand forth as to hint the soul again unto Jesus Christ. 
 
 Sometimes he succours under temptation : by throwing in 
 a promise, lotting the soul upon some promise ; which, as a 
 cable, keeps the heart fast in the time of a storm. 
 
 And sometimes he succours under temptation, again, by 
 weakening the temptation, and by keeping the heart and the 
 temptation asunder ; may be, by raising up some affliction :
 
 . 2.] ON TEMPTATION. 117 
 
 woe to that soul when the heart and temptation meet, cor- 
 ruption and temptation meet. The Lord Christ, therefore, 
 sometimes is pleased to raise up an affliction between them, 
 that so these two wicked lovers may be kept asunder. Thus 
 under temptation. 
 
 After temptation he succours : by filling the heart with joy 
 unspeakable and full of glory. By sending the angels to 
 minister : as when the devil left Christ, had tempted him and 
 left him ; then came the angels and ministered to him. 
 Every way, before temptation, and in temptation, and after 
 temptation, the Lord Jesus Christ is a succouring Christ to 
 tempted souls : he is a succouring Christ. Beloved ! he was 
 a man of sorrows that he might be a God of succours ; his 
 heart it is full of succours. 
 
 I come to the application. 
 
 First, Whilst I stand upon this truth, methinks I hear a 
 solemn and gracious invitation to all poor tempted souls to 
 come unto Jesus Christ, to come for succour. There is none 
 of you all but labour under some temptation or other. Ye 
 have read that the Lord Christ is a succouring Christ : shall 
 I need to invite you to come unto him ? Ye have read how 
 able he is : and willing he is to succour. His heart is bent 
 to succour you ; his arms are open, his bosom is open, his 
 heart is open to poor tempted souls that they may receive 
 succour from him. Oh, therefore, you that are tempted, 
 come unto Jesus Christ that you may be succoured by him : 
 come unto Christ; come unto Christ alone. 
 
 You will say, But does he succour all that are tempted ? 
 why then are any damned ? 
 
 Some men will not come unto him : " Ye will not come 
 unto me that ye may have life." Some come unto him, but 
 make an half Christ of him : they will not come under great 
 temptations ; then they are afraid, and then they despair : 
 they will not come under small temptations : then they des- 
 pise : but for middling temptations, those they will come to 
 Christ for succour in ; and thus they make a half Christ of 
 him. Some come to him as to a Moses ; make a conditional 
 Christ of him : they must have their own preparations and 
 humiliations before they come unto him, or else they will not 
 come unto him. But, beloved, ye know what the apostle 
 says, in the viith of the Hebrews : " He is able to save unto
 
 118 ON TEMPTATION. [SBR. 2. 
 
 the uttermost those that come to God by him." Those that 
 come to God by Him : if you come unto Him he will 
 succour. 
 
 But my temptation is an old temptation, an ancient temp- 
 tation ; I have gone under fears and temptations for many 
 years together, I may say, almost my whole life : and will 
 Jesus Christ succour such an one as I am ? 
 
 Pray what think you of the verse that goes before the 
 text? read it and consider it : the 14th and 15th verses: 
 " He himself took part of the same, that through death he 
 might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the 
 devil." And at the 15th verse : " Deliver them from Satan 
 that were all their life-time subject to bondage." That he 
 might deliver them from Satan that were all their life-time 
 subject to bondage : in fear of death, and all their life-time 
 subject to bondage. 
 
 Art thou, therefore, a man or woman that hath gone up 
 and down, all thy days, in fear of death, and fear of hell, and 
 been in bondage all thy life-time ? See, he came to deliver 
 such souls : such tempted souls as these are, Christ came to 
 deliver. 
 
 Oh ! but my temptation is not a bare temptation, there is 
 much affliction that is mixed withal: and will he deliver 
 those ? 
 
 Yes, you know how it was with Jacob : Jacob used indirect 
 means to get the blessing ; Esau's heart rose against him : 
 Jacob flies for it ; when he was in the field, in the night, 
 then Christ appears to him : a ladder, whose top was in hea- 
 ven (the Deity), the bottom on earth (the humanity), and 
 angels ascending and descending. All the while he was in 
 his father's house he never had this vision of Christ, but 
 now, when he lay in the open field, Christ appears for his 
 succour by his angels thus. 
 
 Oh, but my temptation is not such ; but my temptation is 
 mixed with much corruption ; I have a proud heart, an un- 
 clean heart, a froward heart : will the Lord Jesus Christ lay 
 such a wretched heart as mine is in his bosom ? Oh, will he 
 succour such a soul as I am ? 
 
 For answer to this, I pray consider these three things with 
 me : the Lord Jesus Christ is a succouring Christ ye have 
 read; and,
 
 SER. 2.] ON TEMPTATION. 119 
 
 First, He will succour tempted sinners most when they are 
 most tempted. When the child is sick, and when the child 
 is most sick, then the mother comes forth and succours it, 
 then love sits upon the bed-side, then love lays the child in 
 her bosom. And, says he, in the Ixvith chapter of Isaiah, 
 and at the 13th verse, "As one whom his mother comforteth, 
 so will I comfort you." 
 
 Again, secondly, he will not only succour thus, but he 
 will succour you that are tempted, when you cannot succour 
 yourselves; when your own thoughts cannot succour you, 
 when your own thoughts dare not succour you, or when 
 your own thoughts trample upon your evidences, and when 
 your own thoughts shall make a mutiny in your hearts, and 
 set all on fire : " In the multitude of my thoughts thy word 
 comforts my soul." The Lord knows how to deliver in the 
 time of temptation, though you do not know; and when 
 you do not know it, then he knows, and then he will deliver 
 when you know not. Read again the same place, the 13th 
 verse of the Ixvith of Isaiah. " As one whom his mother 
 comforteth, so will I comfort you." Who are those ? says 
 he, at the 5th verse. " Hear the word of the Lord, ye that 
 tremble at his word, and you that are cast out by your 
 brethren : as one whom his mother comforteth, so will I 
 comfort you :" you that lie and tremble before the promise, 
 and dare not draw near unto it, as a mother comforteth, so 
 will I comfort you. 
 
 Thirdly, He will not only succour thus, but he will succour 
 poor tempted souls with a notwithstanding : notwithstanding 
 all their failings, notwithstanding all their infirmities. Jo- 
 seph, a type of Christ, his brethren sold him away, he en- 
 dured much misery. Afterward his brethren came to want, 
 and they go down to Egypt to him ; and when they came 
 there, Joseph succours them, notwithstanding all their 
 former unkindness : I am your brother Joseph, I am Joseph 
 your brother ; it is true you sold me, and thus and thus you 
 dealt by me ; but you are come for succour, and I will suc- 
 cour you with a notwithstanding. So says the Lord Jesus 
 Christ : Poor tempted soul, I know how thou hast dealt by 
 me, how thou hast sold me, how thou hast neglected me, 
 how thou hast crucified me ; but I will succour thee with a
 
 120 ON TEMPTATION. [SER. 2. 
 
 notwithstanding, notwithstanding all thy guilt and all thy 
 fear, I will succour thee with a notwithstanding. 
 
 Three great succours that the Jews had in the wilderness. 
 Succour from the rock, that gave out water ; succour against 
 their thirst. Succour from the manna that came down from 
 heaven ; succour against their hunger. Succour from the 
 brazen serpent; from the fiery serpents that stung them. 
 All these three were great types of Christ. " And the rock 
 was Christ," says the apostle. And says Christ himself, " I 
 am the bread," speaking of the manna. " And when I am 
 lifted up," speaking of the brazen serpent, alluding to it. 
 Now look into the story and you will find, God did not give 
 out these succours to them till they murmur ; in the xvth of 
 Exodus, there they murmur and murmur and murmur, and 
 then God opened the rock, and God gave them water not- 
 withstanding. And in the xvith of Exodus there he gives 
 them bread. And in the xviith there he opens the rock : 
 but first they murmured ; the Lord gave them these succours 
 with a notwithstanding. The thing that I mean is this : 
 Will the Lord give them a typical Christ for their succour, 
 with a notwithstanding, and will he not give poor tempted 
 souls a real Christ with a notwithstanding ? notwithstanding 
 all, if they do come unto him, if tempted souls do but come 
 unto him ? Oh, what a mighty encouragement is here unto 
 all poor tempted souls to come unto Jesus Christ ? Oh you, 
 come unto Jesus Christ, you that never came unto Jesus 
 Christ, come unto Jesus Christ, you shall find him a suc- 
 couring Christ. 
 
 Secondly, If this doctrine be true, what ground of strong 
 consolation is here unto all the saints ? Oh, you that are 
 the servants of God, children of God ; you that are saints, 
 will you ever doubt of Christ's love again ? will you ever 
 suffer your hearts to lie under the pressure of despondent 
 fears again ? Doubting arising from ignorance, mistakes of 
 Christ ; we put Esau's clothes upon him ; we make him an 
 angel of darkness and then we fear him. Ye do not look 
 upon him as a succouring Christ, and therefore you are so 
 full of doubtings ; or if you do, you do not actuate your con- 
 siderations and your notions on him. 
 
 Beloved ! Either there is a truth in this doctrine ; or else 
 there is not. If there be not, what mean all the proofs that
 
 [SER. 2. ON TEMPTATION. 121 
 
 ye have had ? And if there be a truth, if the Lord Jesus 
 Christ be a succouring Christ to tempted souls ; why then 
 should you not triumph in him ? and say, Well nothing shall 
 separate me from the love of God in Jesus Christ : I am 
 persuaded, " I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor 
 angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor 
 things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, 
 shall be able to separate me from the love of God which is 
 in Christ Jesus our Lord." Thus Paul reasoned in the viiith 
 of the Romans. And I pray mark it ; " Who then shall 
 separate us ? (says he at the 35th verse) shall tribulation, or 
 distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or 
 sword ? Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors, 
 through him that loved us. I am persuaded, that neither 
 death, nor life," &c. Whence did arise this persuasion ? 
 (at the 23rd verse) " Who shall lay any thing to the charge 
 of God's elect ? it is God that justifieth." Mark, he does 
 not say, It is God that justifies me; but only in the general, 
 " It is God that justifieth : who is he that condemneth ? it 
 is Christ that died." He does not say, It is Christ that died 
 for me ; but it is Christ that died. 
 
 You will say, Aye indeed, if I could say, That God justifies 
 me ; and Christ died for me ; then I would say with Paul, 
 that nothing shall separate. 
 
 Paul raises this persuasion thus ; it is God that justifies, 
 and it is Christ that died. 
 
 Aye, but was there any temptation, in any of all these that 
 Paul speaks on ? 
 
 Yes sure : why does he say else, " That in all these things 
 we are more than conquerors ?" There is an adversary's 
 power in this. And what think you when he says, " That 
 neither life nor death, nor angels, nor principalities and 
 powers ?" Does not the devil come in there, under prin- 
 cipalities and powers ? Neither does he say thus ; I will 
 hope well now, that because Christ dies, and it is God that 
 justifies ; I will hope well : No, but " I am persuaded, none 
 of all these shall separate me from the love of God in 
 Christ." Though I have feared, I will fear no more. Thus 
 he makes his triumph. Oh ! what strong consolation is here 
 to all the saints ? You that are the tempted saints of God, 
 do not your hearts burn, and glow within you with love to
 
 122 ON TEMPTATION. [SfiR. 2. 
 
 Jesus Christ ? and will you question his love to you ? Did 
 Christ come and succour you ? and will you not succour 
 yourselves ? Is his heart full of succour toward you ? and 
 will not you own it ? The Lord rebuke our unbelief. 
 
 Thirdly, If Jesus Christ be a succouring Christ : then let 
 us be succouring Christians. Shall the Lord Jesus Christ 
 take a poor tempted soul into his arms ? and shall I thrust 
 him away with my hand? shall the Lord Christ take him 
 into his bosom ? and must I thrust him out of .the city, and 
 the place where he dwelt? Shall the Lord Jesus Christ 
 carry a poor tempted soul upon his shoulder, by way of suc- 
 cour ? and shall I carry him upon my shoulder as a burden ? 
 It was Christ's command : " See that ye love one another, as 
 I have loved you." And how did Christ love us ? " He loved 
 us, and gave himself for us :" he loved us, and was made in 
 the form of a servant, took our infirmities upon him : he 
 loved us, and was tempted for us, suffered being tempted : 
 and shall not I be willing to succour those that are tempted ? 
 You look upon another man's opinion, or his practice, or his 
 froward disposition, and you are offended at it, whom other- 
 wise you would love, and do account godly : but how do you 
 know whether that be not his temptation ? that his disposi- 
 tion, and opinion, and practice ; how do you know whether 
 that be not his temptation that he lies under ? and will not 
 you succour him ? Oh ! my beloved, how contrary are our 
 dispositions to Christ's ? Christ came from heaven to suc- 
 cour those that are tempted : and we call for fire from hea- 
 ven against those that are tempted. Christ would bear with 
 much smoke, for a little fire : and we will quench a great deal 
 of fire because of a little smoke. Oh ! therefore, as you de- 
 sire to be like unto Jesus Christ, succour the saints : and if 
 there be any thing in their life that does offend you, say, 
 with yourselves ; Aye, but maybe it is a temptation that such 
 a man lies under; and Christ came to succour those that are 
 tempted, why should not I ? 
 
 Fourthly, If the Lord Jesus Christ be a succouring Christ, 
 then, why should we yield unto our sins and to our tempta- 
 tions ? Though the siege be strait, and violent, and fierce, if 
 a city be blocked up, be beleaguered ; if it have but hopes 
 that succour and relief will come, it will hold it out ; and if it 
 know for certain that succour will come, it will hold out unto
 
 SER. 2.] ON TEMPTATION. 123 
 
 great extremity. There is never a temptation, but you are 
 beleaguered by it : and when your temptation is about you, 
 say, O my soul, be quiet, yield not ; the Lord Jesus Christ is 
 a succouring Christ, and succour will come, and therefore 
 hold it out. Shall the Lord Jesus Christ, shall he succour 
 me against my temptations with his bosom ? and shall I take 
 my sins and temptations into mine own bosom ? Shall he 
 come to succour me against my sins ? and shall I succour my 
 sins that he comes against ? What a mighty argument is 
 here to keep us from all our sins, and from yielding to our 
 temptations. Jesus Christ is a succouring Christ to tempted 
 souls. 
 
 In the fifth place, If there be a truth in this, Christ is a suc- 
 couring Christ ; Let us all labour to answer Christ. Beloved,, 
 it is the duty and the property of the people of God, to ob- 
 serve what God is doing upon their hearts, and to help on 
 that work. If Jesus Christ be succouring of any of your 
 souls against your temptations ; Oh ! help it on, help on the 
 work ; it is your duty for to help it on, and to answer him. 
 
 But you will say, Christ succours before temptation ; and 
 he succours under temptation ; and he succours after temp- 
 tation : how shall I answer this ? how shall I help his work 
 on ? 
 
 Give me leave to give an answer unto this question, and 
 so I will wind up all. Does the Lord Jesus Christ succour 
 before temptation ? Observe his succours, and lay them up 
 in your hearts against a rainy day : gird your sword upon 
 your thigh, it may not be to seek when the enemy comes j 
 have it in readiness. You do not lay the plaster on upon 
 the wrist for the ague, when the ague is on, but before it 
 comes. Observe what those tokens of love are that Jesus 
 Christ does throw into your bosom before a temptation 
 comes, and lay them up carefully there. 
 
 And, beloved in the Lord, labour to keep the sense of his 
 love warm upon your hearts. Look as it is with water in 
 winter ; so with your hearts in this respect : so long as the 
 fire is under the water, and the water is hot, it freezes not ; 
 but when the heat goes off, and the water is cold, then ice 
 comes upon it. And so long as your heart is kept up in the 
 sense of Christ's love, and warm with Christ's love ; so long 
 the ice comes not, the temptation comes not. The slumber
 
 124 ON TEMPTATION. [SER. 2. 
 
 of grace is a preparation to sin and a preparation to tempta- 
 tion. When once our hearts grow cold, and grow remiss ; 
 then way is made to temptation : and therefore if you would 
 answer Jesus Christ, Oh ! labour to keep the sense of his 
 love still upon your hearts. 
 
 And when the temptation is come, then look upon Jesus 
 Christ. No temptation so violent or fierce, but a thought 
 may steal out, and get a look upon Jesus Chrsst. The sight 
 of Christ on the cross, is a judge upon the bench against all 
 temptations. The consideration of three things keeps one 
 from the power of temptation : the worth of a soul ; the hei- 
 nousness of sin; and the love of Christ. And you see all 
 these in Christ upon the cross. When temptation comes, 
 stand and look upon him. You know, that when the Israelites 
 were stung, they were then to look upon the brazen serpent, 
 and by their very looking upon it, they were cured thereby. 
 The Lord Jesus Christ is our brazen serpent, lift up upon gos- 
 pel poles, having more excellency than any brazen serpent. 
 This was but a piece of brass ; he is the God of glory. That 
 for a time ; he is our High Priest, and lives for ever. That 
 for the Jews only ; but he for Jew and Gentile. That for 
 those that could see, and if any poor blind man was stung, it 
 was a case, what should become of the blind man, how should 
 he look upon the brazen serpent ? how should he be cured ? 
 but this our brazen serpent is able to give you an eye. Be- 
 loved, this ordinance is still on foot spiritually. And therefore 
 Christ says by the prophet Isaiah, " Look unto me from all 
 the ends of the earth, and be saved." Oh ! when a tempta- 
 tion comes, poor tempted soul, address thyself to the Lord 
 Jesus, stand wishly looking upon him. 
 
 And then, give thy soul over into the hands of Christ all 
 thou canst : put thyself out of thine own hands. So long 
 as the plank, or the board swims in the stream, in the midst 
 of the water, you may draw it along with a little thread ; 
 but if once it comes towards the bank, towards the shore, 
 and touches upon the ground, then you can hardly draw it. 
 So long as your temptation is in the stream of Christ's love, 
 and of his blood, you may draw it along the more easily : 
 but if once it come to touch upon your own shore, oh then 
 you draw hard. Whensoever, therefore, a temptation arises, 
 go unto Jesus Christ, and say, O Lord, I have no strength
 
 SER. 2.] ON TEMPTATION. 125 
 
 to stand against this great enemy : I confess it is my duty to 
 resist this temptation, but it is thy promise to succour me 
 under this temptation, and therefore I put myself upon thee. 
 
 And then, rest upon Christ. As I used to say, Your very 
 resting upon him makes him your's; your resting on his 
 strength makes it yours; and your resting on his succour 
 makes that yours. 
 
 And if the Lord command you to the use of any means, 
 do not rest upon any because they are great, or despise any 
 because they are small. You do observe that the great vic- 
 tories among the, Jews, they were obtained by the weakest 
 means ; and by the blowing of ram's horns, walls fell down. 
 Those were but types of those spiritual victories under the 
 
 God seldom does wound the head of a temptation, but 
 first the heel (the means) is bruised, whereby the head of the 
 temptation is wounded. As Christ's heel is bruised in his 
 wounding of Satan's head : so I say it is in regard of means : 
 seldom that any means do wound the head of a temptation, 
 but the very heel of that means is first bruised : and, there- 
 fore do not despise it though it be small. 
 
 And if it please the Lord to cast in any promise, when 
 you are under a temptation, oh, take heed that you do not 
 live upon the letter of the promise. I mean, do not live 
 upon the conveyance, but upon the land : and yet how many 
 do live upon the bare promise, bare letter of the promise. 
 When a temptation comes, pass from the temptation unto 
 the promise, and through the promise unto Jesus Christ, and 
 learn to live upon the thing promised, and not the letter of 
 the promise. 
 
 After temptation is over, (I can but touch on things,) 
 either you have the better of Satan, or else the worse. If 
 you have the worse ; be for ever humbled, but never discou- 
 raged. And if you have the better of him ; then rejoice in 
 the Lord, and in all his goodness toward you, and in all his 
 succouring love and mercy. " Rejoice in the Lord evermore, 
 and again I say, Rejoice." "As one whom his mother com- 
 forteth, so will I comfort you." And then it follows, " They 
 shall rejoice : your hearts shall rejoice." But take heed that 
 your spiritual joy, after victory, does not degenerate into 
 carnal joy, and you be drunk therewith. It is reported of
 
 126 ON TEMPTATION. [SER. 2. 
 
 the English, that once going into Spain, and taking in a town 
 there ; after they had taken it, there being much wine in the 
 town, the soldiers fell a drinking of themselves drunk ; and 
 the country came down upon them, and beat them out, and 
 recovered the town again. So it is with many : they have 
 victory over temptation, and they begin to rejoice spiritually; 
 but their spiritual joy degenerates into carnal joy, and they 
 are drunk with their joy, and so lose their victory. Beloved, 
 joy not in your joy, but in the God of your joy, after victory. 
 
 And if you have the better after temptation, if you have 
 the better : be sure of this, that you improve your victory to 
 more assurance. If the devil get the better of you, he will 
 be sure to improve his victory to your despair : I say, If he 
 get the better of you, he will be sure to improve his victory 
 to your despair. Therefore, if you get the better of him, be 
 sure that you improve your victory to more assurance of 
 God's love in Christ. 
 
 Yea, my beloved, for aught I know there is no temptation 
 that a child of God meets withal, but he may improve it to 
 more assurance. As thus : 
 
 Surely, if I were the devil's own, he would never trouble 
 me thus. When the strong man keeps the house, all is at 
 peace, and all is at quiet. Now ever since, from the very 
 first day that I have set my face towards heaven and Christ; 
 oh how have I been troubled, and tempted, and perplexed, 
 and vexed in my spirit ! Surely, therefore, I am none of the 
 devil's. Now if I had been his own, I should have been 
 more quiet under him : but because I am thus troubled, I 
 hope in the Lord I am none of the devil's, I am the child of 
 God. Thus a man may improve. 
 
 And, oh, what a good thing were it, if we did make im- 
 provement of our temptations ! what gracious improvement 
 might we make of all our temptations ; and what a blessed 
 issue might we have in our temptations, if we did go unto 
 Christ for succour ! 
 
 I beseech you, therefore, in the Lord, when as any temp- 
 tation arises, go unto Jesus Christ, he is a succouring Christ. 
 He hath national succours ; and he hath family succours ; 
 and he hath personal succours : you have national tempta- 
 tions ; and you have family temptations ; and you have per-
 
 SER. 3.] ON TEMPTATION. 127 
 
 sonal temptations, soul temptations, temptations when you 
 are alone. Therefore go unto Christ for succour. 
 
 To conclude : I beseech you, beloved in the Lord, go to 
 Christ and try him ; put him to it : the greater your tempta- 
 tion is, the more fit work for Christ to cure : do not despair ; 
 do not sit down ; go to Jesus Christ, you shall find him 
 better than I have spoken, you shall not find him worse ; he 
 will go beyond my words, he will not fall short of my words. 
 As the devil goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he 
 may devour : so Jesus Christ, in the gospel, goes up and 
 down with his succour, seeking whom he may succour. Go 
 to him for succour : and the God of peace, even Jesus Christ 
 himself, tread down Satan under our feet shortly. 
 
 SERMON III. 
 
 "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired 
 to have you that he may sift you as wheat ; but I have prayed for thee 
 that thy faith fail not." LUKB xxn. 31, 32. 
 
 AFTER our greatest enjoyments of God, usually follow the 
 greatest temptations of Satan. And therefore our Saviour 
 speaks these words unto his disciples. In the 19th verse of 
 this chapter, we find them at the Lord's Supper with Christ 
 himself; "This is my body which is given for you; this do 
 in remembrance of me." Having received the supper with 
 Christ himself, and having had sweet communion with him 
 there, our Saviour gives them out a most gracious and bles- 
 sed promise, at the 28th, 29th, and 30th verses, "Ye are they 
 which have continued with me in my temptations, and I ap- 
 point to you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto 
 me ; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, 
 and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." 
 Having said thus unto them, he comes in the very next 
 words to acquaint them with a great temptation that was 
 coming down upon them all : and therefore these words are 
 knit together with the former by the word and ; " And the 
 Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired." 
 Though you have had this communion with me ; and though 
 1 have made you this gracious and blessed promise, know,
 
 128 ON TEMPTATION. [SER. 3. 
 
 that there is a great storm of temptation coming down upon 
 you. 
 
 Here are two things : the danger of the temptation ; and 
 the remedy against it. The danger in the 31st, and the re- 
 medy in the 32nd verse. In the 31st verse, we have for con- 
 sideration, the tempter, called Satan, which signifies an ad- 
 versary. The tempted ; and those are, not Simon only, but 
 all the disciples. Satan hath desired you : it is in the plu- 
 ral number : he directs his speech unto Simon, but the temp- 
 tation spreads larger upon all the disciples ; " That he may 
 sift you." 
 
 The manner of the temptation, in two expressions : Satan 
 hath desired you : according to the original word, Satan hath 
 challenged you into the field; as one man does another: and 
 hath desired you, that he may sift you as wheat, and leave 
 you nothing but chaff. Plainly then here is this observa- 
 tion. 
 
 The Lord Jesus Christ does give leave sometimes unto 
 Satan, to tempt and winnow his own and best disciples ; 
 Christ's own, and best disciples are exposed to Satan's temp- 
 ting, and winnowings : not Peter only, but James and John 
 and all the beloved disciples of Jesus Christ were exposed 
 here unto Satan's winnowings. He hath desired you, in the 
 plural number, not thee Peter only, but you all my disciples, 
 that he may sift you as wheat. 
 
 For the clearing and making out of this truth, I shall la- 
 bour to discover. 
 
 First, What great power Satan hath to tempt, molest, and 
 annoy the children of men. 
 
 Secondly, That he puts forth this power especially upon 
 the saints, Christ's own and best disciples. 
 
 Thirdly, How he comes by this power, and why God 
 the Father gives him this leave. And so to the applica- 
 tion. 
 
 First, if ye ask me, What power Satan hath to infest, 
 molest, and thus to tempt the children of men ? 
 
 I answer, First, ye know that Satan is an angel still ; and 
 being an angel, he is a superior creature to man, and there- 
 fore, according to the rank of creation, he hath a great deal of 
 power over man. Man hath a great power over the beasts, 
 for man is a superior. The beasts have a great deal of power
 
 SER. 3.] ON TEMPTATION. 129 
 
 over the herbs and the grass, for the beast is the superior. 
 The angels by creation are superior to man ; Satan, though 
 fallen, is an angel still : according to the rank of creation, 
 therefore he must needs have a mighty power over the chil- 
 dren of men. 
 
 Secondly, He is not only a superior creature, but also a more 
 spiritual creature than man, he is a spirit : and upon that 
 account, he is more able to come within man, to close with a 
 man's soul and spirit : being spirit himself, he is more able 
 to converse with, to close and get within our souls and 
 spirits. 
 
 Thirdly, He is able to suggest unto man whatsoever he 
 pleases, and to cast in a thousand sinful objects into a man's 
 mind one after another. 
 
 Yea, fourthly, and being so well experienced, having stu- 
 died man for many thousand years : having gotten in all these 
 years so much tempting skill and policy, he is able to discern 
 what that bait is that will take soonest with the children of 
 men, according to their natures, constitutions, complexions, 
 ages, sexes, &c. 
 
 Fifthly, He is not only able to present and suggest, but he 
 is also able to follow his suggestions. It is said, " That he 
 stood up, and provoked David to number the people :" he 
 did not only present that evil unto David, but he did solicit : 
 he provoked David to number the people, says the text. 
 
 Sixthly, he is not only able thus, but he is able, also, to 
 bemire the fancy, to raise storms in that lower region : a 
 man's soul, ye know, it works by organs, it works by the 
 body, and by the fancy : now Satan being able to disturb the 
 fancy of a man, is thereby able, also, to hinder the very ope- 
 ration of the soul. 
 
 Seventhly, He is able to hold down a man's mind unto 
 that particular thing, and to cut off all relief to the soul ; so 
 to besiege it, that unless relief come immediately from hea- 
 ven, he is able to bow down a man's mind, and to hold it 
 down unto that particular. 
 
 Lastly, Satan hath so great a power, that the same words 
 that are given unto God, and unto the Holy Ghost, for good, 
 in Scripture, are given, also, unto Satan for evil. The Holy 
 Ghost is said to enlighten a man : Satan is said for to blind 
 him : " The God of this world hath blinded their eyes," 
 K
 
 130 ON TEMPTATION. [SER. 3. 
 
 says the apostle. The Spirit is said " to rule in us ;" Satan 
 is said to " rule in the children of disobedience." The Holy 
 Ghost is said " to work in us mightily ;" the same word is 
 used for him also. The Holy Ghost is said to fill the hearts 
 of believers ; " They were filled with the Holy Ghost :" so 
 are men's hearts said to be filled with Satan ; says Peter to 
 Ananias, " Why hath Satan filled thine heart ?" Indeed, there 
 are three things especially wherein he does fall short : for 
 though Satan is able to discern what temptations would take 
 best with a man, yet he does not know man's thoughts, for God 
 only is the knower of one's thoughts ; that is God's prero- 
 gative. And though Satan may work very effectually in the 
 children of disobedience, yet, notwithstanding, he does not 
 work with an almighty power. When the Lord converts a 
 man, he puts forth an almighty power in man's conversion. 
 " The same power," says the apostle, " that raised up Christ 
 from the dead, makes ye to believe." The devil is magnipo- 
 tent, says Luther, but not omnipotent : the devil may be very 
 powerful, but he is not almighty : neither does he put forth 
 an almighty power in his temptations, as God does in the 
 conversion of a sinner. And though he may suggest, and 
 provoke unto what is evil, he cannot force or determine any 
 man to evil. And therefore says the apostle Peter, " Why 
 hath Satan filled thine heart?" He asked Ananias that 
 question, because Satan, though he did fill his heart, he could 
 not have forced, or determined him without his own will there- 
 unto. But very powerful Satan is. In the vith chapter of 
 the Ephesians, you shall see the apostle speaks thus much 
 unto you there, at the 12th verse : " For we wrestle not 
 against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against 
 powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, 
 against spiritual wickedness in high places." He speaks 
 concerning Satan, as you see in the former verse : " Put on 
 the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand 
 against the wiles of the devil, for we wrestle not against flesh 
 and blood," &c. It is something for a man to have all the 
 world against him, to have all mankind against him : if all 
 mankind should be against one man, you would say, There 
 were a great strength ; but behold more than that, here is 
 something more than flesh and blood that every man does 
 wrestle against : " For we wrestle not against flesh and
 
 SER. 3.] ON TEMPTATION. 131 
 
 blood :" all mankind is but flesh and blood, and so there 
 is a weakness ; but we wrestle not against flesh and 
 blood, but against principalities, for authority ; and against 
 powers, for strength ; and against the rulers of the darkness 
 of this world, and against spiritual wickedness in high places. 
 Oh, what a mighty power then hath Satan to infest, molest, 
 and to tempt the children of men. 
 
 Whether does Satan put forth this power, and exercise this 
 his tempting power upon the saints and children of God ? 
 
 Yes, for they are the saints that the apostle speaks of here, 
 in that to the Ephesians : " For we wrestle not against flesh 
 and blood." You that are Ephesians, and you that are 
 saints, we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against 
 principalities and powers. Properly, ye do not wrestle with 
 a man that is down ; ye wrestle with a man for to throw him 
 down ; but he must be a standing man that ye wrestle with- 
 al : ye do not wrestle with one that does run away, but one 
 that stands to it. Now all wicked men, they are down, but 
 the saints, they stand, and they labour to throw Satan down, 
 and Satan labours to lay them all along in unbelief: but they 
 properly do wrestle with Satan, for they stand, the other are 
 fallen already. 
 
 Yea, the saints are not only tempted by Satan ; but the 
 best, and the most beloved disciples of Jesus Christ. In the 
 Old Testament; who more beloved than David and Job ? yet 
 they were tempted. In the New Testament ; who more be- 
 loved than Peter and Paul ? One of the circumcision, and 
 the other of the uncircumcision and apostleship, and yet both 
 had special temptations. 
 
 Yea, it is possible for one of God's own children to be so 
 far oppressed with Satan, that he may eren be weary of his 
 life. In the xth chapter of Job, and the 2nd verse, says Job 
 under his great temptations, " My soul is weary of my life." 
 And if Rebekah were weary of her life because of the child- 
 ren of Heth ; much more may a poor gracious soul be weary 
 of his life, by reason of these children of darkness, these 
 powers of darkness, these temptations of Satan. 
 
 But you will say, Why should Satan lie so heavy upon 
 God's own children and people ? for he may know, that they 
 shall be saved do he what he can. Satan had heard our Saviour 
 Christ say to Peter, The gates of hell shall not prevail against 
 
 K2
 
 132 ON TEMPTATION. [SER. 3. 
 
 thee ; and yet now Satan tempts : if Satan know this, why 
 should he follow God's children, yea, the best of his children 
 so sorely with sad temptations ? 
 
 First, Satan is the envious man we read of in Scripture ; 
 and when he hears the Lord owning and honouring of his 
 children, then does his envy work, and rise : and when he 
 hears any of God's children triumphing by faith, and making 
 boast of the love of God, then does his malice kindle into a 
 flame ; Shall such a one go to heaven, and shall I be damned, 
 says he, shall such a one be received, and shall I be cast 
 away for ever ? These are the boilings of this envious man's 
 heart against the children of the Most High. 
 
 But, secondly, there is this great reason for it. Satan 
 knows, that if he can but make God's people and the best of 
 his children fall ; though they should not be damned, but 
 pardoned, that their fall may be stumbling blocks unto others 
 that may be damned. And therefore, I pray, mark how it is 
 carried concerning David : it is said in the 1 Chronicles xxist 
 chapter, and the 1st verse, "That Satan stood up against 
 Israel to provoke David to number Israel." It is not said 
 thus ; And Satan stood up against David, and provoked Da- 
 vid to number the people : no, but thus, And Satan stood up 
 against Israel, and provoked David to number the people : he 
 stood up against Israel ; Why ? because he knew, that if he 
 did make David thus to number the people, it would be a 
 stumbling for all Israel, and all Israel should fare the worse 
 by it. When Satan stands up and tempts the master of a 
 family unto sin, he does not barely stand up against him ; but 
 in tempting him, he stands up against all the family. When 
 Satan tempts a religious holy man, a beloved disciple of 
 Christ in a town, Satan stands up against all the town in 
 tempting that one man. He stood up against Israel, and 
 tempted David to number the people: and so when he 
 tempts those that are the most beloved disciples of Christ, he 
 stands up against others ; and therefore, though Satan knows 
 that their sins shall be pardoned, yet he does follow them 
 with sad and sore temptations. 
 
 Thirdly, Satan loves to divide between friends ; he is the 
 great make-bare of the world, he loves to divide. He may 
 know, that there is so much goodness between man and wife, 
 that he shall never part them ; and yet he will labour to sow
 
 SER. 3.] ox TEMPTATION. 133 
 
 discord among them, that they may live uncomfortably. 
 And so, though he knows he shall never part Christ and a 
 poor believer; yet he will labour to throw jealousies into the 
 heart of a believer concerning the love of Christ. He knew 
 well enough what was said concerning our Saviour Christ ; 
 what was said by the angels at the birth of Christ ; what was 
 said by the angel to Mary, what was said by Elizabeth ; he 
 heard what was said from heaven, " This is my beloved Son, 
 in whom I am well pleased :" and yet presently he comes to 
 Christ with an if; "If thou be the Son of God :" labouring 
 to throw a jealousy into the heart of Christ, and to doubt of 
 his Sonship, even with God the Father. So I say, although 
 Satan should know that the Lord will pardon such or such a 
 man, yet he loves to make a division between God and the 
 soul, and to cast in jealousies between Christ and a believer. 
 As for others, says he, they are my own already, I shall not 
 need to break into that house, there is nothing but chaff lies 
 there ; but here is a godly man, and here is treasure ; and 
 therefore he does especially lay his battery against the saints, 
 and those that are the most beloved disciples of Jesus Christ. 
 But you will say unto me, How does Satan come by this 
 tempting power, this infesting and molesting power ? 
 
 Great is the power, as we have read already, that he hath, 
 as he is a superior creature : but Satan hath yet another 
 power, and that is the power of conquest ; for in Adam's fall, 
 Satan conquered the whole world, all mankind, they were 
 the devil's conquest upon the fall. When a man is converted 
 and turned to God, then he comes out of the kingdom of 
 Satan. But I say, upon the fall the devil made a conquest 
 upon all mankind, and so by conquest he hath a great power. 
 Satan hath leave from God the Father to tempt ; I do not 
 say that he hath a special leave for every temptation, not a 
 special commission or permission, or leave for every tempta- 
 tion ; but there is no great or extraordinary temptation that 
 does fall upon the children of God, but Satan hath a special 
 leave from God the Father for it. There was a special temp- 
 tation upon the country, in his running their herd of swine 
 into the sea, and he had leave for that before he did it. 
 There was a special temptation upon Ahab, in the lying spirit 
 of the prophets, and he had a special leave and permission 
 from God for that. There was a special temptation upon
 
 134 ON TEMPTATION. [SfiR. 3. 
 
 Job, and he had a leave for that. Here was a special temp- 
 tation coming down upon the disciples, and he had leave for 
 that. Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired you. He was fain 
 to ask leave, and he had leave for that. There is no extraor- 
 dinary or great temptation befals any of the children of God, 
 but Satan is fain to ask leave for it ; he hath a leave for it, 
 before he can come and tempt the soul. 
 
 But you will say then unto me, Why does God the Father 
 give Satan leave thus to tempt his own children and Christ's 
 own disciples ? 
 
 First, take it thus, Look whatsoever is the end and the 
 issue of any evil which befals the children of God, that was 
 the design of God the Father in suffering that evil to come 
 upon them. Now the end and issue of the saints' tempta- 
 tion is always good unto them ; and therefore God suffers 
 the temptations of his people, because he hath a design of 
 mercy and love upon them in these temptations. What was 
 the end and issue of Satan's tempting of Adam and Eve ? 
 They fell, and then the righteousness of Christ, and eternal 
 life thereby was brought in : this was the end and the issue 
 of it. Now God the Father had this design upon Satan's 
 temptation, all the while Satan was tempting of Adam : and 
 the Lord would never have suffered our heel to have been 
 bruised by Satan's temptation, but that he did intend to 
 break the head of Satan. It was a great temptation that of 
 David, when as Satan stood up and provoked him to number 
 the people : pray, what was the end and issue of that temp- 
 tation ? I shall only name the Scriptures : the 1 Chronicles, 
 the xxist chapter; and the xxiind chapter and the beginning 
 of it; and the 2 Chronicles, the iiird chapter, and 1st verse, 
 compared together you shall find this. First Satan tempts 
 David ; he numbers the people, the people being numbered, 
 a plague breaks forth ; the plague prevailing, David goes 
 and offers up a sacrifice at the threshing floor of Oman, and 
 there God told him the temple should be built. David had 
 a long time desired to know where the temple should be 
 built ; he says, he would give no rest unto himself, no sleep 
 unto his eye-lids, until he had found out a place for God : 
 you shall find, that David had this place discovered as the 
 issue of this temptation, this was the issue of it ; the devil 
 had as good have let David alone, he had as good have been
 
 SER. 3.] ON TEMPTATION. 135 
 
 quiet, for David now had the end and the issue, attained unto 
 that that he never did attain unto before. So I say it is with 
 the people of God, the Lord never suffers his own children 
 to fall into any sin, but he does intend to wean them from 
 that sin that they do fall into even by the falling into it : the 
 Lord never suffers any of his own children to be tempted, 
 but he intends to break the back of that temptation, even by 
 their being tempted. This is the design of God the Father. 
 Oh ! what a glorious design of love and mercy is here upon 
 all the temptations of God's people ! 
 
 But, secondly, God hath yet greater and higher designs : 
 The manifestation of his own power, of his own wisdom, of 
 his own faithfulness, of his own love and free grace. 
 
 The manifestation of his power. When Paul was tempted 
 and buffeted by Satan, the Lord said unto him, that his 
 " strength should be perfected in weakness :" in Paul's weak- 
 ness, God's strength should be perfected. 
 
 The manifestation of his wisdom. " The Lord knows how 
 to deliver the godly out of temptation," says the apostle. 
 
 The manifestation of his faithfulness. In the 1 Cor. x. 13, 
 " The Lord is faithful, and will not suffer you to be tempted 
 above what ye are able to bear." 
 
 The manifestation of his free love and grace. And there- 
 fore, when Paul was tempted and buffeted by Satan, and 
 prayed against his temptation, the Lord answered thus : " My 
 grace is sufficient for thee." 
 
 But in regard of the saints themselves : How should they 
 give a probate or testimony of their uprightness and sincerity, 
 their firm and fast cleaving to God, if they were never temp- 
 ted ? read for this purpose the xiiith chapter of Deuteron- 
 omy, and the 2nd and 3rd verses. Before Job was tempted, 
 Satan thought that Job had served God for a boon, for some- 
 thing : " Hast thou not seen my servant Job ?" says God ; 
 Aye, says Satan, but " Does Job serve God for nought ?" Job 
 is an hypocrite, all things go well with him ; Job is in a fair 
 and blessed outward condition, and Job was never tempted : 
 does Job serve God for nought? but now touch him, and let 
 me tempt him a little, and see if he does not blaspheme God 
 then : thus Satan then. And just thus is the language of the 
 devil now : Does such a man or woman serve God for nought ? 
 he is but an hypocrite, all things go well with him, he was
 
 136 ON TEMPTATION. [SER. 3. 
 
 never yet tempted : but, O Lord, let this man or woman 
 come under my hand, and let me tempt him a little, and see 
 if he does not blaspheme. Well, Satan, says God, Job is in 
 thine hand, only spare his life. And Satan did tempt him 
 and touch him ; and instead of blaspheming, behold, bles- 
 sing ; " The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away ; blessed 
 be his Name." Here now Job gave a testimony that he did 
 not serve God for something, that his heart was sincere and 
 upright. And so, when men can hold out, notwithstanding 
 all their temptations, they give a testimony of their upright- 
 ness and sincerity, and that their souls do cleave unto God in 
 truth. For these and many other reasons, the Lord doth suf- 
 fer his own best and dearest children to be tempted by Satan. 
 
 I come to the application. 
 
 If God doth suffer his own people and dearest children to 
 be exposed to Satan's temptings and winnowings ; Why 
 should any man then doubt of his childship, doubt of his own 
 everlasting condition, and say, that he is none of the child of 
 God because he is tempted ? Beloved, I have seen a sore 
 evil under the sun, a vanity even among the saints and peo- 
 ple of God : some doubting of the soundness of their condi- 
 tion and the love of God because they are not tempted ; 
 others doubt because they are tempted. One says, Oh ! I am 
 afraid I am none of the child of God, for I was never tempted ; 
 the children of God, they meet with temptations, but I was 
 never yet buffeted, and therefore I am none of God's child : 
 another, on the contrary ; I labour under these and these temp- 
 tations, and therefore, I fear that I am none of God's child : 
 yea, sometimes the same person thus : First, he does not ob- 
 serve his own heart, and says he, I fear I am none of God's 
 child, for I was never tempted. Afterward when he meets with 
 temptation, then he doubts again that he is not God's child 
 because he is tempted. Oh, what childish dealing is this 
 with God your Father ! 
 
 But, my beloved in the Lord, if this be true, that the Lord 
 doth suffer his own, and best children, to be exposed to Sa- 
 tan's winnowings and temptings, then why shouldest thou 
 conclude that thou art not the child of God because thou art 
 tempted ? Oh, but I do not conclude, will some say, that I 
 am not the child of God ; I do not conclude that the Lord 
 does not love me because I am tempted, but because I meet
 
 SER. 3.] ox TEMPTATION. 137 
 
 with such and such temptations. Tell me, did not David, 
 Job, Paul and Peter meet with such and such, and so great 
 temptations ? Yea, did not Christ himself meet with it ? 
 Oh, but my temptations are such as would make one's hair 
 stand upright on one's head to think of them ; sometimes 
 tempted even to lay violent hands upon myself. What think 
 ye of Christ ? when Satan spake unto him, and tempted him 
 to throw himself down off the pinnacle of the temple. Oh, 
 but I am tempted with such temptations that I am ashamed 
 to name, and my heart aches and trembles when I do reflect 
 on them ; even with blasphemous thoughts. What think ye 
 of Christ ? was not he tempted to blasphemy ? says the devil 
 to him, " All this will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and 
 worship me :" what greater blasphemy than to worship the 
 devil ? to make a God of the devil himself, what greater 
 blasphemy ? Oh ! but I fear and doubt my condition, and 
 the love of God towards me, because my temptations are 
 not as the temptations of God's children ; but my tempta- 
 tions are such as cannot stand with grace, there is a spot, 
 that is not the spot of God's people : and are there not temp- 
 tations that are not the temptations of God's people ? have 
 not wicked men their peculiar temptations, such as does not 
 fall upon the children of God ? I am afraid that my temp- 
 tations are of that rank and of that sort, and therefore I fear 
 and doubt my condition. Mark I pray, this same word 
 temptation may be considered two ways j either in regard of 
 the formality or form of the temptation, or in regard of the 
 materiality or matter of the temptation. 
 
 Take now temptation according to the propriety of the 
 speech and phrase, and so wicked men are not said to be 
 tempted by Satan ; by their own hearts they are, but I speak 
 of Satan's temptations, properly the wicked are not said to 
 be tempted by Satan. He is said to rule in them, in the 
 children of disobedience ; and he is said to lead them captive 
 at his will : but if ye look into the New Testament, ye will 
 not ordinarily find, that wicked men are said to be tempted 
 by Satan. A man does not tempt his wife, but when he solicits 
 another woman, then he is said for to tempt that woman. 
 As the saints are married to Christ, so wicked men they are 
 matched to Satan ; and he is not in propriety of phrase said 
 for to tempt them. Your men-stealers, those that steal
 
 138 ON TEMPTATION. [SER. 3. 
 
 children, they do not tempt their own children for to go with 
 them, they naturally go with their father : but they come and 
 tempt your children, they are other folk's children that they 
 tempt. And so Satan, he is properly said to tempt those 
 that are none of his children. A master does not tempt 
 his servant, he is not said properly to tempt his own servant 
 to dwell with him, or to serve him : but he goes to another 
 man's servant, and speaks to him to come and dwell with 
 him, and to serve him. As for wicked men, they are properly 
 the servants of Satan ; and therefore when the devil solicits 
 them to do that which is evil, or to dwell with him, and to 
 converse with him, it is not I say in propriety of speech a 
 proper temptation : but for the servants of Christ, when he 
 solicits them unto evil, then he is properly said to tempt 
 them. This for the form of a temptation. 
 
 But now, take a temptation in the materiality of it, for the 
 matter of it, which is a solicitation to evil ; and so wicked 
 men are tempted by Satan ; yea, they more tempted than the 
 godly are, that is, they are more solicited unto evil by Sa- 
 tan ; and the same temptation that godly men are tempted 
 with, wicked men are tempted with : and the same tempta- 
 tion that wicked men are tempted with, a godly man is 
 tempted with. As there is no duty which a godly man does 
 perform, but a wicked man may do it, for the act, and yet 
 remain wicked : so there is no sin, which a wicked man falls 
 into, but a godly man may be tempted to it, and yet remain 
 godly. 
 
 But you will say unto me, This evil that is upon my heart, 
 is not the temptation of Satan, but indeed it is the corrup- 
 tion of mine own heart, and therefore I fear my condition. 
 Indeed, if I were sure that it were only the temptation of 
 Satan, I should never question God's love, nor mine own 
 condition because of it j but, oh ! I am afraid it is not a 
 temptation of Satan, but the corruption of mine own heart, 
 and therefore I fear all is not right with me. 
 
 I answer, first, this is no new thing for God's own people and 
 children, to charge all Satan's temptations upon their own 
 hearts, to lay all at their own door. Wicked men, they charge all 
 their own corruptions upon Satan's temptations, as if they were 
 not their own, but altogether Satan's : godly men, they 
 charge all Satan's temptations upon their own hearts, and
 
 SER. 3.] ox TEMPTATION. 139 
 
 upon their own account, as if they were all their own and 
 nothing of Satan's ; this is no new thing. Adam and Eve, 
 when they were fallen, and had eaten the forbidden fruit, then 
 they were ungodly, in the state of nature presently upon the 
 fall before they believed in Christ : and, says Eve, " This 
 serpent gave me to eat ;" as if she should say, He hath done 
 it, it is all his work, it is Satan's work, and it is none of 
 mine ; being in her unregenerate state, she lays all upon the 
 devil, and frees herself, as if she had nothing to do with it. 
 On the other side, David was provoked by Satan to number 
 the people; yet notwithstanding, see what he says in the 
 2. Sam. xxivth chapter and the 10th verse. " And David's 
 heart smote him after that he had numbered the people ; 
 and David said unto the Lord, I have sinned greatly in that 
 I have done ; and now I beseech thee, O Lord, take away 
 the iniquity of thy servant, for I have done very foolishly." 
 He lays it all upon himself: he does not go now and say, 
 Satan hath provoked me to number the people, and it is Satan's 
 work and none of mine ; but he does charge it here upon 
 himself, as if Satan had no hand at all in it. I have done 
 foolishly, says he, and I have sinned, and forgive this great 
 iniquity. This is usual ; wicked men excuse their own corrup- 
 tions, by Satan's temptations : godly men aggravate Satan's 
 temptations by their own corruptions. 
 
 But, in the second place, although this be so, that it is 
 usual with the saints thus to do, to charge all upon them- 
 selves and nothing on Satan ; yet know, that the saints seldom 
 or never do fall into any great sin, but Satan hath a special 
 hand therein. I am not of Origen's mind, to lay all sin upon 
 Satan, not upon man ; but I say, there is no great sin that 
 any of God's children do fall into, but Satan hath a special 
 hand and a work therein. And, therefore, if ye look into the 
 New Testament, you will find, that the sins of the godly, 
 they are very often called temptations : in the first of Corin- 
 thians, the xth chapter, and the 13th verse, " There hath no 
 temptation taken you, but such as is common to man ; but 
 God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above 
 that which you are able, but will with the temptation, also, 
 make a way to escape. Wherefore (at the 14th verse), my 
 dearly beloved, fly from idolatry ;" as if that were tempta- 
 tion too. And so in that vith of Galatians, and 1st verse :
 
 140 ON TEMPTATION. [SfiR. 3. 
 
 " If any man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual 
 restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering 
 thyself, let thou also be tempted :" lest thou also fall into sin. 
 And so the apostle says unto the Thessalonians, in the first 
 epistle, the iiird chapter, and the 5th verse : u For this cause, 
 when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, 
 lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our 
 labour be in vain. The meaning is, Lest you are fallen ; but 
 it is called temptation to them. 
 
 Thirdly, Although this be true, that there is no great sin 
 that the saints do fall into, but Satan hath a special hand in 
 it j yet it is the property and disposition of God's people to 
 be humbled and grieved under their temptations, as if they 
 were all their own and nothing of Satan's. Peter goes out 
 and weeps bitterly when he had fallen ; he might have said 
 thus : The Lord told me that there was a temptation coming, 
 Satan had desired to winnow me ; and now the word of the 
 Lord is fulfilled, Satan hath tempted me, and I am thus fal- 
 len : but not a word of Satan, but he goes out and weeps 
 bitterly, as if it were all his own work. And let me tell you, 
 for your comfort, when as you can mourn over your tempta- 
 tions, as if they were all your own, and nothing of Satan's, 
 the Lord will pardon them to you, as if they were all Satan's, 
 and nothing of your own. 
 
 In the fourth place, to speak a little of the difference be- 
 tween these, that ye may know the difference between the 
 temptations of Satan and the corruptions of your own heart. 
 
 When as your heart and your flesh trembles and quakes 
 under the first rising and motion of a sin, this is not your 
 own corruption alone, but there is a temptation with it. 
 When the corruptions of one's own heart do work up evil, 
 a man's heart is rather pleased and tickled with it, and con- 
 sents to it, than any way one's flesh lies trembling and quak- 
 ing under it. That temptation is not much to be feared, 
 when a man fears himself for his temptation. He is to be 
 feared most that does fear least : and he is to be feared least 
 that does fear most. A godly, gracious man or woman, is 
 humbled under nothing m^re than under his temptations ; 
 he looks upon his temptations, as the greatest afflictions in 
 all the world. As now, take that of blasphemous thoughts ; 
 suppose a poor soul troubled with such evil thoughts, such a
 
 SER. 3.] ON TEMPTATION. 141 
 
 poor soul says, I do profess it in the sight of God, I never 
 met with such an affliction since I was born : I have lost 
 children ; oh, but that affliction is not like to this ! I have 
 lost friends ; oh, but that affliction is not like to this ! I have 
 lost my estate ; oh, but that affliction is not like to this ! 
 Man or woman, if it be thy affliction it is not thy sin. And 
 I appeal to you now, you that say ye do not doubt of God's 
 love, ye do not fear your own condition, because of tempta- 
 tions only, but because ye are afraid they are the corruptions 
 of your own heart, and not the temptations of Satan ; I ap- 
 peal to you that say so ; Are ye not afraid in yourselves be- 
 cause of your temptations ? Do not ye look upon your 
 temptations as your greatest afflictions ? Nay, does not thy 
 flesh quake and tremble, sometimes, when a temptation 
 dashes, and beats in upon thy soul ? Does not thy very out- 
 ward man, sometimes, lie quaking and trembling before a 
 temptation ? Certainly this is not all the corruption of thine 
 own heart, here is the devil's hand, here is a temptation in it, 
 and, poor soul, thou mayest have some comfort yet; not- 
 withstanding the oppression is so great, yet here is comfort, 
 it is no other but what may stand with grace. 
 
 Oh ! but you will say, suppose it be all the temptation of 
 Satan, and not the corruption of mine own heart, yet it is a 
 great affliction, and what comfort can I have in this condition ? 
 
 What comfort ! Is it not much comfort to know that there 
 is nothing does befal you but what may befal a true child of 
 God ? Sometimes ye say thus : No man's condition is like 
 to mine ; did I but know that it is so with other of God's 
 children, then I should be satisfied. This doctrine tells thee, 
 that Christ's own best disciples, sometimes, are exposed to 
 Satan's temptings, to Satan's winnowings. 
 
 Is it not a great comfort, for a man to know, that while he 
 is tempted, Christ is at prayer for him ? " But I have prayed 
 for thee." In time of temptation you cannot pray, aye but 
 Christ can pray, and he is then at prayer for you : as he said 
 to Peter, so he says to every disciple of his now, " But I 
 have prayed for thee:" poor soul, though thou canst not 
 pray for thyself, yet I have prayed for thee. 
 
 Is it not a sweet comfort, for a man to know, that the 
 enemy is overcome before he strikes ? Satan's temptation is 
 overcome by Christ's intercession; and Christ prays before
 
 142 ON TEMPTATION. [SflR. 3. 
 
 Satan tempts ; " But I have prayed for thee :" before the 
 temptation came. 
 
 Is it not a choice comfort, for a man to know, that Satan, 
 the great tempter, hath no more power than my Father gives 
 him leave ? Thus it is, " Satan hath desired," &c. 
 
 Is it not wonderful comfort, for a man to know, that there 
 is something that he can never be robbed of? When a man 
 is travelling on his journey, if he meet with thieves, they 
 take away the money that he hath about him ; but when they 
 have taken all his money that he hath about him, Well, says 
 he, though they have taken away my spending money, and 
 that which I did wear about me, yet I have land at home 
 that they can not rob me of. And so says the child of God, 
 or at least he may say so, when Satan comes and tempts him, 
 and robs him of some comfort ; yet, blessed be the Lord, I 
 have union with Christ that I can never be robbed of; and I 
 have an inheritance in heaven that thieves cannot break 
 through and steal away. Satan may take away my spending 
 money, my spending comforts that I have here in this world ; 
 but Oh ! blessed be God, I have such comforts, and such an 
 estate, such durable riches that I can never be robbed of. 
 Oh ! you that are the saints and people of God, lift up your 
 heads : you that have been bowed under temptation, these 
 things have I spoken to you, that you may not be overwhel- 
 med with temptation, you that are tempted, but that in the 
 midst of all you may breathe out your souls in the bosom of 
 Jesus Christ. 
 
 Well, but you will say, It is not comfort that I look for, 
 or that I follow after ; but the truth is, I am sorely tempted, 
 and Satan lies heavy on me, following, and dogging me at the 
 heels to yield unto his temptations ; what shall I say, or 
 what shall I do, that I may not yield unto his temptations ? 
 
 Whatshaltthou say: if it be possible, do not stand to treat 
 with Satan, do not stand to parley with him ; he will dispute 
 you out of all your comfort if you stand and parley with him. 
 You have half lost the field when ye honour Satan, and you 
 honour him when you follow him into his disputes : if it be 
 possible therefore do not stand and parley, or dispute with 
 Satan, but if you must say something to him, and ye must 
 treat, ye must speak ; tell Satan then, that therefore you be- 
 lieve it, because he denies it : therefore you do not believe
 
 SER. 3.] ox TEMPTATION. 143 
 
 it, because he affirms it ; that you believe the contrary be- 
 cause he speaks thus. When ye are to deal with a great 
 liar, one that is your enemy, and he comes and tells you very 
 ill news, you will say, He is a liar and he is my enemy, and 
 he does it to scare me, and therefore I believe the contrary. 
 Satan is a great liar, and he is your enemy, and therefore 
 when he says unto thee, there is no hope for thee, thou hast 
 been a great sinner, a drunkard for thus many years, a 
 swearer thus many years, there is no hope for thee : say to Sa- 
 tan, therefore I believe the contrary, there is hope for me,be- 
 cause thou sayest there is none, for thou art a liar, yea, the 
 father of lies. 
 
 Again, if ye must speak with Satan ; then speak of 
 Christ of grace, of the infinite love of God in Christ : he 
 cannot stand before words of grace, and before words of 
 love : not a word of grace, or of free love in all his temp- 
 tations. 
 
 Yea, if you must speak with Satan, tell him, Oh ! tell him, 
 what ye find in the ways of God, and tell him, that you be- 
 lieve beyond what ye find ; thus : Satan for the present I find 
 nothing but sweetness in the ways of God : thou told me 
 that if I would turn godly I should never have a merry day 
 again, but I tell thee what I now find ; I find of a truth that 
 the sourest part of godliness, is sweeter than the sweetest 
 part of wickedness. Satan, I find, that all that ever thou 
 told me is false ; thou saidest, I should lose all my friends : 
 I have better. Thou saidest, I should lose all my comforts 
 if I turned godly ; I have better, Satan. And this I find, 
 Satan ; that all that ever Christ spake unto me, is true : oh ! 
 I find infinite sweetness in the ways of God, and I believe 
 beyond what I find ; that if the wheels of providence should 
 run never so cross, yet through grace I would believe. Be- 
 loved, ye know what the apostle says, " Whom resist, sted- 
 fast in the faith :" and " By faith we quench his fiery darts." 
 Must ye therefore needs speak with Satan, speak to him words 
 of faith ; not of sense, man, not of reason, but speak words of 
 faith : I charge ye in the Lord, if ye will stand and parley, and 
 speak with Satan, speak words of faith to him, speak words 
 in a way of believing ; and it is only faith that brings Christ 
 and the soul together in the time of temptation ; and when 
 Christ comes in, Satan goes out.
 
 144 ON TEMPTATION. [SfiR. 3. 
 
 But you will say, I know it is a good thing and happy, so 
 to answer Satan's temptations as I may not yield : but oh ! 
 that I might not be led into any temptation : What shall I 
 do that I may prevent it ? 
 
 First, take heed that you do not stand playing upon the bor- 
 ders or confines of any sin. If you stand upon the brink of a 
 sin, Satan comes behind and thrusts you into it. Some there 
 are that tempt the tempter, that begin unto Satan, they drink 
 to Satan the first draught, and Satan pledges them, and 
 drinks unto them again. Would you, my beloved, prevent 
 temptation ? Oh ! take heed how ye stand playing upon 
 the borders of any sin, the holes of the asps. 
 
 Again, secondly, If ye would prevent temptation ; then la- 
 bour to get your hearts mortified unto the objects of love and 
 fear. Satan tempts two ways ; as a serpent, and as a lion. 
 When Satan tempts as a serpent ; then he does make a ten- 
 der, and an offer of some comfortable, profitable, sweet thing. 
 You shall be like God, " You shall be as God," says he unto 
 Adam and Eve, when he tempted as a serpent, came as a 
 serpent. And so dealing as a serpent with our Saviour 
 Christ, if All this will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and 
 worship me." Shows him the glory of the world, and all this 
 will I give thee. So says he unto a poor soul when he tempts 
 as a serpent, Come and yield unto this temptation, and all 
 this comfort will I give thee, and all this profit will I give 
 thee, and all this repute and honour will I give thee. Thus 
 as a serpent. Sometimes he tempts as a lion ; for he goes 
 up and down as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 
 And when Satan tempts as a lion, then he does roar upon a 
 poor soul, and labours to scare him out of his conscience, and 
 out of the good ways of God. And therefore in the book of 
 the Revelation, "Satan shall cast some of you into prison." 
 Satan shall do it. And sometimes he shall stand and rattle 
 the chains of a prison ; look, do you hear these ? If you will 
 go on in such and such a way, you will lose all your friends ; 
 and if you will go on in such a way, I will make it too hot for 
 you, and thus and thus shall you suffer, and it shall cost ye a 
 prison ere I have done with you. Thus now Satan tempts 
 as a lion, by holding terrible objects before a man. It it said 
 that Satan came to our Saviour Christ, and he found nothing 
 in him ; so he prevailed not : but Satan comes to us, and he
 
 SBR. 3.] ON TEMPTATION. 145 
 
 finds a great deal in us, he finds a disposition in us to be 
 moved with objects of love, unto comfortable, and profitable 
 things : he comes to us, and finds in us a disposition to be 
 moved with fear by terrible objects. Wherefore now, my 
 beloved, do you desire to prevent the mischief of a temp- 
 tation ? oh ! labour more and more to die unto all the 
 objects of your outward love, and the objects of fear ; die 
 to the objects of love, get your heart mortified to these two 
 objects of love and fear. And be sure of this, if thou 
 wouldest prevent temptation, that ye labour more and more 
 to walk in the light : Satan is the prince of darkness, and he 
 walks in darkness, and he tempts in darkness. "When 
 night comes the beasts go forth to their prey, " says the 
 Psalmist. And when Satan sees a poor ignorant soul, that 
 walks in the dark, says he, Here is a fit prey for me. Oh ! 
 therefore, you that are ignorant, and have sat ignorant under 
 the ordinances ; for the Lord's sake, labour to get more light 
 and more knowledge, get your heart opened unto every truth 
 of God, labour to acquaint yourselves more with gospel 
 light, and set your bosoms open unto every truth of the 
 Lord. 
 
 And, beloved ! whether you would overcome, or whether 
 you would prevent temptation ; whatever means you use ; 
 be sure of this, that you take your temptation and dip it 
 in the blood of Christ. Take a candle, that is lighted, and 
 only blow out the candle, the candle is easily lighted again : 
 but when the candle is out, take it and put it into the water, 
 and then it is not so easily lighted again : so now a tempta- 
 tion comes, and you blow it out with a resolution, and you 
 will not yield to it, alas, it is easily lighted again : but now 
 take this candle, take this temptation, and come and dip it 
 in the blood of Jesus Christ, and it will not be so easily 
 lighted again ; so you shall be able to prevent temptation 
 for the time to come : never rest alone in resolving, but, oh ! 
 take your temptation and dip it in the blood of Jesus Christ. 
 And if that you do overcome your temptation at any time; 
 be thankful to God: if ye have more than flesh and blood 
 against you, ye shall have more than flesh and blood with 
 you. And therefore, have you overcome temptation ? go 
 away and be very thankful, and say, oh ! though flesh and 
 blood be against me, yet I have more t'.ian flesh and blood
 
 14G OX TEMPTATION. [SER. 4. 
 
 with me, praise the Lord much : and if you have been over- 
 come with temptation, yet be not discouraged ; for ye hear 
 the doctrine, God doth suffer his own dear children to be 
 tempted, to be buifetted, to be exposed to Satan's temptings, 
 and to Satan's winnowings. But though ye be tempted, 
 and it be a temptation of Satan, yet ye hear withal, that 
 it is the property and disposition of God's own people to 
 grieve and mourn under their temptation, as if it were all 
 their own, and nothing of Satan's. Wherefore now, my 
 beloved, having heard these things, think on them, and the 
 Lord bless them to you every day more and more. 
 
 SERMON IV. 
 
 "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired 
 to have you that he may sift you as wheat ; but I have prayed for thee 
 that thy faith fail not." LUKE xxu. 31,32. 
 
 YE find that these words hold forth the relation of a great 
 storm of temptation coming down upon Christ's disciples. 
 The danger of it. And the remedy against it. Of the dan- 
 ger somewhat ye heard from the 31st verse. And now I am 
 to speak unto the 32nd verse. " But I have prayed for thee, 
 that thy faith fail not." 
 
 Here is somewhat implied, and somewhat expressed : im- 
 plied, Satan's design, and his great design upon their faith. 
 Expressed; Christ's love and care, his special love and care 
 over them, and towards them in this temptation. As if 
 he should say thus, Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to 
 tempt you ; not only thee, but all my disciples : the tempta- 
 tion is great, and in this temptation, his great design is upon 
 your faith : but I have spoken unto my Father, and your 
 Father, that your faith may not fail. So that hence you may 
 observe thus much : 
 
 That in the time of temptation, Satan's great design is 
 upon the faith of the saints, to make their faith fail. 
 
 He doth not say, But I have prayed for thee, that thy 
 prayer fail not, or that thy patience fail not, or that thy love 
 fail not; but I have prayed that thy " faith fail not." So 
 that Satan's great design in all his temptations is upon the
 
 SER. 4.] ON TEMPTATION. 147 
 
 faith of the saints, that he may make their faith to fail 
 them. 
 
 For the further clearing and opening of these words, and 
 of this truth, I shall labour to show you : 
 
 First, What it is for to fail in our faith ; and how far the 
 saints may fail in their faith in time of temptation. 
 
 Secondly, What an evil thing it is for the saints to fail in 
 their faith in time of temptation. 
 
 Thirdly, That Satan's great design in all his temptations, 
 is upon our faith. 
 
 Fourthly, How Satan labours to weaken our faith in the 
 time of temptation ; what strokes he gives unto our faith, 
 and how we shall be able to bear off those blows in the time 
 of temptation, that so our faith fail not ? 
 
 If ye ask me, first, What it is for to fail in faith here ? I ans- 
 wer,Theword in the original signifies, an eclipse, as the eclipse 
 of the sun, or of the moon : and the words may be so trans- 
 lated, But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith be not 
 eclipsed. But according to the ordinary acceptation of that 
 word eclipse, Peter's faith did fail, for it was much eclipsed. 
 The word signifies also, a total defect, such as Judas made, 
 who of a disciple became an enemy, a traitor; and instead 
 of believing fell to despair : and so Peter's faith did not fail. 
 A man's faith is said to fail, either when it falls short of what 
 it hath been, or what it should be ; and in both these res- 
 pects Peter's faith did fail : it fell short of what it had been, 
 it fell short of what it should be. But there is a two-fold 
 failing in faith : one in regard of the acting and exercise of 
 faith ; and another in regard of the grace of faith itself. In 
 regard of the acting, working, and exercise of faith, Peter's 
 faith did fail : but in regard of the grace itself, so it failed 
 not. The Lutherans, they say, and contend much for it, 
 that a regenerate man's faith may fail totally, and finally in 
 time of temptation : and so they say that Peter's faith, failed 
 here, when he denied his Lord and Master ; because it is 
 said in the next words, " When thou art converted strengthen 
 thy brethren." As if his faith had failed so far, as he should 
 need a new conversion. But that word translated, When 
 thou art converted (as divers of the learned do well observe) 
 may be translated, again, thus : I have prayed for thee that 
 thy faith fail not : and do thou strengthen thy brethren
 
 148 ON TEMPTATION. [SfiR. 4. 
 
 again : do thou return to that work again. And so you have 
 the same word used in the Septuagint, translated at the 
 Iviiith Psalm, at the 6th verse. " Wilt thou not revive us 
 again ?" The word in the Hebrew is thus : Wilt thou not con- 
 vert, or turn unto us, and revive us ? which we translate, 
 " Wilt thou not revive us again ?" And so the words here 
 may be translated, (being an Hebraism) But do thou 
 strengthen thy brethren again. But suppose that the words 
 stand according to their present translation, it does not argue, 
 that Peter did fail totally in this temptation : for, the whole 
 life of a Christian here, is a continual converting, and turning 
 to God : we repent, and repent again ; we turn, and turn 
 again. Every day we turn unto God yet more and more ; 
 every day brings forth another conversion : yet not so, as if 
 the former conversion were made void. And if the faith of 
 a believer would fail totally in the time of a temptation ; 
 what should be the meaning of those words, in 1 John 
 vth chapter, and the 18th verse. " We know, that whoso- 
 ever is born of God sinneth not ; but he that is begotten of 
 God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him 
 not :" the wicked one : that is Satan, he toucheth him 
 not. But now, if Satan could tempt a godly man, and pre- 
 vail so far in his temptation, as to make his faith fail totally, 
 then he would touch him to the purpose : but, says the text, 
 " He keeps himself, and the wicked one toucheth him not :" 
 and therefore his faith cannot fail totally, a regenerate 
 man's faith cannot fail totally. And ye know what is 
 said, in that viith of Matthew at the 24th and 25th 
 verses, " Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and 
 doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which hath 
 built his house upon a rock; and the rain descended and the 
 floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house ; 
 and it fell not, because it was founded upon a rock." Now 
 every believer is founded upon a rock, Christ, and therefore 
 though the rain descend, and the floods come, and the 
 winds blow, and temptations be never so great, he cannot 
 fail totally, because he is built upon a rock. In the xiiith of 
 Matthew, ye know it is made the property of the false ground 
 that in the time of temptation it fell away : now if the good 
 ground, a regenerate man, should fall away in the time of 
 temptation ; what difference were there between the false
 
 SER. 4.] ON TEMPTATION. 149 
 
 ground, and the good ground ? Plainly therefore, the Scrip- 
 ture holds forth this truth unto us, that a regenerate man, a , 
 believer, though his faith may fail much, yet it does not fail 
 totally in time of temptation. And thus Peter's faith failed, 
 and thus it failed not : in regard of the exercise, and acting 
 of his faith it did fail ; but in regard of the grace itself, faith 
 itself, so it failed not : and so it is, and may be with others 
 of the saints also. 
 
 Secondly : If the faith of a believer do only fall in regard of 
 the acting, exercise, and working thereof, what great inconve- 
 nience is there or evil in the failing of his faith ? 
 
 Much, my beloved, very much: for though that faith 
 fail only in regard of the acting, exercise, and working, he 
 does lose an opportunity of glorifying God. It is said of 
 Abraham, that he believed and gave glory to God. Faith 
 gives glory to God : it glorifies his power, his mercy, his 
 faithfulness, and his wisdom ; not faith in the habit, but faith 
 in the exercise of it, glorifies God : and so much as a man's 
 faith does fail, in the acting, working, and exercise of it, 
 so much he loseth an opportunity of glorifying God. 
 
 Moreover, he loses his own comfort. Faith is a comfort- 
 ing grace. " Being justified by faith, we have peace with 
 God." And in the xvth to the Romans, and the 13th verse, 
 ye find, that joy and peace grows upon faith : " Now the 
 God of hope, fill ye with joy and peace in believing." So 
 much as a man does believe, so much joy and peace : if a 
 man fail in the exercise of his faith, he does lose his comforts. 
 
 Yea, hereby also, he does lose his present prize. A 
 Christian hath a prize in this life ; he hath a two-fold crown : 
 a crown of glory in the world to come ; and a present crown. 
 And therefore says the Lord unto the Church of Philadelphia, 
 " Hold fast that which thou hast, lest another take thy 
 crown." Now if a man do fail in the exercise of his faith, 
 he does lose much of his present prize. Ye know how it 
 was with Moses and Aaron, ye read of it in the xxth chapter 
 of Numbers, and the 12th verse. "And the Lord spake 
 unto Moses and Aaron, because ye believe me not, to sanc- 
 tify me in the eyes of the children of Israel ; therefore ye shall 
 not bring this congregation into the land which I have pro- 
 mised them." They were shut out of the land of Canaan 
 for not believing. But Moses and Aaron did not lose the
 
 150 ON TEMPTATION. [SER. 4. 
 
 grace of faith, it was only failing in the exercise of faith ; 
 their failing was not in the grace itself, but only they failed 
 in the exercise of their faith, and they were shut out of 
 Canaan for it. And Moses besought the Lord earnestly in 
 prayer, that he would reverse this threatening, and it might 
 not be ; he was shut out of Canaan, merely for failing in the 
 exercise of his faith. Oh ! what an evil thing is it then, for 
 a Christian to fail in his faith, though it be no more than in 
 the exercise of his faith. 
 
 Further, in this failing of one's faith, though but in the 
 exercise of it; a Christian does lose much of the benefit, 
 and sweetness of the mercy promised. Look as it is with 
 a wicked man, in regard of the judgment threatened ; so 
 with a godly man in regard of the mercy promised. Now 
 take a wicked man, and let the threatening of God be ful- 
 filled before him upon others, upon himself; he profits not 
 by God's judgments. Why ? because that he does not ex- 
 ercise faith concerning the threatening ; and so when the 
 judgment comes, he profits not by God's dealing, by God's 
 judgment, he loses the benefit of God's dispensations that 
 way. So I say with a godly man : let the promise be ful- 
 filled, and possibly he does not find the sweetness, or the 
 benefit of the mercy promised when the promise is fulfilled. 
 Why ? because he does not exercise faith in the promise 
 itself. When as the Lord gave manna, Moses had the sweet- 
 ness of it, why ? because he exercised faith about it ! but 
 the children of Israel, they made a tush of it, a light matter 
 of it : why ? because they looked upon it in a way of sense, 
 and did not take it in a way of believing, and so they lost 
 the benefit, and sweetness of the mercy promised. Beloved, 
 it is no small matter this, for to lose the benefit and sweet- 
 ness of the mercy promised : that a Christian loses by fail- 
 ing in his faith in regard of the exercise of it ; and therefore 
 certainly it is a very evil thing : though their faith fail not 
 in regard of the grace itself, yet if it fail in regard of the 
 work, and the exercise of it, it is a very evil thing, and much 
 inconvenience comes unto the saints thereby. 
 
 Thirdly, whereby may it appear, that Satan's great de- 
 sign is upon our faith in the time of temptation ? 
 
 He does tempt most unto that sin which is the greatest : 
 and the sin against the gospel is the greatest sin. Satan's
 
 SER. 4.] ox TEMPTATION. 151 
 
 great design is to hinder the work of Christ, the kingdom 
 of Christ in the hearts of the saints; to counter-work the 
 Spirit of God. Satan does tempt that he may tempt : and 
 the greatest temptation usually comes in the rear, comes at 
 the last. Satan does tempt a man to break the law ; but 
 he hath a further reach in that: for he tempts a man to 
 break the law, that so he may tempt him afterwards to sin 
 against the gospel : he lies in ambush in one temptation, 
 for to draw to another. When Satan tempted our first parents 
 Adam and Eve, he tempted like a serpent, in form of a ser- 
 pent: and so now too, he comes, and he winds about us in 
 his temptation ; but his sting is in the tail, and at the latter 
 end. And thus ye see it was in the temptation of our 
 Saviour Christ, his great design was upon Christ's faith : in 
 the ivth of Matthew, ye know he hath three temptations 
 there : and says he, in the two first temptations, " If thou 
 be the Son of God ?" and, " If thou be the Son of God ?" 
 and in the last temptation : "All this will I give the, if thou 
 wilt fall down and worship me." He tempted him to blas- 
 phemy, and atheism; and what greater unbelief? so it is 
 with the saints also : Satan, comes and he tempts them 
 to sourness, frowardness, and passion in their families, but 
 he hath a further reach upon that distemper : for, says he, 
 I will tempt this man or woman to passion, and froward- 
 ness, and when he hath been froward, and passionate, then I 
 will tempt him to be doubting whether he be the child of 
 God or no : first I will tempt this man for to break the law, and 
 when he hath broken the law, then will I tempt him to sin 
 against the gospel, then will I strike at his faith : his great 
 design still is upon your faith in all his temptations. 
 
 But you will say, Why is Satan's great design upon our 
 faith in time of temptation ? 
 
 He is the great robber, or thief: and if he can, he will 
 be sure to spoil a man of that which is the best. Now faith 
 is more precious than gold ; the trial of your faith is, faith 
 is the gift of God : and therefore if he can get any thing 
 from a man, he will get that which is God's gift. He is the 
 great hinderer of all good, of every good work ; and he will 
 especially labour to hinder that work which is the work ot 
 God in a special manner: and this is the work of God, that 
 ye believe in his Son. Satan knows, that faith is the most
 
 152 ON TEMPTATION. [SER. 4. 
 
 called ; and the anchor of faith. If ye be in a storm at sea ; 
 faith is your anchor : If ye be in danger at land, before ene- 
 mies, faith is your shield. If that a man's faith fail, his 
 duties fail, his heart fails, and all fails. He knows well 
 enough, that he shall soon make us suffer shipwreck, if he 
 can but weaken faith, and therefore his great design is upon 
 our faith. He knows, that faith is most prejudicial to him- 
 self; for "by faith we overcome the world; whom resist, 
 steadfast in the faith ; and by faith we quench the fiery darts 
 of the devil." Now then, says Satan, does faith quench my 
 fiery darts ? then will I labour to quench faith if I can. 
 The devil does labour always to present himself in Christ's 
 clothes unto a soul, as an angel of light : and he does labour 
 to present Christ in his own clothes, as an angel of darkness. 
 When as he is a liar himself, he does labour to make the 
 soul put the lie upon Christ, and upon the Spirit. The Spirit of 
 God, that comes and testifies unto a man or woman, thou 
 art the child of God : Satan says, no. When a man there- 
 fore does say, he is not the child of God ; the language of 
 his action is, he gives the lie unto the Spirit, and he says 
 that Satan speaks true : so here he makes Christ and the 
 Spirit of Christ a liar by his unbelief; and he makes the 
 devil to speak true. Now this is Satan's great design, and 
 therefore in all his temptations, still he strikes at the faith 
 of the saints, labours to weaken their faith ; his great design 
 is upon their faith. 
 
 In the fourth place, how does Satan weaken our faith in 
 time of temptation ? What are those strokes that Satan 
 gives unto our faith ? ajid how shall we be able to bear 
 them off. 
 
 In the general, Satan does sometimes labour to weaken 
 our faith, by drawing us from the means of faith. Take the 
 wood away from the fire, it will soon lose its heat, if not put 
 out. And if a man be but drawn away from the means of 
 faith ; the means drawn from him, or he from the means by 
 his own default, his faith will be soon weakened. This Satan 
 labours to do sometimes. 
 
 Sometimes, again, he raises up mountains of difficulties ; 
 and discouragements in the way of a Christian's obedience ; 
 and so labours to wound his faith. Throw water upon the 
 fire, it will soon be out.
 
 SER. 4.] ON TEMPTATION. 153 
 
 But that I may speak the more fully unto this great ques- 
 tion, the answer whereof is of concernment every day 
 amongst you. 
 
 Ye know there are three acts of faith : there is the faith 
 of reliance ; whereby a soul does rely upon God in Christ. 
 There is the faith of assurance ; whereby a man is per- 
 suaded of God's love towards him, and his love to God, and 
 that he is the child of God. And there is the faith of ac- 
 knowledgment ; whereby a man does own, and acknowledge 
 the cause, and truth of Christ. I shall now spend some 
 time, and shew ye how Satan strikes at all these faiths : and 
 withal labour to shew you, how we may bear off his blows, 
 that so we may stand in the time of temptation, and our faith 
 may not fail. 
 
 First, For the faith of reliance : Satan does sometimes 
 strike at the faith of reliance in the saints, by hiding from 
 them their former experiences of God's gracious dealing with 
 them. So long as a man hath the sight, and view of his ex- 
 periences of God's gracious dealing with him before, h does 
 rely on God, and he says, I will for ever rest upon God, and 
 rely upon God in Christ, for thus and thus he hath dealt with 
 me heretofore. Now therefore, Satan does labour in the 
 time of temptation, to hide the experiences of the saints from 
 them, and so does strike at their faith, and labours to make 
 their faith fail. 
 
 But then, how should we bear off this blow ? 
 Thus : Take heed that ye never rest upon the promise 
 barely, or only because of your experience ; but rather deal with 
 your experience because of the promise. It is a good thing 
 for a man to come up to the promise by the ladder of experi- 
 ence : but it is better for a man to go down to the promise by 
 his experience. And if ye look into the cvith Psalm, ye shall 
 find, that when a man does rest upon the promise, barely by 
 reason of his experience, his faith will soon fail. " The wa- 
 ters covered their enemies" (at the llth verse, it is spoken 
 of the Israelites when they came through the Red Sea) " there 
 was not one of them left." Verse the 12th. "Then be- 
 lieved they his words." Mark now, because of their ex- 
 perience, now they believed God's word, now they believed 
 his promise by reason of their experience ; " Then believed 
 they his words, they sang his praise." But what became of
 
 154 ON TEMPTATION. [SfiR. 4. 
 
 this : read the next words : " They soon forgat his works, 
 they waited not for his counsel/' So that 1 say, take heed 
 that ye do not rest upon the promise barely, and only be- 
 cause of your experience, for if your experience be but 
 out of the way a little, then your heart will fail, and your 
 faith fail presently. 
 
 Secondly, Take heed that ye never mourn for any evil, no not 
 for sin itself, so as to be unthankful for, or unmindful of former 
 mercies. We are very apt to this, and Satan he comes, and 
 tempts, and says unto a poor soul, Are you speaking of for- 
 mer mercies, or blessings to be thankful for them ? That is 
 a good work for others, but as for you, you have committed 
 such a sin, and it is your duty now to mourn for your sin 
 committed, look you to that, to be humbled ; apply yourself 
 to that work : and so when he hath gotten a man's heart 
 fixed upon that work in opposition to thankfulness for for- 
 mer mercies received, the soul loses the sight of his experi- 
 ence, and so his faith fails in the time of temptation. Where- 
 fore my exhortation is, that you may avoid this blow, and 
 this stroke. Never mourn, no not for sin committed ; but 
 so as still to be thankful for grace received, otherwise your 
 experience will go out of sight, and then your faith fails you. 
 Again, thirdly, Satan does sometimes strike at the faith of reli- 
 ance, labours to weaken the faith of the saint's reliance, by 
 sundering or severing their souls from the promise. So 
 long as a man hath the sight of Ihe promise, and the pro- 
 mise is by him ; a gracious heart says, I will for ever trust 
 in God, and rely upon God in Christ, for thus and thus hath 
 God spoken, and thus and thus saith the promise to me. 
 But now, if the promise be gone, then a man's reliance fails. 
 Satan therefore, in the time of temptation, labours to take 
 away the promise ; scaring the soul, or cogging the soul from 
 the promise ; this he does many ways, but sometimes he 
 speaks out thus ; What ! do you meddle with the promise ? the 
 promise does not belong to you, the threatening belongs to 
 you ; you have sinned so and so, and the threatening belongs 
 to you, but the promise does not belong to you : and if he 
 can but get the soul to believe this, then his faith fails. 
 
 Oh I but, how should we bear off this blow in time of temp- 
 tation ? for I confess thus, by this temptation does Satan 
 strike at my faith, and labours to make my faith to fail.
 
 SER. 4.] ON TEMPTATION. 155 
 
 In this case, let a man's heart speak thus : 
 
 First : If the Lord do command me to believe, then the 
 promise belongs to me, for I cannot believe unless I apply 
 the promise : now in this time, at this very time of my temp- 
 tation, the Lord does command me to believe, else it were 
 no sin not to believe ; it is a sin for me not to believe, now 
 therefore the Lord commands me to believe ; but believe I 
 cannot unless I apply the promise, therefore God would 
 have me to apply the promise, therefore the promise does 
 belong to me, and I may apply it. 
 
 Again, secondly, let the heart speak thus : if the Lord 
 does give out a threatening that it may not be fulfilled ; and 
 he does give out a promise that it may be fulfilled : if the 
 very applying of the threatening, makes the threatening not to 
 belong to me ; and the very applying of the promise, makes 
 the promise to belong to me ; then the threatening does not 
 belong to me, for I have applied it ; and the promise does 
 belong to me, for I have applied it : oh ! I remember how 
 my soul hath lien trembling before the threatening, the Lord 
 knows I have often applied the threatening : but now this is 
 true, that the very applying of the threatening, makes the 
 threatening not to belong to a man ; and the very applying of 
 the promise, makes the promise to belong to a man ; and 
 therefore, Satan, the threatening belongs not unto me, but the 
 promise does. 
 
 But then again, thirdly, let him say thus : If I be more 
 godly now, than I was when Satan told me, that the threat- 
 ening did not belong to me, and the promise did belong to 
 me, then there is no reason for this temptation. When I 
 went on in a way of sin, then Satan told me, that the threat- 
 ening did not belong to me ; and then he told me, the promise 
 did belong to me : oh ! but now I am more godly than I was 
 then, I have more of Christ than I had then I am sure, and 
 therefore Satan, didst thou tell me, that the promise did be- 
 long to me then ? therefore it belongs much more to me 
 now. Thou toldest me therefore when I went on in a way 
 of sin, the threatening did not belong to me : now then the 
 threatening does less belong to me, for now I am more godly 
 than I was then. 
 
 But above all things, remember that of the command to 
 believe. Luther was a man that laboured under great temp-
 
 156 ON TEMPTATION. [SfiR. 4. 
 
 tations : and being once sorely tempted, and the tears trick- 
 ling down his cheeks ; says he, My friend, my spiritual fa- 
 ther, came unto me, and said, O my son ? why dost thou 
 mourn ? dost thou not know that God hath commanded thee 
 to believe ? When, says Luther, I heard that word, com- 
 mand, that God hath commanded me to believe ; it prevailed 
 more with my heart, than all that was said, or thought on 
 before. So say I now unto ye, does Satan come with this 
 temptation, and tell thee, the promise does not belong to 
 thee ? answer, Aye, but the Lord hath commanded me to 
 believe, Satan, God hath commanded me to believe, it is my 
 duty at this time to believe ; but I cannot believe unless I 
 apply the promise, therefore I may go by commission from 
 God unto the promise, and the promise does belong to me. 
 Thus, give in these answers, so shall ye be able to stand, 
 and to rely upon God, and your faith of reliance shall not 
 fail. This is the first thing, the faith of reliance. 
 
 Secondly, How does Satan strike or labour to weaken the 
 faith of assurance, the assurance of God's people ? 
 
 Much may be said here, it is a large field; I shall only ga- 
 ther up some few things, and present them to you. 
 
 First, Sometimes Satan does labour to weaken the assu- 
 rance of the saints, by telling them that they have no faith. 
 Assurance is the flower of faith, it grows upon faith ; but 
 you have no faith, says Satan, and therefore your assurance 
 is naught. But how unreasonable is this temptation ! for 
 observe I pray, in what rounds Satan goes : he tempts us to 
 believe that we have no faith, because we have no assurance ; 
 and he tempts us again, to believe we have no assurance, be- 
 cause we have no faith. For answer hereunto, I shall only 
 turn unto that ivth to the Romans : It is said of Abraham, 
 at the 2 1st verse, " Being fully persuaded, that what God had 
 promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore (at 
 the 22nd verse,) it was imputed to him for righteousness." 
 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was im- 
 puted to him: but for us alsor.to whom it shall be imputed, 
 if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the 
 dead. Abraham was justified by faith, it was imputed to 
 him for righteousness : and says the apostle here, it was not 
 written for his sake, but for us also. We are justified as 
 Abraham was, by the same faith : what faith is that ? Is it
 
 SER. 4.] ON TEMPTATION. 157 
 
 the faith of assurance ? Yes ! he was assured indeed, but I 
 pray of what ? He was assured that God was able to per- 
 form : he being fully persuaded, that what he had pro- 
 mised, he was able also to perform. Abraham believed that 
 God was able, and so relied upon God, and hereby he was 
 justified. So it shall be with men and women now : if they 
 be assured, and persuaded, that God is able, and so rely upon 
 God ; this is the faith that justifies. When therefore this 
 temptation comes, answer unto Satan : Satan, thou sayest I 
 have no assurance, because I have no faith ; but I have this 
 assurance that Abraham had, whereby he was justified, I 
 believe God is able to help me, and so I rely upon God, and 
 therefore, Satan, I am now justified, and stand righteous 
 through Jesus Christ in the sight of God. 
 
 Secondly, As he does labour to weaken the faith of assu- 
 rance, by telling the saints that they have no faith ; so, also, 
 by telling them that they have no obedience, that they do 
 not profit under the means, that they are not fruitful : wher- 
 ever there is true faith, there will be obedience, and men will 
 profit under the means, and be fruitful, but you are unfruit- 
 ful, and you are barren, and where is your obedience ? here 
 is no obedience, therefore no faith : so no assurance, your 
 assurance is wrong. 
 
 Well, but how may we ward, and keep off this blow in the 
 time of temptation, that our faith of assurance may not fail ? 
 
 Truly, I answer, this blow is not to be warded off, if this 
 be true ; that ye never were obedient, never fruitful, never 
 profited by the means of grace ; this blow falls dead upon 
 the soul, this blow is not to be warded off, this is no tempta- 
 tion. But now, if ye have ever been fruitful, if ye have ever 
 been obedient, if ye have ever profited by the means of 
 grace ; though for the present ye may seem dead : yet re- 
 member what Job says, " There is hope of a tree, though it 
 be cut down, that by the scent of waters it will flourish 
 again." And so, there is hope of thy soul, that by the scent 
 of the gospel waters thou mayest flourish again. But though 
 there be no obedience in your own eye, though ye do not 
 profit under the means in your own eye ; yet your obedience 
 may be in the eye of others : and, in time of temptation, 
 another man's eye is a better judge than your own. 
 
 But suppose there seem to be no obedience, neither in your
 
 158 ON TEMPTATION. [SER. 4. 
 
 own, nor in another's eye ; yet the root of the matter may be 
 in you. Ye know how it is with the fish, that are in the wa- 
 ter, in a windy and a stormy day : ye put many fish into a 
 pond ; and in a fair, sun-shiny day, ye see them playing upon 
 the water, upon the uppermost part of the water ; but in a 
 rainy and stormy day, ye see none of them there, but yet you 
 say they are all there, they are in the water, they are at the 
 bottom, though you see them not. And so, it may be, in 
 this stormy time of temptation, your obedience and profiting 
 is not seen, but it may be there as heretofore. Satan does 
 never more press a child of God, to try himself by signs 
 of grace drawn from his own conversation, than in the time 
 of temptation. There is indeed a good use of signs drawn 
 from our own conversation, but this is agreed upon by all, that 
 there is no use of them in the time of temptation. And 
 therefore says Luther : In the time of temptation, I am as if 
 there were no law, nor no works, but only the righteousness 
 of Christ in the world, and so I do rest upon him. Does 
 Satan come forth, therefore, with this temptation, That you 
 have no obedience, that you do not profit, that you are un- 
 fruitful ? answer it thus : True, Satan, I confess I am very 
 unprofitable, and therefore I will learn to profit more ; I con- 
 fess I am very unfruitful, and therefore I will labour to be 
 more fruitful : but, Satan, I will not now, at this time, deter- 
 mine about my condition ; for it may be a time of tempta- 
 tion : hereafter, at another time, I will come and determine 
 about my condition, and I will look after signs, but now, at 
 this time, it may be a time of temptation, and therefore I 
 will forbear to wind, and draw up a conclusion, but lean my- 
 self upon God, and rest upon God at this time. 
 
 Thirdly, Sometimes Satan does labour to weaken the as- 
 surance of God's people, the faith of assurance, to make that 
 to fail, by telling of them, that they have no faith at all, be- 
 cause they have no particular faith, no particular promise ; 
 for, says Satan thus : Faith and wavering, faith and doubt- 
 ing, do not agree ; he that believeth doubteth not : but now 
 you pray and doubt, you believe and waver ; ye have no 
 particular word for what you believe, therefore ye have no 
 particular faith, so no faith at all, and therefore your assurance 
 is naught. 
 
 How should we ward off this blow ?
 
 SER. 4.] ox TEMPTATION. 159 
 
 In this case, now, let a poor believer say two or three 
 things unto his own soul. 
 
 First, Tell thy soul this : Though it pleases God, some- 
 times, to give out a particular word unto his people, a parti- 
 cular promise, in the time of affliction, or desertion (especially) 
 or temptation ; yet the Lord does not, therefore, give out a 
 particular promise, that a man may measure his condition 
 thereby ; there is a mistake ; but the Lord does therefore 
 give out a particular word or promise, to uphold the soul in 
 the condition : not to measure out his condition by it, but to 
 uphold him ; and therefore, though I have not a particular 
 word or promise, I will not conclude against my faith for 
 this. 
 
 Secondly, Tell thine own soul, that though it pleases the 
 Lord to give out a particular word or promise sometimes ; 
 yet always he does not. Hezekiah had a particular word for 
 his recovery; but the three children had not a particular 
 word that they should be delivered out of the fiery furnace, 
 yet they believed ; and whether God deliver, or does not 
 deliver, say they, we will not bow ourselves to this idolatry. 
 So that, though God is pleased, sometimes, to give out a 
 particular word or promise, yet always he does not, and there- 
 fore my faith may be right, Satan, though I have not a par- 
 ticular word now for this business. 
 
 Again, thirdly, tell thy soul this: that though God is pleased 
 thus to indulge, and sometimes to give out a particular promise 
 unto his people, and they have a particular faith concerning 
 this or that business ; yet there is always a waiting faith that 
 we read of in Scripture. There is a faith of recumbency, 
 whereby a soul leans upon God, and commits his cause unto 
 God : and there is a waiting faith. Now therefore, Satan, 
 though I have not a particular word, and a particular faith 
 for this business ; yet notwithstanding I have a waiting faith, 
 I can wait upon the Lord my God, and I can rest upon Je- 
 sus Christ : and therefore, Satan, I do yet believe, and my 
 faith is right. Tell your own soul thus ; so shall you be able 
 to stand to your faith, and shall not fall off in the time of 
 your temptation. 
 
 Thirdly, for the faith of acknowledgment. Sometimes 
 Satan does labour to weaken the faith of the saint's acknow- 
 ledgment. He does labour either that they should deny the
 
 160 ON TEMPTATION. [SER. 4. 
 
 truth, or not own it : either that they should deny Christ, 
 or that they should not own him. So he laboured to make 
 Peter's faith to fail, by denying Christ. And therefore, he 
 comes unto a poor soul and says, if you will go on in this 
 way, it shall cost you a prison ; can you lie and rot, and die 
 in a prison ? he rattles chains in the ears of a poor believer, 
 and so labours to scare him away from his conscience, and 
 from his faith, and from the truth and cause of God, and the 
 good ways of Christ : 
 
 How should we ward off this blow ? 
 
 First, before the temptation comes, labour to possess your 
 heart much, with the mercy, and privilege of suffering for 
 the cause, truth, name, and way of Christ. To you it is 
 given, not only to believe, but to suffer ; it is a great gift : 
 a suffering opportunity, and a suffering heart is a great gift 
 from God. Is it not a great mercy to be conformable to 
 Jesus Christ our Head ? " For this cause (says Christ) came 
 I into the world, that I might bear witness unto the truth." 
 Is it not a great mercy, to be confessed at the last day before 
 all the world, angels and men ? " He that confesses me be- 
 fore men, (says Christ) him will I confess before my Father," 
 &c. Is it not a great mercy, to live and reign with Christ a 
 thousand years ? ye know that scripture ; I shall not speak 
 of the meaning of it now, but certainly, there is a great deal 
 of glory promised there, living and reigning with Christ a 
 thousand years : and the promise is made unto those that do 
 acknowledge, and own the cause and truth of God, and Jesus 
 Christ. Possess your heart much, with the privilege, and 
 mercy, of bearing witness to the truth, the cause, and the 
 good way of Christ before your temptation comes. 
 
 Secondly, If you would bear off the blow of this temptation ; 
 be sure that you look upon both sides of your suffering, or 
 bearing witness to the truth, cause, or way of Christ : the 
 dark side, and the light side; let them not be sundered. 
 When the Lord calls for any of his people to suffer at any 
 time for him, he does give them more strength than before, 
 and he does give them more comfort and consolation, than 
 they had before. Now Satan, comes forth and holds the 
 suffering, he makes mention of the suffering ; but he hides 
 the strength, and the consolation. Either Satan holds forth 
 the suffering alone ; or else, if he do mention any strength, or
 
 SER. 4.] ON TEMPTATION-. 161 
 
 comfort that a gracious soul shall have in the suffering, it 
 is but the same strength that he hath now, he does not speak 
 of the strength he shall have then, and the great consola- 
 tion that he shall have then when the suffering comes : and 
 so these being parted, the suffering, and the consolation 
 being parted, now our faith fails. Whenever therefore this 
 temptation does come upon you, answer thus : Satan, here 
 thou bringest the suffering before me, and causest that to 
 come before me ; but thou dost not tell me of the strength 
 I shall have, and of the consolation I shall receive ; Satan, 
 I shall not have the strength I have now, nor the consolation 
 I have now, but I shall have more strength then, when the 
 suffering comes, and I shall have more consolation, when as 
 the affliction comes than I had before. Keep these toge- 
 ther, do not look only upon the one side of your suffering, 
 and witness-bearing ; but look upon both sides together, and 
 thus you shall be able to stand, and ride out the storm of 
 this temptation. 
 
 But you will say, We have heard of the several blows that 
 Satan gives unto our faith : unto the faith of reliance, unto 
 the faith of assurance, and unto the faith of acknowledge- 
 ment ; how he labours to weaken all these our faiths, and 
 how we should bear off all these blows : but there may be 
 yet some temptation, possibly, that does not fall within the 
 compass of these temptations : these directions are pointed 
 against these particular temptations ; but I have other temp- 
 tations that does not fall within the compass of these, where- 
 by Satan labours to weaken my faith, and to make my faith 
 to fail : what general rules and directions may be given, by 
 which a man should so walk, as that Satan may not make 
 his faith to fail in the time of his temptation ? 
 
 I answer, first : Before your temptation comes, while you are 
 upon even ground ; study, and look much into the Scripture, 
 and into every corner, and nook thereof, as I may so speak, 
 laying, and treasuring up promises and words suitable to 
 every condition. Let the word of the Lord dwell in you 
 richly ; that so when a temptation comes, ye may have a 
 word suitable at hand, and this will help ye to bear off the 
 strength of the temptation when it comes. 
 
 Secondly, Either a particular word and promise does come 
 unto ye, or it does not, in the time of your temptation. 
 
 M
 
 162 ON TEMPTATION. [SEB. 4. 
 
 If it do come unto ye, take heed that ye do not measure 
 yourselves, or your condition, by the warmth, and life, and 
 enlargement of your heart, which ye have at the coming in 
 of the word. And if a particular word or scripture, and 
 promise do not come unto you in the time of your tempta- 
 tion ; do not measure yourselves, and your condition, by the 
 straitness, and deadness of your heart which you have at 
 that time when a particular word does not come. 
 
 Thirdly, If temptation come, Look much unto the infirm- 
 ities of Jesus Christ: not the sinful infirmities, for so he had 
 none, but he had many other infirmities. And ye know 
 what the spouse in the time of desertion says, in the book 
 of the Canticles, " His left hand is under my head, and with 
 his right hand he does embrace me." The right hand, is a 
 hand of power ; and the left hand, is a hand of weakness : 
 and in the the time of desertion, and temptation, it is a great 
 relief to a poor soul, to consider the infirmities of Jesus 
 Christ ; his left hand is under our head then. As when a 
 man is enlarged in heart, it is good to consider of Christ's 
 example, that so he may be humbled under his enlargement : 
 so when a man is in desertion, or temptation, it is good 
 for to think of Christ's infirmities, that so he may not be 
 overwhelmed, or cast down too much. 
 
 Fourthly, If temptation do come, be sure of this, that ye 
 do not conclude it is no temptation. Satan tempts, and 
 then he tempts a man to think it is no temptation. So long 
 as a poor soul thinks it is but a temptation, his heart is borne 
 up with comfort, and he says, It is but a temptation, and it 
 will be over shortly, and the Lord Jesus Christ will pity me, 
 for it is but a temptation, and so his heart is borne up with 
 comfort, waiting upon God : but if the devil can get a man 
 so far, as to make him think it is no temptation, but worse 
 than a temptation ; then his heart fails, and his faith fails. 
 Therefore, I beseech ye, if a temptation come, do not con- 
 clude it is no temptation, but say, oh ! it may be it is a temp- 
 tation, and therefore, I will wait on God. 
 
 Fifthly, If temptation come, remember thine own soul of 
 the ways of God with thee. God's ways, ye know, are in the 
 deep, and his footsteps are not known ; but as the heavens 
 are greater than the earth, so are God's ways of mercy be- 
 yond our ways. Now therefore, if a dark temptation do come
 
 SER. 4.] ON TEMPTATION. 163 
 
 upon ye, and ye see no way to get out, say, Oh but, my soul, 
 remember God's ways are infinite, and his ways are beyond our 
 ways ; and though I see no way, God hath infinite ways, he 
 walks over mulberry-trees, and his ways have been in the 
 deep ; and so it hath been all along with my soul, and there- 
 fore, now, O my soul, wait on God. 
 
 Sixthly, If temptation come, if Satan come, do you run 
 to Christ ; and look how Satan appears to you, so do you 
 apply the attributes of Christ to you suitable to his tempta- 
 tion. Does Satan set a temptation to your breast ? observe 
 what temptation it is, and take an attribute of Christ suitable 
 to that temptation, and set it to the breast of that tempta- 
 tion. For example : does Satan come and tempt as a ser- 
 pent ? Then remember, that Jesus Christ is the brazen Ser- 
 pent. Does Satan come and present himself as a roaring 
 lion ? Now remember, that Jesus Christ is the Lion of the 
 tribe of Judah. Does Satan come and present himself as an 
 accuser ? Now remember, that the Lord Jesus Christ is an Ad- 
 cate. Beloved ! in the time of temptation, ye are to run to 
 Christ, that is true ; but that is not all, but you are to observe 
 how your temptation lies, and apply that attribute of Christ 
 to your soul which is suitable to your temptation : do this, 
 and your faith shall not fail in time of temptation. 
 
 Seventhly, and lastly, " Above all things, take the shield 
 of faith." Take the shield of faith, that your faith may not 
 fail : for, the way to believe, is to believe ; the way to pray, 
 is to pray ; the way to hear, is to hear ; the way to receive, 
 is to receive ; the way to perform duty, is to perform duty ; 
 the way to exercise grace, is to exercise grace. When temp- 
 tation therefore does come upon thee, that thy faith may not 
 fail, now stir up thyself to this work of faith, and to believe ; 
 and if ye believe that ye shall overcome, ye shall overcome ; 
 and if ye believe that that ye shall prevail against your temp- 
 tations, ye shall prevail against your temptations. And, 
 poor soul, if thou canst rely upon Christ, and believe that 
 thou shalt be justified, thou shalt be justified ; and if thou 
 canst by faith rely upon the promise, the promise shall be- 
 long to thee. Wherefore, stir up yourselves now to believe 
 when temptation comes. When ye have to deal with an 
 enemy here among men, I do not say, believe ye shall over- 
 come your enemy, and ye shall overcome : a man may be- 
 M 2
 
 164 ON TEMPTATION. [SER. 5. 
 
 lieve he shall overcome his outward enemy here in the field, 
 and yet fall before him, and not overcome : but having to 
 deal with this enemy, God's enemy, your father's enemy, and 
 your enemy ; believe ye shall overcome him, and ye shall 
 overcome him. 
 
 But shall we overcome him only if we believe ? 
 
 Whoever thou art that speakest, or thinkest thus : dost 
 thou make an only of believing ? I tell thee. from the Lord, 
 It is an harder thing to believe, than to keep all the com- 
 mandments : for there is something in nature towards the 
 keeping of the ten commandments, but nothing in nature 
 towards believing in Christ. And, poor soul, dost thou 
 make an only of believing ? thou dost not know what belie- 
 ving means : but I say unto thee from the Lord, Believe 
 that thou shalt overcome, and thou shalt overcome ; believe 
 that thou shalt prevail against Satan, and thou shalt prevail 
 against him ; believe that thy sins shall be pardoned through 
 Christ and rely upon him, and thy sins shall be pardoned. 
 Whensoever therefore any temptation comes, oh ! run to 
 Christ, cry unto Christ, and rest upon Christ, and say, Lord, 
 I do believe, help thou my unbelief. 
 
 Beloved in the Lord, ye have heard, that in all Satan's 
 temptations, his great design is upon your faith, to weaken 
 your faith : therefore, let it be all your design, in all your 
 temptations, to strengthen your faith, and to look to your 
 faith. Which that ye may do, think on all these things, and 
 the Lord bless them to you. 
 
 SERMON V. 
 
 "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired 
 to have you that he may sift you as wheat ; but I have prayed for thee 
 that thy faith fail not." LUKE xxn. 31,32. 
 
 THESE words, as ye have heard, acquaint us with a great 
 temptation that was to come down upon Christ's disciples. 
 Concerning which ye have here, the danger of the tempta- 
 tion : and the remedy against it. For the danger of the 
 temptation, I have spoken already : and now come unto this 
 32nd verse, (f But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail
 
 SER. 5.] ON TEMPTATION. 165 
 
 not." Here is something implied and something expressed. 
 Satan's design implied, which is, and was, to weaken the faith 
 of Christ's disciples, to make their faith to fail. And of that 
 ye have heard already. 
 
 Now that which is expressed is ; Christ's tender care of, and 
 love unto his disciples in regard of their temptations. And 
 this love and care of his towards his disciples under tempta- 
 tion, is expressed in many things. First, in the forewarning 
 of them of a temptation coming upon them : there is his love 
 and care, in that he told them of the temptation before it 
 came. And then, also, he prayed for them. Yea, he prayed 
 for them before they were tempted. Yea, and he tells them 
 that he did pray for them that they might have assurance of 
 his help in the time of their temptation. Great was his love 
 and care to, and for his disciples under their temptation. And 
 so the observation is this. 
 
 Christ's love and mercy, is never more at work for his dis- 
 ciples and people, than when they are most assaulted by Sa- 
 tan. When Satan is most busy to tempt and assault their 
 faith, then is Christ's love and mercy most at work, to keep 
 and defend both them and their faith. We do not read of 
 such a prayer for Peter before. We read, indeed, that our 
 Saviour said unto Peter ; " Unto thee do I give the keys of 
 the kingdom of heaven ;" " Thou art Peter, and upon this 
 rock will I build my church:" but we do not read there, that 
 he prayed for Peter. But here he prays, and for Peter in 
 particular : " I have prayed for thee." Why ? Because now 
 his temptations were to be more than ordinary ; and there- 
 fore Christ's love and care was drawn out and expressed in a 
 more than ordinary way. 
 
 For the clearing of this truth unto ye, I shall labour to 
 discover, 
 
 First, Wherein the love, care, and mercy of Christ is ex- 
 pressed unto his people under their temptations. 
 
 Secondly, That this love and care of his, is most expressed 
 when they are most tempted. 
 
 Thirdly, What there is in the heart of Christ, that does 
 thus incline him to this indulgence or mercy. And so to the 
 application. 
 
 First, If ye ask me, wherein the love and care of Christ is 
 expressed unto his people under their temptations ? I an-
 
 166 ON TEMPTATION. [SfiR. 5. 
 
 swer, first, In the ordering of their temptations. For there 
 is no temptation befals any of his, but he measures out the 
 temptation according to their abilities. As a wise physician 
 does not give the same physic unto every person, but consi- 
 ders every one's ability ; that which he gives to one, is too 
 strong for another : he considers first the ability of his pa- 
 tient, and prescribes accordingly. Now, though our Saviour 
 Christ does not direct Satan for to tempt, yet he does order him 
 in tempting ; and Satan cannot put the least drachm into any 
 temptation, but as it is measured out by the hand of Christ. 
 And this is that which the apostle speaks plainly, in 1 Cor. 
 xth chapter and the 13th verse : " But God is faithful, who 
 will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able," &c. 
 that ye may be able to bear it. The psalmist David says : 
 " Search me, O Lord, and prove me," Psalm cxciii. That 
 is, says Gregory, first, O Lord, look upon my strength, and 
 then, if I must be tempted, suffer me to be tempted accord- 
 ing to my ability. Christ does measure out all the tempta- 
 tions of his people according to their abilities. 
 
 Secondly, As he does measure out their temptations accord- 
 ing to their abilities: so he does also mortify their temptations, 
 and weaken them as they come through his hand. Mortify 
 them before they do come at his disciples and people, before 
 they do come at you. And, upon this account, partly, it is 
 said, that, " We are more than conquerors, through Christ 
 that giveth victory." Because our enemy is overcome before 
 he strikes, and his blow is broken as he strikes. And there- 
 fore, says the apostle, concerning our Saviour, " That he hath 
 spoiled principalities and powers, and made a show of them 
 openly upon the cross." All your temptations, the power and 
 strength of them, were spoiled upon the cross. There is no 
 temptation befals any of God's people, but it is mortified and 
 weakened before it does come at them ; the sting, teeth, and 
 the poison being taken out. 
 
 Thirdly, He does not only thus mortify and weaken a 
 temptation before it does come at us ; but he does cause 
 Satan so to lay his temptations, as that he may be discerned, 
 and so overcome. Satan tempted Adam and Eve, but he 
 tempted in a serpent, and so Adam might easily have dis- 
 cerned the hand of Satan in it, for Adam knew all the 
 creatures, he gave them their names, and he knew their
 
 SER. 5.] ox TEMPTATION. 167 
 
 natures ; and he knew well enough the serpent could not 
 speak to him ; he might easily have known that the hand of 
 Satan was in the business. And so now, though God does 
 suffer Satan to tempt his people, yet he does cause Satan so 
 to lay his temptation, as that the black feet of the tempter 
 may be discovered ; and when a temptation is discovered it 
 is half overcome. 
 
 Fourthly, He doth not only thus, but the Lord Jesus 
 Christ hath the timeing of all our temptations. Time is a 
 great matter in the point of temptation. Should a tempta- 
 tion come at such or such a time, possibly God's child might 
 be overwhelmed. I praise the Lord, says one, I did resist 
 such a temptation ; but had it fallen out at such a time, I 
 should never have been able to have stood under it. Satan 
 observes his tempting times, he knows that great advantage 
 may be made unto him by this. And therefore when Christ 
 was an hungry, he tempted him to turn stones into bread : 
 observed his time. And as Satan does observe his time to 
 tempt, so our Lord and Saviour Christ does set him his time, 
 and the time of his temptations is in the hand of Christ. 
 And therefore, if ye look into the xxth chapter of the 
 Revelation, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd verses, ye shall find to this 
 purpose thus : " I saw an angel come down from heaven, 
 having the key of the bottomless pit, and a great chain in 
 his hand : and he laid hold on the dragon, the old serpent, 
 which is the devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand 
 years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, 
 and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations 
 no more till the thousand years should be fulfilled, and after 
 that, he must be loosed a little season." Mark, the Lord 
 Jesus Christ hath not only the tempter in a chain, that he 
 can go no further than he gives him leave to go ; but his 
 hand also is in the hand of Christ, and Christ hath an eye 
 to the time of his temptation, a special eye upon the time of 
 our temptation, and this argues much of his care and love. 
 
 Fifthly, He hath not only the timeing of our temptations, 
 but he does also sanctify our temptations, and does make 
 them blessed means of our sanctification. And therefore 
 says Paul, " I received the messenger Satan for to buffet me, 
 that I might not be exalted." Twice he hath that: " That 
 he might not be exalted out of measure." But for this I
 
 168 OX TEMPTATION'. [SfiR. 5. 
 
 need go no further than the instance of Peter. Before Peter 
 was tempted, what abundance of carnal confidence was there 
 in Peter ! " Lord (says he) though all men forsake thee, 
 yet will not I." But now I pray look upon him after his 
 temptation, and you shall see how this carnal confidence was 
 laid down ; for our Saviour says unto him, " Peter, lovest 
 thou me more than these ? Lord (says he) thou knowest I 
 love thee " but not a word of the comparative, " more than 
 these :" he had left comparing now, having been under 
 temptation, and having fallen, his carnal confidence was 
 gone, and he does not say now, " Lord, though all men for- 
 sake thee, yet will not I ;" the comparison is left out now ; 
 he answers to the other part, but not a word to that. So 
 that I say, If the Lord Jesus Christ do measure out all our 
 temptations for us, and mortify them before they come at 
 us ; and does cause Satan to lay them as we may most easily 
 discover them ; and if the Lord Christ does time our temp- 
 tations for us, and sanctify them unto us : then certainly 
 there is much of Christ's love and mercy at work for his 
 people under their temptations. 
 
 Secondly, If ye ask me yet further, Wherein is the love of 
 Christ expressed, or drawn out unto his people under their 
 temptations ? I answer, it is seen and expressed in this : 
 in teaching of them in and by their temptations. Tempting 
 times are teaching times unto God's people : the school of 
 temptation is a great school. Luther said, that the tempta- 
 tions of Satan were the embracings of Christ ; meaning that 
 then Christ did embrace his people most, and discover most 
 of his love unto them. Three things, he said, there were 
 that made a preacher : meditation, prayer and temptation. 
 And indeed when or where does God or Christ reveal him- 
 self more fully unto his people, than in the times of their 
 temptations ? It is said that at Massah and Meribah, the 
 waters of strife and of temptation, there the Lord gave 
 Israel his statutes. How many experiences do God's peo- 
 ple get in, and by their temptations ? Tempting times are 
 teaching times, and Christ teaches his people by their temp- 
 tations. Satan's buffetings are the saints' schoolings. 
 
 Yea, thirdly, He does not only teach his people, but he 
 does also bear up and uphold their hearts with new supplies 
 of his grace and Spirit in the times of their temptations.
 
 SER. 5.] ON TEMPTATION. 169 
 
 Christ does not suffer his people to go into new temptations 
 with old strength ; but as a new temptation does come from 
 Satan, so new supplies of grace and strength do come from 
 Christ. Says David, in the xcivth Psalm and the 18th 
 verse, " When I said, My foot slippeth ; thy mercy, O Lord, 
 held me up." He does not say thus, When my foot slippeth, 
 thy mercy, O Lord, held me up : but, " When I said, My 
 foot slippeth " when I thought I was quite rejected, cast off, 
 and forsaken ; " When I said, My foot slippeth ; then thy 
 mercy, O Lord, held me up." As new temptations do come 
 in, so new strength comes in. 
 
 Yea, and supplies of grace in proportion to our tempta- 
 tions. " My grace is sufficient for thee," says the Lord to 
 Paul : My grace is fit for thee. 
 
 Yea, he does not only give out proportionable strength, 
 but an overplus of strength. As the woman that had oil 
 given her ; not enough barely to pay her debt, but an over- 
 plus to live on the rest. So God's people in the time of 
 their temptations, have not only strength given them to 
 stand out against their temptations, but an overplus to live 
 on the rest. 
 
 Yea, and they have not only incomes of assisting grace, 
 but of accepting grace too ; more accepting grace. God 
 doth and will then accept lesser than at another time. 
 Though the prayer be weak and the faith low, yet, says the 
 Lord, It is the time of temptation with this my poor servant, 
 and therefore I will take the duty, though it be never so 
 little, because it is the time of temptation ; it is a time of 
 darkness, and a time of sadness. Ye know what our Saviour 
 said unto Thomas : " Reach hither thine hand, and put it 
 into my side." Come, Thomas, if thou wilt not believe 
 without it, I will take thy faith even upon these terms, for I 
 know it is a time of temptation with thee. What grace, 
 what love and mercy is here ! 
 
 Yea, fourthly, The Lord Jesus Christ does not only come 
 in thus, with supplies of grace and strength in the times of 
 temptation ; but he does give his people an ease and a 
 remedy, a breathing time under their temptations, though 
 they be never so sad and never so great. Indeed Job said 
 that God was his enemy, and would not suffer him to swal- 
 low his spittle, he followed him so close ; but the good man
 
 170 ON TEMPTATION. [SER. 5. 
 
 was mistaken much, for at the same time, the time of his 
 temptation, he could say, " I know that my Redeemer 
 liveth," and he could bless the Lord : he had his breathing 
 time in the midst of all. When David was persecuted by 
 Saul, he was under temptation ; for, as the devil casts some 
 men into prison, so the devil persecutes in wicked men : yet 
 David had his breathing time now and then ; Saul given into 
 his hands, as a pledge of that full deliverance that David 
 should have afterwards. And this is no other than that 
 which the apostle speaks of, in that same 1st of the Corinth- 
 ians, the xth chapter at the 13th verse, " Who will not 
 suffer you to be tempted above that you are able, but will 
 with the temptation also make a way to escape :" make an 
 outlet, so the word is ; he will make an outlet. Though the 
 smoke be very offensive, yet there shall be always some 
 window open for to let it out, or some door open for a poor 
 tempted soul to go out at : still an outlet, some breathing 
 time in the midst of these temptations. 
 
 Fifthly, and lastly. As the Lord Jesus Christ liveth for 
 ever to make intercession for us ; So he doth it especially 
 when his people are under temptation; then he prays for 
 them, and then especially. I will not determine, whether 
 Christ now in heaven, does intercede vocally, or really : but 
 when Satan lies hard upon a poor tempted soul, and fetches 
 blood from it, then does the Lord Jesus step in unto his 
 Father, and present his wounds, and his blood, and says 
 unto his Father, O Father, I have prayed unto thee, that 
 this poor man or woman, may not fail in the time of temp- 
 tation. Thus it was with Peter here ; I have prayed for 
 thee: and yet this was not the time of his full intercession, 
 when he was here on earth. There are two parts of Christ's 
 priestly office: satisfaction, and intercession. The proper 
 place for him to make satisfaction for sin, was here on 
 earth : and in heaven, the holy of holiest, he does make in- 
 tercession ; there he does do it fully, but he could not for- 
 bear while he was here on earth ; but he says unto Peter, 
 I have prayed for thee. Though my great work in heaven 
 be to intercede, and my special work here on earth be to 
 satisfy : yet notwithstanding, I have prayed for thee already 
 Peter. And the Lord Jesus Christ was heard in all that he 
 prayed for. Now then, if the Lord Christ doth in-
 
 .] ON TEMPTATION. 171 
 
 tercede here on earth for his poor tempted servants, and was 
 heard here ; how much more, when his disciples are tempted, 
 does he intercede, and pray for them in heaven, and is heard 
 there. Satan may come running in upon you with his temp- 
 tation : but when Satan runs in upon you with his tempta- 
 tion, Christ runs into the presence of God the Father, and 
 spreads his blood, and his satisfaction for you, and there he 
 says unto the Father, Father, I have prayed that this man 
 or woman's faith may not fail. Oh ! what grace, and mercy, 
 and love is here ! Thus in all these respects, and many 
 others that I might mention, is the love of Christ, and his 
 mercy drawn out unto his people, in the time of their 
 temptation. 
 
 Well, But how may it appear, that Christ's mercy is 
 most at work, when his people are most assaulted by Satan ? 
 Christ deals by his, as God the Father did deal by him. Now 
 ye shall find, that God's love was nevermore towards Christ, 
 than when Christ was under temptation. When Christ 
 came to die, Satan was very busy ; it is called, The hour of 
 darkness : so busy was Satan with all his malice against him : 
 yet then was the Father's love towards Christ, then espe- 
 cially ; for says Christ, " Therefore does the Father love me, 
 because I lay down my life." If the Father did therefore love 
 him, because he laid down his life, then his love was most 
 at work towards Christ when this hour of darkness was. 
 And so I say, when your hour of darkness is, the hour of 
 temptation ; Christ's love is then most at work, because he 
 deals by his, as the Father did deal by him. 
 
 The truth is, Christ's dealing with his disciples, was a 
 pattern and platform of his dealing with all his people, to 
 the end of the world. Now ye shall observe, that Christ's 
 love was never more let out towards his disciples, than from 
 this time, after he had said these words, " Satan hath de- 
 sired to sift you as wheat." After this time they were all 
 offended because of Christ, and they all forsook him : Peter 
 denied him; some doubted whether he were the Messiah 
 or no : and another would not believe his resurrection ; and 
 as sheep, they were all scattered, and shattered ; great was 
 their temptations : yet from this time, do but observe the 
 love of Christ towards them : after this speech, then Christ 
 preaches a most excellent and sweet sermon to them, in
 
 172 ON TEMPTATION. [SfiR. 5. 
 
 the xivth, xvth, and xvith chapters of John. Then he takes 
 water and a towel, and washes, and wipes his disciples 3 feet. 
 Then he appoints the Lord's Supper. Then he spends a 
 whole chapter, the xviith of John, in prayer for them : 
 makes a most excellent, and sweet prayer for them. Then 
 he calls them his friends : Ye are no longer my servants, 
 but my friends : yea, his children : yea his little children. 
 Never was his love more drawn out, or expressed towards 
 them, than after this time ; and, I say, this was a pattern and 
 a platform of his dealing, with all his people unto the end 
 of the world. And therefore, though Christ do suffer his 
 own people to be tempted, yet his love and mercy is never 
 more at work than when they are most assaulted by Satan. 
 
 Thirdly, you will say, What is there in the heart of 
 Jesus Christ, that does incline him to this indulgence to- 
 ward his people, that his love and mercy is then most at 
 work, when they are most assaulted by Satan ? 
 
 My beloved, there is the quintessence of all the excellency 
 of loving relations in Jesus Christ : a father, a mother, a 
 brother, a friend. He is the Everlasting Father. And his soul 
 was in travail, says the prophet. He is not ashamed to call 
 you his brethren. And he is a Friend : " I call you my 
 friends." Now though parents be tender of their children 
 at all times, yet especially when they are sick ; then there is 
 a chair of love stands by the child's bed-side. And so, though 
 Christ be always tender of his people, yet then especially, 
 when their souls are sick, and labour under temptation. 
 There is the greatest pity in Christ that can be, the most 
 pitiful disposition in Christ ; which is always laid out where 
 he sees a fit object for it. Pray what is the object of pity ? 
 The object of pity, is one whom ye love in misery. If ye 
 see a man in misery, yet if ye do not love him, ye do not pity 
 him : if ye see a man whom ye love, yet if ye do not see him 
 in misery, ye do not pity him ; ye love him but ye do not pity 
 him : but a person whom ye love in misery is the object of 
 pity. Now all the saints and people of God are the beloved 
 of Christ; and when they are in temptation, that is their 
 greatest misery ; and therefore, when they are most tempted, 
 then is the love and mercy of Christ drawn out unto them 
 especially. 
 
 Besides, the Lord Jesus Christ hath a great interest and
 
 SEW. 5.] ON TEMPTATION. 1?3 
 
 share in every believer, a share going in every believer. As 
 the member hath an interest and share in the head, so the 
 head hath also in every member. " Thine they were (says 
 Christ) and thou gavest them me." Christ hath a special 
 and great interest in all his people, and he will not lose his 
 interest. The truth is, when Satan does assault a believer, 
 he does rather strike at Christ, than at the believer. And 
 therefore, says Gregory well, The devil, in tempting Job, did 
 not so much strike at Job, as at God ; for the Lord had said 
 that Job was an upright man : and now the devil would go 
 about to make Job an hypocrite; so that the devil would fain 
 have made God a liar ; and he did not so much strike at Job, 
 as at God's testimony of Job : he did strike at God. And 
 so now, in all the temptations of the saints, he strikes at 
 Christ, and they bear those temptations because of Christ. 
 Let a man go on in a wicked and ungodly way, Satan will not 
 vex him with temptations ; but let a man once become godly, 
 and be in Christ, and then how many temptations will Satan 
 vex him with ? Now, says Christ, shall this poor soul endure 
 all this for me, and shall not I help, shall not I assist, shall 
 not I deliver ? If a man break his arm or his leg before ye, 
 you will pity him : but if he break his arm or his leg in your 
 work or service, in a work that you set him about, you count 
 yourself engaged then to help him. It is the work of Christ 
 that the saints are about, and Christ sets them on work ; and 
 when Satan comes to tempt, it is to disturb them in the work 
 that Christ sets them about : Now, therefore, says Christ, 
 shall they endure all this because of me, and because of my 
 work, and shall not I assist and defend them and help them ? 
 Surely I will. O my beloved ! if ye did but know what an 
 interest Jesus Christ hath in every believer, you would easily 
 see the reason of this, so great tenderness in him, that his 
 love and mercy is never more at work than when they are 
 most assaulted by Satan. 
 
 For application. 
 
 What abundance of comfort is here unto all those that are 
 the true disciples of Jesus Christ ! you are not alone in your 
 temptations, Christ is with you ; and he is in heaven too, in- 
 terceding and praying for you : he hath sent his Spirit into 
 your hearts, to make intercession for you there ; and he him- 
 self is in heaven, making intercession and praying for you
 
 174 ON TEMPTATION. [SfiR. 5. 
 
 there : when you are in temptation, Christ is at prayer for 
 you. Yea, he does not only pray for you, but his love and 
 his mercy is most of all at work then, when you are most as- 
 saulted. Oh, what comfort is this ! 
 
 But, will some say, I fear this comfort belongs not to me, 
 because I am none of these that are Christ's true disciples ; 
 Christ prayed for Peter, because he was his disciple ; and he 
 prayed for the rest because they were his disciples : but as 
 for me, though in profession I may be a disciple, yet really I 
 fear I am no true disciple of Jesus Christ, and therefore I 
 fear that he does not pray and intercede for me in the time of 
 my temptation. 
 
 Two things for answer to this : 
 
 First, I pray consider that place in the xvith chapter of 
 Matthew, and the 24th verse : " Then said Jesus unto his 
 disciples, If any man will come after me (or, If any man will 
 be my disciple; so some books have it), let him deny himself, 
 and take up his cross, and follow me." Mark, here are three 
 properties of a true disciple. To open the words a little unto 
 ye, that I may settle this comfort the more fully upon your 
 hearts. 
 
 First, A true disciple does deny himself. So long as a 
 man is in the state of nature, he is always in the circle of 
 self, and Satan keeps him in it : but when Christ comes, he 
 gets out of that circle, and then he denies himself. Self 
 says, whether natural self, civil self, or sinful self, thou art 
 now minding Christ, and the ways of Christ ; but mind thy 
 estate more, and thy name more, and thy friends and rela- 
 tions more, and thy health more, and thy pleasures and re- 
 creations more. Nay, says a true disciple, but I must mind 
 Christ more, I must mind mine own soul more, I must mind 
 mine eternity more ; so he denies himself; his sinful self, 
 and civil self, and religious self too : his self-reason, and his 
 self-will, and his self-affection. 
 
 Secondly, He does take up his cross : a true disciple takes 
 up his cross. It is not said, he does bear his cross with pa- 
 tience ; there is a great deal of difference between these ; 
 bearing of a man's cross with patience, when it is laid upon 
 him, and taking up his cross when it is laid before him. Pro- 
 perly a man is said to take up his cross, when there is sin 
 laid on one side; and there is a cross, and an affliction laid
 
 SER. 5.] ON TEMPTATION. 175 
 
 on the other side ; now, either you must commit this sin, or 
 else you must endure this cross, or affliction : Nay then, 
 says a true disciple, rather than I will commit that 
 sin, I will endure this affliction ; and so he takes up his 
 cross. 
 
 Thirdly, He does also follow Christ. Some there are, that 
 having suffered for the name, and cause of Christ, they 
 then grow proud of their sufferings, and they fall into 
 foul miscarriages ; but a true disciple of Christ, when he 
 hath taken up the cross, he follows Christ : now properly a 
 man is said to follow Christ, when he does do those things 
 at Christ's command, wherein Christ does differ from others. 
 As now a man is said to follow Luther, when he does follow 
 him in those things wherein he differs from Calvin ; a man 
 follows Calvin, when he does follow him in those things 
 wherein he differs from Luther. So a man is said to follow 
 Christ, when he follows him in those things wherein he dif- 
 fers from others. There are some things, wherein Christ 
 and nature do agree : nature says, That a man must do by 
 another, as he would be dealt by himself; herein Christ 
 and nature agree. But Christ says, " A new commandment 
 give I unto ye, that ye love one another, as I have loved 
 you :" here Christ differs from nature. Nature teaches a man 
 that there is a God, and that God is to be prayed unto ; 
 and that a man is to pray for his friends : but now Christ 
 says, " Pray for your enemies." I say, a man is properly 
 said for to follow Christ, when he follows him in that where- 
 in Christ differs from others. Now whosoever thou art that 
 makes this objection, that thou art not a disciple of Jesus 
 Christ, and therefore he does not pray for thee in the time 
 of thy temptation ; I appeal to ye : Are ye not willing to take 
 up your cross ? rather to endure that affliction, than com- 
 mit this sin ? do ye not set yourself to deny yourself, your 
 pleasures, recreations, relations, and all for Christ? And 
 do ye not desire to follow Jesus Christ in those things 
 wherein he does differ from Anti-Christ, and from nature, 
 and from Moses ? then surely, thou art a disciple of Jesus 
 Christ. 
 
 But besides this, our Saviour tells us in the xviith of 
 John, that he did not only pray for those his present 
 disciples ; but, says he, " I pray for all that shall believe on me
 
 176 ON TEMPTATION. [SEB. 5. 
 
 through their word," verse the 20th. What is it to believe 
 on Christ ? To rest upon Christ for life and glory in the 
 time of our temptation ; this is to believe on Christ. Now 
 in the time of your temptation, do not ye rest on Christ ? 
 do not ye rely on Christ ? then Christ hath prayed for ye. 
 And though thou art in such a temptation, as thou complain- 
 est, thou canst not pray, yet the Lord Jesus Christ hath prayed 
 for thee : and he is heard in all that he prayed for. 
 
 But I fear, will some say yet, that the Lord Jesus Christ 
 does not pray, or intercede for me in the time of my temp- 
 tation, because my faith fails me ; oh ! my faith hath failed 
 me in the time of temptation. Did Christ pray for me 
 my faith would not fail, for he is heard in all that he prays 
 for; but oh ! my faith fails in time of temptation, and there- 
 fore I fear that this love and mercy of Christ is not at work 
 for me in the time of my temptation. 
 
 For answer, first, There is a great deal of difference be- 
 tween the failing of your faith and the failing of your heart. 
 Possibly your heart may fail in time of temptation, and yet 
 not your faith. Look I pray into the Ixxiiird Psalm, the 
 26th verse, and you shall find as much. Says the Psalmist 
 there, " My flesh and my heart faileth." Aye, but did not 
 his faith fail now ? See what he says ; his faith stands not- 
 withstanding this : " But God is the strength of my heart, 
 and my portion for ever." Here is his faith. So that 
 though his flesh failed, and his heart failed, yet his faith did 
 not fail. There is a great deal of difference between a 
 recoiling fit of a heart-failing in time of temptation, and the 
 failing of one's faith. 
 
 Secondly, It is one thing for you to fail in your faith in 
 your own opinion, and another thing for your faith to fail in 
 the opinion of Jesus Christ. When Peter denied his Lord 
 and Master, in his own opinion he could not but think that 
 his faith failed ; and yet in the opinion of Jesus Christ his 
 faith did not fail, for Christ prayed that his faith should not 
 fail; and it did not fail, for Christ was heard in what he 
 prayed for. 
 
 Thirdly, There is a great deal of difference between the 
 failing of faith, and failings that do accompany faith. The poor 
 woman that came to Christ and touched the hem of his 
 garment, failed very much, for she came behind him and
 
 SER. 5.] ON TEMPTATION. 177 
 
 thought to have stolen a cure : aye, but, though there were 
 many failings that did accompany her faith, yet her faith did not 
 fail, for she came and touched the hem of his garment, and 
 was cured by her faith. So I say there is a great deal of 
 difference between the failing of faith, and the failings that 
 do accompany faith ; there may be many failings that do ac- 
 company one's faith, and yet one's faith may stand and not 
 fail. 
 
 But yet further, whosoever you are, that say your faith 
 fails you, and therefore you are afraid that Christ prays not 
 for you : man or woman, did thy faith ever fail thee like Pe- 
 ter's ? Didst thou ever deny thy Lord and Master as Peter did ? 
 and yet Christ said, " I have prayed that thy faith fail not," 
 and he was heard in the thing that he prayed for. 
 
 Oh ! but, that was but one act in Peter ; but my faith doth 
 constantly fail ; Peter denied, and his faith failed in the exer- 
 cise as to one act, but my faith doth constantly fail in time of 
 temptation : I was heretofore more able to believe in the 
 time of my temptation than now I am ; my faith is failed, 
 and it constantly fails, and therefore I fear that the Lord 
 Christ will not pray for me in the time of my temptation. 
 
 Well, but if you be more able to rely upon mere free 
 grace, than ye have been heretofore, then your faith is not 
 less, but, increased rather. If you be now more able to be 
 contented with your condition, than you were heretofore ; if 
 you can let God and Christ alone, to use his own means 
 about you ; if you can leave the events and successes of 
 things, more unto God than you could heretofore ; then your 
 faith is not failed, but rather increased. Man or woman, if 
 that you are able now to take those hints of a word which 
 you could not heretofore; if your judgment be more settled 
 in the truth; if you be more contented to suffer now for 
 the cause, and the way of God than you were heretofore : then 
 thy faith is not failed, but thy faith is increased rather, 
 and so thou comest within the compass of the Lord Christ's 
 prayer. 
 
 Oh ! but yet, will some say, I have sinned greatly, very 
 much ; I have been a great sinner ; and therefore I fear, that 
 the Lord Jesus Christ will let me alone to wrestle with my 
 temptations all alone, and will not pray and intercede for me 
 in the time and hour of my temptation.
 
 178 ON TEMPTATION. [SfiR. 5. 
 
 Well, I must yet say again to you : Hast thou sinned more 
 than this Peter did, when he denied his Lord and Master ? 
 Yet Christ prayed for him, and his prayer took and prevailed. 
 Have you sinned more than Jerusalem did ? " Oh Jerusa- 
 lem, thou that stonest the prophets," says Christ, when they 
 put him to death. And yet if you look into the ist of the 
 Acts, you shall find, that Christ after his resurrection, bids 
 his disciples for to stay and wait at Jerusalem, and not stir from 
 thence ; and preach the gospel, and mercy, and free-grace in 
 Jerusalem. Hast thou, man or woman, that makest this ob- 
 jection, sinned more than those did that put Christ to death ? 
 that run him into his body with a spear ? that nailed him 
 upon the cross? hast thou sinned more than these? Ye 
 know our Lord and Saviour when he was upon the cross, he 
 prayed for them ; oh ! " Father forgive them, they know 
 not what they do." But, Lord, these are thine opposers, 
 these are persecutors, and they persecute thee to death. 
 Well, be it so, says Christ, I know what I do, and I know 
 whom I pray for : " Father forgive them, they know not what 
 they do." Oh ! what grace, and mercy, and love are here ! 
 Comfort, yea, comfort unto all the disciples of Jesus Christ : 
 when ye are in temptation, the Lord Christ is at prayer for you. 
 And remember the doctrine; never is his love and mercy 
 more at work for ye, than when Satan is most busy about ye, 
 to tempt ye most. What comfort is here ! This was that, 
 in part, that comforted the martyrs in the primitive times, ye 
 read of very great comforts that the martyrs had in the primitive 
 times, those times next after Christ: I have desired to consider, 
 what it was especially, that bore up their hearts under 
 all those persecutions. And Turtullian, pitches upon 
 this as one thing : We consider, says he, the case of Peter ; 
 Satan desired to winnow him ; Christ prayed for him. Here 
 were, says Turtullian, two requests before God the Father: 
 one was the request of Satan : and another was the request 
 of Christ. Now the Son having more credit with God the 
 Father than Satan, his request must needs prevail : so, says 
 he, Satan hath desired for to tempt, and to winnow us, and 
 persecute us ; but the Lord Jesus Christ hath requested for 
 us : there are two requests before God the Father ; there is 
 Satan's request to winnow us ; and there is the Son's request 
 praying for us: now therefore, seeing that the Son hath
 
 SER. 5.] ON TEMPTATION. 179 
 
 more credit with God the Father than Satan, therefore are 
 we assured that we shall be upheld, and our faith shall not 
 fail. And so may you also. This is matter of great comfort 
 unto all the saints. 
 
 You will say, Indeed it is matter of great comfort : but is 
 there no duty that this truth calls for at our hands ? Here 
 is much comfort, but what is that duty that this truth calls for ? 
 
 I answer, Much every way. If I be an ungodly man ; what 
 a mighty encouragement is here for to get into Jesus Christ, 
 that I may be in the number of the true disciples. So long 
 as a man is out of Christ, not a true disciple of Jesus Christ ; 
 Satan may come and tempt, and do what he will with him, 
 and no Christ by to help. Satan could not hurt, or touch, 
 or tempt Job, but he must ask leave : but Satan went to 
 the Sabeans, and brought in them upon Job's estate, and 
 and he did not ask leave for that, they were in his power, 
 he ruleth in the children of disobedience. Daniel was in 
 the lions' den, and they devoured him not, their mouths 
 were stopped, and they could not hurt him : but when the 
 enemies were thrown in to the lions, they cracked, and 
 crushed their bones before they came to the ground. If a 
 godly man, one that is a true disciple of Jesus Christ, if he 
 be in a den, with these lions, devils, their mouths shall 
 be stopped, they shall not swallow him. But oh ! for wick- 
 ed men that are not in Christ, these lions, they crush 
 their bones, every day they crush their bones : and a wick- 
 ed man may say as Saul did, " The Philistines are upon me, and 
 God is departed from me." So a wicked man, that is not 
 in Christ, he may cry out and say, oh ! temptations are upon 
 me, and Christ is departed from me, I have none of Christ 
 to help me : as for the saints, and those that are true disci- 
 ples of Jesus Christ, they have Christ at hand, though they 
 fall, Christ is by for to help them up. And Christ himself 
 measures out all their temptations, and Christ assists them, 
 and helps them, but oh ! as for me, I am all alone in my 
 temptations, I, poor soul, am all alone in my temptations : 
 ah ! who would be a drunkard still ? who would be a swearer 
 still ; who would be an unclean wanton still ? who would be 
 a liar, and a thievish servant still ? let me tell ye, that while 
 ye go on in these sins, you are out of Christ : poor soul, a 
 swearer, a drunkard, a common liar, a sabbath breaker, a 
 N 2
 
 180 ON TEMPTATION. [SER. 5. 
 
 wanton, out of Christ, and thy temptations fall heavily upon 
 thee ; the Lord knows, thou art all alone in the time of thy 
 temptations : oh ! but get into Jesus Christ, get into Jesus 
 Christ, to be in the number of Christ's true disciples ; and 
 when thou art templed, the Lord prays for thee; yea, and 
 the love and mercy of Christ is never more at work for thee, 
 than when thou art most tempted, and assaulted by Satan. 
 What a mighty encouragement is here to all that hear the 
 word of the Lord, to get into Jesus Christ ! 
 
 But if I be godly ; and all this be true : Why should I 
 question the love of God towards me in the time of my 
 temptation ? Beloved ! ye know in your experience, ye are 
 never more apt for to question the love of Christ, than in 
 temptation ; and yet Christ's love is never more at work for 
 you than in temptation. Oh ! what an unworthy answering 
 of Christ's love is here ! 
 
 Again, If I be godly : Why should not I be contented, and 
 quiet under all my temptations, though they be never so 
 great ? Christ prayeth for me, Christ's love is most at work 
 now I am most assaulted, his bowels then yearn towards me. 
 
 Yea, If I be godly : Why should I not with Paul, triumph 
 over all temptations ? and make my boast of Christ, and say 
 as he did " Now know I that nothing shall separate me from 
 the love of God in Christ ;" not principalities, nor powers, 
 nor devils, nor temptation ; for when I am most tempted, 
 Christ is most at work in love for me. 
 
 Yea, beloved in the Lord, why should we riot all warm our 
 hearts with this love of Jesus Christ ? it is a mercy that the 
 Lord Christ will cast but an eye or a look upon a poor soul 
 under temptation ; that is a mercy : aye, but I tell ye more 
 than so ; Christ does not only cast an eye and a look 
 upon a poor tempted soul, but his love and mercy is never 
 more at work than when you are most assaulted and tempted 
 by Satan : ah, what grace and heart-warming love is here ! 
 
 If I be godly, again, upon this account, why should I give 
 over so soon, and lay down my weapon in time of tempta- 
 tion ? If a city be beleaguered, besieged, and know that help 
 will come, they will not give over. And though I am thus 
 besieged, and thus tempted, help will certainly come, for 
 Christ hath prayed ; why should I give over then in time of 
 temptation ?
 
 SER. 5.] ON TEMPTATION. 181 
 
 And if these things be so, if there be so much love in the 
 heart of Christ towards poor tempted souls : then, beloved, 
 should we not all run to Christ in the time and hour of our 
 temptation, run unto him by prayer ? 
 
 It may be there are some that will say, If Christ pray for 
 us in time of temptation, what need we pray ? 
 
 But, I answer, pray look into this chapter, and you will 
 find our Saviour carries it otherwise. In the text, says he, 
 " But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not." At the 
 46th verse, says he, " Why sleep ye ? rise and pray, lest ye 
 enter into temptation." So that, though he had said that he 
 prayed for them, yet he calls upon them also to pray. It is 
 good praying, my beloved, when mercy is coming: and mercy 
 is then coming when Christ is praying ; and when you are 
 most tempted, then Christ is at prayer. 
 
 But to end all. Whatever your temptations, therefore, be, 
 you that are the servants of God, still think ye hear Christ 
 saying to ye, Man, woman, be of good comfort, I have prayed 
 for you : though thy temptations be very great, I have prayed 
 for thee : though thou canst not pray for thyself as thou 
 wouldest, I have prayed for thee : when flesh fails, and eyes 
 fail, and heart fails, and all fails, yet remember this, Christ 
 prayeth for you, in the time of your temptation Christ pray- 
 eth for you : think that ye hear Christ speaking to ye in the 
 time of your temptation, for certainly he does it as well to his 
 disciples now, as he did to his disciples then, he does speak 
 and say, Be of good comfort, man or woman, though thy 
 temptations be great, yet I have prayed for thee, and thy 
 faith shall not fail.
 
 GRACE FOR GRACE, 
 
 OVERFLOWINGS OF CHRIST'S FULNESS RECEIVED BY 
 ALL SAINTS. 
 
 IN 
 
 SIX SERMONS, 
 
 PREACHED AT ST. DUNSTAN'S IN THE EAST, 
 
 AND OTHER PLACES. 
 
 A. D. 1644-5.
 
 GRACE FOR GRACE. 
 
 SERMON I. 
 
 " And of his fulness have all we received, even grace for grace." 
 JOHN i. 16. 
 
 HERE in this chapter are two choice spirits, John the 
 Baptist and John the Evangelist; both agreeing in this, to 
 advance the honour of Jesus Christ. John the Baptist is 
 brought in by John the Evangelist, giving, as you read in this 
 first chapter, four great testimonies of Jesus Christ. 
 
 The first begins at the 15th verse : " John bare witness of 
 Him, and cried, saying, This is he of whom I spake/' 
 Wherein John the Baptist doth prefer Jesus Christ above 
 himself; both in regard of his person and regard of his of- 
 fice : in regard of his person, as you read in the latter end of 
 the 15th verse, " This was he of whom I spake, He that co- 
 meth after me, is preferred before me ;" in regard of his office, 
 at the 16th, the 17th and 18th verses, " And of his fulness 
 have all we received, even grace for grace. For the law was 
 given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." 
 &c. 
 
 I confess there are learned interpreters, as Cyril and Chry- 
 sostome, that do conceive the words of my text to be the 
 words of John the Evangelist: the 15th verse having, as 
 they say, relation unto John's speech in the latter end of the 
 14th verse : " Full of grace and truth." 
 
 But Origen and others, unto whom I rather incline, think 
 that they are the words of John the Baptist ; because they 
 are knit unto the former by the copulative and : " And, of 
 his fulness have all we received, grace for grace." He, there- 
 fore, that spake the words of the former verse, in all likeli- 
 hood spake these words: he that spake the words of the 
 former verse was John the Baptist, and therefore these words 
 being linked unto the former by the word and, in all likeli- 
 hood are the words of John the Baptist. 
 
 The words of themselves fall into these three propositions :
 
 186 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SfiR. 1. 
 
 First, That there is a fulness of grace in Jesus Christ. 
 
 Secondly, That of this fulness we have all received. 
 
 Thirdly, That we have all received, even grace for grace. 
 
 There is a great controversy upon the latter clause, what 
 should be meant by those words, " Even grace for grace : " 
 but because tha determination thereof falls properly within 
 the compass of the third proposition, and will have little in- 
 fluence upon the first, which I intend, God willing, to speak 
 upon at this time ; therefore I pass by that controversy, and 
 come presently unto the first proposition, which is this : 
 
 That there is a fulness of grace in Jesus Christ. 
 
 Fulness is here attributed, you see, unto Jesus Christ. 
 
 The word in the original K\epapa sometimes is taken for 
 abundance : " The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness 
 thereof," Psalm xxiv. 1. So here it is not taken, here it is 
 too narrow ; for there is not only Plenitudo abundantiee, but, 
 Plenitudo redundantly ; not only a fulness of abundance, but 
 a fulness of redundancy an overflowing of fulness in Jesus 
 Christ. 
 
 Sometimes the word is used for fulfilling and perfecting of 
 a thing. So love is said to be the fulfilling of the law. So 
 it is not taken here ; for though Christ be the end of the 
 law, yet notwithstanding, the fulness spoken of here, is that 
 which we do receive, and that is the fulness of grace. 
 
 The word, firstly and properly, is given unto vessels that 
 are brimful of liquor, and so metaphorically applied here 
 unto our Lord Jesus Christ, who is brimful of grace, in 
 whom there is no emptiness, there is no evacuity. While I 
 speak Jesus Christ, I mean Christ as Mediator, as God-man. 
 There is a fulness in Christ as God : that is not the fulness ; 
 so Christ is not taken here, by what is said in the verse 
 before the text, the 14th verse : " And the Word was made 
 flesh ; and of his fulness we have all received." So that it 
 is the fulness of Christ as Mediator : there is a fulness of 
 grace in Christ as Mediator. I shall keep me close unto the 
 words. The fulness is here spoken of which we are said to 
 receive, of which we receive. We receive grace for grace : 
 it is the fulness therefore of grace that is in Christ, that I 
 am now speaking of. 
 
 Now the word grace, sometimes is taken for the love and
 
 SER. 1.] GRACE FOB GRACE. 187 
 
 favour of God : " We are saved by grace," Eph. ii. 5 : that 
 is, we are saved through the love and mercy of God. 
 
 Sometimes this word x*/"c in the original is used or 
 put for holiness : " Singing with grace in your hearts," Col. 
 iii. 16 ; that is, with holiness in your hearts. 
 
 And sometimes it is used for excellency, for gifts, or 
 ability, as in Ephes. iv. 7> (x a f to > ia Donum, quodquis gratifi- 
 caturj, and in all these respects there is a fulness of grace in 
 Christ. 
 
 First of all, take grace for love, and bounty, and mercy, 
 and so there is. Plenitudo bonitatis : there is a fulness of 
 love in Christ. The heart and love of Christ now in heaven, 
 is the same toward poor sinners, toward his children, toward 
 believers, toward men, as it was when he was upon the earth, 
 when Christ was upon the earth. 
 
 First, There was a fulness of pardoning love in him : then 
 he would pardon men before they did come for pardon. 
 " Father (says Christ), Father forgive them, they know not 
 what they do," Luke xxhi. 24. Ye count it a great act of 
 love, where the fault is great, to forgive a man upon his 
 acknowledgment of the fault : our Lord Christ did not stay 
 for their acknowledgment, but whilst they were reeking in 
 their sins he forgives : " Father, forgive them, forgive them, 
 they know not what they do." 
 
 Yea, if you look into the gospel ye shall find, that when 
 men were putting forth the highest acts of sin, he was put- 
 ting forth the highest acts of his love. When Christ was 
 suffering for Peter, Peter was denying Christ : Peter denying 
 Christ, and Christ suffering for Peter. When he was upon 
 the earth, he did not only pardon once, but he would pardon 
 again and again : if men sinned again, he would pardon 
 again. The disciples slept, and Christ pardoned ; they slept 
 again, and Christ pardoned again ; they slept again, and 
 Christ pardoned again. Yea, and when he had pardoned, he 
 would not upbraid them with their former sins, or with his 
 own mercy. After his resurrection, not a word to Peter of 
 all his denial or of Christ's mercy. Beloved, Christ is the 
 same in heaven, he is the same in heaven now. 
 
 Again, When Christ was upon the earth, his first and his 
 great care was for those that were weak in grace. The first 
 sermon that he preached, " Blessed are the poor in spirit,"
 
 188 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SfiR. 1. 
 
 Matt. v. 3, 4, and, " Blessed are those that mourn." He 
 doth not say, Blessed are those that have assurance of the 
 love of God, and, Blessed are those that have the sense of 
 his love in their hearts; but, Blessed are the poor, and 
 Blessed are they that mourn. And when any poor doubting, 
 trembling soul came unto him, he would not cast away their 
 service because it was accompanied with infirmity ; but he 
 would rather pass by their infirmity because it was accom- 
 panied with some sincerity. So the woman that came 
 behind him ; so Nicodemus. And when any poor soul could 
 not come to Christ, could not come to Christ in Christ's 
 way, Christ would come down to him in his way. Thomas, 
 saith he, thou sayest thou wilt not believe, unless thou thrust 
 thy hands into my side ; Thomas, thou wilt not honour me 
 by believing unless thou seest ; Thomas, thou wilt not come 
 up to me in my way : well, I will come down to thee in thy 
 way; come, reach hither thy fingers, and thrust thy hands 
 into my side, and be not faithless, but believing. Oh, the 
 admirable condescension of the love of Jesus Christ ! Be- 
 loved, he is the same now in heaven. 
 
 Again, When he was upon the earth, he professed that his 
 heart, and his love, and affections were as much, if I say not 
 more, unto one saint, as unto all his kindred that are such. 
 "Blessed are those that keep thy commandments," Rev. 
 xxii. 14. " Behold, say they, thy mother, and thy brother, and 
 sister are without to speak with thee :" says he, " Whosoever 
 shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same 
 is my brother, sister, and mother," Matt. xii. 47 50. As if 
 he should say, you count my kindred happy, because they are 
 near unto me ; but do you see one poor, believing, trembling, 
 gracious soul? I tell you the soul that keeps my command- 
 ments, is as much unto me as all my kindred that are such ; 
 here is love ! and I say the Lord Jesus, his heart is the same 
 still in heaven. And therefore you shall observe, that when 
 he was risen and came amongst his disciples, the door being 
 shut ; he comes into the room, and he says unto them, " Peace 
 be unto you," Luke xxxiv. 36. Why, peace be unto you ? the 
 ordinary way and manner of salutation : as if he would say 
 thus much unto them, that they should find him every way as 
 courteous, and as loving towards them now being risen, as 
 he was before he died
 
 SER. 1.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 189 
 
 And, my beloved, if Jesus Christ should not be as gra- 
 cious, and as kind after death, as before ; then his disciples 
 should be losers by his death : but he professed to them be- 
 fore he died, that they should not be losers, but gainers ra- 
 ther. When our Lord Christ was upon the earth, out 
 of his love, he died for us ; he loved us, and died for us : his 
 love then cost him much : Now that he is in heaven he 
 dies no more, he can love us at a cheaper rate. And shall 
 we think, that when he was upon the earth, he would lay 
 down his life for us ; and now he is in heaven, he will not 
 speak a good word for us ? certainly, beloved, the Lord Jesus 
 is as full of love and tender affection toward his now 
 he is in heaven, as he was upon the earth. Take grace for 
 love, and so there is a fulness of grace in Jesus Christ. 
 That is the first. 
 
 Secondly, Take grace for holiness, and so there is plenitudo 
 sanctitatis, a fulness of holiness in Jesus Christ. There are 
 three things in the old Testament that were very holy, the 
 law, the high priest, and the temple. 
 
 As for the ceremonial law, though it was very holy ; yet 
 in regard of the spiritual command of the gospel, and Christ ; 
 the ceremonials of the law, in the book of the Hebrews, is 
 called the carnal command. Heb. vii. 16. 
 
 And as for the high priest, though he had holiness written 
 upon his forehead ; yet therein he was but a type of Christ. 
 And saith the apostle, in the book of Hebrews vii. 27 ; "The 
 high priest then when he offered for others' sins, he offered 
 first for his own sins," but our High Priest not so. 
 
 And as for the temple, it was indeed very holy, the Jews 
 rested much thereupon ; and therefore they cried thrice, The 
 temple, the temple, the temple of the Lord, Jer. vii. 4. But 
 now if you look into the vith chapter of Isaiah, you shall find 
 that our Lord Christ is there upon the temple ; and whereas 
 they cried three times for the temple, The temple of the Lord, 
 the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord. Three 
 times this is echoed concerning Christ, Holy, holy, holy. 
 At the first verse, " I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, 
 high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple ;" his train 
 filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims, each had 
 six wings, with twain he covered his face, with twain he co- 
 vered his feet, and with twain he did fly, and one cried unto
 
 190 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SER. 1. 
 
 another, and said, Holy, holy, holy. As if he should say : 
 you that are the Jews, you cry out of the temple ; the tem- 
 ple, the temple, the temple. But here is holiness, here is one 
 that is holy, holy, holy, holy. That this is to be understood of 
 Christ, you may see plainly, by comparing it with the ivth 
 chapter of the Revelation, at the 2nd verse : " Immediately 
 I was in the spirit, : and behold a throne was set in heaven, 
 and one sat on the throne," as it is said in Isaiah, one sat on 
 the throne. "And he that sat was to look upon as a jasper, and 
 a sardine stone. And there was a rainbow round about the 
 throne. And round about the throne were four and twenty 
 seats, and there were four and twenty elders, and four living 
 creatures." The description of the gospel church. And, 
 saith he, at the 8th verse, " The four beasts had each of them 
 six wings about them, and they were full of eyes within, and 
 they rest not day and night, saying Holy, holy, holy. Mark, 
 the very same expression that you have there in Isaiah : he 
 doth not say thus, righteous, righteous, righteous ; just, just, 
 just]; but holy, holy, holy. Is there not then a fulness of 
 holiness in Jesus Christ ? 
 
 I will give you but two demonstrations of it. 
 
 If there were not a fulness of holiness in Jesus Christ, 
 how is it possible that God and man could be brought so 
 near together, that were so far asunder ? Every man natur- 
 ally is full of sin : You say of the beggar, he is full of ver- 
 min, why ? because he goes to this door, to that door, and 
 to another door, and he scatters his vermin wherever he 
 comes, and the man knows it not : surely therefore, the man 
 is full of vermin. 
 
 And so a man naturally, dropping, and scattering his sins 
 and not knowing of it, it argues he is full of sin. God, he is 
 full of holiness : whose eyes cannot endure to behold ini- 
 quity : yet when men are converted and drawn to God, they 
 are brought near unto him : they are the apple of his eye : 
 their names are written in the palm of his hand. That is, 
 says Luther, the hand is an instrument of work ; and when 
 the names of the saints are said to be written in the palm of 
 God's hand, it notes thus much, says he, That God in all his 
 works hath an eye to his children ; God in all the works of 
 his hands hath an eye to his children. They are the friends of 
 God, and God is their friend : when a man is my friend, not
 
 1.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 191 
 
 only his purse is my friend, or his estate is my friend, or his 
 tongue is my friend, or his hand is my friend ; but his sword 
 is my friend : so when God is a friend to any, not only his 
 mercy is his friend, but the sword of God is his friend, the 
 very wrath of God is as a friend to his children : such a great 
 friendship there is between God and his people, so near they 
 are brought to one another. Well, but how are they brought 
 thus near ! they are brought near by Jesus Christ : in 
 whom we have a manuduction, a leading by the hand, says 
 the apostle, as the word carries it, unto God the Father. But 
 now, could men so full of sin, and God so full of grace and 
 holiness be brought so near together by Jesus Christ, if there 
 were not an infinite fulness of holiness in Jesus Christ ? 
 
 Again, if there were not this fulness of holiness in Christ, 
 how should he be anointed with the oil of gladness above his 
 fellows ? The saints themselves are said to be full of grace. 
 The church called, " The fulness of Christ that filleth all in 
 all:" Ephesians ist chapter 23rd verse. Stephen, Mary, 
 others ; full of the Holy Ghost : surely therefore, if so much 
 of the ointment run down upon Christ's members, there 
 must be a great anointing upon Christ himself: surely, there 
 must be an infinite holiness in Christ, that must serve us all : 
 and of his fulness we have all received, we have all received. 
 
 You will say, But if the saints be full of grace and holi- 
 ness, how is this the property of Christ ? 
 
 Yes, I answer, for though the saints be full of grace, and 
 holiness ; yet their fulness is but a fulness of sufficiency, 
 mark, whereby they are made able to this or that work where- 
 unto they are appointed : but the fulness of Christ is a ful- 
 ness of efficiency, that filleth all in all. And therefore it is 
 said in this chapter, " The law was given by Moses/' John i. 
 17, but grace, (grace and truth you read it,) " grace and truth 
 came by Christ :" the word will bear it, but grace and truth 
 were made by Christ : Christ is our grace maker. 
 
 The fulness that is in the saints, is but a particular 
 fulness. 
 
 The fulness that is in Christ, is an universal fulness. 
 Therefore says the apostle, " It pleased the Father, that in 
 him should all fulness dwell," Col i. 19. All fulness. 
 
 The fulness that is in the saints, is such a fulness as 
 does ebb and flow; as the haven is said to be full of
 
 192 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SfiR. 1. 
 
 water, yet sometimes it is empty : but there is a dwelling 
 fulness in the sea: so there is a dwelling fulness in 
 Jesus Christ : and therefore, says the apostle, it pleased the 
 Father that in him should all fulness dwell : oh ! it is a 
 dwelling fulness that is in Jesus Christ. 
 
 Our righteousness as we are distinct, or abstracted from 
 Christ, it is but a fading righteousness ; as the morning dew. 
 " Our righteousness (says Hosea) is as the morning dew/' 
 Hosea vi. 4. in regard of its fading : but the holiness and 
 righteousness of Christ, in the cxth Psalm, is called " The 
 dew of the morning :" not in regard of its fading nature, but 
 in regard of its muchness, in regard of its multitude, because 
 it makes all dewy. So then it is a filled fulness : it is a 
 dwelling fulness : it is a glorious fulness, a fulness beyond all 
 expressions. Thus, take grace for holiness, and so also there 
 is Plenitudo sanctitatis in Jesus Christ. 
 
 Thirdly, Take grace for gifts, or for ability, and excellency : 
 and so there is, Plenitudo excellentia, a fulness of excellency in 
 Jesus Christ. Therefore saith the apostle, " He is able to 
 save to the uttermost/' Heb. vii. 25 ; he is able to save 
 to all perfection, those that do come unto him : he is able to 
 save to the utmost ; though thou hast sinned to the utmost, 
 he is able to save to the utmost. 
 
 Would you have a proof of his kingly fulness ? for he is 
 both King, Priest, and Prophet. Look then I pray into the 
 1st chapter of the Hebrews, at the 3rd verse. He is called 
 the brightness of his Father's glory : " Who being the bright- 
 ness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and 
 upholding all things by the word of his power; when he had 
 by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the 
 Majesty on high : he is made so much better than the angels, 
 as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name 
 than they : for unto which of the angels said he at any time" 
 &c. But, at the 8th verse, " Unto the Son he saith, Thy 
 throne, O God, is for ever and ever, a sceptre of righteous- 
 ness is the sceptre of thy kingdom." Here is the fulness of 
 his kingly office. 
 
 Would you have a proof of his prophetical fulness ? look 
 into this chapter where the text lies, and it is said, at the 
 next verse, the 1 7th verse, " The law was given by Moses, 
 but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ : no man hath seen
 
 . 1.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 193 
 
 God at any time ; the only begotten Son, which is in 
 the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." Ye all 
 count Moses a great prophet; so he was: but Jesus Christ 
 was above him in two or three things here. 
 
 Moses gave the law : but grace came by Jesus Christ ; 
 grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 
 
 Moses never saw God, he saw his back parts : Christ hath 
 seen him : " No man hath seen God at any time ; the only be- 
 gotten Son," Moses was but a servant," the only begotten Son, 
 which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." 
 None so fit to declare the mind of God, which is the work of 
 a prophet, as he which hath lien in the bosom of God the 
 Father. 
 
 Would you have a proof of his priestly fulness ? Pray 
 look into the xvith of John ; consider it duly : saith he, " I 
 will send the Comforter (at the 7th verse), and he shall con- 
 vince the world of sin, and of righteousness (at the xth 
 verse) ; because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more/' 
 Mark those words : " I go to my Father, and ye see me no 
 more." As if he should say thus : You are indebted to God 
 the Father through your transgressions ; I am become your 
 Surety, and now I am ready to be cast into prison for your 
 debt : the grave is to take hold upon me, I am to lie by it for 
 your sin, for your debt : but, saith he now, I will rise out of 
 the grave, I will come forth of prison, I will go to God the 
 Father, and you shall see me no more : whereas now, if I did 
 not pay the whole debt, when I came to heaven, God the 
 Father would say to me, You are in prison for man's debt, 
 what do you here ? you have not paid the debt yet ; go to 
 prison again, go down to prison again. No, saith he, but I 
 go to my Father, and ye shall see me no more : and therefore 
 conclude I have paid the full debt : " I go to my Father and 
 ye see me no more." 
 
 Would you have a proof of Christ's fulness of excellencies 
 in general ? Look then I pray upon the iind chapter of 
 Haggai, and 7th verse, there you have this expression of him. 
 He is called the desire of all nations : " I will shake all na- 
 tions, and the desire of all nations shall come :" mark, the 
 desire of all nations shall come. Christ our Lord Jesus, is 
 the desire of all nations. What is there in all the world 
 that is the desire of all nations, but Jesus Christ ? Some 
 o
 
 194 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SfiR. 1. 
 
 nations, some kingdoms, as the West Indies, they are full of 
 gold and silver, but they want clothing, and therefore they 
 desire cloth. Other kingdoms now, as these of England 
 and the like, they have much clothing and cloth ; but they 
 want gold and silver, and they desire that. Some nations 
 they abound with spices and with wines ; but they want corn, 
 and they desire that. Some nations again, they have much 
 corn, aye, but they have no wine, no spices, and they desire 
 that. Oh ! but our Lord Jesus Christ, he is the desire of 
 all nations, the desire of all nations. What woman, never 
 so beautiful, that the whole world was in love with? Jesus 
 Christ the desire of all nations. And, saith the apostle, "he 
 hath in all things the pre-eminence," Col. i. 11. If you will, 
 I will gather it up into a syllogism, thus : If Jesus Christ be 
 the desire of all nations, and hath the pre-eminency of all the 
 world ; then there is a fulness of excellency in Jesus Christ : 
 but our Lord Jesus is the desire of all nations, having the 
 pre-eminency in all the world ; surely, therefore, there is a 
 fulness of excellency in Jesus Christ ; a fulness of excellency, 
 a fulness of holiness, a fulness of love. No wonder, then, that 
 Paul says, " I desire to know nothing, but Jesus Christ, and 
 him crucified," 1 Cor. ii. 2 ; no wonder that he said, " I 
 count all things but dung and dross, in comparison of the 
 knowledge of Jesus Christ/ 3 Phil. iii. 8. Certainly, surely, 
 there is a fulness of grace in Jesus Christ. 
 
 You will say unto me, We see, we know there is a fulness 
 in Jesus Christ, a fulness of grace : but now, by way of ap- 
 plication, what is our duty that doth flow from hence ? 
 
 Much every way : I will instance, in four or five particu- 
 lars, so many duties that do flow from hence. 
 
 First, If there be such a fulness in Jesus Christ, a fulness 
 of grace in Jesus Christ j then let all men come unto him. 
 There is none of us all here present, but labour under some 
 wants or other. Oh, says one, I have great charge, family, 
 parish, or otherwise ; and I want grace to manage it. Oh, 
 says another, I have great and strong temptations, and I 
 want strength to resist them. Oh, says another, there are 
 many errors abroad ; I want knowledge to discern them, and 
 avoid them ; I want wisdom to know the truth, and join with 
 the truth, and own the truth, and manifest the truth. Well, 
 whatever your wants be, there is enough in Jesus Christ to
 
 ].] GRACE FOR GRACE. 195 
 
 supply them, there is a fulness in him ; why should we not 
 come unto him ? Oh ! you that never tasted of Christ's 
 sweetness, that never yet partaked of his fulness ; come unto 
 the Lord Jesus that you may be filled for ever. 
 
 You will say, it may be, I am a poor, weak, ignorant, sim- 
 ple man or woman ; a guilty creature : and I am afraid for to 
 come unto him. Mark this. 
 
 But, I answer, if Christ's invitation be made to you, then 
 you will not be afraid to come to him. Now I pray you look 
 into the ixth chapter of the Proverbs of Solomon ; see what 
 an invitation is made upon this ground of Christ's fulness : 
 " Wisdom hath built her house :" by Wisdom, you must 
 understand Christ, as will easily appear by reading over the 
 former chapter : " Wisdom hath built her an house," that is, 
 the church ; " she hath hewn out her seven pillars," the firm- 
 ness and beauty of the church : seven is a note of perfection : 
 " she hath killed her beasts ; she hath mingled her wine ; she 
 hath also furnished her table." Here is the fulness of Christ 
 in his church. What then ? " She hath sent forth her maid- 
 ens," that is, the ministers of the gospel, who, as virgins, 
 should be untouched and undefiled by the world: " she crieth 
 in the high places of the city : Whoso is simple, let him turn 
 in hither : as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith 
 to him, Come, eat of my bread, and drink of my wine which 
 I have mingled." Pray observe it, who are invited to partake 
 of this fulness ; simple ones : " Whoso is simple, let him 
 turn in hither." 
 
 Oh ! but I am not only simple and ignorant; but the Lord 
 knows I have no heart to good things. 
 
 I answer, See what follows : " Whoso is simple, let him 
 turn in hither : and as for him that wanteth heart," so it is 
 in the Hebrew, " she saith to him," to him that wanteth 
 heart, " Come, eat of my bread, and drink of my wine which 
 I have mingled." Oh ! is there ever a poor, simple man or 
 woman here ; one that complains, The Lord knows I want a 
 heart to what is good ! the invitation of the Lord Jesus, it is 
 made to you, it is made to you ; think not to say within your- 
 selves, I am afraid to come to Christ. 
 
 I have read of the senate of Athens, that once upon occa- 
 sion they were constrained to sit in the open fields : and be- 
 ing there set in the open fields, a poor chased bird, a sparrow 
 o 2
 
 196 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SfiR. 1. 
 
 or the like ; chased by the birds of prey ; came flying to the 
 bosom of one of the senators, for rescue from the birds of 
 prey : the senator, being of a churlish disposition, he takes 
 the poor little chased bird, and throws it from him, upon the 
 ground, and so killed the bird : whereupon the senate made 
 an order that he should die himself: they would not have a 
 man so churlish to be one of the senators. And do you think 
 that the Lord Jesus Christ, when you come as a poor chased 
 bird for shelter into his bosom ; do you think that the Lord 
 Christ will throw you away ? No, no ; as he is full of glory 
 and excellency, so he is full of love and bounty : whatever, 
 therefore, thou hast been, man or woman ; whatever you 
 have been, though you have been never so vile, come unto 
 Jesus Christ, come unto Jesus Christ. Oh ! methinks this 
 doctrine that I have now preached unto you, is a solemn and 
 a great invitation to every soul for to come unto Jesus Christ : 
 and therefore come now unto him, come unto Christ, come 
 unto Christ ; come drunkard, come swearer, come liar, come 
 unclean person ; oh, come, come : you that never tasted of 
 Christ's sweetness, you that never yet partaked of Christ's 
 fulness; come now; come, for there is a fulness in Jesus 
 Christ. That is the first thing. 
 
 Secondly, If there be such a fulness in Christ ; then let us 
 all trust unto him, build upon him : and you that are the 
 servants and people of God, trust, and trust perfectly : there 
 is no grace would stand us in more stead in these evil times. 
 Beloved, ye all see into what sad times we are now fallen : 
 there is no grace, I say, will stand us in more stead, or more 
 able to turn away the evil that is now upon us, than faith is. 
 Luther hath a notable story to this purpose : There was, saith 
 he, a deadly contest between a great bishop, and a duke of 
 Saxony : the duke of Saxony prepares for war against him : 
 but before he would come upon him, he sends a spy to ob- 
 serve what the bishop was a doing. The spy went : and be- 
 ing returned again ; Come, says the duke, what is the bishop 
 a doing ? Sir, says he, he is idle, and secure, you may fall 
 upon him and destroy him when you will. Aye, says he, 
 but what says the bishop ? Sir, he says thus : I will feed my 
 flock, I will visit the sick, I will preach the gospel; and as 
 for the war, I will totius belli molem Deo committere : I will 
 commit the whole weight and bulk of this war to God him-
 
 . 1.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 197 
 
 self, who fighteth for me. Aye, says the duke, did the bishop 
 say so ? bellum ei inferat diabolus, non ego : then, says he 
 let the devil take up arms against him if he will, for I will 
 not. Thus, thus faith turns away the sword, faith turns away 
 war. And, my beloved, there is no such way, either to beget 
 or increase faith, as the sight and consideration of the fulness 
 of Jesus Christ. " Those that know thy name (saith the 
 Psalmist) they will trust unto thee," Psalm ix. 10. " How 
 excellent is thy name, O Lord ! therefore do the children of 
 men put their trust in thee," Psalm xxxvi. *J. Beloved, ye 
 have heard of Christ's name, his name is full of sweetness : 
 oh, therefore, you servants and people of God, that have gone 
 fearing and trembling up and down, dropping under many 
 fears, without assurance of God's love in Christ ; if there be 
 such a fulness in Christ, then trust unto him : yea trust, and 
 trust perfectly to him. If Satan come and tempt you, and 
 says thus unto you ; Thou art a poor, unworthy creature j 
 and dost thou think to have mercy ? Answer, True, Satan, 
 I am so indeed, most unworthy ; but there is a fulness in 
 Jesus Christ, and I will trust in him. Does Satan tempt 
 thee, and say unto thee ; Thou art a poor, guilty creature, 
 and dost thou think to find mercy ? Answer, True, Satan, I 
 confess I am, I have committed such and such sins ; but 
 there is a fulness in Jesus Christ, and I will trust in him : 
 Say, Say Satan what thou wilt against me, I subscribe unto 
 it : I am poor, I am empty, I am unworthy, I am guilty : 
 but Christ is full, Christ is full; there is fulness in Jesus 
 Christ, I will trust unto him. Oh, you servants of the Lord, 
 live much by faith : there is a fulness in Christ, trust unto 
 it. And that is the second. 
 
 Thirdly, If there be such a fulness in Christ : then it is 
 our duty to draw forth this fulness : let all men draw forth 
 this fulness. That is done these three ways : 
 
 I. By a serious, frequent, solemn consideration and 
 eyeing of Christ's fulness. " For beholding as in a glass 
 (says the apostle) we are changed from glory to glory," 2 Cor. 
 iii. 18. The beholding of Christ's glory, changes us into 
 glory. 
 
 II. It is drawn forth also by our resting upon it in a time 
 of temptation. It is here in regard of Christ's fulness, as in 
 regard of God's mercy, or promise : pray mark it, my very
 
 198 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SER. 1. 
 
 resting upon God's promise in the time of temptation, does 
 make it mine ; my very resting upon his mercy in a time 
 of temptation, does make his mercy mine ; and my resting 
 also, or your resting upon the fulness of Christ in the time 
 of a temptation, does make it yours. 
 
 III. It is drawn forth also, by giving forth : as now the 
 conduit or cistern receives more water into it, by letting out 
 the water which it hath. Possibly, there may be much wa- 
 ter in the conduit, or much water in the cistern ; and the 
 fountain may be willing to furnish it with more, but it is 
 full already ; therefore now, turn the cock, and let that run 
 out which it hath received already, and it draws more into 
 the cistern : so here, beloved, our very spending for Christ 
 receives from Christ : the way to draw out his fulness, is to 
 lay out his fulness ; as you do receive from him, so to com- 
 municate to other folk : this draws it out. Well, then a ful- 
 ness ye have heard there is in Christ. This fulness is to be 
 drawn out ; ye hear also, how it is, or may be drawn out. 
 Enter therefore into your chamber, and when you are all 
 alone; seriously, frequently, think much of this fulness of 
 Jesus Christ, and in the time of your temptation, then rest 
 upon it. And as it pleaseth Jesus Christ to give out any of 
 his fulness unto you, so let it run out again upon other folk. 
 And this is the third thing. 
 
 Fourthly, If there be such a fulness of grace in Christ : 
 then let us all labour to be like unto him ; full of grace as 
 Christ, full of meekness, full of humility, full of love espe- 
 cially ; for there is a fulness of love in Christ. And yet, alas ! 
 whenever was there less love, and more strife than now ? 
 whenever less love among professors ? whenever more strife 
 than now ? Give me leave a little : beloved in the Lord ! 
 you see and know what great divisions there are among us, 
 great strifes. All strife and envy arises from an apprehen- 
 sion of scantiness and narrowness in the thing desired. 
 Now then, that which we do strive for ; either it is more of 
 the world, or more of Christ. If it be more of the world 
 that we strive for ; who shall be most rich, who shall have 
 most honour : if it be more of the world that we strive for : 
 why ? oh ! why shou Id we strive for that which may make 
 us worser, but cannot make us better ? why should we strive 
 for that, when as the very striving for it, will deprive us of it ?
 
 1.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 199 
 
 If it be more of Christ that we strive for ; mark, if it be 
 more of Jesus Christ, and more of him that we strive for ; 
 there is enough in him, there is enough in Jesus Christ for to 
 serve us all. If two, or three, or six, or twenty men be 
 athirst ; and they go to drink out of a bottle : while one is 
 drinking, the other envies, because he thinks there will not 
 be enough for him too ; but if now five, six, twenty, a hun- 
 dred be athirst, and go to the river, while one is drinking 
 the other envies not. Why ? because there is enough to 
 serve them all. Beloved ! if it be more of Christ that we 
 strive for, if it be more of Jesus Christ that we strive for ; 
 there is a fulness in him, there is enough in Christ, there is 
 enough in Jesus Christ, ye have heard, to serve all our turns. 
 Oh ! therefore, that there may be no more striving, no more 
 envy, no more contention, no more division ; labour, let us 
 all labour to be more and more like unto Jesus Christ : he 
 was full of grace, especially he was full of love, let us labour 
 to be like unto him. 
 
 In the fifth and last place : the fifth duty. If there be 
 such a fulness in Jesus Christ, then take heed how we do 
 any thing that may rob Christ of the glory of his fulness. 
 Let all men take heed how they do any thing that may rob 
 Jesus Christ of the glory of his fulness. As now, suppose 
 that I think and am persuaded that Jesus Christ hath not 
 given a sufficient rule, hath not laid down a perfect, a suffi- 
 cient rule in the word, for the ordering, and for the govern- 
 ing of the Churches, and therefore I will eke out what he 
 hath done with my own prudence. This robs him of the 
 glory of his prophetical fulness. Or, suppose I think my 
 sins are so great, they can never be pardoned, so great, there 
 is no hope for mercy : this robs him of the glory of his 
 priestly fulness. Or, suppose that I stint and limit Christ 
 unto this or that particular means of delivering of the church ; 
 I know that God is able to deliver England, and to deliver 
 the church ; but if he do not take this way, if he do not 
 take this course, if this means fail, then we are all undone, 
 then all, all is lost if this means take not. This is to rob 
 Christ of the glory of his kingly fulness ; to stint him to 
 one means ; to tie him and limit him to one means. Or, 
 suppose that I set my heart upon any creature fulness ; and 
 say as the whore said in the viith of Proverbs, " Come and
 
 200 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SER. 1. 
 
 let us take our fill of love." Come friends, come company, 
 let us go unto such a tavern, or such a place, where we may 
 be fully merry : come, O my soul, take thy contentment 
 in creature fulness, there is enough there. This robs Christ 
 of the glory of all his fulness. To carry away the custom of 
 my thoughts unto another shop from Christ, argues that 
 there is not enough in Christ alone. Then, beloved, to con- 
 clude all. Are there any here, as I fear there may be too 
 many, that have thus robbed Jesus Christ of the glory of 
 his fulness ? I beseech you, in the name of the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, whose fulness I have been now preaching 
 to you ; I beseech you, in the fear of God, go into your 
 chamber, and be alone awhile, and fall down before the Lord, 
 and say thus unto him, or to this purpose : 
 
 Oh, Lord, I confess it hath been so with me : I have 
 thought that there hath not been a sufficient rule for the 
 government of the churches : and herein I have wronged 
 Christ in his prophetical fulness, and the Lord pardon this 
 unto me. 
 
 Lord, I confess also, that I have said many times that my 
 sins are so great that there is no hope for mercy, that there 
 is no hope for pardon : herein I have wronged the priestly 
 fulness of Jesus Christ : now the Lord pardon this unto me. 
 
 I confess, Lord, I have stinted thee, and I have limited 
 thee, and I have said many times in my haste, If this means 
 fail, then England is undone, the church undone : thus I 
 have limited thee, Lord. Oh, herein I have wronged thee, 
 and robbed Christ in his kingly fulness. 
 
 Yea, Lord, I do acknowledge and I do confess, I have 
 gone to creature comforts, and my heart hath taken a con- 
 tent and complacency, as if there were enough there ; but 
 now I see there is a fulness in Jesus Christ : the Lord par- 
 don me that ever I let out my heart upon any creature com- 
 fort, upon any thing but Jesus Christ. You that have been 
 guilty, fall down and humble yourselves before the Lord, 
 and consider that there is a fulness in Jesus Christ, and 
 labour to draw out this fulness from him. Which that you 
 may so do, think on all these things, and the Lord bless 
 them to you.
 
 SER. 2.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 201 
 
 SERMON II. 
 
 " And of his fulness have all we received, even grace for grace." 
 JOHN i. 16. 
 
 I HAVE made entrance into these words in a neighbouring 
 congregation, and shall now desire to go on where I left 
 there. 
 
 The words hold forth three great, grand propositions. 
 
 First, That there is a fulness of grace in Jesus Christ. 
 
 Secondly, That of his fulness all we do receive. 
 
 Thirdly, That we do receive of his fulness, even grace for 
 grace. 
 
 The former proposition I have despatched, and desire at 
 this time to speak unto the second. 
 
 All we do receive of his fulness. " Of his fulness have 
 all we received." 
 
 The difficulty that lies upon the proposition is this : Who 
 are meant here by this " All we ? " Some there are that 
 conceive, that by those words we are to understand all the 
 creatures of heaven and earth, because it is said before, in 
 the beginning of the chapter, that " He is the light that 
 lighteth every one that cometh into the world." But though 
 the thing be true, that there is no creature either in heaven 
 or earth, but more or less is beholden to Jesus Christ : for 
 if Christ had not stepped in upon the fall, God's displeasure 
 was so great against man, that he would presently have 
 broke up house ; and the sin of the fall was so heavy, that 
 it would have broken the very axle-tree of the world, if 
 Jesus Christ had not put too his shoulder, according to that 
 of the apostle, " He bears up all with the word of his 
 power," Heb. i. 3 : yet notwithstanding, all the creatures in 
 heaven or earth cannot be meant here, by this " All we," for 
 all the creatures in heaven and earth do not receive grace : 
 they may be said to receive of the fulness of Christ, but not 
 grace for grace. But at the 12th verse it is said, " As many 
 as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons 
 of God, even to them that believe in his name." Now in 
 scripture phrase, those are said to receive Christ himself, 
 that do receive his grace ; and those that receive his grace, 
 receive Christ himself. Understand therefore by this " All
 
 202 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SER. 2. 
 
 we/' those that receive him ; as ye have it in the 12th verse, 
 which is explained to be, Them that believe in his name. 
 
 And then the observation or doctrine lies plain before us, 
 which is this : 
 
 That all the saints and people of God, do partake of the 
 fulness of Christ in a way of receiving. 
 
 It falls asunder into two parts, thus : 
 
 First, That there is a communication of the fulness of 
 Jesus Christ unto all believers. 
 
 Secondly, That whatsoever grace or holiness the saints 
 have from Christ, they have it in a way of receiving. 
 
 I shall only speak unto the former at this time : 
 
 There is a communication of the fulness of Jesus Christ 
 unto all believers. " Of his fulness all we receive." Mark, 
 there is a communication of the fulness of Jesus Christ 
 unto all believers. 
 
 He is the second Adam which the apostle speaks of, in the 
 1st Corinthians, xvth chapter, and the 45th verse : " The 
 first man Adam was made a living soul, and the last Adam 
 was made a quickening spirit/ 3 The whole world is divided 
 into two great houses : as once in this kingdom, there was 
 the house of York and the house of Lancaster; so now, 
 the whole world is divided into two great houses, the house 
 of the first Adam, and the house of the second Adam. 
 " The first man Adam was made a living soul, and the last 
 Adam was made a quickening spirit :" that is, look as the 
 first Adam did communicate life unto all his seed ; so the 
 second Adam does communicate spiritual life and grace unto 
 all his people. As by the first Adam, sin and sorrow and 
 death came into the world, and so upon all mankind ; so by 
 the second Adam, grace and life and eternal life unto all be- 
 lievers. There is a dealing out, a giving out of the fulness 
 of Jesus Christ unto all believers. This will appear 
 
 First of all, By the union that there is between Christ 
 and a believer. There is a glorious, a blessed, an incom- 
 parable union between Christ and every believer, though he 
 be never so weak, though he be never so poor. There is a 
 union between the root and the branches ; and by virtue of 
 that union, the root sends forth life and strength into all 
 the branches, but yet, notwithstanding, the root is not in the 
 branches ; nor the branches in the root, mutually. There
 
 SER. 2.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 203 
 
 is a union between the head and the members, and by virtue 
 of that union, the head hath an influence upon all the mem- 
 bers ; but yet the head is not in the members, nor the mem- 
 bers in the head. But now, there is a union between Christ 
 and believers, and Christ is in them, and they are in Christ : 
 We in Christ, and Christ in us. There is a glorious, and 
 blessed union between them. Now, union is the cause of 
 communion or communication ; bread is united unto a man's 
 body by eating of it ; and so by virtue of the union, strength 
 is derived into all the parts, into all the members, and the 
 nearer and closer unto, this union is, the more full is the 
 communication. Now though the union between Christ 
 and a believer, be set out in scripture phrase, under such 
 metaphors as these ; the root and the branches ; the hus- 
 band and the wife ; and the head and members ; yet none 
 of all these are able to reach it, not in all respects : it is a 
 glorious, and it is a blessed and incomparable union. And 
 therefore, there must needs be a communication of the ful- 
 ness of Christ to every believer. 
 
 Secondly, My second reason I lay upon four propositions, 
 and so shall arise and ascend unto the conclusion by several 
 steps, thus : 
 
 I. There is an infinite treasury of grace and holiness 
 in Jesus Christ ; whereby he is able to supply, and succour 
 all those that are tempted. If a man hath had a strait shoe 
 upon his foot, or a strait garment ; he knows where it pinches, 
 and accordingly he is able to get it amended. Now the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, He hath put on our flesh, and knows 
 where it pinches ; he hath been clothed with our flesh, and 
 he knows every place where it pinches ; and accordingly he 
 is able to succour. And therefore, says the apostle, " He 
 was in all things tempted like unto us, that he might be able 
 to succour those that are tempted," Heb. ii. 18. Jesus 
 Christ is not only the Lord Treasurer of all our comforts ; 
 but the Lord Keeper of all our graces. The nearer any 
 thing comes unto the fountain of excellency, the more ex- 
 cellent it is. The sun is the fountain of light, and the nearer 
 any thing comes to the sun, the more light it hath. Fire is 
 the fountain of warmth and heat ; and the nearer any thing 
 comes to the fire, the more warm it is. Why, the Deity is 
 the fountain of all holiness, and Jesus Christ is so near unto
 
 204 GRACE FOR GRACE [SER. 2. 
 
 it, as Mediator ; that the apostle says, " In him the fulness 
 of the God-head dwells/' Col. ii. 9. And surely therefore 
 there must needs be an infinite treasury of grace, and holi- 
 ness in him. 
 
 The saints, you know, of the Old Testament, they were 
 very holy ; Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and Joseph, and 
 Moses, and Samuel, and David, and Solomon ; they were 
 full of grace, and holiness ; and yet these were but types of 
 Christ, they were but shadows of Christ. Now the type 
 and the shadow does fall infinitely short of the thing typified, 
 and of the substance : and therefore, if there were so much 
 grace and holiness in things that were but a shadow of 
 Christ ; if there was so much wisdom and holiness in others 
 of them that were but the type : oh ! what an infinite trea- 
 sury of grace and holiness must there be in Christ himself. 
 This is the first proposition. 
 
 II. As there is an infinite treasury of grace, and 
 holiness in Jesus Christ ; so whatever grace and holiness 
 Christ as Mediator hath received by God the Father ; he 
 hath not received it for himself, but for others : pray mark it, 
 whatsoever grace and holiness is in Jesus Christ as Media- 
 tor, I do not speak of him as God, but as Mediator, he hath 
 not received it for himself, but for others. Jesus Christ was 
 not baptized for himself, but for sinners, stood in the place 
 of sinners when he was baptized. Jesus Christ died not for 
 himself, but for us. When Christ ascended up to heaven, 
 he went not for himself only, but saith he, " I go to prepare 
 a place for you," John xiv. 2. And so when Christ received 
 gifts, says the apostle, " He received gifts for men," Eph. iv. 
 8 ; not for himself, but for others : he received gifts for men. 
 The woman hath milk in her breasts, but not for herself, but 
 for her child. The sun hath abundance of light in his body, 
 it is not for himself, but for the world. And so Jesus Christ 
 he hath received abundance of grace and holiness; but it is 
 not for himself, but for others. And therefore pray mark 
 what he says, in John xvii. 19, " And for their sakes I sanc- 
 tify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the 
 truth." He does not say, for my own sake do I sanctify 
 myself, but for their sakes : " For their sakes I sanctify my- 
 self, that they also might be sanctified through the truth." 
 There are certain official parts in the body, you know, that
 
 SER. 2.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 205 
 
 stand as officers unto all the rest. The stomach hath a great 
 deal of meat in it, but it hath not that meat for itself, but 
 that it may communicate to all the members. The liver 
 hath a great deal of blood in it, but the liver hath not the 
 blood in it for itself, but that it may communicate 
 it unto all the parts. And the head, it hath all the senses 
 seated in it, it hath many spirits ; but not for itself, but for 
 the members. So Jesus Christ, who is the head of the 
 church whatsoever grace and holiness as Mediator he hath 
 received, he hath not received for himself, but for others. 
 
 This may make the saints and people of God to come with 
 boldness to the throne of grace : hath Christ received for 
 others, and not for himself; then why not for me? Lord, 
 why not for me ? Now you shall see that further proved in 
 the Ixist chapter of Isaiah, the 1st and 2nd verses: "The 
 Spirit of the Lord God is on me, because the Lord hath 
 anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek ; he hath 
 sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, and to proclaim 
 liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them 
 that are bound ; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, 
 and the day of vengeance of our God : to comfort all that 
 mourn." They are the words of Christ, spoken in the person 
 of Christ : as if he had said thus : There are a generation of 
 men in the world, that are taken captive by their sins ; and 
 lie bound in chains and irons by Satan : and they are broken 
 and bowed down greatly under the burden of them : now 
 God the Father, he hath designed me to go open the prison 
 doors to these poor captives : and because God the Father 
 hath designed me to it; therefore the Spirit of the I^ord is 
 upon me, not in me ; therefore the Spirit of the Lord is upon 
 me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good 
 tidings unto the meek. So that you see, now, that anointing 
 that falls upon the head of Christ, it falls not upon him for 
 himself, barely, but that it may run down upon all his mem- 
 bers. That is a second proposition. 
 
 III. As there is an infinite treasury of grace and holi- 
 ness in Christ, which he hath not received for himself but for 
 others : so, in the third place, there is an infinite propension 
 and willingness in Jesus Christ to communicate this grace 
 unto the children of men. Pray mark it : there is an infinite 
 propension and willingness in Jesus Christ, to communicate
 
 206 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SfiR. 2. 
 
 and give out his grace unto the children of men. " He is 
 faithful (says the apostle) in all his house, as Moses was," 
 Heb. iii. 2. Now if Jesus Christ should receive gifts for 
 men, for others ; and then run away with all, and not be wil- 
 ling to give them out; he could not be faithful : but faithful 
 he is. Look, I pray, for this in the xvith Psalm, at the 2nd 
 verse : " Thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord : 
 my goodness not for thee : but for the saints that are in the 
 earth, and for the excellent, in whom are all my delight." 
 You read the words thus : " Thou hast said unto the Lord, 
 Thou art my Lord : my goodness extendeth not to thee." 
 But in the Hebrew, the word extendeth is not. " Thou art 
 my Lord : my goodness not for thee : but for the saints that 
 are in the earth." That these words are spoken of Christ, 
 pray read the four last verses : " I have set the Lord always 
 before me :" at the 8th verse, " because he is at my right- 
 hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and 
 my glory rejoiceth : my flesh also shall rest in hope. For 
 thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer 
 thy Holy One to see corruption." Now compare these words 
 with what the apostle says in Acts ii. 25 : " David speaketh 
 concerning him (mark) : For I foresaw the Lord always be- 
 fore my face; he is on my right-hand, I shall not be moved : 
 therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad : 
 moreover also, my flesh shall rest in hope : because thou 
 wilt not leave my soul in hell," the same words, " neither 
 wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption." Mark 
 what is said then at the 29th verse, the apostle proves, that 
 these words of the Psalm, must needs be understood of 
 Christ, and not of David. " Men and brethren, (says he) 
 let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he 
 is doth dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto 
 this day." Therefore, says he, these words cannot be un- 
 derstood of David, but must be understood of Christ. Now 
 then, this Psalm being thus to be understood of Christ, says 
 Christ, " Lord, thou art my Lord : my goodness is not for 
 thee : but for the saints that are in the earth, and for the 
 excellent, in whom is all my delight." They are my delight, 
 and therefore what goodness I have from thee, I am willing 
 to give it out again unto them ; because all my delight is in 
 them. Do you not think, that a man is willing to eat his meat
 
 SER 2,] GRACE FOR GRACE. 20? 
 
 when he is a hungry ? Pray look into the ivth chapter of 
 John, and you shall see what was Christ's meat, verse the 
 34th : " Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will 
 of him that sent me, and to finish his work." My meat is 
 to do the will of him that sent me : what is that ? Finish his 
 work; whatisthat? You read before in the Ixist of Isaiah,That 
 the Spirit of the Lord was upon him : and God the Father 
 had anointed him to open the prison door. Now therefore, 
 saith he, look how willing a man is to eat his meat when he 
 is a hungry ; so willing am I to relieve poor sinners, to open the 
 prison door to poor captive souls. Tender hearted mothers, 
 are you willing to give your children suck ? to have your 
 breasts drawn ? Yes : why so ? Truly, not only because of 
 my child, but the truth is, unless my breasts be drawn it is 
 a pain to me : not only for my child therefore, but for mine 
 own ease also, you will say. Why, brethren, the humanity 
 of Jesus Christ, is, as I may so speak, the breasts of the 
 Deity ; by which we suck out all the holiness and grace 
 which we have : and if Jesus Christ's breasts be not drawn, 
 he counts it a pain to him. And therefore he complains so 
 in the gospel : " I came unto mine own, and mine own received 
 me not," John i. 1 1 ; they will not draw my breasts ; he counts 
 it a pain to him. Tell me are you willing to receive grace ? Yes. 
 If you be willing to receive grace, Jesus Christ is willing to 
 give it ; for you cannot be willing, if he were not willing first ; 
 your willingness does come from his. But I pray what grace 
 are you willing to have ? Oh ! says one, I am a poor igno- 
 rant creature : I would fain, I would fain have more know- 
 ledge. Oh ! says one, I am one of great passions, and of a 
 disordered life; and, oh! that I had my life better ordered. 
 Oh ! says another, I am a poor guilty soul ; and I would 
 have pardon, I would have pardoning grace. Now I will 
 appeal to you : whether do you not think, that an honest 
 man is willing to do the work of his office ? Can a man be 
 an honest man, and not be willing to do the work of his 
 office ; this is the office of Jesus Christ. He is a prophet, 
 and therefore he must be willing to teach you ; you that com- 
 plain that you are ignorant. This is the office of Jesus Christ 
 to be a king ; and therefore he is is willing to direct you ; 
 and to order you : you that complain of distemper, and dis- 
 order.
 
 208 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SfiR. 2. 
 
 This is the office of Christ to be a priest, and therefore 
 he is willing to satisfy for you : and indeed, if Jesus Christ 
 were not willing to give out his grace unto the children of 
 men, he would never lay it upon such conditions as he does. 
 When a man is unwilling to do a thing for another, he will 
 put it upon hard conditions : as Saul being unwilling to give 
 his daughter to David, he put it upon hard conditions. But 
 now, What does Jesus Christ require ? What does the Lord 
 Jesus Christ require for the communication of his grace ? 
 But only this, that you do receive it : mark only this, that 
 we do receive it ; a condition indeed, that is no condition : 
 I say a condition that is no condition, because he promises 
 strength to receive also. Oh ! my beloved : why should we 
 cumber the way to heaven with preparations, and qualifica- 
 tions, and precedaneous conditions ? There are no incomes, 
 no incomes to be paid at our coming in to Jesus Christ ; 
 there are no precedaneous conditions : grace is free and 
 mercy is free, and Christ is free, and his love is free; 
 there is an infinite propension in Jesus Christ, to communi- 
 cate this his grace to the children of men. This is the third 
 proposition. 
 
 IV. As Christ is infinitely willing : (so in the fourth 
 place) there is nothing, either in heaven, or in earth that 
 can hinder him from doing all. For now, grant all the for- 
 mer three : that there is an infinite treasury of grace in 
 Christ. That he hath not received it for himself, but others. 
 That he is infinitely willing to give it out unto the children 
 of men. Yet, if he can be hindered, all the former is nothing : 
 mark therefore the fourth, and then we come to the use. 
 There is nothing, either in heaven, or earth, that can hinder 
 Jesus Christ from communicating his grace. 
 
 " I work, says God, and who shall let ? And I communi- 
 cate, my grace, says Christ, and who shall hinder?" Isa.xliii. 13. 
 If any thing can hinder, it must be either Satan without us, or 
 our sins within us : Satan without cannot hinder, he could 
 not go into the herd of swine, he could not destroy a hog, a 
 sow, a pig till he had leave from Christ : and can Satan hin- 
 der then, when Christ intends to communicate his grace ? 
 He is called the strong man, but Christ is called the stronger 
 than he. " Peter, Peter, says our Saviour, Satan hath desired 
 to winnow thee ; but I have prayed that thy faith fail not,"
 
 SER. 2.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 209 
 
 Luke xxii. 31, 32. Aye, one prayer, one prayer by Jesus 
 Christ is stronger than all the temptations of Satan. Satan 
 cannot hinder. Nor can our sins within hinder. For if 
 you look into the iind chapter of Titus ; it is said there at 
 the 14th verse, " He gave himself for us, that he might re- 
 deem us from all iniquity." If from all iniquity, then from 
 unbelief. Then unbelief cannot hinder. If a King came 
 on purpose to pardon all rebellion : if he be able, and will- 
 ing, and come on purpose to pardon all rebellion : then no 
 one rebellion can hinder, can be a reason why he should not 
 pardon. The covenant that God makes with his, is like 
 the covenant that he made with Noah ; as you read in the 
 livth chapter of Isaiah, the 8th and 9th verses : " In a little 
 wrath I hid my face from thee, for a moment ; but with ever- 
 lasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord 
 thy Redeemer : for this is as the waters of Noah unto me : 
 for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go 
 over the earth : so have I sworn that I would not be wrath 
 with thee, nor rebuke thee." Mark, the covenant God 
 would make with his people, is like the covenant that he 
 made with Noah : The covenant that he made with Noah, 
 what is that ? Pray now look into the viiith chapter of Ge- 
 nesis, and the 21st verse, Noah being come out of the ark, and 
 offering unto the Lord ; " The Lord smelled a sweet savour : 
 and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the 
 ground any more for man's sake ; for the imagination of 
 man's heart is evil from his youth." I think it should rather 
 be read thus, according to the Hebrew ; I will not again 
 curse the ground any more for man's sake; although the 
 imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth ; although : 
 ye read it, for, I will not again curse the ground any more 
 for man's sake ; for, the imagination of man's heart is evil 
 from his youth. One would think he should rather say 
 thus : I will curse the ground again, and I will bring a new 
 flood, for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his 
 youth. No, but the covenant that God made with Noah, 
 was thus : I do now make a covenant with mankind, that 
 the world shall never be drowned again ; yea, though man 
 do sin, yet the world shall not be drowned again. This is 
 the covenant that the Lord made with Noah : The Lord 
 did not make such a covenant as this : I do promise, that
 
 210 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SER. 2, 
 
 the world shall not be drowned again, if man do not sin. 
 No, but the covenant that the Lord made with Noah was 
 thus : but I promise the world shall not be drowned again, 
 though men do sin again : this is the covenant the Lord 
 made with Noah : it was so far from running upon a con- 
 dition, that it runs cross to all conditions. So now the Lord 
 says concerning a poor believer : I do take this soul into 
 covenant with me : Yea, and though he do sin, yet not- 
 withstanding I will pardon him, and this soul shall never lie 
 under water again, shall never lie under water again : his sin 
 shall not hinder my grace; he shall never lie under water 
 again : for as the covenant I made with Noah, such is the 
 covenant I make with every believer. And beloved, if in- 
 deed that we could hinder Christ, when he comes to comuni- 
 cate his grace ; if our sins could hinder, then we might resist 
 grace with an overcoming resistance. It is true, a man may 
 resist the grace of God, with a gainsaying resistance ; but 
 he cannot resist the grace of God, with an overcoming re- 
 sistance. Whatsoever is overcome, is overcome by a stronger ; 
 man, I say, cannot resist with an overcoming resistance. 
 Pray do but consider well the covenant of grace : says the 
 Lord in that : " I will take away the heart of stone, and I 
 will give an heart of flesh : and I will cause ye to walk in my 
 ways ; and I will put my Spirit into you/' Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 
 27. I will take away the heart of stone ? What is that ? a 
 stone is hard, a hard thing does not yield to the touch, a soft 
 thing yields. Pharaoh had a hard heart, and therefore he 
 yielded not. When therefore, the Lord makes such a pro- 
 mise as this ; I will take away the heart of stone : what is 
 his meaning ? his meaning is plainly, I will take away the 
 unyielding, the resisting disposition that is in man. Now 
 therefore, when the Lord makes such a promise as this : 
 that " He will put his Spirit into them, and cause them to 
 walk in his ways : Our resisting can be no hindrance : 
 Why ? because the Lord hath made a promise to take away 
 our resisting. If the covenant had run thus " I will put my 
 Spirit into you, and cause you to walk in my ways ;" upon 
 this condition, that you do not resist, then we could hinder : 
 but the Lord in the same promise that he does say, " I will 
 put my Spirit into them, and cause them to walk in my ways :" 
 He doth also promise to take away the resisting heart, to
 
 SER. 2.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 211 
 
 take away the spirit of resisting. " I will take away the 
 heart of stone :" there is the resisting : " And I will cause 
 them to walk in my ways/' So that our sins cannot 
 hinder. 
 
 Now then, put all these together. There is an infinite 
 treasury of grace and holiness in Jesus Christ. This he 
 hath not received for himself, but for others. There is an 
 infinite propension and willingness in him to give out this 
 grace unto the children of men. And nothing either in 
 heaven or earth can hinder him : surely therefore, there is 
 the communication of the fulness of Jesus Christ unto all 
 believers. 
 
 You will say unto me then, Why are believers then so empty 
 of grace ? It is the ordinary complaint : Oh ! I am full 
 of evil : Oh, my heart is empty of all that is good : Be- 
 lievers they complain thus : How can this doctrine be true, 
 if this experience be good ? 
 
 I answer : I. The fulness of grace which is in a be- 
 liever, is many times hid from the world, and from himself. 
 When you go to the sea-side, you see the water, you see 
 abundance of water ; and ye hear the water roaring, and 
 raging, and making a noise; but you do not see the gold, 
 and the silver that lies at the bottom of the sea: you 
 see the water of the sea ; but you do not see the wealth 
 that is in the sea. So now, when you go and look upon a 
 believer ; you behold his troubles, you see his waves, and all 
 the troubles that beat upon him. Oh ! but the wealth of a 
 believer, the fulness of a believer, the fulness of Christ that 
 is in him, that you see not, it is hid from the world, and it is 
 hid from himself, many times. And therefore, says the apos- 
 tle, " Our life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ who 
 is our life shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in 
 glory," Col. iii. 3, 4. 
 
 II. Though there be a communication of the fulness 
 of Christ unto all believers, yet he does not communicate as 
 a universal cause. The universal cause doth seldom or never 
 produce particular effects, but with a concurrence of particu- 
 lar causes. The sun is the universal cause of all the fruit- 
 fulness that is upon the earth : yet notwithstanding, it does 
 produce the fruit, your corn, barley, rye, and wheat, with the 
 help of man, the ground is plowed and sown. The river, or 
 p 2
 
 212 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SfiR. 2. 
 
 the fountain is the universal .cause of the water that ye have 
 in your houses : but yet notwithstanding, you have not this 
 water, but by pipes, and conveyance; and when ye want 
 water in your house, you do not say, There is no water in the 
 Thames, there is no water in the fountain. No, but surely 
 the pipe is broken, the pipe is stopped ; or we want some 
 pipe or other. So now, when you want grace, and when you 
 are empty of grace ; you are not to say ; oh ! it is because 
 there is not enough in Christ, or Christ is not willing ; but 
 rather, surely the pipe is broken, or we want this or that or- 
 dinance : the pipe is not clean, the pipe is stopped, and there- 
 fore we are so empty of grace as we are. 
 
 III. Though there be a communication of the fulness 
 of Christ unto all believers : yet notwithstanding he does it 
 in proportion. Mark, Christ does give unto every man ac- 
 cording to the place he bears in his body. As the soul, the 
 soul sends forth life and motion to all the members ; but the 
 soul does not give a hearing faculty unto the eye, and the 
 soul does not give a seeing faculty unto the ear ; neither can 
 the foot say, I have nothing from the soul, because I cannot 
 speak like the tongue ; neither can the tongue say, I have 
 nothing from the soul, because I cannot walk like the foot. 
 So the Lord Jesus Christ, he doth observe what place every 
 man doth bear in his body, and accordingly he doth give 
 forth grace unto men. You cannot say thus. Surely, I have 
 none of Christ, because I cannot pray, and do so as others do. 
 But mark, what is the place that you do bear in the body of 
 Christ, and you may go to Christ for strength for that : you 
 may say thus, Lord, through thy grace thou hast given me 
 such a place in thy body ; and I want strength for that ; Oh, 
 let me have it from thee. 
 
 IV. Though there be a communication of the fulness 
 of Christ unto all believers : yet it is according to their ne- 
 cessities and wants. The lace, you know, it is laid upon the 
 seam ; upon the seam there lies the lace : lace indeed may 
 be laid upon the whole cloth ; but ordinarily, your silken 
 lace, your silver lace, your golden lace, it is laid upon the 
 seam. Now the Lord Jesus Christ, he knows all the seams 
 of your life, all the seams of your life : there he lays his gol- 
 den lace on. Mark, therefore, what are the seams of thy 
 life, and see if Christ hath not laid on something there.
 
 2.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 213 
 
 Take but these four considerations together, and there is a 
 sufficient answer to that objection. 
 
 I come to the application. 
 
 First. And whilst I stand upon this point : methiriks here I 
 see the transcendent excellency of the saints, and of believers ; 
 and the betterness of their condition, above the men of the 
 world, though they be never so rich, or great. Beloved! 
 every man is according to the fulness that he doth live upon : 
 there is the fulness of the earth ; " The earth is the Lord's, 
 and the fulness thereof," 1 Cor x. 26. And wicked men, 
 they are said to be filled with this : " Whose bellies thou 
 fillest with hid treasures," Psalm xvii. 14. And there is the 
 fulness of Jesus Christ : and of this fulness the saints and 
 believers do all receive and partake. Look therefore what 
 a difference there is between these fulnesses ; the fulness of 
 the earth ; and the fulness of Jesus Christ : such a mighty 
 difference in point of excellency, there is between a believer, 
 though lie be never so poor : and a wicked man though he 
 be never so rich. Give me leave a little, to open the differ- 
 ence of these fulnesses to you ; that so you may see the dif- 
 ference between men and men, and be encouraged unto a 
 godly course. 
 
 I. The fulness of the world, it is a fulness made up of 
 many things. " Martha, Martha," says Christ, " thou art 
 busied about many things," Luke x. 41. It is a fulness 
 made up of many things ; and therefore not a homogenial 
 fulness : the fulness of Christ is a fulness made up of one 
 thing, the Deity, in whom the Godhead dwells ; and there- 
 fore it is a homogenial fulness ; every part of it is fulness : 
 every part of a homogenial body, hath the name of the whole : 
 every part of water is called water, though it be but a drop : 
 every part of fire, is fire, though it be but a spark : and every 
 part of heaven, it is called heaven, though it be but a corner 
 of heaven. And so, every part of the fulness of Jesus Christ, 
 is fulness. As the philosophers say of the soul, Anima tola 
 in toto, that the soul is wholly in the whole, and wholly in 
 every part ; so the fulness of Christ, it is wholly in the 
 church ; and it is wholly in every believer. Every believer 
 may come and say, I have all Christ. But as for the fulness 
 of the world, every one that hath the world's fulness cannot 
 say so ; I have all the world's fulness.
 
 214 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SfiR. 2. 
 
 II. The fulness of the earth, is a fulness made up of the 
 worser things. The world, it is a great body, and it hath in 
 it some things that are of a grosser, more drossy nature, and 
 some things that are of a finer nature. The fulness of the 
 earth, it is of the drossy, and the grosser part of the world : 
 oh ! but the fulness of Christ, it is of the finer part ; and the 
 fulness that does come from him unto believers, the best of 
 the best ; wine of the lees ; and marrow out of the bones; and 
 wine well refined ; it is of the finer part of the world : the 
 other is but the grosser, the thicker, the dirtier, the more 
 grosser part. 
 
 III. The fulness of the earth, is a fulness that runs into 
 emptiness ; a fulness that hath a hole at the bottom ; like 
 unto an hour-glass : if you turn it up, the upper part of the 
 glass is full of sand ; but because it hath an hole at the bot- 
 tom, and there stands a glass beneath it as big as itself; it 
 empties itself into that glass. Then you turn up the glass 
 again, and that is full : but because that having an hole at 
 the bottom, it runs out, having an empty glass beneath it, 
 and this fulness runs into it. So now it is with the world's 
 fulness : a man he hath a great estate, he hath his glass full 
 of sand : aye, but because his children, and his family stand 
 under him ; his sand runs into them, and he is soon emp- 
 tied ; he is soon emptied into them. Then, when the fa- 
 ther is dead, and gone ; and hath emptied out his fulness 
 into his children ; the children's glass is turned up : but 
 they having children under them, and house under them ; 
 their sand also, is soon run out, it runs out into emptiness. 
 Thus, all the fulness of the world, it is but a fulness that hath 
 a hole at the bottom, that runs into emptiness. Oh ! but 
 the fulness of Jesus Christ, the fulness of Jesus Christ it is 
 a dwelling fulness ; his fulness runs out into believers, and 
 yet he is full himself: in him the fulness of the Godhead 
 dwells, it dwelleth there. 
 
 IV. The fulness of the earth, it can never satisfy the 
 better part of man, the soul, it can never satisfy that. All 
 satisfaction and contentment arise from the conjunction of 
 a convenient with a convenient ; the conjunction of suitables. 
 If a man have never so great an estate, if his heart be not 
 suited to it, he hath no content. If a man have never so 
 small an estate, if his heart be suited to it, he is content.
 
 SER. 2.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 215 
 
 So that now, all content arises from suitableness, the con- 
 junction of suitables. What suitableness is there between 
 the fulness of the earth, and the better part of man, the 
 soul ? Mark ; properly a thing is never said to be full, till 
 it be full of that for which it is made : a man's chest, a chest 
 or trunk, is not said to be full of air ; though it be full of air ; 
 yet notwithstanding, we say the chest or trunk is empty, 
 because it is not filled with that for which it was made. 
 And so take one of these meeting houses; though the place 
 be full of stools, yet notwithstanding, though, I say, the 
 place be full of stools, or full of air ; yet we say, the church 
 is empty : because though it be full, yet it is not full of that 
 for which it is made, full of people. So now, take a man 
 that hath all the fulness of the earth : because that his soul 
 was never made, his better part was never made for the ful- 
 ness of the earth, therefore he is said to be empty, in the 
 midst of all his fulness his heart is empty ; and the man is 
 an empty man, because his heart is not full of that for which 
 he was made, and that is Christ, that is Christ ; the fulness 
 of Christ in him ; he is an empty man all this while. Oh 
 but the fulness of Jesus Christ is a soul-satisfying fulness : 
 " He that drinks of the water that I shall give him, (says he) 
 shall never thirst again/' John iv. 14. " When I awake 
 (saith the Psalmist) I shall be satisfied with thy likeness," 
 Psa. xvii. 15. And that is the fourth. 
 
 V. The fulness of the earth cannot commend a man unto 
 God, or make him more lovely or beautiful in the eyes of 
 God. The poor, vain, foolish stage-player, thinks himself a 
 brave and a jolly man while he is in king's clothes ; or 
 while he is acting the part of a king : but the wise spectator, 
 he says, And is he that does but act the king's part, or hath 
 the king's clothes on, so brave a man ; what is a king in- 
 deed ? Beloved, the Lord he sees all we have and do ; stands 
 by as a wise spectator ; and when men brave it out with the 
 world's fulness ; aye, what then is the man, that acts the ful- 
 ness of Christ ? Is he so brave a man that hath a posses- 
 sion here, land, and house ; what is he then that hath an 
 eternal inheritance ? If there fall but the least drop of the 
 fulness of Christ upon a soul, it makes the soul lovely and 
 beautiful in the eyes of God. The apostle speaking of the 
 adorning of women : says he, at the 3rd verse, " Whose
 
 216 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SER. 2. 
 
 adorning, let it not be that outward adorning, of plaiting the 
 hair, and of wearing of gold, and of putting on of apparel: but 
 let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is incor- 
 ruptible ; even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, 
 which is in the sight of God of great price," 1 Peter iii. 4. 
 As if he should say: all other ornaments, plaiting of hair, 
 and gold and the like, is of no price in the eyes of God : oh ! 
 but a quiet spirit, and a meek spirit ; one drop of the fulness 
 of Christ falling upon the soul, makes the soul lovely in the 
 sight of God ; is of great price. 
 
 VI. The fulness of the earth, is a fulness that is mixed 
 with poison, sin, and the curse of God. What pleasure or 
 delight can a man take in drinking, when he shall consider 
 with himself, that poison is mixed withal ? this is good, or 
 sweet liquor, says he, indeed ; oh ! but there is poison in the 
 cup, and therefore I will not meddle with it. Take all the ful- 
 ness of the world ; and if it be not mixed with the fulness of 
 Jesus Christ, there is poison in it, the curse of God in it, the 
 wrath of God there : and therefore what pleasure, what con- 
 tentment can a man take therein, without the fain ess of Jesus 
 Christ ? 
 
 VII. The fulness of the earth is a defiling fulness. When 
 a thing is mixed with any thing that is worse than itself, it is 
 defiled thereby : if silver be mingled with gold, the silver is 
 not defiled thereby, because gold is better than the silver: 
 but if the silver be mingled with lead ; the silver is defiled, 
 because it is mixed with something that is worse than itself. 
 So now, if a man be mingled with spiritual and heavenly 
 things, his heart is not defiled thereby, because they are bet- 
 ter than himself: but if a man's heart be mingled with the 
 things of the world, his heart is defiled ; because it is min- 
 gled with something that is worse than himself: and the 
 more a man's heart is mingled with the things of the earth, 
 the more defiled it is. As a dog, that hath bemired him- 
 self, the more he fawns upon you, the more he dirties you. 
 If you take a dog abroad with you into the fields, and he 
 runs into a dirty ditch, or the river ; after he is dirty you will 
 not suffer him to come near you ; and the more he fawns 
 upon you, and leaps upon you the more he defiles you. Truly 
 such is the earth's and the world's fulness : as, I say, a dog, 
 the more he fawns upon you. and falls upon you. the more it
 
 SfiR. 2.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 217 
 
 defiles you. Oh ! but the fulness of Jesus Christ is a pure 
 fulness, a fulness that is full of pureness. 
 
 VIII. Take all the fulness of the world, and though it be 
 never so much, it falls under your expectation. Sink your 
 expectations as low as you can, and yet notwithstanding, it 
 will fall below your expectation. As for the fulness of Jesus 
 Christ, raise and screw up your expectation as high as you 
 can, and yet you shall find more therein than ever you ex- 
 pected. 
 
 IX. As for the fulness of the earth, sometimes it is bet- 
 ter wanted than enjoyed. It may make you miserable, it 
 cannot make you happy. Oh ! but the fulness of Jesus 
 Christ, it can never make you miserable, it will certainly 
 make you happy, there is no such time, wherein it is better 
 wanted than enjoyed. 
 
 X. As for the fulness of the earth, again, it costs 'a man, 
 many times, more than its worth. It costs him his time, 
 his precious thoughts, his soul; much is laid out for it, 
 much care to get it, much fear to keep it, and much grief to 
 lose it. Oh ! but the fulness of Jesus Christ, it costs him 
 nothing : " Come, buy wine and milk, without money or 
 money's worth," Isa. Ivi. 1. Christ gives much, and takes 
 little, takes nothing ; it costs you nothing, and having it, you 
 have all. 
 
 XI. And again, to add no more of these, take all the ful- 
 ness of the earth, and though it be never so much : it is not 
 able to answer you with love ; to return you love for your 
 love. The greatest, and noblest gift of the world, is love. 
 That is always unworthy of your love, that cannot answer 
 your love again. If you have a full bag, if you have a full 
 table, if you have a full house : these fulnesses cannot answer 
 you with love again ; but it can defile your own love. Oh ! 
 but the fulness of Christ it can answer you with love for love, 
 it gives you a better love than you brought : it nobilitates, 
 and meliorates, and raises your own love for ever. Behold ! 
 this is the fulness, this is the fulness that the saints and be- 
 lievers do partake in, that they do receive of: and they mjiy 
 come to this fulness of Jesus Christ, and they may say, Of 
 this fulness, of this fulness we have all received. As those 
 wicked men, they may go the fulness of the earth, and they 
 may say indeed ; of this fulness we have all received ; but as
 
 218 GRACE FOR GRACE [SfiR. 2. 
 
 for that fulness we have none of it. Oh ! how much better 
 is the condition of a believor, than the condition of a wicked 
 man, though he be never so great or rich. 
 
 You that are believers, you do envy at the men of the 
 world, because of their fulness ? I pray tell me, would you 
 change your fulness for theirs ? Would you change your 
 condition for theirs ? 
 
 And you that are of the world, wicked ungodly men ; that 
 have but the earth's fulness, Why do you lay out your 
 thoughts and your time upon such a fulness ? a dropsical 
 fulness ; a fading fulness ; a dying fulness ; a fulness that is 
 mixed with a curse ; a fulness that does all bemire you, and 
 dirty you : pray tell me, are you able with daisies, and tulips 
 of the world to satisfy your better part ? Oh ! know you 
 not, that notwithstanding all the earth's fulness, that a 
 wicked man's fortune, I say, that a wicked man's fortune, it 
 lies in a lake that burneth with fire and brimstone ? And 
 when you have done all you can, and gathered all that ever 
 you can together ; you may go unto your full purses ; or un- 
 to your full bags ; or unto your full houses ; or unto your 
 full barns ; and you may say : of this fulness I have received. 
 Oh ! but you cannot go unto the fulness of the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, and say : and of this fulness my soul hath received. 
 Oh, fool, says our Saviour, when his barns are full, " this 
 night shall thy soul be taken away from thee," Luke xii. 20. 
 And when you come below, in the pit where no water is ; 
 then you will complain, and say : Oh, wretch that I was, I 
 might have had of the fulness of Jesus Christ, but I chose 
 rather the fulness of the earth, and if I had had the fulness 
 of Christ, I had been made for ever; but I chose rather the 
 fulness of the world, than the fulness of Jesus Christ, and 
 now I am lost for ever; Oh, I am lost for ever, I have none 
 of the fulness of Jesus Christ. 
 
 Secondly, What an encouragement here is then, and so I 
 come unto the second use : and I will not hold you long in 
 it. What an encouragement is here unto all men good and 
 bad, to come in unto Jesus Christ, and partake of his ful- 
 ness ! I say in the second place; here is encouragement 
 unto all you that hear the word of the Lord this day, good 
 or bad : an encouragement unto all souls, good and bad, to 
 come in unto the Lord Jesus Christ, and partake of his ful-
 
 SER. 2.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 219 
 
 ness ! Says our Lord and Saviour, " When I am lift up, I 
 will draw all men after me," John xii. 32. Aye, love is a 
 drawing thing. Love is a drawing thing : it draws men and 
 women together into one yoke, that lived far asunder. And 
 what greater love than this, that Jesus Christ should lay 
 down his life for poor sinners ? Wisdom, wisdom is a draw- 
 ing thing ; it drew the Queen of Sheba from far to come un- 
 to Solomon ; and behold a greater than Solomon is here ! 
 Riches, riches, wealth, wealth is a drawing thing. Bounty 
 and liberality a drawing thing ; it draws the poor beggar to 
 the rich man's door. And behold, here is riches ! Oh, 
 there is an infinite treasury of grace and holiness in Jesus 
 Christ. And here is liberality ! For there is an infinite 
 propension and willingness in the Lord Jesus Christ, to give 
 out of this fulness unto poor sinners. Oh, hath God the 
 Father exalted Jesus Christ, and shall not our hearts exalt 
 him ? Beloved, let but Jesus Christ be exalted in your 
 thoughts and your hearts, and you will stand firm against 
 all temptations, firm against all discouragements, firm against 
 all afflictions. 
 
 Firm against all temptations. If temptations come to offer 
 you profit and pleasure ; then will you make this answer : 
 no, you bid me loss; for there is a fulness in Jesus 
 Christ ; and of his fulness through the Lord's mercy, I have 
 received. 
 
 Firm against all discouragements. If the devil come and 
 tell you ; Thou art now a professor, but ere long you will fall 
 away, and prove as great a scandal to religion, as ever you 
 honoured it before. You will make this answer, True, indeed, 
 Satan, I have a backsliding soul, I have a backsliding heart ; 
 but there is a fulness in Jesus Christ, and through the Lord's 
 mercy, I have received of this fulness ; and therefore I shall 
 persevere in the way that I am in, notwithstanding all thy 
 discouragements. 
 
 Firm against all afflictions. If you want this creature 
 comfort, or the other creature-comfort ; you will answer : 
 Aye, true, I want friends, I want money, I want credit. Oh ! 
 but yet, there is a fulness in Jesus Christ, and there is 
 enough in him ; and this fulness, through the Lord's mercy, 
 I have received. Oh, what a drawing, what a drawing argu- 
 ment is here ! Methinks the stoutest sinner in all the
 
 220 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SfiR. 2. 
 
 congregation should now come in and close with the Lord 
 Jesus Christ. 
 
 You will say unto me. Here are encouragements indeed 
 to believers; for the doctrine runs thus. There is a commu- 
 nication of the fulness of Jesus Christ unto all believers. 
 Oh ! but what encouragement is here for others, that are not 
 believers ? And truly I am afraid, I am even afraid that I 
 am not one of those ; what encouragement is there for others 
 that are not believers also. 
 
 I answer, Pray look into the Ixviiith Psalm, and consider 
 it well, at the 18th verse. See what is spoken concerning 
 Christ to this purpose that now I am upon. " Thou hast 
 ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive. Thou hast 
 received gifts for men (it is spoken of Christ) ; yea, for the 
 rebellious also ;" mark that word. Thou hast received gifts 
 for men ; yea, for the rebellious also. Well then, is there 
 ever a rebellious child in this congregation ? Is there ever 
 a rebellious drunkard, that hath taken up arms against the 
 Lord Jesus Christ ? Is there ever a rebellious swearer, or 
 an unclean heart here, that hath taken up arms against the 
 Lord Jesus Christ. Says the text, "He hath received gifts 
 for men ; yea, for the rebellious also." The reason why you 
 have not these gifts, is, because you do not come to Christ. 
 Oh ! but if you would come to Christ, mark, If you would 
 but come to Christ, you that are rebellious, if you would 
 come to Jesus Christ, he hath these gifts, or grace by him ; 
 if you would come to him, you should have these gifts from 
 him. Who would not throw down his weapons now ? Is 
 there ever a rebel in all this congregation, that hath taken 
 up arms against the Lord Jesus Christ heretofore ? Me- 
 thinks he should be encouraged hence to come unto Jesus 
 Christ. Bodin hath a story concerning a great rebel, that had 
 made a great and strong party against a Roman emperor : 
 and the emperor makes proclamation ; that whoever could 
 bring in the rebel, either alive or dead, should have such a 
 great sum of money. The rebel hearing of this, he comes 
 in himself, presents himself unto the emperor, and demands 
 the sum of money. Says the emperor : If now, I should 
 put him to death, the world would think I did it to save my 
 money : notwithstanding all his former rebellion, the emper- 
 or pardons him, and gave him the sum of money. Oh !
 
 SER. 2.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 221 
 
 would a heathen emperor do thus by a poor rebel ? And if 
 thou, man or woman, wilt throw down thy weapons, and 
 come in unto the Lord Jesus Christ, do you think that the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, will not give to you those gifts that he 
 hath received for you ? Certainly he will. Oh ! methinks, 
 therefore, every poor sinner should now hang upon this last 
 word; yea, for the rebellious also. Hath the Lord Jesus 
 Christ received gifts for men. and for the rebellious also ? I 
 will for ever hang upon that word, also. Oh ! I have been 
 a rebel : I have been an unclean rebel ; I have been a swear- 
 ing rebel ; I have been a drunken rebel : Oh ! Lord, I will 
 throw down my weapon, and hang upon this word, also : 
 Hath he received gifts for men ; and for the rebellious also ? 
 Oh ! I will come in unto him. Oh ! what a mighty encou- 
 ragement is here for all, good and bad, to come in unto Jesus 
 Christ. Come drunkard, come swearer, come unclean heart, 
 come Sabbath-breaker, come lying children, come stealing 
 servants ; oh, come unto the Lord Jesus Christ that you may 
 be filled for ever ; oh, come unto Christ, that you may leave 
 your sins. Here is encouragement to all, good and bad, to 
 come unto Jesus Christ. 
 
 Thirdly, One word more of use unto believers, and so I 
 have done. Is there a communication of the fulness of 
 Jesus Christ unto all believers ? Then, believers, own your 
 own, own your own ; labour to strengthen your assurance of 
 your union with Jesus Christ, and maintain your confidence 
 in him. If you have assurance of union with Jesus Christ, 
 you may have the comfort of all this truth : you may, and 
 you will say thus, or to the like purpose : Hath the Lord 
 given me Christ, and will he not with him give me all things 
 else ? True indeed, I want grace to do such a work with, to 
 pray with, to hear with, to examine my own heart withal. 
 I want grace to do such a work for God. Oh, but there is a 
 communication of the fulness of Jesus Christ unto all be- 
 lievers, and through the Lord's grace I am one ; there is a 
 communication of the fulness of the Lord Jesus Christ unto 
 all the saints, and through the Lord's grace I am one ; and 
 therefore in due time I know I shall have this grace commu- 
 nicated to me. 
 
 But if you want the assurance of your union with Jesus 
 Christ, oh then you will want the comfort of this truth, then
 
 222 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SfiR. 8. 
 
 you will break out and say, True indeed, there is the com- 
 munication of the fulness of Christ unto believers, but the 
 Lord knows I am none ; it is true indeed there is a commu- 
 nication of the fulness of Christ unto all the saints, but the 
 Lord knows I am none. I have an unclean heart of mine 
 own ; the Lord knows I am none. Oh, therefore, you that 
 have gone doubting up and down, and had no assurance of 
 your condition all this while, assurance of your union with 
 Jesus Christ ; for the love of God get it now, as you desire 
 to have the comfort of this truth that now I have been upon, 
 get it now. 
 
 You see, beloved, these times we are fallen upon are dying 
 times ; and truly I may say, dying times and doubting hearts 
 cannot stand together. Oh, cock up, cock up; you that 
 have had your evidence for heaven lying abroad all this 
 while, get it in. Labour to get assurance of your union 
 with Jesus Christ, and maintain your confidence and assu- 
 rance, and so shall you have the comfort of all this truth 
 made good unto you. And the Lord give it in unto you. 
 
 SERMON III. 
 
 " And of his fulness have all we received, even grace for grace." 
 JOHN i. 16. 
 
 I HAVE made entrance into these words in other congre- 
 gations, and desire to proceed here where I left there. 
 
 The words are spoken of our Lord and Saviour Christ : 
 they hold forth three great, grand propositions. 
 
 First, That there is a fulness of grace in Jesus Christ. 
 
 Secondly, That of his fulness all we have received. 
 
 Thirdly, That of his fulness all we have received, even 
 grace for grace. 
 
 I have done with the first proposition. The second afford- 
 eth this observation : 
 
 That all the saints and people of God do partake of the 
 fulness of Jesus Christ in a way of receiving. 
 
 This fulls asunder into two parts, or two branches.
 
 SER. 3.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 223 
 
 First, That there is a communication of the fulness of Je- 
 sus Christ unto all believers. 
 
 Secondly, That whatever grace or holiness the saints have 
 from Christ, they have it in a way of receiving. 
 
 I have done, also, with the first of these, and am now, God 
 willing, to speak to the second : 
 
 Whatsoever grace or holiness the saints and people of God 
 have from Christ ; they have it all in a way of receiving. 
 " Of his fulness all we have received." 
 
 The former branch told us that Christ communicates : this 
 tells us that we receive. There the emphasis lay upon 
 Christ's communicating, and here the accent is set upon our 
 receiving. The grace of Jesus Christ is not born with us ; 
 we do not go to Jesus Christ in the strength of our nature, 
 to take of his fulness to ourselves, but Jesus Christ gives out 
 and we receive : all in a way of receiving. 
 
 The grace and mercy of our justification and remission of 
 sins, is by way of receiving. " Not only so, but we also joy 
 in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have 
 now received the atonement," Rom.v. 11. Atonement is to be 
 had, it is to be had by Christ, and this in a way of receiving. 
 
 Again, The grace and mercy of our adoption is to be had 
 in a way of receiving. " He came to redeem them that were 
 under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons," 
 Gal. iv. 5. Adoption is a blessing that is most desirable : 
 this Christ gives, and this we receive. 
 
 Again, The grace of our sanctification is to be had in a 
 way of receiving. What is the cause and original of all our 
 grace or holiness but the Spirit of God ? and that is received. 
 " This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by 
 the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith ? " Gal. iii. 
 2. The schools say, that the word grace, is either taken for 
 the gifts of the Holy Ghost, or for saving and sanctifying 
 grace. 
 
 Take grace for the gifts of the Holy Ghost, as sometimes 
 the word is used in Scripture, and that is in a way of receiving 
 Acts x.. 46, " They heard them speak with tongues." At the 
 47th verse, " Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid wa- 
 ter, that these should not be baptized, which have received 
 the Holy Ghost;" that is, the gift of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 Take grace for holiness and sanctification, and that is, also,
 
 224 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SER. 3. 
 
 in a way of receiving; to be had in a way of receiving. " For 
 ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear : but 
 ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, 
 Abba, Father," Rom. viii. 15. There are gifts of prayer, and 
 there is the Spirit of prayer, of adoption, crying, Abba, Fa- 
 ther. The first may be without grace, but the second not : 
 wherever the second is, there is grace : and this is received, 
 saith the apostle, here. 
 
 In general, all is by way of receiving. " As ye have re- 
 ceived the Lord Christ (says the apostle) see that ye walk in 
 him," Col. ii. 6. And, in another place, " What hast thou, 
 that thou hast not received ? " 1 Cor. iv. 7- What hast thou 
 that thou hast not received ? all in a way of receiving. " He 
 shall come down," says the Psalmist in the Ixxiind Psalm, 
 speaking concerning our Lord and Saviour Christ, and his 
 grace, at the 6th verse, " He shall come down like rain upon 
 the mown grass :" or, as some write it, for so the original 
 will bear it, " He shall come down like rain upon the fleece :" 
 having relation to Gideon's fleece. " He shall come down 
 like rain upon the mown grass : as showers that water the 
 earth." A Psalm for Solomon, says the title, but there are 
 many things in this Psalm that cannot properly be under- 
 stood of Solomon : but, in a type, properly belonging to 
 Jesus Christ. For as Strigelius does well observe : at the 
 7th verse, the verse next following this text, it is said, " In 
 his days shall the righteous flourish : and abundance of peace 
 so long as the moon endureth." Solomon did not live so 
 long as the moon endures ; this, therefore, is to be under- 
 stood of Christ. And, at the 5th verse, it is said, " They 
 shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, through- 
 out all generations." They did not fear Solomon ; men did 
 not fear Solomon as long as the sun and moon endure, 
 through all generations : this, therefore, must be understood 
 of Christ. Now see, therefore, what is said of Christ, and 
 concerning his grace : says the text, in the 6th verse, " He 
 shall come down like rain upon the mown grass." Like 
 rain : rain, you know, is that which does make the earth 
 fruitful. Non ager sed annus facit fructum : it is not the 
 sowing, but it is the year that causes fruit : it is the rain that 
 causeth fruit : and so it is the grace of Jesus Christ that 
 does make us fruitful ; his grace the cause of our grace. " I
 
 SER. 3.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 225 
 
 will be as dew (says the Lord, in the xivth of Hosea) unto 
 Israel :" and then follows fruitfulness. 
 
 Again, The rain cometh by special appointment from God, 
 with a kind of discrimination. " He maketh the rain to fall 
 upon one city (saith the prophet) and not upon another," Amos 
 iv. 7- As we read concerning Gideon's fleece, Judges vi. 38,39, 
 40, the dewfell upon the fleece, when all the earth was dryround 
 about it ; and then the dew fell upon the ground, when the 
 fleece was dry. And this was a type of the grace of Christ. 
 When the Jews were bedewed with the grace of Christ, then 
 all the nations round about, they were dry ; and then when 
 God bedewed the Gentiles, the nations round about, with 
 his grace, then the Jews were dry, and they are dry to this 
 day. 
 
 Again, the rain falleth, it is the Scripture, phrase, the rain 
 falleth, and falleth upon the earth, and the earth is a recipient 
 to receive it. It is mere recipient at the first, and then 
 brings forth its fruit. The rain falleth, and so doth the grace 
 of Christ ; the grace of Christ falls upon the souls of men 
 and women. Saith the text here, " He shall come down 
 like rain upon the mown grass." So doth the grace of 
 Jesus Christ, it comes down upon a poor soul, all in a way 
 of receiving, all in a way of receiving ; whatever grace or 
 holiness a man hath on this side heaven, it is all in a way of 
 receiving. 
 
 And this will appear further to you, if you consider the 
 insufficiency of nature, the supernaturality of grace, the 
 shortness of all means that are appointed thereunto, the 
 work and nature of faith, and the posture and true behaviour 
 of prayer. 
 
 First of all, There is a natural inability in a man unto what 
 is good, truly, spiritually good. 
 
 I. A man is unable by nature to overcome any sin, though 
 it be never so small. A man by nature, he may abstain from 
 vices, from a sin, but overcome it he cannot. Sin may be 
 satisfied and not mortified. Mark, sin may be satisfied and 
 not mortified. As in the dropsy, there is a great deal of 
 difference between the satisfying of a man's thirst, and the 
 healing of the disease. Many men think that their sin is 
 certainly healed, when it is only satisfied. Whereas a beg- 
 gar, when he is competently served, he will beg no more.
 
 226 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SER. 3. 
 
 And sin, beggar-like, when it is well served it will not beg 
 again presently, not in the same temptation. Sin itself, will 
 cease to sin, that it may gather strength to sin. But now, a 
 man by nature he cannot overcome it. And therefore in the 
 1 Cor. xv. 57> the apostle says thus: " But thanks be to 
 God, which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus 
 Christ.'* Victories, and all victories is through our Lord Je- 
 sus Christ. And if in the Old Testament, all victories were 
 given from God, all outward victories were given from him. 
 Then much more in the New Testament, are all our spiritual 
 victories, the former being but types of these, much more are 
 all our spiritual victories, then to be given to God. Now ye 
 see how it was with David, in the xviiith Psalm, concerning 
 outward victories ; he gives all to God. Says he there, at 
 the 32nd verse, " It is God that girdeth me with strength. 
 He maketh my feet like hind's feet : he teacheth my hands to 
 war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms." And 
 at the 2nd verse, says he, " The Lord is my rock, my for- 
 tress, my deliverer : my God, my strength in whom I will 
 trust ; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and mine 
 high tower." As if all his warlike strength and skill were 
 from God. And is not much more our spiritual strength 
 which we have in our Christian warfare from Jesus Christ ? 
 " I have set the Lord always at my right hand, therefore I 
 shall not fall," says the Psalmist, Ps. xvi. 8. Naturally then, 
 a man is utterly unable to overcome any sin, or temptation, 
 though it be never so small. 
 
 II. As a man is unable to overcome any sin : so also, if 
 he be fallen, he is unable to rise again. Peter himself must 
 have a look from Christ before he could repent. As if Je- 
 sus Christ had said to him ; Peter, thou art now down in the 
 dirt, and know thou canst not arise, unless I give forth my 
 hand unto thee : then here is my hand ; and so he did heave 
 him up. Every sin that a man does commit, he is taken cap- 
 tive by it, more or less : sin is a captivity. Now, Voluntas 
 mn est libera, nisi liberata: a man is not free, unless freed. 
 If the Son make you free, you are free indeed ; but else not at 
 all. Every sin that a man does commit, it is a mortal wound, 
 a death of the soxil, sin is. A man may be able to kill him- 
 self ; but being killed he cannot raise himself. The ship 
 having his rudder broken, cannot go where it will, but must
 
 SEE. 3.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 227 
 
 go where the tempest pleases. And beloved, there is never 
 a sin that a man commits, but he does strike upon his rud- 
 der, he does strike upon the earth withal ; and he does lose 
 his rudder. A poor sheep is able for to lose itself, and to 
 wander: but being lost is not able to come home again. 
 Yea, our Saviour says, in the parable of the lost sheep, 
 meaning lost man, the lost sheep is taken by the shepherd, 
 or the good man that finds it, and is laid upon his shoulder, 
 and so brought back again. What is this shoulder, but the 
 strength of Christ ? And indeed, if a poor soul, if a wander- 
 ing, poor, lost soul, be not laid on the shoulder of Jesus 
 Christ ; he will lose, and wander unto all eternity, will lose 
 himself, and wander for ever. This is well expressed, as an 
 ancient does observe in the example of Adam : when Adam 
 had sinned, and fallen ; Adam was not able to return again. 
 Let us mark it the rather, because Adam, he was our great 
 common father ; and in his example we may all see our own 
 faces. Says he, Adam being fallen, he could not rise again : 
 but when Adam was fallen, what does he ? Then he sets 
 himself, for to make himself clothes of fig-leaves, that so he 
 might be freed from the injury of the weather: he could 
 mind his clothes, and do something to take away his shame ; 
 but not one thought of God, not one word of God whom he 
 had lost. And so now man, man having sinned ; what does 
 he do ? He can mind his clothes, he can mind the affairs of 
 the world ; those things that concern this life, and his body : 
 oh ! but not one word, not one thought of God, until the 
 voice of the Lord be heard : and what then ? Then Adam- 
 like he may be ashamed, and may be afraid ; but yet no re- 
 pentance till Christ comes. Naturally a man being fallen, 
 he is unable to rise again. 
 
 III. As he is unable to rise again : so he is unable to 
 stand, to hold, to continue : though he should rise up again, 
 he is unable to stand, he is unable to hold, to continue. 
 And therefore David seeing his people in a good frame, he 
 prays, That the Lord would continue that good in the 
 thoughts of their heart, and that for ever, 1 Chron. xxvi. 
 18. And so the apostle, in the 1 Peter v. 10, " But the 
 God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory 
 by Christ Jesus, after ye have suffered awhile, make ye per- 
 fect, stablish, strengthen, settle you." Pray mark the words, 
 Q 2
 
 228 GRACE FOR GRACE [SfiR. 3. 
 
 ' the God of all grace, stablish, strengthen, settle you." He 
 does not say, The God of nature settle you. Oh, it is an 
 act of grace, of great grace, of rich grace to be settled, it is 
 an act of great grace to be truly settled, as Hierom excel- 
 lently notes, God is always a giver, God is always a bestower. 
 It shall not suffice me that God hath once given, unless he 
 would always give. You know the parable concerning the 
 strong man that ye read of in Matt. xii. being cast out by a 
 stronger than he, and yet returns again. The devil is this 
 strong man in some great, and gross sin ; now, though he be 
 cast out ; yet notwithstanding the room being emptied, 
 though it be garnished with moral virtues, and evangelical 
 gifts ; yet the room being left empty of Jesus Christ, the 
 Lord Jesus Christ not keeping the house : says the devil, the 
 house is mine still ; and therefore, says he, I will return to 
 mine house, he calls it his house all this while; though the 
 strong man were cast out, and though the room were swept 
 and garnished, yet he calls it his house still, because Jesus 
 Christ did not keep there, and continue there. So that the 
 Lord Jesus Christ must have the keeping of the house, as 
 well as the sweeping of the house. Naturally, a man is un- 
 ble to hold, to stand, and continue, though he do rise. 
 
 IV. Pray mark it, that you may see what an insufficiency 
 there is unto what is good, that so we may be brought unto 
 more dependance on Christ. As a man is unable to stand, 
 and persevere : so also, he is unable to any one good work ; 
 spiritually, evangelically good. " We are not able (says the 
 apostle) as of ourselves, to think a good thought, to speak a 
 good word ; but all our sufficiency is of God/' 2 Cor. iii. 5. 
 And Bradwardine, he reasons the case very well : says he 
 thus : If that a man bestow good breeding upon his child : 
 the father gives the natural being to the child, he brings him 
 up in military affairs, and the child grows very skilful, and 
 the father furnishes him with all kind of armour : yet notwith- 
 standing, if the child hath the prowess, and the valour of the 
 action from himself he may boast in himself, and he may 
 say, True indeed, I had my being from my father, I had, in- 
 deed, my skill from my father, I had my arms from my fa- 
 ther: but the action is my own, the valour my own, the 
 strength of the action is my own. So, says he, if God should 
 give habitual grace to a man, if the strength for the action
 
 SER. 3.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 229 
 
 should not be from God, he might boast ; true indeed, I 
 had the habit from God, the habitual grace from God, but 
 the action is my own, the spirit of the action is my own : he 
 had now wherein to boast. But all boasting is cut off, as 
 you shall hear by and by. And therefore naturally a man is 
 unable to every work : not only the habit is received ; but 
 strength for the action also, it is all received. 
 
 V. As a man is unable to every action : so also, he is 
 naturally unable to prepare himself unto what is good, 
 spiritually good. Good people, mark it, I say, a man is 
 also unable to prepare himself unto what is good. Not only 
 unable to do good, but unable to prepare himself unto what 
 is good, spiritually good : not only unable to overcome the 
 enemy, but unable to draw out his forces : not only unable 
 to receive the enemy's charge, but he is unable to draw out 
 his forces. " Ho, ho, every one that thirsteth, come and buy 
 wine and milk, without money, or money's worth." Isa. Iv. 1. 
 If a man could prepare, here is money, here is money's worth. 
 As one observes well, Then a man might say, the first begin- 
 ning of my salvation was of myself, yea, in truth a man may 
 say, The greatest part is from myself; for it is more to begin, 
 and more to prepare ; so the greatest part of our salvation 
 should be from ourselves. Ye know what the Apostle says, 
 and I pray consider it, in Ephesians ii. 1. "And you hath He 
 quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins. Even you," 
 at the 5th verse, " even when we were dead in sins, hath 
 quickened us together with Christ : by grace ye are saved." 
 Mark, twice the Apostle brings in that sentence : he brings it 
 in again at the 8th verse, "For by grace ye are saved." Why 
 tyice? not only to show that the progress of a Christian is 
 by grace, but the very first beginning and setting out, it is all 
 of grace: "By grace ye are saved." It is a good speech of 
 Austin, Grace is no way grace, unless it be every way free. 
 Now can a poor dead man prepare himself unto life ? Did La- 
 zarus prepare himself to life ? Could he do it ? Could Lazarus 
 do it ? There is, saith the philosopher, a proportion always 
 between the action and the term of the action. Now what 
 proportion is there between nature and grace ? " No man," 
 says our Saviour, " comes unto the Son, but whom the Father 
 draws," John vi. 44. Thus says our Saviour. Oh ! but says 
 Pelagius, I can go unto Jesus Christ by my own preparation,
 
 230 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SBR. 3. 
 
 I can prepare, I can draw myself unto Jesus Christ, or I can 
 draw Christ to me. Beloved ! in natural actions, there needs 
 always preparations to the introducing of forms, because 
 in the way of generation of nature, things are wrought by 
 degrees. As for example now : if a great log lie in the mud, 
 before you carry it away, you must loosen it from the mud : 
 but the log doth not loosen itself: and so, if wood be to be 
 burnt, first it must be dried, there is preparing the wood to 
 be burnt, because the thing is to be done by degrees, but in 
 the conversion of a poor sinner, the work is done in a moment, 
 it is no natural work ; God infuses grace there ; and therefore 
 there needs no preparation there. And therefore Brad war- 
 dine, he reasons the case very well thus : If, says he, a man 
 can prepare himself, then the preparation either helps forward, 
 or causes the following grace ; if it does not help forward, nor 
 cause the following grace, then it does not prepare, that which 
 does not help, does not prepare : and if it does help forward 
 the following grace, or cause it, that God must give a follow- 
 ing grace as a reward of this preparation ; then surely, this 
 preparation makes a man pleasing in the eyes of God, for, 
 will God reward a man for a work that does not make him 
 pleasing in the eyes of God ? But how can a man be pleasing 
 in the eyes of God, without faith. "Without faith it is 
 impossible to please God," Hebrews xi. 6. So that a man 
 cannot prepare himself to what is good. Put all these 
 together : a man cannot naturally overcome a sin, a tempta- 
 tion, though never so small : he cannot rise when he is fallen : 
 he cannot stand though he should rise, yea, he is unable to 
 any good work, simply in himself, and he is not able to 
 prepare himself unto what is good. Surely therefore, all is 
 in a way of receiving : whatever grace one hath, he hath it in 
 a way of receiving. This is the first argument. 
 
 Secondly, This truth is also argued from the supernatu- 
 rality of grace. Grace is a supernatural thing, and is called 
 in scripture phrase, the seed of God : the image of Christ : 
 the Divine nature : the good and perfect gift that comes from 
 above, from the Father of lights. It is wrought in the soul 
 by the infinite and almighty power of God ! the same power 
 wherewith God created heaven and earth at the first. And 
 therefore it is called a creation, in Ephesians ii. 10, "We 
 are his workmanship, created unto good works." The same
 
 SER. 3.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 231 
 
 power that the Lord used in raising up Christ from the dead, 
 is also put forth in the conversion of every sinner. 
 
 And besides, when the Lord is pleased to convert, and 
 draw a poor sinner unto Himself, he does not always take 
 those that are the best, those that are the wisest, those that 
 are the most moral, civil men ; he does not always take the 
 most prudent : but many times the Lord takes the worst ; 
 Paul, Zaccheus, Matthew, the Jailor, divers others. And if 
 you look into the xxxiiird chapter of Job, where you have 
 the platform, indeed, of man's conversion : you shall find 
 there, in what a time God takes a man to convert him : at the 
 14th verse; "God speaketh once, yea, twice, yet man per- 
 ceives it not. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep 
 sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed. Then 
 he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, 
 that he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride 
 from man." When man least thinks of it, then God comes, 
 in a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth 
 upon a man, and in slumberings upon the bed. Then he 
 openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction. 
 What does all this argue then ? But that grace, grace is 
 infused, grace is supernatural. Oh ! there is a supernatu- 
 rality in saving grace. Surely therefore, all is in a way of 
 receiving, all is received. That is a second argument. 
 
 Thirdly, This truth is also argued, from the shortness of 
 the means of grace. Much means of grace appointed, but 
 take the means as it is in itself without God's appointment 
 or institution upon it, and you will find that all means are too 
 short to reach the end. For example ; in the Old Testament, 
 when the Lord would take in Jericho, and break down the 
 walls of Jericho, he commands, " the ram's horns should be 
 blown." Josh. vi. 4. Take the blowing of the ram's horns 
 as lying under God's appointment, and so this action was 
 sufficient for to break down the walls : but take the action of 
 blowing the ram's horns by itself, and so it was too short. 
 So the Lord commands Naaman to go and wash himself in 
 the water of Jordan: 2 Kings v. 10. Take this action of 
 Naaman washing himself in the water : take it, I say, 
 without God's commandment : take it with God's com- 
 mandment, God's appointment, so it was sufficient to 
 reach his cure, and heal him of his leprosy : but now, take
 
 232 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SfiR. 3. 
 
 the action as it was in itself, without the appointment and in- 
 stitution of God, and so it was too short to reach his cure. 
 So in the New Testament : our Saviour, Christ, He takes 
 spittle and clay for to cure a man's eyes. John ix. 6. Take 
 this under Christ's appointment, and so it is sufficient to 
 reach the cure ; but take it without, and so short. So God 
 did appoint in baptism, a man should be washed in water ; 
 and in the sacrament we should eat bread, and drink wine, for 
 the begetting and increasing of faith. Take these actions as 
 they lie under God's appointment and institution, they are 
 able to reach this end. But take these actions as they are in 
 themselves, washing in water and eating bread, and drinking 
 wine, they are all too short ; and too short either to beget or 
 increase grace. Well now, why does the Lord still appoint 
 such means, as in themselves are too short for the end 
 whereto appointed ? Surely, not only for this reason, that he 
 might teach us, that the thing done is rather by the appoint- 
 ment, than bythe use of means : but also to show thus much : 
 That though we do use the means, yet notwithstanding in the 
 use of the means, we do not attain the thing by the use there- 
 of, but that in the using of means, and waiting there, we shall 
 receive strength from God to do it, to attain the end. When- 
 soever, therefore, you consider the shortness of the means 
 appointed, conclude thus, that all is in a way of receiving : 
 therefore God hath appointed the means that are in them- 
 selves short. 
 
 Fourthly. This doctrine is further argued from the work 
 and nature of faith. There is no grace that the Scripture 
 puts more upon than faith. Mark, I pray, in the Old Testa- 
 ment, all the victories are put on faith. In the New Tes- 
 tament, all the cures : if thou canst but believe, says Christ, 
 " According to thy faith be it unto thee." Yea, beloved, if 
 you look into the New Testament, you shall find that the 
 same works that are given to Christ, are given to faith. 
 Jesus Christ, he is said for to sanctify the soul : so doth 
 faith. " Faith purifies the heart," says the apostle. Jesus 
 Christ, he is said for to justify a sinner : so does faith too. 
 " Being justified by faith." Romans v. Jesus Christ, he is 
 said for to save the soul, he is called our Saviour : so doth 
 faith too. By faith ye are saved. W T hat is the reason now 
 that the Lord does especially set the crown upon the head of
 
 SER. 3.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 233 
 
 faith ? Some think it is for this reason : because that faith 
 doth unite the soul unto Jesus Christ : but so does love, love 
 is an affection of union, and all grace unites to Christ; as 
 every sin separates, so every grace unites. Others think it is 
 for this reason, because that as faith sets the crown upon the 
 head of Christ, so God sets the crown upon the head of faith ; 
 and this is true. For as the Lord does honour those persons 
 most that honour him most : so he will honour those graces 
 most that honour him most. But besides this, I conceive 
 the great reason is this, why the Lord does thus set all over 
 upon faith, I say, because that faith in the nature of it is a 
 receiving grace. And therefore John having said in this ist 
 chapter of John, and the 12th verse, "To as many as received 
 him, he gave power to be called the sons of God ;" explains 
 himself by this afterward in the same verse, " even to them 
 that believe on His name." So that believing is nothing else 
 but receiving the grace of God : the nature of faith being to 
 receive the truth, or the receiving of Jesus Christ : the proper 
 work and nature of faith being to receive. Now therefore 
 when the Lord does put all upon faith, and faith in its nature 
 is a receiving; plainly it holds forth this truth unto us, that 
 all is in a way of receiving : all grace in a way of receiving. 
 
 Fifthly and lastly, This truth is argued also, from the 
 posture and true behaviour of prayer. Mark, prayer is nothing 
 else, but the soul's begging or petitioning for something from 
 heaven. A beggar you know, when he begs, he holds forth, 
 or he stretches forth his hand : noting a willingness to 
 receive. So you read in Scripture, that when the soul is put 
 into a posture of prayer, it is put into this posture. Read, 
 therefore, what is said in Job xi. 13, " If thou prepare thine 
 heart," or establish thine heart, for so the word signifies, " If 
 thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands towards 
 him." That is, if thou doest pray unto Him, thou stretchest 
 out thine hands unto Him. Now as one observes well: 
 as it were a derision or a mocking of God, to praise 
 God, or to give God thanks tor that which he does not 
 give, but I have in my own power : so it were also a mock- 
 ing of God, to pray to God for that which is not in His hands 
 to give, but in mine to do. Now, my beloved, whatever grace 
 or holiness a man hath, he is to pray for : pray for healing 
 strength ; pray for quickening strength ; pray for confirming
 
 234 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SfiR. 3. 
 
 strength; pray for strength to pray: and seeing the posture 
 of prayer is this, to stretch forth the hands, which notes 
 receiving, in that we are for to beg all grace from God : it 
 argues, all is in a way of receiving, all, all good is in a way of 
 receiving: whatever grace or holiness a man hath on this 
 side heaven, it is all in a way of receiving. 
 
 But you will say, that this cuts off all endeavour ; if all be 
 in a way of receiving, then nothing to be done ? This 
 doctrine is an enemy to all obedience, to all labouring, to all 
 good works, and to all performance, to all endeavour. 
 
 I answer, not so. The apostle expressly does speak the 
 contrary, as you may read, and I pray mark, in the iind 
 chapter of his Epistle to the Philippians : " Wherefore," at 
 the 12th verse, says he, "my beloved, as ye have always 
 obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in 
 my absence : work out your own salvation with fear and 
 trembling." Why ? at the 13th verse. " For it is God which 
 worketh in you both to will, and to do, of His good plea- 
 sure." Work out your own salvation with fear and trem- 
 bling : why ? for all is in a way of receiving ; it is God, it is 
 God that worketh all in all ; it is God, it is God that 
 does it, therefore work. Mark, how the apostle argues : he 
 does not argue, as many do : And I pray tell me if there be 
 any here that think this doctrine is against endeavour; pray 
 tell me, what work or endeavour ? Either you would endea- 
 vour for to leave your sins ; or you would endeavour to do 
 what is good, to perform some good. If you would endea- 
 vour for to leave your sins : there is no such way, as to be 
 truly, fully persuaded in your heart of this truth : that all is in 
 away of receiving. Mark, therefore I pray, how the Apostle 
 argues for that purpose, in the 1 Corinthians iii. 3. 
 For, says he " Ye are carnal ; ye are carnal ; for where- 
 as there is among you envying and strife, and divisions, 
 are ye not carnal and walk as men ? For while one saith, I 
 am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollos, are ye not carnal ?" 
 Well, but what course does the apostle take to cure this 
 carnality ? See what he says, at the 6th verse : at the 5th, 
 " Who then is Paul ? who is Paul ? and who is Apollos, but 
 ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to 
 every man : I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave 
 the increase. So then, neither is he that planteth anything,
 
 SER. 3.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 235 
 
 neither is he that watereth, but God that gives the increase." 
 As if he should say thus : Here is divisions among you ; and 
 one says, I am for Paul ; and I am for Apollos : oh ! but get 
 your heart settled in this truth, that all is of God, and all is 
 of Christ, and all is in a way of receiving ; and then divisions 
 will be no more ; there will be no more such sayings as these, 
 I am for Paul, and I am for Apollos. 
 
 And again, would your endeavours be for the performance 
 of what is good ? The consideration of this truth that is now 
 before you, is of great avail this way too. Says Paul, " I have 
 laboured more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the 
 grace of Christ in me," 1 Cor. xv. 10. Mark, " yet not I, 
 but the grace of Christ in me." Laboured more than they 
 all, more abundantly than all, yet all from Christ, and yet all 
 from grace, and yet all in a way of receiving. Surely, there 
 is no such way to gracious and blessed endeavours, as the 
 serious consideration of this truth that is now before you. 
 
 I will give you two reasons for it : 
 
 All actions are carried upon two wheels, fear and love. As 
 a cart moves upon two wheels ; so every action is carried 
 upon these two, fear and love. The more ye love, the more 
 ye move towards a thing : the more ye fear, the more ye move 
 to avoid it: fear and love the two great wheels of every 
 motion. Now as for love, what greater love than this : that 
 Jesus Christ hath died for us, and worketh all our works for 
 us, and in us ; and love causeth love. As for fear, ye know 
 there are some children, so long as they are kept in depend- 
 ance upon the father, the father having not given them 
 portions, they are obedient to him ; but if once the children 
 have gotten their portions, and are come to live by themselves, 
 then no more obedience. If you have a man by the wrist, 
 and he knows that if you let him go, he falls down into some 
 great river, and there he is lost for ever : will not this man that 
 you have by the wrist, will not he be afraid now to offend you, 
 knowing you have him thus by the wrist ? Beloved ! this 
 doctrine tells us that the Lord hath us all by the wrist ; we 
 live in a continual dependance upon Him ; and all is in a way 
 of receiving, will not this make us to fear the Lord then ? The 
 Prophet Jeremiah, in the vth chap. 24th verse, he wonders that 
 the people should not fear the Lord upon this ground, That 
 the Lord gave them the former and the latter rain. " And,"
 
 236 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SfiR. 3. 
 
 says he, " they have not feared the Lord, that hath given them 
 rain, the former and the latter rain." As if he should say 
 thus : These poor people they depend upon God for rain, 
 and is it not a strange thing that they should not fear him ? 
 Why, beloved, there is not one drop of spiritual rain or dew 
 of grace that falls upon the heart, but we live in dependance 
 upon God for it ; shall not this make us fear ? 
 
 Again, besides, Whatsoever service you tender unto God 
 on this side heaven, it is all a waiting upon God. And 
 therefore, the saints that serve God, in Scripture they are 
 said to wait on God. Mark I pray you, our service is a wait- 
 ing upon God: "But those that wait on the Lord shall 
 renew their strength/' says Isaiah xl. 31. Now if a man 
 hear that if he have no oil in his lamp, he is lost for ever; 
 and there is no way to get oil, but by setting his vessels under 
 God's spout, and God's ordinance : will not this make a man 
 to wait upon him ? Some there are that defer their repent- 
 ance, and they think to repent afterward, they think they 
 shall be able to repent afterward : but now, when a soul shall 
 hear that all is in a wa) ~f receiving ; he must take it. there- 
 fore, when God does offer it ; then he concludes thus ; is it so 
 indeed, that all is in a way of receiving ? strength to repent, it 
 is by receiving, then will I take, while the Lord offers me 
 strength. Oh ! I will never defer my repentance again, I will 
 now wait upon God, and now while the Lord offers, now I 
 will take it. Thus you see this doctrine is a friend unto all 
 endeavour. All is in a way of receiving ; no such friend unto 
 good endeavour as this doctrine. 
 
 But you will say unto me, Why hath the Lord cast things 
 into this mould, that all should be in a way of receiving ? 
 
 Besides the reason, that mercy may be sure unto all his 
 servants, which they would soon spend if it were in their own 
 keeping. Mark I pray, there are these two or three reasons 
 of God's proceeding this way, that all grace should be in a 
 way of receiving. 
 
 I. And the first is : That all boasting, rejoicing, con- 
 fidence in one's self may be taken away. " If Abraham 
 (says Paul in the ivth of the Romans) were justified by 
 works, he hath whereof to glory, though not before God :" 
 he hath whereof to glory. But now, when all is in a way of 
 receiving, there is no room for boasting. Mark therefore,
 
 SER 3.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 237 
 
 what is said in 1 Cor. iv. ?. " Who maketh thee to differ 
 from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not re- 
 ceive ? Now if thou didst receive it, why doest thou glory 
 as if thou hadst not received it ?" God cannot endure boast- 
 ing, cannot endure self-confidence, God cannot endure that 
 a man should glory in any thing in himself: therefore all, all 
 is in a way of receiving. This is God's reasoning. 
 
 II. Again, God hath so ordered things in the dispensa- 
 tions of his grace under the gospel, that Jesus Christ may be 
 fully honoured, exalted. No such way to honour Christ as 
 this, that all should come out of his hands, to be received 
 from him. Pray, was it not a great honour to Joseph in 
 the time of the famine in Egypt, that no bread, but should 
 come through his hands ? not a corn of grain, but should 
 come through his hands ? So here : when no grace, no 
 strength, no aid, no assistance, no supplies, but all through 
 the hand of Christ, all in a way of receving : does not this 
 glorify Christ much ? What is it, I pray, that makes the 
 sun so glorious a creature, above all the creatures in the 
 world; but this, that all the creatures depend upon him for 
 light and for warmth ? This is that which makes the Lord 
 Jesus Christ glorious, that all must be in a way of receiving 
 from Jesus Christ. 
 
 III. God hath so ordered things in the dispensations of 
 his grace under the gospel, that the saints and children of 
 God may live by faith. Good people mark it, some there 
 are, some creatures in the world, that do live by sense : as 
 the beasts, and beastly men. Some creatures there are that 
 do live by reason, moral men : but the Lord would have his 
 children to live by faith : that as the men of the world do 
 live by sense and reason ; so the Lord would have all his chil- 
 dren to live by faith. What way or means to bring a soul 
 off for to live by faith ? Establish this doctrine, let this be 
 a statute made in the churches, all in a way of receiving : 
 Aye, says a poor soul, is it so indeed ? What ? all in a way 
 receiving ? Then I see a necessity of living by faith : O 
 Lord, teach me now for to live by faith. 
 
 Thus you see the doctrine clearly proved by reason to you. 
 I shall not be able to reach the use of the point, so as I 
 intended. 
 
 The doctrine is exceeding useful, full of spiritual use : yet
 
 238 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SEB. 3. 
 
 though I shall not be able to do what I would, give me leave 
 for to make some application of the point ; and so will I wind 
 up all. 
 
 I. Is this doctrine true, that all, all is in a way of receiv- 
 ing ? Then behold what infinite care the great God of hea- 
 ven and earth hath of believers, of every believing soul, 
 though he be never so mean ! Would you not think, that if a 
 mother were so tender of her child, that she would not let 
 her child eat a bit of bread, but it should be of her own cut- 
 ting ; that she would not let it drink, a drop of drink but it 
 should be of her own drawing: would you not think this mother, 
 this woman were very careful of her child ? Beloved ! thus the 
 case stands : no grace, no assistance, no help for duty, no help 
 against sin ; but the Lord Jesus Christ himself will have the 
 cutting of it, the Lord Jesus Christ will have the 
 giving of it out ; he will have the drawing of it all ; all in a 
 way of receiving. Oh ! what care ! Oh ! what infinite care 
 hath God of poor believers ! When the Lord would 
 commend his care of the children of Israel unto them; 
 pray mark what an argument he uses in Deut. xi. 10, 11, 12. 
 " For the land whither thou goest in to possess it, it is not 
 as the land of Egypt from whence ye came out, where thou 
 sowedst thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot, as a garden 
 of herbs." They fetched water out of the river Nilus, and 
 so they watered the land of Egypt with their feet. But, 
 says heat the llth verse, " The land whither ye go to possess 
 it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the 
 rain of heaven :" not taken out of the river, and watered by 
 men's feet, as Egypt was. ." A land (says the Lord) which 
 the Lord thy God careth for :" a land which the Lord thy 
 God careth for : he cared not for Egypt. How does he 
 prove that the Lord cared for it ? " The eyes of the Lord 
 thy God are always on it, from the beginning of the year, 
 even unto the end of the year." He giveth rain from hea- 
 ven, and when your land wants water, it is given from hea- 
 ven, it is not watered by men's feet, it is not watered as 
 Egypt was watered, which land God cared not for. So now, 
 there are some people in the world that water themselves, 
 that go forth in their own strength, that have moral virtues, 
 and they water their hearts with their own feet, as I may say, 
 the Lord cares not for those, the Lord cares not for such.
 
 SER. 3.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 239 
 
 Oh ! but give me a soul that hath rain from heaven, that 
 lives in a continual dependance, that acknowledges that all is 
 received, that lives upon heaven ; the Lord cares for such a 
 soul. Now this is the condition of all the saints, of every 
 believer, he hath all in a way of receiving : oh ! the infinite 
 care that the Lord hath of every believer though he be never 
 so mean. 
 
 II. Is this doctrine true, all in a way of receiving ? Then 
 behold, what sweet, and comfortable, and pleasant lives the 
 saints live, believers have. When you look upon a godly 
 man and consider what great works he does, and what hard 
 things he bears, what great afflictions he goes through : you 
 say, Good Lord ! how is man able to do, or bear all this ? 
 Paul and Silas, singing in the stocks, when they were whip- 
 ped and scourged, and the blood running down their shoul- 
 ders ; and yet singing : how ? how are they able to do all, to 
 bear all ? Lo here, here is the reason : they have all in a way 
 of receiving. When you see the little child run by the father 
 in his hand, in a green meadow, you say, the child hath a 
 fine, and a sweet time : but when you see the child coming 
 at a high gate, or stile to get over, or dirty lane to pass over; 
 now, ye say, how will the child do now ? Why ? surely the 
 child will do as well and better now, if the father takes the 
 child up in his arms, the dirty lane will be the pleasantest 
 place to the child, when it is taken up into the father's arms. 
 Thus it is with the saints : great works they do, and hard 
 things they go through : oh ! but they are taken up in 
 Christ's arms, and they have all in a way of receiving. When 
 you look upon a man that does keep a great table, hath many 
 servants attending on him, his purse always full of money ; 
 you will say, surely, this man leads a fine, and a sweet life ; if 
 it do not cost him much for to receive it or get this money : 
 but if you hear that he hath all his estate, only for telling 
 his money, his great pains is all in receiving his money: 
 oh ! here is a blessed man indeed, and here is a happy man 
 you think presently ! Thus it is ; the great pains of a Chris- 
 tian is to receive from Christ, and to spend for Christ. Oh ! 
 what a sweet life do the saints live, that live by faith in Je- 
 sus Christ. 
 
 III. Is this doctrine true ? Then what abundance- are 
 there in the world, many that live under the gospel, that
 
 240 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SfiR. 3. 
 
 from hence are argued to have no saving interest in Je- 
 sus Christ. Good people, mark it that I say, are not savingly 
 united to Jesus Christ. There is a two-fold union with 
 Christ ; as Christ is considered two ways : he is either con- 
 sidered with his church, the church and he making one 
 body ; and so all together are called, Christ : in 1 Cor xii. 
 Or else he is considered as the great Mediator, and Saviour 
 of believers by himself. Accordingly men may be said to be 
 united to him, either outwardly in the church, tied and rela- 
 ted to him by outward ordinances : or else inwardly united 
 to him by saving faith. When a man is inwardly united to 
 Jesus Christ by saving faith ; he hath all from Christ: strength 
 unto every duty from Jesus Christ : praying strength, and 
 hearing strength, and repenting strength, and confirming 
 strength, he hath from Christ in a way of receiving. But 
 the other hath little, or nothing from Christ : pray mark it ; 
 I will express it thus : a man takes a piece of bread, or a loaf 
 of bread ; he ties it to his arm ; his arm hath no strength 
 from that, it is but an outward tie to his arm, it hath no 
 strength from that : and it argues that it is but an outward 
 tie, it causes no strength by it. But if a man take bread, 
 and eat it, that there be an inward union, then there is 
 strength, there is bread goes to all the parts : you know my 
 meaning. Or thus ; I will express it thus : Take a graft, 
 and tie it unto a tree, tie it unto a stock, and it brings forth 
 no fruit at all ; why because it is but outwardly tied unto the 
 root, unto the stock of the tree : but take the branch, and 
 graft it into the tree, into the stock : then it brings forth all 
 that it brings forth by virtue of the stock that it is grafted 
 into. So, my beloved, there is a company, there is a gene- 
 ration of people that live here under the gospel, that are 
 outwardly tied unto Christ : they are baptized, they have 
 the name of Christ by profession ; and by the tie of the ordi- 
 nances, they are outwardly tied unto Christ : but, oh ! they 
 receive nothing from him, nothing from him : pray, what do 
 they receive ? Suppose Christ had not come into the world, 
 suppose they had never heard Christ preached; they might 
 have lived civilly; they might have lived justly among their 
 neighbours ; they might have abstained from lying and 
 drunkenness : why, they do not thus much ; poor creatures 
 nothing from Christ, they receive nothing from Christ: oh !
 
 SER. 3.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 241 
 
 these are but outwardly tied, as a loaf of bread is tied to a 
 man's arm ; so is the Lord Jesus in the ordinances tied unto 
 them. Aye, but then, there are another people that are sa- 
 vingly united to Jesus Christ ; and these, they have strength 
 from him : they cannot pray but as they have strength from 
 Christ ; they cannot confer and speak of good things but as 
 they have strength from Christ ; they cannot go and hear a 
 sermon, with any affection, but as they have strength from 
 Christ : all, all in a way of receiving. Oh ! they stand in a 
 way of dependance upon God in him, and they have all from 
 Christ ; these are savingly united to Christ. But oh ! many 
 that live among us have not all from Christ ; certainly, 
 therefore, there are many that are not savingly united to 
 Jesus Christ. This is a third. I will add but one more, and 
 so I have done. 
 
 IV. Is this doctrine true ? All in a way of receiving. 
 Then surely, beloved, all is of grace, from first to last. 
 Heaven, heaven is a donative, salvation is a donative, every 
 step in the ladder to heaven is grace, every link of the chain 
 is grace. Oh ! every beam of our day is grace ; every stone 
 of our building is grace. Is all in a way of receiving ? 
 What, praying strength ? What, hearing strength ? What, 
 suffering strength ? What is all, all in a way of receiving ? 
 Oh, then, what glorious grace is here ! Oh, rich grace ! Oh, 
 free grace! Oh, incomparable riches of the freeness of 
 God's grace in Christ ! Is the Lord Jesus the Alpha and 
 the Omega ? Is he the beginning, the middle, the end of all 
 our actions ? Oh, what grace is here ! If there be ever a 
 drooping soul, if there be ever a poor, hard heart, a cold 
 heart, a frozen heart in all this congregation, come, O poor 
 soul, come and warm thine heart at this fire of love. Were 
 our heaven and our salvation put to sale upon our doing; I 
 say, were mercy set to sale at our doing, then we were in a 
 sad condition, we were in a lamentable condition. Well, 
 now, is all in a way of receiving ? What, then, though I 
 cannot pray for the present. What, then, though my heart; 
 be dead for the present. Yet, notwithstanding, I will wait 
 upon the Lord in the way of his ordinances ; it may be this 
 day, and this time, I may receive something that may put 
 life into my poor dead soul. Oh ! you that never waited 
 upon the Lord, and upon free grace, wait now upon the
 
 242 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SfiR. 4. 
 
 Lord : you that have waited, wait still; you that never waited, 
 wait now. Beloved, the more dependant our condition is, 
 the more depending should our spirits be. What more de- 
 pendant condition can you think of: all, all in a way of re- 
 ceiving. Oh ! therefore, now let us all labour to live by faith. 
 Go away with this in your bosoms : I see a necessity of liv- 
 ing in a continual dependance on God in Christ. Which 
 that you may do, think of all these things, and the Lord 
 bless them to you. 
 
 SERMON IV. 
 
 " And of his fulness have all we received, even grace for grace." 
 JOHN i. 16. 
 
 I HAVE made entrance upon these words in some neigh- 
 bouring congregations, in the hearing of divers of you ; and 
 my desire is to finish them here. 
 
 Having spoken of the former part of the verse, " And of 
 his fulness have all we received :" I come now unto the 
 latter clause, " Even grace for grace." 
 
 The great question is upon these words, What should be 
 the meaning of them ? 
 
 There are no less than seven or eight interpretations that 
 are given by men. I shall presently tell you what I appre- 
 hend to be the meaning of them. 
 
 Three things, I conceive, may be specially held forth in 
 these words : 
 
 First, They may note, an abundance of grace that the 
 saints in the New Testament have from Jesus Christ. 
 
 Secondly, The universality of grace. ' 
 
 And, Thirdly, An answerableness of grace in every Chris- 
 tian unto the graces of Jesus Christ. 
 
 I begin with the former at this time. 
 
 First, They seem to note an abundance of grace. " Of 
 his fulness all we have received, even grace for grace :" that 
 is, abundance of grace. 
 
 This interpretation, that I might clear up the meaning be- 
 fore I come to that which I intend to press, it suits with the
 
 SER. 4.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 243 
 
 like phrase of Scripture : " Skin for skin, and all that a man 
 hath will he give for his life," Job ii. 4. You know the place. 
 That is, a man will give all his skins, all his cattle and skins 
 (for their estates in those times did lie in cattle much), he 
 will give all his skins, though they be never so many, he will 
 give them all for to save his life. Skin for skin, though he 
 have never so many; skin for skin, abundance of skins. 
 Grace for grace, and abundance of grace. Gratia gratiis 
 accumelata. 
 
 This also suits with the word, and or even. It is not 
 barely said thus, And of his fulness have all we received, 
 grace for grace ; but, " Of his fulness have all we received, 
 even grace for grace/' That is, in great abundance ; we 
 have not only received grace, but we have received much 
 grace, even grace for grace. This also suits with the title, 
 the attribute that is here given to Christ, and that is, 
 Fulness. When God or Christ is mentioned in Scripture, 
 they are mentioned still under such a title as suits with the 
 matter that is in hand j and you may know what the matter 
 in hand is by the title. Now the title that is here given to 
 Christ, the attribute that is here given to Christ, is Fulness ; 
 answerable to that is, fulness of grace in us, or abundance of 
 grace from him. This also suits with the scope of the place ; 
 for here the evangelist sets Christ above Moses, shows how 
 Christ does go beyond Moses ; the following verse coming 
 in as a reason of this : " For the law was given by Moses, 
 but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen 
 God at any time ; the only begotten Son, which is in the 
 bosom of the Father, he hath declared him," John i. 17, 18. 
 You have much by Moses, but you have more by Christ ; 
 you have abundance of grace in Christ. 
 
 This also is agreeable to other Scriptures, where the same 
 matter is spoken of. If you look into the vth of the Ro- 
 mans, you shall find that the apostle, speaking of the free 
 gift of grace, at the 15th verse says, that it hath abounded 
 unto many : " Much more the grace of God, and the gift by 
 grace, which is by one man Jesus Christ, hath abounded 
 unto many." Would you have the word received, joined 
 with abundance ? Look into the 17th verse, and there you 
 read, " For if by one man's offence, death reigned by one ; 
 much more they which receive abundance of grace, and of 
 R 2
 
 244 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SfiR. 4. 
 
 the gift of righteousness, shall reign in life by one Jesus 
 Christ." All these things being thus laid together, they 
 argue unto me, the main and special thing that is here 
 intended is, an abundance of grace : " Of whose fulness we 
 have all received, even grace for grace." All the saints and 
 people of God under the New Testament, do receive abun- 
 dance of grace from Jesus Christ. 
 
 First, Abundance of grace discovered. 
 
 Secondly, Abundance of grace exhibited and communi- 
 cated to all the saints. He that hath the least measure of 
 gospel grace, hath abundance of grace from Jesus Christ. 
 
 Abundance of grace is now discovered. That I may make 
 that appear : 
 
 I. It will appear, if you consider the several advances 
 that grace hath made, from the beginning of the world to 
 this day, upon the children of men. In the beginning God 
 made man perfect and righteous, after his own image. Man 
 falling from that estate, exposed himself and all his posterity 
 to the wrath of God for ever. Then grace steps in, and 
 makes its first advance in the world : " The seed of the 
 woman shall break the serpent's head," Gen. iii. 15. Here 
 Christ is preached, and preached to the greatest sinners, 
 Adam and Eve, that had damned all the world ; and Jesus 
 Christ is preached immediately by God himself. One would 
 think now that the Lord should rather have said to Adam : 
 Adam, I made thee perfect and righteous, thou mightest have 
 kept thee so ; thou wouldest not trust to me, Adam ; thou 
 wouldest trust unto the devil ; go now, now thou art fallen, 
 go mend thyself, if thou canst find out a better master, 
 Adam. Or if the Lord would have shown mercy to Adam, 
 one would think that he should have stayed for Adam's 
 repentance, that Adam should first a cried him mercy. No, 
 but before ever this poor prodigal stirs one step unto his 
 father, his father runs out to meet him, to overtake him ; 
 the Lord Christ is preached, the promise is propounded, the 
 free grace of God is revealed. Here was the first advance 
 that ever grace made into the world. 
 
 But God, who is rich in grace, was not satisfied with this; 
 but, as in the fourth day he does gather up all the light that 
 was scattered abroad in the world before, into one body, the 
 sun; so now he does gather up all the beams of his grace
 
 SER. 4.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 245 
 
 into one body, the covenant which he does make with Abra- 
 ham : And unto Abraham he says, " In thy seed shall all 
 the nations of the world be blessed," Gen. xii. 3. " In thy 
 seed (says the apostle) ; he does not say seeds, but seed, 
 meaning Christ," Gal. iii. 16. Abraham saw so much of 
 Christ, that our Lord says, " He saw His day, and rejoiced 
 in it," John viii. 56. Here the sun was gotten higher ; for 
 now, though Christ was preached to Adam, the promise was 
 propounded; yet notwithstanding, it was but barely pro- 
 pounded to Adam, it was not applied, and propounded in 
 obscure terms to Adam too ; and rather given threatening- 
 wise against Satan, than promise-wise concerning them. 
 But now the Lord does professedly come and apply the pro- 
 mise unto Abraham : " And in thy seed ;" which he does 
 not give unto Abraham as Abraham, as that person, but as a 
 common person for all believers. Here was now a second 
 advance that grace made into the world. 
 
 But the Lord was not yet satisfied with this, but causes 
 his grace to advance higher in Moses' time; and unto Moses 
 he speaks expressly, " A prophet will I raise up like unto 
 thee," Deut. xviii. 15, and I will put my name in him, he 
 shall be called God and Jehovah as I am. Then the Lord 
 proclaimed before Moses, himself to be " the Lord, gracious, 
 merciful, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin, reserving 
 mercy for thousands." Then the Lord gave the law ; and 
 lest they should think that God intended it as a covenant of 
 works, he did at the same time give the ceremonial law, that 
 thereby they might read the satisfaction of Jesus Christ, for 
 any sin they should commit against the moral law. Here 
 was a higher advance. 
 
 But because this was still under-veiled, and it is a pain to 
 love to conceal itself; the Lord does make a further revela- 
 tion of his grace, of Christ, by his servant David : for after 
 David and Solomon's time, we read of the eternal generation 
 of Christ, Prov. viii. ; of the incarnation of Christ, Psalm 
 xl. 7, " Lo, I come, in the volume of thy book," says the 
 Psalmist ; of the death and sufferings of Christ, Psalm xxii. 
 1, " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ? " and 
 divers other Psalms ; of the resurrection of Jesus Christ in 
 the cxviiith Psalm, and the xvith Psalm, " Thou wilt not 
 suffer thine Holy One to see corruption ;" of all the three
 
 246 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SER. 4. 
 
 offices of Jesus Christ ; his Kingly office, Psalm ii., " Yet 
 will I set my King upon my holy hill ;" his Prophetical of- 
 fice, " He shall declare the decree," Psalm ii. 7 ; and his 
 Priestly office, " Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of 
 Melchisedek," Psalm ex. : of the ascension of Jesus Christ, 
 Psalm Ixviii., " He hath ascended on high, and received gifts 
 for men:" of the sitting at the right-hand of God the Father, 
 Psalm ex., " The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my 
 right-hand." Thus you see in David's time the gospel had 
 advanced further, had gotten a great deal of ground. 
 
 But the Lord was not yet contented, but causes more of 
 his grace to break forth in the times of the prophets ; more 
 concerning Christ. He tells them of the very time Christ 
 should be born, Dan. ix. Of the place where he should be 
 born: " at Bethlehem," Micah v. 2. The person that should 
 bear him : " A virgin shall conceive," Isa. vii. 14. Gives 
 them divers characters whereby they should know him when 
 he came : " And I will send my messenger before him, The 
 voice of one crying in the wilderness," Mai. iii. 1 ; Isa. xl. 3. 
 He will ride upon an ass's colt : " Behold thy King comes 
 riding upon an ass's colt," Zech. ix. 9. He shall be sold for 
 " thirty pieces of silver," says the prophet Zechariah, chap, 
 xi. 12. He shall die, not for his own sins but OUT'S : " The 
 chastisement of our peace shall be upon him," Isa. liii. 5. 
 And, as if all this were not enough, the Lord speaks out the 
 covenant of grace expressly in Jer. xxxi. 31 : " The days 
 come, says the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with 
 the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah/' At the 
 33rd verse : " This shall be the covenant that I will make 
 with them, after those days, saith the Lord ; I will put my 
 law into their inward parts, and write it in their hearts ; and 
 I will be their God, and they shall be my people : and they 
 shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man 
 his brother, saying, Know the Lord ; they all shall know me, 
 from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the 
 Lord ; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember 
 their sin no more." What a mighty advance had grace made 
 now. Is there any more yet ? Yes, our Saviour himself 
 comes, and then grace advances higher, by much higher; then 
 grace enlarges her quarters, extending itself unto all the 
 world, go teach all nations : " Go, teach all nations," says
 
 SER. 4.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 247 
 
 our Saviour. Matt, xxviii. 19. That house of Israel would 
 serve such a candle as Moses was ; but when the Sun arises, 
 no less than the whole world for him to display his beams 
 upon. He had set up a school of grace in that corner of the 
 world, in Jewry : but when the Lord Jesus himself comes, a 
 free-school is set up, the school of free grace for all the chil- 
 dren of men to come unto : Go, teach all nations. 
 
 II. Yea, in the second place, although our Saviour Christ 
 did go unto our forefathers, the Jews, and preach unto them 
 by his Spirit ; he came to them as Joseph to his brethren at 
 the first, in a hidden way, under a veil : but now the veil of 
 the temple is rent asunder, and the most common people may 
 see into the holy of holiest : " Now we all, with open face, 
 behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord," 2 Cor. iii. 18. 
 The Jews, they had the shadows, and we have, as it were, 
 the picture, but the substance, the thing, it is yet to come. 
 These three ye find in that 1st verse of the xth chapter to the 
 Hebrews : " For the law, having a shadow of good things to 
 come, and not the very image of the thing." Here is the 
 shadow, and here is the image, and here is the thing itself: 
 " the thing itself is yet to come." They indeed had the sha* 
 dow, but we have the image : and look how much an image, 
 or the picture of a man, goes beyond a shadow ; so much 
 does the discovery of Christ now, go beyond the discoveries 
 of him then. Luther says, The whole world is but one day, 
 as it were ; and as the evening and the morning made the 
 day, so, says he, our forefathers the Jews, they had the even- 
 ing, but we have the morning. 
 
 III. Again, though there were many doctrines of grace 
 and mercy communicated to our fore-fathers the Jews : yet 
 notwithstanding they were so tempered with the law, that 
 the very gospel seemed to be law to them : as now, we have 
 the law among us, but it is so tempered with the gospel ; 
 that the law itself is gospel-wise to us. They had Christ 
 in the hand of Moses, and we have Moses in the hand of 
 Christ. A mighty difference : as we have a baptized, and a 
 Christian Moses ; so they had a circumcised, and a Mosai- 
 cal Christ. They had grace in the hand of the law. And 
 therefore you shall observe, that when the Lord appeared 
 unto them in a way of greatest mercy, he appeared still with 
 tokens of majesty, and greatness : but now we have grace in
 
 248 GRACE FOR GRACE [SfiR. 4. 
 
 the hand of grace ; we have grace with the tokens of grace, 
 and with the tokens of love. And this difference the apos- 
 tle makes out clearly, in the xiith of the Hebrews, from the 
 1 8th unto the 25th verses. 
 
 IV. Again, though they had many doctrines of grace, 
 and of free grace ; yet themselves were not made free there- 
 by ; but they were as the children of the bond-woman ; they 
 were not free from ceremonial rites. They had the free use 
 of the creature : their hearts were not free and enlarged to- 
 wards God. Indeed, those that were godly among them, 
 they were children : " But (as the apostle speaks) they being 
 under age, they differed not from servants ordinarily : but 
 when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son ; 
 that we might receive the adoption of sons : and the Spirit 
 of adoption whereby we cry, Abba, Father," Gal. iv. 1, 4, 5, 
 6. They had the spirit of bondage unto fear ; and we have 
 the Spirit of adoption unto love, to cry, Abba, Father. 
 They could not go to God, but with many fears : but there 
 is none of all the saints now, but go with a spirit of love, go 
 to God as a Father : every saint now, may go to God and 
 say, Father, Father, I labour under such a temptation ; oh ! 
 Father, help me : I want such a blessing, or mercy, oh ! Fa- 
 ther give it me. 
 
 V. Again further, although they had many sprinklings of 
 the doctrines of grace ; yet they fell but droppingly upon 
 them ; now a drop, and then a drop : as you have it in the 
 ist chapter of the Hebrews, 1st verse, " God who at sundry 
 times, and in divers manners, spake in times past unto the 
 fathers by the prophets ; hath in these last days spoken unto 
 us by his Son." God who by piece-meals, drop by drop ; 
 now a drop and then a drop, spake unto our forefathers by 
 the prophets ; hath in these last times spoke unto us by his 
 Son. This being the opposition, shews, that God spake 
 perfectly, and spake all by his Son. When this king came, 
 then all the cocks run with wine. Some observe that Je- 
 sus Christ preached the gospel more plainly unto one poor 
 ignorant, sinful, wicked woman, that ye read of in the ivth of 
 John ; than he did unto all our forefathers under the Old 
 Testament : for unto which of all our forefathers did he say, 
 I am the Messiah, " Ask of me the water of life, and I will 
 give it thee ?" You know the great doctrines of the gospel,
 
 SER. 4.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 249 
 
 justification by grace ; free remission of sins ; and the like. 
 Now though these doctrines be in the Old Testament, yet 
 take your book, and how many leaves shall you read over, 
 before you be able to read this doctrine clearly ? But open 
 your book where you will, open in the New Testament, and 
 you shall meet with one every where ; with this doctrine, the 
 great doctrine of free grace every where. Oh ! much, much 
 of Jesus Christ, and of his grace that is now discovered ; 
 surely abundance of grace, abundance of grace discovered 
 to the saints now, and to all the saints. 
 
 But in the Second place. As there is abundance of grace 
 discovered : so there is abundance of grace exhibited, and 
 communicated to all the saints. Those that have the least 
 measure of grace now, have abundance of grace. That is the 
 thing that I would clear up to you. That those that have the 
 least measure of gospel grace, they receive grace for grace, 
 they have abundance of grace. 
 
 I. Is it not a great matter for an ungodly man to be jus- 
 tified ? What man so godly, but he was ungodly before 
 justified ? 
 
 II. Is it not a great matter for a man to be the son of 
 God ? to be the child of God ? All God's children shall be 
 portioned answerable to their Father's estate : David coun- 
 ted it a great mater to be son-in-law to a king, though but 
 a wicked king, and the kingdom but small. What is it then 
 to be adopted to be the son of God, the daughter of God ? 
 " To as many as receive him, he gives power to be called the 
 sons of God," John i. 12. And there is this difference be- 
 tween God's adoption, and man's : when man does adopt 
 one to be his son, he may put his name upon him ; he may 
 give his estate to him : but he cannot make the person to be 
 like himself; he cannot communicate his nature to him. 
 But now, when God does adopt one to be his child, he does 
 not only put his name upon the soul, and give him a great 
 estate ; but he makes him to be like himself, and communi- 
 cates his nature to him. So says the apostle, " We are made 
 partakers of the divine nature," 2 Pet i. 4. 
 
 III. Is it not a great matter, to have the image of Jesus 
 Christ drawn upon a filthy soul ? To have one's heart in- 
 clined, naturally inclined, as it were, unto all the command- 
 ments of the gospel ? " I will write my law in your heart,"
 
 250 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SfiR. 4. 
 
 Jer. xxxi. 33, says God, in the covenant of grace. That look 
 as the heathen, having the law of nature written in their 
 hearts, are naturally inclined unto the works of nature. So 
 will I write my law of grace in your hearts, and you shall be 
 naturally inclined unto the works of grace, and unto the 
 works of the gospel. He that hath least of Christ, he hath 
 all Christ; all Christ imputed unto all the saints. Beloved ! 
 we have not so much of Christ in our lives as Peter, and 
 Paul, and John had : but we have as much of Christ's righ- 
 teousness imputed to us for our justification as any of all the 
 apostles had : and if our faith be right it is like precious 
 with theirs. 
 
 IV. Is it not a great matter, for a man to be in heaven 
 before he comes there ? To have eternal life in the world ? 
 " This is eternal life, to know thee, and whom thou hast 
 sent, Jesus Christ," John xvii. 3. And that day that any 
 soul begins to know Jesus Christ ; that day is the day-break 
 of his eternity : the saints that are in heaven, they count 
 from that day ; there began our eternity ; this is eternal 
 life, here it begins. All the saints and people of God, they 
 do know God in Jesus Christ. And therefore surely, there 
 is an abundance of grace, grace for grace, an abundance of 
 grace communicated, and given out unto all the saints under 
 the New Testament. 
 
 But you will say unto me : We do not find this in expe- 
 rience, do not see such an abundance of grace in the lives of 
 those ye count godly ; those that are in Christ indeed, 
 we do not find that they have such an abundance of 
 grace ? 
 
 I answer, Aye, but do you consider the opposition of grace: 
 the retinue of grace : and the mystery of grace. 
 
 I. For the opposition of grace. A little grace may be 
 much opposed: and when the opposition is great, though 
 grace be small in the bulk, it may be great in the work : 
 though little in the quantity, yet it may be be much in quality. 
 There is no true gospel-grace, but it is much opposed. When 
 Jesus Christ came into the world, you know Herod raised 
 all the country upon him : and so when Christ comes 
 into the heart, the whole soul it is raised against him, because 
 he comes as an enemy unto the soul. As when an enemy 
 lands, the beacons are all fired, and the country all rises ;
 
 SER. 4.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 251 
 
 what do you say ? An enemy is landed, an enemy is landed, 
 and all the country rises. So when Christ lands upon a 
 soul, at the first, he lands as an enemy unto the sin and 
 soul ; and all the soul, the region, the continent, it rises up 
 against him. 
 
 Then also, as the dragon stood before the woman, which 
 you read of in that of the Revelations, to cut off the child as 
 soon as it was born : so the devil stands before the soul, to 
 cut of the soul's birth. 
 
 Then also comes in the power of all relations; and the 
 power of all engagements; and the power of all former 
 customs ; and the power of an evil nature : nay, if you will 
 go this way to work, then farewell all friends ; and farewell 
 all your former pleasures ; and farewell all preferment. Was 
 it not a great matter for Job to be upright in the Land of Uz ? 
 why ? because there was much opposition in it. Is it not a 
 great matter for a little poor bark or vessel to live at sea in the 
 time of a storm ? for a little spark of fire to live in much 
 water ? for a little light to live in a great wind ? You look 
 upon such a poor gracious soul, and you do not consider the 
 wind that blows upon it, the storms that beat upon it ; and 
 you say, It is not much grace h e hath, or much good he 
 does. Oh, but consider, if you would consider the great oppo- 
 sition the soul meets withal, then you will say, Oh, it is much 
 indeed, there is abundance of grace there. 
 
 II. Consider the retinue of grace : grace hath a great reti- 
 nue, though it be very mean, it hath a rich retinue. If a man 
 hath but a poor cottage, an acre of land, an half acre of land, 
 a rood : yet if it be an earnest of a great inheritance, it is 
 much. Look upon the little cottage in itself, or the rood of 
 land in itself, it is not much, but consider it as an earnest of 
 a great inheritance, so it is much. Beloved ! whatsoever 
 grace the saints have, they have it but as an earnest. Ye 
 read of the testimony of the Spirit ! the earnest of the Spirit ; 
 all the grace that the saints have on this side heaven, it is all 
 but the earnest of what they shall have. And the apostle he 
 blesses God for this, as ye read in Colossians i. 12. "Giving 
 thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be par- 
 takers of the inheritance of the saints in light :" Mark, here 
 are three things especially considerable in these words ; all 
 the children of God have an inheritance. You have but one
 
 252 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SfiR. 4. 
 
 heir to your estate, all are not heirs : but all God's children 
 have an inheritance. And the inheritance called an inherit- 
 ance of light: it does not lie in a dark, foggy, and fenny, and 
 moorish place, it is a comfortable inheritance, it is an inheri- 
 tance of light. And the apostle, he does here give thanks 
 unto God, that had made them meet to be partakers of the 
 inheritance of the saints in light. He does not here give thanks 
 unto God for the inheritance; but that they were meet to be 
 partakers of the inheritance; that they had an earnest: till the 
 inheritance came. I say, all the grace which a godly man 
 hath on this side heaven, it is but an earnest : you look upon 
 it as it is in itself, and you say ; it is not much : Aye, but look 
 upon it as an earnest, but as an earnest, and then you will 
 say. it is much indeed, Oh, it is much indeed. 
 
 III. But then especially ; consider the mystery of grace : 
 grace is a mystery, Ye read in Scripture of the mystery 
 of iniquity, and the mystery of godliness ; godliness is not 
 only a mystery in the general, but all the parts of god- 
 liness are mysterious ; there is a mystery in every part ; and 
 if you would but a little consider the mystery of grace, I 
 dare say, you would lift up your hands and say then, O ! what 
 abundance of grace is here, even in the weakest saint ! 
 
 1. For example, to instance. Ye say it is no great matter, 
 for a man or woman to tremble before the word, it is more 
 than many a one does ; many come and sit out sermons, and 
 never tremble before the word. Well, but you say, it is no 
 great matter to tremble before the word, to tremble at the 
 word. Aye, but for a man to tremble at the word, and yet to 
 count it as honey, and the honey-comb ; to tremble at the 
 word, and yet to love it and prize it then, and look upon it as 
 the honey and the honey-comb ; this is much : now ye shall 
 have a poor soul, a poor Christian, come and tremble before 
 the word, and yet look upon the word as the honey, even as 
 honey, and the honey-comb, for sweetness. This is much. 
 
 2. Again. You count it no great matter for one to love the 
 ordinances, so to love the ordinances above all the world, as 
 to be willing to part with all the world, rather than to part 
 with them ; this is a great matter. But may be, you will say, 
 this is no great matter. Well, but for a man or a woman to 
 think so ; so to love the ordinances, and yet notwithstanding 
 at the same time to think that he does not profit, that he is
 
 SER. 4.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 253 
 
 barren, and gets little or no good thereby : this is much. 
 Now thus you shall have it with a poor Christian ; love, and 
 prize the ordinances, and would not part with the ordinances 
 for all the world, and yet at the same time complain, and say, 
 Oh ! I get little good thereby. Here is a mystery. Put all to- 
 gether ; you take things asunder, and therefore you think it is 
 not much. 
 
 3. Again. You think it is no great matter for a man to 
 comfort himself in this, That the Lord knows his heart. Aye, 
 but for a man to comfort himself in that, and yet say, there 
 is much hypocrisy there; and the same day, it may be, say; 
 Oh ! I am an hypocrite. Thus you shall have it with many a 
 poor, gracious, drooping soul. All is naught ; O my heart, it 
 is full of hypocrisy ; and I am but an hypocrite ; and yet 
 now, let him be charged or accused by men of the world, for 
 such and such designs ; he comforts himself in this : Oh, but 
 blessed be the Lord, the Lord knows my heart. Put these 
 things together. 
 
 4. Again. You will say, it is no great matter for a man to 
 look into his own heart ; so to look into his own heart, and 
 so to be sensible of his sin, as to think he shall perish for 
 ever. Aye, but, for the same person, to profess he would not 
 change his condition with another for all the world ; this is 
 much. Take many a poor drooping soul, and thus it is : I 
 am afraid I shall go to hell, and perish to all eternity. But 
 now come and lay his condition to a drunkard, to an adulte- 
 rer ; says he, I profess I would not change my condition with 
 that man for all the world, at the same time. Here is a mys- 
 tery ! it is strange but there is a mystery in every piece of 
 godliness : and if you would but consider, it would appear 
 that there is much grace in those that have least. 
 
 5. Again. You say it is no great matter for a man to work 
 out his salvation with fear and trembling. Aye, but for the 
 same person to rely upon Jesus Christ only for salvation. 
 This is much. Now thus it is, you shall have a godly man 
 work, work with fear and trembling, as if he would earn 
 heaven with his fingers' ends, and yet he relies upon Jesus 
 Christ only for his salvation. 
 
 6. Further. You say it is no great matter for a man to 
 walk closely with God. But it is a great matter. It may be 
 you will say it is not. Aye, but for a man to walk closely
 
 254 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SfiR. 4. 
 
 with God, and yet to be in the dark; to walk exactly, and yet 
 to be in a crowd, and throng of business. Who can walk 
 exactly in the dark? and who can walk exactly in a crowd, 
 when he is carried to and fro in a crowd ? Thus now, you 
 shall have a godly, gracious man, walk exactly with God, 
 closely with God, and yet may be in the dark ; a child of light, 
 and yet in the dark ; and in a crowd of occasions and business, 
 and yet walk exactly : this is much. 
 
 7. Again. You will say, it is no great matter for a man to be 
 diligent in his particular calling. Aye, but for the same per- 
 son, for to take no thought, no dividing thought, what he 
 shall eat, or drink, or put on ; and yet be diligent in his par- 
 ticular calling, this is much. Now so it is, you shall have a 
 godly, gracious soul, taking no care, no dividing care what he 
 shall eat, or drink, or what he shall put on : and yet diligent 
 in his particular calling. 
 
 8. Again. You will say, it is no great matter for a man to 
 grieve for sin past, and to strive against sin for the time to 
 come. Aye, but for the same person to know that his sin 
 past is pardoned ; and to know that if he fall into a sin for the 
 time to come, God will work good out of it, it shall be for his 
 gain, God will over-rule it so ; and yet strive against it as the 
 greatest evil in the world ; this is much. Now thus it is, a 
 gracious soul knows his sin is pardoned, yet he grieves for it : 
 and he knows that if he shall fall into a sin, the Lord will 
 over-rule things so, as he shall be the better for it ; and yet 
 he strives against his sin, as the greatest evil in the world. 
 Here is a mystery ! this is much. 
 
 9. Again. You will say, it is no great matter for a man to 
 be quiet under his affliction, because it does come from God ; 
 for that reason : aye, but for the same person to be more 
 sensible, and to be the more afflicted, because it does come 
 from God ; this is much. Beloved, you shall have these two 
 meet together : a godly, gracious soul, he is therefore quiet 
 under affliction, because it does come from God ; and he is 
 therefore the more sensible of his affliction, because it does 
 come from God. Here is a mystery ! put these together, and 
 you will say, Things rise high. 
 
 10. I will instance but in one more, and that is a tenth. 
 You will say, it is no great matter for a man to be contented 
 with his condition : to be contented with his condition when
 
 SER. 4.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 255 
 
 it is mean, and when it is poor. Aye, but for the same per- 
 son to desire a better, and pray for a better, and to pray 
 earnestly for a better, and yet be contented with his condi- 
 tion though it be never so mean : this is much. Thus it is 
 with the saints, a child of God, being in a mean condition, 
 he desires a better ; he prays to God for a better, and he 
 prays earnestly to God for a better ; and yet he is contented 
 with his condition though it be never so mean : pray, and 
 pray earnestly, and yet contented with his condition, though 
 it be never so mean. Thus, my beloved, oh, there is a mys- 
 tery, there is a mystery in every piece of godliness : and you 
 look not upon things under the mysterious notion, and you 
 say, It is no great matter that is in the life of such an one. 
 Oh, but if you would look upon things under this notion, 
 and consider the mystery of godliness, and every piece thereof, 
 you would lift up your hands, and say, Oh ! surely he that 
 hath the least measure of gospel grace, hath abundance of 
 grace : he that hath but the least degree of grace, hath abun- 
 dance of grace ; of Christ's fulness. Now under the New 
 Testament we have received not sparingly, not scantly, but 
 grace for grace, and abundance of grace : he that hath but 
 the least measure, hath received much, hath received abun- 
 dance. 
 
 Some few things by way of application, and so I have 
 done. 
 
 I. If it be so, then why should any of God's people vi- 
 lify, and degrade, and lower the gift of God, wherewithal 
 they are enriched through Jesus Christ ? Would you take it 
 as fair dealing from a child that is estated in great lands by 
 his father, if he should say, My father indeed was pleased to 
 bestow a great estate upon my brother, but he hath given 
 little or nothing to me : he hath bestowed great means upon 
 such a sister, but he hath given little or nothing to me ? 
 This were not fair dealing. And is this fair dealing with your 
 God and with your Father, when you shall say, Aye, there is 
 such a godly man, the Lord hath given him a great estate of 
 the gospel, but little or nothing to me : and there is such a 
 woman, such a sister, the Lord hath done much for her soul, 
 but, oh ! little or nothing for me ? Beloved, there is no small 
 sin, because committed against the great God ; there is no 
 blessing small, because received from the great God : but of
 
 256 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SfiR 4. 
 
 all blessings, gospel blessing is the greatest. Hath the Lord, 
 therefore, man or woman, given thee any gospel grace, the 
 grace of Jesus Christ? He hath given thee much: that 
 which thou lookest upon as little, it is much in the eye of 
 heaven. Wherefore, now, let not the eunuch say, oh, let not 
 the eunuch say, I am a dry tree, any longer, Take heed how 
 you degrade, and vilify, and lower the grace of God, where- 
 withal you are enriched through Jesus Christ. 
 
 II. If there be such abundance of grace, even grace for 
 grace ; abundance of grace given unto the saints and people 
 of God under the New Testament : behold, then, what great 
 sinners professors are ! yea, the sins of God's own people 1 
 The more light and knowledge a man hath, if he sin, the 
 greater is his sin. The more beams of grace fall upon a 
 man's heart, the more he is able to discern the motes that are 
 there, and so may avoid them : and sinning, he sins the more. 
 The more grace and the more mercy a man sins against, the 
 greater is his sin, because free grace and mercy are the re- 
 medy. The more strength a man hath to stand, the greater 
 is his sin if he fall : as it was with Adam, he had strength to 
 stand, and yet he fell. I say, the more strength a man hath 
 to stand, the greater is his sin if he fall. Now, beloved, ye 
 have heard what abundance of grace is discovered, exhibited, 
 communicated unto all the saints under the New Testament ; 
 unto all the people of God. Oh ! how great are their sins 
 when they fall. The Lord was quick with many that sinned 
 in the Old Testament ; and will he not be quick with profes- 
 sors now, that know more, that have more grace, more grace 
 discovered now ? Many, when they sin, they excuse them- 
 selves, and they say, True, indeed, I have thus and thus 
 sinned ; but David did so : I have sinned, I have done thus 
 and thus ; but Samson did so : I have committed this or that 
 sin ; but Noah did so. Aye, but we have more light, \ve 
 have more grace discovered ordinarily among us now, than 
 ordinarily among them in the Old Testament : we have more 
 grace discovered, more abundance of grace communicated 
 now. And therefore, as the apostle concludes from it, we 
 ought the more abundantly to take heed : " For if they es- 
 caped not without a recompence of reward that sinned against 
 the law of Moses ; what shall become of those that sin against 
 the word of Christ, the Son of God ? " Professors ! all you
 
 SER. 4.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 257 
 
 that are the people of God, take heed how you sin ; take 
 heed how you tamper with your sins : grace hath abounded ! 
 you have received much : and therefore if you sin, this is that 
 that will make your sins out of measure sinful : take heed 
 what you do. 
 
 III. But, in the third place, if there be such an abun- 
 dance of grace communicated now, unto all the people of 
 God under the New Testament ; what a mighty encourage- 
 ment is here to all, good and bad : I say, a mighty encou- 
 ragement to all, to all those that hear me this day, good and 
 bad. 
 
 Bad : an encouragement to those that are bad, to those that 
 are wicked: therefore they should come in unto Jesus Christ; 
 he will not send your souls away empty ; there is a fulness in 
 Jesus Christ, and those that come unto him shall be filled by 
 him. He does not only give grace, but he gives abundance 
 of grace : who would not come unto Jesus Christ, that he 
 may be filled by Christ ? Mark, is there an abundance of 
 grace to be had from Christ, and wilt thou have none, drunk- 
 ard ? Is there such abundance of grace to be had in Christ, 
 and wilt thou have none, wanton ? Unclean heart, wilt thou 
 have none ? Swearer, sabbath-breaker, wilt thou have none ? 
 The Lord persuade your hearts to come in unto Jesus Christ. 
 I tell you, you will have more from him than you expect. 
 The prodigal looked but for bread at his father's house, and 
 he met with a fatted calf, and with a ring, and with the best 
 garment : you shall have more than you looked for ; it is a 
 mighty encouragement. Oh, you that never thought of re- 
 turning unto Jesus Christ, come in now unto Jesus Christ, 
 that you may have abundance of grace from him. I have 
 done, only this : Here is also encouragement unto all that are 
 godly, and therefore they should labour to be rich in grace. 
 Shall Jesus Christ do much for you, and will you do little for 
 him ? Shall you receive abundance from him, and will you 
 not do abundance for him ? Labour, oh ! labour all you ser- 
 vants of God to abound in the work of the Lord, that you 
 may be filled with all the fulness 'of God in Christ; that you 
 may be filled with all the fruits of righteousness ; that you 
 may be strengthened with all might in the inner man : you 
 have received much, you have had abundance ; he that hath 
 the least grace, hath abundance : if thou hast but the least
 
 258 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SER. 5. 
 
 gospel grace, thou hast abundance. Brethren, grace hath 
 abounded ! Oh ! let us abound in grace, abound in faith, 
 and abound in patience, and abound in meekness, sweetness, 
 and love towards one another, and towards all the saints. 
 You have received much ; can you go to heaven with doing 
 little ? God expects much from you. I conclude, therefore, 
 with the exhortation of the apostle : " As you have received 
 the Lord Jesus Christ: walk in him ; always abounding in 
 the work of the Lord ; forasmuch as ye know that your la- 
 bour is not in vain in the Lord," Col. ii. 6. 
 
 And thus much for the first thins: that is here intended. 
 
 SERMON V. 
 
 " And of his fulness have all we received, even grace for grace." 
 JOHN i. 16. 
 
 YE heard, the last day, that three things were contained in 
 this last clause, " Even grace for grace," as it stands in rela- 
 tion to the former part of the verse. 
 
 First of all, it notes an abundance of grace : even grace 
 for grace ; that is, abundance of grace. The saints and peo- 
 ple of God, under the New Testament, do receive abundance 
 of grace from Jesus Christ. 
 
 Secondly, it notes also thus much : That all grace is from 
 Jesus Christ. That whatsoever grace the saints have, they 
 have it from Jesus Christ. Grace for grace, says Austin, 
 that is, grace in order to grace : God gives the former grace, 
 says he, to prepare for the after grace. Whether the former 
 or the latter rain ; whether the former or the latter grace, it 
 it all from Christ. Whatsoever grace the saints have, they 
 have it from Christ. 
 
 This suits with the phrase of Job still : " Skin for skin," 
 that is, all a man's skin. So it is explained by the following 
 words : " Skin for skin, even all that a man hath will he give 
 for his life," Job ii. 4. So here, " Of his fulness have all we 
 received, even grace for grace :" that is all grace : whatsoever 
 grace we have, we have it from Jesus Christ. 
 
 And this also suits with the scope of the place : the scope
 
 SER. 5.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 259 
 
 of the place is, to exalt Jesus Christ above them that came 
 before him, above Moses. Therefore, says he, at the next 
 verse, " For the law was given by Moses, but grace and 
 truth came by Jesus Christ," John i. 17. Though the law 
 were given by Moses, yet, notwithstanding, grace, the chief, 
 that is from Christ. 
 
 Now grace, the word grace here in the 17th verse, must be 
 understood of all grace : " The law was given by Moses, but 
 grace and truth :" that is all grace. And this verse being 
 brought in as a reason of the former, surely, therefore, this 
 must needs be the meaning also of the former. Thus all 
 grace is from Jesus Christ ! whatsoever grace the saints have, 
 they have it from Jesus Christ. This is the argument that I 
 intend, God willing, to speak unto at this time. 
 
 Grace sometimes is taken for the favour of God. Some- 
 times it is taken for God's assistance. Sometimes it is taken 
 for holiness : either in the habit, or in the act. Sometimes 
 it is taken for gifts. 
 
 Sometimes the word grace is used for an office in the 
 church. Whatsoever it be, which way soever you take it ; 
 all grace is from Christ; whatsoever grace the saints have, 
 they have it from Jesus Christ. 
 
 This, now, will appear, if you consider the insufficiency of 
 nature, and the all-sufficiency of Christ. 
 
 As for the insufficiency of nature, you know what the 
 apostle says, " We are not able, as of ourselves, to think a 
 good thought ; but all our sufficiency is of God," 1 Cor. iii. 
 5. And if you look into this ist chapter of John, you find 
 that those that are regenerate, and born again ; it is said con- 
 cerning them, at the 13th verse, " that they are not born of 
 bloods," in the plural number ; your English hath it, blood, 
 in the singular number : " You are not born of blood, nor of 
 the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God/' 
 Some there are, and were, that thought themselves to be the 
 children of God, because they came of godly parents, because 
 of their bloods, because of their education : so the Jews : 
 " We are the children of Abraham." Some there are, and 
 were, that think themselves the children of God because of 
 some legal workings and monkish devotions : all those legal- 
 ities under the gospel are called flesh. Some there are that 
 think themselves the children of God, because of some more 
 s 2
 
 260 GRACE FOR GRACE. [ER. 5. 
 
 refined, and raised, and heroical actions. That he might ob- 
 viate all these, says he, " We are not born of bloods, nor of 
 the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." 
 You are for free-will, and you think free-will hath a great 
 stroke in man's conversion : but how can ye look this scrip- 
 ture in the face ? No way of will : " Not of the will of the 
 flesh, nor of the will of man." If it be any will, it must be 
 either the will of the flesh or the will of man : but I tell you, 
 says he, " we are not born of blood, nor of the will of the 
 flesh, nor of the will of man," no way of will, but of God." 
 
 To the like purpose you have, in James i. 17, "Every good 
 giving and every perfect gift is from above." In some of 
 your books you read thus : " Every good gift and every 
 perfect gift is from above." But it is rather to read, " Every 
 good giving." Every good gift and every good giving is from 
 above. Not only the thing given is from abo\e, but the 
 very donation, the very exhibition, the very giving out of 
 the thing that is good, it is from above. Every good giving 
 and every perfect gift is from above. So that plainly then, 
 there is an utter insufficiency in nature unto what is good. 
 
 As for the all-sufficiency of Jesus Christ, " He is the first- 
 born among many brethren," Rom. viii. 29. He is the first 
 fruit that sanctifieth all the rest. " I am the First and the 
 Last," says he, Rev. i. 17- The first is the cause of the rest. 
 The sun is the first and the great light, so the cause of all 
 other light. Jesus Christ, he is called the first in this same 
 chapter, 15th verse : " This was he (says John) of whom I 
 spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me, for 
 he was before me." So ye read it, but it is, "He was my 
 first," preferred before me, for he was my first. And there- 
 fore the first, giving a being unto all that follows, Jesus Christ, 
 he does give a being unto all our grace. " I am the way, 
 the truth, and the life," says he, John xiv. 6. 
 
 " I am the way." Would you go to heaven ? You can- 
 not go thither, but you must go in some way. A man can- 
 not go unto a city, but he must go some way or other ; if he 
 go by water, go by land, this way or that way, still he goes 
 some way or other. Says Christ, If you would go to heaven, 
 I am the way. This same word, way, it notes the means 
 unto a thing ; and when he says, " I am the way," it is as if 
 he should say, That look whatever means you do use in order
 
 SER. 5.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 261 
 
 to heaven, all those means, they have their virtue and their 
 power and their efficacy from me. 
 
 Aye, but a man may be in a way, and in a right way, and 
 yet notwithstanding, if he have not some guide he may lose 
 his way. 
 
 True, says he, therefore " I am the truth." And it is ob- 
 servable, how truth lies between way and life ; as if the way 
 to life were thorough truth, as if truth were the great road 
 or thorough-fare to life. Says Jesus Christ, I am that too, 
 I am the way and the truth too. 
 
 Aye, but though a man be in the right way, and he have 
 a guide, he may fall sick and die, and never come to his 
 journey's end. 
 
 Therefore says Christ, " I am the way, and the truth, and 
 the life " too. I, even I am he that gives life unto all your 
 motions and actions for heaven : all grace from Christ. He 
 it is, even he alone, that hath every man's heart and soul 
 under lock and key. 
 
 There are three great doors that must ordinarily be opened, 
 before converting grace can get into the soul of man. The 
 door of a powerful ministry; a large and an effectual door is 
 opened. 1 Cor. xvi. 9. The door of the ear ; " He openeth 
 the ear and sealeth instruction," Job xxxiii. 16. The door 
 of the understanding and of the heart ; Lydia's heart was 
 opened. Acts xvi. 14. Now if you look into the Scripture 
 you will find, that Jesus Christ hath the opening of all these 
 doors. " He hath the key of David ; he openeth and no 
 man shuts, and shutteth and no man openeth," Rev. iii. 7- 
 In the ist of the Revelation and the 18th verse, he says, that 
 he " hath the keys of hell and of death." No man goes 
 into the grave, but he opens a door to let him in ; and no 
 man goes to hell, but Jesus Christ he locks him up there, he 
 locks him up there unto all eternity. If he did not lock him 
 in, he would not be there unto all eternity. So that whatso- 
 ever grace or holiness there is in any man's heart, he opens 
 the door, he lets it in, it is by his ordering and his sending 
 thither. 
 
 And, beloved, if Jesus Christ were not the great Lord- 
 Keeper of his Father's wardrobe, why should those names 
 and titles be given to him, which you find so frequently in 
 Scripture ? Cast your eyes where you will, you shall hardly
 
 -62 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SEtt. 5. 
 
 look upon any thing, but Jesus Christ hath taken the name 
 of that upon himself. If you cast your eyes up to heaven 
 in the day, and behold the sun, he is called " the Sun of 
 Righteousness," Mai. iv. 2. If you cast your eyes in the 
 night upon the stars, or in the morning upon the morning 
 star, he is called the bright Morning Star," Rev. xxii. 16. 
 If you behold your own body, he is called the head, and the 
 church the body. Col. i. 18. If you look upon your own 
 clothes, he is called your raiment ; " Put ye on the Lord 
 Jesus," Rom. xiii. 14. If you behold your meat, he is called 
 bread, the Bread of Life," John vi. 35. If you look upon 
 your houses, he is called a door. John x. 9. If you look 
 abroad into the fields, and behold the cattle of the fields, he 
 is called the Good Shepherd, John x. 11; he is called the 
 Lamb, John i. 29 ; he is called the fatted calf, Luke xv. 23. 
 If you look upon the waters, he is called a fountain ; the 
 blood of Christ a fountain. Zech. xiii. 1. If you look upon 
 the stones, he is called " a Corner Stone," Isa. xxviii. 16. 
 If you look upon the trees, he is called " a Tree of Life," 
 Prov. iii. 18. What is the reason of this ? Surely, not only 
 to way-lay your thoughts, that wheresoever you look, still 
 you should think of Christ ; but to show, that in a spiritual 
 way and sense, he is all this unto the soul. And you may 
 observe, that these titles and names, they are not barely and 
 nakedly given to him ; but still with some speciality, some 
 mark or other. He is not barely called the Shepherd, but 
 the Good Shepherd. He is not only called a Lamb, but the 
 " Lamb slain from the beginning of the world." He is not 
 barely called the light, but " the true Light," the light of the 
 world. He is not barely called bread, but " the Bread of 
 Life." Now you know why Adam at the first gave names 
 unto the creatures; according to their names was their 
 natures, was their conditions, and Adam, our first father 
 Adam, was not mistaken when he gave the names. And do 
 you think Christ, the second Adam, when he gives these 
 names unto himself, that he is mistaken ? Certainly he is 
 not mistaken, he is all this. And therefore, as the apostle 
 speaks, Col. iii. 11, you read it, " Christ is all in all." But 
 better, he is all things in all persons, or all things in all 
 things ; he is all things. Whatsoever good there is found 
 in any man, it is from Jesus Christ. Surely may one say,
 
 SER. 5.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 263 
 
 The Lord is our strength ; surely may we all say, The Lord 
 is our strength, the Lord Jesus is our righteousness. What- 
 soever grace or holiness the saints have, they have it from 
 Jesus Christ. 
 
 You will say, This, though it seem to give much to Christ, 
 it derogates from the Father ; for if all be from Jesus Christ, 
 then nothing from the Father, and so it derogates from God 
 the Father. 
 
 I answer, No, it does no way derogate from God the Fa- 
 ther. The apostle Paul was much in this doctrine that now 
 I am upon, and yet he honoured the Father too. " Grace 
 and peace (says he) from God our Father, and from our Lord 
 Jesus Christ," Rom. i.7. Though all grace be from Christ, yet 
 grace and peace from the Father too, says he, from God our 
 Father. And having shown in the viith of the Romans, 
 that being married unto Christ, and dead unto the law, that 
 therefore we should bring forth fruit. As in the 4th verse : 
 " Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the 
 law by the body of Christ, that ye should be married to an- 
 other, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we 
 should bring forth fruit unto God." He does not say, that 
 we should bring forth fruit unto Christ, but that we should 
 bring forth fruit unto God. The Father and Christ are one: 
 " I and my Father are one," says Christ, John x. 30. In 
 honouring Jesus Christ, you honour the Father, as in ho- 
 nouring of the Father you honour Christ. 
 
 You will say, Wherein is the honour to the Father accor- 
 ding unto this truth ? How does this any way make to 
 the honour of God the Father, that all grace is from Jesus 
 Christ ? 
 
 Yes ! for I answer, First, though all grace be immediately 
 given out of the hand of Christ, all grace from him, and he 
 gives it out; he is commissioned, and designed by the Fa- 
 ther to do it : he does but the Father's work. " I came not 
 to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me," 
 John vi. 38. Was it any dishonour to Pharaoh, that Jo- 
 seph gave out the bread in the time of famine ? No, because 
 he was commissioned by Pharaoh to do it. And so now, if Je- 
 sus Christ have a commission from the Father to do this, it 
 is no dishonour to the Father : and a commission he hath,
 
 264 GRACE FOB GRACE. [SER. 5. 
 
 he will shew you it under hand and seal ; " Him hath God 
 the Father sealed," John vi. 27. So says Christ. 
 
 Again, though all grace come immediately out of the hand 
 of Christ, all grace from him, and he gives it out : yet he is 
 furnished and accomplished with ability unto this great 
 office by God the Father. Isa. Ixi. 1. The Spirit of the 
 Lord is upon me (says he) and he hath anointed me to open 
 the prison doors to captives," &c. Now, is it any dishonour 
 to God, that the sun does distribute and give out light, and 
 heat unto all the creatures ? No, but rather an honour to 
 him : for when a man sees so glorious a creature as the sun, 
 that gives out light, and heat unto all the creatures here be- 
 low ; he lifts up his hands, and says ; Oh ! what a glorious 
 God have we, that hath furnished this creature with these 
 abilities? So now, when a man considers Christ as this 
 great Sun of Righteousness, distributing his graces to all the 
 saints ; will it be any dishonour to God the Father that he 
 is in this office, seeing he hath furnished him hereunto ? 
 Surely no, they will rather lift up their hands and say, Oh ! 
 what a good God have we, that hath furnished Christ with 
 all these abilities for our poor souls ? 
 
 Again, Though the administration of things be in the 
 hand of Christ, the right is in the Father : and when Jesus 
 Christ hath done his work, he will give up the kingdom to 
 the Father : in the mean while, " None comes unto the Son 
 but whom the Father draws," John vi. 14, and " None 
 comes unto the Father, but he unto whom the Son reveals 
 him," Matt. xi. 27. Is it any disparagement unto a man, to 
 have a wise, a potent, a great man to his child ? " A wise 
 son makes a glad father," says Solomon, Prov. x. 1. Indeed 
 if the Father and the Son were two, they might be enemies: 
 but Christ and the Father are one : " I and my Father are 
 one," John x. 30 : and therefore in honouring of Jesus Christ, 
 you honour the Father also. 
 
 But you will say, Was there no creature in all the world, 
 that was fit to make this great trust over to ? Why hath 
 God the Father put Christ into this office, that all grace 
 should come out of his hand ? W r as there no creature that 
 was fit for this work but Christ alone ? 
 
 No, I answer, this trust would have broke the back of any 
 creature : no creature in heaven or earth, as a mere creature,
 
 SER. 5.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 265 
 
 was able to purchase this trust : he had not a stock and es- 
 tate of grace enough by him : Christ himself hath it by pur- 
 chase : for he being the second person, the apostle tells us, 
 " He emptied himself, and became of no reputation ; where- 
 fore God hath given him a name above every name," Phil. 
 ii. 7> 9, that in the name and strength of Jesus Christ we 
 should be more than conquerors. He had a great estate by 
 him, he was the second person : yet notwithstanding, this 
 purchase was so great, that says Paul, " He emptied himself." 
 Surely no creature in heaven or earth was able to come to 
 this purchase. He that must be the world's Joseph, to give 
 out bread of grace to all the world, the saints in the world ; 
 he must have infinite knowledge to know the wants of God's 
 people : and he must have infinite mercy, and patience, and 
 goodness to pity them : and he must have infinite power, to 
 reach it forth unto them, which no creature hath, and there- 
 fore no creature at all fit for this work. 
 
 Besides, God the Father hath so ordered things in the 
 dispensations of his grace, that he might take the most con- 
 tentment, and complacency, and delight in the duties and 
 services of his people : this is the only way to it. " This is 
 my beloved Son (says he) in whom I am well pleased," Matt, 
 iii. 17. If there be a garment that is laid with gold-lace, 
 hung or stuck full of pearls; though the cloth of the garment 
 be not much worth ; yet because of the gold lace, and the 
 pearls that are upon it, you count it very precious. Such 
 are our duties; the cloth of our duty is not much worth, but 
 because of the golden lace, and the pearls of the graces of 
 Jesus Christ, they are very precious. It is not in regard of 
 our duties, as in regard of our flowers, or posies : let a flower 
 or posie be never so sweet, they receive not any of the sweet- 
 ness from the bosom that it sticks in : the posie does sweeten 
 the bosom, but the bosom does not sweeten the posie. Aye but 
 now the duty that is stuck in the bosom of Jesus Christ, is 
 sweetened by the bosom, by the bosom that it sticks in. 
 Pray mark, therefore, what is said in the xith of the Canticles 
 for this purpose. Says the spouse at the 12th verse, " When 
 (or while) the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth 
 forth the smell thereof." My spikenard; what is that? 
 The graces, and the duties, and the services of God's peo- 
 ple, they are his spikenard : this spikenard sendeth forth the
 
 266 GRACE FOR GRACE. [$ER. 5. 
 
 smell thereof, while the king sitteth at his table ; while it is 
 in the presence of Jesus Christ ; whilst the posie is in his 
 bosom it smells sweet, else it does not. Now God the Fa- 
 ther, I say, he hath so ordered things, that he may take a 
 complacency and contentment in the duties and services of 
 his people, and therefore it is that all their graces, they come 
 from Jesus Christ, by virtue of him. 
 
 It will be objected yet. It should seem that all grace does 
 not come from Christ ; no, nor from God the Father nei- 
 ther : for in the xvith of the Proverbs, and the 1st verse, it 
 is said, as some translations read it, " The preparations of 
 the heart are of man, but the answer of the tongue is from 
 the Lord." If a man can prepare his heart, that is a great 
 matter : but now, says Solomon, " The preparations of the 
 heart are of man, but the answer of the tongue is from the 
 Lord :" surely therefore, all is not of grace, and all is not of 
 Christ. 
 
 By way of answer, I shall say these three things. 
 
 1. The meaning of this place cannot be according to 
 this objection : for then, as Bradwardine does well observe, 
 the greater should be given to man, and the lesser should be 
 given to God : for it is a greater thing for a man to prepare 
 his heart, than for him to speak words when his heart is 
 prepared. And then again, as Austin observes, this would 
 be contrary to other Scriptures : for our Saviour Christ, 
 he says, " Without me ye can do nothing," John xv. 5 : yes, 
 might a man say, according to Solomon's doctrine, I can 
 prepare my own heart, and that is a great duty. And so 
 whereas the apostle says, " We are not able for to think 
 a good thought," 2 Cor. iii. 5 : a man might say, yes, but 
 according to Solomon's doctrine, I am able to prepare my 
 own heart. The meaning therefore of this place cannot be 
 according to this objection. 
 
 2. The scope therefore, of this place is this : to shew 
 the vanity and the bootlessness of all our thoughts without 
 God. Let a man think, and think, and spend his heart in 
 thoughtfulness, all is in vain unless God go along with him ; 
 for God can come between his heart and his lips. So it was 
 with Balaam ; he prepared his heart for to curse the people ; 
 but God came between his heart and the preparation, and
 
 . 5.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 267 
 
 he gave an answer of blessing contrary to the preparation 
 of his heart. That is the scope of the place, to show the 
 vanity of the preparations of our hearts to any business, un- 
 less we take God along with us. 
 
 3. This place is so far from speaking against the doc- 
 trine in hand, that it seems to speak for it. For according 
 to the Hebrew, the words may be read thus : " The heart 
 preparations of man, and the answer of the tongue from the 
 Lord :" giving both heart and tongue into the hand of the 
 Lord. And if it be so, that after a man hath prepared his 
 heart unto any work, God is able to come between the heart 
 and the lip, and to give in another answer into the mouth 
 than what was intended in the heart : this shows that all is of 
 God, that all is of grace ; and so this place does rather con- 
 firm the doctrine that I am now upon. 
 
 Aye, but yet it will be said then : Grant it, that all grace 
 is from Christ, that whatsoever grace a man hath, he hath it 
 from Jesus Christ ; yet so, as that when a man is converted, 
 and drawn to Christ ; there is a principle, or a habit of grace 
 infused into the soul, whereby through ordinary concurrence 
 and assistance from God, a man is able for to walk graciously 
 without fresh assistance : for example, when the Lord made 
 the world in the beginning, he gave unto the creatures a 
 power to bring forth their like ; he gave unto the beasts a 
 power to bring forth their like ; he gave unto plants, unto 
 herbs, a power to bring forth their like ; he gave unto man a 
 power to bring forth his like ; and so, grace being but a crea- 
 ture, he gave also unto grace a power to bring forth gracious 
 actions without fresh assistance, only by ordinary concur- 
 rence : yet, because that this first habit is infused and comes 
 from God, this is said to be from Christ, and from grace ; so 
 that though all is of grace, and all is from Christ, yet all is 
 not from Christ in regard of fresh assistance. 
 
 Give me leave to answer this. Yes, all is from Jesus 
 Christ ; all grace is from Jesus Christ in regard of fresh as- 
 sistance too. 
 
 For although in the beginning God made a covenant of 
 works with man, and then gave that grace, that he had a 
 power to bring forth its like ; yet now the Lord hath brought 
 us under a better covenant, a better covenant than the former 
 was. In the first covenant that God made with us, and with
 
 268 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SER. 5. 
 
 Adam, the Lord gave man a great stock of grace, but gave 
 him no promise of perseverance ; but now he hath. In the 
 first, indeed, God gave man a great stock of grace, but Satan 
 being stronger than man, came upon him, and beguiled him 
 of it. Now though the Lord does give a Christian less grace 
 in his hand for the present, yet he hath laid it up in so safe 
 a hand, that though Satan, a stronger than he, does come 
 down upon him, he is not able to wrest it from him, or be- 
 guile him of it, because it is in the hand of Christ, that is a 
 stronger than he : and Jesus Christ, by a compact with the 
 Father, from all eternity, hath engaged himself to do it; to 
 give forth grace and assistance to all the elect, according to 
 all their needs. So that, I say, now, all grace is from Jesus 
 Christ in regard of fresh assistance. Therefore the Psalmist 
 prays thus : " Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall 
 shew forth thy praise," Psalm li. 15. Lord, though thou hast 
 given me habitual grace, yet, if I have not fresh assistance 
 from thee, for to open my lips, my mouth will not shew forth 
 thy praise. And so again, " Lord, open mine eyes, that I 
 may see the wonders of thy law," Psalm cxix. 18. And to 
 this purpose, it is in the xviith Psalm, and the 5th verse, says 
 David, " Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps 
 slip not." Mark, I pray, David ye know was a godly man, 
 he had a habit of grace. Now, Lord, says David, as for the 
 business that is between Saul and me, thou knowest I am in 
 thy way ; yet, Lord, says he, though I be in thy way, and 
 have a habit of grace, yet if thou dost not hold up my steps, 
 if thou dost not give me fresh assistance, I shall fall, I shall 
 slip : " Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps 
 slip not." Does not the apostle say, " The will and the deed 
 is from God ?" Phil. ii. 13. You may observe, that the gra- 
 ces of God's people, they are called in the New Testament, 
 " the fruits of the Spirit," Gal. v. 22. They are not called 
 the fruits of a former habit, but they are called " the fruits of 
 the Spirit." And, indeed, if all grace were not from Jesus 
 Christ, in regard of fresh assistance, truly, then, might a man 
 have wherein to boast : as Bradwardine reasons the case : For, 
 says he, though a child have his being from his father, his 
 education from his father, learning, military skill ; yet, not- 
 withstanding, the valour of an action being his own, he hath 
 in opposition to his father wherein to boast. True, I confess
 
 SER. 5.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 269 
 
 indeed I had my being from my father, I had my nature from 
 my father, I had my education from my father, I had this 
 skill from my father ; but the prowess, and the valour, and 
 the spirit of the action is all mine own : and he hath wherein 
 to boast. So if he hath the habit only from Christ, he hath 
 wherein to boast : true, I had the habit, the grace from God, 
 aye but the spirit of the action, that is mine : he hath where- 
 in to boast. But there is no room for boasting, and therefore 
 all grace is from Christ in regard of fresh assistance. 
 
 It will be yet said, but if all grace be from Christ in regard 
 of fresh assistance too, why is it said that we repent, and we 
 believe, and we obey : for if all grace, in regard of the very 
 work, be from Christ ; if Jesus Christ do work all our works ; 
 why is it not rather said, that Christ does repent, and Christ 
 does believe, and Christ does obey ? 
 
 I answer, No. You know the persons that are responsi- 
 ble : if I owe a man a thousand pounds, and have never a 
 penny to pay it ; and another man he comes and lends me 
 the money, and goes along with me to the creditor, the bond 
 is taken up, and acquittance made, discharge made ; he is not 
 said to have paid the money, but I am said to pay the money 
 that am responsible. So, now, you are responsible: and 
 therefore, though ye have all strength from Christ to do it, 
 yet you are said to repent, and believe, and obey. The devil 
 is not said to commit adultery, and commit murder, yet by 
 his instigation it is done. The sun does work with the tree, 
 when the tree does bring forth fruit ; and yet it is not said 
 that the sun brings forth an apple, or brings forth fruit : be- 
 cause the sun does work as an universal cause, and the tree 
 as a particular cause. So now, though Jesus Christ does 
 work in all our workings, yet he is not said to repent, or be- 
 lieve, or to obey : because he works as an universal cause, 
 and you work as a particular cause. Only behold here the 
 mirror of grace : all is of Christ, and yet all is cur's ; all is 
 cur's in denomination, and all is Christ's in operation ; all is 
 cur's in regard of encouragement, and all is Christ's in regard 
 of glory ; all is our's in regard of reward, and all is Christ's 
 in regard of honour. Here is grace ! Here is the mystery of 
 grace ! but still all, whatsoever grace a man hath, he hath it 
 from Jesus Christ. 
 
 Aye but, will you say, to what end is this doctrine opened,
 
 270 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SfiR. 5. 
 
 thus largely opened and pressed ? What good is there that 
 does come thereby ? 
 
 What good ! I answer, What good would you have ? 
 What good would you do ? Would you have the Lord Jesus 
 Christ to become your strength ? The way to have him to 
 become your strength, is to count him so. Look I pray upon 
 the xxxist Psalm, the 2nd and 3rd verses : " Be thou my 
 strong rock, for an house of defence to save me ; for thou 
 art my rock and my fortress." Be thou my rock, for thou 
 art my rock. What kind of argument is this ? Yet it is a 
 good argument : the way to have Christ our rock, is to ac- 
 count him our rock ; my very resting upon the promise does 
 make it mine ; and your very resting upon Jesus Christ does 
 make him yours ; and what will make you rest more upon 
 him, than to see that all is from him ? 
 
 Again. Would you have your hearts warmed with love 
 unto Jesus Christ ? Indeed our whole life should be nothing 
 else but an expression of love to Christ, as Christ's life and 
 death was nothing else but an expression of love to us. 
 Now, says a gracious soul, is this true indeed, that all grace 
 is from Christ ? that whatsoever grace the saints have, they 
 have it from Jesus Christ ? that there is not a good thought 
 in my heart, but runs through the heart of Jesus Christ be- 
 fore it does come at mine ? What infinite cause then have 
 I to love Jesus Christ. 
 
 Again. Would you live in dependance upon Christ for 
 grace, for truth ? The serious consideration of this truth 
 will help you to it. I confess indeed, will some say, when I 
 look upon myself, I am a man or woman of such poor gifts 
 or parts, that I have no hope, I am afraid I shall never attain 
 to the truth of the time ; but is it so, that all is from Jesus 
 Christ ? whatsoever grace the saints have, they have it from 
 Jesus Christ ? Why may not I know the truth of the time 
 as well as another ? I will yet wait on Jesus Christ. 
 
 Again. Would you walk humbly, be very humble, and 
 get a serious and deep humiliation for sin committed ? The 
 study of this truth will help you to do it. You know what, 
 the prophet Isaiah says, " Oh, Lord, (says he) woe is me, I 
 am undone, I am undone," Isa. vi. 5. Why ? what is the 
 matter ? Oh, says he, " mine eyes have seen the King." 
 If you look into the iiird chapter of Matthew, you will find
 
 SEU. 5.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 2?1 
 
 there, in John the Baptist, such a self-humbling speech, 
 Christ-advancing speech, as you shall not meet with many of 
 the like again. Says he, at the llth verse, " Whose shoes I 
 am not worthy to bear;" or as other Gospels hath it, 
 " Whose shoes latchet I am not worthy to unloose." Be- 
 loved, I pray consider it a little. John, than which there 
 was not a greater, the great preacher that all the country 
 followed, John cries out and says, " Whose shoes latchet I 
 am not worthy to unloose." What made him think thus ? 
 What wrought his heart into this humble, this self-denying 
 frame ? The very doctrine we are now upon ? Says he, " I 
 indeed baptize you with water unto repentance ; but he that 
 cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not 
 worthy to bear : he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost 
 and with fire." As if he should say thus : I may baptize 
 you outwardly, but the efficacy of all those ordinances, it is 
 from Jesus Christ, and therefore, because the efficacy of 
 every ordinance is from Jesus Christ, says he, As for me, I 
 am not worthy to bear his shoes, to undo his latchet. 
 
 Yet further, in the general, Would you be fruitful ? would 
 you be fruitful in your life and conversation ? People, they 
 complain of barrenness. Would you be fruitful ? Observe 
 what course the gardener takes with the apricot. This is a 
 fruit, says he, that will not grow every where ; but surely, 
 if it will grow any where, it will grow upon the back of this 
 chimney, the warm heat, the heat of this chimney will nurse 
 it up. Or else, It will grow up against that wall, I will set 
 it in the face of the sun, that it may have the smiles of the 
 sunbeams, and then it will grow. He sets it there, and then 
 it grows, and brings forth a pleasant fruit. Dost thou com- 
 plain thou art not fruitful ; what is the reason ? may be thou 
 growest in the shade, may be thou growest in the shade ; 
 but come and bring forth thine heart, set it in the sun, under 
 the warm beams of the love of Jesus Christ : see if thy 
 heart be not fruitful then. And, beloved, what greater love 
 than this, that Jesus Christ hath died for sinners ? that he 
 hath died for sinners ? that he hath purchased all grace for 
 sinners ? And he keeps their stock in his own hand, to give 
 it out unto them according to all their wants. Here is love ; 
 here is grace. This is the way to be fruitful. 
 
 I come to the application.
 
 272 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SfiR. 5. 
 
 Is it so, that all grace is from Christ, that whatsoever grace 
 the saints have, they have it from Jesus Christ Christ 
 meriting, and Christ working; that all our efficiency and 
 sufficiency, and all-sufficiency is from Christ. That he is the 
 great Joseph, the world's Joseph, the Lord-Keeper of all 
 our graces, the Lord-Treasurer of all our comforts. Then, 
 oh, what infinite cause have we all to advance and lift up the 
 name of Jesus Christ, to hallow Jesus Christ, not verbally 
 but really. Commanded ye are to honor your parents : 
 they give you a being, and yet by that being you are brought 
 forth under the wrath of God ; but yet honor them, because 
 you have your being from them. Aye, and by your birth 
 and by your nature exposed unto the wrath of God for ever ; 
 yet honor them, because you have your being from them. 
 
 And shall we honor our parents because we have our out- 
 ward being from them ? and shall we not honor Jesus Christ, 
 from whom we have the being of all our graces, the being of 
 our souls unto all eternity ? What infinite engagements are 
 upon us all to honor Jesus Christ. 
 
 You will say unto me, This indeed does naturally follow ; 
 but how shall we honor Jesus Christ according to the heighth 
 of this doctrine ? how shall we honor Jesus Christ according 
 to the heighth of this truth, that is now before us ? Give 
 me leave to spend some time in this ; this is that I have been 
 driving at all this while. Some particulars herein. 
 
 Ye cannot honour Jesus Christ, unless that you do offer 
 up your own Christ unto him : I say, unless you offer 
 up your own Christ to him ; I mean, your natural Christ to 
 him. Some there are, that make a Christ of their good 
 meaning, and think to be saved thereby ; rest upon that, and 
 think to be saved thereby. Some rest upon an honest and 
 sober conversation, and think to be saved thereby. Some 
 rest upon their duties, enlargements in duties, and think to 
 be saved thereby. Some rest upon their very resting ; trust- 
 ing is not to be trusted to : but some rest upon their very 
 resting, and think to be saved thereby. Some rest upon 
 those enjoyments and sweetnesses that they meet withal in 
 duty, and think to be saved thereby. Beloved, you may ob- 
 serve, that when the Lord commanded his people in the Old 
 Testament to honour him, he commands them to sacrifice 
 such things to him, which other nations did make their gods ;
 
 SER. 5.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 273 
 
 they should sacrifice sheep, and oxen, and birds ; such things 
 they should offer up unto God, that others did worship as 
 god: plainly teaching this, that he that will honour God, 
 must give that unto God which the world makes its god. 
 So say I, if you would honour Christ, you must give that 
 up unto Jesus Christ, which other men do make their Christ. 
 Many false Christs there are that are made by men : you 
 cannot honour Jesus Christ, if you do not give up those to 
 him. 
 
 Again. You cannot honour Jesus Christ, if you count it a 
 small matter to belong to him. A servant that honours his 
 master, does count it a great matter to belong to him. And 
 therefore David, he does title some of his Psalms so : a 
 Psalm of David the servant of the Lord : he does not say, 
 a Psalm of David the king of Israel ; but, a Psalm of David 
 the servant of the Lord : counting it more honour to be the 
 Lord's servant, than to be king of Israel ; he counted it a 
 great matter to be the Lord's servant, because he honoured 
 the Lord. Those that honour Christ, they look upon the 
 things of Christ as great matters : the works of Christ, as 
 great works : and the ordinances of Christ as great matters ; 
 and a great matter to belong to Christ : and if they lose any 
 thing, or lose any friend; they will relieve themselves here; 
 Oh ! but yet I belong to Jesus Christ, yet I belong to Jesus 
 Christ. 
 
 Ye cannot honour Jesus Christ, and give the worst to him. 
 Abel honoured God, and he offered the best ; and because 
 he offered the best, therefore he honoured God. " If I be a 
 Father, where is mine honour ? (says the Lord.) Why bring 
 ye the lean, and the maimed, and the feeble ?" Mai. i. 6, 8. 
 " Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the first 
 fruits of all thine increase," says Solomon, Prov. iii. 9. Ob- 
 serve therefore, what is your best, and what is your sub- 
 stance, and what are your first fruits ? and give them up to 
 Christ. Young men, young men, and women ; the best of 
 your years, the best of your strength, the best of your time 
 is to be given to Jesus Christ : ye cannot honour Jesus 
 Christ, and give him the worst : oh ! that the old people 
 would be much humbled ; and the young people would be 
 much encouraged : you cannot honour Jesus Christ, and give 
 the worst to him. 
 
 T
 
 274 GKACE FOIl GRACE. [SliR. .") . 
 
 Ye cannot honour Jesus Christ, and despise the choice 
 work of Christ. What is the choice work of Christ ? Grace, 
 grace is the choice work of Christ, that comes out of his 
 hand ; and the worst name that you can give it, is, to 
 call it hypocrisy. Some there are, that looking upon the 
 lives of godly men, they say : Aye, but it is all hypocrisy, 
 and they are hypocritical. Yea, and some poor souls there 
 are, that when they look upon their own souls, they conclude 
 and say ; Aye, but it is all hypocrisy ; I prayed such a time, 
 but it was all in hypocrisy : aye, but what if it be the grace 
 of Christ ? what if it prove so ? Surely, surely ye cannot 
 honour Jesus Christ, and despise the choicest works that come 
 out of his hands. 
 
 Again, a man is said then for to honour Christ, when he 
 does trust unto him, and rest upon him for help at a dead 
 lift, as we speak commonly, and the more a man does rely 
 upon Jesus Christ in straits and in the time of tempta- 
 tion, the more he does honour Jesus Christ. Abraham gave 
 glory to God, he believed above hope, and under hope ; and 
 because he believed above hope, and under hope, therefore 
 he gave glory to God, when he considered his own body. Man 
 or woman, wouldest thou therefore now honour Jesus Christ ? 
 Say, True, I confess indeed I have sinned much ; and when 
 I look upon myself, I know no reason why such a wretch, 
 so great a sinner as I, should be saved : but because the 
 way to honour Christ is for to rest upon him ; and I have 
 dishonoured Jesus Christ enough already, therefore now, 
 through the grace of God, I will cast the weight of my poor 
 guilty soul upon Jesus Christ ; yea, for that very reason will 
 I leave the weight of my guilty soul upon him, because there- 
 by I may honour him. 
 
 Again, the way to honour Jesus Christ, is, so to walk 
 and so to live, as the men of the world may speak well of 
 the ways of Christ by your conversation. " Let your light 
 so shine before men, that they may glorify God,'' &c. Matt. 
 v. 16. The men of the world will then speak well of the 
 ways of Christ, when a Christian, that hath the name of 
 Christ in a special manner put upon him, when he does that 
 through the strength of Christ, which the men of the world 
 cannot do : pray for those that persecute you ; do good to 
 those that do ill to you : when a man is abundant in the work
 
 SER. 5.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 2J"5 
 
 of the Lord, constant therein, and humble. For abundant, 
 you know what our Saviour says : " In this is my Father 
 glorified, that ye bring forth much fruit," John xv. 8. One 
 sun in the firmament, honours God the Creator more, than 
 an hundred little stars. One strong Christian, that does 
 much for God, honours him more than twenty, than an 
 hundred weak ones. 
 
 Aye, but though a man have advance of grace, and be 
 abundant in the work of the Lord : yet notwithstanding, if 
 he be not constant therein, he does not cause the way of 
 Christ to be well spoken of: what will men say ? Aye, he is 
 wound up to a great height for the present, but stay a little, 
 and you will find him down by and by. 
 
 Yea, though a man be abundant and constant : yet if he 
 be not humble, he does not honour the way of Christ: when 
 a man is abundant in good, constant therein, and walks hum- 
 bly; what says the world then ? Aye, there is the man, if 
 all professors were such ; aye, there is an humble man, there 
 is a self-denying man ; aye, if you were all such, if you were 
 all such, then I should like the ways of God the better. 
 Take heed therefore, unto your lives, that ye so walk, as that 
 the ways of Jesus Christ may be well spoken of by you. 
 
 Would you honour Jesus Christ as you should ? Then 
 own him : own him in evil times, and stand for him in the 
 times of general declining. Honor est testimonium de allicu- 
 jus excellentia ; honour is the testimony of a man's excel- 
 lency: when I testify of an excellency in a man, then I hon- 
 our him ; and the more 1 testify of an excellency in a man, 
 the more I honour him. Now the less the truth of Christ 
 is ; and the more despised the ordinance of Christ is, and the 
 more I suffer for it : the more do I testify of an excellency 
 in Jesus Christ : what ! suffer the loss of all for that which 
 the world counts little worth ! O ! if there be such an ex- 
 cellency in a truth, a small truth, a despised ordinance ; what 
 an excellency is there in Christ himself ! Observe therefore, 
 what those despised ordinances are, and labour to bear them 
 up, those truths that the world counts small truths, be wil- 
 ling to lose much for them; stand for them in times of ge- 
 neral declining; own Jesus Christ in evil times; otherwise 
 you cannot honour him. 
 
 I have done. Only thus : be willing to stoop unto any 
 T 2
 
 276 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SER. 6. 
 
 work, though it lies much below your condition, for Jesus 
 Christ; and say, that you are not sufficient unto such a 
 work : when you have done the work, set the crown upon 
 the head of the means, that is most properly Christ's. Some 
 means are natural, and some institutional : some means that 
 are near unto Christ : some means that ye use in a work, 
 that are more properly Christ's : choose to set the crown 
 upon the head of the means that is nearest to Jesus Christ. 
 Thus doing, ye shall honour Jesus Christ. And oh ! my 
 beloved, why should not we all now set ourselves for to 
 honour him ? not in word, but in deed to honour Jesus 
 Christ ? He hath done all for our profit, why should we not 
 do all for his honour? God the Father honours Jesus 
 Christ, why should not we honour Jesus Christ? you that 
 have had the experience of this truth, as I make no question 
 but there are many here, that have had the experience of it; 
 that whatsoever grace the saints have, they have it from 
 Jesus Christ: you, I say, that have had the experience of this 
 truth. Oh 1 labour now to advance, to lift up the name of 
 Jesus Christ: oh! that our whole life, might be nothing 
 else, but a Christ-advancing life ! you that have the expe- 
 rience of it, labour, not in word, but in deed to lift up the 
 name of Jesus Christ. 
 
 SERMON VI. 
 
 " And of his fulness have all we received, even grace for grace." 
 JOHN i. 16. 
 
 THREE things, ye heard, are to be noted in this last 
 clause, as it stands in relation to the former part of the 
 verse : 
 
 First. It notes, an abundance of grace. 
 
 Secondly. It notes thus much : that whatsoever grace the 
 saints have, they have it from Jesus Christ. And of these 
 two I have spoken already. 
 
 The third now follows. It notes also, an answerableness 
 of grace in every Christian unto the grace of Christ. Of whose 
 fulness we have all received, even grace for grace ; grace ans-
 
 SER. 6.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 277 
 
 werable to his grace. We have not only received abundance 
 of grace from Christ : but whatsoever grace or holiness 
 there is in Jesus Christ, there is somewhat in the saints that 
 is answerable thereunto. 
 
 And this now suits with your ordinary expression : when 
 the seal falls upon the wax, and the wax receives it rightly ; 
 ye say, there is upon the wax, stamp for stamp, character 
 for character, image for image : so here, grace for grace, that 
 is, whatsoever grace there is in Christ, there is the like stamp 
 upon the heart of every Christian. 
 
 This also suits with that expression of Scripture, " An eye 
 for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth," Matt. v. 38 ; that is, an 
 eye answerable unto an eye, a tooth answerable to a tooth ; 
 so grace for grace, that is answerable grace : whatsoever grace 
 or holiness there is in Christ, something in a Christian that 
 answers thereunto. 
 
 Take grace for favour, for the favour of God. And is Jesus 
 Christ called the Beloved of God ; " This is my beloved 
 Son," Matt. iii. 1 7 ? so are the saints too ; Solomon is called 
 " Jedidiah, the beloved of God," 2 Sam. xii. 25. 
 
 Take grace for privilege. Is Jesus Christ called the Son 
 of God ? " This is my beloved Son ;" so are the saints too : 
 " Every son whom he loves," &c., Heb. xii. 6. Is he called 
 an Heir, " the Heir of all things/ 1 Heb. i. 2 ? the saints are 
 said to be " heirs and co-heirs with Jesus Christ," Rom. viii. 
 17. Is he called " Elect and precious," 1 Peter ii. 6 ? so are 
 they too " elect and precious," 1 Peter i. 2. Is he called 
 " God's Fellow," as ye have it in Zechariah xiii. 7 ? the 
 saints they are called his fellows : " Who is anointed with the 
 oil of gladness above his fellows," Heb. i. 9, that is, above 
 the saints. Is he called the Light, " the Light of the world," 
 John viii. 12, the true Light ? they are called light too : " Ye 
 were darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord," Eph. 
 v. 8. 
 
 Take grace for assistance. And had Jesus Christ felt an 
 assistance from God the Father, as ye read at large in the 
 xxiind Psalm ? so have the saints too : " My grace is suffi- 
 cient for thee," 1 Cor. xii. 9. 
 
 Take grace for holiness or sanctification. And is he said 
 to be sanctified ; " For this cause have I sanctified myself," 
 John xvii. 19 ? so are the saints also said to be sanctified:
 
 278 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SER. 6. 
 
 " That they also may be sanctified/ 5 John xvii. 19. Is he 
 said to be full of grace ; " full of grace and truth/' John i. 
 14 ? so are the saints too, some of them : Stephen, full of 
 grace, Acts vii. 55 ; and Mary, full of grace. Oh, what a 
 glorious mercy is here before us now ! whatsoever grace and 
 holiness there is in Christ ; somewhat in the saints that is 
 answerable thereunto. Let us awaken, and stir up ourselves 
 for to look into it. 
 
 Ye read of a fellowship that the saints have with Christ in 
 that first Epistle to John, the ist chapter and the 3rd verse : 
 " That which we have heard and seen, declare we unto you, 
 that ye also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fel- 
 lowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." 
 Communio, I Cor. i. 2 ; societas, Gal. ii. 9. He does exhort 
 them to fellowship with them, with the saints, upon this 
 ground and motive ; because their fellowship was with the 
 Father and with the Son. He does assert this fellowship 
 with the Father and with the Son, with the most ingenuous 
 asseveration : " And truly our fellowship," may be you will 
 think this no great matter; " truly our fellowship is with the 
 Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." And so in that 
 known place in 1 Cor. x. 16, "The cup of blessing which we 
 bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?" as 
 you read it; it is the same word, fellowship. And in 1 Cor. 
 i. 9, it is said, " God is faithful, by whom ye are called unto 
 the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord :" the same 
 word there too, as the word that is used in the Acts of the 
 Apostles, ii. 44, where it is said, " that the disciples had all 
 things common." Look, therefore, as it is in a society, where 
 they have all things common ; such is the fellowship that is 
 between Christ and the saints. They have not any sin, but 
 it is imputed to Jesus Christ, though it be great or small ; 
 and he hath not any grace, but it is communicated to all the 
 saints ; hath not any grace, but they have some grace or other 
 that is answerable thereunto. This is a great matter. 
 
 Would you know the reason now ? grace for grace ; grace 
 answerable to his grace. 
 
 I. First of all, there is a glorious and blessed union be- 
 tween Christ and every Christian ; a union beyond all expres- 
 sion. It is compared, indeed, unto the union that is between 
 the head and the members, the root and the branches, the hus-
 
 SER. 6.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 279 
 
 band and the wife ; but though they come up to what Christ 
 intended, yet they all fall short of this union that is between 
 Christ and a Christian : for the head is not in the members, 
 nor the members in the head, mutually ; but Christ in them, 
 and they in Christ: " I in you, and you in me," saith he 
 John xiv. 20. It is a union of mutual in-being, not a union 
 of affection only, such as the stones have, when they lie to- 
 gether in a heap ; but rather such as is between the wine and 
 the water, when they are put together, saving that they are 
 not mixed together. Christ is not mixed with a Christian, a 
 Christian is not mixed with Christ; Christ is not a Christian, 
 a Christian is not Christ; but there is a union of mutual in- 
 being. Now, you know, when the fire gets into the iron, is 
 united to it, is in it, the properties of the fire are communi- 
 cated to the iron ; the iron forgets his own blackness, and 
 shines with the shining of the fire, and burns with the burn- 
 ing of the fire. And as a coal, a charcoal, though it be never 
 so dark and black a body, when the fire comes, gets into it, 
 the properties of the fire are communicated to it, and it burns 
 like the fire itself, and melts like the fire itself, and shines 
 like the fire itself. So, when the Lord Jesus Christ is uni- 
 ted to a soul, look what excellencies there are in Christ, what 
 graces in Christ, the same are communicated to it; the soul 
 shines with Christ's shining, and warms with his warming: 
 there is grace answerable for his grace. You know there was 
 a blessed union between the Second Person and our nature, 
 our flesh ; the Second Person takes our nature upon him, 
 and being united to our flesh, by virtue of the hypostatical 
 union, the idioms and properties of the one are given to the 
 other : God hath no flesh, God hath no blood ; and yet we 
 read, in the Acts of the Apostles, of the blood of God, be- 
 cause of the union : the properties of the flesh and of man's 
 nature are given to God. So says the apostle : " He that 
 descended is the same also that ascended," Eph. iv. 10. God 
 does not descend, for he is everywhere ; but by reason of the 
 union, what is proper to the flesh is given to God. And so 
 now, in this mystical union, there being such a glorious 
 and blessed union between Christ and a Christian; what- 
 soever grace, or excellency, or property is in Christ himself, 
 there is an answerableness of grace, an excellency wrought in
 
 280 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SfiR. G. 
 
 the heart of every Christian ; he hath grace for grace, he hath 
 stamp for stamp. 
 
 II. And again, The Lord Jesus Christ is our second 
 Adam, a common person between God and us. Now look 
 as it was concerning our forefather Adam, being a common 
 person ; look what nature he had, we have : he was made up 
 of soul and body, and so are we : his body had legs and 
 arms and other members, and we have member for member; 
 we have head for head, and arms for arms, and legs for legs ; 
 and so, he sinning, we have sin for his sin, pride for his 
 pride, and unbelief for his unbelief, because he was a com- 
 mon person. So I say, Jesus Christ, being our second 
 Adam, look what grace he had, the saints have ; they have 
 grace for his grace, they have holiness for his holiness. The 
 apostle says, in the vth of the Romans, " That as by one 
 man's offence death came, so through the gift of grace, grace 
 hath abounded : but not as the offence (says he at the 15th 
 verse) so also is the free gift; for if through the offence of 
 one man, many be dead ; much more the grace of God, and 
 the gift by grace, which is by one man Jesus Christ, hath 
 abounded unto many/' Now, if we should not have grace 
 for grace from Christ, as we had sin for sin from the first 
 Adam ; how should grace superabound ? Our Lord and Sa- 
 viour Christ says himself, I have life in myself; " the Son 
 hath life in himself," John v. 26 ; which laid to that expres- 
 sion which you have in the ist of Genesis, speaks to our 
 purpose, the llth and 12th verses: "God said, Let the 
 earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit- 
 tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself;" 
 and so again at the 12th verse, " Whose seed was in itself." 
 That is, these creatures had a power in themselves to bring 
 forth their like. And so says Jesus Christ, as other creatures 
 had seed in themselves to bring forth their like ; so have I 
 life in myself, and am able to bring forth my like; and so he 
 does, for he is our second Adam, and therefore, as we had 
 sin for sin from the first Adam, we must have grace for grace 
 from the second Adam also. 
 
 III. There is an incomparable, and glorious, blessed love 
 between Christ and a Christian. Love, loves to make a 
 thing loved to be like itself. Love in an inferior is of an 
 imitating nature, and love in a superior is of an assimilating
 
 SER. G.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 281 
 
 nature. Now therefore if there be love between Christ and 
 a Christian, they must needs be very like, and love there is ; 
 Christ loves the saints above all the world, and the saints 
 love Christ above all the world. Only Christ's love exceeds; 
 for when the spouse speaks of Christ in the Canticles, she 
 calls him " My Beloved," in the concrete ; but when he 
 speaks of her, he calls her " My Love, my Dove/' in the 
 abstract. Jesus Christ had- loving thoughts towards the 
 saints before the world was ; as ye read in the viiith of the 
 Proverbs and the 29th verse. Says Wisdom, and so Christ, 
 there, " When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters 
 should not pass his commandment; when he appointed the 
 foundations of the earth ; then I was by him, as one brought 
 up with him: I was daily his delight (verse the 31st), re- 
 joicing in the habitable part of his earth, and my delights 
 were with the sons of men." Jesus Christ was then in the 
 bosom of his Father ; he had enough to take up his heart 
 with full delight : and yet notwithstanding, before the saints 
 were, his love was towards them, and his delight was in 
 them. Surely, if he loved them so much before they had a 
 being, when they have a being, he will exercise and put forth 
 that old and ancient love of his in more abundance towards 
 them. \Vhen a man loves a maid or a virgin, while she is 
 in her father's house, she is set apart for him ; but now after- 
 ward, when she leaves her father's house and all her kindred, 
 that she may only cleave unto him, then his heart is drawn 
 out more. How am I engaged, says he, to love this woman, 
 that hath left all the world to come unto me. So there was 
 love in Christ towards the saints, while they were but set 
 apart for him in God's decree; but now when they shall 
 leave their father's house for him, will he not then delight in 
 them ? See what is said in the xlvth Psalm : " Hearken, O 
 daughter, (at the 10th verse) and consider, and incline thine 
 ear ; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house : 
 so shall the King greatly desire (or delight in) thy beauty." 
 But delight in them and love them he cannot, unless they be 
 like unto him ; for the lover loves to make a thing loved to 
 be like himself, or himself to be like to it. The lover would, 
 if he could, melt himself into a oneness with the tiling 
 loved. Indeed our love is scant, and we cannot do it. Mo- 
 ses, of whom the law is signified, might chip and pare his
 
 282 GRACE FOB GRACE. [SER. 6. 
 
 wife's nails, but he could not change her countenance. A 
 man may love his wife, and bestow much upon her; but he 
 is not able to change her countenance, to make her to be like 
 himself. But Jesus Chiist hath this happiness above all the 
 world ; his love hath this happiness above all other love, 
 that he is able to melt the person loved, the soul loved into 
 his own likenees : and therefore, wherever Jesus Christ sets 
 his heart upon any soul, to delight in any, he draws his image 
 upon them, makes the soul to be like unto him ; what grace 
 he hath himself, he does communicate it unto that soul, that 
 there is an answerableness of grace, even grace for grace. 
 
 IV. Again, There is the same Spirit in a Christian, that 
 is in Christ. " I will send (says he) the Comforter, the 
 Spirit of truth, and he shall come unto you," John xv. 26. 
 The Spirit does not only come to them, but is said to dwell 
 in them, and to be shed abroad upon their hearts. Now if 
 a beast had the spirit and the soul of a man, he would work 
 like a man, he would speak like a man ; and if a plant, if a 
 tree, if an herb had the life of a beast, it would taste like a 
 beast; and if a stone, if that had the life of a plant, it would 
 grow like a plant: so now, if a Christian have the Spirit of 
 Christ, he must work like Christ, he must needs be like 
 Christ. Now the same Spirit he hath ; a Christian hath the 
 same Spirit with Christ, and therefore needs must be like 
 unto him, and have grace for his grace. Somewhat in a 
 Christian answerable to every grace of Christ. 
 
 You will say unto me, How can this be ? Indeed it holds 
 forth abundance of comfort unto the saints, and an encou- 
 ragement to all to be so ; but how can this be ? There are 
 some incommunicable properties, personal excellencies of 
 Christ : Are all men Saviours ? are all men Mediators ? are 
 all men Christs ? 
 
 I answer, No; we must therefore so understand it, in 
 things that man is capable of. We have member for mem- 
 ber with Adam, every man, head for his head, and legs for 
 his legs ; but every man is not the first Adam, that, every 
 man is not capable of. So Jesus Christ, he is made like to 
 us, but he is not a sinner, that, he was not capable of. And 
 so we have grace for grace, answerable grace, it is to be 
 understood in things that we are capable of; we are not Sa- 
 viours, we are not Mediators, we are not Christs. In some
 
 SER. 6.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 283 
 
 of those things that we are not capable of, yet there is some- 
 what in a Christian that in some other kind is answerable 
 thereunto. As now for example, when our Lord and Saviour 
 Christ was baptized, the heavens opened, and the Ho'y 
 Ghost fell down upon him in the shape of a dove: the Holy 
 Ghust does not so fall down upon men now, but yet it is 
 shed abroad in the hearts of all that are godly. He is the 
 great King, and the Priest, and the Prophet of his church : 
 all the saints are kings and priests and prophets, but not to 
 that height as he was. To open this a little, that I may clear 
 the point: 
 
 Is our Lord and Saviour Christ a Prophet, and as a Pro- 
 phet does he teach his people, the saints ? In that of the 
 Revelation, xi. 3, the two witnesses are said to prophesy in 
 sackcloth. They are said to prophesy too. 
 
 Is our Lord and Saviour Christ a King, and as a King 
 does he overcome and subdue Satan, and our lusts, and the 
 world ? So do the saints too. " This is your victory where- 
 by ye overcome the world, even your faith," 1 John v. 4. 
 As a King, does he overcome, and sit down in his throne ? 
 So do they too. In the iiird of the Revelation and the 21st 
 verse, " To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me 
 in my throne ; even as I also overcame, and am set down 
 with my Father in his throne." Mark I pray, Christ hath 
 a throne on earth : says he " As I overcame, and am set 
 down with my Father in his throne in heaven ;" so those 
 that overcome shall sit down, that is, have communion. 
 " Many shall come from the east and from the west, and shall 
 sit down with Abraham and Isaac," Matt. \iii. 11; that is, 
 have communion with them. So here, " To him that over- 
 comes, will I grant to sit down with me in my throne." 
 They shall have communion with Jesus Christ in his throne. 
 As a King does the Lord Jesus Christ " rule the nations, 
 and break them in pieces with a rod of iron ? " Psalm ii. 9. 
 So shall the saints do in their generation and in their way : 
 look I pray into the iind of the Revelation, the 26th verse, 
 "And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the 
 end, to him will I give power over the nations; and he shall 
 rule them with a rod of iron." Mark, " And he thall rule 
 them with a rod of iron ; as the vessel of a potter shall they 
 be broken to shivers, even as I received of my Father." He
 
 284 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SfiR. 6. 
 
 does not say, Even as I received this doctrine of my Father, 
 but, As I (which you read of in the iind Psalm) received this 
 power from my Father: they shall communicate with me in 
 this power : even as I received of my Father, so shall they 
 receive it; they shall have communion with him in this. 
 
 Is Jesus Christ a Priest ? and as a Priest, does he sacri- 
 fice ? So do the saints too. The apostle exhorts the Ro- 
 mans, " that they offer up themselves a reasonable sacrifice." 
 Rom. xii. 1. As a Priest, does he make intercession? 
 So it is said concerning the saints in the viiith of the Ro- 
 mans: " The Spirit of God that is upon them, makes inter- 
 cession with groans that cannot be expressed." As a Priest, 
 does Jesus Christ, as our great High Priest, " enter into the 
 holy of holiest ?" that you will say belonged unto the priest 
 alone, and none might enter into the holiest, and the holy of 
 holiest but the priest. So do the saints too : see I pray, what 
 communion and fellowship the saints have with Jesus Christ: 
 says he, in the xth of the Hebrews and the 1 9th verse, " Ha- 
 ving therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest 
 by the blood of Jesus ; by a new and living way/' &c. Is 
 our High Priest entered into the holy of holiest as a High 
 Priest ? You shall have communion in his priestly office 
 too: and as he entered into the holy of holiest: so shall you 
 too. Thus you see there is an answerableness in the saints, 
 with what is in Christ. And indeed, herein does our spi- 
 ritual regeneration, go beyond our generation : for, though a 
 child be like unto the father in this, that he is a man like the 
 father, and he hath a head like the father, and arms, and legs 
 like the father : yet his feature may not be like the father's 
 lineaments, not alike : but now, in our spiritual regeneration, 
 there is such a likeness ; as whatsoever grace, or holiness is 
 in Jesus Christ, there is somewhat in all the saints that is 
 answerable thereunto. 
 
 I. By way of application then : if this be so ; that the 
 saints do receive from Christ's fulness, grace for grace ; grace 
 answerable to the grace of Christ: that whatsoever grace 
 or holiness there is in Christ, there is somewhat in all the 
 saints that is answerable thereunto. Then what abundance 
 of men and women are there, even living under the gospel ; 
 that have no present share or saving interest in Jesus Christ. 
 Methinks I hear this doctrine crying aloud, and saying;
 
 SER. 6.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 285 
 
 Stand by, profane men, stand by : you that are merely civil 
 and moral people, stand by : and all hypocrites, stand by ; 
 as having no share and interest in Jesus Christ. 
 
 As for profane men : they will be drunk, and swear, and 
 commit adultery and lie, and break the Sabbath : but would 
 Jesus Christ do so ? They count it the life of their life, and 
 the soul of their soul, to be at a merry meeting, a jovial 
 meeting : but would Jesus Christ do so ? When Jesus 
 Christ was upon the earth, he went up and down doing good, 
 and scattering good, communicating good ; and they go up and 
 down scattering their sins : and is this grace for grace ? is 
 this answerable ? I appeal to you. 
 
 As for those that are merely civil, moral. Though they 
 will not swear great, and gross oaths : yet swear by their 
 faith, and by their troth : but would Jesus Christ do so? 
 They carry a secret spleen, and envy at the power of god- 
 lines, and those that have it : but would Jesus Christ do so ? 
 They frame up their religion, and their worship according to 
 the times ; if authority command it, they will do it, whatever 
 it be : but would Jesus Christ do ? When Jesus Christ was 
 upon the earth, he was zealous, " The zeal of thine house 
 hath eaten me up/' John ii. 17: but they are formal, and 
 they are lukewarm : oh, is this grace for grace ? is this your 
 answerableness ? and are these in Jesus Christ ? As for 
 those that are hypocrites : they have always some secret sin 
 or other, some back door or other that they may go out at : 
 but had Jesus Christ so? They lie contemplating, and 
 chewing of the devil's cud ; and are indulgent to their base 
 thoughts, their sinful thoughts ; but was Jesus Christ so ? 
 They savour gifts and expressions more than graces : but did 
 Jesus Christ do so ? They, though they seem to be morti- 
 fied, and dead unto the grosser part of the world, meat, drink, 
 and clothes : yet they are no way mortified, and dead unto 
 the finer part of the world, their names, and their credits : 
 was it thus with Jesus Christ ? Indeed an hypocrite, through 
 the strength of education, living under the gospel, may set 
 himself to imitate Christ: but there is an artificial imitation; 
 and a natural resemblance. A father may have two sons ; 
 the one that is unlike him, but imitates him : the other that 
 does naturally resemble the father, and imitate him too. 
 Such are the saints : being made partakers of the divine na-
 
 286 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SfiR. 6. 
 
 ture ; they naturally care for the things of Christ : hypocrites 
 do not so. Behold ! here is the character of a Christian in- 
 deed, he hath grace for grace, whatever grace there is in 
 Christ, he hath somewhat answerable thereunto. Oh ! how 
 few men and women are there in the world, that have a saving 
 share and interest in Jesus Christ ! 
 
 II. If this doctrine be true, what a happy and blessed 
 thing is it for a man to be in Christ ! Behold the dignity of 
 the saints ! Beloved, here is glory on this side glory : it is 
 the glory and the honour of a man to be like to God ; it is 
 the glory and honour of a disciple to be like his master ; it is 
 the glory and honour of a child to be like his father ; it is the 
 glory and honour of a Christian to be like unto Jesus Christ. 
 Every Christian hath the image of Christ drawn upon him. 
 Had our Lord Jesus, the great and mighty Potentate, only 
 come by a poor soul, and cast his skirt over him, and said 
 unto the soul, Wear thou my livery : it had been a great ho- 
 nour to belong to Christ, to wear his livery : but behold ! 
 here is more than so, the saints do not only wear his livery, 
 but they have his grace : and their grace is of the same na- 
 ture with the very grace of Christ ; as our grace should have 
 been of the same nature with Adam's if Adam had stood. 
 Yea, not only their grace is of the same nature; but look 
 what grace Christ had, they have answerable to it. Had this 
 great and royal loadstone, that draws all men's hearts after 
 him; only touched our hearts that we might have followed him; 
 what a mercy had it been ! But behold ! here is more than so: 
 the saints they have grace for grace ; whatsoever grace, or ho- 
 liness there is in Christ, somewhat in a Christian answerable 
 thereunto. Oh, dignity ! Oh, dignity ! how can a Christian 
 but be welcome to God the Father, that does not come only 
 in the name of Christ to him ; but brings the image of Christ 
 too with him, grace for grace. Oh, who wonld not be en- 
 couraged to get into Jesus Christ? Oh, you that are in 
 Christ, do you know what privileges you walk under every 
 day ? You sometimes are ready to envy at the men of the 
 world : but I pray, would you now change your condition 
 with them? Such a one, he hath passion for passion: and 
 pride for pride ! and sin for sin with the world : and you 
 have, grace for grace with Jesus Christ. Here is dignity ! 
 here is privilege indeed !
 
 SER. 6.J GRACE FOR GRACE. 287 
 
 But you will say, All dignity calls for duty : suppose it be 
 so ; that whatsoever grace and holiness there is in Christ, 
 there is somewhat answerable in my soul. Oh, what is my 
 duty now that does flow from hence ? 
 
 Surely, I answer, you cannot be proud of it, for then you 
 shall not be like to Christ : who, though he thought it no 
 robbery to be equal to God the Father, he humbled himself, 
 and became of no reputation. Beloved, you know that all 
 talents are to be improved ; and the greater the talent the 
 more improvement is to be made; and improvement is to be 
 made of the same kind. It is our wisdom to observe what 
 work God is a doing upon our souls, and to help forward that 
 work. If God be working faith in our hearts, it is our duty 
 to help forward the work of believing. If God be working 
 patience in our hearts, it is our duty to help forward the work 
 of patience. Look, now, what work that is, that God is do- 
 ing in our hearts, and lives, for us ; that work we are bound 
 to help forward. Now, therefore, hath God drawn the image 
 of Jesus Christ upon your hearts, so that that there is an ha- 
 bitual likeness in your souls unto Jesus Christ ? then it is 
 your duty to labour for an actual likeness; to be like unto 
 him in all your workings, to live as he lived, and to do as he 
 did, and to speak as he spake : labour more and more to be 
 like unto him in your lives. 
 
 And if you say, How should that be ? the apostle tells you : 
 tf Whom beholding, as in a glass, we are changed from glory 
 to glory, according to his own image," 2 Cor. iii. 18. The 
 serious, frequent beholding of Jes.is Christ, is the only way 
 to be like unto him. Beloved, your lives, they are divided 
 into two parts; there is a doing part and a suffering part; as 
 Christ's obedience was divided into active and passive obe- 
 dience. Would you in the doing part of your life be like 
 unto Christ? Behold him in his doing: omnis Ckristi actio 
 est instruct : every action of Christ may be our instruction. 
 Nothing in Christ not imitable; some things more especially. 
 For example, our Lord and Saviour Christ, he made it his 
 great business and design to bear witness to the truth : " For 
 this cause came I into the world, that I might bear witness 
 unto the truth," John xviii. 37- 
 
 Again, He would stoop to any work, though it lay much
 
 288 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SER. 6. 
 
 below him : wash his disciples' feet ; lay his excellencies at 
 the feet of their infirmities. 
 
 Again, When he went upon any work, he was much in 
 prayer first. Judas knew his praying-place. 
 
 And when he was at God's work, he would not know his 
 own natural relations ; and therefore says he to his mother, 
 " Woman, my time is not yet come," John ii. 4. He does 
 not say, Mother, my time is not yet come ; but, Woman. In 
 God's work he would not know his own natural relations. 
 
 If he had to deal with man : he had a high esteem of the 
 saints, though they were never so low ; and he had a low es- 
 teem of the wicked, though they were never so rich. 
 
 He did, again, so exercise one grace, as he might exercise 
 another. He would so rejoice in God, as he might grieve for 
 sin ; not his own, but our^s : and he did so grieve for sin, as 
 he might rejoice in God. He was very zealous, yet he was 
 wise too ; he was wise, and yet he was zealous too. 
 
 He was a lamb and a lion ; a lamb in his own cause, and 
 a lion in God's cause. Oh, that in these things you would 
 labour to be like unto him. It would be infinite, indeed it 
 would be beyond me, if I should single out all his graces 
 that were eminent in him. He was a heaven of grace, full of 
 shining stars. Behold him in his doings ! The only way for 
 you to be like to him in your doing, is to behold him in his 
 doings. 
 
 And so for his sufferings. Ye shall observe, he would not 
 suffer till he was called unto it. Therefore he stood so pre- 
 cisely upon his time : " My time is not yet come," John vii. 8. 
 
 And when he was called unto it, he would not be put out 
 of his way. If they cast water upon him, it made him flame 
 the more : " Get thee behind me, Satan," Matt. xvi. 23. In 
 all his sufferings he bad an especial eye to other men's good; 
 then he went very quietly and meekly : " As a lamb dumb 
 before the shearers, so he opened not his mouth," Isa. liii. 7. 
 And he was more sensible, which I pray mark, of God's 
 withdrawing from him in his sufferings, than of all the pains, 
 disgrace and misery that he did undergo. And therefore, 
 when he was upon the cross, says he, " My God, my 
 God, why hast thou forsaken me r" Matt, xxvii. 46. 
 The sun did forsake him too :' the sun did withdraw his light : 
 and yet he does not say, O sun, why doest thou thus forsake
 
 SER. 6.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 289 
 
 me ? The disciples all forsook him : and yet he does not 
 cry out Thomas, why dost thou now forsake me ? Peter, 
 why dost thou now forsake me ? He cries not out of them. 
 His body was nailed to the cross : and he does not cry out 
 and say, oh, my hands ; oh, my body ; oh, the pain that I 
 endure ; but here he cries out of this : oh, " my God, my 
 God, why hast thou foraaken me ?" He was more sensible 
 of God's withdrawing from him, than of all the other mise- 
 ries that he did endure. Oh ! my beloved, that you would 
 labour now for to be like unto Jesus Christ; in your doing; 
 in your suffering for to be like to him. The sight of a gra- 
 cious Christ, will make us gracious if any thing will do it. 
 Labour now to be like unto him, more and more. This is your 
 duty that does flow from hence. You that are saints, you 
 that are Christ's, you that have received grace for grace ; 
 Christ expects work for work, and doing for doing ; that you 
 should shine as he shined ; and that you should live as he 
 lived ; that you should so walk, and be in the world, that 
 those that do live with you may say ; Here is a man, or woman 
 that is like to Christ, that hath received grace for grace : 
 now we see this doctrine true ; I cannot think of any grace 
 of Christ, but I see it shining forth in this man and woman. 
 This is your duty. 
 
 III. By way of application. If this be true: that the 
 saints and people of God, do receive of Christ's fulness, even 
 grace for grace : how infinitely are we bound unto God the 
 Father, for our Lord Jesus Christ ! glorious is the fellowship 
 and communion that the saints have with Christ, as ye heard ; 
 they have not only fellowship with him in his sufferings, 
 to have suffering for suffering ; but they have fellowship with 
 him in his graces, grace for grace ; and this fellowship hath 
 God the Father brought you into. Mark therefore, that 
 place again which you have in the 1 Cor. i. 9. " God is 
 faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his 
 Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." By whom ye are called unto 
 this fellowship. Therefore still the apostle, he blesses God 
 the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: " Blessed be God, and 
 the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Not barely, blessed 
 be God, but, " Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ."
 
 290 GRACE FOB GRACE. [SfiR. 6. 
 
 Beloved ! ye know there are two great gifts, that the 
 Scripture makes mention of. First God makes the world, 
 and man : and having made man, he gives all the world to 
 man ; there is one gift, and a great gift. Man having fallen, 
 and lost his former happiness ; Christ comes into the world, 
 the second person becomes man ; and this man he gives unto 
 the world. 
 
 First, He gave the world to man : and secondly, he gives 
 Christ, this man, unto the world : and his second gift is the 
 greater gift : it is a greater gift when Jesus Christ was given 
 unto the world, than that the whole world was given to man. 
 For now, take the world ; and though it hath many glorious 
 pieces of God's workmanship ; his power, and wisdom : yet 
 God may give all the world to man, and not give him, himself; 
 but when he gives Jesus Christ to man, he gives himself with 
 him. Though there be many several pieces, beautiful pieces 
 of God's workmanship in the world ; yet they carry with them 
 but the footsteps of God. Oh, but Jesus Christ he is the ex- 
 press image of the Father ; and when he gives this express 
 image unto a soul ; as Christ is the express image of the Fa- 
 ther, so the soul becomes the express image of Jesus Christ. 
 Ye know what the apostle says, concerning our Saviour 
 Christ : mark, " In whom the fulness of the Godhead dwells 
 bodily," Col. ii. 9. That is, look what attributes, and excel- 
 lencies are in God, the same are in Jesus Christ as Media- 
 tor : whatsoever attribute is in God, as God ; the same 
 shines forth in Jesus Christ as Mediator. The fulness of 
 the Godhead dwells in Christ bodily ; and the fulness of 
 Christ dwells in every saint spiritually. Jesus Christ, he hath 
 perfection for perfection ; he hath attribute for attribute ; he 
 hath excellency for excellency with God the Father. And 
 every gracious, godly soul, he hath grace for grace from Jesus 
 Christ : of his fulness have we received, grace for grace : 
 as the fulness of God the Father dwells in him bodily, so 
 the fulness of Christ dwells in every Christian spiritually. 
 
 And this fellowship hath God the Father called you unto : 
 " By whom we have fellowship," 1 Cor i. 9 ; this hath God 
 the Father called you unto. Oh ! how infinitely are you 
 bound unto God the Father, to honour and bless the Father ! 
 When ye look upon the Son, methinks you should bless the
 
 . 6.] GRACE FOR GRACE. 291 
 
 Father! and when ye look upon the Father, you should 
 love the Son. As a mother does ; when she looks upon her 
 child, she loves the father ; and when she looks upon the 
 father, she loves the child again : so a Christian, when he 
 looks upon Jesus Christ, he should bless the Father ; 
 and when he looks upon the Father, he should bless Jesus 
 Christ, and love Jesus Christ : Dear Father, thou hast not 
 only given us thy Son, but given us thy Son in such a way, 
 that we should have grace for grace, answerable to his grace: 
 is this after the manner of men ? Oh, therefore, why should 
 not we all say, Blessed be God and the Father of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ. Oh, you, you that love Jesus Christ, bless the 
 Father: and you that bless the Father, love Jesus Christ: take 
 yourselves to be infinitely bound unto God the Father, who 
 hath given you such a Christ as this, of whom you should 
 have grace for grace. 
 
 I have done. Only I would leave one exhortation with 
 the saints that have received of Christ's fulness thus, grace 
 for grace : it is thus, mark it I pray. 
 
 IV. Is this true, that of his fulness ye have all received, 
 grace for grace, an swerableness of grace ? that ye have fel- 
 lowship with Jesus in all his graces ? Then be for ever con- 
 tented to have fellowship with Jesus Christ in all his suf- 
 ferings; and truly, well may ye be contented if you 
 have fellowship with Christ in his sufferings ; if you have 
 suffering for suffering, ye shall have grace for grace, and 
 grace for glory ; if ye partake with him in his sufferings, 
 ye shall partake with him in his graces, and partake with 
 him in his glory. I say, well may ye be contented to have 
 fellowship with him in his suffering ; for if you have suffer- 
 ing for suffering, you shall have comfort for comfort : if you 
 have fellowship with him in his sufferings, you shall have 
 fellowship with him in his comforts too. Mark ye, When 
 Jesus Christ suffered, had he a Deity to support him ? So 
 shall ye have. When Jesus Christ suffered, had he angels to 
 minister to him ? So shall you have. When Jesus Christ 
 suffered, did he see the travail of his soul ? So shall you see 
 it. W T hen Jesus Christ was lift up, he drew all men after 
 him : so shall you do : when you are lift up for the truth 
 upon the cross ; you are apt to think, now will the truth suf- 
 u 2
 
 292 GRACE FOR GRACE. [SER. 6. 
 
 fer, now will the cause of God fall to the ground ; but re- 
 member : if you have fellowship in his graces ; if you have 
 fellowship with Christ in his sufferings ; you shall have fel- 
 lowship with Christ in his comforts. This was one of his 
 comforts, when he was lift up upon the cross, then he drew 
 all men after him ; so when you come to be lift up upon the 
 cross, then shall men be drawn after the truths that you suf- 
 fer for : and never shall men be more drawn after the truths 
 that you suffer for, than when you come to be lift up upon 
 the cross to suffer for them. Oh, who would not be willing 
 to partake with the Lord Jesus Christ in his sufferings, to 
 have fellowship with him in his sufferings, to have suffering 
 for suffering ! It is observed, that our Saviour never met 
 with any great debasement, but at that time, in the midst of 
 that debasement, there was some breakings forth of glory. 
 He was born in a stable, he was laid in a manger ; here was 
 his first debasement : here glory breaks forth ; the wise men 
 come and fall down before him, and offer gifts ; frankincense 
 and myrrh. 
 
 Again, He was baptized : he needed not to have been bap- 
 tized; he was clean enough in his nature, he put our clothes 
 upon him, stood in our nature : now he hears a voice from 
 heaven, saying, " This is my beloved Son," Matt. iii. 17. 
 
 Again, you read of him riding upon an ass : not riding 
 in a coach drawn with lions, or drawn with elephants, but 
 riding upon an ass, in a mean way, a debased way ; now 
 breaks forth some glory, now they cry, Hosanna, hosanna to 
 him. 
 
 Again, upon the cross, there he was most debased ; then 
 breaks forth some glory : the sun, that stands still, and vails 
 his face, as one astonished at the world's Saviour : now does 
 the vail of the temple rend in sunder, now glory breaks forth 
 in the midst of his debasement ; thus it was with Christ. 
 Have you suffering with him for sufferings ? Have you fel- 
 lowship with Christ in his sufferings ? you shall have fellow- 
 ship with Christ in his comforts. Oh, therefore I beseech 
 you, be contented now to have suffering for suffering with 
 Jesus Christ; and whensoever any suffering comes, espe- 
 cially for the truth, boggle not at it, be content and say 
 within yourselves, Oh, blessed be the Lord, that hath called
 
 SER. 6.] 'GRACE FOR GRACE. 293 
 
 me out to this work ! I shall have this fellowship with 
 Christ in his sufferings, I shall now have suffering for suf- 
 fering, therefore I shall have comfort for comfort, I shall 
 have grace for grace, I shall have glory for glory : oh, who 
 would not be encouraged ? I leave this exhortation with 
 you, comfort yourselves in these words, and never startle at 
 suffering, as heretofore; but make account of this, that if you 
 have grace for grace, ye may meet with suffering for suffering ; 
 but then you shall have comfort for comfort, and ye shall have 
 glory for glory. Think on these things, and the Lord give 
 us to practise them.
 
 THB 
 
 SPIRITUAL LIFE 
 
 AND 
 IN-BEING OF CHRIST IN ALL BELIEVERS. 
 
 IN 
 
 FIVE SERMONS, 
 
 PREACHED AT STEPNEY, 
 
 AND OTBER PLACES. 
 
 A. D. 1648.
 
 TO THE READER. 
 
 I THOUGHT good to give thec notice, that these Sermons were taken from 
 the author's mouth when he preached them. A word spoken is soon forgotten, 
 bat what is written remains, and may do you, your children, and children's 
 children good ; and this is the intent and desire of the author. When yon view 
 this mite of his, you may see something of Christ in it ; let it be your care to 
 see what you can find of Christ in yourselves : " Know ye not that Jesus Christ 
 is in you, except ye be reprobates ? " This workadviseth you, not to rest upon 
 notions, for then you do no other than feed your precious souls with fancies, 
 which is as unfitting, and more dangerous food for your souls, than the husks 
 were for the prodigal's body : it is a real Christ, not a notional Christ, must sa- 
 tisfy your souls. We all know there is store of gold in the Indies, but we are 
 never the richer for it unless we have it in possession ; neither is it our hearing 
 of Christ, nor our knowing there is a Christ, but our having of Christ in posses- 
 sion that benefits our souls. Hast thou a proud heart ? read this book, and it 
 will teach thee humility. Hast thou a despairing heart ? read this book, and it 
 will teach thee to believe. Hast thou a legal heart ? read this book, it will teach 
 thee to be evangelical. Hast thou a secure heart ? read this book, it will teach 
 thee to be watchful. Hast thou a froward heart ? read this book, it will teach 
 thee to be meek. If thou wouldst come to Christ with a budget of duties upon 
 thy shoulders, old Adam's proud principle, then thou mnst not look here, for he 
 labours to empty thee of thy own righteousness, and send thee naked to Jesus 
 Christ, who came " not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." If 
 thou lookest for quaint speculations, and eloquent expressions of human wisdom, 
 which administer as little comfort to the pastor as edification to the people ; in 
 truth here is nothing to please fantastical ears with whimsies, it was neither spo- 
 ken nor written for any such intent : the words were spoken for edification, and 
 were, by the desire of friends, written for the same intent. If, then, thou lovest 
 plain dealing, and to benefit thy soul, read, and this book will teach thee to leave 
 the success to God : when Paul hath planted, and Apollos hath watered, it is God 
 must give the increase. Art thou a sinner ? here is mercy for thee, here is Christ 
 for thee. Art thou a drunkard ? here is water of life for thee, which if thou 
 drinkest thou shalt never thirst again. Art thou covetous ? here is riches for 
 thee, spiritual riches, durable riches that will not fade. Art thou profane ? read 
 this, and it will teach thee to be holy. Art thou a saint ? here is comfort for 
 thee, even the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. Art thou in darkness ? here is light 
 for thee, " Jesus Christ the true light, that lightens every one that comes into the 
 world:" he shall be ten times more constant to thy soul than the sun in the firma- 
 ment. Art thou weak in parts : weak in faith ? weak in grace ? read this book, and if 
 the Lord be pleased to speak to thy soul, here is strength for thee, even the 
 mighty God. Art thou poor ? here is Christ, and " the earth is his and the ful- 
 ness thereof:" it is laid up in his hand for thee, it is the purchase of his blood, he 
 hath bought it for thee, it is thy own, and he doth but keep it for thee, thou 
 mayest go boldly to him for it ; though thou art loth to borrow, and ashamed to
 
 CCXCV111 TO THE READER. 
 
 beg, yet thou mayest go boldly for thy own. This book, courteous reader, will 
 teach thee to depend on God, to wait on Christ for all. He feeds the young ra- 
 vens, he tends the sparrows, he clothes the lillies, therefore be sure be will not 
 let his children want, whatsoever storms be without. Keep Christ, and thou 
 shalt have peace, yea, the Prince of Peace within ; then thou shalt have peace 
 when all the world is in trouble, then thou shalt be kept safe in the hour of temp- 
 tation, which shall come to try all those that live upon the face of the earth. 
 Prepare a place for the Lord Jesus Christ in thy heart, and he will provide a 
 mansion for thee in his Father's house, where thou shalt sin no more, and sorrow 
 no more, but God shall wipe away all tears from thy eyes. Always remember, 
 thou hast here no abiding place, but seekest one to come. This, courteous rea- 
 der, is the course and aim of the author in this treatise for thy benefit, he spends 
 his spirits that thou mayest be happy, that thou mayest grow up from strength to 
 strength, until thou comest to be a perfect man in Jesus Christ ; and this, also, 
 is the earnest desire and prayer of him to Almighty God, for thee, who is, and 
 shall always remain, thine to love and serve in the gospel, 
 
 WILLIAM GREENHILL.
 
 THB 
 
 SPIRITUAL LIFE. 
 
 SERMON I. 
 
 " Nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" 
 GAL. ii. 20. 
 
 IN this epistle, the apostle Paul does industriously prove, 
 that a man is justified by faith in Christ alone, and not by 
 the works of the law. Which he plainly affirms at the 16th 
 verse, " Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of 
 the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ ; even we have be- 
 lieved in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the. faith 
 of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the 
 works of the law shall no flesh be justified/' But 'if a man 
 be not justified by the works of the law, then a man may 
 live as he lists, may cease from working. Not so, says the 
 apostle, for so " we ourselves should be found sinners, and 
 Christ would be made the minister of sin, which God for- 
 bid," verse 17. " Yea, and I should build again the things 
 which I have destroyed, and make myself a transgressor/' 
 verse 18. " But I through the law, am dead unto the law, 
 that I might live unto God," verse the 19th. 
 
 But if a man be justified by faith alone, and so by the 
 death of Christ, then a man is crucified with Christ ; and if 
 a man be crucified, or if you be crucified with Christ, how 
 then do you live ? Yes, says he at the 20th verse, " I am 
 crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live, yet not I, but 
 Christ liveth in me." 
 
 " Nevertheless," or, now I live ; " I live," that is, a spiri- 
 tual life. There is a natural life, and there is a spiritual life. 
 He does not here speak of the natural life, when he says, 
 " Nevertheless I live ;" because he adds, " yet not I, but 
 Christ liveth in me ;" that is, spiritually. And when he says, 
 " I live," he speaks it in the person of every believer; not 
 in his own person, but he personates a believer all along.
 
 300 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SfiR. 1. 
 
 " I through the law, am dead to the law, that I might live 
 to God ;" I a believer ; and I am crucified with Christ. 
 I a believer. And, " Nevertheless I live." All along 
 he does personate a believer, and does not speak in his own 
 person, but in the person of a believer. And he says here, 
 " Nevertheless I live." He had said before, that " we are 
 justified by faith alone, and not by the works of the law ;" 
 and that a believer was crucified with Christ. Now, says he, 
 this doctrine that I have preached unto you, is no way oppo- 
 site unto our spiritual life, or unto our holiness ; yet, now I 
 live, or " nevertheless I live." From whence then you may 
 observe these two things. 
 
 First, That every true believer, every godly, gracious man, 
 is a living man, lives a spiritual life, is in the state of life. 
 
 Secondly, That our justification by faith alone, and our 
 being crucified with Christ ; is no enemy, but a friend unto 
 this spiritual life. " Nevertheless I live." 
 
 First of all. Every godly, gracious man, is a living man, 
 is in the state of life, lives a spiritual life. 
 
 And this ye have most expressly, in that vith chapter of 
 John, at the 40th verse : " This is the will of him that sent 
 me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on 
 him, may have everlasting life ; and I will raise him up at 
 the last day." But, though he shall have everlasting life 
 hereafter, it may be he hath not this life for the present. 
 Look therefore what he says at the 47th verse, " Verily, 
 verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me hath ever- 
 lasting life." It is not said, he shall have everlasting life, 
 but he hath everlasting life ; everlasting life is begun in him 
 already. And that ye may be the more sure of it, he gives 
 you a double verily, " Verily, verily I say unto ye, he that 
 believeth on me hath everlasting life." But how can this 
 be ? Nay, how should it be otherwise ? for a man's life is as 
 his meat is ; and says our Saviour, " I am the bread of life," 
 at the 48th verse. Then at the 54th verse, " Whosoever 
 eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life. 
 For my flesh (at the 55th verse) is meat indeed, and my 
 blood is drink indeed ; he that eateth my flesh, and drinketh 
 my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him. As the living Fa- 
 ther hath sent me, and I live by the Father ; so he that eat- 
 eth me, even he shall live by me." So that ye see, this
 
 SER. 1.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 301 
 
 chapter is full of it, here is a cloud of witnesses. I say, 
 therefore, That every godly, gracious man, is a living man, 
 and fives another life from the life of the world, a spiritual 
 life, and is in the state of spiritual life. 
 
 I. For the opening of this truth unto ye, we must first 
 of all inquire, What this spiritual life is ? Take therefore 
 this description of it : It is that supernatural perfection of 
 soul, whereby a man being united unto Christ, by the Spirit, 
 is able to act, move, and work towards God as his utmost 
 end. 
 
 1. It is a supernatural perfection. There is some perfec- 
 tion in every life. Life is the greatest good and perfection, 
 death is the greatest evil. Therefore when the Lord threat- 
 ened Adam, to punish him for eating the forbidden fruit, he 
 says, "The day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt die the DEATH," 
 Gen. ii. 17. Death is the greatest evil, and so life is the 
 greatest good and perfection. And this the devil knew full 
 well, when he said, " Skin for skin, and all that a man hath 
 will he give for his life," Job ii. 4. So that life is a perfec- 
 tion. But I say, this spiritual life, it is the supernatural 
 perfection of the soul. And therefore in the ivth chapter of 
 the Ephesians, and the 18th verse, this life of the saints, the 
 very life of the saints is called, the life of God. It is a 
 supernatural perfection of the soul therefore. 
 
 2. As it is a supernatural perfection of soul, so it rises 
 from our union with Christ, by the Spirit. A man is united 
 to God by faith, and by the Spirit : and as our outward life 
 does arise from the union between the soul and the body ; 
 and though the body be never so fair or full, yet if it be not 
 united to the soul, it is but a dead carcase : so our spiritual 
 life, it doth arise from our union with Christ ; and though a 
 man have never so many moral virtues, and his conversation 
 be never so fair, yet if not united to Christ by the Spirit, he 
 is but a dead man, spiritually a dead man. And therefore 
 saith the apostle here in the text, " Nevertheless I live, yet 
 not I, but Christ liveth in me." 
 
 3. As it arises from our union with Christ, by the Spirit ; 
 so, I say, it is that supernatural perfection, whereby a man is 
 able to act, and move, and work towards God as his utmost 
 and last end. And therefore says the apostle in the former 
 verse, " I through the law, am dead unto the law, that I may
 
 302 THE SPIRITUAL, LIFE. [SfiB. 1. 
 
 live to God ;" to God, as my last and my utmost end. And 
 when a man is able to act, and move, and work towards God, 
 as his last and utmost end, then he is said to live spiritually. 
 So that when ye have this description of our spiritual life, I 
 repeat it again, it is that supernatural perfection of soul, 
 whereby a man being united unto Christ, by the Spirit, is 
 able to act, and move, and work towards God, as his utmost 
 end. 
 
 II. Whereby may it appear, that every godly, gracious 
 man, is thus a living man, made partaker of this spiritual 
 life, so as to be able to act, and move, and work towards 
 God as his utmost end ? 
 
 I will take but the three ordinary lives that are in the 
 world. The vegetative life, the life of plants and herbs. The 
 sensitive life, the life of beasts. And the rational life, the 
 life of man. And I will shew ye, that the essential proper- 
 ties of all these lives, are in a spiritual way in the godly ; and 
 then the argument will lie thus : if the essential properties 
 of all these lives be in a spiritual way in every godly man : 
 then certainly, every godly, gracious man, is a living man, 
 and in the state of life ; living another life from the life of 
 the world. 
 
 1. Take the life of plants and herbs, or of flowers, and 
 what is the essential property of the vegetative life ? It is to 
 grow ; no sooner hath a thing the vegetative life, but it does 
 grow. All plants, and herbs, and flowers, they grow, and 
 trees they grow, because they have this vegetative life. And 
 so the saints do, they grow in grace. It is said of them in the 
 Ixxxivth Psalm, " They go from strength to strength." It 
 is an Hebraism, and it notes augmentation ; from, to, notes 
 augmentation. And the like Hebraisms ye have in the New 
 Testament. In Rom. i. 27. " For therein is the righteous- 
 ness of God revealed, from faith to faith." It notes the aug- 
 mentation of faith. And so in 2 Cor. iii. 18, " But we all, 
 with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, 
 are changed into the same image, from glory to glory." It 
 notes an augmentation of glory. And so, " They go from 
 strength to strength." That is, they grow in strength ; it 
 notes, an augmentation of their strength. But suppose they 
 do want the means, and want the ordinances ; do they grow 
 then ? Yes. It is that which is said in the same Psalm ;
 
 SER. 1.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 303 
 
 " Though they walk through the valley of Baca, and be in a 
 dry place, where no water is ; yet they go on from strength 
 to strength." And, " we all with open face beholding as in 
 glass, the mirror of the Lord, are changed from glory to 
 glory." Not some, but all ; all believers, and all the godly, 
 they do grow in grace. And this ye know, is the difference 
 between a painted child, and a living child ; take a living 
 child, and though he be but little, and very weak, yet he 
 grows bigger. But now, a child that is painted upon a wall, 
 a painted child grows not : and if a man come to ye and say, 
 What is the reason that this child does not grow ? two or 
 three years agone he was as big as now he is ? you will easily 
 answer, Because he is but a painted child, he is not a living 
 child ; if he were a living child he would grow. Now the 
 saints and people of God, they grow in grace, and therefore 
 they are living children : they are living children, and there- 
 fore they grow in grace. 
 
 2. What is the essential property of the sensitive life, of 
 the life of beasts, of the life of birds? for they live another 
 life than the life of trees, and flowers, and herbs ; what is the 
 essential property of that kind of life ? The essential pro- 
 perty of that kind of life is, To be sensible of good or evil 
 suitable unto it. And so the saints and people of God are : 
 they are sensible also, they are not past feeling, as it is said 
 of wicked men, but they are sensible of things suitable to 
 them. Indeed, they have not the sense and feeling of things 
 as they would, or do desire : but there are three things which 
 the saints and people of God are all sensible of. They are sen- 
 sible of their sins ; especially if they be committed against 
 their knowledge. They are sensible of the hidings of God's 
 face from them. And they are sensible of the church's 
 miseries. 
 
 They are very sensible of their sins : and therefore Paul 
 cries out, u O wretched man that I am ! I find a law in my 
 members ; O wretched man that I am !" Rom. vii. 23, 24. 
 Ye read in other places of his epistles, he says, " He will 
 rejoice concerning his afflictions and infirmities," 2 Cor. xii. 
 10. He tells us how he was stoned, and how he was impri- 
 soned, scourged, whipped; and in all that, he does not cry out 
 " O wretched man that I am ! But now, finding the law in 
 his members, he is more sensible of that than of any afflic-
 
 304 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SfiR. 1. 
 
 tion ; here now he cries out, " O wretched man that I am, 
 who shall deliver !" 
 
 And as for the hiding of God's face : the people of God 
 are the most sensible of that too. For ye know what David 
 said, " As a sword in my bones, while they said unto me, 
 Where is now thy God ?" Psalm xlii. 10. The Lord had hid 
 his face from him. Oh, says he, this is a sword in my bones, 
 while men say unto me, Where is now thy God ? And so 
 our Lord and Saviour Christ, when he was upon the cross, 
 he cries out, " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken 
 me?" Matt. vii. 46. He does not cry out unto his apostles and 
 disciples, Why have you forsaken me ? They all left him, 
 and yet he did not say, O Thomas, O Peter, O Matthew, oh, 
 all my disciples and apostles, why have you forsaken me ? 
 And the sun had withdrawn his light ; and he does not say, 
 Why hast thou forsaken me ? He felt many pains, being 
 pierced through, nailed unto the cross ; and yet he does not 
 cry out and say, Oh, what pains and tortures do I feel ! but, 
 as sensible of this more than of all his outward torment, he 
 cries out, " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ?" 
 And as it is with the Head, so it is with the members. 
 
 And, as unto the miseries of the churches. Ye know how 
 it was with Jeremiah ; " Oh, that my head were a fountain 
 of tears, that I could weep day and night for the slain of my 
 people," Jer. ix. 1. Thus, I say, a godly man, though he 
 have not the sense and feeling of his sin, and of other things 
 as he would have, yet these three things he is especially sen- 
 sible of: sensible of his own sin, especially that committed 
 against knowledge ; the hiding of God's face from him ; and 
 the miseries of the churches. Surely, therefore, he is alive, 
 he hath this essential property of this life in a spiritual way, 
 and therefore he is alive, and in the state of life. 
 
 3. Take now the third life, the life of reason, the rational 
 life, the life of man. And what is the essential property of 
 that life ? It is to understand, to know, and to reflect upon 
 a man's own actions, whether they be good or evil. A beast 
 does many actions, but a beast hath not power to reflect upon 
 his own action, to consider whether it be good or evil when 
 he hath done the action. Herein a man is distinct from a 
 beast. A beast understands not, knows not, is not able to 
 reflect upon his own action, and to consider whether it be
 
 SEE. 1.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 305 
 
 good or evil when he hath done it. But, now, a man that 
 hath this rational life, is ; and the more of man in a man, 
 the more he is able to reflect upon his own action. Look, I 
 pray, into the xlvith chapter of Isaiah, and there ye shall 
 find this to be the essential property of a man : at the 8th 
 verse, " Remember this, and shew yourselves men." Where- 
 in ? " Bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors." Reflect 
 upon your own action, and consider what ye have done, and 
 thus ye will shew yourselves to be men, to have the life of 
 men in you. And upon this account, when as the prodigal 
 bethought himself, then he is said to return unto himself. 
 Now every godly, gracious man hath this power, to reflect 
 upon his own action. And therefore converting Ephraim is 
 brought in thus, " smiting himself upon his thigh/' saying, 
 " Oh. what have I done ?" Jer. xxxi. 19. And in that of the 
 Epistle to the Corinthians, it is said, " Know ye not, how 
 that Christ is in you, unless ye be reprobates," 2 Cor. xiii. 5. 
 That is, unless ye be reprobates, ye may know that Christ is 
 in you. A reprobate, indeed, does not reflect upon his own 
 action ; but as a beast he goes on : he prays, may be, and 
 does not reflect upon his prayer when he hath done ; he hears 
 the word, and does not reflect upon his hearing when he hath 
 done ; he sins against God, and does not reflect upon his own 
 action and sin, smiting himself upon his thigh, saying, Oh, 
 what have I done ? But, now, every godly, gracious man 
 does thus reflect upon his own action, and is able to do it. 
 So then, take the argument in the whole, and it lies thus : If 
 a godly, gracious man, have all the essential properties of 
 those three lives, in a spiritual way and manner; then cer- 
 tainly he is in the state of life, and does live a spiritual life. 
 Now, as ye have heard, every godly, gracious man, hath all 
 the essential properties of all these three lives, in a spiritual 
 way and manner, and therefore, certainly he does live a spiri- 
 tual life, he is in the state of life. 
 
 III. But how may it appear that others are not in this 
 state of life ? that a wicked man is not in this state of life ? 
 that a wicked man is a dead man, spiritually dead ? that the 
 godly, and the godly only are made partakers of this spiritual 
 life, and that others are not ? 
 
 I answer, Our Lord and Saviour does speak expressly, 
 " Ye will not come to me that ye may have life," John v. 40. 
 x
 
 S06 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SfiR. 1. 
 
 But look into the iiird chapter of John, and the 36th verse, 
 and ye shall find these words : " He that believeth on the 
 Son hath everlasting life ; and he that believeth not the Son 
 shall not see life." Shall not see life ; mark those words, he 
 shall not come within the view or sight of life, or of the 
 good things of life. He does not barely say, He shall not 
 live : no, but he shall not see life, he shall not see the good 
 things of life. So that plainly, then, he that believeth not is 
 a dead man, spiritually a dead man, and lives not this spiri- 
 tual life. 
 
 But all motion comes from life : can a man act, move and 
 work and not be alive ? Even wicked men, they pray, and 
 they hear, and they read, and they meditate, and they act, and 
 move and work towards God, and they do many good things, 
 and have many moral virtues ; and can all this be, and yet 
 no life in them ? 
 
 I answer, Yes : for ye know a watch, or a jack, or a clock, 
 they all move, and act, and work, and yet they have no life. 
 Though a wicked man may act, and move, and work towards 
 God, yet, notwithstanding, that motion does but arise from 
 the natural perfection that is left in him by the fall. Take a 
 civil man, and though he have many moral virtues, what is 
 there in him that lies beyond the reach of nature, with the 
 dye of gospel education. But, now, this spiritual life, it is a 
 supernatural perfection. Indeed, it is said of hypocrites, 
 they have a name to live : aye, but they are dead ; they are 
 accounted living, but they live not. Why ? Because they 
 are not united unto Christ by the Spirit, which is the other 
 property of the spiritual life. This spiritual life, I say, it is 
 the supernatural perfection of the soul, whereby a man is able 
 to act, and move, and work towards God as his utmost end. 
 Now there is no wicked man that is able to move towards God 
 as his utmost end : for, as the schools well speak, wicked men, 
 they do use what they should enjoy, that is God: and they do 
 enjoy what they should use, that is the world. What wicked man 
 is there in all the world, that is able to move and work towards 
 God as his last and his utmost end ? There is a two-fold end: 
 there is an hither end and a remote end; a hithermost end and a 
 remote or one's utmost end. A wicked man, indeed, he may 
 have God as the hither end of his action, but himself is at 
 the utmost end. Look, I pray, into the second of Samuel, 
 the iiird chapter, at the 17th and 18th verses, and there you
 
 SER. 1.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 30? 
 
 shall read to this purpose : " Abner had communication with 
 the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David, in times 
 past, to be king over you; now then do it, for the Lord hath 
 spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David 
 I will save my people Israel." Here, now, he had God in 
 his eye, and the fulfilling of the Lord's promise ; here is one 
 end why he would bring about the kingdom to David : " For 
 the Lord hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my 
 servant David I will save my people Israel." But now look 
 a little higher, and you shall see what his utmost end was in 
 bringing about the kingdom to David : he falls out with the 
 son of Saul: and Saul's son comes to him, and says, " Where- 
 fore hast thou gone in unto my father's concubine ?' : verse 7- 
 Whereupon Abner was very angry ; at the 8th verse, " Then 
 was Abner very wrath for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, 
 Am I a dog's head, which against Judah doth shew kindness 
 this day unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, 
 and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand 
 of David, that thou chargest me to day with a fault concern- 
 ing this woman ? so do God to Abner, and more also, except, 
 as the Lord hath sworn to David, even so do I to him ; to 
 translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up 
 the throne of David over Israel." Mark, here was self; he 
 would be revenged of him. Indeed, he set God at the hither 
 end of the action, but it was self that was at the utmost end 
 of the action. And so it is with a wicked man ; though he 
 may have God at the hither end of his action, yet himself is 
 at the utmost end of his action. It is not so with a godly, 
 gracious man; but though self may be at the hither end of 
 his action, God is the utmost end : and if you ask him, 
 Neighbour, friend, why do you thus pray, and hear, and read, 
 and meditate ? Oh, says he, that my poor soul may be com- 
 forted ; for I am one that am of a troubled spirit. Well, but 
 why would you be comforted ? I would therefore be com- 
 forted, that I might serve God the better. Here his own 
 comfort is at the beginning of the action, but God is at the 
 utmost end. Take a wicked man, I say, and though he doth 
 act, and move, and work towards God, yet he wants a super- 
 natural perfection, he is not united to Christ by the Spirit, 
 he does not act, and move towards God as his utmost end. 
 But, now, every godly, gracious man doth, and therefore he, 
 x 2
 
 308 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SEB. 1. 
 
 and he alone is the living man, that hath this spiritual life, 
 that is in this state of life. 
 
 Is all a civil man's civility nothing ? and are all moral 
 virtues nothing ? Are all these then good for nothing ? 
 
 I answer, Yes, they are in themselves good, and they are 
 good for something, but they are not good to make a man 
 spiritually alive. If a man come and offer you a brass six- 
 pence, or a brass shilling ; and you say, No, it will not go : 
 and if he reply, and say to ye, But though it be brass, is it 
 good for nothing? you will say, Yes, it is good for something, 
 brass is good for something, but it is not good for money, it 
 will not go for pay, it will not pay your debt, it is is not suf- 
 ficient to fetch you out of prison ; it will not make you 
 alive, it is not good for this. So now say I : Do ye ask 
 whether these be good for nothing? I say, Yes, they are 
 good, all moral virtues are in themselves good ; but they are 
 not good for to pay your debt, they are not good to make 
 you alive, they can never make you spiritually alive ; it is 
 only grace, and union with Jesus Christ by the Spirit, that 
 must make a man alive, spiritually alive ; and this only the 
 saints and people of God have ; and therefore they only are 
 the living men, every child of God is a living man, and 
 none else. 
 
 If this be so, what abundance of comfort is here, unto all 
 the saints and people of God. He only lives, comparatively, 
 that lives this spiritual life : the saints and people of God 
 they are alive. Doest thou therefore believe ? Art thou 
 united to Jesus Christ by the Spirit ? Then thou art alive, 
 and in the state of life, made partaker of this spiritual life. 
 And dost thou know what it is to be made partaker of this 
 spiritual life ? dost thou know what a life it is that now thou 
 livest ? It is a life better and beyond the life that thou 
 shouldest have lived in the state of innocency : for as the 
 second Adam is more excellent than the first Adam was; 
 " The first man, Adam, was made a living soul, but the 
 second Adam was made a quickening spirit," 1 Cor. xv. 45 ; 
 so that life that comes from Christ the second Adam, is 
 better and beyond that life that you should have had from 
 the first Adam in the state of innocency. 
 
 Of all lives, this spiritual life, that now I am speaking of, 
 is the most pleasant life. In the xxxvith Psalm, says the
 
 SER. 1.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 309 
 
 Psalmist concerning the godly, at the 8th verse, " They shall 
 be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house ; and 
 thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures." 
 Now, as Austin doth well observe upon that place, The river 
 hath many waves, one following upon another : and so are 
 the pleasures of the saints, the spiritual pleasures ; one wave, 
 one pleasure following upon another ; and it is a deep river. 
 Oh ! but a river may be dry. Nay it cannot be dry if it be 
 maintained with a fountain, and with springs. Now see 
 what follows, at the 9th verse, " They shall satisfy them- 
 selves of the river of thy pleasures : why ? " for with thee is 
 the fountain of life." So that, if a man do but enjoy God in 
 Christ, and be united unto Christ by the Spirit, he hath this 
 life, which shall be as a river of pleasures maintained with 
 a fountain. Yea, this life it shall know no end. Your lives 
 now, they run into death : but this life, this spiritual life, it 
 shall know no end. The apostle argues unto the Romans, 
 that they should die no more, because they had communion 
 with Christ in his death : and therefore, says he, " In that 
 he died once, he shall die no more," Rom. vi. 10. And so, 
 you having communion with Christ in his death, you shall 
 die no more : once alive spiritually, and ye shall die no more. 
 Who can go to heaven and pull Christ out of heaven ? In 
 the iind chapter of Paul unto the Ephesians, the 5th verse, 
 says the apostle there, " Even when we were dead in tres- 
 passess and sins, hath he quickened us together with Christ, 
 and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in 
 heavenly places in Jesus Christ." Here is sitting together in 
 heavenly places with Christ Jesus ; and we are raised up in 
 Christ. So then, if once ye have this spiritual life in Christ, 
 ye shall never die again spiritually. 
 
 And this life, that now I am speaking of, it is of all other 
 lives, the most communicative life. A man does communi- 
 cate life unto his child ; but his child is not able presently, 
 as soon as it is born, to communicate life unto another child. 
 One beast does communicate life unto another; the sheep 
 communicates life unto the lamb : but the lamb as soon as it 
 is brought forth is not able to communicate life to another, 
 and get another. And so, the herb communicates life to 
 another, but not presently as soon as it is an herb. But 
 now, no sooner does a man partake of this spiritual life, but
 
 310 THE SPIRITUAL, LIFE. [SfiR. 1. 
 
 he is presently able to communicate life unto another : 
 " When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren/ 5 Luke 
 xxii. 32. No sooner was Paul made alive by another, but 
 he presently goes and communicates this life unto his bre- 
 thren. 
 
 And let me tell you or one thing more : though your sins 
 have been very great while you were in the state of death, 
 before you were made partakers of this spiritual life : yet 
 when ye once come to partake of this spiritual life, the Lord 
 will look upon all your former sin under another consideration, 
 a mollifying consideration. " This my son was dead, (says 
 the father of the prodigal,) and is now alive," Luke xv. 24 : 
 that is all. He does not say, This was a whoremonger, or 
 this was a rioter, or this was a spendthrift ; and now he is 
 returned and come home to me for meat : no, but in mollifying 
 terms, only thus, " This my son was dead, and is now alive. 3 * 
 And ye know what is said of David, David committed a great 
 sin in the murder of Uriah : and yet says the Lord concern- 
 ing David, " He turned not aside to the right hand or to the 
 left, save only in the matter of Uriah," 1 Kings xv. 5. He 
 does not say, Save only in the murder of Uriah ; but in a mol- 
 lifying term, he says only so, save only in the matter of Uriah: 
 a mollifying term : why ? because that David had repented 
 of the sin, and now the Lord does not look upon it, but 
 under this mollifying term; save only in the matter; not in 
 the murder of Uriah, but in the matter of Uriah. And so, 
 if thou do repent, and turn unto the Lord thy God, though 
 thy sins have been very great in the state of thy death, yet if 
 once ye come to be made partaker of this spiritual life, the 
 Lord will look upon all thy former sins under other terms, 
 and mollifying considerations : He will not say, Here is this 
 poor wretch, that now I do look upon as a drunkard, or a 
 swearer ; but he will say thus ; This my son was dead, but 
 is now alive : this my daughter was dead, and is now alive. 
 Thus the Lord will look upon your former evils, if once ye 
 come to be made partakers of this spiritual life. Oh, there- 
 fore, what a blessed condition are the saints and people of 
 God in, that are made partakers of this same spiritual life. I 
 remember it is written of a certain martyr in the primitive 
 times, a woman ; when she was brought before the enemies 
 of the gospel, they put divers questions to her, and she ans- 

 
 SER. 1.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 311 
 
 wered all their questions with one answer, which was this : 
 Christiana sum, I AM A CHRISTIAN. When they said unto 
 her, Woman, art thou married or no ? I am a Christian, 
 says she. What parents hast thou, woman ? I am a Chris- 
 tian, says she. Woman, where dost thou live ? I am a 
 Christian, says she. She answered all their questions with 
 this, I am a Christian. And so, methinks a man may answer 
 all objections that are made unto him with this : I am alive 
 in Christ. But, thou hast a dead estate, much of it is lost at 
 sea, or land. Well, but I am alive in Christ. But hast thou 
 not a dead husband, or a dead wife, or a dead child ? I am 
 alive in Christ. But, is not thy name dead, and buried 
 under reproaches ? I am alive in Christ. A poor soul may 
 answer all with this ; I am alive in Christ. Oh, what a bles- 
 sed thing is it, for a man to be made partaker of this spirit- 
 ual life ! This is the condition of all the saints. Art 
 thou therefore alive, and made partaker of this spiritual 
 life ? blessed art thou from the Lord, and thou shalt be bles- 
 sed to all eternity. 
 
 I am afraid that I have not this spiritual life ; for my heart 
 is dead, and cold and stiff: and dead men, they are cold and 
 stiff, very stiff: and truly so it is with me; my heart is cold, 
 and dead, and stiff, and therefore I fear I am free among the 
 dead, and not free among the living. 
 
 I answer, Have ye not heard, that there is a deadness 
 which is opposite to liveliness, as well as a death that is op- 
 posite to life ? And were thine heart dead, with a death 
 opposite to life, thou couldst not feel it. And I appeal to 
 thee ; if that thy soul be alive in opposition to death ; hast 
 thou not more cause to be thankful, that thy soul is alive in 
 opposition to death, than to be discouraged, that thy soul is 
 dead in opposition to liveliness ? 
 
 But there is a difference, ye know, between the coldness 
 of a living man, and the coldness of a dead man. Take a 
 dead man, and if he be cold, it is not all your fires will put 
 warmth into him, or your Aqua-vit<B 3 or your chafing or rub- 
 bing of him, or your warm beds that will make him warm. 
 But now take a man that is cold, and living; and if ye chafe 
 him, or bring him to the fire, or lay him in a good warm 
 bed ; he recovers his warmth again. And so it is with a 
 godly heart though cold, yet bring it unto the ordinance,
 
 312 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SfiR. 1. 
 
 either publicly, or privately, and it recovers its warmth 
 again : and hath it not been even so with some of you ? 
 
 It is true, a dead man is stiff. But have you found your- 
 selves in a way of sin, an evil way; and are you so stiff 
 therein, as ye will not be put out of your way, no, not by ad- 
 monition ? then ye are stiff indeed. There are two men that 
 are out of the way, suppose, the traveller, and the thief: the 
 traveller is out of his way : and it you come to him and say, 
 Sir, you are much out of your way : he hearkens to ye, and 
 he thanks ye, and he returns into his way again. But if ye 
 come to a thief and say, Sir, you are out of your way ; he 
 laughs, and scorns, and comes not into the way. So, 
 there are some indeed, that are out of their way; and if you 
 do come to them and tell them, that they are out of their 
 way; they will bless and praise the Lord for your admoni- 
 tion, and labour to return into their way again. But some 
 there are, that if you tell them, that they are out of their 
 way, they will rather scorn and jeer at it ; What have you to 
 do to meddle with me ? what have you to do to meddle with 
 my ways ? meddle with your own matters. These men are 
 stiff, they are stiff indeed ; why ? because they are dead : 
 they are stiff in the way of their sin, and they will not be 
 stirred out, no, not by admonition, why ? because they are 
 dead. But I appeal to ye, whether is it thus with ye or no ? 
 Do not ye say rather, I praise the Lord, though sometimes, 
 yea many times, I am out of the way, and in the way of sin ; 
 yet I can rejoice in an admonition, and bless the Lord for an 
 admonition : yea, this I can speak, though my heart be 
 sometimes very cold, yet I have found heat, and warmth 
 recovered again, either under a public, or under a private or- 
 dinance : well then, be of good comfort, thou art not dead ; 
 though thou mayest be asleep, yet thou mayest be among the 
 living. 
 
 I am afraid that I am not alive spiritually, that I am not 
 made partaker of this spiritual life, because I do not grow in 
 grace; and this is the difference between a living child and a 
 dead child : the dead painted child grows not, but the living 
 child grows ; and the Lord knows I do not grow in grace, 
 and therefore I fear that I am but the painted child of God, 
 and I am not the living child. 
 
 I answer, If this were true, it were ill : for growth, indeed,
 
 SEE. 1.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 313 
 
 is a sign of life. But whoever you are that make this objec- 
 tion, and lie under this fear : give me leave to propound to 
 ye two or three questions. 
 
 Do ye not grow more out of love with your own righteous- 
 ness, and with your own duties, as to the resting on them ? 
 The stronger a man grows in grace, the more he grows into 
 Christ; and so, the more he grows off from himself and his 
 own righteousness. 
 
 Do ye not find, that ye are less subject to be offended 
 now than heretofore ye were ? When a man is in the state 
 of nature, and in spiritual death, then he is apt to be offen- 
 ded against all actions, and against the good way of God, and 
 the people of God ; this is your godliness, these are your 
 professors, and they are all so: very apt to be offended. 
 When a man is converted, and turned to God ; while he is 
 weak in grace, he is apt to stumble, and to be offen- 
 ded ; but the stronger he grows in grace, the less he will 
 be offended. 
 
 Whether do ye not grow more off from the youthful things 
 that godly men look unto ? I say, the things that the youth- 
 fulness of godliness is taken much with ? Ye know that 
 youth is taken with many things that the state of man is not. 
 A child, a little child is taken with babies, and with rattles, 
 and with toys ; and when it grows bigger to eight, nine, or 
 ten years old, it is taken with other things ; and as the child 
 grows into a man, so he grows off from those childish and 
 youthful things. There are some things that the youth of 
 godliness is taken withal ; as, taken much with expressions 
 in prayer, and duty, and hearing the word ; and taken much 
 with the sense and feeling of God's love ; this is good, and 
 they cannot live without it. But when a man grows into 
 more strength of grace, then he grows off from these things 
 that the youth of godliness is taken withal, and he is more 
 able to live without them ; heretofore he could not live 
 without such an expression in duty, and he could not live by 
 faith alone : but now, when once he grows to a man in grace, 
 he is more grown off from that which the youth of godliness 
 is taken withal. Now upon all these things, I appeal to ye. 
 Whoever ye are that makes this objection, and say, Ye can- 
 not grow in grace, and therefore afraid that ye are but the 
 painted child of God, and not the living child of God : whe-
 
 314 THE SPIRITUAL, LIFE. [SER. 1. 
 
 ther do ye not find, that ye are more grown off from those 
 things that the youth of godliness is taken with ? Whether 
 do ye not find, that ye are less subject to be offended now, 
 than you were heretofore ? And are you not more grown 
 off from your own righteousness ? Yes, I must needs say 
 this, through the Lord's goodness and mercy to me, though 
 I am not grown in grace as I desire, yet I am more grown 
 off from my own righteousness than I was heretofore : and 
 I am not so subject to be offended at the good ways of God 
 and the people of God, as heretofore : and, I praise God 
 I can live off from those things that the youth of godliness 
 is taken withal : well, be of good comfort, thou art grown, 
 and thou art not the painted child, but, for aught I know, 
 thou mayest be the living child, dear and precious with the 
 Lord thy Father. 
 
 But there is one thing yet sticks with me, and makes me 
 afraid that I am yet dead in my sins and trespasses, and 
 that I am not made partaker of this spiritual life, and that 
 is this ; I am alive to the world : can a man live unto God 
 and to the world too ? when I go into the world and upon 
 my worldly occasions, then I am very lively ; but when I 
 come to duty, then I am dead, and my heart dead, and there- 
 fore I am afraid that I am not alive to God, and made par- 
 taker of this spiritual life. 
 
 I answer, This, if true, is very ill : for I find in that xiiith 
 of Matthew, the parable of the seed, that there are three 
 false grounds, unto one true ground ; three unsound hearts 
 to one sound, that live under the gospel and the preaching 
 of the word; and that ground that goes the furthest and 
 yet falls short of the truth, is the ground that received the 
 word ; the thorny ground, and the thorns choked it : 
 it is the worldly professor. Three to one false ; and the 
 worldly professor goes the furthest, such a one as is choked 
 in duty with the world. 
 
 But yet notwithstanding, let me tell ye this : Every man 
 is not alive to the world, or a worldly man, that does use the 
 things of the world, or that is active, and cheerful in the way 
 of his calling : for the things of the world, they are the ma- 
 terials of our grace, that our grace works upon while we are 
 here below. 
 
 Yea, let me tell you further, and I pray observe it warily,
 
 SER. 1.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 315 
 
 Possibly a man may see a greater beauty in the things of the 
 world, after conversion, than ever he saw before. As now, 
 in the case of the law. While a man is in the state of 
 nature, then he is under the law ; but when a man is con- 
 verted and drawn to Christ, then he is free from the law : 
 and then when he is freed from the law, he sees a greater 
 excellency in the law, than ever he saw before conversion ; 
 for then says he, Now I see that the commandment is holy, 
 just and good. Indeed, as to the point of justification, he 
 sees a greater emptiness in the law than ever he did before ; 
 but as to the point of rule of life, he sees a greater beauty in 
 the law than ever he did before. So Paul did, as ye read in 
 the vhth of the Romans. So in this case : though as to the 
 point of satisfaction, a man after he is converted sees less in 
 the creature than ever he did before ; yet as to the point of 
 Christ's purchase, looking upon the creature as the purchase 
 of Jesus Christ, Christ hath purchased these for me, he sees 
 a greater beauty in them now than ever before ; for, says he, 
 Christ hath purchased these, and all these are mine in Christ, 
 and Christ hath paid for me; Christ is mine, and I am 
 Christ's, and these are mine, and all is Christ's. Though as 
 to the matter of satisfaction, his soul cannot be satisfied, he 
 sees less in the world than ever he did before ; yet as to the 
 *matter of Christ's purchase, a man after his conversion may 
 see a greater beauty in the things of the world than ever he 
 did before. 
 
 Only here, I remember the story of Anselmo : walking 
 abroad in the fields, he saw a shepherd's boy that had taken 
 a bird, and having tied a stone unto the leg of the bird, the 
 bird offered to fly and mount up, but still the stone at her 
 heel pulled the bird back again ; whereupon Anselmo falls a 
 weeping : Thus, saith he within himself, it is with men, they 
 sometimes offer to mount up to God in good purpose, but 
 then they have some earthly business at their heel, and that 
 makes them fall down again ; they purpose and purpose, and 
 offer and offer to mount up to God, but there is a stone at 
 the heel, some earthly business at the heel, and so they fall 
 down to the earth again. So if it be with you now, if you 
 have a stone at your heel, a calling at your heel, an employ- 
 ment at your heel, an earthly business at your heel ; yet 
 every day you are mourning and lamenting over it, and
 
 316 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SfiR. 1. 
 
 saying, Oh ! what a clog have I at my heel, what a stone 
 have I at my heel ! Oh, Lord, when shall I come to heaven, 
 that I may be freed from this clog at my heel ? I say, if you 
 mourn and lament over this clog that you have at your heel, 
 it rather argues that you are alive than dead ; and therefore 
 take in all the comfort that hath been spoken concerning 
 this truth : the saints and people of God, are in a most 
 comfortable state upon this account. 
 
 But you will say unto me, Is there nothing in this doctrine 
 but comfort ? Is there no duty that this doctrine calls for 
 at our hands ? Suppose now that I be alive., spiritually 
 alive ; that indeed I am not the painted child, but I am the 
 living child of God, and made partaker of this spiritual life; 
 what is my duty now that does flow from hence ? 
 
 I answer, Surely you will be thankful for your life. If 
 your outward and momentary life were given you for a prey, 
 you would be thankful : and will ye not be thankful for this 
 life, this spiritual life, this pleasant life, this eternal life, that 
 never shall be taken from you ? 
 
 But there are three things I will propound to you in par- 
 ticular. 
 
 1. If we be alive indeed, and made partakers of this spi- 
 ritual life, why then should we not live at an higher rate than 
 the world do, which have none of this life ? The beast lives 
 at an higher rate than the plant or the herb does ; why ? 
 because it hath an higher life than the plant or herb hath. 
 Man, as man, lives at an higher rate than the beast does ; 
 why ? because man, as man, hath an higher life than the 
 beast hath. And if a man have this spiritual life, he hath a 
 life that is higher than the men of the world's life is : and 
 therefore, if we be alive, and made partaker of this spiritual 
 life, why should we not live at an higher rate ? why should 
 I not say to my own soul thus, and speak it often, Oh, 
 my soul, wherein dost thou live at an higher rate than civil 
 men do ? thou hast a higher life, thou sayest, why dost thou 
 not then live at an higher rate ? 
 
 2. If we be alive indeed, and made partakers of this spi- 
 ritual life, why should our hearts run after the things of the 
 world, so as to feed on them as our meat, to be satisfied with 
 them ? Every life lives upon some meat that maintains it, 
 and is suitable to it. The herb hath one kind of life, and it
 
 SEE. 1.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 317 
 
 hath a meat that suits to it. The beasts have another life, 
 and they have a meat that does suit to that life. Man hath 
 another life, different from the beast, and therefore he hath 
 a meat that doth suit to his life. Now this spiritual life, it 
 is another kind of life than the natural life of man is, and 
 therefore it must have a meat that does suit with it, meat that 
 the world knows not of. Says our Saviour, " I have meat to 
 eat that you know not of," John iv. 32. This life of grace, 
 it is a hidden life ; and therefore the meat thereof that it 
 lives upon, it is an hidden meat. Then, if you are alive in- 
 deed, and have this spiritual life, why do you live upon these 
 outward things, and why should our hearts run out after 
 these outward things, so as to live upon them, and make 
 them, as it were, our meat, for the satisfaction of our souls, 
 to live upon ? 
 
 3. If we be alive indeed, and made partakers of this spi- 
 ritual life, why is our communion and fellowship together no 
 more living ? Why no more living fellowship and commu- 
 nion ? Why is our conference no more warm and living ? 
 A living coal warms, ye know. There is this difference be- 
 tween a living coal and a dead coal : take a dead coal, and 
 though it be never so great or small, it sullies and blacks, 
 more or less, but it warms not. But take your living coal, 
 which hath fire in it, and though it be never so great or 
 small it does warm in proportion, more or less it warms. 
 And if we be as living coals, why then is our conference and 
 communion together no more warming ? When ye go into 
 wicked and ungodly company, there ye meet with dead coals, 
 and there ye are sullied and dirtied and blacked by them. I 
 say, If ye indeed be living coals, why is your conference no 
 more warm and living ? Oh, what sad times are we now 
 fallen into. Heretofore, some four or six or ten years ago, 
 ye should not come into a Christian's company, but you 
 should have some heart-warming conference, that you should 
 bless God for many years after. As it is said of Junius, he 
 came into a poor countryman's house, and he spake so feel- 
 ingly of Christ, that he thought it was not knowledge only 
 that would serve a man's turn, and thereupon he thought of 
 his own condition, and was turned to God. And we read of 
 the martyrs in the primitive times, when they met together, 
 they would speak much of the kingdom, the kingdom, the
 
 318 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SfiR. 1. 
 
 kingdom of heaven ; insomuch, as their accusers, their ene- 
 mies, and persecutors, charged them, that they aimed at the 
 empire and the kingdom ; whereas they were speaking of a 
 heavenly kingdom, and not of an earthly kingdom. But, I 
 say, they were always speaking of the kingdom, the king- 
 dom. And so heretofore, in former times, when Christians 
 did meet together, then they would speak of the kingdom, 
 and something that would warm their hearts together, that 
 they might be the better all the year after. But now, when 
 we are met together, either our speech is about news, or 
 some dispute in point of religion, or some other thing ; yea, 
 though it be upon the Lord's day. But if you be living 
 coals, where is your living conference, and your heart-warm- 
 ing communion ? Certainly, if you be alive in Christ indeed, 
 and made partaker of this spiritual life, you will live at a 
 higher rate than the men of the world do. 
 
 Is there nothing in all this doctrine, concerning those that 
 are dead in sins, and not made alive ; hath this doctrine no- 
 thing to say to them ? 
 
 Yes, it hath very much to say to them, only I am loth to 
 be the messenger of death to any one of your souls ? But, 
 if this doctrine be true, that every godly man is a living 
 man, and in the state of life, and none else : How many 
 poor dead souls may this doctrine find in congregations ! It 
 is said, that when the Egyptians found their first-born dead 
 in their families, there was a great cry through Egypt, a great 
 cry in every family. And were men as sensible of their souls 
 as they are of their bodies, oh, what a great cry might there 
 be in divers of your families ! One crying out, and saying, 
 Oh, Lord, I have a dead child, whose soul is dead : another, 
 Oh, Lord, I have a dead servant in my family : another, Oh, 
 Lord, I have a dead wife in my family, whose soul is dead : 
 another, I have a dead husband, a dead friend. I say, were 
 men and women as sensible of their souls as they are of their 
 bodies, what crying, what a great cry this morning might 
 there be found in this congregation ! But I choose rather to 
 exhort ye in the name of the Lord, for to get this same spi- 
 ritual life that now I have been speaking of; above all get- 
 ting to get this spiritual life. Ye see into what sad times you 
 are fallen. Who knows how long he shall live ? Who knows 
 how long he shall be the owner of his estate, liberty, or life ?
 
 SER. 1.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 319 
 
 The kingdom is full of blood ; and there is a blood-thirsty 
 disposition that runs through the kingdom : and if you and I 
 have our lives taken from us, and we have not a better life, 
 what a sad condition shall we be in. Wherefore I beseech 
 ye in the Lord, labour to get another life, this spiritual life, 
 that shall never be taken from you ; and the Lord give you 
 hearts to do it. 
 
 But you will say, How should that be done ? 
 I answer, Come unto Jesus Christ : whatever thou beest, 
 man or woman, now come unto Jesus Christ. Says the Lord 
 Christ, " They will not come unto me that they may have 
 life," John v. 40. There are three things that keep men from 
 coming to Christ: one thing is, men's negligence; men think 
 they can repent afterward, and they may have Christ after- 
 ward, and so for the present they neglect coming to Jesus 
 Christ. Sometimes, nay always, unbelief keeps men off from 
 coming to Jesus Christ. For as faith brings Christ and the 
 soul together, so unbelief keeps a man from coming to Jesus 
 Christ. And another thing is, unwillingness to part with all 
 for Jesus Christ. The young man ye have read of in the gospel, 
 went away sorrowful when Christ said to him, Go and sell 
 all, to come to Christ : so he did not come to Christ upon 
 that account. And so, when we come to men and women, 
 and say, You must come to Christ, and leave all your former 
 company; Nay, say they, I can have Christ better cheap, 
 upon better terms ; and I cannot leave my company, and my 
 merry meetings : and so they come not to Christ. But I 
 beseech you in the Lord, come unto Jesus Christ ; oh, what- 
 ever thou hast been, come unto Jesus Christ that you may 
 have life. 
 
 I know many will say, I have been long dead in my tres- 
 passes and sins, and I fear there is no hope of life for me. 
 
 Now mark what I say to that, and so I will end all. There 
 are three mentioned in the gospel whom Christ raised from 
 the dead. One a maid that lay in her father's house, and 
 Christ came in and took her by the hand, and said unto her, 
 Arise. Another was a young man, that was carried out of 
 his father's house, and was laid out upon the hearse ; and 
 Christ came, and said unto him, Arise. And the third was 
 Lazarus, that had been four days dead, and stank again ; and 
 Christ speaks to Lazarus, and he comes forth. And these
 
 320 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SER. 2. 
 
 three, saj s Austin, shows those that Christ will raise up from 
 the dead again. The first, the maid that lay in her father's 
 house, notes that sort of sinners that commit secret sins, and 
 never come abroad, never come into act. The second, the 
 son that was carried out of his father's house, and laid upon 
 the hearse, notes that sort of sinners that sin openly; swearers 
 and drunkards, whose sins are abroad. And the third, that 
 of Lazarus, notes that sort of sinner that hath lien so long 
 in the grave that he even smells again. Now I pray further 
 observe this, that when Christ came to raise Lazarus, then 
 Christ prayed, but he did not pray when he raised the other 
 two ; and he groaned over him ; he did not groan over the 
 maid, nor over the young man, but he groaned over Lazarus, 
 to shew the difficulty of raising a poor sinner from the dead 
 that hath lien long in his sin. And therefore, if there be 
 ever a poor soul here that is dead in his sins ; oh, go to 
 Christ while thou art young, and fall down before him and 
 say, Oh, Lord, I have a dead heart of mine own, oh, let me 
 have life from thee. But whether thou be young or old, 
 here is yet hope ; Lazarus raised as well as the young rnaid, 
 and young man ; Lazarus, that lay, till he stank again in the 
 grave ; and therefore, yet there is hope though thou hast lien 
 long. Wherefore in the name of the Lord, I beseech you all, 
 come unto Jesus Christ this morning, If there be ever a 
 poor dead soul in this congregation, as may be some there is, 
 some drunkard crept in, some swearer, some unclean wanton : 
 well, if there be ever a dead soul in this congregation, now 
 go to Christ that thou mayest have life : and I say to thee, 
 Awake thou that sleepest, and stand up from the dead and 
 the Lord Jesus give us life. 
 
 SERMON II. 
 
 " Nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." 
 GAL. ii. 20. 
 
 YE heard the last day, that two things especially, are 
 observable from these words : 
 
 First. That every godly, gracious man, is a livin
 
 SER. 2.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 321 
 
 is in the state of life, lives a spiritual life. And this I have 
 spoken to. 
 
 Secondly. That our justification by faith alone, is no 
 enemy, but a real friend unto this our spiritual life. 
 
 Nevertheless, ?& and now I live ; but now I live. As 
 if he should say, I never did live before ; but now, being jus- 
 tified by faith alone, and having the experience of this great 
 truth, now I live. At the 1 6th verse, he had said, " That a man 
 is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of 
 Jesus Christ ;" whereupon it was, or might be objected : if 
 a man be not justified by the works of the law, then is he 
 free from the law, then he is dead unto the law, then a man 
 may live as he lists ? Nay, not so, says the apostle at the 
 the 19th verse, " For I through the law, am dead to the law, 
 that I might live to God :" quite contrary, " That I might 
 live to God, I am dead to the law." Yea, " and though I 
 am crucified with Christ, yet now I live," and 1 never did 
 live till now ; but now I live : this very principle of justifi- 
 cation by faith alone, is the fountain and original of all my spi- 
 ritual life. And thus indeed you shall find : for if you look 
 into those three epistles of Paul to the Romans, the Gala- 
 tians, and the Hebrews ; ye shall find that the apostle does 
 give this as the rise unto all his exhortations unto holiness of 
 life : in the latter end of the epistle to the Romans, the apos- 
 tle does exhort unto holy practices, and to a godly conversa- 
 tion : but in the beginning, he does state, and prove this doc- 
 trine, of justification by faith alone. So in this epistle to the 
 Galatians ; so in the epistle to the Hebrews : as if the only 
 rise of all our holiness, and godly conversation were this, 
 our free-justification through the blood of Christ, by faith 
 alone. 
 
 For the opening, and clearing of this great truth ; I shall 
 spend a little time in the explication of the terms. 
 
 First. Justification by faith alone. 
 
 Secondly. I shall labour to demonstrate this truth unto 
 you, that justification by faith alone, is the fountain and ori- 
 ginal of all our holiness and spiritual life. 
 
 Thirdly. Answer to some objections. 
 
 Fourthly. Labour to shew ye, what there is in this free 
 justification by faith alone, that may, can, or doth advance 
 our holiness.
 
 322 THE SPIRITUAL, LIFE. [SfiR. 2. 
 
 First. What is meant by this justification by faith alone ? 
 
 I answer, that I may be understood by the meanest. 
 By this justification I mean, That act of God's grace, where- 
 by through the imputations of our sins to Christ, and Christ's 
 righteousness unto us, God the Father doth pronounce us 
 righteous in his sight. This is justification. And this is 
 done by the righteousness, and the blood of Christ only, 
 as the material and meritorious cause, it is done only' by 
 faith as the instrumental cause, so we are said to be justified 
 by faith alone. Yet not so, as that a man is justified by 
 faith which hath no works ; for all justifying faith is full of 
 works : but these works do not come into our justification : 
 as now, a man's servants, they have him to bed. Ser- 
 vants have their master and mistress to bed ; tend upon them 
 to bed ; but they do not go into the bed with them : they 
 are with them again in the morning, they bring them water 
 and necessary things, but they do not come to bed to them. 
 Now, says, Luther, justification is that bed, where Christ and a 
 believing soul lies : and though good works, duties, and 
 prayers tend upon Christ, and wherever there is faith, there 
 are these; yet this bed of justification is kept free, and entire, 
 and only for the righteousness of Jesus Christ ; and they 
 come not to bed, they come not into this work. Or if you 
 will thus : ye know, that when an Israelite was stung in the 
 wilderness, by a fiery biting serpent, he was then to look 
 upon the brazen serpent; and by the beholding of the bra- 
 zen serpent he was cured; the looking of his eyes cured 
 him. He had other members, there were the arms, and the 
 legs, and other members that did accompany the eyes ; but 
 though there were other members that did accompany the 
 eyes, it was the seeing of the eyes that did cure the person. 
 And so, though works do accompany faith ; and there is no 
 saving justifying faith, but works accompany it ; yet it is 
 only the beholding of this brazen serpent by the eye of faith, 
 that does cure the soul as to the point of justification. 
 When Abraham went up into the mountain to offer up his 
 son, he spake to his servants to stay below, " Stay you here 
 till I come again, at the foot and bottom of this hill," Gen. 
 xxii. 5 : and so they did. Servants he had, but they stayed 
 below. And so when a man goes up into this hill of justifi- 
 cation, this high mountain, he takes only his faith with him,
 
 SER. 2.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 323 
 
 and he says unto all his works, and unto all his duties, stay 
 you below at the bottom of the hill ; and there they attend. 
 So that faith, justifying faith, though it hath always works, 
 yet they come not into this matter of of justification. It is 
 faith alone that justifies. This by way of explication. 
 
 Secondly. But you will say, How may it appear now, that this 
 free-justification of a poor sinner by faith alone, is the origi- 
 nal of all our holiness and spiritual life ? 
 
 Thus, it appears by contraries : contraries, have contrary 
 consequences. If the law, and justification thereby, be no 
 friend, but a real enemy unto all our grace and holiness, then 
 justification by faith alone is a friend to it : but now take the 
 law, and you shall find that justification thereby, is 
 no friend, but a real enemy unto all our holiness, and 
 the power of godliness. What greater enemies had the 
 world ever to the power of godliness, than the Jews were ? 
 and they sought to establish their own righteousness, and to 
 be justified by the law. And now-a-days, what more bitter 
 and more fell enemy unto the power of godliness, than a moral, 
 civil man ? Why ? Because though he do not understand 
 himself, yet he doth secretly seek his acceptance with God, 
 by his own doing, and good meaning. A man can never live 
 to God, that lives to himself: so long as a man seeks justifi- 
 cation by his own doing and working, he lives in himself. 
 Therefore says the apostle, " I desire not to be found in 
 mine own righteousness," Phil. iii. 9 : to be found in it. 
 Hope is the spring of action. The ploughman ploughs in hope, 
 and he sows in hope ; hope is the spring of action. Now if 
 a man seeks to be justified by the law, or the works of the 
 law, there is no hope ; for all works are imperfect : and if no 
 hope, says the soul, why should I work ? as good never a 
 whit, as never the better. That cannot be the principle of 
 our grace and holiness, which can neither convert a man, 
 nor mortify his sins, nor quicken one to what is good, nor 
 comfort, or free him from temptation. Now I pray, what is it 
 that converts a soul to Christ ? is it the law, or the preaching 
 of the law ? Nay, says our Saviour, " I will send the Com- 
 forter, and he shall convince the world of sin," John xvii. 9. 
 But where do I receive the Spirit ? Says the apostle in 
 the next chapter, the iiird of the Galatians, " O ye foolish 
 Galati.-ins this would I know of ye, Received ye the Spirit by 
 Y 2
 
 324 THE SPIRITUAL, LIFE. [SfiR. 2. 
 
 the preaching of the law, or by the hearing of faith }" Not 
 by the preaching of the law. And as for mortification of sin : 
 can the law do that ? Nay, says the apostle in the viiith of 
 the Romans, " The law is weak : what the law could not do, 
 being weak, God sent his own Son, to condemn sin in the 
 flesh." So that the law cannot mortify sin, the law cannot 
 do it. And as for our quickening unto what is good ; can 
 the law do that ? Nay, says the apostle, " The law is a 
 dead letter ; and the law is the ministration of death ;" and 
 can that which is a dead letter, and the ministration of death, 
 quicken us unto what is good ? certainly it cannot. And as 
 for our temptations, and freedom from them; does the law do 
 that ? Ye know the apostle triumphs, " Who shall lay any 
 thing to the charge of God's elect ?" And who shall lay any 
 thing to my charge? shall the anger, and wrath of God? 
 shall Satan, or mine own conscience ? I will not be much 
 afflicted, says he: why ? for it is God that justifies. He does 
 not say, for it is Moses that justifies : but it is Christ 
 that died, and God justifies, not Moses. Samson, ye know, 
 found an honey-comb in the body of a dead lion ; not 
 in hives at home, or trees abroad ; but he found an honey- 
 comb in the body of the dead lion. So does a poor 
 tempted soul find all the honey-combs of comfort, in the 
 body of the dead Lion of the tribe of Judah, not in his own 
 hive. I have read of a certain man that was much in prayer, 
 fasting and reading ; and the devil came unto him and told 
 him, Friend, why dost thou pray so much, and read so much, 
 and fast so much? it is all to no purpose, for thou shalt go to 
 hell at the last, thou shalt never go to heaven : says he, As 
 for that, I leave that to God ; it is not my question, whether 
 I shall go to heaven, or hell : but my question is, how shall I 
 serve God,and live to God? Had he now sought justification in 
 a way of works, and by the law; he could have ever been able 
 to have answered to this temptation ? Ye may see what the 
 apostle says in the viith chapter of his epistle to the Romans ; 
 he gives you a similitude thus : as a woman ; so is the soul of 
 every man : so long as a woman is married unto one" man, 
 she brings forth children unto him, and not unto any other, 
 but is dead unto all others : but when that man dies, she is 
 free to marcy ; and she marries another, and she brings forth 
 children unto him. Now says the apostle, at the 4th verse, 

 
 SER. 2.] THE SPIRITUAL J.IFB. 325 
 
 " wherefore my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law 
 by the body of Christ, that ye should be married to another, 
 even to him, who is raised from the dead, that we should 
 bring forth fruit unto God." So that, so long as a man is 
 married to the law, he can never bring forth fruit unto God. 
 Now then, thus lies the reason : if that the law, and justifi- 
 fication thereby, be no friend but a real enemy unto all our 
 holiness: then contraries having contrary consequences, 
 justification by faith alone, is a friend, and no enemy unto our 
 spiritual life and holiness. 
 
 This also will appear, if ye consider the parallel between 
 the first and second Adam. Christ is our second Adam. 
 Now, says the apostle, in the vth of the Romans, " As by the 
 sin of one, death came upon all men to condemnation : so 
 by the righteousness of one, life comes unto many." Well, 
 but how came condemnation upon all men by the sin of one? 
 The first Adam, he was a common person, he did stand for 
 all mankind ; when he sinned, all mankind sinned : and 
 therefore as soon as any one is born, the sin of Adam being 
 imputed to him judicially; that imputation is the original of 
 all the unholiness that is among the children of men. So 
 our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, being our second Adam, 
 he is a common person, stands in the room of all the elect ; 
 he was obedient, not for himself, but for them : Christus non 
 meruit sibi. Obeyed not for himself: and he died not for 
 himself, but for them, righteous for them. When therefore, 
 a man is born into the other world, is regenerate by faith ? 
 then all that righteousness of Christ, the second Adam, is 
 imputed to him. 
 
 And this imputation of his righteousness by faith, is the 
 original of all that holiness that is in our lives, thus : as all 
 the unholiness, and wickedness that is in the world, does 
 flow from the imputation of the first Adam's sin : so all that 
 grace and holiness that is in the world, does flow from the 
 imputation of the second Adam's righteousness. Now by 
 faith alone, this righteousness is imputed, and does become 
 ours, and therefore, justification by faith alone, is the princi- 
 ple and original of all our grace and holiness. 
 
 If free remission of sin, and the sense thereof, be the 
 cause of our holiness : then justification by faith alone must 
 needs be a friend unto it. For these two, free remission of
 
 326 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SEB. 2. 
 
 sin, and justification by faith alone, go together, and are ordi- 
 narily taken for one. And therefore in the iiird of the Romans, 
 theapostle having said at the 24th verse," Being justified freely 
 by his grace '" he says at the 28th verse, " That a man is 
 justified by faith :" and saying that a man is justified by 
 faith, he says, That a man is justified freely by grace ; these 
 are put together. Now free remission of sin, and the sense 
 thereof is the cause of all our holiness. Ye know what the 
 apostle says, * The grace of God hath appeared unto all 
 men, teaching us to deny ungodliness, and worldly lusts, and 
 to live righteously and soberly in this present world," Titus ii. 
 11, 12. All holiness comes from thence, the apparition of 
 grace, free remission of sin. And ye know what it is that 
 doth hatch the chicken ; it is not the fire that doth hatch the 
 chicken, nor is it the cold water that does hatch the chicken; but 
 laying of the eggs under the warm feathers of the living hen. 
 Come to a man or woman that hath many eggs, that are yet 
 not chickens, within a month or two, these are all become 
 living chickens : say you, how comes it to pass, that all 
 these are now living chickens ? What ! did you lay these 
 eggs unto the fire? No, for then they would have been 
 roasted. What, did you lay these eggs in the cold water ? 
 No, then they would have rotted ; but I laid them under the 
 warm wings of the living hen, and so they are become chick- 
 ens. So you come to a living soul, a living heart, and you 
 say, Friend, how came you to be thus enlivened, and quick- 
 ened ? a month or two ago, I heard you complaining of your 
 dead heart, Oh, my heart is dead : but how came you to be 
 thus enlivened, and to be thus quickened ? Did you go and 
 lay your heart against the fire of the law ? No, that would 
 have scorched me, and tormented me. What, did you go 
 and lay your heart in the cold world ? No, that would have 
 rotted me. How then ? Truly, after all my fears, and after 
 all my doubtings, I went and laid my cold heart under the 
 warm wings of divine love, and so it came to pass that I am 
 thus enlivened, and I am thus quickened, as you see this day, 
 for the which I bless the Lord for ever. Three things there 
 are that do make up a gracious conversation : repentance 
 for sin past; mortification of sin present; and the obedi- 
 dience of faith, or obedience. 
 
 Now as for repentance : look, I pray, at what is said in the
 
 SER. 2.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 327 
 
 viith chapter of Luke, and see what is the cause of that : 
 you read there a story of a great sinner, that became a great 
 penitent, at the 37th verse, " Behold a woman in the city 
 which was a great sinner ; and she came and stood behind 
 Jesus (at the 38th verse) weeping, and began to wash his feet 
 with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head." 
 " She wept much ;" why ? " for " says the text at the latter 
 end of the chapter, " she loved much." But why did she 
 love much ? She loved much, because much was forgiven 
 her. So, then, remission is the cause of repentance. And 
 have ye not so much expressly in that xvith chapter of Eze- 
 kiel, and the last verse : " I will establish my covenant with 
 thee, that thou mayest remember and be confounded, and 
 never open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame, when 
 I am pacified towards thee, for all that thou hast done." So 
 that this shame and repentance comes from pacification. And 
 as for this matter, Luther had so great a sight into it, that, 
 says he, Before I was justified by faith alone, and saw into 
 this matter of free remission, I looked upon that word, re- 
 pent, as a terrible word, I did even hate that word, and I 
 wished that there had been no such word in all the book of 
 God ; but after once that word, justicia, was opened, the 
 righteousness of faith ; and after once I understood this doc- 
 trine of free remission, and justification by faith alone, then 
 I loved repentance. 
 
 As for the mortification of sin : ye know what the apostle 
 says, " Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies, or have do- 
 minion over you :" why ? " for ye are not under the law, but 
 under grace," Rom. vi. 12, 14. So, then, it is being under 
 grace that does mortify sin. 
 
 And as for the matter of obedience : ye know what the 
 Psalmist says, " There is mercy with thee, O Lord, that thou 
 mayest be feared," Psalm cxxx. 4. That is, that thou mayest 
 be served, that thou mayest be obeyed. So that obedience, 
 also, comes from the sight of mercy and of free remission. 
 
 Now, if free remission, and the sense thereof, be the cause 
 of our holiness ; then, surely, justification by faith alone can 
 be no enemy, but must needs be a real friend unto all our 
 spiritual life. 
 
 Thirdly. But by way of objection, it will be said, this doc- 
 trine of free remission and justification by faith alone, seems to
 
 328 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SfiR. 2. 
 
 carry somewhat with it that is opposite unto grace and holi- 
 ness ; for the more a man is bound unto the law, and takes 
 himself to be so, the more obedient he will be to the law : 
 but now, a man never takes himself more to be bound under 
 the law, than when he seeks to be justified by the works of 
 the law, and so he will be most obedient. 
 
 For answer, ye must know that the word law, in the New 
 Testament, is taken two ways : either it is taken for the co- 
 venant of works, thus ; If you keep the ten commandments 
 perfectly, you will live for ever : this is the covenant of 
 works : sometimes the law is taken for the ten command- 
 ments, the rule of man's life. In the first sense a Christian 
 is dead unto the law, and is freed from it ; but in the second 
 sense, a believer, a justified person, is more bound to the 
 law, to observe it as a rule of life, than ever he was. Only, 
 you must know, there is a twofold bond; there is the bond 
 of love, and there is the bond of fear ; as there is the law of 
 love, and the law of fear. Love, and the bond of love, is 
 stronger than fear and the bond of fear ; for fear is servant to 
 love, fear is the handmaid of love; for ye never fear the losing 
 of any good thing but what ye first love. Fear is the servant 
 to love, and therefore love is stronger than fear, and the bond 
 of love stronger than the bond of fear. Now, though a 
 justified person be not bound unto the law, with the bond of 
 a servile fear, yet he is bound unto the law with the bond of 
 love; and so he is more obedient, as the bond of love is 
 stronger than the bond of fear. A man must needs be obe- 
 dient unto Christ, that takes himself to be none of his own, 
 but Christ's. Therefore says the apostle, " Glorify Christ 
 with your body, because ye are bought with a price, and be- 
 cause ye are God's," 1 Cor. vi. 20. So long as a man seeks 
 to be justified by works, and by the law, so long he looks 
 upon himself as his own ; but when a man sees that he is 
 justified by faith alone, then he looks upon himself as 
 Christ's; that he is not his own : and so he is more obedient 
 unto Christ than ever he was before. 
 
 If this be such a principle of grace and holiness, how 
 comes it to pass that men sin the more, as they hear more of 
 this free remission, and justification of a poor sinner by faith 
 alone? Oh, says one, God is merciful and gracious, and 
 therefore I will now live as I list, and repent afterwards. If
 
 SER. 2.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 329 
 
 this doctrine, this truth, and this grace of God, be the prin- 
 ciple of all our holiness; how comes it to pass that men sin 
 more hereby ? 
 
 I answer, pray how comes it to pass, if that water doth 
 cleanse, that it doth not cleanse the blackamoor ? and if fire 
 doth warm, how comes it to pass that it doth not put 
 heat into the dead man ? and if the sun do enlighten, how 
 comes it to pass it doth not enlighten those that are blind ? 
 I may ask you the reason, likewise ; but I will tell you the 
 reason, the reason of this is, because men are contrary unto 
 God ; and all that doth make this use and application of the 
 Lord's mercy and grace, they are contrary unto God, for God 
 works good out of evil: now a wicked man being contrary unto 
 God, he works evil out of good. God works the greatest 
 good, grace, out of the greatest evil, sin : a wicked man, he 
 works the greatest evil, sin, out of the greatest good, God's 
 love and grace. Why ? Because he is contrary to God. 
 But, now, take this truth and this grace of God, as it is in 
 itself, and so it is a very real friend unto all our grace and 
 holiness. 
 
 Fourthly. You will say, then, What is there in this justifi- 
 cation by faith alone, or free remission, that does advance our 
 holiness? How comes it to pass? What is there in this, that 
 hath such an influence upon our lives, to make us the more 
 holy, the more heavenly ? 
 
 1. The more a man does forsake any good thing of his own 
 for Christ, the more Christ is engaged to give a man his good 
 things. There is no losing in losing for Jesus Christ. What 
 ye lose for Christ, ye shall gain by Christ : and the greater 
 and sweeter any blessing is that ye lose for Christ, the greater 
 blessing will Christ give unto ye in the room thereof. Now 
 what nearer thing is there to a man than his own righteous- 
 ness ? In justification by faith alone, a man lays down all 
 his own righteousness at the feet of Jesus Christ, and there- 
 fore Christ is engaged to give him a better righteousness, the 
 righteousness of God. 
 
 2. God does never cause any man to pass under any rela- 
 tion, but he does write the law of that relation upon his heart. 
 For example, If the Lord does cause a man to pass under the 
 relation of a magistrate, God will write the law of that rela- 
 tion upon him, and give him ability to it. If God does cause
 
 330 THE SPIRITUAL, LIFE. [SER. 2. 
 
 a man to pass under the relation of a minister, God witl write 
 the law of that relation on him. If God does cause a man 
 to pass under the relation of a husband, or a father, God will 
 cause the law of that relation to be written upon his heart. 
 Now when a man is justified by faith alone, then he becomes 
 the son of God : " To as many as receive him, he gives power 
 to be called the sons of God ; even to as many as believe on 
 his name," John i. 12. I say, when a man is justified by 
 faith alone, he becomes the son of God, he passes under that 
 relation ; therefore then does the Lord write the law of that 
 relation of a son upon his heart, and thereby he is made 
 more son-like by his obedience. 
 
 3. The more a man does agree with God and the law, the 
 more fit he is to walk with God and observe the law. When 
 a man is justified by faith, then he is agreed with God: " Can 
 two walk together, unless they be agreed ?" Amos iii. 3. Now 
 when a man is justified by faith, he is reconciled to God ; 
 reconciled to the justice of God, reconciled to the anger of 
 God, reconciled to the law of God, the law is his friend. Now 
 before a man was justified, the anger of God was his enemy, 
 and the justice of God his enemy, and the law his enemy ; 
 but now, being justified, he is reconciled to God : reconciled 
 to his anger, that is satisfied by Christ ; reconciled to the law, 
 that is satisfied by Chris t : thus he is made a friend to God, 
 he is agreed with God, and with the law, and so he can walk 
 with God, and so he is the more obedient. 
 
 4. But especially thus : As by works, and seeking justifi- 
 cation by works, a man is estated in the covenant of works ; 
 so by faith, and seeking justification by faith alone, a man is 
 estated in the covenant of grace. When a man is estated in 
 the covenant of grace, God is engaged to give grace unto him, 
 to make him holy. For that, I pray, do but read what we 
 have in that xxxvith chapter of Ezekiel, at the 25th verse, 
 and so downwards : " Then will I sprinkle clean water upon 
 you, and ye shall be clean : from all your filthiness, and from 
 all your idols will I cleanse you. A new heart, also, will I 
 give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will 
 take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give 
 you an heart of flesh : and I will put my Spirit within you, 
 and cause you to walk in my statutes ; and ye shall keep my 
 judgments and do them." First, I pray, mark here, that the
 
 SER. 2.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 331 
 
 Lord does promise remission of sin, although it be never so 
 great : " I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and wash ye 
 from all your filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanse 
 you." But, says a poor doubting soul, though the Lord do 
 thus wash, I am so foul, and so unclean, that I am afraid I 
 shall never be cleansed. Yes, says the Lord, I will sprinkle 
 clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean. But though I 
 be clean, and cleansed from my guilt, and my sin pardoned ; 
 yet, notwithstanding, I have such a naughty, filthy heart, as 
 I shall foul myself again. See what follows : " A new heart 
 also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you." 
 Oh, but my heart is so hard, like a stone, that I shall resist 
 this mercy of God. Nay, says he, " And I will take away 
 the stony heart out of your flesh :" I will take away the re- 
 sistance, the stony heart out of your flesh. But though it be 
 so, as long as my nature is unchanged I shall never do that 
 which is right. Says God, I will change your nature for you ; 
 " I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will 
 give you a heart of flesh." I will make such a change in you, 
 that whereas before, naturally, ye were as hard as a stone, 
 now I will make you as soft as flesh. But though the Lord 
 doth thus change my nature, yet, notwithstanding, I shall 
 never be able to order my conversation aright, I shall never 
 be obedient. Mark what follows : " I will put my Spirit 
 within you, and I will cause you to walk in my statutes :" 
 I will make you obedient, says God. Oh, what streams of 
 mercy are here ! But, I pray, mind the fountain whence 
 these flow ; they all flow from this fountain of free remission. 
 The first is, " I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and 
 cleanse you from all your idols ;" I will forgive you freely. 
 Aye, but though this be set first, it may be this is not the 
 cause of the rest ; how shall it appear that this free remission 
 is the cause of all our holiness ? Then, I pray, look into the 
 viiith chapter of the epistle to the Hebrews, where this cove- 
 nant of grace is repeated, at the 10th verse : " For this is the 
 covenant that I will make with the house of Israel, saith the 
 Lord, I will put my laws into their minds, and write them in 
 their hearts : and they shall not teach every man his neigh- 
 bour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord : 
 for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest." Why ? 
 " For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their
 
 332 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SfiR. 2. 
 
 sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." So that 
 remission is the cause of sanctification : I will thus and thus 
 sanctify, says the Lord ; " For I will be merciful to their un- 
 righteousness, and their sins and iniquities will I remember 
 no more :" this is the cause of all that. Now, I say, when a 
 man is once estated in this covenant of grace, the Lord, ye 
 see,. is engaged then to make him holy. And as by works, 
 and seeking justification by works, a man is estated in the 
 covenant of works ; so by faith, and seeking justification by 
 faith alone, a man is estated in the covenant of grace ; and 
 so the Lord is engaged for to make him holy. So that thus 
 you see, now, this free grace of God, justification of a poor 
 sinner by faith alone, it is no enemy, but a real friend unto 
 all our holiness and spiritual life. No wonder, therefore, 
 that the apostle says, " And now I live." 
 
 By way of application. If these things be so, then here 
 we see the reason why men are no more gracious, no more 
 heavenly, no more holy, no more spiritual in their lives ; 
 because they think not of this, they study not this, they 
 never had the true sense of this : even because they do not 
 stand clear from their own duties, and their own doings, as 
 to the great matter of justification and acceptance with God. 
 Is the free remission of sin, and justification by faith alone, 
 the fountain and original of all our holiness ? Then why 
 stand ye gazing upon your own duties ? upon your own 
 prayers and mournings ? Would ye live ? I know you 
 would : " Skin for skin, and all that a man hath will he give 
 for his life," Job ii. 4. But, would you live spiritually ? 
 would you live an eternal life, that life that never dies, that 
 communicative life, that life that is better than you should 
 have had in the state of innocency ? Then do you stand 
 clear from all your own doings and duties and workings, as 
 to this great matter of your acceptance with God the Father. 
 Do ye think that Jesus Christ will present a duty or a ser- 
 vice unto God the Father, that steps into his room and place 
 and office? What is the place and room of Christ? He is 
 our Saviour, and the Mediator between God and man, that 
 stands between God and man, for to cause acceptance with 
 God the Father. If then you pray, hear, read, mourn, and 
 think by all these to fetch in your acceptance with God the 
 Father; do you not bring your duty into the room of Christ,
 
 SER. 2.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 333 
 
 and into the place of Christ ? And do ye think that the 
 Lord Jesus Christ will ever present such a duty unto God 
 the Father, as steps into his room and place ? What a sad 
 thing is it, for a man to draw his own works or his own 
 doings into his acceptance or justification : for a man to turn 
 aside to the covenant of works! 
 
 You will say, But when may a man be said for to draw 
 his own works or duties into his acceptance with God the 
 Father ? Or, when may a man be said to turn aside to the 
 covenant of works ? 
 
 Even godly men do it too much. Abraham, though the 
 father of the faithful, went in to Hagar, the type of the law. 
 And so now the children of Abraham, believers, do too much 
 go in to Hagar still, and to the law still. When a man can- 
 not, dares not rely upon Jesus Christ, until he first sees his 
 own duty, and his own prayer, and enlargement in duty ; 
 then he does this too much. When a man does measure all 
 his acceptance with God the Father, by his own performance 
 If I be enlarged, then I am accepted ; if I am straitened, 
 now I am not accepted then he does this too much. When 
 a man will not come to Christ, until his heart be first quick- 
 ened and warmed by some particular word ; then he does 
 this too much. But oh ! you, you that are godly, labour I 
 beseech ye in Christ, to stand clear from your own duties 
 and doings. The more distinct knowledge ye have in this 
 truth, and the more ye walk in the sense of it, the more spi- 
 ritual and holy ye will be. 
 
 But, will some say, that I may take off some scruples and 
 answer some cases of conscience ; If these things be so, 
 then do I fear that my obedience was never right, for truly I 
 have even turned aside to a covenant of works, the Lord 
 knows I have. I remember the time when I had legal 
 breakings, and all my obedience hath flowed from thence. 
 Is free remission, and justification by faith alone, the foun- 
 tain and spring-head of all our obedience and holiness ? 
 then seeing that legal breakings have been the spring-head 
 of all my obedience, then do I fear my obedience was never 
 right. Oh ! I fear that I have been wrong all this while, 
 that I have been but an hypocrite all this while, and have 
 deceived myself, and been under the law all this while. 
 
 Stay a little, you read in Scripture concerning Jacob and
 
 334 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SER. 2. 
 
 Esau : it is said, " That the elder shall serve the younger/ 3 
 Gen. xxv. 23. That is, says Luther, in a spiritual way : the 
 elder, the law, shall serve the younger the gospel : and the 
 elder sin shall serve the younger grace. Now, have your 
 former legal-breakings, made you more for to prize grace, 
 and to prize Christ, and to prize free remission, and justifi- 
 cation by faith alone ? Here then, the elder does serve the 
 younger. And what though legal-breakings were first, and 
 were the elder in your heart, yet so long as the elder does 
 serve the younger, thou hast no reason to be discouraged in 
 this respect. 
 
 I fear that my obedience and my holiness is not right ; 
 because it so little, and so scant : free remission the foun- 
 tain of all our holiness, that is a full fountain : and if 
 my holiness were a stream from that fountain, it would be 
 more full and more abundant : the Jews they knew little of 
 this truth, justification by faith alone, and yet they were 
 holy ; David holy, and Moses holy, and Josiah holy : is this 
 the fountain of all our grace, and of all our holiness, free re- 
 mission and justification by faith alone ? Then the more 
 discovery there is of this, the more holy we should 
 be : but alas, I find my holiness and my obedience so scant, 
 and little, that I am afraid it can never come from so full a 
 fountain as this is. 
 
 Beloved, there is nothing little between God and a gra- 
 cious soul. There is nothing small that comes from God to 
 you, because it comes from an infinite God : there is nothing 
 small that goes from a gracious soul unto God again, because 
 it comes from an infinite desire of pleasing God. It is one 
 thing to be more in the shell, and another thing to be more 
 in the kernel. Luther professes, that when he was a monk, 
 as it seems by his writings he was fifteen years in a cloister, 
 says he, When I was a monk, I was a great deal more holy 
 then, according to the outward appearance, than I am now ; 
 then I prayed, and then I fasted, and then I macerated my 
 body, and then I went meanly ; but now I eat, and I drink, 
 and I clothe myself as others do ; and yet now one little 
 prayer is more accepted with God than all my fifteen years 
 prayers before : why ? because says he, then I prayed in a 
 way of works, and sought justification in a way of works ; 
 but now I have had a taste of this justification by faith alone,
 
 SER. 2.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 335 
 
 and a little from thence is more pleasing unto the Lord, than 
 all the fifteen years before. 
 
 But whoever you are that make this objection, give me 
 leave to propound these two questions to you. 
 
 1. Whereas you say, it is little, and therefore you fear it 
 cannot come from so full a fountain : dost thou stint, or 
 limit thyself in thy obedience, or in thy holiness ? A man 
 that seeks to be justified, and saved by his working, he does 
 stint and limit himself: I have enough, says he, for to bring 
 me to heaven, and what need I more ? a great many are very 
 precise, and strict, but, I praise the Lord, I have enough for 
 to bring me to heaven, and what need I more ? So he stints 
 and limits himself, And I have been weeping, and mourn- 
 ing enough for to get forgiveness, and the Lord now hath 
 forgiven me, and what need I more ? Thus he stints, and 
 limits himself, because he is under the law, and under a 
 covenant of works. 
 
 2. Though your obedience as you think is very little and very 
 small: do you oppose those that have much do you oppose those 
 that have the power of godliness, and those that have more 
 than yourself? A man that seeks justification by works, he 
 does oppose those men that have more holiness than himself. 
 See I pray, how it was with the Jews in that ixth of the Ro- 
 mans, and 31st verse : " But Israel which followed after the 
 law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righ- 
 teousness." Wherefore ? Because they sought it not by 
 faith, but as it were by the works of the law: for they 
 stumbled at that stumbling stone/' They stumbled at 
 Christ, they stumbled at Christianity, they stumbled at the 
 corner stone. And so now, moral and civil men, that seek 
 acceptance, though they do not understand themselves, in 
 a way of working ; they oppose those that are more godly 
 that have the power of godliness. But ye know, a spark 
 of fire, though it be but a spark of fire, it will not oppose 
 the flame ; though it be not so great as the flame, yet it will 
 not oppose the flame : it opposes the water, but it doth not 
 oppose the flame of fire. And so if a man have grace, 
 though it be but a spark of grace ; yet notwithstanding, if it 
 be in truth, it will not oppose a flame. But now civil and 
 moral men, that walk in a way of works, and are under the 
 law ; oh, how do they oppose those that have the power of
 
 336 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SfiR. 2. 
 
 godliness, that have more grace than themselves, that are in 
 a flame for Christ, them they oppose ! Is it so with you 
 that make this objection ? Oh no, I praise the Lord, your 
 soul will say, if it speak in truth ; though I have but little, 
 the Lord knows I do not oppose them that have much : I 
 rejoice rather in those that have more than myself, yea, I 
 rejoice in those that have the power of godliness. And, 
 Lord, thou knowest I do not stint and limit myself; oh, I 
 can never be godly enough, and I can never repent enough, 
 and I can never mourn for my sins enough. Well, be of 
 good comfort, this may be no other stream, than what flows 
 from this blessed fountain, free remission, and justification 
 by faith alone. 
 
 But some will say, I fear that upon all this account, my 
 obedience and my holiness is not right; for I do not find the 
 visible characters of justification upon my sanctification. 
 Justification by faith alone is the fountain of all our holiness: 
 then if my obedience were right, it would taste of my justi- 
 fication and of free remission ; if my holiness were right, it 
 would savour of free remission : but I do not find any visible 
 characters of justification upon my sanctification ; I do not 
 find that my sanctification does relish or savour of free re- 
 mission, or justification by faith alone; and therefore I fear 
 all is naught, my obedience hath been naught and wrong all 
 this while. 
 
 For answer to this. Know ye not, beloved, that a man's 
 justification may be hidden from sense, when sanctification 
 is in truth ? Know ye not, that the life of grace is a hidden 
 life ? not only hidden from the world, but hidden from one's 
 own soul, many times. 
 
 But what are those visible characters of justification, which 
 are engraven upon a man's sanctification, so that when a 
 man does see them, he may say, Surely here is a sanctifica- 
 tion, that is no other than that which flows from free remis- 
 sion, and justification by faith alone ? 
 
 When a man does mourn for his sin because it is par- 
 doned, does not this repentance savour of free remission ? 
 When a man does obey the Lord, because God hath par- 
 doned and forgiven him ; does not this sanctification then 
 savour of his justification and of free remission ? 
 
 When there is a meeting of all graces, and one good work
 
 . 2.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 337 
 
 and duty and grace is reconciled to another in a man's life ; 
 is there not then a taste and a savour of justification and 
 free remission ? When the Lord does justify a poor sinner, 
 then all the attributes of God are reconciled to one another ; 
 justice is reconciled to mercy, and mercy is reconciled to 
 justice ; and all these reconciled attributes of the Lord, do 
 meet upon the soul of a justified person : and accordingly, 
 there is a meeting of all graces in the soul, and all good 
 works and graces they are reconciled to one another. That 
 whereas before a man was justified, they were at odds, at a 
 distance one from another, and were inimititious one to 
 another ; now they are not. Whereas before a man was jus- 
 tified, he could not rejoice in God, but it hindered his mourn- 
 ing for sin ; and he could not mourn for sin, but it hindered his 
 faith, and he could not believe : his believing hindered his 
 repentance. But now, when a man is justified and reconciled 
 to the Lord, then all those works, duties and graces are 
 reconciled to one another. Why ? Because the attributes 
 of God are reconciled unto one another, and all the attri- 
 butes of God, they meet upon the heart of a justified per- 
 son, and so there are the characters of his justification upon 
 his sanctification here. And I appeal to ye, whoever you 
 are that labour under this scruple, Is it not thus with thy 
 soul in truth, do not you find it thus, that now you look 
 upon the very justice of the Lord as your friend, the justice 
 and righteousness of the Lord as your friend ? That now 
 ye are reconciled, as it were, to those duties, that therefore 
 you looked upon as your enemies ? That now you rest upon 
 the Lord Christ that you may be obedient ; and your very 
 resting upon Christ, makes you obedient ; your very behold- 
 ing of Christ changes you from glory to glory ? as the 
 apostle speaks, 2 Cor. iii. 18. If you would speak in truth 
 from your soul, you would say thus : Lord, thus it is with 
 me ; now I am reconciled to that duty that before was an 
 enemy to me, and now these works, duties and graces are 
 reconciled: for now, the more I can rejoice in God, the 
 more I can mourn for sin ; and the more I believe, the more 
 I can repent. Heretofore, the more I believed the less I 
 repented; my believing was my security: but now I see 
 these works and duties are friends to one another, that now, 
 the more I repent, the more I believe ; and the more I believe,
 
 338 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SfiR. 2. 
 
 the more I repent; all these works are reconciled in me. 
 And Lord, thou that knowest all things, knowest, that there- 
 fore I grieve for my sins, because thou hast pardoned them ; 
 and therefore I desire to obey thee, because thou hast for- 
 given me. Well then, here are the visible characters of thy 
 justification upon thy sanctification. And therefore be of 
 good comfort notwithstanding this objection. 
 
 Only let me tell thee this, It may be thou hast not stood 
 enough at a distance from thy own doings and duties, as to 
 the matter of thy acceptance with God. But, would you be 
 more spiritual and holy in your lives ? labour more and 
 more to stand at a distance from all your duties and doings, 
 as to the great matter of your acceptance with God the 
 Father. 
 
 But you will say, Suppose that I have not stood clear from 
 my own doings as to the matter of my justification or accep- 
 tance with God the Father ; what shall I do, that now I may 
 stand clear in this matter, that so this fountain of free 
 remission and justification by faith alone, may be opened 
 upon my soul, and my spiritual life thereby may be more 
 enlarged and increased ? 
 
 Some things by way of answer to this, and so I have done. 
 
 1. Be ye humbled in the sight and presence of the Lord, 
 that you have walked in that way, that you have tied Jesus 
 Christ unto your conditions, and that you have made use of 
 Christ only to eke out your performance, as to the matter of 
 your acceptance. 
 
 2. Study much the transactions of things between God 
 the Father and Jesus Christ; and then you will find, that 
 Jesus Christ had satisfied God the Father before ever you 
 came into the world: and therefore your souls when you 
 think of this will say, How therefore can my work or my 
 duty any way bring in satisfaction or acceptance with God the 
 Father. Study, I say, the transactions between God the 
 Father and Jesus Christ. 
 
 3. Acquaint your soul much with the difference between 
 the covenant of works and the covenant of grace. In the 
 covenant of works, a man's work is first accepted and then 
 his person ; but in the covenant of grace, a man's person is 
 first accepted, and then his work, And when you under- 
 stand this, then you will say, Aye, if this be true, that a
 
 SER. 2.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 339 
 
 man's person is first accepted, and then his work, how can 
 my work any way fetch me in acceptance with God the 
 Father ? O my soul, for ever stand clear in this great matter 
 of my acceptance in my duties. 
 
 4. Whenever your duties, your works and your graces are 
 highest, then, and then especially, use thy soul to be beyond 
 them, and say thus : Though now, I bless the Lord, my heart 
 is thus and thus enlarged, yet I do not count upon my accep- 
 tance by reason of this enlargement. Though, I bless the 
 Lord, I have now prayer, that before had none, yet I do not 
 count my acceptance with God the Father by this prayer. 
 When, I say, thy duty is highest, use thy soul to be beyond 
 it. 
 
 5. When your duty, grace and holiness is lowest, then 
 know that now ye have an opportunity to stand clear from 
 your own duties and working, as to the matter of your 
 acceptance and justification by faith alone. If I have a 
 friend in my house, that lives in my house with me, whom I 
 would not have privy unto a work or business, I shall take 
 the opportunity to do the work when that friend is out of 
 doors. Now, say I, he is abroad ; if he were at home he 
 would be prying over my shoulder, and he would have a 
 finger in the business, and he would see it ; but now he is 
 abroad, now I will take the time to do it. My brethren, 
 your duties, prayer and humiliation, they are all friends to 
 your justification ; but when prayer is out, and duty is out 
 and abroad, and out of sight, and not at home : now take 
 your time to be clear in the matter of resting upon Christ 
 alone, and say, Now my prayer is gone, and duties gone, and 
 all out of sight, O Lord ! now I have an opportunity to 
 rest upon Christ alone : had my prayer been at home, and 
 duties at home, they would have been peering and prying 
 into this work, but now they are all out of sight, now I will 
 rest upon Christ and his righteousness alone. This is cer- 
 tain, that this justification by faith alone, and free remission 
 of a poor sinner, it is the great fountain and principle of all 
 our grace and holiness ; and therefore, if you would be more 
 gracious and more holy, I beseech you in the name of Christ 
 study it much, and walk in the sense of it. And what is the 
 reason that many professors are no more holy and humble, 
 but waspish and peevish and harsh, and of a rugged dispo- 
 
 z 2
 
 S40 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SfiR. 3. 
 
 sition ? but because they have not studied the gospel more, 
 and free remission, and justification by faith alone, and they 
 have not the sense of this upon their hearts. Poor souls, 
 you want the experience of this. You think, some of you, 
 there is no such way to be holy and gracious, as to have 
 legal breakings, to have the law pressed upon you ; but I do 
 here tell you in the name of the Lord, and I lie not, that 
 justification by faith alone, and free remission, is the prin- 
 ciple of all our obedience and all our holiness. And when 
 Paul came to this, and the sense of this, " Now I live/' says 
 he : and so wilt thou say, poor soul, when thou comest to 
 the sense of this truth : I was dead before, but now I live ; 
 indeed I was down, and my heart dead, when I hung upon 
 my own duties, but now I live. Now therefore, as you 
 desire to live, and live spiritually, the Lord give you hearts 
 to live in the sense and experience of this great truth ; justi- 
 fication and free remission by faith alone. 
 
 SERMON III. 
 
 " Nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveih in me." 
 GAL. ir. 20. 
 
 THE apostle Paul having spoken of our living to God in 
 the former verse, of our spiritual life, in those words, " Yet 
 now I live ;" he proceeds unto the properties of this spiritual 
 life, and those are three, First, It is a self-denying life : u Yet 
 not I: I live, yet not I." Secondly, It is a Christ-advancing 
 life : But Christ liveth in me." Thirdly, It is the life of 
 faith : " And the life which I live in the flesh, I live by the 
 faith of the Son of God." 
 
 I begin with the first at this time, in those words, " Yet 
 not I." The words hold forth a self-depression or self-anni- 
 hilation. The words are spoken in the person of a believer. 
 So that in all these Fs ; " I through the law," and " I am 
 crucified," and " I live," Paul doth personate a believer, one 
 that seeks justification by faith alone, according to the tenure 
 of the gospel. And so the observation is this : 
 
 Every true believer that seeks justification by faith alone,
 
 SER. 3.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 341 
 
 is An humble, self-denying person ; denying himself in spiri- 
 tual things. 
 
 The way of the gospel is a self-denying way. Though a 
 believer, that seeks justification by faith alone, and not by 
 the works of the law, does live a spiritual life, and so does 
 act, move and work towards God; yet he cannot endure to 
 write an I upon his own performance. " Yet not I." He 
 will obey God, but he will not have an I to be written upon 
 his obedience. He will pray to God, but he will not have an 
 I to be written upon his performance. Yet not I : " I live, 
 yet not I." Wherever the gospel comes in power, it does 
 work this self-denying frame of soul and spirit. And thus it 
 was with Paul, in regard of his own person, as ye read in the 
 first of Corinthians, the xvth chapter, speaking with relation 
 unto the other apostles, at the 10th verse, " I laboured more 
 abundantly than they all ; yet not I, but the grace of God 
 which was with me." I laboured more abundantly than they 
 all, yet not I. I have been a preacher of the gospel, and 
 have been a means to convert many souls unto Jesus Christ; 
 " yet not I, but the grace of God with me." I have comforted 
 many afflicted souls ; yet not I. I have been a means to 
 plant many churches ; yet not I, but the grace of God with 
 me. He will not have his work defiled with self, or this / 
 to be written upon what he doth. And so it is with every 
 believer, more or less ; this is the way, and this is the spirit 
 of the gospel : where it comes in life, truth and power, thus 
 it is. 
 
 For the clearing of this great truth unto you. First, I 
 shall spend a little time in the explication, and shew ye what 
 it is for a man to deny himself in spiritual things. Secondly, 
 I shall labour to give you some demonstrations of the truth. 
 Thirdly, Answer one objection. And, Fourthly, Shew ye 
 what there is in the gospel, or the way of the gospel, that can 
 work a man's heart to this frame. 
 
 First, If ye ask me, What is it for a man to deny himself 
 in spiritual things ? 
 
 I answer, Ye know that there is a threefold self mentioned 
 by divines. A natural self; as a man's parts, wit, reason, 
 will, affections and inclination, are called one's self. Then 
 there is a sinful self; and so a man's corruption, lust, and 
 .sinful disposition is called one's self. And then there is a
 
 342 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SfiB. 3. 
 
 religious self; and so a man's duties, graces, obedience, righ- 
 teousness and holiness are called one's self. Now though a 
 man is to deny all these, yet I am not at this time to speak 
 of the common place of self-denial, this scripture does not 
 lead me to it ; but only of self-denial in spiritual things, de- 
 nial of religious self. There is a great difference between a 
 man's denying of his sinful and of his religious self. When 
 a man does deny his sinful self for Christ, then he is wholly 
 to leave and forsake his sin and that self. But when a man 
 is to deny his religious self for Christ, he is not to leave and 
 forsake his duty : only, in point of justification, he is to re- 
 nounce all; and, in point of sanctification, he is to attribute 
 the strength, the power, and the glory of all his graces and 
 duties unto Jesus Christ, and to himself nothing : and when 
 a man, in point of justification, does renounce all ; and, in 
 point of sanctification, does attribute the strength, the power, 
 and the glory of all unto Jesus Christ, and unto himself no- 
 thing ; then he denies himself in spiritual things. 
 
 For there is a twofold denial of one's self even in spiritual 
 things. One that is opposed to self-seeking, and another that 
 is opposed to self-advancing. When a man seeks himself, 
 he makes himself his end : when a man does advance him- 
 self, he makes himself his end. Now though a man be to 
 deny himself in opposition to all self-seeking, yet that is not 
 the argument that lies here, it is not the argument of this 
 scripture ; but a man is called upon by this scripture, to deny 
 himself in opposition to self-advancing : " I live ; yet not I, 
 but Christ liveth in me." 
 
 But yet again, that we may rightly understand things. 
 Though every believer is to deny himself, in spiritual things, 
 and so to depress himself; yet, notwithstanding, he is not to 
 speak evil of the grace of God within him. For there are 
 two things in every duty or service : there is something of 
 God : s, and something of a man's own ; something of the 
 Spirit of God, and something of a man's own. Now though 
 a man may trample upon all his duties, and upon all his 
 graces, as to the point of justification ; yet as to the point of 
 sanctification, he may not mis-call the graces of God in him, 
 and his duties, saying, These are nothing but the fruits of 
 hypocrisy : for then he should speak evil of the Spirit, whose 
 works they are. A man tramples and treads upon the dirt,
 
 SER. 3.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 343 
 
 but he will not trample upon money, upon gold and silver : 
 why ? because that is a precious metal, or hath the stamp or 
 the image of the prince upon it. Now our own duties, our 
 own righteousness and holiness, as to the matter of justifica- 
 tion, they are nothing worth, and so we trample upon all ; 
 but as to the matter of sanctification, they have the image of 
 Christ upon them, they are precious metal ; and therefore for 
 a man to say, This is hypocrisy, and all is nothing but hypo- 
 crisy ; this is not self-denial : properly, self-denial in spiritual 
 things is, as to the matter of justification, to renounce all; 
 and as to the matter of sanctification, to attribute the strength, 
 the power, and the glory of all unto Jesus Christ, and to 
 one's self nothing : and when a man does attribute all the 
 strength, the power, the glory of all to Jesus Christ, and to 
 himself nothing; then he is said to deny himself in spiritual 
 things. This by way of explication. 
 
 Secondly. But now, whereby may it appear that the gos- 
 pel works this grace in the heart of man ? 
 
 I. If the law, and the preaching of the law, cannot make 
 a man to deny himself in spiritual things, then the gospel 
 must do it ; for this grace is to be obtained, and found some- 
 where, something must work. Now the law, and the preach- 
 ing of the law, can never make a man to deny himself in 
 spiritual things ; but rather it will make a man to seek him- 
 self in spiritual things. For what is it to preach the law, but 
 when I shall come from God, and tell ye, that if you do keep 
 the ten commandments, and fail in nothing, ye shall be saved ; 
 but if ye fail in any one point, ye shall be damned, and lost 
 for ever. This will not make a man to deny his own righ- 
 teousness, but rather to seek himself his own salvation to 
 avoid damnation, and seek himself, in spiritual things. But 
 now, when I come to ye, and speak thus unto ye from the 
 Lord, that if you do throw down all your own righteousness 
 at the feet of Christ, and rest only upon him, ye shall be 
 saved ; this will make a man to deny all his own righteous- 
 ness, and deny himself in spiritual things : and this is the 
 gospel. And the gospel must needs do it. For what is the 
 gospel, but the voice of Christ, the preachings and the ser- 
 mons of Christ ? Now look as it was with the first Adam ; 
 the first lesson that the first Adam did learn, practice and 
 teach his posterity, was, to advance himself in spiritual
 
 344 THE SPIRITUAL, LIFE. [SER. 3. 
 
 things. " The day that thou eatest (says Satan to him) thou 
 shalt not die ; but thine eyes shall be opened, and thou shalt 
 be as God," Gen. iii. 5. Which he believed, and did eat, 
 and so laboured to advance himself in spiritual things. The 
 first lesson that ever he learned and taught his posterity, was 
 to advance himself. So the second Adam ; the first lesson 
 that ever the second Adam, Christ, put in practice, was self- 
 denial in spiritual things. For says the apostle, " He thought 
 it no robbery to be equal with God, and yet humbled himself 
 unto the form of a servant, and became of no reputation," 
 Phil. ii. 6, 7- This was the first thing. Now, I say, the 
 gospel is nothing else, but the voice of Christ, the sermons 
 and preachings of Jesus Christ, the second Adam ; and there, 
 and there only is this lesson to be learned. 
 
 II. Every godly, gracious man, that lives under the gos- 
 pel, is of a spirit and disposition contrary to the world. 
 This is the disposition of the world, to write an I upon what 
 they do. Ye know what that proud king said, Have not I 
 built this great Babel, for the honour of my majesty, have 
 not I built it ? Dan. iv. 30. And ye know what the legal 
 pharisee said, Lord, I thank thee, that I am not as other 
 men ; no extortioner, and the like : I fast, I pray, I give 
 alms. Luke xviii. 11, 12. He writes an I upon what he 
 does. Now the spirit of a believer is contrary ; and though 
 a believer say, I pray, yet he will bite that I in again, and he 
 will say, yet not I, but the grace of God within me. He 
 is of a disposition contrary unto that of the world, and 
 therefore, cannot write an I upon what he does. 
 
 III. Every godly, gracious man, that liveth under the 
 gospel, is very tender of trenching upon, or doing any thing 
 contrary to God's prerogative, unto Christ's prerogative. 
 This is the prerogative of God, of Christ, to write an I upon 
 what he does. " I create the fruit of the lips, peace, peace, 
 says God," Isa. Ivii. 19. " I even I am he," Isa. xliii. 25. 
 So in many places. " Go, (says our Saviour Christ) tell 
 that fox, Herod, that I work to-day, and to-morrow," Luke 
 xiii. 32. This is the great prerogative of God, and of 
 Christ, for to write an I upon what they do. Now belie- 
 vers, they are very tender of doing any thing that may in- 
 trench upon God's prerogative, and therefore they cannot
 
 SER. 3.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 345 
 
 write an I upon what they do, but deny themselves in 
 spiritual things. 
 
 IV. The more truly any man does repent, the more 
 sensible he is of his own unworthiness, and so the more 
 self-denying in spiritual things. Ye know how it is with the 
 prodigal in the parable, when he comes home, says he upon 
 his return, " I will go unto my father, and I will say, I am 
 not worthy to be called thy son, make me as one of thy 
 hired servants," Luke xv. 18, 19. In my father's house 
 there is bread, and I will go home, and be contented to be 
 one of my father's hired servants. Before he went out no 
 room in his father's house was good enough for him ; but 
 now upon his return, any room in his father's house is good 
 enough. Before he went out, no diet, no meat and drink in 
 his father's house would serve his turn, but away he goes : 
 but now in his return, in my father's house there is bread 
 enough, says he. And let me be as one of thy hired ser- 
 vants. Thus sensible of his own unworthiness, and with 
 self-denial. Why ? because now repentance had taken hold 
 of his heart. Well, the more therefore a man does repent, 
 the more sensible he is of his own unworthiness, and the 
 more he will deny himself in spiritual things. But I pray 
 what is it that does cause true repentance ? Is it the gos- 
 pel ; or is it the law ? Nay, not the law, but the gospel. 
 Ye know what John said, ye know what our Saviour said, 
 and ye know what the apostle said, for they all preach the 
 same things, the same words, " Repent, for the kingdom of 
 heaven is at hand." They do not say, Repent for the king- 
 dom of hell is at hand ; repent or ye shall be damned : but, 
 repent, for the kingdom of grace, mercy, and of free-remis- 
 sion is at hand. So that it is the gospel that does work re- 
 pentance, and therefore it is the gospel and the gospel only, 
 that does make a man sensible of his own unworthiness, and 
 to deny himself in spiritual things. 
 
 But it will be objected now, in the Third place, How 
 say ye, that the gospel works this ? for, have we not heard, 
 and have we not read, that many moral men, heathen men, 
 and divers papists, that have written much, and spoken 
 much for humility and self-denial ; yea, and have gone very 
 far in the practice of it ? How therefore, say ye, that this 
 is only the work of the gospel ; that this only is wrought
 
 346 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SER. 3. 
 
 where the gospel comes in power in the heart of a believer, 
 that seeks justification by faith alone ? 
 
 For answer, I grant ye that the very heathen, papists and 
 moral men, have spoken much, and written much, concern- 
 ing humility and self-denial : and have seemed to go far in 
 the practice of it. I have read of some papists, that have 
 been so abstemious that they have gone up and down from 
 one tavern to another, and from one feast to another ; and 
 when men have been eating and drinking liberally, they have 
 sat down, abstaining from all meats and drinks, presenting 
 themselves as patterns of self-denial in the point of appetite. 
 
 And indeed, we read of three degrees that the more mode- 
 rate papists do make of self-denial and humility. The first 
 degree, says Granatensis, and divers others, is, for a man to 
 acknowledge, that all comes from God, and nothing from 
 himself. The second degree of humility is, to acknowledge, 
 that whatsoever a man hath from God, he hath it not from 
 merit, but from grace, and mere mercy. The third degree 
 of humility or self-denial is, for a man to be eagle-eyed, 
 and quick-sighted, in beholding another man's excellency ; 
 but mole-eyed, and not seeing his own excellency. Even 
 thus far the papists. So that I grant, men may seem to go 
 very far therein. But I speak of self-denial in spiritual 
 things : and do we read of moral, heathen men and the 
 like ; that do deny themselves, it may be in words, but, 
 I say, in practice, that do deny or have denied themselves 
 in spiritual things ? 
 
 Take a moral, civil man; and though he may seem to 
 be very humble, and deny himself; yet he is proud of his 
 humility. Says one philosopher, when he came unto 
 Plato's house, and saw his house lay very neat : I trample 
 upon Plato's pride, says he : but Plato answered again, Not 
 without your own pride. But now, take a believer, and he 
 doth not only deny himself, but is sensible of his own pride, 
 when he is most humble, in that very thing wherein he is 
 humble. 
 
 Again, take a moral, civil man ; and though he may seem 
 to be very humble, and to deny himself; yet it is but in this 
 or that particular thing : but now a believer denies himself 
 in all. " I count ALL things but dung and dross, (says 
 the apostle) for Christ," Phil. iii. 8.
 
 SER. 3.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 347 
 
 Again, Take a moral, civil man ; and though he seem to 
 be very humble, and to deny himself; yet notwithstanding, 
 it is but the artifice of his reason and his resolution. If I 
 go on in such and such away, says he, I shall be undone ; and 
 therefore I must deny myself of this company, and of this plea- 
 sure ; and so by the strength of his reason and resolution, he 
 does deny himself. But now, a believer, a Christian, he 
 denies himself in spiritual things, by the beholding of Jesus 
 Christ. 
 
 Again, Take a moral, civil man, though he may seem 
 to be humble, and deny himself; yet there is no mystery, 
 no spiritual mystery in his self-denial : in gospel self-denial 
 there is, the gospel does work mysteriously like itself, it is 
 the great mystery. Take a Christian, a believer, and I pray, 
 do but observe a little, what a great mystery there is in all 
 his humility and self-denial, wrought by the gospel. As 
 thus: 
 
 He ever cries out, What shall I do to be saved, what shall 
 1 do to be saved ? and yet he professes that he does not 
 expect to be saved by doing. Here is a mystery. 
 
 Again, He counts himself less than the least of all God's 
 mercies ; and yet he thinks God hath done more for him, 
 than if he had given him all the world. Here is a mys- 
 tery. 
 
 Again, He prizes every duty and every gift and every 
 grace, although it be never so small, prizes it above all the 
 world ; and yet he counts all but dung and dross in regard 
 of Christ. Here is a mystery. 
 
 Again, He looks upon himself as the greatest sinner, and 
 thinks of every one better than himself; and yet when he 
 looks upon a drunkard, or a swearer, or the like, professes 
 that he would not change his condition with him for all the 
 world. He looks upon himself as the greatest sinner, and 
 thinks of every one better than himself; and yet he says 
 concerning such and such, he would not change his condi- 
 tion with them for all the world. What a mystery is 
 this ! 
 
 Again, He mourns under reproaches and the despisings 
 of men, and yet he triumphs over them and is above them. 
 Here is a mystery. 
 
 Again, He counts himself nothing, and all that ever he
 
 348 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SfiR. 3. 
 
 does, nothing : and yet he praises the Lord for every little, 
 and thinks that God hath done more for him, in giving him 
 Christ, than if he had given him all the world. Here is a 
 mystery. 
 
 Now, as for the seeming humility and self-denial that is 
 in heathen or moral civil men, there is none of this mystery ; 
 but there is a spiritual mystery that runs along in the veins 
 of all this gospel humility and self-denial. 
 
 But I speak of self-denial in spiritual things ; and what 
 moral, civil man, does deny himself in spiritual things ? I 
 remember one makes mention of a certain godly man, Dies 
 Lusitamis, that was sorely tempted by Satan in his time. 
 The man was much in duty, and Satan comes unto him and 
 says, Why dost thou take thus much pains ? thou dost fast 
 and watch, but, O man, what is there that thou doest more 
 than I do ? Art thou no drunkard, or no adulterer ? Says 
 Satan, I never was drunk, nor I never committed adultery. 
 What, dost thou watch ? Says Satan, I never slept. Dost 
 jthou fast ? Says Satan, I never ate any meat, or drank any 
 beer or wine. What therefore, O man, says Satan, dost 
 thou do more than I do ? Yes, says he, Satan, I will tell 
 thee what I do, I pray, and I serve the Lord, and walk hum- 
 bly, and deny myself. True indeed then, says Satan, I 
 confess herein thou dost go beyond me ; for I am proud and 
 I have exalted myself ; and therefore that thou dost deny 
 thyself, and walk humbly with thy God, herein indeed thou 
 goest beyond me. And know, a Christian does not only go 
 beyond Satan, but he goes beyond moral, civil, legal men ; 
 and wherever the gospel comes in power, it works this dispo- 
 sition and frame of heart, there it is wrought indeed. 
 
 Fourthly, You will say, What is there in the gospel, or 
 the way of the gospel, which lies in justification by faith 
 alone, that can work a man's heart unto this frame and dis- 
 position ? 
 
 I shall name three or four things of many. 
 
 I. The more a man does see the glory of God, the more 
 humble he will be and deny himself, even in spiritual things. 
 Ye may read how it was with Job, chap. ix. Ye do not read 
 in all that book, that Job does any where in one chapter so 
 much deny himself, as concerning his own righteousness, 
 which he stood much upon to his friends, as in this ixth
 
 SER. 3.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 341> 
 
 chapter, verse 15, " Whom (speaking of God) though I 
 were righteous, yet I would not answer, but I would make 
 supplication to my Judge." Verse 16, " If I had called, 
 and he had answered me, yet would I not believe that 
 he had hearkened unto my voice." Then at the 20th verse, 
 " If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me : 
 if I say I am perfect it shall also prove me perverse/* Verse 
 the 21st, "Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my 
 soul : I would despise myself." Then at the 30th verse, " If 
 I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never 
 so clean ; yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine 
 own clothes shall abhor me." But whence did all this self- 
 denial in spiritual things proceed now ? If you look into the 
 former part of the chapter, ye shall see that Job had a great 
 prospect of the glory of God : " I know it is so of a truth : 
 but how should man be just with God ? (verse the 2nd) If 
 he will contend with him, he cannot answer him. God is 
 wise in heart, and mighty in strength : (verse the 4th, then 
 verse the 5th) which removeth the mountains, and they know 
 not ; which overturneth them in his anger. Which shaketh 
 the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble. 
 Which commandeth the sun, and it ariseth not j and sealeth 
 up the stars. Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and 
 treadeth upon the waves of the sea. Which maketh Arctu- 
 rus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south. 
 W T hich doth great things past finding out, yea, and wonders 
 without number." And now having this prospect of the 
 greatness and glory of the Lord, he denies his own righte- 
 ousness ; denies himself in spiritual things. And ye know 
 how it was with the prophet Isaiah, in the ixth chapter and 
 5th verse : " Then said I, Woe is me, for I am undone : be- 
 cause I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst 
 of a people of unclean lips." Woe is me, I am undone, a 
 man of unclean lips. But stay, oh, thou blessed prophet, 
 thou art a great, and hast been a great preacher, a gospel 
 preacher ; yea, thou art a prophet. Well, says he, yet, woe 
 is me, for I am undone, I am a man of unclean lips. Why, 
 what is the matter ? At the latter end of the verse : " For 
 mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." And if 
 ye look into the former verses of that chapter, ye shall 
 find that it was a sight of Christ in his glory, as will more
 
 350 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SER. 3. 
 
 fully appear, by comparing of that, and in the ivth chapter 
 of the Revelation together, at your leisure. But where can a 
 man see the glory of God but in the gospel ? The gospel is 
 called, the glorious gospel : there the glory of God is to be 
 seen. With open face there, as in a glass, we behold the 
 glory of the Lord. 
 
 II. The more I see Christ as an eminent, transcendent 
 example of humility and self-denial, the more I learn to deny 
 myself, even in spiritual things. Now the gospel holds forth 
 Christ as the most eminent example of humility and self- 
 denial ; such an example as the sun never saw before, from 
 first to last. At the first ; " He thought it no robbery (says 
 the apostle) to be equal with God : and yet he humbled him- 
 self, and took upon him the form of a servant," Phil. ii. 6, 7 
 And at the last ; says he unto his Father, " Yet not my will, 
 but thy will be done," Luke xxii. 42. And if ye look into 
 the xiiith chapter of John, ye shall find there, that our Lord 
 and Saviour Jesus Christ, takes a towel and water, and falls 
 down at the feet of his disciples, and washes their feet : verse 
 the 4th, " He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments, 
 and took a towel, and girded himself; and after he had pour- 
 ed water into a basin, he began to wash his disciples' feet, and 
 to wipe them with a towel. When the pharisee saw the wo- 
 man coming unto Christ, and wash his feet, and wipe them with 
 the hair of her head ; he wondered, and said, Surely, if this 
 had been a prophet, he would not have suffered a sinner to 
 come so near to him." Did the pharisee wonder at this 
 condescension, that Christ should humble himself so far as 
 to suffer a poor woman to come so near him, as to wash his 
 feet with her tears ? Oh ! what condescension is here, for 
 ever to be wondered at, that the Lord Christ himself should 
 down upon his knees, and wash the disciples' feet ; that the 
 great God of heaven and earth, the second Person, incarnate, 
 should now come, fall down at the feet of sinners, Judas 
 among them too, and wash his disciples' feet ! When all 
 power in heaven and earth was in his hands, that with those 
 hands he should wash the feet of sinners ! 
 
 But stay a little, it may be all power in heaven and earth 
 was not then given into his hands. Yes, read for that pur- 
 pose the 3rd verse, that goes before this story : " Jesus know- 
 ing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and
 
 . 3.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 351 
 
 that he was come from God, and went to God ; he riseth from 
 supper, and laid aside his garments/' 
 
 But though all power in heaven and earth was given into 
 his hands, it may be he did not know it. Yes, says the text, 
 " Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his 
 hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God ; 
 he riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments, and took 
 a towel, and girded himself: after that, he poured water into 
 a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet." Oh, what 
 self-denial is here ! Was there ever such self-denial as here ? 
 And this, this does the gospel hold forth unto ye, and only 
 to be learned in the gospel. 
 
 III. The more I see myself a debtor unto Jesus Christ, 
 for all my gifts and for all my graces ; the more humble 
 I shall be, and the more I shall deny myself in spiritual 
 things. Ye know how it is with a man that owes for 
 his clothes : possibly a man may wear brave and fine 
 clothes ; but he owes for them at such a shop. While he 
 is abroad, he swaggers, and is proud of his clothes ; but 
 when he comes into the shop where he owes for them, and 
 looks upon the book, and what he hath to pay, he strikes 
 sail then, and is more modest, ashamed, and blushes. The 
 gospel is the great shop from whence we have all our gifts, 
 and all our graces : and when I come into the gospel, there I 
 see how infinitely I am a debtor to free grace for all 1 have : 
 and though I may be proud in spirit at another time, yet if 
 I come into the gospel, and see what an infinite debtor to 
 free grace I am, for all that ever I wear upon the back of my 
 soul, then I think, Oh ! what cause have I to be humble ! 
 Shall I be proud ? Shall not I deny myself in spiritual 
 things ? I say, the gospel is the shop of all our gifts and all 
 our graces. 
 
 IV. The saving, justifying faith, is an emptying grace : 
 it brings Christ into the soul ; and when Christ comes into 
 the soul, all other things must out. As when a king 
 or prince comes into a house, the master of the house 
 goes out of his own lodging, and all must out, to make 
 room for the prince : so when Christ comes into one's soul, 
 then all goes out, all other things go out. It is in our 
 believing on Jesus Christ, as on our believing on God the
 
 352 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SfiR. 3. 
 
 Father. " Ye believe in God (says Christ) believe also in 
 me/' John xiv. 1. Look how ye believe in God the Father, 
 so do ye believe in me. Now, as when a man does believe 
 in God the Father for provision, for outward provision ; as 
 seeing an all-sufficiency in God to provide ; then he sees an 
 insufficiency in all the creatures to help, and never before. 
 So, when a man comes to believe in Christ, when he sees 
 that all-sufficiency that is in Christ to redeem and satisfy for 
 him ; then he sees an insufficiency in all his own duties and 
 righteousness, and never till then. The truth is, a man 
 cannot come to Christ, unless he do forsake all. As ye can- 
 not come to this side of the water or river, unless you come 
 from that side of the river. Now faith, it is nothing else 
 but a coming to Jesus Christ : and therefore, wherever 
 there is a true, saving, justifying faith, a man does deny 
 himself in spiritual things : he cannot write an I upon his 
 own performance, upon his own duties. 
 
 If so, if all these things be trus : how hard a thing is it, 
 for a man to believe ; how few are there in the world that 
 do believe indeed ! True, saving, justifying faith, it makes a 
 man abundant in the work of the Lord ; it makes a man 
 live a spiritual life : but then it takes away that I from him, 
 he cannot write an I upon what he does, as formerly he hath 
 done. It makes a man live a spiritual life : but it makes 
 him also to deny that spiritual life. 
 
 There are four streams, that this spiritual life is divided 
 into : the stream of performance, the stream of obedience, 
 the stream of our sufferings, the stream of enjoyment. True 
 saving faith and the gospel, makes a man to deny himself in 
 all these. 
 
 As for our performance and obedience ; ye know what 
 the apostle says concerning himself, Thus and thus I was, 
 and thus and thus I have lived : but now I count all things 
 as dung and dross in regard of Christ. 
 
 As for our sufferings : I have read of some martyrs in 
 the primitive times ; that being in prison and ready to suf- 
 fer; divers came to comfort them, and called them, Blessed 
 martyrs, No, say they, we are not worthy of the name of 
 martyrs : by no means, they would not bear it, that they 
 should call them martyrs : they denied themselves in their 
 sufferings.
 
 SER. 3.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 353 
 
 As for our enjoyment: ye know what the apostle says, 
 <: I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, which is 
 best of all. Nevertheless, for your sakes," (says he) &c. 
 Phil. i. 23. I am in a strait. And in another place, " I 
 knew a man (says he) that was taken up into the third hea- 
 ven, whether in the body, or out of the body I cannot say," 
 2 Cor. xii. 2. That was himself, but he would not own 
 himself in it. And in another place he says, " That he 
 could wish himself accursed for his brethren according to 
 the flesh, that they might receive the gospel," Rom. ix. 3. 
 Oh, what a self-denying frame of heart is here ! But where 
 is this self-denying frame of heart now to be found amongst 
 us : how does this I, this same self, creep into all our 
 speeches, and into all our doings ? If it please the Lord to 
 use a minister in his service : what a I-ing is there ! I con- 
 verted such a man, and I comforted such a man ; and it was 
 my ministry that did it : oh, what self is here ! what a I- 
 ing is here. So, if it please God to use a physician, for the 
 curing of the outward man ; it was my prescription, and it 
 was my receipt, and I did it. And if a Christian do but pray, 
 or perform any duty ; thus and thus I said, and these words 
 I spake ! did not I tell ye so ? I told ye what would come 
 to pass : oh, what a I-ing there is among people ? how 
 does self, this I and self creep into all our speeches, and into 
 all our doings ! But is this our faith, and is this the 
 fruit of our faith ? Every true believer, that seeks justifi- 
 cation by faith alone, is an humble self-denying person ; 
 that denies himself in spiritual things. Then, how few are 
 there that have true saving faith ! Certainly, this saving, 
 justifying faith, is another manner of thing than the world 
 takes it to be. 
 
 But will some say, Upon this account, we hope we have 
 all faith : for we can all say concerning our duties, and our 
 performances, that they are nothing ; my prayer is nothing, 
 and my hearing is nothing, but Christ is all in all ; yea, and 
 we can say severally, all of us, as Paul does here, " I live, 
 yet not I :" and therefore we all now hope, that we have 
 faith indeed, for we are able thus to deny ourselves in spiri- 
 tual things. 
 
 I wish it were so : that all were indeed able to deny them-
 
 354 TUB SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SER. 3. 
 
 selves in spiritual things. But give me leave a little, to 
 speak something to ye by way of convincement. 
 
 Are there not some here, that cannot deny themselves in 
 outward things ? Some here, that cannot deny themselves 
 in their appetite, their eating and their drinking for Jesus 
 Christ ? Some here that cannot deny themselves of their 
 wicked company ? Some here that cannot deny themselves 
 of a frothy, vain jest or jeer at the people of God for Christ's 
 sake? Are there not some here that cannot deny them- 
 selves in clothes, in their words, in an oath, for Christ ? 
 Are there not some here, that cannot deny themselves in 
 their passions for Christ ? froward, and they live frowardly in 
 their families ? Our Saviour says, " Learn of me, for I am 
 meek and lowly," Matt. xi. 29. Meekness and humility go 
 together : frowardness and pride therefore go together. 
 Now, when you cannot deny yourselves in your passions, in 
 your clothes, in your company, in a foolish word for Christ : 
 dost thou think, that thou canst deny thyself, or dost deny 
 thyself in thy duties, or in thy righteousness, or in thy spi- 
 ritual things for Christ ? Be not deceived. 
 
 Again. Are there not some here, that do seek themselves 
 in spiritual things ? Self-seeking, and self-advancing, as I 
 have said, do differ, but the one is a sign of the other. A 
 man can never deny himself, that seeks himself. I say, he 
 cannot deny himself in spiritual things, that seeks himself 
 in spiritual things. Now I pray consider it : when ye meet 
 with any spiritual loss, whose account and head do ye set 
 it down upon ? Ye know how it is in trade, and merchan- 
 dizing : some men trade for themselves ; and some trade for 
 others : if I trade for myself; when I meet with a loss, I set 
 it down upon mine own account, and upon mine own head. 
 If I trade for another ; when I meet with a loss, I set it 
 down upon his account, and upon his head. Now when you 
 meet with spiritual losses ; whose account do you set down 
 your spiritual losses upon, upon whose head ? Are there not 
 many here, that set down their spiritual losses upon their 
 own account ? Indeed I have lost such an opportunity, and 
 I have sinned so, and therefore shame will come unto me, 
 vexation and trouble. What a dishonour is this unto Jesus 
 Christ ! Some indeed, when they meet with a spiritual loss, 
 they set it down upon Christ's account ; and they break
 
 SER. 3.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 355 
 
 their hearts with the sense of this. Others, they set down 
 all their spiritual losses upon their own heads, and their 
 own accounts ; what does this argue, but that they trade for 
 themselves and not for Christ : they seek themselves, and 
 therefore they do not deny themselves. 
 
 Are there not some, that do stint and limit themselves in 
 the service of God ? O my soul, thou hast enough for to 
 bring thee to heaven already ; and what needest thou more ? 
 Is not this for to seek one's self in spiritual things, is not 
 here abundance of self? 
 
 Again, Are there not some, that dare prescribe the Lord ? 
 If a general gives out an order to have a thing done so, and 
 a common soldier comes and says, No, not so, but thus : does 
 not this common soldier advance himself in prescribing the 
 general ? The Lord Christ hath said, that we may come 
 unto him, and the first thing of all is, for to come unto 
 him : but man says, No, unless I find my heart humbled 
 first, and broken first, I will not go to Christ, I have no rule 
 for it. This is to prescribe Christ, and this is to advance 
 one's self. 
 
 Again, Are there not some among us, that when they 
 have been at duty in the company of others, have strange 
 repetitions pass upon their hearts ? When you pray all 
 alone, you have no such repetitions; but when you have 
 prayed, or been exercising in a company, doth not your 
 heart run back sometimes and say Thus and thus I said, 
 and this and this I did, and this expression I had ? Hath 
 there not been strange kind of repetitions, after you have 
 performed duty in company ? Is not here self, is not here 
 the I? 
 
 Again, Are there not some, that never to this day were 
 sensible of their pride in spiritual things ? now I dare boldly 
 say unto thee from the Lord, Thou hast not yet learned this 
 lesson of self-denial in spiritual things, that wert never hum- 
 bled for thy pride in spiritual things. I repeat it again, I 
 say, If thou wert never humbled for thy pride in spiritual 
 things, to this day, the Lord knows, thou hast not learned 
 this great lesson of self-denial in spiritual things. I say no 
 more by way of convincement ; only this : there is nothing 
 that a professor is more apt to be proud of, than spiritual 
 things. Before a man takes up a profession ; possibly then 
 A A 2
 
 356 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SfiR. 3. 
 
 he is proud of his clothes ; or he is proud of his friends ; 
 or he is proud of his fine house and the like, but after once 
 a man comes to take up a profession, there is nothing that 
 he is more apt to be proud of than his gifts, graces, and spi- 
 ritual things. For, look where a man's excellency lies, 
 there his pride grows. Now the excellency of a professor 
 lies in spiritual things ; and therefore there his pride grows, 
 and there he is most apt to be proud. Yet let me tell ye, 
 it is a more dangerous thing to be proud of a man's duties, 
 and spiritual gifts, than to be proud of clothes, than to be 
 proud of these outward things ; for this pride of spiritual 
 gifts, it is directly opposite to a man's justification. And the 
 more secret and hidden any thing is, the more dangerous it 
 is : and when sin and pride lies under duties, and spiritual 
 things, then it is hidden indeed. The more bold a sin is, 
 the greater it is ; when a sin shall dare to come into the 
 presence of God, then it is bold indeed : now pride in spirit- 
 ual things comes more into the presence of God than 
 pride of clothes and these outward things do, and therefore 
 it is the bolder and the greater sin; and therefore, who 
 would not take heed thereof! who would not labour for 
 this self-denial, to be humble, and denying of one's self in 
 spiritual things ? Truly, the first step to humility, is, to 
 see one's pride : and the first step to self-denial, is to be 
 convinced of one's self-advancing. 
 
 But, will some poor soul say, that hears all this, I am 
 convinced of mine own pride and selfishness in all my duties; 
 I can do nothing but self gets in ; I write an I upon all that 
 I do ; I cannot deny myself in spiritual things. I have 
 heard of some, that have been so humble and self-denying, 
 that they have been willing and contented to go to hell if 
 God would have it so : but as for me, the Lord knows I am 
 not contented so ; I have a proud heart, and self creeps into 
 all that I do, and therefore I fear that I have not this faith, 
 therefore I fear that the gospel never came in power upon 
 my soul to this day. 
 
 Though every true believer be an humble, self-denying 
 person, and is made partaker of this gospel self-denial: yet 
 know, there is something of self, some remains of self that 
 still continues with the best, something still that will taste of 
 the cask. Though the onion that is beaten in the mortar be
 
 3.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 357 
 
 taken out of the mortar, yet the mortar will smell of it. A 
 godly, gracious man, is sensible of his own pride and self- 
 advancing in spiritual things, and will cry out and say, Oh, 
 what a proud heart have I, a self-advancing heart have I ! 
 But show me that man that was ever so transformed, melted, 
 changed into the mould of the gospel, but still some savour 
 of self remains. 
 
 Whereas you say, that some are willing and contented to 
 go to hell if God would have it so. I have heard it of 
 some ; yea, and that some ministers have put people upon 
 this trial, as thus : Art thou contented to go to hell if God 
 would have it so ? I say, I have heard that even some 
 ministers have put people upon such a trial as this is ; but 
 where is their commission, where hath any minister such a 
 commission from the Lord, to put poor people upon such a trial 
 as this is ? Soul, art thou contented to go to hell if God would 
 have it so ? Let any minister shew me his commission to 
 put a soul upon such a trial as this is. And where, soul, 
 hast thou a commission to put thyself upon such a trial ? 
 No, we may have an eye to the recompense of reward ; the 
 Lord Christ himself had so, he had an eye himself unto the 
 recompence of reward : and therefore, though thou canst not 
 bring thy soul unto this height, yet there may be some 
 humility, even gospel self-denial, that may lie under the leaf. 
 This gospel humility and self-denial, it is, as I may so speak, 
 the soul violet. The violet, ye know, it is a very sweet 
 flower, but it lies very low, it hangs down its head, and it 
 lies under other herbs, obscure herbs, as if it loved to be 
 unseen, but it smells very sweetly ; and if you would find 
 out this sweet-smelling herb and violet, you must lift up 
 other obscure leaves, and there you shall see it. So this 
 humility and self-denial, it lies under other duties and under 
 other exercises ; and if you would see it, you must lift up 
 other leaves. Though thou art not able to attain to that 
 height as to say, thou wouldest be contented to go to hell if 
 God would have it so ; yet thou mayest have this sweet 
 violet, though it lie under other herbs, yet thou mayest see 
 it, and it may be smelled. Only this, if at any time self 
 breaks out, if at any time thy soul begins to be advanced in 
 regard of duty or spiritual things ; I do here call upon you, 
 fall down before the Lord, and humble thyself before him
 
 358 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SER. 3. 
 
 for the pride of thy heart concerning spiritual things, and 
 labour to get this self-denial in spiritual things. I am not 
 to speak of self-denial at large, but I call upon you from the 
 Lord to labour to get self-denial in spiritual things. And 
 take these two or three motives to it. 
 
 1. The more you deny yourself in spiritual things, the 
 more you shall be sure to keep them. Says Chrysostom, 
 The best treasury to keep any good work in is, forgetfulness 
 of that good work. Ye know, that if a man be to travel, 
 the way to keep himself and his money is, not to go to the 
 market-cross and there proclaim that he hath so much money 
 about him, or to carry with him in his journey; the only way 
 for a man to lose his money is to let it be known, and to 
 brag of it abroad. And truly what is the reason that so 
 many in these days of ours have made shipwreck ? Some 
 heretofore have been very forward, had great gifts, great 
 parts ; and now they are rotten, they have lost all. Why ? 
 Because they were proud of them, and did not walk humbly 
 under them. 
 
 2. The more you do deny yourselves in spiritual things, 
 the more humble you will be in other thiugs ; and the more 
 humble you are, the more sweetly shall you live in your own 
 bosom, yea, towards and amongst others. Some possibly 
 complain of a froward spirit : oh, says one, I am of an 
 angry disposition ; my husband, my children, my servants, 
 my wife or my friends, cannot medoUe with me or touch me, 
 but I am ready to break out in distemper, anger and fro- 
 wardness ; the Lord knows I have a very froward and peevish 
 heart of mine own. But what is the reason ? Pride, pride 
 is the cause of frowardness. Ye see how it is with a bladder : 
 let a bladder be blown full of wind, and though you may 
 take it at the end, yet notwithstanding you cannot hold the 
 bladder in your hand, or the greatest hand in the town can- 
 not hold the bladder. But take a pin and prick the bladder, 
 and the least child may hold it then. What is the reason 
 that men cannot be held, cannot be handled, cannot be 
 touched by their neighbours, friends, and those that are 
 about them, they cannot be grasped and walked with ? but 
 because they are proud and swollen. Therefore get an hum- 
 ble and self-denying heart, and thou shalt walk more sweetly 
 \vith thine own soul and others that are about thee.
 
 SER. 3.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 359 
 
 3. The more you deny yourselves in spiritual things, the 
 more you shall be exalted in them. I say, the more you 
 deny yourselves in spiritual things, the more those spiritual 
 things shall grow, be exalted, the more increased. " Hum- 
 ble thyself (or yourselves, says the apostle) under the hand 
 of the Lord, and he will exalt you in due time," 1 Pet. v. 
 6. And let me tell you this, that look what that is wherein 
 you do humble yourselves before the Lord, therein the Lord 
 will exalt you. Dost thou humble thyself before the Lord 
 in regard of these outward things ? there will the Lord exalt 
 thee. Dost thou humble thyself before the Lord in regard 
 of thy parts and thy gifts ? there will the Lord exalt thee. 
 Dost thou humble thyself before the Lord in regard of thine 
 own graces, and thine own obedience, and thine own righte- 
 ousness ? therein will the Lord exalt thee. Ye know that 
 John the Baptist said concerning Christ, " He must increase, 
 but I must decrease," John iii. 30. And says John again 
 concerning our Saviour Christ, " Whose shoe-latchet I am 
 not worthy to unloose," John i. 27 ; or, whose shoes I am 
 not worthy to carry. Mark how he humbles himself to 
 Jesus Christ ; and mark how Christ honours John : oh, says 
 Christ, " There is not a greater among them that are born of 
 women, than John the Baptist," Matt. xi. 11 ; Christ exalts 
 him. And so says the Centurion, " Oh, Lord, I am not 
 worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof," Matt. viii. 
 8. Mark how he humbles himself here before the Lord 
 Christ ; and mark what our Saviour says of him, " I tell you, 
 I have not found such faith, no, not in Israel," verse 10. So 
 that look where thou humblest thyself, there will the Lord exalt 
 thee. Soul, dost thou desire therefore that the Lord would 
 exalt thy graces, that thy gifts and graces should be increased? 
 Humble thyself there, and learn to deny thyself in spiritual 
 things, not only in regard of outward but in spiritual things, 
 that you may say, " I live, yet not I." 
 
 But you will say, This is a hard thing; what may we do, 
 that we may be able to deny ourselves in spiritual things ? 
 
 Never perform any duty, but as often as thou canst, reflect 
 upon thy performance, and observe the defects thereof. When 
 ye write a letter, after ye have written it you read it over ; or 
 whatever ye write almost, if it be of any concernment, after 
 ye have written it, then you read it over ; and if ye find any
 
 360 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SER. 3. 
 
 thing amiss, then ye blot it out, and when ye have done, ye 
 take your sand-box and throw dust upon it ; or ye go to the 
 chimney, and take ashes and throw upon the paper. Will 
 ye do thus for your letters that you write, and will ye not do 
 thus for your duties and performances ? When you have 
 prayed, and performed duty, go, go and look it over, and 
 there you will find many defects ; many things to be blotted 
 out, and many things to be put in ; and when you have 
 found the defects in your duty, throw dust upon it, and 
 humble yourselves before the Lord. 
 
 If you would deny yourselves in spiritual things, observe 
 much the in-comes of the Spirit of the Lord upon your soul; 
 the way and manner of it, how suddenly, how unexpectedly, 
 how freely the Lord by his Spirit breathes upon your soul. 
 When your heart is dead, when your heart is hard, when you 
 say, God is now gone, and will never return again ; oh, what 
 freedom once I had in prayer ! but now my heart is hard, 
 and I shall never be able to pray again : then comes the 
 Spirit of God, and breathes upon your soul, and gives you 
 prayer again. Now, if I would but observe the breathings of 
 the Spirit of the Lord, how it comes upon me thus, when I 
 am dead, when my heart is hard, when I say I shall never 
 have prayer again ; if I could but observe the freeness of 
 the Spirit's breathing over my soul, and raising up my heart 
 to duty again, should I be proud of duty, think you ? 
 Should I not rather say, Shall I be proud ? I was dead, my 
 heart hard, and had not the Spirit come and breathed upon 
 my soul, I had never been able to pray again, but had been 
 locked up for ever : and shall I be proud ? Observe the in- 
 comes of the Spirit ; the way and manner of it : be much 
 in this, and you will be able to deny yourselves in spiritual 
 things. 
 
 Look much into the gospel ; study much the gospel and 
 the way of the gospel. The more you see an humble Christ, 
 the more you will learn humility. W T here shall you see an 
 humble Christ but in the gospel ? The more you see a self- 
 denying Christ, the more you will learn self-denial. And 
 where shall you read of a self-denying Christ but in the gos- 
 pel ? The more ye see the free and rich grace of God, the 
 more you will deny yourselves in spiritual things. And where 
 shall ye see the free-grace of God but in the gospel ? The
 
 SER. 4.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 361 
 
 more faith ye have, the more ye will deny yourselves in spi- 
 ritual things. And where shall ye get faith but in the preach- 
 ing of the gospel, and in studying of the gospel ? This grace 
 of humility and self-denial in spiritual things, grows only in 
 the garden of the gospel, in the bed of the gospel. There is 
 a field humility, and there is a common, or a field self-denial, 
 as I may so speak. As ye see it is with your flowers and 
 herbs : there is a garden thyme, and there is a field thyme ; 
 there is a garden rose, and there is a field rose ; there is a 
 garden honey-suckle, and there is a field honey-suckle : so 
 there is a field self-denial, that grows among heathen and 
 among moral people, that can deny themselves of this or that 
 particular thing ; their appetite, clothing, or now and then 
 their company. And there is a gospel self-denial, a myste- 
 rious self-denial. But this self-denial in spiritual things, 
 grows nowhere but in the garden of the gospel ; there thou 
 shalt see an humble Christ, and become humble ; there thou 
 shalt see a self-denying Christ, and become self-denying. 
 Therefore study the gospel, and study the way of the gospel. 
 You that have walked in a legal way, study the gospel, and 
 the way of the gospel. I tell you, in the words of the apos- 
 tle, " If the gospel be hid, it is hid to them that perish/' 2 
 Cor. iv. 3. If the gospel, and the way of the gospel be hid, 
 it is hid to them that perish. And therefore go unto the 
 Lord, and beseech him to open to you the way of the gospel ; 
 and in this gospel you shall be able to learn this self-denial, 
 and be able to say, as here the apostle, " I live, yet not I, but 
 Christ liveth in me." 
 
 SERMON IV. 
 
 " Nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." 
 GAL. ii. 20. 
 
 IN these words ye have another property of oar spiritual 
 life ; it is a Christ advancing life : " I live, yet not I, but 
 Christ liveth in me." The former words, " Yet not I," hold 
 forth a depression and annihilation of a man's self in spiri- 
 tual things. These words, " But Christ liveth in me," hold
 
 362 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SfiR. 4. 
 
 forth the advancings of Jesus Christ. He gives the power, 
 strength and honour of all unto Jesus Christ, " But CHRIST 
 liveth in me." 
 
 In the words there are these three things especially obser- 
 able: 
 
 I. The presence of Christ with a believer: "Christ in 
 me." 
 
 II. The efficacy of his presence : " He liveth in me." 
 
 III. The constancy of his effectual presence : he does 
 not stay for a day or a night in me, but, " he LIVETH in me." 
 
 And accordingly there are three doctrines that these words 
 afford. 
 
 I. Christ is in all believers. For he does personate a be- 
 liever all along, when he says, I, as ye have heard ; Christ is 
 in each believer. 
 
 II. Christ liveth in all believers. 
 
 III. That Christ does live more in a believer than a be- 
 liever doth himself: " Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." 
 
 I shall speak only to the former. 
 
 Christ is in all believers. Christ is in each believer. Every 
 saint and child of God hath Christ within him. 
 
 This truth was so commonly known in the apostle's time, 
 that he says unto the Corinthians, " Know ye not, how that 
 Christ is in ye, unless ye be reprobates ?" 2 Cor. xiii. 5. That 
 is, unless ye be reprobates, ye may know that Christ is in 
 you. So our Saviour Christ himself, in that book of John, 
 vi. 56., " He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, 
 dwelleth (or abideth) in me, and I in him." And so often in 
 the xivth, xvth and xvith chapters of John, Christ speaks to 
 this purpose : " I in you, and you in me." So that the 
 Scripture is full of this, Christ is in all believers, Christ is in 
 each believer. 
 
 For the clearing of this great truth. We must first inquire, 
 How Christ may be said to be in a believer. 
 
 And for that, ye must know, that as God is in the world, 
 and the things of the world, several ways, so Christ is in be- 
 lievers. 
 
 1. God is in the world, and the things of the world, in re- 
 gard of his power. He is in all the world, as we say a king 
 is in all his kingdom, because his power extendeth to all his 
 kingdom. And so God is in all the world because his power
 
 SER. 4.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 363 
 
 extendeth to all the world. And thus Jesus Christ is in a 
 believer. But this is not all. 
 
 2. God is in the world, and in the things of the world, by 
 way of presence. " Whither shall I go from thy presence ?" 
 says the Psalmist. " If I go up into heaven, thou art there," 
 &c. Psalm cxxxix. 7, 8. And thus also is Jesus Christ in the 
 heart of a believer. But yet this is not all. 
 
 3. God is said to be in the world, and in the things of the 
 world, in regard of his essence : essentially present unto all 
 the world. For every attribute of God is like unto God ; 
 his attributes are all infinite; he is infinite in wisdom, justice, 
 power and mercy : and so he is infinite in his essence, and 
 therefore essentially present unto all the world. And thus, 
 also, Christ is in the heart of a believer, as God. But yet 
 this is not all. 
 
 4. God is said to be in the world, and the things of the 
 world, by way of special manifestation. And so God was in 
 the temple, not because his essence was more in the temple 
 than in another place, but he was in the temple by way of 
 manifestation of himself unto his people there. And thus, 
 also, Jesus Christ is in the hearts of those that are believers, 
 specially manifesting and revealing himself there unto them. 
 But yet this is not all neither. 
 
 5. God is said to be in a creature by way of personal union, 
 being personally united to him. As when the Deity, by the 
 second Person, was united unto our nature, unto flesh : God 
 was in Christ, " in whom the fulness of the Deity dwells 
 bodily," says the apostle, Col. ii. 9. And thus, in a spiritual 
 and mystical way and manner, Christ is in all believers by 
 his Spirit, the third Person : not only the graces of Christ, 
 but Christ himself, in and by his Spirit, is in the heart of a 
 believer ; I say, Christ by his Spirit. And therefore Chry- 
 sostom observes, Whereas it is said, in the viiith of the 
 Romans, and the 9th verse, that " if the Spirit of God dwell 
 in ye ;" at the 10th verse following, it is said, " If Christ be 
 in you ;" those two being made one, one being put for the 
 other. Now I say, that Christ that is in a believer, is not 
 the habit of grace only, which the saints have in their souls, 
 but Christ himself by his Spirit. And therefore if ye look 
 into that vth chapter to the Romans, ye shall find, that be- 
 sides the grace of the Spirit, the Spirit itself is said to be
 
 364 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SfiR. 4. 
 
 given unto us : verse 5, " Because the love of God is shed 
 abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost which is given unto 
 us." Not only the grace of the Holy Ghost given unto us, and 
 shed abroad in our hearts, but the Spirit itself which is given 
 unto us. And so in that xvith chapter of John, where the 
 Lord promises to send the Comforter. " He shall teach thee 
 (says Christ) ; and he shall teach thee all things; and he will 
 shew unto ye things to come," verse 13. But the habits of 
 grace cannot teach a man, and shew him things to come. 
 And what shall he teach ? " Whatsoever he shall hear, that 
 he shall speak," verse 13. This is the Comforter, this is the 
 Spirit. Now the habits of grace do not thus speak and hear, 
 and therefore, certainly, the Spirit of Christ is in the hearts 
 of God's people, and in the hearts of believers ; it is more 
 than the bare habit of grace, the gifts and the graces of the 
 Spirit. And to this purpose it is clearly spoken by the apos- 
 tle, in the viiith chapter of the epistle to the Romans, and 
 the llth verse, u But if the Spirit of him that raised up Je- 
 sus from the dead, dwell in you ; he that raised up Christ 
 from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies, by his 
 Spirit that dwelleth in you." This Spirit cannot be meant 
 habitual grace. For it is the Spirit of him that raised up 
 Jesus from the dead, dwelleth in you. So that plainly, then, 
 in a spiritual and mystical way, Christ is in each believer by 
 his Spirit ; and this Christ in a believer, is not the gifts and 
 the graces of the Spirit, but Christ himself by his Spirit. 
 
 This I confess rises high ; but herein I am not alone : 
 divers school -men and fathers, and of our own divines, concur- 
 ring with me. The Reverend Mr. Perkins, it was his speech, 
 That the person of a believer, is united to the person of Christ. 
 But I shall give you the words of an eminent preacher, that is 
 now in heaven, as we have them in the works that he hath left. 
 Says he, ' It hath been a great dispute among the school-men, 
 whether a believer does receive the Holy Ghost itself, or 
 only the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost : but, says he, 
 it is a question, where there needs be no question ; and dis- 
 pute, where there needs no dispute : for the Scripture is 
 clear, that we do not only receive the gifts and the graces of the 
 Holy Ghost, but the Holy Ghost itself, for are we not said 
 to be, " The temple of the Holy Ghost ?" 1 Cor. vi. 19.
 
 SEB. 4.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 3G5 
 
 and this sets out the abundant kindness and goodness of 
 God : as, says he yet, it is more kindness to give a man 
 fruit and the tree, than to give him barely the fruit : so it is 
 abundantly more grace in God, to give a man the Holy 
 Ghost itself, rather than to give him only the gifts and the 
 graces of the Holy Ghost. And indeed, what greater com- 
 fort can there be than this ? That believers are not only 
 made partakers of the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost, 
 but of Christ himself, Christ really in all believers, by his 
 Spirit/ 
 
 You will say unto me, But how can this be ; we have or- 
 dinarily understood it otherwise ; and so we have heard it 
 preached too, That Christ in a believer, is nothing else but 
 the grace of Christ; and the Spirit in a believer, is nothing 
 else but the gifts, graces, and the operations of the Spirit: 
 and indeed, how can it be otherwise ? For if Christ be really 
 united unto each believer, really in a believer by his Spirit, and 
 so made one with him ; then a believer may say, I am Christ, 
 and I am the Spirit; which is Montanism, and which is 
 blasphemy : and therefore, how can this be, that Christ is 
 really united to each believer by his Spirit, and really in a 
 believer by his Spirit ? 
 
 I confess this is very hard to understand : and when I 
 consider the in-being of Christ in a believer, I remember 
 that story that is written concerning Austin ; That walking 
 by the sea-side, he saw a boy take a mussel-shell, and go to 
 the sea, carrying water with his mussel-shell into a ditch 
 that was by, out of the sea into the small trench : he asked 
 the boy, what he would do ? Says he, I will empty all the 
 sea into that ditch : and he smiled, and told him that he 
 could not do it: says he, No more able are you, with the 
 mussel-shell of your understanding, to carry out the ocean of 
 the Trinity in a small tractate and discourse of your own. 
 And what is your understanding, but as a little mussel-shell 
 in regard of Christ, and the glory of the Trinity ? Surely, 
 we are not able with this little mussel-shell, for to carry out 
 all the depth of this truth in a small discourse. But it is a 
 great mystery. Are you able to tell me, how the child is 
 formed in the mother's womb ? Or are ye able to tell me, 
 how the soul is united to the body ? Who then can tell ex- 
 actly, how Christ is united to the soul of a believer ? It is a
 
 366 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SfiR. 4. 
 
 great mystery, one of the great mysteries of the gospel. 
 But because our Saviour hath said, " Unto you it is given to 
 know the mysteries of the kingdom, and to others it is not/* 
 Matt. xiii. 11 ; therefore we should all labour to understand 
 it. And that ye may not be misled herein, as divers of late 
 have been, into strange kind of blasphemous speeches, I 
 shall give you these three or four propositions or distinc- 
 tion about it. 
 
 1. You must know, that though Christ be really united unto 
 each believer, yet this unition, or union is a voluntary act, and 
 not a natural act, and so Christ may unite himself unto the 
 soul, so far as it pleases himself: it is not a natural act, but 
 a voluntary act; and being an act wherein he is free, he 
 may unite himself unto the soul, so far as he pleases, and no 
 farther. Now the Lord Jesus Christ, hath not united him- 
 self so far unto the soul of a believer, that a believer should 
 say, I am Christ, and I am the Spirit : for, then a believer 
 were to be worshipped as well as Christ, if he were Christ. 
 
 2. You must know this, That there is a great deal of dif- 
 ference, between joining unto another, by way of contact 
 or touching; and joining unto another by way of composi- 
 tion. As for example, the sea and the land, they are joined 
 together, they are united : but how ? not by way of compo- 
 sition, but by way of contact ; the sea touches the land, and 
 the land touches the sea : yet the land cannot say, I am the 
 sea ; nor the sea cannot say, I am the land : why ? because 
 it is an union only by contact, by touching, and not by com- 
 position, one being compounded of the other. So the union 
 that it is between Christ and a believer, is byway of spiritual 
 contact; Christ touching the soul by his Spirit; and the 
 soul touching Christ by faith. I say, it is an union by way of 
 spiritual contact and touching, and not by composition ; 
 and therefore a believer cannot say, that I am Christ, and I 
 am the Spirit. 
 
 3. You must know, there is a two-fold in-being. One 
 whereby essences are applied unto each other ; and another 
 whereby essences are mixed together. I will make it as 
 plain as I can, thus : ye see in a heap of stone, and wheat, 
 they both make but one heap . and the stone may say, I am 
 in this heap, and the wheat may say, I am in this heap ? but the 
 stone cannot say, I am the wheat ; nor the wheat cannot say,
 
 SER. 4.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 367 
 
 I am the stone : why ? because though they be united and 
 joined together in one heap, it is by way of application of one 
 essence unto another, one being applied unto another. But 
 now, take water and wine, and mingle them together, and 
 there every part may say, I am water, and I am wine : why ? 
 because there is an union by way of mixture. Now there 
 is a great union between Christ and a believing soul : yet a 
 believing soul, though he be really united to Christ by the 
 Spirit, cannot say, I am Christ, or I am the Spirit: why? 
 because it is an union by way of application, and not by 
 way of mixture, as wine and water mingled together : if it 
 were an union by way of essences, then a believer might say, 
 I am Christ, and I am the Spirit : but it is an union by way 
 of application, a believer being applied to Christ, and Christ 
 applied unto a believer. 
 
 4. You must know this, that there is a great deal of dif- 
 ference between the inbeing of a spiritual thing in a material, 
 and the inbeing of one material or corporal thing in another. 
 I shall make it as plain as I can, and it will be of concern- 
 ment to you. Take a body, now, and let that be mixed with 
 another, and each part may say, I am that which I am joined 
 to : but take the spirit, or a spiritual being, and let that be 
 mixed with a more material being ; and then the material 
 being cannot say, I am the spirit, and the spirit, I am the 
 matter. As now ye see in the great union between the soul 
 and the body ; the soul is in every part of a man, tota in 
 toto : the soul, says the philosopher, is wholly in every part ; 
 the whole soul of man being in every part of the body : yet, 
 notwithstanding, the body cannot say, I am the soul, nor the 
 soul cannot say, I am the body, because they are thus united 
 together. Why? Because here is an union of a spiritual 
 thing with a more material, which does keep the natures dis- 
 tinct. Or thus give me leave to express it to ye : iron and 
 fire being joined together, your fire is in every part of the 
 iron ; and yet, notwithstanding, though the fire be in every 
 part of the iron, the iron cannot say, I am the fire, nor the 
 fire cannot say, I am the iron. Why ? Because here is a 
 more spiritual body in a more material body, and so the na- 
 tures are kept distinct. Or if you will, yet further : ye see 
 the light in the air ; the light is more spiritual than the air, 
 and the light is in every part of the air ; yet, notwithstand-
 
 368 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SfiR. 4. 
 
 ing, the air cannot say, I am the light, nor the light cannot 
 say, I am the air ; but these two are kept distinct. Why ? 
 Because here is an union of that which is more spiritual, unto 
 that which is more material. So I say here, though Christ 
 be really united unto each believer, yet, notwithstanding, the 
 soul of a believer is more material ; though not in itself 
 material, yet in respect of Christ, the soul is a gross nature 
 in regard of the Spirit of Christ : and being thus therefore 
 united, these natures are kept distinct ; the Spirit of Christ 
 is kept distinct from the nature of the soul, and the soul 
 from the nature of the Spirit. And therefore the soul of a 
 believer, though united really unto Christ by the Spirit, can- 
 not say, I am the Spirit, or I am Christ. 
 
 But if we look, will some say, into the xviith chapter of 
 John, our Lord and Saviour Christ seems to speak this way, 
 at the 20th and 21st verses. " Neither pray I for these alone 
 (says he), but for them also which shall believe on me 
 through their word : that they all may be one, as thou Father 
 art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us." 
 Here Christ prays that believers may be one with him, as he 
 and the Father were one. But if Christ be really united to 
 each believer by his Spirit, what difference is there between 
 this union and the hypostatical union ? The second Person 
 was united unto our nature, to our flesh : and if now Christ 
 be united unto a believer by his Spirit, which is the third 
 Person, what is the difference between the hypostatical union 
 and the union of a believer with Christ by the Spirit ? 
 
 Much every way. For take a believer, and though Christ 
 be united unto a believer really by his Spirit, yet notwith- 
 standing, the believer is not said to be assumed, the Spirit 
 doth not assume the heart of a believer, as the second Person 
 did assume our flesh ; and though we are united unto Christ 
 by the Spirit, yet not said to be assumed by the Spirit. 
 
 Again, Though Christ be really united unto each believer, 
 yet it is no personal union, as the hypostatical union is. A 
 man is a person before he is united so unto Christ by the 
 Spirit. But now Christ's soul and body, they were not a 
 person before united unto the second Person : but the soul 
 and body of Christ, and the second Person in the Trinity 
 united together make up one person. I say that is a per- 
 sonal union, all making up but one person. But now a
 
 SER. 4.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 369 
 
 believer, he is a person before his union with Christ by the 
 Spirit; he is a person, a wicked person, but he is a person. 
 
 Again, The union that is between Christ and a believer, 
 it is in respect of the other union, an accidental union, 
 Christ united unto the soul by faith, by the intervening of 
 grace and accidents. But now the second Person was united 
 unto our nature, and unto our flesh, not by the intervening 
 of any grace, or any accident, but there substance was united 
 unto substance by the second Person. I say, it was not an union 
 by the intervening of any grace : for though all graces were in 
 Christ, yet the union of the second Person to our flesh, is not 
 by the intervening of any grace, faith or the like : but now our 
 union to Christ is by the intervening of grace, of faith, and so 
 this union is but an accidental union in regard of that. 
 
 Again, Though Christ be united unto all believers by his 
 Spirit ; yet he is so far united unto a believer, as to make 
 him a member of the body only : but the second Person 
 was united unto our nature, and unto our flesh, to make Christ 
 the Mediator. Indeed, if God were united to man so far as 
 to make him Mediator between God and man, then he might 
 say, I am God, and I am Christ: but, I say, this union 
 being voluntary, he does so far unite himself unto the soul 
 of a believer, as to make him a member of the body only, and 
 not a Mediator. But when the second Person was united to 
 our nature, the union was to make the Person a Mediator. 
 And thus ye see, there is a great deal of difference between 
 that hypostatical union, and this mystical union of a believer. 
 
 And whereas it is said in that xviith of John, that Christ 
 prays that we may be one with him, as he is with the Fa- 
 ther: " That they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, 
 and I in thee ; that they also may be one." I answer : This is 
 an 03 of similitude, and not of equality : Christ prays unto 
 the Father, that believers may be one with him ; not by way 
 of equality ; that a believer should be equally one with 
 Christ, as Christ is with the Father : for then Christ should 
 pray, that a believer might be worshipped too, which he 
 never did : and if that Christ here should pray, that a belie- 
 ver might be one with Christ, as Christ with the Father, in 
 regard of equality; then Christ should pray that a belie- 
 ver should be one with him from eternity : for says he unto 
 his Father in the beginning of the chapter, " Glorify me
 
 370 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SfiR. 4. 
 
 with thyself, with the same glory which I had with thee be- 
 fore the world was/ 5 Christ was one with the Father before 
 the world was. Therefore, if he should pray, that a believer 
 might be one with him, in regard of equality, he should 
 pray, that a believer might be one with him, in that respect : 
 which were impossible. But he does not pray, that a belie- 
 ver might be one with him by way of equality, as he 
 is one with the Father by way of equality, but simili- 
 tude. And yet divers learned and reverend men, think the 
 meaning of that place rather to be this, That they may be 
 one among themselves : Christ prays, that they may be all 
 one ; that is : Lord, I pray, that they may love and agree 
 together ; he prays for union among themselves. But sup- 
 pose it be taken the other way, that the Lord Jesus Christ 
 here does pray, that believers may be one with him, as he is 
 with the Father : that is, not in regard of equality, but in 
 regard of similitude ; that as Christ is one with the Father 
 in a way suitable to him, so believers may be one with Christ 
 in a way suitable unto them. 
 
 But suppose then, you will say, that a believer is not one 
 with Christ in this height of oneness ; how may it appear, 
 by way of scripture reason, that Christ is really united unto 
 each believer, and that he is really in the soul of a believer 
 by the Spirit ; not only in regard of infused habits, habits of 
 grace, grace inherent ; but that Christ himself is really in a 
 believer by his Spirit ? 
 
 Ye know, that we are united to Christ by faith : and look 
 what faith lays hold upon, that it brings into the soul : but 
 now, faith does not lay hold upon the graces of Christ barely, 
 but upon Christ himself, and therefore Christ himself by 
 faith is brought into the soul, and is there really in the soul 
 of a believer by his Spirit. 
 
 Christ is in a believer, as a believer is in Christ. Now a 
 believer is not in Christ ; that is, in his graces. When we 
 say, that we are in Christ ; we do not mean that we are in 
 the graces of Christ, but a believer is in Christ himself, as 
 in the common head. A believer is not in the graces of 
 Christ only, but he is in Christ himself. So Christ is not in 
 a believer only by his graces, but he is really there in the 
 soul of a believer by his Spirit. 
 
 If the Lord Christ were not really in the soul of a believer 
 by his Spirit, besides those habits of grace, actings and ope-
 
 SER. 4.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 3jl 
 
 rations of the Spirit ; then how would there be three that 
 bare witness ? The apostle tells us ; " There are three that 
 bear witness in heaven, and in our hearts, the Spirit, water 
 and blood," 1 John v. 8. Water ; what is that ? That is 
 sanctification ; a man's sanctification does bear witness to 
 him that he is the child of God, that is, water. But now, 
 sanctification consists, either in the habit of grace, or in the 
 acting of grace ; if therefore the Spirit of Christ in a believer, 
 were nothing else but grace, inherent grace, then it were all 
 one with the testimony of water : but there are three that 
 bear witness, there is the testimony of the Spirit, there is 
 the testimony of blood, and there is the testimony of water : 
 if by the Spirit we are to understand only, the grace of 
 Christ, the habit of grace in the soul, then there would be 
 but two that bear witness, namely, water and blood; be- 
 cause the other would be all one with water : water being 
 meant only sanctification : but now there are three that do 
 bear witness unto a soul that is in Christ, the Spirit and 
 blood and water ; and therefore Christ is really in a believer, 
 Christ really united unto all believers by his Spirit. 
 
 What is the benefit of all this ? For suppose that we grant 
 this, That Christ in a believer is not only grace, and the 
 habits of grace in the soul, but Christ himself is really in 
 the soul of a believer by his Spirit : what profit, benefit, 
 or comfort will come unto a believer more this way, than the 
 other way ? 
 
 Much every way : If Jesus Christ be really united to each 
 believer by his Spirit, and really in him in this spiritual and 
 mystical way ; then a believer shall have more blessed and 
 glorious communion with Christ than the other way. For 
 union is the root of communion : the husband and the wife 
 are first joined together, and united, and then they have 
 communion with one another and fellowship in their goods 
 and estate; union is the ground of communion; and the 
 nearer the union, the greater the communion. Now if 
 Christ should be only in a believer by the habit of grace, 
 the union would not be so great : but if this be true, that 
 Christ is really in a believer by his Spirit, Christ really united 
 to each believer, here the union is dearer, and therefore the 
 communion and fellowship that a believer shall have with 
 Christ, a great deal more and more blessed. 
 n 2
 
 372 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SER. 4. 
 
 If Christ be really united unto a believer, unto all believers 
 by his Spirit, then his love must needs be infinite towards 
 believers. If that his graces only were in them, he would 
 love them ; because thereby they should be made like unto 
 him : but now, if his own Spirit be in a believer, then his 
 love must needs be infinite unto a believer, and a believer's 
 love infinite to him again in his way. This is a great and 
 glorious privilege. 
 
 If Christ be really in a believer, really united to each believer 
 by his Spirit ; then a believer, knowing this, may say, I have 
 now somewhat more than any hypocrite can attain unto. 
 Says a poor soul, many times, If I had but that grace that no 
 hypocrite can attain unto, then my soul would he quiet with- 
 in me ; but now, as for gifts and graces, there is no hypocrite 
 but may attain to them, or something that is like to them. 
 What will ye instance in ; will ye instance in faith ? It is said 
 of Simon Magus, Acts viii. 13, that he believed. Will ye 
 instance in repentance ? It is said of Judas, Matt, xxvii. 3, 
 that he also repented ; and, Heb. xii. 1 7, Esau that sought 
 the birth-right with tears. Will ye instance in hearing of the 
 word with joy ? It is said, Matt. xiii. 20, so did the false 
 ground. Will ye instance in the partakings of the heavenly 
 gift and powers of the world to come ? Men have a taste of 
 these, and yet fall away. Heb. vi. 5, 6. Will ye instance in 
 sanctification itself ? It is said of certain wicked men, in the 
 xth of the Hebrews, " That they trample upon the blood of 
 Christ, wherewithal they are sanctified." So that even a 
 wicked man, in Scripture phrase, is said to be sanctified ; one 
 that falls away and comes to nought. But where do ye find, 
 in all the Scripture, that the Lord Christ is said to be in an 
 hypocrite ? An hypocrite is said to repent, to believe, to re- 
 ceive the word with joy, and to be sanctified, in a large 
 sense ; but where do ye find, in all the Bible, of any hypocrite 
 that Christ is said to be in him really united unto an hypo- 
 crite ? No, this is the great privilege of a believer only ; 
 " Christ in you the hope of glory," Col. i. 27- 
 
 If Jesus Christ be really united unto each believer, by his 
 Spirit, then a believer shall never die again spiritually die 
 again. I have read of a woman, that when her husband was 
 dead, she would eat and drink the ashes of her husband ; 
 have his body burnt to ashes, and so eat and drink the ashes
 
 SER. 4.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 373 
 
 of her husband : and being asked the reason, Because, says 
 she, I mean to part with him no more ; I have parted with 
 him once already, when we were one, but now I will be made 
 one with him in another way, and I will part no more with 
 him. So, if Christ be in a believer, really in a believer, 
 Christ really united unto each believer by his Spirit ; then 
 Christ and that believer shall never part again, that believer 
 shall die no more ; for the same Spirit that raised up Christ 
 from the dead, dwelling in a believer, shall also raise up a 
 poor believer, yea, though he fall into the grave of sin ; he 
 shall never die spiritually again upon this account. 
 
 If Christ be really united unto all believers by his Spirit, 
 then they may come with boldness unto the throne of grace, 
 and with unlimited expectations of mercy from God the Fa- 
 ther, and from Christ Jesus. The nearer ye are unto any 
 person, the more boldness ye have towards him, and the 
 larger will your expectations be from him. If a man marry 
 his servant ; whilst she was his maid, she was not so bold, 
 nor could expect so much from him : when she becomes the 
 wife, then she is more bold, and can expect more, because 
 now she is nearer. A child may have more boldness, and 
 expect more from the father than the servant; and the ser- 
 vant that is within doors more than the servant that works 
 in the field; but the wife, that is nearest, she is most bold, 
 comes with most boldness into the presence of the man, and 
 hath the largest expectations from him, because she is near- 
 est to him. So the nearer that the soul of a believer does 
 get unto God, the more boldness he may have when he comes 
 to God, and the larger expectations of mercy from him. Now 
 if Christ were in a believer only by the habit of grace, and 
 Christ in the soul were nothing else but the habit of 
 grace ; here were yet a great distance from Christ : but now, 
 if Jesus Christ be really united unto each believer by his 
 Spirit, here is a close union indeed. And therefore, upon 
 this account, every believer may come with boldness now, 
 and with unlimited expectations of mercy from God the Fa- 
 ther, being brought thus near, that Christ himself is really 
 in the believer's soul. And what a glorious and blessed con- 
 dition is every believer in now upon this account. 
 
 Here I would stand, admire, and call upon you all to ad- 
 mire the condescending, glorious, and unspeakable love of
 
 374 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SfiR. 4. 
 
 Christ. It was an infinite love of Christ to condescend so 
 far, as to come down into our nature when he was incarnate ; 
 but as if he were not near enough to us then, he comes down 
 into the heart of a believer by his Spirit. When Christ was 
 upon the earth, we were in him as in a common person : now 
 Christ is in heaven, he is in us by his Spirit. What glorious, 
 condescending love is here ! If a father portion a child, set 
 him up in a good trade, and the child decay through his own 
 folly, the father will not portion him again; possibly he may 
 help him, but he will not give him ; ordinarily parents do not 
 give so great a portion to help him up again, somewhat the 
 parents will do, but not so much as at the first. The Lord 
 of heaven, he puts a great portion into our hands at first, and 
 we decayed, and broke; and behold, the Lord does not only 
 give us as good a portion as we had at the first, but infinitely 
 better ; for now the Lord Christ is united unto each believer, 
 now he comes and dwells in the soul of a believer by his 
 Spirit. The Psalmist wondered and admired at the love of 
 God to man : " O Lord (says the Psalmist) how excellent is 
 thy name ! Lord, what is man ?" Psalm viii. 1, 4. Why ? 
 Lord, what is man that thou visitest him ! He wondered at 
 the love of God that would visit man. But behold a greater 
 love than so, to visit poor man, for Christ is come down into 
 the soul of a believer, he is come into him by his Spirit ; not 
 only come to visit him, but Christ really united unto each 
 believer by his Spirit. What glorious and condescending 
 love is here ! 
 
 Upon this account, no wicked man should dare to oppose 
 any of the children of God. Why ? Because Christ is in 
 them : Christ not only in his graces, but Christ really in all 
 believers by his Spirit. And will a man dare to speak evil 
 of him that is one with Christ ; or to defile the temple of 
 the Lord, and the dwelling-place of the Lord ? u He that 
 defiles the temple of the Lord, him will God destroy " 1 
 Cor. iii. 17- Take heed what you do, if there be any oppo- 
 sers here. 
 
 What abundance of comfort is here unto all believers. 
 Christ is in you of a truth ; not only by the infusion of his 
 grace, but Christ really in you by his Spirit. It is some 
 comfort to a sickly man, that he hath a physician always in 
 the house with him ; and to a woman that is near her time
 
 SER. 4.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 375 
 
 of travail, that the midwife is in the house with her. What 
 comfort is it then unto a poor soul, that Christ is always in 
 him, really in him by his Spirit. You that are believers, will 
 not this content you ? He is too covetous whom God can- 
 not suffice. He hath all things, that hath him that hath all 
 things. Now every believer hath Christ, Christ really in a 
 believer by his Spirit ; not notionally, not by the habit of 
 grace only ; but Christ is really united unto each believer by 
 his Spirit. Here is comfort, comfort, comfort, unto all those 
 that are believers. 
 
 But I fear that Christ is not in me, I do not find or per- 
 ceive that Christ is in me, and therefore I can have none of 
 the comfort of this doctrine. Were Christ really in me by 
 the Spirit, Christ would be working in me ; but I do not find 
 these workings of Jesus Christ in me ; and were the Spirit 
 in me, (it is quick, lively and powerful,) I should do great 
 things for God ; but alas, I do nothing for him, und therefore 
 I fear that the Lord Christ is not in me of a truth. 
 
 I grant, that where Christ comes into the soul, he does 
 cause the soul to do great things for God, greater than it 
 could do before. So it was with Zaccheus, so with the jailor, 
 so with Paul, and so with divers others. But then ye must 
 know, that a work is great or small according to the opposi- 
 tion that it does meet withal. Though a work or duty be 
 small in itself, yet if it meet with great opposition and break 
 through it, it is a great work. It was no great matter for the 
 poor woman to give one or two mites into the treasury ; but 
 she having no more, and it being all her livelihood, it was a 
 great matter. It is no great matter for a man to pray, and 
 to pray constantly, and to frequent the ordinances ; but when 
 a poor creature shall meet with all opposition from his rela- 
 tions, then it may be a great matter to do this. It is no 
 great matter, comparatively, for to stay one's soul upon Jesus 
 Christ; but in the time of temptation, when one's soul is 
 full of fears, and a man does look upon Christ as his enemy, 
 then to cast himself into the arms of Christ, and to stay the 
 soul upon Christ then, this is a greater work. So that the 
 work is great, though small in itself, if it meet with great 
 opposition and break through all. 
 
 But whosoever you are that make this objection, fearing 
 that you are not in Christ, and so have not the comfort of
 
 376 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SEB. 4. 
 
 this doctrine ; give me leave to propound three or four 
 questions to you. 
 
 1. Who and what are those, and whose servants are they, 
 that do come into and go out of your souls ; are they not 
 the retinue and the servants of Jesus Christ ? Ye say, Such 
 a man or a nobleman lives here, for his servants go in and out 
 daily. And what words come out of your mouth, and what 
 words go in at you ear ; whose servants are they ordinarily ? 
 Are you ever better than when you are thinking or speaking 
 of Jesus Christ, and hearing from Christ ? Certainly, if his 
 servants do most ordinarily come in and go out, the Master 
 is within, Christ is within. 
 
 2. Do not ye find your souls in some measure naturalized 
 unto the work of Christ ? the things of Christ and the work 
 of Christ in some measure naturalized unto your souls ? 
 Adam, ye know, was the first man, the father of us all; we 
 were in him as our root, and he in us as his seed ; and his 
 works, they are naturalized to us. We being in him as in 
 the root, and he being in us as in his seed, his works are 
 naturalized to us. It is natural to see and to hear and to 
 speak, it is natural for a man to sin. Sometimes ye ha\e a 
 wicked man hating of a godly, gracious man, and he can 
 give you no reason for it : I cannot tell why, saith he, but my 
 heart is against him. But I will tell ye why, and what the 
 reason is : The old man is in him, the old Adam is in him, 
 and the work of Adam is naturalized to a wicked man, and 
 he can give you no reason, many times, why he does so, 
 because the work is naturalized to him. So on the contrary, 
 the Lord Jesus Christ is our second Adam, and believers 
 being in him as in their root, and he in them as in his seed ; 
 his works also are naturalized unto a believer in a great 
 measure; that a believer, sometimes, his heart does stand 
 unto the good work of God, and he can give you no reason 
 for it ; why I should love this or that godly man, I can give 
 you no reason, but so it is, my heart stands towards him. 
 The reason is this, because that Christ the second Adam is 
 within, and so his work and things are naturalized unto the 
 soul ; and, in some measure, is it not so with you ? 
 
 3. Whoever you are that make this objection, Did ye ever 
 find, perceive, or think that Christ is in you ? It may be 
 now ye are under some present fear, doubting ; but were you
 
 SER. 4.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 377 
 
 never persuaded of this in-being; did ye never think, or 
 were ye never persuaded that Christ was in you ? Yes, 
 sometimes I have, and sometimes I have not again : some- 
 times I do think that Christ is in me of a truth, and some- 
 times I do not. Then look into the xivth chapter of John, 
 ye shall see what our Saviour promises. " I will pray the 
 Father (at the 16th verse) and he shall give you another 
 Comforter." And what then ? He describes him, in the 
 17th verse. And at the 20th, says he, " At that day ye shall 
 know, that I am in my Father, and you in me ; and I in 
 you." " At that day." It may be for the present you can- 
 not say that Christ is in you, you in him, and he in you ; 
 but did ye never think yet in all your life that Christ was in 
 you? Yes, once or twice, or sometimes, I confess I did 
 think that Christ was in me ; and I was strongly persuaded 
 too that Christ was in me; but now I have lost those per- 
 suasions. But how came ye to be so persuaded at that time 
 that Christ was in you ? Thus it was with me, my heart 
 was dead, hard, and I could not pray ; I thought that God 
 and mercy was gone, that I should never see the face of God 
 again : and all on a sudden, when my soul was in this con- 
 dition, I know not how, but all on a sudden, a strange and 
 unspeakable comfort came unto my soul, and my soul stood 
 up as it were from the dead, and then I had this persuasion 
 that Christ was in me. Well, soul, be of good comfort, this 
 was Christ's time, that was Christ's time ; and though now 
 for the present thou canst not say that Christ is in thee, I 
 tell thee from the Lord that time shall come again, and 
 Christ will send the Comforter again, and then shalt thou 
 know that thou art in the Father, and Christ is in thee, and 
 thou art in Jesus Christ; for what he said unto those disci- 
 ples, he said unto other of the disciples, Wait but a little, 
 and though I be absent for a little time, I will send the 
 Comforter, and then shall ye know. Although you do not 
 know now, yet there is a time when the Comforter shall 
 come, and then shalt thou know that Christ is in thee, and 
 thou art in Jesus Christ. 
 
 4. Although for the present you do not find those work- 
 ings of Christ in you, and those powerful operations of the 
 Spirit, which should argue this same in-being; yet do ye not 
 find some workings of grace in your soul, according unto the 
 place, room and station that you have in the body of Christ ?
 
 378 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SfiR. 4. 
 
 The soul ye know it is in the body, yet the soul does not put 
 out such power in one member, as it puts forth in another ; 
 the soul does not act in one member, as it does in another; 
 it does not put forth so much strength in the little finger, or 
 in the thnmb, as it puts forth in the arm. The soul does not 
 act in the eye, as it acts in the mouth ; neither does it act 
 in the tongue, as it acts in the ear. Should the eye say, I 
 have no soul in me, because I cannot speak like the tongue ? 
 Should the tongue say, I have no soul in me, because I 
 cannot see like the eye ? Should the ear say, I have no soul 
 in me, because I cannot speak like the tongue ? No, but 
 the soul that is in the body, it gives according to the station 
 and place of every member that is in the body. So now the 
 Lord Christ, he gives out unto all his body. He is by his 
 Spirit in the hearts of believers, but he does not give unto 
 every believer alike; one believer hath one place in the body 
 of Christ, and another believer hath another place in the 
 body of Christ. But now I say to thee, observe what 
 place, room and station thou hast in the body of Christ, and 
 then tell me whether, aye or no, do not ye find some work- 
 ings of grace, in some measure, suitable unto the place, 
 room and station that ye have in the body of Christ ? Yes, 
 surely I cannot deny this, but there are some workings in 
 my soul, according to the room and station that I have in 
 the body of Christ ; and this I can say, that when the Com- 
 forter came, then I did know that Christ was in me ; and I 
 can say this also, through grace, in some measure, the work 
 and things of Christ are naturalized to me. They are the 
 servants and retinue of Christ that do come in and go out 
 unto my soul. The Lord knows I am never better than 
 when I am speaking of Jesus Christ, and hearing from Jesus 
 Christ. If so, soul, be of good comfort, though thou hast 
 feared that Christ is not in thee, go in peace, thy faith hath 
 made thee whole, and the Lord Jesus Christ is in thy soul : 
 the Lord Christ that is thus really united unto each believer 
 by his Spirit, is really in thy soul and in thy heart. 
 
 Suppose it be so, that the Lord Christ be in my soul in- 
 deed, What is my duty now that does flow from hence ? 
 
 I answer, I am not able to tell ye what your duty is that 
 does flow from hence, it is so great and so large; but in two 
 or three words thus :
 
 SER. 4.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 379 
 
 If Christ be in you of a truth : then why should the world 
 be in you in its strength and power ? I say, if Christ be in 
 you of a truth, why should you meddle, either in regard of 
 your soul and body, with any thing that may be unsavoury or 
 distasteful to Jesus Christ ? If a man have a guest in his 
 house that he prizes highly ; will he bring swine into his 
 chamber ; this were as much as to bid him begone. And if 
 Christ be in you, and in you of a truth, will ye bring swine 
 unto him ; will ye bring lusts ; will ye bring the world ? 
 You are the temples of the Holy Ghost; therefore why should 
 ye not take heed of defiling these temples ; what manner of 
 men and women should we be in all holy conversation, if 
 Christ be in us of a truth ? 
 
 If Christ be in you of a truth, why then should ye not be 
 contented with your condition whatever it be, yea, thankful 
 for it, yea in some proportion thankful ? I say, contented, 
 thankful, and thankful in proportion. I know, a man that is 
 made partaker of this great mercy, this in-being of Christ in 
 the soul, can never be thankful in proportion unto the mercy 
 received ; but he may be thankful in proportion unto other 
 mercies. You will be thankful to a man that gives you an hun- 
 dred pounds ; you will be more thankful to him that gives 
 you a thousand pounds ; you will be more thankful to him 
 that gives you a thousand pounds a year : it may be you will 
 say to him that gives you a thousand pounds, I can never be 
 thankful enough to you : but yet you will be more thankful 
 to him that gives you a thousand pounds a year. So here 
 you can never be thankful enough in proportion to the 
 mercy received, but you may be thankful in proportion to 
 other mercies received. If the Lord had given you the 
 whole world for your portion, you would have been thankful: 
 now in that he hath given you his Son, and that Jesus 
 Christ is really united unto you by his Spirit, and Christ 
 really in your soul ; he hath done more for you, than if he 
 had given you all the whole world. And will ye be thankful 
 for these outward things and not for this in-being of Christ 
 in your souls ? And yet, how many are there, that are 
 sometimes blessing God, and shewing some kind of thank- 
 fulness for outward things ; but as for this in-being of 
 Christ in the soul, that they are strangers to, and the Lord 
 knows thev were never thankful for that, so much as for out-
 
 88(3 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SfiR. 4. 
 
 ward things. But if Christ be in you of a truth ; why should 
 you not be contented with your condition whatever it be, 
 yea, thankful for it, yea, thankful in proportion. 
 
 If Christ be in you of a truth, then why should you not 
 venture upon any work or service for God, although it do lie 
 beyond you, and beyond your strength, and expect large and 
 great things from him ? You say, sometimes, you would do 
 such or such a thing for God ; but you have no strength to 
 do it. But if Christ be in you of a truth, and really united 
 unto your soul, then surely you shall have strength enough, 
 and you may expect large and great things from him. 
 Therefore, venture upon work and service for God ; yea, 
 although they do lie beyond your present strength, be not 
 unwilling thereunto, but expect great things from God, be- 
 cause Christ is really in you. 
 
 To end all, be exhorted to get a share in this great 
 mercy that I have been speaking of, this in-being of Christ 
 in the soul. It may be there are some, that can say, I have 
 none of Christ in my soul, and I may speak truly ; some 
 that can say, I have an unclean heart within me, but I have 
 no Christ within me ; I have a wanton heart within me, but 
 I have no Christ within me yet ; I have a proud heart within 
 me, but I have no Christ within me yet ; I have a worldly 
 heart within me, but I have no Christ within me yet : I have 
 a blaspheming heart within me, but I have no Christ within 
 me; I have a lying and deceitful heart within me, but I 
 have no Christ within me to this day; Lord, I have no 
 Christ within me, what shall I do ? Others, it may be, that 
 have indeed Christ within them, and they can say, Lord, I hope 
 that I have Christ within me ; but I do not find that I have 
 room enough in my heart for such a guest : Lord, my soul 
 is not enlarged enough for such a guest as Christ is ; Lord, 
 my soul is a poor narrow room, oh ! that my soul were 
 more enlarged : what shall I do to get my soul enlarged to 
 give entertainment to such a guest as Christ is ? 
 
 I shall speak to ye both from one Scripture, turn ye both 
 to the xviith of John, and the last verse, says our Lord and 
 Saviour Christ praying unto his Father, " And I have de- 
 clared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love 
 wherewith thou hast loved me, may be in them, and I in 
 them." Mind the words. Here are these three things ob-
 
 SER. 4.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 381 
 
 servable in them. First of all, Here ye have this doctrine 
 that I have been speaking of all this while, Christ in each 
 believer : " I in them." Secondly, That God the Father 
 does love a believer, though not so much as Christ, yet with 
 the same love that he loveth Christ : " That the love where- 
 with thou hast loved me, may be in them, and I in them." 
 Thirdly, That the way to procure this love, and this in-being 
 is, to have the name of God declared : " And I have declared 
 unto them thy name, and I will declare it." Why ? " That 
 the love wherewith thou hast loved me, may be in them, and 
 I in them." So, then, the way for to get this in -being is, to 
 have the name of God declared unto poor souls. What is 
 this name, the name of God the Father that Christ declares ? 
 It was the love of God ; his free grace and love. Says Christ, 
 " God so loved the world," c., John iii. 16; and still Christ 
 preached the love of God to poor lost man. This was the 
 name of God that is declared. Now, then, do any of your 
 souls complain, that you want this in-being of Christ in you ; 
 or that you have not room in your souls to entertain such a 
 guest ? Observe, where this name of God is declared and 
 manifested, this free love of God is manifested and declared ; 
 and there set thy soul under the spout, under the declaration, 
 under the manifestation of the name of God, and look upon 
 it, as if Christ were there preaching and declaring the name 
 of God to thy soul, and there Christ shall come in unto thee, 
 and there thy poor narrowed and straitened soul shall be en- 
 larged, and made more capacious for Jesus Christ. 
 
 Wherefore I beseech you, then, receive this word of ex- 
 hortation ; and let every soul go unto Jesus Christ, and say 
 to this purpose : Lord Jesus, thy work is to declare the name 
 of the Father to poor sinners, that so thou mayest be in 
 them ; now, O Lord, I am a poor sinner, Lord, declare the 
 name of the Father to me; Lord, declare the name of the 
 Father to me. I have a straitened heart, I have not room 
 enough for thee in my soul ; oh that it were enlarged for 
 thee ! now, therefore, declare this name of thy Father to me, 
 that so the love wherewith thy Father hath loved thee, may 
 be in me, and I in thee also. Thus, I say, go unto Jesus 
 Christ. And study, study much this in-being of Christ in 
 your souls : you that have it not, labour to get it ; and you
 
 382 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SER. 5. 
 
 that have this in-being, labour to be thankful for it, improve 
 it, and get your souls more and more enlarged under it. 
 
 SERMON V. 
 
 " Nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." 
 GAL. n. 20. 
 
 I INTEND at this time to speak on these words, " But 
 Christ liveth in me;" wherein ye have these three things: 
 
 I. The in-being of Christ in a believer : " Christ in me." 
 
 II. The efficacy of this in-being : " Christ liveth in me." 
 
 III. The constancy thereof; he doth not stay for a night 
 or two, but he liveth, or abideth in me. 
 
 Accordingly there are three notes or observations. 
 
 I. Christ is in each believer Christ is in every Christian. 
 For when he says, " I live, yet not I ;" he personates a be- 
 liever all along, speaks not in his own person, but in the per- 
 son of a believer, one justified by faith alone. 
 
 II. That Christ liveth in all believers : " Christ liveth in 
 me." 
 
 III. That Christ liveth more in believers than themselves 
 do : "I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." Christ 
 hath a greater hand and stroke in the spiritual actions of be- 
 lievers than themselves have. 
 
 I have spoken of the former of these in another place and 
 now I will speak unto the other : and therefore I shall put 
 them both together, in one doctrine or observation, thus : 
 
 Christ doth so live in a believer, that he hath a greater 
 hand and stroke in the spiritual actions of a believer, than a 
 believer himself hath : Christ lives in a believer more than 
 himself, as to his spiritual actions. 
 
 For the opening and clearing of this truth. First, I shall 
 labour to shew you that Christ liveth in each believer. Se- 
 condly, That he hath a greater hand and stroke in the actions 
 of his spiritual life than a believer hath himself. 
 
 First, That Christ liveth in each believer. A man liveth 
 where he worketh, and stayeth, or abideth. A man doth not 
 live where he lieth ; he may come and stay for a day or two,
 
 SER. 5.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 383 
 
 and yet not be said to live there : but where a man works, 
 and stays, or abides, there he lives. Now both these you 
 shall find Christ doth : the first in that known place the viith 
 of John, the 38th verse : " He that believeth on me, as the 
 Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living 
 water. This spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe 
 on him should receive." Where the Spirit of Christ is, there 
 is Christ. And this is a promise made to all believers, more 
 or less, to be fulfilled unto them ; " Out of their bellies shall 
 flow rivers of living water :" which is to be understood of 
 the Spirit. So that the Spirit of Christ shall be in them, and 
 be working in them. And as for the other, you know what 
 is said in that xivth of John, and the 23rd verse : saith our 
 Saviour there, " If any man love me, he will keep rny words ; 
 and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and 
 make our abode with him/' It is the same word that is used 
 before for mansions: In my Father's house are many mansions, 
 ver. 2. We will come and take up our mansions with him. And 
 this was so received a principle in the apostle's time, that he 
 says to the Corinthians, in the 1st epistle, iiird chapter, 16th 
 verse, " Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and 
 that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you ? " But if you look 
 into the viiith chapter of the Romans, you shall see all 
 proved together, verses 10, 11 : t( And if Christ be in you, 
 the body is dead because of sin ; but the spirit is life, be- 
 cause of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised 
 up Jesus from the dead, dwell in you ; he that raised up 
 Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies, 
 by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." Here are three or four 
 things observable. First, That Christ in you, and the Spirit 
 in you, is all one. And therefore having said in the 10th 
 verse, " If Christ be in you;" at the llth verse he says, " If 
 the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead, dwell 
 in you." Again, you may observe here, that Christ in a be- 
 liever, is not habitual grace only ; for, saith he, " If the Spirit 
 of him that raised up Jesus from the dead, dwell in you." It 
 was not faith or habitual grace that raised up Christ from the 
 dead, but the Spirit of God himself. And, saith he, this 
 Spirit " dwelleth in you." So that Christ in a believer, is 
 not only the habit of grace, but the Spirit of Christ. And 
 then, thirdly, ye may observe this too ; that this Spirit is a
 
 384 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SfiR. 5. 
 
 living Spirit, and dwelleth or abideth in a believer. For it 
 is said twice here, that the Spirit dwelleth in you. So that 
 plainly then, you see from the words, Christ dwells in every 
 believer, Christ dwells in every Christian, he liveth in him. 
 
 And if it were not so, how should the absence of Jesus 
 Christ be recompensed by the coming of the Spirit, or of 
 the Comforter? When our Lord and Saviour Christ left 
 the world and his disciples, he gave them a gracious promise 
 of sending his Spirit : " And if I go not (saith he) the Spirit 
 or the Comforter will not come : but if I go, I will send the 
 Comforter, and he shall make up your loss of me," John xvi. 
 7- Now if that the Spirit of Christ should not be in a 
 believer, and live in him ; how would the coming of the 
 Holy Ghost, and of the Spirit, make up the loss of the per- 
 sonal presence of Jesus Christ ? 
 
 Besides, you know that friends love to be near unto one 
 another ; and the nearer they are, the happier they count 
 themselves ; they love not to be asunder : the soul of the 
 lover liveth where it loveth, rather than where it liveth. Now 
 there is the greatest friendship between Christ and a believer, 
 and the Lord Jesus Christ hath a happiness above all friends, 
 that he can make himself nearer, and be more one with his 
 friends, than any friend in the world can. And, therefore, 
 upon those terms of love and friendship, Christ by his Spirit 
 liveth in all believers. 
 
 It will be said, If Christ liveth in all believers, really liveth 
 in them by his Spirit, then what need of ordinances ; for 
 Christ, and the Spirit of Christ in me, can live without ordi- 
 nances : and if a man have attained once unto the Spirit, 
 Christ in him, and Christ living in him ; and have attained 
 unto the Spirit, the Spirit of Christ really living in him ; what 
 need of any commandments without, or rules without ; for 
 the Spirit will be a sufficient rule to lead him into all that is 
 right : what need, therefore, of any commandments, rules or 
 ordinances without ? 
 
 I answer, Yes ; for we use the ordinances, not only for the 
 enjoyment of God in them, but as a testimoay of our obedi- 
 ence. If that the enjoyment of God and Christ, were the 
 only reason of the ordinances, then in case that a man could 
 without the ordinances have the enjoyment of God and 
 Christ, he might lay by the ordinances : but seeing that we
 
 SER. 5.] THE SPIRITUAL, LIFE. 385 
 
 are for to use the ordinances as an act of our obedience, al- 
 though a man can enjoy Christ, have the Spirit, and Christ 
 living in him j yet notwithstanding, he is still to bear up the 
 ordinances, because there he is to express his obedience 
 unto God and Christ. And now give me leave a little to 
 fix here, to take off this scruple, and objection, if you look 
 into the xxviith of Numbers, you shall find that Joshua had 
 the Spirit, and not in an ordinary way, but in a more than 
 ordinary way the Lord gave Joshua his Spirit; and yet not- 
 withstanding, Joshua was to be under commandments, and 
 under ordinances: at the 18th verse. " The Lord said unto 
 Moses, take thee Joshua, the son of Nun, a man in whom is 
 the Spirit, and lay thine hand on him, and set him before 
 Eleazer the priest, and before all the congregation : and give 
 him a charge in their sight/' Mark, he was to come under 
 a command, and under a charge although he had the Spirit. 
 " And he shall stand before Eleazer the priest, who shall 
 ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the 
 Lord. And so it was. And Moses did as the Lord com-* 
 manded him." Now Joshua doth not say, What need I go to 
 Eleazer, or to the priest ; what need I go and consult by 
 Urim and Thummim ? for I have the Spirit, that is able to 
 lead me into all truth. No, but he submits unto his charge, 
 and he waits upon the Lord in this way of the ordinances, 
 although it is said here, that he had the Spirit. So, had not 
 David the Spirit in a great measure ; and yet, did he not use 
 the ordinances ? But look into the New Testament, and 
 there you find that the apostles had the Spirit also : our 
 Lord and Saviour Christ, he breathed upon them ; they wait- 
 ed for the coming of the Spirit : and the Holy Ghost fell 
 upon them ; and yet notwithstanding, they were under com- 
 mands ; for saith our Saviour Christ to them, " Go teach all 
 nations, baptizing and teaching them to do whatever I 
 command you." Matt, xxviii. 19. So that although they 
 had the Spirit, and the Holy Ghost, in a greater measure 
 than any man, for aught I know, ever had since ; yet not- 
 withstanding, they were under commandments: "Teaching 
 them, saith he, to do whatsoever I command you." And ye 
 know what our Saviour says, in that place I mentioned even 
 now, " He that believeth on me, out of his belly shall flow 
 rivers of living water, which he spake concerning the Spirit 
 c c
 
 386 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SER. 5. 
 
 and the Holy Ghost that should be given, for he was not 
 yet glorified." John vii. 38, 39. A promise made to 
 believers, and the churches, in the times of the apostles ; 
 they had the Spirit by virtue of that promise: and yet 
 notwithstanding, they were under ordinances, and did use the 
 ordinances. But that you may see how this objection runs 
 cross, both to the Old and to the New Testaments ; look 
 upon one place more ; it is in the xxxth chapter of Isaiah, 
 the 20th and 21st verses, a promise made concerning the 
 times of the gospel. " And though the Lord give you the 
 bread of adversity arid the water of affliction, yet shall not 
 thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine 
 eyes shall see thy teachers." Here are ordinances, here are 
 teachers. Well now, but where is the Spirit ? Verse the 
 21st. " And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, say- 
 ing, This is the way, walk ye in it." Thine ears shall 
 hear a word behind thee; who speaks that word? Look 
 ^into the ist chapter of the Revelation, and there you shall 
 find, it is the Spirit that speaks the word behind one ; at the 
 10th verse : " I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and 
 heard behind me a great voice." So that this voice behind, 
 is that of the Spirit ; when we do not expect the Spirit, 
 the Spirit cometh and speaketh to us. So that thus now 
 ye see, teaching, and ordinances, and the Spirit of Christ in 
 us, and living in us, may and do stand together. 
 
 But yet will some say, What need of these things; if 
 Christ liveth in each believer really by his Spirit, what 
 need of commandments, or teaching without; for is it not 
 said, Ye shall be all taught of God ; and ye shall no longer 
 teach your neighbour ; is it not so said in Scripture ? 
 
 No, not just so : for if you look into that xxxist of Jere- 
 miah from whence the place is fetched : and the viiith chap- 
 ter of the epistle to the Hebrews; ye shall find that the 
 words runs thus : " This is the covenant that I will make 
 with the house of Israel (verse the 10th) after those days, 
 saith the Lord: I will put my laws into their mind, and 
 write them in their hearts, and I will be to them a God, and 
 they shall be to me a people. And they shall not teach 
 every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, 
 Know the Lord : for all shall know me from the least to the 
 greatest." Mark how the words run : it is not barely said
 
 . 5.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 387 
 
 thus : " They shall not teach every man his neighbour, and 
 every man his brother;" but that clause is added to it, 
 saying, Know the Lord: they shall not teach every man 
 his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know 
 the Lord. As if he had said, I will now make a covenant 
 of grace and mercy with you ; I will write my laws in your 
 hearts, and ye shall all know me, and though you have been 
 taught heretofore as ignorant people, that have not known 
 the Lord, yet now, because I will write my laws in your 
 hearts, and my laws shall be there ; ye shall not teach every 
 man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know 
 the Lord, as if ye were ignorant, but my law shall be within 
 your hearts, and you shall be taught as a knowing people. 
 Ye must know that although the Spirit of Christ live in 
 every Christian, and so God ; yet the Spirit is the free gift of 
 God, and therefore it acts and works no further than it 
 pleaseth God to give it. Now look into the Scripture, and 
 you shall find, that the Lord was never pleased to give the 
 Spirit for this end, that it should be the only rule of a man's 
 life ; but for this end, that it should be an help to a man to 
 know the rule, and to keep the rule. Look into the word 
 and you shall find that the Spirit of the Lord was never 
 given, to be the only rule for a man to live by, but it was given 
 to be an help to understand, keep and fulfil the rule. And 
 therefore Chrysostom doth well observe, it is with Christ 
 in us, saith he, as with Christ without us. In the times of 
 the Old Testament, the great promise was of giving Christ : 
 in the times of the New Testament, the great promise is, 
 the giving of the Spirit. Now, therefore, look as it was 
 with Christ when he came into the world, so with the Spi- 
 rit when he cometh into the heart, Christ with us. Now 
 when Christ came into the world, he came not to destroy 
 the law, but he came to fulfil the law : so when the Spirit 
 cometh into the heart, the Spirit cometh not to destroy the 
 gospel, or the ordinances of the gospel ; but he comes to 
 fulfil the gospel. Christus impletio legis, Spiritus impletio 
 Evangelii. Christ the fulfilling of the law, the Spirit 
 the fulfilling of the gospel. Quacvnyue sunt in lege, fyc. 
 Whatsoever things are in the law, Christ fulfilleth : 
 whatsover things are in the doctrine of the gospel, 
 the Spirit fulfilleth. And as when Christ came, he came 
 c c 2
 
 388 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SfiR. 5. 
 
 not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it ; for he saith himself, 
 " I came to fulfil the law," Matt. v. 17, so when the Spirit 
 comes unto any soul, saith the Spirit also, I come not to 
 destroy the gospel, or the commandments of the gospel; 
 but I come into this poor soul, to help it to fulfil the com- 
 mandments of the gospel. Now when I do take away the 
 commandments, and make the commandments no command- 
 ments to me, I mean the commandments without, then I 
 destroy the commandments as to me ; when I do make the 
 ordinances of Christ, as no ordinances to me; then I do 
 destroy them, as to me: and when I make the rule without, to 
 be no rule as to me, then I destroy it, as to me : and when I, that 
 am a believer say thus, I have the Spirit, and therefore I have 
 no need of any commandment from without, for the Spirit is 
 rule enough ; here I take away the commandment, as to me ; 
 I take away the ordinances, as to me[; I take away the rule 
 as to me, and therefore I destroy them. Certainly, Christ 
 within us, is not contrary to Christ without us : Christ with- 
 out us, did not destroy the law; Christ within us, doth not 
 destroy the gospel. Therefore, for any now to throw up 
 ordinances upon this account, because they have the Spirit 
 to lead, and guide them ; this is to walk contrary to all the 
 Scriptures, both of the Old and New Testament. Oh ! that 
 people would think of this one thing, the Spirit was never 
 given to be the only rule of a man's life ; but it was given to 
 help us to understand, and to enable us to keep the rule. 
 Thus you see, ordinances, and Christ living in a Christian, 
 can stand together. And so you have the first thing cleared 
 and proved, Christ liveth in all believers. 
 
 Secondly, Whereby may it appear that the Lord Jesus Christ 
 doth so live in a believer, as that he hath a greater hand, 
 and stroke in all the actions of his spiritual life than a belie- 
 ver hath himself; that Jesus Christ doth live more in a be- 
 liever than himself doth ? 
 
 The Scripture is very plain. If ye look into the ist 
 chapter of Paul to the Ephesians, and the last verse, there 
 you find these words, speaking of Christ and his church, 
 " Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in 
 all." Our understandings, our wills, our affections, our du- 
 ties, they are but empty vessels till Christ doth fill them, he 
 filleth all, he filleth all in all. If ye have any sails spread in
 
 SER. 5.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 389 
 
 any duty, it is Christ thatfilleth them. Look into the iiird 
 chapter of that Epistle to the Colossians, ye shall find that 
 at the llth verse it is said of Christ, He is all in all. The 
 words are, " But Christ is all, and in all." He is all in all 
 men ; so it may be read : or, he is all in all things. 
 Either way it may be read and it signifies both, he is all in 
 all men, and he is all in all things. Take the last all, for all 
 men ; and so he is all in all them. Take the last all, for all 
 tilings ; and so he is all in all them, in all things. Now 
 if the Lord Jesus Christ be all in all things, and all in all men ; 
 then certainly, he hath a greater hand and stroke in the 
 actions, the spiritual actions of believers, than themselves 
 have. 
 
 To make this clear to you by instances, thus : if the Lord 
 Jesus Christ have a greater hand and stroke in our conver- 
 sion, in our performance of duties, in our obedience, in the 
 grace of our sufferings, in our assurance, than we, or believers 
 have themselves, then, certainly, this part of the doctrine 
 must stand clear and firm. 
 
 As for our conversion : ye know what our Saviour says, 
 " None come unto the Son, but whom the Father draws : 
 and none know the Father, but he unto whom the Son 
 reveals him." Matt. x. 22. Convert me, saith the turning 
 soul, and I shall be converted. 
 
 As for our performances, or duties ; prayer, or whatever 
 it is, look into the viiith chapter to the Romans, and the 
 26th verse, " Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmi- 
 ties." But how doth this prove that the Spirit hath a 
 greater hand and stroke in our prayers than ourselves have ? 
 Mark what follows, " For we know not what we should pray 
 for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for 
 us, with groanings which cannot be uttered." 
 
 As for the matter of our obedience. You know what the 
 apostle saith, both unto the Romans, and unto the Galatians, 
 That we are led by the Spirit: believers are led by the Spirit. 
 Plus est agi, quam regi. He doth not say, We are ruled 
 by the Spirit, but he saith, a believer is led by the Spirit ; 
 not ruled, but led. It is more to be led than to be ruled : for 
 when a man is ruled by another, he acts himself, and his 
 own actions are seen : but when a man is led, and carried 
 away by another, though he may act himself, the other's
 
 f 
 
 390 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SfiR. 5. 
 
 action is more seen than his. We, saith he, are led by the 
 Spirit. 
 
 As for our grace in suffering ; the deportment and demean- 
 our of a gracious soul in the time of suffering, see what our 
 Saviour Christ says for that, in the xth of Matthew 19th and 
 20th verses : " But when they deliver you up, take no thought 
 how or what ye shall speak : for it shall be given you in that 
 same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak 
 but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you/' 
 So that he hath a greater stroke in the grace and carriage of 
 a soul under his sufferings than himself hath. 
 
 As for the matter of our assurance. You know also what 
 the apostle Paul saith, in that same viiith of the Romans, 
 " Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again unto fear ; 
 but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, 
 Abba, Father : the Spirit itself bearing witness with our spi- 
 rits, that we are the children of God." So that now all 
 these five things are clear. And if the Spirit and Christ in 
 a believer, the Spirit of Christ, have a greater stroke in a 
 man's conversion, in his performance, in his obedience, in 
 the grace of his suffering, and in his assurance, than himself 
 hath : then surely, the Lord Jesus Christ hath a greater 
 hand and stroke in spiritual actions of believers, than them- 
 selves have ; now that is proved. 
 
 To give you one reason for it. If a believer had a greater 
 hand and stroke in his spiritual actions, than the Spirit of 
 Christ ; then had he whereon to boast : for he might say 
 thus : I have now been at duty ; I confess I have had some 
 help from Christ, and from the Spirit ; but I had the great- 
 est hand and stroke therein myself, and therefore why should 
 I not boast ? I have been now at prayer, and though I have 
 had some help from the Spirit in prayer, yet I had the 
 greatest hand and stroke therein myself, therefore why 
 should I not boast ? But, saith the apostle, boasting is ex- 
 cluded : surely therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ doth so 
 live in a Christian, as that he hath a greater hand and stroke, 
 in all the actions of his spiritual life, than a Christian, or a 
 believer hath himself; so that he may say truly, " I live, yet 
 not I, but Christ liveth in me." 
 
 If this be true ; surely there are few believers in the 
 world ; how few are there in whom Christ lives thus ? I
 
 SER. 5.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 391 
 
 fear upon this account, will some poor soul say, that I have 
 no faith in Jesus Christ : I thought once that I had faith 
 in Christ, and that I was a believer, but I do not find Christ 
 living in me thus, that the Lord Jesus hath a greater hand 
 and stroke, in all my duties than myself, and therefore I fear 
 that I never yet had faith : are there not few believers in the 
 world upon this account ? 
 
 I grant it, there are few believers in the world, few that 
 have faith, few in whom Christ lives thus. But that this 
 doctrine may not be a stone of stumbling to any weak chns- 
 tian, you must know this : That it is with Christ in us, 
 living in us, as it was with Christ without us, living without 
 us. When the Lord Christ came into the world, and lived 
 here on earth, lived without us : he lived a conflicting life, a 
 life under temptations, and freedom from those temptations ; 
 desertions, and freedom from those desertions: his life here 
 on earth was a hidden life, a veiled life ; " He came unto his 
 own, and his own received him not/' John i. 11 ; and 
 knew him not : his own would not say, Now our Lord 
 Christ is among us. So when Christ comes into the soul 
 by his Spirit, when he lives there, he lives a conflicting life : 
 he hath his temptations there, and his freedom from those 
 temptations ; he hath his desertions there, and his freedom 
 from those desertions : he liveth a hidden life there, a veiled 
 life there ; he comes to his own, and many times the soul 
 that is his own, doth not receive him in a way of comfort, 
 is not able to say, Christ liveth in me. But whoever you 
 are that make this objection, or lie under this fear ; give me 
 leave to propound four or five questions to you. 
 
 1. What is that in you, that doth ordinarily sway the great 
 actions of your lives ? When the Lord Christ comes into 
 the soul, he comes as a king, presently ascendeth the throne, 
 and takes hold of the scepter ; interests himself in all that doth 
 sway the soul, and sways the actions of the soul : now what 
 is it that doth sway a man's actions ? Finis actionis domina 
 et regina est. The end sways the action. And look what 
 that is that doth sway your end, that is it which liveth in 
 you ; if self swayeth your end, self liveth in you ; if Christ 
 sway your end, Christ liveth in you. Now, soul, take all the 
 actions of thy life, since thou hast set thy face towards hea-
 
 392 THE SPIRITUAL, LIFE. [SfiR. 5. 
 
 ven, and as for the great turnings of your life, and the great 
 actions, hath not Christ been at the end of them ? 
 
 2. Do you not find a secret kind of disposition unto all 
 the commandments of the gospel ? Where the Spirit is, 
 there Christ liveth. When the Lord makes a covenant of 
 grace, you shall observe he promiseth, that he will give his 
 Spirit, and withal that he will write his law in our hearts : 
 and when he promiseth in the covenant of grace, that he 
 will write his law in our hearts, he doth also promise for to 
 give his Spirit. As when the Lord gave out the law at first 
 to mankind, he did write the moral law in man's heart : so 
 that the heathen now have the law written in their hearts, 
 the moral law; whereby they are disposed and inclined to 
 morality and civility : so when the Lord comes and makes 
 a covenant of grace with the soul, then he doth give out his 
 Spirit to the soul, and then he doth write his law, the law of 
 grace, love and of the gospel, in that soul, and that soul hath 
 a secret disposition unto all the commandments of the gospel. 
 Now do you not find it thus with you ? when sometimes you 
 are tempted to what is evil, do not ye say thus, I cannot do 
 it; O Lord, thou knowest I cannot live as I have done, and 
 I cannot want the presence of God and Christ. What 
 means this cannot, but a law within, that God hath written 
 in the heart ; there is the Spirit, and there is Christ ? 
 
 3. Do not you find your souls sometimes carried out to 
 what is good, beyond and contrary to your own dispositions 
 and natural inclinations ? It is written of Trajan the Empe- 
 ror, that he was an exceeding meek, loving, quiet, good 
 hatured man ; and yet he was one of the greatest persecu- 
 tors in the primitive times, he had his hand in as bloody 
 actions against the saints, as any persecutor in those times : 
 yet a man of a quiet, loving, sweet nature and disposition. 
 How came this to pass ? He was acted by Satan, and being 
 thus acted beyond his own disposition and inclination, it 
 argued that Satan had a greater hand and stroke in his ac- 
 tion than himself had. So, when a man shall be carried on 
 to what is good, even contrary to his own nature and dispo- 
 sition, what doth this argue, but that the Lord Christ 
 hath a greater hand and stroke in that action than himself hath. 
 
 . Do not you find, sometimes, whoever you are that 
 ma e this objection, or lie under this fear, that Christ doth
 
 SER. 5.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 393 
 
 not live in you ; do not you find, that sometimes your soul 
 is carried out to what is good, beyond what you intended ? 
 When Zaccheus went up into the sycamore-tree, he only went 
 up to see the outside of Christ ; but he comes down, receives 
 Christ into his house, there he bids him welcome and saith, 
 " Lord, behold the half of my goods I give to the poor," 
 Luke xix. 8. Zaccheus never intended this when he went 
 up to see Christ : what is the reason ? The Lord Christ 
 was upon his soul, the Lord Christ at work upon 
 him; and because he was carried out farther in this 
 good work than ever he intended, it thereby doth appear, 
 that the Lord Jesus Christ had a greater stroke in 
 this spiritual action of his than himself had. As on the 
 other side, a wicked man sometimes he begins to sin ; and 
 saith he within himself, I will do it but a little, I will not 
 go very far, I will never do it again, I will now take my leave 
 of this sin, it shall never be acted by me any more. But he 
 goes farther in it than ever he intended ; Why ? because the 
 devil hath a greater stroke upon him than himself hath. 
 So here, when as a man's soul shall be carried out unto what 
 is good beyond what he intended, this argues that the Lord 
 Jesus Christ is at work upon his soul, and hath a greater 
 hand and stroke upon his actions, his spiritual actions than 
 himself hath. Now is it not thus with thee ? 
 
 5. Whoever thou art, man or woman, that makes this 
 objection, and lies under this fear, that the Lord Christ doth 
 not live in thee ; were you never persuaded of this, did you 
 never yet think, that Christ was in you ; did you never yet be- 
 lieve that Christ lived in you ? Yes, I confess I had such 
 thoughts once ; but oh, I have lost those thoughts, I have 
 lost those persuasions. But when you had those thoughts, 
 and when you had those persuasions, how came you by 
 them ? My soul was lying in a sad, dark, dead, hardened 
 condition ; my soul was ready to sink with despair : and all 
 on a sudden, my soul was raised up within me to this per- 
 suasion, for to think that Christ was in me, and that Christ 
 liveth in me. Well, either these thoughts were from Satan, 
 or from Christ ; either this persuasion of yours was from 
 Satan, or it was from Christ : not from Satan, for Satan 
 doth not use to be so loving to a poor tempted soul, to bear 
 t up when it is ready to sink under temptation ; Satan doth
 
 394 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SER. 5. 
 
 not use to be so loving to a poor soul to free it from 
 despair : then it was from Christ ; and if it were from Jesus 
 Christ, then Christ had a greater hand and stroke in this 
 persuasion than thy own soul; for thou sayest, I was dead, 
 dull, hardened, ready to sink ; and I said, Mercy is gone, I 
 shall never see the face of Christ again ; and all on a sudden 
 these persuasions were raised in me. Here Christ plainly 
 hath a greater stroke in this persuasion than thy own 
 soul. 
 
 Upon all this I do now appeal unto you, whoever you are 
 that lie under any of these fears, hath it not been thus with 
 you, that all on a sudden you have been raised to these per- 
 suasions ? Do not you find that sometimes your soul hath 
 been carried out to God, even contrary to your own inclina- 
 tion and disposition ? Do not you find that sometimes your 
 soul hath been carried out to what is good, beyond all that 
 you intend ; you thought to begin prayer a little while, and 
 hath not the Lord sometimes come in, and carried out your 
 soul farther than ever you intended ? Do you not find a 
 secret disposition or inclination to all the commandments of 
 the gospel of Jesus Christ ? Do you not find that in the 
 greatest actions and turnings of your lives, Christ hath been 
 at the end thereof? Oh yes, if I should speak true I must 
 needs say this, Although I have not seen Christ at the end 
 of every action, yet as for the great actions and turnings of 
 my life, I must needs say Christ hath been there. And the 
 Lord knows I have a secret disposition to the commandments 
 of the gospel. And, O Lord, thou knowest that I have 
 been carried out many times to what is good, contrary to 
 mine own disposition. O Lord, thou knowest I have been 
 carried further in a way of good than ever I intended. O 
 Lord, thou knowest when my soul hath been dead, hardened, 
 and I have said, Now mercy is gone, and I am driven from 
 mercy; then, then hath there been persuasions raised in me, 
 that Jesus Christ is in me. Well, be of good comfort, soul, 
 be of good comfort from the Lord. If thou hast these per- 
 suasions, do not check them ; and if for the present you 
 have not these persuasions, yet wait on the Lord, for our 
 Saviour Christ hath said, " I will send the Comforter ; and 
 in that day ye shall know, that I am in you, and you in me/' 
 John xiv. 20 : and therefore wait upon Christ for that da\ .
 
 SER. 5.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 395 
 
 Suppose this doctrine be true, that Christ liveth in all 
 believers; that he hath a greater hand and stroke in the 
 actions, the spiritual actions of believers, than themselves 
 have; what conclusions or practical meditations shall we 
 draw from hence ? 
 
 I will name some and lay them before you ; carry them 
 home with you. 
 
 If these things be true, then may every one say, Now I 
 see that the in-being of Christ in the soul, is not a mere 
 fancy, a mere notion, but carries with it the greatest reality 
 in the world. For when Christ is in a believer, there he 
 lives, acts and works : yea, and he hath a greater stroke in 
 the spiritual actions of believers than themselves have. 
 Surely therefore, this in-being of Christ in the soul, is a 
 work of power, of almighty power, the same power that 
 raised up Christ from the dead. 
 
 If these things be true, then here may a man say, I see a 
 great and vast difference between a godly and a wicked man. 
 Take a wicked man, and though he be never so great or 
 rich, yet Satan is in him, Satan liveth in him and ruleth in 
 him ; the prince of the air ruleth in him, and he is taken 
 captive by the devil at his will. But now take a godly man, 
 and though he be never so. poor and mean, yet Christ is in 
 him, Christ liveth in him, Christ hath a greater hand and 
 stroke in his actions than himself hath. Take a wicked 
 man of the highest form, and though he do pray, hear, read, 
 confer or speak of good things, yet not Christ, but himself 
 works and acts in him ; self worketh and acteth him. But 
 take a godly man, and though he be never so weak, Christ 
 liveth in him, and hath a greater hand in his actions than 
 himself. Who would not be godly, who would not get into 
 Jesus Christ ? 
 
 If these things be true, what desperate madness is it for 
 any to oppose the saints and children of God, especially for 
 the matter of their religion and gracious actions ? It is 
 opposition done unto Christ himself. Christ liveth in them. 
 And the Lord Christ doth so live in a gracious man, a belie- 
 ver, as he hath a greater stroke in all his prayers and in all 
 his duties than himself hath. Then for a man to stand and 
 scorn, scoff and jeer at the prayers, duties and gracious 
 actions of a believer, what is it, but to make opposition to
 
 396 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SER. 5. 
 
 Christ himself? If there be ever an opposer, a scorner in 
 this congregation. Poor soul ! where wilt thou appear in the 
 great day ? 
 
 If all these things be true, then may every believer say, 
 Now I see what a great evil it is for any child of God to say 
 that his duties are nothing but hypocrisy, or the work of 
 Christ hypocrisy. Do ye look upon the work of Jesus 
 Christ as so vile and base ? nothing more base in your 
 eye than hypocrisy. If Christ be in me, he liveth in me, he 
 hath a greater hand and stroke in all my spiritual actions 
 than myself hath. Therefore, through the grace of God, I 
 will be for ever wary how I say of my own duties again, they 
 are all nothing but vile hypocrisy. 
 
 If these things be true, then here now I see the reason 
 why a believer is and ought to be thankful to God for all 
 those things that he doth to God and for God; not only 
 thankful for what he receiveth from God, but thankful for 
 what himself doth offer unto God. We read of David, that 
 when he and his people had offered a great offering, he 
 praiseth the Lord for his own willingness to offer unto the 
 Lord. So a believer is not only to be thankful for what he 
 receiveth from God, but also for what he himself doth do to 
 God and for God. Why ? Because it is not he that doth 
 it, but Christ living in him ; and the Lord Christ hath a 
 greater stroke in that action which he doth to God, or for 
 God, than himself hath. Therefore infinite reason why we 
 should not only be thankful for what we receive from God, 
 but for what we do to and for God. 
 
 If all this be true, then here we see a mighty engagement 
 for every poor believer to come unto duty, although his heart 
 be dead, dull, heavy and indisposed unto it ; because it is not 
 he, but Christ worketh in him in duty. Am I therefore 
 dead, dull, heavy and indisposed to prayer or any duty; 
 yet will I go and offer myself unto God in prayer. Either 
 Jesus Christ will come down upon my prayer, God will 
 come down in my duty, or else he will not. If the Lord do, 
 what a mercy shall it be unto me. If the Lord do not come 
 down while I am at duty, and work all my work for me, it 
 shall be my affliction, and I will mourn after God. But 
 whether the Lord does come down in my duty, or whether 
 he does not, it is as it pleaseth him ; I will wait upon the 
 Lord, for it is he that worketh in us mightily. Oh, my soul,
 
 SEE. 5.] THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 39? 
 
 therefore for ever wait upon God in duty, yea, although my 
 heart be hard, dead, dull and indisposed thereunto. 
 
 If all this be true, what gracious, holy, heavenly lives 
 should all those lead that pretend to the word, believer. 
 Some there are that do pretend to the word, believer I am 
 a believer ; and they say they have faith. But if I have 
 faith indeed, then Christ liveth in me : not the world liveth 
 in me, but Christ liveth in me ; not malice liveth in me, but 
 Christ liveth in me ; not pride liveth in me, but Christ liveth 
 in me. But how many are there, poor souls, that may say 
 in truth, Pride liveth in me, and malice liveth in me, and the 
 world liveth in me, but Christ liveth not in me. And will 
 ye say then, that ye have faith ? Let us not be deceived. 
 But if this be true, that Christ liveth in all believers, what 
 gracious and holy conversations should the conversations of 
 believers be; and whensoever you fail in any thing, you 
 should even say, Yea, but would Christ do so ? My soul, 
 thus and thus hast thou spoken, but would Christ have 
 spoken thus and thus ? 
 
 If all this be true, why should we not all stand, wonder, 
 and admire at the infinite love of Christ ? It was much love 
 in Christ, for to come down into our nature ; it was yet more 
 for to come down into our hearts by his Spirit ; yet more for 
 to live, act and work there : but the Lord Christ, he is not 
 only come down into our nature, come down into our hearts, 
 for to live, act and work there: but the Lord Christ hath an eye 
 upon all our actions, the Lord Christ hath a greater stroke in 
 all our spiritual actions than ourselves have ; he is at the 
 beginning, and he is at the middle, and he is at the latter end 
 of every action. Had the Lord Christ only given himself 
 for us, what a great mercy had it been ; but he hath given 
 himself to us, not only for us, but to us ; he cometh and 
 liveth in a believer : he liveth more in a believer, than a 
 believer doth himself. What love, mercy and grace is here ! 
 You that are believers, do you know your own privilege ? 
 What is it to have Christ living in you ? Only hear the 
 word of exhortation, you that are made partakers of this 
 great privilege, Christ living in you : " Christ in you the 
 hope of glory," Col. i. 27. Labour now to hold forth the 
 virtues of Jesus Christ in your lives. And when ye have 
 done all, then walk humbly, walk humbly with your God,
 
 398 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. [SER. 5. 
 
 and say as Paul here of the true believer, " I live, yet not I, 
 but Christ liveth in me." I have been now at prayer, yet 
 not I, but Christ prayed in me : I have been now at confer- 
 ence, and spoke such and such good words ; yet not I, but 
 Christ worketh in me, speaketh in me. Upon this account 
 let us all labour to walk humbly with our God, for it is Christ 
 more than you, Christ hath a greater stroke in all your 
 actions than yourselves have ; therefore now let every man 
 say, " I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me."
 
 SCRIPTURE LIGHT 
 
 MOST SURE LIGHT: 
 
 COMPARED WITH 
 
 1. REVELATIONS AND VISIONS. 2. NATURAL AND SUPERNA- 
 TURAL DREAMS. 3. IMPRESSIONS WITH AND WITHOUT 
 THE WORD. 4. LIGHT AND LAW WITHIN. 5. DIVINE 
 PROVIDENCE. 6. CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE. 7. HU- 
 MAN REASON. 8. JUDICIAL ASTROLOGY. 
 
 IN 
 
 THREE SERMONS.
 
 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE MOST 
 SURE LIGHT. 
 
 SERMON I. 
 
 " We have also a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well 
 that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the 
 day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts." 2 PETER i. 19. 
 
 IN these words, ye have an exhortation to a great duty, 
 namely, attention, or taking heed to the word of God in dark 
 and dangerous times and places. The duty is commanded 
 and commended : " Ye do well that ye take heed/' *.-Awc 
 TToutli , ye do well, or beautifully ; this is your Christian beauty 
 and comeliness in the eyes of God. Now this duty is urged 
 and amplified; urged by divers arguments: some taken from 
 the excellency of the word itself. First, It is Xye ^o^Trrae, a 
 word of prophecy, or a prophetical word, written by divine 
 inspiration ; the same that is spoken of in verse 20, called pro- 
 phecy of Scripture. Secondly, It is Xoyoe /3f/3ampoe, a more 
 sure word. Some think the comparative is put for the su- 
 perlative, as Acts xxv. 10, * *1 <n> K*\\WV eTrywuvKEe, as thou 
 very well, or best knowest : but I take it rather to be meant 
 comparatively ; for the word of God written, is surer than that 
 voice which they heard in the mount, whereof he spake in 
 the former verse. More sure is the word written, than that 
 voice of revelation ; not ratione veritatis, not in regard of the 
 truth uttered, for that voice was as true as any word in the 
 Scripture ; but more sure, ratione manifestationis, more cer- 
 tain, settled and established. Secondly, Some arguments are 
 taken from the usefulness of the word to us; for it is as a 
 light shining in a dark place, and therefore it is good for us 
 to take heed thereunto. But how long must we take heed to 
 it ? Even as long as we live, and whilst we are in the dark 
 especially, even until the day dawn, and the sun shine in his 
 full strength and brightness in your hearts ; which is the se- 
 cond thing whereby this duty is amplified. 
 
 Some think that it is to be understood of a supernatural
 
 401 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [SfiR. I* 
 
 revelation and light which God doth set up in the soul, which 
 when a man hath obtained, then he is to take heed to the 
 written word no longer; but that cannot be, 1. Because the 
 apostle doth here prefer the written word before a revelation 
 from heaven : now if he do prefer it before a divine revela- 
 tion, then it is not to give place to the dawning of some spe- 
 cial light and revelation in the heart; for then he should 
 destroy in the latter part of the verse, what he had affirmed 
 and built up in the former part. 2. One Scripture is to be 
 explained by another; but Isa. viii. 20, the Lord saith, " To 
 the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to 
 this word, it is because there is no light (or morning) in 
 them :" if therefore any man do pretend light, or the shining 
 of the morning star in his soul, so as to lay by the word 
 written, that light is no true light ; and so this interpretation 
 can be no true interpretation of these words. 3. This inter- 
 pretation doth suppose, that the morning star did not shine 
 in the apostles' time, and that then the apostles, with the 
 saints of those times, had not this light within them ; for the 
 apostle saith, " We have a more sure word, and ye do well 
 that ye take heed thereunto." All the saints and people of 
 God, then, did walk by, and take heed unto the written word ; 
 yet they had light within them. This interpretation, there- 
 fore, is contrary to the sense of the apostle here. 
 
 Others think that these words are spoken to the believing 
 Jews, in reference to the prophets of the Old Testament ; as 
 if the apostle should say, The glorious light of the gospel 
 hath not yet fully conquered your hearts ; and therefore until 
 your gospel light be more clear, you shall do well to take heed 
 to the prophets of the Old Testament, who do all testify with 
 us of Christ. But this will seem to argue, that when gospel 
 light doth more fully rise upon us, then we may lay by the 
 prophets of the Old Testament. 
 
 Others think that this day dawning, and the day star arising, 
 doth note that full and clear vision of God and Christ which is 
 yet to come. Now, because the whole earth shall be filled 
 with the knowledge of the Lord, in the latter days, in respect 
 to which time it is promised, Rev. ii. 28, " I will give him 
 the morning star;" and in chap. xxii. 16, Christ doth appear 
 to the saints under that title, saying, " I am the bright and 
 morning star."
 
 SER. 1.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 402 
 
 Therefore it is conceived by some, that the apostle here 
 doth relate to that time, and so the sense of the words should 
 be this : Though now ye be in the dark, yet ye have the light 
 of the Scripture to walk by ; whereto ye shall do well that 
 ye take heed, until ye be brought to, and under a more glo- 
 rious and clear dispensation. But the word used for the 
 morning star, Rev. ii. 22, is not the same that is here used, 
 and translated the day star. 
 
 The Scripture shall not be out of date in the days of those 
 glorious times ; for the walls of that city, the new Jerusalem, 
 which shall come down from heaven, hath twelve founda- 
 tions, and in them, the names of the twelve apostles of the 
 Lamb. Rev. xxi. 14. 
 
 This interpretation doth suppose that the morning star, or 
 the sun, for so the word may be rendered, as Suidas saith, 
 *wo-0ogoe o TO 0w9 avetle\\uv t o i/\to<?, doth not shine in our 
 hearts now, and that it hath not shined already, whereas it is 
 said, Luke i. concerning Christ's first coming, verse 78, 
 " Whereby the Day-spring from on high hath visited us, to 
 give light to them that sit in darkness," &c. And the apostle 
 Paul saith, The day is far spent ; and ye are the children of 
 light and of the day. Surely, therefore, the day had then 
 dawned in those times ; and therefore these words cannot only 
 relate to the glorious times that are yet to come. 
 
 Others say these words do relate unto heavenly glory ; and 
 so the meaning of the words should be, That we are to take 
 heed unto the written word, until we come into heaven ; 
 which thing is true : but where do we find in Scripture, that 
 the glory of heaven is said thus to dawn, or shine in our 
 hearts ; or that Christ is said thus to shine in our hearts, in 
 regard of heavenly glory ? 
 
 Therefore I think the word until, is not to be taken exclu- 
 sively, but as in other scriptures ; Psalm ex. " Sit thou on 
 my right-hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool." 
 Shall Christ sit on God's right-hand no longer ? Shall he 
 not sit there for ever ? Yea, he shall sit there for ever, after 
 all enemies are subdued. But the words shew what Christ 
 shall enjoy and do whilst the enemies rage; he shall sit in 
 power, judging, on the right-hand of God ; not that he shall 
 not sit there when they are subdued. So here, " Ye do well 
 (saith the apostle) that ye take heed to the word, until the 
 D D 2
 
 403 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [SER. I, 
 
 day dawn, and the day star arise, and shine in your hearts ;" 
 that is, until ye have more clear light ; not that ye lay by the 
 word then, but because ye are now in the dark, I will tell you, 
 says the apostle, what ye shall do whilst ye are in the dark, 
 even take heed to the word written. And so the doctrine 
 from the whole verse is this : 
 
 Scripture light is our great and most sure light, whereunto 
 we shall do well that we take heed, and that especially in our 
 dark times and places, 
 
 For the opening and prosecuting whereof, four things will 
 fall under your consideration : 
 
 First, That a good man may be in the dark, in a dark place, 
 state and condition. 
 
 Secondly, Though he be in the dark, yet God hath not left 
 him without Scripture light to walk by. 
 
 Thirdly, This Scripture light is the most excellent, safe and 
 sure light. 
 
 Fourthly, It is the duty of all the saints to take heed there- 
 unto, and to walk thereby, and that especially in their dark 
 times and places. 
 
 First, It is possible that a good man may be in the dark, 
 on a dark ground, and in a dark condition ; yea, possibly a 
 man may truly fear the Lord, yet he may walk in the dark, 
 and see no light of comfort. Isa. 1. 10. Doth not the church 
 complain in the Lamentations, saying, " He hath set me in 
 dark places }" chap. iii. 6. Was not David in the dark, when 
 he said, " The Lord will lighten my darkness }" 2 Sam. xxii. 
 29. Was not Job in the dark, when he said, " The Lord 
 hath set darkness in my paths," Job xix. 8 ; and when he 
 said, " I waited for light, and there came darkness?" chap. xxx. 
 26. And was not Heman in the dark, when he said, " Thou 
 hast laid me in the lowest pit in darkness ?" Ps. lxxxviii.6. 
 Yea, was not Christ himself in the dark, when the hour and 
 power of darkness came upon him ? Luke xxii. 53. Surely, 
 therefore, it is possible that a good man may be in the dark, 
 upon dark ground, and in a dark condition ; and it must 
 needs be so : for, 
 
 A good man may live and dwell in a place or town where 
 no means of grace are; in a poor, dark and ignorant corner 
 of the world. Did not Job dwell in the land of Uz ? And 
 when David thirsted after ordinances, saying, " My soul
 
 SER. 1.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 405 
 
 thirsteth after thee, O God, to see thy power and thy glory, 
 so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary," Psalm Ixiii. 1, 2, 
 was he not then in such a dark corner as I now speak of ? 
 The title of the Psalm tells us, that he was in the wilderness 
 of Judah : and if ye look into 1 Sam. xxvi. ye shall find him 
 complaining thus : " They have driven me out this day from 
 abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, Go serve other 
 gods," verse 19. Such a dark place was Capernaum, and 
 Galilee, by the way of the sea, Galilee of the gentiles, where, 
 Matt. iv. 16, it is said, " The people sat in darkness and in 
 the shadow of death ;" yet here did Peter and Andrew dwell, 
 when our Saviour called them to follow him : there did James 
 and John dwell likewise. And as a wicked man may live 
 under the means, and the light shine on him, though he com- 
 prehend it not ; so it may be the lot and portion of a good 
 man to live, and dwell, and be in a town, or place, or parish, 
 where there is no means and no light shining. 
 
 As he may live and dwell in such a place as this, so he may 
 be in some great affliction and persecution ; " for the dark 
 places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty :" 
 persecuting times are dark times. When do beasts go forth 
 to their prey? but in the night. And when are thieves bold? 
 but in the night. In times of persecution, the enemies of 
 God's people are very bold, and those beasts do go forth to 
 their prey. Surely, therefore, this time is a dark time with 
 the saints. 
 
 If a good man may be in such straits, as for the present 
 he doth not see his way before him ; then he may be in the 
 dark. Thus it was with Joseph when Mary was first with 
 child ; he did not know what to do in the case, until the an- 
 gel of the Lord appeared to him. Thus it was with David 
 often, especially at Reilah, when he went down to Achish, 
 feigned himself mad, changing his behaviour; and at Ziklag, 
 when his wives and goods were taken from him, and his men 
 thought of stoning him. John xii. 35, " He that walketh in 
 darkness, knows not whither he goes," saith our Saviour. 
 And when a man is in such straits, as that he doth not see 
 his way, then he is in the dark indeed. 
 
 A good man may be much offended. Times of offences 
 are dark times : " He that walketh in darkness stumbleth :" 
 and so much as I do take offence, and am stumbled, so much
 
 406 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [SfiR. 1. 
 
 I am in the dark. Now possibly a good man may be much 
 offended, and stumbled; though he be not offended at the 
 good way of God, and power of godliness, nor at all the 
 saints, yet he may be under much offence: "All you shall be 
 offended (saith our Saviour to his disciples) because of me." 
 And if a good man may be offended, then he may be in the 
 dark, on a dark ground, and in a dark condition. 
 
 As a good man may be offended and stumbled, so he may 
 stumble into some mistakes and errors ; erroneous times are 
 dark times : every error is darkness, as truth is light. Now 
 a good man may err ; for though he doth see much when his 
 eyes are opened in his first conversion, yet every man doth 
 not see all things ; two, or three, or four may see, and have 
 their eyes open, yet one may see further than another. God 
 hath several truths for several ages and generations : as in a 
 great house there are hangings for every room, and the hang- 
 ings of this room are not fit for that, and the hangings of 
 that are not fit for another ; so God hath several hangings of 
 truth, to furnish several generations ; and those that are fit 
 for this, are not fit for that : Non nulla video non visa beato 
 Augustino, says Luther, et rursum mult a visuros scio, qtiee 
 ipse ego non video : I see many things, said he, that were not 
 seen to Austin ; and those that come after me, shall see those 
 things that I see not. Oh, saith Austin, there is such a 
 depth in Scripture, that I do multo plura nescire quam scire ; 
 that I am ignorant of more things than I know. Ye see how 
 it is in a room where there are many pictures; though ye see 
 some of them presently, yet others have a silken curtain 
 drawn-before them, which ye see not immediately : so here, 
 though God do reveal much unto you, yet there is a silken 
 curtain that is still drawn before some truths, and therefore 
 even a good man may be much mistaken. " The Lord hath 
 hid this thing from me," said Elisha. 2 Kings iv. 27. And 
 when David told Nathan that it was in his heart to build an 
 house unto God ; " Go, (said Nathan to him) and do all that 
 is in thine heart ; for the Lord is with thee." Yet Nathan, 
 though a prophet, was mistaken, and in an error; for the same 
 night the Lord appeared to him, and told him that this work 
 was reserved for another, not for David. Possibly, therefore, a 
 good man may mistake, even in the things of God, and so be 
 in the dark.
 
 SER. 1.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 407 
 
 If a good man may be engaged in some division and dis- 
 sention, then he may be in the dark. Dividing times are 
 dark times ; and possibly a great division and dissention may 
 fall amongst good men. So great and sharp a division fell 
 between Paul and Barnabas, that they forsook one another. 
 I read of two good men, whom Epiphanius makes mention 
 of, that were fellow-sufferers for the Christian faith, eyertlo 
 ow Trapofapoe ; and being condemned, and sent to work in 
 the metal mines, there fell so great a difference between 
 them, that they drew a partition wall between them in the 
 mine, and would not hold communion with each other, in 
 the service of Christ, for which they both suffered. Cyprian 
 doth impute the great sufferings and persecutions of the 
 primitive times, unto the discord and dissention of brethren? 
 Imo vero nee venissent fratribus fuse mala si in unum frater- 
 nitas esset animata, saith he, Epist. iv. lib. 4. Ye have heard 
 of the difference between Chrysostom and Epiphanius, and 
 of that between Jerome and Ruffinus, and of that between 
 Ridley and Hooper. In Luther's time, the contest was so 
 hot and great and violent, between him with his party, and 
 Zuinglius, Oecolampadius and others, that though they met 
 together with divers princes for reconciliation ; and they did 
 at that meeting draw up several articles of faith, wherein 
 they did all agree, and whereto they did all subscribe ; yet 
 Luther would not call the Calvinists, brethren. And in these 
 days of ours, what scuffling is there between brethren, fight- 
 ing one with another. Why ? but because they are in the 
 dark. If brethren fight and scuffle one with another, who 
 will not say they are in the dark ?* 
 
 A good man may be under some desertion. God may 
 withdraw from him ; and when God withdraws, then he is 
 in the dark. Desertion time is a dark time, and such a cloud 
 as this may go over the heads of the best. Surely therefore 
 it is possible that a very good man may be much in the 
 dark. 
 
 * Capio ex hac vita miguare ut liberattr ab immuuibus et iraplucabilibus odiis 
 Theologorum. Melanch. Strigellius Melc. Adam. 
 
 Et vidi mare vitreum inixtum igni. Apoc. xv. 2. 
 
 Quid autem aliud ignis designet, a que serventis litei et contentiones fla- 
 grantes odiis ! ignem veni missurus in teiram inquit Christus, &c. Hujusmodi 
 ignis vagatur per totam Reformatum Ecclesiam qute vel absumit plurimos vel 
 inolesta cat reliquis duui restinguere nituntur. Brightm. in Apoc. xv. 404.
 
 408 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [SfiR. 1. 
 
 And if a good man may be under some temptation and 
 sin, then he may be in the dark. Temptation time is a dark 
 time. When a man cannot see his own hand, though he lift 
 it up before his eyes, then he is in the dark indeed. Now 
 possibly a good man may be in such a temptation, that he 
 shall not be able to see the lifting-up of his own hand in 
 prayer, saying, I go to prayer, but I cannot pray at all ; and 
 that which I do perform, it is no duty. Sometimes it is so 
 with him, that he cannot read his own graces nor see them. 
 Though the fish lie playing upon the water, and you may see 
 them in a fair sunshine ; yet in a storm or night ye see them 
 not, though they be in the pond or river still. So here, 
 though when the light of God's countenance doth shine upon 
 the soul, he is then able to see and read his own graces ; yet 
 if it be a storm, or the night of temptation, he cannot see 
 them. Why ? Not because they are not in his heart and 
 life as before, but because he is in the dark. Possibly there- 
 fore a good man may be in the dark, upon a dark ground, 
 and in a dark condition. That is the first thing. 
 
 Secondly, Though a good man may be in the dark, yet he 
 hath Scripture light to walk by. God hath not left him 
 comfortless, and without light, in obscure darkness, as the 
 wicked are ; but he hath light within him, and that great 
 light of the written word without, " Whereunto ye do well 
 that ye take heed (saith the apostle), as unto a light shining 
 in a dark place. 55 This Scripture light he hath always by 
 him. " To the law and to the testimonies (saith the prophet 
 Isaiah, chap, viii.), if they speak not according to this word, 
 it is because there is no light in them. 55 It is a dark time 
 which the prophet speaks of, " For many shall stumble and 
 fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken, 55 verse 15. 
 " The Lord hideth his face from the house of Jacob/ 5 verse 
 17. " Behold I, and the children whom the Lord hath 
 given me, are for signs and wonders in Israel, 55 verse 18. 
 " And they shall look unto the earth, and behold trouble and 
 darkness, dimness of anguish, and they shall be driven to 
 darkness, 55 verse 22. Yet in this time they have the law and 
 the testimony, that great Scripture light to walk by. 
 
 But have not even wicked men this light also of the 
 Scripture, to walk by in their darkness ? 
 
 I answer, They have it as a blind man hath the sun : the
 
 SER. 1.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 409 
 
 sun is in the firmament over the head of a blind man, yet it 
 is no light to him. So here. 
 
 And though a wicked man doth hear and may read the 
 Scripture, and know many truths which are therein con- 
 tained, yet he doth not know the greatness of them. A 
 man may know and say, This is the sun, and this is the light 
 thereof; yet not know the greatness of the sun, and that it 
 is abundantly bigger than the earth. So a wicked man may 
 and doth know many truths, but he doth not see and know 
 the greatness of truths, for he prizeth other things of the 
 world above them. A good man knows the truths of the 
 gospel, and he sees the greatness of them, for he leaves all 
 to follow them. 
 
 And though a wicked man may have his eyes open to see 
 many truths of the Scripture, yet in seeing, he doth not see 
 the same ; for as a good man may know natural things in a 
 spiritual way, so he doth know spiritual things in a natural 
 way. A good man seeth the things themselves that are con- 
 tained in the Scripture ; and therefore it is that the know- 
 ledge of Christ, is called Christ : " Till Christ be formed in 
 you," saith the apostle ; that is, till the knowledge of Christ 
 be formed. The thing is put for the knowledge of it. 
 Why? Because in knowing, the saints know the things 
 themselves. Wicked men know and have the notion of 
 them ; for there is a knowledge of things in the notion of 
 them, which wicked men may have : and there is a know- 
 ledge of the things themselves, which the saints and people 
 of God have.* 
 
 But may not a good man's eyes be held from this Scrip- 
 ture light ? 
 
 Yes, in some things ; but though his eyes be held, it is 
 only quo ad hoc, as to this or that truth in particular. When 
 he is converted and brought home to God, then are his eyes 
 said to be opened, then is he anointed with the unction of 
 the Holy One, and doth know all things necessary unto his 
 salvation. Yet as Hagar*s eyes though open, were held from 
 
 * Duplex eat cognitio rei disciplinaris et intuitiva, clisciplinaris eat per audi- 
 tum et narrationem solam intuitiva est ilia quam ex re presenti et sensu percepta 
 manantem habemus ilium infideles et impii multi assequunter in ipsis fidei myg- 
 teriis hanc vero minime, w yci p.T) ir^ta, ravla. rv<f>\ tft 
 2 Pet. i. 9. Ames, de Lumine Natune et Gratia.
 
 410 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [ER. 1. 
 
 seeing the fountain of water that was by her, when she said, 
 " I will not see the death of my child " so a good man's 
 eyes may be open, yet they may be held quo ad hoc, as to 
 this or that truth or way : but though they be held, yet I say 
 it is but quo ad hoc, not in regard of all. 
 
 Though a good man's eyes may be held from some part of 
 this Scripture light; yet if he be in health, and not under 
 some temptation and spiritual sickness, he doth not shut 
 his own eyes against any Scripture light. A sick man will 
 not endure the opening of the window or casement ; but if 
 a man be in health, Set open the window, saith he, that light 
 may come in, though some smoke do come in withal ; I will 
 venture and hazard the smoke, for light I must have, and I 
 cannot be without it. So, if a man be in health for his soul, 
 he calls for the opening of the windows : possibly some 
 errors and smoke may come in with light and truth ; yet set 
 the windows open, saith he : but if sickly and weak, he is so 
 afraid of errors and smoke, that he dares not endure the 
 means of further light, but even turns his back, and shuts 
 his eyes against some Scripture light; but a good man in 
 health doth not so. 
 
 Though a good man's eyes may be held from some Scrip- 
 ture light and truth, insomuch as he may be in the darkness 
 of some ignorance, yet he knows more than he is able to 
 utter, and he feels more than he can speak. A knowing, 
 learned man, it may be, can utter more of the Scripture than 
 he feels ; but a good man feels more than he can utter. 
 
 And though some Scripture truths may be hidden from 
 him sometimes, yet he hath his intervals of sight. As with 
 a man in travel, when he comes upon such or such an hill or 
 mountain, he sees the steeples and pinnacles of the town which 
 he is going to ; then he comes into a valley, and he loseth the 
 sight of them again ; then he comes again to another hill, 
 and then he sees them again. So in our journey or travel to 
 heaven, we see such and such truths to-day, then we come 
 into a valley, and we lose the sight of them ; then God raises 
 our hearts again, and we see them again. Thus the saints 
 have their intervals of sight. 
 
 And though a good man may be in the dark, yet God doth 
 not leave him so. As it is in the darkness of fears, so in all 
 other darkness. Ye read, Matt, xxviii, that when Christ
 
 SER. 1.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 411 
 
 rose from the dead, the stone was rolled away from the se- 
 pulchre, and they that were about it were in great fear. 
 There were keepers of the sepulchre, whom the Jews had 
 set to watch the same ; and there were the godly women, 
 waiting for the resurrection : both were in fear, and in great 
 fear. But the angel appears to Mary and the good women, 
 saying, " Fear not ye ;" ye seek Jesus, he is risen, he is not 
 here, fear not ye. He did not say so to the wicked soldiers 
 that kept and watched the sepulchre ; they feared, and he 
 left them in their fears, and in their dark condition. But 
 the good women feared, and were in a dark condition ; but 
 the Lord did not leave them in it, but gave them Scripture 
 light to comfort them : " He is risen, as he said." So that 
 a good man may be in the dark, yet God will not leave him 
 in his darkness, but even then he hath a light, and a sure 
 light to walk by. And that is the second thing. 
 
 Thirdly, This Scripture light is the most excellent, safe 
 and sure light : it is the light of lights ; the most excellent 
 light of all under God in Christ. For, 
 
 It is a true light. There are many false lights in the 
 world, but Scripture light is the true light. The proper 
 work of light is to make manifest : " They will not come to 
 the light (saith our Saviour) lest their deeds be made mani- 
 fest." Now the light of the Scripture doth manifest things 
 unto us ; it is by James compared to a looking-glass. When 
 ye look upon a looking-glass, ye see three things, the glass, 
 yourself, and all the other things, persons, stools or pictures 
 that are in the room. So in looking in the Scripture, this 
 great looking-glass, ye see the truths that are therein con- 
 tained concerning God and Christ. There is God seen es- 
 pecially, and Christ seen ; there also you see yourself, and 
 your own dirty face ; there also you see the creatures that 
 are in the room with you, and their emptiness ; the empti- 
 ness of men, and of all comforts and relations. This is 
 that manifesting light under Christ, that is true light indeed. 
 
 As it is a true light, so it is an admirable and wonderful 
 light. For there are the wonderful things of God's law; 
 whereupon David prayed, " Open thou mine eyes, that I 
 may see the wonderful things of thy law." There is the 
 light of Christ, who is called a marvellous light; and the 
 more ye look into the Scripture and know, the more ye will
 
 412 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [SER. 1. 
 
 admire. In other knowledges, the more ye know, the less ye 
 admire ; amor noti, admiratio ignoti : but in Scripture know- 
 ledge, the more light ye have, and the more ye know, the 
 more you will lift up your hands and admire, at your own 
 ignorance and God's grace. It is a most admirable light. 
 
 As it is an admirable light, so it is a safe and sure light. 
 Other false lights do lead men into fens and bogs ; but we 
 have a more sure and safe light, and the more of it falls upon 
 your eye, the more is your eye preserved. It is not so with 
 outward lights, vehemens sensibile destruit senwrium. Your 
 eye is able to bear a moderate light ; but if the light be 
 vehement, your sense is not able to bear it, but is destroyed 
 by it. Not so with this Scripture light, the stronger and 
 more vehement it is, the more it doth perfect the eye of your 
 soul ; it is not destructive, but it is perfective light. Upon 
 which account Austin prayed to God, Sint sacra Scriptures 
 tuce delicice me a in quibus nee fallere possum nee f alii : O 
 Lord, said he, let thy Holy Scriptures be my delights, by 
 which I can neither deceive nor be deceived. This is that 
 safe and sure light indeed. 
 
 As it is a safe and sure light, so it is a pleasant and satis- 
 fying light. Light is pleasant to the eye, and the eye 
 ordinarily is not satisfied with seeing : but this is that light 
 which doth bring men to rest ; for when a man knows what 
 shall he his portion for ever, then his heart is at rest, and not 
 before. Now it is only the Scripture, and the light thereof, 
 which under Christ doth discover and manifest that unto 
 men. " Stand in the old and good way (saith the prophet), 
 and ye shall find rest." That way is this Scripture way : if 
 a man once depart from the Scripture, he runs from one 
 error to another, and he rests not. But here is rest to be 
 found. This is that satisfying light which doth bring unto 
 rest. 
 
 As it is a pleasant, satisfying light ; so it is a full and 
 sufficient light, able to make the man of God perfect unto 
 salvation. " The law of the Lord is perfect," Psalm xix ; 
 and it makes perfect, else it were no rule of life : for as 
 Austin speaks, the regula must be regulato suo adequata. 
 Surely therefore it is sufficient to administer help unto all 
 conditions. It is a lanthorn to our feet ; whatever ground 
 our feet are on, or in what dark place soever, this light can
 
 SER. 1.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 413 
 
 find them out. What state can you be in, but the Scripture 
 will find a commandment for your rule, and a promise for 
 your assistance and reward. It is able to reach unto all 
 conditions, for it is a full and sufficient light. 
 
 As it is a full and sufficient light, so it is a clear light, a 
 light that shineth ; it hath no thief in it, as many lights and 
 candles have : not that there are no hard things therein, and 
 difficulties ; where is the man that ever was able to untie all 
 the knots and difficulties of Scripture ? * Paul's epistles 
 have their hard things to be understood, even in the eyes of 
 Peter, 2nd epist. iii. 16. Yet what truth is in all the Scrip- 
 ture, which is necessary to salvation, but doth lie plain and 
 clear. " For this commandment which I command thee this 
 day, is not hidden from thee, neither is it afar off; it is not 
 in heaven, &c. ; nor is it beyond the sea, &c. But the 
 word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, 
 that thou mayest do it," Deut. xxx. 11 14 ; Rom. x. 6, &c. 
 " Unto you it is given (saith Christ to his disciples) to know 
 the mysteries of the kingdom. If the gospel be hid, it is 
 hid unto them that perish ; but we have the mind of Christ," 
 1 Cor. ii. 16. Surely therefore this light is a clear and a 
 shining light. 
 
 As it is a clear light, so it is the best light in the world, 
 the most excellent light, a light beyond all other things which 
 do pretend to light. Seven or eight things there are, in 
 these times, which men do cry up as great lights, whereby 
 many do profess to walk. And those are: 1. Revelations or 
 visions. 2. Dreams. 3. Impressions made upon the heart, 
 with or without a word. 4. Experience. 5. The law and 
 light within. 6. Providence. 7- Reason. 8. Judicial As- 
 trology. But now if you compare these lights with Scrip- 
 ture light, ye shall find that this is that only light which doth 
 exceed them all, and that there is no more light in them than 
 what they do borrow from it. 
 
 Instance I. Wherein doth this Scripture light exceed or 
 go beyond revelations or visions, and the light thereof ? 
 
 This Scripture light, as you have seen, is a full light, 
 a light which did shine forth at once in and by Jesus 
 Christ. Revelations and visions are more particular; 
 
 * Passimur apertis exercemur obscuris, illic fames pellitur hie faatidium. 
 Austin.
 
 414 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [SER. 1. 
 
 though God did sometimes speak in that way and manner, 
 yet then he spake drop by drop, guttatim ; but now he hath 
 in these last days, spoken his full mind by his Son. These 
 were but as the apples which did fall from the tree of wis- 
 dom ; but in the gospel and Scripture, ye have the whole 
 tree itself. Look therefore what difference there is between 
 the tree, and some particular apple that doth fall from it ; 
 so great a difference there is between this and those. 
 
 Scripture light is the highest light ; Scripture dispensation 
 the highest dispensation : the dispensation of visions and re- 
 velations was of a lower rank. When the people of God 
 were in their infancy, they were led much by visions and re- 
 velations ; that being a dispensation which did most suit with 
 an infant state. And what is the reason that so many chris- 
 tians now do desire visions and revelations, but because they 
 are weak, and upon the return to the law again ? The strong- 
 er any Christian is, the more he doth walk by faith ; and the 
 more he doth live by faith, the more he doth choose to walk 
 by the Scripture, the written word of God, the object of 
 faith. It is recorded of Luther, that when he had fasted and 
 prayed a whole day, and then had a vision of Christ, he cried 
 out, and said, Avoid, avoid, thou confounded devil, I know 
 no picture of Christ but the Scripture. Therein is Christ 
 lively pictured, described, and set forth before our eyes : it is 
 not so in revelations and visions. 
 
 This Scripture light is a more sure and certain light : for 
 if God should now speak unto you by visions, or visional 
 revelations, how would you know that this were the voice of 
 God, and not a delusion of Satan ? Would ye know it by 
 the truth that is spoken ; how do ye know the truth but by 
 Scripture ? And who doth not know that the devil will speak 
 an hundred truths that he may croud in one lie amongst 
 them.* Or would ye know that it is a true revelation, and 
 not an illusion, by the high things that should be revealed ? 
 What greater, higher things, than the things of the gospel ? 
 These are the mystery of the kingdom, called the " deep 
 
 * Ditamus preterea quoniam non est humanitus regula generalis, vel ars dabilis 
 ad discernendum semper et infallibilitur quse verse sunt et quse falsae aut illusorise 
 revelationes. Gersom. Tract, de distinctione verarum et falsar. visionum. Tom. 
 i. 175, 176, &c.
 
 SER. 1.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 416 
 
 things of God " and says the apostle Paul, " I fear, lest by 
 any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, 
 so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that 
 is in Christ." And how did Satan beguile Eve, but by per- 
 suading her to high things, that she should be like to God ? 
 And thus I fear many are beguiled even at this day amongst 
 us. Or would ye know a revelation of God's from the delu- 
 sion of Satan by the event, in that some future thing is re- 
 vealed to you, which doth fall out accordingly ? then read 
 what the Lord says in Deut. xiii. 1 ; "If there arise among 
 you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a 
 sign, or a wonder, and the sign or wonder come to pass, say- 
 ing, Let us go serve other gods, which thou hast not known ; 
 (verse 2) thou shalt not hearken to the words of that prophet, 
 for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love 
 the Lord your God." God may suffer a revelation to come 
 to pass, and yet it may not be from the Lord, but to prove 
 you, whether you love him, and will cleave unto him.* Or 
 will ye know a true revelation from a delusion by your taste, 
 per saporem, which is said to be the way whereby they did 
 know that thing was of God ? Then what an uncertainty 
 will here be, that your whole salvation shall hang upon, and 
 be ruled by your own taste. But now the written word of 
 the Lord is certain, sure and stedfast ; " Heaven and earth 
 shall pass, but not one tittle of the word shall pass :" the 
 least apex and tittle of it is more established than the moun- 
 tains. 
 
 There is no danger in tending upon and taking heed to 
 this Scripture light. 1. But if men do attend to revelations 
 and visions, how easily may they be drawn to despise the 
 Scripture, and such as do wait thereon. There were a gene- 
 ration of men, in Luther's days, that pretended unto great 
 discoveries and revelations ; men of great parts, and of high 
 language ; insomuch as Bucholcerus says of them, That they 
 neither understood themselves nor others, nor others them, 
 
 * Sancti autem viri inter illusiones atque revelntiones, ipsas visionum voces aut 
 imagines quodam intimo sapore discernunt ut scient vel quid a bono spiritu per- 
 cipiant vel quid ab illusore patiantur naro si erga heec mens cauta non fuerit per 
 deceptorem spiritum multis se vanitatibus immergit, qui nonnunquam solet multa 
 predicere, ut ad extremum valeat ani^nam ex una falsitate laqueare. Gregor. 
 Dialo. Lib. iv.
 
 416 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [SfiR. 1. 
 
 but were always speaking of revelations, visions, deifications, 
 &c.* As for other men that kept close to the Scripture, they 
 called them vocabulists, literalists, grammatists, and creatur- 
 ists. And so now it will be also, if men once do attend, and 
 take heed unto visions, they will easily despise the Scriptures 
 and such as do take heed thereto. Yea, 2. And if men do 
 attend to these visions and revelations, how easily may they 
 be drawn into popery and superstition ? How did Mahomet 
 set up his Alcoran ? but by persuading the people to attend 
 unto revelation. And how did the papists so much prevail 
 upon the nations of the world ? but by their visions and re- 
 velations. Search the stories, and you shall find that both 
 the Turkish Alcoran and the popish religion had their foun- 
 dations here : and if Luther had hearkened to revelations and 
 visions, and not kept close to the Scripture, what had become 
 of his reformation ? Nay, but says he, Pactumfeci cum do- 
 mino Deo meo, $c. I have made a covenant with the Lord 
 my God, that he may not send me visions, or dreams, or 
 angels; Contentus enim sum hoc dono, quod habeam Scrip- 
 turam : I am content with this gift, that I have the Scrip- 
 sure, which doth abundantly teach and supply all those 
 things that are necessary for this life and for the future. 
 Yea, 3. If a man do once come to attend and take heed 
 unto visions and revelations, how easily may he slide and de- 
 part into atheism ; for what difference is there between an 
 atheist, or a pagan infidel, and a Christian, but only this, 
 that the Christian is for the Scripture, and doth adhere to 
 that, the other not ? Take away the Scripture from me, and 
 there will be little difference between me and an infidel. 
 But now the more a man doth attend unto visions, the more 
 his heart and hands will be loosed from the Scripture. 
 Surely, therefore, there is a danger in this ; but Scripture 
 light is a sure and a safe light. 
 
 Why but, you will say, may not God speak by extraordi- 
 nary visions and revelations, in these days of ours ? 
 
 * Swenckfeldiani sunt ter miseri, nee se nee alios intelligunt, non se que non 
 intelligunt se dicere pugnantia non alios idque non tarn naturali sua tarditate in- 
 geniorum quam eo quod tenentur irretiti suis quibusdam enthusiasticis laqueis 
 unde se extricari sumrnum putant impietatem, dementabant multot magnifecis 
 istis verbis quae semper illis in ore iiluminatio, revelatio, deificatio hominis interi- 
 oris et spiritualis, &c. Scultet. Anual. an. 1525, pages 269, 270.
 
 SER. 1.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 41/ 
 
 Yes, without all doubt he may : God is not to be limited, 
 he may speak in what way he please. If God will, he may 
 say to a man, as he said to Abraham, " Go and offer up thy 
 son Isaac to me :" but is not that commandment, " Thou 
 shalt not kill," a more sure and certain rule for me to walk by? 
 God may, if he will, say to a man as he once said to Hosea, 
 " Go and take thee a wife of fornications :" but is not that 
 commandment, " Thou shalt not commit adultery," a more 
 sure and certain word and rule for me to walk by ? What 
 God may do I will not dispute : he may thus speak to men, 
 if it please him ; yea, and if we may give credit unto known 
 histories, the Lord hath spoken in this way sometimes to 
 some of his servants since the apostles' time. Cyprian tells 
 us of four revelations, which the Lord gave him, before that 
 persecution did come upon them. Mr. Fox, in the Book of 
 Martyrs, tells us of many visions which one Gallus, a French 
 martyr, had ; and of one which Mr. Philpot had : Scultetus 
 also, and Sleiden tell us that God did reveal it to Luther, that 
 there should be no war in Germany whilst he lived. Yet 
 there is a great deal of difference between faith in the pro- 
 mise and a vision or revelation. Possibly, then, the Lord 
 may speak in such a way as this is to some of his servants. 
 But now, that you may have a boundary in this matter, 
 
 Though God may thus speak to some of his servants, yet 
 if I have an itching desire after visions and revelations it is 
 ill. The Lord may work a miracle, and being wrought, I am 
 bound to receive it; but I may not put God upon the work- 
 ing of a miracle. So here, if God will speak in this way to 
 me, he may ; but I may not put him on it without tempting 
 of him ; yea, I am to be so far from desiring God to speak 
 in this way of a vision, as I am bound rather to be backward 
 to it. For as Alvarez observes well,* If a master be abroad 
 in the night, and the servant be backward to open the door 
 unto him, and to let him in, lest some thief should coun- 
 terfeit his voice ; the master will not take it ill at the servant's 
 hands, that lie made him stay so long before he did open the 
 door, but will rather commend that servant. So, saith he, 
 though a man be backward to receive these revelations, yet 
 knowing what deceit there is abroad in the world, God will 
 
 * Revelationes caute recipients. Alvarez de vita spiritual! de discretione 
 spirituum. Lib. v. Cap. 4. 
 
 E E
 
 418 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [SER. 1. 
 
 not take it ill at his hands, but will commend him for it. An 
 itching desire after visions, argues that a man is not content 
 with the Scripture ; and is it not enough for us to see Christ 
 in heaven ? Gersom tells us * of an ancient father, who 
 when the devil did appear to him, in the shape and image of 
 Christ, saying, I am come in person to visit thee, for thou art 
 worthy ; did with both his hands shut his eyes, saying, Nolo 
 hie Christum videre ; I will not see Christ here, it is enough 
 for me that I may see him in heaven. 
 
 Though God may possibly speak in this way to some of his 
 servants, yet if the revelation be contrary to, or diverse from 
 the Scripture, it is not God's but the devil's ; for says the 
 apostle, " Though we, or an angel from heaven, do preach any 
 other gospel to you, than that which we have preached unto 
 you, let him be accursed," Gal. i. 8 ; which he repeats again, 
 and therefore good for us to mark again : " I say now again, 
 If any man preach any other gospel unto you, than that which 
 ye have received, let him be accursed/' verse 9. 
 
 Yea, though the revelation or vision be not contrary to 
 the Scripture, yet if it be brought to try or confirm the doc- 
 trine of the gospel, it is not the Lord's ; for the doctrine of 
 the gospel is confirmed already, and that sufficiently. We 
 read, indeed, Heb. ii. 4, that when Peter was at first to go 
 and open a door to the gentiles, then the Lord did appear to 
 him in way of a vision ; but after that truth was confirmed, 
 that the gentiles should be called, then God appeared no 
 more by vision for the confirmation thereof. Now the 
 doctrines of the gospel are all confirmed by miracles and gifts 
 of the Holy Ghost; and therefore if any man have a revela- 
 tion, to try or confirm any gospel doctrine, it is a delusion of 
 Satan, not a revelation of God. 
 
 Though God may sometimes lead a man in extraordinary 
 ways, and work by ways and means extraordinary ; yet if a 
 man's heart be drawn off from the ordinary means by what 
 is extraordinary, it is not right. Mr. Greenham, famous for 
 resolving cases of conscience, being once asked, as his book 
 tells us, Whether there might now be visions, agreeable to 
 
 * Alter sanctorum patrum dum sibi dsemoni transfiguratus in Christum, dice- 
 ret, Ego sum Christus personalitur te visitans qui dignus es ; confestim clausit 
 oculos utraque manu vociferans, nolo hie Christum videre, satis est ipsum in 
 gloria si videro. Gersom. de Probatione Spirituum.
 
 SER. 1.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 419 
 
 the word ? he said, there might be such extraordinary ; but, 
 saith he, whoso is moved with them, and not with the word, 
 wherewith he is charged to be moved, and is not drawn the 
 more by the vision to the true means, that man's faith is 
 suspicious. And I pray, what is the reason why the Lord 
 will not have us to believe the prophet, in Deut. xiii., that 
 doth foretell such things as do come to pass ? The reason 
 is, because he seeks to turn you to other gods, whom ye 
 have not known ; and because he hath spoken to turn you 
 from the Lord your God, and from keeping his command- 
 ments. Do I therefore come unto you, and pretend visions 
 and revelations, that I may thereby turn a people from the 
 good ways and ordinances of Christ ? then I am a deceiver, 
 and if you receive me, or the pretended revelation, you are 
 deceived also. 
 
 Though God did speak to his people of old by visions and 
 revelations, and those were not always examined by the word 
 written ; yet now the Lord speaketh nothing to us in this 
 way, but what he will have examined by the word : for says 
 the apostle, " If an angel from heaven preach any other 
 gospel than what I have preached unto you, let him be ac- 
 cursed." * Surely therefore the very revelations are to 
 come under the examination of this word and gospel. And 
 therefore, if there be any revelation that refuses to be 
 examined by the word, it is a thief and a robber, an illusion 
 of Satan, a vagrant, and not sent by God. And if the 
 Scripture be that only lydius lapis, that touch-stone, whereby 
 all our gold is to be tried ; that light, whereby we are to try 
 all our revelations and visions ; then this Scripture light is 
 the more excellent light in compare with the other. 
 
 And thus now I have done with the first thing, which doth 
 pretend to much light in these days of ours ; namely, visions 
 and revelations. The Second followeth, namely, that of 
 dreams and voices. 
 
 * Est autetn moueta ista spiritualis revelationis tanquam aurea in quinque 
 principaliter examinanda, scil in pondere, iu flexibilitate, in durabilitate, in con- 
 figuratione et colore ; quartum signum est veritas ; eat namque sacra Scriptura 
 locus vel officina ubi cunus regius inoentrc spiritualis reconditur, quod si cum 
 aliquo vel minimo puncto d. narius discrepet in sua figuratione, et super Scrip- 
 tionem ad hoc cuno regis absque ulla dubitatione falsatus est. Gersom de distinct 
 verat. vision, a fal. page 584, torn. i. 
 
 E E 2
 
 420 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [ER. 
 
 SERMON II. 
 
 " We have also a more sure word of prophecy, ichereunto ye do well 
 that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the 
 day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts." 2 PETER i. 19. 
 
 INSTANCE II. As for dreams and voices, the Scripture or 
 the written word of God, is more excellent than those ; 
 and the light of Scripture is the best light in compare with 
 any light that may come from them. For, 
 
 1. In many dreams there is much vanity. Eccles. v. 7 ' 
 " In the multitude of dreams, and many words (saith Solo- 
 mon), there are also divers vanities ; but fear thou God." * It 
 seems then that the fear of God doth not consist with these. 
 Here is a check upon our attendance on these : but says the 
 apostle, " Let the word of God dwell in you richly ;" there 
 is no check on that. 
 
 2. Dreams are uncertain. Some are natural and some are 
 supernatural. It is an hard thing to know whether the 
 dream be natural or supernatural.t In case it be super- 
 natural : supernatural dreams are either diabolical, from the 
 devil ; or divine, from God : and it is an hard thing to know 
 whether it be of God, or from Satan. Some think, that if 
 dreams do greatly afflict and trouble the mind with some 
 sharp impression, then they are of God. " Because (says 
 Pilate's wife) I have suffered many things this night in a 
 dream :" and this dream of hers, say they, was of God. But 
 others think rather that it was from Satan, who would have 
 hindered the death of Christ, and so the great work of man's 
 redemption. But if ye look into Job vii. ye shall find that 
 he saith to God, " Thou scarest me with dreams :" yet it 
 was Satan that did it, for as before, when Satan by his in- 
 
 * Somnia ne cures nam fallunt somnia plures. 
 
 f Gregor. Moral, lib. 8. 
 
 Somnia $ TreuTrla, graviter animos somniantum feriebant, quod divinitus 
 immissorum somniorum est quasi proprium. Gerard in Gen. cap. xl. p. 705. 
 
 Somuia divinitus inspirata vehementer movent somniantem, habent impres- 
 siones valde acres, quale fait Pharaonis, in quo tanla fuit consternatio animi et 
 Kla<rte et sent i ret esse divinam quandam admonitionem. Luther in Gen. 31. 
 
 Circa cognitionem humanse mentis duo oportet considerate scil. representa- 
 tionem, rerum et judicium de rebus representatis si cui fiat divinitus represen- 
 tatio aliquarum rerum per similitudines imaginarias non est talis censendus pro- 
 pheta nisi illuminetur ejus mens ad judicandum. Aquin. 22. q. 173. art. 2.
 
 SER. 2.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 421 
 
 struments took all from Job, he saith, " The Lord hath 
 taken away ;" so here, when Satan vexed and scared him 
 with dreams, he saith to God, acknowledging his providence, 
 " Thou scarest me with dreams :" and yet I say it was 
 Satan, for he was put into Satan's hand, and whatever afflic- 
 tion he met with, it was from Satan and his instruments. 
 So that the trouble and suffering of the dream, doth not 
 argue that it is from God. It is a very hard thing to know 
 whether it be of God, or from Satan. And in case that the 
 dream be of God, yet it is an hard thing to know the mean- 
 ing and interpretation of it. For Pharaoh had a dream, but 
 all his magicians could not interpret it ; that was a work for 
 Joseph. And so, though Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, and 
 that might be of God, yet neither he nor his wise men could 
 tell the interpretation thereof; that was a work for Daniel, 
 the work of a prophet. A wicked man may have a dream 
 from God, but it requires the spirit of no less than a prophet 
 to give the interpretation thereof. But now, are we at such 
 uncertainties in reading the word ? Can none but a pro- 
 phet understand the Scripture ? The priests and levites 
 gave the sense of the word to the people ordinarily, yet 
 they were no prophets. The word of the Lord is a light 
 and lanthorn unto all our feet, plain and easy to be under- 
 stood, in all those things that are absolutely necessary unto 
 our salvation. 
 
 But may not God speak unto us by a dream now, if he 
 will? 
 
 Without doubt he may, if he please ; God is free. But 
 where do we find in Scripture, that dreams are an ordinance 
 of God now, wherein he hath commanded us to wait upon 
 him for the expectance of any mercy ? 
 
 And if God should speak to me by a dream, yet if I make 
 that a sign of mine own godliness, or of God's love to me, 
 then am I under a delusion ; for even wicked men have had 
 their dreams from God, Balaam, and Pharaoh, and Nebu- 
 chadnezzar, and others. Do I therefore dream a strange 
 dream, and conclude that therefore I am in God's love, 
 because he thus speaks to me ? then am I deceived. What 
 wise man is there in the world, that will or dare lay and ven- 
 ture his soul and salvation upon a dream, or the interpretation 
 of it ? But you may and must lay and venture your souls
 
 422 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [SfiR. 2. 
 
 and salvation upon the Scripture. Surely therefore the light 
 of dreams is not to be compared therewith. 
 
 But suppose that I have an immediate voice, is not that 
 to be compared with the Scripture ? 
 
 An immediate voice, say you. Either that immediate 
 voice is from hell or from heaven : if it come from hell, to 
 report and certify you of the torments thereof, that you may 
 repent of your sins, then hear what our Saviour saith of that 
 in compare with the Scripture : Luke xvi. 31, " They have 
 Moses and the prophets, and if they hear not Moses and the 
 prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose 
 from the dead." And if that voice which you have, do come 
 from heaven, then either it is the voice of an angel or of 
 God himself. If it be the voice of an angel, then see what 
 the apostle saith of that in compare with the word and 
 Scripture : Gal. i. 8, " Though we or an angel from heaven 
 preach any other gospel unto you, than that which we have 
 preached unto you, let him be accursed :" and this is that 
 gospel which we have now written in this book of the Gala- 
 tians. And if the voice which you have do come from God 
 himself, then see what the apostle saith here of that in com- 
 pare with the Scripture: verse 17, " There came a voice to 
 Christ, from the excellent glory, saying, This is my beloved 
 Son ; and this voice which came from heaven, we heard." 
 Verse 19, " And we have also a more sure word of prophesy, 
 which is the written word ;" for saith he, " No prophesy of 
 Scripture," &c. So that ye see, this written word of God, 
 or the Scripture, is beyond all dreams and immediate voices. 
 It may be some will say, But may not God speak by an 
 immediate voice to a soul now ? To which I answer, What 
 God may do is one thing ; and what he doth in the way of 
 a settled ordinance, wherein we are to wait on him and 
 expect from him, is another thing. Ye read in Heb. i. 1, 2, 
 thus : " God who at sundry times and in divers manners, 
 spake in time past by the prophets, hath in these last days 
 spoken by his Son." In time past he spake by visions, 
 dreams and voices. If there be such an ordinance still, 
 wherein we are still to wait on God, why doth the apostle 
 make this difference between times past, and the present 
 time of the Son ? Nay, says Luther, but there is such a 
 sufficiency in the Scripture, that though some men should
 
 SER. 2.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 423 
 
 have visions, dreams and voices ; yet the Scripture is so full, 
 that nee euro, nee desidero, I neither care for nor desire 
 them. I read of a certain woman, a religious lady of the 
 empress' bed-chamber, whose name was Gregoria, that being 
 much troubled about her salvation, did write to Gregory, 
 that she would never cease importuning hrm until he had 
 sent her word that he had received a revelation from heaven 
 that she should be saved : to whom he returned this answer, 
 Rem difficilem postulas, et inutilem ; Thou desirest an hard 
 matter and unprofitable ; hard for me to obtain, and unpro- 
 fitable for thyself to have. And so say I, if any should 
 come to me, desiring to implore God for such a voice, or 
 dream, or revelation ; I must answer, Man or woman, thou 
 desirest an hard work for me to do, and a thing unprofitable 
 for thyself to have. Thou hast the Scriptures, go search the 
 Scriptures, wait thou upon God therein ; for in them are the 
 words of eternal life : they are a sure and a safe light, more 
 sure, safe and certain, than all revelations, visions, dreams, or 
 immediate voices. And thus I have done with the second 
 instance. 
 
 Instance III. As for impressions made upon the soul, 
 whether by a particular word or without it ; the Scripture, or 
 the written word of God, is more sure than those ; and the 
 light thereof, the best and most excellent light in compare 
 with the light of impressions. For, 
 
 1. Impressions, though good, are not our daily food. 
 Aqua vitas, or strong water, is good in a quothing, fainting 
 fit, but it is not good to make it our daily drink. So here, 
 in case the soul be in a fainting fit, it is good to have the 
 impression of some particular word or scripture: but this 
 impression is not daily food; the word of God written is 
 our appointed food, our daily food, whether it come with 
 impression or without impression ; this is that food and 
 heritage which under God we must live upon. Ps. cxix. 111. 
 
 2. If all that light and comfort which men have from 
 impressions be derived from the word, then the Scripture 
 must be more excellent; for that which makes excellent, is 
 more excellent ; that which makes comfortable, is more com- 
 fortable. But look whatever light and comfort a man hath 
 from the setting on, or impression of a particular word, is
 
 424 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [SER. 2. 
 
 from the word itself; for if any impression have not the im- 
 pression and stamp of the word upon it, it is adulterate coin. 
 3. There may be much danger in walking and living by 
 impressions, whether with or without a word. Good people 
 are very apt and prone to walk and live by impressions, but 
 it is a dangerous thing so to do; thereby some are nursed up 
 in ignorance, and seek for no other knowledge in the study 
 of the Scriptures, by comparing spiritual things with spiri- 
 tual: thereby some are always kept unsettled in their spiritual 
 state and condition ; for if a word come, then they have 
 comfort ; but when none come, then doth their comfort fail : 
 thereby also some are misled and carried from the good 
 ways of God and his ordinances ; for, I pray, what is the 
 reason that so many, in these days of cur's, have departed 
 from the ordinances of Christ, but because they took up 
 truths by impressions, ordinances of Christ by impressions, 
 and the good ways of God by impressions ; and so when 
 false impressions came, they presently swallowed them, and 
 have proved apostates ; yea, and how many are there, who 
 lie sucking the sweetness of the impression, do lose the 
 sweetness of that very word which is impressed : as with a 
 lamb or child that is sucking ; though the child suck the teat 
 or breast for a time, yet if you draw away the breast or teat, 
 and give it a dry finger, it doth suck that. So it is with 
 many ; first they suck the sweetness of some particular word 
 that is set on the soul : but when they live and walk by im- 
 pressions, what do they then but suck the dry finger, the very 
 impression ? and so do lose the sweetness of the word itself. 
 But now take the word of God written, and there is no 
 danger in living and walking by it ; it is our duty to walk 
 and to live thereby. 
 
 But is there no use then of impressions with or without a 
 particular word ? Is there no light that doth shine through 
 them? 
 
 I answer, Yea, much, for they comfort in time of tempta- 
 tion, desertion or affliction. In case a man be in the dark, 
 and God doth give out some particular word, setting it with 
 power on his soul, it is much comfort to him. 
 
 Or in case a man be in some straits, not knowing which 
 way to take. Two ways may be before him, both comforta- 
 ble, both lawful ; yet a man is troubled, and would fain go
 
 SER. 2.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 425 
 
 that way wherein he may do God most service. If a parti- 
 cular word be set upon his heart, whereby he is inclined one 
 way rather than another, it may be some guide to him. 
 
 Or in case that a man doth see his way clear before him, 
 yet knows that he shall meet with many difficulties and much 
 opposition; if now God do give out a particular word to him, 
 it will strengthen his heart and hands much, as in that case 
 of Joshua, chap. i. 
 
 But though God do speak much by impressions some- 
 times, and there is much light and comfort riseth in the soul 
 by them ; yet, 
 
 If I do make an impression the certain judge of doctrines, 
 then am I much deceived. This is the great privilege of the 
 Scripture, saith the protestant, against the papists, to be the 
 only judge of doctrines and controversies. Indeed God may 
 please to open a place of Scripture to the soul, in the im- 
 printing of it; but to make an impression the certain judge 
 of a doctrine, is without doubt a great error : for where do 
 we find that ever God hath appointed an impression unto 
 this chair. You read of Mr. Fox, that blessed man who 
 wrote the Book of Martyrs, that he had so great and deep an 
 impression made upon his soul, concerning the meaning of a 
 scripture, that he thought he could not be deceived therein. 
 He tells the story twice, once in the ' History of the Ten 
 Persecutions of the Primitive Times/ and once in his Com- 
 mentary on Rev. xiii. The scripture opened and sensed to 
 him, was verse 5 of that chapter : " And he shall continue 
 forty-two months." Writing, saith he, the story of the ten 
 persecutions, I was so much affected therewith, that I even 
 expostulated with God, why he would suffer his people to 
 suffer such cruel things; and why he would not tell his church 
 and servants when the time of the end of their trouble should 
 be : whereupon, saith he, being in this sad conflict in my own 
 soul, I heard a voice, saith the English relation, but the latin 
 thus ; Sine voce tamen ; only I did not hear a voice, but had 
 vehementem cogitationis impressionem, a vehement impression 
 of mind, which whispered thus to me ; Oh, thou fool, count 
 these months by Sabbaths, as the weeks of Daniel are counted 
 by Sabbaths ; which I did, says he, with the help of some 
 godly merchants, and found the years to be two hundred 
 and ninety-four, just the time of the ten persecutions: doubt-
 
 426 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [SfiR. 2. 
 
 less, therefore, this is the time of the beast, and herein I was 
 fully satisfied.* Yet this cannot be the true meaning of that 
 text, as is confessed by all hands ; for this beast that is to 
 continue forty-two months, doth receive his power from the 
 dragon ; therefore it is not the time of the dragon, but the 
 red dragon ; that is, the heathen Roman emperor did perse- 
 cute the woman, Rev. xii. standing before her, to devour the 
 man child, the seed of the church, as soon as she was deli- 
 vered, verses 2 and 3. Yet this good and holy man thought, 
 that that must needs be the meaning of the forty- two months, 
 because the interpretation came to him with such an impres- 
 sion. Possibly, therefore, a good man may be much deceived 
 by impressions, especially when they come with a particular 
 word. But where do we find in all the Scripture, that we are 
 to judge of doctrines by impressions ? No, but by the writ- 
 ten word of God ; that is the only rule whereby we must 
 judge, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things, and 
 one scripture with another. 
 
 Though there may be much comfort found in the way of 
 impressions, especially coming with a word, yet if the word 
 be not set upon the heart, according to the true sense and 
 scope of it, we have cause to fear that the impression is not 
 of God, but an illusion of Satan. For where do we find in 
 Scripture, that ever God did set a word upon the soul, but in 
 the true sense and scope of it ? The devil brought a word to 
 Christ, and applied it, not according to the true scope thereof; 
 " Cast thyself down (says he) ; he shall give his angels charge 
 over thee :" this was not according to the scope of the Scrip- 
 ture. But if God set on a scripture with a deep impression, 
 
 * Nomen illius qui responsum accepit non hie edo, nee opus est : fluctuant! in 
 hunc modum hominis animo multumque secum cogitanti do his rebus, tandem 
 felicior quaedam Divini (ut reor) neminis gratia, quse arcano quodam admonitionis 
 sibilo velut respondens sine voce tamen at non sine vehement! cogitationis impres- 
 sione, subito in mentem eis suggerit vel increpat potius stulte numera hos menses 
 quern admodum Daniel numerit suas hebdomadas per septenarium numerum an- 
 norum, qui anni si rite supputentur faciunt 294, rem ipsam ita ut gesta est vera, 
 simplicique narratione adnotandum duxi, Deus mihi testis nee mentior nee singo 
 nee muto quicquam, nee postulo ut quisquam riloiQ TOI? ^pr^ctitTp.tvo^Q, fidem 
 adhibeat nisi velit qui non velit, ipse de sua tripode, adferat meliora, mea quidem 
 ita fert ratio ut credam Christum nee mortuum esse nee mutum, quorsum in ec- 
 clesia templum Dei aut in templo oraculum cum propitiatorio si nemo in cselis sit 
 qui in dubiis Scripture locis vobis interpellantium respondeat. Foxus in Apoc. 
 xiii. page 216.
 
 SER. 2.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 427 
 
 it was always according to the true sense and scope of the 
 scripture. For example, Nehemiah being at prayer, as ye 
 read chap, i., God gave him a word, with a sweet impression, 
 and it was according to the true sense thereof. So Acts iv ; 
 the apostles were at prayer, and God gave a word to them 
 out of the iind Psalm, and it was according to the true scope 
 thereof. Where do we find that ever God did set on a par- 
 ticular word, but according to the true meaning of it ? Have 
 I therefore an impression with a word ? yet if the word be 
 not set on my soul, according to the true meaning and scope 
 of it, then have I cause to fear that it is rather a delusion of 
 Satan, than the impression of God. 
 
 Though the impression be of God, yet if the application 
 be beyond the impression, I am still in an error. There is 
 an impression of a word, and there is the application of it : 
 the impression may be God's, and the application may be mine 
 own. The Lord gave Abraham a word, that his seed should 
 be as the stars ; but he made a false application thereof when 
 he went unto Hagar for the fulfilling of that word. So the 
 Lord gave a word to Eliphaz, Job iv. 12, " Now a thing was 
 secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof; 
 fear came upon me and trembling : (verse 14) then a spirit 
 passed before my face, it stood still, but I could not discern 
 it : then I heard a voice, saying, Shall mortal man be more 
 just than God," verse 15. Here was an impression with a 
 word, and this was from God ; but he applies this to and 
 against Job, chapter v. 1 ; the impression was of God, but 
 the application was his own. Possibly, then, a man may have 
 an impression from God with a word, yet the application may 
 be his own ; but though the impression be never so full and 
 deep, yet if the application be beyond the impression, he is 
 still in an error. And therefore, seeing that it is an easy 
 thing, and usual, even for the children of Abraham to make 
 application beyond the impression, the safest, surest way, is 
 to keep close to the written word of God, which is both the 
 judge of all our doctrines, and the only rule of all our prac- 
 tices ; and therefore above and beyond all impressions, whe- 
 ther with or without a word. And thus I have done with the 
 third instance. 
 
 Instance IV. As for that light and law of grace which is
 
 428 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [SER. 2. 
 
 in the saints, the light of the Scripture is beyond and more 
 excellent than that. For, 
 
 The light and law within us here is imperfect, for we see 
 but in part, and know in part ; 1 Cor. xiii. 9, " Now we see 
 through a glass darkly." And lest any man should think that 
 Paul spake this only of some babes in Christ, he speaketh 
 out yet more expressly, putting himself into the number ; 
 verse 12, " Now I know in part;" and this in part is set in 
 opposition to what is perfect, for says he, verse 9, " We know 
 in part, and prophesy in part; but when that which is perfect 
 is come," &c. verse 10. So that whatever law, or light, or 
 knowledge is within us now is imperfect, but the word of 
 God written, the Scripture and the light thereof, is perfect : 
 for says the Psalmist, " The law of the Lord is perfect," 
 Psalm xix. 
 
 The law of grace within, and the light within, is not able 
 to convince others. If I feel a light and law within me, and 
 say, This must needs be so, for I find it thus within me, I 
 have a light within me for it ; this will not convince another. 
 But the Scripture, by the breathing of the Spirit of God with 
 it, will convince another, and is able to convince another : 
 Titus i. 9, " Holding fast the faithful word, that he may be 
 able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convince gain- 
 sayers." How are gainsayers to be convinced then ? What, 
 by the light or law within ? No, but by sound doctrine fetch- 
 ed from the faithful word. 
 
 Is there, then, no use of the law, and light, and Spirit 
 within us: doth not God speak and direct thereby? 
 
 Yea, " The spirit of a man (saith Solomon) is the candle 
 of the Lord, searching all the inward rooms of the belly ." 
 When God doth set up a light or candle in the soul, he may 
 thereby go into all the inward chambers of the soul, dis- 
 covering those heaps of sin that are in the soul. 
 
 Yea, This inward law and light doth not only discover 
 evil, but it doth incline to good, and strongly incline the 
 soul thereunto ; therefore it is called a law : not because it is 
 a rule to us (for the body of death and sin is called the law 
 in your members), but because of its power and force to 
 incline the soul unto what is good. 
 
 Yea, it doth not only incline a man unto what is good, but 
 it enables him thereunto. It is that principle upon which
 
 SER. 2.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 429 
 
 all his good actions grow, and from whence they spring. All 
 true good must proceed from a good principle ; and this law, 
 and light, and Spirit within, is that principle whereby a man 
 is enabled unto what is good. But, 
 
 Though the law, and light, and Spirit within us, be 
 a principle of good, yet it is not the rule of our goodness or 
 lives. For, 
 
 If the law, and light, and Spirit within, be our rule, then 
 what need the Scripture or the word without any longer ? 
 But the Scripture and the word of God written, is a rule 
 still, it is settled in heaven, and doth endure for ever. Psalm 
 cxix. 89, " For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven." 
 And saith Paul to Timothy, " I charge thee, in the sight of 
 God, that thou keep this commandment until the appearing 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ," 1st epist. vi. 14. Timothy doth 
 not live in person to the appearing of Christ, but those that 
 succeed him do and shall, unto whom this charge is made. 
 And if ye look into chap. iii. ye find that Paul saith to him, 
 " These things write I to thee, that thou mayest know how 
 thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God :" yet 
 Timothy had a light, and law, and Spirit of God within him. 
 So that though a man have the Spirit, light, and law within 
 him, he is yet to be ruled by the word of God written ; the 
 Scripture and the word written is yet to be a rule unto him ; 
 and as many as walk according to this rule, peace shall be 
 upon them. 
 
 But if the Spirit that is in me, be the same Spirit with 
 that which did write the Scripture, what need I wait on or 
 be ruled by the word without, or the Scripture, any longer ? 
 
 I answer, Because when the Spirit cornes, it takes of the 
 things of Christ, and opens them to you. It is sent to open 
 the Scripture to you, not to take away the Scripture from 
 you ; it is not sent to be your rule, but to be your help to 
 understand the rule. 
 
 Because, although ye have the same Spirit which did write 
 the Scriptures, yet you have not the same inspiration of the 
 Spirit. All believers in Paul's time had the same Spirit that 
 Paul had, but not the same inspiration of the Spirit; that is 
 very diverse. The apostle speaking of diversities of gifts, 1 
 Cor. xii. 1 1, " But (saith he) all these worketh that one and 
 the self-same Spirit, dividing to every one as it pleaseth
 
 430 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [SfiR. 2. 
 
 him." So that though a man have the same Spirit where- 
 with the Scripture was written, yet he may not have the 
 same inspiration. But because people understand not this, 
 therefore they think that if they have the same Spirit, they 
 may lay by the Scripture as to their rule. But, 
 
 If the law, and light, and Spirit that is in me, be my rule; 
 then I may do any thing without sin : I may whore, be 
 drunk, steal, or any thing without sin ; for it is no sin to do 
 what the rule commands me. And if the Spirit, light, and 
 law within, do command me to do it, it is no sin to me, 
 because my rule commands me to do it, and sin is a trans- 
 gression of a rule. But the law, light and Spirit may com- 
 mand me to do such things as these, if it be my rule ; for it 
 may command any thing but sin, but it cannot be sin if the 
 Spirit do command, for the very commanding of the Spirit 
 takes off the sin of the action, because the rule commands 
 it. Oh, what abominable practices will this doctrine lead a 
 man into, namely, that the law, light and Spirit within, is his 
 rule. 
 
 Yea, if the law, and light, and Spirit that is in me, be my 
 rule, then am I my own rule, and so I am God ; for he that 
 is his own rule, is God. But if the law, and light, and Spirit 
 within me, be my rule, then am I my own rule ; and what is 
 all this but horrid blasphemy ? Surely therefore the law and 
 the word without me, is not my rule. Though the law, and 
 light, and Spirit in me, be my principle ; yet it is not my 
 rule, that is the word and Scripture only. 
 
 Though the law, and light, and Spirit within, be a great 
 help unto us in our way to life, yet it must be tried by the 
 word written ; for if it be not tried by the Scripture, then it 
 must be tried by nothing. But, John i. 4, he saith, " Try 
 the spirits, whether they be of God or no." That law, 
 or light, or Spirit within you, is Christ in you ; but Christ in 
 you, is to be tried or examined: 2 Cor. xiii. 5, " Examine 
 yourselves, whether you be in the faith, prove your own 
 souls ; know ye not that Christ is in you, unless ye be repro- 
 bates ? " And if Christ without us, Christ in the days of his 
 flesh, did submit himself to the trial of the Scriptures, 
 " Search the Scriptures (saith he) for they testify of me ;" 
 then surely the Spirit of Christ in us, will not refuse the 
 same : Christ in us, is not more privileged than Christ with-
 
 SER. 2.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 431 
 
 out us ; but Christ without us was tried by the Scriptures, 
 therefore Christ within us much more. And if all that 
 light, and law, and Spirit within us, be to be tried by the 
 Scripture, then surely the light of the word written, is a 
 more excellent light than that light which is within. And 
 thus I have now done with the fourth instance. 
 
 Instance V. As for experience, Christian experience ; the 
 word of God written, and the light thereof, is more excellent 
 than experience, and the light of it, simply considered. For 
 so much light as there is in experience, is borrowed from the 
 Scripture and the word of God written. 
 
 It is short of the Scripture ; for Scripture light extendeth 
 unto all our actions, a light unto our paths. There is no- 
 thing hid from the light thereof, no duty incumbent upon 
 us that is hid from the light thereof. But though I have 
 much experience in this way, yet I may have little or none 
 in another. My experience cannot say, Nothing is hid from 
 me, and from my light. 
 
 Though experience be a great help to our faith, yet take it 
 alone, abstracted from the word, and it cannot heal our un- 
 belief. The staff that is in a man's hand, is a good help to 
 him, but it cannot heal his lameness. So is this staff of 
 experience, though it be a good help in my way, yet it cannot 
 heal the lameness of my unbelieving heart ; but the word 
 can, and the Scripture doth. 
 
 Is there then no use of our experiences ? Is there no 
 light therein ? 
 
 Yea, much, for it bringeth forth hope ; experience worketh 
 hope : Rom. v, " Tribulation worketh patience, patience 
 experience, and experience hope," verses 4, 5. Here is the 
 genealogy of hope ; but the next parent of hope is experi- 
 ence. "So the poor hath hope," Job v. 16. How so? 
 He counteth up many experiments, and when he hath done, 
 he concludes thus, " So the poor hath hope." It is experi- 
 ence then which doth work hope. 
 
 But though experience be the parent of hope, yet it is 
 not the ground of our faith ; it is an help unto faith, but not 
 the first ground of our faith. The scripture and the pro- 
 mise under Christ is ; Rom. xv. 4, " Whatever things were 
 written afore time, were written for our learning, that we 
 through patience, and comfort of the Scriptures, might have
 
 432 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [SfiR. 2. 
 
 hope." So that the Scripture and the word of God written, 
 is the first ground of our faith and hope. 
 
 And though we have much experience, yet if we do not 
 trust in the word of promise under Christ, over and beyond 
 all our experience, we do evil. 
 
 And if all our experience is to be reduced to the word 
 written, then the Scripture is more excellent than all expe- 
 rience ; but all our experience is to be reduced unto Scrip- 
 ture. Surely therefore the Scripture, or the word of God 
 written, is more excellent than all experience, and the light 
 thereof. And thus I have done with the fifth instance. 
 
 Instance VI. As for divine providence, the Scripture is a 
 more sure light than it. For, 
 
 God doth sometimes try us by his providence ; he doth 
 sometimes lay a providential dispensation before us, to try 
 and see what we will do. So he led the children of Israel in 
 the wilderness forty years to try them, and to know what they 
 would do, and to humble them. But the Scripture is the 
 rule of our doing, and therefore a more safe and sure light to 
 walk by. 
 
 And if the providence of God extendeth unto all our actions, 
 good and evil, and to evil as well as unto what is good ; then 
 there is no certain rule or judgment to be made up from 
 thence. Now so it is, that the providence of God extendeth 
 unto all our sins : the Jews crucified Christ, God's provi- 
 dences did extend unto that; " Being delivered up by the 
 determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have ta- 
 ken, and by wicked hands ye have crucified him," Acts ii. 23. 
 When Jonah fled from God, there was then present a ship that 
 was bound for Tarshish : here was a providence. And when 
 Joseph's brethren sold him into Egypt, there came by certain 
 merchants who did trade into Egypt : here was a providence. 
 Now if the providence of God do thus extend to our very 
 sins, then we cannot make up our judgment, our rule from a 
 bare providence; but you may make up your judgment and 
 rule from the Scripture and the word of God written. 
 
 Doth not God speak by providence ; guide and direct by 
 providence sometimes ? 
 
 Yea, he doth sometimes guide us with his eye, as the 
 Psalmist speaks. Thus when the king could not sleep, he 
 called for the records, and found therein that Mordecai had
 
 SER. 2.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 433 
 
 been faithful to him ; the providential eye of God did guide 
 the king to do something for Mordecai. And when Abra- 
 ham's servant prayed, and the damsel came forth to meet him 
 according to his prayer, the providence of God did lead and 
 guide to that marriage of Isaac and Rebecca. 
 
 But though the Lord doth sometimes guide us with the 
 eye of his providence ; yet if I make the providence of God 
 the rule of lawfulness or unlawfulness, then am I in a great 
 error, and exposed thereby unto all sin ; for then may I say, 
 if I be tempted to kill or murder myself, the providence of 
 God is the rule of lawfulness or unlawfulness. Now here is 
 a knife, a rope, a pond, or an instrument of death, which 
 falls in my way by unexpected providence, therefore I will 
 and must now murder myself. Understand the thing rightly 
 therefore I pray you, thus : In case that two things are 
 before me, and both are lawful; providence opening a door 
 to one, and shutting the door upon the other, it doth direct 
 to that one, and not to the other. But the providence of 
 God doth not make a thing lawful, which is in itself un- 
 lawful. It doth direct us'in doing of a thing lawful, but it 
 doth not make a thing lawful ; it is not the rule of lawfulness 
 or unlawfulness. But the Scripture and the word of God is, 
 it is the only rule whereby I may and must make up my 
 judgment of lawfulness and unlawfulness ; it is that only 
 which doth stamp lawfulness upon an action. Surely there- 
 fore the light of the Scripture, is more excellent light, than 
 divine providence. And thus I have done with the sixth 
 instance. 
 
 Instance VII. As for human reason and the light thereof, 
 Scripture light is more excellent than it. For, 
 
 Though human reason be a beam of divine wisdom, yet if 
 it be not enlightened with an higher light of the gospel, it 
 cannot reach unto the things of God as it should ; it is panis 
 pauperum, the poor man's bread, compared by some to the 
 dough which the Israelites brought out of Egypt, which was 
 prepared with much labour, and then called panis pauperum, 
 Deut. xvi. 3. But the word of God in the Scriptures is 
 compared to manna, called the bread of angels ; for the gos- 
 pel did come down from heaven in a special manner; for 
 though reason be the gift of God, yet it doth proceed from 
 God as he is God and general Ruler of the world : but the 
 F F
 
 434 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [SER. 2. 
 
 gospel, and the light thereof, did proceed from the Father by 
 the Son to the church ; Rev. xxii. 1, " And he shewed me a 
 pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of 
 the throne of God and of the Lamb," John i. 17, 18.* 
 
 Though reason be the gift of God, and a beam of the 
 wisdom of God, yet it cannot sufficiently discover a man's 
 sins unto him ; not his secret sins, not his original sin, not 
 his sin of unbelief, and against the gospel ; but the word of 
 God, the Scripture light, can and doth. 
 
 And as mere human reason cannot make a sufficient disco- 
 very of sin, so it cannot strengthen against sin and tempta- 
 tion : temptations answered by reason will return again ; it 
 cannot convert the soul. " But the word of the Lord is 
 perfect, converting the soul," Psalm xix. 
 
 Though the light of reason be good, yet it is not a saving 
 light. How many are there in the world, who have strong 
 reason, yet shall go to hell, and miscarry to all eternity ? 
 But the light of the Scripture, gospel light, is saving light. 
 Surgunt indocti, said a great bishop and learned man, et ca- 
 piunt calum et nos cum omni doctrina nostra trudimur in in- 
 fernum. Poor men arise, and take the kingdom of heaven 
 by force, when we with all our learning are thrust into hell. 
 Why so ? The poor receive the gospel ; not many wise, not 
 many learned. " Father, I thank thee (saith Christ) thou 
 hast revealed these things to babes." It is revelation light 
 from the gospel that doth bring to heaven : mere human rea- 
 son cannot do it. 
 
 Is there then no use of reason and of the light thereof? 
 
 Yea, much, not only in civil things, but in the things of 
 God, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.f Did not 
 Christ himself make use of reason to prove the resurrection : 
 There is a resurrection (saith he), for God is not the God 
 of the dead but of the living. If God be the God of Abra- 
 ham, then Abraham must rise again; but he is the God of 
 
 * Morn. Prefat. Lib de vera relig. Prefat. Lib. de Euch. 
 
 Ames, de traductione peccatoris ad vitam et de lumine naturae et gratise. Dr. 
 Voet. de ratione humana de rebus fidei. 
 
 Alting. Loo. com. pars i. Loc. 2. dg. 
 
 Tune solum vere Deum cognoscimus quando ipsum esse credimus supra omne 
 id quod de Deo cogitari ab homine possibile est. 
 
 Aquin. contra Gent. Lib. i. cap. 5. 6. 
 
 t Dr. Voeti. de ratione humana in rebus fidei. p. 5 7. .
 
 SER. 2.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 435 
 
 Abraham, for he is not the God of the dead but of the liv- 
 ing.* Here he makes use of reason : so the apostles after 
 him. Surely, therefore, we are not so to adhere to the letter 
 of the scripture, as to deny the use of our reason in finding 
 out the true sense and meaning of the scripture ; for then we 
 must hold with the papists, that the bread in the Lord's sup- 
 per is turned into the body of Christ, for the letter saith, 
 " This is my body." Reason is of great use, even in the 
 things of God ; and well hath he said, Contra rationem nemo 
 sobrius ; Against reason, no man is sober ; against Scripture, 
 no man is a Christian ; and against the church, no man is 
 peaceable.f But, 
 
 Though there be a good use of reason even in the things 
 of God, yet reason is but the drawer of water, an handmaid ; 
 and therefore if Hagar will perk above her mistress, the 
 Scripture, she must be turned out of doors.J 
 
 And though you do make use of your reason in the things 
 of God, yet if you will not yield unto Scripture truth and 
 gospel truth, until you can see reason for the thing believed, 
 and how in a way of human reason such a thing can be; then 
 you are in a great error. For as Luther speaks, in the matter 
 of the gospel, we must shut our eyes, and go blindfold into 
 the commandments of God. " The wisdom of the world 
 (saith the apostle) looks upon gospel truths as foolishness :" 
 and as none know the things of a man, but the spirit of man; 
 so none know the things of God, but the Spirit of God ; 
 therefore not by human reason only. The sun is not seen 
 but by the light of the sun ; nor Christ, but by the light of 
 Christ. This know first, says the apostle in this text, though 
 you do attend to the word of prophecy, yet you must have 
 the Spirit of God, not human reason only. Why ? For as 
 it was written, so it must be understood ; but " all prophecy 
 of Scripture was written by the inspiration of the Spirit, and 
 did not come from man." The schoolmen speak well: Rea- 
 
 * Rationis in Theologia usus, Alting. pars i. loc. 209. 
 
 f Contra rationem nemo sobrius, contra Scripturam nemo christianus, contra 
 ecclesiam nemo pacificus. 
 
 J Km OTT TO. vTTtp (bvffiv i TI] (bvffft yoo^uiva Kaara. TIJ citav ^vvapiv, 
 a$vi/a.TO Kara TOV \oyov rt]f tyvoiwc Troujra 3eu TW Trapa.ga.fftv. 
 Justin Martyr. Q. 107. 
 
 F F2
 
 436 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [SfiR. 2. 
 
 sons before faith lessen and diminish it; after faith they 
 strengthen it.* 
 
 Though you do make use of reason in the things of God, 
 yet your very reason is to be mortified, crucified ; Crucifiga- 
 mus istam pestem, quare, says Luther; We must crucify that 
 pest and plague. Why ? Deus non vult, non esse quaristas, 
 vel rationistas ; God would not have us that are Christians, to 
 be querists or vvherefore-ists : naked, simple obedience is best 
 in the eyes of God. With man, says he, we must consider, 
 Quid, what it is that is commanded ; but in our obedience to 
 God, we must consider, Quis, who it is that commandeth. 
 And this is to be the ground of our faith and obedience ; as 
 we must renounce our will, so we must deny our reason. But 
 we must not deny the Scripture, nor crucify the Scripture, 
 nor renounce the Scripture. Surely, therefore, the light of 
 the Scripture, and the word written, is beyond and more ex- 
 cellent than all human reason and the light thereof, f And 
 thus I have done with the seventh instance. 
 
 Instance VIII. As for judicial astrology. That is another 
 
 * Quid Athenis et Hirosolymis ? quid aoademia et ecclesia ? quid hsereticis et 
 christianis ? nostra institutio de porticu Salomonis. Tertul. de Prescript. 
 
 Kt yap ot<70o^a pwpoi, &c. valde stulti sunt, qui rationibus maxime per- 
 mittunt quae non licet invenire nisi per fidem, ex philosophia res divinas velle in- 
 telligere est candens ferrum non forcipe sed digitis contrectare. Chrysostom. 1 
 Cor. Horn. 5. 
 
 Aufer argumenta ubi fides queritur. Ambros. Lib. de fide. cap. v. 
 
 Si quis potest intelligere Deo gratias agat, si non potest non immittat cornua ad 
 ventilandum, sed submittat caput ad venerandum. Anselm. Ep. de Fide arvo. 
 Pap. cap. ii. 
 
 Laudatur maria, quod rationem fide prevenit, et punitur Zacbarias quod fidem 
 ratione tantavit. Bern. Epist. 109. 
 
 Rationes precedentes minunt fidem subsequentes augent. 
 
 "f Dicimus nullam rationem humanam esse principium quo seu per quod aut ex 
 quo seu cur credamus aut fundamentum aut legem aut normam credendorum ex 
 cunis prescripto judecemus, &c. Dr. Voet. de ratione humana in rebus fidei, 
 Disp. Select, pars prima. 
 
 Transeundum est e navicula rationis Verulam. 
 
 Apud Aristotelem argumentum est ratio rei dubiae faciens fidem sed apud Chris- 
 tum argumentum est fides faciens rationem. Altisodoren. prefat. sum. 
 
 Si quis idiota tali philosopho qualis Aristot. aut Pythagoras fuit de rerum prin- 
 cipiis obstreperet nonne audiret arrogans et insaniens at quanto major est insania, 
 ideo non credere divinae philosophise quod multa non assequatur humanis intellec- 
 tus. Erasmus in Symb. Catech. 
 
 Tantum abest ut humana ratio fidei sit mensura ut ne naturae quidem propter 
 ignorantiam et pravitatem esse possit. Morn, prefat. Lib. de Vera Religione.
 
 SER. 2.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 437 
 
 thing that is cried up as a great means of light in these 
 dark times of ours. Thereby men will undertake to tell how 
 things may be found that are lost ; what persons shall be 
 joined together in marriage; what shall be the issue and end 
 of suits in law and diseases ; what ends men shall come to in 
 reference to their lives ; and what plagues and mortalities in 
 commonwealths ; and what not. This is, I say, this judicial 
 astrology is cried up as a great light in these days of ours, 
 but is, in truth, a work of darkness; for where do we find in 
 Scripture, that God doth command any of his people to at- 
 tend upon astrologers (or star-gazers, as the word calls them) 
 for any such things as these. We are forbidden to learn the 
 way of the heathen in fearing the signs of heaven ; Jer. x. 2, 
 and Deut. xviii. 9, " Thou shalt not learn to do after the abo- 
 minations of those nations." Wherein ? Verse 10, " There 
 shall not be found amongst you any that maketh his son to 
 pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of 
 times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a necroman- 
 cer." The observation of times is one of these things. These 
 were the ways of the nations, these things were abomination 
 to the Lord, these things cannot stand with a perfect heart, 
 verse 13, "Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God." 
 
 This destroys prophecy ; for if a man can foretel future 
 things by the stars, then what need of prophecy ? The Lord 
 tells us in the xlviith of Isaiah, that he will bring evil upon 
 his people, which they with all their astrologers should not be 
 able to foresee and hide themselves from : verse 11, "There- 
 fore shall evil come upon thee, and thou shalt not know 
 whence it riseth." No ! but we will, might they say, go unto 
 our astrologers. Do so, says God, verse 12, " Stand now 
 with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sor- 
 ceries, if so be thou mayest be able to profit:" and verse 13, 
 " Let now the astrologers, the star-gazers, the monthly prog- 
 nosticators stand up and save thee : behold they shall be as 
 stubble," vei-se 14. If astrologers and star-gazers can fore- 
 tel the several changes in states and commonwealths, and 
 what great things shall come to pass therein, and how they 
 come to pass ; then why doth God say here, that in spite of 
 all them, thou shalt not know whence this evil comes ? verse 
 11. Surely, therefore, such things as these are not to be 
 read in the book of the heavens.
 
 438 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [SfiR. 2. 
 
 But is there no light of knowledge to be had from the stars, 
 and do not the heavens teach and declare the Lord's handy- 
 work : will ye condemn all astronomy ? 
 
 Astronomy ? No. There is much difference between as- 
 tronomy, the lawful knowledge of the stars, and judicial as- 
 trology, whereby men would foretel all events. I grant, first, 
 that there is a teaching work in the heavens ; " The heavens 
 declare the glory of the Lord/' and so do all the creatures ; 
 yet this teaching is not able to convert the soul : and there- 
 fore when the Psalmist had said in the xixth Psalm, " The 
 heavens declare," &c., he comes to shew where the true con- 
 verting teaching is to be found, even in the Scriptures ; verse 
 7, " The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul." 
 Secondly, I grant, also, that the stars are for signs ; so the 
 word saith, Gen. i. 14, " Let there be lights in the firmament, 
 to divide the day from the night ; and let them be for signs, 
 and for seasons, and for days, and for years." But how for 
 signs ? Of the weather : as the sun when it setteth with a 
 red sky, foresheweth a fair day to follow. Matt. xvi. 2. Yea, 
 and sometimes they import and are signs of God's displea- 
 sure. Luke xxi. 25. Ordinarily they are for signs to know 
 when to sow, and plant, and prune, and reap ; and are signs 
 to sail by, for the mariners at sea. Yea, thirdly, I grant that 
 the stars have a great influence upon these sublunary things, 
 even upon the bodies of men and women. 
 
 But though the stars have a great influence upon this 
 nether world, are signs of weather, and have a teaching 
 power with them, as all other creatures have ; yet if a man 
 shall undertake by the stars, to foretell future events, which 
 are accidental, depending on the wills and actions of men, 
 he doth plainly step into the chair of God. This is God's 
 great prerogative ; therefore saith he, Isa. xli. 23, " Shew the 
 things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye 
 are gods." Those men, therefore, that will undertake to 
 shew the things that are to come hereafter, would be known 
 to be gods. But though they would be gods themselves, yet 
 why should they not let God be God still ? Quifatum ponit, 
 Deum tollit : he that sets up a fate, doth destroy God. And 
 if all things come to pass by influence of the stars (else 
 they cannot pretend to foreknowledge of them), then all 
 things must come to pass by a fate. Yea, what doth this
 
 SER. 2.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 439 
 
 practice otherwise, than, as Austin observes well,* make God 
 the author of all the sin in the world ? For if these astrolo- 
 gers can foretell future things, which depend on the will of 
 man, and that by the stars, then the stars and their influence 
 must be the cause thereof. For as Aquinas observes,t if such 
 a constellation be a sign of an event, then it must be the 
 effect of it, or the cause of it ; the effect it cannot be. And 
 if the influence of the stars be the cause of all sinful actions, 
 then God must be the cause of all sin, for he hath made the 
 star, and given it such an influence. This doth so clearly 
 follow, that Austin,* (telling the story of a man's converting 
 from this wicked art) saith, the man did confess that whilst 
 he practised that art, he with others held, that adulterium non 
 faciebat voluntas propria sed Venus ; a man's own will was 
 not the cause of adultery, but the star Venus ; a man's own 
 will was not the cause of murder, but the star Mars. Thus, 
 saith he, doth this art of judicial astrology, lay the sin of all 
 the world upon God himself; and it must needs do so, for 
 
 * Multi hoc dicunt, fatum mihi fecit, stellse me fecerunt, ita jam per circuitum 
 ad Deum volant pervenire ad Deum accusandum, qui nolunt de compendio venire 
 ad Deum placandum, et dicunt fatum mibi fecit, quid est fatum ? stellie me fece- 
 runt, quid sunt stellie ? certe istse quas in cselo perspicimus ; et quis eas fecit ? 
 Deus, qui eas ordinavit ? Deus, ergo vides quod voluisti dicere. Deus fecit ut 
 peccarem, ita ille injustus tu Justus, quod nisi ille fecisset tu non peccasses, tolle 
 istas excusationes in peccatis memento illius Psalmi. Ne declines cor meum in 
 verba maligna ad excusanda prccata, &c. 
 
 Ad hsec magni viri sunt qui defendunt peccata sua, magni sunt qui numerant 
 sydera. Et computant Stellas et tempora et dicunt quis quando. Vei peccet 
 vel bene vivat et quando Mars facit homicidium et Venus adultarium magni 
 docti viri videntur in hoc steculo sed quid ait Psal. Ne declines cor, &c. Aus- 
 tin in Psal. \\\i. 
 
 t Omne corporate signum vel est effectus ejus cujus est signu sicut fumus sig- 
 nificat ignem a quo causatur vel est, cum non potest autem dici quod disposi- 
 tiones caelestium corporum et motus sint effectus futurorum et ventuum, nee 
 possunt reduci in aliquam superiorem rem communcm quo sit corporalis &c. 
 Aquin. xxii, quest. 95, art. 5. 
 
 * Seductus enim ab inimico cum esset fidelis diu matbematicus fuit, seductus, 
 seducens, deceptus, decipiens, illexit fefellit, multa mendacia locutus est, contra 
 Deum qui dedit hominibus potestatem faciendi quod bonum est et non faciendi 
 quod malum est, iste dicebat quod adulterium uon faciebat propria voluntas sed 
 Venus justum non faciebat Deus sed Jovis et alia multa sacrilega non parva. 
 quam multis eum putatis Christianis minimus abstulisse ! quam multi ab eo 
 emerunt mendacium, &c. Austin in Psal. Ixxi, post tractatum cum mathemati- 
 cus in populo monstraretur.
 
 440 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [SER. 2. 
 
 the cause of the causes, in things necessarily subordinate, 
 must be the cause of the caused. But can our hearts bear 
 the thoughts of such blasphemies as these ? or can we think 
 that a man can tell by the stars, what shall come to pass 
 hereafter, when the Scripture saith, " Who can tell what a 
 day will bring forth ? " And Eccles. x. 14, " A man cannot 
 tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell?" 
 Again, chap. viii. 7? " For he knoweth not that which shall 
 be ; for who can tell him when, or how it shall be ? " These 
 astrologers do indeed hit the matter sometimes, and have 
 foretold that which hath come to pass, and where such a 
 thing lost may be found again. But I will tell you how ; 
 the devil doth assist them therein, and as they erect their 
 scheme, he doth suggest unto them, and leaves his impres- 
 sions upon their hearts concerning the matter, it being easy 
 for him to make discovery of those things which pass through 
 his own hands. Now because they do not go professedly to 
 the devil, they think that they have nothing to do with the 
 devil ; whereas the thing is wholly from the devil, and not 
 from the stars. And is this light then ? or is the knowledge 
 of this mystery to be called light ? No, it is darkness, and a 
 work of darkness. But the light of the Scripture is a pure 
 light, a clear light, a light without any darkness, a light which 
 doth come from God, and lead us unto God, not unto the 
 devil. Surely, therefore, this light of Scripture is the best 
 light, the most excellent light ; more excellent than that of 
 revelations and visions ; more excellent than that of dreams 
 and immediate voices ; more excellent than that of impres- 
 sions ; more excellent than that of the law and light within ; 
 more excellent than that of Christian experience, or that of 
 divine providence, or that of human reason ; more excellent 
 than this pretended light (but in truth, darkness) of judicial 
 astrology. Surely therefore it is the most excellent, safe and 
 sure light in the world. Shall we then forsake the Scripture, 
 and cleave to pretended lights and lying vanities ? No, but 
 if the Scripture be the best light, the most safe and sure 
 light, then it is the duty of all the saints to take heed there- 
 unto, and that especially in their dark times and seasons, 
 which is the fourth general thing propounded. And thus I 
 have done with the third general, namely, That Scripture
 
 SER. 3.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 441 
 
 light is the most safe, sure, and the best light.* The fourth 
 followeth. 
 
 SERMON III. 
 
 " We have also a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well 
 that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the 
 day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts." 2 PETER i. 19. 
 
 As Scripture light is the most excellent light, the best and 
 most sure light, in compare with all other lights, or whatever 
 may pretend to light ; so, Fourthly, it is our duty, the duty 
 of all the saints and people of God, to take heed thereunto, 
 and that especially in their dark times and places ; which is 
 the fourth thing propounded to your consideration, and 
 which doth necessarily follow from the former. For if the 
 Scripture, or the written word of God, be our great and 
 most sure light ; then it is our duty, the duty of all the 
 saints and people of God, to take heed thereunto, especially 
 in their dark times and places. Yet further, ye shall do well 
 that ye take heed thereunto, for the doctrine of the gospel 
 written is, 
 
 1. The word of the Son of God. The more excellent the 
 person is that speaks unto you, the more diligently ye will 
 
 * Occulto instinctu fieri spirituum non bonorum. Austin de civit. Dei, lib. 
 v, cap. 7. 
 
 Sunt haec astrorum indicia ex pactis cum daemonibns et instinctu ; eorum oc- 
 cultissimo, quern nescientes humanae mentes patiuntur. Austin 2 lib. de Doctr. 
 Christiana. 
 
 Et omnes hnjusmodi artes vel migatoriie vel noxiie superstitionis ex quadam 
 pestifera societate hominum et daemonum. Ibid. 
 
 Prima causa istarum predictionum nonnunquam provenit ex pacto et societate 
 quatn inivit astrologus cum daemone vel ex occulto ejus inflatu et instinctu. Pe- 
 rerius in Genes, cap. i. v. 14, 15. Lib. 2, de astromantia. 
 
 Caelum est solum influens generate cujus ratio particularizatur vel singulariza- 
 tur aut a Deo solo aut a dispositione raateriae, si autein objicitur quod inveni- 
 untur predicere multa vera respondetur, quod multo plura falsa et ideo vera 
 dicunt vel a casu, vel a multitudine eorum quo dicunt, vel ab observatione eorum 
 qute audiunt, aut fit ab mixtione operationis daemonum propter seducendos tarn 
 predicentes quam fidem adhibentes in talibus, per damnabilem curiositatem 
 sciendi futura et ca quse pater solus babet in sua potestate. Gerson pars prima 
 Trilog. Astrolog. Theolog. prop. 11.
 
 442 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [SER. 3. 
 
 take heed unto what he saith. Now the gospel, or the word 
 of God written, is the word of the Son. Some there are 
 who say, that Christ only is called the Word, or the Word of 
 God ; and that the doctrine preached or written, is not the 
 word, or the word of God. But though Christ be called the 
 Word, John i, yet I do not find all in the New Testament, 
 that he is called the Word of God for the present : there is 
 a time a coming when he shall be called King of kings, 
 Lord of lords, and the Word of God ; but for the present 
 he is called the Word. And if the doctrine preached be not 
 called the word of God, why doth our Saviour say, " The 
 sower went forth to sow, and some fell in the highway, some 
 on stony ground, and some on thorny ground, and the seed 
 is the word of God." Is that Christ ? what, doth Christ 
 himself in person fall on the highway ground, and stony 
 ground ? and is Christ divided ? for the seed is the word of 
 God, and some of it fell on one ground, and some on an- 
 other : doth Christ himself fall thus ? No, but the doctrine 
 preached doth, and therefore that is called the word of God. 
 And if the word written be not called the word of God, what 
 doth the apostle mean when he saith, Rom. ix. 6, " Not as 
 though the word of God hath taken none effect ? " doth he 
 mean Christ thereby ? No, but he speaketh plainly the word 
 of promise, which is written in the Scriptures. Yea, the 
 whole Scripture is so full of this, that I need not turn to any 
 particular place. The Scripture is every where called the 
 word of God ; and if the word of God written be the word 
 of the Son, then we are to take heed thereunto ; for says the 
 apostle, Heb. ii, " Therefore ought we to give the more ear- 
 nest heed to the things which we have heard ; for if the 
 word spoken by angels were stedfast, how shall we escape if 
 we neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be 
 spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that 
 heard him ? " verses 1, 2, 3. 
 
 2. As the Scripture is the word of the Son, so it is the 
 only rule of our lives.* Now that which is the only rule of 
 
 * Scriptura est luserna pedibus, a qua non deflectendum. Ecclesise sapientia, 
 cognitionis forma ruTroe ^coa^jg; cujus testimoniis omnia confirmanda ex qua 
 oriuntur demonstrationes. Cui quae consent hint admittenda et quae non con- 
 sentiunt rejicienda. Ergo est vitae fideique regula. Chamierus, 1 torn, de cano 
 fidei, lib. i, cap. 3, 4, 5, 7, 811.
 
 SER. 3.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 443 
 
 our lives, we are in special manner to take heed unto. But 
 the Scripture, and the word of God written, is the only rule 
 of our lives ; for it is a " light unto our feet, and a lanthorn 
 to our paths," Psalm cxix. It is the wisdom of the church 
 and people of God, Deut. iv. It is that which we may not 
 turn aside from, either to the right-hand or to the left, Deut. 
 xxviii. It is that whereby doctrines are to be rejected or 
 admitted, Acts xvii. It is that which nothing must be added 
 to or taken from, Deut. iv, Rev. xxii. It is that which we 
 are all to have recourse unto for comfort and direction, Isa. 
 viii. " To the law and to the testimony : if men say not so, 
 it is because there is no light in them." Now if the Scrip- 
 ture, and the word of God written, be a light unto our path, 
 the wisdom of the church and people of God ; if it be that 
 whereby doctrines are to be admitted or rejected ; if that, 
 from which we may not turn, either to the right or to the 
 left, from which nothing may be taken, and to which nothing 
 may bs added ; and if it be that which we are to resort con- 
 tinually unto for comfort and direction ; then it is the rule, 
 and only rule of our lives. But so it is, as all these fore- 
 mentioned scriptures do plainly prove ; and therefore it is 
 the rule and the only rule of our lives. 
 
 3. As the Scripture and the word of God written, is the 
 only rule ; so it is that salt which doth season all your enjoy- 
 ments. It is the rule and measure of your worship ; for if 
 you do not worship according to the appointments of God 
 in his written word, your worship is but idolatry and super- 
 stition : Superstitio est quicquid est supra statutum.* It is 
 the great relief of your souls in time of temptation. Hereby 
 Christ answered to all his temptations : It is written ; and 
 again, It is written ; and again, It is written : and Christ's 
 practice must be your rule. It is that which sanctifieth all 
 your outward comforts, even amongst the creatures ; for says 
 the apostle, 1 Tim. iv. 4, " Every creature of God is good, 
 if it be received with thanksgiving ; for it is sanctified by 
 the word and prayer." I profess, says Luther, f I cannot live 
 
 * Omne quod extra Dei verbum est, est idolatria, omne quod fit in rerbo est 
 verus cultus sicat omne quod fit sine fide est peccatum et omne quod fit in fide 
 est bonum opus : quod inter verbum et fidem est conjugium indissolubile. 
 Luther. 
 
 t Anima omnibus rebus carere potest eicepto yerbo Dei, ego quidem sine
 
 444 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [SfiR. 3. 
 
 without the written word of God ; I can want any thing but 
 the Scripture or the written word of God. If I were in 
 hell, I could live with a promise; and though I were in 
 paradise, yet if I had not the word with me, I could not live 
 there. Oh, saith he, the word is so great and deep a trea- 
 sure, that it doth increase by distributing. Yea, it is even 
 genus generalissimum omnium bonorum ; that general good 
 thing under God and Christ, that hath influence into all 
 good things.* And shall the word of God written be such 
 a blessed treasure, and shall we not take heed thereunto ? 
 
 4. As it is the salt of all your comforts, so it is, and shall 
 be your judge at the great day. Christ is the only judge 
 then ; but this book of the Scripture, and the word of God 
 written, is that whereby he will judge you, and me, and the 
 world; for at the last and great day, when men come to be 
 tried for their eternal lives, the books shall be brought out : 
 not one book, but books. Rev. xx. 12, "And I saw the 
 dead, both small and great, stand before God, and the books 
 were opened, and another book was opened." It seems then 
 that three books shall be opened at the great day : one book 
 is the book of life ; two other there are ; the book of God's 
 records, for a book of remembrance is written upon all our 
 actions, Mai. iii. ; and the book of the Scripture, or the word 
 of God : for saith our Saviour, John xii. 48, " The word 
 that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last 
 day." Now this word that Christ hath spoken, is written ; 
 and therefore men shall be judged thereby. But if the 
 Scripture, and the word of God written, be that book 
 whereby men shall be judged at the last ; then surely it is 
 our duty in special manner to take heed thereunto. 
 
 5. As the Scripture is that book whereby we shall all be 
 judged ; so it shall be established upon us, if we be not 
 established by it : for says the apostle, Heb. ii, " If the word 
 spoken by angels were stedfast, and every transgression and 
 disobedience, received a just recompense of reward ; how 
 
 verbo ne in paradiso operatim vivere at cum verbo etiam in inferno facile est 
 vivere. 
 
 Est verbum talis thesaurus qui tractando crescit et distribuendo servando 
 autem perir.- Luther. 
 
 * Scriptura est communis animarum officina. Basil. 
 
 Omnipotentis epistola ad homines missa. Gregory. 
 
 rfo^jj -^vxns nutrimentum et cibus animae. Athanasius.
 
 SER. 3.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 445 
 
 shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation, which at 
 the first began to be spoken by his Son ? " What then ? 
 " Therefore we ought to give the more heed to the things we 
 have heaTd, lest we let them slip." Why ? For if we be 
 unstedfast, yet the word of God is stedfast. The word that 
 God spake by Moses was stedfast, and established upon them 
 that disobeyed ; so now, much more, says he, if you be not 
 stedfast and established by the word, it shall be established 
 upon you unto your destruction. Oh, what infinite reason 
 is there then, that we should take heed thereunto. 
 
 But the text saith, " That we shall do well to take heed 
 thereunto, until the day dawn, and day-star arise in our 
 hearts :" but the day hath dawned on me, and the day-star 
 hath arisen in my heart ; and therefore now, what need I 
 take heed to the Scripture or the written word any longer ? 
 
 I answer, Yea, still you have need to do it: for did not the 
 day dawn, and the day star arise on the hearts of the apostles 
 and Christians in their days, according to your sense and 
 meaning ? yet they still attended on the written word of God. 
 Surely, therefore, the meaning of the text is not. according to 
 that conjecture. Some therefore would have the words to be 
 read thus : " Until the day star arise on your hearts ;" and 
 so think they are spoken of the day of judgment, concerning 
 which time Paul says, 1 Cor. iv. 5, " that Christ will bring to 
 light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest 
 the counsels of the heart." But as ye have heard in the ex- 
 plication of the text, the word until, in Scripture phrase, is 
 not always taken exclusively : for example, David saith, Ps. 
 Ivii. 1, " My soul trusteth in thee, O God, and in the shadow 
 of thy wings will I trust, until this calamity be overpast."* 
 What, would David trust in God no longer ? Yes, but he 
 would do it especially whilst that calamity continued. So in 
 the cxxiiird Psalm he saith, " Our eyes wait upon the Lord 
 our God, until he have mercy upon us." What would they 
 wait on God no longer ? Yes, but in their distress especially. 
 So Cant. ii. 16, 17, "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is 
 mine, he feedeth among the lilies, until the day break." 
 
 * ~]y emphatice solet sumi pro -)jn etiam donee et continuitatem significare ueu 
 consecutionem non exccptionem vel eiclusionem futuri temporis. Genebrad. in 
 Psalm cix.
 
 446 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [SER. 3. 
 
 What, doth Christ feed among the lilies no longer ; will he 
 not feed among the lilies after the day break ? Yes, but the 
 word till, or until, is not always to be taken exclusively. And 
 I will give you but one scripture for it, amongst many in the 
 New Testament, Matt. xii. 20, " A bruised reed will he not 
 break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench, until he 
 bring forth judgment unto victory." What, will Christ break 
 the bruised reed then, and quench the smoking flax after he 
 hath brought judgment to victory ? No, but the word until, 
 in Scripture phrase, is not always to be taken exclusively. 
 And so here in this text, " Ye do well that ye take heed to 
 the word of prophecy, until the day dawn, and the day star 
 arise in your hearts :" not that then you should cease taking 
 heed to the word, but because you are now in the dark, now, 
 and now especially ye are to take heed thereunto.* 
 
 But why are the saints and people of God to take heed 
 unto the Scripture and the written word of God especially in 
 their dark times and seasons ? 
 
 I answer, Because they are then in most danger of stum- 
 bling and falling : he that walketh in the dark, stumbleth ; 
 and who is not then apt to fall ? But by taking heed to this 
 sure light, they shall be kept from the power of their dark- 
 ness. The Scripture tells us of darkness and of the power 
 of darkness. A good man may be in the dark, but he is kept 
 from the power of it by taking heed unto this great and most 
 sure light ; yea, though he be in the darkness of some error, 
 for the greatest errors lie. nearest the sweetest truths ; and 
 though he do not see that truth for the present, yet, if he do 
 take heed unto the word, the sweetness of that truth shall 
 ooze through the error, and preserve and keep him from the 
 power of it. But if ye look into 2 Tim. in., ye shall find 
 the apostle doth inform Timothy of very sad and dark times, 
 that shall be in the latter days : verse 1, " In the last days, 
 perilous times shall come." 1. He tells him wherein the 
 peril of these times shall consist. 2. He tells him the signs 
 thereof. 3. He comforts him under it. 4. He shews how 
 he and we may be kept from the power of that darkness : 
 " In the last days, perilous times shall come ; for (saith he) 
 men shall be lovers of themselves, covetous, boasters, proud, 
 
 * Hac enim particular [ y donee Scriptura atque adeo lingua Hebraica affirmat 
 quod in dubitationem possit incidere. Genebrad. in Psalm cix.
 
 SF.R. 3.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 447 
 
 blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 
 without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, in- 
 continent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, having a 
 form of godliness," &c. verses 2 5. It seems, then, that 
 men may be thus wicked, yet may bear up to a form of god- 
 liness. 2. He tells Timothy the signs of these perilous times, 
 and who these persons are ; " Such as creep into houses, and 
 lead captive silly women laden with divers lusts ; (verse 6) 
 who also shall resist the truth in the ministry, as Jannes and 
 Jambres withstood Moses," verse 8. 3. He comforts him 
 against the evil of these dark times; verse 9, "But they shall 
 proceed no further, for their folly or madness shall be mani- 
 fest to all men." 4. He directs him, and us by him, how to 
 stand and hold fast, verse 14, and that is two ways : First, by 
 avoiding and turning away from these corrupt men : verse 5, 
 " From such turn away," speak not to them or with them ; 
 go not to them, but turn away from them. Secondly, By ta- 
 king heed to the word of God preached and written : verse 
 14, " But continue thou in the things that thou hast learned, 
 and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned 
 them, and that from a child thou hast known the holy Scrip- 
 tures, which are able to make thee wise to salvation." So 
 that here the apostle doth refer him both to the word preach- 
 ed and written ; as if he should say, The only way to be kept 
 from seducers (verse 13, " men of corrupt minds, reprobate 
 concerning the faith," ) is to take heed unto the Scripture. 
 And indeed, what is the reason that so many in these days of 
 ours are deceived, but because they do not take heed unto 
 this great and most sure light. This is that great and most 
 excellent light which we are to take heed unto at all times, 
 but especially in our dark times and places, and thus we shall 
 be preserved. 
 
 But if this be such a preservative against the power of 
 darkness, why then are so many men in the dark, who do 
 not run to Scripture ? What heretic is there, or ever was, 
 who did not plead and lay claim to Scripture ? 
 
 I answer, All heretics do not lay claim to Scripture : some 
 deny the Scripture, some do not : some, as Theodoret ob- 
 serves of the heretics in his time, will make use of those 
 scriptures which seem to make for them, but as for those 
 scriptures which are plainly against them they reject, and if
 
 448 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [SER. 3. 
 
 close pressed, will deny the very body of the Scripture as any 
 rule to them.* 
 
 But it is one thing to cite Scripture and another thing to 
 take heed thereunto. The devil cited Scripture to our Saviour 
 Christ, but he did not take heed unto it as to his rule of life. 
 If we take heed thereto, then we shall be kept and preserved 
 by it, even from the power of that darkness which we may 
 labour under. And thus now I have done with the fourth 
 general thing propounded, and have cleared the doctrine. 
 
 If this doctrine be true, then what cause have we to bless 
 God and not to despise human learning. Mistake not, I 
 shall not go about to preach up human learning in the church 
 of God ; but though I do not preach up the excellency of 
 meat, drink and clothing, or outward blessings, yet I may call 
 upon you and myself not to despise the same, but to bless 
 God for them. So though I do not preach up the excellency 
 of human learning, yet I may call upon you and myself not 
 to despise the same, but to bless God for it. For if Scrip- 
 ture light be so excellent a light, and the word of God 
 written, that whereunto we are all to take heed ; then what 
 a mercy and blessing is it, that this word and Scripture is 
 translated into the English tongue. It was not first written 
 in English, but in Hebrew and Greek ; it could not have 
 been brought forth into English, but by the help of human 
 learning ; and will ye then despise human learning, and not 
 bless God for it ? Oh, ye wanton hearts, remember how the 
 poor martyrs in Queen Mary's time, did bless God for the 
 English translation ; and how could that be without human 
 learning? Then let us bless God for it, and not despise it. 
 
 If this doctrine be true, namely, that Scripture light is so 
 great a light, which all are to take heed unto ; then what a 
 sad condition are those in, who do deny and forsake the 
 Scripture ? they are in the dark indeed. I confess a good 
 man may be tempted, as to other sins, so to this, to doubt 
 of the truth of the Scripture. But do I hear a man that 
 hath been a professor, one that hath known God and his 
 
 * Cflav etcwai fj.iv Tt)> mvluv K<f>f.oQ^oavvi]v. Si videant petitis e 
 Scripturse demonstrationibus stultitiam suam constringi, turn Scripturae recusant 
 et scopmn et usum ; si quando vero putant sibi favere nudum aliquod effatum a 
 genuina recisum orationis serie ad suum propositum accommodant suis confirm- 
 andis. Theod. Opus, contra Hereses quae sunt, in 2 torn. oper. Athanas.
 
 SER. 3.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 449 
 
 ways, one that is under no temptation ; do I hear such an one 
 denying the Scripture as any rule to him ? Write that man 
 childless, write him faithless, without Christ, and without 
 God in this world. Ah, poor soul, here is one whose foun- 
 dations are plucked up, twice dead, plucked up by the roots. 
 Oh, the sad condition of this poor creature, he hath forsaken 
 the light, and now is under the power of darkness. Whither 
 should he go, for he hath left the words of eternal life ? yet, 
 Lord, how many have these times brought forth, that are 
 come to this height of wickedness ! But, beloved;, I do not 
 only hope, but am assured better things of you ; only hear 
 the word of exhortation, and that is, 
 
 Take heed and attend to the Scriptures, for they are our 
 great and most sure light, whereunto ye do well if ye take 
 heed, as unto a light shining in a dark place. Oh, then take 
 heed thereunto. 
 
 What must we do, that we may take heed and attend unto 
 Scripture ? 
 
 Ye must do three things. I. Ye must attend to know 
 and understand it. II. Ye must attend to keep it. And, 
 III. Ye must attend to walk by the same. And, 
 
 I. For your knowledge in and understanding of the 
 Scripture, and the written word of God, ye must, 
 
 1. Observe, keep, and hold fast the letter of it; for though 
 the letter of the Scripture be not the word alone, yet the 
 letter with the true sense and meaning of it, is the word. 
 The body of a man is not the man ; but the body and soul 
 together, make up the whole man : the soul alone or the 
 body alone is not the man. So here, though the letter of 
 the Scripture alone, do not make up the word ; yet the letter 
 and sense together do. And if ye destroy the body, ye 
 destroy the man ; so if ye destroy the letter of the Scripture, 
 you do destroy the Scripture : and if you deny the letter, 
 how is it possible that you should attain to the true sense 
 thereof, when the sense lies wrapped up in the letters and 
 the words thereof ? * 
 
 But if I attend to the letter in my practice, then I shall 
 be a professor of the letter ; and if a preacher do attend to 
 the letter, then he shall be a minister of the letter. 
 
 * TIN &c. mini in lego sine Scriptoria non est litera a qua non pendent 
 magni montes doctrinarum. Rabbini. 
 
 O O
 
 450 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [SfiR. 3. 
 
 Not so. For when the apostle saith, " We are not minis- 
 ters of the letter, but of the Spirit ;" his meaning plainly 
 there, is, not of the law, but of the gospel ; for in that 2 Cor. 
 iii. he calls the ministration of the law, the letter ; and the 
 whole ministration of the gospel, the Spirit. Those there- 
 fore that preach or walk according to the ministration of the 
 law, are ministers and professors of the letter ; those that 
 preach or walk according to the ministration of the gospel, 
 are ministers and professors of the Spirit: and therefore 
 those that depart from and despise the ministration of the 
 gospel, do depart from and do despite to the Spirit. It is 
 one thing for a man to keep the letter of the Scripture, so 
 as not to deny the same ; another thing to keep to the letter 
 only for the meaning of it. It is one thing to preach from 
 the letter, another thing to preach the letter. Our Lord and 
 Saviour Christ, when he expounded that Isa. Ixi., as ye read 
 Luke iv., did not preach the letter, yet he preached from the 
 letter. So now, we may preach from the letter of the Scrip- 
 ture, yet not preach the letter, or be ministers of the letter ; 
 and you may practise the word from the letter of the Scrip- 
 ture, and yet not be professors of the letter, that is, of the 
 law, and the ministration of it. 
 
 How can we hold and keep fast the letter of the Scripture, 
 when there are so many Greek copies of the New Testa- 
 ment, and those diverse one from another ? 
 
 Yes, well ; for though there are many received copies of 
 the New Testament, yet there is no material difference 
 between them. The four Evangelists do vary in the relation 
 of the same thing ; yet because there is no contradiction, or 
 material variation, we do adhere to all of them, and deny 
 none. In the times of the Jews, before Christ, they had 
 but one original of the Old Testament, yet that hath several 
 readings : there is a marginal reading, and a line reading, 
 and they differ no less than eight hundred times the one 
 from the other ; yet the Jews did adhere to both, and denied 
 neither. Why ? Because there was no material difference. 
 And so now, though there be many copies of the New Tes- 
 tament, yet seeing there is no material difference between 
 them, we may adhere to all : for whoever will understand 
 the Scripture, must be sure to keep and hold fast the letter, 
 not denying it.
 
 SER. 3.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 451 
 
 2. If you would have the true knowledge, and understand 
 the Scripture, and so behold this great light in its full glory 
 and brightness ; you must diligently inquire into the true 
 sense and meaning of it, for the true sense and meaning is 
 the soul thereof. Now the Scripture, or the word of God 
 written, may be expounded ; for Ezra stood up before the 
 people in a pulpit, and gave the sense of the Scripture. 
 Christ himself is said to expound : and 2 Peter i. 20, " No 
 scripture is of any private interpretation." The word w\ V irg 
 signifies, exposition; it is the same word that is used in 
 Luke iv., " Christ stood up, and expounded." Now, saith 
 the apostle, " No Scripture is of any private exposition ;" 
 therefore it may be expounded. And if not, why were gifts 
 given to men by the ascension of Christ ? It is a very dan- 
 gerous thing to bear false witness against the truth of Christ. 
 Now if a man do not take heed unto the true sense and 
 meaning of the Scripture, but will rigidly adhere to the 
 letter of the Scripture, he may quickly bear false witness 
 against the truth. Mark xiv. 56, it is said, " that many did 
 bear false witness against Christ, but their witness agreed not 
 together." But how did they bear false witness ? They 
 testified that Christ said, " I can destroy the temple of God, 
 and build it again in three days ;" which our Saviour Christ 
 spake of his body, they applied to the temple of the Jews, 
 and so they are said to bear false witness. Why ? Because 
 they kept to his words only, and not to his sense and mean- 
 ing. So that we had need take heed how we report the 
 words of Christ ; though we do adhere to his words, yet if 
 we keep not to his meaning, we shall be found false witnesses 
 against him and his truth. " Search the Scriptures," saith 
 our Saviour : why search ? even because the sense and mean- 
 ing doth lie deep. And therefore it is not enough for us 
 that we do adhere to the words, but we must diligently 
 inquire into the true sense and the meaning of them. 
 
 But one Scripture hath many senses ; a literal sense, and 
 a spiritual sense ; a literal sense, and a mystical. How shall 
 we be able then, to find out the true sense and the meaning 
 of it? 
 
 Nay, but the same Scripture hath but one entire sense. 
 Indeed Papists tell us, that one Scripture hath many senses ;* 
 
 * Ejcipiendus est Michael Medina, 
 G G 2
 
 452 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [SfiR. 3. 
 
 but the Protestants hold, that there is but one entire sense 
 of a Scripture, though divers applications of it. As for 
 example, the Old Testament says, " Thou shalt not muzzle 
 the mouth of the ox;" which the apostle applies to the 
 maintenance of the ministers. The sense is but one in 
 divers parts, thus : as the mouth of the ox is not to be muz- 
 zled, so ministry is to be maintained. There is but one 
 whole sense of a scripture, though divers parts and applica- 
 tions of it. 
 
 Though the sense of the Scripture be but one entire sense, 
 yet sometimes the Scripture is to be understood literally, 
 sometimes figuratively and metaphorically ; but always spiri- 
 tually, for when it is taken literally, it is taken spiritually : 
 for, says the apostle, " If thy brother offend thee, heap coals 
 of fire upon his head ;" that is not to be taken literally, but 
 metaphorically. So when our Saviour saith, " If thine eye, 
 or hand, or foot offend thee, pull it out, and cut it off;" this 
 is not to be understood literally, but metaphorically. 
 
 Though the Scripture be applied mystically sometimes, 
 and doth receive a mystical application ; yet for your direc- 
 tion herein, ye must know, 
 
 That there is no fundamental doctrine of our salvation, but 
 is laid down plainly and without mysticalness : the covenants 
 of the law, " Thou shalt have no other god but me ;" and, 
 " Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself;" faith in Christ, 
 and love to our neighbour : all the fundamental doctrines of 
 our salvation are laid down plainly and literally. 
 
 Though the great matters of our salvation be expressed 
 plainly and literally, yet if the literal sense of any scripture 
 be contrary to common sense or reason, or to modesty, ho- 
 nesty and good manners, then we are to balk the literal sense : 
 for example, our Saviour saith, " This is my body," in the 
 Lord's supper ; if these words be taken literally, it is against 
 common sense and reason ; therefore you must balk the literal 
 sense, and understand them otherwise. Again, the Lord 
 commanded the prophet to go naked ; if this be understood 
 literally, it would be against common modesty. So when 
 our Saviour saith, " If thine eye offend thee, pull it out ; if 
 thine hand offend thee, cut it off :" if this be understood li- 
 terally, it would fight with that commandment, " Thou shalt
 
 SER. 3.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 453 
 
 not kill:" therefore the literal sense is sometimes to be 
 balked. 
 
 Though we are not always to adhere to the bare letter for 
 the meaning of the words, yet if the words be applied mys- 
 tically, ye are not to make a force upon the history ; mystery 
 doth not destroy the history. The history of the two women 
 Hagar and Sarah, is by the apostle applied to the two Testa- 
 ments ; yet this doth not destroy the history ; for as words 
 are the substractum of the history, so history is the substrac- 
 tum of the mystery. Some, when they have attained to the 
 mystical application, do deny the history; but remember, 
 that though the words of the Scripture be applied mystically, 
 yet the mystery is never to destroy the history.* 
 
 And though the words of Scripture be sometimes applied 
 mystically, yet you must know that there is nothing mystical 
 in one scripture but is literally set down in another scripture. 
 Let any man shew me any truth set down mystically in one 
 place, but I will shew it literally expressed in another. Some 
 would have all the Scripture to be understood mystically ; 
 but doth any man tell you that this and that scripture is not 
 literally but mystically to be understood, then let him shew 
 you where the same truth is set down literally in another 
 place, else you may not believe him : and if you walk by this 
 rule and rules, you shall walk safely here, and in some good 
 measure be helped to the true sense and meaning of the 
 Scripture in this case.f 
 
 But suppose that a scripture lie under controversy : one 
 lays claim to it for his opinion, and another lays claim to it 
 for his opinion ; how shall I be able to understand the true 
 sense and meaning of it ? Or suppose I be in the dark, in a 
 
 * In interpretatione Scriptune sacra illud apprime observandum est ne ulla vit 
 inferatur literal!. August, de quivos. Disput. de sensu Scripturs. 
 
 Verborum sacra Scripture Gennana intelligentia imprimis quaerenda et insti- 
 tnenda, non quod tropo logicum intelligentia condemnemus sed quod spiritualis 
 interpretatio sequi debet ordinem historic, quod plerique ignorantes, lymphatico 
 in sacra Scriptura vagantur errore. Hieronym. in cap. xiii. Isa. 
 
 f Quis autem non impudentissime nitatur aliquid quod in allegoria positum est, 
 per se interpretari nisi et manifesta liabeat testinionia quorum lumine illustrantur 
 obscura. Austin. Epist. 48, ad Vincent. Donat. 
 
 Si animus est allegoriam texere vide imprimis, ut interpretationis ejus qaam 
 meditaris sententia alibi in Scripturis clare et absque tropo expresso inveniatur 
 atque detracto velamine analogies fidei respondeat. Flac. Illyric. pars altera 
 Tract, i. de ratione cognoscendi Scripturaa, observ. 2.
 
 454 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [SER. 3. 
 
 dark estate and condition, how shall I so take heed unto the 
 scripture that I may know and understand the same ? 
 
 I answer, Something you must do by way of observation ; 
 something by way of practice. 
 
 As for observation, in case you be able, you must consult 
 the original; for as old Mr. Dod once answered to a young 
 man enquiring of him what was the best commentary upon 
 the Scripture ; The original, the Hebrew and the Greek text, 
 said he, is the best commentary. So say I ; the very text in 
 the original doth sometimes put an end to the controversy. 
 As for example, the apostle saith of women, " They shall be 
 saved by child-bearing;" which some books read thus, " They 
 shall be saved by bearing of children :" whereupon a contro- 
 versy arises, whether those followings words, " If they con- 
 tinue in the faith," do relate to children or to women; 
 whereas if men looked into the original, they should find that 
 the word is but one, in the singular, according to our trans- 
 lation, " They shall be saved by child-bearing," * and there- 
 fore the following words must relate unto women. Therefore 
 it is good to consult with the original; and though you cannot 
 understand Hebrew or Greek, yet you may consult with the 
 original, and not pin your faith upon another's learning : for 
 if you ask three or four how such or such a verse should be 
 translated, and they do all agree in their translation for the 
 substance, you know that so it is in the original, not because 
 such a man doth say so, but because of their agreement, 
 which could not be, if it were not so in truth. 
 
 If you would understand the true sense and meaning of 
 a controverted scripture, then look well into the coherence, 
 the scope, and the context thereof; for as the Hebrew Rabbin 
 says well, There is no objection can arise upon the text, but 
 there is an answer in the sides thereof: f for example, the 
 papists urge that place of the iind of James for justification 
 
 * Ata TJJ? rtxvoyoviae eav puv<i)trn>, &c. per filiorum generationem, 
 si manserint. Montanus. 
 
 Per natos suos, si manserint. Syriac. 
 
 t Nulla est objectio in lege, quse non habet solutionem in latere. 
 
 Turpe est de lege judicare tota lege nondum inspects. 
 
 Quis, scopus, impellens, sedes, tempusque, locusque. 
 
 Et modus hsec septem Scripturse attendito lector. 
 
 Vide Explicat. in Glass. Philog. Sacr. Lib. ii. p. 2, de Scripture sensu 
 emendo, page 503.
 
 SER. 3.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 455 
 
 by works ; whereas if we look diligently into the coherence 
 and the scope thereof, we shall find that the apostle speaks of 
 the work of faith in opposition to the profession of faith, for 
 says he, verse 14, " What will it profit, my brethren, if a man 
 say he have faith, and have not works, will it save him ? If 
 a brother or sister be naked, and in want (verse 15), and one 
 of you say, Depart in peace, and be warmed and filled ; if 
 you give him not what is goopl for the body, what doth it 
 profit ? Even so faith if it have not works is dead." A man 
 may say he hath faith ; but the devils say and believe there 
 is one God. Was not Abraham justified by works when he 
 offered Isaac ? That faith that justified Abraham was not a 
 bare profession of faith, but it was a working faith ; the pro- 
 fession of faith alone doth not justify, but it is a faith which 
 consists in a work, it is a working faith : this is the scope of 
 the place then, as appears by the coherence. If a scripture, 
 therefore, do lie under controversy, take you the Bible, and 
 look well unto the scope and the coherence of the text con- 
 troverted. 
 
 If you would understand the Scripture rightly, then com- 
 pare one Scripture with another ; for, says the apostle, " No 
 Scripture is of private interpretation; or rather thus, no 
 Scripture is of our own exposition, ri\v (W enXvaews ; " But 
 holy men of God wrote it as they were inspired by the Holy 
 Ghost." Is the Scripture therefore doubtful in one place ? 
 then compare it with another ; stand not upon your own 
 apprehension, for it is not of our own exposition. It came 
 not by the will of man, but divers holy men wrote it as they 
 were inspired with the Holy Ghost; and therefore if one 
 place be doubtful, it is to be compared with another. 
 
 And be sure that you swerve not from the proportion of 
 faith ; for says the apostle, Rom. xii, " Or if any man pro- 
 phesy, let it be according to the proportion or analogy of 
 faith." And what is that, but the sum and grounds of 
 religion, or the body of divinity, which is delivered to us in 
 the form of sound words, whereunto we are delivered. Thus 
 in case the Scripture lie under any controversy, it will be 
 good for you to observe these rules. 
 
 II. But secondly, and more pratically : if you would so 
 understand the Scripture, that you may take heed thereunto, 
 as to a light shining in your dark state, then
 
 456 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [SER. 3. 
 
 You must go to God for the Spirit ; for without it, ye 
 cannot understand the mind of God in the Scripture : no 
 man knows the mind of Paul, but by the Spirit of Paul ; nor 
 the mind of Peter, but by the Spirit of Peter; no man 
 knows the mind of Christ, but by the Spirit of Christ : stand 
 therefore under gospel dispensations, where the Spirit 
 breathes. So says the apostle, " Received ye the Spirit by 
 the law, or by the hearing of faith ?" And seeing God hath 
 promised to give this Spirit unto them that ask it, go unto 
 God for the same.* 
 
 Take heed of a worldly, fleshly mind ; fleshly sins do ex- 
 ceedingly blind the mind from the things of God ; and a 
 worldly mind cannot savour them. Ye see how it is in the 
 eclipse of the moon, when the earth comes between the sun 
 and the moon, then the moon is eclipsed, because the earth 
 keeps the light of the sun from it. So if the earth and the 
 world, come between you and the truth, there will be an 
 eclipse, and darkness upon all your soul : " Then shall ye 
 know (saith our Saviour) of my doctrine, whether it be of 
 God, if ye do what I command you." Those that will not 
 do what they know, shall not know what to do.f 
 
 Study your condition by the Scripture, and the Scripture 
 by your condition ; condition gives understanding.^ In case 
 you be under a temptation, study those scriptures that do 
 concern such temptation ; if you be in an affliction, study 
 those scriptures that do concern such afflictions ; if you be in 
 a desertion, study those scriptures which do concern such 
 desertions : and whatever your condition be, study those 
 scriptures which do concern your condition, and this will 
 help you to understand the scriptures. 
 
 Yet take heed that you be not too indulgent to your own 
 
 * Quo spiritu Scripturse factoe sunt eo spiritu legendse, nunquam ingredieris 
 in sensum Pauli, nisi spiritum Pauli imbiberis. 
 
 Omnia dona a Deo Patre luminum. 
 
 Christi munus est aperire Scripturas, Luc. 24. Spiritus sanctus author simul 
 et Explicator Scripture. John xvi. 
 
 t Perfectio intellectualis operationis in homine consistit in quadara abstractione 
 a sensibilium phantasmatibus et ideo quando intellectus hominis, magis fuerit liber 
 ab eujusmodi phantasmal, tanto potius considerare intelligibilia poterit. Ergo. 
 
 Hebitudo sensus circa intelligentiam oritur ex gula caecitas mentis ex luxuria. 
 Aquin. 22. Q. 15. A. 3. 
 
 Cum non faciunt quse intelligunt non intelligent quae faciant. 
 
 i Conditio dat Intellectum.
 
 SER. 3.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 457 
 
 condition, disposition, or opinion. It is a good speech of 
 Hilary ;* he is the best interpreter of scripture, that doth 
 rather bring his sense from the scripture, than carry his sense 
 to the scripture. We are very apt to interpret scripture 
 according to our own opinion or disposition. Interpretation 
 ordinarily follows disposition, or opinion : as when there was 
 a great controversy in the Popish church, betwixt the two 
 liturgies of Ambrose and Gregory ; by common consent of 
 both parties, it was agreed, that both the mass hooks should 
 be laid on the altar, expecting the decision of the matter by 
 revelation : and the doors being opened the next morning, 
 Gregory's mass book was rent and torn in many pieces, and 
 scattered abroad in the place ; but Ambrose's lay whole, 
 and open upon the altar, which some thought signified thus 
 much ; that Gregory's mass-book should be cancelled ; others, 
 as the Pope himself, said, Nay, but this renting and scattering 
 of the leaves, signified the dispersing of it over all the Chris- 
 tian world. Thus men interpret things, according to their 
 own dispositions and opinions, even when they come to Scrip- 
 ture also. Would you therefore see clearly into the mind of 
 God in the scripture ? then, as when you come to Christ for 
 righteousness, ye come with naked shoulders ; so when you 
 come to the truth of Christ, take heed heed of your own 
 disposition and opinion: you must come to Christ as a 
 prophet, as well as to Christ as a priest, with naked shoulders. 
 If you do desire so to understand the scripture, as it may be 
 a light to all your paths ; then be sure that you put nothing 
 else in commission with it for your rule. It is with the 
 scripture in this respect, as with God, Christ, and the Spirit ; 
 if you come to God for help, yet if you join another god in 
 commission with him, he will not give down his help : so if 
 you join any thing with Christ in the matter of mediation, 
 though you come to him, he will not give in the comfort of 
 his mediation to you : so for the Spirit, though you come 
 unto him for comfort, being the Comforter ; yet if you join 
 any thing else in commission with the Spirit, it will not give 
 down his comfort. And so here : though you come, and 
 tend, and wait upon God in the Scripture ; yet if there be 
 any thing else which you do make your joint rule with the 
 
 * Optimus Scripture interpres hie eat, qui sensum e Scripture potiu retulerit, 
 quam attulcrit. Hilar.
 
 458 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [SfiR. 3. 
 
 scripture, any light within you, or precept of man without 
 you, it will not give down its light to you, but you will be 
 left in the dark. Do you desire therefore, to understand and 
 know the true sense and meaning of the scripture ? then take 
 heed that you join no other thing in commission with it, as 
 to the matter of your rule. And thus I have done with the 
 first thing that we must do in taking heed to the scripture ; 
 we must take heed to know and understand the same. 
 
 If you would so take heed unto the scripture, as it may be 
 indeed a light unto you in a dark place, then you must keep 
 it ; for though the meat be never so good, yet if the stomach 
 throw it up presently, and do not keep it, it doth the man 
 no good. So in regard of the scripture : therefore saith the 
 apostle, Heb. ii. 1., "We ought to take the more earnest 
 heed unto the things that we have heard, lest at any time we 
 should let them slip, or run out :" we must keep what we 
 have, we must keep what we know, else we do not take heed 
 word. 
 
 Now that may keep, and not forsake the word, 
 
 1. Observe what those things are, whereby men have been 
 led off, and carried away from the Scripture, and above all 
 things take heed of them. Now those are three especially. 
 
 Sometimes this evil doth arise from the corruptions of a 
 man's nature, boiled up to a secret unperceived malice against 
 the word and Scripture. As in case two professors be at 
 variance, and a third person stand by and saith, Do you see 
 these professors, what proud, wrangling people these are, 
 they are all such ; doth not this argue, that this third man 
 hath an aching tooth at profession ? So when men shall 
 observe some variations in Scripture, and they shall say, do 
 ye see what contradictions there are ? they are all so. What 
 doth this argue, but that these men have an aching tooth, and 
 secret malice at the good word of God, or the Scripture. You 
 know how it was with Moses, when he saw two men fighting, 
 one an Egyptian, and another an Israelite, he killed the 
 Egyptian ; but when he saw two Hebrews fighting, now, saith 
 he, will I go and reconcile them, for they are brethren ; why 
 so, but because he was a good man, and gracious ? So also 
 it is with a gracious heart ; when he sees the Scripture fight- 
 ing with an Egyptian, an heathen author, or apocryphal, he 
 comes and kills the heathen, he kills the Egyptian, or the
 
 SER. 3.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 459 
 
 apocrypha : but when he sees two Scriptures at variance (in 
 view, though in truth not) Oh, saith he, these are brethren, 
 and they may be reconciled, I will labour all I can to recon- 
 cile them ; but when a man shall take every advantage of 
 seeming difference in Scripture, to say, Do ye see what con- 
 tradictions there are in this book, and not labour to reconcile 
 them ; what doth this argue, but that the corruption of a 
 man's nature, is boiled up to an unknown malice against the 
 word of the Lord : take heed therefore of that. 
 
 Sometimes this evil of denying, and forsaking the Scrip- 
 ture, doth arise from corrupt principles, which have been 
 bred up in the minds of men, as sometimes men think that 
 the light and law within them, is their rule ; and therefore 
 what need the Scripture as my rule any longer ? Sometimes 
 men think that all Scripture is to be expounded mystically, 
 and so, first they make a nose of wax of it, and then they 
 cast it away. Sometimes men think that they are to judge 
 of doctrines by impressions, visions, voices, and dreams, and 
 so they cast away the Scripture. Would ye therefore take 
 heed unto the word, so as to keep the same ; take heed of 
 this ill principle.* 
 
 Sometimes this evil doth arise from dalliance, and play- 
 ing about the borders and confines of this sin : it is in this 
 sin, as with other sins ; though a man hate and abhor swear- 
 ing, drunkenness, and adultery ; yet if he lie playing and dal- 
 lying upon the borders thereof he will surely fall into them. 
 So, though I say, God forbid that ever I should deny the 
 Scripture, yet if I lay playing upon the confines of this sin, I 
 shall certainly fall into it. It is an excellent speech that Lu- 
 ther hath, Will any man play ? let him play with his wife, 
 play with his children, play with his money ; but let him 
 take heed how he plays with the Scripture, by turning all 
 
 * Donatistse jactantes veram Ecclesiam penes se solog ease qui habitabant regio- 
 ni'in meridionalem ad id confirmandum adducebant illud Canticorum, 1. \. 6. 
 Judica mihi (quern diligit anima mea) ubi pascas, ubi cubes in meridie ne vagari 
 incipiam post greges sodalium tuorem ; si ita (inquit Aug. Epist. 43.) exponen- 
 dam putatis sacram Scripturam Aquilonares profecto Ecclesise dicent se tolas ease 
 veras, adducent enim per se illud Pf. 47. 3. Exulta mons Sion Intera Aquilonia 
 civitas Regis magni, Deus in domibus ejus cognoscitur cum suscipiet earn, ergo 
 in expositione Sacrarum Scripturarum ante omnia inveniendus est sensus literalis 
 eo namque constitute facilis ad mysticos sensus patebit aditus clypeus Conciouat. 
 Verbi Dei per Ferdinand de Escalante Lib. i. cap. 17.
 
 460 SCRIPTURE LIGHT THE [SER. 3. 
 
 into mysticalness ; for who is it that dares play with the 
 thunder ? Why ? (says he) for it is the voice of God. 
 So is the Scripture, it is the voice of God. Would 
 ye therefore, so take heed unto it, as to keep it, and not 
 deny the same ? Then take heed of that corruption of na- 
 ture which doth boil up to malice ; take heed of evil princi- 
 ples about the rule of your life ; and take heed of playing 
 with Scripture, and of living upon the confines of that great 
 sin of denying it, lest God in just judgment, give you up at 
 last to the gross evil of it. 
 
 2. And for particular truths of the Scripture, that you may 
 keep them in your heart and judgment, consider, 
 
 Whether that doctrine, which you are now about to deny 
 be not that doctrine which hath seven times passed through 
 the fire in the sufferings of the saints ? whether it be not 
 that doctrine which many saints have lost their estates, liber- 
 ties, and their blood for ? And if it be so, then think with 
 yourself, how hard a thing it will be for you to be saved, de- 
 nying that truth which so many have shed their blood for. 
 
 Consider also, whether the doctrine you are now about to 
 deny, be not that doctrine which the saints generally have 
 maintained in opposition to the world ? And if it be, then 
 think with yourself how hard a thing it will be for you to 
 be saved, denying that doctrine which all the saints gene- 
 rally have maintained against the world : but above all, take 
 heed of an itching ear. The apostle tells Timothy, 2 Epist. 
 iv. 3. " That the times should come, wherein men will not 
 endure sound doctrine, but after their own wills, shall heap 
 up to themselves, teachers, having itching ears," such as 
 shall not be contented with the settled ministry of God's 
 appointment, but shall, after their own wills, heap up teach- 
 ers to themselves ; and this they shall do from the itch of 
 the ear : well but what shall this itch in the ear bring forth ? 
 verse 4. " They shall turn away their ears from the truth, 
 and shall be turned unto fables." Now therefore, that you 
 may keep, and hold fast the word in the particular doctrines, 
 oh, then take heed of this itching ear. 
 
 III. Yet one thing more. If you would take heed to 
 the Scripture, you must so heed the same, as you may walk 
 thereby. 
 
 Therefore prize it much : who takes heed to that which he
 
 SER. 3.] MOST SURE LIGHT. 461 
 
 does not prize ? The martyrs in queen Mary's days, prized 
 the written word of God much : one gave a cart load of hay 
 for one leaf of the Bible in English : another being at sea, 
 and swimming for his life on a mast, and having all his es- 
 tate, which was five pounds, in one hand, and the Bible in the 
 other, and being compelled to part with one, chose rather 
 for to keep the Bible, and to throw away his five pounds, all 
 that he had. These then did prize the written word of God, 
 and they did walk thereby. 
 
 Therefore also, get your heart affected with love to every 
 truth which you know ; for because men receive not the 
 truth in the love thereof, therefore God doth give them up 
 to strong delusions : men take heed unto what they love. 
 
 And therefore that you may heed it so as to walk thereby, 
 let it be your continual companion, going where you go ; if 
 you go into the fields, oh ! let the word go with you ; if into 
 your calling, oh ! let the Scripture and the written word of 
 God be with you. Thus shall you take heed unto it, as to a 
 light shining in a dark place. And I pray tell me, are not 
 these times dark times ? The conjunction of clouds and mi- 
 series make dark times. Now the world is full of wars and 
 rumours of wars : now men say, Lo, here is Christ, and, Lo, 
 there is Christ ; insomuch as, if possible, the elect would be 
 deceived. Now spiritual judgments and outward miseries 
 are in conjunction ; a cloud and a cloud, a conjunction of 
 clouds : surely, therefore, these times must be dark times. 
 The eclipses of the sun and moon, and the falling of the stars 
 from heaven make dark times : and when were there more 
 eclipses, and falling of the stars, and of great lights from 
 heaven, than in these days of ours ? False lights also make 
 dark times, for the more false lights are set up the more men 
 are drawn from the true light, and so the more they are in 
 darkness. And when ever were there so many false lights 
 hung forth as in these days of ours ? Surely, therefore, these 
 are dark times ; and if so, what cause have we all to take heed 
 unto the word, which is as a light shining in a dark place. 
 What I therefore say to one, I say to you all, and to my own 
 soul ; Oh, let us all take heed thereunto. And if any think 
 that he is not at all in the dark, he is therefore in the dark, 
 because he thinks he is not in the dark. If any think these
 
 462 SCRIPTURE LIGHT, &C. [SfiR. 3. 
 
 things concern not him, they do therefore the more concern 
 him than others, because he thinks they concern him not. 
 Think therefore on all these things, and the Lord give you a 
 clear understanding in all things.
 
 THE 
 
 RIGHTEOUS MAN'S HABITATION 
 
 IN THE TIME OF 
 
 PLAGUE AND PESTILENCE; 
 
 BEING A BRIEF EXPOSITION OF THE 
 
 NINETY-FIRST PSALM. 
 
 " Be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. For thou art 
 my rock and my fortress ; therefore for thy name sake lead me, and guide me." 
 Psalm xxxi. 2, 3.
 
 THE 
 
 RIGHTEOUS MAN'S HABITATION. 
 
 PSALM xci. 
 
 "1. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High, shall 
 abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 
 
 2. / will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress : my 
 God, in him will I trust. 
 
 3. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler : and 
 from the noisome pestilence. 
 
 4. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt 
 thou trust : his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 
 
 5. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night : nor for the 
 arrow that flieth by day. 
 
 6. Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness: nor for the des- 
 truction that wasteth at noon-day. 
 
 7. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right 
 hand: but it shall not come nigh thee. 
 
 8. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold, and see the reward of 
 the wicked. 
 
 9. Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the 
 Most High, thy habitation. 
 
 10. There shall no evil b"fal thee, neither shall any plague come 
 nigh thy dwelling. 
 
 1 1 . For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all 
 thy ways. 
 
 12. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot 
 against a stone. 
 
 13. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder : the young lion and 
 the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. 
 
 14. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver 
 him : I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. 
 
 15. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him : I will be with 
 him in trouble, I will deliver him and honour him. 
 
 16. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation." 
 
 Tins Psalm, it is thought, was made upon the occasion of 
 the plague and pestilence that was in David's time (so Mo-
 
 466 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN'S HABITATION. 
 
 lerus) ; wherein you have the best antidote against the plague 
 and pestilence. The whole Psalm is nothing else but a great 
 promise of special protection for those that trust in the Lord 
 in the time of the plague; wherein three or four things are most 
 especially considerable : the evil, danger and misery of the 
 plague or pestilence ; protection and deliverance promised in 
 the time thereof; the persons upon whom the promise is en- 
 tailed ; the way, mode, means and manner, how God will 
 deliver and protect in the time of a plague. As for the evil, 
 danger and misery of the plague or pestilence, you have it in 
 many terms expressed in several verses. In the third verse 
 it is called the snare of the fowler ; " he will deliver thee 
 from the snare of the fowler ;" it is called the snare of the 
 fowler, because it takes men before they are aware ; the word 
 and that follows, should not be in the line, so the next words 
 do explain it; " He shall deliver thee from the snare of the 
 fowler : from the noisome pestilence ;" then it is called the 
 noisome pestilence. In the Hebrew it is called the pesti- 
 lence of woes or calamity, that is, most calamitous pestilence, 
 that disease or sickness, that is accompanied with the most 
 calamity. In the fifth verse it is called " the terror by night," 
 and the " arrow that flieth by day ;" for with this arrow God 
 doth kill and hit men at a distance, a great way off, when they 
 think to fly away and be at rest. It is said in the sixth verse, 
 that it " walketh in darkness ;" and it is called " destruction 
 that wasteth at noon-day," in regard of the spreading and in- 
 fective nature of it. At the thirteenth verse it is compared 
 unto " the lion and adder, the young lion and the dragon," for 
 the destructive and devouring nature of it, which nothing can 
 stand before. 
 
 Secondly, as for the protection promised in the time there- 
 of, you have that in the general at the first verse, " He that 
 dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide 
 under the shadow of the Almighty :" more particularly at the 
 third verse, " Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of 
 the fowler : from the noisome pestilence, he shall cover thee 
 with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust. His 
 truth shall be thy shield and buckler," at the fourth verse. 
 At the fifth and sixth verses again, " Thou shalt not be afraid 
 for the terror by night : nor for the arrow that flieth by day : 
 nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness ; nor for the
 
 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN J S HABITATION. 467 
 
 destruction that wasteth at noon-day." And again, " A 
 thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right 
 hand: (in the seventh verse) but it shall not come nigh 
 thee." In the tenth verse, " No evil shall befal thee, nei- 
 ther shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall 
 give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy 
 ways." And at the last verse, " With long life will I satisfy 
 him, and show him my salvation." 
 
 As for the persons whom this promise of protection is en- 
 tailed upon, they are such as " do trust in the Lord. He that 
 dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High ; that say of 
 the Lord, he is my refuge and my fortress : my God, in him 
 I will trust," verse 2. And at the ninth verse, " Because 
 thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the Most 
 High, thy habitation, there shall no evil befal thee, neither 
 shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. Thou shalt not 
 be afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth 
 by day," at the fifth verse. And as for the means and way, and 
 mode how God will deliver in the time of the plague, he will 
 do it by his angels ; " There shall no evil befal thee, neither 
 shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give 
 his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 
 They shall bear thee up in their hands," &c. 
 
 From all which, then, I take up this doctrine or observa- 
 tion : though the danger, evil, and misery of the pestilence 
 be exceeding great, yet God will in an especial manner pro- 
 tect and deliver those that do trust in him in the time of a 
 plague. 
 
 For the clearing and prosecution whereof, first of all, I 
 shall a little labour to show you that the evil, misery, and 
 danger of a plague is exceedingly great. Secondly, That yet 
 the Lord will protect and deliver those that do trust in him. 
 Thirdly, What that faith is, and what that trust is, that God hath 
 promised this protection to in the time of a plague. Fourth- 
 ly, I would answer to some objections, questions, or cases of 
 conscience. Then, Fifthly, show how and by what means 
 God will protect and deliver in the time of a plague. Then 
 call upon you and myself, to do our duty in this day. 
 
 As for the first, I shall not be long in it. The misery and 
 danger of the plague is sufficiently known. It is called the 
 
 ii ii 2
 
 468 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN'S HABITATION. 
 
 plague above all other diseases, as if it were the plague of 
 plagues. 
 
 The several and particular judgments and evils that fell 
 upon Pharoah, they were called plagues, they were all 
 plagues; but now the pestilence carries the name of the 
 plague, as if that of all other diseases, were the plague of 
 plagues. 
 
 It is, first of all, a most dreadful and terrible disease : it is 
 here called in this Psalm, " the terror by night/ 5 fifth verse, 
 " thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night." Terror 
 by night ; why ? the night itself is a time of fear and terror : 
 darkness brings fear ; but the plague is the night of nights and 
 the king of terrors. How do men quake and tremble, and fly 
 away at the noise of this ? the report of this ? When God 
 appeared in his greatness, majesty, and glory, gave a terrible 
 apearance of himself; it is said in the third of Habakkuk, 
 that the pestilence went before him ; in the third verse, " God 
 came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. 
 Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was 
 full of his praise, and his brightness was as the light. He had 
 horns coming out of his hand and there was the hiding of his 
 power." In the fifth verse, " Before him went the pestilence, 
 and burning coals went forth at his feet." Before him went 
 the pestilence, as his officer and executioner. When the 
 Lord doth set forth his terrible appearance, thus he sets it 
 forth, " The pestilence went before him." Without all 
 doubt it is that disease that is most dreadful and terrible. 
 And, secondly, as it is the most dreadful and terrible disease, 
 so it is the most painful disease. The more suddenly any 
 man is taken away in his strength, the more painful is his 
 disease he dies of : a man that is spent with sickness, he is 
 easily blown out ; but when a man in his full strength shall 
 suddenly die, it costs him a great deal of pain. Thus it is, 
 when the plague takes one away in his full strength in a little 
 time, therefore it is a very painful disease ; and as it is a very 
 painful disease, so it is an uncomfortable disease ; then all 
 friends leave us, then a man or woman sit and lie all alone, 
 and is a stranger to the breath of his own relations. If a 
 man be sick of a fever, it is some comfort that he can take a 
 bed-staff and knock, and his servant comes up and helps him 
 with a cordial. But if a man be sick of the plague, then he
 
 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN*8 HABITATION. 469 
 
 sits and lies all alone ; it is the most uncomfortable disease ; 
 and as it is that disease that is most uncomfortable, so it is 
 that disease that is most mortal, and therefore of all other 
 diseases it is called death. In the sixth of the iievelation, 
 we read of the sword and famine, in the former part of the 
 chapter ; but in the eighth verse, " And I looked, and behold 
 a pale horse ; and his name that sat on him was Death." 
 The sword is spoken of plainly before, in the fourth verse, 
 "And there went out another horse, that was red: and 
 power was given to him that sat thereon, to take peace 
 from the earth, and that they should kill one another : and 
 there was given unto him a great sword;" there is the sword: 
 then at the sixth verse there is a famine, " 1 heard a voice in 
 the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a 
 penny, and three measures of barley for a penny :" now at 
 the eighth verse comes on the pestilence, and that is called 
 death ; not the sword, or famine, but the plague, is that 
 which hath the name of death ; because of all other diseases 
 it is the most mortal ; and as it is the most mortal disease, so 
 it is the most unavoidable disease. It may be avoided through 
 the goodness of God; but I speak comparatively, of all 
 diseases it is the most unavoidable. And it is the disease 
 that is the most emptying disease ; it empties houses, and it 
 empties towns, and empties cities. God threatens to empty a 
 nation, as a man empties a dish, and wipes it, and turns it 
 upside down. So to a family it is the most emptying disease 
 of all other. But I will not stay here ; it is too manifest that 
 this evil, misery, and danger of a plague is exceeding great. 
 
 But yet, in the second place, there are a generation whom 
 God will protect and deliver in the day of a plague. It was 
 always so in the most desolating judgments : when the flood 
 came, there was Noah and his house spared ; and when Sodom 
 was destroyed, there was Lot and his house preserved and de- 
 livered. In the sixth chapter of Isaiah, ye read of a desola- 
 tion that looks like a plague : "Then, said I, Lord, how long? 
 And he answered (at the eleventh verse) until the cities be 
 wasted and without inhabitant, and the houses be without 
 man, and the land be utterly desolate, and the Loi-d have 
 removed men far away :" yet, says he, at the thirteenth 
 verse, " There shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall 
 be eaten as a teyle tree, and as an oak, whose substance is
 
 470 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN 5 S HABITATION. 
 
 in them," &c. yet there is a generation whom the Lord will 
 preserve and deliver in such a general desolation as this. But 
 who are these ? This Psalm tells us, " they are sueh as do 
 trust in the Lord," those that trust in the Lord in the time of 
 a plague. 
 
 But why is there such a promise of protection entailed 
 upon those that trust in the Lord in the time of a plague ? 
 Why, first of all, God will be all that to us which we make 
 him, and build upon him for : as in Psalm xxxi. 2, 3, " Be 
 thou my rock, for thou art my rock, be thou my defence, for 
 thou art my fortress :" in the latter end of the second verse, 
 " Be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save 
 me, for thou art my rock and my fortress." Lord, be that 
 unto me, which I build upon thee for. Thou art my rock, 
 therefore be my rock : this is his argument. Now, by faith 
 and trusting in the Lord, we do make God our protector, and 
 therefore he will be a protector to those that trust unto him 
 in time of a plague. 
 
 Those that honour providence, shall be kept by pro- 
 vidence. Jacob, what a wonderful great estate he attained 
 unto ! he presented Esau with a present fit for a king to give. 
 How came he by this great estate ? There was a controversy 
 betwixt Laban and him, and he puts the business upon pro- 
 vidence, and providence made him rich : those that honour 
 providence, shall be kept by providence. Faith and trusting 
 in God in the time of a plague, honours providence ; there- 
 fore they that trust in God in such a day shall be kept. 
 
 Thereby God is engaged to help and deliver. In 
 Psalm xxxvii. last verse, " The Lord shall help them and 
 deliver them, he shall save them because they trust in him ; 
 because they trust in him, God is engaged to help and de- 
 liver, if men trust in him. So in Isaiah xxvi. 3, "Thou wilt 
 keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, 
 because he trusteth in thee." Our very trusting in the Lord 
 for deliverance and protection, doth engage God to deliver 
 and protect. 
 
 When did God do ever any great thing, but it was 
 put upon faith ? Ye read of great victories in the time of 
 the Old Testament, and these were put upon faith: ye 
 read of great cures in the time of the New Testament, and 
 those were put upon faith. When did God do any great
 
 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN*S HABITATION. 471 
 
 thing, but it was put upon faith ? Now to be preserved and 
 protected in the time of a plague, when thousands fall on the 
 right hand and on our left, it is a great matter, next unto a 
 miracle ; therefore it must be put upon faith. 
 
 Again : God will honour those persons, and those graces 
 most, that honour him most: of all graces faith honours God 
 most, therefore God will honour that most ; no wonder, then, 
 that this protection is put upon faith and trusting in the Lord. 
 
 One thing more : there lies a blessing in course for all 
 those that put themselves under the wing of the Lord in 
 trusting him. In the second of Ruth, verse 12th, says 
 Boaz to Ruth, "The Lord recompense thy work, and a 
 full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under 
 whose wings thou art come to trust ;" under whose wings 
 thou hast put thyself. It is faith, and faith only, that puts 
 us under the wings of God. Psalm Ivii. at the 1st verse, 
 "Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me, 
 for my soul trusteth in thee; yea, in the shadow of thy 
 wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be 
 overpast :" it is faith that doth put a man under the wing 
 of God. In Psalm xxxvi. 7> " How excellent is thy loving- 
 kindness, O God ! therefore the children of men put their 
 trust under the shadow of thy wing." Faith, of all other 
 graces, puts a man under the shadow of God's wing, and 
 there lies a blessing in course, I say, for all those that put 
 themselves under God's wing ; therefore no wonder that this 
 great promise of protection and deliverance in the time of a 
 plague is entailed upon trusting in God. 
 
 Well, but then, thirdly, what faith is this, what trust is that 
 which God hath promised protection and deliverance to in 
 the time of a plague ? what act of faith is it ? what faith is 
 it ? I answer, first, there is a faith of persuasion, called 
 faith, whereby men are persuaded and verily believe that they 
 shall not die, nor fall by the hand of the plague. This is 
 well ; but I do not find in the xcist Psalm, that this protec- 
 tion is entailed upon this persuasion, neither do I find this 
 faith here mentioned. 
 
 There is also a faith of reliance, whereby a man doth 
 rely upon God for salvation ; this is a justifying faith, true 
 justifying faith ; this is true faith indeed : but I do not find 
 in this Psalm, that this promise of protection and deliverance
 
 472 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN 5 S HABITATION. 
 
 in the time of a plague is entailed upon this, nor that this is 
 here mentioned. 
 
 But again, there is a faith, I may call it a faith of re- 
 course unto God, whereby a man doth betake himself unto 
 God for shelter, for protection, as to his habitation : when 
 other men do run, one this way, another that way, to their 
 hiding-places : in the time of a plague, for a man then to 
 betake himself to God as to his habitation, I think this is the 
 faith that is here spoken of, in this xcist Psalm : for do but 
 mark the words of the Psalm ; at the 1st verse, He that 
 dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High," in the hiding- 
 place of the Most High ; as if he should say, When others 
 run from the plague and pestilence, and run to their hiding- 
 places, " He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most 
 High," that betakes himself to God as his hiding-place and 
 his habitation, he shall abide under the shadow of the Al- 
 mighty, shall be protected. And so at the 9th verse, " Be- 
 cause thou hast made the Lord which is my refuge, even the 
 Most High thy habitation, there shall no evil befal thee, 
 neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling;" as if he 
 should say to us, In time of a plague, men are running and 
 looking out for habitations and hiding-places ; but because 
 thou hast made the Lord thy habitation, and hast recourse to 
 him as thy habitation, " no evil shall befal thee, neither 
 shall the plague come nigh thy dwelling:" and again, at the 
 llth verse it is said, " He shall give his angels charge over 
 thee, to keep thee in all thy ways," the ways of thy calling ; 
 as if he should say, In the time of a plague, men will be very 
 apt to leave station and calling, and so run away from the 
 plague and pestilence ; but, saith he, u He shall give his 
 angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways," the 
 ways of thy calling and place ; that is, look when a man in 
 the time of a plague shall conscientiously keep his station and 
 place, and betake himself to God as his habitation : this is 
 the fiaith that is here spoken of, and this is the faith that God 
 hath promised protection to, here in this xcist Psalm. 
 
 But you will say then, Is it not lawful to fly in the time of 
 persecution ? Yes, without all doubt it is, so you carry God 
 along with you for your habitation, so you make God your 
 habitation still ; a man may lawfully seek the preservation of 
 his life and the life of his family.
 
 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN'S HABITATION. 473 
 
 But stay, the plague is called the hand of God ; and can a 
 man flee from the hand of God ? Mark a little for answer : 
 the hand of God is either mediate or immediate : suppose 
 that the plague or pestilence were the immediate hand of 
 God, and nothing of nature or infection in it ; yet it is lawful 
 to fiy ; it is lawful to go out of that place where the imme- 
 diate hand of God rests. In the xvith of Numbers there 
 was an immediate hand of God upon Korah, Dathan and 
 Abiram, for the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them 
 up; here was an immediate hand of God: yet the Lord 
 speaks unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, in the 21st verse, 
 " Separate yourselves from amongst this congregation, that I 
 may consume them in a moment;" and at the 24th verse, 
 " Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get ye up from about 
 the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan and Abiram ;" which was 
 the immediate hand of God, and jet notwithstanding they 
 were to go from among them that the hand of God fell upon, 
 though it were an immediate hand. And in the following 
 part of the chapter the same expression is used for the plague : 
 in the 44th verse, " They murmured, and the Lord struck 
 them with the plague." Well, the Lord spake unto Moses, 
 saying, in the 45th verse, " Get you up from amongst this 
 congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment : " 
 the same that is said before is said here concerning the plague. 
 So that I say, although the plague were the immediate hand 
 of God, and there were nothing of nature or infection in it, 
 yet it were lawful to fly. 
 
 But, again, the plague or pestilence is not so much the 
 hand of God, as if there were no infection in it; for if there 
 were no infection in it, if there were not something of nature 
 in it, it could not be cured by remedies, nothing would do 
 good ; therefore it is not so the hand of God as if there were 
 nothing of infection in it ; but is called the hand of God, 
 because God's providence hath a special hand in the sending 
 and ordering of it. So now the famine may be called God's 
 hand ; God sends it : "I will call for a famine upon the 
 land," says God: a famine is of God's sending, and therefore 
 may I not fly from a famine ? Abraham, when there was a 
 famine in the land, went down to Abimelech. Isaac, when 
 there was a famine in the land, went down : and Jacob, when 
 there was a famine in the land, went down to Egypt. And
 
 474 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN J S HABITATION. 
 
 is it lawful to fly in the time of famine, and is it not lawful 
 to fly in the time of a plague ? Certainly the one as well as 
 the other. 
 
 But then, you will say, if the Lord hath promised protec- 
 tion and deliverance to those that trust in him in the time of 
 a plague, whether is it possible for a believer to die by a 
 plague, seeing the whole Psalm is made to those ; and pro- 
 mise such protection to those that trust in the Lord, whether 
 may a believer die of the plague ? Without all doubt he may. 
 Seventy thousand died in David's time ; do you think there 
 was not a good man among them ? It is recorded of several 
 good men, that they died of the plague ; but you know what 
 is said, " All things fall alike to good and bad :" if a good 
 man may not die of the plague, how can all things fall alike 
 to good and bad ? 
 
 But how then is the promise fulfilled, if that a believer 
 may die by the hand of a plague ? Yes, very well ; for pos- 
 sibly a believer may be out of his way, as good Josiah was, 
 and died, though God promised him that he should die in 
 peace. No disparagement to the promise, for he was out of 
 his way ; and this promise of protection in the time of a 
 plague is made to those believers that are in God's way; " He 
 will give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy 
 ways ;" therefore if a believer be out of God's way and die, 
 it is no disparagement to this promise. 
 
 But, again, you must know that this promise of protec- 
 tion and deliverance is not made to a believer as a believer, 
 but as acting and exercising faith ; for though a man be, a 
 believer, if he do not act and exercise his faith, this promise 
 will not reach him ; therefore if a believer die, not exercising 
 faith and trusting in God, no disparagement to the promise. 
 
 Again, you must know that this promise is not made to 
 a believer barely exercising and acting faith ; but such an act 
 of faith and such an act of trust as you have heard of: there- 
 fore, though a believer die, and die exercising some faith, yet 
 this promise is fulfilled, for it is made to such an act of faith 
 as you have heard of. 
 
 But then again, further, you must know this promise is 
 not made to a believer absolutely, but in opposition to the 
 wicked ; therefore it is said, the Lord having promised this 
 to a believer, " that no evil should befal him, though a thou-
 
 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN*S HABITATION. 475 
 
 sand should fall at his side, and ten thousand at his right 
 hand ;" at the 8th verse, it is said, so Montanus, rather than 
 only but, " with thine eyes shalt thou behold, and see the re- 
 ward of the wicked :" as if he should say, Though this or 
 that particular believer die of the plague, believers shall out- 
 live the wicked and be last upon the ground,*and they shall 
 see the reward of the wicked ; they shall see this judgment 
 sweep away the ungodly. 
 
 But again, further, if I should interpret this as Austin doth 
 in the ist of John, concerning Christ, where it is said, " He 
 enlightens every one that comes into the world;" that is, says 
 Austin, all that are enlightened are enlightened by him. As 
 you say of a schoolmaster in a town, This schoolmaster 
 teaches all the boys in the town ; not that he teaches every 
 particular boy in the town, but that all that are taught are 
 taught by him. So, says he, Christ enlightens every one that 
 comes into the world ; that is, all that are enlightened are 
 enlightened by him. So here the Lord doth promise protec- 
 tion and deliverance to all those that do believe in the time 
 of a plague ; that is, all that have protection and deliverance, 
 in the time of a plague, have it from him. 
 
 But to end this, I do think that this xcist Psalm doth hold 
 forth a promise of special protection in the time of a plague, 
 for believers. The scope of it is not, that every particular 
 believer shall not die ; but the drift and scope of the Psalm 
 is, to hold forth a speciality of protection for believers in the 
 time of a plague. For as the time of a plague is a time of 
 special danger ; so God hath given out a special promise, 
 and there shall be a speciality of protection for his people in 
 the time of this danger ; and that is the meaning of this 
 place. 
 
 Well, but how, and by what means will God protect and 
 deliver those that trust in him in the time of a plague ? 
 
 For that I shall say only thus much ; he will do it by the 
 ministration of angels: especially by the ministration of 
 angels. When angels go forth to destroy, then angels must 
 go forth to deliver, seal, and secure : as in the viith of the 
 Revelation, and 1st verse, " After these things I saw four 
 angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the 
 four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on 
 the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw an-
 
 476 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN*S HABITATION. 
 
 other angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the 
 living God ; and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels 
 to whom it was given to hurt the earth, and the sea, saying, 
 Hurt not/' &c. When angels go forth to hurt, then angels 
 must go forth to seal, and save, and protect. Now in the 
 time of a plague, angels go forth to destroy ; therefore saith 
 the Lord here, " I will give my angels charge over thee, to 
 keep thee in all thy ways ; they shall bear thee up in their 
 hands, lest thou dash thy foot against the stone." Have I 
 given my angels commission to destroy ? I have given my 
 angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. Thus 
 now men shall be preserved and delivered in the time of a 
 plague, by the ministry of angels. And so you have the 
 words opened. 
 
 Now to bring things home to ourselves by way of applica- 
 tion. Here we may see what is our work, our great work in 
 this day. The day we are fallen into is a dark day, a day of 
 the plague and the pestilence : it is good for us to inquire 
 what our work is ; it is good at all times, but now especially, 
 to inquire what our work is. Oh, what is my work this day ? 
 Now the work of this day, our work is to trust in the Lord ; 
 this is the work that protection and deliverance in the time 
 of a plague is entailed upon. Who is there that does not 
 desire to be protected and delivered from this plague ? Oh, 
 that I and my family may be preserved ! Behold here your 
 antidote to keep you from the plague : Trust in the Lord, as 
 ever you and your family may be protected now in this evil 
 day. Trust in the Lord, and call upon yours to trust in the 
 Lord. 
 
 But what shall we do that we may trust in the Lord in this 
 day of the plague ? First of all, you must repent of your 
 own sins, and be sorrowful for the sins of others, and of the 
 times wherein you live. W r hen the plague came in David's 
 time, you know what David did, he repented : " Lord," says 
 he, " I have done foolishly : as for these sheep, what have 
 they done ? It is I, Lord, it is I." So let every one do : 
 this God expects in the time of a plague. In the ivth chap- 
 ter of Amos, says the Lord there, in the 10th verse, " I have 
 sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt : 
 your young men have I slain with the sword ; and have 
 taken away your horses ; and I have made the stink of your
 
 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN J S HABITATION. 477 
 
 camps to come up unto your nostrils : yet have ye not re- 
 turned unto me, saith the Lord." When God sends the 
 pestilence, then he expects that men and women should 
 return unto him : repent and return unto him. In the ixth of 
 Ezekiel, those that sigh and mourn for the abominations, 
 they are marked, when men go into the city with their des- 
 troying weapons. Those that sigh and mourn for the evil of 
 the times, they are the marked men. They are not marked 
 for deliverance, that do abstain from sin ; a man may be 
 given to drunkenness, and may leave his drunkenness, but 
 that will not bring him under the mark: men are not brought 
 under the mark for deliverance, that do repent of their own 
 sin ; but the mark is set upon those that do mourn for other 
 men's sins. But now I put both together ; if you trust in 
 the Lord in this evil day, in the time of a plague, repent for 
 your own sins, and mourn for the sins Of others. For how 
 can I trust in the Lord for protection, if I do not repent of 
 my sins ? If I live in any sin, and do not turn from all my 
 evil ways, how can I trust in the Lord ? I cannot do it ; 
 therefore repent and be sorrowful for your own sins, and for 
 the sins of others. 
 
 Again, get assurance of your interest in Christ. Christ 
 is our great High Priest that makes the atonement, as Aaron 
 did in the time of a plague ; it is by the ministry of angels 
 especially, that we are kept in the time of a plague. Now 
 says our Saviour Christ to Nathaniel, " Because I saw thee 
 under the fig-tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater 
 things than these. And he saith unto him, Verily, verily I 
 say unto you, hereafter ye shall see heaven opened, and the 
 angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of 
 Man." The angels ascend and descend upon Christ. All 
 the ministry of angels is upon Christ's account, and you are 
 preserved and protected in the time of a plague by the 
 ministration of angels. What then ? Get an interest in 
 Christ, and if you doubt of your interest, get assurance, do 
 not let that slip now. Now get an interest in Christ, now 
 get assurance. % 
 
 Again, go to God to make good this promise. In this 
 xcist Psalm, if you do but mind it, the Lord doth not only 
 promise protection and deliverance from the plague to those 
 that trust in him, but he promises grace to trust in him ; he
 
 478 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN 3 S HABITATION. 
 
 promises protection upon condition that you trust in him, 
 and he promises you grace also to trust in him. Saith he, 
 at the 5th verse, " Art thou afraid, and canst not trust in 
 me ? " " Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, 
 nor for the arrow that flieth by day." At the 4th verse, 
 " He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings 
 shalt thou trust : thou shalt not be afraid," &c. Thou shalt 
 be secure, and I will keep thee from fear. The Lord that 
 hath promised protection in the time of a plague, hath also 
 promised freedom from fear, and grace to trust in him ; 
 therefore go to God for this grace, go to him to make good 
 this promise. 
 
 Then again, further, consider what motives ye have to 
 trust in God in the time of a plague. You will say, What 
 arguments or motives have we in the consideration whereof 
 we may be moved to trust in God in a time of a plague ? 
 There are many ; give me leave a little, that we may help one 
 another's faith in this needful day. 
 
 First of all, though the destroyer be abroad, yet there is a 
 man with his pen and ink-horn by his side also abroad, and 
 that man is your friend, it is Christ ; as you read in the ixth 
 of Ezekiel, there goes a man out with a pen and ink-horn by 
 his side, to mark those that sigh, and mourn, and cry for the 
 abominations that are done. Now to this man, Christ is a 
 friend, and therefore why should not you believe ? why should 
 you not trust in the Lord ? 
 
 But, again, if that the Lord do know those that do 
 trust in him in the time of a plague, why should you not 
 trust in him ? In the first chapter of Nahum you find very 
 great expressions of God's anger and indignation. It is said 
 at the second verse, " God is jealous, and the Lord re- 
 vengeth ; the Lord revengeth and is furious ; the Lord will 
 take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath 
 for his enemies, &c." At the fifth verse, " The mountains 
 quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burnt at 
 his presence ; yea, the world and all that dwell therein ; who 
 can stand before his indignation ? and who can abide in the 
 fierceness of his anger ? His fury is poured out like fire, and 
 the rocks are thrown down by him." What then ? In the 
 7th verse, " The Lord is good, a strong-hold in the day of 
 trouble, and he knoweth them that trust in him." The Lord
 
 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN*S HABITATION. 479 
 
 when he is angry doth distinguish betwixt those that trust in 
 him, and those that do not trust in him. If a man be angry 
 and in fury, he strikes any that comes in his way, he does 
 not know his friends from his enemies ; but the Lord knows 
 them that trust in him, though he be angry, and in fury, and 
 in indignation, yet he knows them that trust in him ; and 
 therefore why should ye not trust in the Lord in the day of 
 a plague ? 
 
 Again, if that a plague and pestilence do make room for 
 God's people, why should ye not trust in the Lord in the 
 time of a plague ? what, think you, should be the meaning of 
 that which we read in the iiird of Habakkuk ? " Before him 
 went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet." 
 When was this ? It was when God led his people into Ca- 
 naan : " God came from Teman, and the Holy One from 
 Mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and 
 the earth was full of his praise ; before him went the pesti- 
 lence, and burning coals went forth at his feet." He sent 
 the pestilence among the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and 
 the Perizzites to consume them, and make way for his peo- 
 ple. God can send a pestilence into a city, to make room for 
 his people, and to take off persecution. You see you have 
 scripture for it : " Before him went the pestilence." Now, I 
 say, if God by a pestilence can, and doth, and will make room 
 for his people, why should not ye, who are the people of God, 
 trust in the Lord in the day of a plague ? 
 
 Again, if there be mercy with the Lord in the time of 
 a plague, if God be ready to be entreated, and to receive 
 atonement, and to show mercy unto his people, why then 
 should not you trust in the Lord in the time of a plague ? 
 Now I pray look upon the story of David's time, and you 
 may see how ready God was to show mercy in the day of a 
 plague. First of all, upon that ground, God told David 
 where the temple should be built, which he never told him 
 before : but, secondly, look into the story, and you will see 
 what abatement there is ; how God threatened and abates. 
 There was threatened seven years famine, and observe two 
 abatements: 1 Chron. xxi. 12. God came to David, and 
 said, Thus saith the Lord, choose thee either three years 
 famine, &c. In the 2 Samuel xxiv, it is seven years famine : in 
 the 13th verse, " God came to David and told him, and said
 
 480 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN J 8 HABITATION'. 
 
 unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy 
 land, or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies ?" 
 Seven years of famine, says one place, three years of famine, 
 says the other : Why ? because God abates. Well, but 
 there is a great abatement if you look upon the business of 
 the plague. The Lord gave David his choice ; " Shall seven 
 years of famine come unto thee in thy land, or wilt thou fly 
 three months before thine enemies, or that there be three 
 days pestilence in thy land ?" W T ell, at the 15th verse, 2 
 Sam. xxiv. 15, " So the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel, 
 from the morning even to the time appointed." The time ap- 
 pointed, how long was that ? What, three days ? no, there was 
 abatement ; how doth that appear ? " So the Lord sent a pes- 
 tilence upon Israel, from the morning even to the time ap- 
 pointed " even to the evening sacrifice, for so it signifies. But 
 how do you prove that it did not last three days ? By two rea- 
 sons, says Peter Martyr ; one, because it is said, " The Lord 
 repented him of the evil :" and another, because, says he, at 
 the 16th verse, " When the angel stretched out his hand 
 upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord repented him;" 
 Why ? if the three days had been at an end, the angel would 
 not have stretched out his hand to have destroyed Jerusalem: 
 therefore the angel still putting forth his hand to destroy, 
 shows that the three days were not an end ; so that there was 
 an abatement. I speak it to show God's readiness to abate, 
 and to show mercy in the time of a plague. 
 
 Again, you may observe here in this story, that when the 
 plague came to Jerusalem, which was the most populous 
 place, there it stayed: at the 16th verse, "And when the 
 angel stretched out his hand over Jerusalem to destroy it, the 
 Lord repented him of the evil." When it came to the most 
 populous place, where it was most likely to be infective, there 
 it stayed : see the readiness of God to show mercy. 
 
 But, further, you may observe, if you look into this 
 story, that the Lord repented him, and gave commandment 
 for the staying of the pestilence before David repented. I 
 confess there is somewhat of his repentance before. But 
 afterwards, " David said unto God (1 Chron. xxi. 17)> Is it 
 not I that have commanded the people to be numbered, even 
 I ? it is I that have sinned, and done evil indeed, let thine 
 hand, I pray thee, O Lord, my God, be on me and on my
 
 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN'S HABITATION. 481 
 
 father's house, but not on this people, that they should be 
 plagued. David lift up his eyes (in the 16th verse) and saw 
 the angel of the Lord stand between the earth and the hea- 
 ven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over 
 against Jerusalem." And then follows that speech of David. 
 But if you look before, you shall find the Lord made an 
 abatement before this speech of his; before this humili- 
 ation of his; the Lord shewed mercy, and gave him 
 his choice before, in the second of Samuel, xxiv. 16, " And 
 when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to 
 destroy it, the Lord repented him of the evil, and said to the 
 angel that destroyed the people, It is enough, stay now thine 
 hand ; and the angel of the Lord was by the threshing-floor 
 of Araunath the Jebusite. And David spake unto the Lord 
 when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I 
 have said, and I have done wickedly ; but these sheep, what 
 have they done ? Let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me 
 and against my father's house," at the 17th verse ; but the 
 Lord repented him, at the 16th verse; as if the Lord did 
 prevent David's repentance with his loving kindness ; before 
 his full repentance came out, the Lord gave commission to 
 stay the plague : look well upon this story, and you may see 
 how ready the Lord is to shew mercy, and be entreated by 
 his people in the time ot a plague. 
 
 But, again, if this promise in Psalm xci., which is nothing 
 else but a promise in the time of a plague ; if this promise 
 be full, and certain, and solid, as it may obviate all our fears 
 and objections ; why then should we not trust in the Lord in 
 the time of a plague ? Now do but mark the Psalm, and you 
 shall see the words are so said as may obviate all your fears 
 and objections. 
 
 Will you say, The destroying angels are now abroad, the 
 arrows of the Almighty are now about us ? Says he, " He 
 will give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy 
 ways ; they shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash 
 Ihy foot against a stone." Will you say, Aye, but hundreds 
 fall on this side and on the other side, and thousands may 
 quickly? then says he, " Yet it shall not come nigh tlno: 
 there shall no evil befal thee, neither shall any plague come 
 nigh thy dwelling," verses 7> 10. 
 
 Will you say, Oh, but this same disease of the plague, it i-<
 
 482 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN*S HABITATION. 
 
 like a lion and an adder, and as a young lion and dragon ; 
 yet, saith he, " Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder, and 
 the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under thy 
 feet," in the 13th verse. 
 
 Will you say, Oh, but suppose the plague should come, all 
 my friends would leave me ; I shall be left all alone, and what 
 shall become of me then ? Why, says he, at the 15th verse, 
 " He shall call upon me, and I will answer him ; I will be 
 with him in trouble :" spoken in regard of the plague ; I am 
 of Molerus' mind, that the whole Psalm relates to the plague. 
 Will you say, Oh, but I cannot believe this ; there is no 
 likelihood that I should escape in a general plague. Mark 
 what he says in the last verse : " With long life will I satisfy 
 him, and shew him my salvation :" it shall be my salvation ; 
 thou shalt not be saved by second causes, but it shall be my 
 salvation. And in the 3rd verse, saith he, " Surely he shall 
 deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, from the noisome 
 pestilence." Do not doubt it, surely he shall deliver thee. 
 The words of this Psalm are so said, as to take off, and to 
 obviate all our objections and fears; therefore why should we 
 not trust in the Lord in the time of a plague ? 
 
 But you will say, then, How shall this work of faith and 
 trusting in the Lord be carried on ? I shall say no more in 
 it, but only two or three things from this Psalm. It must be 
 carried on with love to God, knowledge of his name, and 
 prayer. In the 14th verse, " Because he hath set his love 
 upon me, therefore will I deliver him." As you must believe 
 and trust in God, so you must set your love on God 5 and, 
 says he, " I will set him on high, because he hath known my 
 name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him." Here 
 are three things; love to God, knowledge of his name, and 
 prayer ; your faith and trust in such a day must go along with 
 these three : some say, they do believe and trust in God, but 
 they do not set their love upon God ; some say they love him 
 but do not know his name, that whereby God is distinguished 
 and worshipped ; some say they know God's name, but they 
 do not pray. But, now, if you would carry on your faith and 
 trust in the Lord as you ought to do, your trusting in the 
 Lord must be carried on with love to God, knowledge of his 
 name, and prayer. 
 
 Again, go on in your way, Christians, do not start out of 
 your way ; " He shall give his angels charge over thee, to
 
 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN*S HABITATION. 483 
 
 keep thee in all thy ways :" in all thy ways, the ways of thy 
 calling : take heed you be not found out of your way, that 
 the plague does not find you out of your way, look that you 
 do not start out of your way. 
 
 Again, and so to end ; go to God, and tell the Lord that 
 you do trust in him, and make him your habitation ; " He 
 that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High, shall 
 abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the 
 Lord, (in the Hebrew, I will say to the Lord,) My refuge, 
 my fortress, my God, in him will I trust." It is not enough 
 to trust in the Lord, but you must go to God and tell him, 
 that you do trust in him, that you make him your habita- 
 tion ; say, Lord, I make thee my habitation, I trust in thee, 
 thou art my refuge, and my fortress, in thee do I trust. 
 
 PSALM xci. 
 
 1 1 . For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all 
 thy ways. 
 
 12. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot 
 against a stone. 
 
 " FOR he shall give his angels charge over thee," &c. 
 Having treated of this Psalm already, I shall not spend 
 much time in showing you the coherence of these words 
 with the former ; you see they are brought in with a for ; 
 " For he shall give his angels charge over thee," as giving 
 an account and reason of that which was said before. In 
 the former part of the Psalm, you read of the saint's protec- 
 tion in, and their deliverance from, the plague and pestilence 
 in the day thereof. At the tenth verse, " There shall no 
 evil befal thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwel- 
 ling." Why ? " For he shall give his angels charge over 
 thee, to keep thee in all thy ways." &c. So that here still 
 you have the promise of protection in the time of the plague 
 and pestilence; the means whereby God will protect and 
 deliver. The condition of this promise in these words, 
 " Keep thee in all thy ways." So that though the danger 
 of the plague and pestilence be never so great, yet if we be 
 found in our ways, God's angels, under Him, shall be our pro-
 
 484 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN J S HABITATION. 
 
 tection. " He shall give his angels charge over thee," &c. 
 In which words, you may read the special and singular care 
 and providence of God over his people in the time of plague 
 and pestilence, to be managed by the hands of angels. God 
 will take special order with the angels, for the safety of his 
 people in the time of the plague and pestilence. 
 
 For the clearing of which argument, three things will fall 
 under our consideration. First. That God hath singular care 
 and providence over his children. Secondly. That this care 
 and providence is managed by the hands of angels. Thirdly. 
 That this and all this, is and shall be exerted and drawn out 
 especially in the time of the plague and pestilence. 
 
 As for the first, it is so full and clear in the words, that I 
 shall need go no further. He doth not say that God 
 will provide for his people in the general, but there is a sin- 
 gular and special care and providence that God hath for his 
 people. For if you mind the words : first, he says, " He 
 will give his angels charge over thee." Charge; charge is a 
 strict command, more than a bare command, as when you 
 would have a servant do a business certainly and fully, you 
 lay a charge upon him, I charge you that you do not neglect 
 that business ; you do not barely tell what he should do, 
 prescribe him his work, but you charge him to do it. So 
 says the Lord unto the angels, My servants or children, now 
 they are in the plague and pestilence, O my angels, I charge 
 you, stir not from their houses, I charge you stir not from 
 such an one's bed-side ; it is a charge, " He shall give his 
 angels charge." 
 
 Further, he doth not only, and will not only charge his 
 angel, but his angels ; not one angel charged with the safety 
 of his people, but many angels, for their better guard and 
 security, " He shall give his angels charge." 
 
 And again, " He will give his angels charge over thee, to 
 keep thee ;" to keep thee ; charge over thee, and to keep 
 thee ; not only over the whole church of God, but over every 
 particular member of the church of God ; " He will give 
 his angels charge over thee, to keep thee :" this is his mar- 
 vellous care. 
 
 Well, but besides this, " He will give his angels charge 
 to keep thee in all thy ways;" not in some of thy ways, 
 but in all thy ways. As God's providence is particular in
 
 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN J S HABITATION. 485 
 
 regard of our persons, so it is universal in regard of our 
 ways. " He will give his angels charge over thee, to keep 
 thee," not in some, but " in all thy ways." 
 
 But is this all ? No ; " They shall bear thee up in their 
 hands," as every servant desires and loves to take up the 
 young heir, or the young master into his arms, so the angels. 
 It is a great matter, that the Lord promiseth to pitch his 
 tents. " And the angels of the Lord shall pitch their tents 
 round about them that fear him;" but here is more; the an- 
 gels shall not only pitch their tents, be their guard, but their 
 nurses, to bear them up in their hands : but why ? " That 
 thou dash not thy foot against a stone." When children 
 begin to go, they are very apt to fall, and get many a knock ; to 
 stumble at every little stone. Now there are many stones 
 of stumbling that are in our way, and we are very apt to fall 
 and miscarry ; but such is the goodness of God, the provi- 
 dence of God, the goodness of his providence, that as he 
 hath provided his angels to t>e our guard, in opposition to 
 all our foreign enemies ; so he hath provided his angels to 
 be our nurses, in opposition to all our weaknesses and infir- 
 mities, that we get no hurt, that we miscarry not in the least, 
 " That we dash not our foot against a stone." Oh ! how 
 tender is the Lord of his ? In other Scriptures you know 
 the Lord is said to keep his people as the apple of his eye : 
 what is a man more tender of than the apple of his eye ? and 
 when doth the Lord keep his people as the apple of his eye, 
 but when they are lowest and in the worst condition ? In 
 the xxxiind of Deuteronomy, verse 10th, " He found him in 
 a desert land, and in the waste and howling wilderness : he 
 led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple 
 of his eye." When they came out of Egypt, and when they 
 were in the howling wilderness, the Lord did keep his peo- 
 ple then as the apple of his eye : and if you look into the 
 iind of Zechariah, you shall find he did the same when they 
 came out of Babylon, Zech. ii. 6. " Ho, ho, come forth, 
 and flee from the land of the North, deliver thyself, oh Zion, 
 that dvvellest with the daughter of Babylon." ' There were 
 some that staid still behind, that were so wedded -to their 
 houses there they would not stir out of Babylon, some of 
 the worst of them ; concerning these, he says at the eighth 
 verse, " After the glory hath he sent me to the nations
 
 486 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN^S HABITATION. 
 
 which spoiled you ; for, he that toucheth you, toucheth the 
 apple of his eye/' Sinful, poor, unworthy people, that 
 would not go home when they might, would not go out of 
 Babylon when they might ; yet how tender was the Lord of 
 them ! But I say, I shall need go no further than the text? 
 the Lord hath said it, that " He will give his angels charge 
 over you, to keep you in all your ways, that you dash not 
 your foot against a stone." So that thus then you see the 
 singular care and providence of God over his servants and 
 children. That is the first. 
 
 But then, secondly, this care and providence of his is 
 managed by the hands of angels ; the angels are the people 
 that are especially betrusted with this protection of the 
 saints. Mistake not; not as if the Lord himself did quit 
 his hands of their protection ; though the angels should be 
 our protection, yet if God should withdraw his protection 
 and presence, we could not be satisfied with the protection 
 of angels. Look into the xxxiiird of Exodus, and you shall 
 see there how the Lord, by Moses, tells the people he would 
 send an angel before them : " I will send an angel before 
 thee, and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and 
 the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite ; 
 unto a land flowing with milk and honey : for I will not go 
 up in the midst of thee, for thou art a stiff-necked people : 
 lest I consume thee in the way :" what then ? " and when 
 the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned, and no 
 man did put on him his ornaments," when they heard these 
 evil tidings ; what, was this evil tidings, that their enemies 
 should all be driven out before them, and that God would 
 honour them with an angel to go before them ? yes, 
 they called this evil tidings, because they had not the Lord 
 himself, to go before them. So that the bare presence of 
 angels without the Lord himself, could not satisfy a gracious 
 soul ; still, therefore, God himself is our great protector : 
 and therefore the angels are said to be sent forth ; are they 
 not all ministering spirits sent forth ? and who is it that doth 
 send them forth ? He whose they are ; whose are they ? they 
 are called in the first of the Hebrews, " the angels of God '" 
 and the text says they are his angels, his : indeed in the 
 eighteenth of Matthew, they are called the saints, angels ; 
 " Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones (10th
 
 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN'S HABITATION. 487 
 
 verse) for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels," c. 
 their angels, and yet his angels ; theirs in regard of profit, 
 for they are sent forth for the good of the elect: but his in 
 regard of authority, they are his servants, his ministers. So 
 that I say still, though the angels have the management of 
 this protection, yet God is the protector of his people : but yet 
 I say, though God be our great protector, and God doth not 
 quit his hands of this protection ; yet he hath betrusted the 
 protection of the saints very much in the hands of the angels ; 
 and therefore they are called cherubims ; and wherefore are 
 they called cherubims? Because they do hide and protect. 
 Upon this acccount the king of Tyrus is called a cherub, in 
 that place of Ezekiel, because of his hiding and protecting the 
 people that were under him. And the angels have wings, 
 not only for their swiftness, but for protection, the wing 
 being for protection, as well as to fly with. So that I say, 
 though God be the great protector of his people, yet that 
 protection lies much on the hands of angels. 
 
 But what need God make use of angels to protect his 
 people ? he is able to do it alone ; and is it not for God's 
 dishonour to make use of them for the protection of his 
 people ? No, it is for the honour of God, for the more 
 honourable the servants are, the instruments are, that a king 
 or prince doth use for the protecting of his people, the more 
 honourable is that king or prince. Now the angels, they are 
 honourable creatures ; frequently they are called gods : " thou 
 hast made him a little lower than the angels." In the He- 
 brew it is " a little lower than the gods, worship him all ye 
 gods, (in the Hebrew) all ye angels." Well ! but why are the 
 angels called into this protection, into this nursery, into this 
 ministry ; God hath several creatures that he can use to pro- 
 tect and safe-guard his people; why are the angels in a 
 special manner called into this work of protection of the 
 saints ? 
 
 They are the fittest people in the world for this employ- 
 ment ; fittest in regard of themselves, fittest in regard of the 
 saints. They are fittest in regard of themselves , for, first, 
 they are an exceeding strong and potent people : who more 
 fit to look to, and care for the concernments of the saints and 
 people of God, than those that are strong and potent ? It is 
 said of the angels in the ciiird Psalm, that they excel in
 
 488 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN*S HABITATION. 
 
 strength; "Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in 
 strength," verse 20. They are called powers in tfee host of 
 God, they are the chariots and the horsemen, in Psalm Ixviii. 
 17, "The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thou- 
 sands of angels ;" thousands of angels : they are the chariots 
 and horsemen in the host of God : other foot-companies he 
 hath, but his chariots and horsemen, they are the angels. 
 One angel, you know, destroyed a hundred and fourscore 
 thousand of the host of Assyria in a night ; as one constable 
 will scare away twenty thieves, so one good angel, invested 
 with God's authority, is able to drive away a thousand evil 
 angels, devils : they are an exceeding strong and potent 
 people. 
 
 2. As they are an exceeding strong and potent people ; so 
 they are a very knowing, and a wise people : and who so fit 
 to manage the affairs and concerns of the saints, and people 
 of God, and to protect and defend them as a knowing and 
 understanding people ? Such are the angels : the devils in- 
 deed, they are called knowing ; but the angels, good angels, 
 they are called intelligencers : you know what Joab said to 
 David ; " Thou art for wisdom as an angel of God/' Says our 
 Saviour, "No man knoweth that day and time, no, not the 
 angels in heaven ;" as if the angels in heaven knew every se- 
 cret, and were acquainted with every hidden thing : they are 
 an exceeding knowing people, very prudent, and very wise. 
 
 3. As they are an exceeding knowing and wise people, so 
 they are also exceeding active and expeditious, quick in dis- 
 patches, who more fit to protect and defend the saints and 
 people of God, than those that are active, expedite, and quick 
 in their dispatches ? such are the angels. In the first of 
 Ezekiel ye read that every one had four wings ; why ? be- 
 cause of their great activity and expedition, and the quick 
 dispatch they make in all their affairs. 
 
 4. As they are an active and expeditious people, so they 
 are a people very faithful both to God and man ; in the ciiird 
 Psalm, they are ready to do God's will, and not only ready to 
 fulfil God's will, but they do it ; " Bless the Lord, all ye his 
 angels that excel in strength, (verse 20,) that do his com- 
 mandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Bless 
 ye the Lord, all ye his hosts, ye ministers of his that do his 
 pi easure." They .are very faithful ; and who so fit to do th
 
 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN*S HABITATION. 489 
 
 work, to attend and look to the concernments of the saints 
 and people of God, as those that are faithful. 
 
 5. As they are an exceeding faithful people, so they are a 
 people that are very loving to the saints and children of God, 
 very loving ; otherwise they were not fit to be their nurses : 
 what is a nurse without love ? They are loving to the 
 saints. " Do it not, (said the angel unto John) I am thy fel- 
 low-servant ;" do not give divine worship to me, I am thy 
 fellow-servant; fellow-servants are loving to one another; 
 they are fellow-servants with the saints. Are the saints and 
 people of God members of Christ, and is Christ their head ? 
 so is Christ the Lord of angels ; he is the Lord of angels, 
 and they follow him. In Zech. i. 8, " I saw by night, and be- 
 hold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the 
 myrtle trees that were in the bottom ;" these myrtle trees in 
 the bottom, are saints in a low condition ; " And, behold, a 
 man riding upon a red horse," this is Christ ; "and he stood 
 among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom ; and behind 
 him there were red horses, speckled and white;" behind 
 him ; mark who are these red horses, speckled and white, in 
 the 9th verse, " Then said I, O my Lord, what are these ? 
 and the angel that talked with me, said unto me, I will show 
 thee what these be, and the man that stood among the myrtle 
 trees answered and said, these are they, whom the Lord 
 hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth." These are 
 the angels that stand behind Christ, that are the followers of 
 Christ; they are his followers: the more union there is be- 
 twixt persons, the more they love ; and as the union is, such 
 is the love. If there be a natural union betwixt persons, 
 their love will be natural ; if their union be civil, political, 
 their love will be political, civil ; if the union be spiritual, 
 ecclesiastical, the love is spiritual, ecclesiastical, more than 
 natural. Now the union that is betwixt the angels and the 
 saints, it is a church union. " Ye are come," says the apostle, 
 in Heb. xii. 22, " unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the 
 living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable 
 company of angels, to the general assembly and church of 
 the first-born :" so that they are of the same church, the 
 general assembly and church of the first-born, and therefore 
 they must needs be an exceeding loving people to the saints 
 and people of God, and therefore a people fit for this em-
 
 490 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN*S HABITATION. 
 
 ployment, of all other the fittest for this employment, to be 
 employed under God for the protection of the saints, fittest 
 in regard of themselves. 
 
 But then again, fittest they are for this employment in 
 regard of the saints ; for who more fit to be employed in 
 this protection under God, the protection of the saints, than 
 those that are in some respect above the saints, and in some 
 respect beneath them : if a nurse be above the child, she may 
 despise it ; if the child be altogether above the nurse, the 
 nurse cannot rule it. Now the angels, they are in some re- 
 spect beneath and in some respect above the saints ; they are 
 above the saints in regard of their nature, as you all know ; 
 but in some respects they are beneath the saints and below 
 the saints : for the second person did not come into their 
 nature, as he did into the nature of the saints ; he took not 
 on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of 
 Abraham : and in that respect the saints are above them ; 
 and the saints are clothed with the righteousness of Christ, 
 such a garment as never came upon the back of an angel, 
 herein the saints are above the angels : and the saints and 
 people of God, they are members of Christ, and therein above 
 the angels ; Christ is the Lord of angels, but you do not read 
 that the angels are the members of Christ, So that I say, in 
 some respect the angels are beneath the saints, and in some 
 respect above them ; and so the more fit for this employment. 
 Ye see how it is with a mean man that sits at dinner at a 
 nobleman's table ; he sits down at the table with the noble- 
 man, and the servants of the nobleman, they attend upon 
 him ; may be the servants are better men than he, but be- 
 cause he sits down at the nobleman's table, these servants 
 attend upon him, as upon their master. Now the saints and 
 people of God are members of Christ, they have communion 
 with Christ, and sit down at his table : and therefore his fol- 
 lowers the angels, they attend upon the saints and people of 
 God : and thus now ye see why the angels are in a special 
 manner called to this work of protection of the saints and 
 people of God. 
 
 Well, but then, thirdly, Why are the angels called to this 
 work of protection of the saints, especially in the time of 
 plague and pestilence ? why doth the Lord give a special 
 charge to his angels to have a special care of his people in
 
 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN'S HABITATION. 491 
 
 the time of the plague and pestilence, why at that time es- 
 pecially ? 
 
 First of all, that time is a time of the greatest danger ; 
 when should the nurse look unto the child, if not in the 
 greatest danger ? Now in the time of the greatest danger, 
 then come the angels to the succour of God's people. In the 
 xxxiind chapter of Genesis, we read of the angels meeting of 
 Jacob, at the 1st verse, "Jacob went on his way, and the 
 angels of God met him ; and when Jacob saw them, he said, 
 This is God's host ;" they met him then ; why then ? he had 
 a vision when he went out from his country, a promise in 
 the way of a vision, the angels ascending and descending, 
 and now he had the promise accomplished upon his return ; 
 why then ? then he was in the greatest danger, he was be- 
 twixt Laban and Esau ; and though he had passed the pikes 
 of Laban, yet now he was to meet an old provoked enemy, a 
 wicked man, Esau ; insomuch that he was grievously afraid, 
 and he prayed, " Lord, deliver me from the hand of my bro- 
 ther;" well, and what then? then come the angels; then 
 comes this great danger, and then come the angels, " and he 
 called the name of the place Mahanaim ;" it is the same ex- 
 pression that is used in the vith chapter of the Canticles, 
 concerning the Jews returning unto their own country, at the 
 13th verse, " Return, return, oh Shulamite, return, return, 
 that we may look upon thee :" what will ye see in the Shula- 
 mite ? in the Jews returning, as it were the company of Ma- 
 hanaims; Mahanaims; two armies you read it, but it is the 
 same word: why? possibly to show that God will send a 
 host of angels to guard the Jews into their country, as he 
 sent a host of angels to guard their father Jacob into his 
 country. But I bring this to show that when the saints and 
 people of God are in greatest danger, then come the angels to 
 succour them. Now the time of sickness and of the plague 
 is a time of great danger. 
 
 2. Look when all visible means and helps fail, then is a 
 fit time for invisible help to come in. Now the help of the 
 angel is invisible, his hands are under his wings ; you cannot 
 see his help. When all visible means and helps fail, then 
 comes God's invisible help, then come the angels, a fit time 
 for the angels. 
 
 But, 3. Look when the destroying angel is abroad, then
 
 492 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN J S HABITATION. 
 
 is a fit time for the protecting angel to step in, and be at 
 work. Now in the time of the plague and pestilence, the 
 destroying angel is abroad ; only here then this question 
 doth arise, whether the destroying angel and the protecting 
 angel differ ; whether they be divers, or the same ? I shall 
 resolve it in two or three positions. 
 
 Although the same angel may destroy and spare, as in 
 David's time; yet the destroying angel and the protecting 
 angel seem to be divers. In the viith of Revelation, four 
 angels came out to hurt, and another angel came out to save. 
 In the ixth of Ezekiel, six men came out with their slaughter- 
 weapons in their hands, and another came out to mark. 
 
 Another position is this. As the destroying and pro- 
 tecting angel may seem to be divers, so God doth sometimes 
 employ an evil angel to afflict and destroy good men, and 
 doth sometimes employ a good angel to afflict and destroy 
 bad men. Sometimes God doth employ a good angel to 
 afflict and destroy wicked men, as in the case of Sodom ; 
 they were good angels that destroyed Sodom. Sometimes 
 on the other side, God doth employ evil angels to afflict, and 
 (shall I use the word ?) destroy good men : the devil wasted 
 Job, and killed his children. 
 
 But, again, though the angels may be thus employed, the 
 destroyer and the protector; yet this is certain, that all pro- 
 tection of the saints falls into the hands and the lap of the 
 good angels, " for he shall give his angels charge over thee ;" 
 his, why his ? in distinction from the devils, and evil angels, 
 that did not stay by him, but left him in the time of their 
 apostasy: and "they shall bear thee in their arms." Devils 
 do not bear the saints in their arms ; therefore the business 
 of the saints' protection, this falls wholly upon the good 
 angels to do : but look, I say, when the destroying angel is 
 abroad, then is a fit time for the protecting angel to be 
 abroad too. Now in the time of the plague and pestilence, 
 the destroying angel is abroad ; therefore then especially is 
 the good angel to be at work for the protection of the saints. 
 
 4. The time of the plague, is a time when the saints and 
 people of God may want outward provision ; good people 
 may be shut up and starved for want of victuals, in the time 
 of the plague. Now it is the work of the good angels to 
 provide meat and victuals for the people of God sometimes.
 
 THE RIGHTEOUS MAVS HABITATION. 493 
 
 In 1 Kings xix. 5, it is said of Elijah, that " as he lay and 
 slept under a juniper tree, an angel touched him, and said 
 unto him, Arise and eat : and he looked, and behold there 
 was a cake baked on the coals, and a cruise of water at his 
 head ; and he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. 
 And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and 
 touched him, and said, Arise and eat, because the journey is 
 too great for thee," &c. 
 
 5. The time of the plague and pestilence, as it is a time 
 of want, want of provision, so it is a time when many of 
 God's people are put to go for it, to fly for it, to run for it, 
 to seek abroad for their houses and habitations, do not know 
 which way to go : it is the work of a good angel to go before 
 them, to order and direct their way. In Gen. xxiv. 7j says 
 Abraham to his servant, " He shall send his angel before 
 thee." It is the work of a good angel to order, and direct, 
 and guide the people of God in their way. 
 
 6. The time of the plague and pestilence is a time 
 when people need physicians and surgeons, surgeons and 
 physicians against their malady. A good angel can do this, 
 and sometimes doth it. In John v. 4, " For an angel went 
 down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the 
 water ; whosoever then first after the troubling of the water, 
 stepped in, was made whole of whatsoever disease he had." 
 This is the work of an angel, to prepare a medicine ; this is 
 the work of an angel. 
 
 Aye, but you will say, all these instances are extraordi- 
 nary ; what is this to me in this time of the plague and 
 sickness, what is this to me ? these are extraordinary things, 
 does their ministry still continue or no ? 
 
 Mark, yes, certainly ; the Lord of hosts is with us, the 
 God of Jacob is our refuge : and how God was the God of 
 Jacob, and how his refuge, ye heard even now : in Heb. i. 7> 
 it is said, " And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his an- 
 gels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire ;" who maketh, 
 in the present tense, as if it were always a doing; not, who 
 hath made, but, who maketh ; " Who maketh his angels spi- 
 rits, and his ministers a flame of fire :" it is the present trnsc, 
 it is continually doing : and if you look into the Old Testa- 
 ment, and compare the cherubims that were in the tabernacle 
 with the cherubims that were in the temple, you shall find
 
 494 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN 5 S HABITATION. 
 
 that the cherubims that were in the tabernacle were but two, 
 and the cherubims that were in the temple were four ; why ? 
 but to shew that their protection shall rather be enlarged than 
 lessened. In the ist chapter of John, says our Saviour Christ 
 there to Nathaniel, at the last verse, " Verily, verily, I say unto 
 you, that hereafter ye shall see heaven opened, and the angels 
 of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." 
 Hereafter ; this is a gospel truth, and the more you know and 
 see the mystery of the gospel revealed, the more will this 
 mystery be revealed to you ; " Hereafter ye shall see heaven 
 opened, and the angels of God ascending," &c. ; hereafter, in 
 gospel times. And pray mark the words of the text, " He 
 shall give his angels charge over thee." Over thee ; say you, 
 I confess this is a comfortable truth, the protection of angels 
 in the time of the plague and pestilence especially, but what 
 is this to me : Yes, says he, " He shall give his angels charge 
 over thee," over thee. Now pray tell me, when you read the 
 commandments, "Thou shalt not steal; thou shalt not com- 
 mit adultery ; thou shalt do no murder ;" do ye think that 
 the thou there doth belong to you ? Yes : I dare not steal, I 
 dare not do any murder, I dare not commit adultery; for it 
 is said, " Thou shalt not murder ; thou shalt not commit 
 adultery; thou shalt not steal;" and this thou belongs to me. 
 And why should not the thee of the promise belong to you, 
 as well as the thou of the commandment ? Oh, that those 
 that are afflicted and troubled in conscience would think but 
 of this one thing ! If thou concernest thyself in the thou of 
 the commandment, thou art concerned in the thee of the 
 promise ; the thee of the promise concerns thee as certainly 
 as the thou of the commandment : and thus now ye see I 
 have gone through the doctrine. The Lord hath a singular 
 care and providence over his people, especially in the time of 
 the plague and pestilence, which is managed by the hands of 
 angels. God will take special order with the angels for the 
 safety of his people in the time of the plague and pestilence. 
 
 Now I come to the application. 
 
 1. If these things be so, great is the dignity of the saints, 
 of the saints here on earth, though never so much despised 
 by the world : they are attended with angels, they have angels 
 for their attendants : is it not an honour to have such attend- 
 ants as these ? The great ones of the earth think it an ho-
 
 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN'S HABITATION. 495 
 
 nour to have a company of glittering fellows attending upon 
 them, and following them in reds and ribbands, and gold and 
 silver laces. Oh, the beggarly attendants of this earth, unto 
 the attendants the saints have; glorious angels attend 
 them. It was much that Paul spake : " All things are yours, 
 whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas," all are yours : Pauls, 
 or Appolloses, or Cephases ; why, what are they ? they are 
 ministers, and ministers are called angels, angels of the chur- 
 ches. But not only these angels are the saints' attendants, 
 but heavenly angels are the saints' attendants. Ah, what 
 dignity, what honour is here ? Who dare despise any of the 
 saints or people of God, although they be never so mean ? 
 You see what our Saviour saith, Matt, xviii. 10, " Take heed 
 that you despise not one of these little ones ; for I say unto 
 you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of 
 my Father which is in heaven." That is the first. 
 
 2. If these things be so, why then surely the highest en- 
 joyment, and the meanest employment commanded, may and 
 can stand together: what meaner employment than to attend 
 upon a man that hath a plague-sore running upon him ? this 
 the angels are to do ; and they have the highest enjoyment 
 at the same time ; says he, after, " They always behold the 
 face of my Father." So that then our highest enjoyments, 
 and meanest employment commanded, may and can stand 
 together. It may be you say, I will not go to my calling, it 
 is a poor and mean calling, I shall not enjoy God in it. Aye, 
 but know this, you may enjoy God in the lowest employment. 
 The highest enjoyment, and the meanest employment com- 
 manded, may and can stand together. That is the second. 
 
 3. If these things be so, great is the saint's security, great 
 is the saint's safety. Are they not in safe hands that are in 
 the hands of angels ? not of one angel, but many angels : if 
 this be not enough, why the angels bear them up in their 
 arms : if this be not enough, God himself carries them in his 
 arms, as in the days of old ; God's eye is upon them, his ear 
 is open to their cry : Christ's left hand is under their head, 
 and his right hand doth embrace them, all the angels attend- 
 ing upon them. Oh, the safety and security of the saints and 
 people of God, even in the worst of times in the time of 
 the plague and pestilence ! 
 
 4. If these things be so, how good and gracious is the Lord
 
 496 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN'S HABITATION. 
 
 unto you ; you that are the saints and people of God, how 
 good and gracious is the Lord to you ! No sooner had David 
 said, Psalm xxxiv. 7> " The angel of the Lord encarapeth 
 round about them that fear him, and delivereth them :" but 
 the next words he subjoins, " Oh taste and see that the Lord 
 is good." Aye., here you may taste and see the goodness of 
 the Lord indeed, in the ministration of angels ; that the an- 
 gels nurse you, and carry you up and down in their arms : 
 the more you look into this, the more you will see how good 
 and gracious the Lord is. In the viiith Psalm, when David 
 had considered the creatures around, " Lord, (says he) what 
 is man, that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man 
 that thou visitest him ; for thou hast made him a little lower 
 than the angels," for a time : " all sheep and oxen, and all 
 creatures thou hast put under his feet:" he begins the Psalm 
 thus, " Oh Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all 
 the earth !" and because his heart 'was full of the sense of 
 God's love, he ends the Psalm with the same words, " Oh 
 Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth !" 
 aye, this is a taking thing indeed ; here you may see how 
 gracious and good the Lord is to you. 
 
 5. If these things be so, how infinitely are we all beholden 
 unto Jesus Christ, upon whose account it is that the angels 
 are your attendants in this time of the plague and sickness ; 
 he is the ladder that Jacob saw : Christ explains that ladder 
 himself; " You shall see heaven open, and the angels of God 
 ascending and descending upon the Son of Man :" it is upon 
 Christ's account, all the ministry of angels is upon Christ's 
 account : here you have more than Adam had in the state of 
 innocency ; when Adam fell, then you read indeed of the 
 cherubims set to keep the tree of life, to keep Paradise ; but 
 you do not read that before the fall he had the angels to mi- 
 nister to him ; but now, in and by Jesus Christ, we have the 
 ministration of angels, we are reconciled unto all the angels, 
 and not only so, but they are brought in to be our attendants. 
 Oh, blessed be God for Christ ! why should we not say, " I 
 love thee dearly, O Lord my Saviour, by whom I am made 
 partaker of this infinite privilege of the ministration of an- 
 gels." 
 
 G. If these things be so, what a mighty difference is there 
 betwixt the godly and the wicked, even in the time of the
 
 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN*S HABITATION. 497 
 
 plague. Your great desire in this sickness-time is, that God 
 would make a difference betwixt the one and the other: 
 whatever outward difference there is, I am sure there is this 
 difference, the saints and people of God have the angels to 
 attend upon them, but the wicked have not. The corn and 
 the weeds are cut down by the same scythe, one stroke cuts 
 them both down, but the corn and the weeds are differenced. 
 Two men, a godly man and a wicked man, lay sick of the 
 plague at the same time ; the wicked man hath little or no 
 attendance, when his friends leave him it may be he hath no- 
 body to attend him, except it be a halberteer at the door ; 
 no angels to attend him : but the good man, when all his 
 friends are gone, then come the angels and comfort him, and 
 attend upon him; and he may comfort himself, and say, 
 Though my friends have left me, yet here are the Lord's an- 
 gels to look to me and comfort me. What a mighty differ- 
 ence is there betwixt the one and the other ! Oh, who would 
 not be godly j who would not get into Christ upon this very 
 account ? 
 
 7. If these things be so, why, then, why should we not 
 trust in the Lord in this day of great mortality, this sickly 
 time, this time of the plague and pestilence ? What, shall 
 the angels be your attendants, now especially, and will not 
 you trust in God ? What, have you such a promise as this is, 
 and will not you trust in the Lord ? Shall the Lord himself 
 be your protector, and charge his angels with you for such a 
 time as this, and will you not trust in the Lord ? It is re- 
 corded of Alexander, that being in great danger, and to fight 
 next day with his enemies, he slept very soundly the night 
 before ; and he being asked the reason thereof, said, Parme- 
 nio wakes ; meaning a great and faithful captain of his : 
 Parmenio wakes, says he. The angels are called watchmen j 
 they watch and are faithful, therefore you may be secure, 
 quiet, and at rest : trust in the Lord for ever, upon this ac- 
 count, in this day trust in the Lord. 
 
 8. If these things be so, then, friends, why should we not 
 stoop to any work commanded, though it lie much beneath 
 us ? Do not you think that the attending upon a sick man, 
 a man that hath a plague-sore running upon him, is a work 
 that lies much beneath angels ? yet the angels do it because 
 it is commanded, though much beneath them yet they stoop 
 
 K K
 
 498 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN J S HABITATION. 
 
 to it because it is commanded : and what though a work lie 
 much beneath you, yet if it be commanded, why should you 
 not stoop to it ? You will say, Such an one is much beneath 
 me, I will not lay my hand under his shoes, he is much be- 
 neath me ; ah, but the angels lay their hands under your 
 shoes, and the work they do for you is much beneath them : 
 why should we not be like our attendants ? This is angelical 
 obedience ; the angels do you many a kindness, and never 
 look for thanks from you, they do many a kindness that you 
 are not aware of: why are you delivered, sometimes you 
 know not how ? here is a hand under a wing, the ministra- 
 tion of angels is the cause of it. But, I say, the work they 
 stoop to for you is much beneath them, and therefore why 
 should we not stoop to any work commanded, though it lie 
 much beneath us ? 
 
 9. If these things be so, friends, what manner of men and 
 women ought we to be in all holy conversation! What, 
 your attendants so holy, and you unholy ! Let the women 
 be covered, because of the angels, says the apostle ; so say I, 
 let us walk holily because of the angels, they are always 
 about us. If you be in company with a grave man, you will 
 not giggle, nor be so frothy as with others. If a man have 
 a servant attending upon him that is grave and sober, he will 
 not be frothy and vain. Behold what grave and holy atten- 
 dants there are about you, and will you giggle, and be frothy 
 and vain ? Oh, what manner of men and women ought we 
 to be in all holy conversation. 
 
 But, 10. To conclude: If these things be so, why should 
 we not always be found in that way, whereby we may come 
 within the compass of this protection? In the xxxivth 
 Psalm it is put upon fearing God, " They shall pitch their 
 tents round about them that fear him." In this Psalm it is 
 put most upon trusting in God. In this xcist Psalm, in this 
 verse, it is put upon (this protection of angels is put upon) 
 being in our way : " They shall bear you up in their hands. 
 He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep you in all 
 your ways." " In all your ways :" your ways : your ways 
 are God's ways, your way is the way commanded by God. 
 If you be out of God's way, you are out of your own way : 
 if you be in your way, the angels shall keep you, even in the 
 time of a plague, and bear you up in their hands, that you
 
 THE RIGHTEOUS MAX'S HABITATION. 499 
 
 dash not your foot against a stone ; but if you be out of 
 your way, I will not insure you of safety. When Balaam 
 went upon the devil's errand, an angel met him and scared 
 his ass, and the ass ran his foot against the wall, dashed his 
 foot against the wall. The promise is, f{ Thou shalt riot dash 
 thy foot against a stone ;" but he was out of his way, and 
 the angel met him and scared his ass, and his ass made him 
 rush his leg against the wall. Jonah went out of his way, 
 when he ran away from God ; God bade him go one way, 
 and he went another. Well, what then ? were the angels 
 with him for his protection ? the very sea would not be quiet 
 till he was thrown overboard : instead of angels to protect 
 him, he had a whale to devour him. I confess indeed, 
 through the free grace and mercy of God, the belly of de- 
 struction was made a chamber of preservation to him, but he 
 was out of his way ; and instead of an angel to keep him that 
 he dash not his foot, his whole body was thrown overboard. 
 Says Solomon, " As a bird from her nest, so is a man out of 
 his place :" so long as the bird is in her nest, it is free from 
 the hawk, it is free from the bird ing-piece, it is free from the 
 nets, and gins, and snares, as long as it is in her nest ; but 
 when the bird is off her nest, then she is exposed to many 
 dangers. So, so long as a man is in his way, in his place 
 and in his way, he is well, and under protection ; but when 
 a man is off his nest, out of his place, and out of his way, 
 then is he exposed to all dangers : but, be but in your way, 
 be but in your way, and then you may assure yourselves of 
 divine protection, and of the management thereof, by the 
 hands of angels. Oh, who would not labour always to be in 
 that way which God hath appointed him to be in ! why 
 should we not always consider with ourselves, and say, But 
 am I in my way ? Old Mr. Dod, being upon the water, and 
 going out of one boat into another, slipped between them, 
 and the first word he spake was this, " Am I in my way ?" 
 so we should always be saying, But am I in my way ? am I 
 in my way ? I am now idling away my time, but am I in my 
 way ? Oh my soul, am I in my way ? I am in my calling 
 this day, without prayer in the morning and reading the 
 Scriptures ; but am I in my way ? Oh my soul, am I in rny 
 way ? I am now in such frothy company, where I get no 
 good, but hurt ; but am I in my way ? ever consider this,
 
 500 THE RIGHTEOUS MAN*S HABITATION. 
 
 am I in ray way ? you may expect the Lord's protection and 
 the angel's attendance, if you be in your way, but not else. 
 Now then, as ever you desire the protection of the Almighty, 
 and the attendance of angels, especially in this time of dan- 
 ger, sickness, plague and pestilence, let us all labour daily to 
 look to it, that we be found in our way, the way the Lord 
 hath set us in ; and what I say to you, I say to myself, and 
 to all, "Wait on the Lord, and keep his way." 
 
 END OF VOL. 1. 
 
 K. Palmer & Son, Printers, 18, Paternoster 
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